COLTON COURIER Weekly
July 10, 2025
Vol 153, NO. 30
Yaisa Meza and Aubree Gonzales Crowned at 2025 Miss and Teen Miss Colton Pageant
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California’s Only Free Parent & Youth Helpline Faces Shutdown After $3M Budget Cut Pg. 4
PHOTO ERLINDA ARMENDARIZ From left, Eriyah Delfin, Miss Colton Princess; Charlize Flores, Miss Colton Princess; Yaiza Meza, Miss Colton; Aubree Gonzales, Teen Miss Colton; Kaitlyn Torres, Teen Miss Colton Princess; and Melisa Walker, Teen Miss Colton Princess.
By Manny Sandoval
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ifteen young women took the stage at Whitmer Auditorium on June 29, competing for the titles of Teen Miss and Miss Colton 2025 during the city’s fifth annual pageant hosted by the Rotary Club of Colton. After a spirited evening of competition,
Summer EBT Program Now Available to Families
Yaisa Meza was crowned Miss Colton 2025. A Grand Terrace High School graduate and current freshman at Cal State San Bernardino, Meza also serves her community as a lifeguard and swim instructor at the Gonzales Community Center. Aubree Gonzales, a Colton High School student and ASB president, earned the title of Teen Miss Colton 2025. Gonzales also holds leadership roles as president of the
National Honor Society and is a varsity cheerleader. “We’re incredibly proud of each of these young ladies,” said Erlinda Armendariz, Rotary Club President and Miss Colton Pageant Director. “Their grace, intelligence, and commitment to Colton’s future made this year’s pageant unforgettable.” Miss Colton, cont. next pg.
Colton Pride Beading Workshop Caps Pride Month at Joshua Home LGBTQ+ Safe Haven
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PHOTO JOSHUA HOME Guests participate in “Beading with Purpose: Pride Edition” at The CENTER @ Joshua Home in Colton on June 30, 2025, closing out Pride Month with art, resources, and community.
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ride Month wrapped on June 30 with beadwork and community care as The CENTER @ Joshua Home hosted “Beading with Purpose: Pride Edition,” a free workshop that drew Two-Spirit people, LGBTQ+ youth and allies to Colton’s first and only LGBTQ+ community center.
Guests created Pride-flag pony-bead keychains, shared a meal and browsed the site’s free Center Stage Closet while the People’s Collective for Environmental Justice and Riverside-San Bernardino County Indian Health (RSBCIHI) provided health resources and giveaways. “LGBTQIA2S+ communities existed before colonization, and we are taking
steps to dismantle transphobia and homophobia in our communities,” said Kat of RSBCIHI. Darby of the People’s Collective called the evening historic: “It’s a dream come true to host an inclusive Pride event at the first and only LGBTQ+ center in my hometown of Colton.” Joshua Home, cont. next pg.