April 2009 Archives

From the San Bernardino City Fire Department:

Additional cases of Swine Flu have been reported in the United States and Mexico. The San Bernardino City Fire Department is issuing this announcement to provide information on these events and endorse the recommendations of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the CA Department of Public Health.

* As of April 29, 2009, fourteen CA residents have been diagnosed with confirmed swine Influenza A (H1N1) virus infection. All have recovered.
*
There are 77 more cases confirmed from nine other states, totaling 91 cases in the U.S. including one death.
*
Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a common respiratory disease of pigs, but it doesn't normally infect humans. Human cases have occurred, however, most commonly among people with direct exposure to pigs.
*
You cannot get swine flu from eating pork.
*
There is no vaccine to protect people from swine flu.
*
The public does not need to take any unusual precautions at this time, other than what they would do for normal seasonal influenza.
o Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
o Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
o Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
o Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
o Stay home and limit contact with others if you're sick.

The symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human seasonal flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills, and fatigue. Some people with swine flu also have reported vomiting and diarrhea.

If you are experiencing flu-like symptoms, such as a fever over 100 degrees with a cough or sore throat, please consult with your medical provider.

For more information about swine influenza, you can access the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's web page on swine influenza at www.cdc.gov/flu/swine/index.htm

This is a evolving situation and we will continue to provide updated guidance and new information as it becomes available.

The kerfuffle over what to name Grand Terrace's new high school is over, the campus will be called Grand Terrace High School at the Ray Abril Junior Education Complex.

Stephen Wall, The Sun's Grand Terrace reporter tells me that the Colton Joint Unified School District board's decision to change the high school name has defused the dissatisfaction that was aroused among some Grand Terrace residents when the campus - set to be Grand Terrace's first high school - was going to be named after Abril, a retired school board member, instead of the city.

Third Ward Councilman Tobin Brinker, also a former Colton Joint Unified board member, sided with Grand Terrace parents. He said the campus should be named after the city and that parents who wanted their objections to be heard should pressure the district by refusing to allow their children to participate in state-issued standardized tests.

Students are now being encouraged to take the tests, Wall informs me.

The Los Angeles Times reports that the swine flu strain that's dominated the news in recent days may be "relatively mild."

Here's an excerpt:

"As the World Health Organization raised its infectious disease alert level Wednesday and health officials confirmed the first death linked to swine flu inside U.S. borders, scientists studying the virus are coming to the consensus that this hybrid strain of influenza -- at least in its current form -- isn't shaping up to be as fatal as the strains that caused some previous pandemics.

"In fact, the current outbreak of the H1N1 virus, which emerged in San Diego and southern Mexico late last month, may not even do as much damage as the run-of-the-mill flu outbreaks that occur each winter without much fanfare.

"'Let's not lose track of the fact that the normal seasonal influenza is a huge public health problem that kills tens of thousands of people in the U.S. alone and hundreds of thousands around the world," said Dr. Christopher Olsen, a molecular virologist who studies swine flu at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine in Madison.

"His remarks Wednesday came the same day Texas authorities announced that a nearly 2-year-old boy with the virus had died in a Houston hospital Monday.

"'Any time someone dies, it's heartbreaking for their families and friends,' Olsen said. "But we do need to keep this in perspective.'

"Flu viruses are known to be notoriously unpredictable, and this strain could mutate at any point -- becoming either more benign or dangerously severe. But mounting preliminary evidence from genetics labs, epidemiology models and simple mathematics suggests that the worst-case scenarios are likely to be avoided in the current outbreak.

"'This virus doesn't have anywhere near the capacity to kill like the 1918 virus,' which claimed an estimated 50 million victims worldwide, said Richard Webby, a leading influenza virologist at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn."

Commenters:

Please do not use the blogs to post rumors about who may or may not have come down with the swine flu. We don't want to scare people with unconfirmed reports.

Stay well,

SB Now

Note: Updated below with follow-up quote from Colin Strange:

Colin Strange, a project manager for the San Bernardino Economic Development Agency, said Wednesday that the city may have to wait about 45 days to learn if the federal government will grant a loan to help fund a new downtown cinema.

The City Council voted earlier this month to support Los Angeles-based Maya Cinemas' request for a $9 million loan to help the firm finance renovations at the former CinemaStar site.

CinemaStar, which once showed movies at its downtown theater on Fourth Street, bailed out of the site in September. The EDA has revealed that CinemaStar was unable to pay its rent to the Agency, which owned the property.

Maya Cinemas is the EDA's choice to buy the theater, freshen it up and develop retail around the cinema. The project could be critical for the long-awaited renaissance of downtown.

The loan would be granted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development against future disbursements of Community Development Block Grants.

If Maya Cinemas receives the loan and fails, the EDA would be responsible for repaying Uncle Sam. If the EDA cannot do so, the city would sacrifice future grant revenues.

Maya chief executive Moctesuma Esparza has said that the company cannot finance the project without government assistance during current economic conditions.

"Maya's not ready to put serious effort into the project until they know the funding has been approved," Strange said Wednesday.

Update:

Strange wrote me Thursday to say the following. He maintains that his:

I am writing to object at a misquotation made in my name in the above referenced article in which you wrote.

Unfortunately "Serious Effort" gives and entirely different and dramatic interpretation to your question to me which was why no work had yet commenced and my reply "although we were confident that the HUD loan would be approved Maya were waiting for official confirmation from HUD before commencing their work"

Creating a false impression can have unintended consequences and if you need to get information from me I need to have the confidence that the facts will be reported as they are given or I will be unable to converse with you in the future.

Field Poll results released Wednesday report that Californians are leaning against a package of ballot referenda that proponents tout as a solution to the state's perennial budget crises.

Proposition 1A, which is designed to increase the amount of money state government saves in a "rainy day fund' while also temporarily increasing taxes, was favored by only 40 percent of likely voters in the new poll. Eleven percent of voters are undecided.

Proposition 1B, which is contingent upon passage of Prop. 1A, would direct $9.3 billion to schools over a five to six year period.. Field Poll reports that 40 percent of likely voters agree with the proposal.

Proposition 1C, which would allow the state to borrow $5 billion against future Lottery revenues, has only 32 percent of likely voters in favor.

Proposition 1D, which would temporarily redirect unspent tobacco tax revenues to children's services, is favored by only 40 percent of likely voters.

Proposition 1E, which would rejjigger mental health care funding, also has only 40 percent of likely voters in favor.

Proposition 1F, which would prevent California elected officials from receiving pay increases in deficit years, is the only measure passing. The measure has 71 percent of voters in favor.

The poll also found that Republicans were much more likely to oppose Props. 1A - 1E than Democrats.

SWINE FLU HEALTH ALERT
San Bernardino - There have been seven confirmed human cases of Swine Influenza A (H1N1) virus infection in San Diego County and Imperial County, California. An additional thirty-three cases have been confirmed in five states in the U.S., including New York, Ohio, Kansas, and Texas. There are no known links between these patients, no known common exposures and no known pig exposure. The ages ranged from 7 to 54 years old. Their illness has been mild and all have recovered.

Human cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection were initially identified in Mexico which has reported more severe illness, including deaths. Now other nations around the world are reporting cases of the virus, as well.

"No cases of this virus have been identified in San Bernardino County at this time," stated Health Officer Maxwell Ohikhuare, M.D., with the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health.

The Department is conducting enhanced surveillance of health care providers in the County to identify potential human cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection, and is sending them a health alert with clinician guidelines. The Department Emergency Operation Center has also been activated at a level one to more closely monitor developments during regular business hours.

Swine influenza (swine flu) is a common respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza virus, typically H1N1 and H3N2 strains. Swine flu viruses do not normally infect humans. Occasional human infections with swine flu do occur, but usually in persons with direct exposure to pigs. It has not been determined how easily this virus spreads between people. The current situation in California suggests that human to human transmission may be occurring. You can not get the infection from eating pork or any products made with pork.

Seasonal human influenza vaccine usually does not protect against swine influenza A H1N1 viruses, which is a very different strain. Since there is no vaccine available at this
time, Dr. Ohikhuare recommends that people take the following normal precautions to prevent the spread of disease to others:

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
• If you get sick, stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.

People who develop an illness with fever and respiratory symptoms, such as cough and runny nose, and possibly other symptoms, such as body aches, nausea, or vomiting or diarrhea, should contact their health care provider. These medical professionals will decide if influenza testing is needed.

The Department will continue to closely monitor the situation and will provide more information to the public, as needed. For more details on swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection, call the County Department of Public Health at 1-800-782-4264. You can also access the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at www.cdc.gov/flu/swine or call 1-800-CDC-INFO. Further information is available from the California Department of Public Health website at www.cdph.ca.gov.

From the city's Web site:

Reminder to the San Bernardino community. The City of San Bernardino has again been selected to participate in another community-build playground event at the Hernandez Community Center, located at 222 N. Lugo, in Meadowbrook Park. The build honors the legacy and values of Cesar Chavez.

The KaBoom funding partner is California Volunteers; the Andrus Family Trust provided the local funding in honor of Al Guhin.

We would like to extend a special invitation to the Community to attend the playground build, this Saturday on April 25th. Registration begins at 8:00 a.m., with an anticipated completion time of 4:00 p.m. Come participate in the KaBoom experience, helping to create a sense of community through People, Parks and Programs.

By Andrew Edwards
Staff Writer
SAN BERNARDINO -- Former city Code Enforcement director Glenn Baude and a husband-and-wife team of restaurateurs are working to set up a new sports-themed eatery in the shadow of City Hall.

The restaurant -- set to be called Nice Bunz & G's -- is a work in progress where the Souper Grinder and Isabella's, an Italian restaurant, once did business downtown on E Street.

Raymond and Marty Briones, perhaps best known for running the Nice Bunz & Subs sandwich shop downtown, have partnered with Baude to run the restaurant. They said the place could be ready for business in the next three weeks or so.

"We're betting on our ability and we're betting on the city changing itself in the next couple years," Baude said.

Baude and the Brioneses are counting on the thousands of city, county and state employees who work downtown to dine at their restaurant.

They want to deliver food to San Bernardino's government offices, put a breakfast and coffee cart out on the sidewalk to serve morning commuters and provide speedy lunchtime service for those who only have 30 minutes to eat.

"Most of our dishes will be around $7. Steak, a potato and salad and drink," Baude said.

Like any sports friendly restaurant, the partners are planning on decorating the place with memorabilia and several plasma screen televisions to watch sporting events. The floor could end up looking like a basketball court or football field.

The owners want to slow things down at night time. After dark, they want to to serve beer and wine and host live entertainment.

The partners said Souper Grinder, whose clientele included Mayor Pat Morris, city employees and on at least one occasion, Democratic Congressman Joe Baca, closed about one month ago. The down-to-earth sandwich shop had its fans, but not enough to fill space that seems cavernous when compared to most sandwich chains.

"This place is too big to be a sandwich shop," Raymond Briones said.

The location, near City Hall and in the same building as the San Bernardino Economic Development Agency, should make it easy for Baude to sell food and drink to his former employees in Code Enforcement.

Baude was head of that department and led the city's Operation Phoenix anti-crime initiative until late July, when he was placed on administrative leave during the blowup that following the arrest of a once popular youth center supervisor.

The youth center supervisor, Mike Miller, was in charge of San Bernardino's flagship Operation Phoenix facility until early July, when he was arrested on suspicion of child molestation. Miller's arrest opened the door to a series of reports that showed management difficulties and a lack of discipline within Operation Phoenix and the city's Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department.

A city and District Attorney's investigation cleared Baude of wrongdoing, but he agreed to retire in the fall of 2008. He says he was removed from his duties because then-City Manager Fred Wilson wanted to shut him up.

Baude has also said on multiple occasions that San Bernardino officials should have been more transparent about their efforts to repair Operation Phoenix in the weeks following Miller's arrest.
Planning the restaurant, Baude now finds himself on the other side of city government. Instead of enforcing city policy, he has to apply for permits to renovate the restaurant and possibly install a sign that he and Raymond Briones say will make it look like a boxer is punching his way out the building.

Even for a formal city official, it can be a frustrating process.

"Those hurdles are things I'd like to see our city government solve for business," Baude said.

Baude and the Brioneses plan to have a contractor get to work on the renovations this weekend. If Nice Bunz and G's takes off, Baude said he can imaging the place not only hosting jazz musicians for evening entertainment, but promoting boxing matches on the top level of City Hall's parking structure.

"Maybe we can get (City Attorney James F.) Penman and (Mayor Pat) Morris in the ring together and we can promote that," Baude said. "I'd buy a ticket."

The committe that looks at San Bernardino's use of Measure Z sales tax revenues reports to that almost all of the money collected from the measure went to the Police Department.

From July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2008, the city spent more than $4.8 million in Measure Z revenues on Police expenditures. About $93,000 went to fund crime prevention efforts under the banner of Operation Phoenix.

Measure Z is a 1/4-cent sales tax that voters approved in 2006 to finance public safety. Voters also approved Measure YY, which was merely an advisory measure to show voters' intent that revenues be used to fund the Police Department as well as youth programs such as after-school activities and anti-drug education.

The data was presented to the council Monday.

The Sun has had a few articles recently dealing with the issue of whether the city should restore funding to a dozen firefighting positions that were eliminated during this winter's round of budget cuts.

No firefighters were laid off, but eight of those positions had been filled by firefighters working overtime shifts. Having those eight positions on the books allowed the Fire Department to put four firefighters on fire engines that now have only three-person crews. Having three firefighters on an engine means that firefighters have to wait for backup to enter a burning building unless it's obvious that someone needs to be rescued. Otherwise, firefighters operate on a two-in, two-out principle.

Fifth Ward Councilman Chas Kelley wanted to restore funding, but other council members would not join in his effort at Monday's meeting.

One aspect of that meeting that did not make its way into printed stories was deputy city attorney Jolena Grider's suggestion that the city use Administrative Civil Penalties, called ACP's in City Hall's alphabet soup, to help fund the department.

ACPs are a relatively new fine mechanism that the city can use to assess penalties on those who violate any provision of San Bernardino's municipal code. A maximum penalty of $1,000 per day can be levied in addition to other penalties as long as a violation is observed.

Grider's boss, City Attorney James F. Penman, is a proponent of ACPs. FIrefighters are required to perform inspections and Grider said Monday that Penman's office supports the use of ACPs to bolster the Fire budget.

"That could be a good way of raising revenue that hasn't been used at that point," she said.

However, the idea didn't seem to get any traction. Interim City Manager Mark Weinberg and 6th Ward Councilman Rikke Van Johnson both said they didn't want to employ firefighters as revenue collection agents.

"That's not any more palatable to me than if we had our police officers write more traffic citations on the street so we would be able to fund more officers," Weinberg said.

Weinberg also said the city's hearing officer frequently reduced ACP fines from the $1,000 max to amounts like $100.

By Andrew Edwards
Staff Writer

SAN BERNARDINO -- The "Agape House," a nearly-century old building that has been used for a drug treatment program and as an engineer's residence, is set to be demolished to make way for possible expansion work at St. Bernardine Hospital.

The house sits near the hospital near the southwest corner of Highland and Highland avenues. The sand colored, single story building was constructed in 1912 as a home for an engineer to live near a well site at Perris Hill, according to a city document.

The house took its name "Agape House" from its use a rehabilitation center from 1973 to 1975.
The evergreen scent of nearby cedars hangs in the air around the house and a large oak also grows on the site. The house itself, however, has fallen into disrepair. Its windows are boarded up and on its porch are a sleeping bag and other assorted stuff that shows anybody who lives there now would be someone from among San Bernardino's homeless.

The city's Planning Commission on Tuesday granted permission for the Agape House to be demolished. The panel's members made their decision after San Bernardino's Historic Preservation Commission decided that the old house is not worth saving.

"It could not be refurbished and it could not be moved and it needed to be demolished," said Jim Smith, vice chairman of the historic commission.

The commission formed six months ago, Smith said, to prevent historically-valuable structures from being torn down in the way that buildings like the California Hotel were done away with.
It might seem ironic that the Historic Commission's first decision was to OK the demolition of the Agape House, but Smith said commissioners judged that the house could not be practicably saved because it is an unreinforced masonry building.

The Planning Commission's approval also included the condition that a historical marker be built on the site to recognize the history of the house and Perris Hill.

Here's an interesting note on the police chief recruitment process:

Mayor Pat Morris said Tuesday that 47 candidates applied for the police chief position, which on Monday went to Bell Gardens chief Keith Kilmer. Of those 47, none came from within the ranks of SBPD.

"We had no interest from within," Morris said.

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsome, perhaps best known for his support of same-sex marriage - whether you like it or not - has announced that he's running for governor.

And his Web site reports that he used Twitter to make his big announcement.

"Today, I am announcing, via Tweet, my candidacy for governor because California needs a new direction," is the word on Newsome's home page. This reporter now wants to know if Earl Warren, Pat Brown or Ronald Reagan ever used the word "tweet" to announce their gubernatorial campaigns.

Another question: Will any San Bernardino County or California politicians ever get busted for accidentally Tweeting bad behavior? Who will be the first politico to brought down by a "smoking gun memo" in the form of a Tweet?

The Tweet announcement isn't that surprising, seeing as other gubernatorial candidates have followed the leads of 2008's presidential candidates and embraced social networking technology.

Democrats Newsome, Jerry Brown and John Garamendi all have Facebook presences, as do Republicans Tom Campbell, Steve Poizner and Meg Whitman.

Garamendi and Brown also submitted entries in the "25 things" fad that spread through Facebook a few months ago. The candidates and others who participated listed 25 random notes about their lives.

Here is an excerpt from Brown's list:

6. My official portrait as Governor was quite controversial and the legislature refused to hang it. My Father said if I didn't get a new one, I could never run again. It is now hanging and I am still running.

And one from Garamendi's:

3. Patti and I lived without running water and electricity in a mud hut for two years while serving in Peace Corps in Ethiopia.

A list of Starbucks closures shows the chain's location near the corner of Waterman Avenue and Hospitality Lane is slated for closure.

The coffee chain is also set to decaffeinate stores two stores in Chino Hills, one in Grand Terrace, three in Ontario and two in Rialto, among dozens of other stores.

Credit belongs to LA Observed for posting a link to the list Tuesday morning. The full list of stores can be accessed at .

Here's a copy of City Hall's press release on incoming Police Chief Keith Kilmer's appointment. The announcement includes a copy of Kilmer's resume and his employment offer.

SB Now readers may remember that current Police Chief Michael Billdt's resume was not made public until September of last year. The release confirmed that Billdt rose to the rank of chief without earning a four-year degree from an accredited college or university, but did receive from a now-defunct school in Orange County called August Vollmer University.

It's open to debate whether formal education should trump professional law enforcement experience in hiring police chiefs. But police chiefs and other city officials are public servants, so there's no reason to keep their resumes in the dark. The immediate release of Kilmer's resume is the way things should be done.

Keith Kilmer Announcement and Resume.pdf

City Hall has just announced that the city's next police chief will be Keith Kilmer, who is currently the police chief for Bell Gardens.

Kilmer started as Bell Gardens' chief in 2006, after serving as a commander in the Long Beach Police Department. His resume shows that he has earned a law degree from Western State University College of Law and has also studied policing at FBI National Academy and LAPD's West Point Leadership Academy.

The chief-designate is expected to begin work on June 1 and earn an annual salary of $203,700. He is set to give back 10 percent of his pay until June 30, 2010, which is in line with other city employees' concessions.

By Andrew Edwards
Staff Writer

The recession is spawning a group of "newly poor" people within San Bernardino County, said the director of a local organization that provides referrals to social service providers.

"We have a whole group of people coming now, and I think it would be fair to call it the newly poor," said Gary Madden, the director of San Bernardino County 211, which receives most of its funding from Inland Empire United Way.

People within this group, Madden explained, often say when they dial 211 that they have never before asked social service providers for aid.

"We're on track for about 70,000 calls this year for people needing some kind of assistance," said Madden, adding that 60 to 65 percent of those calls are for people unable to pay for basic needs, such as utilities, food or rent or mortgage payments.

A new study released by Washington, D.C.-based group that favors increased government activity to help low-income earners afford housing concludes that life could get harder for those who already have trouble paying rent.

"Competition not just for rental housing - but for low-cost rental housing - could become particularly fierce because an estimated 40 percent of the households displaced by foreclosure are renters," is one finding of the National Low Income Housing Coalition's new report, which was released Tuesday.

"Since renters commonly have lower incomes than owners, evicted renters will increase the demand for low-cost units and be more likely to struggle finding affordable housing after an eviction," the report, titled "Out of Reach 2009" continued.

One worry is a rise in homelessness across the United States.

"So what's going to happen is a lot, unfortunately, will be out on the streets," said Edward Wolff, an economist at New York University.

Besides the Coalition's assertion that an influx of newly foreclosed-upon renters will make it hard for many people to find a place to live, the organization also reports that many people simply do not earn enough to afford an apartment.

The Coalition reports that the 2009 "fair market rent" for a two bedroom Inland Empire apartment is $1,125. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development defines fair market rent as "the dollar amount below which 40 percent of the standard-quality rental housing units are rented."

The figure includes utilities like gas and electrical bills but not telephone, cable television or Internet expenses.

The Coalition estimates that an Inland Empire resident needs to earn $21.63 per hour to pay fair market rent in a two-bedroom apartment without spending more than 30 percent of their income on housing.

However, the estimated mean renter wage in the Inland Empire is only $11.49, according to the Coalition.

The organization further reports that 60 percent of Inland Empire renters earning the median regional renter household income of $36,656 cannot afford to rent a two-bedroom apartment in the Inland Empire unless household members work 75 hours per week.

Danna Fischer, the Coalition's legislative director and a former Freddie Mac senior director, maintained that her group's report illustrates a need for increased government efforts to build housing and subsidize rents for low income Americans.

Fischer said many low income individuals are seniors, disable or single mothers who cannot return to school in hopes of landing more lucrative jobs. She also said Uncle Sam is currently willing to aid well-off Americans.

"The federal government chooses to support wealthy people's housing needs in terms of the mortgage interest deduction and nobody asks why they need this kind of support," Fischer said.

Locally, San Bernardino County Community Action Partnership official Renee Wilson said her social service organization is can sometimes provide rental assistance to people facing eviction or needing first month's rent.

Generally, such aid does not exceed $600, she said.

The Westside Community Service Center in San Bernardino, which is affiliated with New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, had provided rental assistance in the past but has been unable to do so after losing city funding.

"We've had to definitely scale back our programs," said center director Jonathan Buffong, explaining that the center still provides donated food and clothing to the needy.

Madden said that although federal stimulus legislation provides for increased aid to the poor, such as nearly $20 billion to help people obtain food, he doesn't think those hurt by the recession will be able to rely solely upon government aid.

"I think we're in a situation where neighbors have to help neighbors, too," he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The National Weather Service reports that the temperature could reach 98 degrees in San Bernardino today, and it will take a couple days for things to feel like April again.

Forecasters predict a high of 95 for Tuesday. The mercury is expected to drop a little to a high of 85 for Wednesday.

Thursday and Friday could be much cooler, with highs of 76 and 74 degrees, respectively.

Mayoral chief of staff Jim Morris informs us that Mayor Pat Morris will nominate a candidate to be the city's next police chief at today's City Council meeting.

Council members will decide whether or not to ratify the mayor's selection behind closed doors.

"If the council takes action in closed session, there will be a public announcement," Jim Morris said in a phone message.

By Andrew Edwards
Staff Writer
SAN BERNARDINO -- The City Council could hire a new police chief on Monday, but city officials are not willing to say if they expect to make a decision.

"IF the Mayor does bring forward a police chief appointment for confirmation by the Council, that would be discussed in closed session under the personnel exception on Monday's agenda labeled 'Police Chief,'" mayoral chief of staff Jim Morris cq wrote in an email Friday.

"IF the Council takes action to confirm the appointment in closed session, the action would (be) announced in open session," the chief of staff continued.

The City Charter gives Mayor Pat Morris authority to name a candidate who would then have to be ratified by the City Council. Whoever is selected would succeed Police Chief Michael Billdt, who was first promoted to the chief's position on an interim basis in March 2006.

The council met behind closed doors to interview a pair of candidates Thursday night. No council members interviewed for this article would name any candidates or discuss the substance of the job interviews.

"It was a very good interviewing process, we had good candidates," 6th Ward Councilman Rikke Van Johnson said Friday.

"Whoever the selection is is going to do well in our city," he added.

Pat Morris' office has announced that the mayor wanted to have a new chief confirmed by Monday, but as his chief of staff wrote, there's no guarantee the council will bring a close to the process.

Seventh Ward Councilwoman Wendy McCammack did not comment on the candidates Friday, but did say there is a chance that an important detail -- how much the new chief will receive in pay and benefits -- may not be figured out by Monday.

"I don't know if they'll make that vote because we have seen no contract suggestions," she said.
Whoever is selected as police chief will not only have to contend with San Bernardino's perennial crime problem but also need to mend the Police Department's frayed labor-management relations.

The mayor has supported Billdt throughout his tenure as chief, but rank and file police officers have made no secret of their dissatisfaction with the chief's leadership.

The police union has recorded two no confidence votes against Billdt, the first of which was taken in September after union leaders criticized the chief during a council meeting.

Union leaders have claimed that Billdt played favorites within the department and created a paranoid atmosphere within the police force.

The union took its second vote in February in the midst of the city's debate on how to solve a $9 million budget deficit. At the time, many officers were worried about possible police layoffs.

Police officer layoffs were eventually averted, but the council did vote to lay off dozens of non-safety city employees.

Murders have declined during Billdt's time as chief, and until recently, he was charged with increasing the size of the Police Department after voters approved the Measure Z sales tax hike in 2006 to fund the hiring of new officers.

The recession and its resulting decline in tax revenues means that promised expansion of the police force to 356 officers will be delayed. The city's current budget allows for 334 officers to be on the force when the fiscal year ends on June 30.

The council voted earlier this month to apply for grant funding that could allow the city to resume hiring, but the new chief will have to take office at a time when money will be tight.

In addition to having a new police chief, San Bernardino is set to have a new city manager soon. Charles McNeely, the current city manager of Reno, Nev. is scheduled to become the city's top administrator June 1.
[TAG1]andrew.edwards@inlandnewspapers.com
(909) 386-3921

The California Employment Development Department reported today that San Bernardino County's unemployment rate was at 12.5 percent in March.

Word is that times are even harder here in the county seat. San Bernardino mayoral aide Kent Paxton told Sun colleague Deborah Pfeiffer Trunnell that Berdoo's unemployment rate is 15.8 percent.

Califiornia's overall unemployment rate was 11.2 percent, which is worse than what it was in February and close to twice as bad as the jobless rate in March 2008.

The state reports that neighboring Riverside County's unemployment rate was13.2 percent in March.

Third Ward Councilman Tobin Brinker says he as asking parents who are upset about the name of a nearby school district's new high school should make their voices heard by refusing to allow their children to take standardized tests.

Brinker's gambit follows the Colton Joint Unified School District's decision to name a new school within the city of Grand Terrace in honor of retired school board member Ray Abril. Many parents whose children would attend the new school wanted the campus to be named Grand Terrace High School.

If parents do as Brinker recommends, and their children do not take the state-issued STAR tests, the district's overall performance on the standardized tests could suffer. Accordingly, the threat of parents refusing to let their children take the tests could create pressure for the board to reconsider the new high school's name.

"(It) lets them feel they have something they can do," Brinker said in a telephone interview.

"My hope is they'll (school board members) make this decision not because of the pressure, but because it's the right thing to do," he also said.

Brinker is a former Colton Joint Unified board member and a Rialto Unified School District teacher. Some families in southern San Bernardino send their children to schools in that district.

School district spokeswoman Katie Orloff said the school board has scheduled another discussion on the new high school's name for its Thursday meeting.

The campus is under construction, Brinker has proposed that the district could please the parents and honor Abril by naming a prominent structure on the high school in Abril's honor.

Here's interim City Manager Mark Weinberg's response to Sun colleague Stacia Glenn, who covers public safety. Wineberg's response also contains information regarding 5th Ward Councilman Chas Kelley's efforts to obtain funding for firefighter positions.

"The MCC is meeting presently to interview two finalist candidates for the position of Police Chief. These candidates have been previously interviewed independently by: a panel of subject matter experts; the Mayor; and incoming City Manager Charles McNeely and narrowed from a larger candidate pool.

"No rankings have been assigned to the two finalists, and there is no designated "top contender".

"It appears as though Councilmember Chas Kelly has placed an item on Monday's MCC Agenda requesting his colleagues to approve a resolution which would reinstate the recently deleted 8 fire fighter positions, as well as up to 4 additional fire fighter positions which were previously approved by the council for elimination."

Reporter's note: The MCC acronym refers to Mayor and Common Council

By Andrew Edwards
Staff Writer
SAN BERNARDINO -- Local scientists are pursuing federal dollars to fund a study of the health effects of living near the rail yard on the Westside.

The BNSF Railway yard in western San Bernardino is both a major employer and an important link in the transportation chain for imports that enter the United States from the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

But the diesel-fueled locomotives, cranes and big rigs that rail yard employees and truckers use to move those goods are also a source of pollution.

The California Air Resources Board released a report in 2008 that concluded that people living in neighborhoods near the rail yard face elevated cancer risks compared to other Inland Empire and Los Angeles area residents.

That report, however, relied on estimates to provide a worst-case scenario type assessment of the health hazards posed by the tiny particles that enter the air when diesel engines do their work. Loma Linda University professor Samuel Soret said he and others want to collect data near the yard to obtain a clearer picture of where pollution goes and what happens to people who are exposed to the airborne toxins.

"My hypothesis is that there's likely a greater burden of disease in the communities that are immediately adjacent to the rail yard," Soret said Thursday. "I'm not sure we'll be able to show whether the greater burden of disease is directly related to the railyard."

A BNSF spokeswoman expressed skepticism that the study could pinpoint the rail yard as the source of observed pollution, since the train facility and adjacent neighborhoods are also close to the heavily traveled 215 Freeway.

Spokeswoman Lena Kent also said BNSF sent an application Wednesday to the South Coast Air Quality Management District to obtain funding that could help finance the purchase of cleaner locomotive technology.

Kent said the rail company is asking for $3 million to help buy four GenSet switching locomotives that would move freight around the yard.

GenSets use multiple diesel engines instead of a single large engine, enabling the machines to use less fuel when hauling relatively light loads.

Kent also said that more than 500 people, including contractors, work at the rail yard.

In regard to the planned study, Soret said faculty from Loma Linda University and Cal State San Bernardino are likely to take part in the study, as are local community groups.

The study would monitor pollutants observed at sites near BNSF's property and collect health data from residents and students who live or attend classes near the train yard.

The research plan also proposes to collect data from a neighborhood that's near a freeway -- but not close to a railroad -- and a third neighborhood that's not in the vicinity of neither a train yard nor a freeway to better understand how much pollution can be expected to have its origin at a train yard.

Soret said the study could cost about $1 million and require two years to complete. He said scientists plan to ask the National Institute of Health and Environmental Protection Agency for financial backing.

He expects the results will enable the scientists to propose policy recommendations related to the rail yard's freight moving activities.

"We need to move things, we all benefit from it, but the question is should just a specific community pay for us in terms of all the hidden costs?," he asked.

Jim Morris, chief of staff to Mayor Pat Morris said the Mayor's Office supports both the study as well as BNSF's application for cleaner locomotive technology that could be used at the Westside train yard.

The City Council is scheduled to gather behind closed doors at 5 p.m. today to interview one of more candidates to be San Bernardino's next police chief.

We're hearing some buzz, but don't have quite enough confirmation yet to reveal who we think the leading candidate is. The word is the favored candidate is a police chief in a Los Angeles County city, but is not LAPD Chief William Bratton.

I'm pretty confident that we're on the right track, but any sports fan has read about more than a few trades that never end up happening.

The agency that decides which local governments get to be in charge of which areas has delayed a decision on whether two San Bernardino County water districts should merge.

The Local Agency Formation Commission, AKA Lafco board, took action Tuesday to continue a vote on the issue until July 15.

The question is whether the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District, an H20 wholesaler, should absorb the San Bernardino Valley Water Conservation District, which is responsible for recharging local groundwater supplies.

The Conservation District's territory is completely within the boundaries of the Municipal Water District. The Conservation District wants to remain independent and maintains that its less expensive to San Bernardino area residents to keep the small agency intact. The Municipal Water District has contended that it would be cheaper to join the agencies.

Lafco reports that an independent financial analysis of the proposed merger is not expected to be completed until early June.

The beginning of Gottschalk' end is under way at the chain's San Bernardino store. Having declared bankruptcy, Gottschalks is selling off its remaining inventory.

Numerous red and yellow signs proclaim that Gottschalks is in the process of selling off its remaining inventory, but only a few shoppers were in the San Bernardino store when this reporter walked through on Wednesday afternoon.

Most of the merchandise I saw was being sold at a 20 percent discount. But it seemed as if any other discounts were canceled, so clothing wasn't being sold at extremely cheap prices. It reminded me of Circuit City's going out of business sale, when customers weren't finding that prices were slashed while in-demand products were still on the shelves.

If you're lucky enough to have any spending money after paying your taxes, winter coats were being sold at 60 percent off.

From the Housing Authority of the County of San Bernardino:

Community Health Fair in San Bernardino

Housing Authority of the County of San Bernardino and Boys & Girls Club of Redlands Partner to Host Health Fair

WHAT: The Housing Authority of the County of San Bernardino and the Boys and Girls Club of Redlands -Waterman Gardens site are co-hosting a Community Health Fair in partnership with over twenty community organizations and health related agencies. Together they will assist families and individuals obtain information to help address some of their health questions and/or concerns. Specifically, attendees will have access to information regarding health care services, substance abuse, parenting classes, food assistance and more, including obtaining various free onsite health screenings.

WHO: Below is a partial list of confirmed healthcare agencies, family service providers, and other organizations that will attend:

American Cancer Society
MADD (Crash car display)
Central Valley Prevention
Medical Board of California
Dept. of Behavioral Health
Option House
Dept. of Public Health/AIDS HIV Program
Parenting Class
Diabetes association
SB City Unified School District
Health Care Options
SB County Women, Infants & Children
Inland Agency
SBC Public Health/Friday Night Live
Inland Behavioral Health Services
Springboard
Inland Empire Health Plan
The Inland Empire Marriage Coalition
Kiwanis Club of Cooley Ranch
Vista Guidance Center
Lighthouse for the Blind
Volunteers of America
Loma Linda University

WHEN: Friday, April 24th 2:00 -5:00 pm

WHERE: 402 Alder Street, San Bernardino, CA 92410 (Corner of Waterman Ave and Baseline St)

Mayoral chief of staff Jim Morris said this morning that Mayor Pat Morris is still on track to hire a new police chief by Monday.

The mayor and City Council are scheduled to meet in closed session Thursday to interview finalists for the job. If those interviews are successful, the council could ratify Pat Morris' selection on Monday.

Current police chief Michael Billdt has been in charge of the Police Department since 2006. He and other department administrators have had a rocky relationship with the rank and file, particularly during the last few months. The police union has voted no confidence against Billdt twice.

The following is part of a package on the 70th anniversary of "The Grapes of Wrath" that is scheduled to run in Tuesday's edition of The Sun

By Andrew Edwards
Staff Writer
If John Steinbeck were alive today and had yet to pen "The Grapes of Wrath," it's not too hard to imagine the novelist telling the story of the a family making its departure from California.

Released 70 years ago, Steinbeck's novel of the Great Depression was imagined the hardships endured by the Joads, an Oklahoma family that braved Route 66 in an ultimately fruitless search for prosperity in the Central Valley.

Steinbeck's novel isn't the only story of those who have moved to California:

Elementary school students learn of the Spanish missions and the Gold Rush. The nostalgia of Route 66 is woven into the civic fiber of communities like San Bernardino. Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant cq sang how he "made up his mind to make a new start/going to California with an aching in my heart" in words that became classic rock staple.

California's population continues to grow through births and foreign immigration, but in recent years, more Californians leave the state than move in.

What remains to be seen is whether California has reached a point financial opportunity itself has fled eastward or whether the state is experiencing a short-term trend.

Stater Bros. chief executive Jack Brown said he's not willing to give up California. He said Golden State businesses face many regulations, but also serve the country's most populous state.

"I've had supermarkets in 11 states and I've never been in a state that offers more opportunity than California," he said.

One way modern reality differs from the world of "The Grapes of Wrath" is that today's economic slump could be hindering Californians' eastward migration.

"We have been getting a lot of Californians moving here for the past 10 years. That has slowed down considerably," said Paul Hiller, executive director of the Boise Valley Economic Partnership in Idaho.

Hiller is the former head of the Riverside-based Inland Empire Economic Partnership. He's not the only ex-Californian in his current workplace -- senior receptionist Kathi Jones is an Idaho native who returned to the state after living in Southern California.

Jones lived a West Covina that she said was "becoming gang infested territory" 16 years ago when she returned to Idaho, bringing along her husband and two teenage children.

She was happy to leave Southern California's crime and traffic behind, but said it took her husband about five years to consider Boise as his home.

California Department of Finance statistics, released in December, show that California recorded domestic outmigration of about 135,000 people. It was the fourth consecutive year that more Americans left the state than moved in.

Each person who leaves the state has a different story. Bertha at Base Line U-Haul in San Bernardino declined to give her last name but said she has noticed people who recently moved to California are moving back east again.

One woman who made the trip from Florida, didn't find what she was looking for and rented a trailer for the return trip. Several families have returned to Colorado recently, she said.

Alaina Harris, cq now of Oklahoma City, said she grew up in Vacaville and went to college at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa before leaving California.

She said she moved to Oklahoma City to take a public relations job after earning a Master's Degree from Georgetown University in 2007.

"I was able to purchase a home out here, which is something I would not be able to do at my age in California," said Harris, 26, who purchased the home with her fiancee, who she said is a U.S. Air Force flight trainer.

The prospect of affordable real estate and an escape from onerous taxation and business regulations are commonly heard reasons for people to leave California.

"In comparison to California, we tend to have fewer regulations and license fees," said Cara Roberts, director of public relations for the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce.

But Bill Carney current chief executive of the Inland Empire Economic Partnership believes that stories of an exodus from California have been greatly exaggerated.

"Everytime we have a recession, we go through that," he said. "It was in the early 90s. The hype is always much greater than reality."

Staff writer Wes Hughes contributed to this report.

Here's Sun reporter Melissa Pinion-Whitt's reporting on the burglary of Time for Change Foundation's office here in San Bernardino.

I called foundation director Kim Carter after hearing the news Monday morning. She was justifiably upset.

"They took my chair, they don't even want me to have a seat at my desk. That's beyond crackhead," she said.

Carter said she has been planning the foundation's annual fundraiser before learning that some criminal stole $15,000 worth of equipment.

The full story follows below.

Foundation for homeless burglarized on Easter
Melissa Pinion-Whitt, Staff Writer
Posted: 04/13/2009 03:35:07 PM PDT

SAN BERNARDINO - Burglars broke into a foundation office for homeless women and children Sunday, taking an estimated $15,000 in property and leaving the already-strained organization to figure out how it will stay afloat.

The economic downturn was already stretching thin the Time for Change Foundation, a group that operates two homeless shelters in the city. The number of clients seeking shelter has jumped about 36 percent this year and the amount of community support has declined, said director Kim Carter.

"My clients are here today and they're just devastated," Carter said. "They're really afraid that I may not be able to recover from this."

The thieves smashed the front window of the office in the 2100 block of North Arrowhead Avenue sometime late Saturday or early Sunday. Carter said the burglars ran off with a computer, hard drive, printer, video camera, laptop, a 13-inch television, telephone, scanner, toner cartridges and even her office chair.

And while those items can eventually be replaced, Carter said the burglars took other more personal items, including a DVD case containing television footage regarding Time for Change, training videos, and footage of past foundation events.

"They came in here and literally wiped me out," she said.

She discovered her insurance company would not cover the loss.

San Bernardino police said the crime appears to be a random burglary.

Detectives were seeking any information that would lead them to identifying suspects.

"There are no investigative leads at this time," said San Bernardino police Lt. Dan Keil.

The Time For Change Foundation has operated shelters for women and children since 2002. Its clients include women recovering from mental, physical and substance abuse, as well as incarceration.

This past year, Carter says, women who were simply laid off from their jobs and evicted from their homes have been seeking the foundation's help.

"We have a new face on homelessness now," she said.

Donations may be made to the Time for Change Recovery Fund, P.O. Box 5753, San Bernardino, 92412. Carter said gift cards for office-supply stores are welcome. Information: (909) 886-2994 or at www.timeforchange.us.

Anyone with information on the burglary may call San Bernardino police, (909) 384-5615.

By Andrew Edwards
Staff Writer
SAN BERNARDINO -- A local electrician's school has a new set of solar panels that can be used to power the training center and teach future generations the craft of installing photovoltaic systems.

The 312 panels are installed atop steel support structures behind school, which is called the Joint Apprenticeship Training Center.

The panels are expected to generate more than 87,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per year and there is room for future apprentices to install dozens of additional panels over the course of future classes.

The training center is operated by the local chapter of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and National Electrical Contractors Association.

"Originally, the idea was to have a system out here to promote the union and show our capabilities," said instructor Steve Pitzek, who is also a contractor with a company called Creative Energy Electric, Inc.

"I think it became more of an investment in the training center itself," he continued.

The training center spent about $500,000 to install the panels, which are expected to pay for themselves in eight to 10 years.

The panels suggest that contractors and union officials alike are banking on solar power to increase its prominence in the coming years.

David Shankle, an executive chapter of the local branch of the Contractors Association remarked that many people may think of solar power as a fad technology sold by salesmen who wore tie-dyed shirts while trying to market solar-powered water heaters during the 1980s.

He expects the technology to have a brighter future in coming years. Particularly within the Inland Empire.

"You need to clean the air. We've got the sun," he said. "The politicians love it."

The Joint Apprenticeship Training Center offers both classroom and on-the-job training.

Apprentices don't have to pay for classes during the five-year program but do have to shell out for textbooks after their first year.

Prospective apprentices need to be at least 18 years old and have a high school education. Algebra classes are a must, and applicants need to pass an aptitude test.

Training director Richard Purper said the union's San Bernardino and Riverside locals have trained about 450 people how to install photovoltaic panels.

U.S. Department of Energy statistics show a significant increase in photovoltaic deliveries during the current decade. In 2000, the department recorded nearly 20,000 domestic shipments of photovoltaic panels.

That number climbed to more than 280,000 panels in 2007.

Coal is the most significant source of American electrical power. About 48 percent of electricity generated during 2008 in the United States was fueled by coal.

For more information on apprenticeship classes, call (909) 890-1703.

Here is the text of a city announcement regarding rental housing inspection notices that were sent to residents who did not need to receive them.

The city's release does not specify how many unnecessary letters were emailed. The messages were cent via certified mail, which means each letter cost more than $5 to mail. A First Class stamp costs only 42 cents, but city law requires certified mail.

Interim Code Enforcement director Wayne Harp said earlier this week that he wants San Bernardino to change its policy to allow the department to use standard mail delivery.

The city's announcement follows:

From the Library Department:

Due to budget and staff reductions, the hours at the San Bernardino Public Library's branch hours have been further reduced. The hours for the Dorothy Inghram Branch Library, 1505 W. Highland Avenue, the Howard M. Rowe Branch Library, 108 E. Marshall Boulevard, and the Paul Villaseñor Branch Library, 525 N. Mt. Vernon Avenue are as follows:

Monday and Tuesday: 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Wednesday and Thursday: 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Friday and Saturday: closed

The hours for the Norman F. Feldheym Central Library, 555 W. 6th Street, remain:

Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday: 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Thursday and Saturday: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

A free reference service is available with librarians, 24/7 through the library's website, www.sbpl.org. Click on ASK NOW on the right hand side of the page.

For more information, please call 909.381.8215.

By Andrew Edwards
Staff Writer
SAN BERNARDINO -- Entertainment - particularly the rebirth of a downtown cinema -- is an essential aspect to reawakening the city's slumbering core, said the town's redevelopment chief on Thursday.

"We can't do it based on housing because housing will take to long," said Emil Marzullo, interim director of the San Bernardino Economic Development Agency.

Marzullo offered his view during Thursday's public presentation of the Downtown Core Vision/Action Plan at City Hall.

One key aspect of the plan is the suggested dedication of the area around California Theatre and former CinemaStar site on Fourth Street as an area for entertainment and dining.

"Our success is going to be judged by the first move we make," consultant Vaughan Davies cq said during the presentation.

Davies is director of urban design for EDAW, an urban consulting firm with offices in Los Angeles.

The establishment of a major civic center near the 215 Freeway -- and in the place of the moribund Carousel Mall -- is another significant component of the plan, which could take decades to accomplish.

Recent events that occurred independently of the downtown planning process show movement toward both of those objectives.

On Monday, the City Council voted to ask the federal government for a $9 million loan that would enable Los Angeles-based Maya Cinemas to refurbish the former CinemaStar site into a functioning movie theater.

Maya Cinemas also plans to develop commercial space around the theater, but the firm says it needs government assistance to complete its plans in the midst of a tight credit market.

Marzullo has said that Maya Cinemas could show movies at the theater by the end of the year. If the federal government grants a loan and the project fails, the EDA would have to assume loan payments. The city could also lose its ability to tap into federal Community Development Block Grants.

San Bernardino County officials have their eye on the Carousel Mall site. County supervisors met behind closed doors Tuesday to discuss the potential purchase of the property to build a new government center.

County officials have not completed any deal to buy the property.

"If we are able to capture the interest of the county, we could be in the ground in the next 24 months," Davies predicted after delivering his presentation.

Davies said Thursday that the county's plans do not conflict with the ideas being presented by EDAW and the Economic Development Agency.

He said another option is to also move San Bernardino City Hall to mall location, which could also feature retail space.

The land where Carousel Mall sits is not living up to its potential. Mayor Pat Morris remarked that the downtown In-N-Out Burger franchise generates twice as much tax revenue as the shopping center.

Perhaps most important to the officials and consultants working on the plan, a new Civic Center would provide an opportunity to build a dramatic high-rise that could show freeway travelers that San Bernardino aspires to be identified as a city, not just another suburb.

"We have great visibility from the freeway that has not been really taken advantage of," Davies said.

Marzullo said the new plan has cost about $350,000 to prepare. Longtime San Bernardino residents may be highly skeptical regarding redevelopment plans.

The "Lakes and Streams" project once proposed to transform the area north of the city's core has all but vanished from public discourse. Another concept -- the transformation of Carousel Mall into a mixed-used development -- was canned after the real estate market began its slide.

"This is a plan that needs to be developer ready as soon as possible," Davies said.

By Andrew Edwards
SAN BERNARDINO -- Economic development officials are poised to help Maya Cinemas get a loan from Uncle Sam to finance the company's downtown theater project.

Maya Cinemas, based in Los Angeles, is the San Bernardino Economic Development Agency's hope to develop a sequel to CinemaStar, whose downtown theater business did a fade to black in September.

The 20-screen theater, at the corner of Fourth and E streets, has been a husk since CinemaStar failed.

The City Council voted Monday night to ask the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for a $9 million loan to help Maya Cinemas accomplish its plans.

Maya is expected to purchase the theater site from the EDA and refurbish the property. Maya has promised to add an IMAX screen to the theater, and the firm is also planning commercial development near the cinema.

Maya Cinemas chief executive Moctesuma Esparza said Wednesday that the theater could open 60 to 90 days after financing becomes available.

The financing decision required council members to judge whether it's riskier for San Bernardino to allow a big cinema building to remain vacant or to guarantee millions in new debt. The council voted 6-1 in favor of vouching for Maya Cinemas.

"I'm hoping that we are successful ... all we can do is try," Estrada said Wednesday.

"There's a little bit of concern but the downtown does need those theaters," added Estrada, whose ward includes downtown.

Seventh Ward Councilwoman Wendy McCammack cast the sole vote against the financing plan.
She said Wednesday that she doesn't favor the city's guarantee of "a $9 million loan to a company that said they didn't need a dime of city subsidies."

"I understand that (economic) circumstances have changed, but that's still a difficult sale for this councilwoman," she continued.

But Esparza said changing economic circumstances are the very reason Maya is asking the government for help.

"That was before the credit crash," he said.

One reason for concern is that the loan would be made against San Bernardino's future allotments of federal Community Development Block Grants.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development manages both the Block Grants the Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program, which is the mechanism that could be used to help finance Maya Cinema's downtown project.

Block Grant funds can be used to finance a variety of local projects and are often disbursed to nonprofits that serve the needy.

The council-approved plan requires Maya to repay the loan in seven years. If Maya defaults, the EDA would repossess the theater site and assume the obligation to pay the balance of the Section 108 loan.

The city would not lose its ability to receive Block Grants as long as Maya Cinemas or the EDA can make loan payments, according to the Agency.

Interim EDA director Emil Marzullo said during Monday's meeting that he anticipates Maya will have a cinema operating downtown by the end of 2009.

Businessman Fred Shorett was sworn in today as the new councilman representing San Bernardino's Fourth Ward.

The Fourth Ward includes the northeastern part of the city. Shorett won a March 17 Special Election to replace Neil Derry, who is now on the Board of Supervisors.

After taking the oath of office, Shorett remarked that his family has done business in San Bernardino since the 1920s, and that in 1944 his grandfather was elected to represent the Fourth Ward. Shorett said the city has seen better days, but he repeated his campaign theme that the city's assets - such as water, higher education and highway access - can be used to make San Bernardino prosperous.

"I plan to work as hard as I can and to bring a business approach and a common sense approach to City Hall," Shorett said.

Today's City Council meeting includes the continuation of a hearing involving an effort to convert a church building at 840 North Sierra Way into a homeless shelter. Opponents to the plan object to the site's proximity to a facility that serves domestic violence victims.

Other items on the agenda include a presentation on downtown revitalization plans and the proposed establishment of a property-based business improvement district intended to preserve the San Bernardino Auto Mall's dealers.

In other news today, the Los Angeles Dodgers open the 2009 season and the Michigan State Spartans play the North Carolina Tar Heels for the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship.

Interim Code Enforcement director Wayne Harp says the city needs to change its requirement to use certified mail when sending inspection notices for San Bernardino's single-family rental inspection program.

"You're looking at $55,000 to $75,000 bucks just for the rental inspection program," Harp said.

Harp said the department is obligated to send notices by certified mail under city law. He said the City Council is expected to consider a change to that policy at a future meeting.

Harp said First-Class Mail would be sufficient.

A First Class stamp costs 42 cents. The inspection notice - sent via Certified Mail - that Montrose Avenue resident Anthony Eygnor received cost $5.32.

Harp said the city sends 11,000 to 15,000 inspection notices in a year. The $4-plus cost difference really adds up.

Also, Eygnor said he's not renting his home to anybody, so there wouldn't be a need for Code Enforcement to spend a fiver and change on sending him a letter.

He said several of his neighbors also received the notices.

"The poor post lady had a stack like this," Eygnor said.

This is a copy of Claremont Republican Anthony Adams' statement on the gas station issue.

SACRAMENTO - Responding to a crisis that could cause hundreds of local gas stations to close or face steep fines, Assemblyman Adams (R-Hesperia) today joined his Assembly Republican colleagues to introduce emergency legislation that will put a one-year enforcement holiday in place on a costly state mandate.

"Without this legislation hundreds of local gas stations could face substantial fines, ultimately putting them out of business," said Adams. "The rippling effect of this mandate could cause more people to lose their jobs and lead to higher gas prices at a time when we need to be looking to move the State forward."

Adams voiced strong support of legislation introduced by Assemblyman Martin Garrick (R-Carlsbad) that will give gas stations across California immediate relief from a costly new mandate that takes effect today requiring them to install new fuel nozzles to improve air quality. More than 11,000 gas stations statewide are required to install the new fuel nozzles, at an average cost of over $50,000 per gas station. Without relief, stations that do not install these new nozzles could be forced by the Air Resources Board to shut down or pay hefty fines.

Adams said that even though the regulation was adopted by the Board in 2000, Board Members did not approve the type of fuel nozzle stations had to install until 2007, leaving them little time to purchase and install the upgrades. With the economic recession severely limiting available credit to small businesses, many gas station owners were unable to borrow the funds needed in time to install the new nozzles. As of March 23, just 4,080 systems had been installed statewide, with another 7,700 ordered. Even if every station that ordered equipment was able to do so today, another 3,680 stations would be out of compliance.

The emergency legislation that Adams supports would authorize a one-year "enforcement holiday" to give gas stations additional time to comply with the law. It will not repeal or alter any new requirements, but will delay enforcement by one year.

"The legislation would not alter environmental regulations nor eliminate the mandate, but simply allow gas stations more time to comply," said Adams. "I hope that Republicans and Democrats can work together in passing this legislation to protect small businesses and jobs, while effectively improving air quality."

By Andrew Edwards
Staff Writer

The gas pumps outside the Hitching Post store in Colton were closed Wednesday as a new statewide requirement for cleaner technology went into effect.

"I'm not saying I've stopped completely. I'm stopped for this time," said Hitching Post owner Marvene Stout, who has yet to decide whether to invest in costly anti-pollution equipment or to keep her pumps out of business.

Stout's not the only gas station owner who faces the dilemma, which also includes the option of doing business without the technology -- but at the costs of paying thousands in fines.

The California Air Resources Board set Wednesday as the deadline for the state's gas stations to comply with its Enhanced Vapor Recovery Program.

The program requires stations to install technology designed to prevent gasoline vapors from escaping into the air while customers pump their vehicles full of fuel. By the board's own estimates, the mandated equipment could cost station owners about $11,000 per pump.

The rule has been on the books since 2000, but a group representing gas station owners reports that air quality regulators have only approved three vendors to sell the needed technology, the most recent approval was made in fall 2008.

Air Resources Board spokesman Dimitri Stanich said local air quality management districts will enforce Wednesday's deadline, but will work with stations that are working towards compliance.
"We want people to understand that the goal is clean air. Nobody's going to get shut down," Stanich said.