Last Great Frontier: The Third California

"Some coastal residents regard inland California as a failed geography of rising poverty, crummy jobs and unremitting ugliness. But in recent years, more and more higher-end and professional jobs have begun moving east, and with them a new emphasis on improving the quality of life in such cities as Bakersfield, Modesto, Ontario and Riverside...the Third California is growing four times faster than the rest of state...The apparent movement of professionals into parts of inland California may signal a longer-term shift in the region's ability to compete in high-skilled industries...The wealthier newcomers are becoming a force for other improvements â€" revived downtowns, better schools, more parks and open space."