August 2008 Archives

 City officials went to war with some pesky sign posters last week who posted gold signs advertising "teen jobs" up and down Base Line, from Palm to Sterling avenues.

Code compliance officers took all the signs down, but when they later returned, someone had put more of the signs back up.

When code compliance officers called the phone number posted on the signs to inform whoever was posting the signs that they were doing so illegally, they got an answering machine saying "leave a message."

Figures. You can't ever get a hold of real person nowadays, even to inform them they're breaking municipal law.

It looks like San Manuel has recruited another blonde from Hugh Hefner's vault of former Playboy bunnies to help promote its Herculean casino enterprise.

The tribe announced Tuesday that Hugh Hefner gal-pal Kendra Wilkinson, star of the E Network reality series "The Girls Next Door," will make a guest appearance Thursday at the casino's new posh steakhouse The Pines.

Wilkinson is scheduled to make her appearance at 11 p.m., following the Saigon by Night Vietnamese Show held in the casino's Yuhaviatam showroom. All ticket holders for that show will receive a coupon for free admission to the Pines ultra lounge for some late-night dancing.

San Manuel previously retained former Playboy centerfold Shauna Sand for one of its poker events, but has no plans to engager her further, tribe spokesman Jacob Coin said.

Here's a big "Oooops!"

A man who reportedly fell asleep while holding a gun rolled over and shot himself in the leg about 5:45 a.m. Tuesday.

When deputies went to the home of 30-year-old Chad Trent Fountain, in the 26000 block of Cypress Avenue, they not only found the injured Fountain, but also two stolen guns, methamphetamine (which Fountain was in possession of), and marijuana plants growing in his backyard, according to a sheriff's news release.

Deputies also got a lead on a parolee-at-large they've been seeking for quite some time, Robert Allen Frayer, 39, who they learned was living with Fountain, sheriff's Sgt. Don Lupear said.

Frayer is a parolee out of the Victorville area and is being sought by authorities. He is considered armed and dangerous.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Matt Yost at (909) 425-9793.

The morale of the story: Don't sleep with guns!

Sidewalks, curbs and gutters. Oh my!

Street and infrastructure gurus will be staying busy throughout the next year building curbs, gutters, sidewalks and storm drains throughout the city.

Work should commence in the next three weeks on curbs, gutters and sidewalks on Cypress Street, between Central and Palm avenues, and on the west side of Cole Street, north of Cypress Avenue, Assistant Public Works Director Dennis Barton said.

Around mid-October, new sidewalks will be built on Cypress Avenue between Palm and Church avenues and on Seventh Street, east of Sterling Avenue, Barton said.

And in April, storm drain projects will be keeping public works officals busy , with one on Base Line between Olive Street and Central Avenue and another on Water Street between Flintlock Court and Club View Drive.

The projects are part of the city's capital improvement program, and are being funded by bonds approved by the City Council/Redevelopment Agency last year, Barton said.

Mayor Penny Lilburn and City Councilman John Timmer were appointed by their peers Wednesday to serve another four years on the City Council.

Lilburn and Timmer were both up for re-election this year and running unopposed in the November election. The Council, therefore, had a choice: direct an election to be held on Nov. 4 or appoint the two incumbents to take office and serve exactly as if a municipal election for the office.

The Council chose the latter, saving the city $32,752 - the total cost for its portion of the ballot and advertising.

Timmer has served on the Council since 1992 and is a retired battalion chief for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Lilburn was first elected to the council in January 2004. She is the executive director of the Highland Senior Center and serves on the Omnitrans board of directors.

She is also a member of Southern California Associated Governments and is a regional subcommittee member representing San Bernardino Associated Governments, the county's transportation planning agency.

Lilburn and Timmer sit on the Council at a time when the city is undergoing some major transformations, development wise.

The Golden Triangle on Greenspot Road, between the 210 Freeway and Boulder Avenue, will bring a Lowes Home Improvement Center, a multitude of retail stores, restaurants and residences to the city. It will provide new sales and property tax revenues and provide a hub of shopping and dining activity.

Lilburn said she's also looking forward to a new Town Center on Base Line, west of the 210 Freeway, and the opening of San Manuel Village at Highland Avenue and the 330 Freeway, among other things.

"I think John (Timmer) and I are very fortunate that Highland residents have enough confidence in that we have Highland's best interest in mind, and we work hard for them," Lilburn said.
City Councilmen Ross Jones and Larry McCallon and Councilwoman Jody Scott are up for re-election in 2010.

The San Manuel Village, nestled in a wedge abutting the 330 Freeway, Boulder and Highland avenues, is wrapping up with the 4-story, 110-room Hampton Inn & Suites set to open on Sept. 10.

It will serve as a gateway to the mountain resort communities, luring out-of-towners and locals for stayovers, said Peter Watts, executive director of planning and development for the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians.

A Starbucks is planned to open in the plaza as well, said John Jaquess, the city's community development director. He couldn't confirm other tenants planning to open shop in the plaza, which will feature retail shops, restaurants and a 68,000 square-foot, three-story office building.

Watts said several leases have been secured from prospective tenants, but declined to name them, saying he wanted to leave that to the businesses themselves.

Tribal officials and developers broke ground on the 12.29-acre site in December 2006.

"It sets a benchmark, in my opinion, that says the city is interested in quality, mixed-use centers with good architecture and design," Watts said.

The market will ultimately decide the speed in which spaces are leased out.

"It is hard to tell with the economy right now, but we're cautiously optimistic," Watts said.  

A special election will be held at 5 p.m. Wednesday in City Council chambers,  27215 Base Line, to determine if Mayor Penny Lilburn and Councilman John Timmer will be appointed by their peers to the Council or run in the Nov. 4 election.

Lilburn and Timmer are running unopposed in the election.

San Manuel Indian Bingo & Casino is aiming to reclaim its title as the world's largest bingo house this Sunday at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana.

San Manuel will host a Bingo 500 Race to the Record event that will take place during the Pepsi 500 race. Tens of thousands of NASCAR fans are expected to be in attendance during the Labor Day weekend race.

During the race, San Manuel will turn the Speedway into an open air bingo hall. Participants will receive a bingo card, and the game will be called between races. All winning cards will be entered into a random drawing, where $20,000 in cash prizes will be awarded, according to a San Manuel news release.

San Manuel first gained the coveted "World's Largest Bingo House" title in July 2006, when more than 53,000 people participated in its bingo bash at Dodger Stadium.

"We're all fired up about our upcoming record breaking, and we're ready to put the pedal to the medal," said Steve Lengel, executive director of operation for San Maniel Indian Bingo & Casino.

A plan to build 13 single family homes on 34 acres of land on the southeast corner of Central Avenue and Habiscus Street will be unveiled today to the Design Review Board.

The board will review the tract map and get a chance to provide comment. Four lots will be reserved for the city Community Center, Sam Racadio Library and Environmental Learning Center, Community Park and city Corporation Yard, according to the board agenda.

The meeting begins at 5 p.m. in City Council chambers, 27215 Base Line.

Developers are just weeks away from presenting to the city site plans for the Greenspot Village & Marketplace on the north side of Greenspot Road, east of the 210 Freeway.

The anxiously awaited project will bring more than 800,000 square feet of retail business and housing to the Golden Triangle - on Greenspot Road between the 210 Freeway and Boulder Avenue. It will complement the Highland Crossings plaza across the street, anchored by a Lowes Home Improvement Center.

Once built out, the Golden Triangle is expected to breathe new economic life into the city, providing new sources of sales and property tax revenue as well as provide a place for residents to dine, shop and be entertained without traveling outside the city to do so.

A completed environmental impact report will be going out for public review next week, Community Development Director John Jaquess said.

On Tuesday, City Councilmembers and planning commissioners voiced their concerns and gave input to representatives from Redlands-based Mission Development Company and Long Beach-based Vestar Development Co.

Mission Development will build about 800 residential units including single-family homes and townhomes, parks and open space on 29 acres. Vestar is planning a 52-acre retail marketplace with a major retail anchor, such as a Super Target.

Vestar's development will also be conducive for a variety of other business including fast food and sit-down restaurants, a gas station and a bank.

Another 23 acres on the northwest corner of Greenspot Road and Boulder Avenue is slated for future commercial development, but no plans have yet been presented, Jaquess said.

During Tuesday's joint study session in City Council chambers, concern centered mostly on integrating the residential and retail elements of the development in a way that would make it as pedestrian friendly as possible, giving it a town center vibe.

Councilmembers and planning commissioners want to see plenty of open space, water fountains and other amenities that will encourage people to walk, sit and enjoy the ambience. They cited Citrus Plaza in Redlands as an example, but are aiming for something that would rival that.

"This particular plan doesn't show those (amenities), and that causes me concern," Councilman Ross Jones said.

City Councilman Larry McCallon was absent at the meeting, but a hard copy of an e-mail he sent to City Manager Joseph Hughes addressing his concerns was  submitted for review and discussion.

McCallon cited several concerns in his e-mail. He wants to be assured night clubs, off track betting uses and self storage businesses are prohibited, and said that a 120-foot high freeway pylon sign is probably unrealistic, among other things.

Jeffrey Lochner, Vestar's project manager, assured the Council and Planning Commission that their concerns would be addressed during the preparation of the official site plans.

"It's critical to us that we have a place where people will want to be - better than Citrus Plaza," Lochner said.