Josh Dulaney, Staff Writer
Posted: 07/28/2010 05:30:35 PM PDT
RIALTO – Another woman has come forward in connection with an alleged sex scandal involving police officers and employees of the Spearmint Rhino strip club, authorities confirmed Wednesday.
“Last Friday, we had a woman file a complaint against one of the officers that we’ve identified in the investigation,” Police Chief Mark Kling said.
Josh Dulaney, Staff Writer
Posted: 07/27/2010 08:04:56 PM PDT
RIALTO – The sex scandal that has rocked the Police Department and attracted widespread attention has not shaken officials’ faith in rank-and-file officers or Chief Mark Kling, based on remarks they made at Tuesday night’s City Council meeting.
“My confidence in Mark is high,” said City Administrator Henry Garcia. “This is a small step backward.”
Scandal a threat to Rialto gains
Josh Dulaney, Staff Writer
Posted: 07/25/2010 08:27:08 PM PDT
RIALTO – Police Chief Mark Kling has described his department as embarrassed and frustrated over allegations that some of its officers were involved in a sex scandal connected to the Spearmint Rhino strip club.
“They don’t deserve that type of recognition,” Kling said. “It doesn’t represent the hardworking people of this department.”
Wednesday, July 21, 2010 – 07:40 am
Here is an update in the ongoing investigation into alleged inappropriate sexual conduct between members of the Rialto Police Department and employees of the Spearmint Rhino Gentlemen’s Club.
Two more officers have been placed under investigation according to Police Chief Mark Kling.
Josh Dulaney, Staff Writer
Posted: 07/19/2010 04:58:37 PM PDT
RIALTO – Internal investigators are probing claims that police officers were having sex on duty with employees of a popular strip club on Riverside Avenue, authorities said Monday.
“We’ve got confirmation that employees of the Spearmint Rhino were involved with officers in our department,” Police Chief Mark Kling said.
06:47 PM PDT on Monday, July 19, 2010
By PAUL LaROCCO
The Press-Enterprise
Four Rialto police officers have been placed on paid administrative leave after allegations surfaced that they had sex while on duty with Spearmint Rhino waitresses at a police union building.
The officers, whose names were withheld because the personnel investigation is not complete, are among six being investigated, Rialto Police Chief Mark Kling said.
The developing sex scandal involving at least one, if not several officers within the ranks of the Rialto Police Department, is gaining momentum this evening.
News coming out of Rialto tonight says employees of the Spearmint Rhino club are involved.
Josh Dulaney, Staff Writer
Posted: 07/18/2010 06:49:11 PM PDT
RIALTO – A woman’s allegations that she had sex with a police officer while he was on duty has led Police Chief Mark Kling to place four officers on paid administrative leave while the Police Department investigates misconduct within its ranks.
Nancy Holtgreve, a 37-year-old waitress, said she had sex with Officer James Dobbs three times last year at the Rialto Police Benefit Association’s union building after she clocked off work in the early morning and while Dobbs was on shift for the department.
Josh Dulaney, Staff Writer
Posted: 07/13/2010 07:39:51 PM PDT
RIALTO – The City Council on Tuesday night voted 4-0 to approve a massive development on the north end.
Lytle Creek Ranch is a 2,447-acre project between the 15 and 210 freeways along Riverside Avenue that will feature parks, schools, retail and more than 8,400 residential units in a development that could see more than 25,000 new residents over the next three decades.
Rialto asked to consider large housing project
10:00 PM PDT on Monday, July 12, 2010
Cassie MacDuff
Rialto tonight will consider a housing project along Lytle Creek Wash that it rejected more than a decade ago as leapfrog development that would strain city resources.
The council is poised to vote on Lytle Creek Ranch, a 2,447-acre tract that would quadruple the number of homes allowed south of Glen Helen Regional Park.
10:00 PM PDT on Friday, July 9, 2010
By IMRAN GHORI
The Press-Enterprise
The runway at Rialto Municipal Airport is deserted, with no signs of airplanes landing or taxiing to takeoff.
The only activity is a San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department helicopter lifting off, a couple of mechanics working on an airplane in one of the hangars and three stray dogs running around.
Rialto voters sent a strong message to City Hall last night. The message was no more taxes.
Residents defeated Measure “RR” an advisory referendum asking voters if they would support new taxes to fund employee retirement and benefit costs. The vote puts the city’s budget under pressure in 2012.
This is likely to become a growing trend as voter anger continues to build and the economy weakens further.
Josh Dulaney, Staff Writer
Posted: 06/07/2010 05:05:05 PM PDT
RIALTO – The economic recovery is welcome to show up here anytime soon, as the city is still fighting a budget shortfall.
Officials are estimating a $3.8 million deficit under a revised General Fund budget for fiscal 2009-10 ending June 30.
Developer gets more time
Josh Dulaney, Staff Writer
Posted: 05/26/2010 07:35:12 PM PDT
RIALTO – It took about 60 seconds Wednesday night for the Planning Commission to anger more than 150 residents already upset over plans for a controversial development on the north end.
A public hearing on the Lytle Creek Ranch development was continued to June 2 at the request of Ron Pharris, chairman of the Lytle Development Co., who told the commission in a letter that the company needs more time to prepare the project’s final environmental impact report.
10:00 PM PDT on Tuesday, May 25, 2010
By SANDRA STOKLEY
The Press-Enterprise
Residents straddling the Riverside-San Bernardino county border are organizing to protest a warehouse/business park project proposed for the defunct El Rivino golf course property.
The Rialto Commerce Center calls for 3.6 million square feet of warehouse space — about 75 football fields — on 164 acres including the 129-acre golf course, surrounded on two sides by residential properties and next door to Green Acres Memorial Park and Mortuary.
Josh Dulaney, Staff Writer
Posted: 04/07/2010 06:42:50 PM PDT
RIALTO – Labor negotiations between the firefighters union and the city have broken off amid efforts by officials to close a budget shortfall.
Nash Briones, president of Rialto Professional Firefighters Local 3688, said Wednesday the City Council has rejected $2 million in concessions offered by the union.
Created: 03/22/2010 05:33:19 PM PDT
When the economy began to decline in 2008, investments through the California Public Employees’ Retirement System took a hit.
As a result, cities in the Inland Empire have been juggling losses in revenue while making sure they meet employees’ retirement obligations.
This is the status of pension obligations of some Inland Empire cities:
COLTON
CONTRIBUTION: $5.75 million in 2008-09
PENSION OBLIGATION BOND: $31.14 million
EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTION RATE: 19.498 percent fire, 20.052 percent police, 7.060 percent misc.
EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTION RATE: 9 percent fire, 9 percent police – paid by city. 8 percent misc. – city pays 4 percent.
City at financial crossroads
Josh Dulaney, Staff Writer
Created: 03/21/2010 07:02:58 AM PDT
RIALTO – The city’s financial future remains uncertain as rising pension costs are crashing head-on into plunging revenues.
When enhanced retirements for safety personnel and nonsafety workers kick in next year, the city will be funding an estimated $12 million in pension costs, including $5 million in sweetened benefits approved by the City Council in 2008.
Already tasked with closing an $8.2 million General Fund budget deficit, City Administrator Henry Garcia reported to the council recently that the city does not have the revenue needed to meet its contractual obligations for the pensions.
Michael J. Sorba, Staff Writer
Posted: 03/19/2010 07:36:00 PM PDT
COLTON – Pricey pension packages, budget breakdowns and deep deficits have reduced or jeopardized the reserves some cities have amassed over recent years.
Both Colton and San Bernardino are struggling with dwindling incomes that have burned cash reserves to dangerously low levels.
Rialto is struggling with higher pension costs set to start July 1, which a top official has said will deplete a sizeable $31 million reserve within three years if employees don’t agree to concessions.
Rep. Joe Baca
By PE Politics
on March 19, 2010 12:08 PM
The House of Representatives this week passed a bill calling for a study of the perchlorate contamination in Inland water supplies.
The Inland Empire Perchlorate Ground Water Plume Assessment Act, authored by Inland Rep. Joe Baca, would order the U.S. Geological Survey to conduct a study of the Rialto-Colton water basin with a focus on perchlorate, a rocket fuel component found in the region’s water. Perchlorate has been found to cause health problems, particularly in children and pregnant women.
Paying for pensions
Josh Dulaney, Staff Writer
Posted: 03/09/2010 08:51:12 PM PST
RIALTO – The city will spend between $60,000 and $70,000 to find out if residents want to reinstate a property tax to pay for enhanced public employee pensions.
The council in a 4-0 vote on Tuesday night approved a resolution calling for an advisory measure to be added to the statewide June 8 primary election, to gauge public interest in a proposed tax of roughly 15 cents per $100 of assessed valuation on properties in order to pay into the Public Employee Retirement System.
Josh Dulaney, Staff Writer
Posted: 03/05/2010 11:39:26 AM PST
RIALTO – Some of the city’s General Unit employees believe they were pressured by their representatives into giving up concessions last year to fix a $4.8 million budget shortfall.
In a letter of petition that prompted an emergency meeting Monday with Bob Blough, the general manager of the San Bernardino Public Employees Association, about 60 members outlined alleged failures on the part of union representative Bonnie Clarke and demanded new leadership.
Josh Dulaney, Staff Writer
Posted: 02/21/2010 04:58:26 PM PST
RIALTO – The top manager believes the city could face a financial crisis in three years unless employee bargaining groups agree to sweeping concessions.
“It is a 36-month window,” City Administrator Henry Garcia said. “I don’t anticipate new revenue to occur of a significant nature.”
Garcia said the city’s General Fund budget is at $53 million with roughly $31 million in economic reserves.
Allegations of improper contributions tied to votes in the case filed by San Bernardino County District Attorney Mike Ramos and Attorney General Edmund “Jerry” Brown will likely take many twists and turns during the evidentiary, discovery and trial phases.
One defense aspect undoubtedly will be to bring in other examples of local legislative votes and the timing of campaign contributions by the related benefactors of those votes.
Josh Dulaney, Staff Writer
Posted: 02/14/2010 06:21:00 PM PST
RIALTO – Morale among police officers is suffering and Councilman Ed Scott has mentioned the possibility of layoffs and bankruptcy as stalled talks between the city and the police union could delay a solution to the General Fund deficit.
“We are at a standstill but that standstill is based (on the fact that) we’re waiting for them to provide the answers to our financial situation,” said police Sgt. Richard Royce, head of Rialto Police Benefit Association.
Josh Dulaney, Staff Writer
Posted: 02/03/2010 07:38:18 PM PST
RIALTO – An increase in the retirement benefits for police and firefighters that is set to begin next year will almost triple the city’s unfunded pension liability, according to a cost analysis by the California Public Employees Retirement System.
The “3 at 50″ plan which allows policemen and firefighters with 30 years of service to retire as early as age 50 and collect up to 90 percent of their highest annual salary will boost the unfunded liability from $9.7 million to $26.8 million when it goes into effect in 2011, according to CalPers.
Josh Dulaney, Staff Writer
Posted: 01/23/2010 07:05:05 PM PST
RIALTO – At a time when local governments are looking to cut spending every way they can, this city is preparing to spend up to $5 million a year on upgraded pension packages for police, firefighters and other employees.
Budget plans for the 2010-11 fiscal year will have to account for the new “3 at 50″ pension plan, which allows firefighters and police officers with 30 years of service to retire as early as age 50 and collect up to 90 percent of their highest annual salaries for the rest of their lives.
10:00 PM PST on Wednesday, December 2, 2009
By JANET ZIMMERMAN
The Press-Enterprise
The state is combing old water records to determine whether highly contaminated groundwater — which now stretches for miles from an industrial site in Rialto — caused illnesses among residents in the many decades before it was discovered, health officials said during a community meeting Wednesday night.
In 1997, three wells were found to have high levels of perchlorate, an ingredient in rocket fuel, and trichloroethylene, or TCE, an industrial solvent, which seeped into the soil and underground water. Water was not tested for perchlorate before then.
The article carried in yesterday’s Sun and published on this blog titled “Officials rework Renaissance Rialto”, addresses the move to renegotiate the agreement for the “Renaissance Rialto” project for the redevelopment of the Rialto Airport and adjacent areas. The agreement is between the City of Rialto and Lewis-Hillwood Rialto Company, LLC. The city has basically agreed to spend all of its Redevelopment Agency money to aid an influential wealthy developer and campaign contributor.
The price, a cool $10.9 million.
The developer apparently wants to unwind the current purchase agreement, which has the group committed to millions of dollars in investment. The angle is to get the value of the real estate as close to zero as possible.
That’s right, a big fat zero.
Josh Dulaney, Staff Writer
Created: 10/28/2009 03:40:03 PM PDT
RIALTO – Officials here hope an injection of taxpayer dollars can help prevent the city’s biggest redevelopment bet from going bust.
The City Council, acting as the Redevelopment Agency, has approved a $10.9 million interim agreement with developers while they renegotiate the price of land critical to Renaissance Rialto, a proposed mixed-use project along the 210 Freeway.
It’s a move that could eliminate funding for new projects in the foreseeable future, said Robb Steel, economic development director for the city.
“We’re buying a little bit of breathing room,” Steel said. “It’s not a situation we want to be in, obviously.”
In a continuing multi-part series providing an in-depth look into the activities and successes of Lewis Pacific Partners and their affiliated entities as the preeminent player in area business and politics, we now look behind the scenes at the City of Rialto and its I-210 Corridor project, and coinciding political contributions to the city’s elected leaders.
The I-210 Corridor Project is the conversion of the City of Rialto Airport and surrounding area into a sprawling multi-use development proposed by Lewis Investments, LLC, a Delaware Limited Liability Company.
Lewis Investments, LLC., was handed an Exclusive Right to Negotiate Agreement in September 2003, which has since been amended and extended multiple times.
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