Former San Bernardino County HR Director Brought in 3 Former Esri Colleagues

8/7/2017 Former San Bernardino County HR director brought in 3 former Esri colleagues

San Bernardino County Sun (http://www.sbsun.com)

Former San Bernardino County HR director brought in 3 former Esri colleagues

By Joe Nelson, The Sun

Friday, August 4, 2017

During her brief stint as San Bernardino County’s human resources director, Cindi Peterson Tompkins hired three of her former colleagues from Esri in Redlands for top management positions at salaries topping $100,000.

Tompkins resigned Monday, July 31. The county would not say whether she provided a reason for her resignation or submitted a resignation letter, saying the information was confidential. She received a salary of $197,850.

Tompkins’ management style and hiring practices prompted more than half a dozen employee complaints to the Board of Supervisors during her nine months as HR director, top county officials said.

Since beginning her job on Oct. 31, 2016, Tompkins hired Esri’s former senior manager of global operations and enablement, Joey Kolasinsky, as her division chief. Her annual salary and benefits is $186,341, county spokesman David Wert said in an email.

Tompkins also hired Kathryn Hagerman, a former manager of sales enablement and operations at Esri, and Jesse Theodore, Esri’s former marketing content manager, for section manager positions with annual salary and benefits totaling $168,593 and $168,403, respectively, Wert said in an email.

“An employee’s specific job duties are defined by the appointing authority, and the appointing authority has discretion to determine whether an employee or applicant has the experience, skills and/or potential to perform those specific duties,” Wert said.

The recruitments for all three positions, Wert said, were open to all county employees and the public, and three people were ultimately interviewed for the position eventually given to Kolasinsky.

Fourteen people, including two county employees, applied for the positions eventually given to Hagerman and Theodore, three of whom made it to the interview stage, Wert said.

Kolasinsky, Hagerman and Theodore were hired under a process called “dual filling,” which allows a department to put two people into the same position, providing it has the funding, until new positions open up or can be created, Wert said.

As director of human resources, Tompkins was in charge of providing services to the county’s 22,000 employees and managing a staff of 143 and a budget of $18 million. Prior to working for the county, Tompkins worked for 13 years at Esri, a geographic information systems software developer, as its director of administrative services and chief ethics, privacy and compliance officer. http://www.sbsun.com/government-and-politics/20170804/former-san-bernardino-county-hr-director-brought-in-3-former-esri-colleagues&template=prin… 1/2 8/7/2017 Former San Bernardino County HR director brought in 3 former Esri colleagues Her abrupt departure from the county made her the third HR director in a row over the last 13 years to resign under a cloud of suspicion or scandal.

Andrew Lamberto served as HR director for 10 years — from 2005 until November 2015 after it went public he was convicted of a misdemeanor in Orange County for soliciting a prostitute and subsequently resigned.

Lamberto had reported his transgression to former county Chief Executive Officer Greg Devereaux, who handled the matter internally and disciplined Lamberto. But Devereaux came under fire for not reporting Lamberto’s conviction to the Board of Supervisors, and was forced to make a public apology to the board.

Elizabeth Sanchez preceded Lamberto, but only lasted six months, from July through December of 2004. She was forced to resign after then-County Administrative Officer Mark Uffer learned she was involved romantically with Jim Erwin, who was president of the Sheriff’s Employees’ Benefit Association at the time. A year earlier, Sanchez had negotiated a $27 million contract with the association.

“The lack of principled leadership of the human resources division is a problem that weakens the trust between employee organizations and the county,” said Lolita Harper, spokeswoman for the county’s Sheriff’s Employees’ Benefit Association, or SEBA, the union representing sheriff’s deputies. “It is hard to trust high- level representatives from a department in which leaders are consistently mired by scandal. Although it is unreasonable to paint all human resources employees with a broad brush, it is fair to infer a leader’s ethics — or lack thereof — are enforced at various levels of the department in the form of mandates or preferred practices.”

The union has locked horns with county many times over the years during labor negotiations. It took 18 months of hard bargaining before the union finally ratified two labor contracts with the county last August.

County labor relations chief Bob Windle, who was at the bargaining table with SEBA during those heated negotiations, is now acting as the county interim HR director until Tompkins’ permanent replacement is appointed.

“While we would miss matching wits with him at the negotiation table, we feel Windle would be a suitable candidate for the (Human Resources Director) position,” Harper said on behalf of SEBA.

Further complicating matters in the human resources department was the death of benefits division chief Lori Goldman on June 30. Windle is also acting as head of that division as well until a replacement can be found, Wert said.

Teamsters Local 1932 General Manager Randy Korgan said in a telephone interview Friday employees feared speaking out and that he could not comment on the matter.

He did say the union has had issues with human resources in the past, and continual leadership changes bring instability, different philosophies and delays in resolving issues with unions.

“When those chairs are constantly being moved around, how do you get the issues resolved?” Korgan said.

Wert, however, said the human resources department has no role in union matters, other than to provide informational support to the office of County Labor Relations the County Administrative Office, which handles all union-related matters.

URL: http://www.sbsun.com/government-and-politics/20170804/former-san-bernardino-county-hr-director-brought-in-3-former-esri-colleagues

http://www.sbsun.com/government-and-politics/20170804/former-san-bernardino-county-hr-director-brought-in-3-former-esri-colleagues&template=prin… 2/2 8/7/2017 40 arrested, 6 hospitalized at Hard Summer Music Festival in Devore

San Bernardino County Sun (http://www.sbsun.com)

40 arrested, 6 hospitalized at Hard Summer Music Festival in Devore

By Ali Tadayon, The Press-Enterprise

Sunday, August 6, 2017

DEVORE >> Day two of the Hard Summer Musical Festival is under way at the Glen Helen Amphitheater with at least 30,000 attendees and growing, according to a Sunday afternoon tweet by San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Lt. Doug Wolfe.

During the first day of the 10th annual Hard Summer Music Festival on Saturday, 40 people were arrested — most because of drugs or alcohol — and six people were hospitalized, authorities said.

Wolfe’s tweet Sunday noted more arrests for narcotic sales, trespass and public intoxication.

• Related: These photos show you what Hard Summer 2017 is like

California’s Department of Alcohol Beverage Control made 23 of the arrests for drug and alcohol violations, according to a San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department news release. The Sheriff’s Department made the other 17 for “charges ranging from public intoxication, outstanding warrants and possession and sales of narcotics,” the news release said.

The six festivalgoers taken to hospitals were treated for drug use, dehydration and injury, said Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman Cindy Bachman via email. By Sunday afternoon, all but one had been released, she said.

The two-day festival at the Glen Helen Amphitheater in Devore features electronic and hip-hop artists; Sunday’s headliner is rapper Snoop Dogg.

More than 40,000 people attended the festival Saturday, sheriff’s officials said.

The festival has been held at various locations throughout Southern California over the past few years, and was approved to be held this year at Glen Helen. The festival came under public scrutiny last year, when three people -- including one Chino Hills woman -- died of drug overdoses. That year, the event was held in Fontana.

URL: http://www.sbsun.com/arts-and-entertainment/20170806/40-arrested-6-hospitalized-at-hard-summer-music-festival-in-devore

http://www.sbsun.com/article/20170806/NEWS/170809615&template=printart 1/1 8/7/2017 A year later, officials continue probing Bluecut Fire

A year later, ocials continue probing Bluecut Fire By Paola Baker Staff Writer Posted Aug 5, 2017 at 1:32 PM Updated Aug 5, 2017 at 2:12 PM The Pilot Fire erupted a year ago Monday, burning through over 8,000 acres before its full containment. Then, just hours after its containment, the Bluecut Fire, which would engulf over 36,000 acres, began to burn in the West Cajon Valley. It wasn’t long after the Pilot Fire started that rumors on its cause started swirling. The California Highway Patrol, for some time, rolled the wildfire into an earlier incident logged as a “car fire.” Officials at the time couldn’t confirm that the incidents were connected. Then, a photo surfaced online that claimed the blaze may have been caused by a burning off-highway vehicle. The photo appeared to show the charred frame of a vehicle with a fire engine in the background. Fire officials declined to comment on the photo. However, roughly six months after the blaze, San Bernardino National Forest Services officials finally determined the large blaze was, in fact, caused by a vehicle fire. National Forest Service public affairs officer Gerrelaine Alcordo told the Daily Press on Friday that while officials know a vehicle fire started the Pilot, officials are still determining how the vehicle became ablaze in the first place. “The vehicle fire didn’t start on Forest Service land, so we didn’t actually investigate that,” Alcordo said. “But we do know the vehicle fire eventually spread and caused it.” The Pilot Fire, reported as the 10th largest wildfire in California in 2016, burned 8,110 acres in the San Bernardino Mountains and Summit Valley. Fire officials did not report any damaged or destroyed structures from it. By the end of the first night the Pilot Fire spread to 1,500 acres, prompting a massive firefighting response from local and regional agencies. The blaze quickly

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resulted in over 5,300 evacuation orders in southeast Hesperia, Lake Arrowhead, Lake Gregory and Crestline. As the Pilot Fire began to wind down — with fire officials announcing full containment on Aug. 23 — the first reports of another blaze along Old Cajon Boulevard in the Cajon Pass emerged. The massive Bluecut fire, which quickly spread due to erratic winds and extremely dry vegetation, had begun. It ultimately became the fifth largest wildfire reported in the state in 2016, burning through 36,274 acres, destroying 105 homes, 213 outbuildings and over 200 vehicles before its full containment. As with the Pilot Fire, speculation on the cause of the Bluecut Fire soon began to spread — especially considering the time frame and proximity to the Pilot Fire. Fire officials previously told the Daily Press there was a “cause for concern” as other smaller blazes erupted near the areas as well. Suspicions about the fire’s cause were fanned further when the Forest Service asked for the public’s help in finding the cause about a week after it began. Some began to speculate an arsonist could have been responsible. But a year later, officials say they’ve yet to determine the cause. Both National Forest Service and San Bernardino County Fire officials told the Daily Press last week the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department is now the lead investigative agency on the Bluecut Fire. But Sheriff’s spokeswoman Jodi Miller said all that means is the Sheriff’s Department is now be the primary media contact for further updates. “The agencies that have been working together to investigate the cause since the beginning are still working together,” Miller said. “The only thing that’s changed is the point of contact. The Forest Service made the decision a few months ago that the Sheriff’s Department would be the primary agency to release information on the fire.” As of Friday, Miller said the investigation into the cause of the Bluecut Fire continues. The cause remains unknown. People who may have information or tips are urged to call 1-800-47-ARSON or visit wetip.com. Photos or videos that might assist investigators are especially welcome, the Forest Service said. — Daily Press staf writer Jose Quintero contributed to this report.

Paola Baker may be reached at 760-955-5332 or [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at @DP_PaolaBaker.

http://www.vvdailypress.com/news/20170805/year-later-officials-continue-probing-bluecut-fire 2/3 8/7/2017 Bluecut Fire: One year later - Opinion - VVdailypress.com - Victorville, CA

Bluecut Fire: One year later By Robert A. Lovingood / Contributed Content Posted at 9:14 AM Updated at 9:14 AM It has been nearly one year since the Bluecut Fire blackened 56 square miles and forced 82,000 people to evacuate as it surged toward Hesperia, Oak Hills, Phelan, Pinon Hills, Wrightwood, Devore and Lytle Creek. But West Cajon Valley was hit hardest.

In all, the fire destroyed over 100 homes and 200 non-residential buildings. At the peak of the battle to control the Bluecut Fire, 2,684 personnel were actively involved in the fire fight. Six San Bernardino County firefighters who were assisting with evacuations in Swarthout Canyon were trapped as flames swept over their vehicle; two were transported and treated for injuries. For all the devastation, we can be thankful that no lives were lost and there were no serious injuries.

Bluecut was remarkable in many ways. The fire flared out in multiple directions amid homes scattered among undeveloped wildlands. Unusually dry brush from six years of drought and strong erratic winds fanned the flames one direction, then another. Winds carried embers a mile or more, touching off new fires. Veteran firefighters said throughout their entire careers, they had never seen a blaze like Bluecut.

Recovery from disaster always presents challenges. The Bluecut fire has been especially difficult. The fire did not qualify for federal FEMA assistance for individual homeowners. Tragically, many property owners did not have fire insurance. For them, rebuilding will be a struggle, at best.

During and after the fire, San Bernardino County worked with federal, state and local agencies, nonprofit organizations and hundreds of volunteers to bring relief to victims. The fire served as the first activation of the County’s Mass Care and Shelter Plan. And the County opened a Shelter Operations Compound and a one-stop-shop providing a variety of services for fire victims at the San http://www.vvdailypress.com/opinion/20170807/bluecut-fire-one-year-later 1/3 8/7/2017 Bluecut Fire: One year later - Opinion - VVdailypress.com - Victorville, CA

Bernardino County Fairgrounds in Victorville. We also brought in translators to assist Korean language speakers, many of whom have small ranches in the West Cajon Valley and Phelan.

After the fire, San Bernardino County hosted an open house to provide victims with information and resources. And the Small Business Administration set up a temporary office to accept low-interest homeowner loan applications.

Without a federal disaster declaration and FEMA aid, there was no federal government assistance to help people clear their properties of debris and rebuild. So the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors stepped in with $700,000 to assist property owners with asbestos testing and debris removal.

Dr. Abraham Choi, who runs Hanmi News, a regional Korean-English magazine, has seen both the impact of the fire on the local Korean community as well as the County’s response.

“I think you guys did everything you could do for them,” Dr. Choi said recently. “You did a lot of work for this community. I appreciate your work.”

West Cajon Valley resident Linda Patterson has seen wild fires burn through the area before. But this time, the Bluecut Fire destroyed her home along Highway 138. She is among the few who are rebuilding. When she hit a snag with getting a permit for a temporary power pole, Linda called my office for help. My staff worked out the problem, and Jim Sowers with County Building and Safety took Linda under his wing to clear obstacles so she could start building her new home. When it looked like Linda might have to pay $19,000 in back school taxes, Jim jumped in to pull original permits from 1945 and resolve the matter to Linda’s delight.

“I just know that without them helping me out, it would have been really difficult,” Linda said. “God put the right people in the right place for me. The Lord is taking care of me. I’m going to have a beautiful home.”

While government isn’t perfect, the staff of San Bernardino County worked long and hard on behalf of Bluecut Fire victims and we are dedicated to seeing more success stories like Linda’s.

http://www.vvdailypress.com/opinion/20170807/bluecut-fire-one-year-later 2/3 8/7/2017 Bluecut Fire: One year later - Opinion - VVdailypress.com - Victorville, CA

Robert A. Lovingood is chairman of the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors representing the First District. Blue Cut Fire victims needing assistance should visit www.sbcounty.gov/bluecutfire. For tools to prepare for wildire, visit http://www.sbcfire.org/Programs/ReadySetGoFire.aspx.

http://www.vvdailypress.com/opinion/20170807/bluecut-fire-one-year-later 3/3 8/7/2017 Editor's Notebook: Covering fires that seemingly wouldn't end

Editor’s Notebook: Covering res that seemingly wouldn’t end By Steve Hunt Editor Posted Aug 5, 2017 at 12:01 AM Updated Aug 5, 2017 at 10:13 PM When you work in the news business, you have to be prepared to work at any time on any day, for as long as it takes.

I learned that in the 1970s at the Pasadena Star-News. There were no banker’s hours for journalists then (there still aren’t). And if you wanted to make good money, well, one of my bosses told me I could go drive a truck. He was serious, too.

Long days, strange hours and spur-of-the-moment assignments kind of go with the territory. We do what it takes to give our readers information when they want it — which now is instantaneously.

Over the years, I’ve had shifts that started at 9 a.m. and ended at 2 a.m. and shifts that started at 1 p.m. and ended at 5 a.m. Overtime? I don’t know if I should laugh or cry. There wasn’t much of that, whether or not there should have been.

Despite that, there’s no denying that breaking news is one of the things that makes this job so interesting and rewarding. But it also makes for long days, poor eating habits and a fair amount of stress.

A year ago tomorrow, my wife and I were in Apple Valley signing paperwork with a Shear Realty agent to put our house back on the market. We probably spent about an hour in her office on Highway 18. When we left and started walking to our car, we saw a large plume of smoke in the distance that was heading toward Apple Valley.

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Over the years, I’ve covered enough fires to get a sense of size when I see smoke plumes. This one immediately worried me. I called reporter Shea Johnson in the Daily Press newsroom and alerted him and asked him to start making calls to find out where it was and how large it was. I also called one of our photographers and asked him to head toward Hesperia until we got a bead on where the fire actually was located.

It only took a few hours for the Pilot Fire to grow dramatically. The smoke got worse and worse, covering a large swath of the Victor Valley.

Before dusk, I drove down Arrowhead Lake Road and found it blocked at Ranchero Road. I turned up Ranchero, found a vacant lot and parked. The flames that started near Silverwood Lake were already closing in on Summit Valley and Hesperia. A good number of people had done as I had and were parked watching the firefight and taking pictures of the smoke and flames.

I talked to several people and wrote my first story of what would be a long two weeks of nearly nonstop fire coverage. By 5 the next morning, I was up and headed to Sultana High School, where some of the evacuees had stayed overnight. I put together a morning update and posted it to our website. It would become a daily routine for me during the Pilot and Bluecut fires.

The temptation during breaking news events is to get caught up in them to the extent that you fail to properly plan, deploy resources and discuss the stories that really need to be told.

Honestly, covering big breaking news events can become overwhelming if you let it. So much information is coming in from so many directions at once that you can easily get sidetracked and miss important angles. I learned that back at the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, when my staff had to cover several big fires in the San Gabriel Mountains and one mighty wind storm that even left our building without all but emergency generator power for five days.

That’s why I like to try to shut out the world for about 30 minutes and assess what we know about fires or any other big breaking news. That enables me to figure out where our reporters and photographers need to be, helps me to

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develop a budget of stories that will not only tell the news but be of interest to our readers, and decide how to use our staff so that we have nearly constant coverage without burning anybody out.

Your job is a lot easier, of course, when you have a staff that dives in and accepts the challenge of doing whatever is needed. I’ve been very lucky to have such a staff here at the Daily Press.

Photographers Jim Quigg, David Pardo and Jose Huerta worked tirelessly to bring you the best images and videos of those two fires. Staff writers Jose Quintero, Matthew Cabe, Charity Lindsey, Shea Johnson, Monica Solano and Rene Ray De La Cruz jumped on the numerous stories I assigned them, with Quintero spending nearly as much time on the front lines as Quigg and Pardo.

Bryan Kawasaki was an enormous help in keeping our website fresh and loaded with the latest stories and images, and our design team produced incredibly compelling layouts for two straight weeks, with Jason Vrtis here in the office working with them to ensure the right pictures and the correct stories were played just like we envisioned.

City Editor Kevin Trudgeon had been on vacation during the Pilot Fire, but had barely been back a day when the Bluecut Fire broke out. He quickly found out what we had experienced the week before. His fresh eyes and fingers came in very handy indeed as he edited most of the stories, posted many of them on our website and helped direct our coverage and resources.

For all of their efforts, our staff won an award for breaking news coverage from the California Newspaper Publishers Association. It was well deserved.

Covering breaking news stories of this magnitude isn’t easy and much of the work isn’t glamorous. It can be dirty, dangerous and draining. (And doesn’t pay as well as driving a truck.)

But it can be very satisfying, even when you’re working virtually nonstop. At the end of the day — actually that should be at the beginning of a day — nothing quite beats picking up a newspaper and being proud of what you have produced, even when you’re half-dead.

http://www.vvdailypress.com/news/20170805/editors-notebook-covering-fires-that-seemingly-wouldnt-end 3/4 8/7/2017 Add supervisors, executive to reform L.A. County government: Guest commentary

Inland Valley Daily Bulletin (http://www.dailybulletin.com)

Add supervisors, executive to reform L.A. County government: Guest commentary

By Alan Clayton

Sunday, August 6, 2017

There are solid policy arguments in support of Los Angeles County having an elected executive and two more members for the Board of Supervisors, as called for by a proposal making its way through the state Legislature this summer in the form of Senate Constitutional Amendment 12.

Currently, we have five county supervisors who have both legislative and executive power. They run Los Angeles County. They represent different geographical areas of our huge county, all with different issues. These differences make it difficult for the county to be run effectively.

In 2016, the Los Angeles County grand jury issued a report recommending that the supervisors prepare to place measures before voters on the 2020 ballot that would amend the county charter. It would change the county executive position from an appointed to an elected position and expand the board of supervisors districts from five to 11. The Board of Supervisors refused to put these two vital good-government reform measures to a public vote.

The grand jury said in its executive summary found that, in July 2015, “the county reverted to a decentralized weak CEO model.” It found that “the county lacks an updated strategic plan as well as a meaningful structure for measuring management performance.” It found that “nearly all of the next most populous counties in the country elect a county chief executive.”

It is important to again stress that the L.A. County Board of Supervisors refused to allow the county’s voters to vote on these two critical reform measures. The supervisors are the barrier to strong reform of county government.

If the Legislature puts the proposal on the June 2018 statewide ballot and voters approve it, an elected county executive would appoint all department heads. The Board of Supervisors could reject these appointments with a two-thirds vote. All department heads would report to the county executive instead of the five county supervisors.

The county executive would create the county budget, which the Board of Supervisors could change with a two- thirds vote. The executive would have two six-year terms, which should cut down on campaign fundraising for the first four years and could significantly lessen the influence groups or individuals receive through making political contributions.

The executive would represent all the residents of L.A. County. Currently, board members represent specific areas in the county, which has led to areas like the San Gabriel Valley, San Fernando Valley, East Los Angeles, the southeast cities and the Antelope Valley having their issues receive less attention and resources.

In addition, Los Angeles County would have a leader to represent the views of its more than 10 million residents (larger than 40 states). The executive could help to lobby for additional resources for the county. The executive http://www.dailybulletin.com/opinion/20170806/add-supervisors-executive-to-reform-la-county-government-guest-commentary&template=printart 1/2 8/7/2017 Add supervisors, executive to reform L.A. County government: Guest commentary election could attract a strong group of Asian, Latino, African American and white candidates.

There are many policy and demographic reasons to support an expansion of the board from five to seven districts. In 1992 and 2000, when the issue was on the ballot, the proposal was for nine districts, and it did not include an elected executive. Seven districts would result in each district with about 1.4 million constituents, or about the size of two congressional districts.

Each district currently represents over 2 million residents. District 4, for instance, stretches from Diamond Bar to Venice. These areas have different issues. With seven districts, we could create a coastal district that would only extend from Long Beach to Santa Monica. And, to alleviate worry about expenses and the size of government, under this proposal, total expenditures for seven districts would remain at the same amount as the total expenditures for today’s five districts.

Los Angeles County needs better representation. SCA12 is a plan that provides that while holding down costs.

Alan Clayton, a San Gabriel resident, is a longtime consultant on Los Angeles County voting demographics.

URL: http://www.dailybulletin.com/opinion/20170806/add-supervisors-executive-to-reform-la-county-government-guest-commentary

http://www.dailybulletin.com/opinion/20170806/add-supervisors-executive-to-reform-la-county-government-guest-commentary&template=printart 2/2 8/7/2017 Change L.A. County’s government? We, not state, should decide: Guest commentary

Inland Valley Daily Bulletin (http://www.dailybulletin.com)

Change L.A. County’s government? We, not state, should decide: Guest commentary

By Joseph Charney

Sunday, August 6, 2017

California state Senators Tony Mendoza, Ricardo Lara, Ed Hernandez, Bob Hertzberg and Ben Allen collectively represent nearly 5 million Los Angeles County constituents. They and others are working to place a statewide constitutional measure on the ballot, Senate Constitutional Amendment 12, that would expand the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors by two and create an elected countywide executive officer.

If SCA12 is placed on the June 2018 statewide ballot, it would extend the right to vote on this issue beyond the L.A. County line and permit voters in 57 other California counties to decide an issue that has absolutely no impact upon them.

Why would these local senators choose to diminish their own constituents’ voting power? Don’t they understand that San Francisco voters should no more be involved in the determination of L.A. County government structure and composition than residents of Colorado or Uzbekistan?

There are 88 cities within our county, and each holds elections pursuant to their particular governing process. When you live in one of them, you cannot vote to change the government of the other 87.

A previous idea from Sen. Mendoza’s, D-Cerritos, was to increase board membership in the five largest California counties. When that idea bore no fruit, he targeted L.A. County alone. By moving ahead with the vote, outsiders would tell county residents that they “need” more politicians and an executive, even though such an attempt has been defeated by L.A. voters in the past on several occasions.

It is because of these historical defeats that state senators are trying to do an end-run to secure a result that they couldn’t achieve when L.A. voters made the decision themselves.

Sen. Hertzberg, D-Van Nuys, argued: “The residents of San Gabriel and San Fernando valleys have different day-to-day needs. Increasing the board by two members will provide more effective constituent services.”

He ignores the fact that 90 percent of L.A. County residents are represented through their city councils and mayors. The citizens of the San Gabriel and San Fernando Valley are serviced day to day for the most part by their local city governments. Cities provide basic constituent services regarding police, fire and a myriad of other activities.

The county, on the other hand, is a regional governing body that deals with broad issues of public health, child protection and probation, to name a few. Only in cases where sections of Los Angeles County are

http://www.dailybulletin.com/opinion/20170806/change-la-countys-government-we-not-state-should-decide-guest-commentary&template=printart 1/2 8/7/2017 Change L.A. County’s government? We, not state, should decide: Guest commentary unincorporated — areas encompassing about a million residents — do the county supervisors become de facto mayors and provide standard constituent services.

Furthermore, the measure requires that a new seven-member board will receive no more funding than is given to the present five. This completely undermines the pretense that there will be increased constituent services.

For the first time in county history, four women now sit on the board, a board that was comprised only of men for 100 years. Instead of celebrating the significance of having these four women collectively in positions of power in the most populous county in the nation, proponents of SCA12 attempt to dilute this power by characterizing three of them as “white” and calling for more “racial diversity.”

In that the proposal will do nothing to “increase democratic representation” but rather will undermine it, one can conclude that some of the proponents intend to create additional political opportunities for themselves when they term out from their Senate positions.

The proposed amendment has already passed the Senate’s Elections and Constitutional Amendments Committee, and Governance and Finance Committee. Its next stop is a scheduled hearing on Aug. 21 in the Senate Appropriations Committee, chaired by Sen. Lara, D-Long Beach. Of the remaining six committee members, only Steven Bradford, D-Inglewood, represents constituents in L.A. County.

Let’s tell the 14 California state senators who represent us that any recommendation to change L.A. County government should be placed before L.A. County voters alone. As a matter of home rule, local control of taxing, spending and public policy — and fundamental fairness — the debate about our county governance should be conducted here, not in far-off Sacramento.

Joseph Charney, a South Pasadena resident, served as a justice deputy for former Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky.

URL: http://www.dailybulletin.com/opinion/20170806/change-la-countys-government-we-not-state-should-decide-guest-commentary

http://www.dailybulletin.com/opinion/20170806/change-la-countys-government-we-not-state-should-decide-guest-commentary&template=printart 2/2 8/7/2017 From spectacular vistas to the pits: A decades-long public land battle continues in the California desert - LA Times From spectacular vistas to the pits: A decades-long public land battle continues in the California desert

By Bettina Boxall

AUGUST 7, 2017, 5:00 AM | REPORTING FROM DESERT CENTER, CALIF.

ust beyond the southeast corner of Joshua Tree National Park, rows of boarded-up houses, gouged mountainsides and concrete ruins are an ugly J reminder of the never-ending battle over the West’s public lands. This scarred piece of California desert is what’s left of one of the country’s largest open- pit mining operations and the little company town that Kaiser Steel Corp. built after World War II. More than three decades after the Eagle Mountain iron mine closed, it still haunts the park that borders it on three sides.

Plans to turn the site into a huge landfill and dump as much as 20,000 tons a day of Southland garbage into the gaping mine pits died in 2013 after years of court battles. Now, a private company wants to use the pits for a $2-billion hydropower project.

The plant, proponents say, would help boost renewable energy use in Southern California and lower greenhouse gas emissions. But park officials fear the hydropower project could draw down local groundwater levels and harm wildlife.

The Eagle Mountain tract, shaped like a handgun aimed at the park’s interior, offers a lesson in what can happen when federal monument protections are stripped from public lands — as President Trump’s administration is considering doing at a number of national monuments in the West.

“It’s been a sordid history,” said Mark Butler, a former Joshua Tree superintendent who is retired from the National Park Service. “ It’s been a sordid history.

— Mark Butler, former Joshua Tree National Park superintendent

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-eagle-mountain-20170807-htmlstory.html 1/10 8/7/2017 From spectacular vistas to the pits: A decades-long public land battle continues in the California desert - LA Times

Steve Lowe, president of Eagle Crest Energy Co., stands amid the ruins of the ore loading area. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

In 1936, President Franklin D. Roosevelt established Joshua Tree National Monument on roughly 825,000 acres of federal and railroad holdings northeast of Palm Springs, capping a hard-fought campaign to conserve a singular desert landscape of Joshua trees, massive boulders and spectacular vistas.

But the monument’s ban on new mining claims infuriated gold and silver prospectors who’d long mined the area. In the 1940s, Kaiser Steel bought old patented claims to iron deposits in the Eagle Mountains and started digging them up.

In 1950, Congress shrank the monument by more than a third, chopping a chunk off the northern boundary and the Eagle Mountain area. The way was cleared for Kaiser to blast millions of tons of iron ore out of the mountainsides over the next three decades and ship it by rail to the roaring blast furnaces of the company’s Fontana steel plant.

The 1994 California Desert Protection Act that upgraded Joshua Tree to a national park added much of the Eagle Mountains to the park. But the law omitted the abandoned mine and surrounding federal land. “ http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-eagle-mountain-20170807-htmlstory.html 2/10 8/7/2017 From spectacular vistas to the pits: A decades-long public land battle continues in the California desert - LA Times The reservoirs would be part of what Steve Lowe calls “an elegant solution” to a problem California is confronting.

On a recent day, the town remnants baked in 120-degree heat beneath a mountain of mine tailings. The hulking ruins of the ore loading area looked like a bombed-out village in Afghanistan. Rock benches traced the excavation of four huge pits.

Jeff Harvey and Steve Lowe of Eagle Crest Energy Co. climbed to the top of a metal tower that Kaiser foremen had used to direct mine traffic.

The 360-degree view swept from park peaks to the north, over the moonscape of the mine to the haze-veiled Chuckwalla Valley in the distance.

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-eagle-mountain-20170807-htmlstory.html 3/10 8/7/2017 From spectacular vistas to the pits: A decades-long public land battle continues in the California desert - LA Times

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-eagle-mountain-20170807-htmlstory.html 4/10 8/7/2017 From spectacular vistas to the pits: A decades-long public land battle continues in the California desert - LA Times

“This would be full of water,” said Harvey, looking at one of two pits that Eagle Crest wants to convert to reservoirs.

Separated by about 1,400 feet of elevation, the reservoirs would be part of what Lowe calls “an elegant solution” to a problem California is confronting as it boosts renewable energy production.

The sun doesn’t shine and the wind doesn’t blow according to peak electricity demand. Utilities need some way of storing wind and solar power — or shifting the production time.

One way is with battery systems. Another is through pumped water — the method that Eagle Crest proposes to use in an area that averages less than 4 inches of rain a year.

When the solar panels and wind turbines that are sprouting from the desert floor churn out more power than the electrical grid needs, Eagle Crest would use some of that excess to pump water through an underground tunnel system to the 191-acre upper reservoir.

Later in the day, when energy demand climbs, the water would be released back into the tunnel system, powering turbines and generating electricity at it flowed downhill to the http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-eagle-mountain-20170807-htmlstory.html 5/10 8/7/2017 From spectacular vistas to the pits: A decades-long public land battle continues in the California desert - LA Times 163-acre lower reservoir.

Pumped storage is not new. There are seven of the operations scattered around California at reservoirs and lakes. Eagle Mountain would be the biggest in the state, capable of producing 1,300 megawatts of electricity — enough to supply nearly 1 million homes.

Like all pumped hydropower systems, it would actually consume more energy pushing water uphill than it generates with the downhill flow.

Unlike the other California operations, Eagle Crest would use groundwater — piped from three new wells drilled on private land in the Chuckwalla Valley to the south.

Over the project’s four-decade life, the company says, it would withdraw a total of about 100,000 acre-feet from the Chuckwalla aquifer. That is enough to supply 200,000 homes for a year.

It is also enough to worry park officials.

They don’t think groundwater feeds their springs. But the Pinto Basin aquifer on Joshua Tree’s east side supplies the Chuckwalla with underflow. Draw down the Chuckwalla, they fear, and groundwater levels in the park could drop.

“The aquifers that underlie the park are ancient,” Joshua Tree Superintendent David Smith said. “Once you start depleting those reservoirs, no one knows what’s actually going to happen. How will that affect the park.… I don’t want to take that risk.”

He cited a 2012 research paper by federal scientists who concluded that groundwater recharge rates in the Chuckwalla Basin may be much lower than previously estimated, suggesting the aquifer is already in overdraft.

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-eagle-mountain-20170807-htmlstory.html 6/10 8/7/2017 From spectacular vistas to the pits: A decades-long public land battle continues in the California desert - LA Times

A view of the lower portion of the Eagle Mountain mine site and abandoned company town. A large solar farm is in the distance. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Eagle Crest, which bought the 10,000-acre Eagle Mountain site two years ago for $25 million, disputes the paper. Even if it is accurate, Harvey says, company wells would deplete the Chuckwalla aquifer by less than 1%.

Groundwater isn’t the park’s only worry. The hydropower project would disturb an area that has been largely quiet for decades, allowing bighorn sheep and other wildlife to return.

Butler warns that plopping two artificial lakes on such arid land would attract ravens and other predators that could prey on threatened desert tortoises and other park wildlife.

“You’re going to be essentially changing the ecology of that region,” said Butler, who was Joshua Tree’s superintendent from 2011 to 2014.

Despite the park service objections, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission granted Eagle Crest a hydropower license in 2014.

In April, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management announced it was preparing to approve a right of way on federal land outside of the park for 12 miles of Eagle Crest transmission http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-eagle-mountain-20170807-htmlstory.html 7/10 8/7/2017 From spectacular vistas to the pits: A decades-long public land battle continues in the California desert - LA Times lines and a 15-mile, buried water pipeline from the wells.

Both agencies essentially concluded that the hydropower project would not cause significant environmental harm and would not deplete the aquifer over the long term.

“It’s a FERC-licensed project, so it is pretty much the law of the land right now,” Smith said with an air of resignation.

He grew up in San Diego County, the son of desert rats who headed for Joshua Tree and Anza-Borrego Desert State Park on the weekends. He learned how to climb on Joshua Tree’s boulders. He got his first permanent park service job there.

“I love Joshua Tree. It’s part of who I am as a person,” said Smith, who succeeded Butler as superintendent.

He manages a park that is surging in popularity — Smith expects 3 million visitors this year — and is beset by outside pressures.

Development is on its doorstep. The nitrogen in Southland smog fertilizes invasive grasses that spread across the park, carrying ecologically destructive wildfires with them. Global warming threatens the park’s signature Joshua trees. “ Once you start depleting those reservoirs, no one knows what’s actually going to happen.... I don’t want to take that risk.

— David Smith, superintendent at Joshua Tree National Park

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-eagle-mountain-20170807-htmlstory.html 8/10 8/7/2017 From spectacular vistas to the pits: A decades-long public land battle continues in the California desert - LA Times

Weed-filled streets and boarded-up houses are all that is left of the company town. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Yes, he acknowledges, the Eagle Crest project could help reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that fuel climate change. “My concern is that the solution does not cause problems in the park,” he said.

Lowe, Eagle Crest’s president, ticks off the ways in which the abandoned mine is “a great site” for his project.

It is close to existing electrical transmission corridors and solar farms — a new one glints just down Kaiser Road. And, he says, it’s “repurposing a brownfield site that is never going to wind up the way it was.”

Lowe and his late father, Art, founded the company in 1991 and started pursuing the hydropower project despite the competing landfill proposal.

Initially, they eyed the wind turbines popping up in the desert. Now, with the growth of solar and California’s push for renewable energy, Lowe figures his time has come.

“The grid needs this,” said Lowe, who runs the company out of Santa Monica.

Two years ago Eagle Crest signed up a development partner, NextEra Energy, a large energy producer with several solar farms in the California desert, including Desert http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-eagle-mountain-20170807-htmlstory.html 9/10 8/7/2017 From spectacular vistas to the pits: A decades-long public land battle continues in the California desert - LA Times Sunlight, the 4,000-acre operation down the road.

But Lowe has yet to line up utility customers for the hydropower. And conservation groups have filed protests of the pending right-of-way approval in a move that foreshadows another court fight.

The long battle over Eagle Mountain, it seems, is not yet over.

“Since those boundaries were changed, there’s been almost 70 years of fighting over this landscape,” said David Lamfrom, California desert director for one of the groups, the National Parks Conservation Assn.

“So when people are thinking about the real implications of rolling back national monuments — they are severe.”

“I’ve spent a decade of my career trying to correct past wrongs as they relate to Joshua Tree National Park,” he added.

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Twitter: @boxall

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http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-eagle-mountain-20170807-htmlstory.html 10/10 8/7/2017 Site of San Bernardino school shooting gets facelift as students return to campus

San Bernardino County Sun (http://www.sbsun.com)

Site of San Bernardino school shooting gets facelift as students return to campus

By Beau Yarbrough, The Sun

Friday, August 4, 2017

SAN BERNARDINO >> Four months after a teacher’s estranged husband shot her, two students and himself at San Bernardino’s North Park Elementary School, the campus has been redesigned to ease bad memories.

When the school year begins Monday, staff and students will be returning to what’s essentially a brand-new school.

“We needed something that was going to make us say, ‘This is a new start!’ ” said North Park Principal Yadira Downing.

Over the summer, North Park has been refreshed and remodelled.

“Basically, everything you see has been repainted, redone, torn out or replaced,” said Greg Malachowski, a contractor with San Bernardino-based Caston Inc., whose crew has been hard at work since June 5.

“Typically, a project like this would be anywhere from a three-to-four month project, probably twice as long, based on the scope involved. We’ve been working six days a week, sometimes 10 hours a day,” Malachowski said. “Pretty much every contractor here on site sacrificed part of their schedule and their time to be here.”

The North Park remodeling project was personal for him and the other contractors.

“I went here. My wife went here,” Malachowski said. “My brother and sister went here. This is part of my childhood. For me, it’s like fixing up my childhood home after somebody came in and damaged it.”

• Photos: North Park Elementary School students and teachers return to renovated campus

On April 10, Riverside resident Cedric Anderson, 53, entered the special education classroom of his estranged wife, Karen Smith, and opened fire, killing her and 8-year-old student Jonathan Martinez, and wounding Nolan Brandy, 9.

Security camera footage shows that Anderson signed in at the front desk and told office staff he was there to drop something off for his wife. Once inside the classroom, he didn’t say a word before pulling out a .357 Magnum revolver and firing, striking Smith and the students. He then shot himself.

At the time of the attack, Smith, 53, was inside her classroom with two aides and 14 young special education students.

Anderson and Smith had been married Jan. 28, but had separated in March, police said. Smith had apparently not told anyone at the school about the separation.

• Video: School shooting site principal prepares to return to school http://www.sbsun.com/social-affairs/20170804/site-of-san-bernardino-school-shooting-gets-facelift-as-students-return-to-campus&template=printart 1/4 8/7/2017 Site of San Bernardino school shooting gets facelift as students return to campus The school was closed for a week after the shooting. When it reopened, there were additional security measures in place. Instant background checks were required for visitors.

But more substantial upgrades came during the renovations.

North Park, which opened in 1968, had been showing its age. Movable dividers, rather than walls, separated classrooms. A curtain covered the entrance to Smith’s classroom.

“The community wanted an enclosed classroom,” said Tom Pace, director of Facilities Planning and Development for the San Bernardino City Unified School District. “We had to peel back the ceilings to add the walls. The ceilings weren’t seismically braced, so we had to replace the ceilings. So we started with the walls and chased it back as far as we had to.”

Each classroom now has walls lined with tempered glass windows. There are steel doors, which teachers can lock from the inside. And all classrooms now include a door that leads outside, as required by state law. Smith’s classroom did not have an outside door April 10.

But it’s not just security that’s changing at the campus: The whole school has gotten a facelift.

“One of the ideas was to change, sort of, the identity of the school,” said Roger Clarke, president of Ruhnau Ruhnau Clarke, a Riverside architectural firm. “And getting away, even, from the existing classroom numbers.”

• Prior videos: Surveillance video shows North Park Elementary shooter entering the school | Students and teachers return to school shooting site | North Park Elementary shooting victims remembered by superintendent | North Park teaching assistant remembers Jonathan Martinez | North Park Elementary teaching assistant gives eyewitness account of shooting | Memorial for San Bernardino school shooting victims | Memorial grows for victims of North Park Elementary in San Bernardino

North Park’s 49-year-old, brick-red paint scheme, used both inside and out, has been replaced with blocks of gray, gold and teal on walls and floors. Even the portable classrooms have been repainted to match.

“When we modernize our schools, we typically redo the paint schemes if it’s 50-60 years old,” Pace said. “The brick red has been here since day one.”

The new color scheme was suggested by Ruhnau Ruhnau Clarke.

“We wanted to bring more light to the inside,” Pace said. “It used to be a very dark campus.”

Dark cork ceilings have replaced by white ceilings illuminated with LEDs.

Between classrooms are new collaborative spaces with magnetic walls that work as dry-erase whiteboards.

“Counselors and teachers can write on here, have a couple chairs here for breakout sessions,” Malachowski said. “That’s kind of neat.”

• Prior photos: Students and teachers return to North Park Elementary in San Bernardino | Students and staff return to North Park Elementary School a week after shooting | School shooting deaths mourned by San Bernardino | New security policy announced for North Park Elementary after shooting | Beloved North Park Elementary teacher killed in San Bernardino school shooting remembered | Three dead at San Bernardino school shooting

Portraits of historic figures — including Mahatma Gandi, Rosa Parks and Amelia Earhart — accompanied by inspirational quotes, are painted in the hallways.

Classroom B1, where Smith taught, has been transformed. http://www.sbsun.com/social-affairs/20170804/site-of-san-bernardino-school-shooting-gets-facelift-as-students-return-to-campus&template=printart 2/4 8/7/2017 Site of San Bernardino school shooting gets facelift as students return to campus Using it as a classroom again “was off the table,” said Downing, the principal.

Instead, its walls have been taken down and it’s been turned into an open space for students to work on projects.

Contractors created “a sort of a maker space where kids can do innovative things,” Clarke said. “They can do 3- D printing. It’s not a classroom setting where you’re going to be in there for hours at a time.”

The remodeling will still be underway when classes begin. A new mural depicting the school’s coyote mascot will be added after staff and families vote on a new design. And other changes, such as widening some of the older outside doorways to comply with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, were too much work to accomplish over the summer and will be done over the coming year.

North Park’s upgrade is costing the district about $1.5 million, according to Pace. Although the school was on the long-term list for modernization and improvements, April’s shooting moved it to the top of the list.

• Previous coverage: San Bernardino school shooting | North Park Elementary School

It wasn’t a tough sell for district officials, according to Pace.

“It’s about the students and the community first,” he said. “Money came later.”

And those working on the renovations helped out where they could.

“Most contractors on my team and my suppliers, it was, ‘What can I do to help?’ ” Malachowski said. “Everyone’s getting their costs covered; no one’s really making any money. They all know what happened here. They all want to help as much as they could.”

The architecture firm donated the design work.

“There was no way I could charge for this,” Clarke said. “I walked in here on (April) 17 and the kids were walking around with their teddy bears, and teachers would come up and hug you. It was an emotional day for me, too. It still is.”

The North Park school shooting was another blow to San Bernardino, thrusting a city still reeling from the Dec. 2, 2015, terrorist attack, back into the national spotlight. Despite the tragedies, residents remain resilient.

“There are positive things in this city. There are good people here,” Malachowski said. “It means a lot to me to even do a little bit to bring spirits up.”

Classes resume for San Bernardino City Unified on Monday, Aug. 7

Monday is a regular school day. Late start and early dismissal schedules begin the second week of school.

CAPS Expanded Learning, the SBCUSD before- and after-school program, is not in session on Monday, Aug. 7. Before- and after-school programs begin on Tuesday, Aug. 8.

The 2017-18 school calendar is available online at bernardino.ss13.sharpschool.com/cms/One.aspx? portalId=59953&pageId=360733.

Parents who live within district boundaries who have yet to enroll their child should do so at their home school. To find out which school is considered the “home school,” call 909-388-6100 or use the School Site Locator, available online at apps.schoolsitelocator.com/?districtcode=43985.

Parents of students with Individual Education Plans (IEPs) can contact the Special Education department at 909- 880-6863 with any questions. http://www.sbsun.com/social-affairs/20170804/site-of-san-bernardino-school-shooting-gets-facelift-as-students-return-to-campus&template=printart 3/4 8/7/2017 Details about recent arson to be released by San Bernardino DA

San Bernardino County Sun (http://www.sbsun.com)

Details about recent arson to be released by San Bernardino DA

By Beatriz Valenzuela, San Bernardino Sun

Monday, August 7, 2017

SAN BERNARDINO >> Authorities will be holding a press conference late Monday morning regarding several arson-related charges being filed, according to a statement released by the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office.

District Attorney Mike Ramos and members of the San Bernardino County Arson Task Force will be releasing information about the cases around 11 a.m., the statement read.

Although few details were released in Monday morning’s statement, law enforcement officials did arrest 23- year-old Jarrod Samra of Yucaipa Thursday in connection to the Bryant Fire which ignited Thursday afternoon in the hillside above Mentone and was still smoldering Monday morning. At last check, the wildfire has scorched 325 acres and was 75 percent contained.

Samra remains jailed at the Central Detention Center in San Bernardino in lieu of $2 million bail.

URL: http://www.sbsun.com/general-news/20170807/details-about-recent-arson-to-be-released-by-san-bernardino-da

http://www.sbsun.com/article/20170807/NEWS/170809575&template=printart 1/1 8/7/2017 ROTWNEWS.com – JARROD ANTHONY SAMRA ARRESTED FOR ARSON

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in Breaking News, Community News, Crime, CRIME / Most WANTED, Featured, Fire, For Your Information, Informational, Mountain Region, News, Subject, Ticker / by Michael P. Neufeld / on August 4, 2017 at 1:22 pm /

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By G.T. Houts

Highland, CA – There has been an ongoing investigation in reference to several fires in the Inland Empire. During the investigation, a white GMC truck bearing California license number 63919E2, was seen on several Automated License Plate Readers surveillance cameras. On Thursday August 4, 2017 a fire was started in the city of Yucaipa and the above vehicle was stopped in the area. The driver, suspect Jarrod Anthony Samra age 23 years old, of Yucaipa,was detained and brought to the Highland Station for an interview. Under Miranda, Samra admitted to starting six of the fires, including the Yucaipa fire. During the suppression of the fire by fire personnel, a fireman sustained a fractured femur.

Samra was booked into the Central Detention Center. On Friday, August 4, he was booked and bail was set at $250,000.

The next court appearance date is not known at this time.

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http://rotwnews.com/2017/08/04/jarron-anthony-samra-arrested-for-arson/ 1/6 8/7/2017 Where you can watch processions today as fallen Mentone firefighter returns home – Press Enterprise

LOCAL NEWS Where you can watch processions today as fallen Mentone reghter returns home

By STAFF REPORT | Press-Enterprise PUBLISHED: August 7, 2017 at 8:07 am | UPDATED: August 7, 2017 at 8:38 am



http://www.pe.com/2017/08/07/where-you-can-watch-processions-today-as-fallen-mentone-firefighter-returns-home/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm… 1/5 8/7/2017 Where you can watch processions today as fallen Mentone firefighter returns home – Press Enterprise

Brent Witham, 29, of Mentone, was killed Wednesday, Aug. 2, when a tree fell on him battling the Lolo Peak re burning in the Lolo National Forest southwest of Missoula. (Courtesy of the U.S. Forest Service)

The body of U.S. Forest Service reghter Brent Witham, 29, of Mentone, will be returned to Southern California today from Montana, where he was killed last week in the line of duty.

The Facebook page for the Lolo National Forest live streamed the procession from the funeral home to the airport in Missoula, Montana, starting about 8 a.m. Pacic time (9 a.m. Mountain time).

http://www.pe.com/2017/08/07/where-you-can-watch-processions-today-as-fallen-mentone-firefighter-returns-home/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm… 2/5 8/7/2017 Where you can watch processions today as fallen Mentone firefighter returns home – Press Enterprise

A second stream began about 8:30 a.m. when the procession arrived at the airport.

Witham’s remains are expected to arrive about 3 p.m. Pacic time at the San Bernardino Airtanker Base at the San Bernardino International Airport. http://www.pe.com/2017/08/07/where-you-can-watch-processions-today-as-fallen-mentone-firefighter-returns-home/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm… 3/5 8/7/2017 Where you can watch processions today as fallen Mentone firefighter returns home – Press Enterprise A procession of reghters, law enforcement and his family will then escort him to Montecito Memorial Park and Mortuary in Colton. Members of the public who wish to pay respects are invited to come out to the procession route.

The procession is expected to begin about 3:30 p.m. and last about an hour. From the airport, it will head west on 3rd Street, south on Tippecanoe Avenue past the San Bernardino National Forest Supervisor’s Ofce, west on Orange Show Road and south on Waterman Avenue to Washington Avenue, where the mortuary is located.

Witham was a member of the Vista Grande Hotshots, based near Idyllwild in the San Bernardino National Forest. He had been in Montana to ght to Lolo Peak re, and died Wednesday, Aug. 2 when a tree fell on him.

Related: Redlands East Valley counselor remembers fallen reghter who ‘did everything right’

Once Witham arrives at the mortuary, an honor watch will stay with his body until his interment.

The memorial service, which will be open to the public, is scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday at the National Orange Show in San Bernardino. It will be held at the Orange Pavilion and doors will open at 9 a.m.

Anyone wishing to send condolences to Witham’s family may do so by emailing or mailing the Forest Service; letters and emails will be passed along. Emails with “CONDOLENCES” in the subject line may be sent to [email protected]. Letters or cards may be mailed to the San Bernardino National Forest Supervisor’s Ofce, 602 S. Tippecanoe Ave., San Bernardino, CA 92408.

The Forest Service will be setting up a Brent Witham Memorial Fund where donations may be sent in lieu of owers.

The Forest Service has established a blog at www.withammemorialceremony.blogspot.com where it will post updated information.

Tags: re, Top Stories PE http://www.pe.com/2017/08/07/where-you-can-watch-processions-today-as-fallen-mentone-firefighter-returns-home/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm…Staff report 4/5 8/7/2017 Apple Valley School District talks towing controversy

Apple Valley School District talks towing controversy By Charity Lindsey Staff Writer Posted Aug 4, 2017 at 7:06 PM Updated Aug 4, 2017 at 7:06 PM APPLE VALLEY — Big Apple Automotive has retained an attorney since being identified as the company at the center of a Grand Jury investigation into more than 700 vehicles ordered towed by school district police here.

On Thursday, during the first Apple Valley Unified School District board meeting held since the report’s release, Board President Wilson So said they’d would discuss the San Bernardino County Grand Jury’s report released June 30 in closed session.

The report found that the AVUSD-PD ordered 727 vehicles towed between January 2014 and December 2016, many of which they lacked the authority to cite and tow.

President So reported back from closed session that the board gave direction to Superintendent Thomas Hoegerman to continue preparing the district’s response for filing with the Superior Court by Sept. 28.

“Once the report is filed, it will be available to the public,” AVUSD attorney Margaret Chidester said Friday. “The Board directed the Superintendent and the District Chief of Police to continue their examination and upgrading of school police procedures and practices in consideration of the primary mission of school police to assure student and staff safety at school and at school activities, and to protect District property. ”

The board also approved a consent agenda item for a Memorandum of Understanding between the district and the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department on Thursday, “regarding concurrent jurisdiction.”

http://www.vvdailypress.com/news/20170804/apple-valley-school-district-talks-towing-controversy 1/4 8/7/2017 Apple Valley School District talks towing controversy

Chidester said this MOU will “clarify respective responsibilities and support between the two agencies.”

The map in the Grand Jury that marks locations where citations were issued by AVUSD-PD shows several as far as three to four miles away from district school sites.

Chidester said “there are no hard and fast physical boundaries beyond which school police may not act while on AVUSD business,” citing Penal Code section 830.32 that defines the authority of school police officers as ”...peace officers whose authority extends to any place in the state for the purpose of performing their primary duty.”

Penal Code defines this as ensuring “the safety of school district personnel and pupils, and the security of the real and personal property of the school district.”

AVUSD-PD requires a Vehicle Release Fee be paid by towed vehicle drivers before they can retrieve their vehicle. Chidester confirmed the amounts AVUSD-PD collected in these fees from June 2013 to July this year, for a total of $73,180.

The amount increased each fiscal year; most significantly, it more than doubled between fiscal years 2014-15 and 2015-16, from about $11,000 to about $23,000.

The increase can be explained, at least in part, by the Board of Trustees’ vote to increase the vehicle release fee from $95 to $120 in May 2015. All funds collected were deposited into the district’s general fund, labeled “Miscellaneous Income.”

The Grand Jury report stated that the section of Vehicle Code used by the district to justify the fee increase does not permit them to charge the fee at all, as school police departments are not a “city county, or city and county, or state agency,” but are considered a “Special District.”

But Chidester argued that the code does not “define ‘state agency’ or ‘special district,’” adding that the district “is granted broad authority under Education Code section 35160,” which states that a district may act “in any manner which is not in conflict with ... any law...”

http://www.vvdailypress.com/news/20170804/apple-valley-school-district-talks-towing-controversy 2/4 8/7/2017 Apple Valley School District talks towing controversy

“The Vehicle Code doesn’t prohibit imposition of towing fees by school district to defray the cost of staff time to cite and tow vehicles,” Chidester said.

Chidester said the district does not know the number of vehicles lien sold after being towed by AVUSD-PD, since they were sold by Big Apple Automotive, the sole towing company the district used up until December, owned by former Apple Valley Town Councilman Jack F. Collingsworth.

The Grand Jury report stated that upon paying the release fee, drivers could retrieve their vehicle from the tow company upon paying towing and storage fees, “currently a minimum of $250.00 plus $50.00 per day beyond the first day.”

The report also stated that AVUSD-PD’s log of tows does not match that of the towing company’s, with the district claiming 510 tows that the company “could not explain, nor accept.”

After repeated attempts to reach Jack Collingsworth and Big Apple Automotive, an email response from Jessica Collingsworth stated that “All inquiries should be directed to legal counsel: Debra Popineau.”

Popineau told the Daily Press via email that she “was retained (last) Friday to work with Big Apple Automotive, Inc.”

″... whenever my client receives a call from a peace officer asking for a vehicle to be towed, my client complies,” Popineau said. “Whenever a government entity formally requests documentation, my client complies.”

She said she advised her clients to avoid the “possible complication” of speaking with a reporter and being subject to cross-examination during the “ongoing investigatory processes.”

“We don’t have any statement to make to you at this time,” Popineau said.

Also approved by the AVUSD board Thursday was a 2017-2018 retainer agreement with The Titan Group, Professional Investigations, the same group the district used to conduct an investigation last year after a complaint was filed about the AVUSD-PD. Chidester told the Daily Press the investigation report “is not yet final” and did not offer further comment due to “certain legal limitations on disclosure of citizen complaints against police officers.”

http://www.vvdailypress.com/news/20170804/apple-valley-school-district-talks-towing-controversy 3/4 8/7/2017 Apple Valley School District talks towing controversy

Responding to another issue raised in the report — drivers not always being provided CHP 180 forms (outlining rights at a post-storage hearing) — Chidester said the Grand Jury “fails to acknowledge” the AVUSD-PD’s longstanding process of physically handing drivers their form.

“Multiple drivers have requested and received the return of their vehicles as a result of this written notification practiced by the District prior to the Grand Jury’s commencing an investigation,” Chidester said.

She also noted that the district “has already taken steps to enhance” their practices, including a directive from Chief Molina in March “outlining vehicle towing procedures to ensure that vehicle owners are also mailed a CHP Form 180 notice.”

Charity Lindsey may be contacted at [email protected] or 760- 951-6245. Follow her on Twitter @DP_Charity.

http://www.vvdailypress.com/news/20170804/apple-valley-school-district-talks-towing-controversy 4/4 8/7/2017 $1.4 million Ontario airport consultant contracts awarded to former administrators

San Bernardino County Sun (http://www.sbsun.com)

$1.4 million Ontario airport consultant contracts awarded to former administrators

Both men had prominent roles in getting local control, expansion and redevelopment of OIA

By Liset Márquez, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin

Friday, August 4, 2017

ONTARIO >> Two former top Ontario administrators have been given lucrative contracts aimed at improving the future development of Ontario International Airport.

The Ontario International Airport Authority has long expressed interest in using revenue from proposed land redevelopment — at least 500 acres on and around the airport – to offset landing fee costs for airlines to be able to expand flights or do business at the airport.

Former San Bernardino County CEO Greg Devereaux and former Ontario City Manager Chris Hughes will each earn $20,000 a month, or $240,000 annually, to provide their expertise in those fields for the authority.

At its July 26 meeting, the authority signed two three-year contracts worth $1.4 million, which promises to pay either consultant the full-term of the deal even if the contract is terminated after six months.

“There’s a lot of complexities at the beginning stages of local control that requires someone like Devereaux and Hughes’ involvement, given their prior knowledge on the topic,” said commissioner and San Bernardino County Supervisor Curt Hagman.

As the then-Ontario city manager, Devereaux initially led the charge to take back the airport until 2010 when he was appointed San Bernardino County’s chief executive officer. Commissioners now want to rely on his vast knowledge in real estate and land development, Hagman said. Hughes was at the helm of the battle for local control until he retired in 2013 and will now be integral in working with airlines to grow air service.

Earlier this year, the commission failed to come to a consensus with the then-CEO on what to do with 147 acres of undeveloped property.

Now Devereaux will be tasked with not only developing a plan for that property but advising the airport’s governing body what it should do with the unused parcels in and around the facility.

“I don’t want to look at anything in isolation,” Devereaux said by phone Wednesday. He said he plans on asking the board in the very near future “what they want to achieve, and what are their clear goals and objectives.”

The contracts did raise concern with at least one airport commissioner, Ron Loveridge. He initially took issue with the fact that contracts were placed on the consent calender, which meant the contracts would have been approved without discussion.

“We’re talking about an important decision for the airport, and I thought we needed a full discussion,” he said, speaking by phone Wednesday afternoon.

http://www.sbsun.com/business/20170804/14-million-ontario-airport-consultant-contracts-awarded-to-former-administrators&template=printart 1/2 8/7/2017 $1.4 million Ontario airport consultant contracts awarded to former administrators The former mayor of Riverside, Loveridge said he has “confidence and respect,” for Hughes and Devereaux but was miffed by the lack of details in the staff report and instead proposed a one-year contract with the opportunity to extend the deal the following years.

According to Hagman, the authority based its contract on the existing contract Devereaux has with the county.

Hagman said he isn’t concerned this new role will present a conflict of interest for Devereaux.

“Ontario International Airport is the biggest economic engine in the county. The more we do with the airport, the better off the county is — they’re complementary missions,” Hagman said.

The authority is focusing on bringing billions of dollars worth of investments as well as trying to attract new air service markets to the region, he said.

Devereaux is set to earn nearly half a million this year from three consulting contracts, including the one he signed with the authority.

Devereaux is advising the county Board of Supervisors for about three years to complete a 10-year contract that called for him to be paid $91,000 for consulting work.

Two days before he announced his retirement with the county, Ontario retained Devereaux’s firm for a three- year period to consult the city on management issues. Ontario also retained Hughes for public safety-related issues, said Ontario’s interim city manager Al Boling on Wednesday.

On Jan. 17, the Ontario City Council, in consent calendar, approved a contract that will pay Devereaux $120,000 for the 2016-17 fiscal year of the contract.

“For future fiscal years, the actual costs incurred will be based on the extent of services provided ...,” according to the Jan. 17 staff report.

How much Devereaux will be paid the following years will be included in future budgets which will need to be reviewed and approved by the council, the report stated.

Devereaux said he turned down a contract with a private client Wednesday morning because he wanted to focus on his work with the government agencies.

“This is the most efficient and effective way to move the airport forward,” said Hagman, adding the authority will save money because it will not need to hire new staff.

How much will be saved is not clear. The authority did not return a call for comment Thursday.

URL: http://www.sbsun.com/business/20170804/14-million-ontario-airport-consultant-contracts-awarded-to-former-administrators

http://www.sbsun.com/business/20170804/14-million-ontario-airport-consultant-contracts-awarded-to-former-administrators&template=printart 2/2 8/7/2017 Are break-ins at Redlands mosque simply transients — or something more? – Press Enterprise

LOCAL NEWS Are break-ins at Redlands mosque simply transients — or something more?

Photo by Rachel Luna, Redlands Daily Facts/SCNG Mohammed Hossain, of the Islamic Center of California, speaks about recent break- ins and vandalism at the Islamic Center of California in Redlands, Calif. on Friday, Aug. 4, 2017. The center has been broken into several times in the last few months.

By BEATRIZ E. VALENZUELA | [email protected] August 5, 2017 at 10:15 pm

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http://www.pe.com/2017/08/05/are-break-ins-at-redlands-mosque-simply-transients-or-something-more/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=t… 1/5 8/7/2017 Are break-ins at Redlands mosque simply transients — or something more? – Press Enterprise REDLANDS >> Muslims who once looked forward to their Friday aernoon prayers at the Islamic Society of California have in recent months approached the mosque with anxiety.

“We wouldn’t know what to expect,” Dr. Mohammad M. Hossain, the center’s founder, said Friday as the mosque opened to welcome members.

For the past several weeks, when Hossain arrived to open the small center at 11210 Alabama St. he would nd the mosque had been vandalized and burglarized the previous night.

Recent break-ins and vandalism leave a door and shed broken at the Islamic Center of California in Redlands, Calif. on Friday, Aug. 4, 2017. The center has been broken into several times in the last few months.

On a recent Friday, members even found someone sleeping inside one of the bathrooms.

“The door to the bathroom had been broken into on (July 28), but was not reported at that time,” said Carl Baker, spokesman for the Redlands Police Department. “There was also evidence that someone had unsuccessfully tried to break into a shed on the property, too.”

In one instance, Hossain said someone broke in, ripped the lock off his ofce door and replaced it with their own lock.

“Can you believe that?” asked Riaz Baqai, a member of the mosque. “Dr. Hossain, he called the police and they had to cut off that lock so he could get inside.”

http://www.pe.com/2017/08/05/are-break-ins-at-redlands-mosque-simply-transients-or-something-more/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=t… 2/5 8/7/2017 Are break-ins at Redlands mosque simply transients — or something more? – Press Enterprise Hossain and Baqai were relieved to nd no evidence of a break-in Friday, but reminders of past burglaries remain: The door to the women’s bathroom is still broken, several blankets and paperwork kept inside a closet in the women’s prayer room are shoved in the corner of the religious sanctuary, and the door of the shed is warped at the bottom where someone pried it open.

“We still have to clean that up,” Hossain said.

Redlands police conrmed they were investigating a series of break-ins at the Islamic Center, the most recent taking place July 27.

“In addition to that, they had break-ins on May 5, July 7 and July 14,” Baker said. “In the May 5 break-in money was stolen from a cash box.”

Police and Hossain agree the break-ins can most likely be traced back to transients in the area.

“They have le drinks and food and cigarettes inside here,” Hossain said.

Blankets have been found inside an outdoor shed, Baqai noted. It’s believed people broke in and spent the night.

The frequency of the criminal acts, however, have led Hossain to wonder if the center is being targeted.

“I can’t say why but it feels like maybe we are targets,” he said. “I don’t want to assume and the police, they are investigating, but it makes you think.”

Investigators, though, say the evidence points at transients.

“There is no indication that it is motivated by racial or religious sentiment,” Baker said.

Police and mosque leaders are working together to discuss proactive measures to address the problem.

“We just want to come and pray and not nd things messed up,” Hossain said.

Authorities ask anyone with information on the burglaries to call the Redlands Police Department at 909-798-7681.

Tags: religion, Top Stories PE http://www.pe.com/2017/08/05/are-break-ins-at-redlands-mosque-simply-transients-or-something-more/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=t…Beatriz E. Valenzuela 3/5 8/7/2017 Have you found painted rocks in Redlands? Here’s what they mean – Press Enterprise

LOCAL NEWS Have you found painted rocks in Redlands? Here’s what they mean

Annasofia Teodor, 4, of Colton, paints more rocks, to be hidden as part of #RedlandsRocks, at Brookside Park in Redlands, CA., Monday, July 31, 2017. (Staff photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher/The Facts/SCNG)

By KRISTINA HERNANDEZ | Press-Enterprise August 5, 2017 at 11:32 pm



REDLANDS >> A newly formed group wants to spread joy — one rock at a time.

http://www.pe.com/2017/08/05/have-you-found-painted-rocks-in-redlands-heres-what-they-mean-2/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter 1/4 8/7/2017 Have you found painted rocks in Redlands? Here’s what they mean – Press Enterprise #RedlandsRocks touts itself as an initiative to “raise community spirit” through the decorating, hiding, nding and re-hiding of rocks in Redlands and Loma Linda.

The group was inspired by similar groups in the Inland Empire and beyond. Since its launch last month, #RedlandsRocks has racked up 700 members on Facebook, with more joining every day.

“It’s a bunch of fun for kids,” said Joanna Hartnell, a group organizer, “but we’re seeing a lot of adults, too, getting into it.”

Hartnell, who lives in Beaumont, said she helped start #RedlandsRocks aer looking for ways to keep her children engaged while completing everyday tasks. The family does “everything” in Redlands, she said, so they formed the group and ran with it.

Participation is open to all and the group has established simple guidelines to follow:

Step 1: Find a rock and decorate it with something that will “make someone smile.” (Pro tip: The group recommends sealing rocks before moving to the next step.)

Step 2: Hide rocks around town. Hartnell said some popular hiding spots include the fountain and Target at Citrus Plaza.

Step 3: Find rocks and share a pic — or two — on social media using the hashtag #RedlandsRocks. Seekers can either keep the rocks for themselves or re-hide them for others to discover.

Step 4: Have fun with it.

Hints about where rocks are hiding oen are posted to the group’s Facebook page, as are decoration tips.

#RedlandsRocks is doing more than spreading joy — it is also encouraging people to explore Redlands and its surroundings, and is also building relationships among strangers, Hartnell said. It’s one of the byproducts she most enjoys witnessing.

“This group is all about doing something kind for someone else and helping build a sense of community,” she said. “It’s important to us.”

Her husband, Jonathan, agreed.

“It is fun to be able to do something and be a part of it,” he said. “And it’s something everyone can do.” http://www.pe.com/2017/08/05/have-you-found-painted-rocks-in-redlands-heres-what-they-mean-2/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter 2/4 8/7/2017 30-year-old woman killed in Colorado River after getting tangled in rope attached to sinking boat - LA Times

30-year-old woman killed in Colorado River after getting tangled in rope attached to sinking boat

By Alene Tchekmedyian

AUGUST 6, 2017, 10:25 PM

30-year-old Hemet woman was killed in the Colorado River on Saturday evening after she became A tangled in a rope attached to a sinking boat, police said. The woman, identified as Tasha Turner, was one of seven people who boarded a 19-foot boat to go tubing Saturday near Big River Park, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. During the trip, the boat lost power and began to sink.

Six people were able to swim to safety, police said, but Turner couldn’t free herself from the rope and was pulled under as the boat sank.

Deputies responded to the incident about 6:30 p.m. Divers spotted the boat but were unable to search for Turner because of the strong current and lighting conditions. Rescuers found her body in the water early Sunday.

Anyone who has information about the incident is being asked to call Deputy William Poe at (760) 326-9200.

This post will be updated as more information becomes available. [email protected]

Twitter: @AleneTchek

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-colorado-river-20170806-story.html 1/1 8/7/2017 ROTWNEWS.com – Special Lake Arrowhead MAC Meeting Monday August 7 at Hot Shots in Blue Jay

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Subscribe Special Lake Arrowhead MAC Meeting Monday August 7 at Hot Shots in Blue Jay

in Business, Community News, Environment, For Your Information, Informational, Local, Mountain Region, News, Subject, Ticker / by Michael P. Neufeld / on August 5, 2017 at 10:43 am /

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By Susan A. Neufeld

Blue Jay, CA – A special meeting of the Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) will be held at Hot Shots, 27212 Hwy 189, Blue Jay, on Monday August 7, at 5:00 p.m. The meeting is to discuss the air traffic noises over Lake Arrowhead.

Concerned citizens are asked to compose a letter of support for the “Quiet Skies Lake Arrowhead” group. The group is to address the change of flight paths imposed by the FAA that are impacting the Lake Arrowhead Communities.

http://rotwnews.com/2017/08/05/special-lake-arrowhead-mac-meeting-monday-august-7-at-hot-shots-in-blue-jay/ 1/6 8/7/2017 Water at Silverwood Lake's Saw Pit Beach back to 'normal levels' - News - VVdailypress.com - Victorville, CA

Water at Silverwood Lake’s Saw Pit Beach back to ‘normal levels’ By Staff Reports Posted Aug 5, 2017 at 12:01 AM Updated Aug 5, 2017 at 10:00 PM SILVERWOOD LAKE - State recreation area officials have downgraded water conditions to “normal levels” at Saw Pit Swim Beach as of Saturday.

Willows Cove and Cleghorn Swim Beach are still at a “Caution” level, according to Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area officials. Park visitors are advised not to swim or wade near algae or scum in either area.

“Do not drink the lake water or use it for cooking from Willows Cove and Cleghorn area,” officials said via a Facebook post. “Do not let pets or livestock go into or drink the lake water or eat the algae or scum on the shoreline...”

Officials also advised that for fish caught at Silverwood Lake, their guts be thrown away and fillets be cleaned with tap water before cooking.

Visitors should not eat shellfish from the waters and need to keep children away from the algae or scum in the water or along the shoreline.

For additional information, contact the Department of Water Resources or Silverwood Lake SRA at 760-389-2282.

http://www.vvdailypress.com/news/20170805/water-at-silverwood-lakes-saw-pit-beach-back-to-normal-levels 1/1 8/7/2017 Little League baseball tournament in San Bernardino begins Sunday

San Bernardino County Sun (http://www.sbsun.com)

Little League baseball tournament in San Bernardino begins Sunday

By Staff Reports

Saturday, August 5, 2017

It’s that time again when young baseball players from across the region — and as far away as Hawaii, Alaska and Wyoming — arrive in San Bernardino to live out their dreams.

The 47th Little League Western Regional baseball tournament begins today at Al Houghton Stadium.

Twelve teams compete in the Western Region tournament. Two teams — one from the West Region and one from the Northwest Region — will advance to play in the Little League Baseball World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

“We here at Little League Headquarters invite the public to come on out and experience this great family event that’s held annually here in San Bernardino,” said Brian Pickering, Assistant Western Region Director.

This year’s team representing Southern California is from Santa Margarita Little League in Rancho Santa Margarita.

If you go:

What: 47th Little League Western Regional baseball tournament

When: Sunday to Saturday, Aug. 6-12

Where: Al Houghton Stadium, 6707 Little League Dr., in San Bernardino

Cost: Free

Information: 909-887-6444, or https://www.eteamz.com/llbwest/

URL: http://www.sbsun.com/sports/20170805/little-league-baseball-tournament-in-san-bernardino-begins-sunday

http://www.sbsun.com/sports/20170805/little-league-baseball-tournament-in-san-bernardino-begins-sunday&template=printart 1/1 8/7/2017 Major 60 Freeway closure through Jurupa Valley, Riverside planned

San Bernardino County Sun (http://www.sbsun.com)

Major 60 Freeway closure through Jurupa Valley, Riverside planned

By Imran Ghori, The Press-Enterprise

Sunday, August 6, 2017

Caltrans is preparing for 55-hour closures of the 60 Freeway between Jurupa Valley and Riverside early next year as part of a large pavement repair project.

The full shutdown between Valley Way and the 60/91/215 interchange would be similar to the full weekend closures of the 91 Freeway in Corona in February 2016 that was dubbed “Coronageddon.”

It’s part of a larger pavement project on the 60 from Euclid Avenue in Ontario to the 60/91/215 interchange that is slated to begin in January, officials said.

The dates of the closures, how many weekends and other details such as whether both directions would be affected have not yet been determined, Caltrans spokeswoman Joy Schneider said.

The agency will do so after a contractor for the project has been hired, she said.

That route — one of the main entry points to Riverside and Moreno Valley— is among the busiest in the Inland area, used by commuters going west to Los Angeles.

Schneider said Caltrans will coordinate with the affected cities in advance of the shutdown and will mount a public relations effort through radio, social media and press releases to inform the public in advance as it has done with similar closures.

Riverside city spokesman Phil Pitchford said city officials were not aware of the upcoming closure and will want to discuss its impacts with the agency.

“Highway 60 is a major transportation artery into Riverside, so we would welcome an opportunity to talk with Caltrans about the project so we can ensure there is no impact on the Festival of Lights and that we minimize any impact on commuters and people living near that route,” he said.

The Festival of Lights, which will take place between Nov. 25 and Jan. 6, attracts many out-of-town visitors to downtown Riverside.

Caltrans officials say the project is needed to repair deteriorating pavement. In just the last month, crews have had to make emergency repairs to deal with potholes and chunks of concrete being dislodged at a few locations on the 60.

“We have antiquated pavement that needs rehabilitation,” Caltrans spokeswoman Terri Kasinga said.

Kasinga said the damage is due to a combination of age, weather and the roadway getting “hammered” by heavy truck traffic. http://www.sbsun.com/article/20170806/NEWS/170809603&template=printart 1/2 8/7/2017 Major 60 Freeway closure through Jurupa Valley, Riverside planned The agency has gone in to do what she called “band-aid” repairs but a full repair where old concrete is removed and fresh pavement is installed is needed, she said. That new layer of concrete will add 40 years of life to the roadway, Kasinga said.

With the recent approval of SB 1, the state gas tax increase promoted by Gov. Jerry Brown, Caltrans will be addressing a backlog of pavement repair needs statewide, she said. The tax will provide $1.5 billion statewide for maintenance and rehabilitation projects, according to Caltrans.

Local Caltrans districts are preparing lists of projects for funding that will be available early next year, Kasinga said.

District 8, which covers San Bernardino and Riverside counties, already has some pavement projects underway.

Since last year, an $18.3 million pavement repair project has been ongoing on another section of the 60 between Moreno Valley and Beaumont. That project is expected to be completed in September.

In San Bernardino County, pavement work is continuing on Interstate 10 from the Los Angeles County line to Redlands.

Next week Caltrans will start work on a $10.1 million resurfacing of 27 miles on State Routes 40 and 95 south of Needles.

“We’re at a point where we’re losing the 40 and 95 slowly,” Kasinga said. “They haven’t been paved in years.”

URL: http://www.sbsun.com/general-news/20170806/major-60-freeway-closure-through-jurupa-valley-riverside-planned

http://www.sbsun.com/article/20170806/NEWS/170809603&template=printart 2/2 8/7/2017 What happened after CalPERS cut pensions of former San Gabriel Valley agency employees

Inland Valley Daily Bulletin (http://www.dailybulletin.com)

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What happened after CalPERS cut pensions of former San Gabriel Valley agency employees

By Stephanie K. Baer, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin

Sunday, August 6, 2017

For nearly three decades, Sandy Meza helped young people, unemployed workers and former jail inmates find work.

Now, after CalPERS slashed pensions for Meza and hundreds of other former employees of a defunct San Gabriel Valley job training agency by nearly two-thirds, the 62-year-old Chino resident is looking for a job of her own.

“It’s like this dark cloud hanging over you all the time,” Meza said on a recent morning.

In January, the California Employees’ Retirement System notified more than 170 former employees of the East San Gabriel Valley Human Services Consortium, known as LA Works, that because the agency hadn’t made payments on their retirement benefits in over a year, their pensions could be reduced.

The cuts were approved by the CalPERS board in March and took effect July 1. Most saw their pensions reduced by about 63 percent.

That meant a drastic change in lifestyle for 78-year-old Shari Plaster, who lives in Indio.

“Everything you planned for during your working years must be reduced by 63 percent — living expenses, planned vacations, certain activities with the grandchildren, friends and life in general,” Plaster, who worked at the agency for 27 years, said in a written statement.

Meza and her husband recently asked their three adult children to pay the mortgage on their Chino home.

Sitting in the living room of the house they purchased 25 years ago, Meza fought back tears. Her husband Miguel’s voice was audible from the next room as he spoke with a Medicare representative about lowering the costs of his Parkinson’s disease medications — his request was later denied.

The couple said they never wanted to be a burden on their children.

“This house is our legacy to them,” she said. “We’re very protective of it because now it’s all we have left to give them.”

LA Works was formed as a joint powers authority in 1979 by the cities of West Covina, Azusa, Glendora and Covina. In 2014, the agency laid off employees and shut its doors after Los Angeles County took away its funding amid a billing dispute.

http://www.dailybulletin.com/general-news/20170806/what-happened-after-calpers-cut-pensions-of-former-san-gabriel-valley-agency-employees&temp… 1/2 8/7/2017 What happened after CalPERS cut pensions of former San Gabriel Valley agency employees The agency stopped paying CalPERS its monthly contribution to fund members’ retirement benefits in August 2015 and accrued more than $400,000 in liabilities.

CalPERS officials said they were forced to declare the consortium in default and reduce its retirees’ pensions because neither the consortium nor the four cities that created it would pay.

Consortium officials said they had no funds to pay and that the cities were not legally obligated to pay for the agency’s debts under its contract with CalPERS, which provides retirement benefits to most state employees.

It would have cost about $18 million to fully fund the former employees’ pensions, according to updated figures from CalPERS.

This is only the second time in the history of CalPERS that the system chose to reduce pensions for retirees. But the circumstances that led to the cuts are shared by other retiree groups.

There are 170 joint powers authorities with similar contracts identifying only the agency — not the municipalities that created them — as responsible for funding members’ retirement benefits, according to CalPERS spokeswoman Amy Morgan. The retirement system and state legislators are currently looking at ways to prevent any of those retirees from experiencing the same reductions as the former LA Works employees.

“CalPERS is in the process of evaluating which contracts might lack language concerning a funding source,” Morgan said in an email.

State Sen. Connie Leyva, a member of the Senate Standing Committee on Public Employment and Retirement, is hopeful that legislators can find a way to restore the pensions for LA Works retirees, she said.

Eighteen million dollars “is a lot of money, but what these folks are losing in their daily lives is an even bigger issue,” said Levya, a Democrat from Chino. “They did what they were supposed to do and now the rug is being pulled out from underneath them.”

That’s the sticking point for former LA Works employee Maureen Lynch.

Losing about 63 percent or $1,100 of her monthly income means fewer trips to see family and friends.

The hardest part about the reduction, she said, is the betrayal she feels at the hands of CalPERS, the JPA cities and the upper management at LA Works.

“We didn’t even know there was a problem until we got a letter from CalPERS,” said Lynch, 67, who lives full- time in her recreational vehicle. “Getting over that loss of faith — that’s the tough one. That’s the big issue.”

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URL: http://www.dailybulletin.com/general-news/20170806/what-happened-after-calpers-cut-pensions-of-former-san-gabriel-valley-agency-employees

http://www.dailybulletin.com/general-news/20170806/what-happened-after-calpers-cut-pensions-of-former-san-gabriel-valley-agency-employees&temp… 2/2 8/7/2017 City of Industry’s contact on solar farm development owed $50M from past defaults

Inland Valley Daily Bulletin (http://www.dailybulletin.com)

City of Industry’s contact on solar farm development owed $50M from past defaults

By Jason Henry, San Gabriel Valley Tribune

and Steve Scauzillo, San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Sunday, August 6, 2017

A developer who has been a primary business contact for the City of Industry as its seeks to create a large, urban solar power farm owes millions of dollars to creditors because of troubled past developments, government records show.

The proposed private-public energy project envisions a 444-megawatt solar array being built on ranch land near the borders of Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties. Despite the scale of the endeavor and involvement of millions in taxpayer funds, little is known about the company leading the efforts or the people who could benefit financially from the deal.

La Jolla-based developer William Barkett describes himself as an unpaid adviser with a “very limited” role in San Gabriel Valley Water and Power LLC, the private energy firm selected to develop the project on open land atop the Chino Hills.

City records and interviews show Barkett has been the city’s main point of contact on reimbursements and financial matters involving the company and project.

Industry officials referred questions about Barkett’s role to San Gabriel Valley Water and Power. A company representative said Barkett is an adviser, but declined to elaborate.

Barkett declined to be interviewed but said in an email he has a long history of domestic and international development experience and special knowledge of the property involved in the solar project.

Court records show Barkett has been pursued by debt collectors after $50 million in legal judgments naming him as an individual were lodged on previous ventures.

Howard Justus, president of Vindrauga Corp., an investment firm specializing in buying distressed loans, was appointed by a San Diego Court to collect millions owed to lenders by Barkett and his companies.

“We can’t find anything to go get that’s in his name,” Justus said.

Barkett wrote in an email he was involved in a number of projects when the Great Recession hit and the financial difficulties he encountered weren’t unusual for someone in the development business.

In a 2012 case, a judge awarded a judgment of $43.5 million against Barkett and his companies. According to appellate court records in the case, Barkett allegedly said during a debtor’s examination that he had transferred his home to a limited liability company owned by a friend in Kuwait and furniture and artwork to others.

Barkett denied making those statements in an email. http://www.dailybulletin.com/government-and-politics/20170806/city-of-industrys-contact-on-solar-farm-development-owed-50m-from-past-defaults&te… 1/2 8/7/2017 City of Industry’s contact on solar farm development owed $50M from past defaults He also said some project loans were taken over by entities he had never dealt with before, while other lenders went into bankruptcy before they could come to an agreement, he said.

“Despite those difficulties, I worked hard to deal with the various claims that were made over the last nine or so years,” he said. “I chose to work through them rather than file bankruptcy. Unfortunately some of those claims ended up in lawsuits.”

He said he is continuing to work to resolve outstanding debts.

Justus said he is still struggling to get repayments tied to a 2005 real estate deal involving a housing project in the unincorporated community of Castaic, near Santa Clarita, proposed by one of numerous limited liability companies associated with Barkett.

The company defaulted on a loan, and 204 investors lost between $60,000 and $200,000 each, including some who lost their retirement savings, according to court records and interviews.

In a 2010 case, Barkett’s attorney argued his client did not have to pay back $1.4 million because the lender, based in Washington, wasn’t authorized to loan money in California.

Barkett hadn’t denied owing the debt, the appellate court’s opinion noted.

The courts ruled against Barkett.

URL: http://www.dailybulletin.com/government-and-politics/20170806/city-of-industrys-contact-on-solar-farm-development-owed-50m-from-past-defaults

http://www.dailybulletin.com/government-and-politics/20170806/city-of-industrys-contact-on-solar-farm-development-owed-50m-from-past-defaults&te… 2/2 8/7/2017 Home prices in parts of Southern California are at record highs — and keep rising - LA Times

Home prices in parts of Southern California are at record highs — and keep rising

Southern California home prices have hit record highs. (July 26, 2017)

By Andrew Khouri

JULY 25, 2017, 4:25 PM

n many corners of Southern California, home prices have hit record highs. And they keep going up. I In Los Angeles County, the median price in June jumped 7.4% from a year earlier to $569,000, surpassing the previous record set in May. In Orange County, the median was up 6.1% from 2016 and tied a record reached the previous month at $695,000.

Across the six-county region, the median price — the point where half the homes sold for more and half for less — rose 7.5% from a year earlier and is now just 1% off of its all-time high of $505,000 reached in 2007, according to a report out Tuesday from CoreLogic.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-home-prices-20170725-story.html 1/4 8/7/2017 Home prices in parts of Southern California are at record highs — and keep rising - LA Times The price increase was even greater than the 7.1% rise recorded in May, and some agents say there are no signs of a slowdown in the Southern California market.

“This time of the year, it usually winds down a little bit after the Fourth of July — I am not seeing that, ” said Hooman Zahedi, a Redfin real estate agent in the San Fernando Valley.

Home prices have now been rising for more than five years, the result of a growing economy, rock-bottom mortgage rates and a shortage of homes on the market.

Those factors have led to a surge in prices nationally as well.

The Case-Shiller index, also released Tuesday, showed prices across the country jumped 5.6% in May from a year earlier. The index lags other price indicators, but is widely considered the most reliable read on home values and offers a more accurate depiction of where the market is headed than the median price.

It does so by comparing the latest sales of detached houses with previous sales and accounts for factors such as remodeling that might affect a sale price over time.

The rate increase nationally in May was the same as it was in April, but locally the index showed a pickup. Across Los Angeles and Orange counties, prices rose 5.59% from a year earlier, the highest gain since September 2016.

Economists said that absent a recession or a surge in mortgage rates, California home prices could keep climbing at 5% a year for the foreseeable future.

That’s faster than the long-term average of 3% nationwide, but it’s difficult to build housing in California and the economy is strong, said Richard Green, director of the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate.

“It could go on for another four or five years,” he said.

The price surge nationwide is helping many homeowners recover from the housing bust, but is also raising concerns over affordability — particularly in California, where as of 2015 about a third of homeowners paid housing costs deemed unaffordable, according to an analysis from Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies.

Renters have it worse, the analysis showed, with more than half paying more than 30% of their income on housing costs — the threshold where costs are typically considered a burden.

The situation in California — which many agree has reached crisis levels — can largely be blamed on a mismatch of supply and demand, according to economists. For decades, they say, developers in California have failed to build enough homes for all the people who live — and want to live — in the state.

Green estimated that developers would have to immediately erect 100,000 new homes in L.A. County for prices to stop rising and then build an additional 35,000 each year. Last year, the county permitted just under 20,000 http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-home-prices-20170725-story.html 2/4 8/7/2017 Home prices in parts of Southern California are at record highs — and keep rising - LA Times new homes, according to the Real Estate Research Council of Southern California.

Government officials say they are trying to take steps to address the problem of affordability.

In Los Angeles, Mayor Eric Garcetti is advocating for a fee on new development to raise money for below- market housing — a policy known as a “linkage fee” and used in cities such as San Francisco, San Diego and Oakland.

And in Sacramento, Gov. Jerry Brown and legislative leaders have said they will put housing at the top of their agenda when they return in August from a monthlong break.

Legislators have proposed a package of bills aimed at raising money for subsidized housing and making it easier for developers to build all kinds of housing, which often faces pushback from residents concerned over traffic and neighborhood character.

The bills won’t be easy to pass though, despite Democrats holding supermajorities in both houses of the Legislature.

Business-friendly Democrats are wary of asking Californians to pay more to subsidize housing, especially after voting this year to increase gas taxes and reauthorize the state’s cap-and-trade program. Progressive Democrats have concerns about sidestepping environmental laws to allow developers to build more quickly.

CoreLogic’s report showed that home prices in Southern California rose in every county last month compared to a year earlier, not just in Orange and Los Angeles counties.

In San Bernardino County, the median was up 12.3% to $320,000; in Riverside County, 7.5% to $357,000; in Ventura County, 2.7% to $565,000; and in San Diego County, 9.8% to $543,500. Across the region, sales rose 4.3%.

Chris Thornberg, founding partner of Beacon Economics, said he doesn’t expect a recession and thus doesn’t foresee a time when home prices stop rising.

“Candidly, the only thing that could upset the apple cart in California is if we build a whole bunch of housing and that’s as likely as an alien attack.”

Times staff writer Liam Dillon contributed to this report. [email protected]

Follow me @khouriandrew on Twitter

ALSO

U.S. home sales fell in June; shoppers couldn't find houses to buy http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-home-prices-20170725-story.html 3/4 8/7/2017 Trim the thicket of hindrances to housing construction

San Bernardino County Sun (http://www.sbsun.com)

Trim the thicket of hindrances to housing construction

Friday, August 4, 2017

Legislative leaders have promised to tackle housing affordability when they return to session later this month. They need to make a concerted, successful effort to relieve some of the regulations that enable not-in-my-backyard-ism and stymie housing construction — and not just pile on more taxes.

Even some Democrats have lost their stomach for new taxes or tax increases after passage of the gas-tax package and the cap-and-trade deal. California leaders may need to divert some revenue to affordable-housing efforts but, more important, they need to stop what’s stopping the construction of housing, affordable and otherwise.

One culprit is CEQA — the California Environmental Quality Act. It’s widely recognized that the act is abused for purposes that have nothing to do with the environment, such as to leverage union demands, thwart rival businesses and stall development where neighbors don’t want it.

Gov. Jerry Brown said a few years ago that reforming CEQA was “God’s work,” but apparently he is content to leave it to God. Nor, frankly, do we expect to see the Legislature act on CEQA reform anytime soon.

What does stand a chance is state regulation of the regulators — local officials who too often block developments at the behest of homeowners who don’t want housing for others built in their vicinity.

Brown put forth a plan last year to reduce some local obstacles to building for any developer who pledged to set aside some units for low-income residents, but his proposal went nowhere.

This year’s Senate Bill 35, by state Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, would streamline the approvals process for new construction by limiting local officials’ authority — but only when they are failing to meet established housing goals.

Specifically, cities that are on track to meet their housing goals at all income levels — the goal set in the Regional Housing Needs Assessment by the Department of Housing and Community Development — would not be subject to the streamlining of approvals in SB35. (Currently there are no teeth in the RHNA goal.) But a city that has failed to approve its share of housing, leaving other cities to pick up the slack, would have to approve projects only on the basis of whether they meet SB35’s qualifying criteria and pass design review.

The League of California Cities objects, of course, that Wiener’s bill would undermine local land-use authority. The league argues that affordable-housing funding has slowed to a trickle, and that SB35 should at minimum be amended to provide a “safe harbor” for cities that can demonstrate good-faith efforts to meet housing goals. We concur; Wiener should work with the league to shield cities that are doing their best but can’t meet affordable- housing goals.

Normally, we don’t favor state rules that push aside local discretion, but we have to look at reality. Housing availability and affordability constitute a crisis in California, and jurisdictions that are sluffing off their share of the needed effort must be pushed. http://www.sbsun.com/article/20170804/LOCAL1/170809738&template=printart 1/2 8/7/2017 Trim the thicket of hindrances to housing construction Nicholas J. Marantz, an assistant professor of urban planning and public policy at UC Irvine, analyzed the effect of a Massachusetts law similar to SB35 and found that it eased — but admittedly did not solve — housing shortages in the Boston area. “[T]he Massachusetts model shows how California could effectively encourage local governments to help address the state’s housing affordability crisis,” he wrote in an L.A. Times commentary.

An amended and approved SB35 would be a step in the right direction.

URL: http://www.sbsun.com/opinion/20170804/trim-the-thicket-of-hindrances-to-housing-construction

http://www.sbsun.com/article/20170804/LOCAL1/170809738&template=printart 2/2 8/7/2017 Should politicians block people on social media? – Press Enterprise

NEWSPOLITICS Should politicians block people on social media?

Courtesy of Rick Calvert. Rick Calvert says this is what shows up when he tries to view the Twitter account of Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Corona. Rick Calvert, who is not related to the congressman, believes he was unfairly blocked from seeing Ken Calvert’s social media accounts.

By JEFF HORSEMAN | [email protected] | The Press-Enterprise PUBLISHED: August 5, 2017 at 6:01 am | UPDATED: August 6, 2017 at 11:13 am



Rick Calvert wants his congressman’s attention. So the Murrieta resident used Facebook and Twitter to send messages to Murrieta’s congressman, Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Corona – no relation.

A self-described “lifelong liberal,” Rick Calvert also has produced online videos for Indivisible 42, a grassroots group critical of the conservative congressman. One day, Rick Calvert found himself blocked from viewing Ken Calvert’s social media posts.

According to Rick Calvert, the congressman’s spokesman said he was blocked “because of something ‘he wouldn’t want children to read.’”

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Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Corona.

“I spent 20 years in talk radio as a production director, and I know communications well,” Rick Calvert wrote in an email. “Nothing I tweeted or posted on (Facebook) was threatening, though I do hit hard with the snark.

“But I know the Constitution and my rights to free speech, as it was my job for many years to know what was allowable and what was not when it came to public discourse,” Rick Calvert said. “Ken Calvert’s desire was simply to silence an opposing viewpoint. Period.”

As elected leaders use social media for public outreach, questions arise when they block accounts. In June, a group of Twitter users blocked by President Donald Trump sued, arguing that Twitter is a public forum and Trump is infringing on freedom of speech by blocking users whose opinions he dislikes.

Last month, a federal court ruled in favor of a Virginia man who was blocked aer alleging school board corruption in a post on a county supervisor’s Facebook page.

“Indeed, social media may now be ‘the most important’ modern forum ‘for the exchange of views,’” the judge wrote in his decision. “The First Amendment applies to speech on social media with no less force than in other types of forums.” http://www.pe.com/2017/08/05/should-elected-officials-block-people-on-social-media/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter 2/4 8/7/2017 Should politicians block people on social media? – Press Enterprise

But with social media comes posts rife with obscenities and threats against lawmakers. And it’s not just a problem for politicians. A 2014 Pew Research Center study found that 73 percent of adult Internet users had seen someone being harassed online, with 40 percent personally experiencing harassment.

What’s the line?

Jason Gagnon, Ken Calvert’s spokesman, said the congressman’s social media policy is essentially the same as The Press-Enterprise’s, which reserves the right to delete comments on online material “that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable to us.”

“In the few instances where individuals post abusive, obscene or threatening messages, they have and will be blocked from our ofcial accounts,” Gagnon said. “Examples of messages that have resulted in individuals being blocked includes obscene personal attacks and messages indicating they hope the congressman dies from AIDS.

“Our ofce has been advised by House counsel that our policy is in accordance with applicable laws and House ethics rules,” Gagnon added. “Rep. Calvert believes Americans can disagree without being disagreeable – and the overwhelming majority of our constituents share that belief and practice that approach.”

Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank.

The ofce of Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank, reported not blocking anyone on Twitter, although a few have been blocked from seeing the congressman’s Facebook page.

Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Redlands, has not blocked anyone on Twitter or Facebook, spokeswoman Sarah Weinstein said. “His ofce does not have a policy that blocks or prohibits individuals from commenting on or sharing content,” she said.

Since January, no one has been blocked from seeing social media posts from Rep. Norma Torres, D-Pomona, spokeswoman Anna Gonzalez said.

“Users are only blocked in extreme cases where they have become threatening or harassing of the congresswoman or other users,” Gonzalez said.

Rep. Mark Takano, D-Riverside, blocks users only as a last resort if “they demonstrate a pattern of

http://www.pe.com/2017/08/05/should-elected-officials-block-people-on-social-media/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter 3/4 8/7/2017 Should politicians block people on social media? – Press Enterprise

Rep. Mark Takano, D-Riverside.

posting violent, profane or abusive language,” spokesman Josh Weisz said.

“Constituents absolutely have a right to participate in that conversation and I encourage them to exercise that right, whether they agree with me or not,” Takano said. “All I ask is that they do so without using violent, abusive, or profane language that offends others and undermines the tone and quality of the conversation.”

The ofces of Southern California congressional Republicans Mimi Walters of Irvine, Darrell Issa of Vista, Ed Royce of Fullerton and Duncan Hunter of Alpine did not respond to requests for comment. A spokesman for Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Costa Mesa, said he’s not involved with the congressman’s social media accounts, which Rohrabacher handles personally.

‘Some balancing’

Regarding social media and politicians, Jeff McCall, a professor of media studies at DePauw University in Indiana, said: “As with pretty much all First Amendment issues, there needs to be some balancing here. http://www.pe.com/2017/08/05/should-elected-officials-block-people-on-social-media/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter 4/4 8/7/2017 What we know about California's largest toxic cleanup: Thousands of L.A. County homes tainted with lead - LA Times What we know about California's largest toxic cleanup: Thousands of L.A. County homes tainted with lead

By Tony Barboza and Ben Poston

AUGUST 6, 2017, 5:00 AM

y this fall, California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control plans to begin removing lead-tainted soil from 2,500 residential properties near B the shuttered Exide Technologies battery recycling plant in Vernon. The cleanup — the largest of its kind in California history — spans seven southeast Los Angeles County neighborhoods, where plant operations have threatened the health of an estimated 100,000 people.

More than two years after the possibility of federal criminal charges forced the plant to shut down, however, the state has refused to release crucial information about the contamination and cleanup requested by lawmakers, community members and reporters.

Here’s what The Times has learned through repeated questions and records requests — and what is still left unanswered.

http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-ln-exide-what-we-know-20170806-htmlstory.html 1/10 8/7/2017 What we know about California's largest toxic cleanup: Thousands of L.A. County homes tainted with lead - LA Times

http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-ln-exide-what-we-know-20170806-htmlstory.html 2/10 8/7/2017 What we know about California's largest toxic cleanup: Thousands of L.A. County homes tainted with lead - LA Times

What are the health risks?

Lead is a poison that, even in small amounts, can lower children’s IQs and cause other developmental harm.

From 1922 to 2014, regulators say, the Vernon plant’s lead-smelting operations deposited the harmful metal in the soil up to 1.7 miles away.

According to an analysis released last year by the state public health department, nearly 300 children younger than 6 living near Exide had high blood lead levels in 2012 — the last year the plant was in full operation. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers blood lead levels of 5 micrograms per deciliter or more to be elevated.

County health officials are administering a free blood-testing program for people living near the facility, funded with $2 million from Exide. Fewer than 0.5% of the children tested so far have had high blood lead levels, according to the county.

What neighborhoods have been affected?

Regulators say lead emissions from the Exide plant drifted across an area of more than 10,000 residential properties spanning seven communities: Bell, Boyle Heights, Commerce, East Los Angeles, Huntington Park, Maywood and Vernon. http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-ln-exide-what-we-know-20170806-htmlstory.html 3/10 8/7/2017 What we know about California's largest toxic cleanup: Thousands of L.A. County homes tainted with lead - LA Times The affected neighborhoods are predominantly Latino, with about 30% of people living in poverty; the countywide poverty rate is 18%.

Crews so far have tested the soil of more than 8,200 properties. In its July 6 cleanup plan, the state summarized sampling results for more than 7,000 of those — and more than 98% showed lead levels exceeding 80 parts per million, California’s health standard for residential soil.

The toxic substances control department has released spreadsheets containing detailed sampling data on about 1,900 residential properties, and recently made public the addresses and parcel numbers of a few dozen child care facilities where crews sampled the soil or detected elevated lead levels. But the department has not released the precise locations of homes tested.

The Times has sought sampling results by parcel, address, map coordinates and block number, based on the public’s right to know the extent of contamination and how the government is spending public funds.

The toxic substances department argues that disclosing such information would compromise residents’ privacy, expose sensitive health information and discourage participation in soil sampling and cleanup. Though the data pertain “to soil lead levels, not personal blood lead levels,” department lawyer James Mathison said in a March letter, “there is a potential correlation to be made between identifying particular locations with high soil lead levels and correspondingly high blood lead levels” of people living there.

More than half of the households surveyed recently by county health officials reported that they have not received results from the soil testing completed in their yards. Figures released by the toxics department show that as of late July, it had yet to send results to more than 2,000 parcels — about one-quarter of those tested.

Officials said more results are being mailed to residents weekly.

http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-ln-exide-what-we-know-20170806-htmlstory.html 4/10 8/7/2017 What we know about California's largest toxic cleanup: Thousands of L.A. County homes tainted with lead - LA Times

Georgia-based Exide, which acquired the plant in 2000, has said its lead emissions did not extend into residential areas — and has pointed the finger at other industries, lead-based paint in older homes and past emissions from vehicles.

The company filed a lawsuit last year seeking blood lead data on people tested in L.A. County, including each person’s age, city and ZIP Code; the age of the home in which each person lived; and any causes of lead poisoning. The state is fighting the lawsuit in court, calling it an attempt by Exide to dodge financial responsibility and blame the contamination on lead paint and gasoline.

How many homes have been cleaned — and where?

Crews have removed lead from 262 residential properties since elevated levels of the poisonous metal were discovered in neighborhoods near the plant more than http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-ln-exide-what-we-know-20170806-htmlstory.html 5/10 8/7/2017 What we know about California's largest toxic cleanup: Thousands of L.A. County homes tainted with lead - LA Times three years ago.

Beginning in August 2014, Exide — under state oversight — paid contractors to clean 186 tainted properties in Boyle Heights and Maywood. From November 2015 to June 2016, crews cleaned another 50 homes farther from the plant, using $7 million in taxpayer funds set aside for sampling and remediation. Cleanup work then stood at a standstill for months, with regulators arguing they could not remove lead-polluted soil from any properties amid a yearlong environmental review.

Lead hazard notifications, such as this one seen May 18 outside a home in Maywood, must be posted outside soil cleanup sites. (Tony Barboza / Los Angeles Times)

In January, the department announced an expedited cleanup program for the highest-risk properties. Crews have cleaned 26 parcels since then, according to the department.

Despite requests from The Times, state toxics officials have not released records detailing the dates and locations of completed cleanups.

The state health department has not allowed The Times to access lead hazard notification records that are posted outside each yard before it is cleaned. http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-ln-exide-what-we-know-20170806-htmlstory.htmlWhich properties are in line to be cleaned? 6/10 8/7/2017 What we know about California's largest toxic cleanup: Thousands of L.A. County homes tainted with lead - LA Times Which properties are in line to be cleaned?

Under new state guidelines, yards will be selected for cleanup if they meet certain lead thresholds. Also slated for cleanup are dozens of child care centers and a handful of schools and parks within the contamination zone.

In its cleanup plan, the state estimates that with the money available, it will be able to clean approximately 2,500 properties “with the highest levels of lead and greatest potential health risk.” Soil removal should begin after a contractor is selected this fall, officials said, and the effort will take about two years.

State Assemblyman Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles) called the plan “a step in the right direction” but complained that the years-long timeline for cleaning homes “defies all logic.”

“I know that everybody would like everything to happen faster than it does,” Barbara Lee, director of the Department of Toxic Substances Control, told reporters last month. “But if you look at these cleanups across the nation, what DTSC has been able to do in a year’s time is really extraordinary.”

(Angelica Quintero / @latimesgraphics)

How much is being spent on testing and cleanup?

More than $192 million has been set aside for the project, most of it in April 2016, when Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation authorizing $176.6 million to test all http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-ln-exide-what-we-know-20170806-htmlstory.html 7/10 8/7/2017 What we know about California's largest toxic cleanup: Thousands of L.A. County homes tainted with lead - LA Times 10,000 properties and remove lead from about 2,500 of them.

At least $42 million already has been spent. Taxpayers are footing most of the bill, at least for now.

Exide paid $9 million into a trust account during the project’s first phase of testing and cleanup and is obligated to make additional payments in the future. Through the attorney general’s office, the state has vowed to go after Exide and any other responsible parties to recoup costs, in what is likely to be a protracted legal fight.

The state toxics agency took more than 10 months to turn over records detailing its expenditures on the project. You can view them here.

Mohsen Nazemi, deputy director at the state Department of Toxic Substances Control, addresses the public during a July community advisory group meeting on the Exide cleanup at Salesian High School in Boyle Heights. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Neighborhood groups and area elected officials said they have struggled to get officials to answer basic questions about the project.

“Years go by and we’re not getting the information,” said Teresa Marquez, president of Mothers of East Los Angeles. “We don’t even know what houses http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-ln-exide-what-we-know-20170806-htmlstory.html 8/10 8/7/2017 What we know about California's largest toxic cleanup: Thousands of L.A. County homes tainted with lead - LA Times they’re cleaning. So it’s not transparent.”

State toxics department spokeswoman Rosanna Westmoreland said that the agency “is working hard to release as much information as possible” but that the scale and complexity of the project makes that difficult.

What happens to contaminated properties that don’t make the cut?

Though the toxics department estimates that the soil of nearly 10,000 properties may need to be cleaned, it has not committed to remediating any beyond the 2,500 covered by its cleanup plan.

For now, that leaves thousands of families whose yards are contaminated with no timeline for when to expect cleanup, if at all. According to officials, the state’s ability to clean additional homes depends on funding. Their plan is to notify residents whose homes will not make the current cut and provide them fact sheets on how to minimize their exposure to lead.

“We’re not going to tell them, ‘Your property is not going to be cleaned up or doesn’t need to be cleaned up,’ ” Mohsen Nazemi, a toxics department deputy director, told residents and community leaders at a public meeting July 20. He disputed the suggestion that the department was leaving residents behind, saying, “They’re not forgotten, they’re just not in this phase of cleanup.”

http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-ln-exide-what-we-know-20170806-htmlstory.html 9/10 8/7/2017 What we know about California's largest toxic cleanup: Thousands of L.A. County homes tainted with lead - LA Times

A screenshot from a June 2017 Department of Toxic Substances Control letter to a property owner whose lead-contaminated soil does not appear to meet the threshold for inclusion in the 2,500-property cleanup plan. (Tony Barboza / Los Angeles Times)

Angry community members and elected officials say the toxics department should offer some assurance that it will continue cleaning homes after 2019 using other funds — including revenue from new fees state lawmakers imposed on the sale of lead-acid batteries, the kind that were melted down at Exide.

Those fees — which Westmoreland said were among the “potential options for funding further sampling and cleanup activities” — took effect April 1 and could raise up to $26 million a year for sites contaminated by battery-recycling operations, according to state estimates.

Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens), who authored the legislation, said she expected those funds to grow over the next two years while crews clean the 2,500 properties near Exide.

“There should be enough money so there is no interruption and the work continues at a similar pace,” Garcia said. But in the meantime, she added, “I find it really irresponsible to tell the public that we don’t know if we’re going to take care of you. I have constituents that are panicked that they’re going to be left behind.” http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-ln-exide-what-we-know-20170806-htmlstory.html 10/10