1/12/2017 Dennis Hansberger, former San Bernardino County supervisor, first witness in Colonies trial

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

Dennis Hansberger, former San Bernardino County supervisor, first witness in Coloniestrial

Prosecutors call former Supervisor Dennis Hansberger to testify

By Joe Nelson, The Sun

Wednesday, January 11, 2017

SAN BERNARDINO >> Former San Bernardino County SupervisorDennis Hansberger took the witness stand Wednesday as the firstwitness called by prosecutors in San Bernardino County’s Coloniescorruption trial.

Hansberger was one of two county supervisors who voted against thecontroversial $102 million settlement between the county and Upland

investor group Colonies Partners LP in November 2006.

• READ MORE: Colonies corruption coverage

The settlement, which prosecutors allege was tainted by bribery and which District Attorney Mike Ramos calledthe biggest public corruption case his office has ever prosecuted, ended a nearly 5­year legal battle over whowas responsible for paying for and building flood control improvements at Colonies’ 434­acre residential andcommercial development in Upland, Colonies at San Antonio and Colonies Crossroads, respectively.

Hansberger served on the Board of Supervisors first from 1972 to 1980, then from 1996 to 2008, when he wasdefeated by Neil Derry, a former San Bernardino city councilman who has also been subpoenaed to testify at thetrial, expected to last six months.

Hansberger and Supervisor Josie Gonzales voted against the settlement. Hansberger, whose experience in landuse issues dates back to the late 1960s and early 1970s when he worked for Third District Supervisor DonaldBeckord, consistently voted “no” on every settlement proposal during the nearly five years of civil litigation,which spanned from March 2002 until November 2006, when the settlement was reached.

Gonzales consistently voted in favor of settling, but changed her position the month of the settlement.

Rancho Cucamonga developer Jeff Burum stands accused of paying a total of $400,000 in bribes to formerBoard of Supervisors Chairman Bill Postmus, former county Supervisor Paul Biane, Mark Kirk, former chief ofstaff for former county Supervisor Gary Ovitt, and former Assistant Assessor Jim Erwin in exchange for themvoting in favor of or facilitating the controversial Colonies settlement.

A grand jury indicted Burum, Biane, Kirk and Erwin in May 2011. All four defendants deny any wrongdoingand have maintained their innocence from the outset.

In March 2011, Postmus, initially a targeted defendant in the case, struck a plea agreement with prosecutors. Hepleaded guilty to 10 felonies in connection with the Colonies case and a companion corruption case in which hewas convicted of abusing his elected office of assessor for political gain.

Postmus admitted taking a $100,000 bribe from Burum, and has agreed to testify against the defendants at trialin exchange for all but two of the charges against him being dropped.

1/12/2017 Dennis Hansberger, former San Bernardino County supervisor, first witness in Colonies trial

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The defense camp maintains the prosecution was politically motivated, brought during an election year forRamos, who in 2010 successfully campaigned for a third term as district attorney.

Prior to Hansberger taking the witness stand Wednesday, Burum’s attorney, Stephen Larson, concluded hisopening statement, which began Tuesday. Larson told the jury that Postmus, an admitted methamphetamineaddict who is a key witness for the prosecution, is not a credible or reliable witness.

Larson presented a transcript of an interview Postmus had with district attorney investigators early in theinvestigation, in which he denied Burum promising to support him for higher political office and in businessventures if he approved the settlement.

The defense is also contesting the prosecution’s allegations that the alleged bribes were funneled into shampolitical action committees, or recipient committees, secretly controlled by Postmus and the defendants ormembers of their staff.

The contributions by Colonies Partners, the defense maintains, were legal and properly reported to the state, andwere merely an effort to “mend fences” with local politicians after years of contentious legal battle with thecounty.

“Every carrot and stick they (prosecution) talk about is easily explained when you hear the rest of the story,”Larson told the jury.

Postmus, Erwin, Kirk and Biane were not the only ones to receive large sums of money and gifts from Coloniesand Burum following the settlement. Larson said Burum bought expensive watches for his attorney and othermembers of his team, including his assistant, who also received $100,000, Larson said.

“Mr. Burum is a generous man. There is nothing wrong with that,” Larson told the jury.

During the Colonies civil litigation, Hansberger said Biane, in 2006, began rushing to settle the case, and washaving outside communications with Burum on potential settlement figures and escalating damages the countywas facing. It did not sit well with Hansberger, who said that was something County Counsel or outside counselshould have been doing, not a county supervisor.

“It became his cause to get this done, and it was ever present in our discussions,” Hansberger said. He said hefelt the settlement should have been no more than $7 million or $8 million.

“I think in every case when the (settlement) numbers came in higher, it was (Biane) who was presenting them tous,” said Hansberger.

Testimony resumes today before Judge Michael A. Smith in San Bernardino Superior Court.

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1/12/2017 Petition seeks recall of Fontana’s first woman and first African American mayor

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

Petition seeks recall of Fontana’s first woman and first African American mayor

By Jim Steinberg, The Sun

Wednesday, January 11, 2017

FONTANA >> A group called the Inland Empire First PAC has filedpapers seeking to recall Acquanetta Warren, Fontana’s first female andfirst African­American mayor.

The group says in its petition that Warren has “not performed herduties with the best interests of her constituents.”

Warren became mayor in 2010 and was re­elected in 2014. She wasappointed to the Fontana City Council in December 2002 and electedin 2004 and 2008, according to the city’s website.

Among the group’s allegations:

• Warren has received political contributions totaling more than $100,000 to “insure that the desires of specialinterests come before the needs of the residents of Fontana.”

• She supported the subsidization of the cities of Rialto, Colton and Redlands with a police helicopter program.That program ended in 2016.

The petition also alleges that Warren supported “reckless residential and warehouse development.”

“This has downgraded quality of life, decreased neighborhood safety, overcrowded schools, increased traffic andincreased air pollution,” said Karen Coleman, spokeswoman for Inland Empire First and a 60­year resident ofFontana.

“We need to have transparency, integrity and respect for residents,” said Coleman, who is a volunteer at a seniorcenter and member of the city’s parks and community services board. Coleman is also a member of the FontanaWomen’s Club and the Fontana Democratic Club.

She said Warren has ventured out of the responsibilities of her office and attempted to control the FontanaUnified School District board, runs a Rotary Club and attempts to control the Fontana Women’s Club.

“I’m not going to make any comment at this time,” Warren said. “The only thing I want to focus on is my stateof the city address,” Warren said.

The annual State of the City Address will be held Jan. 26 at the Jessie Turner Health and Fitness CommunityCenter, 15556 Summit Ave. in Fontana.

Next week, the mayor will attend the U.S. Conference of Mayors 85th Winter Meeting in Washington, D.C.

“There is a lot of lobbying for federal dollars going on,” Warren said. “I need to focus on that,” she said.

“We have a lot of good things going on in Fontana, and the people expect me to do my job as mayor,” she said.

1/12/2017 Petition seeks recall of Fontana’s first woman and first African American mayor

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Coleman said the group has 120 days to get 12,000 signatures and is working on its strategy to accomplish that.

URL: http://www.sbsun.com/government­and­politics/20170111/petition­seeks­recall­of­fontanas­first­woman­and­first­african­american­mayor

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1/12/2017 VVC report: Investigator believes trustee used racial slur

http://www.vvdailypress.com/news/20170111/vvc­report­investigator­believes­trustee­used­racial­slur 1/5

WednesdayPosted Jan 11, 2017 at 6:23 PMUpdated Jan 11, 2017 at 7:15 PM

By Charity Lindsey Staff Writer

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Shea Johnson Staff Writer

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VICTORVILLE - Eyewitnesses to alleged "vile and derogatory remarks" made byVictor Valley College trustee Joseph W. Brady - including calling PresidentBarack Obama a racial slur - were deemed credible by the college's taxpayer-funded private investigator, a report concludes.

"It is the opinion of this investigator, that ...; Trustee Brady, in the company ofseveral eyewitnesses, several times, referred to the president as a (slur),"investigator Leroy Milton Jr. concluded in the report obtained by the Daily Presson Wednesday. "All of the witnesses and the complainant (B.J. Newbern)expressed shock and dismay at Brady's conduct."

Although "disappointed in the contents of the report," Brady acknowledgedWednesday that arguing about it wouldn't change anything.

"While I don't agree with the report, there is nothing I can do to refute orapologize to Mr. Newbern more than I already have," Brady said.

VVC report: Investigator believes trustee usedracial slur

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Brady told the Daily Press in September when the investigation began that headmits to directing negative comments about Obama to a television, not toanyone, but did not utter the slur.

"I now understand that I needed to be a lot more sensitive about making anykind of a comment about the president of the United States," Brady said.

By a 3-2 vote, VVC's board opted not to publicly discuss the findings of theinvestigation during a special meeting Tuesday night.

The board's decision, rejected only by trustees Dennis Henderson and MarianneTortorici, effectively guaranteed that the college's decision-making bodywouldn't have the opportunity to vote on whether to censure Brady, who wasaccused of using the racial slur in reference to Obama in late July. Brady hasrepeatedly denied the claim and chalked it up to a political attack meant tosplinter college leadership, adding he had also received a threatening relatedvoicemail.

But even if the majority of the board had voted to advance the nearly three-hourspecial meeting into discussing the facts of the private investigator's report, itappeared highly unlikely that the board would have later agreed on Brady'scensure, which is a formal expression of disapproval and carries no disciplinaryweight.

The meeting, contentious at times, put to an end a more than three-month sagathat began when Newbern, an Apple Valley resident and firefighter at theMarine Corp Logistics Base, filed the complaint with the college and contendedthat Brady, inside the Spring Valley Lake Country Club, told a mutual friendwithin earshot of Newbern: "Oh, don't you worry about it, your (slur) buddy,Obama, will take care of you."

The disputed comment came during the night of the Democratic NationalConvention and was repeated to the investigator in multiple variations byNewbern and the three other witnesses, who are friends of Newbern.

Brady repeatedly apologized to Newbern during the meeting and recappedseveral rebuffed attempts to apologize in the period since he had been madeaware that Newbern was offended.

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"I accept your apologies if you mean it, and if you acknowledge that you actuallysaid it," said Newbern, who is half-black and attended the meeting with hisfamily, "but outside of that I'm not accepting an apology."

As the college appears to put the accusation behind it, it will pivot its attentionto reviewing policies to better address such claims in the future through an ad-hoc committee on cultural diversity.

Board President Brandon Wood appointed trustees Brady and John Pinkerton toserve on the committee, which will aim to make the board policy on ethics lessvague, with examples of possible violations.

"It's like a multicultural diversity group," Brady said. "I'm fully convinced weneed Newbern as a part of this committee and possibly other members of thepublic. Hopefully this all makes us better people at the end of the day."

The meeting, prefaced by Wood as a lose-lose situation, invited comment by thepublic and trustees in efforts to answer three distinct questions: Was thecomplaint within the board's purview? Was Brady's alleged utterance protectedby his First Amendment right to free speech? And did the board wish to reviewthe facts of the investigation on whether an ethical violation occurred?

Ultimately, however, Tuesday night's session evolved into a debate over law andethics.

Diana Carloni, Brady's attorney, warned that the college exposed itself topotential litigation by adopting a formal position, saying that the accusation didnot involve college matters and that VVC leaders had no purview.

Wood, a military veteran, defended the right to free speech, suggesting he wouldback a flag-burner's right to do so despite adamantly disagreeing with the action.

"A word only has as much power as you give it," Wood also said.

Yet others sought to re-steer the points of conversation beyond law and to theperceived ethical dilemma.

"We're talking about behavior here," said Tortorici, a trustee. "We're not talkingabout the law."

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Pinkerton, a trustee who voted against proceeding to publicly discuss the probe,acknowledged he was "torn is so many ways," yet also dismissed earlierreferences to education code and court rulings as not the only factors of thenight.

"It's not just about the law to me here," he said. "We need to make sure we don'tcondone language that divides our community."

Margaret Kagy, a student union representative who ran unsuccessfully for theboard in November, questioned why the board sought to painstakingly navigatethrough these issues now and not prior to hiring a private investigator for$2,700.

Brady accused Kagy of being behind the politically motivated assault toundermine his own candidacy in November and divide the board. Kagy chidedBrady for "absolutely lying."

"This has been a painful ordeal for me and my family, it's been a painful ordeal, Iknow, for our students," Brady later said. "I hate to see the time and money andexpense that was taken to do an investigation that's taken money away from ourclasses."

He added that he believed talks on Tuesday night would affect the college'saccreditation review in two months.

On Wednesday, Newbern said the meeting had failed to amount to resolution.

"I'm so disappointed in the outcome last night ...; I can't believe they didn't gothrough everything and make their vote (on censure) as they said they would,"he said. "It seemed to me that they didn't want the information out and theywanted to suppress it."

Newbern said he has filed a complaint with the California Community CollegesChancellor's Office, but the office has said it does not maintain jurisdiction overboard member behavior.

Charity Lindsey can be reached at 760-951-6245 or. Follow her on Twitter at

.

1/12/2017 Feeding America Riverside, San Bernardino has a new leader

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

Feeding America Riverside, San Bernardino has a new leader

By Neil Nisperos, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin

Wednesday, January 11, 2017

The region’s major supplier of food for non­profit organizations andfood pantries has a new leader.

Feeding America Riverside/San Bernardino announced that StephanieOtero is taking over as chief executive officer.

“I am excited and filled with gratitude to take this on and as far asvisions for the future, I think this is a time for new beginnings for ourfood bank,” Otero said.

Otero, a Rancho Cucamonga resident, served as the chief financialofficer for the past year. She has 15 years with local non­profits and 21 years working in the accounting andfinance industry. Originally from New Mexico, Otero moved to Southern California 22 years ago.

“To serve as the CFO over the past year has been a privilege, and now to be chosen to be the new CEO is anhonor,” Otero said in a statement. “I am excited for the future of our food bank and grateful to be part of anorganization that is such a vital part of our community, serving so many.”

In a phone interview on Tuesday, Otero said she’s excited to take on the new role.

“We have a lot of plans and goals for 2017,” she said. “We would love to expand our current programs. Ourultimate goal is always to feed more people and so we’re finding different avenues to do that.”

Feeding America Riverside/San Bernardino was started in 1980 as Survive Food Bank in response to theproblem of hunger and food waste in the Inland Empire. Today the organization, through its Riverside­baseddistribution center, provides over 2.5 million pounds of food for over 550 nonprofit organizations in the region,according to company officials.

More than 425,000 Inland Empire residents receive food through the work of Feeding America, according to theorganization.

“The Board of Directors is very excited to work with Stephanie as she leads our team to expand the reach of theorganization,” said board chairman Aaron Hodgdon, in a statement. “We will always be grateful for the hardwork and dedication of prior CEO Bill Carnegie.”

Food resource coordinator Veronica Galvan said Carnegie came in three years ago and expanded programs, suchas a farmer’s market for young people and a drought emergency food program. Galvan said Carnegie was a“great boss” and looks forward to Otero’s leadership.

“I think one of her big goals is bringing staff together and learning each other’s roles and being more team­spirited,” Galvan said. “What I get from her is she’s easy to talk to, very open and she’s very sincere in hergoals.”

1/12/2017 Feeding America Riverside, San Bernardino has a new leader

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Information: www.feedingamericaie.org or call: 951­359­4757.

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1/12/2017 Snow leads to Rim of the World school closures, winter weather warning

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

Snow leads to Rim of the World school closures, winter weather warning

By Beatriz Valenzuela, San Bernardino Sun

Thursday, January 12, 2017

The latest storm system has brought snow to local mountains leadingto one school district to cancel classes Thursday.

The Rim of the World Unified School District announced the snowday closure Thursday through their Twitter page, stating “all classeshave been canceled in the best interest of our students and staff.”

Snow chains are required for those planning to travel through themountain communities, especially along Highway 18, according toCalifornia Highway Patrol reports.

The National Weather Service issued a winter weather warning ineffect for the San Bernardino mountains and portions of the county affected by the Blue Cut Fire.

The warning is expected to remain in effect until 10 p.m. Thursday.

Meteorologists predict the latest weather system will be dumping about half a foot of snow in the localmountains. Snow levels are expected to drop to 5,000 feet late Thursday night and then down to 4,000 feet byFriday morning, according to NWS forecasters.

Rain continued to fall overnight with Lytle Creek Canyon receiving .63 inches, San Antonio Heights .43 inches,Lake Arrowhead .04 inches, and Cal State San Bernardino .11 inches, according to NWS numbers.

CHP officials remind motorists to drive cautiously. They advise drivers to slow down, leave early and increasefollowing distances. Those planning to make the trek to the local mountains should take special precautions andhave snow chains, an extra change of clothing and blankets, food and water as well as a fully charged cell phonewith them in their vehicles.

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1/12/2017 Storms make significant dent in California drought, new federal records show ­ LA Times

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A

Storms make significant dent in Californiadrought, new federal records show

By Joseph Serna and Shelby Grad

JANUARY 12, 2017, 7:35 AM

week of powerful storms in Northern California has significantly eased the state’s water shortage,

with a large swath of the state emerging from drought conditions, officials said Thursday.

The numbers underscore what officials have been saying for several months about the drought. As a

series of storms have hit Northern California this winter, the drought picture there is easing, but is still more of

a factor in Southern California and the Central Valley.

Forecasters predict this storm will be the region's most powerful in a decade.

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1/12/2017 Storms make significant dent in California drought, new federal records show ­ LA Times

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According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, more than 40% of the state is no longer in a drought. Officials said 35%

of the state was normal and that about 7% was “abnormally dry” but out of drought. Last week, 18% of the state

was normal and 14% abnormally dry, meaning 33% of the state was out of drought.

RELATED: Is the great California drought over?

This week’s drought monitor map shows no drought conditions through a huge swath of Northern California,

but serious water woes to the south. The most severe drought remains in parts of Los Angeles, Ventura and

Santa Barbara counties.

The storms drenched the Bay Area and created blizzard conditions in parts of the Sierra Nevada over the last

week. The storms dramatically boosted the Sierra snowpack — a key source of water for California — to 158% of

normal and made a significant dent in the state’s six­year drought.

But the weather systems also left a path of destruction. The storms likely caused at least four deaths.

Since Oct. 1, total precipitation in the Sierra Nevada has been soaring at rates similar to the wettest winters in

the modern record: 1982­83 in the northern and central Sierra and 1968­69 in the southern Sierra.

Lake Shasta, the state’s largest reservoir and a major source of water for San Joaquin Valley agriculture, is 81%

full and releasing water to create more storage room. Oroville, which supplies the State Water Project, is nearly

three­quarters full.

In much of Southern California, the dry autumn has given way to above­average rainfall that is helping

replenish local groundwater basins that typically provide roughly a third of the region’s water supply.

Numerous Northern California and Nevada rivers flooded, forcing thousands to flee their homes. While the

storms were beginning to taper off Wednesday, officials said they are still on high alert.

“The ground is saturated,” said Edan Weishahn, a meteorologist in the National Weather Service’s Reno

office. “They can’t handle any more water, so any more we get, it’s all runoff into the streets.”

In Guerneville in Sonoma County, the Russian River flooded from the combination of melting snow and more

than 12 inches of rain that have fallen since early last week across the region. Hundreds of Sonoma County

1/12/2017 Storms make significant dent in California drought, new federal records show ­ LA Times

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residents were displaced as the waters peaked at 37.7 feet, said Jennifer Larocque, a spokeswoman for Sonoma

County’s Transportation and Public Works department.

The last time the Russian River eclipsed that level was during a major storm that began on New Year’s Eve

2005 and sent rain onto the Rose Parade in Southern California days later.

In Sacramento, a tornado ripped across a suburb for about half a mile early Wednesday morning, damaging

trees and homes but not injuring anyone.

In the northern Sierra Nevada, where some peaks have received 12 feet of snow in a week, residents were told to

stay indoors Wednesday as heavy snowfall was again expected overnight. In Washoe County on the Nevada

side of Lake Tahoe, a “snow emergency” was declared for the first time in a decade, and residents were told to

stay inside, the National Weather Service said.

“We haven’t had a break between our very wet weather that we got early this week and another round of

precipitation we had last night. At this point, it just seems like they’re all running together,” Weishahn said.

ALSO

Flooding, stranded livestock and at least 4 dead as storms hit Northern California: 'They can'thandle any more'

Storm slams into Southern California, bringing flood risk, snow, mudslide warning

Will a surf gang allow the integration of Palos Verdes Estates' waves on Martin Luther King Jr.Day?

Copyright © 2017, Los Angeles Times

This article is related to: Floods and Flooding, Droughts and Heat Waves, California Drought, National WeatherService, Martin Luther King Day

1/12/2017 Is the great California drought finally ending? ­ LA Times

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T

Is the great California drought finally ending?

By Bettina Boxall

JANUARY 12, 2017, 7:40 AM

he state’s biggest reservoirs are swelling. The Sierra Nevada have seen as much snow, sleet, hail and

rain as during the wettest years on record. Rainy Los Angeles feels more like London than Southern

California.

So is the great California drought finally calling it quits?

Snow­covered mountains provide a dramatic backdrop for Crowley Lake. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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Yes. Or at least maybe. If the storm systems keep coming, state and regional water managers say, 2017 could be

the end of a dry spell that has, for more than five years, caused crops to wither, reservoirs to run dry and

homeowners to rip out their lawns and plant cactus.

“You’ve seen jumps in snowpack and precipitation amounts. You look at the charts, you see the line just pretty

much go straight up,” state climatologist Michael Anderson said. For most of the state, the end “is in the realm

of possibility now, which is kind of a nice thing to think about.”

But Anderson cautioned that the current “La Niña­ish” weather patterns, as he called them, make it tough to

know what the rest of the winter will bring. “The funny thing about this weather pattern — it’s about as

unpredictable as you can get.”

Nature could suddenly turn off the faucet, water officials warn.

“It could shut down,” said Jeanine Jones, interstate resources manager in the Department of Water Resources.

“We’re about a third of the way into the wettest part of the season. We have to see what happens in the rest of

the year.”

On Thursday, the U.S. Drought Monitor announced a major improvement in California’s drought picture. It

showed much of Northern California out of drought conditions.

Whether the drought is in its death throes also depends on what you look at. “In terms of surface water, most

of California is no longer in drought,” UC Davis water expert Jay Lund said Wednesday in a blog post.

But there is no set definition of drought, nor is there any legal criterion for declaring a beginning or end to it in

California.

Learn more

“You’ve seen jumps in snowpack and precipitationamounts. You look at the charts, you see the line

just pretty much go straight up.— state climatologist Michael Anderson

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“We can’t say that we’re no longer feeling the impacts of the drought,” said Deven Upadhyay, water resource

manager for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. “Later this year, we may be able to say

that we’ve really turned the tide and the drought’s over,” he said. “But we’re not there yet.”

Metropolitan imports water from the Colorado River and Northern California. Lake Oroville, the biggest

reservoir in the state system that sends supplies to the Southland, is filling at a stunning rate. That is almost

sure to mean the agency will get more water from the north than it has in years.

But Metropolitan’s regional reserves are still far lower than they were at the beginning of the drought. And,

Upadhyay says, 2017 could turn out to be a lone wet year followed by more dry years, as was the case in 2011.

“I sometimes talk about it as being more like a nine or 10­year drought,” he said. “Really, the only wet year we

had was 2010­11. That was a single wet year in what is really kind of a prolonged drought.”

For now, though, all but a few pockets of the state are wet and getting wetter. Weather gauges at Rocky Butte

in San Luis Obispo County recorded 17 inches of rain in the first 10 days of this month.

“They’ve been absolutely hammered,” said Joe Sirard, a National Weather Service meteorologist. “And up at Big

Sur, tremendous amounts of rain. That atmospheric river ... just inundated that area.”

Between Tuesday and Wednesday, the statewide snowpack jumped from 135% to 158% of normal for the date.

In the drought­punished Southern Sierra, the snowpack is 187% of the norm.

Since Oct. 1, total precipitation in the range has been soaring at rates similar to the wettest winters in the

modern record: 1982­83 in the northern and central Sierra and 1968­69 in the Southern Sierra.

Lake Shasta, the state’s largest reservoir and a major source of water for San Joaquin Valley agriculture, is 81%

full and releasing water to create more storage room. Oroville, which supplies the State Water Project, is nearly

three­quarters full.

“We’ve had fantastic runoff up here in the Sacramento [River] Basin, Feather [River] Basin. Some pretty jaw­

dropping numbers,” Anderson said.

In the first 10 days of this month, more water flowed into Oroville than the entire city of Los Angeles uses in a

year.

In much of Southern California, the dry autumn has given way to above­average rainfall that is helping

replenish local groundwater basins that typically provide roughly a third of the region’s water supply.

December rains were “long and steady,” good for seeping into the San Gabriel Valley aquifer, said Tony

Zampiello, executive officer of the Main San Gabriel Basin Watermaster, the agency that manages the

groundwater basin.

1/12/2017 Is the great California drought finally ending? ­ LA Times

http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la­me­storms­drought­20170111­story.html 4/5

Most of the aquifer’s recharge comes from mountain runoff and rainfall on the valley floor, both of which have

been in short supply in recent years. Water levels in a key well dropped 50 feet during the drought as local

districts serving 1.3 million people pumped more out of the groundwater basin than nature was putting back in.

“We need to start bringing water back in the basin. We’re obviously hoping this year will work out well,”

Zampiello said.

But not all of California is awash. “If you’re down around Santa Barbara County [or] the southern end of the

Tulare Lake Bed region in Tulare County,” the drought is still holding on, Anderson said.

A glaring exception to rebounding reservoir levels across the state is Santa Barbara County’s Lake Cachuma,

which is only 8% full.

“Boy, they managed to catch a whopping 1,200 acre­feet” the first week in January, Anderson

said sarcastically of the meager runoff. “We have these areas hardest hit by the drought, and they’re not seeing

relief.”

As for what the rest of the winter holds, Anderson said La Niña­like conditions could help or hurt.

They could deliver more drenching atmospheric rivers, more cold storms from Alaska that dump snow on the

Sierra, or high­pressure systems that block storms and push precipitation north of the state.

Even if the state lucks out with the first two, the worst drought in modern history has left its mark on the state

psyche.

Water conservation “will be basically a way of life for us,” said Richard Harasick, a senior assistant generalmanager at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.

bettina.boxall@latimes.com

Twitter: @boxall

ALSO

Weeks of rain are rapidly reviving California's drought­ravaged lakes

Storms are making a dent in California's drought; 7 feet of snow expected in some areas

State water officials are optimistic despite 'gloomy' California snowpack survey

UPDATES:

Jan. 12, 7:40 a.m.: This article was updated with data from the U.S. Drought Monitor Report.

1/12/2017 Flood advisory warns of possible mud and debris flows for eastern LA County

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

Flood advisory warns of possible mud and debris flows for eastern LA County

By Steve Rosenberg, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin

Thursday, January 12, 2017

As moderate to heavy rain continued pounding the Southland earlythis morning, the National Weather Service issued an urban and small­stream flood advisory for Eastern Los Angeles County, with roadwayflooding reported in Altadena and warnings about possible mud anddebris flows in San Gabriel and Santa Clarita valley burn areas.

Rainfall rates of between a quarter to a third of an inch per hour haveincreased the chance of local flooding, the NWS reported.

Locations most prone to flooding from today’s storm include LongBeach, Seal Beach, Chino, Rancho Palos Verdes, Whittier, RedondoBeach, Torrance, Pasadena, Griffith Park, Culver City, downtown Los

Angeles, Inglewood, Santa Monica, San Dimas, Venice, Manhattan Beach, Glendora, Beverly Hills, Alhambraand West Covina, the NWS warns.

Rain should become more widespread into the morning and afternoon, according to the NWS, with a slightchance of thunderstorms in the afternoon hours.

The flood advisory is in effect through 9:15 a.m., with an additional flash­flood warning in effect for the Fish,Reservoir and Sand fire burn areas, with the possibility of minor mud and debris flows on hillsides wherevegetation has been destroyed by fire.

The NWS also warns residents and motorists about the continuing danger of falling rocks and boulders oncanyon roads due to the rains over the past several days.

URL: http://www.dailybulletin.com/general­news/20170112/flood­advisory­warns­of­possible­mud­and­debris­flows­for­eastern­la­county

© 2017 Inland Valley Daily Bulletin (http://www.dailybulletin.com)

1/12/2017 One more soaking for Southern California before sunshine returns

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

One more soaking for Southern California before sunshine returns

By Anne Millerbernd, The Press­Enterprise

Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Southern Californians haven’t yet seen the last rain cloud, but we’reon the homestretch.

A cold storm — the third and final storm of the week — will arrivethis morning, soaking the coasts and valleys yet again and droppingheavy snow in the mountains.

The mountains of Riverside and San Bernardino counties will beunder a winter storm warning. Snow, dense fog and gusty winds couldmake travel dangerous, forecasters said. Chain requirements are likely,

and anyone heading to the mountains was advised to bring extra food, water and a flashlight.

Along the 5 Freeway at the Grapevine, heading north out of Los Angeles County, the snow level could fall lowenough by tonight and Friday morning to cause delays or closures, the National Weather Service warned.

In Wednesday’s storm, 3 inches of rain had fallen in Devore as of 6 p.m., and the southern slopes of the SanGabriel Mountains had close to or over 2 inches, according to the weather service. The San BernardinoMountains got more than 1 inch. Most coastal and valley areas ranged between one­tenth and one­half of aninch.

“It’s amazing how much rain California’s gotten,” said weather service meteorologist Mark Moede. “It’s beenbeneficial in some areas and there’s obviously been some flooding up north.”

By the time this third storm has dried up Friday, another 0.4 to 0.8 inch of rain is expected in coastal and valleyareas, and up to 2 inches could fall in the mountains below the snowline, forecasters predicted.

Above 6,000 feet, 5 to 10 inches of snow could fall, and up to 15 inches is possible above 8,000 feet. Theheaviest snowfall is expected between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. today, according to the weather service’s winter stormwarning.

Today should be the coldest day of the week, with highs in the 50s for most of Southern California outside of themountains. Lows tonight could dip into the 30s in the Inland area, but L.A. County will be more moderate,mostly in the 40s.

This week’s consistent precipitation is the result of an “atmospheric river” directed at Northern California. As ahigh­pressure ridge weakens, some of the rain escapes the atmospheric river’s path and lands in SouthernCalifornia.

Today’s storm represents the tail end of that phenomenon, Moede said, but a few isolated showers could still slipin Friday.

Southern Californians will be rewarded for their patience with the gloomy weather with some seasonabletemperatures and sunshine over the long Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend, he said.

1/12/2017 One more soaking for Southern California before sunshine returns

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Highs for both Los Angeles and the Inland area should return to the 60s by Saturday and stay there throughTuesday, according to the weather service.

Be sure to soak up that sunshine, because Moede said the reprieve from rainfall won’t last. Early weathermodels show yet another storm system heading for Southern California toward the end of next week.

URL: http://www.sbsun.com/general­news/20170111/one­more­soaking­for­southern­california­before­sunshine­returns

© 2017 San Bernardino County Sun (http://www.sbsun.com)

1/12/2017 Print Article: Amazon plans to hire 100,000 over the next 18 months

http://www.pe.com/common/printer/view.php?db=pressenterprise&id=822979 1/1

Amazon plans to hire 100,000 over the next 18 monthsASSOCIATED PRESS2017­01­12 06:48:24

Amazon plans to hire 100,000 people across the U.S. over the next 18months.

The online retailer said Thursday that the jobs are full time and come withbenefits. Many of the new jobs will be at fulfillment centers currently beingbuilt in a number of states, including California, Florida and Texas.

The Seattle company says the new jobs will be filled by people of differingexperiences and education levels.

Amazon.com Inc. says it’s expanded its U.S. workforce by more than 150,000 people in the last five years.

The hiring surge comes as traditional retailers cut jobs and close stores.

Last week, the Limited said it would close all its stores and Macy’s moved forward with plans to close 68 storesand said it will cut more than 10,000 jobs.

RELATED

What Amazon means to Eastvale

Using robot help, Amazon ships more than 1 billion holiday gifts

How Amazon may crack the brick­and­mortar grocery market

Amazon donates $10,000 in school supplies to San Bernardino teachers

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1/12/2017 Print Article: Inland Empire leads nation in warehouse construction

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Inland Empire leads nation in warehouse constructionBy FIELDING BUCK2017­01­11 13:39:23

The Inland Empire leads the nation in industrial construction, completingalmost 25 million square feet in 2016, real estate services firm JLLreports.

Most of the construction was in warehouses and distribution, 24,351,529square feet opposed to 245,797 square feet in manufacturing space,according to JLL’s fourth quarter industrial statistics for the Inland Empire.

JLL describes both the IE East and West submarkets as peaking, withlandlords holding leverage. Rents have risen 20 perccent in the marketsince 2010.

The division between east and west is around Fontana.

Industrial construction in the IE has topped 20 million square feet for three years straight. Currently, 21,824,565square feet of warehousing is under construction, 12,519,560 of that in the East submarket.

by comparision, there is 4,601,840 square feet of warehousing under construction in Los Angeles County,according to JLL.

© Copyright 2017 Freedom Communications. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy & Terms of Service | Copyright | Site Map

1/12/2017 Print Article: Riverside County Board of Education picks first female and minority leader

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Riverside County Board of Education picks first female andminority leaderBy STEPHEN WALL2017­01­11 20:33:33

Moreno Valley Unified School District Superintendent Judy White madehistory Wednesday, becoming the first woman or minority to becomeRiverside County’s schools chief.

After an hourlong public interview session, county board members pickedWhite, an African American woman, over the other finalist, deputy countyschools superintendent Paul Jessup.

The vote was 4­3, with Vice President Elizabeth Romero and trusteesRay Curtis, Bruce Dennis and Barbara Hale supporting White andPresident Wendel Tucker and board members Jeanie Corral and SusanRainey opposing her.

An earlier motion by Tucker to appoint Jessup failed with Romero, Curtis,Dennis and Hale voting against him and Tucker, Corral and Rainey infavor.

A packed crowd erupted in applause after White’s selection. More than adozen speakers spoke before the interviews, with many backing herappointment. Both candidates took turns answering questions from boardmembers during the session.

“I’m a history maker and a stereotype breaker,” White, a 61­year­oldMoreno Valley resident, said at the end of the interview. “I bring unity wherever I go.”

White is the first woman and minority to become superintendent since Riverside County was formed in 1893.There have been 11 previous schools chiefs.

“I’m still taking it all in,” White said after the meeting.

“I am very, very grateful for this opportunity. I can assure you you will not be disappointed,” she told the crowdafter the vote.

White has broken other barriers. She noted during the interview she was the first female Associated StudentBody president of her high school and afterward said she was the first person of color to serve as an assistantsuperintendent in the San Bernardino City Unified School District, where she worked before becoming MorenoValley Unified’s superintendent almost six years ago. White was Moreno Valley Unified’s first blacksuperintendent, trustee Jesus Holguin said.

Her supporters touted her success in raising graduation rates and starting innovative programs that earnedMoreno Valley Unified state and local honors.

“What Dr. White has accomplished over the last six years is nothing short of remarkable,” Dennis said.

While praising White’s achievements, Tucker said Jessup would ensure continuity in the position.

1/12/2017 Print Article: Riverside County Board of Education picks first female and minority leader

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“I think we have very viable programs taking place that need to be completed over the next two years,” Tuckersaid.

White said she spoke with Jessup before the meeting and that he told her he would support her if she got thejob. Jessup has been the county deputy superintendent and chief administrative officer since July 2007 and willremain in that role.

“He said, ‘If you get it, it’s us, it’s not just me,” White told the audience after the vote. “You got the best of bothworlds.”

Jessup said his qualifications made him best equipped for the job.

“The depth and breadth of my experience I think is rare,” he said during the interview, calling himself “aneducator who happens to be in school business.”

Trustees asked White if she could start her new post Feb. 1. White said she wants to but needs to getpermission from the Moreno Valley Unified board to get out early from her contract, which requires a 30­dayresignation notice. If she is not allowed to leave early, she would not begin her county position until Feb. 11.

Holguin and Moreno Valley Unified Board President Cleveland Johnson spoke in favor of White at the meeting.

White and Jessup were selected as finalists from the six candidates who met the minimum qualifications for thepost. Ten people applied for the job.

White will finish former Superintendent Kenn Young’s four­year term, which ends in January 2019.

Young started a senior leadership job last week with Advancement Via Individual Determination, or AVID, aSan Diego­based nonprofit that prepares high school graduates for college.

The board’s decision came after an hourlong interview session in which the candidates took turns answeringquestions about their qualifications and priorities for their first 100 days. They also discussed their views of thesuperintendent’s role and responsibilities, fiscal matters, employee relations and other issues.

The superintendent’s responsibilities include fiscal and academic oversight of the county’s 23 school districtsand leading the Riverside County Office of Education, which has more than 1,600 employees and a $285million annual budget. The superintendent does not set policy or have authority over day­to­day operations ofindividual school districts or schools.

Contact the writer: 951­368­9292 orstwall@scng.comTwitter: @pe_swall

© Copyright 2017 Freedom Communications. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy & Terms of Service | Copyright | Site Map

1/12/2017 State wants counties to pay more for in­home care | 89.3 KPCC

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Gov. Jerry Brown is proposing shifting part of the burden of funding in­home care for low­income seniors and disabled people back to California's counties, amove that the state acknowledges would likely cause the localities "financial hardship and cash flow problems." The counties' statewide association warns thatthis could force them to slash spending on other programs or services.

The state's 58 counties are facing a collective $626 million annual hit under the governor's proposal, according to his budget blueprint. Since In­HomeSupportive Services is a federal entitlement, counties must contribute their share. That means any cuts would have to come from other parts of counties’budgets.

"We cannot cut hours or turn people away at the door who apply," says Farrah McDaid Ting, legislative representative for the California State Association ofCounties.

The state assumed part of the counties' cost of running In­Home Supportive Services in 2012. There are some 500,000 Californians who use the program,which is funded with federal, state and county monies.

The move, part of an effort called the Coordinated Care Initiative, was "designed to be a program that would achieve cost savings," says H.D Palmer, deputydirector of the state Department of Finance. But due to increased costs, the program is not sustainable, he says, and will be discontinued in the fiscal year thatbegins July 1.

Palmer points to several factors behind the rise in costs.

He notes that around 100,000 additional people went on the program in the past five years. In addition, the extension of federal overtime protections to in­home workers pushed up costs, and now California is going to increase the statewide minimum wage.

While acknowledging that shifting the cost burden back to the counties will cause them "financial hardship," Brown's budget plan says the state is prepared towork with counties "to mitigate, to the extent possible, the impact of returning a share of the fiscal responsibility for [In­Home Supportive Services] tocounties."

Counties are in danger of being "overwhelmed by these expenses," says Matthew Cate, executive director of the Association of Counties.

"We weren’t surprised" by Brown's proposal, says Cate, "but we were disappointed." To help counties manage the additional financial burden, he says thestate should cover the cost of the increased state minimum wage and sick leave provisions implemented in the past five years, and "at least half the overtime."

1/12/2017 State wants counties to pay more for in­home care | 89.3 KPCC

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In southern California, the most populous counties ­ Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego ­ "will all take really big hits financially," says Cate.

More than 200,000 people in Los Angeles County alone receive In­Home Supportive Services, according to the county's Department of Public SocialServices. The county budgeted more than $600 million for provider services in the fiscal year that ended last summer.

Under the Coordinated Care Initiative, the state also took responsibility for collective bargaining with In­Home Supportive Services workers in sevencounties: Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Clara, San Mateo and Orange. The Initiative's demise would mean those counties wouldhave to once again handle that task.

That could hit in­home support workers in the wallet, because the new costs will leave counties "very little to offer ... workers in the way of wages andbenefits," says the Association of Counties' McDaid Ting.

The union that represents in­home caregivers will press to ensure that they "have the best wages and benefits that allow them a quality standard of living,"according to SEIU Local 2015 Provisional President Laphonza Butler. "We will continue to work with the Administration and counties to make sure that isthe case," she said in a statement.

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1/12/2017 MyCapture | The Union Democrat

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AP Nation / WorldJan 11, 9:13 PM EST California revenue is growing. So why the talk of deficits?

By JONATHAN J. COOPER Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) ­­ California's economy is expanding and voters just approvedbillions of dollars in tax increases, yet Gov. Jerry Brown this week projected a budget deficit forthe first time in four years and called for spending cuts.

So what's going on?

The paradoxical budget picture is a result of revenue growing more slowly than economistshad predicted after years of rapid increases from a hard­charging economy. While Brownexpects revenue to be up 3 percent next year, the governor and lawmakers assumedrevenues would be even higher when they planned the current budget, and they spentaccordingly. Costs are higher than expected, too.

Lower revenue and higher costs mean the state has approved spending money that Browndoesn't think it will collect. He is proposing to cut $3.2 billion allocated to education, statebuilding construction, affordable housing, college grants and child care providers.

"The red always far outweighs the black, and the years of surplus are very few in number andvery modest, and the deficits are much larger in magnitude," Brown, a Democrat, toldreporters when he released his opening budget proposal on Tuesday. "And that really is thechallenge of California."

Brown's administration says California's three biggest income sources ­ personal incometaxes, sales taxes and corporate taxes ­ are all coming in below projections.

That's because recent growth in wages has been dominated by workers at the lower end ofthe wage spectrum who pay lower tax rates, including people getting a boost to comply with anew minimum wage, according to the Department of Finance.

Higher labor costs, combined with fears of lower earnings in the coming year, are diminishingcorporate profits and the taxes they pay.

And sales taxes are depressed by high costs for housing and health care ­ expenses that don't incur sales tax but eat up consumers'disposable income and crowd out other spending.

Meanwhile, costs are rising.

1/12/2017 MyCapture | The Union Democrat

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MultimediaObama's 2011 budget

For the current budget year, Brown and the Legislature approved $3.6 billion in new optionalspending on programs they care about; about $700 million of it is for ongoing costs foruniversities, state workers, the courts and prison system, and social services. Another $2.6billion was directed to reserve accounts.

They also under­calculated how much it would cost to operate Medi­Cal, the publicly fundedhealth plan for the poor, by about $1.8 billion.

Brown's deficit projection could also be wrong. The administration's revenue forecast for thenext budget year is $4.1 billion less than the Legislature's estimate released two months ago,which projected a surplus.

"The state has a history of being off on projections," said Jeff Cummins, a professor atCalifornia State University, Fresno and author of a book on California's budget. "It'snotoriously hard to get it right. ... There are so many variables at play when you're trying tomake those projections that it's really hard to be accurate."

Voters in November approved an extension of higher tax rates for wealthy taxpayers followingpromises of protecting school funding, but it doesn't affect the budget until 2018. That's whenthe tax hikes, originally approved in 2012, were scheduled to expire. Taxes on tobacco andhospitals are mitigating the severity of the current budget problem, Brown's budget adviserssay.

Republicans say the problem isn't with revenue but with spending.

Despite the recent revenue slowdown driving Brown's current deficitprojection, state revenue is up $36 billion since the worst of thebudget bleeding that followed the Great Recession. Some of theextra money is thanks to robust economic improvement that droveup wages and employment, and some is the fruit of voter­approvedtax increases on high­income earners.

About two­thirds of the $36 billion has gone to required educationspending; by law, about half of state revenue must go to K­12 schools and community colleges. Per­student spending in the governor'sbudget proposal is up $3,900 since 2011­2012.

The state's decision to expand the Medi­Cal program, as allowed under President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act, will cost $1.6 billionfrom the general fund in the next budget.

Brown and lawmakers have also expanded higher education funding. Costs are up for public­employee pensions and retiree health care costs.The higher minimum wage and collective bargaining agreements have increased state labor costs.

"Just last November, California voters approved an additional $10 billion of new taxes to line our government's pockets, yet the governor andthe Democrats have managed to spend $2 billion more than the state is projected to collect," Assemblyman Travis Allen, R­Huntington Beach,said in a statement.

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1/12/2017 Did developer­linked donations violate campaign finance laws? State watchdog agency will investigate ­ LA Times

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la­me­ln­fppc­investigation­20170111­story.html 1/3

A

Did developer-linked donations violate campaignfinance laws? State watchdog agency willinvestigate

By Emily Alpert Reyes, David Zahniser

JANUARY 12, 2017, 3:00 AM

state agency that enforces campaign finance laws has launched an investigation in response to a

Times report on political donations connected to the developer of a Harbor Gateway apartment

project.

A spokesman for the Fair Political Practices Commission said the agency opened its probe after receiving a

letter from a Times reader, who pointed to the newspaper’s investigation into donors with ties to Samuel Leung,

developer of the 352­unit Sea Breeze project. The reader asked the agency to look into whether donors

mentioned in the story had violated campaign finance laws.

The Sea Breeze is a 352­unit apartment project in the Harbor Gateway area. (Travis Geske / For The Times)

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1/12/2017 Did developer­linked donations violate campaign finance laws? State watchdog agency will investigate ­ LA Times

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FPPC spokesman Jay Wierenga declined to provide further details, saying that the commission does not

comment on open investigations.

The Times reported in October that donors linked directly or indirectly to Leung gave more than $600,000 to

support 11 L.A.­area politicians as Sea Breeze was being reviewed at Los Angeles City Hall. Several people who

are listed as campaign contributors said they could not remember making those donations or denied doing so.

Campaign finance experts said those responses raised questions about whether someone else had provided the

money, a practice that would violate campaign finance laws.

The Times also reported that a Chatsworth resident who has ties to a Leung business associate said she had

been reimbursed for at least one donation by a relative. The practice of reimbursing donors, also known as

campaign money laundering, is prohibited because it obscures the true source of funding and can be used to

circumvent limits on political giving.

The FPPC takes all complaints under an initial review, but opens an investigation only if there is sufficient

evidence of a possible violation of the California Political Reform Act, Wierenga said. That law regulates

campaign finance, financial conflicts of interests for public officials, and other governmental ethics issues.

The agency can impose fines of up to $5,000 per violation. In the past, it has worked with the Los Angeles City

Ethics Commission to investigate local cases, including a 1993 money laundering case that resulted in a nearly$900,000 penalty for a shipping company.

Neither Leung nor his representatives responded to requests for comment Wednesday. Approached byreporters last year, Leung said he did not reimburse any donors and declined to discuss the matter further.

Allegations surrounding the political contributions are also under review by the office of Dist. Atty. Jackie

Lacey. The Los Angeles City Ethics Commission, which enforces campaign finance laws at the city level,

declined to comment on whether it too was investigating the donations, saying that the City Charter and

administrative code require that its investigations be kept confidential.

1/12/2017 Did developer­linked donations violate campaign finance laws? State watchdog agency will investigate ­ LA Times

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la­me­ln­fppc­investigation­20170111­story.html 3/3

“This is an important safeguard that helps to ensure due process for those affected by our laws,” Deputy

Executive Director David Tristan said in a statement. “However, both laws also require us to review all

complaints and conduct investigations into alleged violations. We take that mandate very seriously.”

Political donations from real estate developers have come under renewed scrutiny in Los Angeles. On Tuesday,

five members of the Los Angeles City Council proposed a ban on political donations from

developers during and shortly after city reviews of their building projects.

Several candidates vying to unseat incumbents in the March 7 election have pledged not to take contributions

from developers. And concern about the political influence of developers has been a recurring theme in the

campaign for a controversial ballot measure that would temporarily restrict development.

emily.alpert@latimes.com

Twitter: @LATimesEmily

ALSO

How to make L.A. housing more affordable? One vision is on Tuesday's city ballot

DA's office will review campaign contributions from donors with ties to Sea Breeze developer

Political donations flow as Rick Caruso seeks approval for a 20­story tower near the BeverlyCenter

Copyright © 2017, Los Angeles Times

This article is related to: Los Angeles City Council, Rick Caruso

1/12/2017 Claremont city manager getting a $21,000 bonus

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

Claremont city manager getting a $21,000 bonus

By Liset Márquez, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin

Wednesday, January 11, 2017

CLAREMONT >> The city manager here is getting a $22,270 bonus.

The council is so pleased with City Manager Tony Ramos’ work, following a recent review, they are giving hima one­time $21,952 bonus. The total comes to $22,270, which includes a 1.45 percent Medicare cost.

That’s 10 percent of his annual salary.

Although the council unanimously voted Tuesday night in favor of the bonus, one member of the public tookissue.

Resident Jim Belna urged the council to reconsider, adding it was not meant as criticism of Ramos.

“He’s an extremely hard worker and has had to deal with extraordinary challenges this year,” Belna told thecouncil.

Instead, Belma said he was directing his comments — which he deemed as advice — to the council.

“In the real world, when an organization loses millions of dollars, the people who are responsible for it usuallyget fired. Even they worked hard and tried their best,” he said. “If they somehow managed to keep their jobs itwould be unthinkable to reward them with a bonus.”

He was referring to a Los Angeles Superior Court judge’s final decision issued in December siding with GoldenState Water. Claremont has yet to decide if it will concede or file an appeal. If the decision stands, Claremontcould end up spending $14 million on the case, which includes Golden State Water’s legal fees.

Councilman Corey Calaycay acknowledged that the staff report failed to detail the evaluation and why thecouncil felt Ramos deserved the bonus. The decision, he said, wasn’t just based on his performance on theGolden State Water case.

The staff report stated: “The City Council unanimously agreed that Mr. Ramos is doing an excellent job as citymanager in managing projects, maintaining a strong financial situation, and serving as a leader both within theCity organization and in the community.”

In the past, previous city managers received a cost of living increase in lieu of a bonus. The difference, a bonusis a one­time reward while a cost of living has a long­term impact to the budget and the city’s ongoingcontribution to that employee’s pension.

To put it into perspective, Calaycay said that Ramos’ total compensation is still less than the previous citymanager.

Calaycay also pointed out that Belna has long opposed the city’s stance on the water issue.

1/12/2017 Claremont city manager getting a $21,000 bonus

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Council members Larry Schroeder, Joe Lyons and Calaycay said the decision to proceed with eminent domainof the water system was a community decision.

“Do not put the blame on the judge’s decision at the feet of the city’s manager who does a stellar job,” Lyonssaid.

URL: http://www.dailybulletin.com/general­news/20170111/claremont­city­manager­getting­a­21000­bonus

© 2017 Inland Valley Daily Bulletin (http://www.dailybulletin.com)

1/12/2017 Santa Barbara Develops One­Stop­Shop Web Portal for Small Businesses | PublicCEO

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Santa Barbara Develops One-Stop-Shop Web Portal for Small

BusinessesPOSTED BY : LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES JANUARY 11, 2017

Working with local business organizations and entrepreneurs, the city of Santa Barbara developed a

program to help small business owners navigate city regulations and services. This program comprises

an instructional guide, online resources, videos and a quarterly newsletter to make it easier for

entrepreneurs to find the resources they need to make informed decisions and spend wisely for their

business.

Santa Barbara in recent years conducted roundtable discussions with the various business sectors

quarterly to understand their challenges and to improve services. In 2013, the mayor met with local

entrepreneurs who had experience launching their first business or growing their operations.

Entrepreneurs shared stories about the difficulties of finding information by visiting multiple

departments or being caught off guard by new information.

Common inquiries included:

Understanding what activities might require approvals;

How to plan tenant improvements and navigate the planning and permitting process;

When to get a business license;

Best practices to conserve water; and

Obtaining permits for events and special needs.

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1/12/2017 Santa Barbara Develops One­Stop­Shop Web Portal for Small Businesses | PublicCEO

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Leasing or purchasing a new space is a critical and expensive decision for entrepreneurs and many

business owners voiced frustrations about learning of planning and permitting regulations after

committing to a lease. City staff also realized the countless hours spent assisting first-time business

owners who made decisions and commitments without key information in hand. If business owners

researched a property, understood requirements, and planned accordingly, they could avoid

significant expenses and later complication with the city when they needed to comply with building

regulations.

Communicating with prospective business owners further adds to the challenge because

entrepreneurs may not understand that there are regulations that need to be followed and may not

visit a city counter or website until they are too far along in the process. Some businesses noted that

they were hesitant to contact the city because they may be taking a risk in sharing plans that would

later not be approved. Unfortunately, this mindset prevents business owners from getting the early

advice that is essential for them to successfully implement their business plans.

Santa Barbara developed online resources and videos to help business owners navigate regulations

and services that may affect their business. A guide on Starting and Growing Your Business is provided

over the counter for every new business license. The city’s website was also reorganized with a portal

of business information to connect entrepreneurs with advice on specific business needs that include

creating a disaster plan, conserving water, placing tables on the sidewalk for outdoor dining, and

installing any type of signage. The online resources include an interactive mapping tool to create

custom-designed maps, library databases available for consumer research, advice to certify as a green

business, and directions to list businesses on Google maps. An area for community resources was also

developed on the website featuring organizations that provide start-up assistance, mentorship and

networking organizations, incubators that offer low-cost work spaces and meeting areas, and trade

and professional associations.

Communication materials were designed to translate difficult concepts and explain issues to a first-

time business owner. Improved messaging and tone helps entrepreneurs build trust and develop a

new mindset that the city values local businesses, understands their challenges, and appreciates their

commitment to remain in Santa Barbara. Businesses are strongly encouraged to seek advice early and

often because the city wants to be a partner in their success.

The city produced videos with examples of businesses complying with regulations and introduce key

city staff who could explain their services. Video topics include police services, water conservation,

obtaining a business license, how restaurants and automotive businesses can prevent water pollution,

and the basics of planning and development. The video library continues to grow with new topics to

address different business services.

The quarterly newsletter helps the city remain in regular contact with business owners. The brief

communication includes short videos and key information to highlight new city policies affecting the

business community. Roundtable meetings with community business organizations provide a forum to

discuss outreach opportunities and brainstorm ideas for new content to help local businesses. Staff

has also been trained in specific customer service protocols to help new and existing businesses.

The city has received positive feedback on this effort. Since the online resources were launched, the

business site has received over 6,600 visits with 83 percent representing return visitors. A high level of

return indicates that businesses are relying on the site for information. When someone visits the city’s

home page, the business area is one of the most frequently visited areas of the site.

Collaboration with business and entrepreneurial organizations has helped leverage the strengths of

each organization to raise the level of community services provided to entrepreneurs.

Other cities can easily adopt similar practices and improve connections with the business community.

While cities may not be in a position to solve many problems facing local businesses, they can make it

easier to navigate the existing municipal services and regulations by taking steps to organize and

improve their information so businesses avoid visiting every counter to help with each step.

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