COLTON COURIER Weekly
October 30, 2025
Vol 153, NO. 46
Buenos Dias Café Debuts Latin Flavors in Colton Following Prolonged Permit Challenges
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November CalFresh Benefits Uncertain Amid Federal Shutdown Pg. 3
PHOTO DAPHNE MARQUEZ Two customers sit down in the dining area to enjoy morning coffee with their breakfast.
By Daphne Marquez
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ew local business, Buenos Dias Cafe invited the community to celebrate its grand opening along with a celebratory ribbon cutting presented by Colton‘s Chamber of Commerce and City Council. The cafe, which was originally supposed to open its doors in November 2024, had to
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delay its opening until August 29, 2025 due to permit and resource struggles for Coowners of the cafe, Susana Perez and Xochilt Retamoza. Perez said, “It was really hard to open up because of permits. There was a previous business, and because it was closed down, they wouldn’t let us open up. The sinks, the walls, or just the edges had to be like a specific material, whether it was epoxy or tile. It was really hard to open up in this city and
with the county and everything.” Despite the challenges Buenos Dias Cafe has faced concerning permits, they have proven to have booming success within the community. One of the customers, Victoria Ruiz said, “Actually, I’ve been waiting for months for it to open. So it finally did, and we’ve been coming like three times a week since it opened. Their horchata latte and Business, cont. next pg.
Colton Lions Club Seeks Judges, Students for 2026 Speech Contest Offering $45K in Scholarships By Manny Sandoval
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ions Club members Soledad and Ed Morden are calling on community members to step forward as judges and mentors for the upcoming 2026 Lions Club Student Speaker Contest—an annual statewide competition that gives high school students a platform to address timely issues while competing for scholarships that can total up to $45,000.
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“This year’s topic is ‘Youth Mental Health: Overcoming Barriers to Well-Being,’” said Lions Club Secretary Soledad Morden. “It’s a powerful opportunity for students to share their voices on an issue that affects their generation directly. They’ll not only strengthen their public speaking skills, but also gain confidence and critical thinking abilities that will serve them for life.”
California’s Statewide Special Election is November 4th, 2025
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PHOTO DAPHNE MARQUEZ Co-owner of Buenos Dias Cafe, Xochilt Retamoza, puts together a drink alongside two of the baristas.
PHOTO MANNY SANDOVAL Colton Lions Club Secretary Soledad Morden reviews the judging criteria for the 2026 Student Speaker Contest during a community event.
The contest is open to Colton High School students in grades 9–12, with English teacher Lucy Leyva serving as the campus liaison. Participants will deliver a 5–10 minute speech on the designated topic.
Eight students will be selected for Colton’s local round, where the first-place winner receives $100 and each participant earns $25. Winners advance through additional levels— zone, region, district, and state—with scholarships increasing at each stage. The state champion earns a total of $45,000 in cumulative awards. “We start small at the local level, but if a student continues advancing, it can lead all the way to a life-changing scholarship,” said Lions Club Board Member Ed Morden. “This isn’t just about winning money—it’s about developing leaders and giving our young people a voice.” The club is currently recruiting four volunteer judges with experience in public speaking or education to evaluate contestants at the Colton round, which will be held in early 2026. Judges must be independent of the Lions Club and available for one evening event, typically lasting two to three hours. Past judges have included local educators, college Speech Contest, cont. next pg.