The San Bernardino County News of Note from Around the Largest County in the Lower 48 States Friday, NovemberSentinel 15, 2013 A Fortunado Publication in conjunction with Countywide News Service 10808 Foothill Blvd. Suite 160-446 Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730 (909) 628-8436 Public Employee Union Contract Negotiation Issue Widens Warren Conflict Pneumonia conflict-of-interest con- her role as Fontana may- in the eye of a political Threatening troversy rising out of her or, which is complicated storm as a result of her dual roles as an elected by her status as a mem- recommendation, pro- Mojave Desert municipal official and ber of a public employee vided at the September Bighorn status as a municipal em- union, an entity that has 30 meeting of the Up- ployee. been and continues to be land Finance and Eco- Previously the con- impacted by her votes on nomic Development flict questions that beset the city council, includ- Committee, that the city Warren pertained to her ing ones that have been council approve a fran- role as assistant public secretly cast in closed- chise contract exten- Acquanetta Warren works director with the Jeffrey Ballinger door meetings beyond sion for Burrtec Waste Acquanetta Warren city of Upland brought date based in Fontana. In the scrutiny of the pub- Industries, Upland’s this week found herself on by her receipt of mon- the most recent case, the lic. trash hauler since 2000. Biologists survey- Warren found herself immersed in another ey as a political candi- conflict impinges upon That extension See P 7 ing the Mojave Desert’s mountains for the Na- Starr Projects Quarter Million Savings From Initial Phase Of Fire Merger tional Park Service and city councils, the merger The cities of Up- be possible reluctance the California Depart- could take place as early land and Montclair in Upland at the politi- ment of Fish and Wildlife as January. A previously should achieve an initial cal level, where one city have noted a significant contemplated accompa- $260,000 combined an- councilman has said he decline in the bighorn nying dissolution of the nual savings by merging wants further figures sheep population in a service boundaries be- the administrative func- and assurance that the substantial portion of the tween the two agencies tions of their current fire change will represent region. will be postponed until departments, Montclair cost savings to his city. Scouts for Fish and July 1, Stark said. City Manager Ed Stark The finalized proposal Wildlife, utilizing heli- There is marked en- told the Sentinel this that has taken shape for copters, since late Oc- thusiasm for the limited week. Rick Mayhew the partial merger of the tober visually scoured That consolidation is Edward Starr merger of the two de- over 75,000 acres on and cities. The one potential fire departments entails to be considered by the at its December 2 meet- partments among the around Old Dad Moun- roadblock appears to current Upland Montclair City Council ing. If ratified by both managerial ranks of both See P 8 tain, the Marble Moun- tains, and the Kelso, Accomplishment And Controversy Continuation Of Key Elements In Colonies Bristol, Clipper, Soda, Providence, Granite, Attend Petre’s ARMC Departure Case Now Up To State Supreme Court Hackberry and Woods former San Bernardino allow a defendant who larities in the running of ranges in a concentrated County political figures has allegedly offered a the facility over the last effort to spot bighorn, will proceed to trial now bribe to a public offi- several years, is leaving which have been deci- hinges on the California cial from being charged his position at the hospi- mated by pneumonia Supreme Court’s deter- with abetting the alleged tal today. His resignation since earlier this year. mination of a highly ar- recipient in having re- was announced Novem- Scouts were able to cane legal issue. More ceived the bribe. ber 11. spot fewer than half the than a week after hear- In February 2010, a Known as Arrowhead number of bighorn than ing oral arguments, the grand jury indicted for- Regional Medical Cen- they typically see during state’s highest court is mer county supervisor/ ter, the county hospital similar flyovers. now engaged in deter- county assessor Bill made several strides Wildlife officials are Jeff Burum mining whether the cir- Postmus and one of his Patrick Petre during Petre’s time as concerned that the pneu- cumstances in the case political associates, Jim Patrick Petre, whose director, which began in Whether a landmark monia outbreak among are sufficiently different Erwin, who had been tenure as the top admin- 2007. Those included an political corruption what was considered from several decades-old the head of the county istrator of the county 83 medical/surgical bed case against Rancho one of the hardiest of bribery cases to override sheriff’s deputies union hospital was marred by expansion on the sixth Cucamonga developer the state’s herds, which Jeff Burum and three legal precedents that dis- before he was accusations of irregu- floor and the See P 7 See P 2 killed as many as 45 big- Advisory Group Steering County Away From Massive Desert Solar Projects horn sheep in the Mojave Desert between May and MORONGO BASIN areas of the desert that fine its regulations with August, is persisting and — A self-styled commit- have already been devel- respect to solar fields. could result in a cata- tee devoted to evaluating oped. A Catch-22 situation strophic die-off. options and guidelines In June, the county has developed with re- Pneumonia is a per- for the development of board of supervisors gard to renewable en- nicious condition with renewable energy in the passed a 45-day mora- ergy projects, which, respect to bighorn. It can middle and eastern Mo- torium on commercial according to one school incubate in the animals jave Desert that has been solar projects in the of environmentalists, for months with little or adopted by Third 3rd county’s unincorpo- represent an ecologi- no outward indication sual blight on the natural of certain species. They District San Bernardi- rated areas. On July 23 cal advance over tra- for weeks and then strike landscape massive solar want to prevent any fu- no County Supervisor the board approved a ditional conventional the animals dead in a power or wind power ture renewable energy James Ramos’ as an ad- 10-month extension of power sources, such as short time after it mani- projects impose, includ- projects from being lo- visory panel is recom- the ban on new com- fossil fuels. Other envi- fests. Sick animals are ing their disturbance or cated in pristine or un- mending that wind and mercial solar projects to ronmentalists decry the highly contagious and solar fields be built in allow county staff to re- ecological havoc and vi- destruction of the habitat disturbed areas. See P 6 the disease can See P 3 Friday, November 15, 2013 San Bernardino County Sentinel Page 2 Referendum On Wal•Mart In Apple Valley Tuesday The San Bernardino County APPLE VALLEY – store on Highway 18. Choice, in late 2010. City The town of Apple Val- Wal•Mart Corporation Mail ballots have al- officials, who believe the ley will hold a referen- since February 2011. ready gone out to Apple new store will boost the Sentinel dum next Tuesday on The committee, and Published in San Bernardino County. Valley voters. Polls will city’s sales tax receipts, Wal•Mart’s proposal to Wal•Mart, working The Sentinel’s main office is located at 10788 Civic open at 7 a.m. on Nov. are supporting Measure Center Drive in Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730 put in one of its super- through the law firm 19. D. They have been able A Fortunado Publication in conjunction with stores at the corner of of Bell, McAndrews & After a vocal oppo- to sustain a brisk cam- Countywide News Service Dale Evans Parkway and Hiltachk have put up sition to the new store paign designed to con- Mark Gutglueck, Publisher Thunderbird Road. $50,000 toward defray- formed, Wal•Mart spon- vince town residents the A yes vote on Mea- ing the town’s costs for Call (909) 628-8436 sored the formation of new store will be advan- sure D will give go- holding the election. to learn of locations where the Sentinel a committee to stump tageous to the communi- ahead to the project, re- Wal•Mart and its sup- for the new project’s ap- ty largely on the strength is available or to provide news tips sulting in the shuttering porters are intent on hold- proval, known as Apple of $715,000 provided 10808 Foothill Blvd., Suite 160-446 of Wal•Mart’s existing Valley Consumers for to the committee by the Continued on Page 8 Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730 [email protected] 909-276 5796 Colonies Case Be- were identified as un- was controlled and man- alleged that Erwin, who named co-conspirators then-board colleague rum rewarded Postmus, fore Supreme Court aged by Burum and Dan was working as a con- in that indictment, which Richards. sultant for the Colonies Paul Biane before Post- Biane, Erwin and Ovitt’s from front page charged Postmus with a Erwin, who had been Partners in 2006, threat- mus, Biane and a third chief of staff, Mark Kirk, appointed by Postmus host of crimes, includ- instrumental in vector- member of the board, with $100,000 each in ing conspiracy, solicit- ing monetary support Gary Ovitt, voted to ap- contributions to political ing bribes, accepting from the sheriff’s depu- prove the $102 million action committees they bribes, perjury, filing ties’ union to Postmus’s settlement of the lawsuit controlled.