W e e k l y COLTON COURIER
Vol 146 , NO. 04
THIS WEEK
Gloria’s Cor ner A3
Kevin De Leon makes an appearance in Colton
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Januar y 11, 2018
Through hardship, Gloria Gaona continues to plant seeds in the hear ts of others
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By Anthony Victoria
ith her son “running amok”, Gloria Gaona knew she needed to do something to keep him out of trouble and focused. An effort that began 10 years ago as a concerned mother’s intention to get her son on the right track turned into a vision, and later, a reality to help men, women, and entire families get through hard times. “We felt that if we couldn’t help him, we could help someone else,” said Gaona, who resides in Highland. “And it’s evolved from there.” Now Gaona, 64, has her once troubled son, Robert Jr., and the entire family involved in sowing relationships across communities. Her nonprofit Seeds of Hope is responsible for feeding low income families and pointing atrisk residents to health and social services provided by public and private entities. It’s something Gaona is accustomed to. She worked as a social Gaona , cont. on pg. 2
Caden sits down with Jeff Pope
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Dog shot and killed by man in South Colton; owner s pur suing charges
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By Anthony Victoria
Colton family is calling for justice after their dog was shot and killed by a man for trespassing onto his yard.
INSIDE
Maryjane Ruiz, 17, said her 12year-old sister and cousin Erin Fernandez, 15, took Bella, a 7year-old German Shepherd mix, on a walk near the train tracks in South Colton on the afternoon of January 5.
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Opinion
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Caden’s Corner
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Words To think About A5
Classifieds
Legal Notices
Fernandez said the canine approached a poorly-fenced home on 8th Street and began to bark at some chickens. Soon after the owner of the house, described as an older man by Ruiz and Fernandez, shot Bella. She bled out and died near Veterans Park minutes later.
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Anthony VictoriA
Despite her personal struggles, Gloria Gaona (left) remains humble and dedicated to helping the less fortunate. She is pictured with Senator connie Leyva, middle, during last year’s turkey giveaway.
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Gloria’s Corner
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Bella, a 7-year-old German Shepherd mix, was shot and killed during an alleged altercation in south Colton on Jan. 5.
Bella’s death was a devastating blow to Ruiz and her sister. The dog was the only remnant that reminded the teenage girls of their mother, who passed away five years ago. “Bella was not an ordinary
dog,” Ruiz said. “She was our angel. We’re all sad that this happened.”
The shooter’s wife, who identified herself as Cindy, told NBC Los Angeles reporter Tony Shin on Monday that her husband shot Bella because he mistook her for a coyote.
“He took the shot,” she said. “We’re very sorry that it happened.”
Ruiz and Fernandez don’t want an apology from the perpetrator. They are pursuing charges against the man and hope he pays a price for what he did. “Something needs to happen to this man,” said Fernandez. “It’s just not right what he did.”
The Colton Police Department is currently conducting an investigation to look further into the matter, confirmed Lt. Jim Jolliff. Once the investigation is complete, the report will be forwarded to the District Attorney’s Office for review.