With 91.9 KVCR News, I’m Rick Dulock. Before Governor Gavin Newsom signed the state budget, California Assembly Majority Leader Eloise Gomez-Reyes, made sure there was something in there to benefit community college students AND public broadcasting in the region she serves. To that end, on Friday, August 12, in the KVCR TV studio, with students and KVCR station staff on hand, Assemblywoman Reyes presented a check to San Bernardino Community College District leaders. Here’s some of what she said during the gathering.
REYES: “This 15-million dollars is a huge win for the San Bernardino Community College District, for KVCR and for the residents of our county and the whole Inland Southern California region. The Inland Empire is often seen as a news desert. But we’re changing that narrative with this vital state funding to strengthen KVCR because it is important to provide residents with local news that is grounded in facts. We also want to make sure that it includes accurate information, like the hundreds of millions of dollars of state funding that has been brought here to the Inland Empire communities to build parks, community centers, to repair and replace bridges like the Mt. Vernon Viaduct. Also to build affordable housing and other projects and services that increase quality of life for our residents here in the Inland Valley.”
The college district’s Chancellor, Diana Rodriguez had this to say about why and how this state budget allocation came to be.
RODRIGUEZ: “The future of KVCR was uncertain. We knew we would always have KVCR, but we weren’t sure about its programming. So, can you imagine our children turning on the TV and suddenly PBS and Big Bird were gone? Can you imagine turning on the radio in the morning and NPR News wasn’t there? I couldn’t bear the thought of that. And neither could Majority Leader Reyes. And as always, the Majority Leader stepped up for the Inland Empire, and she fought in Sacramento to bring 15-million dollars… 15-million dollars to help us here at KVCR.” (Applause)
Several members of the SBCCD Board of Trustees were on hand for the check presentation, including Dr. Anne Viricel, Dr. Stephanie Houston, Frank Reyes, John Longville, and Nathan Gonzalez.
The funding should be of great assistance in implementing SBCCD’s three part strategic plan titled, KVCR Inspiring Possibilities, created through a collaboration of District Management, Faculty, and KVCR Staff.
Rick Dulock, KVCR News.