Politics, Government & Business in California's Inland Empire
Adams
10:00 PM PDT on Monday, August 30, 2010
By ALICIA ROBINSON and PAUL LAROCCO
The Press-Enterprise
Riverside Councilman Steve Adams held up the promotion of a police officer for not supporting him politically, according to an ethics complaint filed Monday and court depositions from a lawsuit by two other officers.
The city charter forbids council members from interfering in personnel matters.
09:16 PM PDT on Monday, August 30, 2010
By RICHARD K. DE ATLEY
The Press-Enteprise
Two Inland area death row inmates may be among the first to be executed if California authorities succeed in re-establishing the lethal injection death penalty in the state after a four-year hiatus.
A Riverside County judge on Monday set Sept. 29 as the execution date for Albert Greenwood Brown for the 1980 rape and murder of a Riverside girl.
Supervisor Paul Biane
Created: 08/30/2010 07:18:00 PM PDT
It’s time to come to the bargaining table so we can stop spending taxpayer dollars on litigation costs.
The City of Upland, Caltrans, San Bernardino Associated Governments (Sanbag), and the County of San Bernardino have spent far too much money and time litigating the lawsuit related to the 20th Street storm drain and the Colonies project rather than sitting down and attempting to mediate our differences.
Michael J. Sorba, Staff Writer
Posted: 08/30/2010 06:29:48 PM PDT
COLTON – Colton First, a well-known citizen’s group and political action committee, has filed a complaint with the Fair Political Practices Commission alleging City Councilman Vincent Yzaguirre failed to report a major in-kind contribution he received during his 2008 re- election campaign.
The complaint says a message encouraging residents to vote for Yzaguirre ran on an electronic reader board sign adjacent to the 10 Freeway for three weeks in October and in the days leading up to the Nov. 4, 2008, election.
Josh Dulaney, Staff Writer
Posted: 08/30/2010 05:08:58 PM PDT
RIALTO – Two incumbents are defending their seats on the school board against four challengers, one of whom is a self-described white nationalist.
Joanne Gilbert and John Kazalunas said Monday that Rialto Unified School District needs continuity in its leadership.
Brown
Brown withdraws claim of retaliation in county probe
Joe Nelson, Staff Writer
Created: 08/30/2010 05:20:07 PM PDT
The former chief of staff to San Bernardino County Supervisor Paul Biane has withdrawn a complaint that alleged he was repeatedly harassed for cooperating with prosecutors probing alleged government corruption.
Matt Brown, who now works as the assistant county recorder, approached County Administrative Officer Greg Devereaux last week to say he wanted to drop his May 3 written complaint, which had been addressed to Biane and copied to the other four members of the county Board of Supervisors. The county Human Resources Department then launched an investigation.
Fired CAO hopes to help Needles
Joe Nelson, Staff Writer
Created: 08/30/2010 04:27:55 PM PDT
Former San Bernardino County Administrative Officer Mark Uffer has taken a position as the interim chief executive officer of the Colorado River Medical Center in Needles.
Uffer said he received a telephone call last Thursday from hospital board member Linda Kidd, informing him the job at the 25-bed acute care hospital was his if he wanted it.
07:37 AM PDT on Tuesday, August 31, 2010
By LAURIE LUCAS
The Press-Enterprise
Moreno Valley scrapped its six-month hunt for a city manager after Interim City Manager William Bopf announced that he wanted to be considered for the job and would work cheaper than most of the candidates he already had helped screen.
The Aug. 24 vote to terminate the search frustrated two councilmen and several members of the search committee who have questioned Bopf’s motives, timing and ethics.
August 30, 2010 6:12 PM
Tomoya Shimura
SAN BERNARDINO • Attorneys delivered opening statements Monday morning in a multi-million dollar libel lawsuit filed by former San Bernardino County Sheriff Gary Penrod’s wife against a controversial local publisher.
Nancy Bohl accused Raymond Pryke of publishing articles in the Hesperia Resorter, Apple Valley News and Adelanto Bulletin that were “obviously false and grossly libelous.” Bohl’s attorney, John Rowell, said the articles hurt Bohl’s reputation and she suffered mental and monetary damages.
August 30, 2010 4:13 PM
Natasha Lindstrom
VICTORVILLE • Five months after officials placed two Victor Valley High School employees on paid leave amid an alleged sex scandal, one of those employees has voluntarily resigned and the second remains on paid leave, according to school officials.
The Victor Valley Union High School District placed the two high school employees on paid leave in late March, after rumors the employees were caught by students having sex in an empty classroom. The Daily Press had learned about the allegations that triggered the investigation through multiple anonymous phone calls and e-mails, as well as students who said the campus was buzzing about the alleged scandal.
California Watch
A Project of the Center for Investigative Reporting
Money and Politics
August 31, 2010 | Chase Davis
Sitting members of the California Legislature have raised more than $380,000 during the last five days, as lobbyists and special interest groups scramble to push their bills through the Assembly and Senate before this year’s legislative session draws to a close.
Before we dig in deeper later this week, we thought we’d show you how things are stacking up.
By Mike Zapler
mzapler@mercurynews.com
Posted: 08/30/2010 04:11:48 PM PDT
Updated: 08/30/2010 09:55:42 PM PDT
WASHINGTON — A looming debate in Congress over whether to continue income tax cuts for the wealthy is already unfolding in California’s Senate race, highlighting a stark ideological contrast between Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer and the Republican trying to unseat her, former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina.
Fiorina, who signed a no-new-tax pledge earlier this year, has argued on the campaign trail this month that allowing any taxes to rise would inject additional uncertainty into the fragile economy just as businesses are deciding whether to hire or expand.
By Dan Walters
dwalters@sacbee.com The Sacramento Bee
Published: Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2010 – 12:00 am | Page 3A
Arnold Schwarzenegger has been beating the drums for public pension reform for months, and the governor insists he won’t sign a budget package that doesn’t include it.
Schwarzenegger argues that a major boost in state worker pensions 11 years ago – largely adopted by local governments as well – and sharp declines in retirement fund earnings have created massive unfunded liabilities that will gobble up an ever-increasing share of revenue.
A panel recommends increasing contributions by employees, raising the retirement age for new hires and reducing some benefits.
President
By Larry Gordon, Los Angeles Times
August 31, 2010
The University of California retirement system faces a shortfall of more than $20 billion, according to a new report, and a task force of administrators and employees is recommending changes to help fix the problem.
The panel, which released its report publicly Monday, proposed such changes as increasing contributions made by the university and employees, raising the minimum retirement age for new hires and reducing some benefits.
Post Politics
By Jon Cohen
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, August 30, 2010; 11:27 PM
Pollsters offered some more glum news for Democrats on Monday night: Republicans have their biggest lead ever on the question of which party voters would support for Congress. Gallup’s “generic ballot” – a staple of election prognostication – shows Republicans with a double-digit advantage.