COLTON COURIER Weekly
September 11, 2025
Vol 153, NO. 39
San Bernardino Unites to Plant Persimmon Tree Honoring Colton Native Dr. Ernie Garcia, Launch Mercado 536 Artist Marketplace
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Arrowhead United Way Hosts RibbonCutting for National Veterans Chamber of Commerce Pg. 4
PHOTO MANNY SANDOVAL The persimmon tree is located on the north-side of the center, within its culture garden.
By Manny Sandoval
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ove, legacy, and innovation came together September 6th, at the Garcia Center for the Arts as the community honored founder Dr. Ernie Garcia with a tree planting ceremony while debuting Mercado 536, an artist coop retail space designed to support and elevate local creators.
PHOTO MANNY SANDOVAL (Left to right) Garcia Center for the Arts Executive Director Michael Garcia, Dottie Garcia, Tim Garcia, and Patrick Garcia pictured moments after the persimmon tree was planted in honor of the center’s namesake, Dr. Ernie Garcia.
In the Culture Garden, family and community members planted a persimmon tree, sponsored by Tree People IE and chosen for its deep personal meaning to Dr. Garcia’s life and family. His son and Garcia Center Board President, Tim Garcia, recalled how the fruit symbolized his father’s South Colton roots. “One of the trees that was in the back-
yard of the home that my dad grew up in had a huge persimmon tree, and I just remember that tree when I was a kid,” he said. “He would always bring persimmons home for my mom to make persimmon cookies and persimmon bread. So, when we first discussed planting a tree in honor of him…I said let’s plant a persimmon tree. It’s about time. He passed away 2.5 Garcia Center, cont. next pg.
Colton Youth Council Highlights Student Leadership LGBTQ+ Senator Cervantes Files Claim Against Sacramento Police Alleging False DUI Arrest Pg. 5
Supreme Court Ruling on ‘Roving’ Immigration Arrests Sparks Condemnation in Inland Empire Pg. 8
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PHOTO DR. G (L to R): Leah Ornelas, Kaitlyn Torres, Ava Diaz, Samantha Sandoval, Jasmin Lopez Herrera, Dr.G Council Member and Advisor.
By Dr.G (Dr. Luis S González), community writer
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ast week was the second meeting of the five student leaders who have been accepted as members of the City of Colton Youth Council. The members of the Youth Council for 202526 are Ava Diaz, Samantha Sandoval, Kaitlyn Torres, Jasmin Lopez Herrera, and Leah Ornelas. All of the students attend Colton High School and have a strong
academic record in the classroom and have demonstrated leadership skills in their programs of interest. The purpose of the Youth Council is to train outstanding students who have great potential for becoming future community leaders, and to teach them about leadership, Colton History, and civic service. “This is a wonderful opportunity for these students,” exclaimed Gabriel Torres, father of Kaitlyn who also attended the
meeting, which is open to the public. Created in 2016, the Youth Council was the brainchild of Dr.G, who was a high school teacher at Colton High for many years, and is now retired. After four very successful years of the original program, the doors to that program closed down for a couple of years due to the pandemic. The meeting last week marked the beginning of a new school year and according Youth Council, cont. next pg.