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

By Manny Sandoval

Th e I n l a n d E m p i r e C o m m u n i t y News (IECN) marks a significant t r a n s i t i o n a s G l o r i a M a c i a s

Harrison, former owner, and publisher, has announced the sale of the community news organization to long-standing employees

Denise Berver and Manny Sandoval

IECN has a rich history in the Inland Empire, with the Colton Courier beginning in 1876, Rialto Record in 1910, and El Chicano in 1968 El Chicano, founded by Bill and Gloria Macias Harrison, was established to change the negative perception of Mexican Americans and Chicanos in the area, educate the public on community issues, and provide a voice for the underserved and underrepresented

Starting as a project of the University of California, El Chicano became an independent press in 1969 and has published a weekly newspaper every week for 54 years

Gloria Macias Harrison said, “We wanted t o c h a n g e t h e p u b l i c ’s p e r c e p t i o n o f Mexican Americans and Chicanos in our area; while educating the public on issues that affected the progress of our community Today, I’m proud to have published a newspaper every week over the past 54 years that reflect our communities and their issues I’m very proud to hand over the legacy of IECN to Denise Berver and Manny Sandoval, who grew up with the

By Ricardo Tomboc

standing room only as guests and award recipients took every

A special Golden & Crystal Apple Award was issued to several employees In addition, the National Board-Certified Teachers were recognized, and Dr Amy Aguirre was awarded for her achievements Numerous employees were also given Service certifi- cates for their longevity and a Certificate of Recognition from the San Bernardino 5th District Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr for their service

Among those receiving recognition was SBCUSD Police Chief Joseph Paulino for his 25 years of Service and Mr Jamie Rios for his 30 years of service to the district newspaper and understand the spirit behind the publications ”

Berver, a 28-year employee and former Legal Advertising Manager, and Sandoval, Managing News Editor, will now serve as co-owners and publishers of the respected publication

A Colton native and IECN employee since her senior year of high school, Berver has built a strong reputation within the organization and community through her competence, efficiency, and trustworthiness

Berver said, “I learned the business from the publisher, especially Bill Harrison I operate like Bill does, ensuring everything runs smoothly for years I look forward to advancing our publication and utilizing technology to expand and maintain our community ties I accept the legacy and look forward to modernizing ”

Manny Sandoval, who began writing for IECN as a 19-year-old student at San Bernardino Valley College (SBVC), expressed his passion for the publication, stating, “Initially, I became inspired to write and passionate about spotlighting non-profit organizations when I was just 12 years old after experiencing the loss of my younger brother to cancer My mom encouraged me to get out there, and it truly was a form of therapy that has since turned into a full-fledged career For the past decade, it has been rewarding and a privilege to shine a light on the initiatives being executed and positive news across the Inland Empire ”

Sandoval continued, “I’m looking forward to continuing the legacy, collaborating and partnering with KVCR,

Never Stop Grinding Impact Hosts Fir st

SBVC’s Department of Film, TV, and Media, and Colton High School’s Pepper Bough to elevate our digital and print news coverage in the cities of San Bernardino, Colton, Rialto, and beyond ”

Bill and Gloria Macias Harrison are proud of the opportunities they have provided young people through their newspapers, stating, “We are very proud of serving our communities and the lives we have affected for people who have worked with us The opportunities we provided to people over the years have landed former employees in PR, communications, national news companies, and government organizations We’re happy to have been part of this for over five decades We look forward to future collaboration with the IECN and remaining active in our community ”

As the new co-owners and publishers of IECN, Berver and Sandoval aim to pre- serve the legacy of the news publications while embracing modernization and new technologies Both SBVC and California State University, San Bernardino alums are committed to maintaining the strong community ties the publication has built

As IECN embarks on its new chapter, the communities it serves can look forward to an ongoing commitment to providing positive community news, highlighting local issues, and championing balanced stories that matter to the residents of the Inland Empire With the combined experience, passion, and dedication of Berver and Sandoval at the helm, the future of IECN looks brighter than ever

For more information about the Inland Empire Community News and its transition, visit iecn com or follow them on social media @iecommunitynews

Colton Woman’s Club Pr esents Student Awards

Annual Juneteenth Celebration

in

Rialto: A Night of Unity, Fr eedom, and Cultur e

By Manny Sandoval

The City of Rialto, in partnership with community organization

Never Stop Grinding Impact (NSG), is hosting its first annual Juneteenth celebration on June 23rd at Margaret Todd Park The event, part of the city's summer-long "Movies in the Park" series, promotes unity, freedom, and cultural awareness

"We will be screening Wakanda Forever because it's a black-themed film that coincides with black culture and history," said Darious Harris, founder and CEO of NSG Impact The film will be showcased as part of the event, and families are encouraged to bring chairs, blankets, and snacks to enjoy the movie under the stars

Tameka Grayson, NSG's chief operating officer, highlighted the importance of including an educational element in the celebration "We also wanted to integrate an educational element, so we'll be reading Juneteenth A Children's Story at the event, as literacy is a pillar of Rialto Unified School District, which is one of our community partners

So we're encouraging kids to read something different while telling the Juneteenth story in a kid-friendly way," Grayson said

The event serves as a reminder of the significance of Juneteenth, commemorating the end of slavery in the United States and its recent recognition as a national holiday "We want to make sure people know this event is for everyone to celebrate culture and a fun way to get the community out,"

Grayson added

Harris emphasized the importance of bringing the Juneteenth celebration to Rialto "Juneteenth represents unity, freedom, and equity So it's important to bring it to my city," he said "I want my kids to appreciate how far we've come and understand our ancestors' struggles It's about teaching them humility and not taking anything for granted "

The event will feature food, vendors, music, youth activities, games and giveaways, and art Registrations for the giveaways can be made on the NSG Impact website However, it's first come, first served, and registration does not guarantee items

In addition to the movie screening, the event is part of an eight-week series running every Friday throughout the summer (excluding the week of July 4th), starting on June 2nd at Rialto City Park

The IEHP-sponsored event is open to all residents, not just those of Rialto The Juneteenth Celebration of Culture will occur on June 23rd, from 5 - 11 PM at Margaret Todd Park The movie starts at sundown For more information, call (909)421-4949

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

At the May business meeting, the Colton Woman’s Club (CWC) presented two student youth awards, the CWC Student Scholarship and the “HOBY Award” (Hugh O’Brien Youth), to Caroline Flores and Genesis Rodela Uriarte, respectively

The Colton Woman’s Club awarded its annual Youth Scholarship to Carolina Flores, a senior at Colton High School Carolina was awarded the $1,000 scholarship among the qualified candidates based on her academic record, written essay, and citizenship For over 40 years, the Colton Woman’s Club, located at the corner of 7th St and F St , has offered a scholarship to a deserving senior who will be graduating and continuing their education at the college level Caroline has stated, “My goal is to attend UC Irvine with a major in Biology ”

The “HOBY Awards,” named after actor Hugh O’Brien, was established in 1958 to recognize students who excelled in school academically and who demonstrated leadership poten- tial, as well as service to the community Hugh O’Brien went on to recognize students first in Los Angeles and then nationwide Since then, over 500,000 students have benefited from the “HOBY Award” program Genesis was selected based on her school activities and desire to serve in the community She is a sophomore and will attend the HOBY Leadership Camp this summer These awards included public recognition and provided a scholarship for Caroline and a summer leadership camp opportunity for Genesis To qualify for this award, the students needed to write an essay, meet and confer with their school counselor, be screened by the Colton Woman’s Club, and finally be interviewed by the CWC scholarship committee We want to congratulate these two students for their achievements and wish them well in their future endeavors

The Colton Woman’s Club has a rich history of local involvement and supporting programs that benefit the community Their efforts are to be commended, and their support of school programs, such as these youth awards, continue to be a light that drives the community spirit to greater heights For more information about the Colton Woman’s Club and its programs, don't hesitate to get in touch with the President, Judy Dishaw, @ 840-600-1993

For more information about CITY TALK, various community groups, Colton history, the trash clean-up project, prayer list, history briefs, Veteran Spotlight, Church Spotlight, Business Spotlight, U S Flag Watch, neighborhood meetings, community projects, and events, or the online livestream programs, contact Dr G @ 909-213-3730 Questions and comments are always welcome

Photo (L to R): Susy Castillo, Caroline’s mother; Denise Folds, CWC member; Brenda Rodela, Genesis’ mother; Caroline Flores, student award winner; Genesis Rodela Uriarte, student award winner; Debbie Mount, CWC member; Dr G, Council Member, and CWC Member