Information about San Bernardino County's most frequently used public
services is now available in a 16-page booklet called the "At Your
Service Resident Guide."
The guide is designed to promote awareness of
services and make it easier for residents to access the service they need most
often. It is being distributed to more than 200,000 households, and will also be available at the counters of many county offices. It can also be viewed in English and Spanish at
www.sbcounty.gov.
With a focus on providing critical information for residents who have
lost jobs, are facing foreclosure, are coping with family crisis, or
need other vital county services, the guide provides information ranging
from job training, pest control and healthcare to camping, senior
centers and wedding licenses.
"Fallout from the economic downturn makes access to service information
more vital than ever," said County Administrative Officer Mark Uffer.
"We want residents to know what services are available and how to access
those services."
At more than 20,000 square miles, San Bernardino County is the largest
county in the U.S. outside of Alaska. It has gained 300,000 new
residents since 2000 and expects another 300,000 to relocate to the county by
2012.
A handy refrigerator magnet with the county's new toll-free phone number
and website address is included with the guide.
SOURCE: News release
The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors has restored $65,000 for the 4-H program, which has long provided youths diverse educational opportunities about the farming and ranching industries.
The action came at Tuesday's board meeting with the adoption of the county's 2009-10 budget.
The 4-H program is administered by the Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service through the U.S. Department of Agriculture and focuses on experential learning programs designed to facilitate personal development. It also instills good citizenship and healthy living in its students and encourages the application of science and technology in its field of study.
"It is especially critical that during these very difficult times that our county leverages our assets so that we can soften the blow of our budget cuts," Third District Supervisor Neil Derry said in a news release. "This is a phenomenal program for our young people and worthy of preserving on its merits alone."
The county receives $8 million from outside sources for every one dollar it puts into the program.
Police have identified an 83-year-old Rialto woman they say was brutally killed inside her ransacked home.
Neighbors found longtime Rialto resident Elizabeth Benson dead in her East Huff Street home about 9:10 a.m Friday. She was last seen alive by a neighbor in her front yard about 9:30 p.m. Thursday, said Rialto police Lt. Joe Cirilo.
"This was a very heinous crime by a person who had very little disregard for this elderly person," Cirilo said. "What kind of person would create a crime like this? It was n 83-year-old woman who didn't have a chance."
The slaying has left the tight-knit neighborhood in shock. Benson had lived in her home for 40 years, said neighbors. Everyone looked out for one another.
Homicide investigators spent all night processing an extensive crime scene, and the last of the investigators left Benson's residence about 9 a.m. today, Cirilo said.
No suspects have been identified, but police are developing theories as to motive.
"Obviously the suspect went there for a purpose. What that purpose is we just don't know yet," Cirilo said. "We do know there was some intention for the suspect to go in there."
A neighbor noticed the light still on in Benson's home Friday morning and the newspaper still in her driveway. The neighbor had a key to Benson's home and let herself in. She found Benson's lifeless body and called 911.
Benson's daughter and neighbors described Benson as a strong and independent woman who cut her own lawn and changed the oil in her vehicle herself.
"She was very independent," Cirilo said.
He said crimes against the elderly and children always strike an emotional chord.
"When it comes to children and the elderly, it really hits home, because we all have grandparents," Cirilo said. "Nobody deserves to go out in this fashion. This was a terrible, terrible crime."
Police are urging anyone with information to call them at (909) 820-2550 or the WE-TIP hotline at (800) 78-CRIME.
The following guests will be speaking at the upcoming Democratic Luncheon Club of San Bernardino meetings:
* June 26: Fifth District San Bernardino County Supervisor Josie Gonzales will talk about the progress of ethics in the county
* July 10: Joseph Williams, CEO of YAP Inc., will give an overview on the Youth Action Project.
The club meets at noon on Fridays at 136 Carousel Mall, in San Bernardino, on the lower level near the central glass elevator.
For further information contact Mark Alvarez at (909) 882 5819.
A portion of Lake Gregory Drive in front of the new Crestline Library, currently under construction, will be getting a makeover.
The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved the road approvements, which call for creating a 250-foot decomposed granite walkway on the west side of Lake Gregory Drive to provide pedestrian access to the library. In addition, about 1,300 square feet of pavement will be repaved and new road striping added, including a left turn lane into the library.
"The new Crestline Library is going to be a gem that attracts visitors from throughout the mountain communities, and these road improvements are key to ensuring residents have easy and safe access to their new library," Second District Supervisor Paul Biane said.
County public works estimate the street improvements will cost $100,000.
The new 7,641-square-foot library will include a multipurpose room, children's reading area, computer lab, and study areas. The site is within easy walking distance of the Crestline Village Park, Crestline Skate Park, and the outer Lake Gregory walking trail.
joe.nelson@inlandnewspapers.com
San Bernardino County Regional Parks has teamed with the Lake Gregory Yacht Club in announcing the creation of a dedicated area on Lake Gregory for slow-speed electric boats and remote control sailboats.
"Adding this capability to Lake Gregory increases the opportunities for broadband public use by adults and children," said Tom Potter, county regional parks director. "There is a large contingent of RC boaters throughout Southern California. We believe the addition of a dedicated area for this activity at Lake Gregory, along with the publicity and coordination by the Lake Gregory Yacht Club, should bring interested visitors to our mountain lake and increased commerce in Crestline."
Dave Mindel, commodore of the Lake Gregory Yacht Club, said the club is looking forward to working with Lake Gregory Park Superintendent Bart Ryder and his staff to provide the optimum location for RC boating.
A Montclair-based nonprofit that provides vocational training, recreational activities, and other forms of support to more than 600 adults with developmental disabilities will get a $3,000 boost from the county.
On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors approved the allocation to OPARC. The money comes from the Board of Supervisors' priority policy needs budget and will benefit OPARC's speech pathology program, which aims to help adults with developmental disabilities enhance their ability to communicate.
"OPARC helps pave the way for disabled adults to live productive, independent lives by providing them with specialized support, job training and other services," Second District Supervisor Paul Biane said.
OPARC operates the Adult Development Centers in Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario and Montclair. The organization trains adults with vocational and developmental disabilities to perform jobs such as assembling and packaging. Clients are assigned a job coach who oversees their work. OPARC aims to increase clients' self-respect and their ability to interact with others. The organization also provides transportation services for disabled seniors.
The county is allocating nearly $4 million for senior meal programs.
On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors authorized $3.86 million for the programs. The County has contracted with senior centers to operate two programs: one for home delivery of meals and the other to provide meals at the senior centers.
"These programs serve thousands of seniors, many of whom are on fixed incomes and often struggle with monthly expenses," First District Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt said in a news release. "The meals themselves are important, but just as important is the opportunity to interact with others."
In the High Desert, more than 123,000 meals have been served to 2,214 seniors through May 30. Countywide, the programs provided 281,540 communal meals and 316,644 home-delivered meals in the last year.
For information on senior nutrition programs in your area, call (909) 723-1500.
Investigators from the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office paid a visit Wednesday to the fifth floor of the San Bernardino County Government Center on Arrowhead Avenue, said Lynne Fischer, a county spokeswoman.
Investigators have launched "multiple investigations" on current and former county officials based on various tips they received in the last year. Perhaps the biggest investigation surrounds alleged malfeasance at the Assesor's Office under the reign of former Assessor Bill Postmus.
Investigators have made several visits to the Government Center in the last year, making inquiries with various staff as part of the ongoing investigation. The fifth floor houses the offices of County Administrative Officer Mark Uffer and the five elected county supervisors - Gary Ovitt, Neil Derry, Paul Biane, Brad Mitzelfelt and Josie Gonzales.
Fischer said no documents were seized during the visit. She said she wasn't at liberty to discuss the nature of the visit, other than it didn't have anything to do with any of the offices housed in the Government Center.
"There's multiple ongoing investigations, and our county management, of course, continues to cooperate with investigators," Fischer said.
A grand jury and county-commissioned investigative report concluded that Postmus ran a political machine from his elected office in 2007 and 2008, bringing in about a dozen political allies and friends to work as his executive support staff. Widespread timecard fraud has been alleged because several of Postmus's staff were allegedly paid for 40-hour work weeks but didn't put in the full 40 hours.
Four arrests have already been made and criminal charges have been filed against three of Postmus's former executive support staff including Rancho Cucamonga City Councilman Rex Gutierrez and former assistant assessors Adam Aleman and Jim Erwin.
Postmus has not been chaged with a crime, but was arrested in January on suspicion of possession of methamphetamine during a search of his Rancho Cucamonga home. Investigators from the District Attorney's Office served a search warrant at his home as part of their ongoing investigation.
Susan Mickey, spokeswoman for the District Attorney's Office, said she couldn't comment due to the ongoing investigations.
joe.nelson@inlandnewspapers.com
The county has appointed Granville "Bow" Bowman as its new public works director.
Bowman, an experienced civil engineer who has served as public works director for several jurisdictions over the course of his career, was appointed to the position on Tuesday by the Board of Supervisors. Bowman succeeds Vana Olson, who retired in March.
Bowman previously served as Malibu's public works director. Prior to that, he served as public works director for San Diego County, Clark County, Nev., and the city of Oxnard. He also worked in the private sector as a senior vice president for Kercheval Engineers, a major Southern California engineering firm.
"The County of San Bernardino is extremely fortunate to have someone with Bow's level of experience and enthusiasm running this very important department," said County Administrative Officer Mark Uffer in a news release. "As the nation's largest county outside of Alaska, San Bernardino County has a host of large-scale public works projects to supervise. We needed someone with Bow's resume to come in and hit the ground running."
Bowman is a registered civil engineer in California, Nevada, and Arizona, and is also a licensed surveyor in California and Nevada.
Bowman has been honored with numerous awards and recognitions, including Nevada Engineer of the Year, Nevada Public Works Man of the Year, and as one of the Top Ten Public Works Directors by the League of California Cities and the National Association of Counties.
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