Category: Inland Empire

Elmo Kelley, a second-grade teacher at Fontana’s Cypress Elementary School, has published two poetry collections and last school year helped his students create their own book of poetry. His most recent self-published poetry book, “Traveling Through My Mind: Volume 2,” was released in June, two years after “Traveling Through My Mind: Volume 1.” “I like to write poems about love and loss, observations about work, what’s on the news,” Kelley said in a news release. “It’s really a buffet of topics and not so much self-analytical. I like to find humor in things, and I love to write about pop culture. It’s a mishmash of subjects and styles. My next book, which I’ve already begun, will be all poems about education.” Kelley, who was introduced to poetry as a writing discipline 30 years ago in a UCR creative writing class, has been teaching at Cypress Elementary School since 1998. He is married to Barbara Kelley, principal of Fontana’s A.B. Miller High School, and it was his wife’s sister, Jan Sherrick, who urged him to curate his best poems into an anthology. In addition to publishing

Ontario City Council members will see a pay raise after a 3-1 vote at Tuesday’s meeting. Councilmember Ruben Valencia as the sole vote against a raise while Councilmember Debra Porada was absent from the meeting Tuesday. “I believe it’s outrageous that my colleagues who are career politicians would ask for a raise from our taxpayers after they were just asked to pay more out of pocket in taxes with Measure Q,” Valencia said in a later interview. Measure Q passed in the November 2022 municipal election by 53%. The 1-cent sales tax increase is expected to provide an estimated $95 million in annual revenue for the city. In April 2023, the council voted to increase monthly stipends for its members from $1,884.50 to $2,405.13, a change that was set to go into effect after the November 2024 election. Under the pay raise approved at Tuesday’s meeting, the council will see monthly stipends increase to $2,550 a month after the election. Ontario Mayor Paul S. Leon, who is currently paid $5,640.08 monthly, receives a mayor’s stipend and a council stipend, according to the state controller and

Voters will be doing more than just voting on candidates in the Nov. 5 election. They’ll be deciding the fate of local ballot measures that seek to do everything from upgrade public schools to raise the local sales tax. RELATED: Here are the county, city and school candidates on the Nov. 5 ballot in the Inland Valley Selected measures that voters in western San Bernardino County and parts of eastern Los Angeles County will find on their ballots are summarized below. San Bernardino County Measure G – The Alta Loma School District is proposing a $71 million school bond to repair and upgrade schools; repair roofs, plumbing and electrical systems; upgrade security systems; and improve classrooms for special-needs students. It needs 55% voter approval to pass. Measure H – The Ontario-based Mountain View School District is asking voters to approve a $56 million school bond to repair and upgrade schools; improve fire safety and security systems; and fix deteriorating roofs, plumbing and electrical systems. It needs 55% of the vote to pass. Measure K – San Bernardino County is asking voters to tax temporary lodging at hotels, motels

The Kids Are Alright! I hear it often: “kids these days” are lazy and never leave the house. I challenge you to head out to one of the city’s bigger parks and see how easy it is to find parking on a weeknight. The kids are out there and active. If anything, we need more park space for the kids to practice and play.  On that note, call your local league and train to become a referee, umpire, or league volunteer. Participate! If you’ve been following me here, you know I beat the drum for sports being a critical part of healthy communities. Riverside has some incredible youth sports organizations, and these kids are engaged and invested in Riverside, and we should invest in them. Lancer Water Polo California Baptist University (CBU) men’s water polo team is finishing a 17-match road trip, during which they competed against some of the top teams in the NCAA, including #1 UCLA. The Lancers are ranked #19 in the nation and are set to play a series of home matches starting on October 9. You can check their schedule and follow

Riverside authors! Downtowne Bookstore is hosting a Scary Short Stories Contest for all ages this October! Submissions are open now and will close on October 20. Semi-finalists will be announced on October 25. The final winners will be announced on October 27th. The competition is divided into age groups: 5-8, 9-12, 13-17, and 18+. It’s a fantastic opportunity for writers to share their creativity and engage with Riverside’s literary community. The bookstore is busy in October, and there are many other events going on. Visit Downtowne Bookstore at 3582 Main or their Instagram page for more information.

Restaurants and other food vendors ordered to close and allowed to reopen by San Bernardino County health inspectors from Sept. 26 to Oct. 3. Yu Thai Pa, 35134 Yucaipa Blvd., Yucaipa Closed: Oct. 2 Reason: Rodent infestation 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, Sept. 19-26 Local News | San Bernardino County restaurants shut down by health inspectors, Sept. 12-19 Local News | San Bernardino County restaurants shut down by health inspectors, Sept. 5-12 Local News | San Bernardino County restaurants shut down by health inspectors, Aug. 28-Sept. 5 Local News | San Bernardino County restaurants shut down by health inspectors, Aug. 21-29

Voters will be doing more than just voting on candidates in the Nov. 5 election. They’ll be deciding the fate of local ballot measures that seek to do everything from upgrade public schools to raise sales tax. RELATED: Here are the county, city and school candidates on the Nov. 5 ballot in San Bernardino County Here are highlights of the measures that San Bernardino County voters will find on their ballots. Measure BB – The Colton Joint Unified School District is asking voters to approve a $225 million school bond to repair and upgrade schools; fix roofs, plumbing and electrical systems; and acquire classrooms and labs. It needs 55% of the vote to pass. Measure D – The Redlands Unified School District is seeking voters’ approval for a $500 million school bond to repair and upgrade schools, fix roofs, remove mold/lead from drinking fountains and improve safety in classrooms. It needs 55% of the vote to pass. Measure G – The Alta Loma School District is proposing a $71 million school bond to repair and upgrade schools; repair roofs, plumbing and electrical systems; upgrade security

Glittering dresses, proud fathers, and beaming daughters filled the Colton American Legion Post 155 on Friday night as the Rotary Club of Colton hosted its first annual Father-Daughter Dance. The event, a celebration of family bonds and community spirit, drew participants of all ages for a night of dining, dancing, and laughter. Juan’s Tacos provided dinner, while DJ Ralphie kept the dance floor lively with music that had fathers and daughters alike showing off their moves. Guests, dressed in their best, enjoyed singing, dancing, and countless smiles throughout the evening. “We try to make our events family-oriented, and we’re reaching out to different age groups in the community,” said Rotary Club President Erlinda Armendariz. “The Father-Daughter Dance helps us raise funds for programs like sending kids to camp, providing dictionaries to third graders, supporting speech contest winners, and offering scholarships.” The Rotary Club aims to make the Father-Daughter Dance an annual tradition, with hopes of drawing even more families next year. “Whether you’re a father, grandfather, stepdad, or guardian, this is an opportunity to create lasting memories with your daughters or granddaughters,” Armendariz added. Continue

“Riverside Women Creating Change—Stories and Inspiration” spotlights women who have been driving community activism throughout the city’s history. The free event runs from 1 to 3 p.m., with doors opening at 12:30 p.m. Attendees can enjoy a performance by the Riverside Resistance Revival Chorus and check out the institute’s Homegrown Heroes exhibit. The book showcases stories of women who’ve made their mark as grassroots preservationists, environmental champions, and advocates for peace, education, and LGBTQ+ rights. Established in the fall of 2019, Riverside Women Creating Change is a coalition of women aiming to share grassroots community organizing strategies and philosophies in Riverside. The book launch is backed by The Mapping Black California fund at IECF, The City of Riverside, California Humanities, and individual donors. You can buy copies of the book at the event or preorder through Eventbrite. While the event is free, they’re asking for RSVPs. The Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern California is at 3933 Mission Inn Ave., Suite 102, in Riverside. For more details, head to https://riversidewomencreatingchange.org/.

Riverside’s Fairmount Park dates to the early 20th century, when the Olmsted brothers, the landscape architects whose father had designed New York City’s Central Park, were hired to design a gracious park for the young city. With more than 110 years behind it, Fairmount has a lot of history to unpack. Along comes a book to do just that: “The People’s Playground: Riverside’s Fairmount Park,” published by the Riverside Historical Society. Seventeen writers contributed 30 articles on different aspects of the park. “If one person did it, it would take a lot longer. By dividing it up, each person could research their section,” Glenn Wenzel, the editor, tells me. (I should start outsourcing my columns. It might be simpler to make deadline.) Among the topics covered: the bandshell (built in 1920, lost to a fire in 1992 and rebuilt), the playground, the rose garden, the carousel, the golf course, lawn bowling, the sulfur springs, boating and sailing, Lake Evans and the Plunge — including the years in which its use was segregated. The amphibious tank called the Water Buffalo (manufactured in Riverside) and Union Pacific

In recognition of October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month and to increase access to mammograms, Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center is offering $50 mammograms at Pomona, Claremont, La Verne and Chino Hills locations throughout October The $50 mammograms are available without a physician’s order or proof of insurance during October for women who meet specific requirements. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women in the United States, after skin cancers. Annual mammograms are critical to early detection and diagnosis, which can lead to more treatment options. Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center offers $50 mammograms every October and May to help remove the financial barrier to getting screened, according to a news release. Those who are eligible for the $50 mammograms in October are women older than 40 who haven’t had a mammogram in the past year, don’t have breast implants, don’t have a history of breast cancer in the past five years and are not experiencing breast problems. Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center offers the SmartCurve breast stabilization system, which can deliver a

A celebration for a hero. That’s what Olympian Brittany Brown received Wednesday, Oct. 2, in her hometown of Claremont. A parade wound through the city, starting at City Hall and wrapping at Brown’s alma mater, Claremont High School, where the community came out to honor the athlete at a rally and celebration. Brown, a 29-year-old sprinter, earned a bronze medal in the women’s 200 meter event at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. She also won a silver medal at the 2019 World Championships in the same event, according to a city news release. Brittany Brown, a Claremont High graduate and bronze medalist at the 2024 Paris Olympics, gets a hug on Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, during a rally in her honor at CHS in Claremont. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) Claremont High graduate and bronze medalist at the 2024 Paris Olympics Brittany Brown dances on Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, as the Claremont High School marching band plays during a campus rally in her honor. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) Brittany Brown, a Claremont High graduate and bronze medalist at the 2024 Paris

I’m 46 years old, and only a few years away from being eligible for services at the Janet Goeske Center, so I checked out the Fifty and Better Health Fair on Wednesday afternoon. The place was PACKED! I had to park a little way down the street and walk in, and I was amazed at how many people were attending the event. There were several hundred in attendance. I’ve spent a little time at the Goeske Center covering events and stories, and I’m always impressed by the sense of community. It didn’t take long to see that companionship and a friendly place to “hang out” are as important as any other service they provide, but the health fair was something else. Every inch of the Goeske Center, inside and out, had a table or booth offering advice and services to Riverside’s most experienced residents. Agents represented services ranging from supplemental Medicare insurance and low-cost dentistry to end-of-life planning. A line was down the hall for the vaccine clinic and the beauty spa.  Whenever I end up at the Goeske Center, I realize how important they

By Greg Archer | Contributing Columnist A recent grant from Inland Empire Community Foundation is allowing one Riverside County nonprofit to expand its reach and impact within the refugee community. According to Riverside-based Human Migration Institute, a grant from The Seraphim Fund, which assists women and children, will directly impact the organization and the people it serves. “We’re looking forward to assisting the refugee community in Riverside with this grant and helping to build up their capacity to become self-sufficient,” said Allison Severns, media and outreach coordinator for Human Migration Institute. “It’s another way for us to grow on the opportunities that we already have for the refugees in Riverside.” The nonprofit organization has become a resource for refugees, while also helping shift public attitude by connecting diverse populations within the same community. The nonprofit also aims foster community building to establish support for refugee populations. “One thing that makes us truly unique is that we are the only organization in Riverside County that is actively resettling refugees in our community,” Severns said. “We’re also the only refugee-focused organization in Riverside and in the county.

In addition to this year’s big-ticket — the presidential election — there are many local offices on the ballot in the Inland Valley. Candidates for selected state Assembly, state Senate and congressional races in the Inland Empire can be found here. RELATED: Who’s running to represent the Inland Empire in Congress and California Legislature? Here is a partial look at who’s running for seats for county offices, city councils and school boards in western San Bernardino County and parts of eastern Los Angeles County. San Bernardino County San Bernardino County Assessor / Recorder Josie Gonzales Blanca Azucena Gomez Dara Smith Donald E. Williamson San Bernardino County Board of Education, Trustee Area C Maria Isabel Arias Laura Mancha (Incumbent) Jason O’Brien SCHOOL BOARDS Alta Loma School District, Trustee Area 2 Jessica D. Martinez (Incumbent) David J. Roberts Chino Valley Unified School District, Trustee Area 1 John Andrew Cervantes Eric Shamp Chino Valley Unified School District, Trustee Area 2 Andrew Cruz (Incumbent) Paul Michael Griffin Beau McFarland Chino Valley Unified School District, Trustee Area 5 James Na (Incumbent) Bobby Omari Cucamonga School District, Trustee Area 2 Eric Dean

Freed from the constraints of a civil rights lawsuit and court-ordered injunction, San Bernardino officials on Wednesday, Oct. 2, declared the city will soon begin clearing homeless encampments at its parks and open two new shelters. “The lifting of the injunction gives us options for addressing the unhoused individuals compassionately as we clean up our parks,” Mayor Helen Tran said during a news conference outside City Hall. “The city expects the encampment cleanups at our parks to resume in the upcoming weeks and we will post cleanup notices in advance in accordance with our policy.” The lawsuit and resulting injunction tied the city’s hands even though the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June that homeless encampment bans are permitted and Gov. Gavin Newsom in August threatened California cities with a loss in state funding if they  did not begin cleaning up encampments, Tran said. San Bernardino Deputy City Manager Rochelle Clayton speaks at a news conference outside City Hall on Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, to provide an update on the city’s plans to resume homeless encampment cleanups at local parks. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The

The month of September brought devastating wildfires to the Inland area including the Line fire, Airport fire and Bridge fire. Our photographers captured these events every day. Here are the 45 best photos chosen by The Press-Enterprise, The Sun, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin and Redla nds Daily Facts photographers. A firefighter climbs over a fence as he battles the Line fire on Emmerton Lane in Highland on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG) The Line fire burns as it approaches homes near Tenaya Lane and Tenaya Court in Highland on Thursday night, Sept. 5, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG) Firefighters watch as the Line fire approaches Emmerton Lane in Highland on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG) Firefighters light a back fire along Emmerton Lane as they battle the Line fire in Highland on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG) A firefighter watches as the Line fire approaches Emmerton Lane in Highland on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley