Sunday, December 18, 2011 – 12:01 p.m.
Americans spend $36,000,000 at Wal-Mart Every hour of every day.
8 Comments
Filed under: Business, Economy, Finance, In the News, U.S. Government, U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Senate
Archive for December, 2011
Sunday, December 18, 2011 – 10:50 a.m.
The San Bernardino County Safety Employees’ Benefit Association (SEBA) should reconsider and accept a contract offer from county supervisors.
A contract affecting the union’s Specialized Peace Officer Unit representing Probation Corrections Officers, and Welfare Fraud and Coroner Investigators.
Why?
BY ALICIA ROBINSON
STAFF WRITER
arobinson@pe.com
Published: 17 December 2011 08:55 PM
A meeting Monday could be the last chance for Riverside residents to suggest changes to the city charter before the charter review committee makes recommendations to the City Council in January.
BY DUG BEGLEY
STAFF WRITER
dbegley@pe.com
Published: 16 December 2011 07:25 PM
Riverside County supervisors are scheduled to approve an extension of interim county CEO Larry Parrish’s contract that will pay him a salary of $15,000 per month, and continue his use of a county car.
BY JIM MILLER, SACRAMENTO BUREAU
AND BRIAN JOSEPH, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
jmiller@pe.combjoseph@ocregister.com
Published: 17 December 2011 06:33 PM
SACRAMENTO — More than 230 years since the American Revolution, taxation without representation survives in the California State Senate.
Under new lines scheduled to take effect next year, millions of Californians will lack a senator while millions of others will be represented by two senators in 2013 and 2014.
And it’s totally legal.
Filed under: Courts, In the News, Legal, Politics, State of California, State Senate, State Supreme Court
Kristina Hernandez, Staff Writer
Posted: 12/17/2011 05:03:29 PM PST
REDLANDS – The Occupy Movement made its way to Congressman Jerry Lewis’s office on Saturday to express its concerns over the lack of communication the politician has had with people.
NBA Champion James Worthy asks Quran Clayton, 3, of Rancho Cucamonga what he wants for Christmas Saturday during the 4th Annual Colonies Holiday Miracles event at the Colonies Crossroads shopping center in Upland. (James Carbone/Correspondent)
Mike Cruz, Staff Writer
Created: 12/17/2011 04:54:29 PM PST
UPLAND – More than 100 children from low-income families were treated to a $200 shopping spree and much more as part of the 4th Annual Colonies Holiday Miracles event at the Colonies Crossroads Shopping Center.
An artist’s rendering shows the Howard Industrial Partners project that features an 809,000 square foot warehouse and preserves the historic palm rows.
BY JAN SEARS
STAFF WRITER
jsears@pe.com
Published: 17 December 2011 08:04 PM
The developer of a proposed 809,000-square-foot distribution center in north Redlands pledged to bring the city an environmentally sound, solar-panel ready and attractively landscaped building — and to preserve the north Redlands palm rows that are iconic to the city.
Ryan Hagen, The (San Bernardino County) Sun
Created: 12/15/2011 03:14:13 PM PST
Cal State San Bernardino is the second-safest four-year public university in the state, according to a new report from StateUniversity.com.
The university’s crime rate puts it eighth overall among the 46 schools in the University of California, California State University and California Community College systems.
Gov. Jerry Brown takes part in a news conference on the state budget Tuesday at the Capitol. Brown wants voters to approve tax increases worth $7 billion per year over the next five years.
Wyatt Buchanan, Chronicle Sacramento Bureau
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Sacramento –California’s dark days of budget deficits and severe spending cuts may be nearing an end.
Since the economic collapse in 2008, state leaders have seen a steep drop in tax revenue that had them jostling to keep public services intact in schools, universities, prisons and aid to the poor, disabled and sick. General fund spending has dropped by $17 billion since 2007 – from a high of nearly $103 billion – and the cuts continued as recently as last week when Gov. Jerry Brown announced another $1 billion reduction to programs serving California’s 37.5 million residents.
Dan Walters
By Dan Walters
dwalters@sacbee.com
Published: Sunday, Dec. 18, 2011 – 12:00 am | Page 3A
Call it the half-percent solution.
While they differ – a lot – in details, there is one fairly consistent theme in the competing proposals to raise Californians’ taxes: They assume increases in the range of $6 billion to $10 billion per year.
Daniel Borenstein
By Daniel Borenstein
Staff columnist
California taxpayers should ask themselves, in the words of Clint Eastwood’s famous movie character, “Do I feel lucky?”
We’re not staring down the barrel of “Dirty Harry” Callahan’s gun wondering whether there’s a bullet in the chamber. Instead, we’re gambling our financial future on whether public pension fund investments will surpass reasonable expectations.
Filed under: Budget, Economy, Finance, In the News, Investments, Pension Funds, Pensions, Politics, State of California, Unions
BY IMRAN GHORI
STAFF WRITER
ighori@pe.com
Published: 16 December 2011 09:49 PM
A union representing San Bernardino County public safety employees will vote again on a previously rejected contract as it faces a possible 14 percent pay and benefit cut.
BY IMRAN GHORI
STAFF WRITER
ighori@pe.com
Published: 16 December 2011 10:53 AM
A retrial of two businessmen accused of attempting to bribe a top aide to San Bernardino County Supervisor Josie Gonzales has been postponed until March.
BY KIMBERLY PIERCEALL
STAFF WRITER
kpierceall@pe.com
Published: 16 December 2011 03:49 PM
The Department of Transportation is taking back $10 million it promised the city of Highland to fund road improvements affecting San Bernardino International Airport, according to a Dec. 8 letter from Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to Highland’s public works director.
Joe Nelson, Staff Writer
Posted: 12/16/2011 03:19:40 PM PST
Highland has lost a $10 million federal grant to widen Fifth Street north of San Bernardino International Airport due to an ongoing FBI investigation at the airport.
Filed under: Uncategorized
Liset Marquez, Staff Writer
Created: 12/16/2011 07:19:41 PM PST
ONTARIO – City officials have rejected Los Angeles World Airports’ recommendations aimed to increase air service at LA/Ontario International Airport, calling the suggestions as impractical and unhelpful.
Jim Steinberg, Staff Writer
Created: 12/16/2011 05:25:11 PM PST
Unemployment fell and the number of jobs grew in the Inland Empire as the state Employment Development Department on Friday delivered a report with news that will add cheer the coming holidays.
Money & Company
Tracking the market and economic trends that shape your finances.
December 16, 2011 | 11:45 am
California employers added a modest 6,600 new jobs in November, driving the monthly unemployment rate down to 11.3%, its lowest level since the depths of the recession in June 2009.
A ferry passes by San Quentin Prison in 2002. (Eric Risberg / Associated Press)
By Carol J. Williams Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
December 16, 2011, 12:50 p.m.
A judge on Friday threw out California’s new lethal-injection protocols, which have been six years in the making, because corrections officials failed to consider a one-drug execution method now in practice in other death penalty states.
PolitiCal
On politics in the Golden State
December 16, 2011 | 4:07 pm
Two influential Republican lawmakers called Friday for California to slow down the high-speed rail project.
The vice chairs of the Assembly Budget Committee and Appropriations Committee asked the head of a budget panel to reject a request to allocate an additional $18 million for work to buy land for the $98.5-billion project.
Filed under: Budget, Finance, In the News, Republicans, State Assembly, State of California, Transportation
SacBee: Attorney General Kamala Harris says planned layoffs reduced at California Justice Department
By Jon Ortiz
jortiz@sacbee.com
Published: Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011 – 12:00 am | Page 3A
For months, Attorney General Kamala Harris has warned that a mandated budget cut enacted by Gov. Jerry Brown and the Legislature last July would force her to let go of hundreds of Justice Department employees, most of them sworn officers.
Now, after several cost-cutting moves, Harris told staff this week that she’ll lay off just a third of the 322 jobs originally on the chopping block.
Friday, December 16, 2011 – 10:00 a.m.
Last Modified: Saturday, December 17, 2011 – 10:39 a.m.
A $10 million Federal Highway Administration grant to the city of Highland is no more.
Filed under: Board of Supervisors - San Bernardino County, Business, Cities, County of San Bernardino, Federal Highway Administration, Highland, In the News, Legal, Local Government, Politics, Redevelopment, San Bernardino, Transportation, U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Government, U.S. House of Representatives
By David Glovin and Joshua Gallu
December 16, 2011 9:58 AM PT
Daniel Mudd, the former chief executive officer of Fannie Mae, and Richard Syron, ex-CEO of Freddie Mac, were sued by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for understating by hundreds of billions of dollars the subprime loans held by the firms.
Virgin America begins service to Palm Springs starting today.(KIMBERLY PIERCEALL/STAFF PHOTO)
BY KIMBERLY PIERCEALL
STAFF WRITER
kpierceall@pe.com
Published: 15 December 2011 01:43 PM
The mayor of Palm Springs looked worried. As Virgin America’s first flight from San Francisco descended into his normally sunny resort city Thursday afternoon, Steve Pougnet saw clouds outside the aircraft’s window.
Liset Márquez, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
Created: 12/15/2011 04:30:05 PM PST
Los Angeles World Airports officials once again may consider closing a terminal at LA/Ontario International Airport as a way to save money in the face of rapidly declining passenger traffic.
Filed under: Business, Cities, Economy, Finance, In the News, Local Government, Ontario, Transportation
Jim Steinberg, Staff Writer
Created: 12/15/2011 04:06:53 PM PST
FONTANA – Leticia Garcia quietly stepped aside as vice president of the Fontana Unified School District Board on Wednesday night, nominating longtime board member Gus Hawthorn.
Previous to that action, Hawthorn had nominated BarBara Chavez for a second term as the board’s president.
Both measures were unanimously approved.
December 15, 2011 1:21 PM
Natasha Lindstrom, Staff Writer
VICTORVILLE • Victor Valley College’s board members have voted themselves a 60 percent raise, increasing their monthly stipend from $250 to $400.
Cassie MacDuff
BY CASSIE MACDUFF
cmacduff@pe.com
Published: 14 December 2011 06:30 PM
The sloppiness in fiscal matters at San Bernardino International Airport extended to the highest levels, a review of billing records revealed.
The man who had been put in control of nearly every facet of San Bernardino International Airport’s development and management could have a diminished role as of Christmas /FILE PHOTO
BY KIMBERLY PIERCEALL
STAFF WRITER
kpierceall@pe.com
Published: 14 December 2011 04:33 PM
The man who had been put in control of nearly every facet of San Bernardino International Airport’s development and management could have a diminished role by Christmas.
Josh Dulaney and Joe Nelson, Staff Writers
Posted: 12/14/2011 04:33:17 PM PST
Officials overseeing San Bernardino International Airport approved a process Wednesday by which controversial airport developer Scot Spencer faces removal from most operations.
LA/Ontario International Airport has has suffered a 32 percent decline in airline passengers since 2007. The airport had once been projected to serve 30 million passengers by 2030. (File Photo)
Liset Márquez, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
Posted: 12/14/2011 02:26:45 PM PST
RIVERSIDE – Mayor Ron Loveridge is the latest Inland Empire politician to show his support to Ontario in its efforts to regain control of LA/Ontario International Airport.
S.B. County supervisors vote to impose reductions on the 380 members of the Specialized Peace Officer unit
BY IMRAN GHORI
STAFF WRITER
ighori@pe.com
Published: 14 December 2011 06:19 PM
San Bernardino County is planning to impose a 14 percent pay and benefit cut on some public safety employees if they don’t agree to a proposal the union had previously rejected.
Neil Nisperos, Staff Writer
Posted: 12/14/2011 04:40:19 PM PST
Regional mail processing centers in the cities of Industry and Redlands remain on the chopping block, despite the cash-strapped U.S. Postal Service’s decision to delay closing any of its facilities until mid-May.
Each site has 750 employees, postal officials said.
Filed under: Business, Cities, Economy, Finance, In the News, Moreno Valley, Redlands, U.S. Government, U.S. Postal Service
Will Bigham, Staff Writer
Posted: 12/14/2011 10:26:26 PM PST
Statewide education officials on Wednesday decried “trigger cuts” announced this week to the state’s K-12 school system and said they wanted taxes raised to bolster education funding.
Andrew Edwards, Staff Writer
Posted: 12/15/2011 12:00:01 AM PST
The so-called “shadow inventory” of future foreclosures may be about to fall on Southern California’s real estate markets.
In San Bernardino County, foreclosure filings jumped nearly 30 percent from October to November, new numbers show. Los Angeles County’s foreclosure activity jumped 15 percent.
Filed under: Business, County of Riverside, County of San Bernardino, Economy, Finance, In the News, Real Estate
By Ryan Hagen, Staff Writer
Created: 12/12/2011 04:41:50 PM PST
COLTON – Months of uncertainty and disagreement ended Monday, after the teachers union voted overwhelmingly to accept a new contract.
Protesters pack Victorville City Hall
December 15, 2011 8:45 AM
Brooke Edwards Staggs, City Editor
VICTORVILLE • Residents packed City Hall on Wednesday night, carrying signs and giving impassioned speeches against a Walmart Supercenter that’s planned near the entrance to Spring Valley Lake.
Capitol Alert
The latest on California politics and government
December 14, 2011
John Burton, chairman of the California Democratic Party, is adding his own tax proposal, on oil production, to an already crowded field.
PolitiCal
On politics in the Golden State
December 14, 2011 | 3:36 pm
There were calls Wednesday for an investigation and urgent legislation regarding the crash of a state database that allows the public to find out which special interests are contributing to and lobbying elected officials.
Money & Company
Tracking the market and economic trends that shape your finances.
December 14, 2011 | 11:13 am
California consumers’ confidence plunged by about 10 percentage points in the fourth quarter of this year as the state continued to experience high unemployment and a volatile stock market rattled nerves, Chapman University reported.
By Alejandro Lazo, Los Angeles Times
December 15, 2011
Banks in November scheduled more than 26,000 homes to be sold at California foreclosure auctions, a 63% increase from October and a sign that a surge in discounted, bank-owned properties is on track to hit the market next year.
By Blake Ellis @CNNMoney
December 13, 2011: 6:51 PM ET
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — If you thought the U.S. housing market couldn’t get much worse, think again.
Far fewer homes have been sold over the past five years than previously estimated, the National Association of Realtors said Tuesday.
The State Worker
Chronicling civil-service life for California state workers
December 13, 2011
California’s three largest pension systems have promised $500 billion beyond their current ability to make those payments to retirees, according to a study released to today by Stanford University Professor and former Democratic Assemblyman Joe Nation and a student researcher.
The Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research issued the report, documenting what it claims is the state’s deepening pension crisis. California Common Sense, an organization dedicated to engaging the public in “data-driven discourse” is also behind the report.
Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Corona./The Press-Enterprise
The region’s politicians in Washington are split along partisan lines about how to extend tax cuts and jobless aid
BY BEN GOAD
WASHINGTON BUREAU
bgoad@pe.com
Published: 13 December 2011 08:28 PM
WASHINGTON — As the debate over extending a soon-to-expire payroll tax cut and benefits for the unemployed nears a crescendo in Congress, few corners of the nation have more at stake than does economically battered Inland Southern California.
San Bernardino County Supervisor Janice Rutherford, seen earlier this year, formed an advisory group that urges the Board of Supervisors to adopt reforms that include campaign contribution limits, policing lobbyists and prohibiting supervisors’ staff from working on their political campaigns.//FILE PHOTO
BY IMRAN GHORI
STAFF WRITER
ighori@pe.com
Published: 13 December 2011 08:54 PM
An ethics advisory group formed by San Bernardino County Supervisor Janice Rutherford is proposing a package of reforms that include campaign contribution limits, policing lobbyists and prohibiting supervisors’ staff from working on their political campaigns.
County Supervisor Neil Derry
His inclusion on an excluded parties list has forced the supervisor to sit out budget talks (KURT MILLER/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
BY IMRAN GHORI
STAFF WRITER
ighori@pe.com
Published: 13 December 2011 09:50 PM
The recent budget dispute among San Bernardino County supervisors highlighted Supervisor Neil Derry’s continued inability to vote on budget decisions due to criminal charges he faced earlier this year.
Scot Spencer
BY KIMBERLY PIERCEALL
STAFF WRITER
kpierceall@pe.com
Published: 13 December 2011 07:41 PM
The longtime landlord of one of San Bernardino International Airport’s largest hangars has filed for bankruptcy.
The public agency overseeing the airport is owed more than $400,000 in unpaid rent and has filed a suit to formally evict Norton Property Management Services LLC.
Riverside County supervisors decide that medical marijuana locations will close or face legal action
BY DUG BEGLEY and RICHARD K. DE ATLEY
STAFF WRITERS
dbegley@pe.com | rdeatley@pe.com
Published: 13 December 2011 08:34 PM
Medical marijuana dispensaries operating in unincorporated Riverside County must shut down or face legal action, county supervisors decided Tuesday.
By Joe Nelson, Staff Writer
Posted: 12/13/2011 06:59:46 PM PST
A group of San Bernardino County public safety employees, including probation officers and district attorney’s investigators, face a 14 percent cut in pay and benefits unless they agree to a previous proposal by the county.
By Andrew Edwards, Staff Writer
Created: 12/13/2011 06:15:13 PM PST
ONTARIO – A spokesman for Prime Healthcare Services said the company is unaware of any federal investigation or review of its operations following a published report that the FBI has contacted former employees.
Coleman to serve as mayor pro tem
December 13, 2011 10:02 PM
BY Gretchen Losi
SPECIAL TO THE DAILY PRESS
APPLE VALLEY • Barb Stanton is the new mayor in town, with Ginger Coleman tapped to serve as mayor pro tem.
The two were voted and sworn in at Tuesday’s Town Council meeting.
California schools, libraries, prisons and disabled services will all be affected — with more to come, Gov. Jerry Brown warns.
By Anthony York and Teresa Watanabe
Los Angeles Times
December 14, 2011
Reporting from Sacramento and Los Angeles — Gov. Jerry Brown announced nearly $1 billion in new state budget cuts, slashing spending on higher education and eliminating funding for free school-bus service but avoiding the deeper reductions to public schools that many had feared.
Filed under: Budget, Cities, Counties, Economy, Education, Finance, In the News, Local Government, Social Services, State of California
Dan Walters
By Dan Walters
dwalters@sacbee.com
Published: Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2011 – 12:00 am | Page 3A
California’s public schools received a rare bit of good news Tuesday when Gov. Jerry Brown largely exempted them from automatic reductions in state aid, citing improvements in the economy.
However, Brown’s declaration that the economy is getting better and he doesn’t have to squeeze all automatic spending cut “triggers” also lessened the air of crisis and therefore complicated Brown’s efforts to persuade voters to raise taxes next year.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Jerry Brown’s year one performance as governor has been satisfactory – but hardly stellar, according to the collective wisdom of California’s leading political consultants.
State Treasurer Bill Lockyer
PolitiCal
On politics in the Golden State
December 13, 2011 | 3:27 pm
The debate over pension reform in California reached a boiling point Tuesday.
State Treasurer Bill Lockyer resigned from a pension advisory panel to protest a study it was affiliated with that called for reducing retirement benefits for current public employees and overhauling the boards that oversee the public pension systems.
Filed under: Budget, Economy, Finance, In the News, Investments, Pension Funds, Pensions, State of California
By Ed Mendel
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
The rate hike next July for most of the 2,043 local public pension plans in the giant CalPERS system will be lower than expected — an increase of 1 percent of pay or less for four-fifths of them.
The rates reflect the second year of a radical “smoothing” plan that spreads rate increases from huge investment losses over a three-year period.
Filed under: CalPERS, Cities, Counties, Finance, In the News, Local Government, Pension Funds, State of California
By Dale Kasler
dkasler@sacbee.com
Published: Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2011 – 12:00 am | Page 6B
CalPERS reported a $695 million profit from one of its investments Tuesday.
The California Public Employees’ Retirement System said it earned the money from an investment fund that closed down after a 10-year run that ended when it sold its last asset.
Filed under: Business, CalPERS, Finance, In the News, Investments, Pension Funds, Real Estate, State of California
Devereaux
Tuesday, December 13, 2011 – 12:01 p.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, December 13, 2011 – 01:45 p.m.
You gotta hand it to those crack San Bernardino County lawyers.
Based upon recommendations from CEO Greg Devereaux and, according to him, county attorneys, the Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to impose a 14% pay cut to Probation Corrections Officers, Coroner Investigators and Welfare Fraud Investigators.
The classifications make up the Specialized Peace Officer Unit represented by the San Bernardino County Safety Employees Benefit Association (SEBA).
Tuesday, December 13, 2011 – 09:25 a.m.
The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors appear to be on collision course with the San Bernardino County Safety Employees Benefit Association (SEBA).
On Tuesday, a majority of county supervisors intend to reject the advisory award by a neutral arbitrator and impose a one-year contract on Probation Corrections Officer, Coroner Investigator and Welfare Fraud Investigator members in the Specialized Peace Officer Unit represented by SEBA.
An illegal act under the expired agreement.
Ryan Hagen, Staff Writer
Posted: 12/12/2011 07:18:26 PM PST
Teachers and school board members continue to bristle that five schools in the San Bernardino City Unified School District did not qualify for a total of $7.2 million in state funding because of preventable mistakes, even as they push for a waiver.
BY ALICIA ROBINSON
STAFF WRITER
arobinson@pe.com
Published: 12 December 2011 08:54 PM
Riverside City Manager Scott Barber will cost taxpayers less than his predecessor, Brad Hudson, but Barber likely remains among the best-compensated city executives in the state.
By Josh Dulaney, The (San Bernardino County) Sun
Posted: 12/12/2011 06:05:49 PM PST
The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors today will consider cutting salary and benefits for a group of probation correction officers, a move officials say will result in $3.6million savings annually.
By Neil Nisperos. Staff Writer
Created: 12/12/2011 06:23:06 PM PST
Public school officials throughout the state are bracing for what may mean another huge blow to education with a potential trigger cut of $1.9 billion.
Capitol Alert
The latest on California politics and government
December 12, 2011
A new poll shows 60 percent of California voters, weary of state spending cuts and unsettled by the prospect of more, are ready to support Gov. Jerry Brown’s plan to raise taxes.
Officials say they have had trouble finding a prosecutor without ties to the ubiquitous campaign treasurer, who already faces a federal charge of mail fraud.
By Patrick McGreevy, Los Angeles Times
December 13, 2011
Reporting from Sacramento— A state investigation has concluded that campaign treasurer Kinde Durkee provided clients with accounting services without a license, officials said Monday. But they have had trouble finding a prosecutor without ties to the ubiquitous political aide.
Dan Walters
By Dan Walters
dwalters@sacbee.com
Published: Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2011 – 12:00 am | Page 3A
Jerry Brown made a rare gubernatorial appearance this month before a joint legislative committee that was delving – with obvious reluctance – into whether California’s public employee pension benefits should be overhauled.
December 13, 2011 | Christina Jewett
The FBI is interviewing witnesses about billing practices at Prime Healthcare Services, the hospital chain that has charged Medicare for treating elderly patients with rare medical conditions at far higher rates than other California hospitals.
Mitzelfelt
Monday, December 12, 2011 – 09:45 a.m.
The writing is on the wall, or should we say on the agenda, in the budget standoff at the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors.
First District Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt has been blocking the approval of first quarter budget adjustments affecting millions of dollars in funding.
Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, right, said a new Senate seat that includes Moreno Valley is “winnable” for Democrats./AP
THE PRESS-ENTERPRISE
Published: 11 December 2011 06:55 PM
Senate Democrats think they have a great chance at grabbing the redrawn Senate district that extends from Corona to Moreno Valley.
But first they have to find a candidate they can rally behind. Only a few weeks remain before candidates can start collecting signatures to get on the ballot; the candidate filing period formally opens Feb. 13.
Joe Nelson, Staff Writer
Created: 12/11/2011 08:25:53 PM PST
Campaign-finance limits and tougher penalties for violating them are on a list of reforms submitted to San Bernardino County supervisors by an ethics advisory group formed by Supervisor Janice Rutherford.
Rutherford, who campaigned on a platform of governmental reform amid continuing corruption scandals in the county, said she will begin working on reform ordinances – targeted at people in county office and people who aspire to it – next month.
They will be presented to the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.
BY IMRAN GHORI
STAFF WRITER
ighori@pe.com
Published: 11 December 2011 07:46 PM
Sixteen San Bernardino County cities waiting for public safety funds are among those watching to see how a budget update dispute among county supervisors will play out.
By Kevin Yamamura
kyamamura@sacbee.com
Published: Monday, Dec. 12, 2011 – 12:00 am | Page 1A
Last Modified: Monday, Dec. 12, 2011 – 6:39 am
Next month, rural residents may struggle to find library books, and low-income families could lose subsidized child care.
Come February, public school districts may scour their calendars looking for days to shut their doors.
Dan Walters
By Dan Walters
dwalters@sacbee.com
Published: Monday, Dec. 12, 2011 – 12:00 am | Page 3A
The California High-Speed Rail Authority has an obvious financial problem as it seeks to build a statewide bullet train system.
Its latest “business plan” says that it would cost nearly $100 billion to build the backbone of the system, but so far it has only $9 billion in state bonds and a little more than $3 billion in federal money.
House Rules Committee Chairman David Dreier (R-San Dimas) has seen big changes in his district boundaries that tilt its registration toward Democrats. (Charles Dharapak, Associated Press / January 6, 2011)
By Jean Merl and Richard Simon, Los Angeles Times
December 11, 2011, 9:39 p.m.
Reporting from Los Angeles and Washington— It’s no secret that deep blue California has been a tough place for Republicans, with GOP registration falling to less than one-third of voters and Democrats holding all the statewide offices. Now, new political maps threaten to cost several of the party’s prominent congressmen their jobs.
That is especially true for some of the California Republican delegation’s long-serving members.
Sunday, December 11, 2011 – 09:45 a.m.
The San Bernardno County Board of Supervisors is set to impose a hefty pay cut on the Specialized Peace Officers Unit. A represented by the San Bernardino County Safety Employees’ Benefit Association (SEBA).
A cut of 14%.
The known northern boundary of the plume of chromium 6 contamination in Hinkley grew one-mile in a year, according to the Lahontan Water Board. In the third quarter of 2010, the plume was touching Thompson Road. This year’s third-quarter map shows the plume slightly north of Sonoma Street (Click for a closer look at the official map documents)
Jim Steinberg, Staff Writer
Posted: 12/10/2011 02:15:51 PM PST
HINKLEY – The plume of chromium 6 contamination in this unincorporated community eight miles west of Barstow has leaped a mile in a year, according to maps released by the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board.
Traditionally the plume has migrated about a foot per day, said Lisa Dernbach, senior engineering geologist with the water board.
BY ALICIA ROBINSON
STAFF WRITER
arobinson@pe.com
Published: 10 December 2011 04:05 PM
For new Riverside City Manager Scott Barber, becoming head of the state’s 12th largest city in tough economic times will mean filling some key positions, pushing a smaller-scale public works “renaissance,” and facing a potential budget shortfall of several million dollars.
State Senator Bob Huff
Sen. Bob Huff
Created: 12/10/2011 06:07:36 AM PST
I do believe that California can take positive steps to help lure new business and jobs to California. I also believe we pass some bad laws in California that do exactly the opposite. Our regulatory climate is nothing to brag about. California is routinely ranked as one of the worst states to do business in, which tells me that we can do a much better job.
Mike Cruz, Staff Writer
Created: 12/10/2011 06:21:49 PM PST
ONTARIO – Occupy groups from across San Bernardino County gathered with signs Saturday in front of a Bank of America to push for reform of a system they say is no longer addressing the concerns of most Americans.
Liset Marquez, Staff Writer
Created: 12/10/2011 10:02:09 PM PST
ONTARIO – For the past few years the city has extended building permits and development plans set to expire in an effort to assist developers, landowners and businesses during the recession.
The move has become standard in other cities trying to stave off the effects of the economic downturn.
Repairs driving up price
Sandra Emerson, Staff Writer
Created: 12/10/2011 06:07:27 AM PST
Significant water rate hikes in San Bernardino and Los Angeles County cities since the beginning of the year has caused many angry ratepayers to speak up.
Filed under: Barstow, Cities, Claremont, Finance, In the News, Loma Linda, Redlands, Rialto, San Bernardino
December 10, 2011 2:21 PM
Natasha Lindstrom, Staff Writer
VICTORVILLE • When San Bernardino County launched a videoconferencing facility here in September, residents gained the ability to deliver live comments during Board of Supervisors meetings without driving to San Bernardino.
BY IMRAN GHORI
STAFF WRITER
ighori@pe.com
Published: 10 December 2011 05:36 PM
Arrowhead Regional Medical Center won’t be joining other hospitals in banning smoking on its grounds, at least for now.
Congressman Joe Baca
BY BEN GOAD
WASHINGTON BUREAU
bgoad@pe.com
Published: 09 December 2011 08:13 PM
WASHINGTON — Seeking to improve an education system he says is failing Indian country, Inland Rep. Joe Baca introduced legislation this week to overhaul the nation’s tribal schools.