Saturday, June 22, 2013 – 01:00 p.m.

Here’s some news of interest flowing across the transom this past week.

High volatility affecting investment markets

A roller coaster stock and bond market has investors a little jittery these days. The main reason is a fear the Federal Reserve will stop printing money soon. Over the past few years, the Fed has used its printing press to keep long-term interest rates low, and thus prop-up stock and real estate values. Now the time to test whether or not the economy will move along on its own is approaching.

Read the rest of this entry »

Ontario Mayor Paul Leon

June 21, 2013; 05:59 PM

Like its counterparts elsewhere, the San Bernardino County Republican Central Committee is all about electing Republicans.

Last week, though, the party reported giving $9,000 to a committee controlled by Ontario Mayor Paul Leon, a former Republican who recently lost an election for the state Senate and now is running for the Assembly as an independent.

To read column by Jim Miller and Jeff Horseman in The Press Enterprise, click here.

June 21, 2013; 07:19 PM

San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon formally kicked off his election campaign Friday, June 21, 2013 as he prepares to make his first run for the office in the June 2014 election.

To read story by Imran Ghori in The Press Enterprise, click here.

Ryan Hagen, Staff Writer
Posted: 06/21/2013 08:37:44 PM PDT

GRAND TERRACE — With “draconian” cuts and the specter of possibly disincorporating as a city looming, the City Council will meet Tuesday to make some tough choices.

Deep cuts now, or deeper cuts later.

Read the rest of this entry »

Ryan Hagen, Staff Writer
Posted: 06/21/2013 06:34:38 PM PDT

SAN BERNARDINO — City Clerk Gigi Hanna this week reversed her earlier decision and invalidated many signatures seeking to recall Councilwoman Wendy McCammack.

Read the rest of this entry »

Staff report
Posted: 06/21/2013 11:25:41 AM PDT
Updated: 06/21/2013 11:26:34 AM PDT

ONTARIO – In a special meeting, the Ontario City Council passed a $462 million budget for 2013- 2014 without having to dip into its emergency reserves.

Read the rest of this entry »

Capitol Alert
The latest on California politics and government
June 21, 2013

Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, and Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg on Friday introduced a measure to incorporate provisions of the California Public Records Act in the state’s constitution.

Read the rest of this entry »

Consumers, using lessons learned from when the housing bubble burst, are weighing decisions more carefully, blunting the so-called wealth effect.

By Andrew Khouri, Los Angeles Times
June 22, 2013

Dean Schefrin bought a home at just the right time.

He and his then-fiancee purchased their four-bedroom Thousand Oaks home last August, catching the rising wave of Southern California home prices. Less than a year later, he estimates his home is worth about 25% more than he paid.

Read the rest of this entry »