InlandSoCal.com - Inland Moms

Disney volunteer program reaches goal of 1 million

2010-03-10T17:14:34Z

Disney's "Give a Day, Get a Disney Day" program has officially reached its goal of inspiring 1 million people to volunteer. The program began just 10 weeks ago and was ongoing until Dec. 15 or until 1 million people signed on to volunteer.

After volunteering participants were given a free one-day admission to one theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort or Disneyland Resort.

Although the "Give a Day, Get a Disney Day" program has ended and guests may no longer register for projects to earn a free ticket, volunteer projects can still be found at the HandsOn Network at http://HandsOnNetwork.org.

Fair, egg hunt coming to Bobby Bonds in Riverside

2010-03-10T16:44:38Z

A Community Fair and Egg Hunt put together by the Eastside Health Center and the City of Riverside Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department will be at the Bobby Bonds Sports Complex, Cesar Chavez Community Center Saturday, March 27 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Families are asked to bring their own baskets for the egg hunt, which starts promptly at 10 a.m. Children's activities include a visit with Peter Rabbit, face painting, Mad Science Slime and dry ice booths, Police K-9 and fire engine demonstrations, an obstacle course bouncer and more.

There will also be live music by "Jovanni," a Michael Jackson Impersonator, a performance by Ballet Folklorico, Tai-Chi and Zumba.

Free heath screenings for osteoporosis, glucose levels, dental, blood pressure, body fat, bone density and more will also be available, in addition to community health and education resources handouts at information booths.

The event is free and open to the public. The community center is located at 2060 University Ave. in Riverside.

Filling up at The Eating Room

2010-03-10T15:07:37Z

Weekly Family Dining Profile: We're looking for places that are kid friendly, have good prices and healthy menus. Here is the rundown on our The Eating Room experience:

For our latest culinary outing, the kids and I visited Martha Green's aptly named establishment, The Eating Room.

The Press-Enterprise

Located in downtown Redlands, the restaurant offers breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea, with menu items ranging from about $4 to $9.

The colorful décor, including a lime-green wall and another that's cherry red, makes the space feel bright and cheerful.

We visited for breakfast and ended up at a cozy table next to a black and white checkerboard fireplace.

]]> The extensive menu items include hot and cold breakfast choices, including a bananas, berries and cream dish; a muselix mix; cream of wheat or oatmeal with fixings; pancakes or waffles; a breakfast burrito; an array of breakfast skillets; and much more.

Looking back, I wish I had noticed the Sinful French Toast, which includes croissants, cream, eggs, maple syrup, cream cheese and vanilla. Yum.

Since we were starving, the kids and I decided to load up on a little of everything and ended up with scrambled eggs, bacon, pancakes, hash browns and biscuits and gravy.
The eggs and pancakes were light and fluffy, the bacon well done and the biscuits with sausage gravy were filling but delicious.

Sadly, we didn't look at the bakery until after we were way too full to do anything but feast with our eyes. It was brimming with cupcakes, cookies and pastries that looked like fine works of art.

We will definitely stop by for snacks, dessert or party favors sometime soon.

THE EATING ROOM
Where: 107 E. Citrus Ave., Redlands
Hours: 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Lunch 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
Menu: Breakfast, lunch (soups, salads, sandwiches) and afternoon tea
Prices: $4-$10.50
Information: 909-792-5400, www.allmarthagreen.com/theeatingroom.html

IDA holds first annual Dyslexia Dash runs

2010-03-10T14:26:03Z

The Inland Empire Branch of the International Dyslexia Association will hold its first annual 5K and 1K runs, called Dyslexia Dash, on April 17 at Riverside Fairmount Park. Along with the run, the day's activities will include a Health and Education Fair and a raffle that will include prizes like art work, LA Fitness passes and more.

The goal is to promote and raise awareness about literacy. The IE branch of IDA sponsors free community meetings, provides resources and information to parents, teachers and professionals, as well as individuals with dyslexia and learning disabilities.

What: Dyslexia Dash and health/education fair
Where: Fairmount Park, Riverside
When: Saturday, April 17. Registration for the run begins at 6:30 a.m. 7:30 a.m. 5K run starts; 8:30 a.m. 1K run/walk starts (preregister at www.active.com); 7 a/,/-10 a.m. Health and Education Fair

Native Film and Culture festival starts tomorrow

2010-03-09T22:35:21Z

The ninth annual Festival of Native Film and Culture begins Wednesday in Palm Springs.

The festival runs through Sunday and features films from the United States, Canada, Norway, Russia and Panama. The opening film, which begins at 8 p.m. Wednesday, is "Sing Birds: Following the Paths of Cahuilla Power," about the bird songs of the Cahuilla Indians, whose ancestral homeland includes the Palm Springs area. A reception begins at 7 p.m.

The festival is presented by the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum in Palm Springs.

All screenings and receptions will be at Camelot Theatres, 2300 E. Baristo Road. Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for those 60 and over and 16 and under. An "all-access pass," which provides entry to all screenings and receptions, is $50. Tickets are on sale at Camelot, by phone at 800-595-4849 or online at www.camelottickets.com.

For more information, call the Camelot box office at 760-325-6565, the museum at 760-778-1079, or go to www.accmuseum.org.

David Olson,
dolson@PE.com

U.S. government to warn against baby sling usage

2010-03-09T22:07:09Z

Warning to moms with infants: The U.S. government is readying a safety warning about baby slings - the cloth infant carriers parents can sling around their chests to carry a baby hands-free.

There have been reports of injuries from falls and suffocation when infants are either held too closely against the body or tangled in clothing.

Inez Tenenbaum, head of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, announced today that her agency is preparing a general warning for the public that will probably be released later this week.

"We know of too many deaths in these slings and we now know the hazard scenarios for very small babies," Tenenbaum said at meeting of the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association. "So the time has come to alert parents and caregivers."

In 2008, Consumer Reports listed about two dozen serious injuries, most occurring when children fell from the slings. A follow-up blog warned of suffocation risks and linked the slings to at least seven infant deaths. Other product complaints were made prior to these as well.

For more information visit www.cpsc.gov.

-The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Guest author Dianne Bright asks, Coke or Pepsi?

2010-03-09T19:35:26Z

Written by guest author Dianne Bright:

Dianne Bright

Guest Author

Two 2-liter bottles stand side by side. One stands in its dashing red and white apparel with a picture of Olympic skaters side by side. Five Olympic circles make you feel that drinking this refreshing beverage makes you a "Worldwide Partner." And just for drinking Coke, you can win cool stuff by entering the code from your bottle cap at mycokerewards.com.

Next to the Coke bottle stands a navy blue container with red, white, and blue circles. What could be more patriotic than drinking Pepsi? Its simple type-face is all lower-case making its appeal to the average American. Its bottle includes a campaign called "pepsi refresh project" found at refresheverything.com. So, which one's better?

]]> Coke and Pepsi both contain 100 calories per 8 oz serving. So, aren't they basically the same drink? Not exactly, right? While some people aren't passionate about their dark cola choice, others are downright opinionated about the topic. Here's the breakdown of ingredients contained in both of these sodas: carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, caramel color, phosphoric acid, natural flavors, and caffeine.

Though they look similar, the two drinks have slight differences. Pepsi actually has 25 mg of caffeine per cup whereas Coke has only 23 mg. Not only does Pepsi have a bit more caffeine, but it also lists "sugar" in addition to "high fructose corn syrup" as well. So, when it comes to sugar, Pepsi's got more: one gram that is. Coke's got 27g of sugar and Pepsi's got 28g. If salt is a concern, check out their sodium differential. Between the two drinks, Pepsi is your lower sodium option, with only 20mg of sodium per cup, compared to Coke's 30 mg.

I think the real difference comes down to the image. Both have great bold flavors and taste especially good on a hot day with lots of ice. But, you're the ultimate judge of flavor. So, which is better, Coke or Pepsi? I'm pretty sure all the cool people (like me) drink Coke, but some may beg to differ. Share your opinion here.

Riverside minister releases fatherhood book

2010-03-09T18:03:40Z

Clyde Stewart, a Riverside author and minister, has released a new book, "Life Without the Father," that delves into the role of fatherhood.

In the book, Stewart recounts his experiences as a young black man growing up without a father and shares his experiences as a teenager with a child.

"The book contains spiritual and natural insights that will help men fulfill their responsibilities as fathers," Stewart said. "If a man takes God's perspective on the importance of being a father, knowing he will be the deciding factor in fulfilling a child's destiny, I believe men will view their role in a more serious light."

Published by Tate Publishing and Enterprises, the book is available through bookstores nationwide or at www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore, www.barnesandnoble.com or www.amazon.com.

Stewart worked in the penal institutions of Calif. before starting Stewart's Home for Boys, a community center that helped steer the lives of about 650 juvenile delinquents and more than 100 foster children. He was then called to the ministry and founded San Bernardino Westside Christian Center. Stewart is married with two adult children.

Cal State universities search for WWII Japanese-American students

2010-03-09T18:00:53Z

Six California State University campuses are searching for 250 Japanese-American students who were forcibly removed from CSU campuses during World War II and relocated to internment camps, interrupting their academic careers.

The CSU campuses plan to award these Nisei students honorary Bachelor of Humane Letters degrees as part of the CSU's Nisei Honorary Degree Project. The CSU project is a result of Assembly Member Warren Furutani's bill, Assembly Bill 37, which called upon the CSU, University of California and the community colleges to award the degrees.

Application forms for the Nisei and/or their families can be found at www.calstate.edu/nisei. The CSU also has established a dedicated email address nisei@calstate.edu and a dedicated phone number (562) 951-4723 for people who need additional information.

The six CSU campuses where students attended and that will grant the honorary degrees are: Fresno, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, San Luis Obispo and Pomona (which was a branch of San Luis Obispo during those years).

-Mark Muckenfuss

Yucaipa Little Theatre presents 'The Patient'

2010-03-09T17:48:27Z

Agatha Christie's "The Patient" will be at the Yucaipa Little Theatre Friday, March 12 and Saturday, March 13 at 7:30 p.m. and for a matinee performance at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, March 14.

The show centers around a woman who sits paralyzed in a wheelchair following a fall from a balcony. The question is, did she faint or was she pushed? The inspector, determines that murder was intended a uses a devious ruse to trap the guilty party.

In addition to "The Patient," there will be a few shorter, variety-style performances, including on entitled "Chocolate."

Howard Glenn-Rawley, actor and co-founder of the Desert Actors Network in Palm Springs, will direct the special event.

Tickets cost $5. For information or reservations call 909-790-1884. Yucaipa Little Theatre is located at 12135 California St. in Yucaipa.