MARK: Welcome to Happening in Upland, it's Monday, October 26th, 2026. I'm Mark.

JOLEEN: And I'm Joleen. Today we're looking at Ontario's new sports empire, a massive brewery shakeup, and the rainy forecast threatening our Halloween plans.

MARK: The Ontario Sports Empire is officially open, and honestly, calling it an 'Empire' makes me think they're about to start annexing neighboring zip codes.

JOLEEN: Oh, stop it. It was a huge celebration this past Saturday. We're talking music, speeches, and actual youth games kicking off. Even Anthony Muñoz was there! You know, the Pro Football Hall of Famer who went to Chaffey High? He's basically local royalty, and he was out there inspiring the kids.

MARK: It's a big deal, sure, but I saw kids like Andrew Diaz from right here in Upland playing foosball at the grand opening. I'm glad we built a massive 'Empire' so the youth could go play a table-top game they could've played in a garage. It's the pinnacle of athletic achievement.

JOLEEN: You're so cynical. It's about the community coming together! They've got fields for everything, and it's right in our backyard. It's a massive investment in getting people outside and active. Plus, having Muñoz there lends some serious weight to the whole thing. It's not just a park, Mark; it's a statement.

MARK: The statement is 'we have a lot of dirt and some very expensive grass'. But fine, it's better than another warehouse. Speaking of things that aren't warehouses, did you see the news about Cyprus the beluga whale? Died at SeaWorld San Diego last week. That's the sixth one from that Canadian rescue group to go.

JOLEEN: That's actually really tragic. It's been a rough week for regional headlines.

MARK: yeah

JOLEEN: It makes you appreciate the little things we have going on locally, like the City Council meeting tonight. It's starting at 6:00 p.m. and scheduled to go until midnight. Six hours of civic discourse.

MARK: Midnight? That's not a meeting; that's a hostage situation. I'm sure they'll spend four of those hours debating the exact shade of beige for a new parking lot. But we should probably talk about the biggest story of the week, which is happening just over the border in Rancho Cucamonga.

JOLEEN: You mean the Hamilton Family Brewery? This is wild. The city of Rancho Cucamonga is buying the brewery property on Archibald for 7.8 million dollars to turn it into a fire station. It's been this huge drama for months with the neighbors protesting over parking and, well, people being rowdy in the streets.

MARK: Rowdy is a polite way of saying the neighbors were tired of finding people urinating on their lawns. The city is paying nearly eight million dollars to stop people from peeing in public. That's a hell of a premium for indoor plumbing.

JOLEEN: Well, it's more than that. The fire department says it'll improve response times in that area, which is important. The owners, Josh and Crysten Hamilton, are actually moving the tasting room back to their old spot on 7th Street. They've got about twelve months to wrap things up on Archibald before the fire trucks move in.

MARK: Seven point eight million. They bought the place for two point five and invested a few more. They're walking away with a nice little retirement fund, or at least enough to buy a very quiet island where no neighbors can complain about the noise of a keg tapping.

JOLEEN: I'm just happy they're staying in the area. We need local spots like that. But the price tag is definitely raising some eyebrows. People are asking why a fire station needs to cost eight million dollars before you even pull the first hose out. It's a lot of taxpayer money to settle a zoning dispute.

MARK: It's the ultimate 'NIMBY' victory. If you complain loud enough, the city will eventually buy the problem and put a siren on it. Let's shift to something a bit more sober. The latest crime safety grades for Upland are out, and we've secured a solid C-plus.

JOLEEN: A C-plus? That feels a bit harsh. The report says our overall crime rate is thirteen percent below the national average. That should at least be a B-minus, shouldn't it? We're safer than forty-three percent of major U.S. cities. That's not exactly 'Escape from New York' territory.

MARK: A C-plus is the 'participation trophy' of safety rankings. It means we're doing okay, but don't leave your Amazon packages on the porch for more than nine seconds. The Upland Police Department has been posting warnings about scams and holiday-related thefts already. It's that time of year when people get creative with their larceny.

JOLEEN: It's true, you have to be careful. But I still think Upland feels safe. We've got a historic character and a real community vibe. I noticed a funny detail in the court reports, though. There's a Judge Anthony C. Upland presiding over cases in Newport Beach. Do you think he's related to the founders, or did he just like the name so much he made it a title?

MARK: If I were a judge, I'd change my name to Judge Upland just to confuse the local defendants. 'You're in the city of Upland, being judged by Upland'. It's very meta. But seriously, the C-plus grade should remind everyone to lock their car doors. Especially with the Halloween crowds coming through.

JOLEEN: Speaking of crowds, did you make it out to Scary-A-Faire downtown on Saturday? It was packed! They had thousands of kids trick-or-treating through the local businesses. It's one of my favorite events because the streets are actually closed off and you don't have to worry about traffic on 2nd Avenue.

MARK: I prefer the quiet, but I heard the costume contest was intense. And Dogtoberfest yesterday at Memorial Park was... well, it was a lot of dogs in hot dog costumes. Which is a level of irony I think the dogs themselves don't fully appreciate.

JOLEEN: The dogs loved it! They had the low-cost vaccinations and the live music. It's such a great way for the Friends of Upland Animal Shelter to raise money. And the classic car show there was actually really impressive. It's amazing what some people can do with a 1965 Mustang and a lot of chrome polish.

MARK: It's a lot of effort for a car that spends three hundred days a year under a tarp. But it's good for the shelter. We've also got the Upland Unified School District bond measure coming up on the ballot in just about a week. Two hundred thirty-seven million dollars.

JOLEEN: It's a massive ask. Measure A, right? They're looking to modernize the campuses, fix old pipes, and upgrade the tech. The board had a meeting last Tuesday at Baldy View Elementary to go over the final push. They're really emphasizing that our kids deserve modern learning environments.

MARK: Two hundred thirty-seven million. For that kind of money, I expect the classrooms to have individual air filtration systems and maybe a personal tutor for every desk. The district is also touting their arts programs lately. There was a nice story about Audrey Monfreda, an Upland High grad who came back to teach music. It's a full-circle moment.

JOLEEN: I love stories like that! It shows that people really care about staying here and giving back. But the bond is going to be a tough sell for some people, especially with the real estate market being so weird right now. Have you seen the latest numbers for October?

MARK: The median home price in Upland is hovering around eight hundred seventy thousand dollars according to some reports. Inventory is tight--only about three months of supply. It's still a seller's market, which is great if you're leaving, but a nightmare if you're trying to move in.

JOLEEN: It's wild. Almost half of the homes are still selling over the list price. People are stretched to their absolute limit with these mortgage rates, yet they're still fighting over three-bedroom ranch houses. I don't know how anyone is affording a 'starter' home that costs nearly a million bucks.

MARK: They aren't. They're just moving into the 'Empire' and living in the foosball area. And let's not forget the ongoing joy of Foothill Boulevard. They had that big Route 66 Centennial celebration on October 3rd to mark the 'reopening', but if you drive through there now, it still feels like a construction zone.

JOLEEN: They're still doing the landscaping and the median work between San Antonio and Redding Way. It's a thirteen million dollar project, Mark. You can't just slap some paint on it and call it a day. They were even doing overnight water shutdowns last week for some of the businesses.

MARK: Thirteen million dollars and a year of traffic, and we got... slightly smoother asphalt and some rocks in the middle of the road. I'm sure the cyclists are thrilled about the new bike lanes that will mostly be used by people on e-bikes going forty miles an hour.

JOLEEN: It's about progress! It makes the city look better and work better. And speaking of things that might not work so well... let's talk about the weather. We've had a nice high of seventy-nine today, but things are taking a turn for the damp just in time for the weekend.

MARK: This is the true horror of Halloween. Friday night has a twenty-seven percent chance of rain, but Saturday--Halloween night--it jumps to forty-five percent. And by Saturday night, rain is 'likely' with a fifty-eight percent chance. It's going to be a soggy night for trick-or-treating.

JOLEEN: No! That's the worst news of the day. Every parent in Upland is currently googling 'how to waterproof a Spider-Man costume'. It's going to be in the mid-sixties during the day on Saturday, which is actually kind of perfect for a costume, but that rain is going to ruin the vibe.

MARK: Nothing says Halloween like the smell of wet polyester and soggy cardboard. Sunday is looking even worse with a fifty-six percent chance of rain throughout the day. It's basically a washout. If you were planning on a backyard party, you might want to move the bounce house into the living room.

JOLEEN: The living room? You're a madman. But seriously, keep an eye on the forecast. It looks like we're finally getting into that real fall weather pattern. Clearer skies should return by Monday morning, but for the actual holiday, it's looking pretty grim.

MARK: It's the perfect excuse to stay inside, eat all the candy you were supposed to give away, and watch old movies. That's my kind of Halloween anyway.

JOLEEN: Well, we hope everyone stays dry and safe out there. Don't forget the Farmers Market is still happening on Saturday morning from 9:00 to 2:00, so you can grab some produce before the clouds roll in.

MARK: And maybe some industrial-strength umbrellas. That's all for us this week. We'll be back next Monday to talk about the election results and whether or not the city actually stayed afloat during the rain.

JOLEEN: Thanks for listening to Happening in Upland! Make sure to follow or subscribe so you never miss an update. If you've got a local story or just want to tell Mark he's being too grumpy, email us at upland@thehappeningnetwork.com.

MARK: I'm not grumpy, I'm realistic. We'll see you next week.