February 2009 Archives
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has proposed another route for its controversial Green Path North project that would bypass pristine desert land in the High Desert and closely parallel the 10 Freeway.
The newly proposed route, about 80 miles in length, would run 230-kilovolt power lines westward from just below Desert Hot Springs in Riverside County to Lytle Creek.
The path would dip south of the 10 Freeway near Banning, then follow the freeway northwest through San Timoteo Canyon, Loma Linda, Colton and Rialto before terminating in Lytle Creek.
Environmentalists, however, still remain wary. The new route could impact about 370 properties along the 10 Freeway, 16 of which are homes.
But that's a far cry from the approximately 3,500 properties that could be impacted by another proposed route through the High Desert, which would skirt the southern boundary of Joshua Tree National Park and stretch westward to the 15 Freeway, said Joseph Ramallo, spokesman for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.
Green Path North will channel electrical power fueled by geothermal, wind and solar energy from the Salton Sea in Imperial County to Los Angeles County, and provide other utilities serving Southern California with up to 1,200 megawatts of geothermal reserves.
Another proposed route would cut through areas of the Morongo Basin and encroach upon large swaths of ecological preserves, environmentalists say.
Several environmental groups including the Wildlands Conservancy, the California Desert Coaltion and the Center for Biological Diversity have launched a billboard campaign along the 10 Freeway in Cabazon and Yucaipa encouraging Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa not to "destroy" the land they hold dear to their hearts.
April Hall, conservation director for the Oak Glen-based Wildlands Conservancy, said some of the proposed routes would impact the Conservancy's Pioneertown Mountains Preserve near Yucca Valley and its Mission Creek Preserve near Desert Hot Springs in Riverside County.
San Bernardino County Supervisor Neil Derry, whose district lies in the majority of Green Path North's boundaries, sees the utility's new route opening up a new can of worms.
"What alleviates concerns in one area will raise concerns in another," Derry said. He said the LADWP's new proposal, while sidestepping land in the High Desert, will create a whole new set of issues in cities like Loma Linda, Grand Terrace, Redlands and San Bernardino, which lie in the path of the new route.
Should the LADWP choose the new route, it would have to construct underground vaults for power lines along a 15-mile stretch through San Bernardino, Colton and Rialto, Ramallo said.
The utility plans to acquire additional rights of way for the project, but the easements will be more than 100 feet less in width now that the utility has scaled line capacity down to 230 kilovolts from 500 kilovolts to accommodate underground vaulting, Ramallo said.
The LADWP will kick off the environmental review process in the next four to six weeks with the filing of a notice of intent, Ramallo said, stressing that a route will not be decided upon until after an environmental impact report is complete. That could take up to 2 1/2 years.
The public will have the opportunity to review the report when it is ready, and public workshops will be held to field concerns and get input.
"From the beginning, we said we are committed to pursuing the route with the least amount of significant environmental impacts," Ramallo said.
The LADWP is pushing to complete the project by 2013. Its goal is to have 35 percent of its electricity generated from renewable energy by 2020 in order to meet new state greenhouse gas reduction mandates.
About 11 percent of the utility's electricity is currently generated from renewable energy, Ramallo said.
For information on LADWP-hosted public workshops and the latest updates on Green Path North, go to www.ladwp.com/greenpathnorth.
Trailblazing attorney John Hueston could present findings from his investigation into the San Bernardino County Assessor's Office to the Board of Supervisors as early as Tuesday.
In late January, the board hired Hueston, who successfully prosecuted key figures in the Enron scandal, to help build a case against Postmus in order to fire him with the least resistance. But on Feb. 13, Postmus officially resigned.
With Postmus now gone, Hueston's investigation has been suspended until his findings and recommendations are made to the board. It remains unclear if the county will continue to retain his services.
"We're still asking (Hueston) to come back with his findings and make a determination on how to proceed," Second District Supervisor Paul Biane said. In the same breath, he said Postmus's resignation may remove the neccessity of having such a high-priced attorney investigate.
The county last month budgeted $250,000 for Hueston and his staff to begin their investigation, and has racked up about $90,000 in billable hours so far, county spokesman David Wert said.
Third District Supervisor Neil Derry said the investigation needs to be completed and the findings made public to avoid any perception of secrecy.
"The important thing to realize is this wasn't about the removal of Bill Postmus, it was about investigating allegations against the Assessor's Office that have been made by the press and other sources," Derry said. "It's important for the public to know that we're going to complete the process."
Investigators from the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office arrested Postmus, 37, at his Rancho Cucamonga home on Jan. 15 after finding what appeared to be methamphetamine during the serving of a search warrant. It was one of 10 warrants served in San Bernardino and Orange counties as part of the District Attorney's ongoing investigation into political malfeasance at the Assessor's Office.
Postmus, who posted bail and was released from jail the day of his arrest, has not been charged with a crime.
The criminal investigation came on the heels of a grand jury report criticizing the Assessor's Office for alleged cronyism and use of office for political activity.
Hueston gave a verbal update on his investigation last week with county counsel. The intent is for him to present his findings either Tuesday or March 17, Biane said.
The county will likely share information from Hueston's investigation with the District Attorney's Office to use at their discretion, Wert said.
The city will enter into a 25-year revenue sharing program with San Bernardino County to bolster the amount of tax revenue it receives from certain properties.
The county created the program in February 2006 as a means to provide additional revenue to cities that receive a smaller percentage of property tax than others. Fontana only receives 3.24-percent of the one-percent general tax levy from the county.
Fontana has identified 10 parcels of property across the city comprised of 164 parcels totaling 1,216 acres. Each parcel is 20 contiguous acres or more in size.
On Tuesday, the City Council approved the agreement, which has yet to go before the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors for approval.
Under the program, the county will nearly double the amount of property tax revenue it transfers to the city - from 3.4 cents for every property tax dollar earned to seven cents. The city will use the additional revenue for public safety and infrastructure expansion as the land develops, said Lisa Strong, Fontana's management services director.
"We're definitely on the low end of the scale property tax wise," said Strong. "We'll take the extra money. We could always use it."
But the revenue-generating ability of the land is of little promise right now due to the flagging economy, and the land likely won't get developed anytime soon.
"If it doesn't develop for five years, it just means we've lost five years of that extra money," said Strong. "The big assessed value comes from the development."
Once the county approves the agreement, city officials will meet with representatives from the state Board of Equalization to establish special tax rate areas for each of the 10 properties in order to track them separately on the tax rolls, Strong said.
The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors has approved a $3.9 million contract for the construction of a new county library overlooking Lake Gregory.
It will be twice the size of the current, albeit dated library housed in a former post office on Knapps Cutoff.
Construction of the 7,641-square-foot library is set to begin next month and will take about a year to complete. It will feature a multipurpose room, children's reading area and computer lab and will be constructed on a three-acre site adjacent the Crestline Skatepark and Village Park.
"This is going to be a first-class library, and it's ging to be a tremendous asset for the Crestline communities," Second District Supervisor Paul Biane said in a news release.
Biane pushed the project forward in 2005 when he began allocating funding for the project.
The Board of Supervisors approved the construction contract at its Tuesday meeting, the same day county librarian Ed Kieczykowski told the board he needs to trim his department's budget by $1.5 million for the 2009-2010 fiscal year. That could mean a 26-percent cut in hours for part time employees, the elimination of eight full-time positions that are currently vacant and a $500,000 cut to the county library system's book budget.
Another likelihood is that, beginning July 1, all 30 county library branches will close on Fridays.
Kieczykowski stressed it is merely one option he presented to the board, and no firm decision has yet been made. One thing is certain: he needs to bring the library's $19.5 million budget down to about $18 million. He said employee retirements can also help shave from the budget.
"I don't have the revenues this year and I have to cut costs somewhere, and my biggest cost is personnel," he said.
The new library in Crestline, however, will not affect the county library system's budget, Kieczykowski said.
"It's not like starting a branch all over again and adding new staff and a new book collection," he said, adding that staff at the existing Crestline library will move into the new one when it opens. A few additional staff may be hired to accommodate the doubled growth.
The new library will be an environmentally friendly "green building" built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards.
The county is preparing to purchase the largest chunk of developable land remaining in Rancho Cucamonga and then sell it to a developer for commercial and residential development.
One of the entities vying to build on the 1,200-acre property north of the 210 Freeway is a consortium of developers calling itself Rancho Alliance Investors, which includes Upland-based Lewis Homes and Rancho Cucamonga-based Diversified Pacific, whose managing member, Jeff Burum, was a partner in the controversial Colonies development in Upland.
In 2002, Colonies Partners sued the county over flood control easements at the Upland site. It received a $102 million settlement from the county six years later, in late 2006.
"I individually am a member of a larger team pulled together by Lewis Homes to respond to an (Request for Qualification)," Burum said in an e-mail Tuesday. "I was invited to join this group because of my extensive knowledge and expertise working with easements; multiple state, federal and local water agencies as well as other technical skill sets."
Rancho Alliance Investors is one of six developers that will give presentations on what they plan to build on the property at two special Rancho Cucamonga City Council meetings at noon on March 2 and at 1:30 p.m. on March 3. The City Council will subsequently make a recommendation to the county on a developer.
On Tuesday, the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors approved an agreement between the county and its flood control district for the purchase of the land. After receiving proposals on a developer from Rancho Cucamonga, the county will enter into a land entitlement agreement with its selected developer, which officials say will take between five to seven years.
The entitlement agreement will enable the county to have oversight and control over how the property is developed and ensure it is developed properly, county spokesman David Wert said.
It is unclear who much the county will pay for the land, as it is still being appraised. That is expected to take about six months, said Tim Johnson, district director for Second District Supervisor Paul Biane.
The county has done a preliminary assessment of the land's value based on current market conditions, and determined it is likely worth between $37.5 million and $75 million.
Developers have proposed a golf course and a 25-acre sports park for the future development, but nothing has been set in stone. The city of Rancho Cucamonga will be charting the course of development in coming years, said Mahdi Aluzri, deputy city manager for Rancho Cucamonga.
The city and county circulated a request for proposals for development in July. It received seven proposals, and one of the developers, John Laing Homes, has since dropped out of consideration, Aluzri said.
The Board of Supervisors plans to receive proposals from Rancho Cucamonga regarding future entitlement of the property at its April 28 meeting.
The five other developers competing for the land are: Del Mar-based Brookfield Homes, Oregon-based K&K Development Inc., Pennsylvania-based Toll Brothers, Inc., Irvine-based Foremost Communities and Stockton-based Richland Communities, Inc.
The San Manuel Band of Mission Indian will open its San Manuel Village from 8-10 p.m. Friday for an autograph session with three NASCAR drivers who are in town for the NASCAR's Auto Club 500 and Camping World Truck Series this weekend at the Fontana Speedway.
About 75 fans are being shuttled out to the Village to take in the event.
The Hampton Inn & Suites will host Camping World Truck Series Driver Chase Austin, Nationwide Series Driver Johnny Borneman and Nationwide Series Driver David Green for an autograph session open to the public.
The session will feature a public showing of cars competing in the Camping World Truck Series and Autoclub 500 races at the Autoclub Raceway in Fontana.
The Hampton Inn & suites is located at 27959 San Manuel Village, in Highland, at the corner of Highland and Boulder avenues.
Staff at Big Bear High School violated a student's Constitutional right to free speech when they ousted her from class and ordered her to remove her T-shirt sporting the message "Prop. 8 Equals Hate," officials said.
Carole Ferraud, superintendent of Bear Valley Unified School District, issued a written apology to 16-year-old sophomore and class president Mariah Jimenez in order to stem a lawsuit against the school district by Jimenez and the American Civil Liberties Union.
Jimenez wore the tye-dyed shirt with the anti-Prop. 8 message to school on Nov. 3, the day before California voters approved the controversial ballot measure that precludes homosexual couples from marrying legally in the state of California.
"The fact that you were put in a position to have to make a choice between removing your shirt or remaining in the administration office was, in fact, a violation of your freedom of speech," Ferraud wrote to Jimenez in a letter dated Jan. 12.
On Nov. 3, Jimenez's Associated Student Body teacher, Sue Reynolds, ousted her from class and sent her to Principal Michael Ghelber's office, reportedly out of concern for Jimenez's safety. Ghelber gave Jimenez an ultimatum: change her shirt or remain in his office. Jimenez eventually changed her shirt and returned to her classes.
Under the terms of the agreement between the school district, Jimenez and the ACLU, the school district will also update its speech and dress code to reflect the Constitutionally protected rights of free expression and speech. The district will also team with ACLU members to hold a forum at the school to inform teachers and students on free speech rights and nondiscrimination policies.
In return, the school district does not have to fight a lawsuit or risk having to mete out any cash to the Jimenez family should they prevail in a lawsuit.
"Some people are still convinced I was just after money, but I never once requested money," Jimenez said. "All I wanted was an apology."
Neither Reynolds, Ghelber nor Ferraud returned phone calls seeking comment. None of them have spoken publicly on the issue since it first surfaced in December.
Lori Rifkin, an attorney with the ACLU's Los Angeles chapter, said a student's right to express their political views is guarded by the First Amendment and prior case law.
"They were eliminating her right to express her political views," Rifkin said.
Ferraud noted in her letter to Jimenez that the "the intentions of Reynolds and Ghelber evolved around issues of safety and the message that a shirt with the word 'hate' might cause," and that the incident involving Jimenez "fell right on the heels of a time when tensions were high at Big Bear High School."
Rifkin said concern over how others will react to a controversial message does not justify restricting someone's right to free speech and completely defeats the purpose of the First Amendment.
Despite her victory, Jimenez said she continues to be ostracized at school by both teachers and her peers. Though she is still her class president, she said she had to withdraw from her ASB class due to tensions between her, her teacher and her peers.
"It's really frustrating, but there's nothing you can do about it, and it's not worth your time to try and fix it," said Jimenez. "People will still be ignorant, and they'll think what they want to think and you can't change that."
joe.nelson@inlandnewspapers.com, (909) 386-3874
Three-time Grammy-nominated singer, poet and actress Jewel is coming to San Manuel Indian Bingo & Casino on March 5. Tickets are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com or the San Manuel box office for $20, $30 and $40.
Jewel got her start as a street performer and playing the coffeehouse circuit in San Diego, living out of her van and scraping by on her talent. She gained a local fan base and ultimately landed a record contract. Her first album, "Pieces of You," sold about 3,000 copies in the San Diego area.
She has since gone on to receive three Grammy nominations, an American Music Award and an MTV Video Music Award. She has sold more than 27 million albums worldwide and was the recipient of the prestigious Governor's Award from the Los Angeles chapter of the Recording Academy.
For more information visit San Manuel's Web site at www.sanmanuel.com or call 800-359-2464.
Gary Ovitt, chairman of the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors, sent a letter to state legislative members Tuesday urging them to pass a budget without raising taxes.
"In these trying economic times, it makes no sense to to saddle county residents to pay for an archaic, inefficient budget that makes life more difficult for those we serve," Ovitt said in a news release. "Tax increases are not the answer. It makes an already untenable situation worse."
Ovitt will present a board agenda item at the supervisors' next meeting on Feb. 24 to officially make part of the public record the board's opposition to tax hikes to help balance the state budget.
The San Bernardino County Mental Health Commission will meet from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 5 in the Behavioral Health Resource Center, room F119-120, in Rialto. The address is 850 E. Foothill Blvd.
For more information contact Debi Pasco at (909) 382-3085.
The following is a list of guest speakers for the Democratic Luncheon Club of San Bernardino, which meets at noon every Friday at its headquarters, 136 Carousel Mall (near the central glass elevator) in San Bernardino:
* Feb. 20 - San Bernardino County Board of Education Trustee Gil Navarro will discuss the county's dropout rate and achievement gap.
* Feb. 27 - Hattie Inge will discuss black history
* March 6 - Laura Palmer, project manager for Childrens' Disaster Service
* March 13 - David Wilder, consumer advocate
For further information contact Mark Alvarez at (909)882 5819.
Volunteers are being sought for San Bernardino County's 2009-2010 Grand Jury. Applications are being accepted through April 17.
The Grand Jury is charged with the task of investigating all aspects of county government and reviewing criminal investigations tied to local government.
Last year's grand jury was one of the more effective in recent memory. Its scrutiny of former Assessor Bill Postmus ultimately led to his Feb. 13 resignation following allegations of drug abuse, cronysism and misuse of public office for partisan politics.
"I think this past grand jury did an excellent job of reviewing the issues brought before them. I hope the grand jury this following year is just as successful and aggressive," said Third District San Bernardino County Supervisor Neil Derry. "They serve an important role in providing legitimacy to our elected government."
Chosen applicants will serve from July 1 to June 30, 2010. They must serve an average of three to four business days a week and will be paid $25 a day, plus meals and mileage.
For information or an application, call (909) 381-2458. Applications can also be downloaded from the Grand Jury's Web page at www.sbcounty.gov/grandjury
King of the Cage returns to San Manuel Indian Bingo & Casino on Feb. 26 with "Immortal," including four championship mixed martial arts fights.
Tickets are available now at Ticketmaster.com or the San Manuel box office for $60 and $100.
King of the Cage, a mixture of several different styles of martial arts, started in 1998 when Inland Empire native Terry Trebilcock held his first event on a Fontana tennis court. Fighters from all across the world have since competed in the competition to demonstrate their fighting skills.
Among those facing off include Donald Sanchez and Joe Boxer, Angelo Sanchez and Lazar Stojadinovic, Mike "The Joker" Guymon and Waachiim SpiritwolfThursday, February 26, San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino brings back the action of mixed martial arts with King of the Cage "Immortal", consisting of not one, but four Championship Fights. Tickets are available now at Ticketmaster.com and the San Manuel Box Office for $60 and $100.
King of the Cage, a mixture of several different martial arts styles, started in 1998 when Terry Trebilcock, an Inland Empire native, held his first event on a tennis court in Fontana, California. Over the next ten years, fighters from all across the world competed to demonstrate their skill in knockouts, submissions, take-downs and strategy, making King of the Cage one of the most respected names in the MMA world.
Those facing off are Donald Sanchez and Joe Boxer, Angelo Sanchez and Lazar Stojadinovic, Mike "The Joker" Guymon and Waachiim Spiritwolf and Tony "Kryptonite" Lopez and Keith "KO Kid" Berry. Other fighters on the card include Toby Grear, Bobby Green, Dave Cryer, Aaron Miller, Rubin Duran, Neil Cooke, Josh Iuli and David Vessup.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. the night of the fights. A 21-and-older age requirement to enter the casino is strictly enforced.
For more information on San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino, please visit their Web site at http://www.sanmanuel.com/ or call 800-359-2464.
San Bernardino County Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt today presented a $20,000 check to the Boys and Girls Club of the Victor Valley to be used for anti-gang programs in Adelanto.
"The war on gangs will continue despite budget shortages," Mitzelfelt said in a news release. "As our economy worsens, increases in crime and gang activity usually follow. We can't afford to slow down our gang intervention efforts - these funds will ensure they continue."
The funds will be used to implement two youth programs called S.M.A.R.T. Moves (Skills Mastery and Resistance Training) and Triple Play.
S.M.A.R.T. Moves addresses problems such as gang recruitment, drug and alcohol use and premature sexual activity, while Triple Play teaches young people about the benefits of healthy habits, such as eating right and being physically active, while also equipping young people with skills to adopt healthier lifestyles at the Boys and Girls Club and at home.
Mitzelfelt presented the check during the Adelanto Chamber of Commerce luncheon at Maverick's Stadium. It was the latest development in a multi-million-dollar effort throughout the Victor Valley to provide programs and services designed to give young people productive and healthful alternatives to gangs, drugs and other aberrant activity.
Mitzelfelt has secured more than $5 million for youth intervention programs over the past two years.
Congressman Joe Baca (D-Rialto) and other members of the so-called Democratic Blue Dog Coalition met with President Obama Tuesday at the White House to discuss the upcoming Economic Recovery package and the need for long-term fiscal reform.
"Yesterday's discussion with President Obama was a great chance to talk about our nation's need for fiscal responsibility," Baca said in a news release today. "After being handed a $5.6 trillion surplus by President Clinton, President Bush has given our nation trillions of dollars in deficit and debt. President Obama understands the urgency of our current situation, and that all new government spending we create most come with the greatest standards of transparency and accountability."
Baca joined the Blue Dog Coalition shortly after his election to Congress in 1999. The fiscally conservative coalition was formed in 1995 and is dedicated to a "core set of beliefs that transcend partisan politics, including a deep commitment to the financial stability and national security of the United States."
joe.nelson@inlandnewspapers.com
Members of the recently formed Empire Economic Recovery Corporation (IEERC met with legislators and policy makers in Washington, D.C. this week to educate them about their efforts to tackle the Inland Empire's foreclosure and economic woes by buying foreclosed properties with public and private money.
"The timing of us being here is incredibly important," said San Bernardino County Second District Supervisor Paul Biane in a news release. He proposed the formation of the IEERC last month and serves as chairman of the agency's board of directors. "Things are changing by the minute, by the hour, by the day as to what the stimulus package is going to look like."
The IEERC plans to contract with local businesses such as painters, plumbers, real estate agents, mortgage brokers, property managers, etc. to rehabilitate and sell foreclosed properties nce they are purchased. Profits generated through the sales of homes will be recycled into the corporation to purchase and renovate additional foreclosure properties.
The corporation will ensure foreclosure properties are purchased for primary residences, and it will also help prevent speculative buying by out-of-town investors, who would likely turn homes into rentals or board them up until the housing market returns.
The corporation's efforts include hosting foreclosure prevention seminars across the region to give struggling homeowners an opportunity to speak directly with their lenders and agencies such as HUD that may be able to provide assistance. The first seminar is scheduled for March 28 at the Jessie Turner Community Center in Fontana.
This week, San Bernardino Associated Governments - which represents all of the County's 24 cities as well as the County of San Bernardino - approved a work plan that will provide $50,000 to help IEERC and HUD host the home foreclosure prevention seminars.
Lynn Valbuena, vice chairwoman of the business committee for the San Manuel band of Mission Indians, has been appointed to the board of trustees for the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI). Her three-year term began Jan. 1.
The National Museum of the American Indian was established in November 1989 and is the first national museum in the country dedicated exclusively to Native Americans, and is the first to present all exhibitions from a Native viewpoint and the first constructed on the National Mall since 1987. A number of tribal nations made significant financial contributions to the development and construction of the museum.
"I am honored to have been considered for this important appointment by the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC," Valbuena said. "The National Museum of the American Indian has an opportunity to serve a critical role in bridging the cultural divide between indigenous people of the Americas and the rest of the world. It's a wonderful place to learn about indigenous cultures and I look forward to contributing to its success."
The NMAI's board of trustees includes 25 members representing various sections of the western hemisphere. The NMAI is a part of the prestigious Smithsonian Institution, which operates numerous public museums in Washington, DC and other cities in the country.
"(Valbuena) is precisely the kind of board member we need," said Kevin Gover, director of the museum. "With her leadership skills, knowledge of museums and other non-profits, she will contribute greatly to the museum's mission."
Valbuena has been actively involved with national, regional and local organizations, including service on the governing boards of the National Indian Gaming Association, the Autry National Center, San Bernardino Valley Lighthouse for the Blind, and the YMCA San Bernardino. She is currently chairwoman of the Tribal Alliance of Sovereign Indian Nations, an organization of tribal governments throughout south-central California. She has been an active member of the Advisory Council for the California American Indian Chamber of Commerce for the last nine years.
joe.nelson@inlandnewspapers.com
The San Bernardino/Riverside Counties Central Labor Council, American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, voted unanimously at its Tuesday meeting to endorse the recall of San Bernardino County Assessor Bill Postmus.
Union members discussed numerous ways to help the recall effort, including placing the petition on its Web site and encouraging the more than 100,000 union members in San Bernardino County to print and sign the petition.
A notice of intent to recall Postmus was filed with the San Bernardino County Registrar's Office on Jan. 30.
San Bernardino County Fire Chief Pat Dennen has been given the green light to apply for $10 million in federal aid for the continuing removal of dead trees and brush in the fire-prone San Bernardino Mountains.
The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday authorized Dennen to submit a grant proposal to the U.S. Forest Service for the additional funds and to extend the termination date for the county's Tree Mortality and Fuels Management Grant Program from Sept. 30, 2011 to Sept. 30, 2013.
In the last decade, severe drought and an unprecedented bark beetle infestation killed more than a million trees in the San Bernardino Mountains. More than $70 million has been spent in that time in tree and brush removal, Dennen said.
In July, the Forest Service allocated $3.5 million to the county to assist private property owners in the removal of dry brush and timber from their properties to create defensible space and reduce the threat of fire.
The $10 million the county is seeking from the Forest Service will complement that $3.5 million. Creating more defensible space around homes and businesses will continue to be the number one priority, Dennen said.
Drastic steps have been taken by the county in recent months to diminish the threat of wildfire in the mountains.
In October, the Board of Supervisors adopted an ordinance requiring all mountain residents to replace their wood shake shingle roofs with fire-resistant roofs within five years. The board also approved the revision of an ordinance that now mandates green vegetation, as well as dead and dry vegetation, be cleared from properties in order to create defensible space. Both mandates are now in effect.
The San Bernardino County Fire Department will provide a 10 percent match of $1 million each year of the grant period as part of the deal.
Rolling lane closures along the eastbound and westbound lanes of the 210 freeway, from Pepper Avenue in Rialto to State Street in San Bernardino, are scheduled from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Feb. 8-10. At least one lane in each direction is scheduled to remain open at all times.
The closures are required for temporary re-striping of freeway lanes.
The freeway's eastbound and westbound carpool lanes, from Pepper Avenue in Rialto to State Street in San Bernardino, will be closed from Feb. 8 through September. This long-term, temporary closure is required in order to allow workers to safely retrofit the Muscoy Bridge.
For more project information, call SANBAG at (909) 884-8276 or visit www.sanbag.ca.gov.
First District San Bernardino County Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt announced today that he has selected his communications director, David Zook, to serve as his new chief of staff when current chief of staff Paula Nowicki retires at the end of March.
"I'm glad to know that David will be my Chief of Staff," said Mitzelfelt in a news release. "His professionalism and leadership are invaluable to me as I work to accomplish my goals in office. He and I are definitely on the same wavelength."
Board of Supervisors' chiefs of staff are responsible for planning, organizing and directing the activities of their respective staff while serving as principal assistants to the Supervisors.
Mr. Zook has worked for the county of San Bernardino for 12 years. His experience ranges from law and justice to social services, economic development and administration. He has worked in the District Attorney's Office, the Jobs and Employment Services Department and as a field representative, analyst and communications director in the office of the First District Supervisor.
The state Employment Training Panel (ETP) awarded Colton-based Microdyne Plastics Inc. a grant of $50,310 to upgrade its employees' skills to stay competitive, Assemblywoman Wilmer Amina Carter announced today.
The 80-employee company supplies plastic injection molding to a wide variety of industries, said Tracey Kimberlin, Microdyne's human resources director.
ETP is funded by the Employment Training Tax paid by California employers, and targets firms threatened by out-of-state and international competition.
Since its inception in 1983, the ETP program has provided over $1 billion to train more than 700,000 workers in over 60,000 California companies.
Assemblywoman Carter is interested in identifying companies in the 62nd Assembly District that would benefit from state grants used to upgrade workers' skills. Interested businesses should contact her district office at (909) 820-5008 or visit http://www.etp.ca.gov/
SOURCE: News release
The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors on today approved a resolution that will allow parking on Kimbark Avenue, in front of Kimbark Elementary School.
It came in response to the school's request to the county to use a paved turnout in front of the school for parking. Officials wanted to improve traffic circulation when parents are dropping off and picking up their children. In addition, they wanted additional parking spaces, including spots for handicapped students, in front of the school.
"The credit for this improvement really belongs to the staff at Kimbark Elementary School who saw a way to improve traffic flow in front of their school and then took action to make it happen," Second District Supervisor Paul Biane said.
It will cost about $3,000 to install signs and paint new pavement markings. The San Bernardino City Unified School District will install parking curbs to prevent parked vehicles from blocking the sidewalk in front of Kimbark Elementary School.
SOURCE: Press release
San Bernardino County Supervisor Neil Derry's push to terminate benefits payments to Superior Court judges was thwarted Tuesday after the Board of Supervisors postponed action on the item one month to get a clearer picture of the issue.
Third District Supervisor Derry asserts that discontinuance of county-funded judicial benefits would save the county about $1.5 million a year, roughly the equivalent of one year's salary for 23 full-time employees.
Derry is also concerned about the possible perception of bias in any legal actions where the county is either a plaintiff or a defendant.
A pending lawsuit in Los Angeles County is challenging that county's payments of benefits to judges, who are state employees. A prior court ruling determined the practice was unconstitutional, and the state Supreme Court declined to hear the case on appeal.
Now, Sen. Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) is proposing legislation that would force about 20 counties, including San Bernardino County, to maintain judicial benefits payments to judges, Derry said.
Steinberg's proposed bill would provide that judges who received supplemental judicial benefits by a county as of July 1, 2008 shall continue to receive those benefits on the same terms and conditions.
The proposed legislation would also create a statewide benefits plan for judges in the state's remaining 48 counties who do not receive any county-paid benefits.
"My original position on this matter was to await the completion of the Los Angeles County case. However, I am now compelled to alter my position due to an attempted end-run by (Steinberg) to insert legislation on this issue into the pending state budget," Derry said. He said the proposed legislation was introduced at the request of the Judicial Council and the California Judges Association.
It couldn't come at a more inopportune time, Derry argues.
The county is looking at unprecedented economic times, anticipating more than $100 million in reductions in upcoming years. In July, the county is expecting to begin a furlough program mandating that all county employees take four hours of unpaid time off per pay period, equating to 12 unpaid days off a year, said Jim Erwin, Derry's chief of staff.
In attendance at Tuesday's meeting were San Bernardino County Presiding Judge James C. McGuire, former presiding Judge J. Michael Welch and Assistant Presiding Judge Douglas Elwell, all of who voiced opposition to the termination of benefits.
McGuire said he has served on a committee the last 2 1/2 years dedicated to the issue, and told the board not to be too hasty in its decision.
"I don't think you can look through a vacuum and decide on the issue," McGuire said.
Welch concurred.
"Let's stand back and talk about these issues, and talk about all of them," Welch said.
Afterward, McGuire said he was pleased with the board's decision.
"These are important issues and important times," said McGuire. "I think this will be very productive."
In the next month, the Board of Supervisors will meet with judges to discuss the issue and review the county's prior and current contracts with the court regarding judical benefits payments. Then, the board will reconvene on the matter next month.
Rod Hoops was sworn in as San Bernardino County's new Sheriff Tuesday during a special ceremony in the County Government Center rotunda.
Based on available data, Hoops, 52, of Highland, is the county's 31st Sheriff. He brings to the table more than 30 years of experience at the Sheriff's Department, where he started as a patrol deputy in 1979.
Former Sheriff' Gary Penrod, who retired Jan. 31 after 14 years as the county's top cop and 37 years with the department, swore Hoops in.
"It's a pleasure for me to do this for you Rod," Penrod said.
With that, Hoops rose his right hand and took the oath of Sheriff, vowing to protect "against all enemies foreign and domestic" and to support and defend the Constitution of the United States and of California.
More than 100 people gathered inside the rotunda for the swearing-in ceremony. The Board of Supervisors broke from their meeting to witness the 11 a.m. event.
With his wife Monica and son Andrew at his side, a humbled and choked-up Hoops delivered a brief speech.
"I'm a bit overwhelmed," said Hoops, taking a moment to thank many of his friends, including Grand Terrace City Manager Tom Schwab, Stater Bros. CEO Jack Brown and Palm Springs Police Chief David Dominguez.
"I will not embarrass myself, this department or this county, and I'm going to hit the floor running," Hoops said.
The Board of Supervisors appointed Hoops last week to complete Penrod's term, which ends Jan. 3, 2011. Hoops can run for Sheriff again at that time.
Penrod, 60, of Yucaipa, was elected Sheriff in 1994. He has lived in the county since 1953. He graduated from Redlands High School and attended San Bernardino Valley College, Victor Valley College, UC Santa Barbara and UC Riverside. He joined the Sheriff's Department in 1971 and moved up the ranks, from deputy to deputy chief. He took on the additional role of county coroner when the two offices merged in 2005.
Before his appointment to Sheriff, Hoops served as Assistant Sheriff, overseeing the patrol, specialized investigations and narcotics divisions.
He has said one of his first orders of business will be to address the department's strapped budget and figure out how to do more with less. Another crucial issue is addressing the county's crunched jail system.
In 2008, there were nearly 73,000 inmates booked at the county's three main jails in Rancho Cucamonga, Devore and San Bernardino, with an average daily population of nearly 6,000 inmates.
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