LOCAL NEWS ACLU files lawsuit against ICE, San ... Bernardino woman, detained by ICE despite being...
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By JOE NELSON | [email protected] | San Bernardino Sun PUBLISHED: December 19, 2017 at 7:13 pm | UPDATED: December 20, 2017 at 7:29 am Guadalupe Plascencia, 60, of San Bernardino, sued ICE and the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Tuesday, alleging she was arrested, jailed and placed on an ICE hold in March without probable cause. A San Bernardino grandmother and U.S. citizen of 20 years zled a federal lawsuit Tuesday alleging she was jailed and placed on an ICE hold, without probable cause, a|er trying to retrieve personal belongings from the Ontario Police Department. The ACLU Foundation of Southern California and the Los Angeles law zrm Sidley Austin LLP zled the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Riverside on behalf of Guadalupe Plascencia, 60, a hair stylist and San Bernardino resident of 38 years s. Plascencia, according to the lawsuit, arrived at the Ontario Police Department with her daughter about 4 p.m. March 29 to collect her gun, which was retrieved from her car a|er it was involved in a trafzc accident. LOCAL NEWS ACLU files lawsuit against ICE, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department alleging illegal jailing of grandmother
Transcript of LOCAL NEWS ACLU files lawsuit against ICE, San ... Bernardino woman, detained by ICE despite being...
By JOE NELSON | [email protected] | San Bernardino SunPUBLISHED: December 19, 2017 at 7:13 pm | UPDATED: December 20, 2017 at 7:29 am
Guadalupe Plascencia, 60, of San Bernardino, sued ICE and the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Tuesday, alleging she was arrested,jailed and placed on an ICE hold in March without probable cause.
A San Bernardino grandmother and U.S. citizen of 20 years led a federal lawsuit Tuesday alleging she was jailed and placed on an ICE
hold, without probable cause, a er trying to retrieve personal belongings from the Ontario Police Department.
The ACLU Foundation of Southern California and the Los Angeles law rm Sidley Austin LLP led the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in
Riverside on behalf off Guadalupe Plascencia, 60, a hair stylist and San Bernardino resident of 38 yearss.
Plascencia, according to the lawsuit, arrived at the Ontario Police Department with her daughter about 4 p.m. March 29 to collect her gun,
which was retrieved from her car a er it was involved in a traf c accident.
LOCAL NEWS
ACLU files lawsuit against ICE, San Bernardino Countyg ,Sheriff’s Department alleging illegal jailing ofpgrandmother
“Instead of walking out with her things, however, Ms. Plascencia found herself under arrest,” the lawsuit states. “To her shock and dismay,
the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department took her into custody and handed her over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement
(ICE) agents that arrested, handcuffed, and detained her – even though Ms. Plascencia repeatedly told both county and federal of cers that
she is an American citizen and offered to provide documents showing this to be true.”
RELATED: Rialto landscaper, a U.S. citizen, to get $20,000 a er ICE agents arrested, detained him
Plascencia, a mother of ve children, had a permit to carry the rearm and was arrested on a 10-year-old warrant for not appearing in
court to testify as a witness in a case, a legal matter that has since been resolved, said attorney Eva Bitran, of the ACLU’s San Bernardino
of ce, in a telephone interview Tuesday.
The lawsuit notes that the electronic databases ICE uses to identify “enforcement targets” and “discern citizenship and immigration status”
do not contain naturalization records prior to 1994, and only “spotty information” is available prior to 2008.
“Plascencia’s case shows why collaboration between ICE and local law enforcement is especially dangerous: San Bernardino Sheriff’s
deputies should know better than to trust ICE, as the agency relies on outdated and error-ridden databases to justify its arrests,” Bitran said
in a statement Tuesday. “Especially in light of Plascencia’s constant assertions that she is a U.S. citizen, neither the county nor ICE had
probable cause to detain her. This collaboration resulted in violations of a U.S. citizen’s constitutional rights.”
Sheriff’s spokeswoman Cindy Bachman said in an email Tuesday that the Sheriff’s Department does not comment on pending litigation,
but did provide information on its policies and procedures on immigration enforcement. While the department no longer participates in
immigration enforcement and does not notify ICE of anyone’s immigration status when they are in custody, the department does provide
information to state and federal law enforcement agencies upon request.
In Plascencia’s case, ICE sent the Sheriff’s Department an immigration detainer requesting it detain Plascencia “up to 48 hours past her
release,” Bachman said. She said Plascencia was provided a consent form to be interviewed by ICE, which she signed. The form was
provided to Plascencia under California’s new law – Transparency Review of Unjust Transfers and Holds – or, the TRUTH Act, Bachman
said.
The TRUTH Act took effect on Jan. 1, 2017.
The Sheriff’s Department cite-released Plascencia from custody and gave her a notice to appear in court to resolve her arrest warrant.
Upon her release, an ICE agent detained Plascencia and took her to the agency’s San Bernardino of ce to be interviewed, Bachman said.
Plascencia’s attorneys maintain that ICE agents mocked her while she was in their custody, accused her of identity the , threatened to
deport her and refused to allow her to make a phone call. An ICE agent nally called Plascencia’s daughter, who later arrived at the of ce
with her mother’s passport proving her citizenship.
“Ms. Plascencia’s ordeal was entirely preventable if of cers had taken a moment to properly investigate her citizenship and listen to her
repeated pleas that she was a lawful U.S. citizen,” said James M. Perez, one of Plascencia’s attorneys, in a statement Tuesday. “Rather, Ms.
Plascencia, a mother of ve, a grandmother of 16, and a business owner, was made to feel that she did not belong in her own country. This
lawsuit seeks to protect Ms. Plascencia’s right to live in this country without fear of being unlawfully detained.”
ICE spokesman James Schwab declined to comment Tuesday, saying the agency does not comment on pending litigation.
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T
San Bernardino woman, detained by ICE despite being U.S. citizen,sues
By Andrea Castillo
DECEMBER 19, 2017, 3:00 PM
he American Civil Liberties Union and a law firm have filed a lawsuit on behalf of a San Bernardino woman who spent a day in immigration
custody despite repeatedly saying that she was an American citizen.
Guadalupe Plascencia, 60, spent the night of March 29 in jail because of a decade-old bench warrant related to her alleged failure to appear as a
witness in a court case. She said a San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputy asked her to sign documents that night acknowledging that officials with U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement had inquired about her immigration status.
As she tried to leave the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga, Plascencia said she was met by immigration enforcement agents,
handcuffed and placed in the back of a van. She spent the rest of the day in ICE custody, fearful that she would be deported despite becoming a citizen
nearly 20 years ago.
Plascencia was released after she was allowed to speak to her daughter, who quickly arrived with her passport.
She filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the federal immigration agency and the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, claiming she was detained
without probable cause, on the basis of her ethnicity. She seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive relief for unreasonable search and seizure, false
arrest, false imprisonment and violation of equal protection under the law.
The lawsuit claims Plascencia’s release from the San Bernardino County jail was delayed to give immigration agents time to pick her up.
Plascencia’s attorneys say her wrongful arrest and detention likely stemmed from faulty information in electronic databases that ICE agents use to identify
enforcement targets and discern immigration status, despite being incomplete and prone to errors.
Guadalupe Plascencia recounts her ordeal of being arrested by Ontario police, jailed and then transferred to ICE custody, despite the fact she is a U.S. citizen.
San Bernardino Sheriff’s Cpl. Ruben Perez previously said ICE issued a detainer request for Plascencia on March 30, the same day she was to be released
from jail. ICE sends the requests to local law enforcement agencies when police arrest someone who immigration officials want to take into custody. Perez
said sheriff’s officials did not contact ICE or inquire as to Plascencia’s immigration status, adding that to do so would be against department policy.
An ICE spokeswoman said at the time that the agency would never knowingly take enforcement action against or detain someone if there was evidence
indicating the person was a U.S. citizen.
Copyright © 2017, Los Angeles Times
This article is related to: Immigration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
By Kevin Trudgeon City EditorPosted Dec 19, 2017 at 4:37 PMUpdated Dec 19, 2017 at 4:46 PM
ADELANTO — Authorities are searching for a suspect who reportedlyshot someone in the leg during a drug deal Monday evening.
San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Victor Valley Station deputiesresponded to a 911 call at approximately 9:01 p.m. regarding a victimwho had been shot in the leg in the 11000 block of Windcrest Court inAdelanto.
“According to the victim, he went to the location to sell marijuana to asubject only known as ‘Kalani,’ sheriff’s officials stated. “Once theystarted negotiating the transaction, ‘Kalani’ became angry and pulledout a handgun. The victim attempted to run from the location and‘Kalani’ fired several rounds, striking the victim in the leg.”
The victim was taken to a local hospital for treatment.
According to authorities, the suspect, whose real name is unknown, isdescribed as a black man in his early 20s who is bald, with no facialhair, and tall with a thin build. No clothing description was given andhe was last seen driving a 2000-20005 red Volvo sedan.
Anyone with information regarding the incident is urged to contactDeputy Patrick Rangel at the Victor Valley Sheriff’s Station at 760-552-6800. Callers wishing to remain anonymous may call the We-TipHotline at 1-800-782-7463 or visit www.wetip.com.
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Deputies searching for suspect inconnection to Adelanto drug dealshooting
VIEW COMMENTS
By STEPHEN RAMIREZ | [email protected] | Inland Valley Daily BulletinDecember 19, 2017 at 5:07 pm
Authorities are searching for a man who allegedly shot another man Monday in Adelanto a er a marijuana deal went bad, the San
Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said.
The victim told deputies that he went to the 11000 block of Windcrest Court before 9 p.m. to sell marijuana to someone he knew by the
name “Kalani.” As they tried to negotiate, the dealer said, the buyer got angry and pulled a gun, according to a sheriff’s news release. The
dealer ran but the buyer opened re and the dealer was hit in the leg. He was taken to the hospital.
The suspect was described as a black in his 20s. He is tall, thin and bald with no facial hair, the release said. He was driving a red Volvo
sedan from between the years 2000 and 2005. Of cials don’t know whether Kalani is his real name.
Authorities urged anyone with information to call the Victor Valley Station at 760-552-6800. Anonymous tips can be le with the We-Tip
hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME or www.wetip.comm.
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Stephen RamirezpSteve Ramirez writes about public safety issues including criminal justice and res in Inland Southern California. Hepreviously covered high schools, college football and motor sports for the San Gabriel Valley Tribune since 1989. He's abig fan of Buddy Holly and loves World War II movies.
Follow Stephen Ramirez @SteveRRamirez
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Marijuana seller shot in leg when deal goes bad injAdelanto
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Go big, go small? The fight to survivein California potBy MICHAEL R. BLOOD
Associated Press
ADELANTO, Calif. (AP) -- Drive by the High Desert Truck Stop,turn down a rutted road by the bail bond signs, slip behind asteel fence edged with barbed wire, and you can glimpse thefuture of California's emerging legal pot industry.
In a boxy warehouse marked only by a street number, an $8million marijuana
production plant - a farm, laboratory and factoryall in one - is rising inside cavernous roomscrisscrossed by electrical cables.
Not far off, a retail shop is planned to sell edible,thin strips infused with cannabis extract andpowerful concentrates known as resins that alsowill be shipped to stores around the state.
California has long been known for its boutiquepot market, producing world-famous buds onsmall plots in the so-called Emerald Triangle,north of San Francisco.
Union Democrat (www.uniondemocrat.com)
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Multimedia
Interactivemedicalmarijuana map,poll and videogallery.
Broad legalization starts Jan. 1, and this will be atest of whether bigger is better.
"It's not going to be a cottage industry. We're notdoing it at a craft beer level," says BradEckenweiler, chief executive of Lifestyle DeliverySystems, the Canada-based company behind theventure on a dusty industrial strip 90 miles (145kilometers) from Los Angeles.
In the new marketplace, Lifestyle is what's knownas a "vertically integrated company," with a handin virtually every aspect of the business, from producing organicseeds to over-the-counter sales.
The company's ambition also points to an unfolding rivalry: abattle of size.
Some fear corporate-level businesses will eventually doom mom-and-pop growers and sellers, much as Big Tobacco dominated its market.
"As we have a lot of the Wall Street and the other big money bearing down on the No. 1marketplace in the world right here, I think the only way the small operators are reallygoing to have a chance is if we really do kind of band together," said Erik Hultstrom, aLos Angeles cultivator.
For now, the shape of California's new market remains largely unknown.
An illegal industry that operated in the shadows and the loosely regulated medical oneare facing rapid change now that the legalization of recreational pot is arriving, withnew government rules and taxes and a flood of investment dollars. Lifestyle DeliverySystems Inc. is a publicly traded company in Canada, valued at about $45 million.
Two years ago, a state commission recognized that small operators could be vulnerableonce the doorway opened to legal sales. But temporary state rules issued last monthplaced no limit on most cultivator licenses, potentially opening the way for vastcannabis farms. State regulators say local governments are free to impose restrictions,however.
Last week, California issued its first commercial licenses, and they show others intendto get a foothold in various sectors of the market, picking off multiple permits fortransportation, manufacturing and retailing.
Helena Yli-Renko, director of the Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at theUniversity of Southern California, said size might be an advantage but she seesopportunity for specialists, such as companies that develop new extraction technologiesor provide monthly subscriptions, like wine clubs.
But Hezekiah Allen, executive director of the California Growers Association, anindustry group, said corporate-scale companies with a lock on the supply chain have thepotential to tilt the market in their favor.
"The more steps in the supply chain you control, you can control pricing," he said. "It'sartificial."
To Eckenweiler, size is strength.
While manufacturers buying pot on the open market will have to contend withinevitable price swings, growing in-house will buffer the company from those ups anddowns, he said.
The same is true for transportation - doing it yourself saves money. And having a stakein a dispensary, to be run through a contractual relationship, would provide access toshelf space.
On a tour of the partially completed site, he points to rooms that will one day housemulti-tier platforms of pot plants, and pulls open a freezer where stacks of packaged potbuds are ready for production.
"I'm not saying you couldn't have a good business model as a cultivator, as amanufacturer, as a transport distributor or a dispensary. But we're going to have thebenefit of being all of those," Eckenweiler said.
A freeway ride and a world away in Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley, in a small, gatedwarehouse amid scrapyards and garages, Hultstrom tends his crop.
Organic plants at different stages are arranged in regimental rows in several rooms, fedby water circulated through plastic piping. Powerful lights warm the seedlings, and aventilation system keeps the pungent aroma from wafting into nearby lots.
At Lifestyle Delivery Systems, Eckenweiler said his machine can produce 50,000 ediblestrips an hour. Hultstrom's nursery, Legacy Strains, moves at a slower pace.
An employee sits at a desk, patiently snipping leaves from plant buds, one at a time,while an adopted stray dog collapses into a weathered couch.
Lifestyle has plans for a 202,000-square-foot (18,770-square-meter) cultivation facility.Hultstrom watches over a fraction of that - 2,100 square feet (195 square meters) of potplants.
He's confident in his ability to produce top-shelf cannabis, and he knows his market:He's been in the business in various jobs since 2005.
But Hultstrom wonders if licensing and compliance costs that experts say will run$100,000 or more, as well as taxes, distribution and other markups, will slant themarket toward big producers with more financial muscle.
Increasing costs could present a barrier to entering the legal market, Hultstrom said, orforce smaller growers to take on new investors. At risk, as well, is the communal spirit ofa business that has seen years of shifting laws and enforcement, he said.
As legal sales approach, many questions remain.
It's unclear if the black market will persist or fade away. Few major banks want to dobusiness with pot shops or growers, since cannabis remains illegal in the federalgovernment's eyes.
As a small grower, Hultstrom knows he can't compete toe-to-toe against large operators,an acknowledgement that recalls how big-box stores emptied local shopping strips.
The strategy is to find an angle they can't cover.
"Usually, the smaller the operation, the better quality you tend to have," he said. "It'sjust finding that niche."
© 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten orredistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy (http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/privacy) and Terms of Use(http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/terms).
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HEALTH
How LA County plans to
make sure pot shops are safe
Jars of marijuana are on display for sale at the Cali Gold Genetics booth during the High Times Cannabis Cup in San Bernardino on April 23, 2017. RICHARD VOGEL/AP Robert Garrova | December 19, 2017
Recreational pot will be legal in just about two weeks, and Los Angeles County leaders are taking steps to make sure consumers are sold a safe product.
The L.A. County Board of Supervisors voted Wednesday to create a set of rules for pot shops and marijuana manufacturing facilities. They include:
o The permitting and inspection rules would only apply to
businesses in cities that agree to contract with Los Angeles
County for regulatory oversight
o Marijuana businesses in the contracted cities would be required
to obtain public health permits
o Retail marijuana sellers would be inspected by the county's
public health department two times a year
o Businesses would be charged permitting and service fees,
which would range from $1,200 to more than $4,000 per year,
depending on the square footage and type of business
“This is to at least provide consumers some sort of assurance that what they’re buying is what they think they’re getting,” said Dr. Michael Hochman, a senior health deputy for L.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas.
The Department of Public Health is also considering an emblem program, where businesses would be required to prominently display their licenses. This would allow consumers to easily distinguish licensed and inspected retail
stores from the unlicensed ones, Hochman said.
Individual cities would have to first agree to contract with the county for this oversight. The city of Los Angeles is likely to be the first to sign on.
Carrying a Weed Conviction in California? There May Be a Fix for That
A marijuana plant is seen in a greenhouse in Mendocino County, California, on April 19, 2017. (Josh Edelson /AFP/Getty Images)
If you’ve been convicted of marijuana-related crimes in California, you might be able to have your record wiped clean or the chargesgreatly reduced under a provision in the state’s new marijuana law (https://www.nytimes.com/elections/results/california-ballot-measure-64-legalize-marijuana), Proposition 64. More than 4,000 people already have petitioned the courts(http://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/Prop64-Filings.pdf) about their records and sentencing.
NPR (HTTPS://WWW.NPR.ORG/)
By Tanya Ballard Brown NPR (https://www.npr.org/people/122979884/tanya-ballard-brown?ft=nprml&f=571956487)DECEMBER 19, 2017
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According to The Washington Post (https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/convicted-of-a-marijuana-crime-in-california-it-might-go-away-thanks-to-legal-pot/2017/12/17/1e9a2564-d90f-11e7-b859-fb0995360725_story.html?utm_term=.90a6abcae574), officials inCalifornia want to “reverse decades of marijuana convictions that can make it difficult for people to gain meaningful employment anddisproportionately affect low-income minorities.”
Eunisses Hernandez, a policy coordinator at the Drug Policy Alliance, told the Post:
We worked to help create a legalized and regulated process for legal marijuana, but we also wanted to make sure we could help — some way,somehow — repair the damages of marijuana prohibition.
In August 2016, the DPA reported (http://www.drugpolicy.org/sites/default/files/California_Marijuana_Arrest_Report_081816.pdf) thatalmost 500,000 people had been arrested for pot crimes in California from 2006 to 2015.
A report (https://beta.oaklandca.gov/documents/equity-analysis-and-proposed-medical-cannabis-ordinance-amendments) earlier thisyear found that 77 percent of people arrested in 2015 for weed-related crimes in Oakland were black. This led officials there to launchthe Equity Cannabis Permit Program (https://beta.oaklandca.gov/documents/equity-analysis-and-proposed-medical-cannabis-ordinance-amendments) in May of this year, which allows entrepreneurs to sell marijuana when recreational pot becomes legal inCalifornia on Jan. 1. As Alyssa Jeong Perry of member station KQED reported (https://ww2.kqed.org/news/2017/11/15/for-oaklands-black-weed-entrepreneurs-its-not-a-level-playing-field/) last month, the program will give priority to people who have been arrested andconvicted for cannabis crimes after Nov. 5, 1996, when medical marijuana became legal in the state.
Darlene Flynn of Oakland’s Department of Race and Equity told KQED:
Certain communities have been policed for the same activities because we know that white people use drugs and sell drugs at approximately thesame rate that black and brown people do, but they don’t get jailed at the same rate.
Nine states now have laws related to expunging or reducing marijuana convictions, according to the National Conference of StateLegislatures (http://www.ncsl.org/research/civil-and-criminal-justice/marijuana-overview.aspx), but marijuana is still illegal underfederal law.
And not everyone in California is high on the idea of legalization. Jill Replogle, of member station KPCC, reported earlier this month(https://www.scpr.org/news/2017/12/05/78423/buying-legal-marijuana-california/) that “73 percent of cities and counties in Californiacurrently ban commercial cannabis businesses.”
Copyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.
By LETTERS TO THE EDITOR | |
December 19, 2017 at 6:10 pm
AP Photo/David Goldman
‘Transparent California’ reveals schools salary data: Letters
Salary data accessible
Re “School districts must be held accountable to the taxpaying public” (Editorial, Nov. 21):
The editorial suggests that a school district lacks “transparency” if its employees’ salaries are not currently available on the website
publicpay.ca.gov. But a different website, transparentcalifornia.com, also lists total pay and bene t amounts for individual employees of school
districts statewide via a user-friendly format. That includes for employees of the Pomona Uni ed School District, which your editorial seems to
nger as among the non-“transparent.”
Your editorial doesn’t give a reason why its authors think school districts might want to be non-accountable to the public about staff salaries.
And I can’t think of one, either. School districts have long made salary schedules readily available to anyone who wants to see them. A quick
glance at transparentcalifornia.com con rms that transparency in such matters is standard in our public school districts.
The fact that a district’s salary information isn’t available on one website doesn’t mean that it’s not easily available in other places. And it
doesn’t mean that a district is lacking transparency or accountability to the taxpayers.
—Kathryn Kirui, Montclair
OPINION
‘Transparent California’ reveals schools salary data: Letters
By BRIAN ROKOS | [email protected] | The Press-Enterprise
PUBLISHED: December 19, 2017 at 10:59 pm | UPDATED: December 20, 2017 at 12:31 am
Join the Conversation
An Ontario police of cer who fatally shot a man in 2015 red in self defense, the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Of ce said
Tuesday, Dec. 19.
According to the DA’s reportt, Luis Wenceslao, 32, had punched his ex-girlfriend, who had come to his East Philadelphia Street home to gather
some belongings. The ex-girlfriend then locked herself in a bedroom and called police.
Wenceslao was standing in the front doorway when Of cer Alberto Alvarado arrived. Alvarado summoned Wenceslao, who instead ran
toward a brick wall as he held a 2-foot-long metallic pole. Alvarado then ordered Wenceslao to stop and drop the pole. He stopped brie y and
held the pole in a baseball batter stance. He then ran “full speed” toward Alvarado, who red three times.
“Based on the facts presented in the reports and the applicable law, Of cer Alvarado’s use of deadly force was a proper exercise of Of cer
Alvarado’s right of self-defense and therefore his actions were legally justi ed,” the report said.
Alvarado was wearing a body-worn camera but did not turn it on until after the shooting, the report said.
An autopsy found methamphetamine in Wenceslao’s system, the report said.
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061_BRIAN_ROKOSROKOSBrian RokosROKOSBrian Rokos writes about public safety issues such as policing, criminal justice, scams, how law affects public safety,
re ghting tactics and wildland re danger. He has also covered the cities of San Bernardino, Corona, Norco, Lake Elsinore, Perris, CanyonLake and Hemet. Before that he supervised reporters and worked as a copy editor. For some reason, he enjoys movies where the Earth isthreatened with extinction.
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Fatal 2015 shooting by Ontario police of cer was justi ed,g ydistrict attorney says
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By BEATRIZ E. VALENZUELA | [email protected] | San Bernardino SunDecember 19, 2017 at 1:45 pm
A young boy was shot several times as he sat outside his home and Ontario police are turning to the public to try to identify the shooters,
of cials said Tuesday.
The boy, whose name and age was not released by police, was sitting outside his apartment in the 1000 block of West Granada Court just
before midnight late Friday night when police say witnesses reported seeing two men in their late teens or early 20s, walk up and start
shooting. The pair then ran off.
“Witnesses said the whole thing took only seconds,” said Ontario police Detective Melissa E. Ramirez.
Of cers rendered aid until paramedics arrived and took the boy, who some neighbors have said was 13, to a hospital. His wounds are not
life threatening, said Ramirez and he is expected to survive.
As of Tuesday, Ramirez said police were still trying to identify the shooters and hope to then learn why someone would target a young boy.
“We probably won’t know until we identify the suspects and work it backwards,” she said.
Authorities were only able to obtain a vague description of the shooters, who they say could be Hispanic in their late teens or early 20s
standing about 5 feet 8 inches tall. One appeared to weigh about 170 to 180 pounds and the second was thinner at about 150 pounds, she
said. A clothing description was not available.
Authorities are asking the public for their help in nding the shooters. They ask anyone with information to call the Detective Gary
Naranjo at the Ontario Police Department at 909-395- 2764.
VALENZUELA_BEATRIZA BEATRIZAABeatriz E. ValenzuelaA_BEATRIZABeatriz E. Valenzuela is an award-winning journalist who’s covered breaking news in Southern California since 2006 and
has been on the front lines of several national and international news events. She’s worked for media outlets serving SouthernCalifornia readers covering education, local government, entertainment and all things nerd including comic book culture and videogames. She’s an amateur obstacle course racer, constant fact-checker, mother of three and lover of all things adorable.
Follow Beatriz E. Valenzuela @BeatrizVNews
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Ontario police search for duo who shot young boy sittingpoutside home
Tags: shootingg, Top Stories IVDBB, Top Stories PEE, Top Stories Sun
By BRIAN ROKOS | [email protected] | The Press-Enterprise
PUBLISHED: December 19, 2017 at 8:02 pm | UPDATED: December 20, 2017 at 12:54 am
(Courtesy of CDCR)
David Martel, 41, was living in a residential facility for offenders in Upland when he removed his electronic monitoring device and fled, according tothe California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. (Courtesy of CDCR)
A man living in a residence for criminal offenders in Upland removed his electronic monitoring device and was at large Tuesday, Dec. 19, the
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation saidd.
Of cials were looking for David Martel, 41, who was sentenced to ve years in prison in 2015 after being convicted in San Bernardino County
for possession of a controlled substance for sale and possession of a controlled substance while armed with a loaded rearm.
Martel is described as Hispanic, 5-foot-9 and 190 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. Corrections of cials ask anyone with information on
his whereabouts to call 911.
The monitoring device was found at Jesus Alive Ministries on 9th Street, where Martel had been living. He was in a program that allows
offenders to serve up to the last 12 months of their sentence in the community instead of prison. Martel was scheduled to be released in May.
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LOCAL NEWS
Offender living in Upland residential facility removesgmonitoring device and ees, of cials say
By JIM STEINBERG | [email protected] | San Bernardino SunDecember 19, 2017 at 6:29 pm
$1 million in grant funding in 2017 contributed to next year’s planned construciton startfor Central City Park
FONTANA >> The city of Fontana pulled in more than $8 million in federal, state
and private grants in 2017 to help fund programs ranging from safe routes to
schools to new parks, of cials announced Tuesday.
NEWS
Fontana wins more than $8million in grants in 2017
The city’s 2017 grants totaled $8,122,993. This compares to $3,997,506 in 2016, said
Martha Guzman-Hurtado, Fontana’s communications and marketing manager.
“We are getting better at what we do, and our needs are getting answered,” said
Mayor Acquanetta Warren.
From 2007 to 2017, the city has been awarded $84.8 million from various sources
for city projects, Guzman-Hurtado said.
The 2017 total includes $1.9 million for a Safe Routes to School Project as part of
California’s 2017 Active Transportation Program.
The project will improve pathways for over 5,000 students to walk or bike to eight
schools located on busy streets, city documents say.
Construction is expected to start in 2019.
Another nearly $2 million Community Development Block Grant was used for the
construction of the Miller Park Amphitheater that will be complete in 2018.
The city scored big for another park project, winning a $1 million award from the
California Department of Parks and Recreation to help build Central City Park
located behind the Cypress Center. Construction is expected to begin in 2018.
The state Of ce of Traf c Safety Selective Traf c Enforcement Program awarded
$355,000 to reduce the number of people killed or injured in traf c collisions.
Funding will allow the traf c unit to send of cers to training such as Standardized
Field Sobriety Testing (SFST), Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) training, as well as
help fund DUI checkpoints and participate in a number of campaigns, such as
Distracted Driving Awareness Month, a city statement said.
Slightly more than $1 million in state funding will be used to launch engineering
to install ber optic communications to bring back data and live video from city
traf c signals to its Traf c Management Center.
The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) Sustainability
Planning Grant has awarded the city $200,000 to produce and adopt an Urban
Greening Landscape Plan.
The plan will provide landscape standards for code adoption and to meet state-
mandated water reductions and sustainability practices.
By SANDRA EMERSON | [email protected] | Redlands Daily FactsDecember 19, 2017 at 3:29 pm
Walmart working with city on signs for new Redlands Crossing shopping center
Walmart Stores Inc. has taken another step toward its construction of the
Redlands Crossing shopping center in North Redlands.
While the construction start date is still unknown, according to Walmart of cials,
the Planning Commission has weighed in on the signs for the center planned for
the southeast corner of San Bernardino Avenue and Tennessee Street.
The City Council approved the 256,614-square-foot commercial center, which will
be anchored by a Walmart Supercenter, in October 2012.
The company has not yet designated a date to begin construction, said Tiffany
Wilson Director of Communications for Walmart in an email Monday.
“Walmart is still working with the City of Redlands and Caltrans to complete the
necessary permitting that is required to move forward,” Wilson said.
On Dec. 12, the Planning Commission reviewed the proposed signs, which
includes a sign meant to attract drivers on the adjacent 210 Freeway.
Commissioners asked the developer to make some changes to the freeway facing
sign and return to them Jan. 23.
LOCAL NEWS
Walmart working with city onsigns for new Redlands Crossingshopping center
Jay Marconi, real estate broker with Riverside-based Paci c Retail Partners, which
is working with Walmart on the project, said it would be ne to make the changes.
“We have the time and opportunity to do that,” Marconi told the commission. “I’m
hearing loud and clear we have a little work to do, so let’s do that together.”
Commissioners asked the developer to tweak the freeway sign to better
emphasize the center’s name, Redlands Crossing.
“We’re trying to brand the city essentially,” Commission Vice Chair Ken Jeske said.
“As long as I’ve been on the commission, we’ve looked at entry points to the city.
There’s really not too many bigger than San Bernardino Avenue.”
They also asked the developer to reconsider the look of the columns supporting
the freeway sign, which commissioners said looked like “boots.”
Some commissioners said the freeway sign looked “busy” with ve tenant signs
displayed, including Walmart. They preferred fewer tenants be listed.
Commissioner Jan Hudson said she feels strongly about drawing business in from
the freeway.
“I don’t see it as busy personally,” Hudson said. “I’d like to drive in business to our
city.”
One month a er the City Council’s approval in October 2012, the Redlands Good
Neighbor Coalition led a lawsuit against the city and Walmart over the project’s
potential impact.
In July 2013, a San Bernardino County Superior Court judge ruled in favor of the
city and Walmart.
The coalition appealed the ruling in the Fourth District Appellate Court, which
was denied in April 2015.
The appellate court also denied an appeal led in 2014 by For Accountability in
Redlands, or FAIR. The group appealed a decision made earlier in 2014 by the
same Superior Court judge rejecting their claims that the city’s approval violated
requirements of Measure U, a “slow growth” initiative approved by voters in
November 1997 to manage development in the city.
Tags: Top Stories PEE, Top Stories RDFF, Top Stories Sun
By JIM STEINBERG | [email protected] | San Bernardino SunDecember 19, 2017 at 5:18 pm
Construction crews continue to work on the Renaissance Marketplace with aStarbucks, and Panda Express which expects to open early next year, Fridayafternoon in Rialto, Ca., December 8, 2017. Ross, 24 Hour Fitness and 13 screenmovie theater will open around spring time.(John Valenzuela/The Sun/SCNG)
RIALTO >> A new, long-awaited shopping and entertainment venue for Rialto
residents is on track to open during the rst half of next year, developers say.
NEWS
New Rialto shopping center’s firsttenants to open early next year
“The word that comes to mind is ‘excitement,’ said Joe Ayala, a long-time Rialto
resident and member of the Rialto Uni ed School District Board.
“The ‘excitement’ is not having to drive so far to have an evening out,” Ayala said
of the Renaissance Marketplace shopping centerr.
Located at the intersection of Ayala Drive and Renaissance Parkway, south of the
210 Freeway, Rennaissance Marketplace will see the opening of a Panda Express
restaurant and Starbucks in January, said Wayne Williams, director of retail
marketing for Upland-based Lewis Retail Centers. A 7-Eleven gas station and retail
outlet will follow, he said.
In spring, the 430,000-square-foot center will see the opening of a 24-hour Fitness
center and a Cinemark movie theater, Williams said.
Cinemark recently announced that its Rialto theater will have 13 screens, luxury
oversized reclining seats with footrests and cup holders, wall-to-wall screens
available in all auditoriums, extended cocktail and dining menu, 3D capability in
several auditoriums and an enhanced sound system, Williams said.
“I am so happy to see this taking place,” said Faye Coates, a Rialto resident since
1975 and longtime leader in the Women’s Club of Rialto. “Now we won’t have to go
to other cities to see movies.”
Ayala said there is more bene t to the community than the just convenience. The
project will create new jobs, draw people from other cities into Rialto to spend
money and will contribute to an appreciation of Rialto home values.
“We have wanted this for a long time, and it has taken a lot of work, ” said Ed
Scott, a Rialto council member. “But this is going to be a showpiece and will put
Rialto on the map.”
“We are very excited about the progress we are making and look forward to
serving the community of Rialto. Our tenants are all excited and working hard to
open in 2018,” said Randall Lewis, a principal in the Lewis Group of Companies.
The project is being developed by Lewis-Hillwood Rialto Co. LLC, a joint venture
of Lewis Planned Communities — a part of the Lewis Group — and Hillwood, the
Texas-based company that developed much of the land around San Bernardino
International Airport.
Among the stores to open in 2018 are Grocery Outlet, Renaissance Nail
Lounge, America’s Best Contacts and Eyeglasses, Famous Footwear, ULTA
Beauty, GS-Love, Burlington Coat Factory, Septembers Taproom & Eatery, El Pollo
Loco, Dickey’s BBQ Pit, Blaze Pizza, Jamba Juice, Yogurtland, Ono Hawaiian BBQ,
The Habit Burger Grill, WaBa Grill and West Coast Dental.
http://www.highlandnews.net/news/top_stories/loma-linda-university-eye-institute-performs-its- rst-corneal-cross/article_3f6a1574-e4e5-11e7-8177-b31c0ef62731.html
FEATURED TOP STORY
Loma Linda University Eye Institute performs its rst corneal cross-linking procedure21 hrs ago
Alonzo Contreras, 22, was examined by Frank Hwang, MD, on Dec. 15 for a post-procedure visit at Loma Linda University Eye Institute.
The rst and only FDA approved treatment to help progressive keratoconus
LOMA LINDA, CA—Dec. 19, 2017—Loma Linda University Eye Institute recently performed its rst corneal cross-linking procedure, on patient
Alonzo Contreras, 22, to help slow the progression of keratoconus.
Keratoconus is a progressive disease in which the cornea (a clear, dome-shaped window at the front of the eye) thins out and bulges like a cone.
Due to the irregularity of the cornea’s shape, individuals experience progressive visual distortion. Keratoconus a ects one in 2,000 people in the
U.S. and is typically seen in young adults.
Corneal collagen cross-linking — available through Avedro’s Photrexa products and KXL System — is an innovative new procedure that combines
the use of ultra-violet (UV) light and ribo avin (vitamin B2) eye drops. The procedure works by creating new corneal collagen cross-links, which
results in a shortening and thickening of collagen brils, which leads to sti ening the cornea.
The treatment was brought to Loma Linda University Health at the end of 2016 following the FDA approval. All procedures are currently
performed in-house at Loma Linda University Eye Institute.
“This is currently the only treatment available to patients with keratoconus and corneal ectasia,” said Frank Hwang, MD, ophthalmologist who
performed the rst procedure at the Eye Institute. “The treatment was developed to prevent further progression of the disease and prevent
permanent vision loss.”
It takes approximately one hour per eye to undergo corneal cross-linking. Hwang said most patients experience some discomfort for about a
week following the procedure and are required to take eye drops to prevent infection.
“It was quick and painless,” said Alonzo Contreras, the rst patient at Loma Linda University Eye Institute to receive corneal cross-linking. “I would
de nitely recommend this procedure to other patients with a similar condition.”
Contreras is originally from Fontana and now resides in San José. He said he has noticed some improvement in his eyesight since the procedure
in October. “In the long run, I hope I won’t need any other procedures as it’s meant to stop the growth,” Contreras said.
The bene ts of the innovative new procedure include:
Limit or halt the progression of keratoconus by sti ening the cornea
Reduction in maximum corneal curvature
Prevent further need for corneal surgeries, including a corneal transplant
Patients over the age of 14 who have been diagnosed with progressive keratoconus or corneal ectasia following refractive surgery are
considered prime candidates. Loma Linda University Eye Institute is currently accepting patients.
“The goal of the treatment is to prevent further surgery and risk of vision loss for patients,” Hwang said. “Our goal is to help our patients live their
fullest lives.”
For more information on Loma Linda University Eye Institute and the corneal cross-linking procedure, visit llueyes.com or call 909-558-2000.
By IMRAN GHORI | [email protected] | The Press-EnterprisePUBLISHED: December 19, 2017 at 6:33 pm | UPDATED: December 20, 2017 at 7:05am
Moreno Valley City Manager Michelle Dawson is out as the city’s top of cial — a
few months a er the council gave her a raise and extended her contract.
At their Tuesday, Dec. 19, meeting, council members didn’t immediately state
their reasons.
In announcing the closed session decision, City Attorney Martin Koczanowicz
called it “an agreed-upon separation under the terms of the contract.” The agenda
item was to vote on the city manager’s discipline, dismissal or removal. Later, City
Councilman David Marquez said the council’s vote was on the agenda item as
worded.
Also at the meeting, Assistant City Manager Tom DeSantis was named to replace
Dawson.
The proposal was added to the closed session agenda late Monday a ernoon. The
agenda item also included the possible appointment of an interim or permanent
replacement.
Marquez and Councilman Jeffrey Giba said they rst heard of the proposal
Tuesday morning. They described it as part of a continuing pattern by the council
majority to keep them out of the loop.
LOCAL NEWS
Moreno Valley city managerdeparts; her assistant ispromoted
“It was wrong and I was against it 100 percent and I made it known I was against
it,” Marquez said.
The vote regarding Dawson was 3-2, Giba said, adding that he and Marquez
dissented. The vote to appoint DeSantis was 3-1, Giba said. He voted no, but
Marquez had to leave the meeting before that vote.
“No justi cation was offered,” Giba said.
In September, the council extended Dawson’s contract that was due to expire next
year until May 2020 and increased her salary by ve percent. The deal also made it
easier for her to be red.
The new contract required a simple majority vote to remove her. Dawson’s
original 2013 contract required a four- hs vote to terminate her without cause.
Under the terms of the contract, Dawson is entitled to a year’s pay and bene ts if
terminated. Her salary is $268,645 a year. She also receives $15,635 in other pay
and $86,140 in health and retirement bene ts, according to the state controller’s
government compensation website.
Dawson became city manager in 2013 a er then-manager Henry Garcia resigned
during a public corruption probe of city of cials. She had been with the city since
2007, serving as assistant city manager under Garcia, and previously worked as an
analyst in Rancho Cucamonga and Chino.
DeSantis joined the city in 2011 and previously worked as an assistant city
manager in Riverside. He le Riverside abruptly a er he was involved in a
controversy caused by his purchase of police guns and use of untraceable license
plates.
As assistant city manager, DeSantis was paid $241,875 in wages plus $83,555 in
bene ts, according to the state controller’s website.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with information about thecircumstances of Michelle Dawson’s departure and clari es Tom DeSantis’ salarywas as assistant city manager.
Tags: Top Stories PE
By JEFF HORSEMAN | [email protected] | The Press-EnterprisePUBLISHED: December 19, 2017 at 3:45 pm | UPDATED: December 19, 2017 at 4:21pm
Construction continues on the John J. Benoit Detention Center in Indio, Ca., The newfacility will replace the existing jail at the same location, December 18, 2017. (JohnValenzuela/Press Enterprise/SCNG)
NEWSPOLITICS
Empty lockup? Sheriff says hecan’t staff $330 million Indio jailwhen construction ends
There’s not enough staff to open the $330.35 million expansion of Riverside
County’s Indio jail, even partially, if construction wraps up as expected next
summer, according to Sheriff Stan Sniff.
Sniff said it takes up to a year to screen and train employees to work in the jail,
and there aren’t enough people in the pipeline to staff the John J. Benoit Detention
Center. Budget requests made in recent years to start the hiring process have
gone unmet, the sheriff said.
Riverside County Sheriff Stan Sniff.
“We are committed to continue to work closely with the county, and to do the best
we can,” Sniff said. “But time now is simply not our ally.”
Staff with the county executive of ce “(has) been told repeatedly about the
minimally required staf ng just to open the jail, and that has been echoed again
and again in budget submission documents.”
County supervisors John Tavaglione and Chuck Washington declined to discuss
the jail situation, referring questions to the executive of ce, which oversees
county government’s day-to-day operations and the county’s $5.5 billion budget.
And the executive of ce’s response indicates of cials still expect the jail to open
on schedule.
“The executive of ce and Sheriff’s Department have worked closely to have the
appropriate staff in place when the jail’s rst phase opens,” said Jeff Van
Wagenen, assistant county executive of cer/public safety. “In November, we
received an updated Sheriff’s Department staf ng plan for the phased opening of
the facility.”
Budget battles
“Next month, the executive of ce will present the Board of Supervisors a
recommendation to approve, and move ahead with, positions needed for the
Phase 1 opening,” Van Wagenen added. “The executive of ce is con dent staf ng
will be in place for that opening, and we will continue working with the Sheriff’s
Department to meet staf ng requirements for future phases.”
Construction of the roughly 516,000-square-foot jail, which started in 2015, is
scheduled to nish by late next summer, Van Wagenen said.
Sniff said the phasing plan received by the executive of ce “is the same (plan)
provided again and again, only with increased numbers due to increased attrition.
“In other words, the required numbers to add to existing Indio jail staff to simply
open a portion of the new jail building next summer continues to worsen with
each passing day, and the deferral of the decision to fund has resulted in the
department not able to recruit, test, hire and train the required new personnel,”
he said.
Sniff said that even if he got all the money he needs in January, screening and
training is not an overnight process. It takes 12 months to screen and hire
deputies, 9 months to screen and hire corrections of cers and 6 months to vet and
train civilian employees, he said.
The sheriff, an elected of cial, said the original plan was to start hiring in phases
so a full complement of staff was trained and ready when jail construction
wrapped up.
As the county’s budget woes mounted, the plan was changed so that only part of
the jail would open, Sniff said, adding that 406 new positions are needed to run
the entire facility.
In recent years, Sniff said his department has sustained more than $70 million in
budget cuts and the loss through attrition of more than 500 employees, forcing the
reallocation of staff ticketed for the new jail to ll the gaps.
Because the new jail has a different layout, it’s not feasible to take staff in the
existing jail and assign them to the new facility, the sheriff said.
“I’m not throwing rocks at the board,” said Sniff, who praised Van Wagenen’s work
with the Sheriff’s Department. “If they don’t have the money, they don’t have the
money. We get that they’re in scal trouble. It’s just that this shouldn’t be coming
back on this department.”
Sniff and the Board of Supervisors have been at odds recently over whether the
Sheriff’s Department, which employs under 3,600 people, gets enough money to
do its job, which includes deputy patrols, court security, coroner’s duties and
running jails with more than 3,900 beds.
Earlier this year, Sniff told supervisors that his department has been cut to the
bone and he needed $50 million beyond what was budgeted this scal year to
maintain minimum services. The board voted to give the sheriff another $18
million, but not before Sniff and Tavaglione got into a tense public exchange over
how the Sheriff’s Department is run.
Tavaglione and Washington are backing one of Sniff’s two opponents in the 2018
election.
An artist’s rendition of the John J. Benoit Detention Center in Indio currentlyunder construction.
The new jail, named a er the late Supervisor John Benoitt, will have more than
1,600 beds and replace a 353-bed facility at the same site in Indio.
It will include a 72-bed unit for inmates in need of medical attention and a rst-of-
its-kind clinic with space for health examinations, tele-medicine, X-rays and
kidney dialysis, in-house services that will ease the need to take inmates to local
hospitals for health care.
There also will be classroom space for rehabilitative programs and a culinary
program to teach inmates cooking skills.
‘At a crossroads’
The jail is being counted on to add capacity to the county’s overcrowded ve-jail
system. To free up space, the county is expected to release almost 6,000 inmates
early this year to comply with a federal court order to relieve overcrowding,
according to sheriff’s of cials. That problem will worsen, Sniff said, when the
existing Indio jail is demolished and the new one stays vacant.
Money for the Sheriff’s Department is part of a dour budget picture.
Revenue growth can’t cover a series of new, ongoing, mandatory and in exible
costs, from raises guaranteed to employees in exchange for pension savings to the
prospect of paying tens of millions of dollars a year more for in-home care for
indigent adultss.
To avoid layoffs and put the county on nancially stable ground, supervisors are
seeking tight spending caps that have led to acrimonious contract talks with
employee unions. Supervisors also agreed to pay consulting rm KPMG more
than $40 millionn, a move of cials say will save tens of millions of dollars while
making county government more ef cient and data-driven.
Many of KPMG’s recommendations deal with public safety, which consumes three
of every four discretionary dollars, according to the executive of ce. The rm has
said Sniff can become more ef cient by changing deputies’ schedules and using
non-sworn staff to handle minor, non-emergency calls.
Riverside County Supervisor Kevin Jeffries.
Sniff is skeptical of KPMG’s ideass, and he’s said his main cost drivers are
contractually guaranteed raises the board gave to unionized employees.
Tavaglione and Washington argue the sheriff isn’t being a good partner.
Supervisor Kevin Jeffries said the sheriff “is right to raise the red ag as to public
safety cuts and service levels. Unfortunately, Riverside County government is
being hit with the perfect nancial storm.”
Sniff “needs to stay vigilant,” Jeffries said. “But he also needs to look internally
and start moving sworn deputies out of administrative desk jobs and back into the
eld.”
“With our budget projections, he has to meet us halfway. We need the new jail
opened and staffed. We need more deputies on patrol,” the supervisor added.
“Just like the Board of Supervisors, the sheriff is also at a crossroads. We either all
nd new ways to cut costs while still providing essential services or we all go
bankrupt arguing about whose fault it is.”
Jeff_Horseman_mugx.jpgan mugx jpgJeff Horsemanan_mugx.jpgJeff Horseman got into journalism because he liked to write and
stunk at math. He grew up in Vermont and he honed his interviewing skills as asupermarket cashier by asking Bernie Sanders “Paper or plastic?” A ergraduating from Syracuse University in 1999, Jeff began his journalistic odysseyat The Watertown Daily Times in upstate New York, where he impressed then-U.S. Senate candidate Hillary Clinton so much she called him “John” at the endof an interview. From there, he went to Annapolis, Maryland, where he coveredcity, county and state government at The Capital newspaper before love and thequest for snowless winters took him in 2007 to Southern California, where hestarted out covering Temecula for The Press-Enterprise. Today, Jeff writes aboutRiverside County government and regional politics. Along the way, Jeff hascovered wild res, a tropical storm, 9/11 and the Dec. 2 terror attack in SanBernardino. If you have a question or story idea about politics or the innerworkings of government, please let Jeff know. He’ll do his best to answer, even ifit involves a little math.
Follow Jeff Horseman @JeffHorseman
Tags: public safetyy, Top Stories PE
T
Former Fullerton city manager sentenced for reckless drivinginvolving alcohol
By Alene Tchekmedyian
DECEMBER 19, 2017, 8:25 PM
he former city manager of Fullerton pleaded guilty Tuesday to a misdemeanor count of driving recklessly after consuming alcohol, officials said.
In the early morning hours after the November 2016 election, Joseph Burt Felz, 58, who was city manager at the time, crashed his car into a
tree and a witness called the police, according to the Orange County district attorney’s office.
Fullerton police spotted Felz nearby, but officials said he failed to stop his car right away.
After officers gave him a field sobriety test, they drove him home in a police car. The agency later transferred the case to the district attorney’s office.
Prosecutors are investigating the police agency’s handling of the incident.
Felz was sentenced to 40 hours of community service and three years of informal probation. He was also ordered to complete a three-month program on
the dangers of drinking and driving.
Twitter: @AleneTchek
Copyright © 2017, Los Angeles Times
This article is related to: Crime
A
L.A. real estate developer and billboard executive fined over politicaldonations
By Emily Alpert Reyes
DECEMBER 19, 2017, 2:15 PM
real estate developer and a billboard executive were fined Tuesday by the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission for flouting city rules that
restrict how much donors can give to politicians.
The Ethics Commission agreed Tuesday to impose a $16,455 penalty on Ingrid I.S. Lee, also known as In Soo Lee, for exceeding city limits on
political contributions by routing many of the donations through real estate companies.
Ethics commissioners also voted for a $15,000 fine for Joseph Kouba, one of the owners of billboard company Summit Media, for violating those same
limits when he made donations to politicians both in his own name and through Summit Media.
Los Angeles limits how much any political donor can give to candidates or elected officials during each election cycle. If a donor owns a company or
completely controls its political donations, those campaign contributions are supposed to be tallied up along with his or her own personal donations.
But it isn’t always clear who owns a business entity, making it challenging to tell exactly who is financially backing candidates and whether campaign
donors are following the rules.
Lee exceeded the city limits by $3,870 by making donations through real estate companies Ceiland Coast Inc., Coastland Project LLC, Injae LLC and
Westcal Property Management Group, the investigation found. The donations were given to campaigns to elect Councilman Gil Cedillo and Councilwoman
Monica Rodriguez, as well as to an officeholder account for Cedillo.
Several Los Angeles City Council members received contributions from a developer and a billboard executive who were fined by the Ethics Commission for violating rules governing politicaldonations. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Kouba, in turn, made donations to local politicians and directed Summit Media to donate to the same candidates and officials, according to the city
investigation. Those donations, which exceeded city limits by $2,600, supported Cedillo, Councilman Jose Huizar, Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson
and Councilman Paul Krekorian.
In both cases, city investigators said that the violations were serious and showed “a pattern of activity.” In addition, they found that the violations by Lee
indicated “an intent to conceal or deceive,” noting that she was aware of the restrictions on how much she could give.
Investigators did not find any evidence that Kouba was trying to be deceptive, according to their report. However, they noted that Kouba had been fined
$1,000 eight years ago for putting up political ads without including a legally required disclaimer.
Ethics Commission staffers nonetheless recommended that both Lee and Kouba face less than the maximum penalties — which could have totaled
$32,910 for Lee and $20,000 for Kouba — because they had cooperated with the city investigations. Both Lee and Kouba declined to comment on the fines
ahead of the Tuesday vote.
Investigators did not say, in their written reports, whether any of the politicians who received the excess donations were aware of the ties between Kouba
or Lee and their companies. Representatives for those politicians told The Times that they were not aware of any connection when the donations were
made.
“The donors provided different names, addresses and contact information,” Rodriguez campaign attorney Stephen Kaufman wrote in an email.
“Similarly, Councilmember Huizar and his campaign had no way of knowing that these contributors were related,” added Kaufman, who also represents
Huizar.
One lawmaker already has paid money to the city because of the improper donations: Following an audit of his 2013 campaign, Cedillo agreed earlier this
year to pay $7,000 to the city to resolve findings that his campaign four years ago had taken “excess contributions,” including donations from Kouba and
Summit Media.
“We were not aware of any connection between any other parties involved,” Cedillo campaign treasurer David Gould wrote in response to questions about
the donations tied to Kouba and Lee.
Business entities have repeatedly been used by Los Angeles donors to effectively sidestep the city limits on political contributions: In April, the ethics
commission imposed a $17,000 fine on real estate investor Leeor Maciborski, who wrote checks through more than a dozen companies to help elect
Councilman Mitch O’Farrell four years earlier.
The Times previously had highlighted those donations as an example of the lack of transparency surrounding political donations from business entities.
Following an audit of that campaign, O’Farrell agreed to pay the city $4,000 to resolve audit findings for accepting those and other excess contributions.
Some cities sharply restrict political donations from businesses and other organizations. San Diego, for instance, allows candidates to take money only
from individuals and political parties, banning all other entities from giving directly to candidates.
L.A.’s Ethics Commission has weighed whether to demand more information from businesses and other groups that donate to local campaigns, but so far
has not imposed any new requirements.
Campaign officials have warned that if Los Angeles imposes any restrictions on campaign contributions from businesses or other entities, those groups
simply could shift their donations to independent committees that are not directly controlled by candidates, which can spend unlimited amounts to
support their favored politicians.
Twitter: @AlpertReyes
Copyright © 2017, Los Angeles Times
This article is related to: Jose Huizar, Gil Cedillo
LA's ethics commission wants
more transparency from lobbyists
City Hall in Downtown Los Angeles on August 17, 2017. DARYL BARKER/KPCC Libby Denkmann | December 20, 2017
The Los Angeles City Ethics Commission wants to know more about how lobbyists are seeking to influence city officials.
On Tuesday, commissioners approved a set of recommendations to increase transparency in lobbying, which next go to the city council for its approval.
Under the newly adopted recommendations:
o Lobbyists would have to provide more detail about their direct
communication with the city, including the dates of
conversations and the agency contacted.
o If the person lobbied is a city official, his/her title must be
disclosed. The new rules would not force lobbyists to disclose
the names of city staffers being lobbied.
In Los Angeles, lobbyists are defined as anyone who is paid to communicate directly with city officials to tip the scales on legislation for more than 30 hours in a three-month period.
Currently, registered lobbyists must pay a fee and complete quarterly reports
that disclose the agencies they’ve spoken to regarding city business. Critics say this information is too vague, and does little to pinpoint the reach of
lobbying efforts. The city of L.A. has over 40,000 employees. Depending on the size of an agency, the communication could be with any number of
thousands of staffers.
During Tuesday's meeting, commissioners also voted to exempt more non-profits from registering as lobbyists:
o Smaller 501(c)(3) organizations (those with less than $2 million
in gross receipts annually) would not have to register unless
their staff attempted to influence policies on their own behalf –
such as zoning approvals.
o Non-profits of any size that are formed to provide direct help to
low-income communities would not have to register as
lobbyists.
The proposed rules come as the ethics commission completes a two-year overhaul of the rules that govern who must register as a lobbyist, what
information they must report, and how often they must file city disclosure forms. An ethics commission official said the package of reforms will first go
before the city's Rules, Elections and Intergovernmental Relations Committee, at a date still to be determined.
C
Editorial California needs more homes, but inthe right places
By The Times Editorial Board
DECEMBER 20, 2017, 4:00 AM
alifornia has a debilitating housing shortage that is driving up rents and home prices, fueling an
increase in homelessness and handicapping efforts to attract and retain businesses. The state needs
another 3.5 million homes by 2025 to meet population and market demands, according to one
analysis. But where to build? Just look at the news in recent days and it’s clear that as much as the state needs
more homes, there are fewer and fewer good places to put them.
This fall’s devastating wildfires have reopened the debate over whether it’s possible to build (or rebuild) safely
in high-risk areas. More than 45 people have been killed and 15,000 structures damaged or destroyed by
wildfires this year. Researchers warn that this may be a taste of what’s to come as global warming fuels larger
and more frequent wildfires, and as new development creeps further into the wildland-urban interfaces where
homes and offices abut foothills, forests or other open land.
Construction cranes loom over a development site along Figueroa Street near the L.A. Live entertainment and hotel complex in downtownLos Angeles. (Los Angeles Times)
New data analysis and mapping tools may soon make it possible to identify the most fire-prone terrain.
Traditionally, state and local governments have required new homes in such areas to be built with fire-resistant
materials and brush around those properties to be cleared. But it’s time to ask whether those steps go far
enough. State or local government authorities have to consider restrictions on housing developments in areas
prone to wildfires because the threat to residents and firefighters is too great.
Some land managers have suggested requiring local governments to cover the cost of responding to and
rebuilding after wildfires — expenses usually covered by insurance, the state and the federal government.
Others want developers and new residents who impinge upon wildlands to pay hefty fees for firefighting and
recovery. Both options would rightly discourage and decrease the number of homes built on the urban fringe.
But climate change is making other areas of the landscape riskier for housing too. A state report released earlier
this year predicted that melting polar ice could raise oceanic water levels by 10 feet over the next 70 years,
which would flood low-lying coastal communities. That could make thousands of existing homes and future
developments uninhabitable — or require an unprecedented public investment to try to make those
communities safe.
There is also flooding risk inland. A warming atmosphere is expected to bring more severe weather, with
periods of drought followed by periods of intense rain. That, coupled with more rapidly melting snowpack,
could cause more frequent flooding on the state’s rivers and overwhelm flood control systems. That could mean
more of the extremes seen earlier this year, when heavy rains caused flooding throughout the state and nearly
overwhelmed the poorly maintained Oroville Dam. Thousands of residents had to evacuate. Cities and counties
need to weigh these risks before allowing new housing tracts on undeveloped floodplains.
Even building in developed urban areas can be problematic. State officials have warned that siting homes
within 500 feet of freeways puts residents at significantly greater risk of asthma, heart disease, cancer and other
health problems linked to car and truck pollution. But, as The Times recently reported, local governments
continue to approve home construction close to freeways, often because that’s the only land available or
affordable, and the state has used grant money for affordable housing to help pay for the developments. While
anti-pollution design features and air filters can offer some protection for residents, there is no escaping the fact
that building housing right next to busy freeways puts children at risk of lifelong ailments.
In short, California needs to vastly increase its supply of homes, but it is becoming ever more risky to build
them in the wildland-urban interface, or in low-lying coastal areas, or on floodplains, or next to freeways. So
where can people live?
As the options for developable land narrow, California will increasingly have to develop and redevelop in cites
and in established residential neighborhoods. Cities have to grow inward — with more development on vacant
“Where can people live?
or underused lots amid buildings, greater density and more housing closer to workplaces and transit hubs.
That’s rarely easy. Land is more expensive in urban areas, and it’s often difficult to persuade residents and
political leaders to make room in their communities for more homes. Simply staying the course, however, is not
an option. The status quo leaves too many people in too much risk.
Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
Copyright © 2017, Los Angeles Times
This article is related to: Wildfires, Floods and Flooding, Housing Market, Real Estate
By BEAU YARBROUGH | [email protected] | Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
December 19, 2017 at 11:48 am
Sharon Luisjuan, a former foster youth now participating in CSUSB’s Renaissance Students program, Thursday, June 1, 2017.The programprovides support services to eligible, current and former foster youth as they transition into the university and through to graduation. (Photo by JohnValenzuela/The Sun/SCNG)
“When I was here at Cal State, I was homeless for three months,” Sharon Luisjuan said, looking west across the Cal State San Bernardino
campus.
“I would go to the bottom of the bridge, right there,” she said. “There were a couple of other homeless people who I made friends with, and
they’d try to help me out. They’d say, ‘Hey, go to school, go to school, go to school.'”
A former foster youth who had aged out of the system, Luisjuan beat the odds and earned a college degree with the help of CSUSB’s
Renaissance Scholars programm. Cal State and University of California campuses offer such programs across the state. They provide former
foster youths with educational support, peer support, counseling, housing assistance, nancial support and even food.
Luisjuan received her bachelor’s degree in English on Dec. 9, walking across the Coussoulis Arena stage at CSUSB’s December commencement
ceremonyy.
LOCAL NEWS
Only 3% of former foster children graduate college. Here’sy ghow universities are working to change that
The long odds
Help for former foster youths
Foster youths age out of the system when they turn 18. California offers some services to help ease the transition, but childhoods marked by
trauma and upheaval can have profound consequences on their educations and careers.
Only about half of foster youths graduate from high school, compared to 93 percent of their peers, according to a 2005 study by the National
Foster Youth Institute.
It gets worse from there: Less than 3 percent of them go on to graduate from a four-year college. By comparison, more than 33 percent of non-
foster students 25 years and older earn a college degree,, according to the U.S. Census Bureauu.
And that leads to predictable ends: Former foster youths are more likely to be unemployed, more likely to be on public assistance, earn less
than the average and are more likely to have been arrested.
But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Making a difference
“Foster-care alumni who have worked hard to get to college arrive with experiences of disrupted family and educational life, and most often, a
minimal network of emotional and/or social support,” wrote Wendy B. Smith, an associate dean at the University of Southern California’s
Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work and the author of ““Youth Leaving Foster Caree.”
“They may feel isolated, stigmatized by foster care status and reluctant therefore to share it, yet in need of connections and supports,” she said
in her email. “Undergraduate students often turn to their parents as they navigate their entry into college life and indeed, as they face
challenges during the college years. For foster care alumni, there is often no important and reliable adult to turn to.”
In 1998, Cal State Fullerton created the Guardian Scholars program to ll the gap. The rst program of its kind, it’s open to any student who has
been a ward of the court or had a legal guardian and offers a full scholarship for program participants.
Right now, 40 students are getting full scholarships through the CSUF program, which also emphasizes community service and campus
engagement. CSUF also has a separate, af liated program that provides support for the 37 other foster youths on campus. Fifteen Guardian
Scholars graduated last year, according to Deanna Merino-Contino, director of CSUF’s President’s Scholars and Future Scholars Program.
Fifteen more are on track to do so this year, for a total of 162 graduates since 1998.
In addition to practical bene ts, like academic advising, faculty mentoring and coaching in life skills, the Guardian Scholars program works to
create deeper bonds between students and the university, with a special summer orientation program, annual retreats, monthly meetings and a
chance for community service.
“It’s great that they have us for support, but our goal is to get them engaged on campus, to engage with their dean, to engage with their
colleges,” Merino-Contino said.
The result: CSUF’s Guardian Scholars are closing in on an 85 percent graduation rate.
The Renaissance Scholars program at Cal State San Bernardino was crucial for Luisjuan, who was in the foster care system before she was old
enough to talk. Both of her parents were in prison. Her guardians would take food and showers away from her when she got bad grades and
beat her and her siblings. Her foster family told her that she wasn’t going anywhere, even after she graduated from high school.
Foster youth talk about how much Cal Poly program helped them succeedSCNG
00:00002:11
Sharon Luisjuan, a former foster youth now participating in CSUSB’s Renaissance Students program, Thursday, June 1, 2017.The program providessupport services to eligible, current and former foster youth as they transition into the university and through to graduation. (Photo by JohnValenzuela/The Sun/SCNG)
“I really thought I was just going to work that minimal job because my guardians did not believe in me. They were, like, ‘Yeah, you’re just going to
get a job and you have to help us,'” said Luisjuan, 24. “And I was thinking to myself, ‘is that really what life is supposed to be about?'”
The Renaissance Scholars program now has 50 students enrolled. Since the program started in 2003, 73 of its students have graduated, and
administrators expect 10 more to graduate by the end of the 2017-18 academic year.
A fourth-year student majoring in criminal justice at Cal State San Bernardino, Hirlanda Rodriguez wants to work in law enforcement after she
graduates.
“I signed up for the SAT while in the group home and I did ne, and I passed, but I didn’t know what to do with it,” said Michael Crane, 24, who
graduated from Cal State Fullerton with a bachelors degree in public relations. “I guess, in my mind, you magically go to college and it’s all
better.”
Born to a mother with substance abuse issues, Crane was in and out of the foster care system repeatedly before ending up in a Riverside
County group home as a teenager, Crane was largely on his own when it came to guring out his future.
His rst semester at Fullerton College, Crane took classes in concrete and masonry, PowerPoint and counseling, while he tried to gure out
how college worked. Overhearing someone at a club fair mentioning “priority registration” led him to connect with Fullerton’s Extended
Opportunity Program & Services of cee. They helped connect him to the Cal State Fullerton Guardian Scholars program when it came time to
transfer.
Michael Crane at Cal State Fullerton. (Courtesy photo)
“I had opportunities afforded to me that I don’t think I ever would have had happened or would have ever been possible without the Cal State
Guardian Scholars,” Crane said. “Just the connections and the networking opportunities.”
Now at Golden West College as a foster youth specialistt, Crane strives to give back to the next generation of former foster youths.
Help from the public
“I was, by all means, a ‘crack baby,'” he said with a wry smile. “I think I turned out quite ne.”
Like many of the adults running the UC and CSU programs for former foster youths, Kenyon Lee Whitman, the director of the Guardians
Scholars program at UC Riversidee, is a former foster youth, entering the system when he was 13 years old. He was a Renaissance Scholar at Cal
State Fresnoo.
“I wouldn’t have graduated without that program. I probably would have gotten kicked out,” he said. “I was able to do the work, but I wasn’t able
to do it all of the time.”
Whitman was on academic probation and had lost his nancial aid by the time the program started during his second year at Fresno State.
“I don’t care who the student opens up to — I just want to make sure they have an adult in their lives they can open up to,” Whitman said.
The UCR Guardian Scholars program has had 25 students graduate since it started in 2003, with 28 students currently participating in the
program, its largest cohort so far.
The UCR program doesn’t cover all of the students’ nancial needs, but program staff help connect former foster youths with other state aid
and offer a food pantry. The program also includes monthly community-building activities, a seminar program for freshmen on college survival,
and a senior seminar about what to expect when they leave college — life skills they might not get from a family support network.
“When I left college, it felt like a second emancipation process,” Whitman said.
The UCR program seems to be working: 85 percent of the 2017 cohort graduated in ve years or less. That beats the average for all UCR
students, where only 73 percent of students graduated in six years or less as of spring 2015, according to the universityy.
The university programs for former foster youths are funded mainly through public donations, rather than the universities: More than 90
percent of UCR’s Guardian Scholars funding comes through grants and donations, Whitman said. The university pays only for his salary and the
of ce space. It’s a similar situation at CSUSB and other campuses.
“Renaissance Scholars could not exist without grants and donations,” Makeda D. Bostic, coordinator off Cal Poly Pomona’s Renaissance Scholars
program wrote in an email. “Grants and donations support student scholarships, student success seminars, educational enrichment activities,
leadership development workshops and emergency funds for food, housing, medical, dental and other unexpected costs.”
Started in 2002, Cal Poly Pomona’s serves roughly 50 students a year. Since its founding, 76 students have ended up getting their degrees, and
the program is on track to graduate 11 more this school year.
With more donations, they could do even more.
Sierra Diezel
Renaissance Scholars program member Danielle Morris slaps her forehead as she laughs at a White Elephant gift exchange during an end of term holidayparty at The Den for former and present foster youth in Cal Poly’s Renaissance Scholars program Wednesday in Pomona, CA. December 13, 2017.<br />(TERRY PIERSON,THE PRESS-ENTERPRISE/SCNG)
“If the program had more funding, we would be able to serve more students and enhance existing services, such as supporting our efforts to
fully fund students’ cost of attendance at Cal Poly Pomona,” Bostic wrote.
Those kinds of donations changed Luisjuan’s life.
Without the program, “I would be on the streets again,” she said.
But with it, she’s now a college graduate, ready to begin a new chapter in her life, one free of abuse or homelessness and with solid career
prospects ahead of her.
“It’s time to move on. It’s time to look forward instead of looking back,” she said. “You went through it, but you’re here.”
Sierra Diezel, 18, just nished her rst year of studying English at Cal State San Bernardino. She and her brother entered the foster-care system
in 2010 after her father held a loaded gun to her and her brother’s heads. Both children were afraid to tell anyone, but a picture her brother
drew of the incident led to a teacher intervening and foster care.
“I go to the of ce and the principal and police of cer were there, and they were asking me all these questions: ‘Do you get hit in your home, do
you get spanked?'” Diezel said. “And I told them yes, and I showed them all of these bruises, because the night before it was really bad. I had all
these bruises in yellow and green and all these multiple colors up and down my arms and legs. I had marks on my neck from being choked. With
my biological parents, you were not allowed to wear T-shirts and shorts, so it was always covered.”
Mark Casus
Sierra Diezel, a former foster youth now participating in CSUSB’s Renaissance Students program, Thursday, June 1, 2017. The program provides supportservices to eligible, current and former foster youth as they transition into the university and through to graduation. (Photo by John Valenzuela/TheSun/SCNG)
She bounced through foster homes in the High Desert, but counts herself fortunate because she was able to spend an entire school year in a
single home each year — one of the girls in her foster home had been in 49 different homes during her school years.
The Renaissance Scholars program has provided her with a support network and stability.
“They’ve done so much to help me. They’ve given me a home when I didn’t have one. They’ve helped with food. They helped with my books.
They provided transportation when I needed it,” she said. The Renaissance Scholars program “deserves more attention than it is given.”
“I would be” at college without Renaissance Scholars program, “but I would be drowning in debt.”
Diezel left Cal State San Bernardino after her rst year this fall and is now attending the Junior Blind of America’s Davidson Program for
Independence in Los Angeles to learn the skills she’ll need as she loses her sight. She has coloboma — a hole in the structure of the eye — along
with an incurable retinal degeneration. Diezel hopes to return to CSUSB in the spring.
She plans to become an English teacher after graduation and be a better role model for children than her parents were for her.
“I’ve always told myself I want to be better than them,” she said. “I have a bar set for me, and it’s pretty low. I’m pretty high above it. My goal is to
never stoop as low as they are.”
Cal State Fullerton alumnus Mark Casus grew up in shelters, hotel rooms and garages around Orange County as his mother battled mental
illness.
“She would keep us home, and barricade us, because she thought that demons were out in the world. Someone was out to get her, poison her,”
Casus said. “She wouldn’t talk to us for months because if she opened her mouth, demons would go in.”
When he was in middle school and living in Fullerton, Casas and one of his sisters decided to run away. She was friends with a local gang, and the
two stayed with them for a week before Casas went back to high school and told adults there his mother was sick.
Hirlanda Rodriguez
Mark Casas, recent Cal State Fullerton graduate who participated in Guardian Scholars – the school’s program for former foster youth – has his portraitg p p p g ytaken on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 at California State University Fullerton in Fullerton, Ca. (Micah Escamilla, Redlands Daily Facts/SCNG)
He credits the Guardian Scholars programs at CSUF and at Orange Coast Collegee, where he started college, for his success.
“If we didn’t have a program that supported foster youth, who knows where I would be or where other foster youth would be,” he said.
Casus graduated from CSUF with a degree in psychology earlier this year. He’s now attending the University of Michigan, pursuing a masters of
social work degree.
“I don’t want anybody else to go through the pain I went through,” he said. “There’s got to be at least one other foster kid out there that I can
help.”
“My old foster dad told me I wasn’t going to make it anywhere in life,” said Hirlanda Rodriguez, 22, a fourth-year student majoring in criminal
justice at Cal State San Bernardino.
“If it wasn’t for the program, I don’t think I wouldn’t have been here. My rst quarter, I wanted to drop out: I was pregnant and I didn’t think I
was going to make it,” she said.
Programs for former foster youths
Hirlanda Rodriguez, a former foster youth now participating in CSUSB’s Renaissance Students program at California State University in San Bernardino,g y p p gWednesday, May 31, 2017. (Eric Reed/For The Sun/SCNG)
The Renaissance Scholars program helped connect Rodriguez with child care services. Now Rodriguez works as a teacher’s aide, working with
special education students. After graduation, she wants to work in law enforcement.
“I have a job, I have my own place now, I have my own car.”
And she’s looking to buy a house for herself and her young son. She wants to use the foster father who said she would never make anything of
herself as her real estate agent.
“I wanted to rub it in his face,” she laughed. “He was wrong.”
Cal Poly Pomona: Renaissance Scholarss, (909) 869-3169
Cal State Channel Islands: PATH (Promoting Achievement Through Hope)), (805) 437-3923
Cal State Dominguez Hills: : Toro Guardian Scholarss, (310) 243-2143
Cal State Fullerton: Guardian Scholarss, (657) 278-3458
Cal State Long Beach: Guardian Scholarss, (562) 985-5637
Cal State Los Angeles: Educational Opportunity Programm, (323) 343-4367
Cal State Northridge: Resilient Scholars Programm, (818) 677-4151
Cal State San Bernardino: Renaissance Scholarss, (909) 869-3169
University of California, Irvine: Former Foster Youth Resourcess, (949) 824-9310
University of California, Los Angeles: Bruin Guardian Scholarss, (310) 206-1904
University of California, Riverside: Guardian Scholarss, (951) 827-6545
University of Southern California: : Trojan Guardian Scholarss, (213) 740-1111
Tags: Educationn, higher educationn, Top Stories Breezee, Top Stories IVDBB, Top Stories LADNN, Top Stories LBPTT,g ,Top Stories OCRR,
gTop Stories PEE,
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By CRAIG SHULTZ | [email protected] | The Press-EnterprisePUBLISHED: December 19, 2017 at 10:56 pm | UPDATED: December 20, 2017 at 7:14am
CRAIG SHULTZ / FILE PHOTOSan Jacinto City Council members, from left, Alonso Ledezma, Crystal Ruiz AndrewKotyuk and Scott Miller voted Tuesday, Dec. 19, to avoid declaring that the city is or isnot a sanctuary city that would provide protection for residents who are not legalresidents of the United States. CRAIG SHULTZ / FILE PHOTO
LOCAL NEWS
San Jacinto stays neutral ondecision of sanctuary city status
San Jacinto leaders decided Tuesday, Dec. 19, that it’s best to keep the status quo
when it comes to the debate about sanctuary cities.
Councilman Alonso Ledezma asked brie y that the city declare sanctuary status
protecting the undocumented during a discussion on an anti-sanctuary agenda
item placed by Councilman Andrew Kotyuk. But it was ultimately decided to
neither declare for or against such a designation and to never speak of the issue
again.
The vote was 4-0 with Russ Utz absent.
“This is not what we should be doing in this city right now,” Mayor Crystal Ruiz
said. “Nothing we say or does matter.”
Ruiz said politics were behind the issue. Kotyuk, who at one time asked the city to
approve a resolution stating it would never be a sanctuary city, is running for a
seat in the state Assemblyy. Ledezma and Scott Miller are up for reelection to the
Council in November.
Kotyuk said he brought up the issue so council members could express their
views on the record.
“I think it was an important discussion,” he said a er the meeting.
Ledezma, who came to the United States from Mexico and became a legal citizen,
said he was hurt that a colleague would even broach the idea, especially with the
population of Hispanics in the city.
“If everything goes the way you want it to, it’s going to be a disaster,” he said. “I’m
asking please don’t ever bring this to the dais again.”
Eight people addressed the Council asking the city not to approve anything that
could harm residents who don’t have legal status.
The public speakers, many speaking Spanish through interpreters, expressed fear
that families could be broken up if immigration of cials were allowed to come to
the city.
“This decision will not only affect people taken away from San Jacinto but
their entire family,” Ariana Rosas told the council.
Miller and Kotyuk said San Jacinto has never been a sanctuary city and such raids
are rare.
California Gov. Jerry Brown signed a so-called “sanctuary state” bill in October,
effective Jan. 1. It is intended to protect law-abiding immigrants from being set on
a path to deportation a er interactions with local police.
Join the Conversation
The Values Act has been called a tool for public safety, put in place to ensure that
immigrants continue to feel safe cooperating with local police as reporters of
crimes and witnesses in court.
With the state ruling and the fact the city contracts police services through the
Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, Miller said any decision on the issue
would be moot.
“Why are we having a discussion about something that would accomplish
nothing?” he asked.
The San Jacinto Uni ed School District has declared itself a Safe Havenn,
protecting the records of all students and assuring that children from immigrant
families can’t be punished due to their residency status.
Craig_Shultz_mugx.jpg_03-15-2014_Uid_E_1_1.jpg
mugx.jpg 03-pgCraig Shultz_mugx.jpg_03_mugx.jpg_03Craig Shultz primarily reports about the San Jacinto Valley. He
_1_1.jpgstarted his journalism career there in 1985 and has reported onthe community and region for most of that time, covering
everything from sports to city halls and schools. He was previously the editor ofThe Hemet News and The Valley Chronicle. Shultz was born and raised in theSan Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles and graduated from Cal StateNorthridge.
Follow Craig Shultz @PE_CraigShultz
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Tags: immigrationn, Top Stories PE
It’s not your imagination. Your daily ordeal getting to work is taking longer.
New data from the Census Bureau this month shows that the time Americans spend commuting keeps onrising. In 2016, it took an average 26.1 minutes, nearly a minute more than in 2010. (The Census calculatescommute times in minutes and decimals rather than minutes and seconds.)
Most of those commutes are spent in the car. Census data show that more than 85% of workers drive orcarpool to their job, a figure that hasn’t changed much in recent years. Only about 5% took public transit,4.6% worked from home, 2.8% walked and 0.6% rode a bike.
Commute times flattened out during and after the recession but have been shooting up since 2013 as theeconomy has recovered. More people with jobs means more drivers on the road, which means more traffic.That also helps explain why Americans have been racking up more miles since around 2013, according toTransportation Department data.
Those long commutes could explain why Americans across the political spectrum overwhelminglysupport President Donald Trump’s proposal for a $1 trillion infrastructure program. So far, though, Mr.Trump has shown more interest in health care and tax cuts than infrastructure.
For the fourth straight year, East Stroudsburg, Pa., won the dubious honor of having the longest averagecommute of all metropolitan areas, clocking in at 38.6 minutes of travel time to work. The EastStroudsburg region, population 166,098, sits roughly 75 miles from New York City and about 50 milesfrom the Pennsylvania cities of Scranton and Wilkes-Barre.
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https://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2017/12/20/yes-your-commute-really-is-getting-longer/
CENSUS
Yes, Your Commute Really Is GettingLongerAn improving economy means more people are driving to work and spending more time in their cars
Cars and trucks wait out a traf ic jam outside of San Francisco. New Census data shows that the average commute took 26minutes and six seconds last year, almost a minute more than in 2010. PHOTO: JUSTIN SULLIVAN GETTY IMAGES
Dec 20, 2017 9 44 am ET
By
David Harrison
–– ADVERTISEMENT ––
New York, Washington, D.C., San Francisco and Riverside, Calif., rounded out the top five metro areaswith the longest commutes.
Rapidly-growing areas have also seen their commute times increase substantially over the past few years.
In San Francisco, commuters spend 3.4 minutes longer getting to work than they did in 2010. In San Jose,Calif., they average an extra 2.9 minutes. Elizabethtown, Ky., and Anniston, Ala., have also seen surprisingincreases in commute times. Elizabethtown is about 45 miles from Louisville and Anniston is about 60miles from Birmingham.
RELATED
NYC Should Ditch 24/7 Subway Service, Group Says (Nov. 30)
Attention, N.Y. Metro-Area Residents: Tips for a Smarter Commute (Nov. 20)
As Bicycling Gains Popularity, Safety Concerns Rise (Oct. 11)
America’s Buses Lose Riders, ImpreilingTheir Future (Aug. 12)
Lost in TransitThe average daily one-way commute took 26.1 minutes in 2016, 3.6% longer than in 2009. Percent changesince 2009 for all modes of transportation.
Source: Census Bureau
% RECESSION
’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’
On the Road AgainAmericans drove 3.2 million miles during the 12 months ending in August, up 7.8% since the start of 2009.Change in moving 12-month total vehicle miles traveled.
Source: Transportation Department via the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
% RECESSION
’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’-
SShare this: http://on.wsj.com/2kOZh5e
CENSUS COMMUTING INFRASTRUCTURE TRANSPORTATION TRAVEL
VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED
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Longer Commutes
Commute times are on the rise in mostmetropolitan areas S E A R C H
M E T R O P O L I T A N A R E A
A V E R A G E O N E -
W A Y C O M M U T E
I N M I N U T E S
2 0 1 6
East Stroudsburg, Pa. 38.6
New York-Newark-JerseyCity, N.Y.-N.J.-Pa.
35.9
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, D.C.-Va.-Md.-W.Va.
34.4
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, Calif.
32.1
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, Calif.
31.8
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin,Ill.-Ind.-Wis.
31.3
Stockton-Lodi, Calif. 31.2
Vallejo-Fair ield, Calif. 30.8
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Mass.-N.H.
30.6
