R I A L T O R E C O R D WWe e eekkllyy

Pg 4

By IECN Staff

Be n F K o l b M i d d l e School continues to put t h e R i a l t o U n i f i e d School District on the education map after recently being honored with the National Schools to Watch recognition during a ceremony in Washington, D C

Kolb Middle School is one of o n l y 1 8 9 m i d d l e s c h o o l s , including just 55 schools that are new to the honor, across the country that earned the National

S c h o o l s Wa t c h d i s t i n c t i o n Schools were honored at a cerem o n y d u r i n g t h e N a t i o n a l Schools to Watch Conference, which was held June 22 to 24 in the nation's capital The award is presented by the National Forum, a nonprofit educators’ a s s o c i a t i o n d e d i c a t e d t o i m p r o v i n g e d u c a t i o n a n d school-based supports for all young adolescents in the middle grades

“ I w a s p r o u d t o b e t h e

By Manny Sandoval

It has been a whirlwind journey from the streets of Rialto to the bright lights of international music for Bobby and IZ Avila, the Grammy-winning duo popularly known as The Avila Brothers

Their recent chart-topper 'Glu,' performed by Usher, added yet another feather to their already impressive catalog when it peaked at #1 on Billboard's Adult R&B Airplay Chart (and by the way, it's still at #1 for the second consecutive week) Yet, amid their global success, the brothers have always retained sight of their roots, regularly channeling their hometown pride into uplifting the talent of the Inland Empire region

"It's been a 38-year journey of hard work, resilience, and unwavering love for music," IZ Avila said, reflecting on their shared career "Our goal is, and always has been, to bring wins back home to the Inland Empire There's so much homegrown talent h e r e , f r o m S

The brothers' connection with Usher is long-standing, stemming from their time touring band members since 2009 and producing his 2004 chart-topping Confessions album (yes, the one we all know of) Iz Avila reminisced about the genesis of 'Glu,' "Sean [Garret] took the initiative and felt it could be dope for Usher Usher sang the record, loved it, and wanted to drop it as a teaser on Valentine's Day "

Avila, cont on next pg

RUSD

Principal during this tremendous achievement, and I congratulate the students and staff of Kolb for earning this prestigious national honor,” Urteaga said

Urteaga was promoted from the school’s principal to a Lead Personnel Agent position in the RUSD earlier this year

“I am very proud of the progress Kolb Middle School has shown over the past few years We transformed the school culture and focused on academics while working through challenges like the pandemic Kolb staff was determined to put student learning first This hard work proved successful We increased academics and attendance and lowered negative student behavior This transformation and focus on academics has earned Kolb Middle School both State and National Schools To Watch recognition ”

The honor puts Kolb Middle School in an exclusive club According to a press release from the National Forum, each school was “selected by state leaders to serve as a model to mentor other schools because of its demonstrated social equity, developmental responsiveness, academic excellence, and innovative systems ”

Schools to Watch have strong leadership, teachers who work together to improve curriculum

Avila

Their success, however, is more expansive than producing chart-topping hits The duo's recent collaboration with Billy Ray Cyrus and Snoop Dogg, 'Hard Working Man,' is a heartfelt tribute to the frontlines and celebrates veterans, featuring key shots from IE's South Colton and Nashville, Tennessee

Their ambitions go beyond music The Avila Brothers are now turning their attention to fostering new talent "Our focus in this chapter is to start developing younger talent Artist development doesn't exist right now, and we're looking to craft a sound for them," Bobby Ross Avila said

A testament to this mission is their investment in Mikey, an upcoming California native Mexican artist introduced to them by Baby Bash They believe Mikey has the potential to be an inspiration for Latino youth "We feel brown kids can say, 'I wanna be like Mikey,'" Bobby added

Behind all their accomplishments is the unyielding support of their mother, Clara Avila "Our mom is not only our inspiration, and she is the example of how to live life, celebrate holidays, and connect with family," Iz said, attributing their success to her

The brothers are also acutely aware of the music industry's changing landscape "It's important for guys like us to keep our fingers on the pulse and build new strategies, new audiences," Iz said They are also champions for creators' rights in the industry "The game for creators is simple, ownership We are supposed to own what we create "

The Avila Brothers' story is a testament to their tenacity, unyielding love for music, and commitment to their roots

As they continue to climb the ladder of success, they remain humble, attributing their success to hard work and dedication The brothers reflect on their upbringing in Rialto fondly "It was gritty, we didn't live in the best area, but it built our character," Bobby said

With their sights set on cultivating the next generation of artists and bringing more wins back to their home turf, The Avila Brothers are indeed the hometown heroes of the Inland Empire

"My brother and I have performed in front of and instruction, and a commitment to continuous improvement that is based on supporting the whole child through social, emotional, and academic growth

“It is an incredible honor to have Kolb Middle School be awarded the National and State Schools to Watch Award,” said Lingenfelter Lingenfelter attended Kolb Middle School as a student and joined the school as a principal earlier this year

“I am grateful to be a part of such an amazing team of teachers and individuals here at Kolb As the new principal, my goal is to continue to support and foster the exceptional work the dedicated teachers and staff have demonstrated to our Kolb students and families ”

The Schools to Watch program’s uniqueness is reflected in its requirement that all teachers and administrators at candidate schools complete an extensive rubric that evaluates the school’s systems as part of the application or reapplication process

In March, Kolb Middle School was selected as one of the 78 California middle schools, handpicked by the California Schools to Watch program for 2023 This significant honor was presented during a ceremony in Monterey and highlights the exceptional work of the staff at Kolb Middle School tough crowds across the country, but growing up in this business and starting with tough crowds in the IE, in hindsight, really makes me appreciate the IE culture because it prepared us for this," Iz added

Still, the brothers continue to find comfort in the familiarity of their hometown Favorite local spots, like Amapola Rico Taco in San Bernardino and Nickelodeon Pizza in Colton (the chorizo and avocado pizza, specifically), serve as nostalgic reminders of their roots

The brothers, both graduates of Eisenhower High School, began their musical journey early on "Before we were even teenagers, our dad had a vision for us Bobby started playing keys at 4, and I started playing drums at 5," Iz recalled

The Avila Brothers credit their success to a host of mentors and influences, one of whom was Jaymes Phelix, a family friend and a part of Andrae Crouch and the Disciples "He was the one who poured into our cup at an early age and allowed me to produce and be who I was," Bobby fondly remembers

Apart from their music, they attribute their cousin Richie (a Colton resident and photographer) with a passion for community service as a guiding light "The heart of Richie is amazing, and he rallies around community service like no other in my family; he keeps his heart open and is rooted deep in Colton; it's inspiring to us," Iz proudly stated

The brothers offer some sage advice to young, aspiring artists from their hometown and beyond "Love what you do Don't focus on prosperity or what may come financially You're going to be a lonesome cowboy, but through loneliness, it will build strength and character," Bobby advises

As they continue to create timeless music and nurture the talent of the future, The Avila Brothers remain beacons of perseverance and success, their journey a testament to their dedication and the rich talent that the Inland Empire has to offer

It is clear that, despite their global accolades, their hearts will always be with their home in the Inland Empire and #1 on the Billboard charts (without the backing of a record label)

Read more at iecn com

Rialto City Council Making Claims and Refuting Allegations Over Contr over sial War ehouse Appr oval Neighboring Frisbie Par k: Re-print

By Manny Sandoval

The City of Rialto has become a battleground over a contentious warehouse project approved by the City Council in a narrow 3-2 vote on April 25th The proposed warehouse, planned for the intersection of Pepper Avenue and the 210 freeway, is an area initially zoned for retail, commercial, and housing

However, the contentious approval has ignited allegations of conflict of interest, health hazards, and misuse of zoning laws The voices from the City Council are echoing across the community with increasing intensity as the drama unfolds

Councilmember Joe Baca is leading the opposition, arguing that the warehouse will create hazardous health conditions in the area, particularly concerning the recently renovated and neighboring Frisbie Park, and increase the city's maintenance cost due to the wear and tear from increased trucking "After city staff investigated all aspects of the industrial project, our planning commission recommended against it and said it's not in the best interest of the City of Rialto," Baca said

Baca further criticizes Mayor Pro Tem Andy Carrizales and Planning Commissioner John Peukert for participating in the vote, citing potential conflicts of interest due to their close residential proximity to the proposed warehouse, claiming that Carrizales has a stake in ownership in the home he currently lives in He also questions the project's economic benefit: "We don't know how many employees, tenants, or if it will even bring jobs "

The situation took a turn when Baca challenged the legality of the vote "Rafael secured money for a certain organization out of Rancho Cucamonga, and Andy voted with a conflict of interest It would have been a 2-2 vote if one had recused themselves," he asserted

Defending his position, Carrizales dismissed Baca's allegations as being politically motivated "Joe Baca is stirring up false allegations just to grow his own personal political influence This is all about Joe Baca's personal advancements after the last 10 years of failed, embarrassing, and disastrous campaign runs," Carrizales retorted He continued, "I sought legal advice regarding the vote on the Pepper Avenue warehouse, and I have no conflict of interest voting on that project My motherin-law owns the property my family and I live in Therefore, I have no conflict of interest or financial interest I believe Baca is upset because the developer didn't give him a donation to the Joe Baca Foundation! The foundation that was paying all of his family mem- bers until they were exposed; now that's a financial conflict of interest! I've told Baca if he believes that I am breaking the law or have some financial gain from this project to report me to the FPPC "

Mayor Deborah Robertson also voiced her opposition, sharing Baca's concerns about the warehouse's potential environmental and community impact "I am opposed to projects that will affect our community's quality of life,"

Robertson stated She also critiqued developer and applicant Tim Howard's attempt to amend the community's previously adopted plans for the area

In a further complication, Robertson disclosed that Howard had proposed millions of dollars in donations to the Rialto Unified School District (RUSD), The National Latina Business Women's Association Inland Empire Chapter, and the Rialto Police Department (RPD) She suggested this was a strategic move to buy approval for the controversial project, asserting, "This community benefit thing has become a joke "

She ended the call by stating, "I want to be clear, I am not opposed to industrial development, but I am opposed to projects that will affect our community's quality of life in multiple ways "

Despite these claims, Councilmember Rafael Trujillo argued that the donations would significantly benefit the community "I have no financial benefit or conflict of interest My community stands to win, and I stand with working families The National Latina Business Women's Association Inland Empire Chapter is a strong organization of women doing great things in the community Why would any of my colleagues on the Rialto City Council target women of color who have shown through their hard work to be the backbone of the thriving local business community?" Trujillo questioned

He continued by saying that he supports several organizations working across the community "In this case, the Executive Director is from Rialto and has numerous stories of accomplishments that were highlighted during Women's History Month at the Rialto City Council Meeting This organization provides contract procurement and training for women of color, a space where micro business owners can grow, take their businesses out of their home, and establish contracts with public agencies "

While this conflict has taken the city by storm, and the council seemingly wants to do right by the community in their own way, two things are certain: 1 ) Another warehouse is coming, and 2 ) We're stronger when we’re together and on the same page

Community News

Behind-the-scenes work carried out by County leadership in partnership with the community is about to blossom into a series of equity-driven public initiatives designed to ensure minority communities can share in the well-being and prosperity promised to all county residents by the Countywide Vision

“There is enough room for everybody to succeed,” Fifth District Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr said during a June 22 update provided to more than 100 Black community leaders on the County’s equity efforts

These efforts, inspired by action taken by the Board of Supervisors three years ago declaring racism as a public health crisis, resulted in the creation of a Countywide Vision Equity Element Group made up of 16 Black community organizations and the inclusion of equity as a guiding force within other vision element groups addressing public safety, education, wellness, housing, jobs and the economy, the environment, infrastructure, and water

“We have an opportunity in this space unlike any other,” said County Chief Executive Officer Leonard X Hernandez “I believe in this county the best things can grow We are poised right now as an organization to push forward in a bold way, to push forward in a new way, and to push forward in a sustainable way to do things we’ve never done before ”

County Assistant Executive Officer Diana Alexander, who heads the County’s equity efforts, said groundwork carried out by the Equity Element Group and the County will soon result in:

Workshops to teach minority-run businesses and community organizations how to effectively compete for County contracts.

Building capacity within community organizations with the assistance of skilled young people supported by County funding

Establishment of a County Equity Office led by a County Equity Officer.

Prioritization of investments in minority communities

An Equity Cohort program within the County to ensure County departments think in terms of equity as they provide services to residents and businesses

Contracting with a Black-owned communications firm to ensure minority communities are aware of the Equity Element Group and County’s efforts and has the opportunity to participate in programs and decision-making

“We’ve been doing things behind the scenes and now we’re bringing it out,” Alexander said “Please believe me when I say you will see change ”

The County’s declaration of racism as a public health crisis, the addition of equity as a Countywide Vision element and the creation of the Equity Element Group came in the wake of the May 25, 2020, murder of George Floyd, a Black man, by a Minneapolis police officer, which is why efforts have initially focused on the Black community

Alexander said the lessons learned and successes will be applied to eventually address the equity needs of all minority communities of color, gender, age, and disabilities