Written by Administrator
April 17th, 2010 at 11:18 am

Former District Attorney investigator Chris Cardoza took a plea deal yesterday.

He pled guilty to one count of Computer Fraud and one count of Acts Constituting Theft.  He is due back for sentencing on May 27, 2010.  Since he is a licensed private investigator, we suspect both will be misdemeanors so that he can maintain his license.

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By Joe Nelson Staff Writer
Posted: 04/16/2010 12:47:50 PM PDT

SAN BERNARDINO – State and local prosecutors are growing concerned about the county’s delay in deciding whether it will waive its attorney-client privilege in its litigation with Rancho Cucamonga-based developer Colonies Partners LP.

It has been more than a month since Senior Assistant Attorney General Gary Schons requested that the county waive the privilege to facilitate an ongoing corruption probe into the controversial $102 million settlement between the county and Colonies Partners in November 2006.

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By Sandra Emerson Staff Writer
Posted: 04/16/2010 09:56:19 PM PDT

Unemployment in the San Bernardino-Riverside-Ontario metro area increased to 15 percent in March, up from 14.8 percent in February, according to the Employment Development Department.

The unemployment rate grew to 14.8 percent in San Bernardino County and 15.1 percent in Riverside County.

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Sweeping payroll reduction is part of an attempt to slash $9 million over the next two years
April 16, 2010 8:54 AM
Natasha Lindstrom

APPLE VALLEY • The Apple Valley Unified School District Governing Board unanimously voted Thursday to approve laying off 116 classified employees, from teacher aides to custodians.

The sweeping payroll reduction, which will save $4.3 million, is part of an attempt to slash $9 million over the next two years amid state cuts, declining enrollment and a structural overhaul, which will merge and close some schools next year.

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Curt Hagman

Associated Press
Created: 04/16/2010 10:14:46 PM PDT

SACRAMENTO – Assemblyman Curt Hagman, R-Chino Hills, authored a resolution this week honoring the 100-year anniversary of the Boy Scouts.

However, this being California, the political equivalent of a school-yard brawl broke out.

Democrats ultimately killed the resolution after criticizing the Boy Scouts for excluding homosexuals. Predictably, Republicans became indignant and accused Democrats of defaming a cherished American institution.

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By Canan Tasci Staff Writer
Created: 04/16/2010 10:14:55 PM PDT

RANCHO CUCAMONGA – Central School District board members have approved the elimination of 18 classified employees due to a lack of funds.

“All these actions are drastic, …” Superintendent Shari Nagel said. “We didn’t create this problem, yet we have have to deal with the problem, and it is not palatable.”

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11:28 AM PDT on Friday, April 16, 2010

DAN BERNSTEIN

I spent Thursday noon at a RivCo DA candidates forum. Talk about a lopsided debate!

Things might have been different if Cuddles had shown up. But he’s now 0 for 2 with three forums to go. He didn’t even respond to the two-bit outfit that invited him: the Riverside County Bar Association!

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11:55 PM PDT on Friday, April 16, 2010

By JULISSA McKINNON
The Press-Enterprise

City-commissioned auditors released an evaluation of Menifee finances on Friday that showed a severe lack of internal financial controls that has left the new city wide open to potential fraud since July 2008.

The auditors’ review of six of the city’s 31 contracts took issue with more than $300,000 worth of billing errors caused by overbilling, backbilling, delayed billing, double payments or unauthorized subcontractor payments.

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Carla Marinucci, Chronicle Political Writer

Friday, April 16, 2010
Rich Pedroncelli / AP

Steve Poizner alleges violations by Mercury.

State Attorney General Jerry Brown won national attention for his move this week to investigate document-shredding involving Sarah Palin’s scheduled speech at California State University Stanislaus. But the Democratic gubernatorial candidate’s silence on allegations involving a California insurance giant that is also a generous political donor has raised questions about whether election-year politics may be in play.

The office of state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner, a Republican running for governor, has taken the lead in pursuing investigations into the practices of Mercury Insurance Group, which state investigators allege has engaged in illegal practices for years while ignoring state warnings to stop.

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Brown

Capitol Alert
The latest on California politics and government
April 16, 2010

The state Democratic convention kicked off Friday afternoon at the gleaming new JW Marriott hotel in Los Angeles with all the drama of a giant family reunion. The star and eccentric patriarch of this year’s gathering was gubernatorial candidate Jerry Brown.

Wearing a dark suit and a blue-striped dress shirt without tie, Brown roamed the hotel’s halls receiving the well wishes of some of the 3,000 Democrats expected to attend.

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By Steven Harmon
Friday, April 16th, 2010 at 5:59 pm in Uncategorized.

It’s an axiom that if you get Jerry Brown to talk long enough, you’ll end up with mind-stretching stuff, or at least the kind of material that his opponents will try to use to resurrect the specter of Governor Moonbeam.

Brown stopped by the press briefing room for a midafternoon chat Friday with some press folks at the Los Angeles Marriott on the first day of the state Democratic Party’s annual convention. Here are some passages:

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By Lisa Vorderbrueggen
Contra Costa Times
Posted: 04/16/2010 03:55:46 PM PDT
Updated: 04/16/2010 05:09:14 PM PDT

A bitterly contested bill that would force California cities and counties to seek state permission to file for federal bankruptcy protection has resurfaced.

Assembly Bill 155 by Assemblyman Tony Mendoza, D-Artesia, is set for a hearing before the Senate Local Government Committee on Monday.

The bill stalled last year under fierce opposition from local governments. But it is much more likely to pass out of the committee this time around.

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