Tag Archives: ontario

Why Does California Support Two Separate Digital Wallets For Its Mobile Driver’s License?

This morning I was attending a NIST webinar on mobile driver’s license use at financial institutions, and began looking at the services I could access in April 2026 with my California mobile driver’s license—financial and otherwise.

Of course I already knew that I could use my California mDL at the Transportation Security Administration checkpoint at Ontario International Airport. In fact, the mDL in my Apple Wallet (obtained in 2024) recorded the fact that I used my mDL at the airport on August 31, 2025.

Google Gemini.

But today I learned that some services are NOT available with the mDL in my Apple Wallet, but ONLY while using the “CA DMV Wallet” app.

So I downloaded the app, which I last used in my initial unsuccessful attempt to obtain an mDL. (I finally used Apple’s facility to get one.) I assumed that since I already had my mDL in my Apple Wallet, it would automatically show up in the app.

You know what happens when you assume. My buddy Google Gemini pointed it out to me.

“It’s a common point of confusion, but the Apple Wallet and the CA DMV Wallet app are actually two separate “containers” for your digital ID. Because California uses a secure, decentralized system, your mDL doesn’t automatically sync between them. Even if it’s already in your Apple Wallet, you have to go through a separate enrollment process to “provision” it into the DMV’s official app.”

Which meant that I had to enroll again and get another decentralized mDL, which I did. (After some difficulty; it took four separate attempts to capture my facial image, which was only successful when I went into a very dark room.)

Now that my mDL is in this second wallet, I could go ahead an enroll in the TruAge program for age verification at a private retailer.

Google Gemini.

As I type this, TruAge hasn’t processed my application.

And now for a word from our sponsor

Mobile driver’s licenses are a digital form of “something you have,” which is a factor of identity verification and authentication.

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Four pages from "Proving Humanity: The Six Factors of Identity Verification and Authentication" by John E. Bredehoft, Bredemarket., Click on the image to purchase.

Product Marketer For Hire, Sunday at 9:00 PM (8:00 PM Central), Sponsored by Marlboro

You know that the video I shared earlier begged to be expanded into a television show. And that for the proper setting, the show itself would market products in a way that is illegal today; yes, the show would be sponsored by Marlboro.

Google Gemini.

So without further ado…

“Product Marketer For Hire,” Sunday at 9pm: “The Stranger”

The introduction to the television show “Product Marketer For Hire.”

(The show introduction is followed by a Marlboro commercial.)

Scene 1: Main Street, Ontario

(Sharp-eyed Inland Empire residents will notice that this depiction is entirely fictional, since the real “Main Street,” officially known as Euclid Avenue, is much wider and less dusty than the street depicted here. Allow me artistic license.)

As the Ontario townsfolk were gathered on the street in late afternoon, a mysterious stranger rode into town. He was a most unusual man. For one, he was smiling, unlike the other strangers that have come before him. For another, his brown/tan/black official western wear issue (Montgomery Ward catalog, pages 333-334) was rudely interrupted by a blue patch with a “B” on it. There was something else odd about him, but no one spoke of it.

The mysterious stranger rode up to the saloon, dismounted his horse, and walked in.

Scene 2: The Saloon, Ontario

The mysterious stranger slowly walked to the bar and took a seat as the bartender eyed him warily.

“What’ll you have?” the bartender asked gruffly.

“Strum,” the stranger replied.

(Hey, Inland Empire residents, I got that one right.)

As he sipped his drink, the stranger couldn’t help but notice the older man in a gray jacket staring at him. As everyone in the saloon quietly watched, the older man slowly walked toward the stranger.

“Sir,” said the older man.

“Yes?” asked the stranger.

The older man gestured toward the stranger’s belt. “Those aren’t guns you have in those holsters.”

The stranger paused. “No, they’re not.”

“In fact,” the older man scoffed, “they look like pencils.”

The stranger nodded. “Yes they are.”

The older man’s face betrayed the slightest smirk. “Why” – he paused – “would a man carry PENCILS in his holster?”

As the older man and the others in the saloon broke out into grins, the stranger eyed them all with a serious expression. He paused before responding.

In a loud voice the stranger replied. “Business.”

Everyone looked puzzled at that unexpected response.

After a long pause, the older man turned back to the stranger. “Sir,” he asked, “exactly what kind of BUSINESS are you in?”

(Time for another Marlboro commercial)

Bredemarket is NOT Candy Street Market

In late 2022 I wrote a Bredemarket blog post entitled “Candy Street Market is coming.” It covered a business on Holt Boulevard in Ontario, California.

I referred to this post a couple of other times, making clear that Bredemarket was NOT Candy Street Market.

Well, at least I thought I did.

Until Bredemarket recently received an email from a janitorial company that included the following:

Hello Candy Street Market,

We’ll be around your area this week.

Happy to drop by and give you a simple cleaning quote should you need it. Does that work?

I didn’t respond.

If the janitorial company stops by Candy Street Market anyway, they’re in for a rude surprise.

Candy Street Market closed a long time ago.

CHECK YOUR MAILING LISTS.

Graber Olive House GoFundMe Reaches 58% Of Goal…But It’s Bankrupt

Remember the Graber Olive House fundraiser from last September, trying to keep the property out of foreclosure?

https://www.gofundme.com/f/dont-let-ontario-lose-its-oldest-landmark

As of today it has reached 58% of its goal.

Not sure what that means, since the company filed for bankruptcy in December with estimated assets of less than $50,000 and estimated liabilities of over $500,000.

Did I Forget to Mention That I Don’t Live in New York City?

For a moment I’m going to veer away from finger, face, iris, voice, and DNA and veer toward geolocation.

I don’t live in New York City.

Technically I don’t live in the Mojave Desert either.

But Ontario, California is closer, both in geography and in climate, to the High Desert than to the Eastern Seaboard.

I guess California knows how to party by walking around with self promotion signs.

Biometric product marketing expert.

And if my biometric product marketing expertise can help your firm, let’s talk.

Taxes and Tacos

(From Roxanna Gracia in the office of Assemblymember Michelle Rodriguez.)

Assemblymember Michelle Rodriguez is pleased to invite you to Taxes & Tacos, hosted in collaboration with Golden State Opportunity.

Saturday, February 28
10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Mt. Zion Church of Ontario
224 W. California St.
Ontario, CA 91762

This event will offer free tax assistance*, access to community resources, and free tacos while supplies last. We would greatly appreciate your support in sharing this event with your network or community members who may benefit. The event is open to the public, and all are welcome to attend.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support of our region. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

*Tax assistance is available for individuals and families with an annual income of $69,000 or less. Appointments are encouraged, though walk-ins will be accepted as space allows. To secure an appointment, please click here.

Asm. M. Rodriguez Taxes & Tacos FlyerDownload

Dry January at an Ontario Bar

You would think that bars would hate Dry January.

Ontario, California’s Strum Brewing Company embraces it.

In a Facebook post it welcomes Dry Januarians with its non-alcoholic offerings.

• **Alcohol-free Slushies** (yes, still fun 👀)

• **Sodas** & NA beers**

• **Flavored Waters & Hop Water**

• **Scrumptious Cookies, Beef Jerky, Pretzels, Pork Rinds , Garlic Peanuts, and soon Hummus & Toum**

• Cozy vibes & good company all month long 🎶🐾

Strum Brewing is on Euclid Avenue in downtown Ontario.

Ontario International Airport 2025 Selected Highlights

Brooke Staggs wrote a blog post detailing 13 highlights at Ontario International Airport. I’m not going to go through all 13, but I did want to highlight three of them.

Yes, Ontario Airport is international

Staggs highlighted the, um, arrival of a new airport at ONT: STARLUX Airlines, flying nonstop to and from Taipei, Taiwan.

STARLUX flies from Ontario to Taipei four days a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday). Because you cross the international date line, the flight takes two days (but really less than a day).

Existing international service expands

Of course, Volaris has been at ONT for some time, but this year they added flights to Los Cabos (SJD), León (BJX) and Morelia (MLM). This is in addition to its existing service to Guadalajara (GDL), and totals 28 weekly flights in all with at least three flights per week to each destination.

On the domestic front

United Airlines flies nonstop from Ontario to Chicago’s O’Hare Airport. These are daily flights year-round. Somehow I got the idea that they are seasonal, but they are not.

If you want Portillo’s but don’t want to drive all the way to Moreno Valley or Buena Park, just drive to Ontario and fly to O’Hare.