Politics, Government & Business in California's Inland Empire
Saturday, October 31, 2015 – 02:45 p.m.
Here’s the latest local newspaper coverage regarding an ongoing high-profile San Bernardino County court case.
By Steven Greenhut | Oct. 30, 2015 – 2:53 p.m.
Sacramento — One of the biggest problems with Gov. Jerry Brown’s efforts to battle climate change is the “do or die” nature of the situation. Based on his rhetoric, there’s little room for debate over costs, benefits, details and oversight. When the future of the Earth is at stake, then nothing else seems to matter. A new brouhaha over one of Brown’s signature anti-climate-change projects illustrates this situation.
Noah Bierman
October 30, 2015
Republicans took their revenge today against what they called a presidential debate full of “inaccurate or downright offensive” questions by suspending a future session planned with NBC News.
Friday, October 30, 2015 – 05:00 p.m.
The Lou Desmond and Company Show is broadcasting from the Toyota of San Bernardino Recording Studios!
On the show, Ed Hoffman, owner of Wholesale Capital Corporation, joins the show to talk about the GOP debate. Who were the winners and who were the losers? And speaking of losers, how do Republican voters feel about Jeb?
Published: Oct. 29, 2015 – 4:10 p.m.
Riverside County’s four newest cities have been told that a one-time, $23.7 million, infusion of state money will wipe out debts that Menifee, Wildomar and Jurupa Valley owe to the county.
To read article by Sandra Stokley in The Press-Enterprise, click here.
Capitol Alert
By Christopher Cadelago
ccadelago@sacbee.com
October 29, 2015
Democrat Kamala Harris is developing a spending problem that has nagged front-runners before her.
Phil Willon
October 29, 2015
Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, the Democrat famous for bumping ultra-conservative GOP Rep. Robert “B-1 Bob” Dornan from office in Orange County two decades ago, may need a little Republican love next year.
By Dan Walters
dwalters@sacbee.com
October 29, 2015
The latest national academic tests tell us again that California’s public schools aren’t doing a very good job of educating more than 6 million youngsters.
Chris Kirkham
October 30, 2015
Taree Truong wore a uniform bearing Amazon’s logo, signed into an Amazon tracking device and was told by Amazon dispatchers to make deliveries for its new Prime Now courier service across far-flung parts of Orange County.
By Alex Isenstadt
10/29/15 – 09:07 PM EDT
Updated 10/29/15 – 09:50 PM EDT
Republican presidential campaigns are planning to gather in Washington, D.C., on Sunday evening to plot how to alter their party’s messy debate process — and how to remove power from the hands of the Republican National Committee.
Thursday, October 29, 2015 – 05:00 p.m.
The Lou Desmond and Company Show is broadcasting from the Toyota of San Bernardino Recording Studios!
On the show today Lou is joined by Brian Davision, who is running for city council in San Bernardino’s fifth ward. Why is he running, and what does he hope to accomplish for the city?
Reuters
By Lucia Mutikani | Reuters
October 29, 2015
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. economic growth braked sharply in the third quarter as businesses cut back on restocking warehouses to work off an inventory glut, but solid domestic demand could encourage the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates in December.
Published: Oct. 27, 2015 – 3:48 p.m.
Passenger traffic at Ontario International Airport increased 1.64 percent for September over the previous year. The Inland airport had 341,089 travelers last month, compared to 335,589 in September 2014.
To read article by Richard K. De Atley in The Press-Enterprise, click here.
By Bob Egelko
October 28, 2015
Updated: October 29, 2015 – 6:46am
Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, widely viewed as the leader of the court’s dominant conservative bloc, told law students at Santa Clara University on Wednesday that he’s actually a dissident on a liberal court, one whose prevailing view threatens “the destruction of our democratic system.”
Carla Rivera
October 2, 2015
The California State University system should institute tuition increases for California residents and out-of-state students, begin year-round academic schedules and provide campus funding based on graduation and other rates, a new panel suggests.
Wednesday, October 28, 2015 – 05:00 p.m.
The Lou Desmond and Company Show is broadcasting from the Toyota of San Bernardino Recording Studios!
Lou is joined by Adrian Moore of The Reason Foundation.
First, they talk about an interesting occurrence in the San Bernardino City Council race. An email went out saying that the Redlands Tea Party Patriots was backing one of the candidates. But RTPP has never sent any communication. So what gives?
By Ryan Hagen, The Sun
Posted: 10/27/15 – 8:05 PM PDT |
SAN BERNARDINO >> Under the shadow of bankruptcy, good things are happening in San Bernardino, Mayor Carey Davis said at an hourlong talk Tuesday evening.
By Dan Walters
dwalters@sacbee.com
October 27, 2015
Judging from Twitter traffic and other indices of political weather, Democratic activists are downright giddy about California’s new “motor voter” law.
Melody Petersen and W.J. Hennigan
October 27, 2015
Aerospace giant Northrop Grumman Corp. won an intense four-year competition Tuesday to build the nation’s new fleet of stealth bombers, a project likely to create thousands of jobs in Southern California.
Tuesday, October 27, 2015 – 05:00 p.m.
The Lou Desmond and Company Show is broadcasting from the Toyota of San Bernardino Recording Studios!
Tuesday, October 27, 2015 – 02:00 p.m.
The pile-on has started over the disclosure of the arrest of San Bernardino County’s Human Resources Director, and the subsequent lack of disclosure to the public and board of supervisors.
By Ryan Hagen, San Bernardino Sun
Posted: 10/26/15 – 6:45 PM PDT |
SAN BERNARDINO >> The county’s chief administrator waited too long in telling the Board of Supervisors that the county’s human resources head pleaded guilty to agreeing to engage in prostitution, the board’s chairman said Monday.
Dan Walters
By Dan Walters
dwalters@sacbee.com
October 26, 2015
Odd things happen during the final hours of any legislative session as hundreds of bills are processed in what one sage accurately termed a “sausage factory.”
By Kelsey Snell
October 27, 2015 at 1:30 AM
House Republican leaders introduced legislation just before midnight on Monday, finalizing a two-year budget agreement between Congressional leaders and the White House. The introduction sets up a vote as early as Wednesday on the bipartisan budget deal which would increase military and domestic spending and avert a potentially catastrophic default in exchange for long-term spending cuts.
Monday, October 26, 2015 – 05:00 p.m.
The Lou Desmond and Company Show is broadcasting from the Toyota of San Bernardino Recording Studios!
Estimable Economist Jay Prag joins Lou today on the show. They discuss local members of congress and their ideas for the economy. Rep. Mark Takano says that it’s not moral for anyone who works to live in poverty. Then, Rep. Pete Aguilar has ideas for businesses. But will they work?
Monday, October 26, 2015 – 04:30 p.m.
As much as San Bernardino County officials would like to believe to the contrary. Last week’s revelation of the public agency’s human resources director’s guilty plea to solicitation of prostitution has grown legs with Southern California media outlets.
Published: Oct. 23, 2015
Updated: Oct. 26, 2015 6:44 a.m.
The Inland Empire’s wait for justice — or its wait for more judges to be precise — continues after the governor’s veto of a bill that would have added judges to this area, which continues to suffer from a chronic shortage.
To read article by Jeff Horseman in The Press-Enterprise, click here.
By Dan Walters
dwalters@sacbee.com
October 25, 2015
Were the El Niño phenomenon to actually generate copious rainstorms in California, it could create a dilemma for homeowners with elderly roofs – patch the leaks or spend big bucks for a new roof.
By Ed Mendel
Monday, October 26, 2015
Still underfunded after a $100 billion loss during the recession, CalPERS plans to slowly shift over decades to more conservative and lower-yielding investments, raising employer rates but reducing the risk of another financial bloodbath.
By Jake Sherman and Anna Palmer
10/25/15 – 01:10 PM EDT
Updated 10/25/15 05:14 PM EDT
Paul Ryan has been abundantly clear: As speaker of the House, he won’t spend all of his time jetting across the country to keep the National Republican Congressional Committee flush.
By Seung Min Kim
10/25/15 – 05:29 PM EDT
Senate Republicans’ carefully-laid plans to use a powerful fast-track tool to send an Obamacare repeal to President Barack Obama is running into fresh resistance, with new opposition from high-profile conservatives and bubbling concerns from moderates.
Ralph Vartabedian
October 24, 2015
The monumental task of building California’s bullet train will require punching 36 miles of tunnels through the geologically complex mountains north of Los Angeles.
California Open Congressional Seats
Jean Merl
October 24, 2015
California so far has only three congressional contests without incumbents, and at least two — perhaps all three — appear likely to stay in Democratic hands next year.
By Dan Walters
dwalters@sacbee.com
October 24, 2015
Over his half-century as a practitioner of California politics, Jerry Brown has proved himself to be consistently inconsistent.
Maura Dolan
October 24, 201
Jurisprudence is no laughing matter.
Ramon Ochoa, 40, learned that lesson while appearing in Fresno before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill.
Stuart Pfeifer
October 24, 2015
Dr. Prem Reddy has frequently been criticized over his tough management, cost-cutting and reduced medical services at Prime Healthcare Services Inc., his fast-growing Ontario-based hospital chain.
Saturday, October 24, 2015 – 09:30 a.m.
The latest debacle at the San Bernardino County Government Center shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone.
Saturday, October 24, 2015 – 09:00 a.m.
Pacific Premier Bancorp (Nasdaq: PPBI), the parent of Southern California-based Pacific Premier Bank, continues to grow, along with its share price.
By Ryan Hagen, The Sun
Posted: 10/23/15 – 7:25 PM PDT |
SAN BERNARDINO >> The city at last has a letter from its independent audit firm on whether its financial statements are accurate, but Friday evening it still hadn’t received the full audit — two days after it was last promised, and more than a year and a half after the state deadline.
Dean Starkman
October 23, 2015
The Achilles’ heel of the vast CalPERS fund has been its real estate portfolio, but there are signs that the long-troubled segment is finally turning around.
Friday, October 23, 2015 – 10:00 a.m.
It appears San Bernardino County government, which has a penchant for sweeping dirty laundry under the rug, has been busy protecting its Human Resources Director.
By Katie Glueck
10/23/15 – 05:12 AM EDT
The odds that Donald Trump wins the Republican presidential nomination are going up.
Published: Oct. 22, 2015 2:39 p.m.
CVB Financial Corp. and its subsidiary Citizens Business Bank just completed its second highest quarter of earnings on record, president and CEO Christopher Myers said Thursday in a conference call.
To read article by Fielding Buck in The Press-Enterprise, click here.
Published: Oct. 22, 2015- Updated: 9:53 a.m.
Rep. Mark Takano officially has a 2016 opponent.
Riverside Republican Doug Shepherd announced Thursday, Oct. 22, he would run against Takano, D-Riverside, for the right to represent the 41st Congressional District, which includes Riverside, Moreno Valley, Perris and Jurupa Valley. He’s already filed papers with the Federal Election Commission.
To read post by Jeff Horseman in The P-E Political Empire Blog, click here.
Published: Oct. 21, 2015 – Updated: 1:20 p.m.
A candidate for Riverside County supervisor is getting support from an Indian tribe with a history of giving big and often to political campaigns and causes.
To read post by Jeff Horseman in The P-E Political Empire Blog, click here.
Published: Oct. 22, 2015 – Updated: 10:52 p.m.
A Riverside man is seeking more than $20 million in a federal civil rights lawsuit that accuses San Diego County sheriff’s deputies of knocking him unconscious with a flashlight at Harrah’s resort near Valley Center in July.
To read story by Gail Wesson in The Press-Enterprise, click here.
By Bradley J. Fikes | Oct. 22, 2015 | Updated 6:23 p.m.
San Diego’s Imprimis has introduced a compounded drug that sells for far less than Daraprim from Turing Pharmaceuticals.
Turing Pharmaceuticals sparked nationwide outrage and government investigations when it raised the cost of a generic drug used for AIDS and cancer from $13.50 to $750 a capsule.
By Jeff McDonald | Oct. 21, 2015 – 8:22 p.m.
As criticism mounted last year of a settlement deal that billed utility customers for 70 percent of the $4.7 billion cost of failure at the San Onofre nuclear plant, the state judge assigned to the case reached out to plant owner Southern California Edison.
Sarah D. Wire
October 21, 2015
The Republican members of California’s delegation are demanding a government plan to store the deluge of water that could come with El Niño this winter.
By William Douglas and Tori Whitley
McClatchy Washington Bureau
October 21, 2015
WASHINGTON —
The conditions have been laid out and the dates have been set. Now that Rep. Paul Ryan has spelled out his terms to run for House speaker, what will his Republican colleagues do?
Wednesday, October 21, 2015 – 05:00 p.m.
The Lou Desmond and Company Show is broadcasting from the Toyota of San Bernardino Recording Studios!
On the show today Lou is joined by Ken White, a former military police officer and security consultant. They discuss three different law enforcement stories from this week. Among them, an officer who is helping at-risk youth by showing them what it is like to live in other parts of the world.
Wednesday, October 21, 2015 – 09:20 a.m.
Vice President Joe Biden has announced he will not seek the democratic nomination for President of the United States.
Published: Oct. 20, 2015 – Updated: 11:17 p.m.
Riverside officials will hire an independent attorney to look more deeply into how much of $19.4 million in legal spending failed to follow city procedures and who was responsible.
To read article by Alicia Robinson in The Press-Enterprise, click here.
By Ryan Hagen, The Sun
Posted: 10/20/15 – 5:00 PM PDT |
SAN BERNARDINO >> After more than a year of delays and suspicion, an audit of the city’s 2012-13 financial statements should be finished Wednesday and presented to the City Council and public Nov. 2, according to city staffers and the audit firm.
By Liset Marquez, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
Posted: 10/20/15 – 10:04 PM PDT |
ONTARIO >> A deal that in concept would transfer LA/Ontario International Airport to a local authority was presented to the City Council and was reviewed behind closed doors Tuesday night.
Paige St. John
October 20, 2015
The secretary of state’s office Tuesday gave the green light for supporters to collect signatures for a proposed ballot initiative that would further soften California’s three strikes law.
Business & Real Estate
By Dale Kasler
dkasler@sacbee.com
October 20, 2015
CalPERS is about to implement a new investment policy that will reduce risks and future profitability. But the giant pension fund is being urged by Gov. Jerry Brown’s administration, and some of CalPERS’ own board members, to dial back those risks more quickly.
Tuesday, October 20, 2015 – 05:00 p.m.
The Lou Desmond and Company Show is broadcasting from the Toyota of San Bernardino Recording Studios!
On the show today Lou is joined by Dr. Adrian Moore of the Reason Foundation. Last night the trailer for the new Star Wars film was shown at halftime of Monday Night Football. What Does Lou think?
Tuesday, October 20, 2015 – 05:00 p.m.
Remember the name Samuel Clauder? It’s the name of a poor gentleman who was arrested in 2009 and charged with possession of child pornography.
The only problem? He didn’t do it.
Tuesday, October 20, 2015 – 02:00 p.m.
There’s been more local news coverage of a high-profile San Bernardino County court case.
Tuesday, October 20, 2015 – 09:30 a.m.
Establishment efforts to derail GOP candidate Donald Trump appear to be having the opposite effect.
By Bob Egelko
Monday, October 19, 2015 – Updated 10:00 p.m.
Congressional action prohibits federal drug enforcers from shutting medical marijuana dispensaries that comply with state law, a federal judge in San Francisco ruled Monday in a potentially precedent-setting case.
By Stacy Cowley
October 19, 2015
JACKSONVILLE, N.C. — When Billy Sewell began offering health insurance this year to 600 service workers at the Golden Corral restaurants that he owns, he wondered nervously how many would buy it. Adding hundreds of employees to his plan would cost him more than $1 million — a hit he wasn’t sure his low-margin business could afford.
Monday, October 19, 2015 – 05:00 p.m.
The Lou Desmond and Company Show is broadcasting from the Toyota of San Bernardino Recording Studios!
On the show today Lou is joined by Estimable Economist Jay Prag. They discuss sports and its ability to unite the American people. Also, how will the end of the Michigan vs. Michigan State game be remembered?
Monday, October 19, 2015 – 08:30 a.m.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department is in legal cross-hairs yet again.
Paige St. John
October 18, 2015
The ash of the Rocky fire was still hot when Gov. Jerry Brown strode to a bank of television cameras beside a blackened ridge and, flanked by firefighters, delivered a battle cry against climate change.
Chris Megerian
October 18, 2015
A little more than a year ago, Gov. Jerry Brown was touting an outbreak of bipartisanship in the Capitol. Lawmakers from both parties backed crucial deals on water and state finances — “a high point in our work together,” the governor said.
By Michael Walsh
October 17, 2015 | 2:40pm
Back in the days of Richard Nixon and Watergate, Donald Segretti had a word for it.
Saturday, October 17, 2015 – 12:00 p.m.
It was bound to happen at some point.
Fox News Channel’s Megyn Kelly has taken a hit over her battle with GOP presidential hopeful Donald Trump.
By Inland Empire Business Daily
September 26, 2015
September 21st’s San Bernardino City Council meeting was illustrative of the continuing divide developing at city hall.
Published: Oct. 16, 2015 – Updated: 2:37 p.m.
The latest congressional fundraising totals are rolling in. And not surprisingly, the incumbents are rolling in it.
To read post by Jeff Horseman in The P-E Political Empire Blog, click here.
By Liset Marquez, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
Posted: 10/15/15 – 9:56 PM PDT |
UPLAND >> A resident is claiming Mayor Ray Musser got him removed from his volunteer role with the Upland Chamber of Commerce because he backed the recall effort against the city leader.
By Liset Marquez, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
Posted: 10/16/15 – 1:29 PM PDT |
ONTARIO — Ten weeks after a press conference at LA/Ontario International Airport announcing a deal to return the airport to local control, an agreement spelling out the terms has been completed.
Ben Adler
Friday, October 16, 2015 | Sacramento, CA
Don’t be fooled by the new California jobs report out Friday that shows statewide unemployment falling below six percent for the first time in nearly a decade. The state added almost no jobs last month – and 125,000 people stopped looking for work.
By City News Service
Posted: 10/16/15 – 8:01 PM PDT |
LOS ANGELES >> In a case stemming from the beating of a handcuffed man at Men’s Central Jail, a sixth former member of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department was indicted Friday on federal charges for allegedly participating in the cover-up of the incident.
By Ben Schreckinger
10/16/15 – 08:23 PM EDT
Donald Trump’s eccentric presidential run is looking more like a standard campaign every day.
The Politico Mag Profile
By Michael D’Antonio
October 15, 2015
You will not find a wall adorned with framed magazine covers in Ivanka Trump’s office. For that sort of thing you’ll have to visit her father, who can look up from his desk and see himself beaming down from Time and Playboy.
Friday, October 16, 2015 – 05:00 p.m.
The Lou Desmond and Company Show is broadcasting from the Toyota of San Bernardino Recording Studios!
Phil Willon
October 15, 2015
Rep. Loretta Sanchez reported raising almost $1 million in contributions this year for her U.S. Senate campaign, well behind the $6 million that her chief Democratic rival, California Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris, has collected for the race, according to financial filings released Thursday.
By Paul Rogers
progers@mercurynews.com
Posted: 10/15/2015 – 11:44:06 AM PDT
In the latest sign that El Niño conditions are likely to bring wet weather to drought-parched California, federal scientists on Thursday announced for the first time that the entire state — including the northern part of California from the Bay Area to the Oregon border — is now expected to receive average or above-average rainfall this winter.
By Dan Balz and Paul Kane
October 16 at 2:23 AM
Democrats loyal to Vice President Biden have a three-word response to the politicians and pundits who say Hillary Clinton’s performance in Tuesday’s Democratic debate makes a Biden campaign less likely: Not so fast.
By Ben Kamisar and Bradford Richardson
October 15, 2015, 02:20 pm
Donald Trump and Ben Carson are threatening to skip the next Republican presidential debate unless the format is changed.
Thursday, October 15, 2015 – 09:15 a.m.
We’ve been talking about how national polling in the GOP presidential primary contest is somewhat irrelevant at this early stage, and it is.
Thursday, October 15, 2015 – 09:00 a.m.
The following are links to local newspaper coverage of a Wednesday appeals court ruling involving a high-profile San Bernardino County legal case:
Published: Oct. 14, 2015 – 4:25 p.m.
San Bernardino County residents’ outlook for the local economy has improved since the Great Recession, but their views for the county as a good and safe place to live have fallen over the same period, a telephone poll of residents concludes.
To read article by Richard K. De Atley in The Press-Enterprise, click here.