The “hope-filled” Riverside Wish Lounge is open for Inland Empire families.
The lounge, located at the Make-A-Wish Inland Empire office, was created with help from several local organizations. Wish families will use the space to meet with staff, volunteers and wish-granters in order to plan wishes for critically ill children.
Unveiled last week with support from the Fontana Chamber of Commerce, the lounge at 1700 Iowa Ave., Suite 110, was designed by Mathis Home, which also provided furnishings.
A $10,000 grant from the Henri Landwirth & Family Donor Advised Fund also brought the lounge to life. That fund was created to honor Henri Landwirth, founder of Give Kids the World.
In 2026, Make-A-Wish Orange County and Inland Empire anticipates it will grant 300 wishes.
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The Walmart Neighborhood Market in Jurupa Valley last week celebrated the completion of storewide renovations at 8844 Limonite Ave. The makeover expanded online pickup and delivery capacity and area, more product selection, renovated bathrooms and an upgraded pharmacy center. (Photo courtesy of Walmart)
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The Walmart Neighborhood Market in Jurupa Valley last week celebrated the completion of storewide renovations at 8844 Limonite Ave. The makeover expanded online pickup and delivery capacity and area, more product selection, renovated bathrooms and an upgraded pharmacy center. (Photo courtesy of Walmart)
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Jurupa Valley Walmart market gets a makeover
The Walmart Neighborhood Market in Jurupa Valley has wrapped up work on storewide renovations at 8844 Limonite Ave.
The makeover includes new flooring, fixtures, paint inside and updated signage.
Other amenities for shoppers:
—Expanded online pickup and delivery capacity and area
—More product selection
—Renovated bathrooms
—An upgraded pharmacy center
$9.3 million for Inland Empire firefighter hiring
The San Bernardino County Fire Protection District is getting a $9.3 million federal grant to hire and train 21 new firefighters.
The SAFER grant, secured by Rep. Pete Aguilar, will help the district expand its 24-hour fire response coverage.
“As our region continues to face a worsening, year-round fire season, it is essential that we are equipped with the necessary amount of resources and firefighters to keep Californians safe,” Aguilar said in a statement.
The money comes from FEMA and its 2024 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program.
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Sherri Anderson is the new president of Bank of America Inland Empire. A Riverside native, she began her career at BofA in 2019 with Consumer Investments division. (Photo courtesy of Bank of America)
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Sherri Anderson is the new president of Bank of America Inland Empire. A Riverside native, she began her career at BofA in 2019 with Consumer Investments division. (Photo courtesy of Bank of America)
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On the move
Sherri Anderson is the new president of Bank of America Inland Empire. A Riverside native, she began her career at BofA in 2019 with Consumer Investments division. Anderson also has served on the boards of Feeding America and Youth Action Project, and on the Corporate Advisory Council of the National Latina Business Women’s Association of the Inland Empire. BofA said it has 1,900 employees and 65 financial centers and $18.4 billion in consumer deposits across both counties.
Anthony Stone is the new executive director of Cal Poly Pomona’s W. K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Center. He will be in charge of strategic planning, operational management, animal care, expanding hands-on learning opportunities for students, community engagement and donor relationships. Most recently, Stone served as director of admissions and business development at OC Veterinary Assistant School in Garden Grove, where he was a founding team member. He also previously was executive director at Heritage College.
Katherine Bourbeau-Medinilla is the new chief population health officer at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton. She is responsible for the “clinical aspects and physician alignment of ARMC’s strategic growth” and reducing healthcare disparities in the community. Bourbeau-Medinilla has been an attending physician with ARMC since 2022. The 456-bed university-affiliated teaching hospital notes she also will continue in her clinical practice part time within ARMC’s internal medicine residency program, in addition to her new leadership responsibilities.
Good works
The Miralon community on Dec. 15 gave $37,000 to FIND (Food in Need of Distribution) Regional Food Bank. The Coachella Valley’s regional food bank serves families and individuals living with food insecurity. The donation was raised during Miralon’s first “Tuscan Friendsgiving” held the weekend before Thanksgiving. The money will go toward FIND’s efforts to make 150,000 meals this season. Homeowners at Miralon also provided toy donations for the annual holiday toy and gift card drive benefiting the James O. Jessie Desert Highland Unity Center. The center provides year-round programs for children, families, seniors, and underserved residents in the Coachella Valley.
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Molina Healthcare of California recently participated in a drive-though food giveaway at the Moreno Valley Health & Wellness Center where volunteers packed produce for 200 families. (Photo courtesy of Molina Healthcare of California)
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Molina Healthcare of California recently participated in a drive-though food giveaway at the Moreno Valley Health & Wellness Center where volunteers packed produce for 200 families. (Photo courtesy of Molina Healthcare of California)
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Molina Healthcare of California recently participated in a drive-though food giveaway at the Moreno Valley Health & Wellness Center where volunteers packed produce for 200 families. The event was held to help address rising food insecurity in Riverside County. Molina said food insecurity strikes 12% of the county’s population, up 41% from two years ago. Volunteers with Molina and Moreno Valley Unified School District also a new gate for the wellness center, which was donated by the healthcare provider. The gate will help the center’s staff with safety, traffic flow and overall efficiency for food assistance events. In addition to the gate, Molina also gave MVUSD with a check for $10,000 to support efforts to address food insecurity. Molina provides government-funded healthcare to members using Medi-Cal, Medicare and Covered California programs.
News from last week
Better Buzz Coffee Roasters opened its second cafe Saturday, Dec. 20 in Temecula. The coffee shop sits at 29440 Rancho California Road, across from Temecula Duck Pond, notes food reporter Fielding Buck. Another Better Buzz opened Dec. 11 in San Jacinto at 1580 S. San Jacinto Ave.
Ford is recalling thousands of electric and hybrid vehicles because a parking function issue could lead to them rolling away. The recall includes 270,000 vehicles, in particular 2022-2026 F-150 Lightning BEV, 2024-2026 Mustang Mach-E, and 2025-2026 Maverick vehicles. The automaker said the problem is within the “integrated park module,” which may fail to lock into the park position when the driver shifts into park.
The business briefs are compiled and edited by Business Editor Samantha Gowen. Submit items to sgowen@scng.com. High-resolution images can also be submitted. Allow at least one week for publication. Items are edited for length and clarity.
