Category: Inland Empire

A coalition of more than 225 businesses, 175 within the Coachella Valley and Inland Empire areas, have joined tribal leaders, advocates and elected officials in pledging support to an initiative urging President Joe Biden to establish a new Chuckwalla National Monument. Groups in favor of the proposal asserted the proposed protection status as a potential local economic boost, an aid to ensure residents’ outdoor access and a safeguard for biodiversity and cultural resources. “The proposed Chuckwalla National Monument and protecting lands adjacent to Joshua Tree National Park will provide even more opportunities for people to access the outdoors, as well as protect our beautiful deserts,” said Desert Hot Springs City Councilmember Gary Gardner, who also chairs Visit Greater Palm Springs’ Joint Powers Authority. “Outdoor recreation and access to our gorgeous desert lands are among the primary drivers of our tourism-based economy and are part of what makes living here so special.” Located south of Joshua Tree National Park, the proposal would encompass about 627,000 acres of public lands, as well as protect approximately 17,000 additional acres in the Eagle Mountains. Advocates say that added protections

Court-appointed experts will no longer monitor inmate medical care in San Bernardino County jails under an agreement between the Sheriff’s Department and a prisoner rights nonprofit that alleged civil rights violations in a class-action lawsuit. U.S. District Court Judge Jesus G. Bernal in Riverside approved the agreement between the Sheriff’s Department and the Berkeley-based Prison Law Office on July 15. The agreement noted that the Sheriff’s Department was in “substantial compliance” with a five-year remedial plan it entered into as part of its settlement in 2018 to improve inmate conditions at county jails. The plan also required the Sheriff’s Department to improve mental health and dental care for inmates as well as its use-of-force policy for correctional deputies, and to bring the jails into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. “The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department is pleased to announce it has successfully met the jail medical standard requirements in a consent decree it has been operating under since December 2018,” the Sheriff’s Department said in a statement on Wednesday, July 24. About 30 friends, concerned citizens and family members of Isaiah Javon Hernandez

Montclair Place is partnering with Shoes That Fit, a Claremont-based nonprofit, in a back-to-school shoe drive running through Aug. 20. To participate in the drive and help provide new athletic shoes for children in need, stop by Montclair Place’s Center Court where tags are hung with shoestrings on a peg board. Each tag has the first name, gender and shoe size of a child in need. Participants select a tag, buy shoes from one of 12 athletic shoe stores for the child described on the tag and bring the shoes to the donation bin in Center Court. “One in five children in the United States lives in poverty, and shoes are one of the most expensive items for low-income families to provide,” Amy Fass, executive director of Shoes That Fit, said in a news release. “Having good shoes removes one worry for children who may be dealing with many struggles. Please consider helping children in need when preparing kids for the return to school.” Montclair Place, at 5060 E. Montclair Plaza Lane, Montclair, is open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 10 am.-9 p.m. Saturdays

No restaurants or other food establishments were ordered to close by San Bernardino County health inspectors from July 18 to July 25. Updates since last week’s list: Rancho Liquor & Market at 10120 25th St., Rancho Cucamonga, which was ordered closed July 16 because of insufficient hot water, was allowed to reopen July 18. This list is published weekly with closures since the previous week’s list. Status updates are published the following week. Source: San Bernardino County Department of Public Health — Ian Wheeler Related Articles Local News | San Bernardino County restaurants shut down by health inspectors, July 11-18 Local News | San Bernardino County restaurants shut down by health inspectors, July 3-11 Local News | San Bernardino County restaurants shut down by health inspectors, June 27-July 4 Local News | Hooters closes several ‘underperforming’ restaurants Local News | San Bernardino County restaurants shut down by health inspectors, June 13-20

Few people want to go into a nursing home, but doing so can be the right choice if you or a loved one is physically or cognitively disabled or recovering from surgery. Unfortunately, homes vary greatly in quality, and many don’t have enough nurses and aides to give residents the care they need. Q: How do I find nursing homes worth considering? Start with Medicare’s online comparison tool, which you can search by city, state, ZIP code, or home name. Ask for advice from people designated by your state to help people who are older or have disabilities search for a nursing home. Every state has a “no wrong door” contact for such inquiries. You can also reach out to your local area agency on aging, a public or nonprofit resource, and your local long-term care ombudsman, who helps residents resolve problems with their nursing home. Find your area agency on aging and ombudsman through the federal government’s Eldercare Locator website or by calling 1-800-677-1116. Identify your ombudsman through the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care, an advocacy group. Some people use private placement agencies, but they may refer

Young boxers with dreams of becoming the next Muhammad Ali — “the Greatest” — or Lucia Rijker — known as “the Most Dangerous Woman in the World” — start as amateurs trading jabs and hoping to be champions. Southern California boxers Oscar De La Hoya and “Sugar” Shane Mosley began at small boxing events before turning into pros and ring legends. Similarly, a future star could have been fighting at the three-day Southern California State Amateur Boxing Championships in Perris. At Perris High School from Friday, July 12, to Sunday, July 14, more than 400 Pee Wee to Masters boxers — male and female — between 8 and 44 years old competed. Diaz Brothers Boxing’s Katri Anzaldua, left, and Tiger Smalls Boxing’s Mariah Simmons fight in a championship bout of the Southern California State Amateur Boxing Championships at Perris High School on Sunday, July 14, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) Temecula Boxing supporters watch Sunday, July 14, 2024, as Temecula Boxing’s Jacob Lopez fights a championship bout against Hanford Boxing’s Leonardo Mendoiza in the Southern California State Amateur Boxing Championships at Perris High

Reggie Webb is seen in an undated photo. The Claremont resident and community volunteer died Saturday, July 20, 2024. (Courtesy of Webb Family Enterprises) Longtime McDonald’s franchisee and Inland Empire Black community advocate Reggie Webb has died from leukemia-related illnesses. He was 76. Webb, who died Saturday, July 20, became a McDonald’s franchisee in 1985 and eventually operated 16 restaurants in Southern California through his company, Webb Family Enterprises. His restaurants employ more than 1,100 people. “Reggie Webb’s success at McDonald’s is well-known, but what truly sets him apart is his commitment to lifting others alongside him,” said Joseph Williams, a board member for the Inland Empire Community Foundation. In addition to founding Webb Family Investments, Webb established the Ontario-based Cooperative Economic Empowerment Movement, which creates support systems for African American businesses and closes the racial wealth gap. “Such a treasured man of integrity and generosity,” said Charee Gillins, marketing and communications director for the Inland Empire Community Foundation. Webb, who lived in Claremont, dedicated most of his time to the community, holding numerous leadership positions, including chairman of the National Black McDonald’s Operator Association, chairman of

A brush fire that erupted Thursday on a hillside just west of Lake Elsinore scorched 130 acres in an hour and threatened homes abutting the Cleveland National Forest, prompting mandatory evacuation orders. The non-injury “Macy Fire” was reported at 5:42 p.m. in the vicinity of the El Cariso Campground, north of the Ortega (74) Highway, just west of Macy Street on the west end of Lake Elsinore, according to the Riverside County Fire Department. Multiple engine and hand crews from the county, U.S. Forest Service, Orange County Fire Authority and other agencies were sent to the location and encountered flames running downhill at a “dangerous rate of spread,” heading directly toward residences alongside the federal preserve, according to the department. Five Cal Fire air tankers and three water-dropping helicopters immediately initiated runs on the brusher, making drops for the protection of homes in the fire’s path, according to reports from the scene. At 6:50 p.m., the flames jumped the highway, burning along both sides near a turnout known as the “Candy Store,” according to officials. An evacuation order was issued for all properties south of

Crews responded Thursday evening to a vegetation fire in the Lake Elsinore area. Firefighters were called around 5:41 p.m. to the area of Orange and Macy streets in Lake Elsinore, where a vegetation fire spread to more than 134 acres. Residents were told evacuate neighborhoods in the area. No injuries have been reported.  

The city of Chino Hills is launching a Teens Night Out program intended to provide teenagers with safe and fun events. The program, which will offer a variety of events throughout the year, will kick off with a free movie night 6-10:30 p.m. Friday, July 26. The movie night, at the Chino Hills Community Center, 14250 Peyton Drive, will feature a screening of “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” plus games and prizes, according to a news release. There will be free popcorn, and other refreshments will be available for purchase, by cash only. The Teens Night Out program was developed as a collaboration between city of Chino Hills staff and the Teen Advisory Board, with a goal of providing enriching experiences and creating a sense of community and belonging among Chino Hills teens, ages 13 to 17, according to the news release. Events throughout the year will include social activities, games, contests and group challenges to promote teamwork and physical activity, as well as activities focused on hobbies and interests such as art, technology, music and dance. For information about Teens Night Out events

Local governments should go ahead and clear homeless encampments across California, without fear of lawsuits or legal injunctions, Gov. Gavin Newsom declared Thursday, July 25. “The state has been hard at work to address this crisis on our streets. There are simply no more excuses,” Newsom said in a news release issued by his office. “It’s time for everyone to do their part.” In the executive order issued Thursday, state agencies are required to adopt policies similar to an existing California Department of Transportation one for clearing encampments on state property. Local agencies are “encouraged” to do the same. The order notes the state has provided “historic investments and intervention programs” to address homelessness. The order gives some guidance for what those policies should look like: Unless there’s an “imminent threat to life, health, safety or infrastructure,” officials are told to give those in encampments at least a 48-hour warning before the area is cleared. Officials are also directed to contact homelessness outreach services providers and to collect, label and store personal items taken from camps for at least 60 days, unless they’re found to

Fontana police released body cam footage Wednesday that showed an officer in November fatally shoot an apparently unarmed man who allegedly was reaching for the officer’s gun. Police responded around 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 11 to the 7100 block of Big Sur Street after they received a call regarding a restrained man threatening his family, according to a critical incident report of the case that included the footage. In a clip of the call police posted to Facebook, a caller says his cousin, Jaime Valdez, was allegedly on drugs and threatening to kill some of their family members. Warning: The following video contains disturbing footage An officer approaches Valdez, who is seen lying in the driveway of a home, and calls his name several times, according to the bodycam footage. The officer identifies himself as police several times and asks Valdez if he’s all right or needs an ambulance. A back and forth begins between Valdez and the officer, who at one point tells him, “You’re going to get put in handcuffs if you keep talking to me like that.” “Chill out,” the officer continues

Fontana police released body cam footage Wednesday that showed an officer in November fatally shoot a an apparently unarmed man who allegedly was reaching for the officer’s gun. Police responded around 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 11 to the 7100 block of Big Sur Street after they received a call regarding a restrained man threatening his family, according to a critical incident report of the case that included the footage. In a clip of the call police posted to Facebook, a caller says his cousin, Jaime Valdez, was allegedly on drugs and threatening to kill some of their family members. Warning: The following video contains disturbing footage An officer approaches Valdez, who is seen lying in the driveway of a home, and calls his name several times, according to the bodycam footage. The officer identifies himself as police several times and asks Valdez if he’s all right or needs an ambulance. A back and forth begins between Valdez and the officer, who at one point tells him, “You’re going to get put in handcuffs if you keep talking to me like that.” “Chill out,” the officer

Local governments should go ahead and clear homeless encampments across California, without fear of lawsuits or legal injunctions, Gov. Gavin Newsom declared Thursday, July 25. “The state has been hard at work to address this crisis on our streets. There are simply no more excuses,” Newsom said in a news release issued by his office. “It’s time for everyone to do their part.” In the executive order issued Thursday, state agencies are required to adopt policies similar to an existing California Department of Transportation one for clearing encampments on state property. Local agencies are “encouraged” to do the same. The order notes the state has provided “historic investments and intervention programs” to address homelessness. The order gives some guidance for what those policies should look like: Unless there’s an “imminent threat to life, health, safety or infrastructure,” officials are told to give those in encampments at least a 48-hour warning before the area is cleared. Officials are also directed to contact homelessness outreach services providers and to collect, label and store personal items taken from camps for at least 60 days, unless they’re found to

Theodore Sanchez, the San Bernardino councilmember, was on vacation last month in Tokyo, Japan. Strolling through a glitzy mall, Miyashita Park, he was surprised to see, side by side in the food court, a McDonald’s and a Taco Bell. “I thought, wow, both of these have their origins in my little town across the world,” Sanchez recalled. McDonald’s started at 14th and E streets. Taco Bell’s hard-shell tacos were inspired by San Bernardino’s Mitla Cafe (but don’t hold that against Mitla). On a lark, Sanchez went in and placed an order. Making conversation, he told the young woman behind the counter, who spoke English: “They started in my hometown in California. I’m from San Bernardino.” A little confused why he was eating American fast food while on vacation halfway around the world, she asked politely: “Do you like it?” “It was a little embarrassing,” Sanchez admitted. Ordering food ironically is a hard needle to thread. So how was his Japanese-made Taco Bell chicken quesadilla? “The food was identical,” Sanchez marveled. “The only difference was that they had beer.” Summer in the IE Remember when I

The Riverside Art Museum and the Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture are offering free admission every Sunday through Sept. 1. The museums’ Free Summer Sundays, which began June 2, are supported by Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All program. Sunday hours at both museums are noon-5 p.m., and advance reservations are required because of limited capacity, according to a news release. Reservations may be made at riversideartmuseum.org/events or in person. Current exhibits at The Cheech include a retrospective of more than 50 years Judithe Hernández’s work, which explores the legacies of colonization and the U.S.-Mexico border and their impact on women and children; and “Hogar Dulce Hogar,” featuring work of 20 Inland Empire artists exploring the meaning of home amid global migration. The Judithe Hernández exhibit runs through Aug. 4 and “Hogar Dulce Hogar” through Sept. 22. Exhibits at the Riverside Art Museum include “Before You Now: Capturing the Self in Portraiture,” featuring work of more than 50 artists; and “Plastic Bodies,” photographer Sheila Pree Bright’s images of mostly women of color combined with doll faces and torsos to explore the relationships

If you lived in the Riverside or Corona area in the 1970s and were into racing, or even if you weren’t but drove the 91 Freeway between the two cities, then undoubtedly you remember seeing the old Corona Raceway. The Corona Raceway was in the hills north of the freeway, between Pierce and McKinley. While it wasn’t as famous as the Riverside International Raceway several miles to the northeast, it provided entertainment for auto racing fans for many years. Of course, Corona was no stranger to auto racing. Some 60 years before the Corona Raceway, auto races were held on circular Grand Avenue – but that story has already been told in this column. The idea for the Corona Raceway came from Felice and Laura Lipari, who owned a few hundred acres of land in what is now the border area between Riverside and Corona. According to Jim Short, a longtime sports writer for The Press-Enterprise, in 1967, the Liparis proposed a motorcycle race track on Buchanan, between Magnolia and the 91 Freeway. That was met with opposition, so they ditched that idea two years

A month after street vendors protested San Bernardino County‘s approval of nearly $500,000 to crack down on illegal street vending, the county hosted two workshops this week to help vendors navigate the county’s regulations and permit process. About 50 people joined the first workshop at Ayala Park’s community center building in Bloomington on Tuesday, July 23, with about 25 people joining virtually, according to county officials. A second workshop was held at Vermont Elementary School in San Bernardino on Wednesday. The county has hosted a handful of workshops since 2019, when state Senate Bill 946 legalized street vending. In 2023, state Senate Bill 972 made it illegal for local governments to issue criminal citations to street vendors – though they are still allowed to fine vendors for health and safety violations. The workshops are intended to clear up confusion for vendors surrounding those regulations, said county Environmental Health Specialist Leilah Kelsey, who hosted the workshop with county Code Enforcement Chief Ignacio Nunez. “Street vendors’ success is our success,” Kelsey said. “We have seen vendors that have moved from being non-permitted street vendors into permitted street

By Greg Archer | Contributing Columnist Huerta del Valle is expanding its mission of helping community members grow organic crops. Using various gardens, the nonprofit organization aims to enhance overall community health, generate new skills, and develop stronger trusted working relationships. The main goal: To build one garden every mile in the Inland Empire and teach the next generation of organic farmers while also empowering communities to manage their own collective gardens. Establishing viable food systems that compensate farmers and address complex regional health issues also factor into the mix. Huerta del Valle Executive Director Maria Alonso, left, and Vanessa Wiarco, community engagement manager for KVCR, are seen at the Huerta del Valle Community Garden and Urban Farm in 2021 in Ontario. (Courtesy of Huerta del Valle) Recently, Huerta del Valle received a CIELO Fund grant through the Inland Empire Community Foundation, which Executive Director Maria Alonso said will help the organization with general needs and initiatives, such as “supporting and empowering” leadership within the organization and community. “While working in a 501c3, it’s very important to recognize the importance of the service to the

During the City Council meeting on July 16, Council Member Dr. Luis S. González presented Tony Trieu and Helen Huynh, owners of Pro Nails, with a “Business Focus” Recognition Award. This long-established business has been a cornerstone of the Colton community since opening in 2004. Tony Trieu, originally from Vietnam, immigrated to the United States in 1992 at the age of 20. After living in San Bernardino for four years and commuting to El Monte for work, Tony moved to Colton in 1996 with aspirations of one day owning his own business. In 2004, Tony returned to Vietnam to marry his childhood sweetheart, Helen Huynh, and together they made Colton their home. Later that year, they found an ideal business location in the heart of downtown Colton at 282 N La Cadena, within a small retail strip mall next to Stater Bros. Since its opening, Pro Nails has perfected expert nail services and expanded its customer base to include hundreds of loyal patrons. “Many customers have been with us since we first opened,” Tony shared. The shop’s reputation for quality nail care and excellent customer