November 2008 Archives

A delegation of officials from San Bernardino and the county have returned from a Mexico trade mission hopeful that the trip will result in much needed economic development.

"It went well," said Mayor Pat Morris. "They were remarkably interested. It was a door opener. It was the first meet and greet with these folks."

From the county:

Thousands of deserving residents will enjoy a hot, holiday meal this Thanksgiving, due in part to the continued partnership between San Bernardino County Supervisors Paul Biane and Josie Gonzales.

This year the supervisors each allocated $4,000 used to purchase 700 turkeys.

This is the third year Biane and Gonzales have provided turkeys for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Each district office distributed 350 turkeys to churches and community-based groups that serve the residents living in their respective districts. The birds will be the main course for thousands of holiday meals or packaged in food baskets and distributed to needy individuals and families.

"This effort has been successful for the past three years because of the churches and community groups that distribute these turkeys and other food to families who may otherwise not have a Thanksgiving dinner," Biane said in a statement. "They are fantastic partners, and they truly deserve the credit for making this effort a success." 

The location of a casino proposed by the Fort Mojave Band of Indians has won approval from a number of federal, state and local government agencies as well as voters.

The casino would house two restaurants, a 100,000-square-foot gaming floor and 1,500 slot machines near Needles, according to documents submitted to San Bernardino County.

A property consolidation program in the San Bernardino Mountains recently adopted by the county is receiving a mixed reaction from land-use experts.

The Mountain Preservation Program, which the Board of Supervisors approved Nov. 18, enables San Bernardino County to purchase small lots between 1,000 and 4,000 square feet in the mountains, merge them and sell the properties for the construction of single-family houses.

 

Incoming Supervisor Neil Derry and current Supervisors Brad Mitzelfelt and Josie Gonzales will be sworn in to new terms Monday.

The ceremony will be held at 1:30 p.m. in the Covington Chambers at the San Bernardino County Government Center in San Bernardino.

The ceremony can be viewed live at www.sbcounty.gov. It will be archived and available for later viewing beginning December 2.

From the county:

Recent economic news has impacted everyone, no matter what their status. People are still looking for entertainment outlets that will uplift their spirits and still fit into the family budget.
 
San Bernardino County Regional Parks, sensitive to those needs, have introduced a special park entry fee for the holiday season.  Normal park admission is $6 per adult, $3 for children 6-15.  During special events the entry fee is $10 adults; $5 children, 6-15.  Beginning Friday, November 28 through Sunday, January 11, 2009 the entry fee to Calico Ghost Town will be $5 for an individual and $10 for a carload (up to six persons).
 
Attractions such as Maggie's Mine, the Mystery Shack and gold panning will be incorporated into the entry free at Calico.  
 
During the holiday season, Calicowill host three special events:  Heritage Festival (Nov. 28-30); Christmas at Calico (Dec. 6); and New Years at Calico, (Dec. 26-28). 

Families looking to have some fun while avoiding crowded malls on Black Friday may want to head to Calico Ghost Town's Heritage Festival.

"It's a time for folks to gather on the weekend of Thanksgiving and come to Calico to see some of the trades and shows of the West," said Jamie Murphy, events special coordinator. "It's basically a celebration of Western heritage."

The festival runs 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday through Sunday.

The restored mining town in Yermo will host country singer Tony Vice and the Billhillies Band.

There will also be Native Indian dancing, adobe brick-making and a medicine-man show.
A number of activities are planned for children, Murphy said. There will be adobe brick making, quilting, wool spinning and black smithing demonstrations. A rope maker will be on hand to teach children how to make ropes just as early California settlers did.
During the festival, there will be old-fashioned games for children to play -- hoop and stick, cat's cradle, ring fling and pick up sticks.

Admission is $5 per person or $10 per carload of six people. Tickets include admission to Maggie's Mine, the Mystery Shack and panning for gold.

For more information, go online to www.calicotown.com.

Fourth District Supervisor Gary Ovitt recently appointed Craig S. Watkins to serve on the San Bernardino County Airports Commission.

Mr. Watkins grew up in Chino and graduated from Chino High School in 1965.  He received bachelor's degree from Cal-State Los Angeles in 1969 and a  master's degree in business administration from the University of Phoenix in 1989.

From SEIU Local 6434:

Homecare workers will be gathering at 4:30 p.m. on the eve of Thanksgiving to hold a candle light vigil to highlight the desperate situations being faced by homecare workers and those they care for.  The vigil takes place as negotiations continue with county representatives for a contract that provides needed healthcare and increased wages.  The vigil will also be an opportunity to thank workers for the vital care they provide to the County's over 18,000 seniors and people with disabilities who rely on them in order to remain safely and independently in their own homes. Currently, San Bernardino homecare workers make only $9.25, do not receive any sick leave or vacation time, and most do not receive health benefits. The vigil will be at the San Bernardino County Government Building, 385 N. Arrowhead Ave., San Bernardino.

What: the Lake Gregory Regional Park Arts & Crafts fair

When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m, Nov. 28-29, and 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Nov. 30. A tree lighting  ceremony will be held at 5 p.m. Nov. 29 at  at the North Beach entrance.

Where: San Moritz Lodge, 24640 San Moritz Drive, Crestline.  

Items on sale: handmade jewelry, embroidered items, wood carvings, handmade purses, stained glass, ornaments.   

Santa will be on hand from 1-2 p.m. to take pictures with children and pets. 

Admission to the Arts and Crafts fair is free.  There is a $5 charge for pictures with Santa. 

  

Fom the county:

The National Weather Service is forecasting rain, heavy at times, for the next several days from Tuesday evening through Thursday. Experts are also forecasting the possibility of snow at high elevations. The National Weather Service is issuing a flash flood watch effective Tuesday evening for all inland and mountain areas. Therefore San Bernardino County is advising residents in and below areas that have burned in recent years to be aware of and prepare for the possibility of flooding. Other low-lying areas near and adjacent to watercourses may experience localized flooding.

In 1977, the television minseries "Roots" defied industry executives' predictions that the program would flop because it did not cater to a white viewing audience.

The miniseries, which was based on Alex Haley's Pulitzer Prize winning novel, garnered some of the highest television ratings in history and went on to become a world-wide success.

"'Roots' was one of the most watched TV series in the world," said Ece Algan, assistant professor of communications at Cal-State San Bernardino. "In Turkey, when I was growing up, we used to watch it with tears in our eyes. There would be nobody on the streets. Everybody would be tuned in."

Timothy Havens, a African American studies professor from the University of Iowa, will present a free lecture today on how "Roots" was distributed beyond the United States to become an international television phenomenon. His talk will focus on several countries, including Brazil, Germany, Hungary and Nigeria.

The presentation will be held at 4 p.m. at Cal-State San Bernardino's Santos Manuel Student Union Theater, 5500 University Parkway, San Bernardino.

The "Roots" miniseries had worldwide appeal because people living in countries that had been under colonial rule for centuries identified with the plot line, Algan said. Haley depicted the hardships and indignities of slavery from the perspective of African Americans, a groundbreaking feat, she said. The miniseries chronicled seven generations of an African-American family from the 1750's to the mid 20th century.

"In the late '70s, early '80s, when people in the world were watching this, they had memories of colonialism and issues of white and black," Algan said. "In people's memories this was so fresh."

The presentation is entitled "Selling Slavery Worldwide: On the Global Popularity of 'Roots' and Industry Perceptions of Race."

Havens specializes in television studies, media globalization and race and media.
"He's been writing about how the American media industry makes decisions when they sell TV programming ... how they present the issues of race to other television executives," Algan said. "It's cutting edge work."

Rep. Joe Baca, a Democrat from Rialto, announced Thursday that federal transportation dollars have been designated for the 10 Freeway/ Pepper Avenue interchange in Colton.

Officials from Fontana and San Bernardino Associated Governments asked for the money to be transferred from the Cypress Avenue overcrossing project.

"This funding will benefit the quality of life for Inland residents and help to ensure our continued economic viability," Baca said in a statement.

 

Mirroring a trend being reported in cities across the nation, bus ridership numbers in the San Bernardino Valley reached their highest levels in a decade this fall, Omnitrans officials said.

"I think some of this momentum started to happen when gas prices were skyrocketing," said Wendy Williams, Omnitrans spokeswoman. "The encouraging thing is that despite the fact that those gas prices have dropped remarkably quickly, we've seen ridership remain higher than the same period last year."

Ridership increased by 18 percent in September and nearly 13 percent in October, compared to those months last year.

In October, the increase amounted to 1.5 million passenger trips.

During the first two weeks of November, average weekday ridership was 53,134, a 9.5 percent increase.

"It's the same service level we had a year ago," Williams said. "People have, for whatever reason, decided to give it a try and have decided to stick with it. I think people are looking for a variety of ways to save money during a very uncertain economy."

Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority has also reported an increase in ridership for October. The agency attributes the increase to the economic downturn and residents turning to public transportation as a cheaper alternative to driving.

"I think people are looking to save money any way they can," Williams said.

Omnitrans bus fares are $1.35, or 55 cents for seniors.

From San Bernardino County:

Southern California Edison and the county are working to identify ways the county can make its existing and planned facilities more energy efficient, according to a no-cost contract approved by the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.

The County and SCE are forming what's known as an energy partnership to develop potential retrofit projects that would reduce energy usage. SCE will help the county prioritize the projects based on their potential for energy savings and expected cost. SCE will also work with the county to identify ways to incorporate energy-efficiencies into new facilities.

In addition to securing technical support from SCE, the energy partnership also means the County will be eligible for increased rebates for future energy efficiency projects.

The County plans to form a similar energy partnership with the Southern California Gas Company.

From Omnitrans today:

In a continuing trend, Omnitrans bus ridership has seen remarkable growth this fall, climbing by 18.2 percent in September and 12.8 percent in October. In October alone, the agency provided 1.5 million passenger trips; the two-month numbers mark the fastest growth in Omnitrans ridership in more than a decade.

Perhaps most significantly, student ridership increased by more than 60 percent in the first quarter of fiscal year 2009 (July - September) vs. the same period last year. Student trips also increased by more than 44 percent in October, increasing the group to 11.4 percent of Omnitrans' total ridership (up from 8 percent). The agency attributes this growth in part to the success of its recent "Go Smart" promotion, which offered local college students a free pass during the first week of school and introduced thousands to Omnitrans service for the first time.

State Sen. Bob Dutton, a Republican from Rancho Cucamonga, the City of Rancho Cucamonga and Assemblyman Bill Emmerson will host a free workshop to help homeowners avoid foreclosure.

The workshop will be held 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Celebration Hall in the Cultural Center at Victoria Gardens; 12505 Cultural Center Drive, Rancho Cucamonga.

San Bernardino County is trying to stem housing market woes by tapping into a federal program that will free up money for home buyers who want to purchase foreclosed houses.

The program also will allow government agencies to buy blighted properties and rehabilitate them.

The Board of Supervisors approved a plan Tuesday that allocates nearly $23 million in federal money from the Neighborhood Stabilization Program.

The money, however, may not be available for several months. Before funds can be given to home buyers, the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department must approve the county plan, a process likely to extend into January.

Over at the Inland Empire Courts blog, Staff Writer Mike Cruz is reporting:

Lawyers in the political corruption case against former assistant assessor Adam Aleman received additional evidence during an appearance this morning in Superior Court.

Aleman, who wore jeans and a blue golf shirt, stood next his lawyer Grover Porter during proceedings before Judge John Martin in San Bernardino Superior Court.

"We're under the impression that there's supposed to be some additional discovery here in court," Porter told Martin, during the proceedings. A court clerk gave Martin manila envelopes, which appeared to be full of documents, and who then gave one each to the lawyers.

While working on a story about federal money coming to San Bernardino County to help with the foreclosure crisis, I've come across a number of resources to help homeowners stay afloat. The good news is help is out there. The bad news: It's hard to find. Here are some helpful websites and phone numbers.

Federal Housing Administration HOPE for Homeowners:

http://portal.hud.gov/portal/page?_pageid=73,7601299&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL

 

HUD "Help for Homeowners facing the loss of their home:"

http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/econ/econ.cfm

 

Department of Housing and Urban Development: 1(800) 225-5342.

HUD foreclosure prevention seminars, Santa Ana Field Office:

(714) 796-5577 or TTY (714) 796-5517.

A list of HUD approved counseling agencies:

http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hcc/hcs.cfm?webListAction=search&searchstate=CA

At Tuesday's Board meeting, per the request of Supervisor Dennis Hansberger and Supervisor Gary Ovitt, the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors approved $25,000 for the Big Bear Lake International Film Festival's Film Camp program.

 

San Bernardino County officials are being praised for helping speed along the rebuilding effort in Cedar Glen by rescuing a financially troubled water company.

"This action finally puts to rest this albatross of debt that has been hanging over the community for years," said 3rd District Supervisor Dennis Hansberger in a statement.

Cedar Glen, a residential community in the San Bernardino mountains, was destroyed by the 2003 Old Fire. More than five years later, redevelopment in the area has been hindered by a number of the factors, one being the area's obsolete water system controlled by Lake Arrowhead Manor Water Company.

State Sen. Bob Dutton, a Republican from Rancho Cucamonga, is partnering with Golden State Water Company for "Operation Gobble" to give Thanksgiving turkeys to needy families.
 
The distribution of turkeys will take place 4-6:30 p.m. Thursday at the G.A.P. Food Bank, 8768 Helms Street, Suite A, in Rancho Cucamonga (south of 9th Street, east of Hellman).  
 

A while back I posted asking for shoutouts about blogs covering San Bernardino County and the Inland Empire.

For those of you who like to read such blogs, here's another one to keep tabs on:

http://www.iechatter.com

On Tuesday, the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors approved a contract with the City of Upland to transform a historic firehouse into a museum.

The city will receive $220,300 in Community Development Block Grant funds to make accessibility improvements to the firehouse at 171 E. D St. Renovations will also include seismic retrofitting and new electrical and plumping systems in the firehouse.

State Sen. Bob Dutton,  a Republican from Rancho Cucamonga, the City of Rancho Cucamonga and Assemblyman Bill Emmerson will host a free workshop to help homeowners avoid foreclosure.

The workshop will be held 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Celebration Hall in the Cultural Center at Victoria Gardens; 12505 Cultural Center Drive, Rancho Cucamonga.

On Tuesday, the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors approved a $22.7 million plan to address the tide of home foreclosures that has severely impacted the County's economy and housing market.

The plan developed by the Department of Community Development and Housing (CDH) calls for the County to use funds from the federal Housing and Recovery Act of 2008 to help residents buy and renovate foreclosed homes. CDH also plans to partner with the Housing Authority to purchase and renovate foreclosed rental properties.

Supervisor Dennis Hansberger's 20-year tenure as one of the top elected officials in San Bernardino County is winding down.
On Tuesday, representatives from a number of political offices -- from the governor's office to the state Legislature and local mayors -- paid tribute to Hansberger's public service, presenting resolutions, plaques and gifts in his honor. The ceremony took place during a regular board of supervisors meeting, which also happened to be Hansberger's last.
Hansberger served on the board from 1972 to 1980 and from 1996 until the present. Incoming Supervisor Neil Derry, Hansberger's replacement, will be sworn in Dec. 1.
Supervisor Josie Gonzales seemed on the brink of tears as she bid farewell to her colleague, whom she described as "the historian of our board" and a kind, dedicated and wise man.
"Only individuals who sit in these seats know the terrible weight and responsibility we feel," Gonzales said. "It never goes away. We're here because we care."

San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors Chairman Paul Biane declared this morning a state of emergency from the Freeway Complex Fire which spread into Chino Hills and the communities of Los Serranos and Sleepy Hollow.

About 50 protesters gathered this morning outside the San Bernardino County government center.

The protesters, members of SEIU 6434, object to a new labor contract put forward by the county.

SEIU 6434 leaders say the homecare workers deserve raises and health insurance coverage.

The county maintains it does not have money to spare because it is facing the worst fiscal crisis in a generation.

Today, U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein (both D-CA) along with many of California's Representatives wrote to President Bush in support of California's request for federal disaster relief to help the state battle large fires that have been burning throughout five counties in Southern California.

 

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency in San Bernardino County as fire fighters gained control of the Freeway Complex Fire.

The blaze has burned nearly 29,000 acres, damaged or destroyed more than 160 homes and forced evacuations and road closures.

The proclamation makes local agencies eligible to be reimbursed for firefighting costs.

The governor on Saturday declared emergencies in Riverside and Orange counties after the Freeway Fire raged through Carbon Canyon.

The state of emergency is the second to be announced this year in San Bernardino County. In October, a wildfire raced down the 215 Freeway, destroying three business.

The chiefs of staff for the San Bernardino County supervisors are the nearly invisible counterparts of their elected bosses.

But for the work they do behind the scenes, they garner generous salaries - nearly as high as those of the powerful politicians who appoint them.

There are five supervisors in the county, and each employs a chief of staff.

Taxpayers pick up the $227,035 to $246,856 annual tab for each chief of staff. That's more than $1.1 million a year.

"The chief of staff is the top adviser, the closest adviser to the supervisor, and also is in charge of all other staff and management and functions of the office," said 1st District Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt, who previously served as a chief of staff. "The chief of staff needs to know virtually everything that the supervisor knows, but often in even greater detail. It's a very key position."

All the chiefs of staff receive the same hourly wage of $65.68, or $136,614 annually. But benefits packages bump up the overall cost of their employment by more than $90,000.

Mitzelfelt said the salaries are competitive to attract experienced job candidates and to compensate the chiefs of staff for working in positions with little job security.

What: County of San Bernardino Homeless Summit 2008
                                               
When: 7:45 a.m., Monday, Nov. 17

Where: County of San Bernardino Department of Behavioral Health, 850 E. Foothill Blvd, Auditorium Rialto, CA 92376

San Bernardino County Assessor Bill Postmus announced today that he has selected Dennis Draeger, 58, to serve as assistant assessor.

Draeger will fill the vacancy left by Assistant Assessor for Operations Harlow Cameron, who has retired after 35 years of service.

Cameron, a veteran county employee of more than 30 years, delayed his retirement to take the helm of the Assessor's Office in recent months following the arrest of former Assistant Assessor Adam Aleman and the medical leave of elected Assessor Bill Postmus, who, according to media reports, suffers from a meth addiction.

Draeger is expected to start work Nov. 24.

Trout fishing season begins Saturday at the five San Bernardino County Regional Parks.

More than 61 tons of trout will be fed into the lakes at Cucamonga-Guasti, Prado, Yucaipa, Glen Helen and Mojave Narrows Regional Parks through April 2.  

For more information, contact (909) 387-2057.
 
The costs associated with fishing at the five parks are as follows:
 
Park Entry:                          $5 (Mon-Thursday)         $7 (Weekends) $10 (Holidays)
Fishing Fee:                       $5 (Mon-Thursday)         $7 (Thurs.-Sun.)* - all ages          Mojave Narrows*                 $5 (Mon.-Sun. and holidays) - all ages
 
A state fishing license is required and may be purchased at the park for $12.60.  This fee may be subject to change in 2009.

Three environmental groups have announced they intend to sue a federal agency for slashing critical habitat protection for the endangered San Bernardino kangaroo rat.

"The whole point of critical habitat is to recover the species to viable population levels," said Ileene Anderson, a biologist with the Center for Biological Diversity. "We just felt it's an outrage that the Bush administration would make these substantial cuts that have no basis in science."

The Center for Biological Diversity, the San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society and Friends of the Northern San Jacinto Valley sent a letter notifying the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Wednesday that they intend to file the lawsuit.

What: Art in the Park festival

When: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday

Where: Art Depot, 16822 Spring St., Fontana

Nearly $28 billion a year is spent on health-related smog issues in Southern and Central California, two regions with the worst air quality in the nation, according to a study released Wednesday.

"In many California counties exposure to fine particulates contributes to more deaths than car accidents," said Jane V. Hall, an environmental economist at Cal State Fullerton. "That's a steep price tag for doing nothing."

San Bernardino and Riverside counties carry a heavier burden of those costs than surrounding counties because they have some of the worst exposure rates to polluted air in Southern California, Hall said.

The cost from negative health effects is felt at the local level in a variety of ways, she said.

It is passed on to employers when employees call in sick and to insurance companies and hospitals when people suffer from illnesses such as asthma or bronchitis exacerbated by poor air quality, she said.

"This is a public health issue," Hall said. "It's pretty well spread across the economy."

The scientists determined the cost of polluted air by looking at such indicators as the number of absences from school, missed days at work as well as hospital and emergency room visits.

The cost of a missed day of school, for example, was calculated by examining how much a family would spend if a parent had to stay home from work or pay for child care, Hall said.

In San Bernardino County, the estimated cost of days when ozone levels exceed federal levels was substantial:

Nearly $6.9 million in hospital admissions.

$12.9 million in school absences.

Nearly $73 million resulting from deaths.

The study, conducted for the Institute for Economic and Environmental Studies at Cal State Fullerton, also found that San Bernardino County residents are exposed to more days of fine-particle pollution than residents of Riverside, Los Angeles, and Orange counties.

San Bernardino and Riverside counties nearly tied for the most days with ozone concentrations exceeding federal standards.

San Bernardino County averaged 45.7 days per year; Riverside County, 48.4. By contrast, Orange County averaged three days per year.

The costs estimated in the study may seem sobering and somewhat shocking, but the scientists who conducted the study dismissed allegations their findings were intended to be incendiary.

Nationally, the Los Angeles area, the San Joaquin Valley and Houston compete for "the pollution trophy," Hall said.

"These are the three regions in the country that top the list for fine-particle pollution and ozone," she said.

The study did not recommend any particular course of action for remedying air pollution in the South Coast and San Joaquin basins.

A study released Wednesday puts a $28 billion pricetag on the health cost of living in Central and Southern California, two regions with the worst air quality in the nation.
The study also reveals that San Bernardino and Riverside counties carry a heavy burden of those costs because they have some of the worst exposure rates to ozone and particulates in the air in Southern California.
The comparisons made in the study are sobering and somewhat shocking, but its authors dismissed allegations that the study is intended to be incendiary.
"It's a public health issue," Dr. Jane V. Hall,an environmental economist at California State University, Fullerton. "In many California counties exposure to fine particulates contributes to more deaths than car accidents."

Over at the Bizz Blog there's this interesting post:

Homes in San Bernardino have the most expensive annual premium for earthquake insurance under California Earthquake Authority insurers, according to a CEA report recently released in anticipation of The Great Southern California ShakeOut happening on Nov. 13.

   A 1996 one-story, wood-frame home's annual premium, factoring in certain assumptions, would cost $1,040 in San Bernardino, $910 in Chino, $648 in Chino Hills and $648 in Riverside.

   A 1976 one-story, wood-frame home's annual premium, factoring in certain assumptions, would cost $1,663 in San Bernardino, $1,453 in Chino, $1,036 in Chino Hills and $1,036 in Riverside.

   The CEA is a publicly-managed, largely privately-funded organization that provides residential earthquake insurance through private insurers.  The authority has about 770,000 policies in force, representing about 70 percent of residential earthquake insurance policies in California.

More than 550,000 people voted Nov. 4 in San Bernardino County, according to the latest numbers released by the Registrar of Voters.

Those votes put county turnout above the 528,387 votes cast in the 2004 election, setting an all-time record for the county.

Incoming Supervisor Neil Derry has boosted his district's staffing, nearly tripling the number of field representatives assigned to work with communities in the San Bernardino valley, mountains and High Desert.

"The 3rd district has been underserved and under-represented," Derry said. "I plan on changing that."

Derry, who was elected in June and currently serves on the San Bernardino City Council, will take office Dec. 1, as will his staff.

He replaces longtime Supervisor Dennis Hansberger, who spent 20 years serving on the Board of Supervisors.

Derry will oversee the second largest district in San Bernardino County. The district stretches from Grand Terrace, north to Big Bear Lake and east to Yucca Valley.

Derry said spending nearly $1.6 million on a staff of 12 is warranted because the district contains the second largest unincorporated area in the county. He will have the third largest staff after Supervisors Brad Mitzelfelt and Gary Ovitt.

By contrast, Hansberger kept a sparse staff, with only a handful of field representatives.
Some have criticized Hansberger for not having a larger, more involved staff and for not doing a better job with outreach to the distant communities he served.

Derry's Chief of Staff, Jim Erwin, acknowledged that complaints about outreach had been voiced by residents, adding that the incoming supervisor is attempting to remedy the situation.

"I won the mountain communities in part because of that record," Derry said.

The salaries of the incoming staff appear sumptuous in a county report presented to the Board of Supervisors last week, but broken down by hourly wage and excluding benefits packages, the salaries are comparable with the salaries earned by other supervisors' staff members.

Derry has hired seven field representatives and has assigned each to a distinct geographic area, said Jim Erwin, chief of staff.

The Morongo Valley Basin, which has been the epicenter of controversy over a proposed transmission corridor called Green Path North, will have its own field representative, Derry said.

"There are a number of issues unfolding there," Derry said. "It needs the service."

Among the field reps Derry has hired is San Bernardino Councilman Chas Kelley. Derry said Kelley will bring experience with neighborhood associations, development issues and working with the public to his job with the county.

"If you look at the qualifications of the people I've brought on board," Derry said, "I think you'll see we have a top-tier staff."

You might have read about the plight of San Bernardino's animal shelter in The Sun. (Note: The article is posted below.)

The shelter is in poor condition, but the cash-strapped city does not have the finances for construction that would improve the living quarters of many cats and dogs.

On Tuesday November 11, a fundraiser will be held at Chili's in San Bernardino in support of our animal shelter. 

From 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM, 10 percent of sales will go toward renovating theshelter.  Remember to print this flyer or pick one up at the Shelter located at 333 Chandler Place San Bernardino, CA 92408. 

Also remember that animals can be adopted year around at our shelter and adoption is a gift that benefits everyone.

 

Article:

SAN BERNARDINO - Leaking roofs. Problems with mice, roaches and disease. Backed up sewage. Animals shivering and wet, lying on concrete floors.

These are some of the allegations posted on the message board of shelterwatch.com describing decrepit conditions at the San Bernardino City Animal Shelter.

Concerns voiced by community members at City Council meetings and published on the Internet have prompted action.

"It needs lot of improvement," said Mary Sheets, executive director of the Humane Society of San Bernardino Valley. "As the Humane Society we want to make sure those animals are well cared for and in the process of getting adopted."

The Human Society has offered to partner with the city to address to improvements needed at the shelter, Sheets said. Volunteers also recently toured the facility.

As city officials grapple with a $17.3 million deficit, the city has little money to spend on addressing the problems at the facility.

In response, Mayor Pat Morris has reached out to the business community for donations and is asking for volunteers to help fix up the shelter.

"We're terribly understaffed and overburdened," Morris said. "This is a very old facility in desperate need of renovation or replacement."

Each year, the city impounds, feeds and cares for 16,000 animals, Morris said.

The city also provides animal control services to several cities, including Loma Linda and Fontana.

An architect with the Humane Society recently toured the facility and suggested some immediate improvements, such as covering the existing roof with foam, which would fix the leaks and make the building cooler during summer, Sheets said. In addition, he suggested improving the heating system in the floor, Sheets said.

Meanwhile, San Bernardino County officials have also reached out to the city. The county's animal care and control program has proposed forming a joint powers authority, an entity that cities could join to provide animal services across the county.

If the entity were formed, the city of San Bernardino would not have to shoulder the entire burden of paying to rebuild the animal shelter, said Brian Cronin, division chief.

San Bernardino, along with 12 other cities in the county, have expressed interest in forming a joint powers authority, Cronin said.

"The idea has great merit," Morris said. "We are not doing well with our aging facility and limited staffing."

What: The San Bernardino County Museum's Reading Discoveries program, which is free

When: 7:30p.m., Wednesday, November 13

Book for discussion: "Arctic Dreams" by Barry Lopez - a sweeping tale of the northern climes, and the reality of extremes. Lopez views the Far North through its wildlife, climate and how humans respond-both as exploiters and for their very survival.

Information: Jolene Redvale at (909) 307-2669 ext. 252 or e-mail jredvale@sbcm.sbcounty.gov.

San Bernardino County unveiled a plan this week to partner with Yellow Ribbon of America to collect holiday gifts for troops and their families.

The County Department of Veterans Affairs will work with the nonprofit group to collect and distribute holiday gifts in a repeat of last year's operation, which successfully collected about 50,000 items.

Although gifts will again be collected for troops this year, the focus will be on collecting gifts for the children and families of the troops.

The San Bernardino County Department of Veterans Affairs will coordinate the collections, and individual County department heads will work with their employees to collect items.
The Department of Veterans Affairs is placing collection boxes at County fire stations, branch libraries and other County offices. Suggested donations include pre-paid phone cards, gift cards and new, unwrapped toys.

Yellow Ribbon of America will collect the care packages and distribute them to families the group has been providing holiday care packages to the troops and their families since 2004.
While most items collected will be distributed to military families, the County will work with Touch of Home Support 4R Deployed Military - a nonprofit in Crestline - to send any donated comfort items such as hygiene products, snacks, books, and magazines to local troops serving overseas.

With the biggest earthquake drill in U.S. history happening Thursday, November 13, San Bernardino County Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt is inviting all County residents to participate in the Great Southern California ShakeOut, and to attend one of two public events to learn about earthquake preparedness.

The events are open to the public:

Victorville
Date: Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Time: 1:30 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Location: Victor Valley College, Student Activities Center
             18422 Bear Valley Road
             Victorville, CA 92395

Redlands
Date: Thursday, November 13, 2008 (Day of the ShakeOut)
Time: 9:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Location: San Bernardino County Museum
             2024 Orange Tree Lane
             Redlands, CA 92374

Aside from Sharon Gilbert's new IE Politics blog, there aren't that many political bogs tracking issues in San Bernardino County.

Of course, there's the popular redcounty.com blog , which lately has been somewhat devoid of posts, and the Pave The Roads First blog, by Paul Bosacki, which tracks issues in the High Desert.

There's also inlandutopia.com.

If you know of any others, give me a shout out either in the comments section of this blog or at lauren.mcsherry@inlandnewspapers.com.

	Edwin "Ed" Chau (Dem)	82,728	39.7%
*	Gary G. Miller (Rep)	125,139	60.3%

 

According to the Secretary of State

Russell Warner (Dem)	87,075	40.7%
	David Dreier (Rep)	112,154	52.5%
	Ted Brown (Lib)	14,576	6.8%

According to the Secretary of State

Candidate		Votes	Percent
	Tim Prince (Dem)	74,101	38.1%
*	Jerry Lewis (Rep)	120,276	61.9%

 

According to the Secretary of State

STATE SENATOR DISTRICT 17
Vote For 1	189 of 189 Precincts Reporting (View Map)
CANDIDATE VOTES PERCENT REP - GEORGE RUNNER 42614 58.96% DEM - BRUCE DAVID MCFARLAND 29661 41.04%

STATE SENATOR DISTRICT 29
Vote For 1	100 of 100 Precincts Reporting (View Map)
CANDIDATE VOTES PERCENT REP - ROBERT ''BOB'' HUFF 20583 52.40% DEM - JOSEPH M. LYONS 15968 40.65% LIB - JILL STONE 2730 6.95%

STATE SENATOR DISTRICT 31
Vote For 1	528 of 528 Precincts Reporting (View Map)
CANDIDATE VOTES PERCENT REP - BOB DUTTON 99977 62.46% DEM - AMEENAH FULLER 60082 37.54%

STATE ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 32
Vote For 1	3 of 3 Precincts Reporting (View Map)
CANDIDATE VOTES PERCENT REP - JEAN FULLER 274 68.33% DEM - VIRGINIA MARTINEZ 127 31.67%

STATE ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 34
Vote For 1	80 of 80 Precincts Reporting (View Map)
CANDIDATE VOTES PERCENT REP - CONNIE CONWAY 6371 55.32% DEM - DESMOND FARRELLY 5146 44.68%

STATE ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 36
Vote For 1	129 of 129 Precincts Reporting (View Map)
CANDIDATE VOTES PERCENT REP - STEVE KNIGHT 20867 52.89% DEM - LINDA K. JONES 18585 47.11%

STATE ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 59
Vote For 1	242 of 242 Precincts Reporting (View Map)
CANDIDATE VOTES PERCENT REP - ANTHONY ADAMS 36864 53.06% DEM - DONALD E. WILLIAMSON 26694 38.42% LIB - MAUREEN K. KEEDY 5924 8.53%

STATE ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 60
Vote For 1	39 of 39 Precincts Reporting (View Map)
CANDIDATE VOTES PERCENT REP - CURT HAGMAN 12205 57.60% DEM - DIANE SINGER 8985 42.40%

STATE ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 61
Vote For 1	147 of 147 Precincts Reporting (View Map)
CANDIDATE VOTES PERCENT DEM - NORMA J. TORRES 29857 57.17% REP - WENDY A. MAIER 19331 37.01% LIB - MICHAEL MENDEZ 3039 5.82%

STATE ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 62
Vote For 1	239 of 239 Precincts Reporting (View Map)
CANDIDATE VOTES PERCENT DEM - WILMER AMINA CARTER 58789 100.00%

STATE ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 63
Vote For 1	327 of 327 Precincts Reporting (View Map)
CANDIDATE VOTES PERCENT REP - BILL EMMERSON 67908 54.69% DEM - MARK DAVID WESTWOOD 56261 45.31%

STATE ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 65
Vote For 1	185 of 185 Precincts Reporting (View Map)
CANDIDATE VOTES PERCENT REP - PAUL COOK 22112 63.16% DEM - CARL WOOD 12898 36.84%

The California Desert Coalition has planned a meeting for 7 p.m. tonight to discuss the latest developments in the Green Path North Project.

The project, backed by Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, involves plans to erect a power line across hundreds of miles of undeveloped land in the High Desert. Land within the San Bernardino National Forest could also be affected.

The coalition says the two- to five-mile-wide corridor would also house all future oil, water and gas line projects.

LADWP maintains that the project is environmentally friendly because it would transmit electricity from renewable energy sources.

The meeting will be held at the Yucca Valley Community Center in Yucca Valley.

Although the meeting is being held in Yucca Valley, the proposed route would encompass a large swath of San Bernardino County and could affect land and vistas from Yucaipa to San Bernardino.

San Bernardino County voters showed resounding support in Tuesday's election for a ballot measure that championed cleaning up government corruption.

More than 80 percent of voters supported a ballot measure to "establish a higher standard of ethics for staff members of County elected officers."

The measure was put forward by Paul Biane, chairman of the Board of Supervisors, in July when the county was rocked by investigation findings that possibly illegal, partisan political activities has been conducted by employees in Assessor Bill Postmus' office.

The wording of Measure S may have seemed compelling to voters, but government watchdog Bob Stern of the Center for Governmental Studies criticized the measure for being little more than a smokescreen.

"I call this a feel-good measure because this doesn't do much," Stern said. "Obviously, they have had major problems in the county, and they need to do much better."

One provision of the measure is to increase the threshold from three to four votes for the Board of Supervisors to fire staff members.

Another provision requires ethics training for staff members of elected officials. A third provision requires minimum qualification standards to be established for some staff members.

The measure does not address forming an ethics commission, an idea endorsed by the grand jury in its report, government experts and incoming Supervisor Neil Derry.

"Clearly they could have had a much stronger law," Stern said. "At least they are creating awareness of ethics. Now, they have to follow through and change the tenor of the county."

click here: http://www.sbsun.com/elections

We are streaming live Web casts throughout the day.

For election results in San Bernardino County, click here:

http://www.sbcounty.gov/rovelectionresults/

Early results posted by the registrar show that a ballot measure to "establish a higher standard of ethics for staff members of County elected officers" has won support from voters.

Measure S has received more than 80 percent of the vote.

The registrar will update the vote tally at noon.

According to the latest results posted by the registrar, Needles voters have approved the location of a proposed casino in the High Desert.

Measure H won about 70 percent of the vote.

Read the latest Sun article on the controversy surrounding the casino here: http://www.sbsun.com/search/ci_10892179?IADID=Search-www.sbsun.com-www.sbsun.com

The following is the text of a letter of censure issued today by the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors:

Mr. Postmus,

 

The Grand Jury, the public, the mainstream news media, and the Board of Supervisors

have raised serious concerns about the manner in which you have managed the

Assessor's Office, carried out your duties as an elected official, and conducted yourself

personally. However, what has emerged as an overall point of concern is your repeated

refusal to adequately address these issues and provide any degree of assurance that

you are fit to serve the public and execute the vitally important duties of your elected

office.

 

The Board's primary obligation to the public is to ensure the effective operation of all

County departments, including yours. Additionally, the County's voter-approved Charter

creates a clear responsibility for the Board to ensure that elected department heads

such as you abide by professional and ethical standards, County policy, and the law. In

your case, the public has made it clear that it expects the Board to fulfill these roles.

 

The 2007-2008 Grand Jury Final Report issued on June 30 raised serious questions

about your management of the office, citing irresponsible hiring practices and the

unauthorized use of County resources for political campaign activities, which - as you

know from the ethics training you received as a Board member - would constitute a

serious crime. These concerns were validated by the immediate filing of a criminal

complaint against your top assistant and chief political operative, Adam Aleman, on

felony charges alleging the preparation of false evidence, the destruction of public

records, and the provision of false evidence to the Grand Jury. Furthermore, the District

Attorney is conducting a criminal investigation into your conduct.

 

On July 15, the Board of Supervisors unanimously requested that you appear before the

Board on August 19 in public session to address these issues. However, on July 23,

you embarked upon what turned into a nearly 12-week paid absence, which you

attributed to an undisclosed medical condition. As a result, you did not appear as

requested.

 

The Board of Supervisors understands that some of the issues raised by the Grand Jury

were addressed in the mandated written response generated by your office. Other

issues were remedied by your office through Board-approved reclassifications and the

elimination of certain positions. However, the Board remains deeply concerned by the

prospect that you allowed alleged criminal activity for which Mr. Aleman has been

criminally charged, as well as the transgressions referenced by the Grand Jury, some of

which could prove to be illegal. You have a clear obligation to inform the public about

your role in these affairs.

 

Additionally, during your absence, multiple mainstream news organizations published

allegations that you have abused prescription and perhaps illegal drugs. You have

curiously chosen to remain silent on these accusations. We fail to see how addressing

news reports about your alleged illegal drug use would interfere with the ongoing District

Attorney's investigation, which you have cited as reason for your continued silence.

 

Most recently, upon your return to your duties last month, you once again rejected a

request, this time from the Board Chairman, to appear before the Board in open session

to discuss these lingering and persistent questions about the operations of your office.

Your steadfast refusal to address the Board and the public regarding these most serious

concerns, as well as the tone and content of your written responses, shows contempt

and disregard for the people who elected you and this Board and has left the Board of

Supervisors with no option but to formally and unanimously condemn your failure to

respond to these serious allegations.

 

The County's codes of ethics set forth expectations of professional conduct so that we

as public servants may continually earn the public's respect and confidence. Your

actions inarguably undermine this effort. Instead of acting in a responsible and ethical

manner, you have attempted to sidestep legitimate concerns by casting blame on

others.

 

This Board cannot and will not sit idly by while you continue to evade the clear duty you

have to the public and the Board of Supervisors to candidly and publicly address the

very disturbing questions surrounding you. These issues cut to the heart of your fitness

and ability to serve as an elected official and manage a County department.

 

Your refusal to respond to these issues further erodes the public's confidence in your

ability to serve ethically, professionally, and capably as their Assessor. As a Board, we

insist that you appear before us and attempt to convince the public and the Board why it

is that you remain fit to hold office and deserve to continue to enjoy the taxpayer-funded

compensation to which your position entitles you.

 

Your failure to do so will leave the Board with no other choice than to pursue any and all

options at our disposal to resolve this matter.

After four months of public outcry over an elected official's reported drug abuse and mismanagement of office, the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors issued a letter today reprimanding Assessor Bill Postmus.

Here are some key comments from today's meeting

"We need to be held to a high standard, all of us. ... I agree with the censure as difficult as it is. I also agree that it is important to give direction to county counsel to look into hiring an investigator."

- Supervisor Gary Ovitt

"It does encompass this situation where we have someone who is struggling to function in their capaciy, possibley to the detriment of the public."

- Supervisor Dennis Hansberger

"This goes to the tone and content of the responses from the assessor, and I don't think they've been appropriate. ... I think this whole board is concerned and should be and has a duty to be."

- Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt

"There are disturbing questions that deserve very clear succinct answers - answers that this public, this taxpaying public in San Bernardino County, deserve to hear. ... If anybody thinks this is easy for any one of us, you are mistaken."

- Supervisor Josie Gonzales

Grand Prix Fire and Old Fire victims have until December 2014 to take advantage of fee waivers aimed at helping and encouraging them to rebuild or repair their homes, the Board of Supervisors decided Tuesday.

The Grand Prix and Old fires damaged and destroyed more than one thousand homes in San Bernardino County in 2003.

Supervisors instituted fee waivers for fire victims immediately after the blazes, but some homeowners have yet to rebuild or repair their fire-damaged homes.

In addition, the Board agreed to waive fees when fire victims apply for lot mergers and adjustments, which can improve fire protection by providing greater separation between homes and buildings.

The Board also agreed to broaden a provision that allows fire victims in Cedar Glen to rebuild anywhere in unincorporated San Bernardino County and still receive a building fee waiver. Now all Old or Grand Prix fire victims can get this fee waiver if they rebuild on another lot in an unincorporated area in the County.

The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors accepted today the donation of a $363, 949 Mobile Medical Clinic for Arrowhead Regional Medical Center to take health care to
the people.

The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors toned down this morning the language of a letter reprimanding Assessor Bill Postmus for the management of his elected office.

The board voted unanimously to issue the letter after accepting some minor editing changes from Supervisors Dennis Hansberger and Brad Mitzelfelt.

Mitzelfelt expressed concerns about mentioning allegations of Postmus' methamphetamine use in the letter because he said the issue had been raised only in two newspapers which both used anonymous sources in their reporting. One of those newspapers is The Sun, which also reported that Postmus has made two trips to rehabilitation centers to deal with an addiction to prescription pain medication and meth.

As my co-worker Andrew Edwards is reporting on his SBNOW blog:

The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to vote Tuesday to approve incoming supervisor Neil Derry's hiring of current City Council colleague Chas Kelley.

Derry, who represents San Bernardino's 4th Ward (northeast neighborhoods) until December, is set to be sworn in as the county's 3rd District supervisor in December.

Kelley represents the city's 5th Ward (northwest neighborhoods). Derry and Kelley are both on the conservative-leaning side of the council.

Kelley's annual salary will be $125,135 - including benefits - if the board approves his hiring.

Sharon Gilbert whose crittercollectibles blog grew to be exceedingly popular among San Bernardino County employees for its revealing posts on local corruption and scandals has launched a new blog, focusing solely on politics.

Check it out: http://www.iepolitics.com/

 

If you're a bit confused about the wording of Measure S on your sample ballot, it's okay.

The measure, which concerns a proposed charter amendment and ethics in San Bernardino County, needs majority approval in order to pass. The Sun's editorial board opposes the measure.

The description of  the measure on the Registrar of Voters Web site is a bit vague: "Shall the Charter of the County of San Bernardino be amended to establish a higher standard of ethics for staff members of County elected officers?"

The amendment was proposed in the wake of scandal emanating from county Assessor Bill Postmus' office. Postmus is currently being investigated by the district attorney.

If you'd like more information on Measure S, so that you can make up your mind for yourself, click here: http://www.sbcounty.gov/sbco/cob/AG070808/ITM67/default.asp.

This is a link to a county report outlining the principles of the proposed charter amendment.

The California Desert Coalition has planned a meeting for 7 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 6, to discuss the latest developments in the Green Path North Project.

The project, backed by Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, involves plans to erect a power line across hundreds of miles of undeveloped land in the High Desert. Land within the San Bernardino National Forest could also be affected.

The coalition says the two- to five-mile-wide corridor would also house all future oil, water and gas line projects.

LADWP maintains that the project is environmentally friendly because it would transmit electricity from renewable energy sources.

The meeting will be held at the Yucca Valley Community Center in Yucca Valley.

Although the meeting is being held in Yucca Valley, the proposed route would encompass a large swath of San Bernardino County and could affect land and vistas from Yucaipa to San Bernardino.

Tomorrow the Board of Supervisors is set to vote on a letter reprimanding Assessor Bill Postmus.

The meeting at the county government center in San Bernardino starts at 10 a.m.

The agenda item regarding the letter is titled:

Approve and issue the Letter of Censure dated November 4, 2008 to Assessor Bill Postmus expressing concern related to the alleged unlawful political activity in the Assessor's office and the allegations of the Assessor's illegal methamphetamine use.