10:00 PM PDT on Wednesday, May 12, 2010

By RICHARD K. DE ATLEY
The Press-Enteprise

It’s rare for a seated judge to be challenged in California, but a San Bernardino County election swirls over a denial of a mother’s request for a restraining order and the subsequent death of her 9-month-old son and his father in what has been called a murder-suicide.

The blowback was prosecutor James Hosking’s last-hours decision to run for the judge’s seat, a cascade of media attention from the “John and Ken” KFI-AM radio talk show and television’s “Dr. Phil,” and a running debate over how decisions are made in the crucible of family court.

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10:00 PM PDT on Wednesday, May 12, 2010

By KIMBERLY PIERCEALL
The Press-Enterprise

A rising Inland unemployment rate and financial fears that have kept customer spending at bay led to a steep drop in earnings at San Bernardino-based Stater Bros. Holdings Inc., said Jack H. Brown, chairman, president and CEO.

During the company’s quarterly bondholders conference call Wednesday morning, Brown said the number of customers shopping in his stores has remained flat until recently.

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10:00 PM PDT on Wednesday, May 12, 2010

By KIMBERLY PIERCEALL
The Press-Enterprise

A little more than a week after the new Million Air terminal opened at San Bernardino International Airport, airport and company officials learned that the facility hadn’t gotten the official go-ahead from the city to move in.

A certificate of occupancy, temporary or permanent, is now being sought by the general contractor of the project, San Bernardino-based V2 Construction, said Matt McGuire with V2. He wouldn’t say if anyone would be working inside the building until then.

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Orlando J. Cabrera

Created: 05/12/2010 07:36:41 PM PDT

As the CEO of National Community Renaissance and Hope Through Housing Foundation, I am dismayed our organizations are caught in a political crossfire. We serve countless families and seniors by providing basic human needs such as clean, safe, affordable housing, and services such as academic enrichment, senior health services, and low-cost preschools. We are nationally recognized for our work.

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Bustamonte

By Joe Nelson
Posted: 05/12/2010 06:17:18 PM PDT

A challenger of San Bernardino County Supervisor Paul Biane has called for a Grand Jury investigation at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center.

Art Bustamonte filed a written complaint with the Grand Jury on Tuesday, after hearing testimony at the Board of Supervisors meeting from Dr. John Steinnman, an orthopedic surgeon at the hospital, who said Dr. Dev GnanaDev, the hospital’s medical director, has a number of financial conflicts of interest and wields too much power over contracts, often threatening to cancel them.

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PolitiCal
On politics in the Golden State

May 12, 2010 | 10:34 am

As private polls have shown Steve Poizner closing on Meg Whitman’s lead in the Republican race for governor, he has injected $2.5 million more of his own money into his campaign.

The contribution, made Tuesday by the Poizner Family Trust, according to state records, brings to a total of $22 million the amount the state insurance commissioner has contributed to his own campaign. He last gave his campaign nearly $200,000 in March, but, previously down by polls by as much as 50 points, he had not put in a very significant amount since donating $15 million in December.

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By PE Politics
on May 12, 2010 2:27 PM

It’s doctors versus the insurance industry in the Republican primary battle for the Inland area’s 63rd Assembly District.

The California Medical Association has spent more than $84,000 on mailers and other independent expenditures backing Rancho Cucamonga Mayor Don Kurth, a doctor.

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By Kevin Yamamura
kyamamura@sacbee.com
Published: Wednesday, May. 12, 2010 – 12:00 am | Page 1A
Last Modified: Wednesday, May. 12, 2010 – 9:13 am

Washington hasn’t come to the rescue. Hopes for a tax windfall were dashed last month.

As the reality of a $20 billion deficit sets in, California leaders are bracing for another summer of difficult state budget talks.

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Pete Wilson

Published: Wednesday, May. 12, 2010 – 12:00 am | Page 3A
Last Modified: Wednesday, May. 12, 2010 – 8:12 am

You know the GOP race for governor is tightening when Meg Whitman brings out the big gun – former Gov. Pete Wilson – to defend her position on illegal immigration.

Wilson, chairman of Whitman’s campaign, is now appearing in a radio ad arguing that Whitman will be “tough as nails” on the issue.

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Poizner has closed what had been a 50-point gap, but by how much is in dispute.
By Evan Halper, Los Angeles Times
May 12, 2010

Reporting from Sacramento

Gone are the days when GOP gubernatorial hopeful Meg Whitman enjoyed a nearly 50-point lead in the polls. She is finding that she can no longer ignore state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner, her main rival in next month’s election.

Various polls show that he has eroded her lead substantially in recent weeks, though how much he has gained is in dispute. Large, established polls haven’t been in the field in weeks, but analysts generally agree that Poizner is within striking distance.

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By PE Politics
on May 11, 2010 2:11 PM

Paul Chabot, a Republican candidate in the crowded 63rd Assembly race, took aim today at the California Medical Association.

The doctor’s group is spending heavily to back one of Chabot’s opponents — Rancho Cucamonga Mayor Don Kurth.

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Mayor Don Kurth

PE Politics
on May 11, 2010 1:29 PM

The California Medical Association has spent more than $84,000 on mailers and other independent expenditures backing Rancho Cucamonga Mayor Don Kurth for Assembly.

Kurth, a doctor, is one of seven candidates in next month’s Republican primary in the Inland area’s 63rd Assembly District.

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May 11, 2010 3:18 PM
BROOKE EDWARDS AND NATASHA LINDSTROM Staff Writers

VICTORVILLE • Four months after Victorville City Council asked the grand jury for help conducting an independent investigation into the city’s finances, it appears the citizen watchdog group has stepped up to the plate.

In a rare move, the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved paying $195,000 to Michael Kessler & Associates Ltd. to provide the 2009-10 grand jury with forensic accounting services.

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James Rufus Koren, Staff Writer
Posted: 05/11/2010 06:39:51 PM PDT

Two doctors from Arrowhead Regional Medical Center told the county Board of Supervisors on Tuesday that the hospital’s medical director has financial conflicts of interests that have kept him from punishing bad doctors.

Dr. John Steinmann, an orthopedic spine surgeon at the county hospital, said medical director Dr. Dev GnanaDev wields too much power over awarding and relinquishing contracts and uses that power to reward himself and others while patient care suffers.

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Meg Whitman

Liset Marquez, Staff Writer
Posted: 05/11/2010 05:59:12 PM PDT

ONTARIO – With polls showing her practically dead even with her main rival, GOP gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman stopped in the Inland Empire and outlined her plans to get government spending under control.

During the hour-long forum, Whitman discussed the need to streamline regulations on businesses, reduce government mismanagement and eliminate debt.

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Michael J. Sorba, Staff Writer
Posted: 05/11/2010 05:58:11 PM PDT

COLTON – A unanimous City Council vote Monday began a process that will merge the city’s seven Redevelopment Agency project area’s into one.

Once complete, the merger will enable the city to better leverage agency dollars and allow for greater flexibility in the type of redevelopment projects funded, officials say.

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10:00 PM PDT on Tuesday, May 11, 2010

By DAYNA STRAEHLEY
The Press-Enterprise

The Riverside school board voted unanimously Tuesday to send 375 final layoff notices to teachers.

Board members voiced their frustration with the number of layoffs, lack of settlement with the teachers union and legal requirements to dismiss least-senior teachers first without regard to their performance.

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Pacheco

10:00 PM PDT on Tuesday, May 11, 2010

By RICHARD K. DE ATLEY
The Press-Enterprise

Riverside County district attorney candidate Paul Zellerbach spoke at fourth community forum Tuesday in which incumbent Rod Pacheco had been invited to debate him, but did not show.

“Mr. Pacheco isn’t here. He is an elected public official. You put him here. And you can remove him. I think as an elected official, you have a duty and obligation to come to forums and debate your opponents,” Zellerbach said as he addressed about 60 people in the Stratton Community Center in Riverside’s Bordwell Park.

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By Ed Mendel

The state contribution to CalPERS should increase to $3.9 billion in the new fiscal year beginning July 1, up $600 million from the current year, actuaries for the giant public pension fund calculate.

The recommendation to the CalPERS board next week comes as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is scheduled to issue a revision Friday of the state budget he proposed in January, which assumed a $200 million CalPERS increase to $3.5 billion.

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