COLTON COURIER Weekly
July 02, 2026
Vol 154, NO. 32
Metrolink Pushes Lifesaving Railroad Warning At San Bernardino Depot Before Holiday Travel
IECN.com
Rialto Council Approves 2026-27 Budget, Issues Conditions for Internal Staffing Pg. 3
PHOTO MANNY SANDOVAL Tracks at the San Bernardino Depot underscore Metrolink and California Operation Lifesaver’s safety message urging the public to recognize Emergency Notification System signs before a track emergency occurs.
By Manny Sandoval
B
efore sunrise at the San Bernardino Depot last week, Metrolink and California Operation Lifesaver delivered an urgent safety message to commuters: know the blue-and-white emergency signs at railroad crossings before seconds matter. The outreach, held in partnership with California Operation Lifesaver’s
Judith Valles, San Bernardino Trailblazer and First Hispanic Mayor, Dies
PHOTO MANNY SANDOVAL Marty Jimenez, center, displays a blue-and-white Emergency Notification System sign at the San Bernardino Depot, where Metrolink and California Operation Lifesaver urged riders to use the posted phone number and crossing ID to report track emergencies.
Emergency Notification System Sign Awareness Day initiative, highlighted the signs posted at every railroad crossing. The signs include a phone number and unique crossing identification number that help railroad dispatchers quickly locate an emergency, notify nearby train crews and, when necessary, stop rail traffic through the area. The message comes weeks after a San Bernardino Line train struck an unoccupied vehicle on the tracks in Fontana. No
injuries were reported. Officials also pointed to a widely seen 2022 incident near Pacoima, where a small plane crash-landed on railroad tracks before being struck by an approaching train. The pilot was pulled to safety before the collision. Marty Jimenez, a California Operation Lifesaver board member and Metrolink public safety and environment manager, said many riders and drivers pass the signs Metrolink, cont. next pg.
Inland Leaders Urge Disaster Readiness Built On Trust, Equity And Resilience
Pg. 4
Preschool University Graduation Showcases Early Learning Pathway for Inland Empire Families Pg. 5
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PHOTO MANNY SANDOVAL Michelle Decker, CEO of the Inland Empire Community Foundation, delivers the keynote address during Building Resilient Communities’ ninth annual Ark of Safety Community Resiliency Summit at the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Bernardino on June 25.
By Manny Sandoval
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efore a disaster strikes, Debra Williams wants Inland Empire residents to understand one thing: resilience begins long before the emergency alert, evacuation order or knock at the door. It begins with trust.
PHOTO MANNY SANDOVAL Debra Williams, founding CEO of Building Resilient Communities, second from right in red, at the ninth annual Ark of Safety Community Resiliency Summit, which brought Inland Empire leaders together around disaster preparedness, equity and resilience.
That message shaped the ninth annual Ark of Safety Community Resiliency Summit, hosted June 25 by Building Resilient Communities at the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Bernardino. The annual convening brought together faith leaders, health care advocates, educators, nonprofit professionals, public agencies and community organizers focused on strengthening the region’s ability to pre-
pare, respond and recover before, during and after times of crisis. For Williams, founding CEO of Building Resilient Communities, disaster preparedness is not just about go bags, emergency water or evacuation plans. It is about the barriers that leave some communities more vulnerable before a wildfire, earthDisaster Readiness, cont. next pg.