W e e k l y RIALTO RECORD
Vol 24, NO. 04
September 04, 2025
San Bernardino Valley College Kicks Off 100th Anniversary with Centennial Celebration
IECN.com
Ontario Unveils Southern California’s Largest Sports and Entertainment District Pg. 4
PHOTO ANDREW RODRIGUEZ SBVC’s Centennial Opening Day procession featured gonfalons for each college division leading students, faculty, staff, and administrators to the historic auditorium.
Community News
S
an Bernardino Valley College launched its 100th anniversary year with a festive Centennial Opening Ceremony and procession during Opening Day. Gonfalons representing each academic division led the procession, accompanied by a drumline, drill team, and mascot Blue, while student-athletes cheered and each of
Inclusive Public Safety Model for People with Disabilities
the college’s 100 years was marked in blue along the Centennial Walkway. “As we celebrate our centennial, it is worth remembering and sharing with the world that San Bernardino Valley College is the model for the vision and promise of a community college education,” said President Gilbert J. Contreras. “SBVC is the first community college designed and built as a community college. All California community colleges that predate SBVC
were converted from other purposes. We are also proud to be the first ‘Valley College’ in California.” San Bernardino Community College District Chancellor Diana Z. Rodriguez, SBVC's former president, was also on hand to wish the college a “happy 100th birthday,” adding that its employees “all focus on what students need most to be successSBVC, cont. on next pg.
State of Inland Empire Entrepreneurship Calls for Capital: Declaring Entrepreneurship as Workforce Development
Pg. 5
By Manny Sandoval
T
he future of the Inland Empire’s economy depends on empowering local entrepreneurs with the resources they need to succeed, according to leaders at the inaugural State of the Inland Empire Entrepreneurship Address & Awards. Held August 23 at Entrepreneur High School and hosted by the Time for Change Foundation’s Black and Brown Opportunity for Profit (BBOP) Academy, the event spotlighted the vital role of small businesses in shaping the region’s resilience and growth.
HOW TO REACH US ZM Trucks Opens Inland Empire Community Fontana HQ, Debuts Newspapers Zero-Emission ZM8 Office: (909) 381-9898 Commercial Truck Editorial: iecn1@mac.com Advertising: sales@iecn.com Pg. 8 Legals : iecnlegals@hotmail.com
HOW TO REACH US Inland Empire Community Newspapers Office: (909) 381-9898 Editorial: iecn1@mac.com Advertising: iecn1@mac.com Legals : iecnlegals@gmail.com
PHOTO MANNY SANDOVAL Shannon Martin beams with joy as she accepts The EmpowerHer Award for The GuudSeed Company during the awards portion of the event.
“We’re super excited to be here today because we want to let the Inland Empire know about what is going on with entrepreneurship and why it’s so important,” said Vanessa Perez, executive director of the BBOP Academy. “It’s important to us because we know that small businesses and entrepreneurs build our local economy. Everything we need to devel-
op this city is right here… we have the gifts, we have the talents. But what they need is information and capital—so we’re here to talk about that and share resources.” Perez stressed that entrepreneurship is workforce development, urging the community to invest in the entrepreneurs who keep local economies alive. “Let’s get together and make sure we pour into the local businesses that are here so that they can feel appreciated and be developed and stay in this community because everything we need is right here,” she said. Leslie Galvan, communications coordinator for the BBOP Center, said the organization aims to anchor itself as a leader in entrepreneurial development by connecting small businesses and students alike with practical tools and mentorship. “The BBOP center wants to establish itself as a thought leader here in the entrepreneurial space,” Galvan said. BBOP, cont. on next pg.