February 2010 Archives

The city is hosting a bunco fundraiser next Thursday to raise money for the RC Family Resource Center and the RC Teen Recreation Activity Club. There will be prizes and on-site child care. The event is 6 to 9 p.m. on 9791 Arrow Route.

Information: 909-477-2781

The city's Animal Care and Adoption Center is encouraging residents to spay and neuter their pets with a special offer through March 23.

Typical vouchers, which give residents a $50 discount for dogs and $25 discount for cats, will double in value from now through March 23. During this time,  you can pick up a free voucher to receive $100 and $50 discounts to spay and neuter your pets.

The vouchers are honored at the following veterinary clinics: Alta Loma Animal Hospital, Adobe Animal Hospital, Archibald Pet Hospital, Rancho Regional Veterinary Hospital, Victoria Animal Hospital, Upland Animal Hospital and the Humane Society of San Bernardino Valley in San Bernardino.

The Planning Commission did not make a decision on El Loco Cantina tonight. Owners of the Foothill Boulevard establishment requested a continuance, which was granted. The commissioners voted 3-2, with Francisco Oaxaca and Lou Munoz dissenting, to discuss the matter on March 10.

The Legal Aid Society of San Bernardino opens an office in this city 4:30 p.m. tomorrow at the RC Family Resource Center, providing free legal services to the community. The clinic, which will be available at the fourth Thursday of every month at 4:30 p.m., provides and prepares forms for conservatorships, guardianships and other issues related to family law. There are also attorney consultations for trusts and wills, bankruptcy and other issues.

The resource center is on 9791 Arrow Route.

Information: 909-889-4811    

Spotted yesterday on northbound Milliken, a red Jetta with the license plate MRSJEDI.

Mrs. Jedi, were you going to a Council meeting?

The Planning Commission might decide to revoke El Loco Cantina's entertainment and or conditional use permits at tonight's 7 p.m. meeting. The sheriff's department is expected to explain several police reports that document instances of fights, assaults and rape allegation related to the Mexican restaurant/bar.  

The City Council's campaign disclosure statements for the last six months of 2009 are in. Councilwoman Diane Williams raised the most during this period -- $9,638 with the Safety Employees Benefit Association as the largest contributor at $2,500.

Williams has indicated she will seek re-election this November. Mayor Don Kurth and Councilman Rex Gutierrez are also up for re-election. Kurth is seeking the 63rd Assembly District seat and Councilman Dennis Michael will run for mayor. Gutierrez has not indicated whether he will run.

Williams December 31, 2009.pdf
R. Gutierrez December 31, 2009.pdf
Kurth December 31, 2009.pdf
Spagnolo December 31, 2009.pdf
Michael December 31, 2009.pdf
Michael December 31, 2009 (Mayor 2010).pdf

Mayor Don Kurth was covered with pink gifts at the City Council meeting earlier this month. They were tokens marking the arrival of Kurth and his wife Dee Matreyek's daughter. For more about Daisy Grace Kurth, here's the story in Monday's paper.


                                        Jennifer Cappuccio Maher/Staff Photographer

In 2008, a library fundraiser was held in conjunction with the reading initiative on "The Maltese Falcon." It was a night of wine and appetizers called Mystery, Music and Merlot.

Next month, the library foundation will host Rod, Romance and Riesling, an ode to opera hunk Rod Gilfry, who will sing at the fundraiser. RRR will be held 6:30 to 9 p.m. April 30 at the Victoria Gardens Cultural Center.

Not sure if this will be an annual fundraiser but perhaps organizers next year will consider my favorite foods -- Cheese, Chocolates and Chardonnay. And if cards are allowed at the Cultural Center -- Poker, Prosciutto and Port. But I digress.

Tickets for RRR are $50 and includes hors d'oeuvres and desserts by Chef Ricardo Sandoval of Impressions Gourmet Catering paired with wines selected by local wine guru Gino Filippi and Ed Fabian of Total Wine & More. Proceeds will go toward new childrens books and programs.

For tickets, call Vivian Garcia at 909-477-2720 ext. 5040 or send her an e-mail.
For sponsorship opportunities, call David Gonzalez at 951-237-4096 or send him an e-mail.         

John Carlos is pictured left at Victoria Gardens Friday night. Above, Carlos stands right at the 1968 Olympics.

                                    Micah Escamilla/Correspondent

You'd think age quiets a person, makes you less bold.

Not John Carlos. At 64, the Olympic medalist is just as defiant as he was when he raised a gloved fist into the Mexico City night.

"I didn't want to be an activist," Carlos told a crowd of more than 200 last night at the Victoria Gardens Cultural Center. "Martin Luther King didn't want to be an activist. Malcolm X didn't want to be an activist. Rosa Parks didn't want to be an activist. Marcus Garvey didn't want to be an activist.

"But think of the world today, with all the cynical people, if there weren't any activists. I guess we'd be sliding to the back of the bus."

As the special guest of the Black History Month Cultural Arts Night, Carlos spoke about the 1968 Olympics and the aftermath of his black power salute.

Carlos told stories about growing up in Harlem and attending Frederick Douglass Junior High, a school adorned with pictures of white presidents but kept none of the famed orator.

Tuesday marked the first day for candidates to turn in nomination papers for the June 15 election. Supervisor Paul Biane spent the evening at Victoria Gardens raising money and gathering signatures.

Biane is running against a backdrop of allegations by the District Attorney's office. The supervisor is an uncharged co-conspirator in an investigation into the county's settlement with Colonies Partners.

The second district supervisor and former Rancho Cucamonga councilman is endorsed by Sen. Bob Dutton, Assemblyman Bill Emmerson and Mayor Don Kurth.

Biane said he's working on getting the endorsements of the Upland and Fontana mayors.

"Based on the recent allegations by the DA, there are some folks that are nervous," Biane said. "They want to support the right candidate. And hopefully, they'll get there."

Biane said there are many incomplete projects he would like to work on in his third term including the 15 Freeway and 215 Freeway interchange and the 10 Freeway and Cherry Avenue interchange. He said he wants to support the second floor project of the Biane Library and add more acreage to the North Etiwanda Preserve.

"These are projects that need to be carried to the finish line," he said.

Biane said this will be his last time running for the Board of Supervisors although this possible third term will not be an end to his political career.

Today's City News article features a healthy cooking class offered at the Northtown Community Center. The next session starts March 2. For information, call 909-477-2700 ext. 2395.

Chef Geno Rodriguez will lead the six-week course for both teens and adults. Today, he shares a recipe for a healthy, high-fiber salad.

Black bean salad

2 (15 oz.) cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup chopped tomato
3/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper
2/3 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 tbsp. lemon rind
1 oz. lemon juice
1 clove of minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
4 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. honey
1 chopped jalapeno pepper
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and chill, preferably overnight. Toss before serving.

A reunion of Kaiser Steel and California Steel Industries employees will take place 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Feb. 28 at the Kaiser Steel Museum. A Kaiser car will be on display along with paintings, artifacts and other memorabilia. Former Kaiser employee Glenn Clement and the Pineapple Jam Ukulele Club will provide musical entertainment.

Tickets -- $30 per person and $55 per couple -- include a buffet lunch and one-year membership to the museum. Tickets can be purchased at the museum during operating hours or by calling 909-823-6163 or 909-823-3164.

The Kaiser Steel Museum, at 9324 San Bernardino Road, Rancho Cucamonga, is opened from noon to 5 p.m. Thursday and Sunday.

Mayor Kurth told a Fox 11 producer yesterday he's now willing to go on camera and talk about the Carrari Ranch project. The two didn't exactly hit it off at first.

Kurth said he feared for his safety when producer Tim Harrell and a cameraman approached the dais after yesterday's special meeting. The mayor said he did not hear producer Harrell ask about the Carrari Ranch project; he just wanted to leave the room but the cameraman blocked his way.

Harrell said Kurth called him later to apologize.

Typically, at the evening City Council meetings, there are two sheriff's deputies situated on both sides of the dais. But because yesterday's meeting was a workshop, there were no deputies there and Harrell was able to approach the mayor. Kurth said the city might put up a sign or a rope there to prevent the public from approaching the dais.

"You certainly don't rush a court judge or the president," Kurth said. 

A Fox 11 producer approached Mayor Don Kurth after a special meeting today and got nothing but an open palm against the camera lens.

Tim Harrell was doing an investigative piece on the Carrari Ranch project and wanted Kurth to answer some questions about the project and his relation to Congressman Gary Miller.

Kurth declined to comment, blocked the television camera with a document he was holding and asked sheriff's Capt. Joe Cusimano to intervene. Kurth accused the cameraman of pushing him and the cameraman accused Kurth of pushing him.

"I was surprised he got so hostile," Harrell said. "I was surprised he got so angry."

Miller is proposing to build a 110-home development in the hillsides. The project, one of the most controversial in the city, is currently going through the environmental impact review process.   

City Planner James Troyer will present a draft of the General Plan update to the City Council at 3 p.m. today in the Council Chambers.

At the 7 p.m. meeting tonight, the City Council is expected to approve the release of confidential documents related to an affordable housing agreement to the District Attorney's office. The item is part of the consent calendar.

The City Council will discuss what areas in the city should allow funeral and crematory services.

Omaha Jack's is also on the agenda. The City Council will decide whether it wants to begin an appeal process on a Planning Commission decision to let Omaha Jack's keep its entertainment permit.

Sam Maloof's legacy lives on in many ways.

Mike Johnson and Larry White, who worked for Maloof, pictured right, for decades, will pass on the legacy of the late furniture maker in two UC Riverside Extension courses. The one-day workshop on Feb. 20 and May 22 will be held at the Maloof workshop. Students will tour the Maloof compound and get an overview of the furniture making process.

Information: 951-827-5801    
 

Peter Facinelli, who plays Dr. Carlisle Cullen in the "Twilight" saga will sign autographs outside the AMC Theatres at Victoria Gardens Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. Autographs will be $25 and a photo with the star will be $40. A portion of the proceeds will go toward earthquake victims in Haiti via UNICEF. A limo arrival and throngs of screaming girls are expected.

Olympic medalist John Carlos will be the special guest speaker at the Biane Library next Friday for a celebration of Black History Month. Carlos, right, is pictured with Tommie Smith, center, and Peter Norman in the 1968 Olympics. Carlos and Smith's black power salute at the medalists podium was viewed as one of the most controversial and political moments in Olympics history.

The black history cultural arts night will be 7 to 9 p.m. There will be an interactive underground railroad adventure for children ages 6 to 12, live music, crafts and many other activities. Free tickets are now available at both the Archibald and the Biane libraries.

Information: 909-477-2720

     

The cast list for "Rent" is due.

Here are the actors who will perform on the Lewis Family Playhouse stage in the production of "Rent."


Others in the cast are Stephanie Duarde, Catherine Hwang, Caleb Shaw, Trance Thompson, Miguel Cardenas, Tim Woods, and Nataly Wright.

The musical opens March 5.

Information: 909-477-2752

Mimi's Cafe will donate 15 percent of proceeds on Monday to the Senior Center in support of the city's homebound seniors. The Presidents' Day fundraiser is 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. The restaurant is on 10909 Foothill Blvd.

The Planning Commission decided to give Omaha Jack's a second chance tonight, allowing the Foothill Boulevard establishment to keep its entertainment permit for now. Commissioners will revisit the issue in 90 days. 

Restaurant or nightclub? That is the perennial question the Planning Commission and City Council often face when it comes to certain businesses in the city. Margarita Beach and El Loco Cantina come to mind.

Tonight's discussion at the Planning Commission meeting focuses on Omaha Jack's. This restaurant/bar on Foothill Boulevard is allowed to have a band and karaoke but not a DJ and a large dance floor. Bottom line is, Omaha Jack's is not permitted to be a nightclub.

But according to the sheriff's department, Omaha Jack's is violating its conditional use and entertainment permits and operating like a nightclub. It was easy for a sheriff's deputy to prove it; he turned to YouTube.

Tonight will be Planning Commissioner Francisco Oaxaca's first meeting.

Omaha Jacks, the steakhouse in Masi Plaza, will be under scrutiny tonight. According to the sheriff's department, there has been four assaults with a deadly weapon since July and numerous incidents of customers drunk in public and other disturbances. The commission will decide whether to revoke the restaurant's entertainment permit.

The Planning Commission was originally scheduled to discuss the business operation of El Loco Cantina & Grill today but the matter was postponed until Feb. 24.

Prosecutors charged Councilman Rex Gutierrez with two additional felony counts today at a court appearance in San Bernardino in connection with the Assessor's Office investigation, according to courts reporter Mike Cruz.
 

Gutierrez appeared for arraignment in San Bernardino Superior Court on his original counts of grand theft and embezzlement. However, prosecutors added two additional counts -- grand theft and submitting a false claim -- which allegedly occurred between 2007 and 2009, court documents state.

For full story, click here.

When two Starbucks opened on the northwest corner of Vineyard and Foothill, coffee lovers held their breath and wondered what it would mean to the independent darling Coffee Klatch across the way.

Last year was probably a challenging one for Coffee Klatch. Its neighbor, Bobby Bajas, closed in December 2008 and major renovation of the Thomas Winery Plaza did not make the businesses there look very inviting. Nevertheless, the coffee shop always looked busy and one of the two Starbucks across the street closed. Today, Coffee Klatch opened its newest location in Ontario. The new shop on 951 Haven Avenue is a former Starbucks. 

A grand opening celebration is scheduled at noon on Thursday.




View New Coffee Klatch in a larger map

The Inland Empire Economic Recovery Corp. will host a Home Foreclosure Prevention Seminar on Feb. 20 for anybody who is either going through a home foreclosure or thinks they might go through foreclosure. The seminar will be from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Central Park. Representatives from banks and counselors approved by the Housing and Urban Development will be there to answer questions about the loan modification process.

Pre-register online at www.ieerc.org.

Information: 909-723-8336

Karate students at Chozen Martial Arts are collecting donations for a Haiti Relief Kickout. Donors who contribute to the cause will sign a "breakthrough board," which the students will break at noon on Feb. 20. Proceeds will go to the American Red Cross.

Information: 909-941-7448

The Chaffey Community Art Association will mark its 68th year with a President's Dinner on March 7 at the Broadway Room of Imagine That! Betty Davenport-Ford will be honored as the artist of the year. For dinner reservations, call the museum at 909-463-3733. For sponsorship and advertising opportunities, call 909-945-0072.

Volunteers at the Animal Care and Adoption Center are looking for items to sell at a "Furry Friends Flea Market" scheduled for March 20 at the Lions Center. Proceeds from the flea market will be donated to the animal center.

Bring your donations (no large appliances or computers) to the animal center on 11780 Arrow Route through March 17.

For more information, e-mail Linda Bryan. 

The Missoula Children's Theatre will host an audition for the production of "King Arthur's Quest" on Feb. 15 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Students kindergarten through 12th grade are encouraged to audition for the 50 roles available. The performance will be staged at the Lewis Family Playhouse on Feb. 19. There will be a $75 fee for those cast in the production.

Information: 909-477-2775 ext. 3736  

Mayor Don Kurth and his wife, Dee, have adopted a baby girl. Daisy Grace Kurth went home with the happy couple yesterday. At the City Council meeting tonight, Kurth was surrounded by pink gifts. The baby girl's photo was shown at the Council Chambers which prompted Councilman Dennis Michael to declare, "She has more hair than I do."

The bulk of tonight's City Council meeting is dedicated to landscape maintenance districts and what to do about the landscaping on public streets now that the city is running out of money.

Decommissioning is inevitable, said city staff members.

To save money, the city will decommission portions of public streets meaning it will pull out the plants, turn off the sprinklers and replace an area with mulch.

Maybe the word will catch on. "Honey, can you go decommission the back yard?"

 

The City Council decided today not to enforce a smoking ban in outdoor dining areas, citing concerns of negative impacts on local restaurants. Council members Sam Spagnolo, Dennis Michael and Diane Williams were concerned such restrictions would be too stringent on businesses that rely on sales generated from outdoor patios.

Williams said the government should not be the one to decide whether restaurant-goers can smoke in outdoor patios.

"I think every restaurant should have a choice, especially in these economic times," Williams said.

But Mayor Don Kurth disagreed.

"We should have the courage to advance this argument and make this city a safer place," Kurth said. "Smokers have a right to smoke but they don't have the right to expose others to lethal health risks.

"I think it's important to protect the people who may not have a say so -- like children."

Councilman Rex Gutierrez did not attend the special meeting.

Wine aficionados can celebrate Valentine's Day at Filippi Winery, where a multi-course dinner will be paired with Filippi wines on Feb. 13 at 6:30 p.m. The dinner is $100; $80 for wine club members. See the menu here.

Information: 909-899-5755    

No-smoking regulations will be the topic of discussion at today's 3:30 p.m. special meeting at City Hall's Tri-Communities Room. The City Council will decide whether to enforce no-smoking policies in outdoor dining areas, streets and sidewalks. It will also consider a draft ordinance prohibiting smoking in outdoor service lines and transit stops.

At 7 p.m., the future of landscape maintenance districts 6 and 8 will be discussed at the City Council meeting. Property owners did not vote for a fee increase so the city will likely consider replacing plants with mulch, turning off sprinklers and other cost-saving measures. At the start of the meeting, Francisco Oaxaca will be sworn in as the new planning commissioner and Jeremy Kahn will be sworn in as the new Community Foundation board member.  

The VFW is lettin' loose next weekend.

On Feb. 12, The Old and Restless Country Band will perform 8 p.m. to midnight. There will be plenty of food and dancing. Tickets are $7; $5 in advance.

On Feb. 13, there will be a steak dinner to mark Valentine's Day from 6 to 8:30 p.m. There will be karaoke and a 50/50 drawing. Cost is $10.

VFW Post 8680 is on 8751 Industrial Lane.

Information: 909-980-5220, 909-957-1417

Free tax assistance will be available to low income residents and senior citizens every Saturday starting Feb. 6 at the Northtown Community Center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with the exception of Feb. 13, when the site will be closed.

Accounting students from Cal State San Bernardino will help prepare basic state and federal tax returns. The assistance will not be offered to non-residents, small business owners, owners of rental properties or those who are married and filing separately.

The center is on 10071 Feron Blvd. The program is provided by the Inland Empire United Way.