BY JACK KATZANEK
STAFF WRITER
jkatzanek@pe.com

Published: 15 June 2012 10:15 AM

Inland Southern California employers took a strong step back toward hiring mode last month, giving the area one of its biggest increases in job opportunities since the start of the economic recovery, a state report released Friday, June 15 found.

There were an estimated 1,162,000 people on payrolls in Riverside and San Bernardino counties in May, the state Employment Development Department reported. That represents a 1.3 percent gain from May 2011 and stops a two-month period where it appeared that job creation was slipping.

Read the rest of this entry »

Jim Steinberg, Staff Writer
Posted: 06/15/2012 06:09:27 PM PDT

SAN BERNARDINO – The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a $4.06-billion budget Friday, setting a course toward trimming a $91.5-million deficit over the next few years, officials said.

It was the first time in 11 years that the board has approved a budget in its first public meeting designed for public input and discussion on the plan, said Josie Gonzales, the board’s chairwoman and 5th District supervisor.

Read the rest of this entry »

Staff and Wire Reports
Posted: 06/15/2012 06:32:01 PM PDT

President Barack Obama suddenly eased enforcement of the nation’s immigration laws Friday, an extraordinary step offering a chance for hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants to stay in the country and work.

Embraced by Hispanics, his action touched off an election-year confrontation with many Republicans.

Obama said the change would become effective immediately to “lift the shadow of deportation from these young people.”

Read the rest of this entry »

By Kevin Yamamura and Torey Van Oot
kyamamura@sacbee.com
Published: Saturday, Jun. 16, 2012 – 12:00 am | Page 1A

Facing the threat of lost pay, state lawmakers sent a $92.1 billion spending plan to Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday despite knowing he could veto it because they still lack a budget deal.

Both houses of the Legislature swiftly passed seven budget bills Friday with little of the drama that characterized late-night budget sessions of the past – and early enough for lawmakers to be home in most districts by dinner.

Read the rest of this entry »