Local Riverside County News

Riverside County animal shelters at ‘breaking point’ with 1,300 cats and dogs

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 13:26:14 +0000

Riverside County’s animal shelters are overflowing with dogs and cats in need of homes, pushing capacity constraints to the limit and prompting officials to renew calls for residents to consider adopting or fostering impounded pets.

“Shelters across the entire country are at a breaking point, and Riverside County is no exception,” Department of Animal Services Director Mary Martin said. “This crisis isn’t just about numbers; it’s about lives, and the limits of a system stretched too thin. We’re doing more so the community can help — waiving fees, increasing transparency and expanding support. We can’t do it alone, and we need more people willing to open their homes today.”

There are roughly 1,300 cats and dogs — mostly the latter — in the county’s four shelters, officials said Wednesday, July 16. The figure has been consistent for the past month, leaving virtually no space for animals that may need extra room due to special needs.

Shelter overcrowding puts some animals at risk of euthanasia, according to animal services. Animals in immediate need of rescue can be viewed online at rcdas.org/list-animals-need-rescue.

Officials are placing a greater emphasis on fostering to move pets more quickly out of cages and into environments where they may thrive, raising the prospects of adoption. Fostering involves taking a dog or cat home for temporary or indefinite periods — without any obligation to formally adopt.

All fostered pets receive free veterinary services via the county, and all adoption fees are currently waived for individuals who decide to make permanent homes for their foster friends.

The shelter experiencing the gravest over-capacity condition — the Western Riverside County Animal Shelter at 6851 Van Buren Blvd. in Jurupa Valley — will be open from 10 a.m. to midnight Saturday, July 19, to encourage visits. The facility typically closes by 4 p.m. on weekends.

In May, the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a resolution declaring the county’s goal of becoming a “no-kill” jurisdiction for pets, seeking to ensure that 90% of animals impounded at county-run facilities leave alive.

The measure, among other things, contains a pledge that the county will “work collaboratively with public and private partners, animal welfare organizations, veterinary professionals, contract cities and residents … to reduce euthanasia.”

The 90% no-kill goal entails greater emphasis on free or low-cost spay and neuter clinics, enhanced “return-to-owner” programs that unite lost pets with their loved ones, adoption campaigns, pet fostering programs and expedited “trap-neuter-return-to-field” programs for “community cats.”

More information about fosters and adoptions at the Blythe Animal Shelter, San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus, Thousand Palms Animal Campus and the Western Riverside County Animal Shelter in Jurupa Valley is available rcdas.org.

The Habit Burger & Grill opens in Lake Elsinore on Wednesday, July 16

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 09:55:23 +0000

The Habit Burger & Grill will officially open in Lake Elsinore on Wednesday, July 16.

The restaurant is at 18310 Collier Ave., near Central Avenue, also known as Highway 74. The space was previously occupied by Pieology.

Hours will be 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m. daily.

Other locations in southwest Riverside County include Temecula, Murrieta, Menifee and Wildomar.

Founded in Santa Barbara in 1969, the chain is now based in Irvine. It is known for its char-grilled hamburgers, chicken sandwiches and sides such as Tempura Green Beans and Sweet Potato Fries.

Jason Triail, director of culinary innovation, recently refreshed the chain’s salad selection with new items such as Mango Miso Crunch and Harvest Chopped Salad as well as a new recipe for its Santa Barbara Cobb.

Seasonal items include a Frozen Banana Shake.

The chain is also introducing customizable bundles called Family CharBox, according to a news release. Priced at $35 and $40, they feed four and include such items as Charburgers with cheese, Double Chars, fries, onion rings and Tempura Green Beans as well as sauces.

Information: habitburger.com

‘Our Idyllwild’ offers glimpse of history and community of Riverside County mountain town

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 07:00:34 +0000

I live and work in suburban Murrieta. So how did I write a book about isolated Idyllwild?

I could give the rambling, creative answer that Idyllwild inspires, but I’ll stay condensed.

My wife Joanne and I, a decade ago, got the deal of the new millennium and bought a second home there, an hour from Murrieta in the San Jacinto Mountains. It sounds weird that I, a retired teacher and freelance journalist, could afford it, but that’s also the reason I still substitute teach.

Sitting outside the Idyllwild Library with Mojo, the dog that belongs to my niece Adrienne and her boyfriend Ajon, I realized I could write about Mayor Max, Idyllwild’s famous dog mayor. When that didn’t happen, I found an even better idea: the entire community.

Tahquitz Peak, an iconic sight in Idyllwild, in May 2025. (Courtesy of Carl Kravats)

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Tahquitz Peak, an iconic sight in Idyllwild, in May 2025. (Courtesy of Carl Kravats)

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The book’s prologue starts: “There’s a sign on Highway 243 at South Circle Drive that greets travelers arriving in Idyllwild. Like so many things here, it’s carved out of wood. On it are the monikers for Rotary Club, American Legion, and Soroptimists, the community groups of many towns. Then there’s the unusual slogan above the usual. It reads, ‘Welcome to Idyllwild. Home of Adventure, Music, Art, and Harmony.’

This is my attempt to explain the people behind that message. It’s not intended to be a history book, though I’ll address that plenty. Instead, it’s a moment in time, about 24 months of Idyllwild time spread over 2023, 2024, and 2025.”

The book is “Our Idyllwild” on Amazon. The last chapter is “My Idyllwild,” my story that started in the 1980s. The last line, after telling my relationship to the community, is, “What’s your Idyllwild?”

I have book talks scheduled at 5:30 p.m. July 30 at the Idyllwild Library, 54401 Village Center Drive, and 10:30 a.m. Aug. 2 at the Rustic Theatre, 54290 N Circle Drive.

The mysterious Idyll Beast is seen in May 2025 in the mountain town of Idyllwild. The photo appears in Carl Love’s new book, “Our Idyllwild.” (Courtesy of Carl Kravats)

Idyllwild sits in the San Jacinto Mountains, and its population has doubled in the past 40 years to about 5,000. Murrieta and Temecula were each about 2,500 in the early 1980s and now each has a population of more than 100,000. Locals there can thank the 15 Freeway.

Idyllwild is mostly surrounded by protected forest land, so suburbia will never happen. But limited growth has come. Dave and Loie Butterfield, and Shane and Ashley Stewart played a part. The most prominent property in town, previously a biker bar, was planned to be a three-story hotel, which would have changed Idyllwild dramatically. Instead, the two couples joined forces to buy the property and make it a park. A new community center also opened in June and the Butterfields and Stewarts played huge roles. Some in town don’t care for the changes, most like them, and in that, Idyllwild is no different.

I write about the famous people who’ve been there: Elvis made much of the movie “Kid Galahad” there, 1960s icon Timothy Leary dropped acid plenty, Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio honeymooned, Dolly Parton had property, Sharon Tate did too, and did Charles Manson do handyman work there?

The town’s heroes include the local firefighters and the around-the-clock watch they do to keep the community, built in a forest that basically hasn’t burned for decades, safe.

There’s Idyllwild Arts Academy, the boarding high school that attracts students from all over the world, and Idyllwild School, the K-8 place that is a hub. Stephanie Yost, a community volunteer and leader extraordinaire, is more or less the human mayor, given that we all know the dog isn’t a real politician. Or is he? And who is Idyll Beast? Have to read to find out.

This is my third book, and like the previous two, photographer Carl Kravats and designer Robbie Adkins helped. Kravats took more than 100 color pictures. He has more than 50 years of experience and has worked with many famous people, including the cast of Saturday Night Live. He has been a food photographer in Temecula for 21 years and has photographed eight cookbooks. Adkins, who lives in Murrieta with two, as she put it, “doggies,” has designed about 200 books and has won awards. She said she loves helping people like me make books.

They’re like Idyllwild, a small town with nice and interesting people, loving where they live and the four seasons too. The weather is one of many reasons Idyllwild is different from the rest of Southern California, the way they like it.

Reach Carl Love at carllove4@yahoo.com

Inland Empire Girl Scouts CEO goes to summer camp

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 19:38:54 +0000

You’re never too old for summer camp.

Just ask the leader of the Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio.

Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio President and CEO Cynthia Breunig learns about a snake at Skyland Ranch Girl Scout camp in the San Jacinto Mountains in Riverside County. (Courtesy of Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio)

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President and CEO Cynthia Breunig recently studied nature alongside elementary school girls at Skyland Ranch Girl Scout camp in the San Jacinto Mountains in Riverside County.

Events leading to her attendance started in spring at a cookie booth in the High Desert, when a Girl Scout invited her to camp, a news release states.

The camp, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this fall, hosts nearly 90 campers at a time every summer, the release states. Activities include horseback riding, environmental studies, art, music and cooking, the release states.

Breunig took part in June in a Nature Artists camp that involved art projects such as wind chimes, clay beads and building fairy houses from materials found on nature hikes, the release states.

Breunig, who was a Girl Scout, has led the Redlands-based organization that serves the Inland Empire since 2011.

Man shot to death in road-rage attack in Menifee, police say; other driver arrested

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 19:13:17 +0000

A 36-year-old driver was shot to death on Monday night, July 14, in what Menifee police said was a road-rage attack.

The other suspected driver, Ryan Travis Dabe, 47, was arrested on suspicion of murder.

Dabe was being held at Cois M. Byrd Detention Center in French Valley in lieu of $1 million bail, Riverside County jail records show.

Menifee police said it appears the confrontation began on Bundy Canyon Road near the 15 Freeway in Murrieta and continued into Menifee. The suspect is accused of firing at the victim near Scott and Haun roads around 9:30 p.m., striking that driver.

Officers arrived to find the victim suffering from a gunshot wound to his upper body. He was taken to a hospital, where he died.

Dabe stopped near the scene and surrendered, police said.

The exact circumstances that prompted the shooting were under investigation on Tuesday, said Chase Coburn, a Police Department spokeswoman.

The name of the victim had not been publicly announced.

Police ask anyone with information on the case to email ogarcia@menifeepolice.org.

Inland Empire story, film and music contest seeks entries

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 18:49:40 +0000

Students in the Inland Empire and beyond can again enter their best stories, films or music in a free contest that offers prizes.

The Cinema Culturas 2025 International Storytelling, Film and Music Student Competition is open for the year for K-12 students.

This year’s theme is “The Science of Happiness: How Do We Create Happiness?” The deadline to enter is Sept. 24. Students across the United States and the world may enter the contest, which is the sixth installment.

Entries can be a short story or a short film in English or Spanish that are based on the theme, a news release states. Films can be created with a smart phone. Students are urged to create their own music or illustrations for their entry.

The winners will be spotlighted in December at the 2025 Cinema Culturas red carpet reception. Their work will be posted online alongside the work of finalists.

Entries can be emailed to festival@cinemaculturas.com. Check the website for full competition details andrules.

Information: festival@cinemaculturas.com or Cinema Culturas Director Cony Martínez at director@cinemaculturas.com or 951-544-2959.

Woman who sold jaguar cub to Riverside man gets probation and a fine

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 15:47:34 +0000

A Texas-based exotic animal dealer who sold a jaguar cub to a Riverside County man was sentenced to six months’ probation and ordered to pay $30,000 in restitution on Monday, July 14, federal prosecutors announced.

Trisha Denise Meyer, 43, ran an exotic animal business out of her Houston home, where she kept and sold various wild species. According to court documents, she also posed with the animals in nude photos shared on her OnlyFans account.

In August 2021, Meyer was contacted by a Murrieta man interested in purchasing a jaguar cub she had posted about on Instagram. She referred to the cub as Amador.

The buyer, later identified as Abdul Rahman, wired Meyer $20,000 on Aug. 25, 2021. On Sept. 3, the cub was delivered to Rahman’s Riverside County home by Meyer’s associate. Rahman then paid the remaining $10,000 in cash.

When Rahman, or the individual he resold Amador to, could no longer care for it, Meyer brought the malnourished and filthy animal to Lions Tigers & Bears, a wildlife sanctuary in Alpine, east of San Diego, Ciaran McEvoy, spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, said. The sanctuary spent $30,000 to care for the cub, which formed the basis of the restitution order.

After being sold and illegally transported from Texas to California, a jaguar cub then known as Amador, was dumped at a San Diego wildlife sanctuary. (Courtesy of U.S. District Court)

While it is legal to own a jaguar in Texas, selling an endangered species across state lines without a federal permit is a crime. Jaguars are also illegal to own in California.

In 2022, Meyer was charged in an indictment with interstate transportation of an endangered species in the course of commercial activity, interstate sale of an endangered species, trafficking of a prohibited wildlife species, and trafficking an endangered species.

She faced years in federal prison and hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines for selling the animal without permits. Meyer pleaded guilty in June 2023 to one count of interstate sale of an endangered species. She was sentenced to six months’ probation.

Rahman pleaded guilty in April 2023 to one count of interstate transportation of an endangered species. In July 2023, U.S. District Judge Jesus G. Bernal sentenced him to one year of probation and ordered him to pay $30,000 to the sanctuary in restitution, jointly and severally with Meyer, to cover the cost of caring for the cub.

Today, the jaguar once known as Amador is fully grown and goes by the name Eddie. He continues to live at Lions Tigers & Bears.

What to know about ‘Good Trouble Lives On’ rallies across Southern California honoring John Lewis

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 13:43:43 +0000

Crowds are expected to gather in Southern California and across the nation on Thursday, July 17, to commemorate the life of late Congressman John Lewis and protest Trump administration actions and policies.

More than 1,600 “Good Trouble Lives On” events are planned across the country to honor the fifth anniversary of Lewis’ death, including rallies, marches and voter registration drives. The event is expected to draw peaceful protesters angered by Trump administration actions, including intensified immigration enforcement, cuts to programs like Medicaid and SNAP and actions that activists say will restrict voting rights.

Lewis fought for civil and voting rights throughout his life. Before his election to Congress, he helped organize major moments in the Civil Rights Movement, including the Freedom Rides, the 1963 March on Washington and marches from Selma to Montgomery, during which police officers beat Lewis and other protesters who fought against discriminatory practices that prevented Black Americans from voting in the Jim Crow South.

Lewis’ efforts helped pass the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which protected the right to vote for marginalized groups and ensured the 15th Amendment was enforced.

“All of that is under threat now because we have an administration that is determined to act in an unconstitutional way,” said Barbara Arnwine, a co-leader of the Transformative Justice Coalition.

Lewis’ family told the coalition and other organizers that they hoped crowds would continue his civil rights advocacy and legacy, said Daryl Jones, another leader with the Transformative Justice Coalition.

The events in every state are named in honor of one of Lewis’ well-known quotes, who urged community members to “Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.”

“It means that, to do good, sometimes you have to take risks,” said Celina Stewart, CEO of the League of Women Voters, “and you have to rock the boat, be a little unruly, put politeness aside and fight for what you believe in, even when it means you get into trouble.”

It’s important, she said, for community members to get involved as the Trump administration works to undo voting rights gains made by Lewis and other activists. Policies and changes proposed by the Trump administration, including stricter voter ID laws through the proposed SAVE Act, could make it harder and more expensive for women and marginalized communities to vote, Stewart said.

Good Trouble Lives On events in Southern California will be held:

4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Los Angeles City Hall
6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Bixby Park Annex in Long Beach
5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Memorial Park in Pasadena
5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Irvine Civic Center
6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Riverside Main Library
4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in San Bernardino

More events across the area can be found at goodtroubleliveson.org. Organizers ask that attendees RSVP on the website to gauge capacity and because the addresses for some events will only be provided to those who register ahead of time.

What to know about ‘Good Trouble Lives On’ rallies across Southern California honoring John Lewis

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 13:41:00 +0000

Lewis’ efforts helped pass the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which protected the right to vote for marginalized groups and ensured the 15th Amendment was enforced.

Good Trouble Lives On events in Southern California will be held:

4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Los Angeles City Hall
6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Bixby Park Annex in Long Beach
5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Memorial Park in Pasadena
5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Irvine Civic Center
6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Riverside Main Library
4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in San Bernardino

Jurupa Mountains Discovery Center has dinosaur walk, other nature experiences

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 11:50:54 +0000

A walk with dinosaurs may not make the list of common summertime activities.

Yet the Jurupa Mountains Discovery Center offers this experience and other nature and educational activities this summer and year round.

Walker Olafsen, 3, enjoys the Jurupa Mountains Discovery Center’s Museum of Discoveries on Sunday, July 6, 2025, in Jurupa Valley. (Photo by Milka Soko, Contributing Photographer)

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Walker Olafsen, 3, enjoys the Jurupa Mountains Discovery Center’s Museum of Discoveries on Sunday, July 6, 2025, in Jurupa Valley. (Photo by Milka Soko, Contributing Photographer)

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The Jurupa Valley center’s grounds feature dinosaur figurines, including the iconic mammoth nicknamed Eddy that’s visible off the 60 Freeway.

The center, which is open weekends, also has nature walks, trails and botanical gardens, plus a museum with geological exhibits and fossils.

The complex is at 7621 Granite Hill Drive in Jurupa Valley. Its hours are Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For information, call 951-685-5818 or click here.

What’s new: Vallarta coming to Jurupa Valley; Reset Hotel debuts near Joshua Tree

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 10:30:55 +0000

Vallarta Supermarkets continues its expansion through the Inland Empire, this time breaking ground in late June for a store coming to Jurupa Valley.

The supermarket will span 51,648 square feet, anchoring a new shopping center of 117,300 square feet.

The Van Nuys-based, family-owned chain features a variety of small shops within the grocery store where customers can shop fish, desserts, tortillas, cheeses, fruit and marinated meats. The store even has a guacamole station, where shoppers can customize their favorite avocado mash.

A representative with Vallarta said the new store should open by mid-2026.

Vallarta, which is celebrating 40 years in business this year, has 60 stores in California, recently adding locations in Hemet and Colton. It also has Inland stores in Hesperia, Victorville and Indio.

The thrift store Plato’s Closet has reopened with a new owner and a new location in Temecula at 41377 Margarita Road. (Photo courtesy of Plato’s Closet)

Plato’s Closet thrift store opens in new spot

The thrift store Plato’s Closet has reopened with a new owner and a new location in Temecula.

The resale store at 41377 Margarita Road, Suite 102, caters to local teens and young adults who want to make some money selling their gently used clothes. The store then sells that clothing and accessories.

Barbara Bennett bought the Temecula franchise earlier this year, with 11 former employees returning to the new store.

How Plato’s Closet works:

Sellers bring in their clothing and accessories, with no appointment necessary. Employees then evaluate the clothing for resale and offer cash on the spot to the seller.

For more information, call 951-296-0133 or go to platoscloset.com/locations/temecula-ca

Plato’s Closet is part of Winmark – the Resale Co., a national resale franchise.

Reset Hotel opens July 21 in Twentynine Palms, not far from the north entrance of Joshua Tree National Park. The hotel, which sits on 180 acres, was built using modular building materials in order to reduce its impact on the environment with shorter construction phases. (Photo courtesy of Reset Hotel)

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New hotel near Joshua Tree

Reset Hotel opens July 21 in Twentynine Palms, not far from the north entrance of Joshua Tree National Park.

The hotel, which sits on 180 acres, was built using modular building methods in order to reduce its impact on the environment with a shorter construction phase.

Features include 65 guest rooms, each with patios and stove fire pits; a clubhouse with co-working space, café, retail and a communal fire pit; a bistro offering seasonal fare; a 1,000-square-foot salt water pool and jacuzzi; saunas, cold plunges, yoga and other desert-inspired programming.

Room rates, according to a search Friday, run from $175 nightly up to $457 (high seasons and holidays), depending on the days booked.

The hotel was co-founded by HP Investors in San Diego-based, entrepreneur Adam Wininger, and designer Benjamin Uyeda.

Address: 7000 Split Rock Ave., Twentynine Palms. To see more, go to stayreset.com

The bargain bus service GOGO Charters is expanding next year to Ontario, with plans to launch four daily routes connecting to Los Angeles and Las Vegas. (Photo courtesy of GOGO Charters)

New bus routes coming in 2026

The bargain bus service GOGO Charters is expanding next year to Ontario, with plans to launch four daily routes connecting to Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

GOGO will provide pickup and dropoff service at the Hyatt Place Ontario.

Daily two-way service is expected to start in 2026, with fares starting at just $10.

The route to Los Angeles stops at The Westin Bonaventure Hotel at 404 South Figueroa St.

The Las Vegas route lands at the Las Vegas Convention Center Station at 3150 Paradise Road.

GOGO also will have connections to other major cities, including San Diego, Tucson and Phoenix.

Passengers book and pay for rides using the GOGO app. Stay tuned for updates next year. The buses feature onboard Wi-Fi and climate control.

For more information, go to gogocharters.com

Milestones

LMA Consulting Group in Claremont, a manufacturing and supply chain strategy firm founded in 2005 by Lisa Anderson, is celebrating 20 years in business. “Twenty years ago, the world looked different,” said Anderson. “We were focused on streamlining operations, managing inventory and optimizing supply chain processes. Today, those are still important — but successful supply chain leaders must now navigate geopolitical volatility, global market shifts and rapidly evolving technologies.”

OCR Top Workplaces 2025

Top Workplaces nomination period extended

The Inland News Group’s 12th annual Top Workplaces 2025 program has extended its nomination window for the region’s top companies and organizations.

The program involves a quick survey that is free to all nominees. Anyone — employees, management and people who don’t work at the organization or company — can submit a nomination.

Any organization with 35 or more employees is eligible to participate (public, private, non-profit, government) in Riverside and San Bernardino counties, as well as Los Angeles County’s eastern San Gabriel Valley/Pomona Valley.

To participate, go to pressenterprise.com/nominate or call 951-934-0462.

The deadline for nominations is Aug. 1.

Headlines you might have missed:

From the Associated Press …

Bottle recall: Walmart is recalling 850,000 stainless steel water bottles because the lid can “forcefully eject” and unexpectedly hit consumers using them. At least two people struck by the lid suffered permanent vision loss. The recall covers “Ozark Trail 64 oz Stainless Steel Insulated Water Bottles,” which have been sold at the chain’s stores since 2017. Anyone who bought the bottle can go to the store for a refund.

Vehicle recall: Ford is recalling 850,000 cars across the U.S. because a low-pressure fuel pump inside the vehicles can fail and potentially cause an engine stall while driving. The recall, AP reports, covers Ford and Lincoln-branded vehicles made in recent model years, such as Ford Broncos, Explorers and F-150s, as well as Lincoln Aviators and Navigators. If you own one, be on the lookout for letters coming from Ford.

The business briefs are compiled and edited by Business Editor Samantha Gowen. Submit items to sgowen@scng.com. High-resolution images can also be submitted. Allow at least one week for publication. Items are edited for length and clarity.

Trump administration to appeal LA judge’s order pausing immigration raids

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 08:57:19 +0000

LOS ANGELES — The Trump administration will appeal a Los Angeles federal judge’s orders limiting the ability of federal agents to detain people without reasonable suspicion beyond their race, ethnicity or occupation, the White House said on Sunday, July 13.

“No federal judge has the authority to dictate immigration policy —that authority rests with Congress and the president,” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told City News Service in an email Sunday.

“Enforcement operations require careful planning and execution; skills far beyond the purview or jurisdiction of any judge. We expect this gross overstep of judicial authority to be corrected on appeal,” Jackson added.

Friday’s 52-page ruling from U.S. District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong bars immigration agencies “from conducting detentive stops in this district unless the agent or officer has reasonable suspicion that the person to be stopped is within the United States in violation of U.S. immigration law.”

The order also bars agents from relying solely on factors such as race/ethnicity, speaking with an accent or being at locations such as bus stops, day laborer sites, car washes or agricultural sites as a basis for detaining people.

Also See: Pasadena mayor praises federal ruling on immigration raids, after bus stop arrests in city he leads

In a separate ruling, Frimpong ordered immigration agencies to ensure detainees are provided with access to attorneys or legal representatives seven days a week, and access to confidential telephone calls with attorneys at no charge to the detainees — and that those calls “shall not be screened, recorded or otherwise monitored.”

White House border czar Tom Homan criticized the order Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

“Look, we’re going to litigate that order, because I think the order’s wrong. I mean, she’s (Frimpong) assuming that the officers don’t have reasonable suspicion. They don’t need probable cause to briefly detain and question somebody. They just need reasonable suspicion. And that’s based on many articulable facts.

“So, unless she’s in the officer’s mind, I don’t know if she would make that decision that, well, they’re not using reasonable suspicion. How does she know that? I mean, every officer has to bring articulable facts to raise reasonable suspicion, and then they can briefly detain,” Homan said.

“… Physical description can’t be the sole factor to give you reasonable suspicion,” he added. ” … Appearance can be just one. For instance, if someone has an MS-13 tattoo on their face, that may be one factor to add to other factors to raise reasonable suspicion. … But I can tell you this, that every ICE officer goes through Fourth Amendment training every six months, and reminded what their authorities are for arrest, detention, and questioning. So, the officers are very well-trained.”

Appearing on the same program, Sen. Alex Padilla, D-California, disputed Homan’s claims.

“It is appearance. It’s accents. It’s occupation, again, construction workers, farmworkers, you name it. The evidence is out there,” Padilla said.

Also See: Leaders demand to see detainees after ICE raid in Pasadena

After Friday’s ruling, U.S. Attorney in Los Angeles Bill Essayli insisted that enforcement agencies have adhered to the law.

“We strongly disagree with the allegations in the lawsuit and maintain that our agents have never detained individuals without proper legal justification,” Essayli said. “Our federal agents will continue to enforce the law and abide by the U.S. Constitution.”

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a defiant response on its social media pages, writing, “A district judge is undermining the will of the American people. America’s brave men and women are removing murderers, MS-13 gang members, pedophiles, rapists — truly the worst of the worst from Golden State communities. LAW AND ORDER WILL PREVAIL!”

The lawsuit was filed July 2 in Los Angeles federal court by Public Counsel, the American Civil Liberties Union and attorneys representing Southern California residents, workers and advocacy groups on behalf of people who allege they were unlawfully stopped or detained by federal agents targeting locations where immigrant workers are traditionally hired. It accused immigration officials of carrying out “roving patrols” and detaining people without warrants and regardless of whether they have actual proof they are in the country legally.

It further alleged that federal agencies, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, engaged in unconstitutional and unlawful immigration enforcement raids by targeting Angelenos based on their perceived race and ethnicity and denying detainees constitutionally mandated due process.

Also See: First came the immigration agents, then came the text. Pomona family’s day turns into a nightmare

The lawsuit accused the DHS of operating a program of “abducting and disappearing” community members using unlawful arrest tactics, then confining detainees in illegal conditions while denying access to attorneys.

The two main plaintiffs in the case said they were arrested by armed, masked agents merely for sitting at a bus stop.

“I believe these events are unprecedented in American history,” plaintiffs’ attorney Mark Rosenbaum of the Public Counsel law firm told the court, referring to the events of the past month when immigration raids across the region have prompted demonstrations and panic in Latino communities.

In a statement following Friday’s ruling, Rosenbaum called the decision “historic.”

“The court ruled clearly that DHS’s unlawful and abusive practice of denying attorney access to car wash workers, nannies, and other hardworking community members rounded up and detained in cruel and coercive conditions —without beds, meals, or even minimal hygiene — must end immediately,” he said. “The question now for our federal government is whether it is prepared to conduct its operations under the rule of law. To date, the answer has been no.”

During a court hearing Thursday, Sean Skedzielewski, a government attorney, denied allegations that agents were conducting illegal detentions of immigrants, insisting that DHS enforcement activities are based on proper evidence and the “totality of the circumstances.”

But Frimpong, an appointee of former President Joe Biden, appeared critical of the government’s stance, saying attorneys were offering only generalities without providing adequate legal arguments to back their position.

In his argument, Tajsar told the court most immigration stops do not happen to white people.

“It’s happening with people who appear Latino,” he said, adding the government’s roving immigration agents “are stopping people and asking questions later.”

Asked by the judge why it was necessary for agents to wear masks that hide their identities, Skedzielewski responded that government agents were trying to avoid being “doxed” if their identities were discovered.

Federal officials also repeated their calls for undocumented immigrants to self-deport using the CBP Home app, and to learn more about legal immigration options at cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced a plan Friday to provide financial assistance to people who have been affected by the sweeping immigration raids. The aid, which will not come directly from taxpayers but from immigrants rights groups such as the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, will be distributed using cash cards containing about $200, and should be available in about a week.

“You have people who don’t want to leave their homes, who are not going to work, and they are in need of cash,” Bass said during a Friday news conference.

Criteria for receiving the aid was not immediately clear.

Bass also announced that she signed an executive directive that, among other things, calls for records from the Trump administration on all ICE operations since they started in June, and directs all city departments to ensure they are in compliance with Los Angeles’ “sanctuary city ordinance,” which prohibits the use of city resources and personnel in federal immigration enforcement.

Camarillo farmworker who fell from greenhouse roof during chaotic ICE raid dies

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 07:19:20 +0000

By OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ

SAN FRANCISCO — A farmworker who fell from a greenhouse roof during a chaotic ICE raid this week at a California cannabis facility died Saturday of his injuries.

Jaime Alanis, 57, is the first known person to die during one of the Trump administration’s ongoing immigration enforcement operations. Yesenia Duran, Alanis’ niece, confirmed his death to The Associated Press.

Duran posted on the fundraising site GoFundMe that her uncle was his family’s only provider and he had been sending his earnings back to a wife and daughter in Mexico. Alanis worked at the farm for 10 years, his family said.

The United Farm Workers reported Alanis’ death prematurely late Friday. The Ventura County Medical Center later issued a statement authorized by the family saying he was still on life support.

“These violent and cruel federal actions terrorize American communities, disrupt the American food supply chain, threaten lives and separate families,” the UFW said recently in a statement on the social platform X. The union does not represent workers at the raided farm.

The Department of Homeland Security said it executed criminal search warrants Thursday at Glass House Farms facilities in Camarillo and Carpinteria. Glass House is a licensed cannabis grower. The farm in Camarillo also grows tomatoes and cucumbers.

Garcia called family to say he was hiding and possibly was fleeing agents before he fell about 30 feet (9 meters) from the roof and broke his neck, according to information from family, hospital and government sources.

Agents arrested some 200 people suspected of being in the country illegally and identified at least 10 immigrant children on the sites, DHS said in a statement. Alanis was not among them, the agency said.

“This man was not in and has not been in CBP or ICE custody,” DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. “Although he was not being pursued by law enforcement, this individual climbed up to the roof of a greenhouse and fell 30 feet. CBP immediately called a medivac to the scene to get him care as quickly as possible.”

Four U.S. citizens were arrested during the incident for allegedly “assaulting or resisting officers,” according to DHS, and authorities were offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of a person suspected of firing a gun at federal agents.

During the raid crowds of people gathered outside the facility in Camarillo to seek information about their relatives and protest immigration enforcement. Authorities clad in military-style helmets and uniforms faced off with the demonstrators, and people ultimately retreated amid acrid green and white billowing smoke.

Glass House said in a statement that immigration agents had valid warrants. The company said workers were detained and it is helping provide them with legal representation.

“Glass House has never knowingly violated applicable hiring practices and does not and has never employed minors,” it said.

The business was co-founded by Graham Farrar and Kyle Kazan. Farrar has donated to California Democrats including Gov. Gavin Newsom, a vocal critic of Republican President Donald Trump, according to campaign finance records. Kazan has donated to both Democrats and Republicans.

Pechanga’s first Whiskey & Wings Festival takes place Saturday, July 12

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 15:32:40 +0000

Pechanga Resort Casino is launching a new festival this weekend called Whiskey & Wings.

The event will take place at 1 p.m. Saturday, July 12 in Pechanga Summit, the resort’s events center.

Attendees can indulge in unlimited wings and whiskey, according to a news release. About 36 vendors will participate, according to the event’s page on the resort’s website.

General admission is $120 per person, but early VIP admission at 11 a.m. is available at $160 per person. Designated driver tickets are also available, the news release said. Admission is limited to people 21 years and older.

Proceeds will benefit Habitat for Humanity Inland Valley. The fundraiser replaces the resort’s Microbrew & Chili Festival.

Pechanga is at 45000 Pechanga Parkway, Temecula.

Tickets, information: pechanga.com

Tenants speak out against alleged exploitation by landlord Mike Nijjar

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 15:01:44 +0000

Nearly three years ago, tenant advocate Zerita Jones organized a housing protest at a black-tie event attended by real estate tycoon Swaranjit “Mike” Nijjar and his wife, Patty.

The Crystal Ball gala, held in November 2022 at the Pasadena Convention Center, was raising funds — at $600 a plate — to benefit patients and communities served by Methodist Hospitals.

The group of activists that night split up. Half remained outside picketing, while the other half went inside, dressed for the red carpet gala.

“Some of us started chanting that Mike Nijjar is a slumlord,” said Jones, pointing to video provided by the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment.

https://wpdash.medianewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Chesapeake-edit-Trim-1.mp4

In the video, clapping and chanting protesters can be seen standing next to tables topped with china, silverware and bottles of wine while surprised philanthropists mill about in tuxedos and gowns.

When the protesters were escorted out by police for causing a disturbance, Jones sidled closer to Nijjar.

“I just politely walked up to him and put my hand on his shoulder, and I said, ‘You know, we’re going to continue,’ ” Jones recalled of the only time she met Nijjar.

” ‘Your tenants would really like to have a conversation with you. Do you think you might be able to have a conversation?’ He kind of shook my hand politely and nodded yes, and I kind of patted him on the shoulder, and said, ‘OK, have a good evening.’ “

Jones, who has been hounding the 77-year-old Nijjar for nearly a decade to listen to tenant complaints, said that follow-up conversation never happened.

But she’s remained a thorn in Nijjar’s side.

Zerita Jones visits her 84-year-old mother Jessie Smith-Jones’ at the Chesapeake apartments in Baldwin Hills on Thursday, July 10, 2025. The two formed the Baldwin-Leimert-Crenshaw chapter of the Los Angeles Tenants Union after fighting their mega-landlord Mike Nijjar who owns the 425-unit complex and is known for keeping his properties in slum-like conditions. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Over the years, Jones has been involved in lawsuits with the Nijjar businesses over conditions of their apartments. She also played a part in the dismissal of a complex lawsuit that claimed excessive gang activity at the Chesapeake Apartments — a move that stopped evictions from proceeding.

“Their model is to get people in at the highest rent possible, and then ignore all of their repairs until it gets out of hand,” Jones said of the Nijjar real estate empire. “The way they treat tenants is all the same.”

The Nijjar family and their related companies own and manage more than 22,000 rental housing units statewide, primarily in low-income neighborhoods in Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino and Kern Counties — and spanning up to Sacramento and San Joaquin counties.

Children play in a patio of the Chesapeake apartments in Baldwin Hills on Thursday, July 10, 2025. The 425-unit complex is owned by Mike Nijjar who is known for keeping his properties in slum-like conditions. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

State makes its case

Three years after the state launched an investigation into Nijjar’s business practices, California Attorney General Rob Bonta is taking a host of complaints to court.

In June, Bonta filed a 143-page lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court against Nijjar, his sister, Daljit “DJ” Kler, and other family members and their companies, alleging widespread tenant exploitation. The lawsuit follows an investigation launched by the state Department of Justice in late 2022, and was filed against Nijjar and his family-run businesses, known as PAMA Management.

Tenants may know PAMA by the names of their current and recent property management companies: I E Rental Homes, Bridge Management, Equity Management, Golden Management, Hightower Management, Legacy Management, Mobile Management, Pro Management and Regency Management.

His companies previously were cited by code enforcement offices across the state and the target of lawsuits by the Kern County District Attorney’s Office and the city of Los Angeles — the latter of which has an ongoing case. Nijjar’s companies have failed to comply with basic real estate licensing requirements since 2020.

While others have cited Nijjar and his companies for a garden variety of code enforcement issues over the years, Bonta’s lawsuit is the first time the state has brought action against Nijjar, said Joanne Adams, deputy press secretary for his office.

It’s the biggest slumlord case ever brought against a real estate owner in California, Adams said.

Some observers aren’t surprised.

“I don’t think I’ve ever encountered something of this scale, and just the impunity with which he carries on shocks me,” said Ryan Bell, the Pasadena-based Southern California regional coordinator for Tenants Together. “He doesn’t seem to care. He gets cited and fined, and he’s been in court over and over again, and he just keeps going.”

The suit alleges PAMA egregiously violated numerous state laws by subjecting tenants to unsafe living conditions, including cockroach and rodent infestations, leaking roofs and outdated plumbing, overflowing sewage, structural damage caused by water leaks and deferred maintenance.

The lawsuit also alleges the companies discriminated against applicants with Section 8 housing vouchers, overcharged some tenants for rent and relied on leases that deceive tenants about their legal rights.

“These violations are not just a mistake, they are part of ongoing business practices,” Bonta said in announcing the lawsuit. “PAMA defers necessary investments in maintenance in favor of quick and cheap repairs; uses unskilled handymen even for specialized work; provides little to no training to staff, many of whom have no experience in property management; and fails to track maintenance requests in any systematic, routine fashion — requests are often lost or never completed.”

PAMA is aware of these issues and knows their operations lead to uninhabitable conditions, yet these business practices have persisted for years, Bonta said.

Code enforcement officers in the communities where Nijjar’s businesses operate routinely cite the Nijjar family’s properties for violating minimum habitability standards, according to the lawsuit. In recent years, the family’s companies have settled dozens of lawsuits alleging habitability defects and unsafe conditions involving hundreds of tenants.

In 2016, an infant died in a fire in Oildale at a substandard mobile home owned by PAMA, which investigators said was occupied without permits and smoke alarms.

In 2017, tenants in Jones’ complex were threatened with evictions after former Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer filed a nuisance abatement lawsuit claiming excessive criminal gang activity as the cause. The residents were able to get the suit tossed out.

In 2022, Jones and other tenants at the housing complex declared victory over one of Nijjar’s companies after persuading city and county health and code enforcement officials to inspect conditions of their apartments. Tenants alleged a growing list of slum-like conditions, including mold, rats, broken tubs and showers, no screens on windows, and electrical outlet shortages.

Bonta’s suit is seeking a court order barring Nijjar and his companies from continuing its unlawful business practices, penalties for violating tenant laws, restitution for tenants and “disgorgement” of profits obtained illegally.

Deidre Larson looks through files of unresolved code violations tied to her rental company at her home in San Bernardino on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. The company, owned by landlord Mike Nijjar and operating under several shell names, is now facing a major lawsuit. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)

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Day in court

Nijjar’s attorney disputed the state’s lawsuit.

“The allegations in the complaint are false and misleading, and its claims are legally erroneous,” attorney Stephen G. Larson wrote in a statement to the Southern California News Group. “We look forward to demonstrating in court that Mr. Nijjar and his companies are not only compliant with the law, but they provide an extraordinary service to housing those disadvantaged and underserved by California’s public and private housing markets.”

Much of what is known about Nijjar comes from tenant advocacy reports, the family’s involvement with nonprofits, and county and state documents.

According to the tenant alliance group, the Nijjar family has amassed a $1.5 billion real estate empire over the last 40 years, collecting more than $100 million in “affordable housing rental profits” from low-income families throughout California. He also has expanded to Nevada and Texas, according to ACCE in a video dating to November 2022.

Nijjar’s wife, Patty Nijjar, is a board member of the USC Arcadia Hospital Foundation — formerly known as the Methodist Hospital of Southern California in Arcadia. The billionaire couple lives in a 12,196-square-foot mansion in a gated community in Bradbury, a Los Angeles suburb in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, sandwiched between Monrovia to the west and Duarte to the east and south, according to county records.

The 24-year-old estate on 5.757 acres is owned by Villa Bellefontain LLC, a limited liability company with a headquarters at 4900 Santa Anita Ave. in El Monte, which lists as owners Mike and Patty Nijjar and the Nijjar Family Trust. Mike Nijjar is listed as “manager” for Villa Bellefontain, according to state corporation filings.

Speaking up

Several tenants interviewed by SCNG underscored the concerns raised in Bonta’s lawsuit.

Deirdre Larson, who lives in an accessory dwelling unit along 33rd Street in San Bernardino, is providing in-home care for her disabled ex-husband. She lost her job last fall as a property manager, had her 2017 Ford Explorer repossessed, and moved to the ADU behind a single-family home in a residential area in September after staying a few days at a Motel 6 in Riverside.

Nijjar’s Bridge Management moved to evict the 53-year-old by Aug. 1 after she fell a few months behind on her monthly rent of $2,295 earlier this year. She’s trying to catch up with a patchwork of federal and state funding sources, and a new job.

She complained Tuesday, July 8, of having bad electrical wiring throughout the house, forcing her to hook up a microwave and other cooking appliances by running extension cords to other rooms of the house from her kitchen. She’s complained to local code enforcement officials, as well as filled out maintenance requests forms for Bridge Management, but nothing happens.

Other maintenance requests also have gone unfilled.

Larson also rigged a drainage system of clamped hoses so her washing machine could drain into her bathtub in the master bedroom. There’s no water drain in the appliance’s closet.

Installed solar panels also aren̵

Measles cases are on the rise: How is Southern California faring?

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 06:15:51 +0000

Measles cases throughout the U.S. are on the rise — but Southern California is faring better than other states.

Nationally speaking, more cases have been reported halfway through 2025 than any other year since the disease was declared eradicated in the U.S. in 2000.

In California, 17 cases have been reported thus far in 2025. In 2024, the California Department of Public Health reported only 15 cases throughout the entire year.

Together, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties have reported eight of those cases this year. However, the data only covers the first half of the year, so cases in each county may still surpass last year’s totals.

Los Angeles County has reported six cases since January 2025. Four are residents who have traveled internationally or to domestic areas experiencing a transmission of measles.

In 2024, there were seven total cases in L.A. County, four of which involved individuals traveling through LAX while infectious, and only one case was a resident of the county.

Riverside County reported one case in April from an adult resident who traveled internationally. This was the first case in Riverside since 2018.

Orange County reported one case in February from an infant returning home after international travel. In 2024, Orange County reported two unrelated cases: an infant returning home from international travel and an adult who traveled internationally.

San Bernardino County has reported no cases in 2025. Its last measles case was in December 2023, said Francis Delapaz, a spokesperson for the county’s Department of Public Health.

Almost all of the cases reported in Southern California have been a result of international or domestic travel.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that unvaccinated travelers receive both doses of the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine at least two weeks before international travel. Receiving two doses of the vaccine provides 97% protection against measles, whereas one dose provides 93%, according to the CDC.

There have been 27 measles outbreaks — defined by the CDC as three or more related cases — throughout the U.S. so far this year. There are no active measles outbreaks in California, according to the CDC.

The increase in cases is concentrated in the southwest, stemming from an outbreak in West Texas, according to the CDC. Texas has reported 753 cases so far this year, many affecting unvaccinated school children, according to the CDC.

There were only 285 total cases of measles in 2024 in the U.S. This year, the number of cases has hit 1,288 as of July 9.

The CDC reports that measles is on the rise due to a global increase in the viral infection, which can lead to unvaccinated travelers bringing the disease home with them, and a decrease in kindergarten-aged children receiving the MMR vaccine.

California is one of 11 states above the 95% target of vaccinated kindergarteners. Most Southern California counties were above the 95% threshold, according to a 2023-2024 report by the California Department of Public Health.

Riverside County reported that almost 96% of children entering kindergarten were fully vaccinated. LA County and Orange County reported over 97% of kindergarteners were vaccinated.

San Bernardino County was below the target percentage, with only 93.5% of kindergarteners fully vaccinated in 2024.

In 2025, more than a third of all measles cases are amongst people aged 5-19. And 92% of all cases are people who are unvaccinated or have unknown vaccination status.

So far, there have been 162 hospitalizations due to measles this year, and three confirmed deaths — two children and one adult — none of whom had the MMR vaccine. The deaths occurred in Texas and New Mexico, the two states with the highest number of measles cases.

Perris residents back mayor’s suggestion to stay home to avoid ICE

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 15:15:08 +0000

A day after Perris’ mayor urged residents in the largely Latino city to stay home after a reported immigration operation, business owners and others supported his stance.

“It’s a good thing what he did,” Monica Trinidad, owner of Monica’s Beauty Salon on D Street, said Thursday, July 10.

After reported activity by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in the city on Wednesday, July 9, her shop saw lots of cancellations and rescheduling. They got no walk-ins.

Businesses up and down the downtown Perris street closed early that day, Trinidad said.

When Monica’s shut at 5 p.m. — an hour earlier than usual — Trinidad said her son, who works as a stylist at the salon, said: “It looks like a haunted city” outside.

On Wednesday, Mayor Michael Vargas posted a video to the city’s Instagram and Facebook pages suggesting that residents “remain calm, stay indoors when possible, and know your rights. Do not go out unless necessary and do not open the door to strangers.”

ICE has not responded to a request for comment about operations in Perris, a Riverside County city that is about 78% Latino.

On Thursday, residents and business owners in downtown said they’ve seen the impacts of recent ICE enforcement across Southern California the past couple of days and earlier. And they are worried and upset.

Trinidad, who uses social media to keep track of ICE’s movements, said she’s concerned about what future ICE activity might mean for her business.

Rudy Cortez, owner of Los Cortez Barber Shop in Perris, stands in his shop as Andy Garcia cuts customer Victor Gomez’s hair on Thursday, July 10, 2025. Cortez says he is prepared for any ICE agents who might walk through his doors. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)

At Los Cortez Barber Shop on D Street, owner Rodolfo Cortez had harsh words about ICE’s presence.

“I don’t mind getting all the bad guys,” Cortez said. “But leave the good guys alone.”

He said ICE’s presence is “a bunch of (nonsense)” and questioned why agents are targeting people who pay taxes, buy homes and don’t cause trouble.

If immigration officers visited his business, Cortez said he’d tell agents to “get the (expletive) out of my shop.”

Mauricio Higareda pours an agua fresca for a customer at his Mexican grocery store in Perris on Thursday, July 10, 2025. A nearby customer shared that some of his contractors were recently picked up in ICE raids. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)

At La Playita, a bakery and meat market on D Street, Lake Elsinore resident Maribel Gonzalez shopped for her parents, who are Perris residents and U.S. citizens but fear being accosted by ICE if they left their home.

“The way people are being treated, it’s inhumane,” said Gonzalez, a first-grade teacher who said she also saw the impact of ICE’s presence on her students.

Gonzalez’s said her 8- and 11-year-old daughters have friends whose parents didn’t attend promotion or graduation ceremonies out of fear that they would be arrested.

“(Children) are growing up remembering how this feels,” she said.

Business has been slow at La Playita, said owner Mauricio Higareda, who added that a friend’s business has been closed for two days because five employees didn’t show.

La Playita, a Perris fixture for 30 years, closed at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday due to ICE’s presence, said Higareda, who said officers are targeting people indiscriminately.

“They treat them like animals.”

At a thrift store across the street, business has been rough for the past two months.

“We’ve been making half of what we used to make,” said Carlos Vasquez, who co-owns the store with his wife.

He said customers are reluctant to come out, fearing they might not return from a quick errand.

Vasquez’s store barely survived the COVID-19 pandemic and he’s not sure it can survive if business continues to falter due to fears of ICE.

“I don’t think we could take a hit like that,” he said, referring to the pandemic.

Community youth watch a video during a workshop at TODEC Legal Center in Perris on Thursday, July 10, 2025. A sign related to immigration hangs on the wall behind them. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)

The TODEC Legal Center, a nonprofit organization that helps the immigrant community, is also on D Street.

Executive Director Luz Gallegos said immigration officers in Perris have handed out flyers telling undocumented immigrants how to self-deport.

So far, ICE officers haven’t visited, but that doesn’t mean their presence isn’t felt.

Immigrants, she said, think twice about leaving their home and don’t go to work. One missed day of work can really hurt, Gallegos said, because undocumented immigrants don’t have access to government safety-net programs.

“We know firsthand, if we don’t have a strong workforce, we’re going to lose our economy and our businesses are hurting,” she said.

To help families fearful of going outside, TODEC recently started a grocery delivery service, Gallegos said.

“People are dropping off food or donating money,” she said. “As a community, we always come together to support those in need and our most vulnerable populations. But to be honest, it just hurts our hearts to see what our community and our kids are going through and our businesses.”

Mariella Ayala works the front desk at TODEC Legal Center in Perris on Thursday, July 10, 2025. She awaits clients seeking assistance with citizenship-related issues. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)

Patrons walk through downtown Perris on Thursday, July 10, 2025. On Thursday, residents and business owners in downtown said they’ve seen the impacts of recent ICE enforcement across Southern California the past couple of days and earlier. And they are worried and upset. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)

Paul McCartney brings ‘Got Back’ tour to Acrisure Arena

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 11:09:00 +0000

If you’ve been waiting to “Get Back” to live music with a legend, Paul McCartney is answering the call—starting right here in Southern California.

The Beatles icon will kick off his 2025 Got Back tour on Sept. 29 at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert. It marks McCartney’s first performance in the Coachella Valley since his memorable Desert Trip appearance in 2016, and it’s the only California stop on the 16-date trek through the U.S. and Canada.

The tour wraps with back-to-back shows at Chicago’s United Center on Nov. 24 and 25. But before that, Southern California fans will get the first taste of what’s expected to be a career-spanning setlist—featuring Beatles staples like “Hey Jude” and “Let It Be,” as well as hits from Wings and McCartney’s solo catalog.

Tickets for the Acrisure Arena show go on artist presale at 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 15 at Ticketmaster.com. With general public sales beginning at 10 a.m. Friday, July 18 at acrisurearena.com.

McCartney’s return to the road follows a trio of intimate warm-up shows at New York’s Bowery Ballroom earlier this year and a guest performance on SNL50: The Anniversary Special. He’s also been busy offstage—2024 saw the release of a 50th-anniversary reissue of Band on the Run and the long-sought live album One Hand Clapping. A new book, Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run, chronicling his post-Beatles adventures, is due out Nov. 4.

From Beatlemania to arena rock, McCartney’s musical journey continues and for fans in the desert, it starts right at home. With more than six decades of hits behind him, his Palm Desert performance promises to be a nostalgic and historic night for longtime listeners and first-time concertgoers alike.

Miguel’s Jr. launches Caliente Chicken Bites

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 10:17:00 +0000

Miguel’s Jr. debuted its take on crispy chicken this week.

Caliente Chicken Bites are tossed in the Corona-based chain’s original, house-made red hot sauce, according to a Facebook reel.

Miguel’s Jr. is serving them in three items for a limited time. A soft taco, made with jack cheese, tomato, cilantro and house dressing, costs $4.49. A wrap with the same ingredients costs $9.49. And loaded fries, topped with cheddar cheese and house-made cilantro ranch dressing, costs $12.49.

Miguel’s Jr. was founded in 1975 and is marking its 50th anniversary this year. Including house-made hot sauce in the crispy chicken recipe is a way of trying something new while honoring the past, Javier Vasquez, president and chief executive officer, said in a recent interview.

Other limited-time items include Mango Tea, Mango Lemonade, Strawberry Lemonade and Strawberry Horchata.

Miguel’s Jr. is also expanding its “Box It” burrito combos to include fries, which the chain recently added to its menu, as a side option.

Information: miguelsjr.com

July 4th saw deadly explosions, law enforcement via drones, and surges in calls to police

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 17:43:00 +0000

Agencies across Southern California took preventative measures and put eyes in the sky this Fourth of July to combat what’s typically one of the busiest — and potentially most dangerous — nights of the year. Still, there were deadly fireworks, damaging fires, and hundreds of emergency calls across the region.

In Buena Park, an 8-year-old girl died after an illegal firework display malfunctioned and misfired, igniting additional illegal fireworks near the child.

In Pacoima, a man died and a woman was critically injured in a house fire linked to fireworks, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

And in Laguna Beach, a 13-year-old was arrested on suspicion of setting off fireworks that sparked the Rancho Fire, which burned four acres and forced evacuations.

Many police and fire stations logged a steep rise in calls for service on the holiday, though year-over-year comparisons were mostly unavailable, and some departments said they saw less.

San Bernardino County Fire saw a dramatic spike in calls, responding to 778 incidents on July 4 — more than twice the 359 calls handled on June 4. Fire-related calls alone jumped from 23 to 207.

“We didn’t have a single area that didn’t have a serious uptick in calls for service,” said department spokesperson Eric Sherwin. “It was a very busy day countywide for us.”

To prepare for the holiday, the department began interdiction efforts in May, anticipating the influx of illegal fireworks brought in from out of state. Fire personnel were stationed at agricultural inspection sites along the 15 and 40 freeways, where they issued 105 citations and seized more than 28,000 pounds of illegal fireworks, Sherwin said.

“If you can get one person to think twice and it stops a house from burning down or a child from being injured, it’s worth it,” he said.

Additional efforts on the holiday led to 10 more citations and the seizure of another 230 pounds of fireworks. Despite the surge in calls, the department said, there were no major incidents or fatalities reported there.

Fullerton fire officials also reported an elevated call volume, with more fire-related incidents than usual for a single day. Santa Ana police said they received hundreds of fireworks complaints – but said activity was slightly lower than in previous years.

The Riverside Police Department issued more than 60 citations for illegal fireworks use on Independence Day — more than twice as many as last year, according to Officer Ryan Railsback.

For the first time, drones supported real-time enforcement, allowing officers to spot and document illegal fireworks activity as it happened — even in cases where individuals dispersed before officers could arrive on foot. Railsback said the increase in citations was largely due to the department’s ability to spot and document illegal activity as it happened.

“We’re not focused on the families having an Independence Day party doing sparklers — little stuff — on their property,” Railsback said. “We’re talking about those commercial-grade, illegal fireworks — the ones you’re not allowed to have in California.”

Fines are being mailed this week to property owners, some of whom may not yet realize they were cited.

Hemet also deployed drones for the first time as part of its Fourth of July enforcement efforts. The department received over 160 fireworks-related calls, along with dozens more tips submitted through a dedicated reporting line.

Nineteen citations were issued, and numerous illegal fireworks were confiscated — many before they could be ignited.

Long Beach received 646 fireworks-related reports on Independence Day — a 4% decrease from 2024, city officials said. The drop followed the launch of the city’s Celebrate Safely campaign, which aimed to educate residents about the dangers of fireworks, how to report violations, and tips to ensure a safe holiday.

Mother and son arrested in connection with Southern California woman’s murder

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 04:59:14 +0000

A man and his mother were arrested in connection with the murder of a woman in Riverside County.

The suspects, both Coachella residents, were identified as Mario Morales Jr., 25, and his mother, Juanna De Morales, 55, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office.

On June 26, deputies responded to a possible homicide at a residence in the 84000 block of Manila Avenue in Indio shortly after 7 a.m.

Authorities found the victim, Alexis Cano, 24, suffering from a gunshot wound inside the home. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators determined that the deadly shooting stemmed from a domestic disturbance and Morales was identified as the primary suspect.

According to news outlet KESQ, Morales allegedly told his family about the murder later that night. He reportedly asked his mother to drive him to Mexico and was later dropped off at a friend's ranch in Mexico.

Mario Morales Jr., 25, is seen in a booking photo from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office.

The next day, he was located by Mexican authorities at the ranch and taken into custody, KESQ reports. He was transported to the Calexico Port of Entry, where Riverside County deputies arrested him for murder.

His mother was reportedly stopped at the border while trying to re-enter the U.S. and was arrested for accessory to murder.

On July 1, both suspects were charged for their alleged involvement in the crime. Both pleaded not guilty. A court hearing is scheduled for July 11. A booking photo was only released for Morales.

Morales is being held on $5 million bail and his mother is being held on $1 million bail.

The case remains under investigation. Anyone with additional information is asked to call Investigator D. Hernandez or Investigator G. Gonzalez at 951-955-2777.

2 arrested in deadly Riverside stabbing attack

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 01:31:23 +0000

Two suspects were arrested after a man was stabbed to death in Riverside.

On June 29, Riverside police responded to a stabbing on the 9900 block of Magnolia Avenue in the Arlington neighborhood around 7:20 a.m.

Arriving officers found the victim, Michael Pope, 58, of Riverside, lying on the ground with multiple stab wounds. He was transported to the hospital where he died from his injuries.

The suspects fled the area before police arrived.

A preliminary investigation revealed that a physical altercation involving Pope and the suspects had taken place. During the confrontation, the victim was stabbed multiple times, police said.

With information from dispatchers, officers located the suspects nearby. They were identified as Christopher James Buschbaum, 36, and Myron Daniels, 67, both of whom are local transients.

From left: Christopher James Buschbaum, 36, and Myron Daniels, 67, are seen in booking photos from the Riverside Police Department.

They were arrested for murder and booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center. Both are being held without bail.

“This was a senseless act of violence,” said Riverside Police Captain Chad Milby of the Investigations Division. “Thanks to the quick actions of our dispatchers in obtaining critical information, the swift response by our patrol officers, and the thorough investigative work by our homicide detectives, these two murder suspects are off the streets.”

Further details, including a motive or whether the suspects and victim were known to each other, were not released.

Anyone with additional information is urged to contact Detective Anthony Watkins at 951-353-7105 or AWatkins@RiversideCA.gov, or Detective Richard Glover at 951-353-7134 or RGlover@RiversideCA.gov.

Anonymous tips can be submitted through the “Atlas 1” mobile app by using the “Send a Message” feature. App downloads for Apple devices can be found here. Android device downloads can be found here.

Man found dead with traumatic injury in Riverside County

Sat, 28 Jun 2025 04:27:25 +0000

Authorities are investigating after a man was found dead in Riverside County.

On June 25, Riverside County deputies responded to reports of a body on the 47000 block of Morongo Road in Banning shortly before 11 p.m. The area is located near the Morongo Reservation.

Arriving deputies found a man with a “traumatic injury and obvious signs of death” at the scene. He was identified as Orlando Lara, 50, of Banning. It's unclear how long Lara's body may have been at the location.

No suspects were found in the area and the events leading up to Lara's death remain unclear.

Deputies said people passing by the area had initially discovered the body. No further details, including a possible suspect description, were released.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call Riverside County Sheriff Investigator Manjarrez at 951-955-2777 or Cabazon Station Investigator Letterly at 760-393-3502.

Man arrested for attempted murder in Riverside County stabbing

Sat, 21 Jun 2025 04:03:58 +0000

A suspect was arrested for attempted murder after he allegedly stabbed a man in Riverside County.

On June 19, deputies responded to an assault with a deadly weapon in the 45000 block of Highway 74 in Hemet shortly after 3 p.m.

The victim was found with a stab wound. He told deputies that Roman Neely, 30, of Hemet, was the alleged attacker.

Roman Neely, 30, of Hemet, is seen in a booking photo from the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.

After investigating, authorities located Neely and took him into custody for attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon.

A search warrant was served at the home where the incident occurred, and deputies found additional evidence of the stabbing.

Further details, including the motive behind the attack or how the suspect and victim were known to each other, were not released.

Anyone with additional information on the case is asked to call Investigator Siaw at the Hemet Sheriff’s Station at 951-791-3400.

Southern California city launches drone program to monitor illegal fireworks

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 19:52:16 +0000

On the heels of the largest wildfire in the city's history, new enforcement tools are launching in Riverside to crack down on illegal fireworks.

The city says its will begin deploying small unmanned aerial systems, aka drones, to help police, firefighters and code enforcement teams detect and document illegal fireworks violations from the air.

The new program is made with last year's Hawarden Fire still fresh in the minds of residents and city leaders.

The fire, which was the result of illegal fireworks, scorched 500 acres in the city, destroyed multiple homes and injured at least two people.

A home destroyed by the Hawarden Fire in Riverside County, California. July 22, 2024 (KTLA)

“We saw first-hand last summer how fireworks can cause catastrophic property damage,” Riverside Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson said. “The risk to lives and property is real, and the consequences for getting caught just aren’t worth it.”

Riverside has a blanket ban on all fireworks in city limits, including those that might be labeled "safe and sane" by other municipalities. City officials said these unmanned drones are part of a stronger stance to prevent fires, injuries and property damage, alongside increase community outreach and newly increased fines of $1,500 per violation.

Multiple operators will deploy drones in neighborhoods throughout the city. The devices are equipped with cameras that help authorities more accurately pinpoint where illegal fireworks are being set off.

Fines will be given out to homeowners where the illegal fireworks originated, even if it wasn't the homeowner themselves who lit the fuse, officials said.

At least three homes were destroyed by the Hawarden Fire in Riverside County on July 22, 2024.

City leaders say lighting fireworks in the fire-prone city limits simply isn't worth the risk or the damage to the community.

“Fireworks are dangerous to our community and also cause distress for our neighbors, our veterans with PTSD and our pets,” said Councilmember Jim Perry. "The Hawarden Fire is the biggest example of how destructive fireworks can be, but all our neighborhoods suffer when illegal fireworks are set off in our city."

Instead of amateur fireworks shows with commercial fireworks products that offer paltry explosions and short bursts, the city instead encourages all residents to attend the free professional fireworks display shows at Mount Rubidoux and La Sierra Park on July 4 at 9 p.m.

In the days leading up to the holiday, and likely the days the follow, residents are urged to report illegal fireworks by utilizing the city website, the Riverside 311 app, or by calling 951-826-5311. Tips can be anonymous, officials said.

Riverside County flies dozens of pets out of state for adoption opportunities

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 20:21:23 +0000

Riverside County Department of Animal Services has transported 102 shelter animals out of state as part of a lifesaving push to reduce overcrowding and give more pets a second chance.

The effort, which was carried out last week with help from national rescue partners, marked the department’s largest cat transport of the year, with 54 cats sent to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah. Another 48 dogs and cats were flown to shelters in New York, Texas and Pennsylvania.

“Lifesaving is our daily journey and through hard work and teamwork, we will continue to blaze trails and help more pets in Riverside County,” said Jackie Schart, RCDAS deputy director of programs and operations. “All the early mornings and late nights are so worth it for us to help homeless pets begin a new chapter.”

Dozens of pets in need of adoption were flown from Riverside County to other shelters across the country to help alleviate overcrowding at Southern California shelters. (Courtesy RCDAS)
Dozens of pets in need of adoption were flown from Riverside County to other shelters across the country to help alleviate overcrowding at Southern California shelters. (Courtesy RCDAS)
Dozens of pets in need of adoption were flown from Riverside County to other shelters across the country to help alleviate overcrowding at Southern California shelters. (Courtesy RCDAS)
Dozens of pets in need of adoption were flown from Riverside County to other shelters across the country to help alleviate overcrowding at Southern California shelters. (Courtesy RCDAS)

The animals were transferred from multiple county shelters, which are currently over capacity.

To relieve additional pressure on the packed shelters at home, the department also launched a new short-term foster initiative, “Ticket to Ride,” which allows residents to foster pets as they await out-of-state transport.

The new program offers potential foster families a clear timeline of commitment and helps create crucial kennel space for the animals that continue to come into the shelter system, officials said.

Adoption and reclaim fees are currently waived at all shelter locations. With animal intakes typically spiking during summer, officials are urging the public to step in.

“I commend the shelter staff for their dedication to RivCo pets, and I’m grateful for our strong relationships with lifesaving partners,” said County Supervisor Yxstian Gutierrez. “We need the community to join in our efforts of helping pets find homes by fostering or adopting an amazing animal who is looking for their new start.”

To sign up for the “Ticket to Ride” program or to learn more about adoptions, visit www.rcdas.org.

Coachella Valley Animal Commission Meeting Highlights

Fri, 02 Aug 2024 20:30:00 +0000

At the latest Coachella Valley Animal Commission meeting, residents and animal advocates pushed for reduced shelter euthanasia rates and more affordable spay and neuter services. Key figures such as Riverside County CEO Jeff Wagon and Supervisor Manuel Perez attended. Public comments included calls for more capacity at the 1000 Palms shelter and the resignation of Director Erin Gettis. The commission unanimously voted to hold meetings bi-monthly until progress is made. Concerns were raised about media access and transparency, with the next meeting scheduled for October.

Riverside County Confirms First Human West Nile Virus Case of the Year

Fri, 02 Aug 2024 16:00:00 +0000

Riverside County health officials have confirmed the county’s first human infection of West Nile virus this year. The patient, a youth, has been hospitalized but is expected to recover fully. This marks the third West Nile virus case in California this year, with two previous cases reported in central and northern regions last month. The virus, carried by mosquitoes, can be fatal. Local vector control districts have been actively spraying areas of the valley to prevent further transmission.

NIXON FIRE CONTINUES TO GROW

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 19:04:44 +0000

NIXON FIRE CONTINUES TO BURN NEAR AGUANGA, HERE IS THE LATEST INFORMATION ON CONTAINMENT AND ACRES BURNED: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2024/7/29/nixon-fire/

Riverside County Adopts Rancho Ordinance, Embracing Cultural Heritage and Community Traditions

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 02:00:00 +0000

The Riverside County Board of Supervisors unanimously adopts the Rancho ordinance, permitting outdoor events at Ranchos in the Coachella Valley under specific conditions. This landmark decision honors the cultural and historical traditions of the Latino community, balancing agricultural use with community celebrations.

Wildfires Force Evacuation of 1500 Homes in Riverside, California

Tue, 23 Jul 2024 00:19:14 +0000

A 500-acre wildfire in Riverside, California, has led to the evacuation of 1500 homes, with the blaze remaining uncontained as of now. The fire, which began on Sunday, has destroyed three homes and damaged four others. Fortunately, no injuries have been reported. Concurrently, the Eagle fire in Riverside County has burned 500 acres and is 25% contained, prompting authorities to downgrade evacuation orders to warnings. The rapid spread of wildfires is exacerbated by drought conditions and recent heat waves across the western United States, creating ideal conditions for uncontrollable fires.

Hawarden Fire Burns 492 Acres in Riverside County, 0% Contained

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 03:09:44 +0000

The Hawarden Fire, which ignited in Riverside County around 1:30 p.m. today, has burned approximately 492 acres and remains 0% contained. Cal Fire is on the scene, utilizing a tanker to help slow the spread. The cause of the fire is currently unknown.

Record Highs as Riverside County Faces Prolonged Triple-Digit Heatwave

Thu, 11 Jul 2024 18:41:01 +0000

San Jacinto has reported record high temperatures for the second consecutive day, and the triple-digit heatwave is expected to continue throughout the week in Riverside County. While desert communities are accustomed to the heat, it can still be overwhelming. Residents describe the heat as feeling like “a slap in the face” upon stepping outside. Coachella Valley officials are urging people to take precautions: stay indoors in air-conditioned spaces, limit outdoor activities, wear loose and light-colored clothing, take cool showers or baths, and stay well-hydrated with water, tea, juice, and sports drinks.

10th Annual Fireworks Extravaganza at Agua Caliente Casino Rancho Mirage

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 00:30:34 +0000

Independence Day is fast approaching and that means a spectacular fireworks show at Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage!

The 10th annual show is a partnership between Agua Caliente Casino and the city of Rancho Mirage!

It’s quickly becoming a desert tradition.

You can enjoy it right from the parking lot next to Agua Caliente Casino with the show synchronized to music from 106.9 The Eagle.

NBC Palm Springs will be broadcasting the fireworks live so if you can’t make it to Rancho Mirage, we’ll bring the show to you!

Riverside County Deputy Suspected Of Rape Out On 1M Bail

Tue, 25 Jun 2024 04:10:09 +0000

Deputy Alexander Ravy Vanny of Hemet, was arrested and booked into the Smith Correctional Facility in Banning Saturday on suspicion of rape.

The deputy made bail and was released on Sunday on $1 million dollars bond.

According to Sheriff’s Department on Friday, a woman who worked as an assistant volunteer identified Vanny as her assailant.

Anyone with information relevant to the investigation is asked to contact the special victims unit.

Palm Springs Fire Department On The Front Lines In Battle Against Tuscany Fire

Wed, 19 Jun 2024 04:20:41 +0000

An update tonight on the Tuscany Fire in Palm Springs.

The latest numbers show 126 acres have burned.

That’s down from the initial 350 acres the Palm Springs Fire Department initially reported Monday evening.

The blaze is currently 90% contained.

Moreno Valley College will present Legacy Award at Martin Luther King Jr. event

Sat, 30 Dec 2023 09:30:01 +0000

Kym Taylor, an African American parent involvement specialist for the Moreno Valley Unified School District, will be honored with Moreno Valley College’s Legacy Award at the college’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast and Scholarship Ceremony.

The breakfast, one of three the college holds yearly, will be held 7:30-9:30 a.m. Jan. 19 at the Moreno Valley Conference and Recreation Center.

Tickets are $65 for general attendees and $50 for enrolled students and can be purchased from the Admissions and Records office in the Welcome Center at the campus or by calling 951-571-6100. Sponsorship opportunities are available by contacting the Riverside Community College District Foundation office at 951-222-8626.

The Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast and Scholarship Ceremony will celebrate 11 years of supporting the achievement of high school and college students, social justice and the community.

Taylor, who has lived in Moreno Valley for nearly 40 years, was nominated for the award by Micki Grayson, director of the Office of TRIO Programs at Moreno Valley College.

“I nominated Kym Taylor because she has been an advocate for youth in the community and has helped shape generations,” Grayson said in a news release. “Taylor’s life poignantly answers a question posed by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. — ‘What are you doing for others?’”

Taylor came to Moreno Valley in 1985 and was a member of the inaugural graduating class of Canyon Springs High School in 1989. After graduating, she attended San Diego State University, receiving a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She went on to receive two master’s degrees in instructional and curriculum design educational counseling from National University.

After completing her studies, Taylor returned to Moreno Valley Unified School District in 1995 to teach. For nearly 30 years, she has served as an educator, both in and out of the classroom. She initially taught at Chaparral Hills Elementary School before moving to Badger Springs Middle School, and then Vista del Lago High School.

After teaching for eight years, Taylor moved into an educational counseling position at Valley View High School, and she has received a marriage and family therapist degree from California Baptist University.

Taylor is one of the co-founders of the Moreno Valley school district’s African American Advisory and African American Parent Advisory councils and she was part of the Riverside County African American Strategic Initiative to author the first blueprint for the county that has since been used as a model throughout the state, according to the news release.

She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. and serves as first vice president and scholarship chairman for her chapter.

“For the past 25 years, Taylor has championed student development and leadership opportunities for local Black youth in the community and throughout the Inland Empire region,” Grayson said in the news release. “A student leader in Moreno Valley’s Black Student Union when she was growing up, Taylor wanted to give local youth the same opportunity to connect with mentors and leaders.

“She was not satisfied with only working with students at the schools where she worked, she wanted to expand the reach and started coordinating annual Black student conferences to help students learn about student advocacy and service. She has given countless hours of her time and financial resources to host these educational and student development opportunities,” Grayson said.

“Taylor, literally, has impacted generations in Moreno Valley, the Inland Empire, and beyond. This is not something she does, it is simply who she is.”

Man who killed aunt in 2018 Riverside shooting gets 98 years to life

Fri, 29 Dec 2023 22:59:22 +0000

A 42-year-old felon who fatally shot his aunt and seriously wounded an acquaintance during a dispute at a family banquet in Riverside was sentenced to 98 years to life in state prison on Friday, Dec. 29.

Abraham David Bonilla killed 39-year-old Beatrice Romo of Beaumont and shot her friend, identified in court documents only as “Tommy,” at the Elks Lodge on Brockton Avenue in 2018.

A Riverside jury in September deliberated one day before finding Bonilla guilty of murder, attempted murder, being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of controlled substances while armed, firearm assault, brandishing a gun and sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations.

Riverside County Superior Court Judge Sam Shouka imposed the sentence required by law during a hearing Friday at the Riverside Hall of Justice.

The attack happened about 7 p.m. on June 30, 2018.

Riverside police investigators said Bonilla was among the attendees, and for several hours, nothing was out of order. But toward the end of the affair, an argument erupted between the defendant and another celebrant, at which point he brandished a .380 semiautomatic handgun at several partygoers, and then opened fire, according to police Sgt. Mike Crawford and prosecutors.

Romo and Tommy were struck, though the defendant did not intend to shoot his aunt when he started firing the compact pistol, according to the prosecution.

He fled the location immediately afterward.

A short time later, patrolmen learned that a man matching the shooter’s description had been involved in a wreck in the area of Fremont Street and Jurupa Avenue and was receiving treatment from paramedics. They went to the location and arrested Bonilla without a struggle.

In an interview shortly after the shooting, Romo’s husband, Ronnie Romo, remembered her as a supportive wife and Good Samaritan who stepped in front of the gunman while trying to break up the fight.

“My wife was loving, giving, awesome, amazing, beautiful, sexy. My wife was the woman men dream of, bro,” Ronnie Romo said.

She was born and raised in Riverside before her family moved to Beaumont 14 years ago, her husband said, to live in a safer place.

Corona Costco shooting jury hasn’t reached verdict, will resume deliberations Jan. 18

Fri, 29 Dec 2023 19:10:48 +0000

The jury weighing the evidence against the former Los Angeles Police Department officer who fatally shot an intellectually disabled man and wounded his parents in the Costco in Corona in 2019 could not reach a verdict on Friday, Dec. 29, and apparently needed clarification on several issues.

The panel will be off for more than two weeks and will resume deliberations on Jan. 18 at the Larson Justice Center in Indio.

It was not immediately clear Friday why jurors were taking such a lengthy break. A projected schedule for the trial that was posted on the first day, Dec. 6, anticipated that the case would conclude by Friday. It’s possible that jurors, who are typically told how long a trial is expected to last, had vacations or other commitments lined up.

The state Attorney General’s Office could not be reached for comment Friday, nor could Deputy Attorney General Mike Murphy, who is the prosecutor, or defense attorney Michael Schwartz.

Online court records show that jurors submitted five questions to Superior Court Judge Jason L. Stone. The content of the questions was not listed.

Salvador Alejandro Sanchez, who was holding his 20-month-old son, acted in self-defense after Kenneth French slugged Sanchez in an unprovoked attack in the sausage samples line on June 14, 2019, Schwartz told jurors on Wednesday when they received the case. Sanchez, who was not in uniform, pulled out his service weapon and fired 10 times, striking French four times and his parents, Russell and Paola, once each.

Sanchez was seen in body-worn camera videos telling Corona police that he believed he had been shot.

Murphy, the prosecutor, argued that Sanchez overreacted and had he taken a moment to assess the situation, he would have understood that the danger to himself and his son had passed and that there was no reason to shoot. Murphy said Sanchez then realized his mistake and fabricated a tale about getting shot and being knocked unconscious to avoid prosecution.

Sanchez is charged with voluntary manslaughter and two counts of assault with a semi-automatic firearm. He is out of custody after posting bail.

Looking ahead to the Inland Empire in the year 2048

Fri, 29 Dec 2023 17:42:26 +0000

Twenty five years from now, the Inland Empire will be home to more than 5 million people.

They will likely be surrounded by mountains that rarely see snow, and clustered more densely into downtowns near shops and mass transit.

By 2048, the region will have weathered another pandemic, but nothing so severe as the long-ago coronavirus pandemic of 2020.

The logistics industry will likewise have peaked in the Inland Empire decades before, but manufacturing, driven in large part by automation, will likely be part of the jobs landscape once again. And even white collar jobs will look different, as artificial intelligence is as much a part of everyday life as smartphones were 25 years before.

That’s the picture that emerges from a year of interviews with experts about what the Inland Empire will look like in 25 years, in the year 2048.

Continuing rapid growth

By 2048, Riverside and San Bernardino counties are expected to have a combined 5,692,922 residents, according to the California Department of Finance, up from 4,723,216 residents in 2023. Southern California’s millennials and Generation Z are expected to flock to the Inland Empire to to raise their families, causing the region to grow about twice as fast as the rest of Southern California as a result.

“The Inland Empire will be where the action will be, as the population will be there, the buying power will be there,” said Kome Ajise, executive director of the Southern California Association of Governments.

Almost a third of California’s growth over the next 25 years will occur in the Inland Empire alone, according to Department of Finance projections.

More urban, more densely populated

Although the single-family houses that have attracted residents to the Inland Empire for decades will still be around, according to experts, housing in the region will typically be more densely packed together in townhouses, apartments and condominiums.

“The lines between multifamily and single family will blur,” said developer Randall Lewis, executive vice president of Upland-based Lewis Management Corp.

Planned mixed-use developments in downtown Riverside, San Bernardino, Redlands and elsewhere will have people living and working near restaurants, shops and mass transit hubs.

A growing population — and the likely continuing inability of Los Angeles County to meet demand for affordable housing — will be driving this push for density, along with insurance companies raising rates in Inland foothills and desert regions as wildfires and flash floods become more of a problem as the region’s climate heats up.

Climate change

By 2048, the Mediterranean climate of the Inland Empire will have long since been replaced by something more resembling the climate of Phoenix or Las Vegas today.

“I think we need to get used to living on a planet that is not the planet we grew up on,” said Char Miller, a professor of environmental analysis and history at Pomona College.

Expect at least 30 days a year where temperatures exceed 102 degrees Fahrenheit, up from an average of seven days a year between 1985 and 2005, more heat waves and less relief at night, less snow pack and longer-lasting droughts, experts say.

Massive storms that bring blizzards or flash floods will still sometimes happen — hotter air can absorb more moisture — but changing weather patterns will mean they’ll be much less predictable.

And agriculture will need to switch to crops that require less water and are more tolerant of higher temperatures, Miller said, as more water alone will not save crops that evolved in cooler, wetter climates than the Inland Empire of 2048.

Automation and artificial intelligence

By 2048, automation and artificial intelligence will have helped to shape the economy, with almost two-thirds of jobs being affected by it, according to a University of Redlands study.

The logistics industry, which today makes up about 13% of all jobs in the Inland Empire, will largely be automated, according to University of Redlands professor Johannes Moenius.

Artificial intelligence will be coming for white collar jobs, meanwhile, impacting everyone from radiologists to lawyers providing routine legal services to entry level accountants. Data processing jobs and customer service representatives will likely be handled by artificial intelligence.

Future pandemics

A generation will have grown up since the coronavirus pandemic of 2020. Residents of 2048 will likely have weathered at least one more pandemic, experts say, likely caused by humans encroaching into areas once the habitat of animals, but it’s unlikely to have been anywhere near as serious as the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are not alone on this planet and we need to figure out how to share our environment with all the other species,” said Dr. Timothy Brewer, a professor of medicine and epidemiology at UCLA. “The more that we encroach on others’ habitats, the more likely we are to encounter something we haven’t seen before.”

Political polarization

The political polarization of 2023 will likely continue in 2048, at least among older generations.

“I look at the trend lines over the last couple of decades, and I see polarization accelerating along with the forces driving the polarization,” said Kamy Akhavan, the executive director of the University of Southern California’s Dornsife College Center For Political Future. “The idea of some sort of realignment seems less realistic.”

But younger generations, currently known as Generation Z and Generation Alpha, are less tribal in their politics, and more focused on issues, rather than party affiliation or individual politicians.

“The hope is that democracies can work through these things, even in tough times,” said Kevin Esterling, a professor of public policy and political science at UC Riverside, and the director of the university’s Laboratory for Technology, Communication and Democracy. “Maybe the fever breaks and people realize they don’t want to live like that any more.”

We’ll see in 25 years.

Deputies wound hiding man believed responsible for Home Gardens slaying

Fri, 29 Dec 2023 17:06:38 +0000

Riverside County sheriff’s deputies shot and wounded a homicide suspect on Thursday, Dec. 28, who had been hiding in a Home Gardens residence since a man was found slain outside that house earlier that morning, the Sheriff’s Department said.

Deputies were called to the 13400 block of Barker Lane in the unincorporated area east of Corona around 2:30 a.m. after someone reported hearing gunfire and finding a person lying outside the house The man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators were continuing their work at the house when they learned that a suspect was hiding in the house. Sheriff Chad Bianco said in an email on Friday that deputies had conducted an initial sweep for victims and suspects but at the time lacked a warrant necessary to search areas not in sight of the officers.

Once that warrant was obtained, the SWAT team was called out, searched the house and found the suspect. That’s when he was shot. He was expected to survive, the Sheriff’s Department said. No deputies were reported injured.

The department did not immediately announce what prompted the deputies to fire as the investigation got underway.

The suspect had not been booked Friday afternoon and his name was not available. The victim’s name was not revealed Friday.

The involved deputies were placed on paid administrative leave per department policy. The slaying is being investigated by the sheriff’s Central Homicide Unit, and the shooting by the deputies is being investigated by the Riverside County Force Investigations Detail.

When is it going to rain in the Inland Empire?

Fri, 29 Dec 2023 16:45:33 +0000

Expect rain, temperatures in the low to mid-60s and a slight chance of thunderstorms in Riverside and San Bernardino counties as we roll into New Year’s weekend.

According to the National Weather Service, skies will be partly cloudy Friday evening in Riverside and San Bernardino county valley areas, turning mostly cloudy with a 20% chance of rain and lows in the upper 30s to upper 40s.

The chance of showers on Saturday is 80% for inland areas with a slight chance of thunderstorms and highs in the upper 50s to low 60s. It will be mostly cloudy Saturday night with a 20% chance of showers and lows in the upper 30s to upper 40s.

It will be mostly cloudy Sunday morning — New Year’s Eve — becoming partly cloudy with highs in the upper 50s to low 60s. New Year’s revelers will contend with a 40 percent chance of showers overnight and lows in the mid-30s to mid-40s.

On Monday — New Year’s Day — it will be partly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of showers and highs in the low to mid-60s. It will be partly cloudy, then mostly clear Monday night with lows in the mid-30s to low 40s.

Tuesday will be mostly sunny with highs in the low to mid-60s.

In the mountain areas, a winter weather advisory will be in effect from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday.

On Friday night it will party cloudy with lows in the upper 20s to upper 30s.

There will be a 70% chance of showers Saturday in mountain areas with the snow level at 6,500 feet. There will be patchy fog with a slight chance of thunderstorms. Highs will be in the upper 40s to mid-50s.

It will be partly cloudy overnight Saturday in the mountains with lows in the upper 20s to upper 30s, with the snow level dropping to 6,000 feet. The chance of rain overnight is 20%.

On Sunday — New Year’s Eve — it will be partly cloudy in the mountains with highs in the mid-40s to low 50s. By the evening hours, there will be a 40% chance of rain with lows in the mid-20s to mid-30s with the snow level at 6,000 feet and dropping to 5,500 feet.

On Monday — New Year’s Day — in the mountains, it will be mostly cloudy with a chance of showers in the morning and a slight chance of showers in the afternoon. Highs will be in the upper 40s to mid-50s. The snow level will start at 5,500 feet, rising to 6,000 feet in the afternoon.

It will be partly cloudy Monday night in the mountain areas with a slight chance of showers in the evening, then mostly clear overnight with lows in the upper 20s to upper 30s. The snow level will be 6,000 feet.

Watch for these Inland Empire residents in the 2024 Rose Parade

Fri, 29 Dec 2023 15:34:06 +0000

Marching in the Rose Parade is the golden cup for marching bands across the world. Teams send in audition tapes, photos and extensive applications hoping to be chosen to march down the streets of Pasadena on New Year’s Day.

This year, a Corona high school band, The Bands and Orchestras of Santiago Sharks, will join the parade in its signature teal, silver and black uniforms for the third time.

The Sharks appeared in 2013 and 2018, led by band directors Joe Dudek and Kevin McGee, who will again lead the student musicians in the parade.

The band will join other Inland Empire entries, including the Norco Cowgirls Drill Team, the Rancho Cucamonga Fire Pipes and Drums Band and the float co-created by Cal Poly Pomona students.

Band Director Joe Dudek, right, conducts The Bands and Orchestras of Santiago Sharks, from Corona’s Santiago High School, as members perform for residents of Valencia Terrace Senior Living in Corona on Thursday, Dec. 28, 2023. The band is preparing for the 2024 Rose Parade. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
The saxophone quintet from The Bands and Orchestras of Santiago Sharks, of Corona’s Santiago High School, performs Christmas songs for residents at Valencia Terrace Senior Living in Corona on Thursday, Dec. 28, 2023. The band is playing at nursing homes in Corona before taking part in the 2024 Rose Parade. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
The saxophone quintet from Corona’s Santiago High School performs Christmas songs for residents of Valencia Terrace Senior Living in Corona on Thursday, Dec. 28, 2023. The group, part of The Bands and Orchestras of Santiago Sharks, is making special visits to nursing homes in Corona to prepare for the 2024 Rose Parade. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Rhianna Flores, 17, left, and Anastasia Miron, 16, of The Bands and Orchestras of Santiago Sharks, from Corona’s Santiago High School, perform for residents of Valencia Terrace Senior Living in Corona on Thursday, Dec. 28, 2023. The Sharks will march in the 2024 Rose Parade on Monday, Jan. 1, 2024. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Residents of Valencia Terrace Senior Living in Corona applaud as they watch The Bands and Orchestras of Santiago Sharks, from Corona’s Santiago High School, perform Thursday, Dec. 28, 2023. The band is visiting nursing homes in Corona before it marches in the 2024 Rose Parade. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Brass and saxophone quintet members from The Bands and Orchestras of Santiago Sharks, from Corona’s Santiago High School, play Christmas songs for residents of Valencia Terrace Senior Living in Corona on Thursday, Dec. 28, 2023. Band members are preparing for the Rose Parade on Monday, Jan. 1, 2024. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Residents of Valencia Terrace Senior Living in Corona applaud Thursday, Dec. 28, 2023, as they listen to The Bands and Orchestras of Santiago Sharks, from Corona’s Santiago High School. The band will participate Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in the Rose Parade. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
The Bands and Orchestras of Santiago Sharks, from Corona’s Santiago High School, play Christmas songs for residents of Valencia Terrace Senior Living in Corona on Thursday, Dec. 28, 2023, a few days before the band marches in the Rose Parade. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

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McGee and Dudek said the band will consist of 242 members, including the color guard, current band members and 35 returning alumni who will don the uniform again to participate in the tradition.

“You can feel the energy and electricity in the rehearsal,” McGee said. “The kids are working harder than they’ve worked before.”

Band members have put their noses to the grindstone the past year, the directors said.

The Corona @SantiagoSharks Marching Band is here at Disneyland. The band will participate in the 2024 Rose Parade. pic.twitter.com/zjMpKGWucb

— James H. Williams covers UCLA football (@JHWreporter) December 27, 2023

In the week leading to the parade, the band has played at Disneyland, performed as a community service at Corona nursing homes and took part in the annual pre-parade Bandfest at Pasadena City College.

The band will play music from its field show, including popular songs from the 1970’s “Takin’ it to the Streets” and “Listen to the Music” by the Doobie Brothers.

Santiago’s band will step off Monday, Jan. 1, as the 76th entry in the parade lineup.

The Norco Cowgirls Rodeo Drill Team, seen in the 2023 Rose Parade, are set to return for a 10th appearance in the New Year’s Day event on Monday, Jan. 1, 2024. (File photo by by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Other Inland Empire participants include:

U.S. Marine Corps Mounted Color Guard from Barstow — Performing second, the guard is the Marines’ last mounted unit and has participated in the Rose Parade every year since 1985. The guard will follow the opening float from Honda and a flyover by the U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber.
U.S. Marine Corps West Coast Composite Band from the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego and Camp Pendleton — They will be third in the parade. The band is made up of Marines from the 1st Marine Division Band, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Band and Marine Band San Diego.
Norco Cowgirls Drill Team — The troupe will return for the 10th time, with 15 horsewomen, including 9-year-old Shae Cremo, the youngest member, who will be riding with her mother and sister. The team will be seventh in line.
Rancho Cucamonga Fire Pipes and Drums Band — Members will join Pipes on Parade: The Massed Pipes and Drums. Pipes on Parade consists of 10 bagpipe bands and 168 individuals from across Southern California. They will march behind Joel M. Daniel, a professional bagpiper. The bagpipers will be 10th in the lineup.
Cal Poly Pomona and San Luis Obispo — The campuses will return to Pasadena for the 75th year to honor the musical theme with a float titled “Shock n’ Roll: Powering the Musical Current.” Featuring animatronic electric eels, a manta ray and a giant clam, the float depicts a rocking party on the coral reefs as eels use their electric current to pose the guitars. The float will be the 19th entry.

An image of late Murrieta resident Lance “Bo” Chavez will appear on the Donate Life float during the 2024 Rose Parade on Monday, Jan. 1, 2024. Chavez died by suicide in September 2023 and his organs, tissue and eyes were donated. (Courtesy of L;ve Aloha Foundation)

OneLegacy Donate Life — The float will make its 21st appearance with an entry titled “Woven Together: The Dance of Life.” The float will display the faces of those who made organ, eye or tissue donations. This year, late Murrieta resident and Marines Corps veteran Lance “Bo” Chavez will be featured. Chavez’s heart was donated to an Army veteran, and his other organs, tissue, and eyes were donated after he died by suicide Sept. 19. The float will be 26th in the lineup.
Student musicians — Eight Inland Empire students will play with with the Pasadena City College Tournament of Roses Honor Band. Four Bonita Unified School District students will appear: Bonita High School seniors Aidan Millan (trombone), Lake Ericson (cymbals) and Tatiana Arreola-Chavez (mellophone). They will be joined by San Dimas High School junior Anthony Bailey (clarinet). Four Fontana Unified School District musicians will perform: Kaiser High School senior David Mireles (marching snare drum), sophomore Liliana Lobo (euphonium) and Jurupa Hills High School senior Antonio De La Torre (baritone sax) and sophomore Diego Muro (clarinet). The band has 215 musicians from the Pasadena City College Lancer Marching Band and high schools across Southern California. It will be the 51st entry.
City of Hope — T

Here are the top 5 Inland Empire stories of 2023

Fri, 29 Dec 2023 11:44:02 +0000

It was a year of surprising news in the Inland Empire.

In 2023, political debate — from racial issues to the rights of LGBTQ students — dominated school board rooms that used to draw few spectators.

An unexpected snowstorm literally buried San Bernardino Mountains communities starting in late February.

At what often are routine calls lead to the on-duty deaths of at least five first responders. In addition, the final days of 2022 saw another deputy killed.

Here’s a look at the top five news stories of 2023 from across the Inland region.

Chino Valley Unified School District board meetings, including the Thursday, July 20, 2023, session at Don Lugo High School in Chino, became political battlegrounds in 2023. The board voted to OK a parental notification policy requiring schools to inform parents if their child is transgender. (File photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Protesters express their concerns during a Temecula school board workshop on critical race theory at James L. Day Middle School in Temecula on Wednesday, March 22, 2023. (File photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
A supporter for gay and transgender student rights hands out pride flags before the Thursday, July 20, 2023, Chino Valley Unified School District board meeting at Don Lugo High School in Chino. The board approved a policy to notify parents if their child is transgender. (File photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Temecula Valley Unified School District teacher Lisa Balka addresses the Temecula school board during its Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023, meeting. School board sessions across the Inland Empire became battlegrounds over racial issues and LGBTQ students rights this year. (File photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

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Schools become battleground for culture wars

What happened: The biggest Inland school fights weren’t on playgrounds in 2023.

From Chino Valley to Temecula, new conservative school board majorities thrust parents, students and teachers into culture wars with policies dealing with race and LGBTQ rights.

In Chino Valley, a policy requiring parents to be told if their child is transgender spurred copycats in Temecula, Murrieta and Orange — and a state lawsuit against the Chino Valley Unified School District that resulted in a preliminary court order to stop enforcement of the policy.

In Temecula, the rejection of a social studies curriculum that referenced LGBTQ civil rights icon Harvey Milk in supplemental materials prompted a public rebuke from Gov. Gavin Newsom, who threatened to send textbooks to Temecula and fine the school district $1.5 million before the board backed down.

Why it mattered: The controversies turned once-uneventful school board meetings into political backgrounds with protest signs, shouting matches, ejections of audience members and a strong police presence.

The boards’ supporters said conservative trustees were protecting children by keeping pornography and political indoctrination out of the classroom. Critics counter that the boards’ conservatives want to destroy public education and advance a far-right Christian nationalist agenda.

What’s next: In Temecula, board members will try to appoint someone to fill the seat of Danny Gonzalez, who was part of the conservative majority until his December resignation. An effort to force a recall election of conservative board President Joseph Komrosky continues.

In Chino Valley, conservative firebrand Sonja Shaw will start her second year as school board president, a departure from the previous practice of rotating presidential duties among trustees.

— Jeff Horseman

Stephen Calleros works to clear up to 6 feet of snow off the roof of Diane’s Saddleback Grill and Hotel in Lake Arrowhead on Wednesday, March 8, 2023. (File photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Joe Salas digs outside his Lake Arrowhead home Saturday, March 11, 2023, after the record-breaking snowfall in recent weeks. (File photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Armando Chavez tries to unbury a vehicle in Lake Arrowhead on Wednesday, March 8, 2023. (File photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
A woman walks Saturday, March 11, 2023, past snow piled high in Lake Arrowhead Village after record-breaking snow in recent weeks in the San Bernardino Mountains. (File photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

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Snowstorms sock San Bernardino Mountains

What happened: In late February and early March, a blizzard that dropped up to 11 feet of snow in some places hammered San Bernardino Mountain communities, leaving residents trapped, businesses in shambles and officials scrambling.

Why it mattered: Though officials initially insisted everything was going well, internal documents and an after-action report from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department pointed to the county having trouble coordinating with other public agencies and elected officials. The report questioned whether the county’s emergency services operations — switched to county administrators’ control during the coronavirus pandemic — should again be overseen by first responders.

What’s next: The county was supposed to release its own report in mid-September. That document has been delayed twice and is now expected in January, a month shy of the storms’ one-year anniversary. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted warmer, wetter conditions this winter for much of the United States, including a chance for both in San Bernardino County.

— Beau Yarbrough

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco salutes Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023, as the flag-draped casket of slain Deputy Darnell Calhoun is moved to a hearse for a procession from Murrieta to Rancho Cucamonga. (File photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
Riverside County sheriff’s Deputy Darnell Calhoun was killed Jan. 13, 2023. (Courtesy of Riverside County Sheriff’s Department)
metrolinktrains.com/rose-parade. Regular weekday service will resume on Tuesday. The $10 Holiday Pass will be available on Monday. It allows riders to take unlimited trips throughout the system for the entire day on which the pass is purchased. The $10 Holiday Pass can be purchased on the Metrolink Mobile App or at Station Ticket Machines under “special ticket options.” The Kids Ride Free on Weekends promotion is not available with the $10 Holiday Pass on Monday.

LIBRARIES: Riverside County libraries will be closed Sunday and Monday. San Bernardino County libraries are closed Saturday through Monday. The A.K. Smiley Public Library in Redlands is closed Saturday through Monday.

SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES: Schools will not be in session.

TRASH PICKUP: City of Riverside, Burrtec, Cal Disposal, CR&R, Redlands Solid Waste Trash & Recycling Services and Waste Management of the Inland Empire will not have service on Monday; service will be delayed by one day. Riverside County and San Bernardino County landfills will be closed Sunday and Monday.

Riverside County restaurants shut down by health inspectors, Dec. 20-28

Fri, 29 Dec 2023 08:24:29 +0000

Restaurants and other food vendors ordered to close and allowed to reopen by Riverside County health inspectors from Dec. 20 to Dec. 28.

Mariscos Francisco, 91280 Second St., Mecca

Closed: Dec. 20
Reason: Insufficient hot water

This list is published weekly with closures since the previous week’s list. Status updates are published the following week.

Source: Riverside County Department of Environmental Health

— Ian Wheeler

Local Riverside County News

Riverside County animal shelters at ‘breaking point’ with 1,300 cats and dogs

The Habit Burger & Grill opens in Lake Elsinore on Wednesday, July 16

‘Our Idyllwild’ offers glimpse of history and community of Riverside County mountain town

Inland Empire Girl Scouts CEO goes to summer camp

Man shot to death in road-rage attack in Menifee, police say; other driver arrested

Inland Empire story, film and music contest seeks entries

Woman who sold jaguar cub to Riverside man gets probation and a fine

What to know about ‘Good Trouble Lives On’ rallies across Southern California honoring John Lewis

What to know about ‘Good Trouble Lives On’ rallies across Southern California honoring John Lewis

Jurupa Mountains Discovery Center has dinosaur walk, other nature experiences

What’s new: Vallarta coming to Jurupa Valley; Reset Hotel debuts near Joshua Tree

Plato’s Closet thrift store opens in new spot

New hotel near Joshua Tree

New bus routes coming in 2026

Milestones

Top Workplaces nomination period extended

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Trump administration to appeal LA judge’s order pausing immigration raids

Camarillo farmworker who fell from greenhouse roof during chaotic ICE raid dies

Pechanga’s first Whiskey & Wings Festival takes place Saturday, July 12

Tenants speak out against alleged exploitation by landlord Mike Nijjar

State makes its case

Day in court

Speaking up

Measles cases are on the rise: How is Southern California faring?

Perris residents back mayor’s suggestion to stay home to avoid ICE

Paul McCartney brings ‘Got Back’ tour to Acrisure Arena

Miguel’s Jr. launches Caliente Chicken Bites

July 4th saw deadly explosions, law enforcement via drones, and surges in calls to police

Mother and son arrested in connection with Southern California woman’s murder

2 arrested in deadly Riverside stabbing attack

Man found dead with traumatic injury in Riverside County

Man arrested for attempted murder in Riverside County stabbing

Southern California city launches drone program to monitor illegal fireworks

Riverside County flies dozens of pets out of state for adoption opportunities

Coachella Valley Animal Commission Meeting Highlights

Riverside County Confirms First Human West Nile Virus Case of the Year

NIXON FIRE CONTINUES TO GROW

Riverside County Adopts Rancho Ordinance, Embracing Cultural Heritage and Community Traditions

Wildfires Force Evacuation of 1500 Homes in Riverside, California

Hawarden Fire Burns 492 Acres in Riverside County, 0% Contained

Record Highs as Riverside County Faces Prolonged Triple-Digit Heatwave

10th Annual Fireworks Extravaganza at Agua Caliente Casino Rancho Mirage

Riverside County Deputy Suspected Of Rape Out On 1M Bail

Palm Springs Fire Department On The Front Lines In Battle Against Tuscany Fire

Moreno Valley College will present Legacy Award at Martin Luther King Jr. event

Man who killed aunt in 2018 Riverside shooting gets 98 years to life

Corona Costco shooting jury hasn’t reached verdict, will resume deliberations Jan. 18

Looking ahead to the Inland Empire in the year 2048

More on the Inland Empire in 2048

Deputies wound hiding man believed responsible for Home Gardens slaying

When is it going to rain in the Inland Empire?

Watch for these Inland Empire residents in the 2024 Rose Parade

Here are the top 5 Inland Empire stories of 2023

Schools become battleground for culture wars

Snowstorms sock San Bernardino Mountains

Riverside County restaurants shut down by health inspectors, Dec. 20-28