Republicans tee up bill on data centers for one of the final votes before the midterms

• September 30, 2026

By KEVIN FREKING

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans are dedicating one of the final votes before the midterm elections to a bill that attempts to address voter worries about data centers and their impact on energy bills.

The measure is a testament to voters’ growing concerns about data centers and allows supporters to go on offense on what has become a top campaign issue. The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Jon Husted, a Republican from Ohio, is in a tough reelection battle and has been labeled in campaign ads as the “face of data centers” by his Democratic challenger, former Sen. Sherrod Brown.

The bill is a modest one. It requires utility regulators to consider adopting a federal standard that charges large power customers a rate that covers the cost of the system upgrades needed to serve them. Democrats say it amounts to a suggestion and that more is needed. Republicans say the bill sends a message to regulators to act.

“You all know this is the only game in town,” Husted told reporters in advocating for his bill. “This bill passing is the only way to get a chance to prove to the American people before the midterm elections whose side you’re on.”

Senate Democrats say the bill isn’t tough enough

The measure passed the House by a vote of 417-3. It will need support from at least seven Democratic senators to proceed to a final vote, but it’s unclear how many will do so given the criticism from within their ranks that it doesn’t go far enough and knowing that passage could give Husted’s reelection prospects a lift.

“The bill is a fraud, plain and simple,” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said.

Democrats have offered competing proposals. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M. sponsored legislation that would direct the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to issue rules for large electricity customers that requires them to pay for necessary grid upgrades.

“They want it optional, which means zero. We want it mandatory,” Schumer said.

Republicans are looking to position Democrats as obstructionists who are blocking progress on key voter concerns. Husted’s bill is one example. Another would be the bill from Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., that would bar members of Congress from purchasing individual stocks. The issue is a popular one with candidates running for office this election cycle, but also includes voter identification requirements that Democrats have called a poison pill.

Thune has teed up both bills for a procedural vote that will require 60 votes to advance.

“Both pieces of legislation strike at the very heart of issues that the American people care deeply about, passionately about, and we’ll see if the Democrats are willing to take yes for an answer,” Thune said.

Data centers have become a top campaign issue

The House and Senate are both expected to be out of session for all of October. The House left in mid-September, canceling nearly two weeks of votes as Republicans were anxious to get on the campaign trail in a bid to keep their majority in the next Congress.

President Donald Trump has embraced the building of more data centers, but there is growing wariness from voters. About 6 in 10 Americans support limiting the number of new data centers that can be built, including most Democrats and Republicans.

And a majority of Americans are “extremely” or “very” concerned about the impact of data centers on electricity prices or the water supply in the communities where they are built.

In Ohio, a data center hot spot with closely contested races for governor and U.S. Senate, the National Republican Senatorial Committee warned in a recent memo that Husted is vulnerable to losing his seat because of the centers. Husted helped promote Ohio as a destination for data centers while serving as lieutenant governor.

The Ohio race is seen as vital to determining control of the Senate, helping explain why the data center bill has generated so much scrutiny and is so hotly contested despite the overwhelming vote it received in the House.

​ Orange County Register 

Man pleads guilty to sex assaults on 6 children in Fullerton

• September 30, 2026

Just as his trial was about to begin, a 64-year-old man pleaded guilty Tuesday, Sept. 28 to sexually assaulting four girls and two boys in Fullerton.

Manuel Linares Salgado pleaded guilty to seven counts of lewd or lascivious acts with a minor younger than 14, a count of intercourse or sodomy with a child 10 or younger, and two counts of rape, all felonies.

Salgado was the boyfriend of a grandmother of the victims, according to court records. The children ranged in age from 4 to 11 years old when they were assaulted, according to court records.

Salgado was scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 16 in the West Justice Center in Westminster.

​ Orange County Register 

Trump will unveil $54 billion in South Korean investment in Alaska, site of a tight Senate race

• September 30, 2026

By THOMAS BEAUMONT and DARLENE SUPERVILLE

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is expected to announce on Wednesday plans for South Korea to invest roughly $54 billion in a project to export natural gas from Alaska, a proposal long backed by Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, who’s in a competitive reelection contest there.

The investment would mark the second time this week that the Republican president has sought to highlight the promise of foreign investment made possible by his administration’s trade policy in states where Republican Senate candidates are in tight election campaigns. He made a similar announcement on Monday in the Oval Office for a massive steel plant in Iowa.

The Alaska investment comes from pledges made as part of a 2025 trade deal with South Korea, which included promises of $350 billion in U.S. investments in exchange for lower U.S. tariffs on South Korean cars, auto parts and other products.

The announcement, first reported by Bloomberg, was confirmed by the White House on Wednesday.

Sullivan, who has been a persistent advocate for the Alaska natural gas project and has encouraged South Korean investment, is a two-term senator facing a competitive challenge from Democrat Mary Peltola, a former congresswoman.

The project consists of an 807-mile natural gas pipeline connecting Alaska’s North Slope to a liquefied natural gas export terminal in southern Alaska and eventually will reduce energy costs for the state’s residents by providing a reliable and secure supply, the White House said.

Democrats are targeting Alaska and Iowa

Trump on Monday announced plans for a $15 billion steel plant to be built in Iowa by a Minnesota company owned by an Indian industrial conglomerate.

In Iowa, Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson is in a close U.S. Senate contest with Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek for the seat being vacated by retiring two-term Republican Joni Ernst. Hinson spoke in the Oval Office during the announcement.

Alaska and Iowa, where Trump won comfortably each time he has run for president, are among the states where Democrats are targeting Republican-held Senate seats in the 2026 midterm elections, less than five weeks away.

Democrats need to gain a net of four seats in the 100-member Senate to overtake Republicans in the majority.

Voters are worried about fuel costs

Trump’s announcements come as voters express concern about near-record fuel prices related to the unresolved war with Iran and as majority Republicans in Congress are facing voters dissatisfied with Trump’s handling of the economy.

In a late-July poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, only about one-third of Americans approved of Trump’s handling of the economy, and about 7 in 10 described the economy as poor.

Beaumont reported from Des Moines, Iowa.

​ Orange County Register 

Sneak peek look gives glimpse at Randall Preserve progress

• September 30, 2026

Look inland on a clear winter day while standing on the “west bluff,” and you can see the snow-capped mountains. Gaze toward the glistening ocean, and Catalina Island is in the distance, beyond the busy Pacific Coast Highway where cars zoom past between Huntington Beach and Newport Beach.

In the not-so-distant future, the mesa offering this view in the Randall Preserve will be an elevated platform gathering place with telescopes to see osprey nests in the distance, complete with interpretive signs to educate visitors on the rare and endangered species living in the surrounding fragile habitat.

“It’s one of the best lookouts on the property,” said Paul Waggoner, community engagement manager for the Coastal Corridor Alliance. “It’s almost transportive. You’re in the middle of the built environment, and then all of a sudden it opens up to this beautiful landscape.”

A recent rare look at the 387-acre preserve in Newport Beach offered an update on progress preparing Orange County’s last big coastal open space to be an oasis open to the public.

Previously known as Banning Ranch until a $50 million donation from Frank and Joann Randall helped supercharge efforts to purchase the former oil field to prevent its development and keep it natural open space, the preserve is made up of rolling hills, vast greenery and views of the blue Pacific Ocean. Going back to the 1940s, it had been tapped for oil production, with some 400 oil wells operating at one point.

“It’s quite big and usually when people come out here, they realize more of what the size is really like. It’s amazing out here,” said Waggoner.

Cleanup of the former oil field finally purchased in 2022 is ongoing, but if all goes to plan, the first public visitors could be touring the land by 2028, officials said.

It will be a slow rollout, with monthly small group tours of no more than 10 people at first, then every weekend, and so on, with each step studied to document the human footprint on the land, planners said.

“We’re hoping to train people about the reserve before we just swing the door wide open,” said Melanie Schlotterbeck, a consultant managing the Randall Preserve planning process for the Coastal Corridor Alliance.

Managers of the open space talked about near- and long-term work to be done, with the tour being a kickoff for more fundraising efforts, including in hopes of creating “unified visitor experiences” by connecting Sunset Ridge Park in Newport Beach and the Talbert Nature Preserve in Costa Mesa, together making up 1,000 acres of open space.

“That’s one of the main things that we’re working for, is envisioning what a unified visitor experience would be like out here with one trail system from Fairview Park, all the way down to PCH, moving between properties under different property managers, but a visitor would not know the difference,”  Waggoner said.

Such a connection could cost $350,000.

Schlotterbeck said another study the team is gearing up to do will be on what impacts El Niño may have on the mesa and the lowlands.

Planners hope to raise an estimated $300,000 to finish other visioning work, while a habitat restoration plan could cost upward of $1 million.

Workers are busy removing invasive plants to restore the natural habitat and oil cleanup continues on the property, which remains fenced off to the public.

“We don’t care how long it takes, because we want it clean,” Schlotterbeck said. “We don’t want anything hazardous left behind. If it takes two years, or five years, that’s OK.”

Planning for public amenities also continues, down to whether to use concrete or wood benches throughout the site, officials said.

“This gives us a chance to get community feedback on something we haven’t yet heard about,” Schlotterbeck said. “The good news is, people love visiting parks and telling us exactly what they liked and what they didn’t like.”

About 26 miles of packed dirt roadway will be cut down to 5 miles of public trails. The first planned trail will be a one-mile hiking loop, Schlotterbeck said. A parking area for about 100 cars is planned off 17th Street for easy access.

There are an estimated 45 rare, sensitive, threatened and endangered species on the property so balancing their preservation with public access will be key.

“It’s a very high concentration, and that commitment to study additional things – birds, wildlife, sensitive plant species, insects, reptiles, vernal pools, you name it –  we gotta study it, if it’s next to one of our planned trails,” Schlotterbeck said. “And that’s the only reason we have our property management plan approved. Because we committed to ensuring that the reason this area was protected, the plants and animals, would be maintained in perpetuity.”

What won’t be found on the trails are bikes or dogs, Schlotterbeck noted.

“Some of us even have dogs. But the reality is, dogs change the behavior of wildlife species, even if they’re well behaved and on a leash. Just the fact that they go to the bathroom changes the behavior of wild animals,” she said. “This place is so sensitive. That was something we had to compromise with in order to get approval of the plans.”

There are 61 vernal pools on the property that are home to a federally endangered crustacean, fairy shrimp, which “allows us the opportunity to protect and maybe even create educational components around,” Schlotterbeck said, noting that with forecasted El Niño, that number could increase because the species thrives in water.

“All of these studies will lead up to restoration on the property. So if we know that gnat catchers are found in this area, we want to make sure that we’re creating habitat that’s appropriate for those species,” she said.

During the multi-year planning process, planners received more than 2,000 comments from the public, Waggoner said.

“All of those plans have been completed and have been recently adopted by the (Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority) in early August,”  Waggoner said. “We’re super excited to have gotten past that first big finish line, which now opens us up to many more plans and strategies of all sorts.”

Shelley Hoss, CEO of the Orange County Community Foundation, talked about the important work being done to preserve the region’s open space. The foundation was able to donate $200,000 to the project through an endowment fund dedicated to preserving endangered species.

“What a special privilege it is to be reminded of Orange County’s incredibly unique biodiversity,” she said. “I’m always amazed when we find these pockets, these green spaces, these protected habitats.”

In all her years passing by the property that has become the Randall Preserve, Hoss said she always looked toward the ocean, never knowing the gem of open space on the other side.

“I never knew this was here. Most of us drive up and down and none of us look inland, to see the other side, to see what is here,” she said. “I’m so excited to know more people will be invited here to experience this.”

​ Orange County Register 

Metallica at the Sphere: The metalhead’s guide to exploring Las Vegas

• September 30, 2026

Rock fans from around the globe are heading to Las Vegas to see Metallica perform its highly anticipated residency at the Sphere.

The group — which ranks as the bestselling music act in Bay Area history — kicks off the lengthy run with concerts on Oct. 1 and 3 and then has shows intermittently scheduled into March.

RELATED: Here’s what Metallica fans can do on their ‘off night’ in Vegas

The expected synergy of Metallica’s emotionally rich and hard-hitting music with those incomparable Sphere visual effects — shown on a strikingly vivid and clear 16K-resolution wraparound LED screen that dominates the interior of this 366-foot-tall building — has made this one of the hottest concert events of recent years.

Not surprisingly, all of Metallica‘s Sphere shows are completely sold out. And most rockers are expecting (hoping?) that the band will add even more dates.

Those fortunate enough to have scored tickets, however, are certainly counting down the days until their big Vegas adventure.

Yet, the Metallica shows can only take up so much of fans’ time. Assuming that most concertgoers will take in both nights — the setlists completely differ from Night 1 to Night 2 of each weekly stand — that still leaves rockers with plenty of opportunities to explore this neon-bright city.

With that in mind, we have some tips and recommendations for cool things that Metallica fans might want to do before, after and in between their heavy metal heroes’ shows.

It’s our own Metalheads’ Guide to Las Vegas. So read on and get ready to have some epic weekends with the guys in Metallica.

TOP ATTRACTIONS

The Punk Rock Museum

This is a must-visit not just for punk rock aficionados, but also for anybody who appreciates and wants to more thoroughly understand pop culture and music history of the last 50-plus years. This museum tells a captivating story of the game-changing genre via artifacts, exhibits and a collection of more than 1,000 items donated by artists. You can bet that the Metallica guys (especially Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo) will want to visit while they are in town.

Details: thepunkrockmuseum.com

Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas

Can’t narrow down exactly what you want to do while in Vegas? Well, you won’t really have to if you visit this huge space, which boasts three levels that collectively span over 80,000 square feet and offer so many different delights. We’re guessing that you can tell by the name that this place offers bowling — and, indeed, there are 32 lanes for that. But there are also six bars, plenty of comfort food (including its famed fried chicken, which is known to viewers of Food Network’s “The Best Thing I Ever Ate”) and a concert venue.

Details: brooklynbowl.com

The Mob Museum

Judging by the seemingly never-ending stream of mob movies turned out by Hollywood, it’s pretty clear that the American populace remains absolutely fascinated with organized crime. If you count yourself among the captivated, then you’ll absolutely want to visit this nonprofit organization with the stated mission of advancing “the public understanding of organized crime’s history and impact on American society.” It does so by exploring these subjects via hundreds of artifacts as well as immersive exhibits.

Details: themobmuseum.org

Universal Horror Unleashed

This is a dream destination for gore hounds and jump-scare junkies who wish that Halloween was celebrated during all 12 months of the year, because that’s exactly what happens at this fright zone — a year-round attraction that comes courtesy of the same folks behind the ghastly successful Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood. This immersive complex features four themed houses — Universal Monsters (Frankenstein, the Mummy, etc.); Scarecrow: The Reaping (for our money, the scariest of the bunch); The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Blumhouse’s The Exorcist: Believer — filled with very convincing axe murders, monsters and other menaces who all share the goal of making you scream.

Details: universalhorrorunleashed.com

Red Cross x Metallica Blood Donation Experience

Building upon a partnership that began in 2025, Metallica and the American Red Cross are offering an all-new experience for kind-hearted metalheads in Las Vegas. The Red Cross x Metallica Blood Donation Experience is a pop-up blood donation center where fans can help save lives while also stepping into “the world behind the scenes of a Metallica concert,” according to a news release. The immersive experience, designed to give metalheads a sense of what it’s like backstage at a Metallica concert, is located at the Fashion Show Las Vegas shopping center.

Details: Make an appointment to give blood at RedCrossBlood.org/Metallica or by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS.

ROCK STAR COCKTAILS

On the Record (Park MGM)

Only those “in the know” will be able to find this cool speakeasy club, which one visits by using a hidden door located behind a record store found off the main casino floor. Once inside, however, you’ll get to experience three rooms, featuring indoor and outdoor spaces, where people can dance, drink and otherwise socialize. The space was reportedly inspired by “the joy of hanging out in a record store.”

Details: parkmgm.mgmresorts.com

Vinyl Room (Mandalay Bay)

This is a true destination for vinyl junkies, a music-themed spot where one can tip back cocktails inspired by iconic songs, enjoy grand views of the Strip, nosh on Asian-inspired cuisine and listen to vinyl DJ sets. It’s Vegas’ take on the Japanese high-fidelity listening lounges.

Details: vinylroomlasvegas.com

Caspian’s (Caesars Palace)

Tucked away behind a picturesque caviar bar, Caspian’s is nothing short of a hidden gem for rock fans. It features bites big and small (including caviar), a wide variety of drinks (reportedly including a top-notch Old Fashioned) and a nightly live music schedule that definitely rocks.

Details: caesars.com

Allē Lounge on 66 (Resorts World Las Vegas)

A wonderfully posh spot, offering up one of the most stunning 360-degree views to be found anywhere in Vegas, Allē Lounge sits 66 floors above the Strip and features an extensive collection of rare spirits, handcrafted cocktails, tasty bites and acoustic jazz/R&B/more performances beginning at 9 p.m. Thursdays-Sundays.

Details: rwlasvegas.com

WHAT TO EAT

All the places mentioned above serve food, but here are a few other dining options that we wholeheartedly recommend.

Bacchanal Buffet (Caesars Palace)

Time to go big? Well, there are few places better to do so than at Bacchanal, which reportedly ranks as Vegas’ largest buffet. The restaurant spans more than 25,000 square feet and has 10 kitchens, nine chef-attended stations and more than 250 dishes — ranging from Impossible meatballs stroganoff to Singaporean blue crab to made-to-order Crepes.

Details: caesars.com

Kusa Nori (Resorts World Las Vegas)

If we only have time for one top-flight meal in Vegas then we pick Kusa Nori. It’s a decidedly modern Japanese restaurant that mixes classic and innovative cuisine styles in such exciting (and delicious) ways. Make sure to order the wagyu gyoza (wagyu beef with Okinawa potato purée, sweet soy and roasted garlic ponzu).

Details: rwlasvegas.com

Ramsay’s Kitchen (Harrah’s)

It’s always fun to visit at least one restaurant run by a Michelin-starred TV celebrity chef during a Vegas swing. So, let’s go with the loudest chef of the bunch — the one and only Gordon Ramsay. You have a number of different options for Ramsay restaurants in Vegas, but we suggest that you visit this chic spot at Harrah’s and get a big dish of the chef’s signature Beef Wellington.

Details: caesars.com

Pinkbox Doughnuts

Pinkbox got its start in Vegas in 2012, and soon people were lining up around the corner to taste its wild, wacky and absolutely delicious creations. It now boasts more than a dozen locations — some of which are open quite late at night, so fans can grab a dozen or two after a Sphere gig. It’s also the official doughnut of the Las Vegas Raiders (with a location inside Allegiant Stadium). And, as we all we know, the Raiders have long been the unofficial team of Metallica nation.

Details: pinkboxdoughnuts.com

WHERE TO STAY

Most fans have probably booked their rooms for the Metallica shows in October. Those still looking to secure lodging for dates later on in the run, however, should check out the rates at these LV favorites.

Venetian Resort Las Vegas

This is the closest hotel to the Sphere, allowing fans to enter the venue without ever actually having to leave the resort’s air-conditioned confines and venture outdoors — a hugely important consideration if Metallica ends up adding summer shows. Not coincidentally, the Venetian is absolutely buzzing with people and excitement on show nights. It’s the place to stay if you want to be in the middle of all the action and enjoy a variety of world-class restaurants helmed by such famed chefs as Simon Kim and José Andrés, as well as the popular Tao Nightclub and other attractions.

Details: venetianlasvegas.com

Resorts World Las Vegas

This is a relatively new $4.5 billion megaresort, consisting of three upscale Hilton properties — Las Vegas Hilton, Conrad Las Vegas and Crockfords Las Vegas — as well as a giant pool area, a popular spa, a nightclub (Zouk), a well-stocked gym and a tasty selection of both high-end and quick-bite dining options. It’s a world unto itself, perfect for those who want a bit of distance from the craziness of the rest of The Strip.

Details: rwlasvegas.com

Flamingo Las Vegas

You won’t go wrong with the Flamingo, which boasts a great central location, a lively casino, plenty of good food options (including a Gordon Ramsay Burger, in case the Beef Wellington mentioned above doesn’t fill you up) and, as the oldest continually operating resort on The Strip, a sense of old-school Vegas history that just can’t be beat.

Details: caesars.com

​ Orange County Register 

Inflation cooled slightly last month even as consumers stepped up spending

• September 30, 2026

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER, AP Economics Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — Inflation slowed a bit last month as Americans ramped up their spending, though price gains remained elevated and are a challenge for many voters as the midterm elections approach.

The Commerce Department said Wednesday that consumer prices rose 3.4% in August compared with a year earlier, below the 3.7% economists had forecast. On a monthly basis, prices climbed 0.3%, up from 0.1% in July, a sign prices are still running hot.

Excluding the volatile energy and food categories, inflation also came in lower than expectations, rising 3% in August from a year ago. And from July to August, core prices rose just 0.2%, up from 0.1% the previous month.

Inflation remains above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target and the monthly increase in August suggests it isn’t moving back toward the target anytime soon. The Fed lifted its key short-term interest rate two weeks ago for the first time in three years to combat inflation and most economists expect it will do so at least once more this year, possibly as soon as late next month.

High prices have cast a pall on the U.S. economy, even as growth is mostly solid and the unemployment rate is low.

U.S. markets bounced higher immediately on the new inflation reading, with investors betting that an expected interest-rate hike from the U.S. Federal Reserve might be delayed.

​ Orange County Register 

US economy grew a solid 2.2% in the second quarter, government says, upgrading previous estimate

• September 30, 2026

By PAUL WISEMAN, AP Economics Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. economy grew at a solid 2.2% pace from April through June as consumer spending and business investment came in strong.

Growth in gross domestic product — the nation’s output of a goods and services — decelerated from a 2.5% pace from January through March, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday. The second-quarter growth number was an improvement on the department’s previous estimate of 1.5%.

Consumer spending — which accounts for about 70% of U.S. economic activity — increased at a healthy 3.8% annual pace, up from 0.7% in the January-March period.

The overall growth number was dragged down by imports. They are subtracted from growth because GDP is only supposed to count domestic production. Imports rose at a 12.6% annual pace from April through June, partly due to a surge in shipments of computer chips and other products that support artificial intelligence investment, and slashed nearly 1.7 percentage points off second-quarter growth.

The U.S. economy has proven surprisingly resilient in the face of fighting with Iran and the energy price spike it caused.

Business investment, excluding housing, rose at a 9% clip in the second quarter, reflecting the AI investment boom. And a measure of the economy’s underlying strength — which strips out volatile government spending and trade numbers — grew at a strong 4.6% rate, up from 1.8% in the first quarter.

Investment in housing rose 2.8% ticking up for the first time since the end of 2024. The housing market has been depressed by high mortgage rates.

Wednesday’s report was the last of three Commerce Department estimates of second-quarter GDP growth. The first look at third-quarter growth is due Oct. 29.

​ Orange County Register 

What is the law regarding car window tint and front license plates?

• September 30, 2026

Q: Mark Range of Upland said he continually sees cars with dark tinting on the front windows of the passenger and driver’s side and no front license plate.

“By law (front license plates) are required, but I don’t see law enforcement citing these offenders. Why not?” he asked, adding that BMWs and Teslas seem to be the worst offenders for not having a front license plate.

A: Window tinting on the windshield and front side windows is illegal. Vehicles are also required to display a properly mounted front license plate.

The California Highway Patrol and local police agencies do enforce these violations, but law enforcement cannot always be everywhere all the time, particularly while also addressing other calls with a higher priority. Some people just refuse to obey these laws.

Many car owners don’t want to add the front license mount and plate to their car for aesthetic reasons.

“Windshield tint is particularly concerning from a safety perspective because it can reduce a driver’s visibility, especially during nighttime conditions. A driver may have difficulty seeing brake lights, a hazard in the roadway, or even a disabled vehicle that is difficult to see. While an individual driver may view the tint as a personal preference, we all have a responsibility to consider the safety of everyone sharing the road,” CHP Officer Ivan Sandoval of the Inland Division said.

Heads up, Chino Hills

The city of Chino Hills recently began a pavement rehabilitation project on Peyton Drive to improve pavement conditions, roadway infrastructure and bicycle lanes from Highway 71 to Grand Avenue. The $2.75 million project began Sept. 8 and is expected to wrap up in early December, weather permitting, the city said in a recent news release. This project includes pavement rehabilitation, grinding and asphalt concrete overlay, reconstruction of selected access ramps, a new median-island extension, new green bike lanes and striping work.

The project will include multiple lane closures along Peyton Drive from the 71 to Grand Avenue from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except on holidays. Peyton Drive will remain open to through traffic.

For questions regarding the project or to see a map of the work area, visit chinohills.org/MajorConstruction or contact the city’s engineering division at 909-364-2770.

Share your thoughts

Finally, tell us what you think about this: A few weeks ago, the Republican candidate for governor, Steve Hilton, said that if he is elected, he would try to abolish the California Department of Motor Vehicles and slash vehicle registration to $73 per vehicle each year. Hilton said he would decentralize the DMV by turning over vehicle registrations, titles, driver’s licenses, and road testing to county offices, regulated local providers or local governments (he didn’t specify which ones). He would cut out added roadwork fees and what he called “hidden fees” that raise registration costs and make California more unaffordable.

Let us know your thoughts (without just bashing the DMV, please). Is it time to eliminate the DMV and turn over its vast responsibilities to local agencies or governments? Is this practical? Would this plan result in consistency across the state or inconsistency and confusion? We may share some reader responses in a future On the Road column.

Do you commute to work in the Inland Empire? Spend a lot of time in your vehicle? Have questions about driving, freeways, toll roads or parking? If so, write or call On the Road and we’ll try to answer your questions. Please include your question or issue, name, city of residence, phone number and email address. Write ontheroad@scng.com or call 951-368-9995. Note that we may use material from letters or phone calls in future columns.

​ Orange County Register