By Press Release

San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Awards $1.3 Million Grant to UCLA School of Law to Advance Justice on Tribal Lands

Published

4 years ago

October 3, 2019

October 3, 2019 (Los Angeles, Calif.) The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians has awarded a grant of more than $1.3 million to UCLA School of Law to help strengthen legal institutions in California and across Indian country through the law school’s Tribal Legal Development Clinic.

The five-year grant calls for the clinic to work on up to four legal projects each year to improve tribal courts and law enforcement practices, develop youth courts and peacemaker alternatives to litigation, and handle matters involving the Indian Child Welfare Act. An overarching goal is to develop model legal systems and practices that can be adopted by native nations.

“The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians is committed to improving justice systems on native lands in California and beyond,” said San Manuel Chairwoman Lynn Valbuena. “Partnering with UCLA School of Law, we can help native nations build legal institutions that are durable, just and responsive to the social and cultural needs of our communities.”

The grant funds a new position at UCLA Law, the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Legal Clinic Director, as well as staff for the Tribal Legal Development Clinic. UCLA Law has named Lauren van Schilfgaarde ’12, an alumna who previously worked as the Tribal Law Specialist at the Tribal Law and Policy Institute and as a law clerk for the Native American Rights Fund, as the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Legal Clinic Director.

The clinic director and students will work with different tribes on matters including youth justice, criminal justice and strengthening legal institutions, but will not take on work related to gaming, land use or federal recognition of tribes. Current projects include legal code development with the Yurok Tribe in Northern California, performing research and writing for the Ho-Chunk Nation Supreme Court in Wisconsin, and developing procedures related to cultural resource protection and ancestral remains repatriation in California.

“UCLA Law has a tradition of training law students to help build the foundations for robust, independent governance and legal systems in Indian country,” said Angela Riley, a professor at UCLA Law and director of UCLA Law’s Native Nations Law and Policy Center and UCLA’s dual-degree program in Law and Native American Studies. “Through this generous gift, our law students will gain one-of-a-kind opportunities to work with Native Nations throughout California and beyond, travel to tribal lands and develop into legal leaders who will influence tribal justice for generations to come.”

The collaboration continues a tradition of development of native leaders at UCLA. In 2004, a $4 million grant from the San Manuel Band established the Tribal Learning Community and Educational Exchange at UCLA. TLCEE, which is housed within the school of law, is an interdisciplinary experiential education program that joins native peoples’ knowledge and vision for the future with the academic world at UCLA. The program offers courses and workshops on campus, online and in native communities, for community members and UCLA students interested in American Indian Studies.

The TLCEE program and Tribal Legal Development Clinic were launched under the guidance of Carole Goldberg, Jonathan D. Varat Distinguished Professor of Law Emerita at UCLA and a nationally recognized leader in tribal law. Goldberg, who retired in 2018 after 46 years on the UCLA Law faculty, said, “This new grant deepens on already powerful relationship between UCLA and Native Nations in California and from across the United States. We are proud to work with the San Manuel Band to strengthen the institutions that advance tribal sovereignty, protect tribes’ cultural and natural resources, and ensure opportunity and fairness for everyone on tribal lands.”

ABOUT THE SAN MANUEL BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians is a federally recognized Indian tribe located on the San Manuel Indian Reservation near Highland, California. San Manuel exercises its inherent sovereign right of self-governance and provides essential services for its citizens by building infrastructure, maintaining civil services and promoting social, economic and cultural development. As descendants of the indigenous people of the San Bernardino highlands, passes, valleys, mountains and high deserts, the Serrano people of San Manuel have called this area home since time immemorial and are committed to remaining a productive partner in the San Bernardino region.

ABOUT UCLA SCHOOL OF LAW
Founded in 1949 and celebrating its 70th year, UCLA School of Law is one of the top-ranked law schools in the country. Its faculty are among the most influential scholars in business law, constitutional law, critical race studies, environmental law, evidence, immigration, public interest law, tax and other fields. UCLA Law’s 18,000-plus alumni work in nearly every state and more than 50 countries as leaders in government, industry, social justice and the legal profession. Committed to the University of California’s mission of teaching, research and service, the school offers students a strong foundation in the law as well as practical training through a robust experiential education program.

By Press Release

Tyler Ankrum World Wide Technology Raceway Race Preview

Published

5 days ago

June 1, 2023

Inland Empire Business Journal

Tyler Ankrum, driver of the No. 16 LiUNA! Toyota Tundra TRD Pro

Headed West … Tyler Ankrum rolls into the “Gateway to the West” as the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series invades the St. Louis area at World Wide Technology Raceway (WWTR). As five races remain before the playoffs begin, Saturday afternoon’s contest at WWTR marks a pivotal moment for the driver of the No. 16 LiUNA! Toyota Tundra TRD Pro. Ankrum currently resides 15th in the championship standings and hopes WWTR is the gateway to his third-career playoff berth.

HRE at WWTR … The San Bernardino, Calif. driver has four appearances under his belt at the St. Louis-area 1.25-mile egg-shaped oval. Ankrum made his debut at WWTR in 2019 and scored a best finish of 12th in 2020. The No. 16 team has had a steady track record in the St. Louis region since debuting there in 2017 with Ryan Truex. The HRE squad has put up one top-five, two top-10’s, and led laps in three of the five events, which included a third-place result in 2020.

Season to Date … Through 11 of 16 regular season events, Ankrum and the No. 16 team occupy the 15th position in the championship standings, 63 markers behind the cut line. Ankrum’s season-best result came eight races ago at Circuit of the Americas and he has posted three finishes of tenth or better in the 2023 season.

Chassis Selection … Chassis No. 008 will make it’s third start of the season at World Wide Technology Raceway. This Toyota Tundra TRD Pro made its last start at Darlington Raceway, where Ankrum would run around the top-10 most of the day, settling for a 15th place finish at the track too tough to tame.

Tune In … Fox Sports 1 has complete coverage of the Toyota 200 at World Wide Technology Raceway, beginning with practice and qualifying on Friday at 6:00 pm ET (FS1), followed by the green flag on Saturday at 1:30 pm ET (FS1). Stay connected with the No. 16 LiUNA! team by following @Hattori_Racing on Twitter, @hattoriracing on Instagram, and Hattori Racing Enterprises on Facebook.

Tyler Ankrum Quote on World Wide Technology Raceway:
“Gateway is such a unique racetrack from where we’ve been racing the last month or so. It’s like a big short track with flat corners, a lot of braking, and we’ll for sure need our LiUNA! Toyota Tundra TRD Pro to turn in the center of the corners. It races similar to Phoenix, but Turns one and two are really tight while (turns) three and four are kind of wide and sweeping. Pit road is extremely narrow and how you get in and out of your box could be critical. Hopefully we can start to regain some points as we get closer to the playoffs.”

By Press Release

June 15th Foster Care & Adoption Virtual Online Orientation

Published

2 weeks ago

May 25, 2023

Inland Empire Business Journal

Children’s Bureau is seeking foster families and now offers two virtual ways for individuals and/or couples to learn how to help children in foster care while reunifying with birth families or how to provide legal permanency by adoption.

If you or someone you know may be interested in learning more about becoming a foster or foster-adopt parent, join us on June 15th from 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. for an English online virtual orientation. To sign up, visit https://www.all4kids.org/foster-care-and-adoption-inquiry-form/ or call 661-289-4231 or 833-983-2837, or email Rfrecruitment@all4kids.org and a link to the meeting will be sent to you.

A Spanish Zoom Orientation is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on July 20th for those who prefer Spanish.

Children’s Bureau partners with over 200 foster-adoptive families annually to help at-risk youth by giving them a home that is nearby and inclusive to their foster siblings. Lisa and Michael began their foster-adoptive journey by providing a stable home to a sibling set of three, two girls and a boy. They worked to keep the family together and have experienced a bond like no other. “If adoption is in your future, there is no need to look any further than our surrounding county. So many local children need a family. If you are wanting to “make a difference” with your life, consider adopting from foster care. You could be saving generations,” said Lisa.

In the 1940’s, Children’s Bureau opened adoption services and found homes for refugee children orphans from World War II. The agency continues to meet the needs by offering a wide array of programs in areas related to adoption such as foster care, prevention, and mental health. Children’s Bureau has multiple locations operating throughout Southern California.

“Right now, children in San Bernardino County who have experienced trauma and have been separated from their birth family need our help,” says Leslie Oropeza, Children’s Bureau Director of Foster Care and Adoption. “We are looking for families who can open their homes and hearts to these children. Families who have extra space and the willingness to keep them together. Statistics show siblings kept together in foster care and adoption do better later in life.

They heal quicker from their trauma, have better attachments, and develop healthy self-images,” she adds.

Children’s Bureau welcomes all individuals regardless of race, age, religion, disability, marital status, ethnic background, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression to become a resource for children. Qualifying families receive training and support throughout their journey. Foster Care and Adoption Programs are available in Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, and Ventura counties.

For information about Children’s Bureau and the other critical services the agency provides , visit all4kids.org. To stay connected with Family Foster Care and Adoption services, visit www.all4kids.org/foster.

By Press Release

City of San Bernardino Receives SCAG Sustainability Award for Its Clean Fleet Policy

Published

2 weeks ago

May 25, 2023

Inland Empire Business Journal

The City of San Bernardino has received the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) Sustainability Award for Alternative Fuels and Infrastructure for its Zero Emission First – Clean Fleet Policy. The City was recognized at SCAG’s regional conference, held in Palm Desert. Mayor Helen Tran and Council Member Damon Alexander were on hand to receive the award.

“We are pleased and honored to be recognized by SCAG for our Clean Fleet Policy,” said San Bernardino Council Member Damon Alexander, who also sits on the SCAG Regional Council. “It not only speaks to San Bernardino’s commitment to sustainability but is a roadmap to make a difference.”

The award was one of seven sustainability awards presented by SCAG recognizing excellence and innovation to improve mobility, livability, prosperity, and sustainability. SCAG is the nation’s largest metropolitan planning organization, encompassing six counties (Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura), 191 cities, and 19 million people in an area covering more than 38,000 square miles.

San Bernardino’s Clean Fleet Policy was unanimously adopted by the City Council on December 7, 2022. It serves as the City’s first initiative to reduce emissions from its daily operations. The policy establishes a framework for transitioning the City’s fleet from gas powered vehicles to zero to low-emission vehicles. The policy represents San Bernardino’s commitment to environmental responsibility.

The core objectives of San Bernardino’s Clean Fleet Policy include:

Procure new and replace existing fleet vehicles with alternative fuel vehicles, with a focus on procuring all electric vehicles.
Optimize the fleet size by eliminating unused or underused vehicles through review and evaluation of vehicle utilization and redundancy reports.
Limit the procurement of gasoline and/or diesel-powered vehicles.
Execute a plan to expand the network of charging stations city-wide.
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and pollutants through the elimination of fossil fuel combustion.
Decrease costs associated with fleet vehicle operations, which can be reinvested into the community.

The Clean Fleet Policy is the first of a series of strategies and initiatives the San Bernardino intends to pursue to support the City’s efforts to achieve net zero emissions in its operations.