Politics, Government & Business in California's Inland Empire
By Ryan Hagen | rhagen@scng.com | The Press-Enterprise
Published: April 18, 2018 at 6:57 pm | Updated: April 18, 2018 at 8:10 pm
Now that Riverside’s city manager has been abruptly fired, there’s another question: Who’s running the city?
Thursday, April 19, 2018 – 08:30 a.m.
Incumbent San Bernardino County District Attorney Mike Ramos endured more fundraising pain on Tuesday evening.
By Joe Nelson | jnelson@scng.com | San Bernardino Sun
Published: April 17, 2018 at 7:07 pm | Updated: April 18, 2018 at 8:56 am
The Redlands Unified School District on Tuesday was slapped with another sexual abuse lawsuit alleging a former Redlands High School theater technician had an intimate three-year relationship with a female student beginning when she was 15 years old.
By Ryan Hagen | rhagen@scng.com | The Press-Enterprise
Published: April 17, 2018 at 7:18 pm | Updated: April 18, 2018 at 9:02 am
Riverside City Manager John Russo was fired Tuesday, April 17, by the City Council — less than 10 weeks after it extended the top administrator’s contract and lavished praise on him.
Tuesday, April 17, 2018 – 09:30 a.m.
Members of the union representing San Bernardino County prosecutors, public defenders and child support lawyers have filed a petition to remove the group’s leadership from office over the endorsement and financial support given to incumbent District Attorney Mike Ramos.
By Andrew Khouri
Apr 17, 2018 | 5:00 AM
The Southern California News Group, which includes the Orange County Register and Los Angeles Daily News, is pushing back against its owner, Digital First Media, calling for public support in the face of steep cuts that have hollowed out its newsrooms.
By Amy Taxin , Associated Press
Sunday, April 15, 2018 | Sacramento, CA
(AP) — More local governments in California are resisting the state’s efforts to resist the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, and political experts see politics at play as Republicans try to fire up voters in a state where the GOP has grown weak.
Saturday, April 14, 2018 – 07:00 p.m.
The campaign to unseat four-term San Bernardino County District Attorney Mike Ramos has launched another salvo.
It’s the second in seven days.
By Jeff Horseman | jhorseman@scng.com | The Press-Enterprise
April 10, 2018 at 7:49 pm
A Riverside County supervisor must tell voters he was appointed, not elected, to his job, a county judge ruled Monday in a decision that figures to tweak the June 5 ballot.
Mary Plummer and Sandra Oshiro | April 11, 2018
Republican John Cox once more came in second to California gubernatorial frontrunner Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, in the latest Public Policy Institute of California survey released late Wednesday.
Wednesday, April 11, 2018 – 02:00 p.m.
HIGHLAND — A political action committee set on throwing San Bernardino County District Attorney Mike Ramos out of elected office has launched its first political mailer in the contest.
By Dan Walters | April 11, 2018 | Commentary
Reality may finally be catching up with the vision – or pipedream – of a 200-mile-per-hour train connecting California’s northern and southern regions.
Greg Moran
Tuesday, April 11, 2018 – 3:15 p.m.
The leader of the state judiciary said Tuesday she wants immediate changes to court rules that now shield information about sexual harassment payouts to judges that would make such information public for the first time.
By Sarah D. Wire
Tuesday, April 10, 2018 – 9:33 a.m.
Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday endorsed Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s reelection bid.
Monday, April 9, 2018 – 09:00 a.m.
San Bernardino County District Attorney Mike Ramos is at it again.
He’s going to form another special unit to garner some free press and try and throw a lifeline to his reelection bid.
Sunday, April 8, 2018 – 11:45 a.m.
The high-profile case against the former operator of the San Bernardino International Airport and a business associate has quietly sailed away in the dark of night last month.
Shea Johnson, Staff Reporter
Sunday, April 8, 2018 – 06:22 a.m.
Mike Ramos, the San Bernardino County District Attorney, will announce on Monday a newly created prevention and intervention unit to act as the community outreach arm of his office, where he has been the top prosecutor since 2002.
By Jeff Horseman | jhorseman@scng.com | The Press-Enterprise
April 5, 2018 at 12:05 pm
There appears to be little to no sentiment among Riverside or San Bernardino County supervisors to follow Orange County’s lead in joining a federal lawsuit against California over state laws intended to shield undocumented immigrants from deportation.
By John Myers
Apr. 6, 2018 – 10:11 a.m.
California’s effort to get 16- and 17-year-olds to pre-register to vote has now enlisted 100,000 teenagers, according to information released on Friday by Secretary of State Alex Padilla.
Wednesday, April 4, 2018 – 02:00 p.m.
FRENCH VALLEY – The campaign to restore better accountability and greater ratepayer respect from the Eastern Municipal Water District is moving forward with “major momentum,” recall organizers report. A chief objective of an Inland Empire-based citizens’ organization spearheading the effort has identified the removal of board member Phil Paule as paramount. Paule, who also serves as a chief of staff to a San Bernardino County supervisor, is a longtime professional political operative with a questionable ethics record.
By Joe Nelson | jnelson@scng.com | San Bernardino Sun
Published: April 3, 2018 at 2:29 pm | Updated: April 3, 2018 at 3:37 pm
Rancho Cucamonga developer Jeff Burum has filed a $50 million malicious prosecution lawsuit in federal court against San Bernardino County, District Attorney Mike Ramos and former state Attorneys General Kamala Harris and Jerry Brown.
Tuesday, April 3, 2018 – 02:45 p.m.
The first of four anticipated federal civil rights lawsuits, a result of the Colonies Criminal case debacle, was filed against San Bernardino County.
Tuesday, April 3, 2018 – 02:30 p.m.
Allegations of shady dealings have erupted over an endorsement, plus money, benefiting embattled San Bernardino County District Attorney Mike Ramos.
Monday, April 2, 2018 – 08:00 a.m.
The San Bernardino County Public Attorney’s Association (SBCPAA) has been hijacked by rogue leadership and the rank and file members are furious according to multiple sources inside the union. It is well known in local political circles that the public defenders that make up slightly less than half of the population of the SBCPAA loath District Attorney Mike Ramos and that a vast majority of the rank and file deputy district attorneys also feel very negatively about Mike Ramos, so it came as a surprise when it was announced that the union had endorsed Mike Ramos for reelection. Recent investigative reporting has uncovered why. The membership was never asked who they wished to endorse, if at all, in the district attorney race.
By Jennifer Iyer | jiyer@scng.com | Redlands Daily Facts
March 31, 2018 at 10:00 am
Opponents of the large-scale Harmony housing development are expected to make their case against the project in court this week. A hearing is set for Friday, April 6.
By Amanda Myers and Paul Elias
Associated Press
Mar 31,2018 – 8:21 PM EDT
LOS ANGELES (AP) — President Donald Trump blasted California Gov. Jerry Brown on Saturday for his pardon of five ex-convicts facing deportation, including two who fled the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia with their families four decades ago.
Robert Krier
March 29, 2018 – 5:55 p.m.
Much of California, very dry at the end of February, had a welcome wet March. But it wasn’t a March miracle.
By Sarah Frier
Published: March 28, 2018 – 4:08 PM PDT
Updated: March 28, 2018 – 5:52 PM PDT
Facebook Inc. is conducting a broad review of all its data practices and taking a much more conservative stance on some policies, moves that could limit advertisers’ ability to target users on the social network, according to people familiar with the matter.
By Richard K. De Atley | rdeatley@scng.com | The Press-Enterprise
Published: March 27, 2018 at 4:43 pm | Updated: March 27, 2018 at 5:06 pm
San Bernardino County officials have been mostly subdued after the Colonies bribery case collapsed in acquittals last year — but now a private attorney for the county has attacked Colonies co-managing partner Jeff Burum, saying even a not-guilty verdict for him and his co-defendants “is not a vindication of their conduct.”
By Joe Nelson | jnelson@scng.com | San Bernardino Sun
Published: March 26, 2018 at 2:49 pm | Updated: March 26, 2018 at 3:16 pm
Former Colonies corruption case defendants are accusing San Bernardino County District Attorney Mike Ramos of being a sexual predator in a full-page political ad running in at least six local weekly newspapers.
By Alicia Robinson | arobinson@scng.com | The Orange County Register
Published: March 26, 2018 at 6:30 am | Updated: March 26, 2018 at 10:28 am
Early one morning before the Inland heat burned the chill off the air outdoors, dozens of men and a handful of women in workout clothes sweated their way through pushups, sit-ups and a 1.5-mile run.
Saturday, March 24, 2018 – 09:30 a.m.
Updated: Saturday, March 24, 2018 – 12:30- p.m.
San Bernardino County District Attorney Mike Ramos has resorted to embarking on a series of twenty second rants directed at his opponent and his opponent’s supporters. Some of the clips appear to have been cut after a red-faced Ramos had a few cocktails.
Friday, March 23, 2018 – 09:00 p.m.
The Drive Home with Jillian Barberie and John Phillips had the pleasure of interviewing one of the jurors who sat on the Colonies Criminal Case debacle last year.
To hear the interview with Juror Donald Platten click the above link.
By Jeff Horseman | jhorseman@scng.com | The Press-Enterprise
March 23, 2018 at 4:17 pm
California’s campaign finance watchdog wants to impose $36,500 in fines on a water district board member, in part for not closing a legal defense fund for his unsuccessful fight to serve on two elected bodies at the same time.
Thursday, March 22, 2018 – 10:00 p.m.
Updated: Saturday, March 24, 2018 – 12:45 p.m.
It didn’t take long for news of the frantic phone calls asking people to show up at a fundraising luncheon for embattled San Bernardino County District Attorney Mike Ramos to get out.
By John Phillips |
Published: March 21, 2018 at 7:30 pm | Updated: March 21, 2018 at 10:01 pm
For mid-level politicians to move up the political pecking order in a state the size of California, they sometimes need to ride the wave of a big news event all the way to the front page of the paper.
Jeff Daniels | @jeffdanielsca
Published: Mon, 19 March 2018 – 6:49 PM ET
Californians may still love the beautiful weather and beaches, but more and more they are fed up with the high housing costs and taxes and deciding to flee to lower-cost states such as Nevada, Arizona and Texas.
By Naomi Jagoda – 03/18/18 06:00 AM EDT
Republicans are increasingly talking about “phase two” of tax cuts — including a permanent extension of the new law’s individual tax cuts — in an effort to highlight their signature legislative accomplishment and force Democrats to take tough votes.
Sunday, March 18, 2018 – 01:30 p.m.
Someone is definitely having a good laugh at embattled San Bernardino County District Attorney Mike Ramos’ expense this weekend.
.
March 17, 2018
The race for San Bernardino County District Attorney is just starting. As of last Friday, the filing deadline for public office for the June 2018 primary, only two people completed the necessary paperwork; incumbent four-term District Attorney Mike Ramos and former Deputy District Attorney and current defense attorney Jason Anderson.
By Brian Whitehead | bwhitehead@scng.com | San Bernardino Sun
Published: March 16, 2018 at 3:43 pm | Updated: March 16, 2018 at 3:45 pm
Virginia Marquez is calling it a career. Again.
Ten years after retiring from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the 61-year-old recently announced she will not seek re-election to the San Bernardino City Council.
Joshua Stewart
March 15, 2018
After an extended deadline, 16 candidates have completed paperwork to run for an open seat in Congress, held by retiring Rep. Darrell Issa, making it the busiest race in the San Diego area.
By Sean Emery | semery@scng.com and Joe Nelson | jnelson@scng.com | Orange County Register
Published: March 14, 2018 at 6:13 pm | Updated: March 14, 2018 at 7:07 pm
Jurors in a federal civil rights trial have awarded $33.5 million to the family of a man who was shot and killed by a San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputy during a 2015 encounter at the El Rancho Motel in Barstow.
By Mike Cruz | mcruz@scng.com | San Bernardino Sun
March 14, 2018 at 8:37 pm
San Bernardino County sheriff’s Lt. Jim Considine, who returned to law enforcement after losing a leg because of the injuries he suffered during a nightmare pursuit in the county area of Victorville in 1997, was honored Wednesday night at the Ontario Reign game.
Tuesday, March 13, 2018 – 11:30 a.m.
An Inland Empire political action committee has released information from a poll conducted in the San Bernardino County District Attorney race.
Administrator’s Note: For those individuals who have contacted InlandPolitics.com requesting communication, the law firm of Hardin & Lott will respond to all telephone and email inquiries made directly to their offices. Your privacy will be protected. Please don’t email this website.
Friday, March 9, 2018 – 02:30 p.m.
LEGAL NOTICE
You have the right to a sexual harassment-free workplace. It has been alleged by several employees that there have been consensual sexual relationships between supervisors and subordinates in the San Bernardino District Attorney’s office.
By Joe Nelson | jnelson@scng.com | San Bernardino Sun
March 12, 2018 at 6:00 am
For the better part of seven years, San Bernardino County District Attorney Mike Ramos would not comment publicly about the Colonies corruption case while it was pending.
By Beau Yarbrough | byarbrough@scng.com | Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
Published: March 11, 2018 at 6:01 am | Updated: March 11, 2018 at 12:33 pm
Editor’s note: This is part of a package of stories marking Sunshine Week, during which the media assesses the status of the free press in the U.S. Coming this week:
Documents released in February, showing current and former California legislators had been accused of sexual misbehavior and other harassment, weren’t released under the California Public Records Act.
By Kathleen Ronayne and Jonathan J. Cooper
Associated Press
Mar 9, 6:35 PM EST
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The projected cost of California’s bullet train between San Francisco and Los Angeles has jumped to $77 billion and the completion date has been pushed back four years to 2033, according to a business plan released Friday.
By Brian Whitehead | bwhitehead@scng.com | San Bernardino Sun
Published: March 9, 2018 at 7:00 am | Updated: March 9, 2018 at 7:22 am
Mike Gallo, president and CEO of Kelly Space & Technology in San Bernardino, has withdrawn from the 2018 mayoral race to focus on making space access easier and more affordable for the growing small satellite industry, he announced Friday, March 9.
.
Jeff Cox | @JeffCoxCNBCcom
Published: March 9, 2018
The economy added 313,000 jobs in February, crushing expectations, while the unemployment rate remained at 4.1 percent, according to a Labor Department report Friday that could help quell inflation fears.
By Dan Morain | March 7, 2018 |
Most out-of-state politicians come to California to raise money. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions flew into Sacramento bearing a gift, in the form a lawsuit targeting this so-called sanctuary state.
By Brian Whitehead | bwhitehead@scng.com | San Bernardino Sun
Published: March 6, 2018 at 3:29 pm | Updated: March 6, 2018 at 3:58 pm
The chairman of the California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce filed a public claim against San Bernardino on Monday, March 5, alleging his civil rights were violated by several city officials at a recent City Council meeting.
The claim is a precursor to a civil lawsuit.
By Franco Ordonez, Anita Chabria And Stephen Magagnini
Published: March 06, 2018 11:28 AM
Updated: March 06, 2018 07:20 PM
The Trump administration on Tuesday sued California over its sanctuary policies for undocumented immigrants, setting off a chorus of near-unanimous defiance from California lawmakers.
By Joe Nelson | jnelson@scng.com | San Bernardino Sun
Published: March 5, 2018 at 4:44 pm | UpdatedD: March 5, 2018 at 5:07 pm
San Bernardino County District Attorney Michael A. Ramos said he knows that his strongest challenger in the June primary election is being funded heavily by the vindicated Colonies corruption case defendants and their supporters.
By Joe Nelson | jnelson@scng.com | San Bernardino Sun
Published: March 5, 2018 at 8:29 pm | Updated: March 5, 2018 at 9:00 pm
Assemblyman Marc Steinorth, R-Rancho Cucamonga, pulled candidacy papers Monday to run against incumbent San Bernardino County Supervisor Janice Rutherford, said Melissa Eickman, spokeswoman for the Elections Office of the Registrar of Voters.
Patrick McGreevy
By Patrick McGreevy
Monday, March 5, 2018 – 12:40 p.m.
California’s campaign watchdog agency last year approved a record 340 settlements of cases involving violations of ethics and political finance rules, according to its annual report issued Monday.
March 5, 2018 – 2:57 am EST
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Welcome drifts of fresh snow await California’s water managers on their late-winter survey of the vital Sierra Nevada snowpack Monday after a massive winter storm slowed the state’s plunge back into drought.
Gary Warth
March 3, 2018 – 06:00 a.m.
Counties throughout the state are holding onto millions of dollars intended for mental health services, a recently released state audit has found.
By Patrick McGreevy
Mar 03, 2018 | 12:05 AM
Sacramento —
Special interests have continued to shower California legislators with hundreds of thousands of dollars in freebies, including foreign travel, golf games and concert tickets, as efforts to rein in gifts to elected state officials after a series of corruption scandals have stalled.
Friday, March 2, 2018 – 07:25 p.m.
The defense attorneys who represented the fully vindicated defendants in the Colonies criminal case have each received one of the highest honors for attorneys in California, each being recognized as a California Lawyer Attorney of the Year (the “CLAY Award”) as nominated by their peers in the California legal community and selected by the editors of the Daily Journal and the California Lawyer, California’s leading legal periodicals.
By Jeff Horseman | jhorseman@scng.com | The Press-Enterprise
Published: March 2, 2018 at 1:27 pm | Updated: March 2, 2018 at 3:46 pm
Inland Assemblyman Marc Steinorth has decided not to seek re-election, a decision that could affect the balance of power in Sacramento and the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors.
By Joe Nelson | jnelson@scng.com | San Bernardino Sun
Published: March 1, 2018 at 7:07 pm | Updated: March 1, 2018 at 7:11 pm
Vindicated Colonies corruption case defendants Jim Erwin and Mark Kirk have formed a political action committee to support “good government” candidates, including the challenger to incumbent District Attorney Michael A. Ramos, former prosecutor-turned-defense attorney Jason Anderson.
By Joe Nelson | jnelson@scng.com and Richard K. De Atley | rdeatley@scng.com | San Bernardino Sun
Published: March 1, 2018 at 12:51 pm | Updated: March 1, 2018 at 6:08 pm
Rancho Cucamonga investor group Colonies Partners LP on Thursday, March 1, filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against San Bernardino County District Attorney Michael A. Ramos and former state Attorneys General Jerry Brown and Kamala Harris, seeking $80 million in damages following a bungled bribery case the developer claims sullied its reputation.
.
Thursday, March 1, 2018 – 06:35 p.m.
The civil lawsuit filed by Colonies Partners L.P. against the County of San Bernardino and various county and State of California officials is now available online.
By Jeff Horseman | jhorseman@scng.com | The Press-Enterprise
February 27, 2018 at 3:25 pm
Another election year, another comeback attempt for former Inland Rep. Joe Baca.
By Joe Nelson | jnelson@scng.com | San Bernardino Sun
February 26, 2018 at 11:05 pm
Former San Bernardino County Supervisor Paul Biane filed malicious prosecution claims against the county and state on Friday, Feb. 23, seeking more than $10 million in damages, making him the last of the former Colonies corruption case defendants to do so.
February 26, 2018
The four former defendants in last year’s Colonies Crossroads corruption trial have formed a political action committee to support candidates they believe will practice open government.
Friday, February 23, 2018 – 06:30 p.m.
Former San Bernardino County Supervisor Paul Biane filed separate claims against both the county and State of California on Friday.
By Joe Nelson | jnelson@scng.com | San Bernardino Sun
February 24, 2018 at 8:00 am
Seeking his fifth term as San Bernardino County’s top prosecutor, District Attorney Michael A. Ramos is facing two challengers in this year’s election race.
By Brian Whitehead | bwhitehead@scng.com | San Bernardino Sun
Published: February 23, 2018 at 7:26 pm | Updated: February 23, 2018 at 7:30 pm
Adelanto Mayor Richard Kerr was cleared of sexual harassment allegations Friday after an independent investigator concluded he did not engage in unlawful sexual harassment nor violate city policies, city spokesman Michael Stevens said.
By Ryan Hagen | rhagen@scng.com | The Press-Enterprise
Published: February 20, 2018 at 8:02 pm | Updated: February 20, 2018 at 8:50 pm
After two weeks of public calls for a vote on Riverside Mayor Rusty Bailey’s attempted veto of a new contract for the city manager, the City Council formally voted Tuesday, Feb. 20, to stand by the city attorney’s opinion that the only way to reject the contract would be a lawsuit.
By Dan Walters | Feb. 21, 2018 | Commentary
The essence of California’s pension crisis was on display last week when the California Public Employees Retirement System made a relatively small change in its amortization policy.
By Jeff Horseman | jhorseman@scng.com | The Press-Enterprise
Published: February 19, 2018 at 4:28 pm | Updated: February 19, 2018 at 7:10 pm
The union representing Riverside County sheriff’s deputies has given at least $554,000 in direct and in-kind contributions to one of three candidates in the 2018 sheriff’s race, campaign finance records show.
By Suzanne Hurt | shurt@scng.com | The Press-Enterprise
February 19, 2018 at 3:36 pm
An effort to recall three Corona City Council members fizzled when the group was unable to gather enough signatures to put the issue on a ballot by the Sunday, Feb. 18 deadline.
Monday, February 19, 2018 – 10:30 a.m.
It is with great sadness that we report the passing San Bernardino County Superior Court Judge Vic Stull.
By Matier & Ross
Published: February 17, 2018
Updated: February 18, 2018 6:00am
The latest sex-harassment scandal in the state Legislature took an interesting turn the other day when four of state Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia’s former staffers alleged that she “spoke graphically” about having sex with other lawmakers in their offices.
Sunday, February 18, 2018 – 06:00 p.m.
The fourth in a series of multi-million dollar claims related to the Colonies prosecution debacle, filed on January 30, 2018, is now available online.
By Dan Walters | Feb. 18, 2018 | COMMENTARY
This year is the 40th anniversary of Proposition 13, the iconic property tax limit measure that California voters overwhelmingly endorsed in 1978.
By John Wildermuth
Published: February 16, 2018
Updated: February 17, 2018 – 8:41am
Rep. Doug LaMalfa, whose Butte County seat is considered among the safest Republican strongholds in the state, faces a long-shot opponent who has out-raised him for the campaign.
By Jeff Collins | JeffCollins@scng.com | Orange County Register
Published: February 15, 2018 at 1:50 pm | Updated: February 16, 2018 at 6:24 pm
A $300 rent hike threw Noemi Hernandez’ finances into a tizzy in 2016, forcing the part-time cashier to apply for food stamps and curtail spending on other things. A year later, her rent went up another $160.
By Paul Rogers | progers@bayareanewsgroup.com
Leigh Poitinger | lpoitinger@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
Published: February 14, 2018 at 6:00 am
Updated: February 14, 2018 at 2:58 pm
As California suffers through another dry winter, increasing fears that drought conditions may be returning, the state’s residents are dropping conservation habits that were developed during the last drought and steadily increasing their water use with each passing month.
By Kathleen Pender
Published: February 13, 2018
Updated: February 13, 2018 – 4:00pm
California’s tax revenues far exceeded expectations in January for the second consecutive month, but it remains to be seen how much of the excess reflects underlying strength in the economy, versus people speeding up their 2017 state income tax payments while they were still fully deductible on federal tax returns.
By Ryan Hagen | rhagen@scng.com | The Press-Enterprise
Published: February 12, 2018 at 6:47 pm | Updated: February 12, 2018 at 7:19 pm
Since before Rusty Bailey was elected Riverside mayor in 2012, the city’s top officials — the mayor, city manager, city attorney, city clerk and mayor pro tem — have met nearly every Monday in what they call the Teamwork and Communication meeting.
But Monday, Feb. 12, everyone but Bailey refused to attend.
By Shea Johnson
Staff Writer
@DP_Shea
Posted: Feb 12, 2018 at 5:10 PM
Updated: Feb 12, 2018 at 5:10 PM
ADELANTO — Separate sexual harassment investigations into the city’s highest-ranking administrator and top public official have been completed, with written reports on each expected “imminently,” a city official said Monday.
