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Activist Dolores

Huer ta and Actor

Emilio Rivera Named LEAD Summit XII Honorar y Chair s

Community News

In a collaborative effort, Fifth District Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr announced a series of significant enhancements to K e s s l e r P a r k a s p a r t o f i t s o n g o i n g

Revitalization Project Among the upgrades is the much-anticipated addition of WiFi connectivity "We are making impactful strides in our park – from the enhanced snack bar to support our local little league families, to the n e w Wi F i c o n n e c t i o n e n s u r i n g e v e r y Bloomington resident has access to the internet," Baca, Jr shared "It's a step towards creating a more connected community "

When funds from the American Rescue Plan Act became available, Baca, Jr strongly advocated for utilizing these resources to integrate WiFi across county parks "This development is a milestone Bloomington can truly take pride in," he added

Tony Carrasco, Vice President of the Bloomington Little League, echoed the sentiment during his speech, "I want to thank the support and effort that is put into this community I've been here coaching for 10 years, and as a dad and as a coach, I'm really excited to see the changes that are going on in this community and the commitment that Joe Baca, Jr and the county have made to this park "

By Spring 2024, residents and visitors will be welcomed into a refreshed park setting This includes a 1,383-square-foot layout, decorative shade improvements, modern restrooms, a refurbished snack bar, and state-of-the-art, vandalism-resistant exterior lighting

"We're all working hand-in-hand to create a space where Bloomington can come together and connect," Baca, Jr mentioned "I'm thankful for the county teams, partners, and especially the community members for their input and dedication "

Operated by the Bloomington Recreation and Park District, Kessler Park exemplifies San Bernardino County's dedication to community pride and well-being r i m i n a l R e c o r d

IE Resident Claims

Big Oil’s ‘Latino

Voice’ Campaign is a Veiled Attempt to Silence Tr ue Advocates for Clean Air

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By Manny Sandoval

Ti m e f o r C h a n g e F o u n d a t i o n (TFCF) is set to host a transformative Community Action Fair and Legal Clinic on Saturday, August 19th, from 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM at the Young Visionaries Resource Center

This event, a collaboration with numerous esteemed community partners, promises to be a pivotal resource for Inland Empire residents, offering legal and family emergency services complemented by an atmosphere of music, food, games, and raffles

Va n e s s a P e r e z , Executive Director of TFCF, emphasized the event’s significance, “We’re offering legal services for people with an adverse background and criminal history Record sealing and rental payment assistance will be some of the main resources offered ” She further clarified, “Record sealing is when your record is completely cleared For example, if you get an expungement, sometimes convictions will still appear, but record sealing ensures that no convictions are retrieved from a background check when applying for a job ”

Kim Carter, TFCF founder, and ambas- sador, underscored the importance of such services, saying, “It’s vital because it offers people a chance at economic empowerment and expanded educational opportunities and employment We all make mistakes, and once they are rectified, it’s essential to let individuals move forward ”

S p e a k i n g f r o m p e r s o n a l e x p e r i e n c e , Carter added, “In 1994, I couldn’t get a job a t p l a c e s l i k e J a c k i n t h e B o x o r McDonald’s because of my background Today, some of those organizations that once denied me employment now contract

TFCF with me because I’m in a leadership position ”

The Community Action, Fair, and Legal Clinic will feature onsite legal representatives to assist with record sealing, SB 731 petition-based expungement, family law, and other criminal defense services

Additionally, resources for emergency services, such as rental and utility payment assistance, will be available TFCF will also offer employment services for formerly incarcerated individuals and family reunification services for mothers facing incarceration or homelessness

“We are thrilled to be hosting an event that will give members of our county direct access to resources that are often unaffordable and inaccessible,” Perez added “Time for Change Foundation has a deep-rooted passion for uplifting and advancing our community, and we’re immensely grateful for the incredible partners supporting our mission ”

Admission to the event is free

Registered participants can avail of a personalized legal session

Contact Vanessa Perez at (909) 886-2994 for registration and further details, or visit TimeForChangeFoundation org

Colton Police Depar tment Volunteer Sergio Ojeda Honor ed with “Community Impact Award”

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

On Friday, August 11, 2022, Council Member Dr G (Dr Luis S González) presented the CITY TALK “Community Impact Award” to Sergio Ojeda, community partner and one of our highly-respected citizen volunteers for the Colton Police Department

This presentation was made in recognition of the numerous hours and levels of service by Sergio Ojeda, who, through his volunteer efforts, has become a valuable asset to the Police Department Cpl Mike Sandoval, Citizen volunteer coordinator, explains, “Sergio helps to alleviate officers at a scene so the officer can move on to respond to calls ”

Sergio has stepped-up many times in this capacity and is often seen on the street directing traffic, clearing debris, or setting up police lines According to Police Chief Tim Heusterberg, “The Citizen Volunteers are an integral part of the Police Department and to the community ” Heusterbeg elaborated, “Sergio has been willing to help whenever called upon and has been a critical part of our police response, especially during a crisis or critical incident ”

For seven years, Sergio has served the community of Colton and continues to be available when called upon He puts in, on average, 300 hours each year and has learned the process so well that he can report to a scene and “get right to work ” In addition, Sergio has received formal training using the police radio system, which further supports the police response efforts

Chief Heusterberg calls Sergio “a valuable asset” and explains that “Citizen Volunteers help in many ways, including traffic control, crime scenes, resident checks, extra patrol, writing citations, and providing a police presence ”

When asked about serving as Citizen Volunteer, Sergio commented, “I always wanted to help the community and citizens of Colton ” As a resident of Colton, Sergio not only knows the city well and can respond quickly Sergio does hold his job during the week, but because of the flexibility of hours, he is available most of the time and is willing to help where needed

Because of his volunteer efforts, people skills, work ethic, and dedication, Sergio is regarded as a valuable asset to the Police Department