Agenda includes a public hearing on the keeping of hens in residential zones, commission and board appointments and a discussion of the Food Security Task Force.
Desert-inspired design, organic meals and a family-friendly vibe define the new downtown Redlands coffee shop.
District leaders point to enrollment declines, expiring pandemic-era funding and new obligations as the board authorizes reductions affecting up to 138 positions.
Holiday-season hiring in transportation and warehousing helped push the jobless rate lower, though economists caution the decline reflects seasonal patterns and a shrinking labor force rather than sustained growth
The Inland Empire added a modest 1,000 jobs in December as the unemployment rate declined to 5.1%, according to the latest data from the California Employment Development Department. Much of the monthly hiring strength came from transportation, warehousing and logistics positions — a pattern economists say is typical of the holiday season.
While the month-to-month drop in unemployment appears significant, economists caution that the decline reflects seasonal hiring and changes in labor force participation rather than a meaningful acceleration in the region’s underlying job market.
Trade, transportation and utilities led December job gains, adding 3,400 positions across Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Most of the growth came from transportation, warehousing and utilities, with additional gains in retail trade. Wholesale trade contributed a smaller share of new jobs.
Economists note that logistics and warehouse employment routinely increases at the end of the year as companies prepare for the holiday shopping and shipping rush. Major employers typically expand seasonal hiring to handle increased package volumes, staffing fulfillment centers for picking, packing and delivery ahead of Christmas and year-end sales.
According to analysis by the Inland Empire Economic Partnership, the December bump in logistics employment aligns with normal seasonal patterns and does not yet signal a sustained turnaround for the sector, which remains down year over year.
Earlier this week, Amazon announced plans to cut 16,000 corporate jobs in the second round of mass layoffs in three months. It is not yet clear whether the layoffs will affect operations or employment in the Inland Empire.
Private education and health services employment was flat overall in December, but health care and social assistance added jobs, continuing a longer-term trend. Health care remains the region’s strongest source of sustained job growth, even as private educational services posted losses during the month.
Economists said the Inland Empire’s employment gains are increasingly concentrated in health care and local government, warning that reliance on a narrow set of sectors leaves the regional economy vulnerable if growth in either area slows.
Construction recorded the largest job losses in December, shedding 1,200 positions. Losses were concentrated among specialty trade contractors and building construction. Other services also posted notable declines during the month.
Construction employment remains one of the weakest areas of the regional labor market, reflecting broader slowdowns tied to interest rates and reduced development activity.
Over the past year, total nonfarm employment in the Inland Empire grew by 3,200 jobs, a 0.2% increase. Government employment rose, driven entirely by gains in local government, while manufacturing and trade, transportation and utilities both recorded net declines compared with December 2024.
Health care continued to account for the bulk of year-over-year job growth.
Economists caution that the year-over-year picture underscores a relatively stagnant labor market, with only a handful of sectors generating meaningful employment gains.
The region’s unemployment rate fell from November but remained above the national rate. Riverside County’s unemployment rate was 5.2%, while San Bernardino County’s stood at 5.0%, compared with a national rate of about 4%.
According to the Inland Empire Economic Partnership, the December decline in unemployment was driven in part by a shrinking labor force, as more people exited the workforce than found new jobs. Economists said the unemployment rate would have risen had labor force participation remained steady.
The December figures are not seasonally adjusted and are subject to revision, state officials noted.
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