Applications are now open for the 2025–2026 Teen and Miss Colton Scholarship Pageant, presented by the Rotary Club of Colton. The event will be held on June 29, 2025, at Whitmer Auditorium, located at Colton High School.
Participation in the pageant is free, and the opportunity is open to young women ages 15–17 for the Teen Division and 18–25 for the Miss Division. Orientation will be held on June 3, with location and time to be
announced.
“This is a great learning experience and will build your confidence,” said Erlinda Armendariz, pageant director and president of the Colton Rotary. “We offer scholarships for our queens and princesses as well as help them develop valuable skills and we emphasize the importance of community service.”
Described as a “natural scholarship pageant,” the program seeks to “develop our royalty members into future leaders of tomorrow with good moral values, goals
and community presence.”
“We believe in empowering women so they can empower others,” Armendariz said. “We believe that true beauty is found on the inside.”
Contestants will have access to several rehearsals before the event, where they’ll learn “effective communication, what to wear and winning interview techniques.” No prior experience is necessary. “Each contestant will have the opportunity to
By Dr. G (Dr Luis S González), community writer
the Continental Congress asked the colonies to pray for wisdom in forming a nation. This call to prayer was officially expanded in 1863 with President
Lincoln’s proclamation of a day of “Humiliation, Fasting and Prayer.”
President Truman followed by declaring an Annual Day of Prayer in 1952, which was subsequently established as a federal holiday in 1988 by President Reagan,
Colton Rotary cont. next pg.
PHOTO COLTON ROTARY
The newly crowned Teen and Miss Colton queens and princesses take center stage at the 2024 scholarship pageant, celebrating confidence, leadership,
involvement.
Prayer, cont. next pg.
PHOTO DR. G
Participants of the Nation Day of Prayer – Pastor DrG, Council Member David Toro, Pastor Eric Strutz, Chief Anthony Vega, Pastor Armando Amador, Pastor Paul Stumpf, Max Taufa’ao, Samuela Fifita, Tupou Esau, Pastor Sharon Dyce, City Manager Bill Smith, Pastor Conrad Valdez, Chief Ray Bruno, Lt. Robbert Wilson, Council Member Kelly Chastain, Pastor William Yates, CJUSD Supt. Dr Frank Miranda, Pastor Him.
PHOTO COLTON ROTARY Rotary Club of Colton members and local students pose with certificates recognizing their achievements in scholarship and community service during a ceremony held at a local church.
Public Safety
Newborn Found Crying Beside Dumpster in Riverside; Police Seek Mother’s Whereabouts and Public’s Help
By Riverside PD
On Sunday, May 4, 2025, at about 2:30 p.m., the City of Riverside’s Public Safety Communications Center received reports of a baby crying in a dumpster enclosure at an apartment complex in the 3800 block of Jackson Street. When officers arrived, they found a newborn baby boy lying next to a dumpster, breathing, crying, and with the umbilical cord still attached.
Paramedics provided immediate care and transported him across the street to a local hospital, where he is currently in good health and stable condition.
Investigators believe the newborn was delivered just hours before he was found. So far, they have not been able to identify the baby’s mother or the person who may have placed him near the dumpster.
As part of this ongoing investigation, detectives are asking for the public’s help in identifying anyone who may have been recently pregnant but is now without a newborn. Our primary concern is lo-
cating the mother to ensure her own health and safety, and getting her any medical care or support she may need.
If there is anyone who may have information relevant to this investigation, please contact Detective Jessica Iniguez at (951) 353-7121 or JIniguez@RiversideCA.gov. You can also send an anonymous tip through the Riverside Police Department’s “Atlas 1” mobile app, which offers a secure “Send a Message” feature. The app is available for download both APPLE and ANDROID devices.
The Safely Surrendered Baby Law was created to prevent newborn deaths caused by unsafe abandonment. Made permanent in 2006, the law allows parents or legal guardians to safely surrender a baby within 72 hours of birth with no questions asked, and to protect the infant’s life and ensure their safety. In Riverside County, newborns can be safely surrendered at nearly all fire stations and hospitals.
To find the nearest Safe Surrender site, call 1-877BABYSAF (1-877-222-9723) or visit www.211la.org/safely-surrender-baby.
Vehicular Manslaughter Arrest in Colton
By Colton PD
On May 2nd, 2025, at approximately 6:48 AM, Colton Police Department Communications Center received reports of a traffic collision at Washington Street and Center Drive. Colton Police Officers and Emergency Medical Personnel arrived on the scene and discovered a pedestrian had been struck by multiple vehicles while attempting to cross the street.
The pedestrian, identified as Larenz Lamaar Fondren, a 19-year-old male, succumbed to his injuries on scene. All parties remained on scene and cooperated with the investigation.
The Major Accident Investigation Team (MAIT) and the Detectives Division of the Colton Police Department responded to the scene of the collision and are investigating. Initial factors suggest
that speed and signs of impairment were involved in the incident.
The driver of the initial vehicle that struck the victim was detained and subsequently arrested for vehicular manslaughter while driving under the influence.
Medrano was transported and booked at the West Valley Detention Center for Penal Code 191.5(a). His bail amount was set at $100,000. Anyone who witnessed or has information regarding the collision is encouraged to contact Detective Isabel Jaramillo at (909) 370-5142 or via email at ijaramillo@coltonca.gov.
Witnesses can remain anonymous by contacting the We-Tip hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME or http://www.wetip.com.
Inland Empire Seniors and Caregivers Rely on Medicare Advantage—Congress Must Protect It
By Tammy Martin Ryles, Black Chamber President
As President of the Black Chamber of Commerce – Inland Empire, I know that affordable, high-quality healthcare is a cornerstone of economic stability and community well-being. Medicare Advantage is a lifeline for more than 3.5 million Californians, including thousands of seniors right here in the Inland Empire.
Yet, despite its overwhelming success and 88% satisfaction rate, Medicare Advantage has faced years of funding cuts that put seniors at risk.
This program caps out-of-pocket expenses and provides benefits not included in traditional Medicare, such as vision, dental,
hearing, and wellness programs. Without it, seniors—many on fixed incomes—would struggle to afford essential care. Further cuts to Medicare Advantage would not only hurt seniors but would also impact family caregivers and businesses that rely on experienced workers who depend on this program to stay healthy and in the workforce.
We need our California Congressional leaders to stand strong against future cuts and ensure Medicare Advantage remains fully funded. Protecting this program means protecting seniors, caregivers, and our economy. I urge members of Congress to continue championing Medicare Advantage and fighting for the health and financial security of Inland Empire residents.
Community Tips Lead to Arrest in Fatal Rialto Hit-and-Run; Colton Man Charged with Vehicular
By Rialto PD
The Rialto Police Department recognizes the importance of community support and continued partnerships with the residents and businesses who were instrumental in providing video surveillance and investigative leads in this case.
The Rialto Police Department Crime Analysis Unit conducted an exhaustive investigation, along with the Rialto Police Department Major Accident Investigation Team in processing those community leads. Their combined efforts led to the identification of the suspect vehicle involved in this fatal hit-and-run traffic collision.
On May 1, 2025, at about 8:00 a.m., San Bernardino County Probation Officers, along with Detectives from the Rialto Police Department assisted the Major Accident Investigation Team with the investigation.
Officers executed a search warrant at a house in the 1300 Block of Latham Street, in Colton, CA. During the search, suspect Roland
Contreras, a 52-year-old resident of Colton, was identified as the driver of the suspect vehicle. Contreras had fled the collision scene after striking and killing pedestrian Christian Smith and was avoiding capture.
During a search of Suspect Contreras’ residence, officers located the vehicle used during the fatal hit and run collision. Officers processed and seized the vehicle as evidence.
Contreras was arrested and booked into West Valley Detention Center for PC 192(c)(2) – Vehicular Manslaughter and CVC 20001(b)(2) – Hit and Run Causing Injury or Death.
PHOTO RIVERSIDE PD
A newborn baby, found crying next to a dumpster in a Riverside apartment complex, is comforted after being rescued Sunday afternoon; the infant’s face is blurred for privacy and he remains in stable condition at a nearby hospital.
Hope Through Housing Launches Workforce Development Program with $1.69 Million State Grant
By Marlena Brown, Contributing Writer
The Hope through Housing Foundation is launching an ambitious, two-year workforce development initiative designed to train and place 200 individuals in high-demand fields ranging from property management to digital media production.
The landmark effort is funded by a $1.69 million grant from California’s Employment Development Department’s Opportunity Young Adult Career Pathway Program and focuses on serving individuals ages 18-28.
“I’m thrilled at the opportunity to expand our workforce development programs thanks to this amazing grant,” Hope through Housing Executive Director Alyssa Cotter said. “This new program will significantly enhance our ability to support young adults on their career paths and create new opportunities for the residents of the affordable housing communities we serve.”
Hope through Housing, founded in 1998, is a national nonprofit that provides resident services to more than 10,800 households at over 110 affordable housing communities in California, Texas and Florida.
The organization’s mission is to break the generational cycle of poverty. To do so, it provides a holistic suite of resident services to drive children’s academic success, assist families and individuals with financial
literacy and employment, support senior health and wellness, and ensure low-income and formerly homeless residents have the tools to remain housed.
The funding supports expansion of Hope through Housing’s Pathways to Economic Empowerment initiative, including CORE Academy – a workforce development program launched in 2022 in partnership with National CORE, one of the nation’s leading nonprofit developers of affordable housing.
CORE Academy teaches entry-level skills to four cohorts each year in two tracks: property management and property maintenance.
With the new state funding, CORE Academy and associated programs will expand training into hospitality, social media management, sound and video production and production studio management.
Recent CORE Academy graduate Maurice Davis said his Resident Services Technician training has opened a new avenue of career opportunities.
“I spent years being a truck driver, but CORE Academy gave me a new set of skills in maintenance that will make me a great candidate for many great opportunities,” Davis said. “Their training was more than just hands-on work; they taught me about the importance of professional mannerisms when talking with and helping residents. The program and its
trainers were excellent.”
Goals for Hope through Housing’s expanded workforce development program include:
Placing participants in jobs that exceed living wage standards in Southern California
Delivering career-focused training in high-demand fields
Supporting participants to ensure job placement
Offering job readiness, financial literacy and income management training
Addressing barriers to employment
Promoting skills development
The programs are a blend of internships, apprenticeship training and classroom instruction. They are expected to launch by summer 2025 and run through spring 2027.
Students can apply multiple times, taking more advanced courses after mastering basic instruction.
“This is an exciting new phase of our support for residents of our communities,” Cotter said. “This training has the potential to radically accelerate our efforts to help residents build the skills to create fulfilling and sustainable careers, propelling their families out of poverty.”
PHOTO NATIONAL CORE
Maurice Davis, a recent CORE Academy graduate, smiles while demonstrating his newly acquired maintenance skills during workforce development training.
Redlands School Board Takes Aim at Transgender Athletes
By CAL Matters
The Redland Unified School District Board approved a resolution to enforce “fairness in girls’ interscholastic sports,” placing the Inland Empire district in the middle of escalating conflicts over transgender students’ rights.
In a 3-2 split vote last week, the board approved a statement “ensuring fairness, safety and equal opportunities for all student-athletes.”
While the resolution doesn’t specifically mention transgender students, it states that “biological differences between male and female athletes can create inherent advantages in sports, particularly in categories designated specifically for girls.”
That language appears to slip through the cracks between California law — which protects the rights of transgender student athletes — and federal policy under President Donald Trump, who signed an executive order in February banning transgender women and girls from women’s sports.
Redlands School Board Member Candy Olson voted for the resolution, saying that as a student athlete, she was “far behind the boys” while training for a triathlon.
“You would have to be an absolute science denier to say that the boys and the girls are of equal strength and of equal speed,” she said.
Christine Stephens, a spokesperson for the school district, said the resolution was a statement of opinion and wouldn’t affect how the district’s athletic programs operate.
“A board resolution expresses a viewpoint or intent through a formal statement,” Stephens said. “They do not change how the district operates or impose enforceable rules. Regardless of the action taken by the board … the district’s legal responsibility to follow all applicable state and
federal laws remain unchanged.”
A 2013 California law requires public schools to ensure that students can participate in all school activities and sports teams that match their gender identity.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office said in a statement to CalMatters that it will monitor the situation and noted that Redlands Unified already has a track record of civil rights complaints.
Last May, Bonta obtained a court order directing the district to address “allegations and complaints of sexual harassment, assault, and abuse of students.” A month earlier, the district reached a $45.5 million settlement of 16 sexual abuse lawsuits from former students.
Kel O’Hara, a senior attorney for Equal Rights Advocates, a San Francisco-based gender justice organization, said that even if the resolution is never enforced, the intention to exclude trans students will be harmful.
“Discriminating against trans students has really negative implications for their mental health and academic outcomes,” they said.
By framing the resolution as an injunction against boys in girls’ sports, O’Hara said, the board quietly invalidated transgender girls’ identity: “That rhetoric that these are just boys and men trying to get into women’s spaces is not accurate and is so harmful.”
About 3.3% of high school students identified as transgender in 2023, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Only a small number of students of any gender are elite athletes.
O’Hara said the few transgender students who play school sports are usually looking for teamwork and social connections, rather than seeking competitive advantage. Moreover, the focus on trans girls in women’s sports obscures more prevalent issues, such as unequal funding and resources for girls’ teams, they said.
But transgender athletes have become a political lightning rod.
A week earlier Chino Valley Unified School District in Ramona unanimously agreed to ask the Trump administration to intervene against California’s protections for trans students.
And in January Assemblymember Kate Sanchez, a Rancho Santa Margarita Republican who represents Temecula and Murrieta, introduced a bill that aimed to “prohibit a pupil whose sex was assigned male at birth from participating on a girls interscholastic sports team.” That bill was killed in committee earlier this month.
Even Gov. Gavin Newsom, who gained support among LGBTQ voters when he issued marriage licenses to same sex couples as San Francisco Mayor 20 years ago, recently stirred up controversy when he said during a podcast that it’s “deeply unfair” for transgender athletes to participate in girls’ sports.
Assemblymember Corey Jackson, a member of the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus, denounced the Redlands decision, saying it goes against California law and longstanding policies of the California Interscholastic Federation, which regulates school sports.
“The CIF has long held inclusive policies that align with California’s values and legal standards,” said Jackson, a Moreno Valley Democrat, in a statement to CalMatters. “These recent local decisions, including the one made by Redlands Unified, are not grounded in good faith or meaningful community dialogue. Instead, they are political in nature and designed to sow division and fear in our communities.”
At the Redlands board meeting, Olson addressed audience members who protested the resolution, denying that it expressed prejudice against trans students.
“I see all of your signs,” she said. “It’s not discrimination whatsoever. It’s about common sense, it’s about safety and it’s about fairness.”
Listen to the Inland Empire Community News Podcast on YouTube @InlandInsightPodcast
PHOTO CAL MATTERS
Supporters of transgender athletes hold up signs outside a Riverside Unified School District meeting Dec. 19, 2024.
SAN BERNARDINO VALLEY PRESENTS
Thank you to the dignitaries listed below for sponsoring IECN’s Mother’s Day edition in El Chicano, Colton
Thank you to the dignitaries listed below for sponsoring IECN’s Mother’s Day edition in El Chicano, Colton
Thank you to the dignitaries listed below for sponsoring IECN’s Mother’s Day edition in El Chicano, Colton Courier, and Rialto Record. Your support helps us continue delivering meaningful news to our communities! Courier, and Rialto Record. Your support helps us continue delivering meaningful news to our communities! Courier, and Rialto Record. Your support helps us continue delivering meaningful news to our communities!
Diana Z. Rodriguez
Chancellor, San Bernardino Community College District
Website: SBCCD.edu
Eloise Gómez Reyes
California State Senator, 29th District
Phone: (909) 888-5360 Website: sd29.senate.ca.gov
Joe Baca Jr.
San Bernardino County 5th District Supervisor, Vice Chair
Phone: (909) 387-4565 Website: bosd5.sbcounty.gov
James C. Ramos
Assemblymember, 45 district th Website: a45.asmdc.org
Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh
California State Senator, 19th District
Phone: (909) 335-0271
Website: sr19.senate.ca.gov
San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools
Phone: (909) 888-3228 Website: sbcss.net
Dr. Stephanie Houston
Chair, San Bernardino Community College District, Board of Trustees
Website: drstephaniehouston.com
Joseph Williams
Vice Chair, San Bernardino Community College District, Board of Trustees
