Inland Valley Daily Bulletin (Ontario, CA) articles from January 2006

Inland Valley Daily Bulletin (Ontario, CA) archives from January 2006

2006 not promising for cheap housing.
January 31, 2006... Byline: Michael Rappaport Jan. 31--The Inland Empire housing market will remain strong in 2006, but one component will be sorely lacking. That's the forecast from Metrostudy, a Riverside-based housing think tank, which says continued...

Committee members question multibillion-dollar transportation plan.
January 31, 2006... Byline: Harrison Sheppard Jan. 31--SACRAMENTO -- The Assembly delved Monday into Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's multibillion-dollar transportation plan, raising questions about construction methods, including the one proposed for the 405...

Million-dollar homes more common.
January 30, 2006... Byline: Michael Rappaport Jan. 30--It hasn't been all that long that it was possible to purchase a nice home in the Inland Empire for less than $100,000. In 1985, in fact, when the Gipper was in the White House, Marty McFly was...

Free radio's last frontier.
January 30, 2006... Byline: Diana Sholley Jan. 30--CLAREMONT -- FM was the latest thing when Ron McDonald and Terry Drinkwater established KSPC radio at the Claremont Colleges a half-century ago. They had a mission statement and the station follows it...

Norco neighbors upset with results of area cleanup.
January 30, 2006... Byline: Amy Frye Jan. 30--NORCO -- At first glance the three homes at the end of Golden West Lane seem like any other. But upon closer inspection a few things are out of place. They're not obtrusive, but there on each lawn are large...

Mayor: Wal-Mart is Fontana's hurdle.
January 27, 2006... Byline: Leonor Vivanco Jan. 27--FONTANA -- One giant obstacle stands in the way of the city's plan to create a promenade of theaters, shops and car dealerships, similar to Victoria Gardens in Rancho Cucamonga. That problem is a...

I.E. home prices to flatten.
January 26, 2006... Byline: Joe Florkowski Jan. 26--RIVERSIDE -- The median price for a single-family home in the Inland Empire will increase only by 1 percent in 2006, according to a report issued by Chapman University on Wednesday. After years of...

Housing slipping, not crashing.
January 26, 2006... Byline: Michael Rappaport Jan. 26--The housing market may be sliding sideways, but there don't appear to be any significant signs of decline. Numbers released Wednesday by the California Association of Realtors show that the median...

Metrolink rail repairs to begin next week.
January 26, 2006... Byline: Jason Newell Jan. 26--A massive project to replace worn railroad tracks between the eastern San Gabriel Valley and Riverside is scheduled to begin next week, causing disruptions for Metrolink passengers and traffic detours on...

Developer makes new pitch for Fox.
January 25, 2006... Byline: Monica Rodriguez Jan. 25--POMONA -- A local developer proposed buying the Fox Theater from the city this week as part of a plan in which he would restore the once grand movie palace to its former glory. Terry Dipple, a...

I.V. banks report solid earnings.
January 24, 2006... Byline: Joe Florkowski Jan. 24--Last year was a good one for three Inland Valley banks, which reported some of their best earnings ever. Chino-based Chino Commercial Bank, Pomona-based PFF Bancorp, Inc. and Ontario-based CVB...

New library tracking system raises concerns.
January 24, 2006... Byline: Mason Stockstill Jan. 24--ONTARIO -- Hidden inside every book, video and CD at the new Ontario library is a tiny chip officials say will speed up operations and save money, but it also worries privacy advocates. The library...

Schwarzenegger touts his plan for infrastructure.
January 24, 2006... Byline: Edward Barrera Jan. 24--RIVERSIDE -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's statewide stumping for his ambitious infrastructure plan found him in the shadows of the 60, 91 and 215 freeway interchange Monday. Using the ongoing $317...

New laws, precautions help protect people with most-severe food allergies.
January 23, 2006... Byline: Jason Newell and Annette Wells Jan. 23--For people with food allergies, deciding whether something is safe to eat has long meant scavenging through small-print ingredient lists for technical words such as "casein," "albumin" or...

Career opens doors for the Carter clan in Ontario.
January 23, 2006... Byline: Joe Florkowski Jan. 23--ONTARIO -- Avery Carter never knows what he'll unlock when he's on the job. A locksmith and co-owner of two Inland Valley key and lock shops, Carter may find himself opening locks for the humane...

Argus Realty acquires Rancho building.
January 23, 2006... Jan. 23--RANCHO CUCAMONGA -- Argus Realty Investors LP has acquired The Atrium at Empire Lakes, a two-story, 390,484-square-foot garden office building, for $65.2 million, or $167 per square foot. The Class B-plus, 100 percent leased...

Home loan limit is raised.
January 20, 2006... Byline: Michael Rappaport Jan. 20--Folks who can afford to dive into the housing market for the first time got a break Thursday when the California Housing Finance Agency announced increased limits on sales prices for homes in 35...

Metrolink crash anniversary: Ban on push-pull trains advised.
January 19, 2006... Byline: Lisa Mascaro Jan. 19--Nearly a year after a horrific Metrolink crash killed 11 people and injured nearly 200, a state Assembly committee on rail safety called Wednesday for a ban on the controversial "push-pull" running of trains...

Fontana approves fire plan.
January 18, 2006... Jan. 18--FONTANA -- Concerned that a plan to consolidate the San Bernardino County Fire Department would send city residents' tax dollars elsewhere, the City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a proposal to create a city-managed fire...

Rancho company keeps planes in sky.
January 18, 2006... Byline: Michael Rappaport, Jan. 18--RANCHO CUCAMONGA -- Back in the day, Michael Saville spent six summers working for his father in the family business. But when he returned from the University of Notre Dame in 1970 with a degree in...

Ontario's new-look library opens.
January 18, 2006... Byline: Mason Stockstill Jan. 18--ONTARIO -- The city's new main library opened Tuesday with fanfare, balloons and promises of better things to come in the next few years. Before cutting the ribbon at the grand opening ceremony,...

Supreme Court backs suicide law.
January 18, 2006... Byline: Jason Newell Jan. 18--The Supreme Court struck down a challenge to the nation's only assisted-suicide law Tuesday, keeping the door open for other states to follow the model of Oregon's Death with Dignity Act. In its 6-3...

Vellano homes selling strongly.
January 17, 2006... Byline: Michael Rappaport Jan. 17--CHINO HILLS -- The first model homes are open at Vellano, and semi-custom homes, homesites and country club memberships are all selling strongly in the Inland Valley's most expensive community. Of...

All's good for Norco rodeo.
January 17, 2006... Byline: Amy Frye Jan. 17--NORCO -- After almost getting bucked from the city, the California Pro Rodeo Circuit Finals buckled down, made some changes and rode out a successful show this past weekend. "We proved that the city not only...

Dollars here and there, tax changes, can really add up.
January 16, 2006... Byline: Michael Rappaport Jan. 16--Let's see: We're two weeks into the new year and all your resolutions have gone by the board. You haven't quit smoking, you've actually gained weight and you didn't even apply for that job as...

Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Calif., business briefs column.
January 16, 2006... Jan. 16--CHINO HILLS -- Vellano in Chino Hills has begun opening its model homes for its private country club community designed around a Greg Norman golf course. Model homes by Shea Homes in the Destino neighborhood opened Sunday and...

Gas prices rise as questions increase.
January 13, 2006... Byline: Joe Florkowski Jan. 13--ONTARIO -- Pete Cole can't figure it out. Shortly before the New Year, the Ontario resident was buying regular gas for $2.09 a gallon. But since 2006 began, Cole has watched the price of gas climb...

Inland Empire bucks investment trends.
January 12, 2006... Byline: Michael Rappaport Jan. 12--When the University of Southern California's Lusk Center for Real Estate predicted a dropoff in foreign investment in the U.S. this year, its economists looked at the national picture. "Investors...

Mall makeover: Changes in store at Puente Hills complex.
January 12, 2006... Byline: Kevin Smith Jan. 12--INDUSTRY -- Puente Hills Mall is about to get a face-lift. The 1.2 million-square-foot retail complex has been purchased by Ohio-based Glimcher Realty Trust and Linda Wardell, Glimcher's vice president of...

More than a haircut.
January 12, 2006... Byline: Wendy Leung Jan. 12--RANCHO CUCAMONGA -- In a nondescript strip mall, there is a salon where men can be treated like kings. That is how Timothy Stansell describes Gentleman's Headquarters, the salon where he is a chief executive...

Budget would cut programs for poor, elderly.
January 12, 2006... Byline: Harrison Sheppard Jan. 12--SACRAMENTO -- While boosting spending in most areas, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposed 2006-07 budget deals a blow to a number of health and welfare programs, which critics say will hit the poor and...

New prison housing would allow newborn babies to stay with inmates.
January 11, 2006... Byline: Mason Stockstill Jan. 11--CHINO -- The California Institution for Women will soon implement a new program allowing pregnant inmates to spend more time with their newborn children, instead of enduring forced separation immediately...

Strong leasing predicted for I.E.
January 11, 2006... Byline: Joe Florkowski Jan. 11--The Inland Empire is expected be one of the leading leasing areas in four key real estate markets in 2006, according to a report released this month by a leading commercial broker. The Riverside-San...

Budget could bring more judges to I.E.
January 11, 2006... Byline: Edward Barrera Jan. 11--Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's spending plan released Tuesday could begin to ease the critical shortage of judges, overcrowded court rooms and other funding needs throughout the Inland Empire. The...

City, developer continue Shoppes project.
January 10, 2006... Byline: Joe Florkowski Jan. 10--CHINO HILLS -- City officials expect to complete a development agreement with the developer of a major shopping center as soon as February. Chino Hills officials are working with Opus West Corp. to...

Results mixed for small business on yearly ratings.
January 10, 2006... Byline: Michael Rappaport Jan. 10--Mark Twain once said there are lies, damned lies and statistics. Or maybe it was Benjamin Disraeli. Historians have credited both the humorist and the statesman at one time or another. Just as...

Schwarzenegger's budget ups funding, ignores deficit.
January 10, 2006... Byline: Harrison Sheppard Jan. 10--SACRAMENTO -- Helped by an improving economy, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is expected today to unveil a 2006-07 budget that boosts spending for education, infrastructure and children's health insurance,...

Growing number of sushi restaurants turning away from Japanese-trained chefs.
January 10, 2006... Byline: Wendy Leung Jan. 10--Kenji Kim is on a roll. Ten weeks after California Garden Sushi opened in Rancho Cucamonga, the sushi chef is in bustling mode, working a crowded bar during a recent lunch hour. Kim's specialties, most...

Community events center to be built near Ontario Mills.
January 9, 2006... Byline: Mason Stockstill Jan. 9--ONTARIO -- The City Council signed off on a contract for the design and engineering of a "community events center" to be constructed just west of Ontario Mills. El Segundo-based Rosetti Associates...

Disney marketing pact pays off for ONT.
January 9, 2006... Byline: Mason Stockstill Jan. 9--ONTARIO -- Disneyland saw its attendance jump 8.5 percent in 2005 -- the same year it partnered with Ontario International Airport in a promotional effort intended to lure travelers both to the airport...

Hearings to begin on water rate hike.
January 9, 2006... Byline: Kelly Rayburn Jan. 9--FONTANA -- The 3-year-old fight between the city and the privately owned Fontana Water Co. over water rates will come to a head this week with an administrative law judge presiding over hearings at City Hall...

It ain't E3.
January 6, 2006... Byline: Redmond Carolipio Jan. 6--LAS VEGAS -- People have told me plenty of times that the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is a lot like the Electronic Entertainment Expo in fact, just like it. I'm going with "no" on that one. ...

Ontario Convention Center opens high-end 'stores'.
January 6, 2006... Byline: Michael Rappaport Jan. 6--ONTARIO -- Next time you're at the Ontario Convention Center for a day of meetings, life will be easier. You'll no longer have to do without iPods, headphones, audio best-sellers, DVDs or Godiva...

Fontana, Calif., water rates at issue.
January 6, 2006... Byline: Kelly Rayburn Jan. 6--FONTANA -- In 1986, then-County Fire Marshal John Roberts authored a policy for the city of Fontana requiring fire sprinklers be installed in new homes. It was the first such ordinance for residential units...

Minimum wage: Is $6.75/hour enough?
January 5, 2006... Jan. 5--If Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger proposes a $1 increase in California's minimum-wage laws in his State of the State address today, as expected, people on both sides of the issue will fall back on tried and tested arguments. Those...

Crate & Barrel, others coming to Rancho.
January 5, 2006... Byline: Michael Rappaport Jan. 5--RANCHO CUCAMONGA -- If you've been traveling to Old Town Pasadena because you can't bear furnishing your home without Crate & Barrel, you won't have to drive as much in the near future. The upscale...

Fontana Toyota to get company.
January 4, 2006... Byline: Kelly Rayburn Jan. 4--FONTANA -- Fontana Nissan got off to a quick start its first year in business and now sells about 185 vehicles a month in one of the fastest growing portions of one of the fastest growing cities in the...

California governor plans $4.3 billion hike in education funding.
January 4, 2006... Byline: Harrison Sheppard Jan. 4--SACRAMENTO -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger plans to boost school spending by $4.3 billion next year, adding money for everything from low-performing schools and physical education to arts and after-school...

Board: Groundwater near Ontario, Calif., airport contaminated.
January 4, 2006... Byline: Mason Stockstill Jan. 4--ONTARIO -- A recently discovered plume of contaminants in the groundwater south of Ontario International Airport will be cleaned up by the industrial firms and military agencies responsible for the...

Housing land running out.
January 4, 2006... Byline: Michael Rappaport Jan. 4--Opportunities to acquire land and build on it are becoming more problematic in several Inland Empire markets. That's the conclusion of a study by the Whittlesey Doyle land brokerage firm, which...

Governor, legislators to unveil proposals.
January 3, 2006... Byline: Edward Barrera Jan. 3--Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger this week will unveil his plan for financing long-neglected infrastructure needs that could cure transportation funding ills in the Inland Empire. Details of the governor's...

High home prices dogged otherwise good year.
January 2, 2006... Byline: Michael Rappaport Jan. 2--The retail scene was strong. A lot of folks found jobs. Indeed, a look at the year 2005 for Inland Valley businesses should ultimately show that it was an extremely successful year. Unless...