Longtime Inland Empire journalist and KVCR contributor Cassie MacDuff and KVCR's Rick Dulock review some of the big Inland Empire news stories from the past week, including: Voting in the November presidential election will be different because of the coronavirus pandemic. After two decades of planning, work will begin on the Mid-County Parkway between Perris and San Jacinto. A beloved landmark is San Bernardino is gone after a devastating fire. THIS SEGMENT IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE SOUTHERN

Immigrant rights groups held a virtual press conference on August 13 condemning the use of a chemical disinfectant at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center in the Mojave Desert. A lawsuit asking for the release of all detainees was filed in April due to coronavirus concerns, and now members of Congress are calling for an investigation. Advocates say they started receiving calls from detainees in May reporting symptoms. They allege they came into contact with a hazardous chemical staff were using in

Monday through Thursday at lunchtime, Empire KVCR News has your daily news rundown. Stories highlighted today include: A stretch of brutal heat begins Friday in Riverside County. COVID forces major changes to prison education programs. Governor Gavin Newsom proposed a handful of new pandemic relief measures for businesses, workers, and renters, but many of them would require legislative approval.

Facing steep revenue shortfalls due to the pandemic economy, the city of Riverside is considering increasing its fees for trash and recycle pickup. In the proposal, monthly costs for residential pick-up services would increase by 15 percent in October. Which means standard curbside pick-up would go up by a little over $4 and backyard pickup by almost $7. Yearly increases would continue for four years at around a 3 percent rate. KVCR heard from one concerned resident who wished to only be

Lillian Vasquez speaks with returning guest Alan Wapner, President of the Ontario International Airport Authority. Alan shares how things are going regarding transportation in the Inland Empire, especially when safe travel by air is required. Also on the program, San Bernardino Community College District Trustee Members discuss upcoming opportunities for local small business owners in the Inland Empire region to learn about and bid on projects that will upgrade SBCCD facilities. For more

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. -- Just like traditional colleges, California's education programs for people in prison have had to make huge changes in the wake of the pandemic, even as Congress decides whether to make permanent the program that sustains them. Robert Rundquist, interim dean of institutional effectiveness and intersegmental partnerships for Chaffey College in Southern California, said his institution has transitioned to a correspondence course model until it's safe to return to in

Following a recent appointment by Governor Gavin Newsom, the Inland Empire now has a local voice on the statewide California Community Colleges Board of Governors. KVCR's Rick Dulock called the appointee to find out more. FULL DISCLOSURE: The KVCR stations are owned and operated by the San Bernardino Community College District. Joseph Williams is an elected member of the District's Board of Trustees.

Monday through Thursday at lunchtime, Empire KVCR News has your daily news rundown. Stories highlighted today include: Containment of the Apple Fire increased to 60 percent. The federal government allocated billions of dollars to California counties to help weather the coronavirus pandemic. With recent overcrowding on trails in the San Bernardino National Forest, the Forest Service is reinstating day use permits for the San Gorgonio, San Jacinto, and Cucamonga wilderness areas. A judge ordered

Local wilderness areas are joining National Parks as popular recreation areas during the coronavirus pandemic. Now with recent overcrowding on trails in the San Bernardino National Forest, the Forest Service is reinstating day use permits for three areas. Starting September 1, visiting the San Gorgonio, San Jacinto and Cucamonga wilderness areas will require a free permit. The forest service says trail parking lots have been at capacity by the early morning lately. They hope the permits will

Riverside County Vector Control will begin treating 50 acres in Nuevo for mosquitos on Wednesday August 12 between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m. This is after mosquitos in the area tested positive for West Nile Virus in late July and is part of the county’s plan to prevent the spread of West Nile virus and intensify mosquito surveillance. It’s not unusual for mosquitos to test positive for the virus especially during the summer. West Nile virus can be spread to humans from an infected mosquito. To date