Category: Inland Empire

Frances J. Vasquez serves on the Inlandia Institute board of directors and coordinates Tesoros de Cuentos bilingual writing workshops in Riverside. (Courtesy of Lily Rivera) Oscar and Josefina Medina created something extraordinary in 1963 when they converted a tiny donut shop into the beloved Zacatecas Cafe on University and Park Avenue in Riverside’s multicultural Eastside. The cafe was located in a shopping center anchored by Stater Bros. Nearby, the iconic Nosotros Fine Arts Workshop was directed by acclaimed artist Leer Larkin — who was integral to the Medina family. Nosotros was a popular place for poets and artists to share their artistry. William Medina, Oscar and Josefina’s eldest son, made lifelong friends there who supported his literary endeavors. Historian William Medina’s debut novel, “Cafe Stories: Riverside’s Zacatecas,” was published recently. He re-imagines and chronicles curious events and experiences inspired by growing up helping his parents at the cafe. Subsequently, as they aged, he managed the restaurant on University and Sedgwick avenues. Medina’s colorful characters are based on diverse folks who frequented the cafe. “These stories are my first attempt at writing fiction. They are bits

Press-Enterprise columnist Carl Love seen Dec. 31, 2013, has now turned 65. (File photo by Frank Bellino, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) In 1988, Ronald Reagan was president, the Iron Curtain was still a thing and southwest Riverside County had a lot of empty spaces. That was the year I moved to Murrieta. My age was 30 and my wife Joanne was pregnant with our first child, Julia. Like the communities I moved to, I was starting out. Lots of other 20- and 30-somethings agreed with me, given the avalanche of model home banners everywhere. I recently turned 65, which by any definition means I’m old. I know, 90 is supposedly the new 70, 80 the new 60, and whatever other reinvented aging marker you want to throw, but 65 is still 65 in my mind and AARP’s, which for some reason I can’t bring myself to join, even though I get bombarded with stuff from them. And how is it that so many entities know my age? That significant age does mean I qualify for Medicare, which of course I’ve joined because of the affordable health care.

Riverside was a significant polo-playing city back in the day. It attracted polo players from other states to play here. But in December 1922, three polo players, called “Prominent Denver clubmen,” had quite the adventure trying to get to Riverside to participate in the polo season with their fellow Denver polo club teammates. On Dec. 18, 1922, five men hijacked a Federal Reserve delivery truck outside the Denver Mint. The men were able to grab $200,000 in $5 bills, in spite of a shoot-out with the 50 men who were inside the Denver Mint. One of the robbers was shot and killed, leaving four robbers on the run. Needless to say, federal and local officials were pulling out all stops to find the thieves. The three polo players, R.D. Brooks, J.D. McCauley and J.E. Champion, had the misfortune to be carrying $5 bills, back when cash was the common way of paying for things and credit cards weren’t in use. After using the bills, the men went on their way. However, soon they were pulled over by a band of deputy sheriffs carrying sawed-off shotguns.

You don’t need to be able to read to enjoy story hour. The importance of early exposure to reading can be seen across the Inland Empire, where public libraries stage storytimes for children not yet in school. Sebastian Ugarte, 1, plays with a bean bag while participating in a preschool story time at the SPC. Jesus S. Duran Eastside Library in Riverside on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) Tsuru Tamura, 4, listens during a preschool story time session at the SPC. Jesus S. Duran Eastside Library in Riverside on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) Tracey Balow holds her 6-month-old son, Carlos Donaire, during a preschool story time at the SPC. Jesus S. Duran Eastside Library in Riverside on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) Tsuru Tamura, 4, enjoys playing beneath a colorful parachute during a preschool story time session at the SPC. Jesus S. Duran Eastside Library in Riverside on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) Library assistant Marlene Pulido reads to preschoolers during a story time

The Riverside Philharmonic will open its 64th season with “Bach to the Future,” a concert of music by and inspired by J.S. Bach. )The program is 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16, at the Henry W. Coil Sr. and Alice Edna Coil School for the Arts, 3890 University Ave., Riverside. Sam Fischer, concertmaster of the Riverside Philharmonic, will be the soloist in the orchestra’s Sept. 16, 2023, performance of Alban Berg’s Violin Concerto. (Photo by Steve Jacobs, Riverside Philharmonic) Tomasz Golka, the orchestra’s music director, will conduct his orchestration of Bach’s Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 582 — an eclectic and sometimes jazz-inspired version of the piece, according to a news release. Also on the program is Alban Berg’s 1935 Violin Concerto, which quotes a Bach cantata, and Johannes Brahms’ Symphony No. 4, also inspired by a Bach cantata. Sam Fischer, the orchestra’s concertmaster, is soloist in the Alban Berg Violin Concerto. Doors open at 6 p.m., and there will be an exhibit by photographer Michael J. Elderman in the lobby. There will also be a pop-up bar in the rear lounge. Tickets are

Drivers on the 10 Freeway between Montclair and Ontario can expect more closures over the next two weeks as construction continues on the I-10 Express Lanes project. Work on the 10 Freeway is making way for the addition of toll lanes. Construction on the Express Lanes project is about 75% complete, according to the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority. Closures began Tuesday, Sept. 12, when the eastbound 10 Freeway’s Euclid Avenue off-ramp in Ontario closed at 6 a.m. The off-ramp will stay closed until Friday, Sept. 22, at 6 a.m. The westbound 10 Freeway Euclid Avenue loop on-ramp is set to close Tuesday, Sept. 19, at 5 a.m. and will be closed through Friday, Sept. 29, at 5 a.m. Starting Friday, Sept. 15, at 10 p.m. until Monday, Sept. 18, at 5 a.m., Monte Vista Avenue in Montclair under the 10 is scheduled to close for work. The eastbound 10 Freeway’s Monte Vista Avenue on-ramp and westbound Monte Vista Avenue on- and off-ramps also will be closed. Detour routes will be posted. Beginning Friday, Sept. 22, at 10 p.m. through Monday, Sept. 25, at 5

Former Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva is back in the political arena, this time as a candidate against two-term L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn. The combative ex-sheriff, who lost his bid for reelection in November to former Long Beach Police Department Chief Robert Luna 61.3% to 38.7%, announced his campaign on Wednesday, Sept. 13, taking shots at Hahn and other political targets during a press conference in Whittier. Villanueva also called for the defeat or removal of other elected county officials, including Sheriff Luna, District Attorney George Gascon and other county supervisors running for reelection. “We are going to take control of county government and make it work for you. It is as simple as that,” Villanueva said, standing in front of a backdrop that read “Save LA 2024.” According to some political campaign experts in L.A. County, it will not be easy for Villanueva to overtake Hahn, a legacy candidate whose father was a county supervisor from 1952 to 1992 and who the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration is named after. The first test comes at the primary election on March 5, 2024. Villanueva

Riverside County has settled a lawsuit alleging that Board of Supervisors districts redrawn in 2021 made it harder for Latinos to win seats on the board. The settlement, announced Wednesday, Sept. 13, requires the county “to dramatically strengthen voter outreach and education efforts,” including providing Spanish translations of board agendas and minutes and live Spanish interpretation at all board meetings, according to a news release from Inland Empire United and the ACLU Foundation of Southern California. Those groups were among the plaintiffs in a 2022 lawsuit that sought to throw out five supervisor district maps approved by the board in 2021 as part of the decennial redistricting process, which follows every census. This is a developing story. Check back for updates.  Related Articles Local News | Striking actors, writers swarm Hollywood in massive solidarity march Local News | Riverside County elections chief placed on administrative leave Local News | San Bernardino Board of Supervisors appoints Luther Snoke as county CEO Local News | Menifee appoints Chris Karrer as police chief Local News | McCarthy directs House panel to open Biden impeachment inquiry

Riverside County’s elections chief has been placed on paid administrative leave with less than six months to go until California’s 2024 primary. News of Registrar of Voters Rebecca Spencer’s leave surfaced after the Board of Supervisors met behind closed doors Tuesday, Sept. 12, to discuss her job performance. County spokesperson Yaoska Machado confirmed Wednesday, Sept. 13, that Spencer was on leave. Juan Perez, the county’s chief operating officer “will work closely with the department’s leadership team and dedicated staff to continue to prepare for upcoming elections and to ensure the delivery of services for the communities we serve,” Machado said via email. Machado called the leave a personnel matter and said no additional information would be available until after the next Board of Supervisors’ session. Spencer’s lawyer, Sanford Kassel, said Wednesday that she was placed on leave after that evaluation “for no stated reason.” “Rebecca Spencer, as registrar of voters, has been a tremendous asset to the county for over 24 years and has worked relentlessly in what is supposed to be a totally nonpartisan position,” Kassel said Wednesday. The county’s move is “totally retaliatory

In an effort to prevent disenfranchising ethnic voters during the 2024 presidential elections, Los Angeles County will pursue creation of additional in-person voting centers in non-English speaking communities, and will  incentivize the hiring of bilingual polling workers. An initiative including a broad array of actions was ordered by the L.A. County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, Sept. 12. The L.A. County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk is required to increase engagement with diverse communities in the county, where some 200 languages other than English are spoken in immigrant households. “We must consistently fine-tune and enhance how we are engaging with these voters,” said First District Supervisor Hilda Solis, who co-authored the motion with Fourth District Supervisor Janice Hahn. It was adopted unanimously. Solis mentioned the absence of voting centers in Koreatown and Chinatown shortly before the June 2022 primary. Only after the problem was brought to the county’s attention were some smaller, makeshift voting centers added to neighborhoods where many voters speak Chinese, Korean or Vietnamese. “Regarding voting centers, some of the criteria (for choosing locations) was preventing us from having vote centers. We want vote centers,” said

Q: Several readers criticized Caltrans’ response to questions about when road repairs would be made on the 215 near Perris. “They think filling major potholes or sinkholes on the 215/91 through 2028 is the answer? This is a classic case of a lack of planning by those that approve building too many new warehouses in the Perris/Riverside corridor and not anticipating the added heavy truck traffic that is most likely tearing up the freeway,” Canyon Lake resident Bob Cassietto said. He said new homes south of Riverside and Moreno Valley and the many trucks on local freeways have made traffic unbearable around the 215/60 interchange as well. Cassietto asked, “When will proper road planning enter the picture before adding more homes and warehouses?” Menifee resident Rose Rhoads, who had previously asked about the 215 in Perris, said, “The roadway is in crumbles now from all the added warehouse truck traffic. I’m afraid by the time they get to this problem we’ll be driving on a dirt road.” A: On the Road previously reported that Caltrans will begin a project to repair damaged pavement and do

Riverside’s annual Deaf Awareness Day returns Saturday, Sept. 16. The event will include booths, entertainment, food, games with the goal of raising awareness about the local deaf community. There will also be a Kids Zone with activities for youths and a silent auction. It will be staged in the breezeway near Riverside City Hall Breezeway, between 10th Street and University Avenue, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jennifer Tandoc, an abstract illustrator from Texas and a graduate of the California School for the Deaf, Riverside, will be a special guest. Vehicles from the California Highway Patrol, Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, Riverside Police Department, Riverside Fire Department and the Riverside Transit Agency will be on display. Information, see: www.deafcommunityofriverside.org Related Articles Local News | San Manuel Pow Wow returning to Cal State San Bernardino Local News | Route 66 Cruisin’ Reunion to hit Ontario streets for event’s 10th anniversary Local News | Legislative fix would save student housing at Cerritos College, 18 other campuses Local News | See turtles and tortoises at California Turtle and Tortoise Club show in Redlands Local News | Riverside Uptown Kiwanis

In an effort to prevent disenfranchising ethnic voters during the 2024 presidential elections, Los Angeles County will pursue creation of additional in-person voting centers in non-English speaking communities, and will  incentivize the hiring of bilingual polling workers. An initiative including a broad array of actions was ordered by the L.A. County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, Sept. 12. The L.A. County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk is required to increase engagement with diverse communities in the county, where some 200 languages other than English are spoken in immigrant households. “We must consistently fine-tune and enhance how we are engaging with these voters,” said First District Supervisor Hilda Solis, who co-authored the motion with Fourth District Supervisor Janice Hahn. It was adopted unanimously. Solis mentioned the absence of voting centers in Koreatown and Chinatown shortly before the June 2022 primary. Only after the problem was brought to the county’s attention were some smaller, makeshift voting centers added to neighborhoods where many voters speak Chinese, Korean or Vietnamese. “Regarding voting centers, some of the criteria (for choosing locations) was preventing us from having vote centers. We want vote centers,” said

Hundreds of employees at Hemet Global Medical Center went unpaid or were only partially paid last week because of what administrators described as a software glitch. Representatives at Hemet Global, which is owned and operated by KPC Healthcare Inc. confirmed on Tuesday, Sept. 12, that a malfunction in the hospital’s time and attendance software system resulted in the payroll problem Friday. Upwards of 600 employees were affected, and one worker requesting anonymity said in an email that a line of employees trying to get their paychecks wrapped around the hospital on Friday. Hospital representatives said Tuesday that the situation had been resolved, and all options are being evaluated, including the use of a new payroll system to ensure the problem doesn’t occur again. Most of the affected employees had been paid as of Tuesday, with the remaining expected to be made whole by Wednesday, hospital representatives said. Hemet Global Medical Center is ranked in the top 10% nationally in neurological treatment, pneumonia care, pulmonary care and women’s health by the rating service Care Chex. The Press Enterprise ranked the 327-bed facility the No. 1 hospital in

Indigenous cultures will be on full display when the San Manuel Pow Wow returns to Cal State San Bernardino on Friday, Sept. 15, through Sunday, Sept. 17. Entrance is free, with festivities running from 5 p.m. to midnight Friday, 11 a.m. to midnight Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Friday’s event will begin with a blessing of the grounds. The Grand Entry is scheduled for 8 p.m. Grand entries on Saturday start at 1 p.m. and 8 p.m., and will be at 1 p.m. Sunday. Southern California traditional bird singers and dancers will appear, as will North American and Canadian dancers and drum singing groups. San Manuel will award more than $250,000 in cash prizes to contestants in the Native American dancing and singing competitions. Since 1996, the San Manuel Pow Wow has been where people across Indian Country share their traditions, spirituality and individual style through sounds, motion and art. Native American cuisine and crafts are also brought to the fore during the event. Cal State San Bernardino is at 5500 University Pkwy. For information, see: socalpowwow.com. Brian Whitehead | Reporter Brian

Downtown Ontario will see more than 1,000 classic cars cruising up and down historic Euclid Avenue this weekend. The city will host the 10th annual Route 66 Cruisin’ Reunion on Friday, Sept. 15, and Saturday, Sept. 16. The free event will offer opportunities to see classic cars, catch live entertainment and check out vendors and restaurants from the Inland Empire. What steers the free event is the “show-and-shine” format that brings vintage cars to the community and allows visitors to learn about different automotive eras and appreciate the rides in action. “So the cars are lined up on Euclid and then they’re able to, at their leisure, they’re able to cruise the route and go up and down the street and show off their cars,” said Michael Krouse, CEO of Greater Ontario California, which operates the event. The event will span more than 22 square blocks in downtown Ontario, centered around Ontario Town Square. It fuels the fun with a 75-foot Ferris wheel, a fun zone for kids, interactive projects hosted by the Peterson Automotive Museum and live entertainment. This year, Grammy award-winning Motown singer

San Bernardino County once again has a chief executive officer. San Bernardino County Chief Executive Officer Luther Snoke (Courtesy of San Beranrdino County) The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors appointed interim CEO Luther Snoke to the role permanently by a 5-0 vote Tuesday, Sept. 12. “It is truly an honor to work for a county that capitalizes on the diversity of its people, its geography and economy,” Snoke is quoted as saying in a county news release issued after the meeting. “I look forward to working with the board and our staff to achieve the countywide vision of increasing access to prosperity and well-being throughout our region.” Supervisors praised their new choice as CEO. “It’s a big job,” Fourth District Supervisor Curt Hagman said at the meeting, “but we have full confidence in you to fill in that role, to keep our county (going) in the right direction, achieving greatness as it has the last few years and to establish a great culture of inclusiveness and acceptance and greatness, like you’ve been doing.” The board’s chairperson praised Snoke as well. “Throughout his time with

Chris Karrer has been appointed Menifee police chief after nine months as the city’s interim top cop. The longtime law enforcement leader assumed his new role Sept. 7 and will be sworn in at a later date, according to a news release. “Chief Karrer brings a wealth of experience and a strong commitment to our community’s safety and well-being,” City Manager Armando G. Villa said in a statement. “I have every confidence that Karrer will serve our community with integrity and continue Menifee Police Department’s successful trajectory well into the future.” Karrer, a U.S. Marine veteran, has served Menifee since the police department’s 2020 inception under Chief Pat Walsh. He succeeds former Chief Edward Varso III, who replaced a retiring Walsh in July 2022, but left the post in November to assume top cop duties in Escondido. Karrer was subsequently named interim chief. “I am deeply honored and humbled with the opportunity to serve as the new Chief of Police for the City of Menifee,” Karrer said in the release. “I am committed to leading our dedicated officers and working hand-in-hand with our community to ensure

The California Turtle and Tortoise Club, Inland Empire Chapter, will hold its annual turtle and tortoise show 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16, in the Fellowship Hall of the ARK Church in Redlands. The event will feature live exhibits of turtles and tortoises, educational displays and adoption information, according to a news release. There will also be a raffle and fundraising table with baked goods and other related items. Admission is free. The ARK Church is at 1307 E. Citrus Ave. The California Turtle and Tortoise Club is a nonprofit organization founded in 1964 that promotes the care, conservation and adoption of native and non-native turtle and tortoise species. For information, go to tortoise.org.

The Riverside Uptown Kiwanis Club awarded $5,800 in scholarships this summer to seven 2023 high school graduates who participated in three Kiwanis-sponsored Key Clubs. The awards were $800 or $900 each, and the students were selected for their scholastic records and their leadership and participation in Key Club community service activities, according to a news release. Following are the scholarship recipients, their high schools and their college plans. • Kaitlyn Domke of Woodcrest Christian High School will attend California Baptist University to study software engineering. • Daisy Corona of Ramona High School will attend Cal Poly Pomona to study civil engineering. • Emely Rodriguez of Ramona High School will attend UC Riverside to study biochemistry. • Alexandra Garcia of John W. North High School will attend Riverside City College before transferring toCal State San Bernardino to study business management. • Seth Manuel of John W. North High School will attend UC Berkeley to study engineering. • Kierstyn Cohen of John W. North High School will attend UC Berkeley to study politicalscience and law. • Gabriela Cruz of John W. North High School will attend UC Berkeley