Colton Courier 03/09/23

O L T O N C O U R I E R

WWe e eekkllyy

By Manny Sandoval

On March 2nd, the City

o f C o l t o n

Councilmember John Echevarria coordinated a forum focused on the importance of early detection of cancer

The forum was held at the Hutton Community Center and was well attended by over three d o z e n r e s i d e n t s , w h o a l s o received a free dinner

Echevarria partnered with The A m e r i c a n C a n c e r S o c i e t y

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r e a

Cancer Action Network, Every Wo m a n C o u n t s S o u t h e r n California, and Project Vive to bring this essential information to the community

"As a highly concerned member of our minority community,

I am always seeking out ways to bring any available resources t o t h e C o l t o n a r e a , " s a i d

Councilman John Echevarria

"As a proud Latino, I know many friends and loved ones

Health cont next pg

s s p a c e f o r f i l m m a k e r s a c r o s s t h e

I E , w i t h o n e s t u d e n t t r a v e l i n g 1 , 8 0 0 m i l e s t o a t t e n d

By Manny Sandoval

Th e 1 2 t h a n n u a l Wolverine Con and International Student

F i l m F e s t i v a l w a s h e l d February 28th to March 4th

a t S a n B e r n a r d i n o Va l l e y College

T h i s y e a r ’s t h e m e w a s "Classic Hollywood," a celeb r a t i o n a n d c r i t i q u e o f Hollywood from the 1930s, 40s, and 50s

T h e f i v e - d a y e v e n t w a s filled with various activities, including panels, free live

c o n c e r t s , a n d E X P O a n d numerous food trucks One of the most notable aspects of the festival was the screening of over 90 short films from college and high school stu-

dents from around the world

The festival had some big names in the film industry as panelists Writer and producer Alan Gansberg led a panel on "The Studio System of the P a s t Ve r s u s N o w, " w h i l e

A l o n s o L l o s a , C a t h e r i n e

B e n a m o u , a n d R o b e r t o

O r e g e l d i s c u s s e d " O r s o n We l l e s : G e n i u s o r a n Egomanic Self Sabot " The panels were insightful and provided valuable information for aspiring filmmakers a n d i n d u s t r y p r o f e s s i o n a l s alike

One of the festival's highlights was the free live concert with a taco truck, which a d d e d a f u n a n d r e l a x e d

photo MANNY SANDOVAL

Nearly three dozen engaged residents attending the Breast and Cervical Cancer Forum at the hutton Community Center on March 2nd

photo MANNY SANDOVAL

A group of students enrolled in SBVC’s Film, television, and Media program celebrating the art of film at the Red Carpet premiere of Lynwood high a feature film produced by the college s students

Health

who are unable to receive the necessary health care and advice they require based on their income I wanted to bring up a very important topic to our residents because I wanted to give them some knowledge they can utilize someday, or share with others I am grateful our presenters were so thorough and personable because both our English and Spanish-speaking audiences were able to interact and comprehend this vital information "

At the forum, brochures and infographics were distributed to attendees, providing information on cancer prevention, detection, treatment, and survival

The event also focused on assisting individuals without insurance with access to cancer treatment resources

According to San Bernardino County Community Indicators, 12 1 percent of Latinos in the region are uninsured, making the information provided at the forum all the more imperative for the heavily Latino-populated City of Colton

"The materials presented gave us information that we did not have, or completely understand before," Echevarria said "I learned so many ways to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer I also asked questions during the event because I know that breast cancer does not only affect women, but men can also become diagnosed with the condition I will continue to proactively seek opportunities to bring resources, workshops, and programs to Colton so that we can all benefit from them and equip ourselves with better ways to live healthier and safer "

Film

atmosphere The attendees enjoyed the music and food while mingling and networking with other filmmakers

One of the most significant moments of the festival was the premiere of the Film, TV, and Media Department's first-ever nearly 50-minute feature film, "Lynwood High " The film has plans for distribution on KVCR-Channel 24 and online The film's premiere was a testament to the hard work and dedication of the department's students and faculty

Another notable moment came from Autumn Lindsey, a filmmaker who traveled 1,800 miles from Oxford, Mississippi, to premiere her film, "Ode to Pomegranates "

The film won the award for Best Experimental or Digital Story at the Wolverine Con Awards Dinner

Lindsey was ecstatic and said,

"This is only my second film festival, and I came all the way from Mississippi It was my first time ever getting on an airplane and my first time ever coming to California, and this has been an incredible experience; so thank you guys for having me here "

Mariana Lapizco, a former business major, took a leap of faith last school year to follow her passion for film and joined the program at SBVC Her film, "Blood Ties," took home the awards for Best Directing and Grand Jury

In this film, Lapizco and her production team Phase 3 Films blended a mix of ethnicities and languages, and even secured a hangar with airplanes from Riverside Municipal Airport, which tremendously added to the visual element of the thrilling and action-packed short-film

While accepting her award, Lapizco said, "Every day I wake up, I wake up really

happy and ready to go because I'm doing what I am passionate about I'm really thankful for my team; this would have not been possible without all of you I want to thank all of you for staying up 72 hours straight to help me make this film I am really grateful that I took a leap of faith and changed my major to Film, TV, and Media here at San Bernardino Valley College "

Overall, the festival was a huge success, and the submissions for the 2024 Wolverine Con and SBVC International Student Film Festival are already underway at: filmfreeway com/SBVC FilmFest

The festival provides a platform for aspiring filmmakers to showcase their talent and for industry professionals to share their knowledge and expertise With its state-of-the-art facilities and world-class panelists, the festival has become a mustattend event for filmmakers and film enthusiasts in the Inland Empire and beyond

City Council Recognizes A-1 Barber’s f or Business Success

By Dr. G (Dr Luis S González), Community Writer

At the recent Council meeting, Council Member Dr G (Dr Luis S González) presented the Business Recognition Award to A-1 Barber ’s on behalf of the City Council Lupe Aldama Sr , owner of A-1 Barber ’s, has been a barber in our community over 70 years and has operated his business for 35 of those years at its current location on La Cadena Dr In addition Lupe Aldama Sr just celebrated his 93rd birthday and is still cutting hair for many of the locals

Standing-in on behalf of Mr Aldama at the public meeting was his son, Mr Lupe Aldama, Jr , who offered to attend in place of his dad, and who provided much of the information As he stated, “If you know my dad, Lupe Sr , you’ll know that it’s understandable my father is not here He is very shy in public and a private person ”

Many people in the audience chuckled because it is wellknown that behind his barber chair, Lupe Sr is an aggressive, hard-working professional who has great skills, a big smile, and knows the names, of hundreds of clients It was also mentioned that he knows much of the personal “business” of dozens of individuals, which after being said, caused additional smiles from the audience

Born in 1929, Lupe Sr first worked in the cement industry, holding jobs as a heavy equipment operator at the Victorville Rock Quarry and then the CalPortland Cement Company

After laboring several years, Lupe Sr experienced rashes and skin irritations caused by exposure to limestone, and consequently, had to think about making a change His brother Marty was a barber at the time, and suggested that Lupe Sr try

that line of work Lupe Sr agreed and went on to barber school in Los Angeles

Once he received his license, Lupe Sr worked at a barber shop in Rialto followed by a stint in Colton, at 7th and N Street He later worked in a shop at the Inland Center Mall, called Top Hat Soon after, he bought his own business at the Mt Vernon Shopping Center, the former name of Plaza Las Glorias The shop was next to Taco Joe’s and was purchased under the name A-1 Barber ’s

In 1990, Lupe Aldama Sr decided to move his shop to its current location, the mini-mall near Stater Bros on La Cadena Drive

For 35 years, Lupe Aldama has been a mainstay in the heart of our city, and certainly represents the backbone of our local culture and our economy

Visit IECN com for the complete story

photo MANNY SANDOVAL Mississippi Filmmaker Autumn Lindsey and her mother walked the red carpet on March 2nd at San Bernardino Valley College

photo MANNY SANDOVAL

omar Gonzalez of project Vive, Madeline Miranda Navarro of Every Woman Counts Southern California, Colton Councilmember John Echevarria, and Melissa Curial of project Vive displaying some of the materials distributed to attendees at the forum

photo MANNY SANDOVAL SBVC Film Student Mariana Lapizco is shocked with her two coveted awards for Best Directing and Grand Jury for the film Blood ties on March 3rd

C a d e n C e n t e r

Laker s historic comeback, a pr eview of what’s to come

By Caden Henderson

Acouple months ago I remember writing an article about the Lakers statement win vs the Bucks earlier in the season representing a turning point

While the momentum from that win may not have lasted for long then, a lot has changed

The Lakers traded away Russell Westbrook and acquired D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Mo Bamba, Rui Hachimura, and Davon Reed at the trade deadline

In just the fourth game with the new acquisitions (minus Russell who was out with an injury), the Lakers made a 27 point comeback, the biggest one for any NBA

By Caden Henderson

It’s March, which means one thing and one thing only for college basketball; madness

Before the big dance gets going, however, there are conference tournaments to be played all week and weekend long to decide who gets an automatic bid to the dance, while also providing a last chance opportunity for bubble teams to prove their worth

While it’s impossible to cover all 32 conferences with a qualifier spot in one article, it is possible to cover the big guns of college basketball within the “Power 6” conferences who will most likely end up producing this years NCAA champion

Pac-12: The top of the PAC-12’s standings feature the usual suspects in UCLA and Arizona, both ranked top 10 in the AP poll and looking strong going into the PAC-12 tournament in Las Vegas

Behind these two juggernauts are the Trojans of USC, the Oregon Ducks, and the Arizona State Sun Devils For USC, just one win in Vegas would most likely solidify their spot in the big dance as a high single digit or low double digit seed

If they are to lose, however, they’d become a bubble team and would have to hope the selection committee finds them worthy of dancing As for Oregon and ASU, they probably have more work to do

They’d more than likely need multiple tournament wins to get in, which would

Community News

team this season (teams were 0-138 when down 27 or more) and the franchise’s biggest one in over two decades

One could say that the game felt like a microcosm of the Lakers season so far; a nightmare start, a glimmer of hope in the middle, and a full blown catapult near the end to a victory and being just one game within a playin spot and 2 5 of an automatic playoff birth

With 22 games remaining, a playoff run seems as realistic as it has been in the past 12 or so months

The Lakers still have about a dozen games left vs teams above them in the Western Conference standings and are as healthy as they’ve been all year

Still, there is the concern over LeBron James’ ankle

mean upsetting one or both of the aforementioned UCLA and Arizona A winless trip to Vegas most likely means an NIT bid for the two teams As for the rest of the pack (no pun intended), it’d almost certainly take a tournament championship title and the automatic bid that comes with it to get in

SEC: This year the SEC has been headlined by a controversial Alabama Crimson Tide team that came into last weekend ranked second in the entire nation before being upset by Texas A&M

For Alabama, a SEC tournament title could mean a #1 seed in the big dance As for the rest of the teams, there is also a lot to play for

Texas A&M, Missouri, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, and Auburn will all be jockeying for higher seeding in the dance, especially Auburn and Vanderbilt who, if they make noise, can go from near/on the bubble to a more ideal seeding situation

Florida is the only other team to go at least 500 in conference play, but they’d need an automatic bid to go dancing

ACC: The ACC has been the place to look if you want to see teams underperforming Preseason AP Poll #1 North Carolina is on the bubble looking in and the Duke Blue Devils will surely be dancing but still find themselves well out of the conversation for their usual 1 or 2 seed

As for the teams with things looking more up, Miami, Clemson, and Virginia are experienced groups looking poised to win multiple ACC and NCAA tourna-

which he said he heard “pop” during the huge comeback, but the depth and help around him should ease the pressure (literally and figuratively) around the NBA’s all time leading scorer

The magical comeback Sunday afternoon will have Lakers fans thrilled and should be regarded as a statement to the league of what’s to come; LeBron James and Anthony Davis have help, and the Lakers are here to play

The Lakers stretch run continues this week with games against the Thunder (Wednesday), Wolves (Friday), and Warriors (Sunday), all of which are teams jockeying for playoff position along with LA If they can prevail in these matchups the momentum will only build, and this seasons Hollywood script could look real good

ment games Looking a bit further down the standings, Pitt have performed well this year but are listed as a “Last Four In” team according to Joe Lunardi as of Sunday evening

If Pitt want to get in, they’ll have to win some games in the conference tournament If you want look for a somewhat realistic upset tournament winner, Syracuse is never a bad guess The 2-3 zone defense of the Orange allows them to take advantage if teams get cold and could send them into a deep ACC tournament run as a result

Big 12: The Big 12 has been the most chaotic and competitive conference in all of college hoops this year Kansas, Texas, Kansas State, Baylor, TCU, Iowa State, Oklahoma State, and West Virginia all are surely going dancing or at the very least in contention for a spot in the NCAA tournament mainly because no matter who they face in the tournament it will be a quality team that can be a resume booster win

As for an upset pick, Texas Tech may have gone 5-13 in conference play but their tenacious effort on defense could cause them to turn heads But, regardless of what happens in the Big 12 tournament, expect to see a lot of Big 12 teams this March

Big East: The Big East proved once again this season to be the grittiest conference Marquette, Xavier, Creighton, and UConn will all surely be dancing As for Providence, they’re around 50th in NET rating and their blowout loss to a mediocre Seton Hall team seems them in need of a solid tournament performance

to get in

Villanova meanwhile have been disappointing and will also need an impressive display if not a championship run in the conference tournament to be able to once again go back to the NCAA tournament

Big 10: The Big 10 had a *checks notes* four way tie for fourth place in regular season play and only 2 games separated second and tenth Purdue, led by player of the year candidate Zach Edey, ended up at the top of the standings, and they look ready for another deep March Madness run Indiana, Northwestern, Michigan State, Illinois, Maryland, and Iowa should all be set to dance barring changes The bubble teams of the conference are Michigan, Penn State, and Rutgers

Michigan was in this same situation last season, got in to the NCAA tournament, and made it to the second weekend, so they’re definitely the team to watch of the three to be able to make something happen

As for the bottom feeders that are made up by Nebraska, Wisconsin, Ohio State, and Minnesota, it’s win the whole conference tournament or nothing

Those are your Power 6 conferences and their teams status going into conference tournament week/weekend

Be prepared for all the buzzer beaters, upsets, and drama galore that come with best month of the year; March Madness

Condor Energ y Stora ge Pr oject Br eaks Gr ound in City of Grand Ter race

This week, Arevon broke ground on the Condor Energy Storage Project, a new battery storage facility in San Bernadino County

Once complete, the 200-megawatt (MW)/800 megawatt-hour (MWh) project, which will use Tesla Megapack, will be able to discharge stored energy to the local electrical grid during times of peak energy demand

The groundbreaking celebrates the first of several battery storage projects that Arevon is developing in collaboration with Tenaska to support local energy reliability and maximize the use of clean, renewable energy sources as California transitions away from fossil fuels According to the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), which oversees the operation of the state’s energy grid, reaching California's goal of a carbon-free grid by 2045 could require as much as 48,000 MW of battery storage

“Arevon is proud to advance the Condor storage proj-

ect, which will provide a safe, reliable, and cost-effective alternative to fossil fuels, meeting the energy needs of Grand Terrace and the surrounding community,” said Aron Branam, Vice President of Development at Arevon “This is a huge step forward in our work to bring clean energy solutions to communities across California ”

Battery storage adds greater reliability and resiliency to the electrical grid During times of peak energy generation, such as when power from solar or wind is in abundance, batteries can be charged to capture excess generation Batteries can then discharge this stored energy into the grid during peak energy demand

“The City of Grand Terrace is excited to welcome this project and Arevon’s investment in our residents and community,” said Grand Terrace Mayor Bill Hussey “The Condor project will help create more local jobs, support our local economy, and increase our energy reliability ”

The Condor project site in Grand Terrace was formerly

home to the Highgrove Steam Plant, which operated in some capacity from 1952 to 2001

“The project site location has a history of supporting regional energy needs, so it’s ideal for the Condor project, which will power the transition to more renewable energy sources,” said Tim Hemig, Senior Vice President in Tenaska’s Development Group “It represents California’s continued evolution toward a more reliable and sustainable energy future ”

Construction of the Condor project is expected to span one year At the peak of construction, approximately 50 to 75 local workers will be on-site The project will include improved streetscapes, including decorative block walls, landscaping, and sidewalks

Arevon Energy, Inc is a leading renewable energy company, supplying clean energy to utilities and corporations across North America Headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz , and New York City, Arevon uses innovative approaches and leading-edge technology to finance and manage projects from development through construction to long-term commercial operation

W hat you need to know about the “Power 6” confer ences going into tour nament week

Rep. Aguilar announces over $500,000 f or Loma Linda Univer sity Medical Center

Community News

Today, Rep Pete Aguilar announced $542,597 he secured for a mental health outreach program for the Inland Empire’s sickle cell community The State of California has 7,000 people living with sickle cell disease and the second largest sickle cell disease population resides in San Bernardino County This program will help both patients and caregivers receive the resources and support they need

“San Bernardino County is home to the second largest sickle cell community in the state of California,” said Rep Pete Aguilar “This funding will help draw attention to

this disease affecting so many in our community by creating a comprehensive behavioral and mental health outreach program for both patients and their family members I will continue to work with Loma Linda University Health to ensure our region is taken care of ”

“Congressman Aguilar has been an incredible partner to LLUH over the years, and we continue to be so grateful for his support for improving health outcomes across our community,” said Richard Hart, MD, DrPH, president of Loma Linda University

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“Through the generous support of Congressman Aguilar, we are able to fill a gap and care for the sickle cell community through the development and implementation of a coordinated mental health outreach program Our efforts will continue to shed a light on sickle cell disease and ensure sickle cell patients get access to the care they need and deserve,” said Chanell Grismore, DrPH, MPH, Director of Sickle Cell Services at Loma Linda University Health Pr

Community News

San Bernardino County

A u d i t o rController/Treasurer/Ta

x Collector (ATC) Ensen

Mason today encouraged property owners to pay the second installment of their property taxes which were due on Wednesday, February 1

The last day to pay without incurring a 10% penalty is Monday, April 10, 2023 The Tax Collector ’s Office offers many convenient ways to pay, including online, by phone, by mail, and in person

“Property taxes fund key public services that enhance the quality of life for County residents,” said ATC Mason “Taxpayers can take advantage of ATC’s easy and secure online payment options at www MyTaxCollector com I encourage property owners to do what they can to pay their property taxes by the April 10 deadline to avoid costly penalties as a result of late payments ”

Electronic payments are accepted online at www MyTaxCollector com, and by phone at (909) 387-8308 or (760) 2418829, and can be made using a checking or savings account

free of charge

Mailed payments should be sent to SBC Tax Collector at 268 West Hospitality Lane, First Floor, San Bernardino, CA 92415-0360 Only payments with a USPS postmark cancellation on or before April 10, 2023, will be considered timely

In accordance with Revenue and Taxation Code §2503 2(b), the San Bernardino County Tax Collector currently requires taxpayers who make an aggregate payment of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) or more per year to submit their payment by ACH credit or wire transfer

For the County’s bank account information, please contact the Tax Collector at (909) 387-8308 or email TCAccounting@sbcountyatc gov

Payments can be made in person at the Tax Collector ’s Office during business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a m – 5:00 p m For faster service, please bring a copy of your tax bill

Calif or nia's f lavor ed tobacco ban poses public safety risks

By Jeff Allison, community member

Proposition 31 was sold as a positive initiative to reduce the harmful impacts of tobacco on our communities - with a focus on our youth However, the lack of research and a long-term strategy has proven that the initiative has been nothing short of a complete disaster since the flavored tobacco ban went into effect in December 2022

Today, it's "illegal" for smoke shops, liquor stores, etc , to sell flavored tobacco, and could result in a $250 fine if the retailer is caught But are any agencies even enforcing the ban? From what I have seen and heardno

Better yet, who is enforcing the ban? Is it the police? Code enforcement? The department of public health?

No one knows

This ban is already starting to amplify the senseless crime resulting from the illegal sale of flavored tobacco across the State

It's almost as if we didn't learn anything from what happened when San Francisco implemented a ban in 2018, which immediately resulted in dozens of armed robberies in neighboring municipalities And just last month, two teens were murdered in San Diego when they met with dealers to purchase flavored tobacco

As a retired law enforcement officer, I can tell you this ban will strain resources and impact the response times of our police departments and local government, which are already extremely understaffed Officers now have to deal with more robbery calls, black market sales of products that could be laced with drugs like

Ob i t u a r i e s

Michelle Elaine Gates Baeza

fentanyl (which have been linked to cartels), and possibly even policing retailers who violate the ban

California is one of the leading states of fentanyl overdoses, and mark my words; it will get worse

Taking these things into consideration does this ban truly protect our kids and communities - or does it put them at further risk; I would say the latter These are the unintended consequences of a poorly planned policy that uses a blanket approach

My question to all of the 92 California legislators who supported Senate Bill 793 and the ban of flavored tobacco is - what is your plan now?

*These are not the views of Inland Empire Community News

Car men Neg r ete

Community News

Michelle Elaine Gates Baeza 74 passed away peacfully at home surrounded by her family on December 17, 2022

Born Michelle Elaine Jackson on July 19, 1948, at Fort Mason in Hampton Virginia, she spent her early years in Newport News Virginia surrounded by a large extended family and her beloved grandmother "Big Momma" Michelle's favorite memories as a teenager were her times in Washington State, France, and finally in California as an "Army Brat"

A graduate of Centennial High School in Compton California, Michelle called the Inland Empire home for over 45yrs Early in her professional career, Michelle was employed as a Building Technician for San Bernardino County and was actively involved in the community as a volunteer with the Parent Teachers Association, Consumers Rights, National Girls Scouts of America, and National Boy Scouts of America

Michelle was a member of the Inland Area Urban League, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and served as Chairman of the Westside Planning Area Council Education Committee In 1980, at the age of 31, Michelle ran for the City of Rialto School Board and in doing so, she set an example for other young women that they could strive to be leaders At the end of her professional career, she was employed by

Southern California Edison (SCE) as a Mapping Specialist where she continued to lead by example, working with committees to organize annual SCE family events

Michelle was recognized for her community involvement as the recipient of the PTA Mother of the Year Award

Michelle's hobbies included long walks in the Loma Linda Hills as a member of the Loma Linda Lopers You could often find Michelle walking the track at Frisbee Jr High School When Michelle was not walking with friends, you could see her at the Route 66 Classic Car Show driving her beloved 1953 DeSoto

The center of Michelle's life and love were her husband Frank Baeza of 44 years; her daughter and son-in-law, Kimberly Michelle Gerrard (Gates) and Paul Gerrard; her son and daughter-in-law, Kareem Brandon Gates and Jamie Gates; 9 grandchildren; her brother Robert Jackson and wife Allyson; her 2 additional surviving brothers; her 2 nieces and 1 nephew; her large and loving Baeza Family; the Lomax Family; the Gates Family; and her circle of friends in the Inland Empire, Georgia, Texas, Virginia, Cleveland, and England

Michelle touched so many lives with her warmth, intelligence, dignity, and spirit

Our beloved Sister, Cousin, Wife, Mother, Grandmother, and Friend was deeply loved and will be forever missed

Memorial Service: Friday, March 10, 2023, at 10:0AM Saint Catherine of Siena Church, 339 N Sycamore Ave in Rialto

Community News

Born January 4, 1933, Carmen passed away on February 25, 2023 at the age of 90

Carmen is survived by her children, Tina Morales, Bonnie Sanchez, Barbara Torrez, and Jimmy Negrete, 17 grandchildren, 37 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great-grandchildren

Preceded in death by her husband, Art Negrete and her sons, Daniel Negrete and Richard Negrete

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, March 9th at 1pm at Church of Fire in Christ located at 12354 Mt Vernon Ave, Grand Terrace, CA 92313

Community News

Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr allocated for the approval of a funding contract with Provisional Educational Services Inc , to the PAL Ballfield at Blake Park to begin improvements on the park

The project has now been approved and plans to begin the rehabilitation project have begun

PAL Center Chief Executive Officer Dwaine Radden Sr said, “restoring these fields has been a long time coming

But we are grateful that Joe Baca Jr embraced the vision to refurbish this community baseball field

He allocated 2 1 million dollars to make this project happen

for the PAL students, local baseball youth programs, and the community Our children need safe fields to play on, or they will be playing in the streets ”

“Allocating these funds for an underserved and disadvantaged community such as Muscoy was just a small step in the right direction Blake Park Ballfield project approval has allowed our County to keep pushing to provide recreational, health, social services, and better quality of life to our county residents ”

Creating safe fields, especially for our youth is pivotal in keeping them safe and keeping them from playing on the streets We are so excited to see this project soon come to life and see our residents enjoy it together,” said Baca, Jr

NASCAR’s Cor ey Lajoie and Jessie Rees Foundation bring joy to Loma Linda Univer sity Childr en’s Hospital ahead of Auto Club race

Community News

Over a hundred books from the library of Dr Margaret Hill were donated today to the Dorothy Inghram Branch Library in San Bernardino with the goal of continuing her life-long legacy of supporting literacy

NASCAR driver Corey Lajoie and Irvine-based nonprofit Jessie Rees Foundation partnered to gift 100 "JoyJars" filled with toys, games, and activities to patients at Loma Linda University Children's Hospital Thursday, February 23

The third-generation professional race-

car driver spent a couple of hours with patients and their families in the pediatric and intensive care units, signing autographs and taking photos

"You go in feeling like you're going to make those kids' day, you're going to bring them a JoyJar and talk to them for a few minutes, but those kids make my day just as much," said Lajoie before hitting the racetrack at this weekend's race at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana "To see how much the little boys and girls are not giving up and continue to fight each and every day, it gets you emotional, and you leave with a different perspective "

During his visit, he congratulated 4year-old racecar fanatic Eli Thompson for completing his last chemotherapy and returning home cancer-free

As a dad to two sons, Lajoie says he cares deeply about all factors that affect kids and their health

"Childhood cancer affects too many families today, and we need to do everything we can to support and lift these kids and their families," said LaJoie

LaJoie's No 7 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will be painted in honor of the Jessie Rees Foundation for six NASCAR Cup

Series races this year, starting in Fontana

The car will sport "NEGU" for Never Ever Give Up, the nonprofit's motto The Camaro will be painted in the charity's primary color of blue, accented by a yellow childhood cancer ribbon

The Jessie Rees Foundation was founded when 12-year-old Jessica Joy Rees was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer and given just 12-to-18 months to live Jessie started distributing JoyJars in 2011 during her fight against inoperable brain cancer