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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: Welcome to 'Happening in Upland', the only podcast that actually gives a flying fuck about what's going on in this city while you're stuck in traffic on Euclid. I'm Mark, your guide to the local chaos, and I'm currently wondering why the hell it feels like mid-July when the calendar clearly says it's March 9th, 2026.
JOLEEN: And I'm Joleen, the upbeat one who's already accepted that Upland is just a giant convection oven with nice trees. We've got a lot of shit to get through today, from the city council deciding our fate tonight to the fact that your car is probably being stolen as we speak. If you like what we do, hit that subscribe button, leave a comment, or send your hate mail to upland@thehappeningnetwork.com.
MARK: Yeah, send it all. We love the attention. Anyway, let's kick things off with the big headlines. Tonight is the night, Joleen. The City Council is meeting at 6:00 PM at the Council Chamber. It's the second Monday of March, and if history's any indicator, it'll be a room full of people arguing about things that won't actually happen for three years.
JOLEEN: It's a classic Upland tradition, really. They're going to be looking at the agenda for this evening, and while everyone's still recovering from the last budget meeting, they've got some new items on the docket. Plus, the Chamber of Commerce is already hyping up the State of the City event for later this month. It's happening on March 24th at Kahramana Restaurant on Foothill.
MARK: Seventy-five dollars a ticket for that, by the way. If you want to pay seventy-five bucks to hear how great everything is while you eat a salad, be my guest. I'll stay home and yell at my neighbors for free. But seriously, the State of the City is where they show off the shiny videos and tell us how the 'The Great Eight' initiative is going to save our souls. Or at least our sidewalks.
JOLEEN: You're such a dick, Mark. It's about community connection. Burrtec is the presenting sponsor, so you know it's going to be a real trashy good time. Kidding, Burrtec, we love you. Don't stop picking up my bins. But for real, it's an evening of insight and conversation. If you have the cash and a clean suit, it's probably better than sitting on the couch.
MARK: Speaking of sitting on the couch, let's talk about why you might want to stay inside and lock your doors. Crime reports are in, and Upland is maintaining its reputation for being... well, interesting. According to the latest data from NeighborhoodScout, your chance of becoming a victim of a crime here is about one in 47. That's a fun game of roulette every time you walk to 7-Eleven.
JOLEEN: Oh, it's even better if you own a car. Upland has one of the highest rates of motor vehicle theft in the nation. Your chance of getting your car jacked is one in 385. It's like the city is hosting an unsanctioned, real-life version of Grand Theft Auto every single night. I'm surprised there isn't a leaderboard at the library.
MARK: Maybe that's what's on the agenda for the Library Board meeting this Wednesday at 4:00 PM. 'How to prevent your Honda Civic from disappearing while you check out a cookbook.' But honestly, property crime is the real bitch here. Larceny, burglary, arson... we've got it all. It's the 'City of Gracious Living,' provided you've got a really good security system and a dog that actually bites.
JOLEEN: Let's move to something slightly less depressing: the youth of our city. The Upland Unified School District is moving forward with some massive changes. They're doing this whole 'Great Eight' thing, and the re-configuration of the schools is actually pretty wild. Upland Elementary is turning into a dedicated TK through 3rd-grade campus.
MARK: And then they're shipping the 4th through 6th graders over to the Junior High campus, which is becoming an intermediate arts academy. It's like they're trying to create a specialized pipeline for future starving artists. But hey, it keeps the schools open and prevents the district from having to shut down campuses, which is a hell of a lot better than the alternative.
JOLEEN: They're being smart about it, too. They've got separate lunch times and even a gated fence to keep the little kids away from the teenagers. Because nobody wants a five-year-old learning new curse words from a middle schooler who's just discovered TikTok. They're also pushing the Pathways Prep Academy, which is a big deal for the high schoolers looking for a different track.
MARK: I'm just glad they're doing something. The district has been at a crossroads for a while, and this 'team effort' approach they're preaching actually sounds like they're listening to people for once. Or they're just really good at making YouTube videos about it. Either way, if you have kids in the district, keep an eye on those changes because the map of where your kid goes to school is about to look like a Jackson Pollock painting.
JOLEEN: Alright, let's talk about food. I'm hungry and I want to talk about 'The Heights Restaurant and Bar' over in The Colonies. We're not talking about those other spots we've mentioned before; this is the place you go when you want to feel a little classy but still want to see the Dodgers game on a giant screen.
MARK: The Heights is decent, I'll give you that. It's got that 'beige-ish' decor that screams 'we spent all our money on the kitchen and the bar,' which is fine by me. The sea bass is the standout there. Pair it with a Pinot Noir and you'll almost forget you're in a shopping center near the freeway.
JOLEEN: And the short rib! It's tender as hell with that reduction sauce. Plus, they've got this elote dip appetizer that's absolute fire. It's the kind of place that's perfect for a date night where you don't want to deal with the 'stuffy' vibe of a steakhouse but you're also too old for a dive bar. It gets loud, though. If you want a quiet conversation about your feelings, go somewhere else.
MARK: Who talks about feelings at dinner? You're there for the ribeye. And they actually know how to cook a rare steak, which is rare in this town. Usually, you ask for rare and they bring you something that looks like an old leather shoe. Not at The Heights. Nick the server usually holds it down, too. Service is solid even when the place is packed on a Sunday night.
JOLEEN: I'm just saying, it's a neighborhood gem. And they've got milkshakes. What kind of bar/restaurant has milkshakes? A glorious one, that's who. If you haven't been, get over to Campus and 19th. It's worth the trip just for the sweet potato fries.
MARK: Let's pivot to sports before you start describing the fries in sexual detail. Upland High School baseball is in the thick of it. This week is big. We've got a game against Calvary Chapel on Wednesday, March 11th, over at the Great Park in Irvine. It's an away game, but the Scots are looking to build some momentum.
JOLEEN: And then they're back home on Friday, March 13th, to face Don Lugo. Friday the 13th... hopefully that's not an omen for the pitching staff. The varsity boys have been putting in the work, and the schedule is packed through April. If you haven't caught a game at the Upland stadium yet, you're missing out on some high-quality high school ball.
MARK: It's better than watching the Angels right now, that's for sure. The Highlanders are actually competitive. We've also got boys' golf and tennis going on, but let's be real, everyone's waiting for those baseball and softball results to start rolling in. It's the spring season, and the energy at the school is pretty high right now, especially with that new athletic field they finished back in February.
JOLEEN: That field is nice. Ralph Cavallo would be proud. But let's talk about the real sport in Upland: navigating the weekend events without losing your mind. This Saturday, March 14th, is the Farmers' Market in Downtown. It runs from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM. It's the perfect place to buy a ten-dollar loaf of bread and pretend you're living a sustainable lifestyle.
MARK: I love the Farmers' Market. It's the one time a week I can buy a succulent and watch it die on my windowsill by Tuesday. But seriously, it's good for the downtown businesses. And tonight, if you're not at the City Council meeting, there's 'Karate for Tiger Cubs' happening. Because nothing says 'Monday night' like watching five-year-olds try to break boards with their feet.
JOLEEN: Hey, it keeps them off the streets. Maybe they'll grow up to be the Good Samaritans chasing down hit-and-run suspects. Remember that guy who chased down the driver with the nitrous oxide tank last week? We need more of that energy in Upland. Less nitrous, more chasing assholes.
MARK: We definitely need less nitrous on the passenger seats. But let's talk about the weather, because this forecast is a real bitch. Today we're looking at a nice 72 degrees. Sunny, beautiful, perfect. Tomorrow drops slightly to 69 with some clouds. But then, Wednesday hits 82. And Thursday? 93 degrees. In early March. What the actual fuck?
JOLEEN: It gets worse, Mark. Friday is forecasted at 94 degrees with broken clouds. It's like the sun forgot it's not summer yet. You're going to want to find some shade or a very large air conditioner. It stays in the high 80s through the weekend, too. So, if you were planning a nice hike in San Antonio Heights, maybe do it at 5:00 AM or just don't do it at all.
MARK: Ninety-four degrees on a Friday. I'm going to be melting into the pavement. And speaking of pavement, let's talk about the road construction that's currently making our lives a living hell. The Foothill Boulevard Pavement Rehabilitation is still going strong. It started last October and isn't scheduled to finish until August of this year. It's a 13.5-million-dollar project to rebuild the corridor.
JOLEEN: It's not just Foothill, either. They've got work going on at 11th Street with those new flashing beacons. And they're doing resurfacing on 16th Street from Campus to Mountain. If you're driving through Upland, you're basically navigating an obstacle course of orange cones and guys in neon vests standing around. It's for our own good, they say. My suspension begs to differ.
MARK: The 11th Street beacon is my favorite. It's like a disco for pedestrians. But the Alpine, Vernon, and Palm projects are also under construction. The city is basically one big renovation zone right now. They're even expanding the second floor of the Police Department. Maybe they're adding more room for the motor vehicle theft reports.
JOLEEN: Probably. But hey, it's 'Investing in Upland's Future.' That's the slogan. Just remember that next time you're ten minutes late because you had to detour around a slurry seal project. It's the price of living in a city that's actually trying to maintain its infrastructure. I'll take it over a sinkhole any day.
MARK: Speaking of prices, let's check in on the real estate market. If you're looking to buy a house in Upland right now, I hope you've been saving your pennies. As of March 6th, the median list price is sitting right around $799,000. It's a seller's market, which means you're going to be fighting five other people for a house that needs a new roof and has a weird smell in the basement.
JOLEEN: Inventory is tight, too. Only 89 homes for sale as of last Friday. We're seeing houses go pending in about 44 days on average. But some are moving way faster. A house on 91786 just sold for $313,500 on March 6th, but that was probably a 2-bedroom shack. On the other end, we saw a place go for $990,000 on March 3rd. It's a wild range.
MARK: The market is down about 11 percent compared to last year in terms of median sale price, which sounds good until you realize everything is still basically a million dollars. If you're renting, the average is about $2,421 a month. Upland isn't cheap, folks. But apparently, people are still buying. Thirty-seven homes sold in January alone. It's a competitive bitch of a market.
JOLEEN: It's a beautiful place to live, though. Even with the heat and the thieves and the construction. We love this city. And we love you guys for listening. Don't forget to like and subscribe on whatever platform you're using. It helps us keep the lights on and the sarcasm flowing.
MARK: And if you have a story, a complaint, or a restaurant recommendation that isn't on our 'burned' list, email us at upland@thehappeningnetwork.com. We might even read it on air if it's funny enough. Or if you curse as much as I do.
JOLEEN: Stay cool this week, Upland. Seriously, it's going to be 94 degrees. Don't be an asshole, drink some water, and stay out of the sun. We'll be back next week with more news that you probably could've lived without, but we're going to tell you anyway.
MARK: Take care, Upland. Don't get your car stolen. See ya.