EL TORO - Inland Empire Community Newsiecn.com/archives/archive/WEB2013/3:14:13 Web...
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Community encouraged to speak on wireless Lifeline phone service By Cynthia Mendoza A new generation will be For many low-income California customers, the Lifeline program makes it possible for them to have a phone in their home. Lifeline is a gov- ernment benefit program that provides discounts on monthly telephone service for eligible low-income consumers to help ensure they have the opportuni- ties and security that home tele- phone service provides. With the emergence and preva- lence of wireless phone in recent years however, the California Public Utilities Commission is considering a state funded Life- line program but for cell phone service for people who may not otherwise be able to afford it. Right now there is a federal Life- line program for wireless service but no state program. Later this spring or summer, perhaps in May or June (no known confirmed date at this time), the California Public Util- ities Commission will be holding a public hearing on the possibil- ity of a state funded wireless Lifeline program. Some of the is- sues to be discussed may include what calling and service features such a program should include. Grassroots organizations that serve many of the residents that would benefit from this program are busy mobilizing and prepar- ing for the hearing by letting the people they serve know about it and preparing them to speak be- fore the commission about fea- tures, rates and the reasons why such a program would be benefi- cial to them. “We urge the community to come out and speak,” said Sally Alvarado-Hesseltine, executive director for Lighthouse Learning Resource Center, that among other programs provided to low- income families, seniors, work- ing people who have lost homes and single parent homes, also provides telecommunications ad- vocacy. According to Alvarado-Hessel- tine, Lighthouse alone, serves about 50,000 people annually, with needs as small as a one-time referral to a service to ongoing advocacy and more. About 90% of the people served by Light- house already have Lifeline for home phone service. They are just one organization of many others, including faith based and school programs, who are sharing the information with the people they serve and prepar- ing them to make their voice heard before the commission, which according to Alvarado, will be presided over by Com- missioner Catherine J.K. San- doval. On Friday, March 8, Light- house, along with Congregations Organized in Prophetic Engage- ment (COPE), Utility Reform Network (TURN), Policy Voice and The Center For Media Justice hosted a free community work- shop training for community or- ganization leaders on how to address the commission and other basic media training insights and other tips on speaking to the media so that the right message is conveyed to the public and so that their voice is heard by the commission. “This program would give many of our families another tool to stay connected to our schools and also allow us as a district to stay in touch with parents,” said Mars Serna, Family Involvement Manager for the San Bernardino City Unified School District, who attended the training, on how Lifeline would benefit the many families the district serves. “Sometimes it can be difficult to reach parents in an emergency. It would also provide an educa- tional tool for families to do re- search and information that will in turn assist children succeed in school.” If you are an agency who would like to get involved or for more general information, email Sally Alvarado at: lighthouselearn- [email protected] or call Light- house Learning Resource Center at (909) 477-2781 ext. 2386. PHOTOS/CYNTHIA MENDOZA ON FRIDAY , MARCH 8, REPRESENTATIVES FROM TURN, COPE, AND LIGHTHOUSE LEARNING RESOURCE CENTER PROVIDED A FREE TRAINING TO COMMUNITY OR- GANIZATIONS IN PREPARATION FOR SPEAKING TO MEDIAAND ADDRESSING THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION LATER THIS SPRING OR SUMMER ON THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING LIFELINE WIRELESS PHONE SERVICE. FROM LEFT : MINISTER TATUM AND ABIGAIL MEDINA FROM COPE, ANA MONTES AND MARK TONEY FROM TURN, SALLY ALVARADO-HESSELTINE FROM LIGHTHOUSE LEARNING RESOURCE CENTER, SEVEN RENDEROS AND DIANA PEI WY FROM THE CENTER FOR MEDIA JUSTICE AND LATANYA CLARK FROM COPE. PHOTOS/CYNTHIA MENDOZA THIS SMALL GROUP REVIEWS A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE REGARDING LIFELINE PHONE SERVICE AS PART OF A TRAINING ON HOW TO SPEAK TO THE MEDIA AND IN PREPARATION FOR GOING BEFORE THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION. FROM MIDDLE, COUNTERCLOCKWISE, FANNY NIETO FROM ROOSEVELT ELEMENTARY/SHANDIN HILLS MIDDLE SCHOOL, MARS SERNA, SAN BERNARDINO CITY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT , MYRNA FERNANDEZ, ROOSEVELT ELEMENTARY PTA, DANIEL CHAVEZ AND MARCELA ROMERO FROM ELAC OF WARM SPRINGS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. Inland Empire Community Newspapers • March 14, 2013 • Page A15 Open 8am - 9pm Daily 380 E. Foothill Blvd. Rialto, Ca. 92376 EL TORO Express Dine-in or Delivery Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner Specials all Day - Everyday!! We can deliver Anytime!! Call or fax your order in!! 909-746-8101 • Fax: 909-746-8488 Equal or lesser value Exp. 3/31/13 COUPON Buy One Regular Price Entree & Get One Free! $39.95 mo. Dental Insurance (California) Example of Co-Pay Detailed Oral Exam = NO COST X-rays = NO COST Office Visit = $5.00 Teeth Cleaning = $5.00 Fillings = $8.00 Tooth Extractions = $10.00 30 Day Money-Back Guarantee $39.95 Per Month Individual $89.95 Per Month for the Entire Family American Workers Insurance Service offers low dental insurance rates for the community. For more information CALL 909-322-5859 ask for James ID#58024 OR visit http://lowercost.awis- dental.com/ We look forward to hearing from you.
Transcript of EL TORO - Inland Empire Community Newsiecn.com/archives/archive/WEB2013/3:14:13 Web...
Community encouraged to speak on wireless Lifeline phone service
By Cynthia Mendoza
Anew generation will beFor many low-incomeCalifornia customers,
the Lifeline program makes itpossible for them to have a phonein their home. Lifeline is a gov-ernment benefit program thatprovides discounts on monthlytelephone service for eligiblelow-income consumers to helpensure they have the opportuni-ties and security that home tele-phone service provides. With the emergence and preva-lence of wireless phone in recentyears however, the CaliforniaPublic Utilities Commission isconsidering a state funded Life-line program but for cell phoneservice for people who may nototherwise be able to afford it.Right now there is a federal Life-line program for wireless servicebut no state program. Later this spring or summer,perhaps in May or June (noknown confirmed date at thistime), the California Public Util-
ities Commission will be holdinga public hearing on the possibil-ity of a state funded wirelessLifeline program. Some of the is-sues to be discussed may includewhat calling and service featuressuch a program should include. Grassroots organizations thatserve many of the residents thatwould benefit from this programare busy mobilizing and prepar-ing for the hearing by letting thepeople they serve know about itand preparing them to speak be-fore the commission about fea-tures, rates and the reasons whysuch a program would be benefi-cial to them. “We urge the community tocome out and speak,” said SallyAlvarado-Hesseltine, executivedirector for Lighthouse LearningResource Center, that amongother programs provided to low-income families, seniors, work-ing people who have lost homesand single parent homes, alsoprovides telecommunications ad-vocacy. According to Alvarado-Hessel-tine, Lighthouse alone, servesabout 50,000 people annually,
with needs as small as a one-timereferral to a service to ongoingadvocacy and more. About 90%of the people served by Light-house already have Lifeline forhome phone service. They are just one organizationof many others, including faithbased and school programs, whoare sharing the information withthe people they serve and prepar-ing them to make their voiceheard before the commission,which according to Alvarado,will be presided over by Com-missioner Catherine J.K. San-doval.On Friday, March 8, Light-house, along with CongregationsOrganized in Prophetic Engage-ment (COPE), Utility ReformNetwork (TURN), Policy Voiceand The Center For Media Justicehosted a free community work-shop training for community or-ganization leaders on how toaddress the commission and otherbasic media training insights andother tips on speaking to themedia so that the right message isconveyed to the public and sothat their voice is heard by the
commission. “This program would givemany of our families another toolto stay connected to our schoolsand also allow us as a district tostay in touch with parents,” saidMars Serna, Family InvolvementManager for the San BernardinoCity Unified School District, whoattended the training, on howLifeline would benefit the manyfamilies the district serves.“Sometimes it can be difficult toreach parents in an emergency. Itwould also provide an educa-tional tool for families to do re-search and information that willin turn assist children succeed inschool.” If you are an agency who wouldlike to get involved or for moregeneral information, email SallyAlvarado at: [email protected] or call Light-house Learning Resource Centerat (909) 477-2781 ext. 2386.
PHOTOS/CYNTHIA MENDOZA
ON FRIDAY, MARCH 8, REPRESENTATIVES FROM TURN, COPE, AND LIGHTHOUSE LEARNING RESOURCE CENTER PROVIDED A FREE TRAINING TO COMMUNITY OR-GANIZATIONS IN PREPARATION FOR SPEAKING TO MEDIA AND ADDRESSING THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION LATER THIS SPRING OR SUMMER ON THEPOSSIBILITY OF HAVING LIFELINE WIRELESS PHONE SERVICE. FROM LEFT: MINISTER TATUM AND ABIGAIL MEDINA FROM COPE, ANA MONTES AND MARK TONEYFROM TURN, SALLY ALVARADO-HESSELTINE FROM LIGHTHOUSE LEARNING RESOURCE CENTER, SEVEN RENDEROS AND DIANA PEI WY FROM THE CENTER FORMEDIA JUSTICE AND LATANYA CLARK FROM COPE.
PHOTOS/CYNTHIA MENDOZA
THIS SMALL GROUP REVIEWS A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE REGARDING LIFELINE PHONE SERVICE AS PART OF A TRAINING ONHOW TO SPEAK TO THE MEDIA AND IN PREPARATION FOR GOING BEFORE THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION.FROM MIDDLE, COUNTERCLOCKWISE, FANNY NIETO FROM ROOSEVELT ELEMENTARY/SHANDIN HILLS MIDDLE SCHOOL,MARS SERNA, SAN BERNARDINO CITY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, MYRNA FERNANDEZ, ROOSEVELT ELEMENTARY PTA,DANIEL CHAVEZ AND MARCELA ROMERO FROM ELAC OF WARM SPRINGS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
Inland Empire Community Newspapers • March 14, 2013 • Page A15
Open 8am - 9pm Daily380 E. Foothill Blvd. Rialto, Ca. 92376
EL TOROExpress Dine-in or Delivery
Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner Specials all Day - Everyday!!
We can deliver Anytime!!Call or fax your order in!!
909-746-8101 • Fax: 909-746-8488
Equal or lesser value Exp. 3/31/13
COUPON
Buy One Regular Price Entree
& Get One Free!
$39.95 mo. Dental Insurance
(California)
Example of Co-PayDetailed Oral Exam = NO COSTX-rays = NO COSTOffice Visit = $5.00Teeth Cleaning = $5.00Fillings = $8.00Tooth Extractions = $10.0030 Day Money-Back Guarantee
$39.95 Per Month
Individual
$89.95 Per Month for
the Entire Family
American WorkersInsurance Serviceoffers low dentalinsurance rates
for the community.For more information
CALL 909-322-5859ask for James
ID#58024 OR visit http://lowercost.awis-
dental.com/We look forward to hearing from you.
