Two candidates seeking to become state senator for a new Inland Empire district say they’re avoiding culture war clashes to focus on bread-and-butter issues.
Bloomington's controversial embrace of warehouses highlighted the financial appeal but also the cultural tradeoffs for Inland Empire communities confronted by expansion.
A string of decisions by cities in the Inland Empire signal that local officials are beginning to take a more critical eye to warehouse expansions in a region that's seen explosive growth over the last three decades. But without broader changes or action by state leaders, residents and activists remain skeptical.
The main justification for the explosion of warehouses in the Inland Empire has been their economic benefits, primarily around job creation. But the wages they provide barely keep people out of poverty, and this work may soon disappear altogether because of automation. Is the region prepared for what comes next?
As Gov. Gavin Newsom moves to close at least four California prisons, local officials and state legislators are trying to convince the governor to keep Chuckawalla Valley State Prison open and instead shutter the California Rehabilitation Center in Riverside County.
From affluent Riverside neighborhoods to disadvantaged communities in San Bernardino, the proliferation of warehouses across the Inland Empire is affecting everyone who calls this region home. Yet despite the increased pollution and risk of displacement near proposed sites, residents are struggling to be heard by their elected representatives.
In 1980, the Inland Empire was home to 234 warehouses. There are now more than 4,000, providing significant economic benefits for the region. But this growth also has consequences: more unhealthy air days in predominantly Latino communities. Following the release of a new report, a coalition is asking state leaders to intervene.
Through legislation and lawsuits, voters are trying to take redistricting power away from local politicians. Bills signed by Gov. Newsom will require independent commissions in Fresno, Kern and Riverside counties.