San Bernardino County Holds Annual State of the County Event: Route 66 Centennial Theme Spotlights Local Businesses as College Enrollment Tops 30,000
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY, California — San Bernardino County put a spotlight on its local businesses during the annual State of the County event on Thursday, October 8, which also celebrated the 100th anniversary of Route 66.
County officials in attendance included Board of Supervisors Chair and Third District Supervisor Dawn Rowe, Vice Chair Joe Baca, Jr., Supervisors Jesse Armendarez and Curt Hagman, Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk Josie Gonzales, Sheriff Shannon Dicus and County Superintendent of Schools Ted Alejandre. Longtime Inland Empire radio host Jesse Duran opened the event.
The first panel brought together Nathan Gonzales, chair of the San Bernardino Community College District Board of Trustees, who said the district's total enrollment is the highest it has ever been at more than 30,000 students; Peter Van Helden, executive chairman of Stater Bros. Markets; and Jerry Rowley, co-owner of Logan's Candies. A second panel led by Baca focused on family-owned businesses with Cold Star Ice president Dann Ades, Burrtec Waste Industries vice president Richard Niño, and Dr. Timothy Jenkins, area medical director for Kaiser Permanente's San Bernardino County area.
The final panel, led by Rowe, featured ComAv chief executive Wendy Darms, Ecotec senior vice president of technology Alan Vidal, and Equinox Gold senior vice president of U.S. operations Bill Martinich, discussing workforce development, innovation and expansion plans. Darms noted that her industry is regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration, making experienced, certified A&P technicians essential. The event closed with a networking reception, and residents who missed it can watch the program online.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：加利福尼亚州沙漠路段的66号公路路面标志。Domenico Convertini 摄，CC BY-SA 2.0，经 Wikimedia Commons 发布。/ A Route 66 shield painted on a California desert roadway. Photo by Domenico Convertini, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
