C O L T O N C O U R I E R WWe e eekkllyy
By Dr G (Dr Luis S González) community writerAt the May 2 Council m e e t i n g , t h e C o l t o n C i t y C o u n c i l r e c o gn i z e d b y p r o c l a m a t i o n t h e
Colton Area Museum Day 10th
Annual Recognition, formally s e t f o r M a y 6 , 2 0 2 3 T h e proclamation was presented to t h r e e C o l t o n A r e a M u s e u m
Association (CAMA) Board of Directors members by Council
Member Dr G, a CAMA Life
Member The CAMA Board
Members in attendance were C h r i s t i n a P e r r i s , P r e s i d e n t ; J i m m y Vi l l e g a s , Vi c e -
President; and George Aguilar, Board Member
Since 1991, the Colton Area Museum has served as a community anchor for maintaining and preserving Colton’s rich history and cultural traditions From buildings to sports stars
and public safety to Colton High School, the museum has established an incredible legacy of displays and historical information that spurs the curiosity of just about everyone Board Member Frank Acosta explains, “The Colton Area Museum is a cultural treasure that we must preserve for Colton’s current and future residents and visitors The history of Colton is the history of its people-our collective history ”
Over the last three years, the museum has been shuttered, first due to the pandemic but subsequently due to the remodeling efforts spurned on by a s t a t e - s p o n s o r e d g r a n t t h a t allowed the museum to upgrade its facilities, redesign its displays, and give the place, “a n e w l o o k ” A c c o r d i n g t o Museum and City officials, the target date for reopening the
Museum, cont next pg H O W T O R E A C H U S H O W T O R E A C H U S
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o m m u n i t y N e w s p a p e r s O f f i c e : ( 9 0 9 ) 3 8 1 - 9 8 9 8
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d v e r t i s i n g : s a l e s @ i e c n c
n g A r t , F o o d , a n d S u s t a i n a b l e P r a c t i c e s w i t h S a n B e r n a r d i n o
By Manny SandovalViva La Boba, the famous bubble tea shop known for helping revitalize downtown San Bernardino, is set to open a second location at 501 Orange Street in downtown Redlands
The new shop will commence construction in the Summer of 2023 after being vacant for a decade, promising to deliver the same unique atmosphere, amenities, and commitment to the community that has made its San Bernardino location a local
since opening Viva La Boba in March 2019 They aim to bring their success and positive vibes to the Redlands community while maintaining their dedication to the original location
"It's a trauma response when people ask if we're closing the San Bernardino location;
because so many businesses up and leave or close down in this city So we want to assure everyone that we're not closing that location," said Philip
The purchase of the Redlands location was highly intentional as it's in a walkable area, helping the business reduce its carbon footprint In addition, plans in the forthcoming shop include solar panels and operating as a net-zero property, reflecting the o w
Boba cont next pg
Museum
museum is November later this year
Built in 1908, the Colton Area Museum building was the brainchild of the Colton Women’s Club, which supported a charitable trust established by steel magnate and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, who, through his efforts, enabled many communities across America to build public libraries The formal name is the Carnegie Library Building It served as a library for many decades and is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places
The CAMA Board appreciates the support of the Colton City Council, which has once again recognized the museum programs with a proclamation honoring CAM Museum Day
“I’m proud that the City of Colton has taken the time to recognize the museum and honor the achievements of the Museum Association and its volunteers,” says President Christina Perris For more information about the museum and its programs, contact the museum at 909-824-8814 or Christina Perris at 909-648-5768
Popular Omnitrans Fr ee Far es f or School Pr og ram to Expand Countywide in 2023-2024 School Year
Community News
Omnitrans is pleased to announce that the success of the agency’s Free Fares for School program, which offers kindergarten –12th graders free rides to school and has provided more than 1,000,000 free rides for students since its inception, will be expanded county-wide for the 2023- 2024 school year
“We are grateful that SBCTA (San Bernardino County Transportation Authority) has decided to fund Free Fares for School for the next school year, given its use and the need for such an initiative in our region,” said CEO/General Manager Erin Rogers “Omnitrans is pleased to do its part to build the next generation of transit ridership ”
The Free Fares for School pro-
gram allows community members 18 and under unlimited rides on Omnitrans’ 29 routes with a current student ID card
The program was designed to allow students in Omnitrans’ service area to get to school, extracurricular and recreational activities, encourage school attendance and promote equity
The expansion of the program will allow students to continue to use Omnitrans service, as well as Basin Transit, Mountain Transit, Needles Transit, and Victor Valley Transit Authority bus services
To learn more about Free Fares for School, visit omnitrans org/buy-a-pass/freefares-for-school/ and for more information on Omnitrans routes and services, please visit www omnitrans org
Dignity Health - St Ber nardine Medical Center Awarded Spring 2023 ‘A’ Hospital Safety
Grade fr om Leapfr og Gr oup
Community News
Dignity Health - St Bernardine Medical Center (SBMC) received an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit upholding the standard of patient safety in hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers This national distinction celebrates St Bernardine’s achievements in prioritizing patient safety by protecting patients from preventable harm and errors The new grades reflect performance primarily during the height of the pandemic
“This significant achievement is a testament to the high quality of care our staff and physicians provide to everyone who comes through our doors,” says Doug Kleam, SBMC Hospital President “Earning an ‘A’ from Leapfrog demonstrates our concerted commitment to making our hospital the safest place to seek care for our patients and the communities we serve ”
The Leapfrog Group, an independent national watchdog organization, assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grade to general hospitals across the country
Boba
efforts in San Bernardino included using biodegradable straws made from sugar cane and hosting community cleanups
In addition to serving its signature bubble tea creations, the Redlands location will offer food options such as empanadas, grab-and-go salads, sandwiches, cookies, and brownies Regarding aesthetics, the design will differ from the Mexican-inspired elements seen in San Bernardino, pushing boundaries and offering a fresh vibe
"We plan on bridging the two locations by collaborating and coordinating art events, open mics nights, etc Both locations will be given equal love," said Friedman
Friedman and Philip hope the Redlands location will become a welcoming meeting place for all, from students to city council members and everyone in between Like the San Bernardino location, it'll be a hip spot for non-drinkers to grab boba, tea, coffee, etc , in the morning, afternoon, evening, and at nightmaybe even until 2 AM Philip
and Friedman said they would continue encouraging patrons to stay and enjoy the space without pressure to keep purchasing from the menu
With their expansion to Redlands, Viva La Boba's commitment to sustainability, community engagement, and unique offerings will delight new patrons and foster connections between the two cities The opening of the new location is an exciting step forward in the continued growth and development of San Bernardino and Redlands
San Ber nardino County Par tner s with Cities to Incr ease Housing and Reduce Homelessness
Community News
The Board of Supervisors this week launched a partnership with the county’s cities to invest a sizable share of the $72 7 million Homeless Initiatives Spending Plan approved by the Board of Supervisors in March toward increasing housing for the homeless throughout the county
The plan sets aside $32 7 million specifically for partnerships between the county and cities to increase housing and system capacity, specifically by the creation of shelter beds with onsite services open to all homeless residents, permanent supportive housing and rapid rehousing options as well as by addressing systemic barriers that prevent housing connections and placements
“Collectively the County Board of Supervisors has taken a major step in addressing some of the challenges of homelessness by making key investments to build treatment facilities that will provide supportive services and resume our street outreach,” said Fifth District Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr “We want to continue collaborating with our community cities and partners to work on this issue for our county residents ”
“The time to act is now,” said Second District Supervisor Jesse Armendarez “Cities including Fontana have proposed key projects that will help stop the bleeding on homelessness
It’s clear from one end of the county to the other that we need to address this head on ”
Present were representatives from Adelanto, Big Bear Lake, Chino, Chino Hills, Colton, Fontana, Highland, Montclair, Needles, Redlands, Rialto, San Bernardino, Twentynine Palms, Upland, Yucaipa, and Yucca Valley
In response to the need for additional housing options and other services for the homeless, on March 28 the Board of Supervisors approved the Homeless Initiatives Spending Plan, which will leverage $72 7 million in federal, state and county resources to support the landmark 2022 Homeless Strategic Action Plan approved by the board in June The funding plan includes:
based on over 30 national performance measures reflecting errors, accidents, injuries and infections, as well as systems hospitals have in place to prevent harm
“This new update of Hospital Safety Grades shows that, at the national level, we saw deterioration in patient safety with the pandemic,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group “But this hospital received an ‘A’ despite those challenges I congratulate all the leaders, staff, volunteers and clinicians who together made that possible ”
The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program based exclusively on hospital prevention of medical errors and harm to patients The grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring
To see St Bernardine Medical Center ’s full grade details and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade org and follow The Leapfrog Group on Twitter, Facebook and via its newsletter
The Board convened a meeting with representatives from 16 of the county’s 24 cities on Tuesday and key county government agencies and service organizations to discuss ways in which the county and cities could partner on solutions
“We must increase capacity as this housing is clearly not sufficient to house the current unsheltered homeless population,” said Board of Supervisors Chair Dawn Rowe “The county wants to work with the cities because they are closest to our homeless individuals and are in the best position to know what will work in their communities ”
The results of the 2023 San Bernardino County Homeless Point in Time Count, announced last week, showed homelessness had increased 26 percent during the past year A total of 4,195 homeless individuals were counted of which 2,976 individuals were unsheltered
However, there are currently only 797 emergency shelter beds in the county, only 192 of which are available to the general population There are also 489 transitional beds and 1,654 permanent supportive housing units
$32 7 million for city/county partnerships that increase housing and system capacity $36 6 million for existing and expansion projects that provide immediate sheltering and service-enriched housing, including:
Pacific Village Phase II Expansion
Kern Street Adult Residential Facility Expansion Project Roomkey Continuance
$3 4 million for outreach and engagement services for the unsheltered street population to support the Sheriff ’s Homeless Outreach and Proactive Enforcement (HOPE) team, County Behavioral Health, and County Aging and Adult Services
Feeding America River side & San Ber nardino Br ushed Up For Its 2nd Annual Paint the Bank Event!
Community News
Feeding America Riverside | San Bernardino (FARSB) added a splash of color this spring during their 2nd Annual Paint the Bank Event on Saturday, April 8th, and Friday, April 28th
This year we wanted to do something different Something with a touch of our community
San Manuel Band of Mission Indians painted a large FARSB “butterfly” with orange slices as its wings for a fun social media wall for all visitors and volunteers to take photos with
Molina Healthcare painted an orange tree to represent our region and its local orange groves Special thanks to our wonderful sponsors, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians and Molina Healthcare, for completing the two new murals within our food bank
Also, to Sherman Williams for providing the paint for the projects Next time you visit, don’t forget to take a photo with one of our many murals!
For more information regarding Paint the Bank, visit our website at feedingie org/paintthebank
