Colton Courier 01/19/23

O L T O N C O U R I E R WWe e eekkllyy

By Eric Sandoval

Th i s p a s t M o n d a y, January 16, 2023, the S o u t h e r n C a l i f o r n i a B l a c k C h a m b e r o f C o m m e r c e ’s I n l a n d E a s t

Cities chapter celebrated Dr Martin Luther King Jr Day, with their third annual celeb r a t i o n e x t r a v a g a n z a a t Arroyo Valley high school T h e c e l e b r a t i o n s t a r t e d a t

n t e r t a i n e d a n d e n j o

The theme for this year ’s event was living the dream “ T h i s e v e n t i s a n h o n o r because Dr king’s dream gets to live on, even though at times, it could be a nightm a r e , ” s a i d P o r s c h a N Dillard, Community Liason

By Manny Sandoval

Fitness Clinic at the San

Saturday, January 14th

Over 130 children, ages seven to 13, from San Bernardino, Colton, and Rialto toughed the storm, partook in baseball drills, and learned new stretches to prevent injuries at the clinic “

from Eisenhower, Carter, Bloomington, and Indian Springs High schools and led the drills they perform at their schools Children

hitting, field-

ing, and stretching techniques to avoid injuries and participated in ladder a n d a g i l i t y d r i l l s S o many of these types of clinics come with a cost, so to be able to provide this to our underserved communities is so important,” said Baca

Baca said he attended community baseball clinics when he was a child and even played baseball for four years in college, inspiring him to host the clinics years ago

“I played baseball for a year at San Bernardino Valley College and three years at Cal State San Bernardino; I played a mix of second and third base So this culmination

r

As attendees started to make their way into the parking lot of Arroyo Valley, the energy w a s u p b e a t , a n d t h e d a y ’s focus was to serve the community while honoring Martin Luther King Jr ’s dream

“Today is a day of service,” s a i d D e e v e a t v a B o u r n e , Administrative Director of the

W h i l e t h e r e w e r e w o r r i e s over weather conditions permitting the event, the chilly afternoon saw no rain But e v e n i f t h e r e w a s r a i n , i t couldn’t stop the community

Graciano Elementary before concluding at Arroyo Valley where attendees could mingle, b e e

y refreshments

f o

t h e I n l a n d C i t i e s E a s t Chapter

Inland Cities East “That’s our motivating factor for this day and it’s amazing because this i s n o w o u r t h i r d a n n u a l event ”

photo ERIC SANDOVAL

Assembly Majority Leader Eloise Gomez Reyes making her way down Baseline St for the parade while waving and greeting the community

photo MANNY SANDOVAL

signed autographs for

at the

Stadium on January 14th

MLK

from coming together and honoring Dr King “It’s amazing to be able to honor Martin Luther King Jr and we would be out here rain or shine,” said Lu Dowdy, President of the Inland East Cities Chapter

As the parade began, local politicians, floats and attendees began the walk from Graciano to Arroyo Valley on baseline

As the parade came to an end, the extravaganza then began The event featured performances by J J Fad, local talent, an art walk, classic cars and food

The event was filled with individuals, groups and organizations committed to honoring the dream of Martin Luther King Jr As attendees held banners and posters with his face on them, his words and dream continued to live through each participant echoing his work

“What’s important is that we remember the life of Martin Luther King jr,” said Assembly Member Eloise Reyes “What’s most important is for young people to know what service means and the sacrifice for something better ”

Clinic

of experience and love for the sport has driven me to continue providing this one-day clinic that will leave these children with memories that will last their entire life,” continued Baca

Besides getting through 95 percent of the program before the heavy rainfall, what was unique

about this year ’s clinic was bringing out D J Carpenter from the St Louis Cardinals to sign autographs for the participants

“The man who helps me fund these clinics, Ernie Ramirez, is the one who helped us pull in D J for this clinic, and it elevated the excitement factor Ernie is from Rialto, and while he no longer lives here, the Inland community still holds a big place in his heart,” concluded

Children who participated also received a free lunch and had the opportunity to mingle with the iconic Inland Empire 66’ers, Mascott Bernie

To learn more about Joe Baca Jr and the fifth district, visit sbcounty gov/bosd5/

Gomez Pr ofessional Of fer

by Dr G (Dr Luis S González), community writer

s

fr

Last Saturday, several members of the community attended the first of planned seminars for 2023 offered by Gomez Professional Services, Inc This local corporation has been in business seven years, and has steadily become a driving force for downtown activity not only for offering valuable services at a reasonable price but in participating in community events

The 90-minute seminar was one of the new outreach programs offered to the public free of charge Owners Javier and Florence Gomez has set out to offer Estate Planning Seminars for anyone who is thinking about their “golden years” and needing some practical information to help guide them in making those all-important decisions associated with disbursements of assets upon death

Javier Gomez is a licensed Paralegal, and used several video graphs to explain the “basics” of estate planning “I’m glad to be attending because I’m trying to wrap my brain around this information ” exclaimed Ralfie, one of the attendees To elaborate, the information included such helpful topics that explain estate planning, executor, probate, wills, living trusts, and distribution of assets

ee

Estate Planning Seminar

As with any good seminar, Javier provided clear explanations and allowed plenty of time for questions and answers “I like to help people,” smiled Javier One additional benefit was the seminar packet, which included well-written flyers clearly explaining the concepts that were presented and discussed This seminar was very informational, well-received and is recommended for anyone needing basic estate planning information According to Florence Gomez, a series of estate planning seminars has been planned each month, and reservations can be made by calling Gomez Professional Services, Inc @ 909-543-6240

For more information about CITY TALK, various community events and groups, Colton history, the trash clean-up project, the G-Team, prayer list, history briefs, Veteran Spotlight, Church Spotlight, Business Spotlight, U S Flag Watch, neighborhood meetings, community projects, or the online live-stream programs, contact Dr G @ 909-2133730 Questions and comments are always welcome

PHOTO MANNY SANDOVAL

Supervisor Joe Baca Jr passes out free lunches to youth participants at the end of the clinic

PHOTO MANNY SANDOVAL

A participant in the clinic excitedly holds a plack that she is taking home that was signed by a professional baseball player

Baca

Congratulations to Javier and Florence Gomez and their team, for offering this valuable service to members of the Colton Community

PHOTO ERIC SANDOVAL

Administrative Director of the Black Chamber of Commerce’s Inland East Cities chapter, Deeveatva Bourne posing with San Bernardino police Chief Darren Goodman at the extravaganza

PHOTO ERIC SANDOVAL

Local dignitaries honoring Dr Martin Luther King Jr with a banner at the conclusion of the parade

PHOTO ERIC SANDOVAL

The iconic IE Musical Duo J J Fad performing thier hit Supersonic at the extravaganza

C a d e n C e n t e r

C h a r g e r s s u f f e r a l l t i m e c o l l a p s e a n d c h a n g e s m u s t b e m a d e

By Caden Henderson

It was 27-0 That was the lead the Chargers had with just moments left in the first half of their Wild Card round game vs the Jaguars The Chargers had picked off QB Trevor Lawrence a historic 4 times in the first half, including 3 alone coming from young CB Asante Samuel Jr What followed was nothing short of unacceptable The Jaguars would get a TD to end the first half before outscoring the Chargers 24-3 in the second half en route to a game winning field goal as time expired There is a lot to unpack for the Bolts this offseason, so here’s what to expect

The first major offseason decision facing the front office regards Head Coach Brandon Staley Do you fire him, or do you give him one more year and hope things change? Staley made some unforgivable decisions down the stretch of the season, including playing star WR

Mike Williams in a meaningless week 18 game, which led him to being ruled out for the entirety of the AFC playoffs

This left LAC with just three WR’s for the biggest game of the season, which was ultimately a big reason why only 3 points were scored in the second half You add this on to his sometimes much too aggressive play calling style, and 2 straight seasons ending in heartbreak, there is very good reason to fire Staley Star RB Austin Ekeler said he would be surprised if Staley was fired, but I know 90% of the fanbase wouldn’t While Brandon Staley is a great human being, that does not equate to Super Bowls If Staley is fired, expect candidates like Sean Payton to start popping up in hiring rumors

Step #2 of the offseason also involves the coaching staff, specifically Offensive Coordinator Joe Lombardi Lombardi may have a generational talent at QB in Justin Herbert, but he calls plays like his Quarterback can’t throw accu-

Community Action Par tner ship of San Ber nardino County (CAPSBC) r eceives $20,000 Grant fr om Stater Br os. Charities

Community News

Community Action Partnership of San Bernardino County (CAPSBC) was awarded a $20,000 grant by Stater Bros Charities to support one of its newest programs, a Mobile Community Kitchen

Stater Bros Charities is at the forefront of helping to address food insecurity in San Bernardino County The mobile program will roll out in 2023 as an expansion of CAPSBC's other mobile services such as the Mobile Shower, Mobile Laundry, Mobile Offices and Mobile Food Pantry

These services are targeted for remote areas of the county to meet the needs of the most vulnerable residents The Mobile Community Kitchen will provide nutritious hot meals to food insecure communities CAPSBC’s goal is to in-

crease the accessibility of healthy hot meal options to food deserts and underserved communities comprised of elderly, disabled, and homeless individuals

"We are honored to be a recipient of these funds Stater Bros Charities and Stater Bros Markets have consistently and generously supported our organization with both monetary and food donations,” said Patricia Nickols-Butler, CAPSBC President & Chief Executive Officer "Partnerships like this help create a lasting impact in our communities

Last year alone, 214,415 individuals had access to nutritious hot meals prepared by our 27 partner soup kitchens and over 16 million pounds of food Our new Mobile Community Kitchen will help increase the number of hot meals and will help us reach communities in the most remote areas of the county "

rately beyond 10 yards Lombardi struggles to call plays to get LA in the end zone, and his much too conservative play calling leads to blown leads when up big, exactly like the one we saw Saturday night If Staley goes, Lombardi will most likely be gone too, and the Chargers will look to find a much more aggressive play caller that allows Justin Herbert to show off his full repertoire of skills

The third and final major step involves the players themselves It starts with veteran WR Keenan Allen Trading the franchise legend is certainly a painful idea, but one that must be considered Allen has proven to be injury prone over the course of recent time, and his trade value is on the decline Allen still has elite route running ability that demands the respect of the opposing defense, but LA may want to ship him in hopes of draft capital or a different receiver with more speed or a different skill set than Allen As for free agents,

it would take awhile to list off everybody, so I’ll just take two of the most important guys, LB Drue Tranquil and WR Jalen Guyton Tranquil is as good of an MLB 1 as there is in the NFL, and he has said he wants to stay It’s simply a matter of whether the Chargers will pay up As for Guyton, he will have a market and, given how little he was used before getting injured, you have to imagine him moving on from the Bolts is very likely As for the draft, expect the Chargers to look for speed at the receiver position, in order to give Justin Herbert a deep threat that we see so many great QB’s have

The Chargers are in for yet another long offseason full of questions that must be answered If LA hopes to keep their load of talented stars happy, they should be ready to do anything necessary to build a team that can hopefully stay healthy and be ready to make a Super Bowl run come next season

San Ber nardino Seeks Volunteer s f or its Januar y 26 Homeless Point-In-Time Count

Community News

The City of San Bernardino is asking members of the community to volunteer for its annual homeless Point-in-Time Count (PITC) on Thursday, January 26, from 5:30 am to 10:00 am Participants will convene at the San Manuel Stadium parking lot, home of the San Bernardino 66ers, located at 280 South “E” Street

“The Point-in-Time Count has a direct impact on our city’s funding to address homelessness and volunteer turnout is critical to the count’s success,” said Mayor Helen Tran “I will be there on January 26th and hope to see everyone there to help San Bernardino address homelessness ”

The PITC is a Federally mandated activity created to identify the number of unhoused individuals throughout the nation The results of the count are used in determining funding allotments for programs and services in local communities PITC surveys will occur throughout San Bernardino County on January 26

“The Mayor and City Council recently adopted a comprehensive homeless action plan to serve our San Bernardino’s most vulnerable residents,” said Cassandra Searcy, Deputy Director of Housing and Homelessness “A complete count is essential to strategically implement the plan and volunteers are critical to the Count’s success ”

Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age and may include anyone who would like to help address homelessness in San Bernardino, such as social service providers, educational institutions, faith-based organizations, local businesses, civic/nonprofit organizations, neighborhood associations, current and formerly homeless individuals, and community members

To register to be a volunteer, please visit: https://sbchp sbcounty gov/community- projects/point-in-time-count/

A “smart” phone/device will be needed to conduct the count Volunteers are asked to participate in an on-line virtual training session where safety guidelines will be discussed, and instructions provided on how to use the survey mobile app

For more information, please contact Ashley Esquivel, San Bernardino Homeless Services Coordinator, at (909) 384-7272 extension 3372

LifeStr eam Blood Bank unable to fulfill 90 percent of hospital blood order s: community suppor t is needed now mor e than ever

Community News

LifeStream Blood Bank, the community's blood supplier, cannot meet the needs of area hospitals Approximately 90% of hospital Type O orders are going unfulfilled

As of today, seven area hospitals have zero or low Type O inventory on their shelves, and LifeStream does not have the supply to meet patient needs Hospitals requested over 1,000 pints of Type O blood products needed for transfusion-dependent patients, childbirths, surgeries, trauma preparedness and other procedures LifeStream only has 48 pints of Type O available for its entire service area of 80 hospitals

“Hospitals are being put on notice to implement blood conservation efforts and prioritize patients' blood needs based on the available supply,” said Dr Rick Axelrod, LifeStream's president/CEO & medical director “All eligible donors who are feeling healthy and well are immediately requested to

give blood over the next few days The community must rebuild the blood supply to keep hospitals prepared to meet patient needs ”

O negative blood is regularly used for babies in neonatal intensive care units at local hospitals O negative blood is always urgently needed because it is the universal blood type, which can be given to any patient O positive blood is the most common blood type and also always urgently needed LifeStream has donor centers in San Bernardino, Riverside, Ontario, Victorville, Murrieta, La Quinta, Rancho Mirage, Placentia and Hemet and conducts mobile blood drives hroughout its service area Eligibility requirements for all donors can be found at www lstream org/about-donating/who-can-donate/ All donors should be feeling healthy and well and present a current photo ID Walk-ins are welcomed, appointments are encouraged To make an appointment, call 800-879-4484 or visit LStream org

IECF Announces New Chair and T hr ee Member s to its Board of Dir ector s

Community News

Inland Empire Community Foundation (IECF) is pleased to announce that Nefertiti Long, MBA, has been selected by the Board as the new Chair of the Board of Directors effective January 1, 2023 The Foundation also appointed three new officers, Jeremy Hobbs, as Vice Chair, Kathy Johnson, as CFO, and Tomás D Morales as Secretary IECF also welcomes three new Board members, Liliana Andriani, Brian McDonald and Neal Waner who will serve four-year terms

“Nef Long lives a personal commitment to building a culture of philanthropy in the Inland Empire, and her management skills and business knowledge have helped our professionalism and strategic direction,” said Michelle Decker, IECF CEO and President “I am excited to work alongside her and our incredible board to continue growing and impacting the lives of IE youth and families ”

Nefertiti Long joined the Board of Inland Empire Community Foundation in 2017, and in 2019, became Chair of the Women’s Giving Fund Ms Long is a resident of San Bernardino and Chief Operating Officer of Alta Loma Enterprises in Rancho Cucamonga She has worked for several public and private companies, with most of her experience in the food industry Her professional associations include the Alliance of Black Women Accountants, Financial Executive International, 100 Women in Finance and Cal CPA Her additional community involvement includes serving on the CSUSB Philanthropic Foundation Board Additionally, Ms Long supports many organizations in the Inland Empire region Ms Long holds a B S in Accounting from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona and an MBA from California State University, Fullerton “The Inland Empire Community Foundation is special to me as I have developed a greater awareness of my community while serving at IECF It is an honor and privilege to be serving alongside a

first-class board,” said Ms Long “Equally impressive to the board is the IECF team I have witnessed their empathy, passion, and generosity to give their time, resources, and skills I look forward to working together this year as we make an impact on our community ”

Jeremy W Hobbs is a resident of Palm Springs and the President of the Western Wind Foundation that focuses on social and economic development and education in the Coachella Valley Mr Hobbs is also Chairman of Eastek International, a vertically-integrated electronics and plastics contract manufacturer Early in his career, Mr Hobbs practiced law in Chicago, where he specialized in public interest and securities litigation He also has a long history of social service and philanthropic work, ranging from community development to HIV/AIDS education and prevention In recent years, he has worked closely with dozens of non-profits and charitable organizations throughout the Coachella Valley Mr Hobbs holds B A in English from Pomona College and graduated with honors from the University of Chicago Law School

Kathy Johnson of San Bernardino is Vice President of Forensic Accounting at J S Held, LLC and owner of the accounting firm CPA Forensic Plus, Inc Ms Johnson is also an Adjunct Professor at the Cal State University, San Bernardino, Long Beach and Cal Poly Tech, The University of Redlands and UCR teaching accounting She is a CPA, CFF (Certified in Financial Forensics), CGMA (Chartered Global Management Accountant) and has an MBA from Pepperdine University She was formerly the VP of Finance for Los Angeles Newspaper Group’s Inland Division Her professional experiences include financial reporting, operating and capital budgets, corporate governance, and financial forecasting Ms Johnson is also active on several boards within her industry Tomás D Morales was appointed president of Cal State San Bernardino

in May 2012 Previously, Morales had been president of the College of Staten Island, The City University of New York (CUNY), since 2007 From 2001 to 2007, Morales served in various capacities at Cal Poly Pomona, including as provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, vice president for Student Affairs, and professor of education His lifelong dedication to improving the access and quality of public higher education has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Distinguished Leader in Education award from Education Update; the Lifetime Achievement Award in Education from the New York League of Puerto Rican Women, Inc ; and Effective Leadership Golden Age Award from the Latino Center on Aging, among others Dr Morales holds a B A in history from SUNY, New Paltz, and earned his M S and Ph D in educational administration and policy studies from SUNY, Albany

Liliana Andriani is the owner of Angel Jewelers in Rancho Cucamonga Born and raised in Cali, Colombia, Ms Andriani came to the United States in 1986 A few short years later, Ms Andriani opened Angel Jewelers and has been serving the Inland community ever since In 1989 she opened Angel Jewelers and has been an active member of her community ever since Over the years, Ms Andriani has invested her time promoting small businesses and economic growth She is a business advocate in the City of Rancho Cucamonga and currently serves as President Emeritus of the Rancho Cucamonga Chamber of Commerce She also serves on the board of the San Antonio Hospital Foundation and is a committee member of the Women’s Giving Fund at IECF Ms Andriani supports a number nonprofits, including Children’s Fund, the San Bernardino County Museum Association, San Antonio Regional Hospital Legacy Ladies, and Growing Pains Ms Andriani holds a bachelor ’s degree in Business Administration from the University of La Verne

Brian McDonald is a former member of IECF’s Board of Directors and is currently the Vice Chairman of the Chemehuevi Indian Tribe whose reservation includes 32 miles of the Colorado River shoreline within California As Vice Chairman, Mr McDonald oversees the Tribal Realty and Planning Department, where several land use development projects are in the works – from roads to utilityscale solar and broadband infrastructure His passions include economic development in Indian Country, leadership development of young men and women, and playing chess Mr McDonald holds a B A in Philosophy from the University of Houston and an MBA from Indiana University's Kelley School of Business He currently resides on the Chemehuevi Indian Reservation, with his wife Jacqueline, son Parker, daughter Vanessa, and father Neil “TwinDog” McDonald

Neal Waner is a partner in the firm Stout Payne Waner located in Redlands Always interested in investments, Mr Waner graduated from San Diego State University with a degree in finance, and completed his MBA from the University of La Verne He received his CFP (Certified Financial Planner) designation from the College of Financial Planning in Denver, Colorado

Mr Waner has eight securities and insurance licenses or designations, in 2022 began his 36th year as a financial advisor Some of Mr Neal’s specialties are working with pension plans, endowments and foundations An avid community volunteer, Mr Neal’s board involvements include the board of the Redlands Community Hospital, Children’s Fund, founder and chairman of the Steven G Mihaylo Big Bear High School Education Foundation, and vice moderator of the First Congregational Church of Redlands Mr Waner and his wife, Joyce, live in Redlands and have three adult children all in their 20’s

Bank of America invests mor e than $2.3 million with Inland Empir e nonpr ofits in 2022

Community News

As part of its commitment to giving back to the communities it serves, Bank of America has directed more than $2 3 million in philanthropic capital to nonprofits and charities across Inland Empire communities The support is helping to remove barriers to economic mobility and social progress, with a particular focus on nonprofits providing affordable housing solutions, supporting small business, and economic development

According to a recent study by UC Riverside, only 31% of local households can afford to purchase a median-priced home in the Inland Empire, a decrease from a relatively low 39% in the first quarter of 2021 The bank’s support includes efforts for affordable and innovative home ownership programs and housing rights with Fair Housing Council of Riverside County, Habitat of Humanity Riverside and Neighborhood Partnership Housing Services (NPHS )

Support also went to minority small business development efforts, a business segment disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, including those offered by the National Latina Business

Women Association Inland Empire, CSUSB’s Inland Empire Small Business Development Center and Women’s Business Center, Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship and MicroEnterprise Collaborative of Inland Southern California In addition to philanthropic capital, the company’s local employees contributed more than 16,600 volunteer hours in 2022, ranging from home builds and renovations in collaboration with Habitat for Humanity to free financial education workshops in English and Spanish as part of the bank’s Better Money Habits program

“Nonprofits are on the front lines of addressing complex societal challenges – understanding the needs and obstacles the Inland Empire faces Bank of America partners with those nonprofits to support solutions and services that promote economic advancement,” said Bansree Parikh, president, Bank of America Inland Empire “In 2023 and beyond, Bank of America will continue to deploy capital and resources to help remove barriers to economic success and build a more sustainable community ”

For more information on Bank of America’s grants and sponsorships and how to apply, go to BankofAmerica com/Foundation

O b i t u a r y

Richard Benjamin Ber ver

Deadline to file claim f or unclaimed pr oper ty tax r efunds is Febr uar y 28th

Community News

San Bernardino County AuditorController/Treasurer/Tax Collector (ATC) Ensen Mason announced that the last day to file a claim for Unclaimed Property Tax Refunds in San Bernardino County is Tuesday, February 28, 2023, for refunds that were issued prior to July 1, 2018

These refunds are due to a reduction in assessed value after property taxes have been paid Taxpayers were previously mailed refund claim forms that were never returned to our office for processing or were mailed warrants that stale dated

“We work diligently to get taxpayers their money,” stated Mason “We have expanded outreach efforts to help spread awareness of these unclaimed property tax refunds and have redoubled those efforts this year This money belongs to taxpayers, and we have spent the last four years trying to find them and reunite them with it Unfortunately, a very small percentage is not locatable, and these are the ones we present to the Board pursuant to law ”

Some of the efforts made by staff as directed by ATC Mason include increased mailings to the last known address; validating returned and forwarding addresses; cross-referencing multiple parcel ownership by vali-

dating payments on several parcels; searching California Secretary of State website for refunds for corporations or LLCs; consistent follow-up calls made to all affected taxpayers; canceling stale-dated warrants so refunds would reappear on unclaimed refunds list to be worked; assisting asset recovery agents with research; and making unclaimed refunds public on ATC’s website and searchable by parcel number and address

This news release and accompanying social media announcements represent a final last effort to increase taxpayer awareness and encourage them to apply for refunds

State law allows for property tax refunds that remain unclaimed after four years to be transferred to the County’s general fund pursuant to order by the Board of Supervisors The unclaimed refunds that have exceeded the fouryear time limit will be presented to the Board of Supervisors on February 28, 2023, to obtain such approval

Taxpayers have the ability to search for property tax refunds by the parcel number or property address and request a claim form at www SBCounty gov/ATC/Pirfnet or are encouraged to contact the San Bernardino County Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector ’s Office today for immediate assistance at 909382-3090

San Ber nardino Council Member Damon Alexander Appointed

Born November 23, 1989 Went home to be with the Lord January 1, 2023

He is preceded in death by his father, Dennis Berver

He will be immensely missed by his mother Emily, his two sons Dennis Raymond and Nathaniel Benjamin, his 2 sis-

ters Denise and Teresa Berver, his nephew Noah Limon, and his niece Madison Barrera

A celebration of his life will take place on Wednesday, January 25 at Victory Outreach located at 990 W Mill St , San Bernardino, CA Visitation will begin at 10 am, Church service at 11am Burial to follow at Hermosa Memorial Gardens in

The City of San Bernardino has announced that Ward Seven Council Member Damon Alexander has been appointed to serve on the Energy and Environment Committee for the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) Alexander will represent both the City of San Bernardino and the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA)

“San Bernardino is working hard to have a greater voice in regional and state policy decisions,” said Alexander “Few policy areas are as critical to the well-being of the Inland Empire as en-

ergy and the environment I am honored to be appointed to the Committee ”

SCAG’s Energy & Environment Committee considers environmental and energy issues of regional significance, including but not limited to air quality, water quality, solid and hazardous waste, habitat preservation, environmental justice, and environmental impact analysis

SCAG is an association of local governments and public agencies that convenes to address critical regional issues

Dennis

We Built T his City School Constr uction Tour Kicks Of f this Month

San Bernardino City Unified has been busy working on an ambitious list of school construction projects that will bring much-needed facility improvements to numerous campuses across the District, including a new state-of-the-art transportation and advanced technology center at Pacific High School and a new cutting-edge career technology education facility at Indian Springs High School, where students who are interested in manufacturing can get a jump start on their career

As SBCUSD looks ahead, 2023 will bring more major building renovations and the start of construction on a new welcome center for District families It’s all part of a $250 million construction campaign that includes new facades for several schools in San Bernardino and Highland Work has already been completed on several projects, including the installation of solar panels on school parking lots, play areas that are shaded for the comfort of students and staff, the modernization of several campuses, like King Middle School and Bonnie Oehl, Cole, Del Rosa, and Warm Springs Elementary Schools

Built in 1858, Warm Springs Elementary recently underwent a large renovation that cost $6 2 million and was funded by the state and the voter-approved Measure N Warm Springs' historic multiuse room was reimagined into a space with open ceilings, new finishes, and better student flow Additionally, the school's administration building has been modernized to create a single point of entry onto campus for visitors to make it safer for the school’s 560 students And, bright new interior and exterior finishes have given Warm Springs a new look that now matches the innovative work happening inside classrooms, said Principal Dr Houn Hib

“Warm Springs Elementary has always been a gem,” said Hib “Now the outside shines as bright as the inside We’re all beaming around here ”

A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held for the updated Warm Springs Elementary campus on Friday, January 13 at 9:30 a m at the school, 7497 Sterling Avenue in San Bernardino

While some renovation projects give aging campuses a new look, the construction of the brand new $12 4 million cuttingedge Pacific High School Transportation and Advanced Technology Center is the first of its kind in any high school in California On February 9, the District will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new facility, an innovative diesel technology training building that will give students access to state-of-the-art equipment and the opportunity to earn certification to work on commercial diesel trucks

Many projects are smaller in scale and have a smaller price tag, like adding shade structures to campuses, including Del Vallejo Middle School and Hillside Elementary Whether it be a brand new building or the modernization of a school, SBCUSD’s building boom will benefit our students and the entire community, said Sam Precie, the District’s Administrator of Facilities and Operations

“The design innovation of all school buildings impacts the wellness of our students and staff That’s why we have a constant pipeline of projects in play from site renovation and modernization to aesthetic improvements, installation of safety infrastructure, sustainability measures, and beyond,” Precie said “We have many ongoing projects Districtwide to ensure our students have the best experience possible at school every day ”

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Community News

PHOTO SBCUSD

The We Built This City School

Construction Tour kicked off at at the district ss oldest campus, Warm Springs Elementary School on Friday, January 13th in its MU Room