The demonstration was organized by the People’s Collective for Environmental Justice alongside several regional groups, including the Warehouse Workers Resource Center, Inland Empire Labor Institute, Inland Empire Labor Council and the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice. Participants gathered at Feldheym Public Library before beginning the march around 1:30 p.m.

    Marchers moved through the downtown area, making stops near San Bernardino City Hall and the city’s Immigration Field Office before converging at the intersection of E Street and Rialto Avenue. Protesters temporarily blocked traffic while chanting, holding signs and listening to speakers during the afternoon rally.

    May Day, also recognized internationally as International Workers’ Day, traces its roots back to labor demonstrations connected to the 1886 Haymarket affair in Chicago and the push for an eight-hour workday. In recent years, May Day events throughout the United States have increasingly tied together issues involving labor rights, immigration reform, affordable living and public safety concerns.

    San Bernardino resident Ron Alvarado, who is currently running for the city’s First Ward council seat, said he attended the march to advocate for stronger labor protections and community-centered development projects.

    “I’m here because I want to stand for the community, for public sector jobs, for living wage jobs and for community benefit agreements,” Alvarado said during the event.

    Alvarado said local leaders need to focus more on keeping tax revenue and economic opportunities within San Bernardino neighborhoods. He added that developers should be required to create agreements that directly benefit residents through better wages and job opportunities.

    Ontario resident Andrea Galvan said the event highlighted how closely labor issues, environmental concerns and immigration policies are connected throughout the region.

    “I’m here today to be part of this movement of labor groups, immigrant rights groups and environmental justice groups that have come together across the Inland Empire to fight for our communities,” Galvan said. “All of these issues are connected.”

    Galvan said residents deserve cleaner air, safer neighborhoods and fair treatment for workers while also ensuring immigrant families feel welcomed and protected.

    Fontana resident Luz Perez, who is also running for city council in Fontana, said immigration enforcement actions have created fear for many local families and negatively impacted small businesses.

    “It has really affected our communities, especially our small businesses,” Perez said. “People are afraid to come out, and families are living in fear.”

    Perez said demonstrators were urging leaders to end immigration raids and expand protections for immigrant communities throughout the Inland Empire.

    Even as temperatures climbed throughout the afternoon, marchers from communities including San Bernardino, Fontana and Ontario continued walking through downtown streets while carrying banners and chanting in support of workers and immigrant families.

    Organizers said the turnout reflected the Inland Empire’s growing labor and community activism movement, particularly in a region heavily impacted by warehouse industry growth, air quality concerns and immigration-related issues.

    For many attendees, the demonstration served as both a show of solidarity and a call for broader investment in working-class communities, safer neighborhoods and stronger protections for immigrant residents across the region.

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In a statement, Longoria’s attorneys said Homeland Security Investigations agents arrived at the Longoria household at 4:18 a.m. Thursday, with an armored personnel carrier, a type of military vehicle, and deployed more than a dozen “fully armed and armored” agents to swarm the home, breaking the locks on his gate. An agent called out to Longoria to come out, using a bullhorn, as agents stood at each door and pointed their rifles at the door and at the occupants inside, the attorneys said.

“These are the type of tactics reserved for dangerous criminals such as violent gang members, drug lords, and terrorists,” the attorneys said. “It was clearly intended to intimidate and punish Mr. Longoria and his family for daring to speak out about their attempted murder by ICE and CBP agents on August 16th.”

On that day, federal immigration officers stopped Longoria in San Bernardino. During the encounter, Longoria, who was in his truck with his 18-year-old son and 23-year-old son-in-law, feared for his safety and drove off after masked officers shattered his car window, his attorneys said.

Department of Homeland Security officials have said officers were injured during the encounter when Longoria tried to “run them down.” Longoria’s attorneys dispute their client injured the officers or attempted to hit them, and earlier this week they called for an investigation of the shooting.

On Friday morning, the U.S. attorney’s office confirmed that Homeland Security Investigations agents arrested Longoria the day before. Word of his arrest was earlier reported by the San Bernardino Sun.

Ciaran McEvoy, spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office in Los Angeles, said Longoria made an initial appearance before a U.S. District Court judge in Riverside, and is set to be arraigned on Sept. 30. The federal magistrate judge ordered him released on a $5,000 bond.

Longoria was being held at the San Bernardino County jail, in custody of the U.S. Marshals Service, as of Thursday afternoon, McEvoy said in an email.

“Since Longoria is an illegal alien, ICE has a detainer on him,” he said. Longoria’s attorneys said their client was transferred into Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody as of Friday.

An unnamed Department of Homeland Security spokesperson confirmed federal agents arrested Longoria at his home.

“CBP and ICE remain committed to enforcing the law, protecting officers, and keeping dangerous criminals off America’s streets — even as local officials in California undermine those efforts,” the official said.

According to a criminal complaint submitted by a Homeland Security Investigations agent, whose name is redacted, Longoria is facing a charge of assault on a federal officer with a deadly/dangerous weapon.

In the complaint, the agent, who interviewed the officers who stopped Longoria, said the officers had stopped Longoria’s GMC pickup truck to conduct “an immigration check.” Two of them were ICE officers and the other two were CBP officers.

The complaint states that the officers were identifiable by their visible clothing marked with “police.”

After they stopped Longoria’s truck, the complaint states, he refused to comply with the demands to turn off his vehicle and roll down the window. One of the CBP officers, identified as J.C., decided to break the window after Longoria refused the commands, and was allegedly struck by the driver’s door on his left elbow and left calf. The passenger side window was also shattered by agents during the encounter.

Another CBP officer was allegedly struck by the front bumper/fender of the truck on his right leg. “The Truck kept pushing Officer S.T., and Officer S.T. shot at the Truck, afraid for his life,” according to the complaint.

Longoria’s attorneys had previously released surveillance video of the incident, which appears to dispute a key claim by Homeland Security — that Longoria drove his truck toward officers and injured them.

In the surveillance video, the moment Longoria drives away, officers on both sides of the truck remain in sight of the video, and they then pile into their vehicles and pursue Longoria’s truck down a side street.

After Longoria drove off, the family called 911. While San Bernardino police were questioning Longoria, the immigration officers arrived, and family members identified the one they believed had shot at the truck.

At the initial court appearance, the judge questioned the assistant U.S. attorney prosecuting the case, Cory Burleson, about the government’s claim that it was conducting an “immigration check,” a term he couldn’t clarify when asked by the court, according to Longoria’s attorneys. Burleson also claimed Longoria was stopped due to a traffic violation, but couldn’t identify the violation, his attorneys said. When the judge asked Burleson to identify the alleged injuries of the officers, Burleson said he was “not aware of any injuries,” Longoria’s attorneys said.

Longoria’s attorneys said their client was granted bond, but because of the ICE hold, has since been transferred into ICE custody, which they believe is the “true purpose of this false and baseless charge.”

“No reasonable prosecutor could believe that a conviction would be secured against Mr. Longoria for the August 16th stop, when every video supports Mr. Longoria’s version of events and directly contradicts DHS’ story,” his attorneys said. “Yet [the Department of Justice] will not drop the charges; it has been their practice during this Administration to pursue charges based on unsubstantiated and false affidavits in order to arrest individuals and then turn them over to ICE.”

His attorneys said they intend to continue advocating for Longoria, his son and son-in-law.

“We are in contact with local and State authorities and are encouraging a state investigation and criminal charges against the ICE/CBP agents,” the attorneys said.

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Alisa Perales, who will have just turned 11 at the time of the ceremony, will cross the stage with not one but two associate degrees—one in multiple sciences and another in mathematics—joining hundreds of Roadrunners who will become Crafton alumni. Her final GPA will be “close” to a 4.0.

Remarkably, Alisa could have earned two additional degrees in computer science and physics had she stayed one more semester.

“When I first started at Crafton (at the age of 8), I was a little bit nervous…because this was my first time going to a public school,” said Alisa, “but then I met some really nice people, and that was super helpful.”

Alisa’s love for learning began early. By her first birthday, she had already moved beyond basic ABCs and 123s. Guided by her father, Rafael Perales, she has been focused on expanding her knowledge ever since.

With her father leading the way, Alisa never stopped absorbing information, constantly working to improve her skills.

“I credit my dad for pushing me to do well in school and try my best to work hard,” she said.

“She has been a little different her whole life, but I have always taught her that there’s nothing out there that you’re not capable of understanding,” Rafael added.

Alisa began attending Crafton in spring of 2023. Before becoming a Roadrunner, she considered applying to California State University, San Bernardino, but a counselor encouraged her to explore community college first due to her homeschooling background.

Crafton offered the support she needed to thrive, and she quickly found her place.

Alisa’s father became an honorary Roadrunner, accompanying her early semesters and patiently waiting outside her classes. Eventually, she began attending classes independently and flourishing on her own.

“Before she started at Crafton, I explained that she was going to be around many older kids, and she didn’t seem intimidated by that. She seemed to fit right in,” said Rafael. “So, I just followed my daughter’s lead. I did not make her adhere to a rigorous schedule I had set out for her. I responded to what she was interested in and helped feed that interest and fueled that fire, and her interest in school remained strong.”

At age 8, Alisa took a political science course and used what she learned to file a lawsuit in federal court against both the state and federal governments. Her case challenged the constitutionality of the 26th Amendment and Article II, Section 2 of the California Constitution, arguing that if she had achieved the same education as 18-year-olds, she should also be allowed to vote.

Although the case was unsuccessful, and she was unable to afford an appeal to the 9th Circuit, Alisa hopes another young prodigy will one day pick up the cause.

Alisa has big plans after college. She hopes to work in the artificial intelligence tech industry, either by joining an established company or building a startup with her dad.

No matter what Alisa’s future holds, it promises to be bright.

“Crafton wants everyone to succeed, but you have to work hard to get what you want,” Alisa said. “Do not ever have any doubts over what you want to do in life. Just go out there and give it a shot.”

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The operation, which is similar to what the governor’s office called “successful operations” in Oakland, Bakersfield and San Francisco, will see the San Bernardino Police Department working with CHP’s Inland Operation Team. Additional officers will be placed in the city, in order to help local law enforcement cut down on crime that includes gun violence and property theft. 

“We are sending additional CHP support to help local law enforcement aggressively suppress criminal activity and provide this community with a new level of safety and accountability,” Newsom said in a statement. “Whether in the Bay Area, the Central Valley, or Southern California — we are monitoring and stand ready to step in and support local law enforcement to protect communities and keep Californians safe.”

According to recent data provided by the governor’s statement, violent crime in San Bernardino is almost double the statewide average, and the homicide rate is more than three times the average across California. Additionally, vehicle theft rates are amongst the highest in the state.

CHP will assist with units both on the ground and in the air, many of which will be dedicated to targeting street takeovers and stolen vehicles, the release said. Additionally, additional investigators will be provided to help SBPD in order to disrupt street gangs, organized crime and to get illegal guns off the street. 

“We are grateful to Governor Newsom for providing additional support from the California Highway Patrol to the City of San Bernardino,” said San Bernardino Mayor Helen Tran in the statement. “This year, out City Police Department’s efforts have led to a 13% reduction in violent crime, and the extra support will strengthen public safety in our community. With this new state and local collaboration in San Bernardino, we can continue to impact criminal enterprises targeting our neighborhoods and businesses.”

This is the latest in a series of similar operations going on throughout California, with similar work being conducted in the Bay Area. So far, the operations have netted more than 3,200 arrests, recovered nearly 3,000 stolen vehicles and officers have seized more than 170 illegal firearms and illegal drugs. 

Since 2019, California has invested more than $1 billion to fund resources and law enforcement personnel to fight crime, the statement said. 

Governor Newsom has made efforts to aid local law enforcement with a number of historic investments aimed at stopped organized retail theft. Just last year, 55 local law enforcement agencies received over $267 from the state to help prosecute organized retail theft perpetrators, of which more than 10,000 people were arrested. 

On top of those arrests, the CHP’s Organized Retail Theft Task Fore arrested more than 3,200 people and recovered more than 880,000 stolen items worth more than $46 million. 

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Following a surge in the Line Fire on September 29, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department told Seven Oaks residents to leave the small mountain community.

Angelus Oaks residents were also asked to evacuate, while those living in the Boulder Bay area along Big Bear Lake were told to be ready to move out.

The San Bernardino National Forest said on September 29, the Line Fire had spread over 62.6 square miles and was 83 percent contained, with 1,176 personnel assigned to fight the blaze. The blaze threatened more than 65,000 homes.

A California man, Justin Wayne Halstenberg, 34, of Norco, pleaded not guilty on September 17 to starting the Line Fire on September 5. According to court records, he was charged with 11 arson-related crimes.

Temperatures are expected to rise this week across California. Dry, hot winds in the northern part of the state prompted Pacific Gas & Electric to preemptively cut power to about 1,200 customers in Butte and Shasta counties. The utility routinely cuts electricity service in areas where weather conditions increase the risk of fires.

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The bones were found by Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Station deputies at approximately 3:44 p.m. Saturday along Highway 330, south of City Creek Road, in Running Springs, according to the sheriff’s department.

“The bones appear to have been in that location for an extended period of time and investigators do not believe the cause of death is related to the fire,” the sheriff’s department reported.

There was no word as to whether foul play is suspected. The San Bernardino County coroner’s office is working to determine the identity and cause of death of the deceased.

The sheriff’s Specialized Investigations Division is conducting the death investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the division at 909-890-4804. Callers wishing to remain anonymous can contact We-Tip at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463) or go to wetip.com.

As of Monday morning, Cal Fire reported the Line Fire had burned 39,026 acres and was 42% contained.

To date, crews have determined that four structures were damaged by the fire and one was destroyed. Inspections include residences, multi-family dwellings, outbuildings and commercial buildings, according to Cal Fire.

Three firefighters have been injured battling the blaze.

Evacuation orders continued Monday for all undeveloped land east of Highway 330 to Summertrail Place and north of Highland Avenue, according to Cal Fire. The San Bernardino National Forest is closed in and around the fire.

Several communities remain under an evacuation warning and Highway 330 is closed. See complete lists here.

Human and animal evacuation shelters remained open Monday. Find the lists here.

Justin Wayne Halstenberg, the 34-year-old Norco man accused of intentionally setting the Line Fire on Sept. 5 is scheduled to appear at an arraignment hearing Monday in San Bernardino County.

He is expected to enter pleas on nine felony charges filed Thursday by the district attorney’s office, alleging Halstenberg set three fires in Highland. Prosecutors said the first fire was extinguished by the local fire department and the second was stomped out by a passerby before the third spiraled out of control into the Line Fire.

If he is found guilty on all charges, he could face life in prison.

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The suit filed in U.S. District Court alleges that Upland-based Garrett J. Gentry General Engineering Inc. and its owner, Garrett J. Gentry, were negligent by starting the non-injury South Fire and failing to prevent it from spreading. As a result, they are liable for damages incurred by the federal government, according to the lawsuit.

The U.S. Forest Service sustained fire suppression costs of more than $2.2 million, the complaint states.

“Defendants are liable for all damages to the United States resulting from the South Fire, including its fire suppression costs and the United States’ administrative, investigative, accounting, and collection costs,” according to the complaint.

“Investigators determined that the fire started when the steel treads of the excavator, operated by Gentry Engineering and Gentry, contacted rocks, causing ignition of fuel, such as dry vegetation,” the complaint continues. “Gentry Engineering and Gentry were aware of the danger of a rock strike by the excavator and failed to take action to prevent a fire.”

The South Fire broke out Aug. 25, 2021, and burned more than 680 acres, including 450 acres in the San Bernardino National Forest.

According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, nine structures — residential and commercial — were destroyed and 28 others were damaged.

The fire was contained Sept. 2, 2021.

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After a home exploded because of illegal fireworks three years ago, recent busts in the Inland Empire show that the problem isn’t going away. 

“This season we have had two fires attributed to fireworks.” Sue Jones with the city of Victorville warned, saying that fireworks can cause fires to spread rapidly.

Recently in San Bernardino, a large supply of aerial fireworks was found by police during a traffic stop. As the driver had an expired registration and suspended license, police impounded the car and seized all the fireworks. 

“The two involved subjects were issued citations. We hope this serves as a reminder that illegal fireworks sales are not permitted in the city.” San Bernardino Police said.

Earlier this month, about 160 pounds of illegal fireworks was discovered while the Victorville Police Department was serving a search warrant on Fuschia Lane. The illegal fireworks were for sale since the boxes had price tags, according to the police.

All fireworks have been illegal in Victorville since 2019, and the penalties can be up to several thousand dollars. 

The ordinance, that bans all fireworks, is accompanied by a $1,000 fine for first violation. It increases to $3,000 for the second and $5,000 for the third violation. 

Back in March 2021, homes near Bonita Avenue and Francis Street exploded due to illegal fireworks, killing two people and damaging several other homes in the area.

“I was frightened. It was so loud. All the neighbors were out, and we were frightened.” said Wood, a resident of the Inland Empire.

“Damage to the house – kitchen cabinets, countertop, fireplace. They came about a quarter inch off the wall. Bedroom ceiling cracked in half and nearly came down,” Wood recalled.

According to San Bernardino County, “safe and sane” fireworks are only allowed in Adelanto, Chino, Colton, Needles, and Rialto, as well as specific locations in Fontana, Grand Terrace, and San Bernardino. San Bernardino only allows “safe and sane” fireworks in areas south of the 210 Freeway. All fireworks are illegal elsewhere in the county.

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The two-story, 33,000-square-foot space at 2050 N. Massachusetts Ave. will replace the existing center on Second Street when it opens in 2025.

“Today’s groundbreaking is more than a symbolic gesture – it’s about laying the foundation of hope and confirming our commitment to building healthy communities, caring for our neighbors and doing work for the greater good,” said Jarrod McNaughton, IEHP’s chief executive officer.

The San Bernardino CWC was the first of three Community Wellness Centers to open in the region, followed by Riverside and Victorville. All centers provide access to holistic health-based resources to IEHP members and non-members at no cost.

The new CWC will host amenities not available in the current 6,500-square-foot location, including:

• Six multi-purpose rooms that will double as accessible spaces open for the community to host meetings and gatherings.
• A state-of-the-art integrated teaching kitchen with seating up to 50.
• Five partner suites for integrated community-based organization (CBOs) partners to provide services to residents.
• A multi-media room with tools to accommodate tech-based learning and growth.
• An expanded class schedule.
• A children’s room and teen center for all-day programming.
  
  For many, CWCs have created lasting bonds between site staff and all who walk through each center’s doors.

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Caris Sandino, 28, of Beaumont, was one of the two MSJC graduates to receive the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Scholarship. The coveted scholarship was awarded to only 60 students across the nation. She said joining the MSJC Honors Enrichment Program was one of the best decisions she’s made.  

“I am really happy with my experience at MSJC,” Sandino said. “It helped me grow personally and academically as well.” 

Of the 2,183 students earning degrees and certificates this year, 974 graduates walked in one of two ceremonies, marking the highest number of students to date participating in commencement. The MSJC Class of 2024 earned a total of 2,848 degrees and certificates, as some students earn more than one degree, certificate or a combination of both.  

The ceremony honored the college district’s 60th anniversary with the theme “A Legacy of Transformation.” MSJC began its anniversary celebration in the 2023-24 academic year to mark the 1963 opening of the college. Its first graduating class was celebrated in 1965, with a total of eight students.  

Sandino came to the U.S. from Nicaragua when she was 11 with her mother and is the first in her family to graduate from college. She founded MSJC’s Eagles DREAMers Club, which provides a safe space for undocumented students to network, advocate, and get the support they need to succeed.  

“Launching Eagles DREAMers has been one of the most personally meaningful accomplishments in my college journey,” Sandino said. “It’s been an incredible privilege to advocate for and support our undocumented student community, knowing that our efforts have the power to impact lives and foster inclusivity within our college community.”  

Her leadership and hard work in the classroom helped her earn the Cooke scholarship.  Sandino will transfer to the University of California, Berkeley to major in business administration.  

Temecula resident Joseph Awad, who served as Student Trustee this past year at MSJC, was the second MSJC graduate to receive the Cooke scholarship in 2024. Awad will transfer to the University of California, Los Angeles to major in psychology.  

Like Sandino, Awad joined the Honors Enrichment Program and was recognized for several significant research projects, including an Outstanding Abstract award from the Honors Transfer Council of California’s Research Conference held at University of California, Riverside in April for his research on “Contextualizing the Lived Experiences of Queer Arabs: Understanding the Dimensions & Manifestations of Fear.”  

Awad, 20, said his experiences and success seem surreal given his background as a self-described “first-generation, queer, Arab immigrant, wannabe college student.” He credited his success to his mentors and “many kind souls at MSJC.” 

“I hope the past three years of my life can show how much you can change somebody’s life by investing in them and their story, and for that I’ll always be grateful,” Awad said.  

Lake Elsinore residents Eric Ellis, 35, and his wife, Carolyn Ellis, 38, celebrated a milestone as they crossed the stage together. Eric, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran with deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, plans to become a social worker to support fellow veterans in their mental health journeys. 

Carolyn plans to transfer to Loma Linda University to become a surgical technician.  

“MSJC provided all the building blocks we needed to reach our goals and have meaningful careers,” Carolyn Ellis said. 

Jilema Silver, 44, of San Jacinto, said she was proud to graduate MSJC with her son, Cameron Britt, 23. Silver said she started pursuing a degree in business, but through her work at MSJC’s Veterans Resource Center, she decided to receive a second degree in psychology so she could help others. In addition, Silver served as the vice president of the Student Government Association, went to a conference in Washington, D.C. and learned how important it was to “speak up on matters.”  

“I love MSJC,” Silver said before the ceremony. “I love everything that it’s done for me, [and] the professors and I just grew as a person.” 

Silver is transferring to California State University, San Bernardino and said her son is already earning money with his degree in digital media, serving in a paid internship through the city of Menifee. 

Silver served as a student speaker during the morning graduation ceremony. She thanked her son for sharing in the journey, faculty for their support, and peers for becoming friends and companions.  

“As we step out into the world, let us do so with heads held high, knowing that the legacy of transformation we leave behind will continue to inspire and uplift others for generations to come,” Silver told the Class of 2024. “I leave you with these final words: Remember you can do anything and everything – except give up.” 

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