A 1 million-square-foot warehouse center planned for a site off the 215 freeway narrowly survived a challenge today as Riverside County supervisors voted to reject an appeal that would have blocked the project. The vote was close – it was 3-2 in favor of rejecting the appeal. It upheld the Planning Commission’s approval of Majestic Realty Company’s project in Mead Valley, west of Perris. The project is three buildings planned for a 72.5-acre site off of Cajalco Expressway. While the buildings

Monday through Thursday at lunchtime, Empire KVCR News has your daily news rundown. Stories highlighted today include: Wildfire west of Murrieta is 92 percent contained. Authorities build a possible criminal case against a scuba diving boat company whose vessel caught fire and killed 34 people. Governor Gavin Newsom signs two bills that seek to prevent doctors from issuing fraudulent medical exemptions for vaccines. The NTSB issues a recommendation urging California officials to repair damaged

Monday through Thursday at lunchtime, Empire KVCR News has your daily news rundown. Stories highlighted today include: 1. Tenaja fire burned 1,940+ acres and is 73% contained. 2. Two women suspected of beating an 84 year old woman at Pechanga Casino in Temecula could be eligible for the death penalty. 3. Five days remain for California lawmakers to decide the fates of nearly 700 bills. 4. California's deal with automakers to reduce car and truck emissions receive more pushback from the Trump

Longtime Inland Empire journalist and KVCR contributor, Cassie MacDuff and KVCR's Benjamin Purper review some of the big Inland Empire news stories from the past week, including: Riverside and San Bernardino counties have the lowest wages among the 50 largest counties in the U.S. Redlands has settled a federal discrimination claim by the city's former human relations officer. The state Attorney General has approved the bankruptcy sale of the former Air Force Village West in Riverside. THIS

The Tenaja Fire near Murrieta scorched nearly 2,000 acres and caused hundreds to evacuate as of this morning. The fire was 20 percent contained as of Friday morning. It caused hundreds to evacuate their homes and schools in four districts to close. Nearly 900 firefighters from Riverside County, Cal Fire, Murrieta Fire & Rescue, the Hemet Fire Department, Corona Fire Department, the Orange County Fire Authority and U.S. Forest Service responded to the fire. Evacuation orders were lifted

Monday through Thursday at lunchtime, Empire KVCR News has your daily news rundown. Stories highlighted today include: 1. A hard closure of Highway 330 will last 12 days for safety renovations. 2. Wind-driven wildfire scorches 1400 acres west of Murrieta. 3. A federal judge declines to throw out lawsuit against DMV over a misunderstood personalized license plate.

Candidates are jumping into the race for Riverside mayor after current Mayor Rusty Bailey announced his retirement. Bailey announced his retirement Tuesday. That same day, Riverside City Council member Andy Melendrez announced he would run for the open seat. Citing his experience as a four-term City Council member and his background coming from a low-income community of color, Melendrez said he expects to connect with voters in Riverside. He said one of his top priorities will be homelessness.

Monday through Thursday at lunchtime, Empire KVCR News has your daily news rundown. Stories highlighted today include: 1. Thirty-three bodies of dive boat fire victims were recovered near Santa Cruz Island. 2. Riverside County could settle lawsuit alleging racial slurs in waste management department. 3. Dior criticized for appropriating Native American culture with fragrance ad.

Last Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an advisory warning against the use of e-cigarettes after a spike in vaping-related illnesses this summer. In this report, KVCR’s Benjamin Purper speaks with a Loma Linda pulmonologist about the health risks associated with vaping. In August, public health officials in Illinois announced that a patient died from a mysterious lung illness linked to vaping. While this was the first death related to the disease, there have now been

Monday through Thursday at lunchtime, Empire KVCR News gives a daily news rundown. Stories highlighted today include: 1. Health officials are notifying those who could have been exposed to tuberculosis at the Kaiser Permanente Moreno Valley Oncology clinic. 2. Victorville man who drowned in Oceanside identified. 3. Mental health experts weigh in on a California strategic plan for suicide prevention. 4. Microplastics have become an issue in Lake Tahoe.