Heritage Snapshot: Part 141 by Richard Schaefer - City News Group, Inc.
View Upcoming Events View Your Local Sales

Community Calendar

◄ NOVEMBER ►
S M T W T F S
01 02 03 04 05 06 07
08 09 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 01 02 03 04 05
View Events
Submit Events
directory

Heritage Snapshot: Part 141

By Richard Schaefer, Community Writer
December 30, 2014 at 11:28am. Views: 83

During the Christmas season of 1966, I took a class at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. I had studied in college for a career in public relations and had just begun employment in the University Relations Office of Loma Linda University. The USC class in hospital public relations was sponsored by the Hospital Council of Southern California. About half way to Los Angeles on the South side of Interstate 10, I saw a Christmas star mounted on the side of a large building, outlined in white lights facing North toward the freeway. It looked nice. What a classy Christmas decoration, I thought. Wouldn’t it be nice to have something like that some day on the face of the new Loma Linda University Hospital (it's name at that time)? But the hospital was not yet occupied, nor was it even painted. We moved 125 patients into the new building on July 9, 1967. The next year, because I had been a finish carpenter in college, I started to build a Christmas star in my Loma Linda garage. I used a 4 x 8-foot sheet of prefinished, white plywood, backed it with 1 x 2's, and outlined the star with white, exterior Christmas lights. I took it to the office of C. Victor Way, the hospital administrator, told him the background and asked if he would be willing to have it installed on the exterior wall of the hospital facing North. He declined, saying it would cost $50. So, I took the star back to the administration building where my office was located, and without anybody’s approval, and with the help of a gentleman from the University Housekeeping Service, installed it above the breezeway which separates the administration building from the University Library. Nobody complained. It looked so nice. I took its picture one night with the lights powered through a window into the library’s reading room (now the University’s board room). The next Christmas season, I went to Mr. Way’s office with the picture. He liked it. I asked him if I were to build a 16-foot star, would he have it installed on the North face of the hospital. He said yes. So I built one that was twice as big, and men from the University’s maintenance service installed it. They liked it, too, but decided that a larger version would be a better fit. So, on their own, for the next Christmas season, they built a 37-foot Christmas star out of aluminum, and outlined it also with white, exterior Christmas lights. “Prop wash” from emergency helicopter landings beat it up a little, so they strengthened it with aluminum bracing, and it’s been displayed every Christmas season for more than 40 years. It is stored between Christmas seasons under the nearby heliport. During this commercial time of year, I hope it takes observers back to the Star of Bethlehem and the real reason for the season.

Related Articles

Photo Courtesy of: BBOP Center

By Justus Baker-Postell, Community Writer

November 11, 2026 at 08:19am. Views: 411

BBOP Information Session The Black and Brown Opportunities for Profit (BBOP) Center, an Inland Empire economic and workforce development hub and a project of Time for Change Foundation, has launched Pathways to Prosperity, its Employment Training Pathway Program (ETPP), a comprehensive workforce initiative designed to connect residents facing barriers to employment with the skills, credentials, hands-on experience and employer relationships needed to enter and advance in high-demand careers.

Photo Courtesy of: San Bernardino's California Theatre from 1930

By Amanda Spencer, Community Writer

November 11, 2026 at 08:19am. Views: 330

Nearly a century after opening its doors, the downtown landmark remains an important connection between the city's entertainment history and its cultural future. In downtown San Bernardino, the California Theatre of the Performing Arts stands as a reminder of a time when attending a movie or live performance was one of the most anticipated social occasions in a growing Southern California city.

Photo Courtesy of: City News Group

By William Cortez, Community Writer

November 11, 2026 at 08:19am. Views: 315

With winter approaching, emergency officials are coordinating flood prevention, roadway maintenance and public alerts to help residents prepare for dangerous weather. A heavy rainstorm can change the landscape of San Bernardino in a matter of hours. Streets that ordinarily carry commuters and school buses can become difficult to navigate, drainage channels can fill rapidly, and neighborhoods near foothills may face increased risks from flooding and debris.

Photo Courtesy of: City News Group

By William Cortez, Community Writer

November 11, 2026 at 08:19am. Views: 279

A sweeping decision involving California's most serious criminal sentences has drawn strong opposition from San Bernardino County District Attorney Jason Anderson, placing the county's chief prosecutor at the center of a statewide debate over justice, victims' rights and executive authority.

Photo Courtesy of: West Valley Water District

By Socorro Pantaleon, Community Writer

November 11, 2026 at 08:14am. Views: 176

Group photos of WVWD Board Members and winning students of the 2026 Poster Contest

Photo Courtesy of: CalKIDS

By Justus Baker-Postell, Community Writer

November 11, 2026 at 08:13am. Views: 285

During National Scholarship Month, families are encouraged to check their eligibility for scholarships supporting college and career training.

Photo Courtesy of: Khouri Evans-Dangerfield

By Mike Hoover. President, Inland Empire Civil War Round Table, Community Writer

November 11, 2026 at 08:18am. Views: 165

University of Redlands student Khouri Evans-Dangerfield will examine slavery, constitutional law and the decisions that divided a nation during a free November 15 presentation at A.K. Smiley Public Library.

Photo Courtesy of: City News Group

By William Cortez, Community Writer

November 11, 2026 at 08:18am. Views: 162

November 11 screening of acclaimed film “All We Imagine as Light” invites students and community members to experience international cinema and discussion. Films can transport audiences to places they have never visited, introduce them to unfamiliar experiences and encourage them to consider how people in different parts of the world navigate relationships, work and personal challenges.

Photo Courtesy of: City News Group

By Willam Cortez, Community Writer

November 11, 2026 at 08:18am. Views: 191

A decision announced in Sacramento could change the sentences of hundreds of California prisoners, bringing renewed attention to the death penalty and the future of criminal punishment across the state. Governor Gavin Newsom announced November 5 that he intends to commute the death sentences of all 548 people currently sentenced to death in California.

Photo Courtesy of: City News Group

By Stella Pierce, Community Writer

November 11, 2026 at 08:18am. Views: 236

November 21 event at Olive Avenue Market will introduce residents to drought-tolerant landscaping, city rebates and the benefits of native plants. A beautiful garden does not have to depend on a large lawn or plants that require frequent watering.

Photo Courtesy of: City News Group

By Ruby Stephenson, Community Writer

November 11, 2026 at 08:17am. Views: 117

A school announcement can contain information that changes a family's entire afternoon. A reminder about an upcoming meeting, a schedule adjustment or a message from a teacher may determine when a parent leaves work, arranges transportation or helps a child prepare for the next school day.

Photo Courtesy of: TME Photography by Titan Mom Elvira

By Titan Mom Elvira, Community Writer

November 11, 2026 at 08:18am. Views: 162

Cosme Córdova and Eduvina pose in front of the Division 9 Gallery booth, where visitors had the opportunity to purchase commemorative souvenirs and keepsakes celebrating Riverside's Día de los Muertos Festival.

--> -->