CalVet Takes Action After Anthem College Declares Bankruptcy and Closes

 

Sacramento  – The California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) moved quickly after Education Training Corporation (ETC), doing business as Anthem College, Sacramento, filed bankruptcy and closed their campus in California.  CalVet immediately withdrew approval for using Federal GI Bill education benefits at Anthem, and CalVet's action prevents Anthem from receiving GI Bill benefits, and it stops further Veteran enrollments.

 

"When the education of any of our California Veterans is derailed by a school's inability to fulfill its legal obligations, then CalVet takes aggressive action," said Keith Boylan, CalVet Deputy Secretary Veterans Services.  "CalVet works hard to ensure our Veterans receive the quality education and training they earned based on their honorable military service."

 

On August 29, 2014, Anthem officially closed the Sacramento campus as a result of the ETC Chapter 11 filing with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court on August 25, 2014. ETC's bankruptcy and the Anthem closure means students are no longer able to attend classes and should consider applying at another VA-approved institution.  A preliminary review identified approximately 10 California Veterans using Federal GI Bill benefits who are enrolled in Anthem. CalVet notified the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs about Anthem's closure and posted information on its web site for Veteran students by impacted the school closure.

 

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CalVet’s West Los Angeles Veterans Home Resident Named L.A. Dodgers “Servicemember of the Game”

West Los Angeles — On September 3, 2014, West Los Angeles Veterans Home resident John Wesley Smith, Jr., will have the thrill of a lifetime when he is named Los Angeles Dodgers "Servicemember of the Game."  A lifelong Dodger fan and sports enthusiast, Smith became very emotional when he was given the great news. 

"I am very honored," he said. 

Smith, the father of two, Ken and Deborah, was born in Little Rock, Arkansas and served in the U.S. Air Force from 1964-1968 as a Staff Sergeant. He served as a research scientist at the School of Aerospace Medicine at Brooks Air Field in San Antonio, Texas. His main duties involved medical research for the United State Air Force Aerospace Program. 

When asked why he enlisted in the military, Smith said, "While working at the U.S. State Department in Washington, D.C., I heard President John F. Kennedy say, 'Ask not what your Country can do for you, ask what you can do for your Country.' "And so I enlisted in the United States Air Force."  After his military service, he became a lawyer and even practiced before the U.S. Supreme Court.

"The most gratifying moment for me is right now, having this honor bestowed upon me by the Los Angeles Dodgers," Smith added. "If it were not for my military service, I would not be receiving this honor." 

Smith said he is a huge Dodgers fan! His favorite player is Jackie Robinson, who he met years ago at a convention in Washington, DC in an elevator. He said he wishes he had gotten his autograph and photo!  Smith added, "I am so proud of my contributions to the United States Air Force Aerospace Program and my Country. If it were not for that, I would be receiving this great honor. Go Dodgers!"

"The Veterans Home of California—West Los Angeles congratulates Mr. Smith for being named Los Angeles Dodgers' Servicemember of the Game," said Nancy Bien, Skilled Nursing Facility Administrator at the Home. "We are delighted that one of our very own has been bestowed with this recognition. Mr. Smith is a perfect example of the thousands of Veterans who reside in California and who have served our Country so bravely. He is an inspiration to us all."

Smith has been a resident of the beautiful California Veterans Home for four years. For additional information on the Veterans Home of California – West Los Angeles, please call424-832-8219.   # # #

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SMC EXHIBIT RECEPTIONSEP. 13 FOR “SIGHT READINGS: A 35-YEAR SURVEY OF WORK BY ROXANNE SEXAUER” Exhibit Opens Sep. 2, Runs toOct. 11

The Santa Monica College Pete & Susan Barrett Art Gallery is pleased to present "Sight Readings: A 35-Year Survey of Work by Roxanne Sexauer,"an exhibition of original works by the printmaker renowned in the contemporary printmaking community as an artist whose aesthetic of abstraction references nature. Sexauer's work recognizes a long tradition built in the distinctive qualities and processes of hand-pulled prints.

The show will be open to the public from Tuesday, Sep. 2, toSaturday, Oct. 11, with an exhibit reception on Saturday, Sep. 13, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

A gallery talk by exhibit curatorGordon Fuglie, Director/Head of Curatorial Affairs at the Central California Museum of Art, will be held onSaturday, Sep. 13, at 5 p.m. in The Edye (adjacent to the gallery).

Sexauer, who teaches in the Printmaking and Art History Disciplines, School of Art, at California State University, Long Beach, will hold a print demonstration on Wednesday, Sep. 24,at 3 p.m. in Art 126.

As a young art student in 1973, Sexauer fantasized about studying with the last surviving German Expressionist woodcut master, Karl Schmidt-Rottluff(1884-1976). Her earliest woodcut prints crackle with the dark angularities of classic German Expressionism.

By the 1980s, Sexauer embraced postmodernism, developing a hybrid, multi-layered approach that mixes botanical and zoological forms with ideas and images from the history of science, printmaking, and mythology. This direction continues to inform her images, which in recent years combine lithography, silkscreen, and collagraphy.

 "I have seen her imagery progress for two decades," said Fuglie. "Roxanne's art is distinctive because it is complex, vibrant, and always recognizable for its adroit use of technique with multiple images bearing layers of meaning. Connoisseurs regard her as one of the best woodcut artists in the region."

The show presents the first career survey of Sexauer's work, beginning with a 1973 self-portrait in the German Expressionist style, and concluding with works completed this past summer.

SMC's Pete & Susan Barrett Art Gallery is located at the SMC Performing Arts Center on Santa Monica Boulevard at 11th Street, Santa Monica. Due to construction in progress, please enter the building from 11th Street. Exhibits, gallery talks, artist demonstrations, and opening receptions are FREE.

Gallery hours are noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

For more information, please call(310) 434-3434.

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President Obama Delivers an Update on the Economy, Iraq, and Ukraine

An Update on the Economy, Iraq, and Ukraine

At the White House yesterday afternoon, President Obama made a statement on a number of important issues ahead of his attendance at the NATO Summit in the United Kingdom next week.

The President first talked about the American economy, noting that it's growing "at a stronger clip" than predicted, and that we have more work to do to continue this momentum. He then discussed the current U.S. operations in Iraq, reiterating his commitment as Commander-in-Chief to "always do what is necessary to protect the American people and defend against evolving threats to our homeland."

President Obama concluded his statement addressing the situation in Ukraine, noting that the evidence is clear: "Russia is responsible for the violence in eastern Ukraine."

See more from the President's remarks here:

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FIRST-PLACE SHOWDOWN THIS WEEK AS THE DODGERS TAKE ON THE NL EAST-LEADING WASHINGTON NATIONALS IN A THREE-GAME SERIES STARTING LABOR DAY

Magic Johnson Bobblehead presented by Coca-Cola Tuesday

LOS ANGELES – The first-place Dodgers' 10^th homestand of the season begins with a three-game series against the NL East-leading Washington Nationals: Monday, September 1 at 5:10 p.m., Tuesday, September 2 at 7:10 p.m. and Wednesday, September 3 at 12:10 p.m.All auto gates open at 2:30 p.m. and all stadium gates open at 3:00 p.m.Monday, all auto gates open at 4:30 p.m. and all stadium gates open at5:00 p.m. Tuesday and all auto gates open at 9:30 a.m. and all stadium gates open at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday.

 

For the series against the Nationals, Levy Restaurants will offer a special extreme loaded dog, the Washington Dog, an all-beef hot dog wrapped in Virginia Ham. It will be available Monday through Wednesday at extreme loaded dog concession stands on the Field, Loge and Reserve levels.

 

 

The Dodgers will commemorate Josh Beckett'sMay 25 no-hitter Monday with a commemorative pin. The first 40,000 fans in attendance will receive a Josh Beckett no-hitter commemorative pin. Beckett's May 25 no-hitter at Philadelphia was the first of his career and the 21^st in Dodger franchise history. Beckett joined Randy Johnson, Dave Stewart, Jack Morris, Bret Saberhagen, Bob Gibson, Sandy Koufax, Lew Burdette and Don Larsen as the only pitchers in MLB history to be selected World Series MVP and throw a no-hitter.

 

Beckett's commemorative pin is the first of two no-hitter pin giveaways. The second will celebrate Clayton Kershaw's June 18 no-hitter on September 22 (vs. SF, 7:10 p.m.). Tickets for both commemorative pin giveaways are available for purchase now atwww.dodgers.com/nohitter or by calling 866-DODGERS.

 

As part of his 27,273-mile media tour, Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao, eight-division world champion in boxing, will throw the ceremonial first pitch on Monday. Pacquia will defend his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title against New York's undefeated WBO junior welterweight champion, Chris Algieri, Saturday, November 22, at The Venetian Macao's Cotai Arena. The fight will be televised on HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 6:00 p.m. PST. The Filharmonic, who appeared on NBC's "The Sing-Off," will perform prior to Monday's game and will also sing the national anthem. They will open for Pentatonix at the Pomona Fairplex on September 6.

 

Dodger Alumni League member Tim Leary will sign autographs in the right-field pavilion plaza and Alumni Leaguer Kenny Landreaux will sign autographs in the left-field pavilion plaza. A DJ will provide musical entertainment in the right-field pavilion plaza.

 

The Veteran of the Game presented by Bank of America is U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant Leon Pierce of Los Angeles. Pierce enlisted in 2002 and served with a Mortar Platoon maintaining personnel and equipment and ensuring his unit was mentally and physically prepared for combat operations. While deployed at Camp Leatherneck in the Helmand Province, Afghanistan, his vehicle was hit by an IED where he sustained several injuries. He is now recovering at the Wounded Warrior Battalion West, Camp Pendleton and hopes to attend SDSU to become a trauma nurse. Pierce's accolades include the Purple Heart and the Iraq and Afghanistan Campaign Medals. Bank of America Senior Vice President Global Commercial Banking Felix Whittaker will present Pierce with an authenticated flag that has proudly flown over Dodger Stadium and display case.

 

Monday, September 1

Media gates	1:10 p.m.
Auto gates	2:30 p.m.
Stadium gates	3:00 p.m.
Pregame ceremonies	4:30 p.m.
Game time	5:10 p.m.

 

The Dodgers take on the Nationals at 7:10 p.m. Tuesday. All auto gates open at 4:30 p.m. and all stadium gates open at 5:00 p.m. The first 50,000 fans in attendance will receive a Magic Johnson Bobblehead presented by Coca-Cola.

 

Dodgers Radio AM 570 Fox Sports LA's Petros and Money show will broadcast live from the left-field pavilion plaza. R&B singer Jeffrey Osborne will perform the national anthem. Osborne has performed at many Lakers and Dodger games throughout the years. Dodger Alumni League member Dennis Powellwill sign autographs in the right-field pavilion plaza and Alumni LeaguerDerrel Thomas will sign autographs in the left-field pavilion plaza. A DJ will provide musical entertainment in the right-field pavilion plaza.

 

The Veteran of the Game presented by Bank of America is U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant Wyatt Waldron of Palmdale. Waldron was a 50 Caliber Heavy Machine Gunner with the 3rd Battalion 4th Marine Infantry and served three combat tours in Iraq. In 2004, his unit fought in the battle of Fallujah, Iraq, and pulled down the statue of Saddam Hussein. Waldron's accolades include the Purple Heart for injuries he sustained from an IED blast, two Marine Corps Medals with Valor and the Silver Star. 

 

Tuesday, September 2

Media gates	3:10 p.m.
Clubhouse open to media	3:30 p.m.
Mattingly media session	4:05 p.m.(approximately)
Dodger batting practice	4:20 p.m. - 5:20 p.m.
Auto gates	4:30 p.m.
Stadium gates	5:00 p.m.
Nationals batting practice	5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Pregame ceremonies	6:55 p.m.
Game time	7:10 p.m.

 

On Wednesday, the Dodgers take on the Nationals at 12:10 p.m. to conclude the three-game series. All auto gates open at 9:30 a.m. and all stadium gates open at 10:00 a.m.

 

Singer and songwriter Kim Devine will perform the national anthem. Dodger Alumni League member Billy Ashley will sign autographs in the right-field pavilion plaza and Alumni Leaguer Matt Luke will sign autographs in the left-field pavilion plaza. A DJ will provide musical entertainment in the right-field pavilion plaza.

 

The Veteran of the Game presented by Bank of America is U.S. Air Force Staff Sergeant John Smith. In 1961, after hearing President John F. Kennedy's first inaugural speech in which he stated '"Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country," Smith enlisted in the Air Force and served at the School of Aerospace Medicine at Brooks Air Force Base doing medical research.  

 

Wednesday, September 3

Media gates	8:10 a.m.
Auto gates	9:30 a.m.
Stadium gates	10:00 a.m.
Pregame ceremonies	11:55 a.m.
Game time	12:10 p.m.

 

"Take a Number," a 15-page special section offering the history behind every Dodger uniform number from 00 to 99, is the featured story in September'sDodger Insidermagazine. The issue also boasts a cover package on Clayton Kershaw, with stories on his Ping Pong 4 Purpose charity event, his MVP candidacy and his unprecedented domination of the strike zone in 2014. There are more than two dozen stories in this edition of Dodger Insider — the biggest of the year — including a feature on how deeply Zack Greinke is a student of the game, the myth and reality behind new defensive stats, inside-the-game and historical stories, photos, games for all ages and much more.

 

Dodger Insider serves as a companion to the Dodger Insider blog, located at www.dodgers.com/insider and published multiple times daily.Dodger Insider magazine and the 2014 Los Angeles Dodgers Yearbook, featuring a 21-page commemorative section dedicated to Vin Scully in his own words, are on sale throughout Dodger Stadium, including the Top of the Park store and online at www.dodgers.com/magazine. Subscriptions to the magazine can be ordered at any time.  A digital version of Dodger Insider magazine, featuring embedded video links, is also available.

The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation 5K Run and Kids Fun Run presented by your SoCal Honda Dealers will be held on September 21at Dodger Stadium. The 5K registration for the LADF 5K Run and Kids Fun Run is now open online at www.dodgers.com/5K. Fans can register for the 5K Run for $50 and just $25 for the Kids Fun Run. The 5K Run course includes views of Dodger Stadium, downtown Los Angeles, a cool-down run around the Dodger Stadium warning track and appearances by Dodger Alumni League members. The Kids Fun Run will take place on the Dodger Stadium warning track. Awards will be given to top participants in male and female categories. Each LADF 5K Run and Kids Fun Run participant will receive a Dodger tech shirt and medal. All proceeds will benefit LADF and its programs in sports and recreation, education and literacy and health and wellness which help children and families throughout the greater Los Angeles region.

The Dodgers' auto gates are open 2.5 hours before game time and the stadium gates are open two hours before the scheduled first pitch. Fans taking advantage of this early arrival time can enjoy various family-friendly activities as soon as gates open throughout Dodger Stadium, including in the newly enhanced right and left-field pavilion plazas which feature the Budweiser and Bud Light bullpen overlook bars and the new Tommy Lasorda Trattoria and the Think Blue BBQ. In the left and right-field pavilion plazas, there are also plenty of photo opportunities with Dodger memorabilia, including five-foot diameter World Series rings, an eight-foot replica of the Rawlings Gold Glove Award, a life-size statue of the iconic Farmer John Dodger Dog, interactive replicas of the 76 ball and various bobbleheads. Autographs for fans with Dodger Alumni League members and family friendly activities also take place before each game in the pavilion plazas and reserve level plazas.

Tickets are available for all games against the Nationals and can be purchased by visiting www.dodgers.com/tickets or by calling (323) DODGERS.

 

Fans are urged to arrive early and are encouraged to utilize the many transportation alternatives that serve Union Station and will connect them to the Dodger Stadium Express, which will operate starting 90 minutes prior to first pitch. Fans can find specific route and schedule information by visiting www.metro.net or calling 323.GO.METRO(323.466.3876). Dodger Stadium transportation and parking information can be found by visiting www.dodgers.com/parking.

 

Games Monday and Wednesday will also be featured on MLB Network. All Dodger games are televised on SportsNet LA, the exclusive new 24/7 TV network of the Los Angeles Dodgers and includes live pre-game programming "Leadoff LA" and "Access SportsNet: Dodgers." Spanish-language telecasts take place for each home game. Time Warner Cable customers can watch live Spanish-language Dodger game telecasts in high definition on channel 382 in Los Angeles, 324 in the Desert Cities and 664 in Barstow. For more information about SportsNet LA's Spanish-language games and standard definition channel numbers, visit the "ESPAÑOL" tab on www.sportsnetla.com. The network will also offer Korean-language Secondary Audio Programming (SAP) for all live Dodger games on its air this season, a first for any MLB team. The Dodgers have partnered with Radio Korea, the team's Korean radio broadcast partner, to provide this service. For more information about SportsNet LA or to demand the network, visitwww.ineedmydodgers.com or www.quieromisdodgers.com or call 1-844-I-NEED-MY (1-844-463-3369).

 

Media interested in applying for daily credentials should apply 24 hours prior to game time at http://credentials.mlb.com. For any questions on credentials or on the series against the Nationals, please contact the Dodgers' Public Relations department by calling (323) 224-1301.

           

The Los Angeles Dodgers franchise, with six World Series championships and 21 National League pennants since its beginnings in Brooklyn in 1890, is committed to a tradition of pride and excellence.  The Dodgers are dedicated to supporting a culture of winning baseball, providing a first-class, fan-friendly experience at Dodger Stadium, and building a strong partnership with the community. With the highest cumulative fan attendance in Major League Baseball history, and a record of breaking barriers, the Dodgers are one of the most cherished sports franchises in the world.

Visit the Dodgers online at www.dodgers.com, follow them on Twitter @Dodgersand like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Dodgers.

For media information, visit www.dodgerspressbox.com.  

 

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Tuck on Vergara Appeal: Torlakson on Wrong Side of Kids

Los Angeles --  In response to Superintendent Tom Torlakson's decision to appeal the historic Vergara v. California decision, candidate Marshall Tuck released the following statement: "By deciding to appeal the Vergara ruling, my opponent Tom Torlakson has placed a stake in the ground: he stands with his Sacramento funders and not with students. Never has it been more clear that it is time for change in California than when the only elected official dedicated to education will not side with kids -- even after an independent judge found that the status quo 'shocks the conscience.'  The Vergara ruling found that laws governing 2-year tenure, dismissal and layoffs violate the California Constitution and handcuff schools from giving every student an equal opportunity to learn from effective teachers. In his ruling, Judge Rolf Treu remarked that the evidence presented in the case "shocks the conscience." Earlier this summer Marshall outlined a plan to address the Vergara ruling based on his experience working to turn around failing schools. Read the whole plan here.

About Marshall Tuck Marshall Tuck is the only candidate for State Superintendent with a proven record of increasing graduation rates, improving student achievement, and turning around failing schools. Tuck served most recently as founding CEO of the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools, former Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's groundbreaking collaboration with the Los Angeles Unified School District to operate 17 struggling public elementary, middle, and high schools, serving 15,000 students. Under Tuck's leadership, the Partnership schools increased four-year graduation rates by over 60%, improved school safety and student attendance, and launched the innovative Parent College, which became a national model for getting parents more involved in their kids' education. Over the last 5 years, the Partnership schools ranked #1 in academic improvement among school systems with more than 10,000 students. Prior to launching the Partnership, Tuck was President of Green Dot Public Schools, a leading charter school operator based in Los Angeles. Tuck joined Green Dot in 2002, when it had one school, and helped them expand to 10 charter high schools by 2006. With a student-centered approach that empowered principals, teachers, and parents, Green Dot schools substantially outperformed comparable schools' graduation rates and overall academic achievement. Before devoting his career to helping students, Tuck was an executive at Model N, a successful enterprise software company based in the Bay Area. Prior to that, he worked in finance, and spent a year teaching and doing service work internationally, primarily in Zimbabwe and Thailand. The son of a teacher, Tuck was born in Burlingame, CA and attended parochial elementary school and public middle and high schools. He graduated from UCLA and Harvard Business School. Tuck currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Mae, and their son Mason.

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Disc Jockey for High School Parties Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Sexually Exploiting Three Minors

USDOJ: Justice News

Disc Jockey for High School Parties Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Sexually Exploiting Three Minors

Eduardo Santiago-Rivera, 45, admitted that in June and July 2012, he caused at least three minors, who ranged in age from 12 to 15, to engage in sexual activity for the purpose of creating videos.

more info...

LATINO HERITAGE MONTH LOS ANGELES KICKS-OFF WITH "METRO CRAWL"

City Officials Gather with Latino Business and Community Leaders at Homegirl Cafe to
Kick-off "Metro Crawl" Promoting Business, Mass Transit Ridership

Governor Brown Appoints New Administrator at CalVet’s West Los Angeles Veterans Home

West Los Angeles — On Wednesday, August 27, Governor Brown appointed Thomas Bucci of Solano as administrator at our California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) Veterans Home of California, West Los Angeles.

"Our West Los Angeles Veterans Home is one of CalVet's top priorities, and we are excited to bring such a skilled leader into our community," stated Undersecretary for Veterans Homes Diane Vanderpot. "Mr. Bucci brings years of experience in private-sector long-term care. He has also worked in the public sector as a deputy district attorney and is a former Air Force pilot. The skills he brings to this position should serve our residents and staff well."

Bucci has been chief executive officer at Villa Marin Inc. since 2001. He served as a deputy district attorney at the Yolo County District Attorney's Office from 2000 to 2011. Bucci was executive director of the Quality Care Health Foundation from 1999 to 2000, vice president at Regency Health Services from 1997 to 1999 and regional director of quality assurance at Hillhaven Corporation from 1990 to 1997. He served in the U.S. Air Force as a standards evaluation instructor navigator from 1984 to 1990. Bucci earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Northern California School of Law and a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Oklahoma. Bucci is also a licensed Nursing Home and Residential Care Facility for the Elderly (RCFE) Administrator.

The West Los Angeles Home is a long-term care facility which admitted its first resident in October of 2010. The Home provides RCFE (assisted living), Skilled Nursing, Memory Care, and, through a partnership with the US Dept. of Veterans Affairs West LA Health Care Center, a Transitional Housing Program for homeless veterans trying to reestablish themselves in the community.

 

Veterans desiring to be considered for membership must be residents of California, age 55 or older (or younger if disabled), and have served honorably.​ CalVet operates eight residential care facilities for California Veterans. For more information, including home locations, levels of care available, application processes, photo galleries and more, go to https://www.calvet.ca.gov/calvet-programs/veteran-homes.

 

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MESSAGE MOMENT

08/29/2014 03:31 PM CDT

U.S. Navy Seaman Marten Palomo, right, relays a message to Petty Officer 2nd Class Julius Gomez during an engineering casualty drill on the guided-missile frigate USS Rodney M. Davis in the Philippine Sea, Aug. 28, 2014. The frigate is patrolling in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility to support security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

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