COLTON COURIER Weekly
January 1, 2026
Vol 154, NO. 05
Colton Lions Club Hosts Fifth Annual Christmas Toy Giveaway, Serving 300 Kids at Pepper’s Park
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PHOTO DR. G (L to R): Dr.G, Christina Gaitan, Carlos Araiza, Evelyn Lopez, Noah Gago (in front), Erik Morden, Judy Wilson, Soledad Morden, and Lisa Roo.
By Dr.G (Dr Luis S González), contributing writer
J
ust before Christmas, the Colton Lions Club held its fifth annual Christmas toy giveaway, drawing about 300 children to a neighborhood pocket park at Fifth Street and N Street, unofficially known as Pepper’s Park. Starting early in the morning, about a dozen Colton Lions members, led by club President Carlos Araiza, set up tables and
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sorted hundreds of donated toys for the event. Ahead of the 8 a.m. start time, children arrived with their parents and lined up from the Pepper’s Park starting point. The line stretched down Fifth Street and around the corner onto West N Street.
“We were happy to receive the support of so many people,” he said. Board members said toys were donated by Lions Club members, CR&R, Living Spaces, the Colton Chamber of Commerce, Pizzadilly and many Colton residents.
“The turnout of kids was terrific,” said Evelyn Lopez, the Lions Club’s secretary. “And we were definitely ready with the toys, tables and decorations.”
“Every donation helps,” said Soledad Morden, a founding member of the Colton Lions Club. Morden helped check in children at the starting point and keep the line moving.
Araiza said the event’s success was driven by volunteers and community donations.
Colton Lions, cont. next pg.
10 New California Laws Taking Effect Jan. 1, 2026, From Plastic Bags to IVF Coverage, and Minimum Wage By Manny Sandoval
C
alifornia’s annual January law changeover is almost here. After the Legislature sends bills to the governor and they are signed, most “regular session” statutes take effect on Jan. 1 of the following year unless a law sets a different date or is passed as an urgency measure, according to the California Secretary of State.
Pg. 4
Happy New Year! Do not drink and drive.
In 2025, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed 794 bills into law, according to a CalMatters tally of measures that reached his desk — though not all of those changes take effect on Jan. 1, and some have later start dates written into the bill text.
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Here are 10 of the most significant, debated or widely felt changes scheduled to begin Jan. 1, 2026:
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PHOTO MANNY SANDOVAL A Redlands shopper carries a recycled paper Target bag to their vehicle on Dec. 30, 2025, as the retailer has offered paper carryout bags since at least early December ahead of California’s 2026 checkout-bag changes.
1) Plastic checkout bags: the rules tighten again (SB 1053, 2024).
California is moving to a stricter phase of its bag law. Under SB 1053, stores that charge for checkout bags will be limited to recycled paper carryout bags that meet state requirements. This builds on California’s earlier single-use bag restrictions — notably SB 270 (2014) — and is aimed at reducing litter and waste while standardizing what qualifies as an allowable “checkout bag.” 2) IVF and infertility coverage: delayed, then expanding (SB 729, delayed by AB 116). One of the most closely watched health-policy changes is SB 729, which requires large-group health plans in California to cover infertility diagnosis and treatment, including in vitro fertilization. The requirement was pushed back to Jan. 1, 2026 after lawmakers and the governor approved a delay through AB 116 (a budget-related meaNew Laws, cont. next pg.