El Torito will mark its 70th anniversary with $3 tacos on Oct. 10

El Torito will be offering diners some discounts to mark its 70th anniversary on Thursday, Oct. 10.

The celebration will include $3 tacos, $7 Cadillac Margaritas and tequila shots, and an all-day happy hour starting at 3 p.m., according to a news release.

Guests will also receive scratchers for the chance to win prizes such as free appetizers and 20% off purchases.

El Torito was founded in 1954 by World War II pilot Larry Cano. The first restaurant was in Encino. It currently has about 20 locations in Southern California.

The chain became known for its table-side guacamole and blended margaritas.

El Torito’s parent company is Xperience Restaurant Group, which is based in Cypress. It has several other brands that serve Mexican food, including Acapulco Restaurant & Cantina and Sol Mexican Cocina.

Location:

3680 Inland Empire Drive, Ontario, CA 91764

12369 Foothill Blvd, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91739

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Optum laying off 364 California healthcare workers, shuttering urgent cares

The cuts include 161 telecommuting employees who work outside the state.

Optum, a healthcare company owned by UnitedHealth Group, is laying off 525 people in multiple locations, many of them at urgent care facilities in Southern California.

The company, in a notice to the state’s Employment Development Department, said it was carrying out layoffs and “departmental closures” at 14 locations including Glendora, Montebello, Covina, Pasadena, Long Beach, Redlands, Highlands, Los Angeles, Beaumont, Irvine, El Segundo, Cerritos and Hayward in Alameda County.

Optum’s letter indicated that 161 of the terminated jobs are connected to California facilities but are performed remotely outside the state.

The layoffs will begin in a series of eight waves, the letter states, beginning Sept. 16 and concluding in January 2025.

Optum did not provide a reason for the job cuts in its letter to the state. It noted that none of the affected employees are represented by a union and that the layoffs will be permanent.

The department closures include urgent care facilities and physician offices in all cities mentioned except El Segundo and Cerritos, based on addresses provided by Optum. Other locations closing include two infusion centers.

In an email to the Southern California News Group on Wednesday, Optum declined to say why 525 people were losing their jobs and whether any severance pay would be offered. But the company is open to shifting affected employees to open positions within the company.

“We continually review the capabilities and services we offer to meet the growing and evolving needs of our businesses and the people we serve,” the statement reads. “As always, we will support affected team members with job placement resources and seek to deploy them where possible to any open roles within the company.”

The list of jobs to be terminated includes dozens of nurses, nurse practitioners, radiology technicians, physicians in urgent care and cardiology, patient care coordinators, and medical assistants. While some jobs were noted as hourly, most were not.

Facilities that are not closing but include layoffs are Optum’s corporate office in El Segundo, where the company is cutting 64 employees connected to that office, 29 of whom telecommute from outside the state. Another Optum office in Cerritos is cutting 157 employees, 26 on-site and another 132 who telecommute from other states.

Below is the list of facilities undergoing closures and the layoff counts:

Glendora: 1365 S Grand Ave. (21 employees) — urgent care

Montebello: 2603 Via Campo (28 employees) — urgent care

Covina: 420 W Rowland St. (18 employees) — primary and specialty care

Pasadena: 797 S Fair Oaks Ave. (55 employees) — urgent care

Long Beach: 2600 Redondo Ave. Suites 100 200 and 402 (37 employees) — urgent care

Long Beach: 2699 Atlantic Ave. (nine employees) — primary and specialty care

Redlands: 2 W Fern Ave. (10 employees) — primary and specialty care

Highland: 7000 Boulder Ave. (26 employees) — primary and specialty care and urgent care

Redlands: 245 Terracina Blvd Suites 100 105 106a and 106b (35 employees) — urgent care

Los Angeles: 1120 W Washington Blvd. (26 employees) — urgent care

Beaumont: 839 Highland Springs Ave (21 employees) — urgent care

Beaumont: 81 S Highland Springs Ave. Ste 101 (two employees) — physicians office

Irvine: 2300 Main St. (12 employees) — infusion services

Hayward: 26243 Research Road (three employees) — infusion services

Optum’s parent company, UnitedHealth, continues to deal with repercussions following a cyberattack on its Change Healthcare unit in early 2024, Bloomberg reported July 16. That hack compromised data for millions of Americans, while also holding up claims and payments across the company’s healthcare system. UnitedHealth second-quarter results reported that same week surpassed Wall Street’s expectations.

Another issue rippling through healthcare is a new California law that will begin boosting healthcare wages to a minimum floor of $25 hourly. Its enactment was delayed in June as lawmakers grappled with the state’s budget deficit. The increase, due to start July 1, is now delayed to Oct. 15 for 426,000 healthcare workers in the state.

The wage floor for workers in California is $16 hourly.

The new wage standards affected California’s budget because the state employs healthcare workers and also pays for health benefits through its Medicaid program.

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Upland: Blitz Chess Tournament

Event Details

Sat, Aug 17, 2024 at 1:00 PMAdd to calendar2600 N White Ave, La Verne, CA, 91750More info here

Join us and play blitz/bullet chess with people in the community! We encourage everyone from all ages and skill levels to play and have fun! 

Our tournament is scheduled thrice a year, on the third Saturday of March, August, and November, from 1-3PM. We play Blitz Chess in March and July tournaments, and Bullet Chess in November. 

Our tournaments use the Swiss style pairing, where players are never eliminated. Additionally, players are paired in every round using their Chess.com rating, if they have one. A computer algorithm will then match winners with winners for the next rounds, and same goes for the losers. This makes it so everyone can work their way up the ladder while playing similar rated opponents. A win will gain a score of 1, a loss a 0, and a draw, 0.5. The algorithm also takes an account of the Buchholz system to settle a tie. The number of rounds is predetermined based on the number of players. When we are playing Blitz Chess, we will play a five-minute match without increments allowance when there are fewer than forty players; otherwise, we play a three-minute match. When we are playing Bullet Chess, we are playing a one-minute match with 1-second increments and more rounds than Blitz, depending upon how many total players in a group.

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Options For Youth Public Charter School Awarded Best Non-Profit Organization by Upland Chamber of Commerce

The Upland Chamber of Commerce recently announced recipients of their annual business awards which honor local organizations and individuals that represent the best of the City of Upland. Options For Youth (OFY), a network of public schools with campuses throughout the Inland Empire, was awarded Best Non-Profit Organization for its work with non-traditional and underserved high school students.


OFY has been a resource for thousands of students from Upland and neighboring communities since the 1990s. Taking a holistic approach to education, for students with medical or schedule restrictions, social anxiety, or other concerns that make traditional learning environments more challenging, OFY’s emphasis on social-emotional programming makes for a unique place where they can go to get personalized and expanded support to help them get back on track toward graduation.


The award was announced at the Chamber’s annual Business Awards and Installation Banquet last month, hosted by La Villa Bella at Historic San Antonio, on June 27th at 5:30 PM. It was attended by local nominees, Chamber members, and community leaders, including Upland Police Chief, Marcelo Blanco. Voting was conducted online through the Chamber’s website, and winners were selected by majority vote. The award for Best Non-Profit Organization was announced by immediate outgoing Chairperson, Eric Hansen, and received by OFY Principal, Brock Champion. Champion was presented nine certificates of recognition for OFY’s “leadership and outstanding dedication to the City of Upland” from local public offices, including Senator Anthony J. Portantino (25th District), Congresswoman Norma J. Torres (35th District), Congresswoman Judy Chu (28th District), and Upland Mayor, Bill Velto.


The Chamber themed this year’s event after the Kentucky Derby, with red rose centerpieces and horseshoe charms at each place setting attached to a tag reading, “Take your chance. Be the long shot.” Earlier this year, OFY-Upland students were asked to submit slogan ideas to incoming Chamber Chairperson, Amy Valdivia, to be used at her various speaking engagements throughout her term. OFY teachers, Sean Stearns and Armida De La Torre Candelaria, worked with students to help create entries that would inspire others to keep pursuing their dreams. “Take your chance. Be the long shot” was submitted by tenth-grader Chloe Thompson, who was presented with a gift card and certificate of achievement at the Upland Chamber’s May Luncheon.


For OFY students and staff, the award is exciting validation of the work they put in each and every day. Champion says, “Our relationship with the Chamber is incredibly important to us, and we’re thrilled to be recognized for our contributions to the Upland community. Being named the 2024 Non-Profit of the Year is a testament to the dedication of our students, staff, and community partners who have tirelessly supported our mission. We look forward to many more years of service and positive change in Upland.”

For more information regarding the Upland Chamber of Commerce, please visit uplandchamber.org.


For more information about Options For Youth (OFY) programming, please visit ofy.org.

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Mega Millions Ticket Worth $284K Sold In The Inland Empire

 A Mega Millions player in the Inland Empire fell one number shy of winning the $181 million Mega Millions jackpot Tuesday, but they’ll still walk away with nearly $300,000 for hitting five of the six winning numbers.

The winning ticket was sold in Redlands and is worth $284,808, according to California Lottery officials. No one won Tuesday’s jackpot.

The winner, who purchased their ticket at United Pacific at 27300 West Lugonia Avenue in Redlands, has 180 days to claim their winnings.

Tuesday’s winning numbers were 21, 26, 54, 60, 64 and 3. There was only one ticket sold with five of the six winning numbers. The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350, according to the California Lottery.

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Ontario offering $1 monthly rent to select businesses to fill empty stores downtown

ONTARIO, Calif. (KABC) — The city of Ontario is turning its attention toward revitalizing its historic downtown area along the Euclid Avenue corridor.

Part of the program includes leasing space for start-up businesses for $1 per month.

“We never would have been able to take a chance on a business like this if we didn’t have this opportunity from the city,” said Eva Grello-Nakas, co-owner of The Craft Collection, about the city’s Retail Pop-up Program.

The program offers six-month leases to businesses that are approved. The city owns several buildings downtown, three of which are available for use under the program.

“Nobody likes to see vacant buildings,” said City of Ontario Spokesperson Dan Bell. “So our vision was, ‘Why not activate them?’ Yes, $1 per month is low for us, but [those locations] were just going to sit there vacant until we get a permanent home for a business in that spot.”

The application period for the next round of businesses is now closed, with more than 200 prospective businesses applying for eligibility.

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Six Flags’ Fright Fest is ready for Halloween showdown with Universal’s Horror Nights

Fright Fest 2024 at Magic Mountain will feature haunted mazes based on the Stranger Things, Saw, Conjuring, Trick ‘r Treat and Army of the Dead horror franchises.

Six Flags’ Fright Fest is ready for a Halloween showdown with Universal Studios’ Horror Nights and unafraid to go severed head-to-severed head with the Hollywood theme park chain that built its reputation on bringing terrifying horror film franchises to life.

Six Flags Magic Mountain will bring an arsenal of haunted houses headlined by Stranger Things and Saw to the fight with Universal Studios Hollywood that will have a stockpile of haunted mazes based on Ghostbusters, A Quiet Place and other horror blockbusters.

The newly supercharged Fright Fest Extreme 2024 will run on select Thursday through Sunday nights from Sept. 7 to Nov. 3 at Six Flags Magic Mountain.

Halloween Horror Nights 2024 will feature eight new haunted mazes along with several scare zones and the Terror Tram on select nights from Sept. 5 to Nov. 3 at Universal Studios Hollywood.\

Is Six Flags’ Fright Fest ready for a showdown with Universal’s Horror Nights?

“It does put us in competition with them,” Six Flags Chief Fright Officer Edithann “EA” Ramey said. “We want to appeal to those fandom communities of people who love Halloween and go there and bring them to us. I think they will love these houses. They’re ‘must see’ for somebody who loves Halloween.”

Fright Fest 2024 at Six Flags Magic Mountain will feature haunted mazes based on The Conjuring, Trick ‘r Treat and Army of the Dead horror franchises in addition to Stranger Things and Saw.

The new Fright Fest lineup steals a page out of the playbook of Universal’s Horror Nights — which previously hosted haunted mazes based on Stranger Things (2023), Trick ‘r Treat (2018) and Saw (2012).

Six Flags is teamed up with a list of major Hollywood players like Netflix, Warner Brothers, Lionsgate and Legendary that had largely partnered exclusively with Universal Studios on Halloween mazes over the past couple decades.

Six Flags is working closely with Netflix and their partners on a Stranger Things maze that will take visitors into the mysterious alternate dimension of the Upside Down alongside students from Hawkins High School, according to Ramey.

“Everything that we do is a partnership with the brand,” Ramey said during a phone interview. “They’ve helped us create something that’s going to feel very fresh.”

Six Flags Magic Mountain tested the waters during a pilot year in 2023 with haunted mazes based on The Conjuring and Saw horror movie franchises.

“It was an idea that we were excited about,” Ramey said. “We thought people would be positive about it, but we couldn’t believe how much people wanted to go inside the houses and what success we would see. It quickly became obvious that we wanted to expand on it.”

New versions of this year’s Hollywood horror mazes are expected to return for Halloween 2025 at Magic Mountain and other Six Flags parks.

“We want to build on the program,” Ramey said. “Next year we would expect to see all these guys come back. That’s not to say that as we continue to grow it, there wouldn’t be any other property. I’m always open. You never know.”

One new addition to Magic Mountain’s Fright Fest 2025 could be a Texas Chainsaw Massacre haunted house. Leatherface will terrorize Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey during this year’s Fright Fest ¯ but will be notably missing from the Magic Mountain lineup.

The Horror Nights mainstay last appeared at Universal Studios Hollywood in 2021. It will be interesting to see if and when the roar of chainsaws echo throughout the night at Magic Mountain once Universal Studios Hollywood relinquishes its grip on the storied Halloween franchise.

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Transworld Business Advisors Welcomes New Ontario, California Office

Couple teams up to operate local franchise of brokerage consulting firm that helps entrepreneurs achieve maximum value for their businesses.

ONTARIO, CA – Transworld Business Advisors, a top brokerage consulting firm, has opened a new office serving the vibrant Southern California communities in and around Ontario. The franchise office is run by Jeff Konieczko and Jenna Roesch, a dynamic couple bringing unmatched expertise and passion to the region’s business landscape.

Transworld Business Advisors is a network of brokerage firms offering a standardized approach to buying and selling businesses and commercial properties, ensuring maximum value for clients. Transworld provides a turnkey solution for individuals seeking to build successful businesses while maintaining a fulfilling lifestyle. It’s part of the United Franchise Group® (UFG) family of affiliated brands giving access to a global network and decades in the franchise industry.

Ontario will be the office’s primary focus due to its significant market presence, but advisors will also work with clients in nearby Upland, Chino and Montclair.

“We are thrilled to bring Transworld Business Advisors to Ontario,” said Jeff. “Our mission is to help local businesses and the community with our Win/Win/Win approach: We help sellers win by achieving the highest possible sale price for their business; We help buyers win by providing them with thriving businesses they can make their own; We help the community win by keeping businesses operational, ensuring beloved local icons remain part of the community rather than closing down when owners need an exit strategy. By leveraging Transworld’s proven systems and our dedication to client success, we believe we can make a meaningful impact on our community.”

Jeff, who has lived in the Inland Empire since 1976 and has deep roots in the region, boasts over 30 years of experience in the distribution industry. He turned around a struggling franchise for another brand and was named Rookie Franchise of the Year in his first year of operation before selling it for four times the purchase price. He holds a master’s degree in organizational leadership, a bachelor’s degree in business administration, and is a certified supply chain professional.

Jenna has over 15 years of experience in residential real estate sales. She led her own team of agents in Austin, Texas, for four years before returning to Southern California. A graduate of California Polytechnic University, Pomona, with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a focus on marketing, Jenna is also a certified mindset coach. She has spent the last four years coaching entrepreneurs through her business, Elite Venture Solutions.

“Our decision to join Transworld Business Advisors was driven by our shared belief in the power of entrepreneurship,” Jenna stated. “Starting from the ground up in both my real estate and coaching businesses, I know how hard it is to build something from scratch. This experience helps me relate to sellers who have invested years into their businesses and to buyers who can see the advantages of acquiring an existing, thriving business rather than starting anew. We are excited to leverage the resources and support provided by Transworld to help businesses thrive and contribute to the economic growth of Ontario and its neighboring communities.”

Jeff and Jenna’s commitment to the community is evident in their active involvement. The couple are not just partners in business but in life as well. They plan to get married soon. They reside in Rancho Cucamonga and spend much of their free time supporting Jeff’s daughter Chloe through her Wrestling and Softball teams.

Contact Information:

3350 Shelby St Suite 200 Ontario CA 91764

Office Phone: 909-552-7003

Jeff Konieczko: JeffK@tworld.com | 951.870.5004 DRE 02233402

Jenna Roesch: Jroesch@tworld.com | 512-592-9172 DRE 02233401

Find Transworld Business Advisors of Ontario on Facebook.

Find Jenna on LinkedIn and Facebook.

Find Jeff on LinkedIn.

Transworld Business Advisors of Ontario is ready to serve the community, fostering growth and success for local businesses. Jeff and Jenna look forward to building strong relationships and contributing to the prosperity of Ontario and beyond.

About Transworld Business Advisors

Transworld Business Advisors is part of the United Franchise Group™ (UFG) family of affiliated brands and consultants representing the best of their industries. With 40 years of business brokerage experience, Transworld Business Advisors helps buyers and sellers connect and conducts franchise consulting and franchise development. The company represents acquisition-minded corporations or individuals interested in owning their own company or franchise. From business brokerage to mergers and acquisitions, Transworld Business Advisors are business sale specialists that represent numerous listings across multiple industries. For more information on owning a Transworld franchise, visit www.tworldfranchise.com.

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Earth Day Celebration 2024 |RCOCN

Save the date! 📅🌎 Our Earth Day Celebration will be taking place on Saturday, April 20 from 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. at Greenbelt Park (📍 15th Street & Benson Avenue). Get ready to enjoy some educational booths, crafts, games, free services, and giveaways!

Celebrate Earth Day!  Enjoy educational booths, crafts, games, and give-a-ways!  Remember to bring your documents for paper shredding.  Upland residents, free compost and mulch give-a-way will be on site.  Please bring a shovel and container for transport.  No plastic bags are allowed.  While supplies last.

For additional information, please contact Upland Recreation and Community Services, (909) 981-4501.

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Bill Proposes Reparations For Families Displaced by Dodger Stadium

A local legislator is pushing the “Chavez Ravine Accountability Act” to make reparations for families displaced to build Dodger Stadium.

LOS ANGELES, CA — While fans flocked to Dodger Stadium Thursday for the team’s home opener, a local legislator is pushing a bill proposing reparations for families and people who were displaced from their homes for the development of the iconic stadium in the 1950s.

The bill aims to correct “an injustice” that displaced families and has “lingered” in the shadows of L.A. history, according to Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo, D-Los Angeles.

Last week, Carrillo announced the “Chavez Ravine Accountability Act,” or AB 1950, during a news conference at Elysian Park’s Los Desterrados (The Uprooted) Historical Marker.

“In the 1950s, the vibrant communities of Palo Verde, La Loma and Bishop were home to mostly Mexican American, as well as Italian American and Chinese American, families (who) saw an upheaval as they were uprooted and displaced in the name of progress with false promises of housing,” Carrillo said.

A representative for the Dodgers did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The communities were later called Chavez Ravine, named after Julian Chavez, a rancher who served as assistant mayor, city councilman and eventually as one of the county’s first supervisors.

Carrillo added, “Families were promised a return to better housing, but instead they were left destitute.”

She said her bill would result in what she described as “historical accountability” by creating a public and searchable database detailing events surrounding the land acquisition. Carrillo said she hopes it will foster transparency and educate a broad audience about a pivotal moment in Los Angeles history.

Her bill also outlines various forms of compensation, such as offering city-owned real estate comparable to the original Chavez Ravine land owners, providing fair market value compensation adjusted for inflation and establishing a permanent memorial.

The city of Los Angeles, meanwhile, would be required to form a nine- member task force to oversee and provide such compensation.

Many families owned homes and established themselves in Chavez Ravine at a time when homeownership was difficult. According to reports at the time, Chavez Ravine encompassed about 315 acres with a grocery store, a church and an elementary school. The community was self-sustainable as many residents grew their own food and raised animals.

In the early 1950s, the city of Los Angeles began efforts to acquire the land and urged homeowners to sell — some developers offered money — and in some cases government officials used the power of eminent domain and forced residents out. Many families were taken advantage of and received less than what they deserved for their properties and land, according to Carrillo.

There were plans to develop public housing on the land, called the Elysian Park project, but in 1958 voters approved a measure to trade 352 acres of land at Chavez Ravine to the owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers, Walter O’Malley.

Any remaining families on the land were forcibly evicted from their homes on Friday, May 9, 1959, by sheriff’s deputies, with bulldozers were ready at hand. This day was later called “Black Friday” by residents of Chavez Ravine.

Dodger Stadium officially opened in 1962.

“What we seek to address with AB 1950 is knowledge, understanding and healing that is long overdue,” state Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, a sponsor of the bill, said during the news conference.

Lara said they have an opportunity to address the wrongdoings, and the bill will serve as a “vehicle for reconciliation and healing for all residents of Los Angeles, including the Los Angeles Dodgers.”

Alfred Fraijo, founder and CEO of the law firm Somos Group, said his organization assisted Carrillo and the commissioner on development of the bill.

“I grew up housing insecure in L.A. and grew up with the story of what happened to the residents of La Loma, Bishop and Palo Verde. It was part of our cultural identity in some ways, a part of our own shared stories of discrimination and invisibility,” Fraijo said.

He said the bill is part of a larger movement to address historic injustices, adding, “As a country, we have yet to officially account for how this hostility has limited the economic prosperity of so many people of color.”

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