Thousand Palms, CA – March 15, 2012: SunLine Transit Agency is pleased to announce the launch of its transit network within the Google Transit Trip Planning Program to provide passengers with easily accessible public transit information. This application can be accessed from computers and mobile devices such as iPhone, Blackberry, Windows Mobile, S60, and other Java enabled phones.

Google Transit is a step-by-step public transit planning tool that integrates bus stop, route, schedule, and fare information to make trip planning quick and easy for transit novices and seasoned travelers alike. The customer simply inputs their start and end points, the date and time of travel for their planned journey and Google Transit plans their trip. Solutions offered include both walk time and distances to/from bus stops, as well as travel times on transit. Connections between two different transit services (even if they are operated by different agencies) are also planned for, and fares are calculated. There is no longer a need to carry around paper transit schedules. Knowing the exact location of a bus stop, the distance and time it takes to walk there and the travel time to reach a destination takes the guesswork out of taking the bus. Navigating public transit has never been easier.

Support is available in multiple languages in Google Map, which is convenient for foreign language riders to find directions and information in their native language.

C. Mikel Oglesby, General Manager of SunLine Transit Agency, states, “We are committed to providing our passengers with up-to-date technology making their experience of using public transit smooth.”

SunLine is now an integral part of the Riverside County Real Time Traffic Information System – IE511 trip planner. A link is provided at the website – www.IE511.org. and at SunLine’s website – www.sunline.org. Riverside County Transportation Commission generated the implementation of Google Transit Mapping and the SunLine Google Transit launch completes the Commission’s roll out of this service to all the Riverside County transit systems, improving inter-agency connectivity and making transportation in the region easier.

About SunLine Transit Agency |SunLine Transit Agency is a joint powers authority formed in 1977 to operate the Coachella Valley’s public transportation system. Its vehicles travel more than 21 million passenger miles per year, covering 536 bus stops located throughout a 1,120 mile-service area. SunLine offers fixed route bus service and curb-to-curb paratransit for the mobility impaired.

It may be the 21^st Century but vestiges of 20^th Century theatre genres still pop-up every now and then.  Such is the case with the production currently on the boards of the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage at San Diego’s famous Old Globe Theatre.

     Before we go too far, however, let me say that the production, wonderfully directed by the very creative and talented Scott Schwartz, is a visual feast for the eyes and ears.  It’s chock full of exceptionally fine actor/singers and boasts brilliantly executed technical credits.  I just wish the folks in charge of production choices at the Globe, however, had not optioned for a return to the style of yesteryear and the genre of the operetta.  Operettas, although simplistic, were successful in their day – from the turn of the century to the 1940’s – with Sigmund Romberg being the most successful practitioner of the genre.  Which brings us back to  “A Room With A View”.

     The E.M. Forster novel written in 1908 is about a young English woman Lucy Honeychurch (a young and innocent Ephie Aardema) living in the repressed culture of Edwardian England who vacations abroad with her chaperone and older cousin Charlotte (wonderfully played by Karen Ziemba), to a less oppressive Italy in order to find herself and to expand her horizons.  It was made into a Merchant/Ivory movie back in 1985 starring Maggie Smith and Helena Bonham Carter.  Now the love story of Lucy and George is being told as a musical… er, operetta.

When Lucy and Charlotte complain, upon arriving in Florence, that their room has no view of the famed Arno river, Mr. Emerson (Kurt Zischke), a fellow Brit (a Peter Falk look alike, with a voice that Mr. Falk could only dream of possessing), offers his and his son George’s (an energetic Kyle Harris) room that does indeed, have a view of the Arno.  The exchange of rooms also allows for George and Lucy to meet.   However, future meetings will be conducted under the watchful and proetctive eye of cousin Charlotte.  It seems there is a proper suitor in Lucy’s future, the wealthy Mr. Cecil Vyse (expertly played and sung by Will Reynolds) who awaits Lucy’s return to London.

     The pensione is a magnet for fellow Brits seeking respite from drab and class-conscious Edwardian England. Some are just eccentric ex-pats like Miss Lavish (Gina Ferrall) who is forever writing her novel, others like the two old middle-class spinsters Miss Allan (Will Reynolds) and the other Miss Allan (Etai BenSchlomo), who just like to travel, to The Reverend Mr. Beeber (comically and marvelously played by Edward Staudenmayer), a middle class, repressed snob, and a somewhat gender-challenged clergyman who has a penchant for sticking his nose into everyone else’s business.

     Two characters created for the production by playwright Acito, are Ragazza (a sexy Jacquelynne Fontaine) and Italiano (Glenn Seven Allen, a tenor with a soaring range).  They represent the free spirit of the Mediterranean culture, which the residents of the pensione claim to be seeking before returning home to England.  It may not be faithful to the Forster novel, but it’s a most welcome addition.  Singers Allen and Fontaine are the possessors of marvelous operatic voices.  In all, the production features sixteen characters, but played by ten very talented actor/singers.  I would be remiss if I didn’t, at least, allude to three of the characters who give it their all for the theatre by jumping bare naked into an onstage pool in a number called “Splash”.  I’ll give you a hint.  All three are males. Oh, what the heck, they are George, Freddy, and Reverend Beeber. 

    The Old Globe’s lush Tuscany-looking production is vividly brought to life, not only by the libretto of Marc Acito, and the music and lyrics of Jeffery Stock; which lend a definite modern-sounding “Sondheimian” phrasing quality to the musical score (and that isn’t bad).   Kudos also go to costume designer Judith Dolan for visually recreating the period so effectively.   Heidi Ettinger’s richly textured and clever set design (I like the use of the wagons for the England settings and the space staging with tormentors for Italy) allows director Schwartz and his cast to move freely from Italy and back to England in a matter seconds thanks to the technical arsenal that is available to the creative and technical staffs at the Globe.  The evening produced many clever directorial touches from Schwartz.

     The mood-inducing lighting design by David Lander and the sound design by John Weston are ably supported by musical director Boko Suzuki and his pit orchestra, and for the orchestrations of Bruce Coughlin, and the arrangements by composer/lyricist Jeffrey Stock. 

      “A Room With A View” patrons can almost feel and smell the scents and the pleasures of Italy’s seductive Tuscan capitol – Firenze.  Don’t miss it!  The musical production runs through April 15^th.  Call 619-231-5623 or go online to www.theoldglobe.org

Richard Milanovich brought new wealth and political muscle to tribes throughout the state by expanding gambling on tribal lands.

Richard Milanovich, who as chairman of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians helped to usher in a new age of wealth and political muscle for many Native Americans through the expansion of tribal casinos in California, died Sunday at Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage. He was 69 and had cancer.

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Since 1973, Olive Crest has transformed the lives of over 50,000 abused, neglected and at-risk children and their families. 

 “We work tirelessly to meet the individual needs of kids in crises by providing safe homes, counseling, and education for both youth and parents,” said executive director Pam Lee.

 Olive Crest offers innovative programs that reflect a conviction that one of the most powerful ways to help heal children is to strengthen the family.  With unwavering compassion, the Olive Crest family maintains a lifelong commitment to the youth and families served.

 Services include:

 1.      Coachella Valley Children’s Center

• ·         The Coachella Valley Children’s Center will serve as both a residential treatment and educational facility for at-risk youth, ensuring that local children can receive the specialized care they need right here in the Valley.

2.      Family Resource Center

• ·         The Family Resource Center in Coachella works directly with at-risk families in our community.  Through parenting classes and mental health counseling, the Center delivers early intervention and prevention assistance these families need.

3.      Olive Crest Academy

• ·         Olive Crest Academy is a tuition-free charter high school offering students an academically rigorous alternative to “Traditional classes.” Qualified students are concurrently enrolled at local community colleges and Olive Crest Academy earning both high school and college credits in an effort to secure a successful transition into higher education after high school.

4.      Safe Family Homes

• ·         Through this unique child abuse prevention program, parents experiencing a temporary crisis can arrange for their children (newborn through 16-years-old) to stay with volunteer parents while they address the issues that led to instability in their lives.

5.      Wraparound

• ·         This program serves children and families by providing a family-centered, strength-based planning approach to help children remain in a home environment rather than residential care.  Wraparound services are provided within the home and facilitate the family’s movement from dependence on mandated systems of care to natural supports.

6.      Foster Care

• ·         Olive Crest recruits, trains, and certifies foster family homes from the community to provide warm, secure, and therapeutically safe environments for foster children.  Foster children and parents are provided ongoing therapy, training and support services.

7.      Foster/Adoption

• ·         Our adoption program is dedicated to finding permanent families for children who are available for adoption, including many waiting in the foster care system.

 Lives transformed:

 Katrina, 12, came to Olive Crest weighing a mere fifty pounds; the result of being anemic and starving over a prolonged period of time. Her parents had forced her to live in a backyard shed, serve as a household slave, and hide when the police were around. She was unable to attend school, participate as a family member, or have outside friends.

Katrina’s Olive Crest foster family surrounded her with the love and nurturing that every child deserves. She was provided counseling to help her overcome the trauma of abuse and tutoring to help her catch up at school. To reverse the effects of severe malnutrition, Katrina was also placed under the care of a nutrition specialist. Soon, Katrina began to gain weight as well as self-confidence. Her hard work paid off when she was elected “Student of the Week” and “Student of the Month” at her new school. But, best of all, Katrina’s foster parents are adopting her, so they can keep her as part of their family forever. Katrina will finally have a loving home to call her own.

At age 9, Andy came to live with his Olive Crest foster family.  Although he quickly developed an attachment with his foster mom, Sharon, he struggled to bond with his foster dad, John.  Andy had few positive male role models in his life and strongly challenged any male authority.  It was no different with his new foster dad; Andy was consistently disrespectful and defiant, and he constantly challenged John.  However, after Andy and John went on a camping trip, there was a noticeable change in Andy’s interaction with John, and he continued talking about their camping trip for a month. John started planning adventures for the two of them to participate in together. Andy looked forward to his special time with “Dad,” and his bond appeared to genuinely grow stronger with him.  We are happy to announce that 15 months later John and Sharon have adopted Andy.  John, Sharon and Andy have all grown in so many ways, and Andy now has a forever family.

 Benjamin’s mother had been in and out of prison for the majority of his life and his father, a violent criminal, was convicted of physically abusing him. He went to live with his grandmother a few months ago, but was removed from her home when a social worker found her high on methamphetamines. Through self-admission, Benjamin’s grandmother is a 30-year methamphetamine addict. When he left her home, she told Benjamin not to get his hopes up for returning to her care.

At 8 years old, Benjamin recently came to Olive Crest and finally knows what it’s like to have a supportive family. For the first time in his life, Benjamin is living in a safe place; experiencing unconditional love from his Olive Crest family.

Blake. He was only five when he was taken away from his parents due to reoccurring domestic violence. After spending years going back and forth between his family and foster care, Blake had all but given up on finding a place to finally call home.  Then Blake arrived at Olive Crest. He was placed with an Olive Crest foster family, and this one was different. It didn’t take long before the family asked him how he would feel about being adopted. Blake had spent his whole life waiting for a miracle, and to someday find his way into the loving arms of a forever family. Now, that miracle has arrived.

Matthew, 12, had consistent raging episodes, was unable to trust and his behavior was difficult when he came to Olive Crest. He had little hope and talked about his future death. Matthew is a child with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, in sixth grade but has reading and comprehension level at the second grade level. Due to Matthew’s illness, his life prognosis is only several more years. Children with his disease usually live to their late teens or early twenties. Soon after being placed in the foster home of Stephanie Boyle, a first time foster parent who works with people with developmental disabilities, Matthew’s behavior began to change. He went from being an angry, confused child to one who could express himself openly. Stephanie put Matthew in a large array of activities such as cub scouts and on a baseball team to encourage and strengthen his life experiences. On December 27, 2011, Stephanie and Matthew became a forever family. When the judge asked Matthew what he thought of being adopted, he slowly raised his hand and gave a “thumbs up” response. Stephanie was asked her thoughts of the adoption and said, “Matthew has changed my life and I love him.”  Matthew will now spend the rest of his short life with a mother who has given him hope, a reason to go on living as best he can and much unconditional love.

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Each and every day at Olive Crest lives are being transformed through the healing power of family. These stories, like Matthew’s, are so important in communicating Olive Crest’s powerful work and securing resources on behalf of our youth and families.

Andrew, 9, was a sad, scared child whose mother was not able to care for him due to health and drug problems. Unable to provide financially for him, she lived with boyfriends who exposed Andrew to domestic violence. After arriving at Olive Crest, Andrew was placed with a loving foster family where he was encouraged to participate in activities and strengthen his academic skills. His family hired a tutor, as Andrew was behind two grade levels in school. He enrolled in kung fu and soon began to build friendships with children in his neighborhood. Today, Andrew is now at grade level and enjoys going to school. His family enjoys hiking, going to the zoo, and just spending quality time with one another. Andrew is more relaxed because he trusts that his parents will protect him and meet his needs. Andrew attended the Kappa Delta Shamrock 5K and Kid’s Run in 2011 and will be there again this year with his forever family that he found through Olive Crest.

WHAT:  Tour the Olive Crest Campus featuring Academy and Safe Homes for at-risk children

 WHEN:  Friday, March 16 at 1:30 p.m.

 WHERE:  Directions will be disclosed when you RSVP

 COST:  None

 CONTACT:  Angela Allen at 760-341-1160 for reservations

 MISSION:   Transforming the lives of at-risk children through the healing power of family

 INFORMATION:  1-800-550-CHILD or visit our web-site at www.olivecrest.org