R I ALTO RECORD
Sen. Reyes’ 30-under-30 Honors IE Labor’s Alicia Aguayo, Colton PD’s Nilda Campos Among Changemakers
Rialto Unified Board Unanimously Selects Dr. Alejandro Alvarez, Marine Veteran Educator, as Superintendent
By Manny Sandoval
Desert Empire Filmmaker Nonprofit Aims to Make Inland Empire the ‘Hollywood of Indie Film’ Pg. 3 Pg. 4
The Rialto Unified School District (RUSD) Board of Education has unanimously approved Dr. Alejandro Alvarez as the District’s next Superintendent, marking a new chapter of leadership for the city’s largest employer and its nearly 24,000 students.
In a 5-0 vote at the November 12, 2025, Board of Education meeting, trustees approved Dr. Alvarez’s contract following a months-long, community-informed search
process. He will officially begin his tenure on December 1, 2025, succeeding Interim Superintendent Dr. Judy D. White, whose service concludes November 30. Dr. White, a former Moreno Valley Unified and Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, has led RUSD since March as the Board conducted its superintendent search.
“Dr. Alejandro Alvarez is an academically forward-thinking leader with the financial acumen to bring innovation, accountability, and a renewed commitment to the academic excellence our students deserve, our fami-
lies expect, and our community proudly supports,” said Board of Education President Dr. Stephanie E. Lewis. “He is an experienced classroom teacher, administrator, and superintendent whose dedication to student achievement and equitable access will continue to move the Rialto Unified School District forward.”
Dr. Alvarez, who attended the November 12 meeting, brings three decades of public education experience and a clear belief in the power of schools to uplift communities.
Superintendent, cont. on next pg.
Inland Empire Community Newspapers
Inland Empire Community News
Office: (909) 381-9898
Editorial: iecn1@mac.com
Wishes All of its Readers a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving
Advertising: sales@iecn.com Legals : iecnlegals@hotmail.com
HOW TO REACH US HOW TO REACH US
Inland Empire Community Newspapers
Office: (909) 381-9898
Editorial: iecn1@mac.com
Advertising: iecn1@mac.com Legals : iecnlegals@gmail.com
By Manny Sandoval
On a rainy Nov. 14 evening, the Garcia Center for the Arts turned its auditorium into a celebration of legacy and possibility, as its 2nd annual gala marked 10 years of arts advocacy in San Bernardino and raised funds to sustain programming into 2026.
Emceed by Miriam Nieto of San Bernardino Generation Now and hosted by the center’s Executive Director Michael Segura, the 10-year celebration focused squarely on the center’s future — keeping its programs accessible, its historic building maintained and its creative spaces alive for the next generation of artists and youth.
Segura told guests that while the center has made strides, significant needs remain behind the scenes.
“We have a lot of infrastructure improvements being made and still many that need to be made,” Segura said. “We also need
Superintendent (cont.)
- He currently serves as Superintendent of Bassett Unified School District and previously held leadership roles in Compton Unified and Fontana Unified, where he began his career as a classroom teacher. His academic background includes a Doctor of Education from the University of Southern California, master’s degrees from Harvard University and Azusa Pacific University, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Riverside.
Board members emphasized that the search process was rooted in community voice, transparency, and alignment with the District’s core values.
"The Board approached this superintendent search process with the utmost seriousness and transparency, actively involving our community, staff, stakeholders, and most importantly, our scholars, to identify a leader who fully embodies the core values, vision, and commitment essential for our district,” said Board Member Evelyn P. Dominguez, LVN. “We are confident that Superintendent Dr. Alvarez will provide exceptional leadership, integrity, and innovation to our schools, always prioritizing safety, academic excellence, and compassion."
RUSD Board Member Dakira R. Williams noted that the appointment reflects extensive feedback gathered from families, students, staff, and community partners.
“Dr. Alvarez brings a wealth of knowledge, relevant experience, and a deep commitment to student success, and I am confident that he is the right leader for this important season in our district’s history,” Williams stated. “Over the course of our search, we listened closely to the voices of our community. Through a thoughtful and collaborative process, we worked to ensure that the qualities and priorities expressed by our families, students, staff, and community partners guided our decision-making. Dr. Alvarez’s appointment reflects the culmination of that community feedback and our shared commitment to moving Rialto USD forward. I truly believe we are headed in the right direction with the right person leading our district at this time.”
Clerk of the Board of Education
Edgar Montes echoed that sentiment, highlighting Dr. Alvarez’s focus on equity and student success.
“I am pleased to welcome Dr. Alejandro Alvarez as the new Superintendent of the Rialto Unified School District,” Montes said. “Dr. Alvarez brings strong leadership, a commitment to equity, and a clear vision for supporting our students, staff, and community. I look forward to working with him as we continue advancing the success and excellence of Rialto Unified. Please join me in welcoming
Dr. Alvarez to our district.”
In addition to his educational leadership, Dr. Alvarez is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps Reserve, a background District officials say reflects the discipline, service, and compassion that align with RUSD’s mission to prepare every student for a successful future.
Rialto Unified, a state and nationally recognized district, is the city’s largest employer, with more than 3,536 employees serving approximately 23,600 students across 30 schools in Rialto, Colton, San Bernardino, Lytle Creek, and Fontana.
Dr. Alvarez also has deep personal ties to the community. He is married to Caroline Ochoa, a 31-year veteran Rialto USD educator who teaches kindergarten at Georgia Floyd Morris Elementary School and was named RUSD Teacher of the Year two years ago. The couple has two grown children, one a civil engineer and the other currently a college student.
RUSD Board of Education Vice President Joseph W. Martinez expressed optimism about the district’s future under Dr. Alvarez’s leadership.
“I am confident that better days are ahead. Dr. Alvarez is knowledgeable and ready for Rialto. He seems to have a steady hand and a good grasp of leadership. He is the right man at the right time,” Martinez said.
For his part, Dr. Alvarez said he is honored by the Board’s unanimous support and eager to begin working alongside educators, staff, families, and community partners.
“I am thankful for this opportunity and committed to building on the strong foundation already in place for our students,” he said. “Rialto is a vibrant community, and I look forward to working closely with our Board of Education, our staff, and our families to create even greater opportunities for every student we serve. I am excited to lead and thank the Board of Education for having trust in my ability to transform our district toward greater academic success, while keeping us fiscally solvent and thriving. As I step into the Superintendent role, I am deeply committed to listening, learning, and engaging with every corner of the Rialto community. I am eager to collaborate with our exceptional educators and support teams to build and strengthen systems that honor the diverse strengths of our students and meet the evolving needs of the district.”
As Rialto Unified transitions to this new leadership, the Board emphasized that its focus remains on championing academic growth, student well-being, and meaningful pathways that prepare students for the world they will one day lead.
Garcia Center Gala (cont.)
- more staffing, it'd be great to hire more full-time staff.
We are still looking for sponsorships for the gallery and sponsorships for the Mercado 536 (the entrepreneur co-op space), for the makerspace, studios, our ceramics classes, printmaking classes, and a new residency program we are launching in the new year.”
Memberships, he added, will be critical to creating a stable financial foundation that allows the center to shoulder some of those costs on its own.
“We do have our memberships program coming up too and that will help us bring in sustainable funding to keep the space operating and pay for some of the infrastructure improvements ourselves,” Segura said.
Segura said that anyone interested in filling in any of the center’s funding gaps, or interested sponsors, can DM the organization on Instagram, call (909) 888-6400, or email msegura@thegarciacenter.org.
At the gala, the emotional centerpiece of the night was Guest of Honor Dorothy “Dotti” Garcia, wife of the center’s namesake, who has helped carry forward the vision of a vibrant, communityrooted arts hub. Segura presented her with a glassblown sculpture topped with a frog — one of her favorite animals.
“You have helped ensure people’s creative spirits are not extinguished and helped ensure youth grow up continuing to be creative. Thank you Dotti, this sculpture is supposed to symbolize the fire of creativity,” Segura said as he handed her the piece.
Taking the microphone, Dotti reflected on the first time she and her husband saw the building that would eventually become the Garcia Center for the Arts.
Sen.
“I remember the first time Ernie and I passed by the Garcia Center for the Arts’ building I said ‘I want to live there’ and he said, No, we are not going to live there, we have a house. And since then I became very involved in all the organizations that have used this building and added to this building. Recently, I walked through the center and this space has far surpassed the dreams that Ernie and I had for it and I am so impressed with everything that is going on here, including the programs and staff.”
She closed with a simple but powerful reflection on what the night — and the center’s growth — would have meant to her late husband. “ I just know that Ernie would be absolutely ecstatic by what has transpired here.”
That sentiment set the stage for a surprise announcement from Educator and Garcia Center Board Member Tim Garcia, Ernie and Dotti’s son. “Our art gallery here is now going to be named the Dr. Dorothy Garcia Art Gallery,” he said, as the audience roared in applause.
Only after the tributes did organizers turn back to the story of the center’s namesake, whose vision still anchors the space. The center is named after Dr. Ernie Garcia, a South Colton born Chicano activist and champion for education and the arts who retired as executive director in July 2020 and passed away in April 2023. Garcia was instrumental in pushing for Hispanic Heritage Month, securing a meeting with President Ronald Reagan’s office in the 1980s.
In July 2020, Garcia told Inland Empire Community News that creative work would remain at the core of his life. “Although I am retiring from the Garcia Center, I am not going to stop creating,” he said. While volunteering as executive director, Garcia led the renovation of the historic downtown building and implemented community pro-
grams such as music, poetry and art that continue to shape the center’s identity today.
Throughout the gala, the details underscored how deeply local artists and makers are woven into that identity. One of the most unique elements of the evening was its table centerpieces — glass blown sculptures by a local San Bernardino glassblower that guests were captivated by.
Just steps away, Mercado 536, an entrepreneur co-op space– a store filled with unique, handmade artisan goods and items, bustles with activity. The shop was booming with new and returning customers, including Inland Empire Community News copublisher Denise Berver, who excitedly shopped in between announcements at the event. The atmosphere stayed laidback and welcoming despite the downpour outside. Live music by a four-piece band and a live painting by San Bernardino artist UUUPAH (Juwaun McCrary) created a calming, creative energy that wrapped around the evening’s speeches and tributes.
Notable attendees included San Bernardino Mayor Helen Tran, Councilmembers Fred Shorett and Theodore Sanchez, and organizations such as the Inland Empire Labor Institute, Warehouse Workers and the People’s Collective for Environmental Justice, among many others. Inland Empire Community News was a proud media sponsor of the event.
It was pouring rain, but that didn't stop the center’s auditorium from filling up — a clear glimpse into the dedication the community has for this center, its staff and its arts programming. And as Dotti reminded the crowd, the Garcia Center’s growth has not only surpassed her and Ernie’s original dreams; it is the kind of transformation that would have left him “absolutely ecstatic” about what has transpired there.
Reyes’ 30-under-30 Honors IE Labor’s Alicia Aguayo, Colton PD’s Nilda Campos, KVCR’s Justin Verduzco
By Manny Sandoval
On Nov. 13, Sen. Eloise Gómez Reyes, D-Colton, honored 30 young leaders from across the Inland Empire at her 9th Annual 30 Under 30 Awards Ceremony, spotlighting organizers, public servants, artists and professionals reshaping the region’s future.
“The long-term success of the Inland Empire depends on the positive impact our young people have on our region,” Reyes said. “I am confident that by elevating
today’s leaders, we inspire others to make bold moves that redefine our region as one of innovation and progress. I’m incredibly proud of the young people of Senate District 29, and hope they feel seen and supported.”
Launched in 2017, the 30 Under 30 Awards recognize young changemakers in community activism, business, education, health, art and social entrepreneurship.
A few of those honored this year include San Bernardino communications strategist
Alicia Aguayo, Colton Police Officer Nilda Campos, KVCR Marketing & Communications Coordinator Justin “Cody” Verduzco and Wilmer “Amina” Carter Legacy Award recipient Angel Rodriguez.
Aguayo, Senior Marketing & Communications Coordinator for the Inland Empire Labor Institute, was recognized for more than a decade of organizing and narrative work rooted in San Bernardino and the wider Inland Empire.
Full story at IECN.com.
Desert Empire Filmmaker Nonprofit Aims to Make Inland Empire the ‘Hollywood of Indie Film’
By Manny Sandoval
When Cindy and Casey Ball talk about the future of film in the Inland Empire, they don’t hedge. They talk about transformation.
“I want my big vision. I want to make the Inland Empire the Hollywood of indie film,” said co-founder and president Casey Ball, describing the mission of the Desert Empire Filmmaker Foundation, a new nonprofit serving filmmakers across the Inland Empire and Coachella Valley.
The organization, known as DEFF, began taking shape around 2024, when the couple realized they didn’t want local filmmakers to feel forced to move to Los Angeles to build a career. The idea became real in 2025, when they started formal nonprofit paperwork, entered what they call their “awareness phase,” and began showing up anywhere film or arts conversations were happening.
“Right now we’re in a process of just letting everybody know basically that we’re here,” said co-founder and executive director Cindy Ball. “We’re outreach. We’re just trying to meet as many people and let them know what our ideas are and that we want to help people.” That work includes attending festivals and arts events, talking with local and state officials, helping with story and scripts, and guiding filmmakers through production and the film festival world.
Their recent collaboration, the wrestling short “Babyface,” grew out of that approach. Local announcer and filmmaker Mike Wexler wanted to direct his first film, and the Balls helped him shape a story about an up-and-coming tag team wrestling duo pushed to make a shady choice that tests their partnership. The film was shot at Romero’s Boxing Gym in San Bernardino, a space that opened its doors to the crew for days and even cooked tacos
for the shoot.
“He’s gone through hard times and he’s having to rebuild,” Casey said of the gym’s owner. “He’s got to rebuild his whole roster… and that’s why I was like, I gotta help this guy too.” Every time this short film (Babyface) is promoted, the gym is promoted too.
For Cindy, the Inland Empire’s film potential is tied to how different it is from Los Angeles.
“It’s not saturated like LA,” she said. “Out here… local small business owners… have opened their doors and not charged us anything for filming at their establishments. It’s more that they’re intrigued. Like, ‘Oh, wow, you want to film something. That’s so cool.’” She added that the region can double for almost anything: “Inland Empire… that’s still, like, Big Bear. That’s Joshua Tree… we have almost every geographical kind of environment.”
But the couple is blunt about the systemic obstacles. Casey recently testified at a California Arts Council listening session in San Bernardino, pointing out that the Inland Empire’s population rivals several better-funded coastal counties combined.
“In California, the per capita spending, government spending on arts per person is $3,” he said. “For people in San Bernardino County… it’s 40 cents per person. That’s about 15% of the average. And here’s what we’re doing already without help, without that arts funding assistance.”
DEFF’s early momentum has been helped by Arts Connection, the nonprofit arts council for San Bernardino County. The Balls joined its fiscal sponsorship program, which allows them to operate with the structure of an established 501(c)(3) while they work with an attorney on their own federal nonprofit status. “We operate
under the guidance of a proper 501 that’s well established and well connected,” Casey said. “They’ve been helping us out continuously.”
Their credibility comes not just from advocacy but from work on the ground. Before launching DEFF, Cindy and Casey helped lead Phase Three Films, producing the short “Extra Hearts” with support from San Bernardino Valley College and Revival Arcade as part of the College 48 competition. “It kind of proved to us how well the machine was working,” Cindy said. “And it verifies that we do know what we’re doing.”
“Extra Hearts” went on to screen at Filmapalooza in Portugal after winning its local 48 Hour Film Project competition. “Filmapalooza is where all the 48 winners go,” Casey said. “I always describe it as like the World Cup of independent film — short films.”
Money and education are at the heart of what they want to change. Cindy says too many filmmakers focus only on making the film and not on how to get it seen. “We can make a film, but if it just lives on our hard drive, no one knows about it, then that’s like a big [problem],” she said. She points to a stat she shares often: “$1 invested in film is $24 for the return,” she said, citing a trickle down spending on hotels, restaurants, gas, stores and local jobs.
Casey learned the financial side by necessity on a 2023 short he crowdfunded. “I crowdfunded it and I got way more than I was hoping for,” he said. “But I learned… you have to raise your own money, market it yourself… Nobody’s gonna come to you with a blank check and say, ‘Here you go kid, make your dreams happen.’” He now encourages filmmakers to “quantify everything,” from craft services and cleaning supplies to what it would have cost to pay nonunion scale. “People like to say, ‘Oh, we made it for nothing.’
But it’s not true because everything costs something.”
DEFF also emphasizes showing up — on set and at festivals. “So few people even go on the circuit or give a proper festival run,” Casey said. “Maybe they don’t even go to them when it screens. Showing up is the name of the game.” On their own projects, they’ve brought five to 10 first-timers onto set at once, giving new actors and crew members their first IMDb credits. Part of the reason they structured DEFF as a nonprofit is to unlock relationships that might not exist for a for-profit production company. Shortly after filing paperwork with the state, they started approaching vendors. “We went and approached every single vendor there, everybody,” Casey said.
That approach has already led to concrete support. RED Digital Cinema hosted 11 Inland Empire filmmakers at its Orange County headquarters and later loaned DEFF a cinema camera package, valued at about $17,000, for their most recent 48 Hour film. Companies like Scriptation, ShotDeck and Saturation.io have provided software licenses for giveaways and are working with DEFF on future workshops.
Programming is growing around those partnerships. The Most DEF Podcast gives local filmmakers a platform to talk about their projects and experiences shooting in the region. A planned 2026 event called “DEFF Fest” would combine a film festival, mixer and fundraiser. DEFF is also launching a YouTube series that introduces younger viewers to influential films and contextualizes why they matter, after noticing that “so many Gen Z people really have not seen any movies,” Casey said.
More information about Desert Empire Filmmaker Foundation is available at def.foundation and on Instagram at @desertempirefilmmaker.
Thank you to the dignitaries listed below for sponsoring IECN’s Thanksgiving edition
Thank you to the dignitaries listed below for sponsoring IECN’s Thanksgiving edition in El Chicano, Colton Courier, and Rialto Record. Your support helps us continue in El Chicano, Colton Courier, and Rialto Record. Your support helps us continue delivering meaningful news to our communities! delivering meaningful news to our communities!
Thank you to the dignitaries listed below for sponsoring IECN’s Thanksgiving edition in El Chicano, Colton Courier, and Rialto Record. Your support helps us continue delivering meaningful news to our communities!
Diana Z. Rodriguez
Chancellor, San Bernardino Community College District
Website: SBCCD.edu
Eloise Gómez Reyes
California State Senator, 29th District
Phone: (909) 888-5360 Website: sd29.senate.ca.gov
Joe Baca Jr.
San Bernardino County 5th District Supervisor, Vice Chair
Phone: (909) 387-4565 Website: bosd5.sbcounty.gov
James C. Ramos
Assemblymember, 45 district th Website: a45.asmdc.org
Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh
California State Senator, 19th District
Phone: (909) 335-0271
Website: sr19.senate.ca.gov
San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools
Phone: (909) 888-3228 Website: sbcss.net
Dr. Stephanie Houston
Chair, San Bernardino Community College District, Board of Trustees
Website: drstephaniehouston.com
Joseph Williams
Vice Chair, San Bernardino Community College District, Board of Trustees
Email: Info@josephrwilliams.com
NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER
ESTATE OF:
RUTHIE MAE TICEY CASE NO PROVA2500866
To all heirs beneficiaries creditors, contingent creditors and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of RUTHIE MAE TICEY
A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by FELICIA ANN TICEY in the Superior Court of California, County of SAN BERNARDINO THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that FELICIA ANN TICEY be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent
THE PETITION requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action ) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: 12/17/25 at 9:00AM in Dept F3 located at 17780 ARROW BLVD , FONTANA, CA 92335 IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law
YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court If you are a person interested in the estate you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code
section 1250 A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court
clerk
Attorney for Petitioner
FRED EDWARDS - SBN
317309
THE LAW OFFICE OF FRED W EDWARDS
9330 BASELINE RD STE 103
RANCHO CUCAMONGA
CA 91701
Petitioner or Attorney:
Germaine Lewis Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino San Bernardino District – Civil Division, 247 West Third Street San Bernardino CA 92415-0210
PETITION OF:
GERMAINE LEWIS FOR CHANGE OF NAME ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME
Case Number: CIV SB 2530098 TO ALL INTERESTED
PERSONS: Petitioner: filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name:
GERMAINE FREEMAN to Proposed name: GERMAINE LEWIS THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing NOTICE OF HEARING
Date: 12-23-25 Time: 8:30 am Dept: S37 The address of the court is: same as noted above A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation printed in this county: RIALTO RECORD Dated: OCT 23 2025
GILBERT G OCHOA Judge of the Superior Court
Published Rialto Record 10/30,11/6,11/13,11/20/25 R-383
NOTICE OF LIEN SALE PURSUANT TO CIVIL CODE §798 56a AND COMMERCIAL CODE §§ 7209 AND 7210
To: Karen Jensen, 200 W San Bernardino Ave Sp 75, Rialto, CA 92376; Jensen Famly Revocable Trust 200 W San Bernardino Ave , Sp 75, Rialto CA 92376;
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that Capri Rialto Mobile Estates claims a lien against the mobilehome described below in the sum of $5,065 96 This sum represents the storage value of the site where the mobilehome has been stored from July 1 2025 through October 29, 2025, plus costs incurred in removing or storing the mobilehome, and other amounts recoverable under California Civil Code §798 56a The daily storage rate is $25 33 per day and additional amounts may accrue for utilities storage attorney’s fees publication fees and other expenses before the date of sale
Manufacturer: FLEETWOOD Tradename: STONERIDGE Model: Unknown Year of Manufacture: 1979 Decal or License No : AAG6951
Serial No(s) : C A F L 2 A 9 3 9 0 8 2 2 0 7 ;
CAFL2B939082207
Insignia: CAL166988; CAL166989
Location: 200 W San Bernardino Avenue, Space 75 Rialto California 92376 County of San Bernardino
YOU ARE FURTHER
NOTIFIED that the mobilehome and its contents will be sold at 10:00 A M on December 3 2025 at the Park Office located at 200 W San Bernardino Avenue, Rialto California 92376 The warehouseman’s lien sale is for the mobilehome only; it does not include the right to keep the mobilehome on-site or any rights to the space The warehouseman’s lien cannot be used to transfer nor does it transfer the leasehold interest in the land The mobilehome must be removed from the park upon conclusion of the lien sale To inquire about the sale, call the Chana Law Firm at (714) 680-4080
Published Rialto Record 11/13/25 11/20/25 R-398
NOTICE
