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Happening in Upland is your weekly rundown of what’s going on around town—local news, community events, public safety updates, new restaurants, development, weather, schools, and the stuff Upland residents actually talk about.
Delivered with humor, honesty, and a very local point of view, this isn’t stiff broadcast news. It’s real, relevant information with personality. If you live in Upland or anywhere nearby in the Inland Empire, this is your weekly shortcut to staying in the loop.
MARK: It's Monday, July 6th, 2026, and welcome to another episode of 'Happening in Upland', the only podcast that acknowledges this city is basically just a giant, heat-trapping pavement slab with a fancy label. I'm Mark, your host who's currently debating if sitting in front of an open fridge counts as a hobby or a cry for help. It's hot, the air is thick enough to chew, and the local architecture still looks like it was inspired by a fever dream about industrial beige paint. But hey, we're here, we're caffeinated, and we're ready to pick apart the latest news from our little slice of 'Gracious Living' heaven.
JOLEEN: And I'm Joleen, your upbeat but deeply cynical counterpart who's currently wondering why the hell we live in a place where the air smells like asphalt and disappointment. Seriously, Mark, it's 90 degrees out there and it's only Monday morning. I saw a lizard carrying a tiny umbrella on my way into the studio. It's fucking brutal. But I've got my iced latte, my fan is on high, and I'm ready to talk about why Upland is still the best place to be, even if it's currently trying to slow-cook us like a cheap pot roast. If you're listening, reach out to us at upland@thehappeningnetwork.com and tell us how you're surviving this shit. Also, like, subscribe, and comment, because honestly, your engagement is the only thing keeping us from moving to a cooler climate, like the surface of the moon.
MARK: I'm pretty sure the moon has better parking than downtown Upland on a Saturday night, but we'll get to that. First up, let's talk about something actually inspiring before I start complaining about the power grid. There's some great stuff happening over on 9th Street at Warzone Boxing. The Daily Bulletin just did a feature on them, and it turns out they're doing a hell of a lot more than just teaching people how to punch each other in the face. It's become a massive hub for veterans in the area. They're using the gym to find community and deal with all that heavy shit that comes back with you after you serve. It's actually a pretty cool story about using physical grit to work through mental hurdles.
JOLEEN: Honestly, that's the kind of thing this town needs more of. We've got plenty of yoga studios where people pay sixty bucks to stretch in a room that smells like lavender and entitlement, but boxing? That's real. Especially for veterans who aren't exactly looking for a 'namaste' moment. They need a place to let that aggression out in a way that doesn't involve screaming at the guy who cut them off on the 210. I love the idea of these guys finding a brotherhood in a ring instead of just sitting at home. It's a localized version of 'Fight Club' but without the weird cult vibes and the blowing up of credit card buildings. Well, hopefully. I haven't seen the membership agreement, so don't quote me on the demolition part.
MARK: The demolition is usually reserved for the city council's planning sessions, but we'll save that for later. The owner, Albert Guardado, is a vet himself, so he gets it. It's not just about the cardio; it's about having a place where you don't have to explain why you're having a bad day. Everyone in there just gets it. It's pretty fucking badass to see a local business actually making a dent in the veteran suicide rate and PTSD issues instead of just slapping a 'Support Our Troops' sticker on the window and calling it a day. It's located right there in the heart of our industrial-ish zone, which feels appropriate. You go there to put in work, not to look pretty for Instagram.
JOLEEN: I'd probably last about thirty seconds in that ring before I started crying and asking for a snack, but I'm glad it's there for people with actual backbones. It's a nice contrast to the typical Upland vibe. Speaking of grit, let's pivot to the Upland Police Department's latest attempt at holiday safety. They held a DUI checkpoint this past Friday night, July 3rd, right there at Campus Avenue and 19th Street. Now, I'm all for keeping the roads safe, especially when people are celebrating the birth of this chaotic country by getting hammered on light beer, but the numbers for this one are just... well, they're something. Over two thousand vehicles went through that checkpoint. Guess how many people were actually arrested for DUI?
MARK: Oh, let me guess. Since it's a holiday weekend and we're talking about a city where people treat a stop sign like a suggestion, it's gotta be at least fifty? No, wait, this is Upland. Maybe ten? Actually, I've seen the report. It was two. Two fucking people out of 2,184 vehicles. That's a point-zero-nine percent success rate. I've had better luck finding a clean bathroom at a gas station. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm glad there aren't two thousand drunks flying down Campus, but man, that's a lot of overtime pay and traffic congestion just to catch a couple of dickheads who couldn't figure out how to call an Uber.
JOLEEN: Right? Imagine being the 2,183rd person in that line, just trying to get home with your soggy Fourth of July leftovers, and you've got to wait forty minutes while a guy with a flashlight asks if you've been drinking. It's a total buzzkill. But hey, two arrests is two fewer people crashing into the 'Welcome to Upland' sign, so I guess it's a win? The police also handed out sixteen citations for unlicensed drivers or driving on a suspended license, which is the real bread and butter of these things. It's less about the public safety and more about the 'hey, you didn't pay your DMV fees' safety. It's such a dick move to do it on a holiday weekend, but that's the UPD for you. Always keeping us on our toes, or at least keeping us stuck in traffic.
MARK: It's the illusion of safety, Joleen. It makes the people north of 16th feel like the wall is being guarded. But hey, let's move into the world of academia. The Upland Unified School District is wrapping up its summer school programs this week. They started back on June 8th and they're finishing up this Friday, July 10th. I always feel for those kids. Imagine being stuck in a classroom in this heat while the rest of the world is... well, also melting, but at least they're melting at the beach. But I guess if you failed Algebra 2, you've gotta pay the piper. Or in this case, the district. They've also been bragging about their teacher induction program. Eleven teachers and three administrators just finished it. It's basically a two-year hazing ritual where they learn how to survive the parents of Upland.
JOLEEN: Oh god, the parents are the real final boss of any school district. Can you imagine the 'mentoring and coaching' they need? 'Step one: how to handle a mother who thinks her child's B-plus is a personal attack on her family legacy.' It's a tough gig. But seriously, it's good that they're investing in new teachers because, let's be honest, the turnover in education is a nightmare. I hope those fourteen graduates got more than just a certificate. Like, maybe a voucher for a very large drink at one of our local bars. They're going to need it once the fall semester starts on August 18th. They've only got about six weeks of freedom left. It's like a condemned man's last meal, but the meal is just six weeks of not being called 'Mean Mr. Johnson' by a bunch of pre-teens.
MARK: I'm sure they'll spend that time wisely, mostly by drinking and staring at the wall in silence. Speaking of meals, I finally tried that spot Kahramana on Foothill. It's Iraqi and Mediterranean food. Now, I'm always skeptical of any place that describes itself as 'elevated' and 'experiential' in Upland, because usually that just means the chairs are uncomfortable and the lighting is dim enough to hide the health department rating. But the place looks decent. They've got the whole Middle Eastern banquet hall vibe going on. I checked some of the reviews, and it's a bit of a mixed bag. One person was raving about the grilled beef, while another guy was complaining that they tried to 'bump up his bill' with weird excuses. Classic Foothill Boulevard hospitality.
JOLEEN: I've heard the same thing! It's pricey, isn't it? Like, I'm happy to pay for good hummus, but I'm not looking to take out a second mortgage for a plate of shawarma. Although, the decor inside is actually pretty nice. It's one of those places where you feel like you should be wearing something nicer than flip-flops and a stained t-shirt, which is basically the Upland uniform. They've got this beautiful outdoor seating area, too. But let's be real, who's sitting outside in 94-degree weather? You'd be sweating into your tabbouleh. It's a bold move to open a high-end Iraqi spot right there, but hey, it's better than another fast-food joint. We've got enough of those to clog every artery from here to Rancho.
MARK: Exactly. I'll take a 'pricey' Iraqi kabob over a lukewarm burger any day. It's at 345 West Foothill, if anyone wants to go and see if they get overcharged. Just keep an eye on the bill, people. If they start charging you for 'atmosphere,' tell them you'll bring your own air next time. Now, let's talk about the thing everyone in Upland loves to hate: warehouses. Specifically, the Bridge Point Upland project. It's been in the works forever, but it looks like it's finally moving forward at the corner of Central and Foothill. They're planning a 201,000-square-foot warehouse and parcel delivery building. Because what this city was really missing was more semi-trucks and giant concrete boxes.
JOLEEN: Oh, for fuck's sake. Another one? My favorite part is how they always describe these things as 'job creators'. Yeah, great, we're creating jobs for people to drive trucks in circles and move boxes of plastic shit we don't need. The City Council and the developers just won a legal challenge on the environmental impact, so the road is clear for construction. It's going to be right there at the entrance to the city. Nothing says 'Welcome to Gracious Living' like a massive warehouse that blocks the view of the mountains. I'm sure the people living nearby are just thrilled. Their property values are probably going to do a backflip into a dumpster.
MARK: The property values in Upland are a comedy show anyway. Let's look at the real estate numbers, because they're fascinatingly depressing. We were seeing median prices around 855k recently, but the latest data from Redfin and Movoto shows a bit of a dip. Redfin says the average price was 803k last month, down about seven percent from last year. And Movoto has the median list price in May at 743k. That's a huge drop. It's like the market finally realized that 800 grand for a house built in 1964 with original plumbing is a bit of a stretch. Or maybe people are just realizing that if they move five miles east, they can actually afford a lawn that isn't made of dead crabgrass.
JOLEEN: I love how a 743k house is considered a 'deal' now. We've been gaslit by the real estate market for so long that we think paying three-quarters of a million dollars for a place that needs twenty grand in roof repairs is a bargain. But hey, it's still a seller's market because there's absolutely no inventory. There were only about 72 single-family homes for sale in the whole city last month. That's it. It's like a game of musical chairs, but the chairs cost as much as a small island and there's a warehouse being built next to them. If you're looking to buy right now, God bless you, because you're essentially in a knife fight with three hundred other people over a house that still has wood paneling in the den.
MARK: It's insane. People are looking at these prices and then looking at the 210 freeway and thinking, 'Yeah, this is worth my sanity.' But let's shift gears to something that won't make you want to scream into a pillow. The community events. This Thursday, July 9th, we've got the Moonlight and Music series at Magnolia Park. It's 'Dog Days of Summer' night. They've got The Silverados playing country rock. It's free, it's outdoors, and they're encouraging people to bring their dogs. Which, in theory, sounds lovely. In reality, it's going to be a hundred golden retrievers barking at each other while people try to eat their picnic dinners in the dirt.
JOLEEN: It's going to be a total shit-show, Mark, and I'm here for it. There's nothing funnier than seeing a Pomeranian try to take on a Great Dane while a country band plays a cover of 'Friends in Low Places.' They've got pet-themed games and vendors, so you can buy your dog a bandana they'll immediately try to eat. It starts at 6:30, but if you want a spot where you aren't sitting on a pile of mulch, you better get there early. And remember, it's 90 degrees out. Please, for the love of everything holy, don't bring your dog if it's too hot for them. No one wants to see a panting bulldog pass out during the guitar solo. It's a vibe killer.
MARK: Yeah, keep your pets hydrated, people. Or just leave them home and enjoy the music without the threat of a leash-induced tripping hazard. Also this weekend, we've got '2nd on 2nd' in downtown Upland. It's a two-day thing, Friday night and all day Saturday. They're closing off 2nd Avenue to cars, making it pedestrian-only. They've got live bands, outdoor dining, and--the best part--an 'Entertainment Zone' where people over 21 can walk around with booze. Finally, the city is treating us like adults who need a drink to cope with being in downtown Upland. It's about time we stopped hiding our beers in brown paper bags like we're in a bad 90s movie.
JOLEEN: It's so funny that 'walking around with a beer' is a special event. Like, 'Congratulations, Uplanders, you've earned the right to consume a diluted IPA while looking at antique shops!' But honestly, it's a great event. It brings some actual life to downtown. It's Friday from 5 to 10 PM and Saturday from noon to 10 PM. If the weather holds--and by 'holds,' I mean doesn't literally set us on fire--it should be a good crowd. It's also the Farmers Market on Saturday morning from 9 to 2. You can get your organic kale and then immediately negate all the health benefits with a cocktail in the Entertainment Zone. It's all about balance, Mark.
MARK: The balance of my bank account is the only thing I'm worried about after a weekend in downtown. But let's look at that weather forecast, because the National Weather Service isn't pulling any punches. We've got a Heat Advisory in effect until Thursday night. Today, we're looking at a high of 90 degrees. Tomorrow, it's 91. Wednesday and Thursday are the real kick in the teeth, with highs of 93 and 94. It's clear skies all week, which is code for 'the sun is going to hunt you down like a bounty hunter.' The lows are staying in the mid-60s, so at least you can cool your house down for about twenty minutes before the sun comes back up to ruin your day again.
JOLEEN: Ninety-four degrees is not 'moderate' heat, I don't care what the NWS says. That's 'stay inside and contemplate your life choices' heat. If you have to be outside, drink water. And no, beer in the Entertainment Zone doesn't count as hydration, Mark. Also, keep an eye on your neighbors, especially the older ones. This kind of heat is no joke. The only silver lining is that the wind is pretty calm, so we won't have the Santa Anas blowing fire across the city, but it also means there's no breeze to take the edge off. It's just stagnant, hot, Upland air. Delicious. It's basically like living inside a giant air fryer, except we're the frozen nuggets.
MARK: I've never felt more like a processed chicken product in my life. But that's the Upland experience, isn't it? We pay the 'Gracious Living' tax to be slightly toasted by the sun every July. Anyway, that's the news for this week. We've got boxing vets, failed DUI checkpoints, teacher inductions, expensive Iraqi food, more warehouses, and a heatwave. It's just another beautiful week in the 91786. We'll be back next Monday to see if we've all melted into a puddle on Euclid Avenue. Until then, stay cool, stay hydrated, and try not to get arrested at a checkpoint. It's really not that hard, apparently.
JOLEEN: Seriously, just two arrests? Amateurs. Anyway, thanks for listening to 'Happening in Upland'. Don't forget to hit that subscribe button and leave us a comment about your favorite way to hide from the sun. We really do love hearing from you, even the crazy emails. We'll be back next week with more sarcasm, more news, and hopefully a lower temperature. Catch you later, Upland! Stay safe out there, you glorious, heat-exhausted bastards.