Judith Valles, the first Hispanic mayor of San Bernardino, died on June 26 at the age of 93-years-old 

“She served our community with vision and heart from 1998 to 2006, breaking barriers for so many who came after her,” said San Bernardino Mayor Helen Tran in an online tribute.

Valles ran for mayor to bring back civility, she said in a 2003 San Bernardino oral history project.

“I retired and I came back to San Bernardino and I watched a couple of council meetings and they were an embarrassment to me; no civility at all. Not that I was going to change the world and I wasn't interested in running for mayor, but then Mayor Minor, at the time, said that he wasn't going to run again. It was an open seat and I was actively recruited. And I decided, ‘What have I got to lose?,’” Valles said.

Born to Mexican immigrant parents, Valles said her mother only had a fifth grade education, but raised them on proverbs and courtesy. Valles rose through education, attending San Bernardino High School, San Bernardino Valley College, the University of Redlands for a Bachelor’s in English and UC Riverside for a Master’s in Spanish Literature. 

She taught at San Bernardino Valley College in 1965. She rose through the college’s administration, and was appointed president of Golden West College in Huntington Beach in 1988. After finishing her two terms as mayor, Valles served as president of Los Angeles Mission College, on the San Bernardino Municipal Water Department Board of Commissioners, and as president of the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra’s board of directors.

“You don't have to use strong obscene words, or be aggressive. But treat people with courtesy and be firm and that doesn't mean you're weak,” Valles said.

In 2015, Valles published a recollection of her mother’s expressions: As My Mother Would Say: Como Decia Mi Mama.

Her family fought against segregation when she was a child, the San Bernardino County Sentinel reported. When her brother, Hanibal “Tony” Antonio Valles died while training with the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1942, he was denied burial in a San Bernardino church. Her father, Gonzalo Valles, contacted Congressman Harry Sheppard, who arranged for Valles to be buried in San Bernardino. 

Her other brother, Michael Valles, was a plaintiff in the desegregation case Lopez V. Seccombe, over the segregation of the city’s pool. Mexican-Americans were only allowed access one day a week, the day before it was cleaned. After he was denied entry, Gonzalo brought a civil rights case. He won, and the legal arguments brought were later applied in the landmark desegregation case Brown v. Board of Education.

Read more at The Sun: “Valles was remembered for championing neighborhood revitalization, economic development, historic preservation, youth programs and public safety.”

The Riverside Sheriff’s Office and Coroner’s Office should be separated to bring more oversight of county jail deaths, Sen. Sabrina Cervantes (D-Riverside) says. 

She amended a bill to do exactly that on March 25, and it has been sailing through the legislature. The bill passed the Senate Floor on May 19, 30-9 and the Assembly Committee on Local Government June 17, 8-2.

“Right now, in Riverside County, the same department that may be responsible for the death of a person in custody is also responsible for investigating and determining the cause of death.” Cervantes said on the Senate floor on May 19, where it passed 30-9. Two senators that represent Riverside County, Kelly Seyarto of Murrieta and Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh voted no. 

“SB 1379 substitutes Sacramento's judgment for that of Riverside County, which has already studied and rejected this exact proposal,” Seyarto said. 

In her presentations, Cervantes has referenced a 2024 CalMatters investigation by Nigel Duara and Jeremia Kimelman that found Riverside had some of the state’s deadliest jails: California jails are holding thousands fewer people, but far more are dying in them.

“Riverside County has become a uniquely urgent case, due to its high number of in custody deaths, public controversy and concerns about conflicts under the sheriff coroner model,” Cervantes said in response to Seyarto.

Ryan Sherman of the Riverside Sheriff’s Association and Riverside Deputy Coroner Allison Doubleday spoke in opposition at the June 17 hearing. They both expressed concern about the county coroner’s job positions, but said they were thankful for Cervantes’ recent amendments.

Doubleday said the office already outsources the autopsies of officer-related deaths to the San Bernardino County Coroner’s, due to a recently enacted law.

Last week, Cervantes amended the bill to ensure employees in the newly independent Coroner’s Office would remain in the same bargaining unit and keep their existing compensation, seniority, rights, benefits and retirement status.

The Fraternal Order of Police removed their opposition to the bill after the amendments. 

Julio De Leon of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office stated opposition. 

The Inland Empire will be busy this weekend, and you’re almost certain to see fireworks. To get the best view, or to add some history to your celebrations, here’s a list of events.

July 1

Chino Hills will host a celebration at Veterans Park today, with a recreation of the Union Civil War Brass Brand and a tribute to the Eagles and Linda Ronstadt.

July 3

San Bernardino County will host a fireworks show at Lake Gregory Regional Park, in Crestline.

The Riverside National Cemetery will hold its annual Concert for Heroes, featuring a symphony orchestra.

The Redlands Bowl will provide a full orchestra show of patriotic songs, for free, starting at 8 p.m. Four singers will perform, along with the Inland Master Chorale.

July 4

In Riverside, a fireworks show will be held at Evergreen Memorial Historic Cemetery. The event will include live music, face painting, bounce houses, guided tours and food vendors. More info here.

Highland will host a parade at 9 a.m., starting on the intersection of Base Line and Church Ave. 

Ontario will host a parade at 9 a.m., starting on the intersection of Euclid Ave. and Fifth Street. Following the parade, a picnic will be held at Ontario Town Square. The picnic will include a showband, and contests for most patriotic dog, best beard and best dressed for the occasion.a patriotic pooch competition, a beard contest, and an overall best dressed. Fireworks will start at Westwind Park at 9 p.m.

Rancho Cucamonga’s firework show will open gates at the Epicenter Sports Complex at 6 p.m., with the show kicking off at 9 p.m.

Redlands will host a parade at 10:30 a.m., starting at Sylvan Park, and a fireworks show at Moore Middle School in the evening. Info on both events are available here. The Lincoln Shrine will be closed for the celebrations, but has a new exhibit on the legacy of the Declaration of Independence.

Upland is hosting a block party with fireworks on Benson Ave.

Yucaipa is celebrating with a monster truck show (sold out), a firework show at Yucaipa High School with flyovers. Gates open at 5:30 p.m.

July 5

The Museum of Riverside is providing guided history tours of Heritage House, on Magnolia Ave., from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The Sons of the American Revolution and Daughters of the American Revolution will speak on the founding principles of our country. 

 The Press Enterprise provided a guide to more events: Where to find July 4th fireworks, parades, festivals in the Inland Empire

Riverside County Fire published a guide to fireworks celebrations in cities across the county, which you can view here. Also worth reading, the Raincross Gazette published an article on Riverside’s Independence Day celebration in 1876: How a Young City Marked the Nation's 100th Birthday.

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