{{short description|Southern California newspaper}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox newspaper | name = Inland Valley Daily Bulletin | logo = Inland Valley Daily Bulletin (2020-01-12).svg | image = | type = Daily newspaper | format = Broadsheet | founded = 1882 (as ''The Pomona Times'') | owners = Southern California News Group<br>(MediaNews Group) | headquarters = 3200 Guasti Road, Suite 100 Ontario, California 91761 | founder = W.D. Morton<br/>H.N Short | publisher = Ron Hasse | editor = Frank Pine | circulation = 38,286 Daily<br />52,308 Sunday | circulation_date = September 2014 | ISSN = | language = English | website = {{URL|dailybulletin.com}} }}
The '''''Inland Valley Daily Bulletin''''' is a daily newspaper based in Ontario, California, serving the Pomona Valley and southwest San Bernardino County. The ''Daily Bulletin'' is a member of the Southern California News Group (formerly the Los Angeles Newspaper Group), a division of MediaNews Group.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hagen |first1=Ryan |title=What is Digital First Media and the Southern California News Group who just purchased the Orange County Register? |url=http://www.sbsun.com/media/20160321/what-is-digital-first-media-and-the-southern-california-news-group-who-just-purchased-the-orange-county-register |access-date=4 April 2016 |publisher=The San Bernardino Sun}}</ref>
The coverage area for the ''Daily Bulletin'' includes Pomona, San Dimas, La Verne and Claremont in Los Angeles County, Chino, Chino Hills, Montclair, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga and Upland in San Bernardino County.
== History ==
=== ''Progress Bulletin'' === On October 7, 1882, ''The Pomona Times'' was founded by W. D. Morton and H. N. Short.<ref>{{Cite news |date=November 2, 1882 |title=The Times. |work=The Los Angeles Times |pages=4}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> About 18 months later ''The Times'' merged with ''The Pomona Courier'', founded by John H. Lee on December 15, 1883, and formed the ''Times-Courier'', jointly owned by Morton and Lee, with Short withdrawing.<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 15, 1883 |title=Salutatory. |work=Pomona Weekly Courier |pages=2}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=April 5, 1884 |title="United We Stand" |work=Pomona Times-Courier |pages=2}}</ref> In November 1885, Morton sold out to Charles E. Summer.<ref name=":0" />
On January 31, 1885, the ''Pomona Progress'' was first published by Edward S. Stowell.<ref>{{Cite news |date=April 16, 1932 |title=Progress Born In Boom Of '85 |work=Progress-Bulletin |location=Pomona, California |pages=37}}</ref> The paper almost ceased after six weeks due to financial difficulties and fire destroyed its office. Col. Frank P. Firey rescued the paper with his own funds.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=April 16, 1932 |title=Trace History In Early Days {{!}} First Paper in 1882 Led To Present Publication Through 22 Managements |work=Progress-Bulletin |pages=38}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=January 21, 1935 |title=Firey, Who Aided Founder, Tells How Paper Started |work=Progress-Bulletin |location=Pomona, California |pages=22}}</ref> On May 28, 1885, Charles I. Lorbeer joined Firey as a co-owner while Stowell remained as editor and manager.<ref>{{Cite news |date=April 27, 1916 |title=C.I. Lorbeer, Pioneer Of Pomona and Part Founder The Progress, Died Today |work=Progress-Bulletin |pages=1}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> On December 31, 1885, the ''Progress'' bought and absorbed the ''Telegram''.<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 22, 1885 |title=The City. |work=The Los Angeles Times |pages=4}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> Stowell got sick and the paper was leased on May 27, 1886, to W.D. Morton and W. Cobler. Later that year B.A. Stephens acquired the lease and ownership later reverted back to Lorbeer and Stowell. H.G. Tinsely became a co-owner on March 22, 1888.<ref name=":6" />
Around that time Summer sold his half-stake in the ''Times'' to William E. Ward.<ref name=":0" /> His partner Lee sold out to Willard Goodwin, who was also later bought out by C.B. Messenger.<ref name=":0" /> Sidney M. Haskell bought out Lorbeer from the ''Progress'' on July 23, 1891,<ref name=":6">{{Cite news |date=July 31, 1891 |title=A Pomona Editor Sells Out. |work=The San Francisco Examiner |pages=2}}</ref> and soon bought out Tinsely as well.<ref name=":0" /> Gen. John Wasson, formerly of the ''Chino Champion'', bought out Ward from the ''Times'' in August 1891.<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 5, 1891 |title=Notes And Comment |work=The Sacramento Union |pages=2}}</ref> Messenger sold his ''Times'' stake on August 27, 1902 to C.B. Roberts.<ref name=":0" /> Haskell sold the ''Progress'' on February 20, 1905 to William Everett Stevens and Almon T. Richardson.<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 24, 1905 |title=Notice |work=Chino Champion |pages=2}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=April 16, 1932 |title=W.E. Stevens {{!}} President and General Manager |work=Progress-Bulletin |location=Pomona, California |pages=37}}</ref> H.H. Kinney bought the ''Times'' interests of Roberts on November 7, 1906. He became the sole owner after Wasson died.<ref name=":0" />
On January 26, 1915, Edwin Ellis King, his brother W.M. King, his son Nelson J. King, and Roy L. Driscoll, purchased ''The Pomona Times'' from Kinney, who operated it for six years. The King brothers then renamed it to ''The Pomona Bulletin''.<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 16, 1915 |title=Pomona Times Plant Bought By King Bros. |work=The Pomona Daily Review |pages=8}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite news |date=November 12, 1931 |title=Obituary - E.E. King |work=Mound City News-Independent |location=Mound City, Missouri |page=3}}</ref> A year later the King family expanded the paper from a weekly to a daily.<ref>{{Cite news |date=April 16, 1932 |title=Paper Founded By King Bros. {{!}} Bulletin Began as Weekly In 1915 with Intent to Arouse Public Comment |work=Progress-Bulletin |location=Pomona, California |pages=37}}</ref> On April 1, 1916, the ''Pomona Progress'' bought and absorbed the ''Pomona Review''.<ref>{{Cite news |date=March 31, 1916 |title=Progress And Review Consolidation |work=The Pomona Daily Review |pages=1}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=April 16, 1916 |title=Another Consolidation of Evening Papers |work=Santa Cruz Sentinel |pages=3}}</ref> On April 1, 1927, the morning ''Bulletin'' and the evening ''Progress'' merged to form the ''Progress-Bulletin''.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |date=April 5, 1927 |title=Pomona Bulletin, Progress Merge |work=The Register |location=Santa Ana, California |pages=1}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> The newly combined circulation was 6,000.<ref name=":2" /> E.E. King died in 1931.<ref name=":1" /> Stevens died in 1948,<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 30, 1948 |title=W.E. Stevens, President Of Progress-Bulletin Dies {{!}} Community Leader, 73, Mourned |work=Progress-Bulletin |pages=1}}</ref> and Richardson then succeeded him as company president.<ref name=":5">{{Cite news |date=May 6, 1972 |title=Newspaper Pioneer, Almon Richardson Dies |work=The San Bernardino County Sun |pages=23 |agency=Associated Press}}</ref>
=== ''The Daily Report'' === On December 16, 1885, the first issue of the ''Ontario Record'' was published.<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 16, 1885 |title=Doing Rather than Promising |work=The Ontario Record |pages=2}}</ref> It was founded by brothers E.P. Clarke, editor of the ''Riverside Daily Press'', and A.F. Clarke. The first issue was printed in Pomona.<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 2, 1932 |title=Fifty Years for 'The Model Colony |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/49407465/ |work=The San Bernardino County Sun |pages=20 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite news |date=April 1, 1965 |title=Pomona newspaper buys Ontario Daily Report |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/969447/ |work=Redlands Daily Facts |pages=1 |via=Newspapers.com |agency=United Press International}}</ref> A decade later the Clarkes announced ''Record'' had been sold to a Mr. Houghtaling of New York so they could devote more time to their Riverside paper.<ref>{{Cite news |date=March 13, 1895 |title=News And Business |work=Daily Times-Index |location=San Bernardino, California |pages=4}}</ref> In 1896, the Clarke brothers sold the ''Record'' again, this time to Robert C.P. Smith and A.A. Piddington.<ref>{{Cite news |date=July 17, 1896 |title=Notice |work=Daily Times-Index |location=San Bernardino, California |pages=4}}</ref> Smith bought out his partner after a year.<ref>{{Cite news |date=April 8, 1897 |title=Recent Events At Ontario |work=Los Angeles Evening Express |pages=7}}</ref>
In 1901, the ''Ontario Record'', owned by R.C.P. Smith, merged with the ''Ontario Observer'', owned by Irving S. Watson, to form the ''Ontario Record-Observer''.<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 7, 1901 |title=Notice |work=Progress-Bulletin |location=Pomona, California |pages=2}}</ref> A year later banker George Chaffey bought the business and installed Shirley L. Holt as editor.<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 9, 1902 |title=The Record-Observer Changes Hands |work=Progress-Bulletin |location=Pomona, California |pages=1}}</ref> Shirley left in 1904 to operate the ''Whittier News'' and was succeeded Robert O. Brackenridge. By then the paper had been renamed back to the ''Record''.<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 31, 1904 |title=Ontario Personals. |work=Daily Times-Index |location=San Bernardino, California |pages=6}}</ref>
In 1906, Fred E. Unholz bought the paper from Brackenridge,<ref>{{Cite news |date=April 6, 1906 |title=Record Changes Hands |work=Progress-Bulletin |location=Pomona, California |pages=6}}</ref> and sold it in 1909 to S.W. Wall and P.W. Tournson.<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 9, 1909 |title=Fred E. Unholz Sells Ontario Record |work=The Pomona Daily Review |pages=1}}</ref> Unholz soon reacquired ownership and on September 12, 1910, launched a daily edition of the ''Record'' called ''The Daily Republican.''<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 5, 1910 |title=Daily Paper For Ontario |work=The San Bernardino County Sun |pages=7}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=November 7, 1935 |title=Ontario's First Paper Published Fifty Years Ago In Sagebrush Days |work=The Daily Report |location=Ontario, California |pages=12}}</ref> He sold the paper again in October 1911 to Harry L. Allen and Crombie Allen of Greensburg, Pennsylvania.<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 6, 1911 |title=New Owners Of Republican |work=Progress-Bulletin |location=Pomona, California |pages=7}}</ref> The name of the ''Republican'' was changed on January 1, 1912, to ''The Daily Report.''<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 11, 1912 |title=Again, What's In A Name! |work=The Ontario Record |pages=4}}</ref>
On August 1, 1930, the Allen brothers announced the sale of the newspaper to Mr. and Mrs. Frank B. Appleby, from La Grande, Oregon, who had moved to Ontario with two young sons. Appleby had published newspapers in Washington, Iowa, and in La Grande.<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 2, 1930 |title=Daily Report, Ontario, Sold {{!}} Leading West End Newspaper Is Bought by Appley From Combie, H.L. Allen |work=The San Bernardino County Sun |pages=14}}</ref> Appleby died on July 26, 1936, in the family summer home at Laguna Beach. His obituary in the ''Los Angeles Times'' noted that the ''Daily Report'' "is known as one of the most progressive and attractive-looking newspapers in Southern California."<ref name="FrankB">"Frank B. Appleby, Publisher of 'Daily Report,' Dies Suddenly,'" ''Los Angeles Times,'' July 27, 1936, page 12]</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=July 31, 1936 |title=Heart Attack Fatal To Ontario Editor |work=Chino Champion |pages=1}}</ref> At that time, the circulation was about 4,000.<ref name=":4" /> His widow, Jerene C., took over as publisher of the newspaper. She later married architect Jay Dewey Harnish,<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 2, 1938 |title=Publisher Of Paper Wedded |work=The San Bernardino County Sun |pages=12}}</ref> and was thenceforth known as Jerene Appleby Harnish. The company went on to launch the radio station KOCS, both AM and FM.<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 28, 1944 |title=Ontario Newspaper Plans FM Station |work=Ontario Newspaper Plans FM Station |pages=12 |agency=Associated Press}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=January 25, 1947 |title=New Ontario Radio Station to Open Doors |work=The San Bernardino County Sun |pages=13}}</ref>
=== ''Daily Bulletin'' === On March 30, 1965, Almon T. Richardson, owner of the ''Pomona Progress-Bulletin,'' purchased the ''Ontario Daily Report'' from Mrs. Jerene Appleby Harnish and her family. Mrs. Harnish was then given the honorary title "publisher emeritus". At that time the ''Report''<nowiki/>'s daily circulation was 28,000, and the sale price of the company was $5 million.<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=April 2, 1965 |title=Ontario Daily Report Sold for a Reported $5 Million |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/55033405/ |work=The San Bernardino County Sun |pages=16 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
In 1967, Donrey Media acquired The Progress-Bulletin Publishing company. A.T. Richardson was board chairman and his son C.T. Richardson was acting general manager. The sale included two dallies (''Progress Bulletin'' of Pomona and ''The Daily Report'' of Ontario) along with six weeklies: ''Upland News'', ''Montclair Tribune'', ''Cucamonga Times'', ''La Verne Leader'', ''San Dimas Press'' and ''The Diamond Bar Walnut Valley Bulletin''.<ref>{{Cite news |date=November 15, 1967 |title=Ontario, Pomona Papers, 6 Others Sold to Arkansas Media Company |work=The San Bernardino County Sun |pages=3}}</ref> In 1972, A.T. Richardson died.<ref name=":5" />
In 1990, Donrey Media merged the ''Progress Bulletin'' of Pomona with ''The Daily Report'' of Ontario to form the ''Inland Valley Daily Bulletin'' At that time the combine circulation was 90,000.<ref name="LAT merger">{{cite news |last1=Ward |first1=Mike |date=22 February 1990 |title=Pomona, Ontario Papers to Merge as Inland Daily |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/32182900/ |access-date=12 August 2023 |work=Los Angeles Times |pages=346, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/30312636/ 355] |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=February 22, 1990 |title=Inland Empire newspaper to jump county boundaries |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/desert-dispatch-inland-empire-newspaper/129888714/ |access-date=12 August 2023 |work=Desert Dispatch |location=Barstow, California |pages=8 |via=Newspapers.com |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> In 1999, Digital First Media took control of the paper.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/leavingreadersbe00robe |title=Leaving Readers Behind: The Age of Corporate Newspapering |date=2001 |publisher=University of Arkansas Press |isbn=1610752325 |editor1-last=Roberts |editor1-first=Gene |editor1-link=Gene Roberts (journalist) |location=Fayetteville |editor2-last=Kunkel |editor2-first=Thomas |editor3-last=Layton |editor3-first=Charles |url-access=registration}}</ref> After 30 years of operations from its Ontario Office, the ''Daily Bulletin'' moved to Rancho Cucamonga in 2015.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Nisperos |first1=Neil |date=October 14, 2015 |title=Daily Bulletin moving to Rancho Cucamonga after 30 years in Ontario |url=https://www.dailybulletin.com/2015/10/14/daily-bulletin-moving-to-rancho-cucamonga-after-30-years-in-ontario/ |access-date=August 30, 2018 |publisher=Daily Bulletin |location=Ontario, California}}</ref>
== Oregon Smith Controversy == In 1953, Mrs. Jerene Appleby Harnish and other partners of the ''Daily Report'' sued Ontario City Councilman Oregon Smith for slander because Smith said at a City Council meeting that the newspaper "without question" had been following "the Communist Party line".<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 30, 1953 |title=Daily Report Sues Councilman |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/98402954/ |access-date=2025-10-02 |website=Chino Champion |page=8 |language=en |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Superior Judge Raymond H. Thompson decided in favor of Smith, whose attorney was California politician Jack B. Tenney. The judge dismissed the case because there was "no limitation" on the statements that a city council member could make during a meeting.<ref>{{Cite news |date=March 9, 1955 |title=City Council Statements Held Immune From Suit {{!}} Judge Gives Ruling in Ontario Newspaper's Slander Action Against Former Lawmaker |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/386258006/ |work=The Los Angeles Times |pages=37 |via=Newspapers.com |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> The decision was upheld by a District Court of Appeals in January 1956,<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 7, 1956 |title=Court Upholds Attorney In Newspaper Slander Action |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/50494775/ |work=The San Bernardino County Sun |page=19 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> and later by the California Supreme Court.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news |date=February 12, 1958 |title=$3 Million Libel Suit Against Ontario Newspaper Dismissed |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/50610143/ |work=The San Bernardino County Sun |page=16 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
Afterward the newspaper published an article on January 16, 1958, stating that, had the decision gone the other way, "the public would have no protection against malicious statements made by unscrupulous members of any minor legislative body." On March 3 an editorial claimed that Smith had made the charge of communism "without regard to good morals and honesty." Smith sued for $3 million, charging libel. He later amended the complaint to include the newspaper's references to him going back as far as 1949. Judge Jesse W. Curtis Jr. dismissed the complaint in February 1958.<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=November 9, 1956 |title=Former Ontario Councilman Files $3 Million Suit Against Paper |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/50553266/ |work=The San Bernardino County Sun |page=15 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
Smith filed another suit in January or February 1957, alleging that the unsuccessful 1953 action against him by the ''Daily Report'' had been a malicious prosecution. He sought more than $1.5 million in damages.<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 1, 1957 |title=Ontarian Files Huge Libel Suit |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/50467348/ |work=The San Bernardino County Sun |pages=13 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=February 4, 1957 |title=Oregon Smith Files Suit Against Paper |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/5074881/ |work=Redlands Daily Facts |pages=1 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref name="The San Bernardino County Sun">{{Cite news |date=December 15, 1960 |title=Suit of Ontario Attorney Against Newspaper Ended |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/51556994/ |work=The San Bernardino County Sun |pages=29 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
This latter suit was dismissed by Judge Richard B. Ault of San Diego Superior Court on motion of attorney Tenney on behalf of Smith. Tenney told a reporter that an out-of-court settlement had been made, but a defense attorney denied the statement and said the plaintiff had moved for dismissal to avoid "long and costly court proceedings".<ref name="The San Bernardino County Sun"/>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{Portal|Greater Los Angeles|Journalism}} *[http://www.dailybulletin.com/ ''Inland Valley Daily Bulletin'' website]
{{Digital First Media}}
Category:Daily newspapers published in Greater Los Angeles Category:Mass media in the Inland Empire Category:Mass media in San Bernardino County, California Category:Pomona Valley Category:MediaNews Group publications Category:Newspapers published in California Category:Digital First Media Category:Newspapers established in 1882 Category:1882 establishments in California Category:Defunct daily newspapers Category:Ontario, California Category:Rancho Cucamonga, California