By Dianne Anderson Perhaps not coincidentally, Rev. Dr. Ralph Williamson received word of his new appointment to lead Christ Our Redeemer AME Church in Irvine just as he was hanging out with his good friend Rev. Mark Whitlock at their big annual AME church conference. Of the two, Rev. Whitlock served the longest as senior ...

Stater Bros. is spreading cheer this holiday season by giving back to the loyal communities it serves.  To brighten the holidays for those in need, Stater Bros. Charities donated over $840,000 to local non-profit organizations that benefit hunger relief and children’s well-being initiatives. Stater Bros. Charities supports critical needs in the communities where Stater Bros. ...

By Dianne Anderson A little nudge sometimes can have a big impact. When Dr. Fred Calhoun came on as Orange County NAACP branch president last February, one of his top goals was going after the thing he knew best — the educational system. Soon after taking his seat, he began sending notices to community colleges ...

By Dianne Anderson Dozens of dedicated professional sisters of the Orange County Alumni Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta are helping local kids and adults prepare for success with just about whatever skill-set they need to get ahead. There is no shortage of role models at the historically Black Greek sorority. “We have lawyers, and judges ...

By Dianne Anderson It may come as no surprise that the recently installed Orange County Branch NAACP President Dr. Fred C. Calhoun has his sights set on getting more African American representation of teachers into local school districts, colleges and universities. In his new seat, he is ready to tackle some of the harder to ...

By Dianne Anderson Moving into his new location gives local community activist James Stapleton a better way to serve more kids, especially in the coming days as the toys they’ve been dreaming of fly off the shelves. With the help of a distribution from Toys for Tots, he said his December 22 toy giveaway is ...

By Dianne Anderson Love jazz? Love kids? Standout musicians are bringing their sparkle center stage at the upcoming Jazzy Christmas concert to help support the muse for some of Santa Ana’s most promising young violinists. In the spirit of the season, jazz enthusiasts and the entire community are invited out for an evening featuring top ...

By Dianne Anderson It’s no secret that too many African American kids are lagging far behind their peers well into high school, an issue that starts from early formative years, and at least some of the problem with economics at its base. African American moms often work two jobs, and many kids these days are ...

By Dianne Anderson Thanksgiving isn’t just a feel-good moment for Robert Flournoy and friends. He says he passed that stage over 20 years ago. “Now it’s the passion to do it, and the drive to accomplish it,” said Flournoy, founder and director of the nonprofit Loaves and Fishes X 10. It could be said that ...

Segerstrom Center for the Arts presents the Ahmad Jamal Quartet for one performance only on October 19 at 8:00pm. The extraordinary night of music features jazz legend and celebrated pianist-composer Ahmad Jamal who returns to the center with his quartet which includes James Cammack, bass; Herlin Riley, drums; and Manolo Badrena, percussion. Single tickets are ...