Things to Do: March 2009 Archives

Choir director Raymond Wise will lead a workshop on the art of performing and preparing gospel music for three University of Redlands choirs and three regional high school choirs.

"The public is also welcome to attend and participate in the morning of singing," said Nicholle Andrews, director of choral studies at the university.

The workshop will take place Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. at the University of Redlands Memorial Chapel.

"The choirs have prepared four of his compositions and he will work on those compositions with him," Andrews said. "There should be about 75 to 80 people in the choir in addition to anyone else that shows up."

Participating high schools include Redlands East Valley High School, Yucaipa High School and Victor Valley High School. Wise has directed more than 30 choirs and prepared choirs that performed for recording artists such as Kenny Rogers, Diana Ross and Yolanda Adams.

In tonight's episode of ABC's 'Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,' a high desert family not only got a new home and a new animal sanctuary, the children also received the means to get a college education.

After the show, Daniel Aldrich, vice chancellor for advancement at UC Riverside and Jim Sandoval, vice chancellor for Student Affairs met with Chermaine Almquist to present her four small UCR Highlander stuffed bears, each representing a free college education.

Special to The Press Enterprise

UCR's Jim Sandoval hugs Chermaine Almquist as he and Daniel Aldrich present Highlander stuffed animals representing college educations.

"It was absolutely fantastic meeting the family," Sandoval said. "One of the purposes of colleges and universities is to inspire change."

"We have heard about your dedication to the animals ... we have been inspired," Sandoval said to the Almquists. "The scholarships are for all the children, so we hope to have a long on-going relationship with the family."

The Almquist children, Noah, Arianna, Kiah and Patricia (ages 2 to 16) are guaranteed the first two years of college at Victor Valley Community College, and then the second two years at UC Riverside. The offer from UC Riverside is the equivalent of about $40,000 in fees and living expenses.

"It was so much fun to be part of that surprise for the family," Aldrich said.

Phelan residents Joel and Chermaine caught the eye of ABC producers with their dedication to saving abused and neglected wild animals. The family lived in an aging and unheated double wide trailer that sat next to fenced enclosures full of rescued animals such as tigers, tortoises, parrots, alligators, Mexican beaded lizards, Siberian lynx and even an Egyptian cobra.

With the help of Animal Planet's Jeff Corwin, the crew from "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," along with local builders and suppliers and a ton of volunteers were able to complete a new 3,500 square foot home and a new and improved Forever Wild Exotic Animal Sanctuary and Visitors Center within a short seven days.

See a video of the build here.

By JEFF HORSEMAN
The Press-Enterprise

An Orange County family reached a $20 million settlement to resolve a lawsuit stemming from injuries their son suffered in a fall from playground equipment at a Temecula Burger King.

The settlement between Jacob Buckett's family and a group of defendants was reached a couple months ago, according to the Bucketts' attorney, Christopher Aitken of Orange County.

While Aitken said the settlement barred him from identifying the defendants, court records show the family sued the Burger King franchise's owner in Rancho Santa Margarita, as well as companies responsible for making and distributing the playground equipment.

According to court documents, Jacob was 8 years old in 2005 when he fell from cross bars and hit his head on the tile floor. The boy suffered a traumatic brain injury that affected the left side of his body as well as his motor functions, reasoning and speech skills, Aitken said.

Aitken said another boy broke his arm while playing on the equipment three years before, so the restaurant knew the playground had safety problems. The playground's design was flawed and more padding should have been put on the place where Jacob fell, Aitken said.

The $20 million will pay for Jacob's lifetime health care needs, Aitken said, adding the Bucketts used to live in Temecula. Jacob is the son of Kevin and Julie Buckett.

Rene Faucher of Encino, attorney for the playground's distributor, Delta Marketing Inc., said his client paid $1 million through its insurance policy.

"This was a serious and tragic injury to quite a young boy," he said.

Aitken said the Bucketts brought the lawsuit to raise awareness of the importance of playground safety.

"One of their main goals is to make sure this doesn't happen to another child," he said.

It all started with a knock on the door, which opened to the familiar face of Ty Pennington. Seven days later a family had a new and improved home and a new animal rescue facility thanks to ABC TV's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition."

The Almquist family provides a home for abused and neglected animals at the Forever Wild Exotic Animal Sanctuary. Located on their property in Phelan, the sanctuary provides a home for a variety of animals including nine tigers, three sulcata tortoises, three parrots, 10 alligators, four servals, four Mexican beaded lizards, two Siberian lynx and one Egyptian cobra.

Before the build, Joel and Chermaine Almquist, along with their four children ranging in age from 2 to 16 years old, were living in an aging trailer and were struggling to maintain the animal sanctuary. Their new home and rescue center will be revealed in the upcoming "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" episode airing Sunday, March 29 at 8/7c.

In addition to the help from area builders and suppliers in the creation of the home, the family will be receiving a gift from UC Riverside.

"We've been sworn to secrecy for weeks, but on Sunday night I will definitely be watching to see the looks on their faces," said Daniel Aldrich, vice chancellor for advancement at UC Riverside. "It was exciting to be part of a project like this that adds value to people's lives."

"This was a fun adventure for the University," said Kris Lovekin, news communications at UC Riverside. "I met the mom and she was very warm-hearted and grateful. The University's gift is something for the children."

The family was sent on a vacation to Costa Rica and returned after seven days to a new 3,300 square foot home, a new wildlife sanctuary and visitor's center, and several other gifts.

Regional builders and suppliers that volunteered time and materials for the build included Murphy Construction Company from Hesperia, SC Homes, Inc. from Newport Beach, Steeno Design Studio from Hesperia and David L. Manwarren Corporation from Rancho Cucamonga. The Building Industry Association Baldy View Chapter and hundreds of volunteers and workers sweated through the quick build and had everything ready just in time for the family's return.

"I think this will be a very cool episode," Lovekin said. "I'll be watching Sunday night."

The San Bernardino County Museum is inviting families to visit for a "Book-making" workshop April 11 from 2-4 p.m. Registration deadline is on Tuesday April 7.

"What makes a book? Is it the words, the pages, or the pictures?" said Jolene Redvale, curator of education at the museum. "In this workshop, participants will learn how to make at least two different styles of books that they can bring home, and fill with their own personal wonders."

The workshop is a joint project of the San Bernardino County Museum, University of Redlands, A.K. Smiley Public Library and the "Big Read" initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and Arts Midwest.

Activities are geared toward children ages 6 and older. All materials are included in the registration cost.

Where: 2024 Orange County Lane, Redlands
When: 2-4 p.m. April 11
Cost: $10, family; $5 individual
Register: In person, 909-307-2669, www.sbcountymuseum.org

Get ready for a visit from Mickey and friends. The famous mouse will be making an appearance, along with lots of other Disney favorites in "Disney on Ice" at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario April 1-5.

"'Disney On Ice presents a Disneyland Adventure' features Pirates of the Caribbean, a teacup party, a haunted mansion, cannons and favorite Disney characters," said David Abed, publicist. "You can feel like a kid again and experience the magical possibilities of Disneyland, without the amusement park ticket price."

The show is about two hours and 15 minutes in length and will include a 15-minute intermission. In the show, Mickey and Minnie will take the audience through places such as the Jungle Cruise, Space Mountain and more. The Disney Princesses Snow White and Cinderella will take part in the Main Street USA parade and super family The Incredibles will host an action-packed adventure.

"There is subtle humor for the grown ups, groovy music and amazing skating," Abed said." It's an inexpensive way to entertain the kids and enjoy a fun family experience."

'DISNEY ON ICE'Where: Citizens Business Bank Arena, 4000 E. Ontario Center Parkway, Ontario
When: 7:30 p.m., Wed.; 7:30 p.m., Thurs.; 7:30 p.m., Friday; 12 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Sat.; 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Sunday
Cost: $14-$22, regular; $40, VIP; $60, front row
Information: 909-244-5600, www.ticketmaster.com

I'm hearing from friends and fans of the TLC show "Jon and Kate Plus 8" that it has lost some of its shine in season 4. The season finale was hyped containing a husband-and-wife showdown - Jon is struggling with the lack of privacy, while Kate seems to be lapping it up.

There weren't exactly fireworks, just a few moments of Jon saying, "I can't just be Jon [in public] -- I have to be 'Jon and Kate Plus 8.'"

When the show first began in season one, viewers saw a hard working couple (Jon worked, Kate took care of the kids) living modestly. As the show progressed, Jon stopped working; the couple began living off the show and numerous speaking engagements and sponsorships. They moved into a larger house and over the last few seasons just about all their friends and family have disappeared.

In light of the recent octuplets mom Nadya Suleman fiasco, some fans of the show are starting to wonder if Suleman's the only one intent on using the children for wealth and fame.

TLC is still pushing forward with the giant family reality TV theme with a new show "Table for 12," which will take it to a new level following a family with two sets of twins and sextuplets. I still think we're safe from the Suleman clan thought - they're a little more TMZ than TLC.

The Riverside Airshow is back for a 17th year with plenty of familiar faces and a couple new ones. Aerial acrobatics, displays, food, refreshments and other entertainment will go on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Riverside Airport.

"This air show has got real personality ... it reflects such a great community," said Margaret Strivers, Silver Wings Wingwalker. "It's almost like an aviation-themed street fair. It's a great place for a family day or a date; it's got something for just about anybody."

2006/The Press-Enterprise

Silver Wings wingwalker Margaret Stiver is a long-time performer at the Riverside Airshow.

The event will kick off with a 7 a.m. pancake breakfast for the early birds and then the Just in Time Skydivers will start the show at about 9:30 a.m. Some of the day's activities will include fly-bys of a USAF KC-135 Stratotanker and aerobatics by Frank Donnelly with Dr. D's Old Time Aerobatics, John Collver's T-6 War Dog, Melissa Andrzejewski's Edge 540 and Jon Melby Pitts Muscle Bi-Plane.

"We'll have the Riverside Police Department helicopter chase and it has expanded this year," said Tom Miller, Airshow coordinator. "They'll have a dog and handler in the helicopter and some of the swat team members hanging off the sides."

Silver Wings Aerobatics and Wing Walking will perform in the early afternoon.

"We have a Stearman bi-plane that was used as a World War II trainer," Stivers said. "We'll be showcasing the physical things you can do while in flight. It plays homage to the barnstorming of the 1920s."

Stivers will be tethered to the plane for safety, but will move from pose to pose in a choreographed dance as Hartley Folstad - her husband - pilots the plane. Other activities will include an emergency preparedness fair, a K-9 demonstration, a car show and more. Wrapping up the day with its flight back to March Air Reserve will be the C-17 Globemaster III.

"We'll be parked there throughout the day and people will be able to get up inside the airplane and check it out," said Lt. Col. Timothy Harris, who will pilot the Globemaster along with Lt. Col. Mel Blount. "It's America's really state-of-the-art airlifter, built to carry really large cargo into small locations. It was designed in the 1980s during the Cold War to move the M1 tank.

"Now it's an airplane that can carry a semi truck or humanitarian supplies in the case of a hurricane or other natural disaster. The demonstration is certainly something to see. People aren't used to seeing something so huge that's so maneuverable."

RIVERSIDE AIRSHOW
Where: Riverside Airport, 6951 Flight Rd., Riverside
When: 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday
Cost: Free, admission; $5 parking, $5 pancake breakfast
Information: 951-351-6113, www.riversideairshow.com

Raised in San Bernardino, Ramon Contreras, grew up listening to stories of life in Mexico. He was the oldest of 13 children and by age 10, he had decided to be a mural artist.

As a student at San Bernardino High School in the early 1930s, Contreras took a commercial art class. He used color inks to produce a picture of Mexican life, and his teacher quickly realized his innate talent.

His collection of works is now on display as The Art of Ramon Contreras and The Mexican Muralist Movement exhibit at the San Bernardino County Museum through October 25.

"He was part of the Mexican muralist movement in our area," said Michele Nielson, curator of history at the San Bernardino County Museum. "His work was very reflective of that movement and was very different from the way art was created in Mexico prior to the Mexican Revolution."

Ann Marie Leimer, assistant professor of art at the University of Redlands who specializes in Latin American art is acting as guest curator for the exhibit.

Read the full story on upcoming museum events related to the Contreras exhibit in The Guide on March 27.

Where: San Bernardino County Museum, 2024 Orange Tree Lane, Redlands
When: March 21 through October 25
Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays and holiday Mondays
Cost: $6, adult; $5 student or senior; $4 children ages 5 to 12
Information: 909-307-2669, www.sbcountymuseum.org

Child Advocates of San Bernardino County (C.A.S.A.) and First 5 San Bernardino are joining together to host "Walk with C.A.S.A." on Thursday, April 2 in recognition of April as Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month.

People interested in participating should meet at the C.A.S.A. office at 555 N. D Street in San Bernardino at 5 p.m. for registration on the day of the walk. It will begin at the C.A.S.A. office and conclude 2 1/2 blocks down D Street at City Hall.

Outside City Hall Mayor Patrick Morris and Judge Marsha Slough will speak about the importance of caring for children in the community. Then there will be performances from area youth and In & Out restaurants will provide dinner for the first 200 registered walkers.

First 5 San Bernardino will also have story books for all children ages 5 and under who participate in the walk.

For more details about the event call 909-881-6760.

The Jonas Brothers have announced a second Los Angeles tour date, so the trio will now be performing August 7 and 8 at the Staples Center as part of The Jonas Brothers World Tour 2009.

The shows will feature new music from the as-yet unnamed new album set to release on June 15.

The Associated Press

Nick Jonas, left, Joe Jonas, center, and Kevin Jonas perform before a midnight showing of the film "Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience."

"It's the same old Jonas Brothers, but we're adding more and more music that has influenced us from when we were young, to what we've experienced over the years, and what we love now," said Nick Jonas in a phone interview. "The songs on the new album are all things we've really gone through, personal experiences."

"This new album is definitely a progression for us," said Joe Jonas, also in a phone interview. "We're really excited ... it has a lot more styling, more than just a typical relationship song."

The tour staging will include a 140-foot plus circular stage in the center of the arena aimed to give a larger number of fans a closer, more interactive experience. Touring with the brothers will be special guests Jordin Sparks and Honor Society.

The brothers had some advice for young people who hope to pursue a career in the music industry:

"We've been blessed with a lot of amazing opportunities. For those just starting, continue to learn as much as you can and really enjoy every moment of it. We got dropped after our first record. It was about staying strong. We knew we wanted to do this, so it was all about not giving up."

Written by guest author Maura Ammenheuser on the topic "Let them be creative":

I am not remotely crafty. As a kid I loved crayons, markers, stickers and my Spirograph. (Does anyone else remember Spirographs?). But I never got into anything involving sewing, cross-stitch, excessive gluing, papier mache, macrame or recycling household objects to make potholders and picture frames.

Maura Ammenheuser
Guest Author

My daughter definitely has an artsy streak and I want to encourage her creativity, though without necessarily getting into the glitter glue up to my eyeballs myself. Possibly my most brilliant parenting purchase ever was an enormous roll of white butcher paper, bought from a teachers' supply store. When my kids are bored, or they have friends visiting who are getting antsy, and I am waaaaaayy too lazy to take them all outside for picnics or baseball contests or whatever, I cover my kitchen table with a giant piece of the paper. Everyone gets to dive into our bucket (an empty 5-gallon ice cream container, and please no comments on the five gallons of ice cream) of crayons, markers and colored pencils. I'm amazed at how happily kids of both genders and many ages will peacefully share the stretch of paper to doodle. Another fun, relatively mess-free activity is laying big sheets of the paper on the floor. The kids trace each other's bodies, then fill in their own silhouette with crayons. They draw silly faces on themselves, wild clothing, brightly-colored fingernails, etc. When my friends' kids are here, I send them home afterward with their life-sized self-portraits, like oversized party favors.

The paper came in a 1,000-foot roll. I think I paid about $60 for it. That was at least four years ago and we still have some left on the roll The only caveat; when the roll was new it was very heavy and difficult to move around. Some teachers' supply shops may sell them in smaller rolls but I'm not sure about that.

My daughter also loves to sing, dance, change her clothes repeatedly all day and "decorate" her hair with as many clips, barrettes and headbands as she can fit on her noggin at once. Santa brought her a karaoke machine this Christmas, which is a huge hit. I indulge her desire to make a lot of sparkly noise (to a certain point) because she is happy and busy expressing herself. I also stopped trying to edit the clothes she chooses for school. As long as she's not too hot, too cold or violating the dress code, anything goes. (Yesterday's outfit: a sky-blue top covered with silvery sequins, a pale green-and-pink floral skirt, knee socks and chunky black shoes).

Our son has a vivid imagination that he feeds with regular doses of "Star Wars" -- the movies, the books, the plastic light sabers. He makes long lists of his favorite characters, inventories the planets mentioned in the series, grills us about arcane "SW" trivia and builds oodles of starships from Legos. Sometimes we pull the plug on all of it and insist he read or watch something different just so The Force doesn't melt his brain. But usually I let him wander off to far galaxies in his head. My daughter needs to emote; my son needs to breathe noisily like Darth Vader. To each his own brand of creativity.

FamilyFun magazine has more cute craft ideas coming out, this time for Easter.

Rock-a-bye Birdies
Anchor a tree branch in a pot of sand or pebbles, and then dangle these little guys from the branches. Gluing on some green tissue paper "leaves" makes it look like spring.

FamilyFun magazine

Materials

• Egg carton


• Hole punch


• 1/4-inch wide ribbon


• Colored tissue paper


• Pinking shears or decorative-edge craft scissors


• Blown eggs


• Glue stick


• Colored feathers


• Colored card stock


• Marker

Directions
1. For each birdie, cut a cup from the egg carton and punch three holes - one on each side.
2. Cut 3 pieces of ribbon, each about 9 inches long. Thread an end of each piece through a hole in the carton and knot it, then tie the other ends of the ribbon together.
3. Cut two 2- by 6-inch rectangles of tissue paper, one with the pinking shears. Lay the pinked rectangle on top of the other. Wrap the papers around a blown egg so that the pinked edge peeks out from behind the straight egg. Secure with the glue stick.
4. Place the wrapped egg in the cradle. Use the glue stick to attach a small tuft of feather and a card stock beak and eyes to the egg. Make pupils on the eyes with the marker.

Nesting Instinct
Make a nest for your family's egg creations.

FamilyFun magazine

Materials

• Air-drying modeling clay


• Garden clippers


• Twigs and yarn, straw or other nest-building materials

Directions
1. Shape the clay into a shallow bowl with thick sides. (The FamilyFun example measures about 5 inches across and 1 3/4 inches tall)
2. Using the clippers, cut twigs on the diagonal, creating pointed ends (a parent's job). Insert the twigs at an angle into the nest's outer wall as shown, working your way around the nest's circumference.
3. Line the nest with the yarn or straw and press other nest-building materials into the clay where desired. Let it dry overnight.

Source: FamilyFun magazine

For more craft ideas go to http://familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts/season/specialfeature/new-easter-crafts-recipes-ms/

Kids like to get creative. Whether it's painting, drawing, playdough sculpture or just glittering up some pine cones, art projects of all shapes and sizes are a time-honored tradition in our household.

Of course that means I'm always on the lookout for the messy by-products of this creativity, i.e. the trail of glitter, glue, paint and other artwork paraphernalia that has made it onto the walls, carpet, tile, refrigerator, furniture and somehow onto the roof of my car in one especially experimental project.

As a parent, you might be tempted to stop the madness, protect your furniture and seek a more appropriate - quiet and clean - activity. But, according to the experts, that might not be what's best for your child.

Let those kids go wild, said Pamela Atkinson, youth education curator at Riverside Art Museum. It's tempting for parents to have kids do art projects their way, instead of giving kids the creative freedom to make whatever they want.

"This kills the creativity," she said. "Don't make specific expectations about what they need to make. Instead, praise and encourage them whenever they try doing different things."

"The arts develop creativity, problem-solving, communication and interpersonal relationship skills," said Nancy Kirkwood, San Bernardino County Museum's Youth Club educator. "Statistically, kids who have art education achieve more in their academic subjects. Giving kids a vocabulary for appreciating the arts makes it possible for them to interact and be more productive in more ways with more people."

Art classes are educational and - just as important - it's something the kids really enjoy doing, said Tony Moramarco, creative director at Bigfoot Graphics in Temecula. Bigfoot offers a range of art classes for kids and teens through the city of Temecula. Moramarco also teaches several art classes at schools in the area.

The kids are always excited to come to class, he said. "It's good to be an art teacher."

Moramarco recommends parents take their children to museums, art galleries or any type of show that will introduce them to a variety of art mediums.

The National Endowment for the Arts' The Big Read is kicking off in Redlands March 15 and 16 with a theatrical presentation of Ray Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451."

The performance on March 15 is at 3 p.m., and the following show on March 16 is at 7 p.m. Both will take place at the University of Redlands' Orton Center. Free copies of "Fahrenheit 451," as well as readers' guides and audio guides, also will be available.

The Big Read is a national initiative designed to encourage reading and strengthen the role of reading within the American culture.

The University of Redlands and A.K. Smiley Public Library received a grant from NEA to fund Redlands Big Read activities, which will continue through April 25. For a calendar of The Big Read in Redlands events, go to www.neabigread.org/events.php.

There is also a Big Read Redlands blog at http://thebigreadredlands.blogspot.com. For more information call 909-748-8285.

FamilyFun magazine has some really cute St. Patrick's Day craft ideas for kids of all ages. Check out http://familyfun.go.com/stpatricks/ for the full list, but here are a few examples:

St. Patrick's Day Treasure Box
Break out the shoe or tissue box, lots of paint, glitter glue, stickers, etc. and decorate away. Parents should explain how tricky and magical leprechauns are and then plan together a special place to leave the treasure box overnight. Make sure it's filled with gold foil chocolate coins, marbles, costume jewelry, etc. the next morning for an enchanted wake-up surprise.

Shamrock Pin
You'll need:
Green lollipops
Aluminum foil
Twist tie
Plastic wrap
Green or white ribbon
Tape
Safety pin

1. Unwrap three lollipops and lay them on a piece of aluminum foil, with the sides against one another and the sticks overlapping (in the shape of a shamrock). Secure the suckers with a tie twist.
2. Cover the candy tightly with a circle of plastic wrap and twist the excess wrap around the sticks. Tie a length of narrow green or white ribbon in a bow around the twist tie.
3. Use a strong piece of tape to attach a large safety pin to the back of the lollipop.

By now most of us know people who have lost homes, or jobs or have at least had to cut back on spending in a big way. Many of us now scan the grocery store ads for the best deals before shopping, we clip coupons and pack lunches every day rather than eating out.

Despite my now hyper-conscious state of budgeting, my kids continue to ask for things constantly. "PLEASE can I have candy and gum and four quarters for the toy machine," follows me through the grocery store. And I get a lot of, "Why can't we go to Chuck E. Cheese?" or "Please can we go to Disneyland?"

When my 7-year-old daughter suggested we simply make copies of dollar bills and then cut them out if we needed more money, I thought it was time to explain in more detail why people work and how we plan out our monthly spending. (And I explained the whole counterfeit money fraud felony thing)

It's not easy explaining money worries to 5 and 7 year olds, but I gave it my best shot. I think doing is better than talking so we're working on an allowance for chores deal with some spending options and we'll see how that goes.

Kidshealth.org has several suggestions on the subject:
1. Be honest with kids, but don't tell them more than they need to know.
2. Be clear about changes to the family budget.
3. Remember that it's OK to reject pleas and set limits. You aren't depriving the kids and earning rewards is a valuable lesson.
4. Manage stress levels by finding support with schools, churches, etc.
5. Explore fun, low-cost activities like biking, going to the park, free movie nights, etc.
6. Get kids involved with an allowance or a point system they can use for rewards or school items.