Inside The Inland Empire

The Haunted Ritchie Mansion in Hemet

2010-09-27T09:29:00.000-07:00

I great write-up on the Ritchie Mansion, also known as Hilltop Manor or the Wilson Mansion in Hemet.

What was once one of the most popular "haunted houses" in Hemet is now on the road to recovery and being guarded 24/7 against vandals and ghost-hunters. The whole story including pictures can be viewed here: The Ritchie Mansion - Hemet

New Year's Eve In the Inland Empire

2008-12-20T17:24:00.000-08:00

Gary has put together a great list of things to do in the Inland Empire for New Year's Eve 2009.
Although not all the New Year's Eve events are actually in the Inland Empire, it's still worth a read if you're looking for something to do on December 31. You can read it here:
Inland Empire New Year's Eve

Night Life In The Inland Empire

2007-12-25T13:52:00.000-08:00

Gary has made several great posts describing where the night life is in the Inland Empire. Places like the Lake Alice Trading Company in Riverside, Twins Club in Rancho and even a great night-spot in Palm Springs called Las Casuelas Terraza.

For more info on the night life in the Inland Empire, check out the website.

FIRE LINK FOR ALL SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FIRES AT DSL BROADBAND

2007-10-22T15:10:00.000-07:00

Yes that Was an Earthquake

2007-09-02T13:13:00.000-07:00

== PRELIMINARY EARTHQUAKE REPORT ==

Region: SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Geographic coordinates: 33.733N, 117.465W
Magnitude: 4.7 Ml
Depth: 2 km
Universal Time (UTC): 2 Sep 2007 17:29:14
Time near the Epicenter: 2 Sep 2007 10:29:14
Local time in your area: 2 Sep 2007 09:29:14

Location with respect to nearby cities:
12 km (8 miles) WNW (298 degrees) of Lake Elsinore, CA
13 km (8 miles) SSE (156 degrees) of El Cerrito, CA
15 km (9 miles) NW (315 degrees) of Lakeland Village, CA
18 km (11 miles) SSE (148 degrees) of Corona, CA
81 km (50 miles) ESE (116 degrees) of Los Angeles Civic Center, CA

TS HENRIETTE to affect southland? Stay Tuned for more

2007-08-31T10:02:00.000-07:00

BULLETIN
TROPICAL STORM HENRIETTE ADVISORY NUMBER 4
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL EP112007
800 AM PDT FRI AUG 31 2007

...HENRIETTE HUGGING THE SOUTHWEST COAST OF MEXICO...

AT 8 AM PDT...1500 UTC...THE GOVERNMENT OF MEXICO HAS EXTENDED THE
TROPICAL STORM WARNING TO MANZANILLO. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS
NOW IN EFFECT ALONG PORTIONS OF THE PACIFIC COAST OF MEXICO FROM
LAGUNAS DE CHACAHUA TO MANZANILLO. TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS
THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING AREA
WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

AT 8 AM PDT...1500 UTC...THE GOVERNMENT OF MEXICO HAS EXTENDED THE
TROPICAL STORM WATCH TO CABO CORRIENTES. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS
NOW IN EFFECT FROM JUST WEST OF MANZANILLO TO CABO CORRIENTES. A
TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE
POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 36 HOURS.

INTERESTS ELSEWHERE ALONG THE PACIFIC COAST OF MEXICO SHOULD CLOSELY
MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF THIS SYSTEM.

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE
INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED
BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.

AT 800 AM PDT...1500Z...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM HENRIETTE WAS
LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 15.7 NORTH...LONGITUDE 100.1 WEST OR ABOUT
85 MILES...135 KM ...SOUTH OF ACAPULCO MEXICO.

HENRIETTE IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 10 MPH...17
KM/HR. ON THIS TRACK...THE CORE OF THE CYCLONE WILL BE MOVING CLOSE
TO THE SOUTHWEST COAST OF MEXICO BUT ANY DEVIATION TO THE NORTH OF
THE TRACK WOULD BRING STRONGER WINDS TO THE COAST.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 40 MPH...65 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER
GUSTS. SOME STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 50 MILES...85 KM
FROM THE CENTER.

ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 1001 MB...29.56 INCHES.

HENRIETTE IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS
OF 4 TO 8 INCHES ALONG THE SOUTH COAST OF MEXICO FROM GUERRERO TO
JALISCO...WITH POSSIBLE ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 15 INCHES.
LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODS AND MUDSLIDES ARE POSSIBLE.

REPEATING THE 800 AM PDT POSITION...15.7 N...100.1 W. MOVEMENT
TOWARD...WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 10 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...40
MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...1001 MB.

AN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE
CENTER AT 1100 AM PDT FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY AT 200
PM PDT.

$$
FORECASTER AVILA

Summer Fun In Rancho Cucamonga

2007-07-15T18:09:00.000-07:00

Friday night we went to the "Movies in the Park" and Red Hill Community Park. It was nice way to spend a warm summer evening, and the price was right - FREE.

Here is the rundown of the free Movies in the Park and free Concerts in the Park for this summer:

Movies in the Park:
Barnyard: July 16, 17,18, 20
Hoodwinked: July 23, 24,25, 27
Curious George: July 30, 31, August 1, 3
Monster House: August 6, 7, 8, 10
Open Season: August 13, 14, 15, 17
All movies begin at dusk - be sure to get there early and get a spot close to the amphitheater.

Concerts in the Park:
The Answer (classic rock): July 19th
Thornbird (Indie Rock): July 26th
Doc Rock It & The Radio Flyers (Oldies): August 2nd
Soto (Latin/Top 40): August 9th
80's All Stars: August 16th

Red Hill Community Park is located at 7484 Vineyard Ave, Rancho Cucamonga - at the corner of Vineyard and Baseline. Across the street from the High School. Admission is free - bring lawn chairs and/or blankets. A snack bar and restrooms are available.

Train Watching in Colton

2007-05-11T17:31:00.000-07:00

Ghostpainter has created a great new entry about Train Watching in Colton. The post details the history and the future of the Colton crossing - one of the busiest train crossings in the U.S.

Full story: Colton Train Crossing

Many new stories of the Inland Empire

2007-03-20T14:23:00.000-07:00

Ghostpainter has posted several new stories over the last few weeks. A few of the more interesting ones are:

To see all of GhostPainter's new stories click: New Stories at Inside the Inland Empire

Don't forget to fall back, but dont fall to hard

2006-10-28T15:05:00.000-07:00

Falling back has its downsides

Article Launched:10/28/2006 12:00:00 AM PDT

Since its unofficial debut in 1884, springing forward and falling back for daylight-saving has powerful potential.

According to the California Energy Commission, the simple act of changing a clock twice a year has resulted in saving lives and energy as well as preventing traffic accidents and crime.

It even has the power to make tonight's sleep feel one hour longer.

But sleep experts are slow to praise the idea of changing time, with some saying the gift of an extra hour during the last week in October can have detrimental effects on snoozing habits.

"There is an internal clock in our bodies," said Dr. Dennis Nicholson, physician and medical director of Pomona Valley Hospital's Sleep Center. "The suprachiasmatic nucleus in our brain is a clock that regularly causes certain hormones to be released at a certain time."

Nicholson said there have been numerous studies conducted on the process of shifting our clocks and changing the level of hormones.

"Our brain releases the hormone melatonin, which tells us to go to sleep earlier and get up earlier," he said.

In the daylight-saving time process, which has been compared to jet lag, Nicholson believes that participants are forced to go to sleep at a different time than when their clock is ready.

http://www.dailybulletin.com/news/ci_4563190

I guess Carpet Wagon in Rancho sucks

2006-10-27T18:17:00.000-07:00

Apparently a new member signed up just so he could rant about how unhappy he is about how Carpet Wagon has mistreated him (or her?)

I guess next time i need carpet or wood flooring i know where NOT to go.. I'm sure that other place in Terra Vista is better.

Read the entire rant here: Carpet Wagon Mistreats Customers

FIRST WINTER STORM OF THE SEASON

2006-10-12T08:31:00.000-07:00

Orange county coastal areas-san Diego county coastal areas-
san Bernardino and riverside county valleys-the inland empire-
san Diego county valleys-san Bernardino county mountains-
riverside county mountains-Santa Ana mountains and foothills-
san Diego county mountains-apple and Lucerne valleys-
Coachella valley-san Diego county deserts-
540 am pdt thu OCT. 12 2006

...showers and thunderstorms possible Friday and Saturday...

A low pressure system moving slowly southward today off the central
and southern coast of California...is expected to move slowly
eastward Friday...moving inland across southwest California Friday
night. On its current track...this system would bring the first
widespread measurable precipitation to southwest California this
fall season.

While there is still some uncertainty on the timing and track of
this system...the center of this system is currently expected to
track across southwest California Friday night bringing a period of
showers and thunderstorms. Precipitation is possible as early as
during the day Friday...but the most likely period for precipitation
will be from late Friday afternoon through early Saturday. The
showers are expected to decrease Saturday afternoon and end Saturday
night or early Sunday as the system moves east into Arizona.

Preliminary rainfall amounts are for one quarter to one half inch.
However...given the convective nature of the precipitation...amounts
are expected to be highly variable with locally greater amounts
possible. Snow levels will be high in advance of the system...above
10000 feet...but may lower briefly to 7000 or 7500 feet late Friday
night and early Saturday with snowfall of a few inches possible on
the highest peaks. In advance of the system through Friday...winds
may gust to around 25 mph at times in the mountains.

$$

MARTIN

EDIS-10-12-06 0543 PDT

Heritage Park in Rancho Cucamonga

2006-08-25T20:21:00.000-07:00

We visited Heritage park in Rancho last week. It's a huge place with plenty to do.
We've got the details posted at the main site, here:
Heritage Park

Salton Sea: Emergency clean up funds called for

2006-08-05T17:55:00.000-07:00

Responding to the die-off of millions of fish at the Salton Sea, Rep. Mary Bono, R-Palm Springs, on Friday [August 4, 2006] issued a release calling for immediate action to clean up the sea.

In the release, Bono asked for emergency funding from the Environmental Protection Agency, the California Resources Agency and other government agencies.

"Over the past decade, fish and bird fatalities at the Salton Sea have occurred with alarming frequency," Bono said in the release. "This most recent devastation demands immediate attention and cooperative action to address both the cleanup and the need for a long-term solution to restore the Salton Sea. Emergency funding would help speed the recovery process and protect against additional environmental and health impacts."

Bono has worked to secure federal funds in the past to help clean up the Salton Sea.

Source: David Hermann, The Press Enterprise

Day Creek Park in Rancho Cucamonga

2006-08-05T14:24:00.000-07:00

Day Creek Park is great for parties, baseball, tennis, young kids and old-folks alike!

See the whole review at Day Creek Park in Rancho Cucamonga

Annual smelly-tide at Salton Sea starts early in 2006

2006-08-03T19:22:00.000-07:00

Even as far back as the late 1970's and early 80's the "Stink tide" at the Salton Sea was a yearly event. Each summer millions of fish, mostly small to mid-sized tilapia die and wash up on shore - resulting in a very distinct and pungent aroma. This aroma, combined with the stifling heat and high humidity make summer vacations at the Salton Sea rather unpleasant. The reason for the mass fish die-off is due largely to the elevated water temperatures combined with the red-tide or algae blooms that suck all the oxygen from the water.

In 2006, the "hottest year on record", the stink-tide has already begun, a full two months ahead of schedule. As usual millions of small tilapia are dying and washing up on shore, providing plenty of food for the seagulls and the bird-sized horseflies, but also creating a nose-full for summer visitors.

This year the dead fish will be gathered up by a state-contractor and turned into fertilizer.
Thirty years ago, when I was at the Salton Sea virtually every weekend during summer, the fish-drifts would grown several inches in height and cover virtually every inch of the shoreline in many areas. By September, the blanket of fish meat would be a blanket of bones that stretched as far as the eye could see - and yet, my parents kept dragging me back each weekend..

Is the Inland Empire ready for The Big One?

2006-07-30T21:41:00.000-07:00

The Big One could hit at any time - today, tomorrow, or 10 years from now - but it will hit. Ignoring it won't make the danger any less, and hoping it will hit Los Angeles harder than the Inland Empire won't help either.

What have you done to prepare for The Big One?

Are you prepared? Do you have water set aside? Food? Batteries? Anything? Here are a few things that I have personally done, all at a cost of only $100 or so:

Secured all the large wobbly furniture in the house
Made a 'earthquake storage locker' out of an old garden-tool cabinet to store earthquake supplies
Stocked up on LOTS of 1 gallon bottles of drinking water (at approx $1 each)
Stocked up on food, batteries, silverware, flashlights, soap, blankets, towels, medical supplies, AM radio, tools, ropes, etc - everything necessary to live on our own for a few days. Remember hurricane Katrina? We could be on our own for a while
Polished up 'old faithful' - My laser-sighted Mossberg-500 riot gun and stocked up on several boxes of low-recoil ammo. If we are on our own for a while, there will be lots of people that weren't prepared. These people will be desperate for food and water. When they see us in the driveway showering with our extra gallons of water things could get hairy.
Every 90 days I check my stockpile and rotate the canned food, etc. Nothing would be worse than finding out right after the Big One that all your Ravioli and Dennison's Chili cans have bulges (i.e.; they're rotten)
Evaluated if it made sense to purchase earthquake insurance. In our case it did.

Warnings that the Big One could be closer than we think:

The Desert Sun online has a great collection of warnings to scare us all into getting prepared for the big one. Some of the highlights are:

For all the stories, and new ones, go to The Desert Sun's Earthquakes in the Desert feature.

Danger awaits you on the 210 freeway

2006-07-29T16:18:00.000-07:00

There is an interesting new page just posted at the main website by yours-truly, about what might be the most dangerous few miles of freeway in California.

Tragic accidents, horrific explosions, and even ancient Indian curses?

Read all about it here: 210 Freeway is cursed!

Indio resort welcomes singer Michael Bolton

2006-07-29T09:06:00.000-07:00

Singer and international "star" Micheal Bolten was hosted by the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino Friday as part of a fundraiser event for children's charity, The Variety Club of The Desert.

The Fantasy Springs Casino and Resort is located in Indio immediately of Interstate 10 at the Golf Center Parkway off-ramp.

Fantasy Springs Casino and resort website: www.fantasyspringsresort.com

Linkie Winkie

2006-07-27T23:57:00.000-07:00

Linkie Winkie is some sort of social Internet experiment. We don't really know what that means, but it looks like the Linkie Winkie crawls the web in search of blogs that link to it, or to other blogs that link to blogs that link to it.

If you're here in search of the answer to the Linkie Winkie mystery, please be sure to post a comment.

Measure 1 Street Projects in the Inland Empire Your Tax Dollars at Work

2006-07-27T18:03:00.000-07:00

In addition to freeway projects, Measure I provides funds for major street improvements throughout the San Bernardino Valley. These funds are used for major rehabilitation, construction or reconstruction of main thoroughfares, also called arterial streets. A Measure I Arterial Program Five Year Plan is adopted each year to allocate funds for these streets.

For the entire article see: Measure 1 street projects in the Inland Empire

Website Update: Users locked-out !

2006-07-26T23:51:00.000-07:00

www.insidetheIE.com is currently experiencing host/server issues as a result of some upgrades that the hosting company did two nights ago.
Until our hosting company resolves the problem that they caused, nobody (including myself!) can log-in to the site.

You can still browse the site, but posting of comments or new pages will not work.

I will update this post as the situation changes or when the problem is resolved.

Update: July 27, 5:50AM
All systems seem to be working properly. If you have trouble logging in, please send me an email at IEdude@insidetheIE.com

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR INLAND EMPIRE HAS BEEN ISSUED

2006-07-25T09:53:00.000-07:00

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE MTNS AND
DESERTS OF EXTREME SW CA FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND
EARLY THIS EVENING.

MOIST UNSTABLE AIR & SLOW MOVING THUNDERSTORMS WILL BRING THE
POTENTIAL FOR LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN & FLASH FLOODING TODAY IN THE
MOUNTAINS & DESERTS. THE RECENTLY BURNED AREAS SUCH AS THE HORSE.
SAWTOOTH & MILLARD BURNS WILL BE PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE TO
FLASH FLOODING.MUD & DEBRIS FLOWS.

CAZ055-056-058-060>062-260045-
/O.NEW.KSGX.FF.A.0011.060725T1900Z-060726T0200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY MOUNTAINS-RIVERSIDE COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
SAN DIEGO COUNTY MOUNTAINS-APPLE & LUCERNE VALLEYS-
COACHELLA VALLEY-SAN DIEGO COUNTY DESERTS-
935 AM PDT TUE JUL 25 2006

FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM PDT THIS EVENING.

THE NATL WEATHER SVC IN SAN DIEGO HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR A PORTION OF SW CA.
INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AREAS.APPLE & LUCERNE VALLEYS.
COACHELLA VALLEY.RIVERSIDE COUNTY MOUNTAINS.SAN BERNARDINO
COUNTY MOUNTAINS.SAN DIEGO COUNTY MTNS & DESERTS.

* FROM NOON UNTIL 7 PM PDT THIS EVENING.

* SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP TODAY. A FEW OF
THE STORMS MAY PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAINFALL & FLASH FLOODING.
ESPECIALLY ON & NEAR STEEP TERRAIN & RECENTLY BURNED AREAS.

* AREAS IN & NEAR THE MILLARD & SAWTOOTH BURNS IN SAN
BERNARDINO COUNTY.& THE HORSE FIRE BURN IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY
WILL BE PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE TO FLASH FLOODING.MUD AND
DEBRIS FLOWS. ALL RESIDENTS LIVING ON OR BELOW BURNED HILLSIDES
OR MTN SLOPES SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR POSSIBLE MUD SLIDES
& DEBRIS FLOWS. THESE FLOWS MAY OCCUR AT ANY TIME.EVEN WITH
LITTLE OR NO RAIN FALLING.

CAMPERS & HIKERS SPENDING TIME IN THE MTNS TODAY SHOULD
AVOID NARROW CANYONS & NORMALLY DRY WASHES IF THUNDERSTORMS ARE
OBSERVED.EVEN IN THE DISTANCE. RUNNING WATER CAN MOVE A
CONSIDERABLE DISTANCE FROM THE STORM.& RUSH QUICKLY INTO
NORMALLY DRY AREAS WITH LITTLE OR NO WARNING.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP THAT LEAD
TO FLASH FLOODING. FLASH FLOODING IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.

YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS & BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION
SHOULD FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS BE ISSUED.

$$

LAVIS

[EDIS] STATEWIDE STAGE 1 ELECTRICAL EMERGENCY DECLARED [Urgent: Statewide]

2006-07-24T13:10:00.000-07:00

From: ISO

ISO declared Statewide STAGE 1 Electrical Emergency for 07/24/2006 10:00 through 07/24/2006 21:00

For more information contact:
webmaster@caiso.com

105 degrees and it looks like rain in the Inland Empire

2006-07-22T12:51:00.000-07:00

Last night at my home in Alta Loma the back yard thermometer read 91 degrees at 9:00PM. When I went to bed at 12:10AM, that same thermometer read 86 degrees. I was thankful for the drop in 5 degrees, but I left the air-conditioner running anyway - It's rare occurrence to leave the A/C running in our home all night, so it must be hot.

This morning I awoke to 92 degrees at about 8:30AM - a few hours later I drove to the Vons on Haven avenue and the little electronic thermometer in my car informed me that it was ONE-HUNDRED-AND-FIVE-DEGREES. Although I'm not one to argue with the complex digital gadgetry that our friends at Toyota include "at no extra cost", the amount of sweat rolling down my back and soaking my shirt was a good indication that it might actually be hotter.

It wasnt until I was driving back home, north on Haven Ave, that I noticed the huge thunder-clouds rising above the mountains over Rancho Cucamonga and east toward the Cajon pass. For days now Ghostpainter, Dallas Rains, Fritz Coleman, and those sexy former strippers on channel 11 and channel 13 have been telling us to watch for thunderstorms "tonight", and to be honest, I've been secretly hoping for some rain. I even took the Toyota to the car-wash yesterday in hopes that the rain-gods would see that as in invitation to ruin my newly cleaned car. So far my car-wash-rain-dance has been a waste of $11.99. The best we've gotten thus far was the distant rumble of thunder one night earlier this week and news reports of heavy rain in the desert 50 miles east of us for a few hours yesterday.

My desperation for rain comes not only from desiring a drop in the outrageously high recent temperatures in the Inland Empire, but I'm also hoping for a bit of relief for the crunchy-dry dead brown coating that covers the dirt in my front yard that was once my beautiful green lawn. Even though I've increased the watering time on the automatic sprinklers and faithfully stand in the yard like a fool each evening with the watering-hose, the grass continues to wither. I do however have some wonderful large toad-stools and mushrooms sprouting out of sand-pile that was once my grass to remind me of my impending bank-account-busting water bill.

So please, join me in a collective prayer for rain, lower temperatures, or a sale on lawn fertilizer at Home Depot.

Update: 3:15PM July 22

I took a picture of my weather-station ($19 at Radio Shack!). It has a wireless thermometer transmitter in the back yard, on the patio, and also records the temperature inside. The wireless transmitter is mounted in the coolest part of the backyard, in constant shade (facing north). The number on the top (109) is the temperature on the cool part of the patio. The number on the bottom (79.3) is the indoor temp after running the A/C since yesterday. I think it's official - Rancho Cucamonga is actually Hotter than hell.

All the photos posted were taken today, July 22, 2006

Update: 6:00PM July 22

Moderately strong winds are blowing trash and dead leaves all over the back yard, and those dark clouds that were of to the east earlier this afternoon are now right overhead. The temperature has dropped to a chilly 101F, but still not a drop of rain.

If you thought yesterday was hot in the Inland Empire

2006-07-22T11:49:00.000-07:00

My location at 11:40am
Weather Exchange

Elevation: 1520 ft / 463 m
[Scattered Clouds]
111.6 °F / 44.2 °C
Scattered Clouds
Humidity: 19%
Dew Point: 60 °F / 15 °C
Wind: 3.0 mph / 4.8 km/h Variable
Wind Gust: 5.4 mph / 8.7 km/h
Pressure: 29.85 in / 1010.7 hPa
Heat Index: 114 °F / 45 °C
Visibility: 10.0 miles / 16.1 kilometers
UV: 8 out of 16
Clouds: Few 8000 ft / 2438 m
Scattered Clouds 14000 ft / 4267 m
Scattered Clouds 25000 ft / 7620 m

Inside The IE Website, or Inside The IE Blog ??

2006-07-21T12:47:00.000-07:00

We've gotten a couple of emails regarding the difference between the Inside the Inland Empire Website, and the Inside the IE Blog - So let me explain.

www.InsideTheIE.com:

This is the main website. Here you'll find information about cities in the IE, restaurants, things to do, places to go, etc. Most of the content at the main website is contributed by members and is intended to be a long-term repository of information about the Inland Empire. Anyone can post comments about a web-page, but to create pages of your own, you must sign-up for an account.. Accounts are free, and are necessary to keep the 'riff-raff' out.
You can click here to sign up for an account at the main site. After you create an account you can sign-in and begin creating web pages immediately. Creating a new page is easy: Sign in, click on "Create Content", and pick "Page". Fill out the title of your page, and the main "body" section.. No need to worry about anything else - it's as easy as typing a letter! When you're done, just press SUBMIT. If you have any photos that you would like included, just email them to 'IEdude@insidetheIE.com' and we'll post them on the page for you. Before your page will appear on the site it will be reviewed - this can take anywhere from a few minutes to a couple of hours. After the review, your page will be availble for everyone to see and comment on.

www.insidetheie.blogspot.com:

This is the Inside The Inland Empire blog (that's what you're reading now). The blog is a place where registered users can post about virtually anything, as long as it's somehow connected to the Inland Empire. Posts like short-term weather reports, news items, complaints, rants, raves - whatever. Posts that would not be appropriate for the main website (described above) are perfect for the Blog.
The website and the blog are maintained separately (we don't like to keep all our huevos in one basket), so each requires it's own account. To request to become a member of the Inside The IE blog, just send an email to: IEdude@insidetheIE.com and we will send you an invitation form to fill out - 2 minutes later, you can be making posts! Posting to the blog is even easier than creating pages on the main website. Just click the "Post" button, start writing, and press "publish" !

If you have any questions or suggestions for the main site, or the blog, please post them here (in the comments section), or email them to: IEdude@insidetheIE.com

West Nile found in the Inland Empire

2006-07-21T12:09:00.000-07:00

Dead robin found in Lake Arrowhead tests positive for the disease

The first animal found to carry the West Nile virus in San Bernardino county was found last week in the western shore area of Lake Arrowhead.

County public health department personnel are now beginning wide-spread tests on mosquitoes in the area in an attempt to assess the risk to local residents.

Now is a great time to remind everyone to help control the mosquito population by dumping any containers with standing water and by turning any potential containers such as trash-can lids, flower-pots, etc, upside down so they cannot gather water. One of those fancy high-powered bug-zappers can also help, while being fun to watch at the same time.

Firefighters Contain Inland Empire Wildfires

2006-07-19T15:23:00.000-07:00

Firefighters were finally able to contain a nearly 100 square-mile blaze after days of struggling in Southern California, but with rain in the forecast, there was a new fear of mudslides.

The National Weather Service issued a flood watch through the week in the Mojave Desert and portions of the San Bernardino National Forest, where nearly two weeks of fire left nonporous ash that could turn into mudslides with enough rain.

Forecasters said there was a 40 percent chance of thunderstorms Wednesday.

'The big thing is the weather,' said Rich Phelps of the U.S. Forest Service.

Cooler weather helped firefighters contain the blaze Tuesday night. It, along with a second fire, has charred a combined 131 square miles.

Skies were partly cloudy Tuesday and temperatures were some 20 degrees cooler than the triple-digit highs of last week.

Ignited by lightning July 9, the first blaze destroyed 58 houses and mobile homes, dozens of outbuildings and scores of vehicles. It was linked to 17 injuries and one death.

The second fire, about 24,210 acres and 38 square miles, merged with the other last week. It was burning in low-elevation brush and on rocky ridges dotted with pines killed by drought and a bark beetle infestation. It was 57 percent contained Tuesday.

On the northwestern edge of the fire front, an 800-acre blaze remained within a few miles of mountain hamlets but 'we don't feel there's any real threat,' Phelps said. 'We're not letting the fire grow. We're containing it.'

Elsewhere, a wildfire near the Nevada-California line was sparked by lightning Monday and had spread to 6,000 acres _ 9 square miles _ by midday Tuesday, forcing the evacuation of campers and a ranch and choking valleys along the eastern Sierra corridor with smoke.

Though the area is sparsely populated, fire officials worried that the blaze could threaten outlying ranches and homes. The blaze was moving in a northeasterly direction toward the scenic ranching community of Wellington, Nev., about 75 miles southeast of Reno.

Strong winds in central Montana pushed range fires past containment lines. One fire 25 miles north of Jordan was estimated at 31,000 acres _ 48 square miles _ before wind gusts of up to 50 mph hit that area, said Dena Lang, a spokeswoman for the Bureau of Land Management.

'You feel so helpless,' Lang said. 'Firefighters are out there working hard; landowners are working so hard.' Some ranchers are losing grazing areas because of fires, she said.

At least eight major fires have burned in southern and eastern Montana. Together, they had burned an estimated 345,000 acres _ 540 square miles _ as of Tuesday. Fire officers cautioned that acreage on some of the more active fires could change with better mapping.

However, firefighters were near containment of the Pine Ridge fires in south-central Montana. The fires burned about 121,000 acres, or 189 square miles.

In Colorado, lightning sparked a 20-acre blaze in Mesa Verde National Park, officials said. No archaeological sites were damaged or threatened, and most visitor services remained open at the park Tuesday, officials said.

Who has the best onion rings in the Inland Empire?

2006-07-19T08:04:00.000-07:00

THE I.E.'S TASTIEST TOP-THREE
1. Islands Restaurant
2. Marie Callender's
3. The Deli (Rancho Cucamonga)

THE PLAYERS
-- Burger King, 4000 N. Sierra Way, San Bernardino, (909) 886-2038
-- Carl's Jr., 2022 N. Riverside Ave., Rialto, (909) 873-4766
-- The Deli, 9671 Foothill Blvd., Rancho Cucamonga, (909) 989-8122
-- Farmer Boys, 1766 W. Kendall Drive, San Bernardino, (909) 473-1717
-- The Hat, 8030 Monet Ave., Rancho Cucamonga, (909) 646-7600
-- Islands, 11425 Foothill Blvd., Rancho Cucamonga, (909) 944-6661
-- Johnny Rockets, 7800 Kew Ave., Rancho Cucamonga, (909) 463-2800
-- Marie Callender's, 1030 W. Foothill Blvd., Claremont, (909) 621-3958
-- Outback Steakhouse, 4492 Ontario Mills Parkway, Ontario, (909) 484-2999
-- Sonic, 1632 N. Lemon St., Anaheim, (714) 992-4500

French Fries take the cake, so to speak, in side-dish fare. It's a no brainer that regular, steak and seasoned fries will forever accompany the majority of main courses.

For the full reviews visit: DailyBulletin.com

Power Failure Halts Flights At Southland Airports

2006-07-18T19:08:00.000-07:00

Flights in and out of Los Angeles International Airport, Bob Hope Airport in Burbank and Ontario International Airport have been halted because of a power failure affecting radar and the Southern California air traffic control system.

MORE DETAILS:

Flash Flood Watch Expanded and Extended for the IE

2006-07-18T11:35:00.000-07:00

POTENTIAL FOR MUD & DEBRIS FLOWS TODAY FOR THE SAWTOOTH AND
MILLARD BURN AREAS.

A FLOW OF MONSOONAL MOISTURE WILL CONTINUE INTO SOUTHERN
CA THROUGH THIS WEEK & BRING FAVORABLE CONDITIONS FOR
SHOWERS & THUNDERSTORMS. STORMS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO
PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN & FLASH FLOODING. THE SAWTOOTH AND
MILLARD BURN AREAS WILL ESPECIALLY AT RISK & THE MOST
SUSCEPTIBLE TO FLASH FLOODING.MUD SLIDES & DEBRIS FLOWS.
LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL RATES UP TO ONE INCH PER HOUR WILL BE
POSSIBLE FROM THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON & EVENING.

SAN DIEGO COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
1124 AM PDT TUE JUL 18 2006

FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM PDT THIS EVENING.

THE NATL WEATHER SVC IN SAN DIEGO HAS EXPANDED THE

* FLASH FLOOD WATCH TO INCLUDE A PORTION OF SW
CA.INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AREA.IN SW
CA.SAN DIEGO COUNTY MOUNTAINS.

* UNTIL 9 PM PDT THIS EVENING

* SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED WITH A POTENTIAL FOR
LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL TO CAUSE FLASH FLOODING.

* FLOODING.MUD SLIDES.ROCK SLIDES & DEBRIS FLOWS WILL BE
POSSIBLE IN & BELOW RECENTLY BURNED AREAS & ON STEEP
TERRAIN.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP THAT LEAD
TO FLASH FLOODING. FLASH FLOODING IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.

YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS & BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION
SHOULD FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS BE ISSUED.

$$

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY MOUNTAINS-RIVERSIDE COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
APPLE & LUCERNE VALLEYS-COACHELLA VALLEY-
1124 AM PDT TUE JUL 18 2006

FLASH FLOOD WATCH NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM PDT THIS EVENING.

THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR

* A PORTION OF SW CA.INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING
AREAS.IN SW CA.APPLE & LUCERNE VALLEYS.
COACHELLA VALLEY.RIVERSIDE COUNTY MTNS & SAN
BERNARDINO COUNTY MOUNTAINS.

* UNTIL 9 PM PDT THIS EVENING

* SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED WITH A POTENTIAL FOR
LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL TO CAUSE FLASH FLOODING.

* FLOODING.MUD SLIDES.ROCK SLIDES & DEBRIS FLOWS WILL BE
POSSIBLE IN & BELOW RECENTLY BURNED AREAS & ON STEEP
TERRAIN.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP THAT LEAD
TO FLASH FLOODING. FLASH FLOODING IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.

YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS & BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION
SHOULD FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS BE ISSUED.

$$
FLASH FLOOD WATCH CANCELLED..

CAZ055-056-058-060-061-190145-
MM

RSOE HAVARIA: USA - Epidemic Hazard - 2006.07.18

2006-07-17T22:05:00.000-07:00

Epidemic Hazard - USA

GLIDE CODE: EP-20060718-6816-USA
Date & Time: 2006.07.18 - 05:48:59
Area: USA California, , Los Angeles ( MAP)

Description:

Those visiting rural areas this summer should take precautions to avoid contracting bubonic plague, the state Department of Health warned Monday. A Los Angeles woman was hospitalized in April after becoming infected with the potentially fatal bacterial disease. It was the first reported case in Los Angeles County since 1984. Bubonic plague is spread by squirrels, chipmunks and other wild rodents and their fleas, according to Dr. Mark Horton, a state public health officer. When an infected rodent becomes sick and dies, its fleas carry the infection to other warm-blooded animals, including humans. People can also be exposed through infected cats, which are highly susceptible to the disease. "Individuals can greatly reduce their risk of becoming infected with plague by taking simple precautions, including avoiding contact with wild rodents," Horton said. "Do not feed rodents in picnic or campground areas and never handle sick or dead rodents." Early symptoms of plague inc! lude high fever, chills, nausea, weakness and swollen lymph nodes in the neck, armpit or groin. The disease is curable in its early stages with proper treatment, but may be fatal if left untreated. Plague-infected animals are most likely to be found in California's foothills, mountains and along the coast, while the desert and Central Valley regions are considered low-risk regions, Horton said. So far this year, plague activity has been detected in animals in Inyo, Mariposa, Mono, Plumas and Sierra counties. Since 1970, there have been 42 human cases of the plague reported in California.

Inland Empire "Millard fire" nearly contained

2006-07-17T19:48:00.000-07:00

So far the Millard fire has burned over 23,000 acres but officials are predicting full containment in as little as three days.

As of this posting, the Milard fire is approximately 50% contained. Higher humidity and the possibility of rain are raising expectations that the fire may be completely extinguished in five days or less.

Heavy Rain and Flood Warning for Burn Areas

2006-07-17T14:35:00.000-07:00

POTENTIAL FOR MUD & DEBRIS FLOWS TUES FOR THE SAWTOOTH AND
MILLARD BURN AREAS.

A FLOW OF MONSOONAL MOISTURE WILL CONTINUE INTO S. CA
THROUGH THIS WEEK & BRING FAVORABLE CONDITIONS FOR SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS. STORMS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE LOCALLY
HEAVY RAIN & FLASH FLOODING. THE SAWTOOTH & MILLARD BURN AREAS
WILL ESPECIALLY AT RISK & THE MOST SUSCEPTIBLE TO FLASH FLOODING.
MUD SLIDES & DEBRIS FLOWS. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL RATES UP TO
TWO THRIDS OF AN INCH PER HOUR WILL BE POSSIBLE FROM THUNDERSTORMS
ON TUES AFTERNOON & EVENING.

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY MOUNTAINS-RIVERSIDE COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
APPLE & LUCERNE VALLEYS-COACHELLA VALLEY-
208 PM PDT MON JUL 17 2006

FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM TUES AFTERNOON THROUGH
TUESDAY EVENING FOR THE SAWTOOTH & MILLARD BURN AREAS.

THE NATL WEATHER SVC IN SAN DIEGO HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR THE SAWTOOTH & MILLARD BURN AREAS IN
SW CA.INCLUDING PORTIONS OF APPLE & LUCERNE
VALLEYS.COACHELLA VALLEY.RIVERSIDE COUNTY MTNS & SAN
BERNARDINO COUNTY MOUNTAINS.

* FROM TUES AFTERNOON THROUGH TUES EVENING

* SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED WITH A POTENTIAL FOR
LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL TO CAUSE FLASH FLOODING.

* FLOODING.MUD SLIDES.ROCK SLIDES & DEBRIS FLOWS WILL BE
POSSIBLE IN & BELOW RECENTLY BURNED AREAS & ON STEEP
TERRAIN.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP THAT LEAD
TO FLASH FLOODING. FLASH FLOODING IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.

YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS & BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION
SHOULD FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS BE ISSUED.

$$

Ontario now a global leader in trade activity

2006-07-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

According to a report released by the City of Ontario, the city's international trade is fueling the local economy.

Total two-way trade in 2004 for the region was valued at $8.1 billion or 10.6% of the Inland Empire's total personal income with exports represented $3 billion with imports representing $5.1 billion, it said.

The city led the region's activity with $2.8 billion in total 2004 two-way trade or 38% of the Inland Empire's total.

From 2000 to 2004 total trade for the city increased 98% in real terms with exports growing at a rate of 145% and imports growing at a rate of 92%.

LA Ontario International Airport (ONT) contributed significantly to Ontario's international trade growth with ONT already ranked as the 15th busiest cargo airport in the nation.

It's expected that in 15 years ONT's cargo operations will match that at Los Angeles International Airport.

Full Story Here

Inland Empire Poetry

2006-07-16T21:48:00.000-07:00

With the additon of Robert Louis Covington to www.insidetheIE.com, we've created a new Inland Empire Poetry section.

A little about Robert Louis Covington, in his own words:

I grew up in Washington D. C. and have lived in the Inland Empire (Fontana) since 1990. I belong to the Inland Empire California Writers Club (IECWC). Retirement from the United States Treasury Department brought me here, and I have thoroughly enjoyed the Inland Valley and its peoples. I love diversity and the grandeur of this life mid the aura of the mountains. Each morning is a celestial awakening. I enjoy the IECWC and mostly write poetry. On occasion, I would be pleased to share my poetizing inspired by the Inland Empire.

Large fires burn in Calif.

2006-07-16T19:33:00.000-07:00

Large fires burn in Calif., 8 other states

YUCCA VALLEY, Calif. - Fire crews struggled Sunday to quell wildfires still raging across steep, rocky swaths of this desert region, as the harsh terrain slowed efforts to fully contain the blazes that have destroyed 58 homes and scorched more than 120 square miles.

National News Coverage Waining

2006-07-16T16:05:00.000-07:00

National news coverage of the Wild Fires is slowly loosing ground to the war in Isreal. Coverage of the fires is still top billing on the local newscasts.

Pappy & Harriet's Survives the Fires!

2006-07-16T12:02:00.000-07:00

As evidenced by an email sent from Pappy and Harriet's, not only did they survive the fires, but they are open for business:

Here is the email sent from Pappy and Harriet's:

Greetings!!!
As most of you already know, the people of The Hi Desert have been through a raging wild fire. From what I've heard, Pioneertown suffered the most damage.

Having said that, Pioneertown doesn't look as bad as you may think it does.

The firefighters did an amazing job saving peoples homes. Almost every home is surrounded by blackness, right up to the front doors!! I believe some homeowners stayed behind and saved their own...Pioneertown Style.

There has been an unbelievable outpouring of love from everyone all over the country and it has been greatly appreciated!

For the people that lost their homes we would love to get some kind of fund raiser going soon. Pioneertown needs some time to breathe and regroup. I am sure in the next few months benefits will be coming up.

Pappy & Harriet's got through the fire with
literally zero damage. Being there during the fire, I assumed the whole town would be burned to the ground. It's a miracle that it didn't. ... I think it speaks for itself!!
We are sorry for all that's been lost and thankful for all that's been saved.

Today is Sunday, July 16th. Pioneertown Road is open to the public. Pappy & Harriet's is open for business. Our beloved Thrift Store All Stars
will be taking the stage sometime in the late afternoon, early evening.!!!

We lost all of our food when the power went out, but we have a full bar, cold beer, hamburgers and hot dogs! True Pappy & Harriet's style.

Thanks to everyone for having us in their thoughts & prayers. xoxoxoxoxo

www.pappyandharriets.com

Pappy & Harriet's is located at 53688 Pioneertown Road, Pioneertown
(760)-365-5956

Inland Empire Forecast: Increase in Thunderstorm Activity Monday & Tuesday

2006-07-16T10:31:00.000-07:00

Forecast

Today: mostly sunny in the morning then becoming partly cloudy. Highs in the
lower to mid 70s at the beaches to the lower to mid 90s inland.
Tonight: partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 60s to lower 70s.

Monday: partly cloudy. Highs in the lower to mid 70s at the beaches to the mid
80s to lower 90s inland.
Monday Night: partly cloudy. A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms
after midnight. Lows in the 60s to lower 70s.

Tuesday: partly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms.
Highs in the mid to upper 70s at the beaches to near 90 inland.
Tuesday Night Through Saturday: partly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of
showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the 60s to lower 70s. Highs in the 70s at
the beaches to near 90 inland.

Millard and Sawtooth fire updates

2006-07-16T05:52:00.000-07:00

Millard fire now consumes over 15,000 acres
And only 10% contained. There is a chance of thunderstorms and rain later tonight, but along with the thunderstorms comes the chance of lightning strikes. Lightning is believed to be the cause of the Millard fire.

Sawtooth now over 62,000 acres
Over 62,000 acres burned, 60% contained, and over 2,900 firefighter personnel fighting the blaze.

Memories of the Grand Prix and 'Old' Fires in 2003

2006-07-15T21:03:00.000-07:00

Those that forget the past are doomed to repeat it.
Oops! Too late!

The Grand Prix and "Old" fires in October of 2003 burned for weeks and destroyed nearly 1,000 homes.

IEDude has posted his memories of the fires, the evacuation, and the weeks of cleaining up ash afterward.

Read about the Grand Prix Fire of October 2003.

Evacuations widen, fires march onward

2006-07-15T18:53:00.000-07:00

Earlier this afternoon residents in Onyx Summit, between Barton Flats and Lake Williams were told to evacuate. So far the evacuation notice is voluntary, and many residents have chosen to stay behind.

The entire San Gorgonio Wilderness area is still closded; Mission Creek Rd and Whitewater Canyon Rd are closed to the general public.

The evacuation of the Rimrock area has been lifted as of approximatly 5PM today.

National News Coverage of Fires Increases

2006-07-15T16:04:00.000-07:00

Despite the war in Israel threatening to turn into all-out World War III, the news coverage of the wild fires in Southern California's Inland Empire has been increasing. All 3 big cable news outlets, CNN, FOX and MSNBC are airing approximately 10 minutes per hour of wildfire coverage. Surprising considering the other big news stories today.

Free movie for firefighter's families

2006-07-15T15:39:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday the Pavilion Theater in Palm Springs is giving free admission to the comedy "Aga-Boom" for family members of people working on the wildfires.

I might drive out to Palm Springs just to see how they plan to verify that I'm a family member of a firefighter..

Heat Warning Cancelled In the Inland Empire

2006-07-15T15:37:00.000-07:00

EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING CANCELLED.

WHILE IT WAS STILL A HOT DAY.HEAT INDEX VALUES WERE BELOW THOSE
THAT WERE EXPECTED. THEREFORE.THE EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING HAS
BEEN CANCELLED.

CAZ048-050-055-056-058-060>062-152145-
/O.CAN.KSGX.EH.W.0001.000000T0000Z-060716T0300Z/
SAN BERNARDINO & RIVERSIDE COUNTY VALLEYS-THE INLAND EMPIRE-
SAN DIEGO COUNTY VALLEYS-SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
RIVERSIDE COUNTY MOUNTAINS-SAN DIEGO COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
APPLE & LUCERNE VALLEYS-COACHELLA VALLEY-
SAN DIEGO COUNTY DESERTS-
142 PM PDT SAT JUL 15 2006

EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING IS CANCELLED.

THE NATL WEATHER SVC IN SAN DIEGO HAS CANCELLED THE
EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING. HEAT INDEX VALUES HAVE REMED WELL BELOW
120 DEGREES IN THE DESERTS & 110 DEGREES IN THE INLAND VALLEYS.

$$

MAXWELL

Posted by: GhostPainter

New fire erupts in Redlands

2006-07-15T15:10:00.000-07:00

Now called the Edgemont fire, it has burned over 500 acres since Friday night, when it started. The California Department of Forestry reports that the fire is moving in on the homes of approximately 100 residents, yet no evacuations have been called for so far.

As of this writing the blaze is nearly 20 percent contained.

Rimrock residents fight flareup

2006-07-15T14:48:00.000-07:00

Several hotspots were put out by residents of Rimrock Saturday morning, the largest spreading to just over one-half-acre, just north of Pioneertown.

Residents are now keeping a close eye on the smoldering brush and joshua trees even though the entire area is under a mandatory evacuation.

Good luck guys, be careful!

Life as usual in the path of the wildfires

2006-07-15T13:42:00.000-07:00

Big Bear: Other than the water-dropping helicopters picking up water from the lake every 15-30 minutes everything in Big Bear is business as usual, despite the fact that the skys to the south are filled with giant plumes of smoke from the wildfires.

Barton Flats: Only 5 miles north of the fires, Barton Flats camping area remains open. Because the fires are so close, the campgrounds are virtually empty according the campground hosts.

Angelus Oaks: Residents of the Seven Oaks Mountain Cabins in Angelus Oaks do not seem concerned about the fires, despite how close they are. The biggest worry is that nearby Highway 38 could soon be closed by the California Highway Patrol.

Hot day in store for Millard/Sawtooth firefighters

2006-07-15T10:42:00.000-07:00

From my home in Rancho Cucamonga, miles east of the raging Millard/Sawtooth fire, it is already 95F degrees at 10:35AM. Weather forcasters are predicting high temeratures close to 110F degrees in the fire areas. Add to that the heat from the fires, coupled with wearing heavy fire-proction gear, and you have some very hot firefighters. I dont think most people realize what a tough job these guys have.

Statistics for the Millard fire in the Inland Empire

2006-07-15T10:32:00.000-07:00

Millard fire stats as reported about 45 minutes ago:

Millard Fire Statistics:
* 5 percent contained thus far
* 12,304 acres (32.1 square miles) burned
* 885 personnel on location
* 20 different hot shot crews
* 9 Type 1 helicopters (retardant carrying)
* Cost: $3,577,563
* 5 bulldozers
* 11 Type 2 helicopters (retardant, personnel carrying)
* 2 Type 3 helicopters (observation)

Southern Califorina Inland Empire Wildfires Rage

2006-07-15T09:02:00.000-07:00

Having been evacuating from my home in the Alta Loma "Woods" area during the wildfires of 2003 I have a special place in my heart for the people affected by other wildfires. What began as "just another fire" in the Inland Empire is quickly becoming one of those that we'll remember for years.

I will post updates as they happen. These posts are not intended to be a source of news, but rather a record of what has happened.

Two individual fires, "Millard" and "Sawtooth", are now officially one fire, burning over 71,000 acres thus far. As of this morning fire crews report the fire being approximately 5 percent contained. Firefighters are hoping that the weather forecasts of thunderstorms later this evening are correct.

Today Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed t-shirts for evacuees at a Red Cross shelter near Pioneertown which took the brunt of the flames two days ago.

Agriculture undersecretary Mark Rey will speak about the fires and their impact at Yucca Valley High this morning.

Inland Empire Fires, Floods, and HOT weather

2006-07-13T22:41:00.000-07:00

Those of us that live in the Inland Empire often like to brag about how great the weather is, and how great it is to live here. But in recent weeks it has not been as fun as usual!

Fires, hot-weather and fire warnings, and even stories of floods at our main website might scare-off a few people. But not to worry. Take our word when we say the Inland Empire is still a great place to live!

Bigfoot in Southern California's Inland Empire?

2006-07-08T16:14:00.000-07:00

An interesting article posted by Ghostpainter reviews several sightings of "Bigfoot" in the Inland Empire, specifically, Fontana - some of which go back several hundred years.

For the full article, see Bigfoot in Fontana

Rancho Cucamonga life

2006-07-04T17:31:00.000-07:00

Ghostpainter has written a great piece on Life in Rancho Cucamonga from inception through the late 1970's.

You can read the whole article here: Life in Rancho Cucamonga

Inland Empire floods in 1968 and 1969

2006-07-01T19:05:00.000-07:00

Read the story of devistaing flooding in Rancho Cucamonga, Upland, and surrounding Inland Empire areas in 1968 and 1969. Written by the GhostPainter.
Floods of 1969
More on the flooding of 1969

OldMack Joins InsideTheIE.com

2006-06-26T19:37:00.000-07:00

A little bit about OldMack, in his own words:

A maternal Aunt and her daughter moved from Oklahoma and settled in Redlands in 1925. She packed citrus and worked at a luch counter at a drug store in Redlands. She bought a house on Clay Street. Her home and her hospitality gave her six siblings a destination and place of respite when they subsequently moved into the area. My mother, the youngest of seven, came to Redlands when two of her eldest sisters visited their home town for a family reunion and drove back to California in 1933.

Having had a taste of it, she returned to Marlow, OK to await my birth and my father's separation from the Army. Then we moved to California.

As a boy, I attended schools in Fontana, Lucern Valley, Apple Valley and Victorville. This was during the War years. If you are interested in those aspects from the perspective of a lad who rode his horse to school in the Lucern Valley until it was closed due to an outbreak of Polio, I may be able to enlighten and entertain you folks with my Tales. I'm a retired Jack of all trades.

Mobster spent time in Inland Empire

2006-06-09T17:58:00.000-07:00

Little known facts about Palm Springs and the Inland Empire:

Booze, girls and cash. That was how Al Wertheimer lived his life, both in his days as a mobster with the Purple Gang in Detroit and later as an entrepreneur who arguably put the desert on the map.

The legendary Palm Springs crowd - Bogart, Hayworth, Gable and Lombard - came to Palm Springs for more than the desert sun. A nightlife filled with drinking, dancing and gambling at Wertheimer's The Dunes casino was the true draw in the early years of the quiet village.

The history
Wertheimer and his brother Lou landed in the desert in 1934. Immediately, they began plans for a Palm Springs casino after recognizing the success of underground gambling joints in Hollywood.

The brothers came up against opposition, mainly from the town matriarch, Nellie Coffman, but eventually won out by operating outside the city line.

The Dunes was born and rivaled every upscale establishment of L.A. and New York.

Located at the south end of what is now Date Palm, the dining room was illuminated with chandeliers; patrons were greeted by tuxedoed servers and served Kansas steaks and Maine lobster at a cost of $4 a plate.

Read the FULL STORY here

Sign up and join the InsidetheIE.com staff!

2006-06-04T19:43:00.000-07:00

InsidetheIE.com, the only website for the Inland Empire maintained and run by Inland Empire residents, is looking for writers and contributors!

If you live in the I.E., or are familiar enough with it to contribute interesting and unique content, please register and become part of the insidetheIE.com staff!

Registration is free and easy, just go to www.insidetheIE.com, and click "Create new Account" on the login section. We will not share, rent or sell your private information with anybody. After registration a confirmation email will be sent to the address you provide. Be sure to check your 'junk mail' folder if you do not receive it within a few minutes.

Once you have registered, you can begin adding pages, writing content and contributing the the only website run by Inland Empire residents!

If you have any questions or trouble, please send an email to IEdude@insidetheIE.com

Vacation at the Salton Sea

2006-06-03T23:02:00.000-07:00

The Salton Sea is an often overlooked camping or even vacation destination. Excellent fishing, boating and desert hiking as well as a diverse eco-system make the Salton Sea one of the most interesting destinations in Southern California.

Read about it on our section about The Salton Sea

Ghostpainter joins the InsidetheIE staff

2006-06-01T16:05:00.000-07:00

Gary the Ghostpainter of Rancho Cucamonga has joined the InsidetheIE .com team as the Rancho Cucamonga writer, corrispondant, and in-house weather expert.
Below is a little about Gary, in his own words.

My nickname is the ghostpainter...I wanted ghosthunter but there were about 5,000 of those so I chose something that no one else had.

I was born in 1948 in Upland Calif. Lived here all of my life except when I made three tours of duty to Vietnam. Received two Meritorious Awards, 9 combat stars and the Ney Small Ship Cooking award.

I returned to Chaffey College in 1976, and received my Associate of Arts Degree with a 3.9 grade point average. Have degrees in Gourmet cooking, Cooking Management, Management and Health Sciences.

I was a federal process server for over 15 years until I became ill in 1998 with an unknown bacterial illness. Im like the preverbal Humpty Dumpy, I fell off the wall and it took 9 doctors to save me but I have been disabled ever since with 5 fatal diseases. But i refuse to die.

I am self taught on the PC, built my own PC with the help of a couple of friends, built my own home network, have restored 22 computers to active heath and have three on my home system.

I have my own website blogg, which is turning into a hit with over 16,000 monthly page views and belong to DSL Broadband Weather Forum, which I helped to create, 7 weather groups and now the IE.

Keeps me occupied and my mind healthy.

Gary Hall, the RC.
Real time Hurricane, severe storm and tornado alerts by RSS news feed @ WWW.EARTHLOGWX.NET
WWW.EARTHLOGII.COM
Weather Forum www.dslreports.com/forum/weather

Inside The IE is now online

2006-05-30T22:34:00.000-07:00

Finally, after weeks of planning, fighting with our web-host, nail-biting, DNS problems, and a cold, www.insidetheIE.com is finally Online!

Of course, we don't have a lot of content yet, and we're still looking for writers and contributors, but it's a start!

Come back here for updates, or go directly to www.insidetheIE.com for more information.

Rancho Cucamonga Quakes History

2006-05-27T13:11:00.000-07:00

RC Quakes: "The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes may appear to be a fairly new operation, playing top-notch Minor League ball since 1993, but in actuality, the franchise has been around for over 28 years, since 1966.

After the 1965 Class 'A' California League season, the team operating in Salinas folded, leaving only five teams remaining in the league. The league had operated with eight teams in the past and was therefore determined to get three more teams into play for the 1966 season.

The franchise in Modesto, which had sat out the 1965 season, was reactivated and run by current California League President Joe Gagliardi. Another team, this one from Reno, Nevada was also reactivated but this still left one opening.

It was then that a group of investors from Lodi, California got together $2,500 (pocket change compared to today's costs) and decided to start a new franchise in Lodi to be ready to play in 1966. They were known as the Lodi Crushers, and this essentially became the first 'Quakes' team."

For more about the history of the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, see the Official Rancho Cucamonga Quakes History page at www.rcquakes.com.

Southern California's Inland Empire

2006-05-27T12:36:00.000-07:00

Southern California's Inland Empire: "As California's job creation leader for more than a decade, Southern California's Inland Empire is attracting the interest of business, real estate, and site selection executives around the country and the world. The region's assets are plentiful, and include vast expanses of undeveloped land, right in the heart of Southern California. Some 27 colleges and universities produce an educated and highly-skilled labor force. Office, commercial, and industrial space is available at extremely favorable rates compared to adjacent coastal counties.

Riverside-San Bernardino was ranked first in the country (among large cities) for top U.S. cities to do business (Inc. magazine, May 2005)."