Community Celebrates and Finalizes Adoptions by Kayla Sheldon - City News Group, Inc.
View Upcoming Events View Your Local Sales

Community Calendar

◄ NOVEMBER ►
S M T W T F S
01 02 03 04 05 06 07
08 09 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 01 02 03 04 05
View Events
Submit Events
directory

Community Celebrates and Finalizes Adoptions

By Kayla Sheldon, Community Writer
December 11, 2014 at 09:05am. Views: 224

Families and community members gathered at the Ontario Convention Center with a common mission: to join the San Bernardino County Children and Family Services Adoption Finalization Celebration Nov. 20. This annual event that brought nearly 1,200 locals together honored adoptions throughout the year. According to San Bernardino County’s C.L. Lopez, November is the chosen celebration month since it is recognized as National Adoption Month. Every year, there are nearly 400 adoptions, many of which are finalized at the event; this year, 89 adoptions were finalized - 18 families adopted siblings and 28 children were adopted by family members; 47 of the adopted children were three years old or younger. Keynote speaker Jennifer Brickner, an acrobat, aerialist, gymnast and motivational speaker, was born without legs and was immediately put up for adoption. However, Brickner didn't let that stop her from following her aspirations. After her family adopted her, her inspiring journey began, she shared. Brickner credited her adoptive family for helping her realize that she could do anything if she worked hard and believed in herself. She explained that the word "can't" should never be in her vocabulary. “She is an inspiring and very talented person that was adopted by an amazing family,” Lopez mentioned. “We couldn’t imagine anyone more inspiring than her to speak.” The honorable judges performing the adoptions included Christopher B. Marshall, Juvenile Court Presiding Judge; Cheryl C. Kersey, Judge of the Superior Court; Steve Mapes, Judge of the Superior Court; and Lynn M. Poncin, Judge of the Superior Court. “We are grateful to all of the families who have opened their hearts and their homes to nearly 100 of our children,” said CFS Director Randall Schulz. “This event celebrates the hope that our children have for the future that comes with the gift of a permanent and loving family.” The event also included a “heroes” recognition, in which San Bernardino County thanked and recognized local heroes such as the San Bernardino County law enforcement officers and firefighters.

Related Articles

Photo Courtesy of: Steven Moore and provided courtesy of SBCUSD

By William Cortez, Community Writer

October 27, 2026 at 02:40pm. Views: 706

Pacific High School students and staff celebrated a prestigious statewide honor on Sept. 17 as Justice Corey G. Lee, Associate Justice of the California Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District, Division Two, personally presented the school with the 2026 California Civic Learning Award of Distinction. (l-r) San Bernardino County Superior Court Judge Hon. R. Glenn Yabuno, San Bernardino County Superior Court Presiding Judge Rodney A. Cortez, Pacific High School teacher CJ Eastwood, Pacific High School Principal Dr. Natalie Raymundo, California Court of Appeals Associate Justice Corey G. Lee and San Bernardino Superior Court Executive Officer Anabel Z. Romero celebrated the school’s receipt of the 2026 California Civic Learning Award of Distinction during a special presentation ceremony.

Photo Courtesy of: https://www.csusb.edu/

By William Cortez, Community Writer

October 27, 2026 at 02:40pm. Views: 779

National Science Foundation-supported program provides hands-on geological research and career preparation near one of California's most significant fault systems. The mountains surrounding San Bernardino offer some of Southern California's most dramatic scenery, but beneath that landscape lies a geological system that has shaped the region for millions of years.

Photo Courtesy of: Dignity Health’s - Community Hospital of San Bernardino and St. Bernardine Medical Center

By Amanda Spence, Community Writer

October 27, 2026 at 02:40pm. Views: 1306

SAN BERNARDINO, CA – Oct. 27, 2026 – Dignity Health’s - Community Hospital of San Bernardino (CHSB) and St. Bernardine Medical Center (SBMC), members of CommonSpirit Health, announced today they earned 8 recognitions from Healthgrades, a national leading resource for patients seeking information about hospitals and physicians. The 2027 honors recognize their collective commitment to delivering clinical excellence and compassionate care to patients.

Photo Courtesy of: City News Group

By William Cortez, Community Writer

November 11, 2026 at 08:19am. Views: 129

A sweeping decision involving California's most serious criminal sentences has drawn strong opposition from San Bernardino County District Attorney Jason Anderson, placing the county's chief prosecutor at the center of a statewide debate over justice, victims' rights and executive authority.

Photo Courtesy of: City News Group

By William Cortez, Community Writer

November 11, 2026 at 08:19am. Views: 113

With winter approaching, emergency officials are coordinating flood prevention, roadway maintenance and public alerts to help residents prepare for dangerous weather. A heavy rainstorm can change the landscape of San Bernardino in a matter of hours. Streets that ordinarily carry commuters and school buses can become difficult to navigate, drainage channels can fill rapidly, and neighborhoods near foothills may face increased risks from flooding and debris.

Photo Courtesy of: San Bernardino's California Theatre from 1930

By Amanda Spencer, Community Writer

November 11, 2026 at 08:19am. Views: 144

Nearly a century after opening its doors, the downtown landmark remains an important connection between the city's entertainment history and its cultural future. In downtown San Bernardino, the California Theatre of the Performing Arts stands as a reminder of a time when attending a movie or live performance was one of the most anticipated social occasions in a growing Southern California city.

Photo Courtesy of: BBOP Center

By Justus Baker-Postell, Community Writer

November 11, 2026 at 08:19am. Views: 141

BBOP Information Session The Black and Brown Opportunities for Profit (BBOP) Center, an Inland Empire economic and workforce development hub and a project of Time for Change Foundation, has launched Pathways to Prosperity, its Employment Training Pathway Program (ETPP), a comprehensive workforce initiative designed to connect residents facing barriers to employment with the skills, credentials, hands-on experience and employer relationships needed to enter and advance in high-demand careers.

Photo Courtesy of: City News Group

By Stella Pierce, Community Writer

October 14, 2026 at 11:03am. Views: 1672

Festive University of Redlands Homecoming celebration, with alumni, students, and families gathered on campus wearing maroon Bulldogs apparel. A bulldog mascot greets attendees while cheerleaders and a marching band perform near decorated tents and balloons, with university buildings and mountains in the background.

Photo Courtesy of: City News Group

By Stella Pierce, Community Writer

October 20, 2026 at 04:19pm. Views: 3138

The City of Redlands will host Plane-or-Treat at Redlands Municipal Airport on October 25, featuring trick-or-treating, entertainment and family activities. An AI-generated illustration

Photo Courtesy of: California Historical Society Collection, USC Libraries Special Collections.

By Ruby Stephenson, Community Writer

October 20, 2026 at 04:22pm. Views: 1329

As Redlands continues to grow, its surviving citrus groves offer a living connection to the industry that shaped the city's neighborhoods, economy and identity. Orange trees heavy with fruit line a grove in Redlands around 1900, with snow-covered Mount San Bernardino visible in the distance. The photograph documents the citrus industry that played a central role in the city's early development.

Photo Courtesy of: City News Group - AI-generated illustration of a downtown Redlands streetscape

By Amanda Spencer, Community Writer

October 27, 2026 at 02:39pm. Views: 551

The City of Redlands is accepting applications for a volunteer position on its Traffic and Parking Commission. November 5 Deadline Approaching.

Photo Courtesy of: City News Group - Illustrative image, not an actual enforcement operation.

By William Cortez, Community Writer

October 27, 2026 at 02:39pm. Views: 541

New state-funded traffic safety program will target impaired driving, speeding, distracted motorists and dangerous behavior near pedestrians and bicyclists. A $94,300 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety will support DUI checkpoints, distracted driving enforcement, pedestrian safety initiatives and officer training through September 2027.

--> -->