The second panel consisted of Barona’s Chairman Raymond Welch, Chairman Vivanco, Chairwoman Erica M. Pinto of the Jamul Indian Village of California, Barona Fire Chief Ken Kremensky and Pechanga Fire Chief Jason Keeling.

“We stand here in the shadow of the 2003 fires that burned 90% of our reservation including 39 homes,” Welch said. “Our history on this 8,000-acre reservation is one of endurance but today that endurance is being tested by an insurance crisis that threatens our financial sovereignty for those of us living in high-risk areas. We now face a fire of a different kind—an economic one. This land is our past and our future. We continue to use our traditional knowledge and modern technology to keep us safe and we will fight to ensure that insurance costs never force a single member to leave their home.”

Vivanco said that through partnerships and the establishment of the Soboba Fire Department, the Soboba reservation’s public protection classification has gone from 3 to 2, which should mitigate the cost of insurance as it helps protect against fires in the area.

The ISO Public Protection Classification (PPC) in California rates fire department effectiveness on a 1-10 scale (1 best, 10 worst) based on dispatch, staffing, water supply, and community risk reduction. Lower scores usually yield lower insurance premiums but that has not been reflected for homeowners living on the Soboba Reservation.

“Our Tribe has been fortunate enough to purchase a bulldozer to create our own fire breaks; we go out yearly and take on that task with our fire department and Public Works crew,” Vivanco said. “We look to this committee and the state for support in helping our endeavors in achieving affordable home insurance so we can continue to build new homes on the lands that we are, I would say, forced to live on.”

As Ramos pointed out in his opening statement, the lands that Tribal communities sit on were not chosen. “Historic state and federal policies forced Indian people to live in the most secluded and rural areas of California,” he said.

“We embrace those lands because they are our communities,” Vivanco said. “We have done the work to create and maintain a safe environment to make sure that our homeowners can go out and hopefully achieve affordable insurance to protect their homes and their resources and yet we are still not seeing that.”

He would like to see the insurance providers visit the reservation and talk to the fire and Public Works departments to see the efforts that have been made to mitigate the risk of fire. “I look forward to further discussions where hopefully we can come to some type of resolution where the state and the Tribes can all be on the same page, working with insurance companies to ensure we have the ability to obtain insurance as it was meant to be,” Vivanco said.

Chairwoman Pinto voiced her concern that as the cost of insurance premiums rise, it strains Tribal budgets and can deter investment in critical infrastructure. “Insurance insecurity also translates to broader social and cultural consequences,” she said. “Home ownership and Tribal community housing are essential to Tribal sovereignty as Tribal housing can anchor cultural continuity, ensure intergenerational knowledge transfer and engender a stable family life. When insurance becomes prohibitively expensive or unavailable, Tribal members may be forced to seek housing outside our communities, undermining efforts to revitalize our Tribal homeland and traditions. Tribal cultural sites, ceremonial spaces and ancestral landscapes require protection that extends beyond simple rebuilding costs.”

Mitigation efforts were outlined by the two fire chiefs that were present. Ramos introduced the third panel members, State Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and Seren Taylor, who serves as Vice President for the Personal Insurance Federation of California. Lara discussed some of the legislation that is being presented that will hopefully resolve many of the issues brought to light at the hearing. He also suggested more meetings to discuss ongoing problems that Tribes are having with securing affordable insurance.

Vivanco said Soboba was rated in the top 2,000 of the 40,000 communities that were included in the latest PPC report. “We’ve always been taught to be good stewards of our lands that we have and that is part of it, making sure that we can mitigate the risk of fires to protect our reservation at the same time,” he said. He is hoping the insurance companies can appreciate the extra efforts they make and offer quality insurance at a decent rate. “I think that’s what we’re not getting and it’s frustrating because Tribes put in a lot of resources to these efforts,” Vivanco said. “Tribes are doing what’s right and always will.”

Ramos was in total agreement and said the point that was being established is that Tribal governments use their own assets to protect their homes against fires and natural disasters and the mitigation efforts they take on are benefiting the surrounding communities as well. Yet Tribal governments are not given credit for spending their own assets to help mitigate more than just their own lands. Instead, they are penalized with high insurance premiums.

“The purpose of this committee is to gain understanding and make sure California’s First Peoples are included in the equation when we take information back to the state legislature,” Ramos said.

To view the hearing in its entirety, please visit: https://www.assembly.ca.gov/media/assembly-select-committee-native-american-affairs-20260313.

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The contest’s final round was held late Thursday afternoon at the Riverside Historic Courthouse, where Notre Dame High squared off with MLK High, also in the Riverside Unified School District, culminating in Notre Dame’s team racking up the highest score to be crowned champions.

The 44th annual trials got underway in mid January, and over the monthlong period, teams from more than two dozen campuses participated. The last time Notre Dame High captured the championship title was February 2022.

“Congratulations to all the student competitors who exhibited extraordinary poise and professionalism that powerfully demonstrates how competitions like the Riverside County Mock Trial are preparing them for a future in the legal field, in higher education and endless opportunities,” county Superintendent of Schools Edwin Gomez said. “I look forward to seeing the county’s top team from Notre Dame High School compete for a state championship.”

The team will now represent the county at the California Mock Trial Competition, slated for March 20-22 in Oakland.

The Office of Education, in partnership with the Constitutional Rights Foundation, Riverside County Bar Association and the Superior Court, sponsor the local competitions annually. The county began holding student-level mock trials in 1983. More than 14,000 youths have participated since then, organizers said.

This year’s contest challenged participants to successfully argue the fictitious case of “People v. Fromholz,” involving an alleged retribution murder tied to outrage felt by the defendant over his encounter with a food critic, who found the man’s cuisine unpalatable — and said so publicly.

Students were tasked with analyzing forensic evidence, admissibility of statements, possible due process infringements and other matters during the trials. There were 26 teams registered for the opening round last month. They consisted of eight to 25 students playing the parts of deputy district attorneys, defense attorneys, bailiffs, witnesses, clerks and investigators.

Contestants were given allotted time, about four to six minutes, at each stage of a proceeding, including opening statements, closing arguments and cross-examinations. Practicing attorneys and judges assessed students’ performance, awarding points in accordance with criteria established for the contest.

MLK High took second place this year, while Poly High School and Ramona High School, both in the Riverside Unified School District, shared third place.

Poly High won the county’s 2025 contest, repeating on its victory in 2024.

Additional information is available at www.rcoe.us.

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Children were asked to bring a Valentine Gram to “deliver” to each of their peers during rug circle time while recipients were taught the importance of saying thank you and being appreciative of the kind gesture. Preschool Administrator Lenora “Ponie” Mojado said parents brought treats for their students to share with classmates.

The youngest preschoolers were given a family project to decorate a box they could bring to school to use to collect all the grams from their classmates. The boxes clearly reflected the children’s interests, from Spiderman to princesses and Pet Patrol characters.

Nakasha’ Way Tohee loves trains, cars and anything that moves according to his mom Celena Morillo. He had fun making a “friendship train” and she enjoyed helping him see his idea come to fruition. His “grams” were dinosaur cards that had candy connected to them.

“He loves stickers, too, so he put them all over the top of his train,” she said. “I like how the teachers here are so interactive with the kids.” She recalled a past project where they were asked to create a cultural doll and explain the meaning behind it all. “It really helps them with understanding where they come from.”

The class’s friendship party started with the kids decorating their own heart-shaped cookie at their place at the table. That was followed by instructional aide Jess Thompson and teacher Julissa Garcia taking around the goodies brought in for the day. Each one was announced with the student whose family supplied it asking them to thank that student, which they did in unison.

Pre-K teacher Ana Garcia took full advantage of the holiday and spent the week teaching her students meaningful lessons. Their letter of the week was V for valentines, their shape was a heart and their color was pink, which they also learned how to say in the Luiseño language. They also sang a song with the phrase “I love you” in Luiseño. Garcia incorporates language into all of her daily lessons and activities.

“We shared lots of books and stories about valentines and friends, too,” Garcia said. She was joined this week by a new instructional aide, Amanda Juarez, who has 20 years of experience in early childhood education. Her knowledge was evident when she engaged the children in talking about their treats; asking them the names and colors of their fruits and having them count them.

Alaina Adkins kept her kindergarten students busy with a science lesson before they distributed their grams and enjoyed the treats that were donated by staff and families. With the help of instructional aide Jasmine Basquez, students were given a tray filled with baking soda and a bowl of colorful candy conversation hearts. Then each one received a small cup filled with purple or red vinegar and an eyedropper. They were instructed to place the candy hearts onto the baking soda (and not to eat them) and then fill the dropper with some vinegar to release on each of the hearts.

The fizzy and bubbly reaction caused lots of oohs and ahhs from the kids, with Mav Vega exclaiming, “This is the best day ever!” and getting agreement from classmates at his table. This STEM activity was a lesson in cause and effect as mixing baking soda (a base) and vinegar (an acid) demonstrates a chemical reaction producing carbon dioxide gas. It also served as a reinforcement of fine motor skills by having them use the eyedropper unassisted. Most kids covered the entire tray with drops of vinegar to watch it fizz over and over again while others made shapes from the new pasty material they had created.

After washing their hands, they were excused to sit down at the rug area. Each student was called to take their grams around the circle and make sure that everyone received one to put inside the shopping bag they had decorated with hearts. Marcie Brane was the first one to begin handing out her items and she got a “Thank you, bestie” reply and other heartfelt thanks from her classmates.

Next up for the Soboba Tribal Preschool is their Bingo Night fundraiser on March 6 at the Soboba Sports Complex. Tickets are selling fast with all proceeds benefiting the children’s annual end-of-school year trip. For $20, the ticket holder receives four Bingo game play slips, dinner and a raffle ticket. Extra game slips and raffle tickets can be purchased at the event. For more information, 951-487-8732.

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Emcee Steven Estrada, who serves as Tribal Executive Officer, introduced Tribal Council Chairman Isaiah Vivanco to say a few words. After welcoming everyone and asking for a round of applause for all of the students, he thanked Sponsorship and Higher Education Coordinator Andrew Vallejos and his team for all their efforts in setting up the event.

“I’d like to thank all the elders, grandparents, parents, siblings, aunts, uncles and everybody here for supporting our youth,” Vivanco said. “We as a Tribe have always stressed the importance of education and what better way to do that than to celebrate them today for their achievements?”

He cited it as a good thing that the list of honored students is growing each year, and the banquet room is getting closer to reaching its capacity.

“When we can have all of our youth celebrating their achievements and taking their education careers even higher than they could have imagined, I think that’s a win for all of us,” Vivanco said. “So as a Tribe I think we should be proud of them. Please help me say thank you once again to the students that are doing a great job.”

He told the students to make sure they are doing the best they can to reach their dreams because it is important. He then congratulated them all once again, which was followed by rousing applause from the attendees.

Estrada provided the blessing and guests were then treated to an outstanding buffet that offered a variety of foods from chicken tenders and Western sliders to tacos and baked potatoes with all the fixings. There were also omelet and pasta stations and a salad bar. The dessert tables offered cookies, cakes and other sweet treats.

Students in five categories were acknowledged with incentives. Students in the silver, gold and platinum categories received a certificate, cash envelope and varying sizes of ollas, handmade by Tony Soares.

Those in the Silver/Outstanding category with a GPA of 3.0-3.4 were Jeffrey Lee Arres, Ete’tish Arviso, Lokelani Basquez, Victoria Boiso, Noah Cardenas, Tamara Hurtado, Giovanni Liera, Lavina Lopez, Logan Lopez, Phyllis Morillo, Suun Nelson, Wayne Nelson, Audrina Michelle Pantoja, Adam Post, Emalee Post, Noah Post, Kimani Resvaloso-Sanchez, Jacob Nasūūn Romo, Gloria Valdez, Ezekiel Velazquez and Ginger Velazquez.

Those with a GPA of 3.5-3.9 in the Gold/Superior Achievement category were Ava Arenas, Emily Arrietta, Evan Glen Ayala, Nokaamay Briones, Angel Cardenas, Athena DeHoyos, Tishmal DeHoyos, Shanee Demara, Marco Hernandez, Alana Kashersky, Duke Marruffo-Lara, Ronald Morillo III, Sadie Pimentel, Danny M. Placencia, Aubrey Post, Kiat Nawishmal Resvaloso, Shawna Rivera, Paloma Rodriguez, Myah Saenz, Agustin Salgado, Raya Salgado, Noyáaykit Silvas and Bella Vallejo.

An impressive GPA of 4.0 or higher qualified the following for placement in the Platinum/Academic Excellence category: Allea Alvarez, Crystal Arrietta, Hallee Cozart, Aureny Manzanilla, Aubrey Mazza, Janessa Kalei Mojado, Mary Rose Morreo, Leland Kenneth Razon Jr., Ndiyilii Resvaloso, Sophia Resvaloso and Savannah Rivera.

High school graduates received a certificate, cash envelope, lanyard, Pendleton blanket and a commemorative plate. Upon introduction to the stage to receive their award and be photographed with Tribal Council members, Estrada provided a short description of each of them.

Huahnee Laupsa Briones enjoys watersports and trail driving and her hobby is artistic animation. She plans on receiving a business degree and becoming an entrepreneur. Wayne Walker Calderon likes to play basketball, baseball, and football and work out in his spare time. In the future, he hopes to travel the world. Angelina Chavez is a basketball player who plans to attend law school and pursue a career as a Criminal Justice Attorney.

During high school, Ava Ciccone-Cozart was varsity volleyball captain, Associated Student Body Treasurer and Editor-in-Chief of the yearbook. This fall, she will attend the College of Charleston and pursue her dream of becoming a museum curator. Steven Roy Gonzalez enjoys working out and training for MMA. His future education goals include studying Engineering or Cybersecurity to become an entrepreneur. Zachary Te’met Guacheno enjoys dirt bike riding, basketball, video games and drawing. He plans on attending Cal State San Marcos. His goals are to own a business one day and help his Tribe and people.

Keira Modesto enjoys choir, Dungeons & Dragons, animation and drawing. She is applying to CalArts and wants to become an animator.  Aimee Suvoowut Organ’s career goals are to become an anthropologist and archaeologist. Jacob Peter Pantoja enjoys media arts, music, skating and playing instruments. His career goals are to be a Sound Engineer or Music Technician. Summer Rey Ramirez enjoys baking and cooking for her family. Her career goals are to attend school in the fall to become a Nurse Assistant or Vet Technician. Jade Reyes enjoyed playing varsity softball for Tahquitz. She likes watching television and shopping. She will be attending Paul Mitchell for Cosmetology and hopes to become an esthetician.

Efren V. Reynoso enjoys football and being a member of the Native Club. He likes to work out and help coach youth football. He plans to attend Idaho State University and hopes to play college football and/or become an electrician. Rhianna Salgado was part of AFJROTC and the Four Directions Club at San Jacinto High School for four years, Soboba Youth Council for two years, and the Soboba Fire Explorer Program for three years. She enjoys beading, listening to music, and playing video games. She will be joining Cal State San Marcos for Medical Sonography with Navy NUPOC as her career goal. Andrew Velazquez was part of the golf and wrestling teams. He was Treasurer for the Four Directions Club. He will be attending MSJC in the fall.

Those students who earned their college degrees or vocational certifications also were honored with a certificate, cash envelope, lanyard, Pendleton blanket and a commemorative plate.

During College, Kaya Ciccone-Cozart played varsity softball and served on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and plans to pursue a master’s degree in social work. Her long-term goal is to build a career in social work or human resources. Benny Helms IV earned a degree in Recreation Administration with a minor in Native American Studies. He enjoys hiking, playing rugby, and spending time outdoors. His goal is to pursue a degree in Public Administration, give back to his Tribe, and build a financially stable future. Italia Manzanilla has been admitted to San Diego State University to continue pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology with a focus on Exercise Science. Her goal is to complete her bachelor’s degree and obtain a teaching credential to become a physical education teacher, with the option of working as a substitute teacher as well.

Sierra Mendez earned her Master of Education in Learning, Design, and Technology from Concordia University Irvine. She currently serves as a resident substitute teacher at Cawston Elementary in the Hemet Unified School District. Passionate about inclusive education, Sierra is committed to supporting neurodiverse learners and fostering a nurturing classroom environment. She plans to continue her work with Cawston’s autism program and hopes to further her education with a focus on moderate to severe autism, deepening her impact in the field of special education. Nashashuk Resvaloso plans to build on her degree by obtaining a barbering license, allowing her to work with all hair types and expand her range of services.

Lynnae Rhodes earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice with a minor in Social Science Forensics. She is actively exploring opportunities in Arizona to pursue her goal of becoming a Crime Scene Investigator. Shayna Lee Silvas-Thomas plans to complete her degree in Marine Environmental Technology and pursue a career focused on improving the health and well-being of animals. Vincent Vega’s career goal is to become a Master Technician. He completed training in auto electrical, engine performance, steering and suspension, as well as hybrid and electric vehicle technology.

All Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians Tribal members who qualified for any of these categories were invited to the luncheon held in their honor. Students who were able to attend were recognized on stage, where they received their certificates from members of the Tribal Council. Congratulating them were Chairman Isaiah Vivanco, Vice Chairwoman Geneva Mojado, Secretary Monica Herrera and Sergeant-at-Arms Daniel Valdez.

More than 50 elegant table settings were enhanced by the beautiful centerpieces created by Adona Salgado of SEISH LLC. The eldest guest at each table was allowed to take it home to enjoy. She also made the large arrangements used on stage and throughout the banquet room.

A video slide show of all the students being honored was met with much applause as each name and photo was shown. It was played at the beginning of the event and again during the luncheon. Wayne Nelson from the Inter-Tribal Bird Singers offered bird songs and invited those who wished to participate to dance.

“I want to thank the Tribe for allowing me to be here,” Nelson said. “And congratulations to all the students for their achievements.”

Each student received a raffle ticket upon check-in and was able to go home with a fun motivator to work hard in the coming school year to be able to return for next summer’s event. From gift cards and Nintendo Switch 2 game systems to Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer sunglasses and big screen TVs, the prizes were welcomed by all the lucky and excited recipients.

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Tribal chef Anita Morillo and her team had the grill going full flame with hot dogs and hamburgers. Colorful plastic kiddie wading pools were filled with ice and trays of cut fresh fruit. There was plenty for everyone and many returned for seconds.

Children arrived at the event with towels, goggles and swimsuits under their shorts and tee shirts. Water slide inflatables kept the kids cool on softball Field #1, while the pool and splash pad were open for those that wanted to cool off in other ways. Romell Mojado was happy to dip her feet into the pool as she sat at its edge.

Fourteen members of the Placencia family set up chairs and picnic blankets under the shade of trees near the splash pad so they could watch the younger ones play. They plan one more family vacation to the Lawrence Welk Resort, now known as Hyatt Vacation Club at The Welk, in Escondido before the kids and grandkids head back to school in early August.

DJ Mike Nevarez kept the upbeat tunes spinning to add to the party atmosphere while also taking a break to announce winners of various games and youth raffle prize winners. At least 100 back-to-school items were available to win, from backpacks and insulated lunch boxes to mini treasure chests filled with crayons, colored pencils and other practical goodies.

One of the first games was a Duck Hunt. After being supplied with a bag, the young explorers were told to scour the area for small plastic ducks. Whoever collected the most for each age group was rewarded with a cash prize. It didn’t take long for all the ducks to disappear from their hiding places.

Lucky winners were Milo Arrietta, 0-5 age, who found 62; Noot Medina, 6-8, who collected an astounding 106; Miguel Macias Jr., 9-11, found 43; and Ayashe in the 12-up category discovered 40.

The horseshoe pit was set up next to the oversized tent that kept all the tables shaded for families to visit, eat and regroup after each round of activities. The game was open to all ages and individuals were able to try as many times as they wanted to during the allotted time. The three with the most points by 6:30 were declared the winners. They were Steve Medina, first place, Phil Basquez, second and Anthony Valenzuela. third.

Nic Necochea, who has worked at Parks & Rec for about four years, said the entrants were playing against themselves rather than teams playing against each other. Shannah Medina said she just plays horseshoes for fun at various events. Enrique Medina, 57, joined his granddaughter Rihanna Kashersky, 11, as they both pitched to be among the top scorers to take home some prize money.

Parks and Recreation Activities Director Jennifer Devore Garcia said the department enjoys being able to provide some end-of-the-summer fun, which they have done for the past several years.

“It has really grown over the years; we only had about 100 people at the first one,” she said. “I love seeing the kids have so much fun and being able to provide the back-to-school giveaways.”

At 6 p.m., the Scavenger Hunt began and lasted about 20 minutes before the top three teams finished and won their share of cash prizes. The first place team was Anaye Grant and Clover Swan, second place went to Kali Valenzuela and Jade, and Allen Silvas and Naanat Silvas worked together on the team that finished third. It was the perfect end to a fun-filled day.

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“We are focusing on indoor air quality because there is not much we can do about outdoor ambient air quality,” Estrada said.

 Common household air pollutants include combustion products such as tobacco smoke, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter. Biological contaminants that are often found in homes are mold, dust mites, pollen, bacteria and viruses. Familiar chemical contaminants are pesticides, asbestos and lead. VOCs (volatile organic compounds) are a group of chemicals that evaporate into the air at room temperature and are a major cause of indoor air pollution. VOCs are found in many products, including paints, fuels, and cleaning products.

Estrada suggested using good ventilation when cleaning small areas as aromatic hydrocarbons can pose fleeting as well as long-term health risks. Children with developing lungs are a lot more susceptible to it.

“Asthma affects almost 12% of people living in Tribal communities, nearly double the national average of 7%,” she said. “Managing triggers is important for Tribal communities who are disproportionately affected by asthma.”

Estrada broke down how different pollutants can be found in different rooms within a house due to their needed source. Bedrooms with pillows, blankets, carpets, upholstered furniture and stuffed toys can easily harbor biological contaminants, while damp surfaces in bathrooms can be prone to mold.

Some of the health effects of indoor pollution are respiratory problems, allergic reactions, eye irritation, headaches, nausea and even some forms of cancer that can develop as a result of environmental factors. Many health conditions can be attributed to pollutants, which is why it is important to be protected from exposure as much as possible.

Ways to reduce indoor air pollution include avoiding smoking indoors, dusting and vacuuming regularly and properly adjusting and maintaining combustion appliances to control the sources.

Ventilation can be improved by opening windows and doors, operating window fans or air conditioning and using exhaust fans. During times of outdoor air pollution, it is recommended to close windows and doors and use air cleaners and filtration systems to maximize effectiveness.

Estrada explained that effectiveness depends on how well it collects pollutants from indoor air (percentage efficiency rate) and how much air it draws through the filtering element (cubic feet per minute). She added that under ideal conditions, air cleaners can provide up to 90% reduction in indoor air pollution.

To help the talking circle participants get a head start on improving their home’s air quality, she led a do-it-yourself air purifier activity. The project involved attaching a square air filter to the back of a portable box fan so that it would instantly filter indoor air when the fan is turned on. Allowing it to be taken to various rooms within the house increases its ability to filter the air in the most offensive rooms, whether it be in the kitchen while cooking or in the living room while the fireplace is going.

“A typical 20-inch box fan can move about 1,500 to 2,000 cubic feet of air per minute depending on the model and speed settings,” Estrada explained. “In one hour, it would move 90,000 cubic feet. Using it in smaller settings of 300-1,000 sq. ft. is more realistic and more beneficial.”

Estrada began working at STED several months ago. A graduate of UC, Davis with a degree in Environmental Science focusing on Natural Resource Management, she previously worked for an air quality regulatory agency in Northern California. She is excited to bring her knowledge to Soboba to expand the air quality monitoring program.

“I am interested in reducing major smoke event impacts to the community through education, monitoring and fuels management,” Estrada said. “Compared to positions I’ve had in the past, being an Environmental Specialist for Soboba has made me realize just how interconnected major environmental threats are, especially in Indian Country where the resources to address them aren’t always readily available. For example, the way our changing climate influences the amount of rain we get in a year, which then influences the health of native vegetation, which affects the stability of our hillsides and streambeds, which comes back to affect local air quality, which I know in the long term, contributes to climate change. It’s a very real-world application of the positive feedback loop I learned about in school, and it requires us as staff to be both creative and persistent in addressing these issues in the interest of preserving the natural resources of the Reservation.”

She also introduced participants to an app that tracks fires and wind conditions to help residents see if they can expect to be impacted by smoke from wildfires, no matter their location. For more information, https://app.watchduty.org.

Tribal member Rosemary Morillo said this discussion from STED was important to Soboba residents because with climate change the air isn’t as clean as it used to be.

“A growth in population means more homes and vehicles,” she said. “These days, there are just too many people; that’s the cause of the poor air quality.”

She recalled that in the 1960s when there were only about 200 people living on the Soboba Reservation, their wells produced the best drinking water in the area, and they enjoyed clean air. These days, the weather is drier and there isn’t a rainy season like there used to be in the past.

Environmental Assistant Christine Rodriguez recently visited the Soboba Tribal Preschool to teach the youngest Tribal members about air quality. She said that for the children, her presentation was geared towards showing them that different colored flags represent different levels of air pollution from good (green) to hazardous (maroon). Using this system, the children can see the flag color upon entering the building each morning where it is posted on the front lobby’s wall.

Utilizing the publication from the United States Environmental Protection Agency titled, “Why is Coco Red?” Rodriguez was able to engage the children with a story and follow-up coloring activity about how a chameleon named Coco and his friends learn about wildfire smoke and how it can affect air quality and health.

“Them being so young, I think it was just more fun for them to hear the story, color, and ask questions,” Rodriguez said. “The main point was to introduce them to the Air Quality Index and learn the colors, so hopefully as we expand our education on the topic, they will continue seeing it as they go through school and can help teach others about it. Youth are the future, and they will soon be the ones who will be educating others.”

 Having the flags prominently displayed will help parents and teachers gain insight and help them decide whether to let the children play outside when it’s nice or keep them inside during bad air quality events. The main goal of this program is to bring awareness to daily levels of air pollution so people can make informed decisions. Data collected from sensors positioned throughout the Reservation provides the AQI levels that are posted on the https://sobobaair.com/data/aqi website.

Weather stations have been installed at three key locations and provide detailed information at any given time of day as well as future forecasting. This is just another way that the Soboba Tribal Environmental Department is keeping Tribal members informed and updated on issues that affect their homeland. Morillo said she would like to see STED host future conversations about off-road recreational vehicles that cause erosion to the Reservation’s hills.

For more information, https://epa.soboba-nsn.gov.

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The children had surprise gifts for their moms, too. They decorated canvas tote bags and filled out questionnaires “All About Mom.” Preschooler Nadia said her mom’s name is “Mommy” and that she is really good at “everything.” A classmate of hers said their favorite thing about their mom is “when she gives me cookies.”

Pre-K students used colorful handprints in a circle to resemble a flower to which green stems were painted on. Inside was a jar candle decorated with a mosaic made from colorful tissue paper. Kindergartners colored flower pots that were printed on the totes and decorated plates that were put inside each one. Grandmothers received keychains with mini handprints on them.

Glori Lindsey said her daughter Avareign, 6, did a “berry good job” with all the gifts she made. “I love everything so much,” she said. Glori was able to spend some valuable time with her family, which also includes two sons, on the official Mother’s Day of May 12 at a resort in Palm Springs.

Celena Morillo and her daughter, Menyil Tohee, 5, enjoy everything the preschool has to offer. “I like all the different things they ask them to make; they are very creative,” Celena said. On Mother’s Day her family cooked her breakfast and then all her sisters came over for lunch and to spend time together outside.

Rosemary Morillo is great-grandmother to Avareign and grandmother to Menyil and shared the time with fellow grandmother Nancy Beltran. Another great-granddaughter of Morillo’s is Nehsoon Salas, 5, who filled in the blanks “All About My Mom” by saying if she could tell her mom one thing, it would be, “You are gorgeous.” The kindergartner’s mother Avelaka Gonzales said this is the first year her daughter has attended the preschool.

“She has learned so much about animals and plants and she’s having fun while she’s doing it so that’s the best part,” Gonzales said. On Mother’s Day she was treated to a spa day while Nehsoon and other family members cleaned the house for her.

Morillo, who offered a blessing before the brunch was served, said, “It’s always an honor to get together with all the mothers,” she said. She asked the Creator to bless all family members in attendance and reminded everyone to “cherish these moments with your young ones, as time goes by so fast.”

Preschool teachers and staff served up mini cold cut sandwiches, two kinds of salad, chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans and pasta salad. There were also bags of chips and other crunchy snacks, a huge bowl of fresh berries and strawberry topped cupcakes and Rice Krispie treats. All of this was washed down with lemonade, bottled water or a refreshing strawberry drink.

Corryn Salgado-Flores enjoyed the morning with her daughter Love Salgado-Flores, 3, and son Ace Covington, 5, along with their grandmother Becky Flores. Corryn said she likes that the preschool offers her children a chance to learn their Native language. “They also get to go to school with a few of their cousins,” she said.

The event provided an opportunity for all siblings and relatives who are in different classrooms to be together to celebrate as a family.

Tribal Council Secretary Monica Herrera has two grandchildren who are students there; Pre-K student Palki and kindergartner Gabe who were with their mom, Alyssa Salgado.

“I like the themes they do every year; it’s always super cute,” Herrera said. “I love that the school does this to bring the community together.”

Cyndi Lemke, whose grandson Iggy Alcala is in the kindergarten class, had a great personal Mother’s Day. “All the moms came to my house,” she said. “All us ladies had snacks and watched movies while the guys made and served breakfast. It was also my birthday, so I got extra flowers.”

Soboba Tribal Vice Chairwoman Geneva Mojado said, “I came to celebrate with all these special moms.” Mother of two, she enjoyed her own Mother’s Day on May 12. “We had Sunday brunch at the casino, which was amazing.”

One of the newest moms in attendance was Daise Burton with her five-week-old son, Jobi, who has an older brother Joseph, 8, and an older sister, Loovi, 4, who is in Ana Garcia’s Pre-K class. The kids were joined by their “glamma” Dondi Silvas, who serves as Soboba Foundation President and Housing Specialist for Soboba Housing.

Sierra Mendez had a second son six weeks ago and was at the event with her four-year-old son, Kuyvaxish Mendez, who is in Lenora “Ponie” Mojado’s class. Sierra also has a stepdaughter, who is 10. She was pleased to be one of the lucky raffle prize recipients and chose a satin sleep mask and pillowcase set, sure to be well used in the future. Other choices were handbags and cast-iron pans.

Preschool teacher Mojado has two sons; Mac is 10 and Eli is 8. She had spent Sunday with family at the Soboba Casino Resort’s brunch. “It was amazing; they had a buffet with different items,” she said. “Then I went shopping at Bath and Body Works and later I went to my sister’s house for family dinner. It was the perfect Mother’s Day of relaxing and shopping.”

She enjoyed giving out prizes at the raffle and said the mothers in attendance seemed to feel really appreciated and enjoyed the food they were served.

“My favorite part about working with children is they make me laugh and smile,” Mojado said. “We always joke around in my preschool class. I always make the children laugh and carry on a conversation. It’s always a fun time in the preschool room with all my little friends.”

Julissa Garcia is an Instructional Aide in the pre-kindergarten classroom. Celebrating Mother’s Day with her almost one-year-old son included going to dinner with her mother and aunt.

“My son and his dad also shared gifts and gave me a couple extra hours of sleep,” she said.

She enjoyed the feeling of togetherness at the preschool’s brunch.

“I liked seeing all of our children’s families show up for them and their reactions to the handcrafted gifts they made in class,” Garcia said. Her favorite part of working with the young children is “seeing them grow and progress each day and being given the opportunity to help foster lifelong learning.”

Preschool staff have already begun preparations for a Father’s Day luncheon on May 31.

The post Mothers celebrated at Soboba Tribal Preschool event appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

“We were impressed by the scale and extent of Soboba’s accomplishments towards their clean energy transition through the adoption of advanced clean energy technologies and incorporating robust energy conservation measures,” said Michael Ward, spokesman for the California Energy Commission (CEC). The commission earlier awarded the Tribe a $1.7 million grant from its Electric Program Investment Charge program to demonstrate the microgrid technology at the fire station.

During the visit, Gallardo met with youth Tribal members at the fire station, who are part of the Fire Explorers Program. She also toured the carport where solar is installed as part of the microgrid project and learned about the Tribe’s future clean energy plans. In addition, she discussed with Tribal members opportunities to host workshops for other Tribes at the reservation.

The CEC is impressed with the Tribe’s long-term commitment to clean energy,” said Sean Anayah, an energy specialist with the CEC Energy Research and Development Division.

“Soboba has strategically invested in clean energy projects over time, leveraging a variety of financial resources, and creating an effective model that other Tribes and communities can duplicate,” he said.

Soboba Tribal Council expressed their appreciation for the visit from Gallardo. “We were pleased to host Commissioner Gallardo and show her all that the Tribe is doing to move toward energy resilience and a clean energy future.”

The Soboba Reservation is located in a high-fire risk region in the foothills of San Jacinto, California and often experiences power outages due to fires or public safety power shutoff (PSPS) events, which are implemented by Southern California Edison (SCE) when fire risk is high. The Tribe’s power outages last seven hours on average but can be as long as 24 hours during high wind conditions and PSPS events.

The fire station microgrid consists of solar photovoltaics located on a carport plus a battery storage system. The microgrid is connected to the larger electricity grid but can also isolate from the grid. In that case, the installation produces power independently during grid outages and PSPS events.

The microgrid can power both the Tribe’s fire station and emergency operations center and helps provide critical services to the Tribe and the surrounding community through mutual aid agreements, Ward added.

During an outage, the Tribe’s fire station and emergency response facility have no power, which limits the Tribe’s ability to provide critical resources and potentially life-saving responses during an emergency or disaster, Anayah said. The project aims to decrease the negative effects of PSPS events and grid outages and demonstrate an innovative battery storage system that can provide the community with at least 10 hours of electricity during outages, which is longer than traditional energy storage systems. If the Tribe deploys more solar, the microgrid could produce power for more than 24 hours, Anayah said.

The battery system is called an advanced vanadium redox flow long-duration energy storage battery, he said.

Microgrid power supplied during power outages in the high-fire threat area is especially valuable because the Tribe can provide emergency services that boost safety. The clean energy system also yields public health, economic and energy security benefits.

With the microgrid operating, the Tribe relies less on diesel generators during power outages, which lowers greenhouse gas and other polluting emissions. Construction and installation of the system also created jobs, which helped develop the local economy and workforce. And the system provides energy security because the Tribe can generate power on-site. The microgrid also helps support the grid when it’s stressed by harsh weather, Anayah said.

“These energy investments not only result in greater energy reliability but also lead to cost savings over time,” said Katrina Leni-Konig, CEC deputy public advisor and tribal liaison.

Through the CEC grant funding, the Tribe and CEC will validate the microgrid’s performance as a system that provides long-duration energy storage, energy resiliency during power outages and services to the grid. Those grid services include load shifting and peak shaving, which involve directing the microgrid to store solar energy and release it during high-electricity demand periods to lower the burden on the grid.

As part of the project, the CEC will collect data about the microgrid’s capital cost, operating cost, performance and lessons learned to support commercial deployment of microgrids that use the advanced battery system, said Anayah. The microgrid is a demonstration case for similar systems that can be sited in tribal, remote and disadvantaged communities across the state, said Anayah.

The Tribe and CEC already learned one lesson from the project. The battery couldn’t conduct a “black start” during a grid outage because it didn’t have auxiliary power to activate it. The Tribe added an uninterruptible power supply as backup which allows the system to start up during outages, Anayah said.

The microgrid project is part of a larger effort from the CEC to support Tribes’ efforts to achieve energy independence with clean energy.

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