June 2010 Archives

Rex Gutierrez is the missing councilman at today's special meeting on the city's budget. Gutierrez was met with a hung jury today; the judge declared a mistrial. Read more of reporter Joe Nelson's story here.   

The city will have a special 4 p.m. meeting today to discuss the effects of recent sheriff's contract negotiations and to draft a contingency plan for other budgetary changes.

City Council is also expected to authorize the purchase of two air conditioning units in the amount of $124,890.

There are a couple of new arrivals at the good ole' Terra Vista Town Center.

The Children's Boutique (Suite 170) sells new and used children's clothing, toys, DVDs and other products. Proceeds benefit Steven's Hope for Children, a nonprofit helping out ill or injured children at local hospitals. The store is operated by volunteers. Information: 909-256-0100

Joel Jones Furniture (Suite 100B) is a family-owned furniture store operating in Southern California for four decades. Information: 909-941-8393

 

Yesterday's collision between a bee transport truck and a pick-up truck, pictured, appears to be one of several bee incidents in the city.

The other day, Battalion Chief Jim Curatalo had to open up his car to a pedestrian when he was attacked by a swarm of bees. Curatalo was driving behind the same bee transport truck that crashed yesterday.

But another bee victim was not so lucky. A couple of days ago, a man suffered 40 bee stings and his dog died from the stings after coming across the insects while going out for a walk.

Yesterday, several firefighters, a driver and a passenger suffered multiple bee stings. Today, crew continued to clean up the honey that lingered on Haven.

Mayor Don Kurth and his wife came out of Corky's after dinner tonight to a swarm of bees. Apparently, a collision involving a truck carrying bee hives happened several hours ago on Haven and Lemon, unleashing bees everywhere. Curious residents who came out to see the accident got stung. The shopping center where Corky's and McAlan's are located was sealed off by the police and firefighters.

Another exciting Sunday night in Rancho Cucamonga.

USA fell to Ghana in a heart-wrenching 2-1 loss today. Ghana scored early in the game and in additional time. The home team just couldn't keep up.

It certainly was a commendable run for the team led by Alta Loma High graduate Carlos Bocanegra. The team gave plenty for Americans to be proud of and Bocanegra, along with Etiwanda High graduate Maurice Edu, gave plenty for Rancho Cucamonga to be proud of. Fantastic job, guys.  

The city's run-ins with a couple of home Bible studies have led the Planning Department to change the definition of "church" in the municipal code.

Following some neighborhood complaints last year and in March, code enforcement asked a couple of Bible study groups to obtain conditional use permits in order to perform church activities at home. That led to threats of litigation.

Wanting an end to these controversies, the City Council decided it was time to change the explanation of "church" so that Bible studies and other religious activities taking place in homes will not be included in the definition.

This week, the Planning Commission approved this definition of church:

A use provided by a legally constituted religious organization, in a building or buildings maintained solely for and limited to public and family worship of a deity or deities, together with buildings and uses that are accessory thereto, and limited to the teaching of religious dogma, accessory social functions, and one single-family dwelling for use as a minister or caretaker residence. This definition includes synagogues, temples, mosques, and other buildings used for the purposes stated herein but excludes, day care centers, community recreation facilities, and private and/or secondary educational facilities.

The Beer Mug was on last night's Planning Commission agenda but the bar's attorney requested the matter be postponed until July 14.

Shelly Scebbi addressed the commission as intended because she is not available on July 14 to speak. Scebbi talked about her 19-year-old son being served an excessive amount of alcohol at the Foothill Boulevard bar.

The Beer Mug, formerly called The Beer Hunter, stands to lose its conditional use permit, which would prohibit the sale of hard liquor. According to the Planning Department, the business has been providing DJ entertainment and dancing without the required permits. A number of public safety problems have also come up, according to the Sheriff's Department. Last October, a shooting outside the bar injured five people.

Scebbi called the bar "unethical" for serving her underage son so much alcohol last month. According to Scebbi, her son was found with a blood alcohol level of 0.45 percent, nearly six times the legal limit. The young man stayed at a local hospital for 24 hours and then released.

"I want to prevent another parent from seeing their child in an ICU ward," Scebbi said.

A lawyer representing The Beer Mug, Ryan Kroll, said the business does not sell to minors and referred to a decoy operation by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control that The Beer Mug passed in 2009.

"We do not sell to minors. We do not sell to people who are intoxicated," Kroll said. "We are a law-abiding restaurant."

The matter will return to the commission in three weeks.
 

A free workshop at the Frontier Project on July 10 will teach participants some green tips for their home and office. "Healthy Home Transformation" will be presented by Lisa and Ron Beres, founders of GreenNest.com. The workshop, from 9 to 11 a.m., is on 10435 Ashford St. RSVP by calling 909-944-6025.

Over in Montclair, there will be a free backyard composting workshop at the Chino Basin Water Conservation District. Bring a container and shovel and you can get in on some free mulch. The event is 9 to 11 a.m. on July 17. The district is on 4594 San Bernardino St., Montclair. Information: 909-626-2711     

The Planning Commission tonight will discuss an amendment to alter the definition of "church" in the development code. The change will make it clear that ancillary religious activities such as home Bible studies are not part of operating a church. The amendment is intended to give code enforcement officers clearer direction. If passed tonight, the item will be forwarded to the City Council.

Unless an attorney asks for postponement, The Beer Mug could stand to lose its conditional use permit from the commission tonight, thereby losing its ability to serve hard liquor. Sheriff's deputies are prepared to discuss a number of incidents related to the business, including battery and attempted murder. The bar has also been providing live entertainment without a permit, according to the Sheriff's Department.

Meanwhile, McAlan's Pub & Grill, is requesting later hours and more live entertainment. The Haven Avenue business would like to open at 9 a.m. instead of 11:30 a.m. and stay open until 1 a.m. on Thursdays and midnight on weekdays. Currently, McAlan's closes at 11 p.m. weekdays.  

 

"Off to War" is a photo by the president of RC Photo Club Anthony Feliciano. It depicts a Civil War reenactment at the Prado Park in Chino.








You might have noticed some new photos at the senior and community centers. Members of the RC Photo Club have put together an exhibit showcasing their works. The club meets 6 p.m. on the first and third Thursday of every month at David Dreier Hall in Central Park. Send an e-mail to the club president for more information.

Ten days after Sonic opened on 11370 Fourth St., some of us in our Fourth Street newsroom decided to hit up the drive-thru. It was still very crowded.

We got there at 11:30 a.m. and was told the drive-thru would take about 10 minutes. Ten minutes turned into 20, which turned into 30. We had a great view of the Marriott.

I ordered the hamburger combo and I must say the food was more fun than tasty, although I did eye a co-worker's chili-cheese Coney with wonderment. I liked the nice touches -- tater tots instead of fries, a mint taped to the beverage lid and ocean water (a concoction of Sprite and blue coconut flavoring that tastes like something your doctor would disapprove and therefore delicious.)

Suggestions of what I should order next are welcomed. That Coney looked promising.

A world music concert series will take place at the Victoria Gardens Cultural Center courtyard next month. All concerts are 5:30 to 7 p.m. and are free.

July 7: Kusun, a Ghana-based group of musicians and dancers, will perform their traditional instruments in the style of African jazz.

July 14: Inca, a Peruvian ensemble of musicians and dancers will perform folkloric music and dances from Peru.

July 21: Los Pinguos, whose "Cielo Escarlata" video is embedded below, will perform their Buenos Aires sounds with Spanish guitars, Cuban tres and Peruvian cajon. 

The performances are funded by the Rancho Cucamonga Community Foundation.

Information: 909-477-2752

 

The Lakers outlasted the Celtics in a nail-bitter of a win last night, becoming back-to-back NBA champions.

John Lyon's purple T-shirt might have done the trick.

The Sam and Alfreda Maloof Foundation will have plein air painting in the garden on Thursdays and Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m. The garden, on 5131 Carnelian St., is home to more than 354 different types of plants. Reserve your space by calling 909-980-0412.

Next Thursday, the city will lead a meeting to discuss future plans for a veterans memorial at Central Park. If you have ideas to share or would like to find out more about the memorial, attend the meeting at 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Central Park. Meet at the site of the future memorial, which is at the flag poles between the senior and community centers.

Information: 909-477-2760 ext. 8003

Fontana resident Brenda Lynch will host a Texas Hold'em tournament at Omaha Jacks to raise money for the Susan G. Koman walk to cure breast cancer. The aptly named "Bets For Boobs" takes place 5:30 p.m. on June 26. Omaha Jacks, on 11837 Foothill Blvd., will donate a portion of proceeds from dinner and drinks to the cause. Tournament participants will be entered in a raffle for prizes such as a guitar from Rancho Cucamonga Guitar Center, a bat and ball signed by Mike Sweeney of the Seattle Mariners, a weekend in San Diego, and other prizes.

Information: 909-815-2775    

A fundraiser organized by the city's community foundation will take place 4 to 10 p.m. at the Ontario Mills Outback Steakhouse on Monday. Purchase a ticket at the animal shelter on 11780 Arrow Route for $20 and you'll get a dinner (steak, salmon, chicken or pasta) Monday night; $10 will go straight to the animal shelter.

Information: 909-466-7387

City Council watcher John Lyons got a Don Kurth T-shirt and baseball cap made to wear at the meetings last month. During the election season, Lyons has a tradition of showing off the names of politicians he backs on his back. Despite Lyon's effort, Kurth lost.

Tonight, Lyons is wearing a Lakers T-shirt. I hope that doesn't mean the reigning NBA champs will lose tomorrow. 

Antonio Karraa and Janet Ryerson will both be reappointed to the Park and Recreation Commission. They will take their oaths of office at tonight's meeting.

The City Council will conduct a second reading of an ordinance that would require noncharitable solicitors to obtain a permit and get a background check.

Before last week's election, Mayor Don Kurth was mum on what his political plans would be if he lost the 63rd Assembly District race. Today, he is just as quiet.

"I want to have a few days to think about it," Kurth said.

If Kurth decides to run for his second mayoral term, he would be running against Councilman Dennis Michael, who said after the primaries last week he is definitely running.

"I'm fully committed," Michael said.

What do you think, RC Now readers? Who would win in a Kurth/Michael face-off? 

Today is Day 1 of Councilman Rex Gutierrez's trial. He faces four felony counts related to corruption in the Assessor's Office. Read reporter Joe Nelson's coverage here and in tomorrow's paper.

The city's Animal Care and Adoption Center is encouraging pet owners to get their pets microchipped in time for Fourth of July. More pets get lost during this holiday than any other day of the year because they get frightened by the noisy fireworks and run away.

On June 26, microchip services will be $25 at these three locations:

Rancho Cucamonga Animal Care and Adoption Center
11780 Arrow Route
Noon to 4 p.m.
909-466-7387

Scraps
7204 Archibald Ave.
11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
909-987-2275

Rancho Regional Veterinary Hospital
11981 Jack Benny Dr.
11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
909-532-5002 appointment preferred

There will also be a donation drive at Scraps, where participants can purchase a pet toy to be donated to the city's Animal Care and Adoption Center or the Rancho Regional Veterinary Hospital. Participants can also click here to find out what items are the most needed and donate them directly to Scraps or the city shelter.  
     

Chick-fil-A will donate a portion of proceeds next Thursday to Walk to Remember, a cause supporting families dealing with the loss of a baby in pregnancy or infancy. From 5 to 8 p.m., mention Walk to Remember, Inland Empire when you order. Chick-fil-A is on 12190 Foothill Blvd.

                                                                                                Courtesy of Chris Trefrey of Sparrow Studios

Kudos to the 19 students who graduated from Upland Christian Academy this week. Class of 2010 was the first to graduate after moving to the Abundant Living Family Church campus in Rancho Cucamonga. Nicole McEachron said it was strange at first to have Upland Christian Academy in Rancho Cucamonga. "It confuses a lot of people," she said. "It's a good conversation starter."

"We had a message that was basically family, faith and low taxes and that seemed to be what people wanted. It seems like it resonated with people. I didn't try to be all thigs to all people."

"I think it was a funny election. People are angry; especially Republicans. They're angry and they're lashing out at anyone who's in office. Almost across the board, people who held office did not do very well."

-- Don Kurth

"The Republican primary tends to draw the most conservative voters. I think Mike Morrell rightly distinguished himself as more committed to extremely limited government. Don Kurth could have done well in the general election. He's kind of like the Arnold Schwarzenegger in the Assembly race. "

-- Rex Gutierrez

What do you think?

Businessman Mike Morrell, pictured, won the Republican nomination for the 63rd Assembly District, surpassing Mayor Don Kurth and Navy veteran Paul Chabot. Here's the breakdown:

Morrell  7,759 votes  (30.2 percent)
Chabot  5,941  (23.2)
Kurth  4,963  (19.4)
Acquanetta Warren  3,134  (12.1)
Pat Gilbreath  2,655  (10.3)
Jacqueline Bolda  728  (2.8)
Henry Nickel  523  (2)

With just 64 of the 357 precincts counted in San Bernardino County, businessman Mike Morrell is ahead with 8 percentage points ahead of Mayor Don Kurth and former Navy officer Paul Chabot in the Republican primary for the 63rd Assembly District.

The district, which stretches from Upland to Redlands, also includes a portion of Riverside. Over there, 15 of 17 precincts have reported and Morrell and Chabot are tied at the top, 8 percentage points ahead of Kurth. 

Note: At midnight, with 159 precincts or 45 percent counted, Morrell is still ahead. Morrell is 7 percentage points ahead of Chabot, who is slightly ahead of Kurth.

Sonic Drive-in, will open 6 a.m. tomorrow morning on 11370 Fourth Street. The first 25 customers will get a free T-shirt. I'm completely unfamiliar with this joint. Are there any fans out there?

It's Election Day. Free yourself from the pile of political mailers and go outside to vote, unless of course you vote absentee.

Primaries sometimes fly under the radar of our busy lives but this one is an exception. The governor, supervisor, assembly and other races on today's ballot are certainly worthy of our attention.

If you're a Republican, your mailbox has probably been inundated with fliers about the 63rd Assembly District, which has seven contenders including four Rancho Cucamonga residents. The sheer number and nastiness of some of these fliers show how close this race is. My favorite of all the mailers is the one accusing a candidate of talking on the phone while driving.

Don't forget, polling locations change all the time. Find yours here.

Library officials unveiled a new Local History Room and 12 digital stories about Rancho Cucamonga on Friday as part of a digital story project funded by the California State Library.

Some of the people featured in the project include Councilman Dennis Michael, who talks about the Grand Prix Fire while he was the fire chief, and Joe Blackstock, the Daily Bulletin's history columnist, who talks about how the city got its quirky name.

Here's reference librarian Casey Marcarello, who talks about her family moving to Rancho Cucamonga from Virgina after watching a commercial about the Virgina Dare Winery. Click here to watch all 12 of the digital stories.

 

A car show benefiting local burn survivors will be held June 27 at Red Hill Community Park from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The 13th annual event is free and hosted by the city's firefighters.

Registration is $30 and begins 7 a.m. If you pre-register before June 21, you'll get a T-shirt and raffle tickets. There will be a pancake breakfast for $5 from 7 to 10 a.m.

Information: 909-477-2770 ext. 3008

Worn and torn flags will receive their proper retirement next Saturday at the VFW Post 8680 on 8751 Industrial Lane. The event marking Flag Day (which falls on June 14) takes place 1 to 5 p.m. There will be a free barbecue and live entertainment.

New York Giants cornerback Terrell Thomas, a Rancho Cucamonga High School alumni, will host a football camp at the Ralph M. Lewis Sports Complex in Fontana on June 26. Thomas is pictured here during last year's camp.

The three-hour morning session starts 9 a.m. for children ages 7 to 10; 1 p.m. for children 11 to 14. The camp is $30; $40 including photo. Register online by June 14.

Information: 650-363-1395

Tonight's meeting was adjourned in honor of Charles West, the mayor pro tem of the first City Council. West died May 22. He was 88.

The City Council and a couple of speakers during the public comment portion of tonight's meeting spoke about West tonight, including former Mayor Jim Frost, who said West is "a tough man to lose."

"He taught me a lot about what it meant to be a public servant," said Mayor Don Kurth. 

Apart from serving on a City Council that basically had to plan a city from scratch, West also served on the water district board, was president of the Rotary Club and taught Sunday school at Cucamonga Methodist Church (now United Methodist Church of Cucamonga.)

Gurutej Khalsa, one of West's three children, was just a young girl when the family moved from Montclair to what is now Rancho Cucamonga. West became a volunteer firefighter back when it was an all-volunteer crew.

"In the middle of the night they would sound off the huge horn and he would pop up, put on his overalls and race down to the fire department," Khalsa remembered. "There used to be races to see who could get there fastest."

The first City Council had the task of crafting policies and standards for a brand new and quickly growing city. Khalsa said it was inevitable that the small and quaint Cucamonga would grow, so her father saw it as an opportunity to help build a healthy, prosperous community where residents could raise a family.

"He believed, 'If we can't stop them coming in, let's make sure it's good,'" Khalsa said.

There were a number of funny stories that Khalsa recalls from her father's City Council days. She said one morning over breakfast, her father talked about a resident's phone call in the middle of the night.

"Some lady called and said, 'It's raining and the water is going down the street too fast, you have to do something about it,' " remembered Khalsa.

West spent the last 15 years living in Desert Hot Springs but visited the city regularly. Khalsa brought him to see the Epicenter and Victoria Gardens, the regional shopping center that was a pipe dream when the first General Plan was written.

"I guess this is the new downtown," West told his daughter when visiting Victoria Gardens for the first time. "I wasn't sure this was a good idea at first but this is cute. It's grown up nice."

The City Council amended the municipal code tonight requiring solicitors to obtain a permit and background check before operating in the city. The ordinance does not apply to solicitors for charitable organizations. The cost of a permit is approximately $18 plus the cost of finger printing for background check.

Fire Chief Mike Bell's byline appeared in today's edition of the Whittier Daily News, the Daily Bulletin's sister paper. The chief, whose father is a longtime newsman for the Whittier paper, penned a 550-word piece on the Boy Scout's recent effort volunteer efforts at the Forest Lawn Scout Reservation in the San Bernardino Mountains near Lake Arrowhead.

I must say, my fire-fighting skills are not as good as Bell's writing skills.  

The Biane Library will host a local history night 7 p.m. Friday with music, crafts and a vintage car display. "California of the Past" a collection of digital oral histories will be screened and a local history room will be unveiled. Free tickets are available at the Biane and Archibald libraries or the City Hall Planning Department.

Information: 909-477-2720 ext. 5064 or 5031

At tonight's meeting, the City Council will consider a recommendation from the Park and Recreation Commission on the design purposes and goals of a future veterans memorial at Central Park.

A first reading of an ordinance is expected to amend a municipal code and require background checks for noncharitable solicitors.

The city is also expected to re-appoint Antonio Karraa and Janet Ryerson on the Park and Recreation Commission and appoint Paul Gesiriech on the Community Foundation Board of Directors.

 

I am back from vacation/sick leave to write this, my 1,000th entry on RC Now. This seems to be a good time to reintroduce the blog to those readers who might have found this recently.

Since August, 2008, I've written event postings, funny anecdotes, community announcements and other things that pop up as I cover Rancho Cucamonga for the Daily Bulletin. I guess you can say, I've had at least 1,000 thoughts worth writing about in the last two years.

I've blogged about Rancho Cucamonga residents who appear on "Wheel of Fortune." I've blogged about funny license plates I see on cars while driving through the city. I've even coerced city officials to take pictures of themselves with the Daily Bulletin while on vacation so I can post them here. It's hardly a "daily news source," which the masthead boasts rather inaccurately, in my opinion.

Unless I'm on vacation, which was the case last week, I usually blog once or twice weekdays. During the City Council meetings, I'm usually found in the back of the Council Chambers where I blog live. People think I hide there but the real reason is there is an electrical outlet there for me to plug in my laptop.

For the Sunday paper, several of the entries are published. Those are then republished in the Friday's City News with my mug, much to my chagrin. I'm guessing that's why some readers give me feedback on my "column." Unfortunately, I don't have the wit or the salary of our seasoned columnists. The round-up is just a weekly selection of this blog, not a column. The print edition is meant for those who don't regularly go online. But print readers won't see all the entries and they won't see any of the comments, which I believe are best part of this blog.       

If you are among those who have read one or more of the 1,000 entries, I give you a heart-felt thank you.