This is courtesy of Reporter Sandra Emerson:
Some Ontario pets are in need of a new home by 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.
John Peppenelli, who is caring for his ill mother, is having to leave the home due to unhealthy conditions and will not be able to take his pets with them.
Two of the pets are scheduled to be euthanized at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday and the other two will be taken to a shelter.
Heidi, an 8-year-old female cat, has a white blaze on her neck and white paws. She is also brown, black and grey.
Little Shadow, an 8-year-old male Chihuahua, is black and white. He walks with a limp, but Peppenelli said it's hard to tell when he runs around.
Chelsey, a 12-year-old female Toy Poodle, may be put down. She is on four oral medications and one eye medication. She has an extra enlarged heart which is causing some other health problems, but she still likes to play, Peppenelli said.
"She's the healthiest sick dog you'll ever see," he said.
Sassy, a 14 year-old female Siamese, is scheduled to be put down as well. She is on antibiotics for her teeth and has a sore on her side.
Peppenelli is hoping to find his pets a home before he moves. He can be reached at 909-938-5805.
Holding hands, the Ontario couple weaved in and around the vintage cars parked at Red Hill Community Park on Sunday morning.
It marked the 13th year the Rancho Cucamonga Firefighters Association held its benefit car show. About 95 cars, including such famous cars as a '65 Ford Mustang and a '70 Chevrolet Nova, were on display.
Ontario residents had the rare opportunity to attend a council meeting, structured more like a meet-and-greet, in the front yard of Councilwoman Debra Dorst-Porada's home.
More than 70 residents, including San Bernardino County Supervisor Gary Ovitt, gathered at Dorst-Porada's house in the 300 block of West Caroline Court for two hours.
In the hour since Councilman Alan Wapner had arrived, he said he had heard from several residents about their concerns.
When city officials gather at tonight's special meeting, they will be poised to approve a balanced $383 million budget, which factors in the use of $8.3 million in reserve money. The balanced budget will allow the city to maintain services and programs.
But it also means no layoffs.
"We've been preparing for the economy and because of that the budget is well balanced and there is no reduction of staff," said Councilman Alan Wapner.
Ontario's finances are faring better than others because of compromises made by its 1,200 employees.
Last week, employees agreed to forgo pay raises - a decision that ended up saving the city $1.2 million, said City Manager Chris Hughes.
"Had they not, we would be laying people off right now," he said, adding that the city's fiscal policies and the precautionary budget actions enacted by the City Council have put Ontario in a better position to meet its current year-end projections.
"The whole goal of the council has been to focus on maintaining jobs, programs and services," he said.
In 2006, Ontario took steps to set aside $24.6 million to brace itself for a turbulent and uncertain economy.
After dipping into those reserves for a second year in a row, the city will be left with $12.5 million.
There will be a slight increase to the city's general fund expense budget - about 1.6 percent more than this year. The $2.3 million increase is attributed to rising health insurance costs as well as retirement costs.
Overall, the $383 million operating budget is a 16 percent decrease from the $455 budget approved in 2009-10.
The drop is due to the fact the city does not have to budget for major capital improvement projects like the renovation of City Hall or the Milliken Avenue grade separation project, Wapner said.
Hughes said that while the budget is balanced, the council is preparing for another economic drop.
For most of this year, the city's sales tax and other revenues were flattening - meaning they weren't decreasing, but they weren't growing either, he said. "We want to assume that we're out of it completely but there is a potential dip again," he said.
If that were the case, Hughes said the council would address it during a quarterly budget update.
City officials don't expect any revenue growth until fiscal 2011-12 at the earliest.
"We will continue to be cautiously optimistic with our budget," Wapner said.
A groundbreaking ceremony Thursday signified the start of construction for a masjid, or place of worship, in southern Ontario. The 17,000-square-foot building will serve 110 families who reside not only in the Inland Empire, but Orange and Los Angeles counties.
"This project embodies the hope and aspirations of all of our community who yearn for the day when we can all meet here to pray together, to foster new relationships and friendships amongst ourselves as well as the community around us," said Moiz Beguwala a member of Anjuman-e-Qutbi, the Orange County chapter - or jamaat - of the Dawoodi Bohras, a subset of the Islamic community and the people building the place of worship.
Bishop has never had a drop of the San Francisco-based organic blend - instead, the coffee is a way the 61-year-old Vietnam veteran perks up servicemen and women stationed overseas.
Bishop participates in the "Cup O' Joe for a Joe" program, which allows people to send a cup of fresh-brewed Green Beans Coffee to a deployed servicemember. The $2-per-cup donation can be given online or over a cell phone.
Bishop has been a frequent coffee-giver to the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has donated about $200 since March.
Every time he has made an online donation, he has added a personal message of support and encouragement.
The council has agreed to increase its transient occupancy tax - a daily fee charged to hotel visitors - by 1 percent, slightly cushioning the impact from a 27 percent drop that was the result of a down economy.
Ontario's current rate is 11.75 percent, and a 1 percent increase would mean a $680,000 boost to the city's general fund, said Grant Yee, the city's finance director.
"I don't see the TOT as a tax as much as a user fee, and, right now, we don't have as much users as we use to," Councilman Alan Wapner said.
Marketplace Ontario will be a shoppers haven as more than 150 vendors are expected to congregate at the Ontario Convention Center and Visitors Bureau
Ontario-based West Coast Festivals and the center will operate the venture, which is being described as a farmers market.
"We recognized there wasn't a farmers market in the city to serve the residents," center General Manager Bob Brown said.
Farmers markets have already been established in Inland Valley cities, such as Claremont, Pomona and Upland, Brown said.
But now she wants to help people flex some strength of their own - not through science, but through natural, old- fashioned willpower.
The actress, best known for her late-1970s TV role as synthetic superhuman Jaime Sommers in "The Bionic Woman," will be in town Saturday and Sunday leading a two-day self- help therapy workshop focused on using the the mind and body to overcome personal obstacles.
The workshop, called "Quiet the Mind and Open the Heart," helps participants deal with personal issues in a relaxed and nonconfrontational environment, Wagner said.
The council unanimously agreed Tuesday to put those words in a semi-circle above the city seal in council chambers in City Hall.
"It was not difficult for me to bring this to the council, I knew they support God," said Councilman Alan Wapner, who requested the item be taken to vote.
Several weeks ago, Wapner come across a request from In God We Trust America, a volunteer-based organization asking the state's elected officials to display the nation's motto under the emblems of their respective cities.
Inspired by the e-mailed words of a Bakersfield-based nonprofit, he is asking City Council members to consider adding the words "In God We Trust" to the bottom of the city seal.
While recently checking his e-mails, Wapner came across a request from In God We Trust America, a volunteer-based organization asking the state's elected officials to display the nation's motto under the emblems of their respective cities.
The letter prompted Wapner to place the item on tonight's council agenda.
"I took a look at that, and it tugged at my heart," Wapner said. "It is found in the Pledge of Allegiance, on our currency, so why not post `In God We Trust' on our city seal?"
Wapner, who is Jewish, said the idea's inclusive, nonsecular nature appealed to him.
"It's not specific to any religion," he said, adding that his rabbi agreed with him.
But Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of Freedom from Religion Foundation, scoffs at the reasoning, calling it "misguided."
"What's God got to do with City Hall?" she said.
Montclair-based Kid Care International volunteers have been providing the weekly meals to people and families who are struggling.
But this weekend - for the first time in nearly 20 years - there will be no one in line.
No warm eggs or hot coffee will be served.
Code enforcement officials have informed the organization it is no longer allowed to serve food and drinks at the park.
"What harm have we caused to the city? The city is saying we don't care about our people," said Sylvia Sconyers, executive director of Kid Care International, which runs the feedings.
Kid Care International has been in charge
But this past Saturday, the group served its last meal at the park.
The feedings are counter to an ordinance recently passed by the Ontario City Council that prohibits anyone from camping in city parks, Deputy City Manager Al Boling said.
If homeless people know that free meals are served at the park, it could then detract from the effectiveness of that program, he said.
Kid Care International is not being stopped from serving hot meals; they can no longer do it at a city park, Boling said.
Small American flags served as the backdrop for Fred Minook's solemn walk through Bellevue Memorial Park.The Ontario resident on Saturday went to the graves of veterans and left a white cross alongside the flags as a token of his thanks and respect.
Minook, the father of a Marine who fought in Iraq, was one of several people who helped Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2085 members place 500 white crosses at the graves of fallen service members in observance of Memorial Day.
"We do this to honor our veterans," Post 2085 Commander Jerry Garvin said. "We want to recognize them because we're grateful for their service."
For years on the weekend before Memorial Day, Post 2085 members have prepared the cemetery for the national holiday.
Montclair resident Pat French on Saturday helped Post 2085 members prepare the cemetery for the first time. Her father, Ed Harrison, was a World War II veteran and a post member.
"I wanted to remember the people that gave their lives for this country and for my freedom," French said.
Ontario American Legion and Sons of the American Legion members also placed crosses next to the graves.
Cub Scout packs 312, 303, 358 and Boy Scout Troop 319 placed miniature American flags next to the graves.
"We do this so they know what the veterans have given up," Pack 312 Cubmaster Leon Barr said. "They sacrificed their lives for the freedom of our country."
More than 800 veterans from the Civil War through the present-day Iraq war have been buried at the 78-acre cemetery at 1240 W. G St.
They include Frank Fulton Ross, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his service during the Philippine Insurrection. The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States.
A memorial Mass will be celebrated at 8:30 a.m. Monday in the Bellevue Mausoleum Chapel on the cemetery grounds.
The Ontario-Chaffey Community Show Band, under the direction of Jack Mercer, will perform at a celebration at 10a.m. at the chapel. Local community veterans, service organizations, city officials and special guest speakers will attend.
