Politics, Government & Business in California's Inland Empire
Information coming out related to the corruption probe being conducted by the San Bernardino County District Attorney is raising serious questions this morning.
Sources with knowledge into one of the cases says information turned over to the defense for High Desert developer John DeFazio may clear him of charges.
10:00 PM PDT on Tuesday, March 16, 2010
By RICHARD K. DE ATLEY
The Press-Enterprise
Candidates have been finalized for district attorney and judgeship races in Riverside and San Bernardino counties for the June 8 primary election.
In contests involving two candidates, the June voting will decide the race. A November runoff is possible in the San Bernardino County district attorney race, which involves three candidates.
By John Marelius, UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 12:05 a.m.
Former eBay CEO Meg Whitman is running away with the race for the Republican gubernatorial nomination by 49 points and for the first time has taken a narrow lead over Democrat Jerry Brown in a general-election matchup, a new Field Poll shows.
The nonpartisan, statewide survey shows Whitman leading state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner 63 percent to 14 percent among voters considered likely to cast ballots in the June 8 Republican primary election. The remaining 23 percent were undecided.
10:00 PM PDT on Tuesday, March 16, 2010
By BEN GOAD
Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON – The nation’s economic recovery depends on more direct funding for city governments, Riverside Mayor Ron Loveridge told municipal leaders from around the country this week, while urging passage of a new bill aimed at creating jobs at the local level.
Loveridge, president of the National League of Cities, also called for increased funding for local transportation projects, energy conservation efforts and initiatives to combat the foreclosure crisis.
Chantel M. Lovell and Jesse B. Gill, Staff Writers
Posted: 03/16/2010 07:14:39 PM PDT
REDLANDS – University of Redlands President Stuart Dorsey announced his sudden and immediate resignation Tuesday, saying he has become the embodiment of the school’s budget problems.
Dorsey informed students and faculty members at an afternoon meeting what he told the Board of Trustees Tuesday morning – that he will resign as university president effective immediately.
10:00 PM PDT on Tuesday, March 16, 2010
By DUANE W. GANG
The Press-Enterprise
For the second time in a month, Riverside County supervisors faced accusations that the process to award a $6.9 million annual contract for criminal-defense services was tainted.
But a majority of supervisors disagreed, saying they believed the process that recommended Criminal Defense Lawyers as the winning firm was fair and transparent.
If Rex Gutierrez actually makes it to trial as scheduled, and yes I doubt the case will go to trial, it will be a lesson in lack of ethics and integrity amongst county and former county employees and I’m not talking about Rex.
First up will be Confidential Informant No. 1, our illustrious “Persona Au Gratin,” singing Canary extraodinaire Adam Aleman, who if he has the misfortune of making it to the witness stand will be able to impress jurors with his magnificant command of the English language, especially the big words he likes to throw around whether he knows what they mean or not. The jury will be entertained at least.
10:00 PM PDT on Tuesday, March 16, 2010
The Press-Enterprise
City officials on Tuesday announced an agreement with the General Employees Association of Redlands that includes no cost-of-living pay increases and furloughs equal to 80 hours per employee through June 2012.
The association represents 220 of the city’s approximately 500 employees.
Troy Anderson, Staff Writer
Created: 03/16/2010 06:38:27 PM PDT
Beset by an unprecedented $79 million shortfall, Los Angeles County Superior Court officials on Tuesday announced 329 layoffs and the closure of 17 courtrooms.
Presiding Judge Charles W. “Tim” McCoy Jr. said another 1,800 layoffs are possible – 34 percent of the court workforce – and 180 courtrooms and nine courthouses could be shuttered by 2013 if the system doesn’t get more state funding.
By Dan Walters
dwalters@sacbee.com The Sacramento Bee
Published: Wednesday, Mar. 17, 2010 – 12:00 am | Page 3A
Political California is fixated on the rapidly developing contests for high-profile offices, particularly what appears to be a looming slugfest between Republican Meg Whitman and Democrat Jerry Brown for a governorship that will be dominated by the state’s chronic budget crisis.
A new Field Research Corp. poll implies that the duel for the GOP nomination between Whitman and Steve Poizner may be yesterday’s news. She did well in a debate Monday between the two, and the Field Poll – taken before the debate – found she now holds a nearly 5-1 lead over Poizner among Republicans, 63 percent to 14 percent.
The day after her debate with GOP challenger Steve Poizner, she accuses the likely Democratic nominee of failing to provide specific proposals. His campaign says she isn’t her party’s nominee yet.
By Michael Rothfeld
March 17, 2010
A day after squaring off with her Republican rival, Meg Whitman focused her front-running campaign for governor on the likely Democratic nominee, Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown.
In a campaign stop at the Leisure World retirement community in Seal Beach, Whitman all but ignored Steve Poizner, the state insurance commissioner, whom she debated the night before.
March 16th, 2010, 5:46 pm
posted by Martin Wisckol, Politics reporter
GOP governor candidate Meg Whitman unveiled, a detailed, 48-page plan to reverse the state’s declining fortunes when she met with residents of Leisure World in Seal Beach today, although many of her proposals will be dependent on getting a highly partisan Legislature to work together with her.
After talking to an audience of about 500 Leisure World residents, she acknowledged to reporters that there were key objectives she could not achieve alone – and said she preferred to work with the Democrat-controlled Legislature than to take ballot measures to voters.