W e e k l y RIALTO RECORD
Vol 24, NO. 03
August 28, 2025
CSUSB President Tomás D. Morales Announces his Final Year as President
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Latino Health Conference in San Bernardino Highlights Rising Fears, Medi-Cal Cuts Pg. 4
PHOTO CSUSB CSUSB President Tomás D. Morales entering his final year as president.
Community News
staff and administrators on Aug. 21.
future of our campus.”
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After speaking about the accomplishments of the university and the challenges of the new academic year, Morales said, “It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as your president. And I look forward to moving into this next year with you.”
Morales began his role as CSUSB’s fourth president in August 2012. His commitment to student success has led to various innovative summer bridge and other student and academic support services, including strengthening relationships with public K12 school districts and community colleges in the Inland Empire.
n the 51st year of his career in higher education, and his 13th year as president of California State University, San Bernardino, Tomás D. Morales has announced that he will step down from the post at the end of the 2025-26 academic year. The announcement was made at the university’s annual Convocation of faculty,
Riverside Moves Forward with Sports and Entertainment Complex Proposal
He shared his pride in the institution, adding “these are not just words, they are what I truly feel and believe — and I have a great deal of confidence in you and the
CSUSB cont. on next pg.
$244.8M Rebuilt Mt. Vernon Avenue Bridge is Now Open, Iconic Link Restored After Five Years By Manny Sandoval
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an Bernardino cheered with applause and the snip of ribbon as the city celebrated the long-awaited reopening of its historic Mt. Vernon Avenue Bridge on August 23, restoring a critical connection closed for nearly five years. The $244.8 million project, which fully rebuilt the 1934 bridge spanning railroads between West Fifth and West Second streets, reconnects the city’s west side. The bridge was shut down in December 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when engineers found its structural safety had fallen to just two percent. Its closure severed the community, leaving businesses, schools, and families struggling with daily detours.
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PHOTO MANNY SANDOVAL The Mt. Vernon Avenue Bridge has been completely rebuilt and ahead of its 1:30 PM opening to traffic, attendees had the opportunity to walk across the brand new structure and pavement.
The ceremony brought an emotional return for State Senator Eloise Gómez Reyes, who secured $31 million in state funding for the project. When she stepped to the podium, she was met with a stand-
ing ovation and loud applause — her first public appearance following nearly a year-long health battle. “This bridge was built when my mother was born in 1934, and little by little we saw concrete falling onto railroad tracks,” Gómez Reyes said. “It wasn’t safe, and students couldn’t even take the bus. I’m so happy we can now easily get to all of our local businesses across Mt. Vernon Avenue.” San Bernardino Mayor Helen Tran presented Gómez Reyes with a plaque recognizing her contributions towards the bridge while serving as Assemblymember for the 50th District. The moment underscored how the bridge has long stood as more than just infrastructure, but as a lifeline for the city’s west side. That lifeline had been frayed for years. The closure cut off access to small businesses, grocery stores, and San Bernardino Valley College. Residents north of the bridge Mt. Vernon Bridge cont. on next pg.