Riverside seeks input on 2050 General Plan
Palm Springs names Stjerne as next police chief
Pg 21
Pg 22
VISIT HEYSOCAL.COM
Local. Relevant. Trusted.
Thursday, September 03-September 09, 2026
Ontario council weighs warehouse pause and aid for low-income residents, updates water conservation rules By Joe Taglieri joet@civicnewsgroup.com
T
he Ontario City Council on Tuesday signaled a willingness to slow the city's rapid warehouse growth and to widen utility help for low-income households, while also moving to phase out irrigation of decorative turf. Councilman Jim Bowman asked colleagues to consider a formal hold on new warehouse construction, framing it as a chance to reassess how much logistics development the city has absorbed. "I think that's worthy of an opportunity to stop the forward motion and think about what we're doing for a while and contemplate what the future really looks like or should look like, and whether we really want to be part of that with our name on it," Bowman said. Mayor Paul S. Leon pushed back gently, suggesting the council first study where warehouses currently stand before committing to a moratorium. "A lot of times when it comes to warehouses, I know that the media plays into that whole idea of and the din of social media saying there's
Mayor Paul Leon calls for economic assistance for Ontario residents. | Screenshot courtesy of the city of Ontario/YouTube
too many," Leon said. "I think that what we're doing right now in the city of Ontario is we have warehouses where they belong. ... "I'd love to see the report on what we're doing and have a briefing here in front of all of us and then go from there," the mayor said. City Attorney Ruben Duran cautioned the council that the Brown Act, the state's open-meetings law, limits how much a nonagendized topic can be debated on the spot. He urged council members
to direct staff to bring the matter back through formal procedure. City Manager Scott Ochoa recommended the council instead revisit its recently adopted general plan, the city's long-range guidelines for land use, as the cleanest vehicle for a possible policy change. The council reached a consensus to review the general plan rather than take immediate action on a moratorium. "I was speaking more
in the area of a resolution, which is an opportunity to evaluate where we're at in the process of moving forward from this point," Bowman said before agreeing to hold off on a moratorium resolution and wait for a future briefing from the city manager's staff. Separately, Leon pressed for broader affordability relief, noting the city counts roughly 187,000 to 200,000 residents with a median household income
See Ontario council Page 39
VOL. VOL. 10, 12,
NO. 291
Supervisors accept sheriff's $30M request to buy deputy body cams By City News Service
T
he Board of Supervisors on Tuesday authorized Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco to secure a long-term contract, valued at more than $30 million, for the purchase of more than 2,000 body-worn cameras for deputies. "The greatest benefit from these cameras is increased technology," Undersheriff Don Sharp told the board ahead of its 5-0 vote. "The cameras have been around for 15 years, but it's effectively the last eight years that our deputies have really used them." Sharp was questioned by Supervisor Jose Medina about the justification for the acquisitions. Medina mainly wanted clarity on what the cameras are used for, how many are needed and their advantages to the public and personnel. "These have been 100% helpful," Sharp said. "They've helped us in being able to go back and hold (deputies) accountable for their actions and have also shown when our deputies have done a great job, and maybe where somebody's statement has been false. In use-of-force situations, we can show a recording of the actual event. So there's transparency, and
the public appears to be appreciative of that." Medina wanted confirmation that cameras "are turned on every time there's an interaction between a deputy and member of the public?" Sharp answered affirmatively, noting "it could be just a public assist call ... or a contact that turns into an arrest situation." He pointed out that the recordings have aided in investigations, report writing, evidence for prosecutors and "translation," in which deputies who may not speak another language can go back and determine what a witness, suspect or other party may have said during an encounter, using the cameras' built-in technology. The purchasing agreement with Scottsdale, Arizona-based Axon Enterprise Inc. calls for the company to supply 2,086 current generation cameras — Body 4 Cams — with the most technologically advanced features, complete with support, storage and related services until Aug. 31, 2031. The sheriff's department last entered into an agreement with Axon in 2021,
See Body cams Page 39
ExpyeiyncydeWildfeye Lawyers 22ewildfire caits+ 000000+ clients
LEARN MORE