“Soboba has provided me with the opportunity to build a solid fire career foundation. Working my way up the command chain to captain over the last 10 years there, has definitely given me the skill set to be able to lateral into such a demanding position,” Briones said.

CalFire captains’ main duties are to supervise crews and/or engines companies and share in the management of stations, fire apparatus and equipment. There are also captain specialty assignments like peace officer, dispatch, air attack, helitack, instructor and supervising conservation camp crews. Briones accepted a position at Fenner Canyon Conservation Camp #41.

“Deciding to make the move to CalFire did not come easy; I honestly felt like I would be with Soboba for the rest of my professional career,” Briones said. “Promoting to Captain, I realized that there was plenty more to accomplish if I wanted to advance in my profession any further. CalFire’s footprint and vast resources seemed like the perfect move; it has opened many more doors for career development and advancement.”

According to San Bernardino CalFire Public Information Officer Chloe Castillo, Fenner Canyon Conservation Camp #41 is jointly operated by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE). The camp’s primary mission is to provide incarcerated fire crews for assignments in Los Angeles, Kern and San Bernardino counties, however, crews can be dispatched throughout the state. Fenner Canyon Conservation Camp is located in the city of Valerymo in Los Angeles County.

The primary mission of the Conservation (Fire) Camp Program is to support state, local and federal government agencies as they respond to emergencies including fires, floods, and other natural disasters. Additionally, hand crews respond to rescue efforts in local parks or flood suppression. All camps are minimum-security facilities and staffed with correctional and fire staff.

Briones still resides at the Soboba Indian Reservation with his wife, Faith. They have four children who are all pursuing their personal goals. In the past, Briones has served on the Soboba Tribal Council and the Soboba Foundation board. In his spare time, he can be found at the gym, working on his personal health and fitness goals.

To learn more about Fenner Canyon Conservation Camp #41, please visit www.cdcr.ca.gov/facility-locator/conservation-camps/fenner-canyon.

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HEMET, CA — Two fires broke out in East Hemet on Wednesday, though no injuries were reported.

The blazes were occurred within minutes of each other.

The first was reported at 1:10 p.m. in the 43600 block of Walden Way, near Chelsea Way, according to Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department.

The agency said multiple county and Soboba Indian Reservation engine crews were sent to the location and encountered flames raging inside the two-car garage, attached to the residence via a breezeway.

Firefighters deployed inside and around the house, stopping the flames from penetrating the living quarters, according to reports from the scene.

The man and woman living in the home, whose identities were not disclosed, were displaced, along with their large dog, according to the fire department.

Red Cross personnel were requested to assist the victims with finding temporary alternate lodgings.

Another fire that broke out Wednesday in East Hemet scorched a half-acre and caused minor damage to property belonging to a business.

The blaze was reported at 1:15 p.m. in the 25800 block of North Cornell Street, near Highway 74, according to Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department.

The agency said multiple engine crews from the county and Hemet Fire Department were sent to the location and encountered flames in open space but barely budging due to generally calm conditions.

A commercial structure was in the path of the fire as it moved south, and the flames reached the edge of the property but not the business, according to reports from the scene.

The blaze was fully contained at about 1:40 p.m.

Firefighters were expected to complete mop-up operations by 3 p.m.

The cause of the fires were under investigation.

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Scheduled to be completed in June 2024, Scale is building a microgrid with solar photovoltaic energy production and battery energy storage. The advanced microgrid controls know when the utility costs are highest or if there is an outage, proactively selecting the optimal energy source. In addition to reducing the facility’s GHG emissions footprint by the equivalent of 4,800 passenger vehicles, the system will enable mission critical operations to continue during utility outages.

The company said that Tribal communities historically suffer from higher service costs, higher interconnection fees, more blackouts or brownouts and remote and distant service locations.

“The impact of the Soboba Microgrid project goes beyond kilowatt-hours and savings,” Guillermo Gomez, Business Development Manager at Scale Microgrids, said. “It secures the community’s long-term energy sovereignty and will inspire more public and private sector distributed energy development efforts on Tribal lands.”

Gomez has led the project development, designing the microgrid around the needs of SCR and the community. He has also obtained grant funding for the project and continues to work on obtaining additional funding to support the project costs with assistance from Shea Hughes, Director of Business Development and Bryan Curtis, who provided project management and engineering support throughout the development process.

Gomez said the microgrid will substantially decrease the casino’s electricity expenditure, increase energy independence, reduce carbon footprint and provide energy backup for long- and short-term power outages.

“SCR is looking to be prepared for the energy future,” he said. “As electricity prices continue to increase drastically in the future, SCR will be prepared for increases by having its own onsite source of electricity generation.”

Soboba Tribal Council members said this project serves its mission to strengthen the Tribe’s sovereignty, self-sufficiency and prosperity. “We are responsible for helping our people and our land thrive for generations to come, and we believe this microgrid system is an important step towards advancing our objectives,” they said.

Jason Cozart is the Assistant General Manager at Soboba Casino Resort and a Tribal member. He said this project represents another step towards sustainability.

“Producing our own energy means removing at least some of the increasing uncertainty surrounding rising electricity costs,” he said. “When we can control inputs, especially those concerning utilities, we are better positioned to increase efficiencies and overall profitability.”

Cozart said the project will help control energy costs and re-allocate resources for other improvements. Having solar and battery backups will also help improve emergency response plans not only for SCR, but the Tribe as a whole.

“All new projects are exciting. However, I am looking forward to the learning opportunity that this project will present, not only for myself, but for the organization as a whole,” Cozart said. “I know the Tribal Council is committed to projects that will open up new revenue streams, protect Tribal sovereignty, and secure a future for all Soboba Tribal members. For me, I’m extremely grateful to have an opportunity to contribute to this, as well as future projects.”

The project was recently highlighted at the 2023 Reservation Economic Summit, a multifaceted event from the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development (NCAIED) featuring unparalleled access to respected tribal leaders, members of Congress, federal agency representatives, state and local elected officials and top CEOs on a national platform.

Soboba Tribal Council Chairman Isaiah Vivanco was among the panelists for a breakout session on April 5 that presented the challenges, solutions and funding opportunities of transitioning from a mostly centralized power generation system to a highly decentralized, resilient and independent renewable energy production system, including potential nexus solutions for Tribal gaming establishments and life-preserving medical facilities.

Moderator Chris Deschene, owner of a tribal energy and legal firm based out of Washington, D.C., is also the co-founder and current Executive Director for the National Inter-Tribal Energy Council, a national tribal energy trade association. Scale’s Gomez was also a panelist, as were Deputy Director, Office of Indian Energy, U.S. Department of Energy David Conrad and Christabelle Mull, General Manager for San Carlos Apache Tribe. The panel also presented lessons learned from their microgrid planning, development and financing goals to support next generation applications of microgrid technologies for Indian Country.

Gomez said an important goal of the Soboba project is to encourage more development of sustainable energy projects on Tribal lands.

“Tribal lands must lead the energy transition and cannot be left out of electrification opportunities as they historically have,” he said. “It is going to take a major push from both the public and private sectors to make sure businesses and communities on Tribal lands have equal access to sustainable energy. Our goal with our Soboba partnership is to lead the way and inspire many more of these types of projects regardless of which company or entity is building the microgrid. This project should be a model of what collaboration from private sector companies like ours and Tribes should look like.”

With local offices in Los Angeles and San Diego, the New Jersey-based Scale Microgrid Solutions is a vertically integrated distributed energy platform, with a core focus of designing, building, financing and operating cutting-edge distributed energy assets that offer cheaper, cleaner and more resilient power. With a team of energy and financing experts, Scale enables customers to take charge of their energy infrastructure and future-proof their businesses.

For more information, www.scalemicrogrids.com.

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Noli teacher Jay Dagostino has been making weekly visits to the preschool for a couple of years, providing hands-on science lessons to the kindergarten students there. This is an extension of that program, where his high school students work on a lesson plan during the week and then implement it in person each Friday afternoon. They are required to review the lesson plan afterwards so they can learn what worked, what didn’t, and why.

Dagostino serves as Instructor of Information and a facilitator of lessons for the ECE course. His students do all the hands-on instruction for the kindergarten class. He works closely with the preschool staff to arrange fieldwork assignments and to receive feedback on his students’ performance there.

“I have a few students that want to possibly teach preschool and kindergarten as a career,” he said. “I also thought it would be good for future parents.”

Noli Academic Counselor Elizabeth Lacella was approached by Dagostino last school year about adding this opportunity that would benefit high school students that may be interested in working with young children in the future.

“It’s an introduction to a job field,” Lacella said. “It sets the students on a career path that requires them to further their education. It also allows them to create connections and contacts with job potentials for the future.”

Junior Luisa Rivera decided to take the course because she plans to become a teacher at Soboba in the future.

“I liked Fridays when we were with the kids, they were always happy and excited to see us,” Luisa said. “I enjoyed being there. They always made my Fridays bright and turned any bad days into good days.”

Although experience with younger siblings let her know what to expect from the young children, she did learn to be more patient since there were about 20 students in class each week. “This class prepared me for becoming a preschool teacher,” she said.

To encourage her classmates to sign up for the class, Luisa shares with them that “you will have so much fun on Fridays; the kids are adorable and have a lot of energy.”

Even those that don’t plan to go into the childcare or teaching field are learning how to organize, implement ideas and problem solve. They also can hone their leadership and attention to detail skills.

Anthony Salgado-Lopez, a junior at Noli, said he doesn’t aspire to go into a career working with children but was encouraged by Dagostino to enroll in the class.

“I like it and it’s rewarding to see the kids learn something new,” Anthony said. “I feel that being from the same, if not a similar, community from most of the children there, I am giving back in a way that they can say ‘hey, he is like me, we are from the same place.’ Maybe I can be the change and that just makes teaching them worthwhile.”

He added, “It was crazy to me the many connections a child’s brain made and how fast they can learn. I think that was the best lesson I was taught for the simple fact that it’s everything I am learning and putting into action each week.”

Anthony said working with the kindergartners is different than being around his little brothers who are about the same age. With the students, he has learned “how the tone you use to speak to them can change everything they remember about what was said or done.”

He has told his peers that the class is rewarding, fun and takes a lot of patience and compassion. “But most of all, it’s a challenge,” he said.

The Introduction to Early Childhood Education course syllabus describes the main goal as being to introduce students to early childhood education with emphasis on hands-on learning fieldwork, theories, practice and current trends and developments. Early childhood environments for children from birth through eight years of age are to be studied.

Several objectives to be met by the end of the course include students being able to explain the roles of the early childhood education professional, describe critical issues facing children and families today, explain the importance of the Piaget theory of cognitive development, discuss the implications of diversity on early childhood education and discover why parent, family and community involvement is important in early childhood development or education programs.

The topics covered each week encompass all subjects the kindergartners are learning, from sight words to reading and writing as well as science and math. On a recent Friday, the students were led in physical education activities that might be put into play should it be too rainy to go outside to play. This leads to another important lesson for the ECE students: how to be flexible and improvise when needed.

Kindergarten teacher Sierra Vivanco welcomes the partnership with Noli as it gives her students new ways to engage with lessons they are being taught. She said they look forward to the change of pace on Fridays. Vivanco is pleased to see teens get involved in the program.

“They learn pretty quickly that they can’t be shy and that it’s okay for them to be strict with the young kids,” she said. “It’s also a good way for them to get their feet wet in this area and see if they like it.”

Being the first year of the program, wrinkles are still being worked out, but Lacella feels it is a one-of-a-kind opportunity she is pleased to offer to the high school students.

“The littles get the benefit of something different weekly,” Lacella said. “They enjoy having their ‘other teachers’ come in with a new and exciting lesson.”

The post High school students learn about early childhood education appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

Also invited to the career and college day on Nov. 28 were students from Sherman Indian High School in Riverside. About 10 colleges were represented and a dozen or so businesses that ran the gamut from healthcare careers to entrepreneurship opportunities.

Each student was given a list of participants and was able to choose six that fit their interests and spend 12 minutes with each one. Groups of five students rotated through the tables that were set up at the Soboba Sports Complex to listen to presentations and ask questions they had about the career or college.

Delta Airlines offered information on aviation careers and Old Traditions Tattoo Parlor artists explained how they do what they do. Robert Young with Inland Memorial Harford Chapel shared insight on the funeral home business and fielded a lot of questions.

A variety of careers could be learned about through several Soboba entities. Michael West and Jacob Briones from the Soboba Fire Department explained how their jobs are about much more than fighting fires. Medical aid calls constitute a majority of the department’s duties, and each member has to be fully trained. It is recommended that potential fire department personnel go to EMT school to learn what they will need to know.

When asked how often they are called out, Briones said a busy day is usually about 15 calls, but the norm is about 5 to 6 per day. He told the students about the recently formed Explorers program that gives young people a firsthand look at what the different jobs entail and teaches them the proper use of the various equipment that needs to be used.

“Fire service is para-military, meaning there is a lot of structure behind it,” Briones said.

There were also recruiters from the Army and Navy at the fair to answer questions from those that are already thinking about enlisting right out of high school.

Craig Young has worked at Soboba’s IT Department as the Tribe’s Senior Graphic Designer for more than 12 years. He creates all print work that is put out on behalf of the Tribe as well as helping Tribal members with side work they may want.

“I’m not an artist, I’m a graphic designer,” he tells students who ask about his job. “I can’t put a pen to paper, but I can create anything with a computer.”

He recalled working with a young man during the Soboba Tribal TANF summer program who was a great sketch artist. Young said he taught Christian Rivera how to create digital art and ended up using one of his creations on a program for Soboba’s annual Intertribal Powwow back in 2013 and giving him artist credit on it. Young said he always likes to encourage students to find jobs in fields they already have a passion for.

The Soboba Casino Resort had three of its marketing department employees on hand to discuss what they do on a daily basis. Wade Abbas is a graphic designer who helps with the promotional materials put out by the casino. He said most students are curious as to what type of education is needed for this position. He always tells them that a career in marketing takes people from all over that have completed different journeys. There is no one clear-cut way to get to the end.

Corryn Salgado-Flores is a content creator specialist and enjoys working with a team of about 20 employees who are involved with player development, rewards and more programs to keep the excitement alive at the casino. Nathan Miranda started out as a Tribal member intern learning about many different positions at SCR. He settled on marketing because he has a passion for art, graphic design and photography.

“Seeing my designs being displayed around the casino gives me a good feeling,” Miranda said.

Soboba Tribal Family Services talked to students about all the different job opportunities within the field of social work. Team members from the nearby Riverside-San Bernardino County Indian Health Inc. Soboba Indian Health Clinic spoke about potential careers in the dental field.

Rynda Drennan is an RN Recruiter from San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital in Banning. She offered details on various nursing careers and provided students with a career plan of study to help them begin to achieve the necessary skills to enter the healthcare field.

Realtor Martin Cueva served double duty, educating students on a career in real estate as well as letting them know what they should look for when purchasing property. He said that being a realtor takes a combination of many different skills.

Jorge Esqueda brought a hands-on display that helped explain the types of things an electrician might be tasked with. He shared the fact there are many apprenticeship training centers throughout Southern California to help prepare them for electrical workforce jobs.

Lisa Castilone, Community Development & Tribal Program Manager with GRID Alternatives Inland Empire, shared some highlights from GRID’s Solar Futures program, past programming at Noli, women in solar and all the fantastic job opportunities in renewable energy.

“I explained to them that the skills they learn in this profession are something they can take anywhere; it’s not just a local job, it can be global,” she said.

Robert J. Levi II is a Tribal Elder/Culture Bearer in Residence at California State University, San Bernardino. He was hired in February of 2021 and was able to share how his job enables him to assist American Indian students with their transition to college.

“CSUSB realized the need for an elder to help retain American Indian students,” Levi said. “I showed an interest in the opportunity, and CSUSB Administration saw me as a person who can help them better serve the AI student body. So, to a degree my work does involve maintaining AI students to finish their degrees.”

As a San Diego State University graduate and citizen of the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians, Levi is in an ideal position to address issues and concerns AI students may have about their education at this level.

“My involvement with our AI students is one of being their ‘strict’ uncle; making sure they are studying, asking about their grades and just being there for them,” he said. “I am part of a support team to make them less anxious and/or alienated at CSUSB. I am also the Staff Advisor for our CSUSB American Indian Student Organization.”

Levi works alongside First People’s Center Director Carlos Gonzales, VP of Student Affairs Dr. Molly Springer and the Office of Student Engagement to assist, in any way, the American Indian students.

He said during the career and college fair, most students who visited his table wanted to know about financial aid, campus life, living in the dorms, classes and what CSUSB has to offer American Indian students. He was able to share with them that most of the current AI students at the university are majoring in U.S. History, anthropology, nursing, psychology and political science.

The post Noli Students Explore Colleges and Careers appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

Environmental Director Christian Aceves said the event scheduled for Feb. 23 was extended due to the unexpected winter storm that brought rain, hail and freezing temperatures to the area. Residents were encouraged to stop by the collection area on Soboba Road through the weekend.

“Residents seem grateful for the event; it gives them a chance to clean up around their homes and it gives us the opportunity to remediate this waste and get it off the reservation,” he said. “We also offered a 40-yard bin dedicated to other solid waste just to help everyone out.”

The most common HHW people have on hand are batteries, fertilizer, paint, oil, aerosol cans, pesticides and cleaning chemicals. The reasons these items should not be left lying around people’s houses and properties is because they can catch fire, react or explode under certain conditions and they are corrosive or toxic. Even empty containers can pose a hazard because of the residual chemicals that might remain.

Aceves, of Moreno Valley, started working at Soboba in October 2021 with a strong desire to oversee an environmental department and programs. He holds two bachelor’s degrees from California State University, San Bernardino with one in Environmental Studies and the other in Geography. He has more than a year of experience working with Federally Recognized Native Tribes, specifically managing and coordinating EPA programs such as the Clean Water Act and the Indian Environmental General Assistance Program.

“My ultimate goal for this department will be to build its capacity,” Aceves said. “Incorporating additional funding will allow for bigger environmental projects, increased community education and engagement, and it will keep Soboba’s natural resources pristine for multiple generations to enjoy. We don’t want them to inherit our issues.”

The department is 100% funded by grants and Aceves said the focus of one that was recently approved will allow for a permanent HHW transfer station to be located on the Reservation. This will not only ensure residents an opportunity to dispose of unused paint, oil and other household hazardous waste when it is most convenient for them, it will provide a location where regular pickups can be made.

“In its simplest form, a transfer station is a facility with a designated receiving area where waste collection vehicles discharge their loads,” Aceves explained. “The waste is often compacted, then loaded into larger vehicles (usually transfer trailers, but intermodal containers, railcars, and barges are also used) for long-haul shipment to a final disposal site—typically a landfill, waste to-energy plant, or a composting facility. No long-term storage of waste occurs at a transfer station; waste is quickly consolidated and loaded into a larger vehicle and moved off site, usually in a matter of hours or days.”

He said that until the permanent transfer station is built, his department will continue to host quarterly HHW community cleanup events.

“What we want to avoid is having chemicals and other items dumped in the canyon and other remote areas of the reservation where they can seep into the groundwater that provides the primary drinking water for the residents,” Aceves said. “Water resources need to be viable – they are necessary to life, not only are they culturally important and relevant but spiritually as well.”

The Environmental Department has numerous ongoing projects including water quality monitoring for Soboba’s surface water. Aceves said monitoring is conducted monthly to ensure surface water is remaining within state water quality parameters. This ensures the streams remain healthy to support cultural and recreational usage. The department is planning for its annual Earth Day event on April 28 with a theme of “Face the Waste.” The event, open to Tribal members and Soboba employees, will include local vendors, food, games, raffles, community engagement and will promote education on local and global environmental issues.

“We are also working towards expanding an Air Quality Monitoring program,” Aceves said. “This program will monitor Soboba’s air quality to ensure each Tribal Member and neighboring communities are breathing clean and healthy air.”

Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians | Contributed

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