Category: Inland Empire

A lot of Californians are still steeped in the sixties. You know them: they still use words like “radical,” they have a nice peace sign on their car or clothing, and they believe in peace, love, and understanding. Parts of that philosophical point of view are still present in a small community right here in Riverside. If you stand in the middle of Bonaminio Park and look towards Mount Rubidoux, you will see a gated apartment complex sitting up the hill a bit. The buildings are unassuming, off-white stucco structures, most of them with two stories and four apartment units each. The property is called Braemar Cooperative Apartments, with ninety units and 8+ acres. The apartments come in several sizes, from studios to roomy two-bedroom units. There is a clubhouse, a swimming pool, and lots of water-wise gardens as the co-op moves to reduce water usage by eliminating grassy areas. Braemar was one of three original co-op communities that came about in the 1960s: one in Palm Springs, one in Riverside, and one in Redlands. The Riverside community is the only one still operating within

Now that elections officials have certified results of the Tuesday, Nov. 5, election, here’s a look at how local ballot measures fared with voters. RELATED: These are the winners of the Nov. 5 election in the Inland Valley Final statewide certification of the election by the California Secretary of State is expected by Friday, Dec. 13. San Bernardino County Measure G The Alta Loma School District asked voters to approve a $71 million school bond. Yes, 53.05% No, 46.95% Measure H The Ontario-based Mountain View School District asked voters to approve a $56 million school bond. Yes, 63.78 % No, 36.22% Measure I The Fontana Unified School District asked voters to approve a $408 million school bond. Yes, 66.42% No, 33.58% Measure K San Bernardino County asked voters to tax temporary lodging at hotels, motels and inns in the county’s unincorporated areas.  Yes, 43.44% No, 56.56% Measure L San Bernardino County asked voters to approve a charter amendment to provide “competitive compensation” for county elected officers. Yes, 61.35% No, 38.65% Measure N Upland asked voters to approve a 1-cent local sales tax until it is

The Riverside Fire Department (RFD) has been reaccredited by the Center for Public Safety Excellence, making it one of only five fire departments in California to achieve this recognition. Fire Chief Steve McKinster presented the department’s annual overview to the City Council on December 3, highlighting the reaccreditation and the department’s response to over 43,000 incidents in the past year. “This reaccreditation really shows the hard work and dedication of our team,” McKinster said. “It’s a big deal – only five other fire departments in California have managed to achieve this.” The fire department operates 14 stations across the city, responding to a wide range of emergencies. In the past year, RFD responded to more than 43,000 incidents, requiring 19,000 hours of emergency mitigation within the community. “Looking forward, the fire department will continue to be a world-class leader in providing progressive, professional, and exceptional fire, rescue, and emergency life services,” McKinster said. Captain Mark Thompson was honored as the sworn employee of the year for his leadership of the department’s Honor Guard. Thompson has been with the organization since 2002 and currently serves at

The Colton City Council unanimously approved amendments to Chapter 5.54 of the municipal code, intensifying its efforts to combat illegal cannabis cultivation on November 19th. The changes align with California’s amended Government Code Section 53069.4, which grants local jurisdictions the authority to impose immediate administrative fines for unlicensed cannabis activity. Chief of Police Anthony Vega, who spearheaded the proposed changes, highlighted the importance of these amendments. “A full review of Chapter 5.54 revealed critical areas requiring updates to strengthen enforcement against illegal cannabis operations in our city,” Vega said. “These updates ensure Colton stays in line with state law while protecting our community from the adverse impacts of unlawful cannabis cultivation.” The amendments address multiple sections of the municipal code: Definitions: The definition of a “responsible person” now encompasses property owners, tenants, lessees, and even volunteers who permit or engage in violations. Similarly, the term “violator” has been expanded to include anyone with possession or custody of the property. Section 5.54.150 (Appeals): Cannabis activity is now prohibited while an appeal is pending until a decision is made by the City Council or a hearing officer.

The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors has approved the sale of 1,253 acres in Rancho Cucamonga, four years after the city annexed the Etiwanda Heights area for housing and land conservation. At its meeting Tuesday, Dec. 3, the board agreed to sell the land to residential homebuilder Frontier Communities. The company plans to purchase the land in phases over a five-year period, with a maximum purchase price of $93 million plus interest, according to county officials. Show Caption 1 of 5 Expand Previously, the land was managed by the San Bernardino County Flood Control District to mitigate stormwater runoff from the San Gabriel Mountains, a purpose it no longer serves. Initially set aside by the county in 2009 as surplus land, the large parcel remained in limbo until 2018, when Rancho Cucamonga included it in the Etiwanda Heights Neighborhood and Conservation Plan. In 2020, the city annexed the property, along with another 3,000-plus acres identified for conservation. The city conducted launched a citizen outreach effort to get feedback on the plan. Top concerns identified by residents involved high-density housing and commercial development in the former

Metrolink is bringing its Holiday Express Train to Riverside and Redlands. Santa Claus, Christmas carolers, singing elves and other seasonal activities will be onboard. RELATED: Metrolink’s Holiday Express is chugging into stations around Southern California Those in Riverside can attend Saturday, Dec. 7, while the holiday party on rails comes to Redlands on Saturday, Dec. 21. Two roundtrips will run from a station in each city. Travelers also can attend an event one to two hours before the departures that will include craft stations for kids, balloon artists and live music. Related links Metrolink’s Holiday Express is chugging into stations around Southern California Everything you need to know about the 2024 Festival of Lights in Riverside 3 new things to see at the 2024 Mission Inn Festival of Lights in Riverside The 70-minute journey will take riders on a designated loop and back for $20 to $25 per person, with a $5 upgrade option available for seats with tables. On Saturday, Dec. 7, the train will depart from the Riverside-Downtown Station at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., enroute to the Anaheim Canyon station and back.

The Southland Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, conducted by Sylvia Lee Mann, will present Handel’s “Messiah” 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8, at Bethel Congregational Church, 536 N. Euclid Ave., Ontario. Featured soloists will be Erin Wood, soprano; Debbie Dey, alto; Steve Grabe, tenor; and Michal Dawson Connor, bass, according to a news release. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for students, available at givebutter.com/c/SSO2024MESSIAH, and free admission is available for those in need, made possible by donations. Tickets will also be available at the door if the concert is not sold out. The church parking lot entrance is on F Street, and there are public parking lots across Euclid Avenue. Following the “Messiah” concert, the Southland Symphony’s next presentation will be Gian Carlo Menotti’s “Amahl and the Night Visitors” Jan. 5. The Southland Symphony Orchestra presented its first concert in December 2011 in Ontario, according to the orchestra’s website. Since then, the Southland Symphony has presented many full-orchestra concerts as well as chamber music and educational concerts. Sylvia Lee Mann, the orchestra’s founder and music director, is also a composer, violist and educator and is

Chaffey College’s bands and choral groups will present holiday concerts Dec. 6 and 7 on the college’s Rancho Cucamonga campus 5885 Haven Ave. The choral concert, by Chaffey’s Chamber Choir and Concert Choir, is 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6, and the concert by the Concert Band and Jazz Band is at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7. Both concerts, featuring both students and community members, will be in the Chaffey College Theatre. The choral concert, “Voices in Harmony,” will include music ranging from classical pieces by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Anton Bruckner to folk music from the Republic of Georgia and pop and vocal jazz favorites. The program also features songs of love and unity by Melanie DeMore, Ruth Moody, Gwyneth Walker and more. “I’m so excited for our choral students to share the incredible progress they’ve made as singers, musicians and performers this semester,” David Rentz, director of the Chamber Choir, said in a news release. Music student Brianna Raygoza, who is planning to transfer to a four-year university in the spring, said she is excited to perform “Alilo,” a Georgian Christmas song. “I think we

City Council voted 6-1 Tuesday night to approve a controversial 347-unit apartment complex at the former Kmart site in Mission Grove. The decision came after nearly five hours of debate, with residents filling the council chambers to voice concerns about traffic, density, and neighborhood character. Business groups and housing advocates supported the project as necessary to address the city’s housing shortage. The development, proposed by Regional Properties Inc., will transform the vacant 9.92-acre Kmart parcel into five four-story apartment buildings. It includes studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom units and amenities like a pool, clubhouse and dog park. Councilmember Clarissa Cervantes cast the lone dissenting vote, citing safety concerns given the site’s proximity to March Air Reserve Base. “When we talk about building, we have to consider safety for our communities,” Cervantes said. “I could not, in my good conscience and faith, go to sleep and vote yes on this.” The project required the council to overrule the Airport Land Use Commission, which found the proposed density of 35 units per acre far exceeded the 6 units per acre maximum for that safety zone. Councilmember Chuck

Poinsettia is up there with Santa, Rudolph, mistletoe, and holly as a symbol of the Christmas season. A.k.a. Euphorbia pulcherimma = (“the most beautiful Euphorbia”), poinsettia is our country’s economically most important potted plant. As many as 70 million are sold per year. That translates into tens of thousands sold in Riverside alone. And the reason for being so popular stems from the efforts of a Southern California family. How did this Mesoamerican native come to settle in SoCal and capture the hearts of Yuletide enthusiasts nationwide? Before we get to that question, let’s go through a bit of a poinsettia primer and address three poinsettia misconceptions: First, don’t make the mistake of calling the plant “POINT-set-ta,” as I used to do. It is named after Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first United States Minister (ambassador) to the newly born country of Mexico, who introduced it to the United States. The proper pronunciation is “poin-SET-tee-a.” That is, there’s no “point” to the name. Second, the poinsettia’s reputation for being fatally poisonous is overstated. Yes, it is a member of the Euphorbiaceae (spurge) family, which is known

By Anna Christian | Contributing Columnist Several years ago, I joined a writing group at the home of a woman who I knew little about. My friend who had known her and had worked with her on several projects introduced us. We met weekly at her house in South Central L.A. It was a small group, about 10 writers of various experiences. The years I was with the group were the most fruitful in my writing life. Anna Christian is a writer and educator whose most recent novel is “Then Sings My Soul.” She facilitates a creative writing class at the Moreno Valley Senior Center. (Courtesy of Anna Christian) Each week I learned more about this fascinating woman who hosted, organized the group, and shared bits and pieces of her life with us. I felt as if I had stepped into a history book. Her circle of friends included Paul Robeson, Langston Hughes, W.E.B. Du Bois, and Maya Angelou to name a few. She told us anecdotes about their relationships and about her career in Hollywood, and on the world stage. One day, I asked

Artists on Main-Cancelled Unfortunately, there was some difficulty juggling the Festival of Lights and Artists on Main. Artists on Main has been cancelled. There is still plenty to do so don’t cancel your plans if you intended to go. We know many artists rely on income from Artswalk, especially during the Holidays. Please look for ways to support local artists outside of Vendors on Main. Museums and Galleries Still Open The Riverside Art Museum, The Cheech, RCAA, Division 9, and UCR Arts are still open and free to the public for the first Thursday of December. This would be a great night to see what’s going on at the Festival of Lights and avoid the weekend rush. Palabra at the Cheech The Cheech will continue its series of open mic poetry this Thursday night in the lobby. Palabra is a celebration of the spoken word and language. Host Donato Martinez and poets Meliza Bañales, Carlos Ornales, and Antoine Victorin will get the night started. They will turn the microphone over to the public at 8 p.m., and registration begins at 6 p.m. Riversider Magazine Photo Show and Sale

A suspected illegal street race on Sunday night, December 1, claimed the life of a 19-year-old Rialto resident and left two others injured, according to the Rialto Police Department. The crash, which occurred on the 1400 block of South Cactus Avenue at approximately 10:32 p.m., ended in tragedy when one of the drivers lost control and struck a tree. The second driver was arrested at the scene. Authorities identified the victim as Marcques Mena, who was behind the wheel of a white Ford Mustang. Investigators say Mena and 24-year-old Jose Perez-Villafuerte of Fontana were involved in a street race after stopping at the intersection of Cactus Avenue and San Bernardino Avenue. As the two vehicles sped southbound on Cactus Avenue, Mena lost control of his car, which veered off the road and collided with a tree. Rialto Police officers arrived at the scene by 10:35 p.m., followed shortly by Rialto Fire Department paramedics. Despite their swift response, Mena was pronounced dead at 10:45 p.m. Two passengers in Mena’s vehicle were rushed to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries. Perez-Villafuerte, driving a gray Ford Mustang

As many of you know, I also serve as Editor-at-Large for the Riversider Magazine. One thing I love about what we do at the Riversider is the durability of the medium, the physical object that we create. I hope the magazine, as an institution, will be around in fifty years, but if it is not, we can be sure that there will be people with collections, and those documents will be part of the city’s record. That is exciting to me. The other thing I love about the magazine is its pictures. We employ the best photographers in Riverside. They consistently give us full-page, full-color reminders that Riverside is an exceptionally beautiful city with so much to offer aesthetically. Zach Cordner, Publisher of the Riversider and career photojournalist, talks about what it means to document the city. “The Riversider is a photography-based magazine founded by a photojournalist, where our goal is to highlight the beauty of our city with unique visuals. We use photography as a tool to tell the stories of the people, places, and events that happen in Riverside.” We get asked a

The iconic Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena is gearing up for a major transformation to enhance guest experience, including upgraded seating and the installation of one of the nation’s largest videoboards, officials announced Monday, Dec. 2. Dubbed the Lasting Legacy Campaign, the $80 million revitalization effort includes eight projects designed to modernize the 102-year-old venue, preserve its infrastructure for future generations and continue driving economic growth in the region, according to the Rose Bowl Operating Company, which oversees the city-owned stadium. The funding for the campaign is led by privately-raised funds cultivated by the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation, the Operating Company’s supporting nonprofit, along with contributions from the stadium’s partners and vendors, officials said. The improvements, scheduled for completion by the 2028 Olympics Games and beyond, will be carried out in two phases. Phase 1 is estimated to cost $30-35 million and aims to be completed in 2026. Planned projects include a full refurbishment of the stadium’s historic Rose Bowl marquee sign; an overhaul of the seating bowl sound system (its first since the 1990s);  the addition of safe standing sections for Bruin students on