Rep. Paul Cook Considering Run for San Bernardino County Supervisor

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Rep. Paul Cook considering run for San Bernardino County supervisor – Press Enterprise

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NEWSPOLITICS Rep. Paul Cook considering run for San Bernardino County supervisor

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Rep. Paul Cook, R-Yucca Valley. (Courtesy)

https://www.pe.com/...ervisor/?utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_content=tw-pressenterprise&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com[8/27/2019 7:29:09 AM] Rep. Paul Cook considering run for San Bernardino County supervisor – Press Enterprise

By SANDRA EMERSON | [email protected] |  PUBLISHED: August 26, 2019 at 4:07 pm | UPDATED: August 26, 2019 at 4:08 pm

An unexpected opening on the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors may lead to a game of political musical chairs.

Supervisor Robert Lovingood’s recent announcement not to seek re-election to the 1st District means the seat will be open in 2020, including to a possible run from Rep. Paul Cook, R-Yucca Valley.

Cook, who represents the 8th Congressional District, which includes most of San Bernardino County as well as Mono and Inyo counties, is considering a return to local politics, but has not yet made a decision, said John Sobel, Cook’s chief of staff.

“He is a local government guy originally,” Sobel said.

Cook, a retired Marine Corps colonel and Vietnam combat veteran, was elected to congress in 2012, after representing the area in the state Assembly for six years. He served on the Yucca Valley Town Council from 1998 to 2006.

The 1st District lies within the footprint of the 8th Congressional District. Both include the High Desert cities of Victorville, Hesperia, Adelanto and Needles as well as Apply Valley.

While there is much overlap, the supervisorial district does not include the town of Yucca Valley, where Cook lives.

Yucca Valley is in the 3rd District, which is currently represented by Supervisor Dawn Rowe, a former Cook aid appointed to the post in December. Cook fully supports Rowe’s election in 2020, Sobel said.

Candidates are required to live in the district they are running to represent for at least 30 days prior to the filing deadline, according to the San Bernardino County elections office. The deadline to file to run for the seat is Dec. 11.

Should Cook run for the 1st District seat, that would leave the 8th Congressional District open to his Democratic challenger Chris Bubser, independent candidate Peter Mathisen, or possibly Assemblyman Jay Obernolte, R-Big Bear Lake.

“Assemblyman Jay Obernolte has a deep respect and admiration for Congressman Cook’s service to our country and state as a Congressman, State Assemblyman and Marine Corps Veteran,” said Obernolte’s campaign manager, Ross Sevy, in a statement. “Should he decide to seek a different office, Assemblyman Obernolte intends to continue Congressman Cook’s advocacy for veterans, taxpayers and small businesses in the 8th Congressional District.”

Political maneuvering is not uncommon when a seat opens up, according to Jack Pitney, a professor of politics at Claremont McKenna College.

“It’s pretty common for vacancies to lead to a chain reaction of political decisions,” Pitney said. “It’s what makes it all fun.”

While both districts are Republican leaning, the 8th Congressional District is a little more so. In the 1st supervisorial District, registered Republicans nearly equal Democrats at 33.7% and 33.6% respectively. About 24.8% of voters are “No Party Preference.”

In the 8th Congressional District, 35.72% of voters are Republicans, while 31.75% are Democrats and 25.31% are “No Party Preference.”

“In the case of Cook, he could probably win re-election, but serving in the House these days is pretty tough for a member of the minority party,” Pitney said.

Serving in the state Legislature, where Democrats hold a RELATED ARTICLES super majority, can also be frustrating for a Republican

Riverside County departments spent $105 Assemblyman, Pitney added. million on overtime, report says If Cook decides to run for lower office, he would not be the Cash-strapped San Bernardino approves first to choose to leave Congress. Since January, about a 3.5% pay raises for police, city manager dozen House Republicans have announced they are retiring or not seeking re-election in 2020. In Temecula, Duck Pond fits the bill for

protests “It’s really difficult to serve in the minority in the house,

Moreno Valley OKs marijuana dispensary particularly when your party holds the presidency,” Pitney over objections from landlord, neighbors said. “You get blamed for everything bad, but you can’t do anything good.” Assemblyman Chad Mayes’ anti-racism resolution might face pushback within GOP

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Sandra Emerson Sandra Emerson covers San Bernardino County government and politics for the Southern California News Group.

 Follow Sandra Emerson @ReporterSandraE

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https://www.pe.com/...ervisor/?utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_content=tw-pressenterprise&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com[8/27/2019 7:29:09 AM] Riverside County departments spent $105 million on overtime, report says – Press Enterprise

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LOCAL NEWS Riverside County departments spent $105 million on overtime, report says

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By JEFF HORSEMAN | [email protected] | The Press-Enterprise  PUBLISHED: August 26, 2019 at 2:14 pm | UPDATED: August 26, 2019 at 2:16 pm

Riverside County departments spent more than $105 million on overtime in fiscal 2018-19, up $22 million from the previous fiscal year, according to a new report from Auditor-Controller Paul Angulo.

Seven of eight departments with overtime costs exceeding $1 million spent more on overtime compared to last fiscal year, Angulo’s office found. Some of these agencies, including the Sheriff’s Department, said grants and other outside funding sources paid for overtime and lessened the impact to the county’s bottom line.

The surge in overtime spending worries Supervisor Kevin Jeffries.

“After several years of declining costs for overtime, the recent overall increase is very concerning,” he said. “It appears that a majority of the departments incurring significant overtime were attempting to meet state-required services and mandates.”

County spokeswoman Brooke Federico said the county “welcomes this opportunity each year to

https://www.pe.com/...ort-says/?utm_medium=social&utm_content=tw-pressenterprise&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=socialflow[8/27/2019 7:30:04 AM] Riverside County departments spent $105 million on overtime, report says – Press Enterprise

review overtime practices. County departments proactively manage overtime based on mission critical needs, particularly in departments that run 24-hour operations. We regularly work with departments to ensure that overtime is properly managed.”

The annual overtime report, which is on Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors agenda, comes as the county continues to grapple with rising costs that outpace revenue growth. Labor costs for the county’s 20,000 or so employees make up the biggest expense of the county’s $6.1 billion budget.

An elected official who serves as the county’s fiscal watchdog, Angulo’s overtime monitoring program started in 2013.

“Appropriate overtime is a cost-effective response to short-term labor shortages or spikes in service demands as compared to hiring additional employees,” the overtime report reads.

Riverside County Auditor-Controller Paul “However, long-term overtime or uncontrolled uses of overtime Angulo (File photo by Kurt Miller, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG). represent significant risks of increased direct and indirect costs” such as increased turnover, lower productivity and higher S likelihood of fatigue leading to errors that could prompt lawsuits.

Collectively, the county spent almost $83 million on overtime in fiscal 2017-18, according to last year’s M report. Three-hundred fifty county employees earned at least 50 percent of their base pay in overtime last year, up from 139 in 2017, Angulo’s office found.

The sheriff’s office spent the most on overtime – $61.4 million – of any county department last fiscal year, the report read. The sheriff’s overtime costs were $43 million in fiscal 2017-18.

In a response included in the report, sheriff’s officials said: “A review of gross numbers fails to

appropriately reflect the fact that 45 percent of Sheriff’s Department overtime spending was reimbursed through grants, court security funding, special events charges, and payments from cities that contract with the sheriff for law enforcement.”

“Approximately $25.7 million of overtime costs were anticipated and built into the budgets approved by each jurisdiction reimbursing those costs,” the response reads. “So, the overtime for those operations caused no ‘budget overruns,’ or unanticipated charges, and did not impact Net County Cost” or the bottom-line cost to county government.

The report touches on other departments with overtime RELATED LINKS costs in excess of $1 million, including:

At $6.1 billion, Riverside County budget • The Department of Public Social Services, which saw its will force ‘hard decisions,’ including overtime costs rise about $634,000 to $6.07 million. possible cut to animal services Department officials blamed the increase on higher caseload levels for Medi-Cal, food stamps, In-Home Riverside County ends fiscal year with $22 million shortfall. Is it an omen? Supportive Services and child and adult protective services.

Pet owners in Riverside County might not • Probation, which saw overtime expenses go from $1.72 face bigger fees after all million to $2.14 million. The department said its overtime rose in part because it’s hard to find qualified candidates to ‘A shift in the culture’ — consultant’s $35 fill vacant jobs. million journey in Riverside County wraps up • The District Attorney’s Office, where overtime rose by almost $402,000 to $1.95 million. “Multiple high-profile Riverside County approves risk management plan to ease the costs of its critical cases,” including proceedings related to the abuse lawsuits of the Turpin children and the trial of a man convicted of murdering two Palm Springs police officers, factored into the higher overtime costs, officials said.

• The Economic Development Agency, which spent roughly $1.11 million on overtime last fiscal year, an increase of almost $200,000. The largest chunk was spent on maintenance due to “unplanned emergency response or scheduled preventative work that was either season, driven by regulatory compliance, and/or fire life safety and health protocols,” officials said.

“The year-over-year increases in overtime at the Economic Development Agency is troublesome,” Jeffries said, adding his office is looking at a plan to reorganize the agency early next year.

• Riverside University Health System – Medical Center, which made headlines in 2014 for soaring

overtime costs, actually spent about $259,000 less in overtime – $20.2 million in all – last fiscal year compared to fiscal 2017-18. Officials credited the drop to better internal staffing controls.

RELATED ARTICLES Million-dollar OT club

Rep. Paul Cook considering run for San Riverside County Auditor-Controller Paul Angulo’s report on Bernardino County supervisor overtime spending lists eight departments that spent more than $1 million in overtime last fiscal year. They are: Cash-strapped San Bernardino approves 3.5% pay raises for police, city manager Department of Public Social Services: $6.07 million, up In Temecula, Duck Pond fits the bill for $634,355 from fiscal 2017-18. protests Probation: $2.14 million, up $426,365. Moreno Valley OKs marijuana dispensary over objections from landlord, neighbors District Attorney: $1.95 million, up $401,944.

Assemblyman Chad Mayes’ anti-racism Economic Development Agency: $1.11 million, up resolution might face pushback within $197,619. GOP Fire Department: $2.21 million, up $7,354.

Sheriff’s Department: $61.4 million, up $18.3 million.

Behavioral Health: $2.31 million, up $49,567.

Riverside University Health System – Medical Center: $20.2 million, down $258,940.

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https://www.pe.com/...ort-says/?utm_medium=social&utm_content=tw-pressenterprise&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=socialflow[8/27/2019 7:30:04 AM] Inland state lawmakers oppose facility for undocumented immigrant children – Press Enterprise

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NEWSPOLITICS Inland state lawmakers oppose facility for undocumented immigrant children

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https://www.pe.com/...hildren/?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_content=tw-pressenterprise&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=socialflow[8/27/2019 7:29:30 AM] Inland state lawmakers oppose facility for undocumented immigrant children – Press Enterprise

Immigrant boys play soccer at the Homestead Temporary Shelter for Unaccompanied Children in Florida in December. The U.S. government is interested in leasing space in the Inland Empire to house up to 430 unaccompanied minors who crossed the U.S.- Mexico border. (AP file photo by Brynn Anderson)

By JEFF HORSEMAN | [email protected] | The Press-Enterprise  PUBLISHED: August 26, 2019 at 3:11 pm | UPDATED: August 26, 2019 at 4:54 pm

Building a facility in the Inland Empire to house unaccompanied minors who crossed the U.S.-Mexican border is “a violation of human rights,” state lawmakers representing the region said Monday, Aug. 26, in a joint statement.

“As representatives of the Inland Empire, we condemn the use of space in any location, but especially in our community, to detain unaccompanied children,” the statement reads.

“Together, we have sent a letter urging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Agency to end its search for a location in the Inland Empire that would assist the Trump Administration in its efforts to expand detention centers, allow families to be separated and detained, or weaken the safeguards that currently exist to protect children in government custody.”

“Child Detention Centers for unaccompanied minors are a violation of human rights,” the statement says. “Unaccompanied child detention is harmful, costly, and completely unnecessary. United, we oppose any and all exploration for the establishment of any detention center here in the Inland Empire.”

Assembly members Jose Medina, D-Riverside; Sabrina RELATED ARTICLES Cervantes, D-Riverside; Eduardo Garcia, D-Coachella;

Trump administration might side with Eloise Gomez Reyes, D-Grand Terrace, and Freddie Vietnamese government on fate of Rodriguez, D-Pomona, as well as Sens. Richard Roth, D- protester Riverside, and Connie Leyva, D-Chino, signed onto the statement. Trump administration moves to end limits on child detention Federal officials earlier this month posted a notice seeking

Adelanto detention facility cited in lawsuit to lease an Inland facility to house up to 430 undocumented that decries conditions, medical care immigrant children determined to have crossed the border S unaccompanied. House Democrats representing the Inland Inland House Democrats ‘gravely Empire also have expressed concerns about the proposed concerned’ about proposed shelter for S undocumented immigrant children facility. By Facility housing up to 430 undocumented immigrant children eyed for Inland Empire

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https://www.pe.com/...hildren/?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_content=tw-pressenterprise&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=socialflow[8/27/2019 7:29:30 AM] Cash-strapped San Bernardino approves 3.5% pay raises for police, city manager – Press Enterprise

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LOCAL NEWS Cash-strapped San Bernardino approves 3.5% pay raises for police, city manager The raises, which already were reflected in the city's 2019-20 budget, were to go into effect Aug. 1

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https://www.pe.com/...anager/?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_content=tw-pressenterprise&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=socialflow[8/27/2019 7:30:18 AM] Cash-strapped San Bernardino approves 3.5% pay raises for police, city manager – Press Enterprise

Since January, San Bernardino city leaders have broached reopening police substations around town to better serve the community. (File photo)

By BRIAN WHITEHEAD | [email protected] | San Bernardino Sun  PUBLISHED: August 26, 2019 at 2:12 pm | UPDATED: August 26, 2019 at 2:13 pm

San Bernardino leaders have approved 3.5% pay raises for police personnel as required by agreements entered into earlier this decade with the city’s police officers and police management associations.

In a corresponding move, the City Council on Wednesday, Aug. 21, approved a 3.5% pay bump for the city’s police chief. R Councilman Fred Shorett voted against the increases.

The council also awarded City Manager Teri Ledoux a 3.5% raise, as her new contract stipulates she earn at least 5% more than the city’s top cop.

Last month, Ledoux received a $50,000 raise from her previous role as assistant city manager to take over as San Bernardino’s top administrator for the next 18 months.

With the pay raise approved last week, she now is expected to earn about $270,000 per year in salary.

The raises, which already were reflected in the city’s 2019-20 budget, were to go into effect Aug. 1.

Even after slashing $7.1 million in costs as part of a citywide plan to erase an $11.2 million deficit in the fiscal year that began July 1, San Bernardino’s $80 million police budget will account for close to 65% of the city’s finances in 2019-20.

According to a staff report prepared for last week’s council RELATED LINKS meeting, San Bernardino’s police chief will make $21,330 in

salary per month, or about $256,000 annually. San Bernardino police chief who coordinated response to 2015 terrorist attack announces retirement

San Bernardino closed its police station 2 consecutive Fridays, but officials say it won’t happen again

San Bernardino police captain, a 27-year department veteran, to retire at end of July

Police, other departments, face cuts as San Bernardino tackles $11.2 million Jarrod Burguan held that position until retiring Aug. 16 after deficit close to five years in the role. Burguan, who helped These are the 5 lieutenants who will lead coordinate the police response to the Dec. 2, 2015, terrorist new San Bernardino policing districts attack at the Inland Regional Center, had been out on medical leave since undergoing knee replacement surgery in January.

Eric McBride has served as acting chief in Burguan’s absence.

It is unclear when a new top cop will be appointed.

https://www.pe.com/...anager/?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_content=tw-pressenterprise&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=socialflow[8/27/2019 7:30:18 AM] Should Redlands allow unpermitted private sports courts to remain? – Press Enterprise

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LOCAL NEWS Should Redlands allow unpermitted private sports courts to remain?

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https://www.pe.com/...-remain/?utm_medium=social&utm_content=tw-pressenterprise&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=socialflow[8/27/2019 7:28:42 AM] Should Redlands allow unpermitted private sports courts to remain? – Press Enterprise

Chris Sedmack, of Redlands, points out a bright blue and red basketball and tennis court in her neighborhood that she says is too close to existing homes on Aug. 23, 2019. The City Council will discuss grandfathering in older courts like the one pictured on Sept. 3. (Jennifer Iyer, Redlands Daily Facts/SCNG)

By JENNIFER IYER | [email protected] | Redlands Daily Facts  PUBLISHED: August 27, 2019 at 7:00 am | UPDATED: August 27, 2019 at 7:00 am

If Redlands city code didn’t even mention residential sports courts, let alone require permits to build them until 2018, should older courts be grandfathered in or removed?

The City Council is set to take up the issue on Tuesday, Sept. 3, as it considers amending rules it set in place in February 2018. Those rules govern steps to gain approval for new courts, and deem previously constructed courts non-conforming, saying they should be discontinued.

Bob Ziprick, a lawyer for one resident who had built a combination basketball and tennis court in 2017,

said his client had gone to the city to get approvals and was told he did not need them. Now, he said, “to suddenly be all out of code, you have major real estate disclosures to make … that’s a major problem.”

Ziprick said there are at least 30 of the older courts in the city.

RELATED: No 10-foot fence for Redlands homeowner, City Council says

His client, Brian Chu, asked the city to amend the code to grandfather in older courts, and that piece of legislation was in front of the City Council in May of this year. Chris Sedmack, of Redlands, points out a bright blue and red basketball and tennis Two of Chu’s neighbors, and eight neighbors of a Via Vista court in her neighborhood that she says is too close to existing homes on Aug. 23, property that’s home to batting cages spoke out against blanket 2019. The City Council will discuss grandfathering in older courts like the one approval of older courts. pictured on Sept. 3. (Jennifer Iyer, Redlands Daily Facts/SCNG) “How can you grandfather in things, when you don’t even know what’s wrong with them, all over town,” asked Chris Sedmack, one of Chu’s neighbors, in a telephone interview Aug. 23.

She said the court has drainage issues and drains onto her property. She said there could be other issues because permits were not required. This particular court, she said, is also way too close to neighbors’ homes.

She also had issues with noise, lights and its effect on property values.

“It’s going to be like a spaceship lighting up,” Sedmack said.

In a city that “encourages outdoor activity, encourages athletics … this is in keeping with the city’s image of wanting to do some of these recreational pursuits,” Ziprick said.

According to a staff report related to the May meeting, until the 2018 rules, sports courts had been considered accessory uses on residential lots, akin to swimming pools and guesthouses.

“My neighbors have a pool, they throw parties, it doesn’t bother me … to me that’s just part of the life if you want to live in a part of California where people like to do things outdoors,” Ziprick said.

He said the city already has ordinances regarding lights and noise, and Chu has planted cypress trees on his property in the 1100 block of West Clifton Avenue to obscure the closest neighbors’ views.

A 10-foot fence around the courts was too tall per city rules, and code enforcement issued a citation. Chu appealed.

At the code enforcement hearing, all parties acknowledged the code did not expressly discuss the legality of existing sports courts, and the case remained open.

When the council discussed the amendment in May, the RELATED ARTICLES members unanimously agreed to continue the discussion,

Rep. Paul Cook considering run for San giving staff and city lawyers more time to go over the rules. Bernardino County supervisor The newest version removes batting cages and skateboard Riverside County departments spent $105 ramps from the rules, which means those would not be million on overtime, report says allowed as private recreational facilities.

Cash-strapped San Bernardino approves The open session of the City Council meeting begins at 6 3.5% pay raises for police, city manager p.m. Meetings are held at the City Council Chambers in the

In Temecula, Duck Pond fits the bill for Civic Center, 35 Cajon St., Redlands. protests

Moreno Valley OKs marijuana dispensary over objections from landlord, neighbors

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SUBSCRIBE https://www.pe.com/...-remain/?utm_medium=social&utm_content=tw-pressenterprise&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=socialflow[8/27/2019 7:28:42 AM] 8/27/2019 The San Bernardino Mountains have a heart, and you can see it – San Bernardino Sun

LOCAL NEWS The San Bernardino Mountains have a heart, and you can see it

Water sits in “Heart Rock” near the waterfall along Seeley Creek Trail near Crestline inin thethe SanSan BernardinoBernardino NationalNational ForestForest onon Thursday,Thursday, Aug.Aug. 22,22, 2019.2019. FormedFormed byby natural water flow over the years, a heart-shaped pool now sits in the rocky cliffsfs next to a 20-foot waterfall along the Seeley Creek Trail. (Photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

By JENNIFER MAHER || [email protected]@scng.com || DailyDaily BulletinBulletin PUBLISHED: August 26, 2019 at 12:21 pm || UPDATED:UPDATED: August 26, 2019 at 12:23 pm

https://www.sbsun.com/2019/08/26/the-san-bernardino-mountains-have-a-heart-and-you-can-see-it/ 1/3 8/27/2019 The San Bernardino Mountains have a heart, and you can see it – San Bernardino Sun

The San Bernardino National Forest has a heart and it’s near Crestline in the San Bernardino Mountains.

Formed by natural water flow over the years, a heart-shaped pool now sits in thethe rockyrocky cliffscliffs nextnext toto aa 20-foot20-foot waterfallwaterfall onon thethe SeeleySeeley CreekCreek Trail.Trail. WhenWhen thethe creek is full, water will also flow out from the heart, according to the Crestline Business Council’s website.

The one-mile round-trip hike is great for beginners and advanced hikers alike offering an easily traversed trail, shade and outlets to the river along the way.

The trail begins north of the entrance to Camp Seeley, at 250 CA-138, just north of Crestline off Highway 138.

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Jennifer Maher https://www.sbsun.com/2019/08/26/the-san-bernardino-mountains-have-a-heart-and-you-can-see-it/ 2/3 8/27/2019 D and E Street I-15 ramps closed this week - News - vvdailypress.com - Victorville, CA

D and E Street I-15 ramps closed this week By Garrett Bergthold Staff Writer Posted Aug 26, 2019 at 5:51 PM VICTORVILLE — Two local off-ramps and one on-ramp along Interstate 15 will be shut down this week starting at 6 p.m. Monday through 7 p.m. Friday.

Both southbound E Street on- and off-ramps will be closed, along with the southbound D Street off-ramp, Caltrans said Monday.

Lane closures from Quarry Street south to Mojave Drive will occur at the same time as the ramp closures, the agency said.

D and E streets will remain open to through traffic during the ramp closures.

Motorists may use Stoddard Wells Road which connects to Highway 18 instead.

Road work began on the $76 million project in 2016, a year after the projected start time. The project is estimated to be about $6 million over budget, the Daily Press previously reported.

Once completed, the work will bring rebuilt interchanges to Stoddard Wells Road and D and E streets.

The project was about 75% complete in June, Caltrans officials previously told the Daily Press.

Visit www.Caltrans8.info for more information. View traffic conditions at www.QuickMap.dot.ca.gov and lane closures at www.LCSWebReports.dot.ca.gov.

Garrett Bergthold can be reached at [email protected] or at 760-955-5368. Follow him on Twitter at @DP_Garrett.

https://www.vvdailypress.com/news/20190826/d-and-e-street-i-15-ramps-closed-this-week 1/1 8/27/2019 Deadly algae blooms contaminate Big Bear Lake | News | hidesertstar.com

http://www.hidesertstar.com/news/article_2abc7872-c5e1-11e9-9e1b-3f293c01861f.html Deadly algae blooms contaminate Big Bear Lake

Aug 23, 2019

BIG BEAR — If you’re planning on visiting Big Bear Lake, avoid the water, the state warned Friday.

State and regional water quality boards both urged dog owners, shers and everyone else to avoid direct water contact while visiting areas of Big Bear Lake due to a harmful algae bloom.

The areas affected by the bloom include North Shore Drive, extending about a half-mile west of the Big Bear Solar Observatory, and the west side of Staneld Cutoff. Toxins produced by harmful algae blooms were detected in the water near the shore. These toxins can make people sick and kill animals.

The recommendation is for people and their dogs to stay out of the water and avoid contact with oating algal material and scum in the water or along the shore.

Do not eat sh caught near the impacted areas until further notice.

The advisory was based on the potential health risks posed by the organisms known as cyanobacteria or blue-green algae, and the level of toxins measured in water samples collected in mid-August.

In this instance, the algae appears in different shades of green and is found near the water surface or oating, sometimes resembling spilled paint.

As the bloom continues to grow, cyanobacteria may form thick mats or scum on the water surface and accumulate on the shore.

Cyanobacteria can produce several kinds of toxins. In humans, these toxins can cause gastrointestinal symptoms including nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, along with eye infection, earache, sore throat, blisters, muscle weakness and pain.

In dogs, cyanobacteria can cause vomiting, stumbling and falling, foaming at the mouth, diarrhea, convulsions, loss of energy and appetite, tremors and seizures. www.hidesertstar.com/news/article_2abc7872-c5e1-11e9-9e1b-3f293c01861f.html 1/2 8/27/2019 Deadly algae blooms contaminate Big Bear Lake | News | hidesertstar.com Bloom conditions can change rapidly as the ow of surface water and wind may mix, move or concentrate the bloom into different areas of the lake. The conditions are being monitored by the Santa Ana regional board and its partners.

To learn how to stay safe around harmful algae blooms and to report a bloom, visit www.mywaterquality.ca.gov/habs.

www.hidesertstar.com/news/article_2abc7872-c5e1-11e9-9e1b-3f293c01861f.html 2/2 8/27/2019 More than 40 wild burros shot, killed in California desert - Los Angeles Times

CLIMATE & ENVIRONMENT

More than 40 wild burros slaughtered in the Southern California desert; reward offered

Wild burros on a dry lake bed in the Silurian Valley in October 2014. Since May 2019, a total of 42 wild burro carcasses with gunshot wounds have been found along Interstate 15 near the California-Nevada state line. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

By LOUIS SAHAGUN STAFF WRITER

AUG. 23, 2019 2:09 PM

https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2019-08-23/burros-killed-california-desert-reward-offered 1/7 8/27/2019 More than 40 wild burros shot, killed in California desert - Los Angeles Times More than 40 wild burros have been found shot and killed along the Interstate 15 near the Nevada state line, Federal officials said on Friday, and they’ve offered a reward of up to $18,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.

It is one of the largest killings of its kind on public land managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management in Southern California, officials said.

A total of 42 wild burro carcasses with gunshot wounds have been found in various states of decomposition near the freeway corridor through the Clark Mountain Herd Area managed by the Needles field office of the BLM.

“We will pursue every lead until we’ve arrested and prosecuted those responsible for these cruel, savage deaths,” said William Perry Pendley, the BLM’s Deputy Director for policy and programs, “and we welcome the public’s help to bring the perpetrator or perpetrators to justice.”

Details about the ongoing investigation were scarce. However, BLM officials said the burros, including several juveniles, were shot in the neck with a rifle.

Some were brought down while drinking water in the Halloran Springs area.

Animal protection organizations said they were outraged by the slaughter and have contributed thousands of dollars to the reward.

“It’s a travesty that these animals would be gunned down,” said Grace Kuhn, spokeswoman for the nonprofit American Wild Horse Campaign. “There’ve been isolated incidents before over the years, but nothing on this scale in memory.”

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Neda DeMayo, president of the nonprofit Return to Freedom, said, “I’ve been told that at least one of the burros was still alive when it was discovered by a passerby. But it succumbed to its injuries by the time BLM investigators arrived on the scene.”

“It’s all so unbelievable,” she added. “Crazy. Hostile. Cruel.”

https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2019-08-23/burros-killed-california-desert-reward-offered 2/7 8/27/2019 More than 40 wild burros shot, killed in California desert - Los Angeles Times Burros are not native to the West’s deserts, but they became some its most valued resources: sure-footed in rugged terrain, capable of carrying heavy loads long distances, and withstanding extremes in temperatures of cold and heat.

In the 1920s and 30s, they were turned loose and replaced by Model-A Fords and other vehicles. Since then, they have multiplied without restraint with few predators to check their numbers.

With populations that doubled every four to five years, they’ve managed to survive by feeding on the sage and wild growth of the Mojave Desert.

By the 1950s, wanton slaughter of wild burros in California’s desert and mountains had reached such proportions that the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals pressed for legislation to protect the creatures from trigger-happy hunters.

One killing ground was Homewood Canyon, near Trona, about 240 miles northeast of Los Angeles, where the SPCA officials in 1953 reported a shocking scene: Over an area of 50 acres, they found 50 burro carcasses. Only a few had bullet holes in the head, indicating that most had been left wounded where they fell.

Today, the animals are protected from capture, branding, harassment or death under the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971, which considers them an integral part of the natural system of public lands managed by the BLM.

Violations of the act are subject to a fine of up to $2,000, or imprisonment for up to one year, or both, for each count charged.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the WeTip hotline at (800) 782-7463 or visit http://wetip.com.

CLIMATE & ENVIRONMENT ANIMALS & PETS

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Louis Sahagun

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Louis Sahagun is a staff writer at the Los Angeles Times. He covers issues ranging from religion, culture and the environment to crime, politics and water. He was on the team of L.A. Times writers that earned the Pulitzer Prize in public service for a series on Latinos in Southern California and the team that was a finalist in 2015 for the Pulitzer Prize in breaking news. He is a CCNMA: Latino Journalists of California board member, and author of the book, “Master of the Mysteries: the Life of Manly Palmer Hall.”

MORE FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES

https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2019-08-23/burros-killed-california-desert-reward-offered 3/7 8/27/2019 Adelanto man dead after collision with vehicle - News - vvdailypress.com - Victorville, CA

Adelanto man dead after collision with vehicle By Rene Ray De La Cruz Staff Writer Posted Aug 26, 2019 at 4:21 PM VICTORVILLE — A weekend collision between a motorcycle and vehicle on Bear Valley Road has claimed the life of an Adelanto resident, authorities reported.

At 1:11 p.m. on Saturday, deputies with the Victorville Sheriff’s Station responded to multiple calls of a collision between a vehicle and a motorcycle at the intersection of Bear Valley Road and Cottonwood Avenue, the sheriff’s report said.

The driver of a 2005 Suzuki motorcycle, later identified as Jesse Keith Bates, 37 of Adelanto, was traveling westbound on Bear Valley Road when he failed to stop for a red light at the intersection with Cottonwood Avenue, the sheriff’s report said.

The driver of a 2015 Audi was traveling eastbound on Bear Valley. The driver had a green light and was making a left turn onto Cottonwood Avenue when the collision occurred, the report said.

Bates was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. The driver of the Audi did not suffer injuries in the collision.

Reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227, [email protected], Instagram@renegadereporter, Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz

https://www.vvdailypress.com/news/20190826/adelanto-man-dead-after-collision-with-vehicle 1/1 8/27/2019 Local industry, politicians oppose plans to phase out use of natural gas | News | bakersfield.com

https://www.bakersfield.com/news/local-industry-politicians-oppose-plans-to-phase-out-use-of/article_33575fc8- c5e7-11e9-a1d3-0fe38b074c5b.html Local industry, politicians oppose plans to phase out use of natural gas

BY JOHN COX [email protected] 23 hrs ago

Elk Hills Power LLC, a joint venture of local oil producer California Resources Corp. and a portfolio company of Ares Management LP, operates a state-of-the-art cryogenic gas processing plant at the Elk Hills Field in western Kern County. CRC said the plant's capacity of 200 million cubic feet per day brings the total gas processing capacity at Elk Hills to more than 520 million cubic feet per day. The facility is the biggest in the state, bolstering Elk Hills' status as a regional gas hub for California. Photo courtesy of California Resources Corp.

Another chunk of Kern County's economy — natural gas production — has come under threat from California's efforts to "decarbonize" buildings across the state as a way of helping achieve Sacramento's greenhouse-gas reduction goals.

https://www.bakersfield.com/news/local-industry-politicians-oppose-plans-to-phase-out-use-of/article_33575fc8-c5e7-11e9-a1d3-0fe38b074c5b.html 1/5 8/27/2019 Local industry, politicians oppose plans to phase out use of natural gas | News | bakersfield.com A proposal being reviewed by the California Public Utilities Commission is aimed at identifying projects that would replace natural gas-fired appliances in homes and businesses with strictly electric-powered equipment.

The idea, based on a pair of laws signed in 2018 by former Gov. Jerry Brown, is to support California's intention to cut greenhouse-gas emissions to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030.

Kern County politicians and industry have argued against the plan, saying that scaling back the use of natural gas would raise energy costs for businesses and consumers, especially those in the Central Valley.

Instead, they contend the state would be better served by diversifying its energy portfolio, which they maintain would make California more resilient and bolster the reliability of its power supply.

WIDER DEBATE

The question of whether to dial back California's use of natural gas adds fuel to a heated policy debate with major implications for Kern's economy.

The county produced 70 percent of the state's domestically produced natural gas in 2017, the most recent year for which data are available. A lot of that gas was associated with oil production, which supports at least 10,000 local jobs directly and many thousands more indirectly.

Environmentalists alarmed by dire climate-change projections have ramped up calls for shutting down petroleum production statewide.

The person with the most sway over the issue, Gov. Gavin Newsom, has thrown his support behind moving California away from its dependence on petroleum. But he has also expressed a desire to carry out that process thoughtfully, with special consideration for communities like Kern whose economies would be upended by an abrupt end to oil and natural gas production.

MOVING AGGRESSIVELY

Supporters of decarbonizing California buildings, including CPUC President Michael Picker, note that a quarter of the state's greenhouse-gas emissions result from burning natural gas in homes and other structures.

https://www.bakersfield.com/news/local-industry-politicians-oppose-plans-to-phase-out-use-of/article_33575fc8-c5e7-11e9-a1d3-0fe38b074c5b.html 2/5 8/27/2019 Local industry, politicians oppose plans to phase out use of natural gas | News | bakersfield.com They calculate that moving to 100-percent renewable electricity alone won't be enough to meet the state's climate-change goals.

"We must also electrify our homes & buildings to reduce fossil fuel usage," Commissioner Picker tweeted in April.

DISPROPORTIONATE COSTS

On the other side of the argument are data showing inland California's energy costs are much higher than they are on the coast. This suggests Central Valley communities reliant on air- conditioning to cool their homes during hot months could suffer disproportionately from any program that raises energy costs.

Opponents of decarbonization further note California is so dependent on natural gas that the state imported 10 times the amount of natural gas it produced in 2017.

Assemblyman Rudy Salas, D-Bakersfield, emphasized in a telephone interview last week that the state has already invested in dairy-based renewable natural gas and so scaling back its use contradicts existing policy.

He also pointed out equipment that runs on natural gas still works during power outages, which because of wildfires are expected to become more frequent in the state.

"We need to provide more options, options that make energy bills more affordable for people, not more expensive," Salas said.

ALL OF THE ABOVE

Assemblyman Vince Fong, R-Bakersfield, also opposes decarbonization on the basis of affordability. Like Salas, he said the state should adopt an all-of-the-above approach to energy, as already happens in Kern.

"Kern County is the model for how we should approach energy in this state — we produce petroleum, natural gas, wind, solar, geothermal and other renewables — and all are a part of providing reliable and affordable energy to a state that has incredibly high energy demands," Fong said in an emailed statement.

https://www.bakersfield.com/news/local-industry-politicians-oppose-plans-to-phase-out-use-of/article_33575fc8-c5e7-11e9-a1d3-0fe38b074c5b.html 3/5 8/27/2019 Local industry, politicians oppose plans to phase out use of natural gas | News | bakersfield.com Several environmental activist groups did not respond to requests for comment.

BERKELEY'S LEAD

An example of a community moving forward with decarbonization is Berkeley. In July of 2017, the city became the first city in the state to ban the installation of natural gas pipes in most new buildings.

Members of Berkeley's City Council were told electricity entails far less carbon emissions than natural gas. Estimates they considered held that natural gas accounted for more than a quarter of the city's greenhouse-gas emissions, and that for just Berkeley's building sector, the share rises to 73 percent.

The leading producer of natural gas in Kern County, Chatsworth-based California Resources Corp., emphasized in an email that pilot projects under consideration by the CPUC and the California Energy Commission are still in early planning stages. As these initiatives progress, the company said, it will be important for the process to take into account energy affordability, reliability and resilience against power outages and natural disasters.

MOVING CAREFULLY

The company noted that the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors recently chose to move carefully on a plan to require the use of electrical appliances instead of natural gas equipment in new buildings. Of particular concern to the board, CRC pointed out, was the potential for "natural disasters, international turmoil, power outages, cyber-attacks, transportation disruptions and price spikes."

CRC also emphasized that natural gas provides 40 percent of the state's energy portfolio and a third of its supply of electricity.

"No alternatives are currently available that provide the same amount of energy as natural gas with the same affordability," the company stated.

John Cox can be reached at 661-395-7404. Follow him on Twitter: @TheThirdGraf. Sign up at Bakersfield.com for free newsletters about local business.

MORE INFORMATION https://www.bakersfield.com/news/local-industry-politicians-oppose-plans-to-phase-out-use-of/article_33575fc8-c5e7-11e9-a1d3-0fe38b074c5b.html 4/5 8/27/2019 Local industry, politicians oppose plans to phase out use of natural gas | News | bakersfield.com

Governor promises balanced approach after touring McKittrick-area oil leak

Newsom orders dismissal of California's top oil regulator State budget funds study on cutting petroleum supply, demand Chevron partners with biomethane developer to harvest, market gas from local dairy manure Kern cow manure leads California's anti-climate change efforts Activists speak out against fracking on federal land in California

Oil leaders, politicians strategize solutions to industry challenges at Taft summit

https://www.bakersfield.com/news/local-industry-politicians-oppose-plans-to-phase-out-use-of/article_33575fc8-c5e7-11e9-a1d3-0fe38b074c5b.html 5/5 8/27/2019 Exclusive: U.S. officials fear ransomware attack against 2020 election - Reuters

CYBER RISK AUGUST 26, 2019 / 11:52 AM / UPDATED 33 MINUTES AGO

Exclusive: U.S. ofﬁcials fear ransomware attack against 2020 election

Christopher Bing

(The September 26th story corrects the name of the institute to OSET from ESET in paragraph 15)

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-cyber-election-exclusive-idUSKCN1VG222 1/11 8/27/2019 Exclusive: U.S. officials fear ransomware attack against 2020 election - Reuters FILE PHOTO: A woman wears an "I Voted Today" sticker at a polling place during the midterm election in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, U.S., November 6, 2018. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri

By Christopher Bing

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. government plans to launch a program in roughly one month that narrowly focuses on protecting voter registration databases and systems ahead of the 2020 presidential election.

These systems, which are widely used to validate the eligibility of voters before they cast ballots, were compromised in 2016 by Russian hackers seeking to collect information. Intelligence oﬃcials are concerned that foreign hackers in 2020 not only will target the databases but attempt to manipulate, disrupt or destroy the data, according to current and former U.S. oﬃcials.

“We assess these systems as high risk,” said a senior U.S. oﬃcial, because they are one of the few pieces of election technology regularly connected to the Internet.

The Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency, or CISA, a division of the Homeland Security Department, fears the databases could be targeted by ransomware, a type of virus that has crippled city computer networks across the United States, including recently in Texas, Baltimore and Atlanta.

“Recent history has shown that state and county governments and those who support them are targets for ransomware attacks,” said Christopher Krebs, CISA’s director. “That is why we are working alongside election oﬃcials and their private sector partners to help protect their databases and respond to possible ransomware attacks.”

A ransomware attack typically locks an infected computer system until payment, usually in the form of cryptocurrency, is sent to the hacker.

The eﬀort to counter ransomware-style cyberattacks aimed at the election runs parallel to a larger intelligence community directive to determine the most likely vectors of digital attack in the November 2020 election, according to current and former U.S. oﬃcials.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-cyber-election-exclusive-idUSKCN1VG222 2/11 8/27/2019 Exclusive: U.S. officials fear ransomware attack against 2020 election - Reuters “It is imperative that states and municipalities limit the availability of information about electoral systems or administrative processes and secure their websites and databases that could be exploited,” the FBI said in a statement, supporting the Homeland Security initiative.

CISA’s program will reach out to state election oﬃcials to prepare for such a ransomware scenario. It will provide educational material, remote computer penetration testing, and vulnerability scans as well as a list of recommendations on how to prevent and recover from ransomware.

These guidelines, however, will not oﬀer advice on whether a state should ultimately pay or refuse to pay ransom to a hacker if one of its systems is already infected.

“Our thought is we don’t want the states to have to be in that situation,” said a Homeland Security oﬃcial. “We’re focused on preventing it from happening.”

Over the last two years, cyber criminals and nation state hacking groups have used ransomware to extort victims and create chaos. In one incident in 2017, which has since been attributed to Russian hackers, a ransomware virus was used to mask a data deletion technique, rendering victim computers totally unusable.

That attack, dubbed “NotPetya,” went on to damage global corporations, including FedEx and Maersk, which had oﬃces in Ukraine where the malware ﬁrst spread.

The threat is concerning because of its potential impact on voting results, experts say.

“A pre-election undetected attack could tamper with voter lists, creating huge confusion and delays, disenfranchisement, and at large enough scale could compromise the validity of the election,” said John Sebes, chief technology oﬃcer of the OSET Institute, an election technology policy think tank.

The databases are also “particularly susceptible to this kind of attack because local jurisdictions and states actively add, remove, and change the data year-round,” said Maurice Turner, a senior technologist with the Center for Democracy and Technology. “If the malicious actor doesn’t provide the key, the data is lost forever unless the victim has a recent backup.” https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-cyber-election-exclusive-idUSKCN1VG222 3/11 8/27/2019 Exclusive: U.S. officials fear ransomware attack against 2020 election - Reuters Nationwide, the local governments that store and update voter registration data are typically ill-equipped to defend themselves against elite hackers.

State election oﬃcials told Reuters they have improved their cyber defenses since 2016, including in some cases preparing backups for voter registration databases in case of an attack. But there is no common standard for how often local governments should create backups, said a senior Homeland Security oﬃcial.

“We have to remember that this threat to our democracy will not go away, and concern about ransomware attacks on voter registration databases is one clear example,” said Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos. “We’re sure the threat is far from over.”

Reporting by Christopher Bing; Editing by Steve Orlofsky Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.