The victim who came forward last July claiming she had a three and one-half year affair with San Bernardino District Attorney Michael Ramos and was retaliated against after the relationship became public knowledge has filed a $1.5 million dollar claim for damages.

The claim alleging sexual harassment, creating a hostile work environment, workplace retaliation, and constructive discharge among its allegations was filed against San Bernardino County, Ramos, and others in the District Attorney’s office.

The pending claim, a precursor to a lawsuit, contains some interesting pieces of information.

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Capitol Insider
By Marisa Lagos

Doesn’t look like California is going to get much financial help from its Senate delegation.

Just hours after Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger made an impassioned argument for more federal funds — noting that the state gets back just 78 cents for every dollar it sends to Washington, D.C. — Senator Dianne Feinstein fired back. And she didn’t mince words.

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By John Howard and Anthony York | 01/07/10 12:00 AM PST

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger intends to call the Legislature into emergency session to confront a nearly $6.6 billion budget gap in the current fiscal year. The governor is expected to outline his proposed solutions by Friday – when he will unveil his new budget for the 2010-11 fiscal year that begins July 1.

The emergency declaration, authorized under voter-approved Proposition 58, requires lawmakers to act within 45 days on his proposals or pass their own combination of cuts and revenue increases. There is no penalty if the Legislature fails to perform, although lawmakers are barred from adjourning or considering other issues until they act on the governor’s plan.

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10:00 PM PST on Wednesday, January 6, 2010

By JIM MILLER
Sacramento Bureau

SACRAMENTO – Inland state Sen. Bob Dutton said Wednesday that he has the unanimous support of his Republican colleagues to become the next Senate minority leader.

Dutton, R-Rancho Cucamonga, would become the second straight Inland lawmaker to head the Senate GOP, replacing Dennis Hollingsworth, R-Murrieta.

It’s unclear when the switch would take place. A formal caucus vote has not been scheduled. It would likely come after an agreement on next year’s budget, Dutton said.

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By Ed Mendel | 01/07/10 12:00 AM PST

The CalPERS investment portfolio, after losing $100 billion from its peak in October 2007, has rebounded $40 billion since the market low last March and is now about $202 billion.

But a consultant told the CalPERS board last week that the fund’s investment returns, when compared with other large pension funds, ranked in the bottom 7 percent during the last year and the bottom 10 percent during the last five years.

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By John Howard and Anthony York | 01/07/10 12:00 AM PST

As Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger prepares his 2010-11 state budget, one group that is likely to continue to feel the squeeze is the state workforce.

Details of the governor’s proposed spending plan will be unveiled Friday, but Capitol sources said this week state workers were likely to continue to take part of the budget blow. They said the current system of forced furloughs, in which state employees are required to take three Fridays off per month without pay, reportedly would be abandoned, but it was unclear what would be in their place. Layoffs and a 5 percent pay cut had both been mentioned as an alternative to furloughs.

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By Ed Mendel

In an echo from five years ago, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger yesterday urged a cut in pensions for new state hires, warning that soaring retirement costs are taking money from other programs.

But his final State of the State address did not include the spur he used in the same annual agenda-setting speech in 2005 — a threat to go to the voters with an initiative if the Legislature does not act.

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Liset Marquez, Staff Writer
Created: 01/06/2010 09:18:13 PM PST

ONTARIO – In a move that could benefit the city financially, the council has agreed to designate Ontario as a recovery zone.

The City Council action on Tuesday night allows the issuance of up to $17 million in private and public bonds from President Barack Obama’s $787 billion stimulus bill.

Cities with significant poverty, unemployment or a high rate of home foreclosures can be characterized as a recovery zone and are allocated an amount of bonds from the government to help stimulate the economy.

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City council approves first of three stages to poll residents about possible public safety tax

January 06, 2010 4:29 PM
BEAU YARBROUGH Staff Writer

HESPERIA • In the near future, Hesperians will be asked how they feel about the city raising taxes to pay for more police and fire service.

On a 3-2 vote at Tuesday night’s meeting, the Hesperia City Council approved paying up to $40,000 to Oakland-based consulting firm Tramutola to survey residents about the possibility of putting an initiative to raise taxes on the ballot in November.

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January 06, 2010 4:08 PM
BROOKE EDWARDS Staff Writer

VICTORVILLE • The council voted to move forward with plans to expand Victorville some 32 square miles to the north, in spite of concerns raised by the area’s largest property owner and by City Manager Jim Cox.

Cox recommended Tuesday night that the council hold off on its vote for another couple of weeks, until staff could meet with representatives from Apple Valley over conflicts indirectly related to the expansion and with San Bernardino County 1st District Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt.

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James Rufus Koren, Staff Writer
Posted: 01/06/2010 05:31:13 PM PST

Assemblyman Anthony Adams’ announcement that he will not seek re-election this year has already spurred one more candidate into this year’s election, and political observers said that’s not the only way Adams’ withdrawal could change the dynamic of this year’s elections.

Adams, R-Claremont, who spent the better part of 2009 fighting off a recall drive after a February vote to increase taxes, said Tuesday he will not run for a third term in his 59th District Assembly seat. On Wednesday, Claremont Mayor Corey Calaykay said he will run for the seat – something he said he wouldn’t be doing had Adams decided to stay.

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Joe Nelson, Staff Writer
Posted: 01/06/2010 04:51:56 PM PST

A government watchdog and former spokesman for the San Bernardino County Democratic Party, faced with a charge of felony child pornography possession, was taken into custody Wednesday morning after being free on bail for more than a year.

Samuel Hershel Clauder II, 58, of San Bernardino, appeared in San Bernardino Superior Court for a pre-trial hearing accompanied by his bail bondsman, who surrendered Clauder to the court, said Deputy District Attorney Maryanne Choi.

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