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    The Look Of Tomorrow…Today


    (San Bernardino, CA) – It is warp speed ahead for UTOPIA, The Art Institute of California, a college of Argosy University, Inland Empire’s 4th Annual Fashion Show.
    UTOPIA lands on Saturday, June 9th, 2012 in the Renaissance Room located at the National Orange Show at 7:00 p.m. This year’s fashion show will exhibit a collection of stunning student creations that are visions for the future.

    UTOPIA is the brain child of Sherry West, the Academic Director for The Art Institute of California, Inland Empire Fashion Department, who is also serving as UTOPIA’s executive producer.

    When asked what types of designs will be in the show, West stated, “I challenged the students to expand their imaginations to where it has never gone before. This show is literally about creating fashions that are out of this world.”

    West also went on to describe the UTOPIA event as “…a mirror to our society which is constantly influenced by technology and entertainment that is indicative of the future.”
    The event promises to showcase a variety of innovative textures, colors, and fabrications.

    UTOPIA’s red carpet arrival starts at 6 p.m., followed by the runway show at 7 p.m., and it concludes with an after party reception.
    Also during UTOPIA, guests will experience creations from other The Art Institute of California, Inland Empire departments such as Culinary Arts, Graphics Design, and Audio Design. Some of the sponsors for the event include Inland Empire Magazine, Studio 33 Productions, Robert Swapp Photography, Michael Ferrera Custom Clothing,  DrySoda, and Vision Shoes.

    Boarding tickets to the UTOPIA voyage range from $5.00 to $20.00 and can be purchased at http://fashionempire-utopia.eventbrite.com <http://fashionempire-utopia.eventbrite.com> .


    The Art Institute of California, a college of Argosy University, Inland Empire is part of The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu <http://www.artinstitutes.edu> ), a system of over 50 schools located throughout North America. The Art Institutes provide an important source of education for design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals. Several institutions of The Art Institutes system are campuses of South University or Argosy University. See aiprograms.info <http://aiprograms.info/> for program duration, tuition, fees, and other costs, median debt, federal salary data, alumni success, and other important info.

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    Three Of 10 Drowning Victims are Five Years Old or Younger


    These handy instructions are available for free at all LaSalle Medical Associates offices in San Bernardino, Fontana and Hesperia, or download this one today.



    lasalle-121 11x17Q8LO
    (SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.)  Swimming and other water activities are excellent opportunities for physical activity however they also can lead to unintentional deaths.

    With summer around the corner and water growing in popularity for child’s play, LaSalle Medical Associates is urging local residents to remain cautious and vigilant around swimming pools regardless of size.

    “The average 2-year-old is two-and-a-half to three feet tall so while a two foot tall wading pool seems safe to an adult, it is a danger to a small child,’’ said Dr. Albert Arteaga, president and founder of LaSalle Medical Associates Inc. on pool safety. “Small children can drown in only a few inches of water so parents, grandparents, and babysitters need to pay attention to children around any sized swimming pools.”
    The leading cause of unintentional injury death worldwide, and the highest rate among children is drowning. This information according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In the United States, drowning is the leading cause of injury death among children ages one to four. It is estimated three in 10 drowning victims are children younger than age five.
    The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates 260 children under age 5 drown in pools each year. The agency also estimates nearly 3,000 hospital emergency room visits are due to incidents involving children, under age five, playing in swimming pools.
    “We, as adults, become complacent because children are having fun or we feel comfortable in our environment at the time. But, swimming pools are potentially dangerous for children and we have to keep this in mind all the time,” says Barbara Graber, the education and audit coordinator for LaSalle.
    To prevent drowning, the recommendations are to:

    • Learn survival swimming skills.
    • Avoid using alcohol while swimming or supervising children near water.
    • Designate a responsible adult to watch young children while swimming or playing in or around water.
    • Never let older children be in charge of younger children in pool areas.
    • Place a fence around pools or spas with a gate that locks. Keep gate closed and locked at all times.
    • Never swim alone.
    • Keep a cordless, water-resistant phone near the pool in the event of an emergency.


    Parents looking into buying small, portable pools such as a wading pool should consider those with sides rigid enough for children to grab. Also, the pool’s surface should be sturdy and not slick so as to avoid slipping.

    In each of its four clinics, LaSalle’s Clinic Safety Committee has, on display, posters with pool safety tips. These posters are available to the public, LaSalle officials say.
    “The idea is to keep these safety tips in the face of parents in order to convey the message,’’ Arteaga says. “Drowning can become a tragedy, but it is one that is most avoidable.”
    In addition to pool safety, LaSalle is also encouraging local residents to protect their skin while enjoying time outside in the sun.
    “More time in the pool means more time in the sun and the sun can cause serious sunburns even possibly leading to various levels of skin cancer later in life,’’ Graber says.
    Graber suggests using sun block with a SPF of at least 15, which will stop 93 percent of the sun’s harmful ultra violet rays.
    Remember to reapply after swimming, she says.
    To pick up a free pool safety poster listing important safety tips for children and seniors, go to at any of the four LaSalle’s Inland Empire clinics: in San Bernardino at 1505 West 17th Street and 565 North Mt. Vernon Avenue, or in Fontana at 17577 Arrow Boulevard, and in Hesperia clinic at 16455 Main Street.
    For more information or to make an appointment, call (909) 890-0407.
    About LaSalle Medical Associates
    LaSalle Medical Associates is one of the largest independent minority owned healthcare companies in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.
    LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc., operates four clinics employing more than 120 dedicated healthcare professionals, treating children, adults and seniors in San Bernardino County. LaSalle’s patients are primarily served by Medi-Cal and Healthy Families. LaSalle also accept Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Molina, Care 1st, Health Net and Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP). LaSalle’s clinics are located at 17577 Arrow Blvd. in Fontana, 16455 Main St. in Hesperia, 1505 West 17th St. and 565 N. Mt. Vernon Ave. in San Bernardino.

    LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc., is also an Independent Practice Association (IPA) of independently contracted doctors, hospitals and clinics, delivering high quality patient care to more than 190,000 residents in San Bernardino, Riverside, Fresno, Kings, Los Angeles, Madera, San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Tulare Counties.
    LaSalle’s IPA members in the Inland Empire include:  LaSalle Medical Associates, Banning Medical Group and San Bernardino Urological Associates. Hospital affiliations include: Rancho Springs Medical Center, Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, Community Hospital of San Bernardino, St. Bernadine Medical Center, Mountains Community Hospital, Redland Community Hospital, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Corona Regional Medical Center, Riverside County Medical Center, and Parkview Community Hospital.

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    Men of Integrity

    ST. PAUL AME CHURCH LAY ORGANIZATION PRESENTS MEN OF INTEGRITY JUNE 16, 2012 12 p.m. Inghram Community Center 2050 N. Mt. Vernon Ave San Bernardino, CA 92411 FASHION SHOW AND LUNCHEON $15 ADULTS $7.50 CHILDREN 10 and UNDER FOR INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT ALICE GUESS (909) 425-1646 DEREK WILLIFORD (760) 885-7142

    Ad Club Speaker: How to Analyze And Leverage Social Media, June 14

    For Immediate Release
    Ad Club Speaker: How to Analyze And Leverage Social Media, June 14

    (Rancho Cucamonga, CA) The Ad Club is hosting a luncheon speaker who will discuss how to analyze and leverage social media campaigns at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Rancho Cucamonga on Thursday, June 14.  The public is invited.
    Aya Dasher, Client Relationship Manager at Sysomos, a Bay Area company specializing in social media analytics will present “How to Gain Actionable Business Insights Through Social Media.”  Sysomos is a leading provider of real time, up to the minute social media analytics.
    Dasher will discuss how to identify key influencers and opinion leaders of your brand, measuring key metrics around buzz and sentiment and how to conduct comparisons between competitors.
    “This is a very valuable presentation for marketing, advertising, PR and social media companies who want to better analyze social media campaigns,” said John McCarthy, Event Chair of the Inland Empire Chapter of the AAF (American Advertising Federation).  “We expect a good turnout, so everyone should register early.”
    Registration at the door is at 11:30am at the Old Spaghetti Factory, 11896 Foothill Blvd, Ranch Cucamonga, CA. 91730.  Cost for Ad Club members is $25, for the general public $30 and $25 for students.  Discounts for early registration are available at www.aaf-inlandempire.com.
    For information, contact McCarthy at jmccarthy@webmetro.com.

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    Far West Meats to Host Grand Opening Celebration and BBQ “We Want to Feed the Whole Town”

    “We have always been in the neighborhood and always with the people,” said Tom Serrato. The Grand Opening BBQ on Saturday July 14, 2012 from 9 am to 3 pm anticipates large crowds and plenty of well wishers happy to have Far West Meats back home in Highland.

    (Highland, CA) – Tom Serrato, owner of Far West Meats is hosting a Grand Opening Celebration BBQ on Saturday, July 14, 2012 at their newly rebuilt location at 7759 Victoria Avenue in Highland. After a devastating fire in July of 2010, Far West Meats has been operating out of a temporary location in Colton.
    To celebrate the Grand Opening and their return to Highland, Far West Meats will serve complimentary samples of food to the public including hot dogs, ribs, brisket, chicken and burgers on July 14, 2012 from 9 am to 3 pm. These same products will be featured and available for purchase on their web site or at their new neighborhood outlet.

    Far West Meats will now be home to operations of over 30,000 square feet. The rebuilding allowed for expansion to accommodate the higher sales volume now anticipated. Since the fire, Far West Meats has been busy planning the new location and developing more products, including a healthier, leaner, and tastier sausage.

    “We have responded to customer demand for a quality sausage they can grill at tailgate parties which has less fat and sodium but more flavor.  At Far West Meats we say ‘One Bite and We’re Friends For Life’,” said Serrato.

    Far West Meats product line includes all cuts of beef, pork, chicken and seafood as well as their smoked sausages.

    “When we opened this location in 1978 it came with a smokehouse. At that time we didn’t use it. Sometime in the 1980’s the industry recognized a demand in inner city locations for smoked sausages. We came up with a product that was an immediate success,” said Serrato.

    There were two small market chains that early on helped the company sell these products ABC Stores and Boys Markets. Since then they have added 10 flavors as well as a complete line of smoked meats, with Far West’s products now sold throughout the Southland. Every product sold is guaranteed 100% for quality and freshness.

    Before the fire, Far West Meats had a limited capacity to serve walk up customers. “Back then we had secretaries trying to answer phones, total orders, and provide customer service. It was a lot and it got crazy sometimes,” remembers Serrato.

    In the new location, there will be an expanded customer will call department. Products will be displayed in three sizes of packages with pricing clearly marked. This way a couple could come in and order the smaller sized items already packaged and ready to take home. The medium sized items would be ideal for the family of four, and the largest size would be for the party planners and larger sized families.

    Not only will the neighborhood outlet be a part of the actual location but Far West Meats will also expand its website as well. Customers will be able to set up a virtual freezer account.

    In their virtual freezer, customers can purchase and stock their freezer and when needed the product it is pulled and shipped for delivery or ready for in-store pick up. A virtual freezer is ideal for non-profit organizations (little leagues, soccer leagues, school booster clubs), which host seasonal events but do not have room for storage as well as for families that do not own home freezers. The expanded website will be consumer friendly and include shipping information to anywhere. In addition customers can sign up for the e-newsletter, which will feature sales specials. Visit the website at www.farwestmeat.com
    “We have always been in the neighborhood and always with the people,” said Serrato.

    The Grand Opening BBQ on Saturday July 14, 2012 from 9 am to 3 pm anticipates large crowds and plenty of well wishers happy to have Far West Meats back home in Highland.
    For Grand Opening information please call (909) 864-1990.

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    Rent an apartment or Refer Your Friends and Get $200

    The Magnolia at Highland Senior invites you to Rent an apartment or Refer Your Friends and Get $200
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    Case Study: Grand Opening Of Salvation Army Hospitality House

    Community support was overwhelming when the new Hospitality House held a grand opening in January. Volunteers are now needed to help children in the shelter’s computer lab and media center. Photo by Chris Sloan

     

    Media Relations  – Non-Profit Organization
    Grand Opening Of Salvation Army Hospitality House
    January 15, 2010

    Objective: As part of our ongoing role as the Salvation Army’s public relations provider, we were given the task of event planning and arranging media coverage for the Grand Opening of the Salvation Army’s Hospitality House emergency family shelter, which took place on January 15, 2010. The Hospitality House was remodeled after the San Bernardino Corps purchased the building from another arm of the Salvation Army, the San Bernardino Adult Rehabilitation Center.

    Tactics: Our media relations strategy began in 2008, when the San Bernardino Corps first purchased the shelter from the Adult Rehabilitation Center. After the first release, we began consistently mentioning the upcoming move in our press releases about other events. For instance, in the press release about the 2008 Red Kettle campaign, a holiday fundraiser for the Salvation Army, we mentioned that the Salvation Army would need more money in 2009 due to this planned move.

    Throughout 2009, we continued to frequently mention the upcoming move in our press releases, and we issued additional press releases specifically about this topic.  This included one press release for another client, the Art Institute of California – Inland Empire, whose students had worked with the Salvation Army to create a design scheme for the shelter’s new library and computer lab. Finally, in the first week of January, 2010 we sent out a media advisory so that all of our media contacts would know the Salvation Army planned its grand opening on January 15.

    Results: The initial press release resulted in stories published in the Press-Enterprise (Riverside), the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, the San Bernardino County Sun, and the Inland Empire Business Journal. In addition, the San Bernardino Sun did two stories about the Salvation Army in December 2008 that mentioned the upcoming move.

    By the summer of 2009, the local media was keenly aware of the upcoming move. In August 2009, the Press-Enterprise contacted us, requesting a tour of the work in progress. This resulted in a 72 ½ inch story and photo on the front of the Local section. After this was published, additional tours were arranged for the Sun and for a reporter from the Inland Empire bureaus of Channels 2 and 9, resulting in additional media coverage from those outlets. New Frontier, a newspaper for the Salvation Army Corps in the western United States, reprinted the Press-Enterprise story, along with a sidebar we had produced about State Senator Gloria Negrete-McLeod touring the under-construction shelter.

    Our final tactic, the media alert sent out the first week of January 2010, resulted in pre-event coverage from the Press-Enterprise, and post-event coverage from the Press-Enterprise, the Sun, New Frontier, Highland Community News, the Rialto Record, Colton Courier, El Chicano and Inland Empire Weekly and the website Eventful.com.

    Additionally, in February 2010, the Sun arranged to have a reporter and a photographer spend the night at the shelter, which resulted in an 80-inch story, a 30-inch sidebar, two sidebars of 20 inches each, and a 14-inch sidebar.

    Case study: City of Rialto

    Work has begun to ease congestion on the Riverside Avenue bridge over Interstate 10 in Rialto. Harber Construction workers Saul Castenoa, Jacob Gracia, Janie Barralaga amd Bruce Siekierski remove the railing of the old bridge. The City of Rialto will close this five-lane bridge in April to replace it with a nine-lane bridge. It anticipates finishing the project in early 2012.

    Case Study:              MEDIA RELATIONS
    Client:                     CITY OF RIALTO
    Introduction: In 2010 and 2011 we provided a campaign to increase favorable media coverage for the City of Rialto, working primarily with its Redevelopment Agency. We developed a series of seven press releases for the Redevelopment Agency highlighting upcoming projects and existing city assets for which the agency had helped secure funding.
    These press releases are posted  at: http://www.dameroncommunications.com/category/rialto/

    • Rialto Stepping Into Economic Success,”
    • Route 66 Sporting New Pavement In Rialto,”
    • Fergusson Park in Rialto Gets $6 Million Upgrade,”
    • From Blight To Burgers,”
    • Rialto Eases Congestion With New Freeway Bridge,”
    • North Rialto Poised For Development,”
    • “Community Theater In Intimate Setting,”
    • Rialto Makes Foreclosed Homes Great Places To Live

    Research and
    Planning: We met with Redevelopment Agency Director Robb Steel and his designees to obtain the specific information for the press releases. We had already obtained information about the city from having worked with Council Member Deborah Robertson and former City Manager Henry Garcia on previous projects.

    Execution: We released “Rialto Stepping Into Economic Success” on Sept. 16, 2010, “Route 66 Sporting New Pavement in Rialto” on Oct. 1, 2010, and “Fergusson Park in Rialto Gets $6 Million Upgrade on Oct. 5, 2010.” Rialto Redevelopment Agency asked us to hold off on projects later in October 2010, but allowed us to resume work in 2011.
    We then released “Blight to Burgers” on March 2, 2011, “Rialto Easing Congestion With New Freeway Bridge” on March 15, 2011, “North Rialto Poised for New Development on March 24, 2011, “Community Theater in Intimate Setting” on April 25, 2011, and “Rialto Makes Foreclose Homes Great Places To Live” on May 20, 2011. We released these stories to both local and Los Angeles media contacts, and through wire services.

    “From Blight to Burgers” came on the heels of less positive publicity, especially in the San Bernardino Sun, about Rialto’s decision to spend Redevelopment Agency funds on a project that will bring In-N-Out Burgers to that city. The earlier publicity made it appear that Rialto had subsidized the restaurant chain. Our press release brought attention to the current state of the property and the need for Rialto to spend redevelopment funds in order for it to be anything other than a vacant lot. At the time we wrote the press release, a former fire station stood on the property. This fire station was in great need of modernization, and its location near the 210 Freeway made it difficult for firefighters to safely exit the fire station onto Riverside Ave. Since this property had so many problems, the city had decided to build a new fire station (now open) elsewhere. Yet, in order for any other development to occur, $2.4 million to purchase adjacent property, demolish the fire station and upgrade infrastructure for the entire area had to be invested. It also brought to the public’s attention that In-N-Out would be one of three restaurants on the property.

    Evaluation: The San Bernardino Sun’s story derived from “Rialto Poised For Economic Development” went off our intended message. The press release highlighted recent and upcoming economic developments, including green industries Enertech (opened a plant in Rialto in March 2010) and Rentech (plant under construction at the time), and also highlighted Rialto’s proposed master-planned Renaissance Rialto, which will bring both retail and industry when developed in coming years.

    The Sun’s story instead focused on the city manager’s optimism that when the economy improves, the City will not miss out on economic development opportunities, because it has launched a more aggressive and professional approach to marketing the city. Although its focus was elsewhere, the Sun article mentioned all of the projects in our release, and added one more, the proposed Lytle Creek Ranch.  The Rialto City Manager, Henry Garcia, was so pleased with the Sun’s article he arranged to have it placed on the City of Rialto’s website.

    Stories focusing more on our intended message appeared in other local media, including the daily Riverside Press-Enterprise, its weekly Spanish-language publication La Prensa, and several other weekly newspapers in the Inland Empire.

    From Blight To Burgers” resulted in Sun reporter Jim Steinberg interviewing both Robb Steel and Fernando Acosta, the property developer the Redevelopment Agency is working with to sell the improved property to three restaurants. When Steinberg interviewed him, Acosta had reached a point in the negotiations he could name the second restaurant, Miguel’s Jr. Also, the city had just torn down the old fire station, highlighting the need to turn the freeway-frontage pile of rubble into something more attractive. Steinberg’s article focused on the intended goal of the press release, highlighting the likelihood of three new restaurants coming to the property, and listing the same necessary property improvements we had highlighted in the press release.

    Steinberg also interviewed Steel regarding “Rialto Easing Congestion With New Freeway Bridge,” which resulted in two stories, one shortly after the release was issued and another about one month later when Rialto began demolition of the old freeway bridge.  Both stories conveyed the intended message of our release, which is that the new bridge would be far more efficient and attractive, and worth the expense of the project and the inconvenience of detouring drivers away from the Riverside Ave./Interstate 10 interchange for seven months.

    In addition to writing stories that explained Rialto’s message clearly, Steinberg on two occasions contacted Dameron Communications for information about City of Rialto projects we had not been hired to promote, as they did not involve redevelopment funds. We were able to assist Steinberg by encouraging the appropriate city officials to speak to The Sun about these stories.  Due to our work positive stories regarding city projects continues in the Sun in recent times.

    All stories the Sun wrote about Rialto during our campaign also appeared on such news sites for the San Jose Mercury News, the Long Beach Press Telegram and the Contra Costa Times.

    In addition, websites such as Topix.com have generated their own links to these stories, while our placing the releases through wire services has resulted in publication on hundreds of websites worldwide, and in some cases, in periodicals related to the topics of a specific release.

    Ad Club plans Art Bash on May 11

    For Immediate ReleaseAd Club plans Art Bash on May 11
    (San Bernardino, CA) The local Ad Club is hosting a student art auction to benefit its scholarship program on Thursday evening, May 11 at Cal State San Bernardino, 6-9pm.The second annual event will be held on campus at the Robert and Frances Fullerton Museum of Art.This year’s theme, “When Art and Advertising Collide,” invites students to create a piece of art on blank canvasses that the Ad Club donated to student artists around the Inland Empire.  The art pieces will be auctioned at The Art Bash.
    The event is hosted by the Inland Empire Chapter of the American Advertising Federation (AAF).  Proceeds will benefit winning students and the Ad Club academic scholarship program.Bidding for art pieces at the silent auction begins at $25. Admission for the evening is $10 for Ad Club members and $15 for the general public.  A wine bar and appetizers are included.
    “This was a very successful event last year,” said Jon Burgess, President of the Ad Club.  “We are excited to again recognize student artists and grow our scholarship program. Everyone is invited to come out and support this worthwhile event.”For more information visit www.aaf-inlandempire.com. Or contact Jacob Poore at CSUSB at jpoore@csusb.edu.
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