Three decades of public service
Jason Pesick, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 12/31/2006 12:00:00 AM PST
RIALTO - A great deal has changed about this city in the last three decades. It has experienced remarkable growth and encountered great challenges. But one constant during that time has been Joe Sampson, who held elective office in the city from 1975 through 2006, when he finished third in a race for two seats on the City Council.
"He's just civic-minded - all for helping his community," Jessie, his wife of more than five decades, said in an interview in their home.
Sampson began working for the city in the spring of 1975 as deputy city clerk. Shortly thereafter, the city clerk, Jimmy Frost, left the city, and Sampson replaced him. He served for almost 20 years in that role until 1994 when he won a seat on the City Council. Two years ago, he ran unsuccessfully for mayor, but he served as mayor pro tempore until leaving the council. At 74, he seems at ease with the recent loss, although he clearly feels the sting of a rough campaign.
"I'm not sure people believed my sincerity in working for the community," he said.
And although he said he wants to put the city's battle with the Police Department behind him, he can't help but defend himself for voting to eliminate the department last year. It was a vote that may have cost him re-election. He pointed out that he was a military police officer in the Air Force.
"I'm still a law-and-order person," he said.
Deeply religious, Sampson is not a person who looks to pick fights.
"It's made me, I think, maybe a more mellow person," he said of his devotion to the Catholic Church. He said that during his time working for the city, he rarely came across someone he could not work with.
"I try not to take life or myself too seriously," he said.
Despite his gentle demeanor, however, he has strong views on every issue facing the city. He has been an unwavering supporter of the city's decision not to permit water with any detectable levels of the potentially dangerous chemical perchlorate. He has supported the city's lawsuits against the suspected polluters even though those suits have complicated the city's relations with other government entities, including the county, one of the defendants in the suits.
He also calls the planned Renaissance Rialto project that would replace the city's airport "our last, best opportunity to make that big leap."
Sampson was born in rural Louisiana. His father was a sharecropper, and his mother, who raised four children as a single mother, was a cook in a hotel restaurant. As a teen, he moved to Port Arthur, Texas, where he met Jessie. He graduated from Tuskegee University in Alabama and then joined the military. He said he was the first black elected official in Rialto and the first black councilman.
Councilwoman Deborah Robertson said he might be the longest-serving black elected official in the Inland Empire. "He had basically broken any barriers you could think of back in the '70s when he was elected," she said.
Robertson also praised Sampson's work on senior-citizen issues, making sure the city is compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.
At Sampson's last City Council meeting in December, Mayor Grace Vargas, whom Sampson hired to work for the city when he worked in the City Clerk's Office, said, "He dedicated himself to Rialto."
Sampson said he is not sure if he'll ever seek elected office again, but he plans to apply to serve on one of the city's commissions.
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BS Ranch Perspective:
It is true that Joe Sampson did do three decades of service however, the last few years of service were slighted. He didn't make the best decisions as to what should best serve the city of Rialto!
For Example, Joe Sampson voted to close the long serving Rialto City Police Department in favor of an outside Agency, the San Bernardino Sheriff Department to do the Law Enforcement for Rialto. I have only to wonder what did he do that he had to pay the Sheriff of the County this tab. What was it that he owed the Sheriff of the County, this great debt that he would give him a $3.5 Million dollar Budget to play with. It really was puzzling me!
When asked in the City Council Meetings as to the Reason for the sudden closure of their own City's Police Department over that of another Agency, Sampson simply sited to the people at that meeting, and the many watching at home on "KRTO Channel 3 TV" that the Rialto's Police Department of some 70 years, was "Corrupt". When asked to site what kinds of corrupt behaivor that the department was dealing in, bribes, running the city as its own little gang, etc etc...Sampson just mearly said, NO, it isn't anything like that it is just Corrupt! (for a Police Agency to be "Corrupt" it has to be working outside the law in some way, but there was no evidence of this type of activities within the department, only unfair practices regarding hiring, and promotions and the like, nothing of the nature that Sampson was talking about).
The best that I could come up with was that Joe and Ed Scott was making all kinds of deals. One was to close the airport. They would have this Congress member add pork to the transportation bill (the largest transportation bill in American history). When the Bill was signed by the President of the United States, it made the City Less Obligated to the FAA to keep the Airport Open. In fact all they needed to close the airport was a Majority Vote to close, and to pay the FAA 70% of the money that the City made on the land when it was sold for Private Development. The Crooked part of this was that the Congress Member that attached the little pork bill onto the Transportation bill also Owns a Development Business, and he got the contract to Develop the Airport and turn it into the Renaissance I feel that is dirty, and rotten, but who am I, the congressmen used his Elected Position to make money for himself!! That is sick.
Not only that but it is this writer's feelings that the Rialto City Council was not through with their Favors on this deal. They had also, told the Sheriff in the County of San Bernardino that he would get the Contract for Law Enforcement in the City of Rialto, to make up for the Fact that he would have to find a new Place to Fly his Helicopter from or base it out of, that is another bit if dirty business in this whole deal!!
So, was Sampson doing a good job for Rialto, at First he was, but in the final days he was not, he was working with the people to give them money and make them rich, at the expense of Tax Payers, but everyone seems to forget that now that he is not in any office.
I would say that Overall that Sampson did some pretty good work for the city. He did work for the City's Aging, and did a lot for them, their Lunch program was in large part becuase of some of the work that Sampson did. However when it came to the Police Department, a City Department that had been open with the city since the city was incorperated in 1911, and was open shortly there after, almost as soon as they could afford a Police Department they had one.
Like many of the Police Agencies, it started through the Fire Department and worked on through to what it is today. at one time there was only Two Officers and the Chief of Police was also the Fire Chief, that went on for years, but as the city grew, so did the two Departments, then a second chief was warrented, and that was when Sidney A. Jones Sr. became the first Full time Police Chief that the city of Rialto had. with Raymond Farmer being the second, I beleive that is how history will see it. Lewis third, and Dennis Hegewood Fourth, before coming on to Having Michael Meyers, and now Mark Kling.
Thank God that Sampson lost the Vote for the Closure of the Police Department, and he was right that was what lost him his seat on the City Council.
BS Ranch
Sunday, December 31, 2006
City Housing Funds Put on Hold (Press Enterprise 12192006)
City housing funds put on hold
RIALTO: A budget review found the money should have been awarded in a more competitive process.10:00 PM PST on Tuesday, December 19, 2006
San Bernardino County supervisors Tuesday delayed a vote on whether to divert nearly $1 million initially destined for a housing program in Rialto.
The item was one of nine postponed or removed from the Board of Supervisors' agenda Tuesday.
Among the items pushed back until at least January were: a $720,000 three-year extension for the county's Sacramento lobbying firm Platinum Advisors; a $45,000 deal to study remodeling at the assessor's office; and a public hearing on a proposed open-air sludge-treatment plant in rural Hinkley.
The housing money initially was slated to help provide health and social services in the Willow-Winchester area of Rialto through a program coordinated by the nonprofit Southern California Housing Development Corp.
The organization and the city are investing nearly $40 million to buy and rehabilitate 160 apartment units and to build a community center.
Supervisors inserted the $975,000 into the Economic Development Agency's budget earlier this year at the request of 1st District Supervisor Bill Postmus' office.
But Postmus' office also asked for an item on Tuesday's agenda to shift the money back to the county general fund, officials said.
Economic-development officials conducted a review and found that funding for it should have been awarded through a more competitive process, Brian McGowan, the Economic Development Agency's director, said last week.
Still, Southern California Housing officials were dismayed to learn the county was considering taking the funding away.
"We have already made a significant investment of time and money to get this community center and series of community programs off the ground," Rebecca Clark, the company's president, said in a statement. "Without the county's funding, the ability to sustain these programs in the future is in doubt."
The money would help fund after-school, job-training and crime-prevention programs, Clark said.
Southern California Housing was founded by Jeff Burum, who also serves as co-managing partner for developer Colonies Partners. The county on Nov. 28 agreed to pay Colonies $102 million to end a four-year legal battle over flood-control easements.
Supervisor Josie Gonzales, who represents Rialto, said her office did not request the funding or seek to have it diverted.
The overall Willow-Winchester project is a worthy effort that the county has supported with funding in the past, Gonzales said.
Her office did seek answers about the program, mainly because questions were bound to arise because of Burum and Colonies, Gonzales' chief of staff Bob Page said.
If Postmus' office wanted to direct funds to Gonzales' district, she was not going to stand in the way, Page said earlier.
"We know there is a need in that community for programming and services," Page said Tuesday.
Reach Duane W. Gang at 909-806-3062 or dgang@PE.com
BS Ranch Perspective:
I know that they did this very thing when it came to the apartments in the 200 Block of N. Glenwood, Teakwood, Beachwood, & Lorraine Place. The turn around was instant, but the project was not such a success that they are touting it to be. There are still some Gang Members that are Paroled in the apartment complex located on Glenwood, but the management of that area has been very cooperative with the Police Department and when the Gang member has been noticed hanging around with this own or just doing anything that is suspicious in any way, that Non-Profit Property Management will evict that person on a dime, then they will notify the parolee's Parole agent that they keep on file, and tell him that he had to be evicted because he was hanging around with his old friends, then he will be back in Prison wondering what happened, so in many ways that Non-Profit Management Group is very good, but there are faults, just like there are many faults in many of the things that are set up today. Other then the mild Faults, the Non-Profit Management is the best way to go, They are the fairest when it comes to the people that are renting from them, and they do not tolerate, anything that is out of the ordinary, for very long, they will evict your Ass right onto the street in a hurry.
Now, they are working to get funding that is due to them from the County that is paid to the County from the State of California, but the County is being stingy right now about the money that is typed set for them, they are going to take the San Bernardino County Supervisors to Court I hope and make them, bend over and grab their ankles, if you know what I mean!! The old Fashioned Way!! Yep, an old Fashion Court Room Spanking is what the Supervisors need in a time like this.
I am shocked and surprised that they are doing this, but I know what or why that they are doing it, and it has to do with Politics. They wanted to Be the Law Enforcement Entity for the City of Rialto! I am talking of Coarse the Contract with the Sheriff Department for Law Enforcement, which fell through last year, and they were angry that they didn't get their hands on the Over $3.4 Million Dollars from the City of Rialto to pay the Sheriff's Department for Law Enforcement in the City of Rialto!!
As we all know that the County is much more suited for Jail duty and the service of said jail, It is a shame that they are going to try to scare the City Council by with holding all his money for the clean up of the apartments that they Imminent Domain and were going to sell or Donate to the Low Income, Non-Profit Organization that specializes in the security and safety for a single mother and her children to live, with out the worries of Gangs and etc etc... The Rent is regulated since they are a Non-Profit Organization they operate on donations and State Funding not to mention the rent payment from each month to month tenant that lives safely within their Apartment Complexes.
I really hope that the County Supervisors can Get Their Panties un Bunched from their, Well You Know!, and allow the City to get back to work on the project at hand, the closure of a land mark that is the Airport that once was an Air Field From In-between the First World War, and the Second World War!!
BS Ranch
Friday, December 29, 2006
New Chief Making his Mark-UPDATE
BS Ranch Perspective:
I like the changes that are proposed, The Modular building to allow traffic to join the rest of the Station, will be the first time that Traffic has been with the rest of the Patrol Division Which they support since 1993. It was in Early 1993, when Sgt. Little, Corporal Lessig, Officer, TC Hernandez, Officer, Cunningham, Officer Mining, & CSO Cabral was trasporting all the great stuff that we had stored at the main station into the brand new DUI Trailer to the N.Annex to join the men and Woman at Fire station Four. The transportation of all our traffic Citations to different locations to turn them in was a chore but one that we did, as it was our orders, but again we had to take part in Briefing just to get to know the other guys on the Shifts. If we had not had done that I might not had met Daniels. LOL..
The Hiring of a HSO Supervisor, is something that I am not sure of why we are doing that one, because they had been supervised under the traffic Division for as long as I can remember. Skalski was the first Supervisor, that did the job, and was well aware of what they needed. I would like to think that Little did, even though he was disorganized, but the only thing that I know that they complained about was the lack of training that they didn't get.
They are for the most part an enforcement position and are Supervised as such. They issue citations and Investigate crimes such as cruelty to animals and the like. other then that, they are basically a Police services or Enforcement position and any Sergent should be able to supervise them.
Any Sergent that says he doesn't know how to supervise an enforcement Position shouldn't be a Sergeant, or Supervisor of any kind!! I cannot beleive that the department is bending to this request for this supervisor position when they have so many Sergent's within the department, Unless they are trying to do this to set them up for a contract with the County.
If they contract HSO, with the county!! WOW, is the City Council Stupid!! Because they should listen to Fontana's Complaints about their Humain Services Contract with the County before they do!!
Other then the HSO Supervisor which I feel is a waist of money for the Department, Because they have so many Sergent's that can do that job. Other then that I agree with what I have seen so far. great job!!
BSRanch
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I like the changes that are proposed, The Modular building to allow traffic to join the rest of the Station, will be the first time that Traffic has been with the rest of the Patrol Division Which they support since 1993. It was in Early 1993, when Sgt. Little, Corporal Lessig, Officer, TC Hernandez, Officer, Cunningham, Officer Mining, & CSO Cabral was trasporting all the great stuff that we had stored at the main station into the brand new DUI Trailer to the N.Annex to join the men and Woman at Fire station Four. The transportation of all our traffic Citations to different locations to turn them in was a chore but one that we did, as it was our orders, but again we had to take part in Briefing just to get to know the other guys on the Shifts. If we had not had done that I might not had met Daniels. LOL..
The Hiring of a HSO Supervisor, is something that I am not sure of why we are doing that one, because they had been supervised under the traffic Division for as long as I can remember. Skalski was the first Supervisor, that did the job, and was well aware of what they needed. I would like to think that Little did, even though he was disorganized, but the only thing that I know that they complained about was the lack of training that they didn't get.
They are for the most part an enforcement position and are Supervised as such. They issue citations and Investigate crimes such as cruelty to animals and the like. other then that, they are basically a Police services or Enforcement position and any Sergent should be able to supervise them.
Any Sergent that says he doesn't know how to supervise an enforcement Position shouldn't be a Sergeant, or Supervisor of any kind!! I cannot beleive that the department is bending to this request for this supervisor position when they have so many Sergent's within the department, Unless they are trying to do this to set them up for a contract with the County.
If they contract HSO, with the county!! WOW, is the City Council Stupid!! Because they should listen to Fontana's Complaints about their Humain Services Contract with the County before they do!!
Other then the HSO Supervisor which I feel is a waist of money for the Department, Because they have so many Sergent's that can do that job. Other then that I agree with what I have seen so far. great job!!
BSRanch
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New police chief making his mark
Article Launched:11/28/2006 12:00:00 AM PST
RIALTO- Police Chief Mark Kling is no stranger to resuscitating policedepartments. He has developed a specialty in the practice, havingarrived at his previous job as chief of the Baldwin Park PoliceDepartment after the City Council there considered eliminating it.
Three months into his latest role in Rialto, Kling has alreadybegun to remake a department that the City Council tried to close downa little more than a year ago.
"There's a considerable amount of restructuring going on," Kling said recently in his office.
Withthe help of the now-supportive City Council, he has begun to alter thedepartment's hierarchy, recruit dozens of officers and policeemployees, make physical changes to police facilities and improvemorale.
"He wants everybody - every individual person in the organization - to develop and succeed," Lt. Randy DeAnda said.
Last week, the City Council passed a number of Kling's recommendations to restructure the department.
Oneof those recommendations was to place a 2,000- square-foot modular unitat police headquarters so that traffic-enforcement and animal-controlofficers will be with the rest of the department instead of with codeenforcement, where they are now.
The council also approved changes to a number of positions within the department. Those changes include:
Replacing a law enforcement technician position with a position focused on purchasing for the department.
Adding a human-resources official to the department.
Moving animal control out of the traffic division and hiring an animal-control supervisor.
Hiring parking-enforcement officers to go after abandoned or illegally parked vehicles.
Increasing salaries in order to compete with nearby cities for dispatchers.
Atthe City Council meeting, Kling announced the hiring of three newpolice officers. When he became chief in August, there were 27 officervacancies - almost a quarter of the budgeted positions. As soon as somenew hires graduate from the academy, the number of vacancies will bedown to 17. And the department has additional openings for dispatchers,records assistants, cadets, law-enforcement technicians andanimal-control employees.
Kling also needs to hire another captain to complete thedepartment's transition from one run by a chief and a deputy chief toone headed by a chief and two captains - one overseeing operations andthe other overseeing largely administrative functions.
One of Kling's biggest initiatives will be implementing thearea-commander police philosophy first recommended by his predecessor,interim Chief Frank Scialdone. The plan will divide the city into threeareas, with a lieutenant responsible for each one.
Each lieutenant will act as a community liaison, holdingmeetings with residents and then developing a strategy to combatproblems, employing other community programs and government entities ifnecessary.
"We're not an island anymore," said DeAnda, who willoversee one portion of the city, referring to the department'simproving relationship with the rest of the city.
Command officers from the Police Department recently metfor two hours with their counterparts at the Fire Department, andanother meeting is scheduled for January, Fire Chief Steve Wells said.He said it was the first time in 30 years that there has been such ameeting.
"Things are good, and they're going to get better," Officer Steven Daniels of the personnel and training division said.
Completelyrebuilding the department could take five to seven years, Kling said.He said one of his goals is to change the department's reputation sothat it is no longer seen as a training ground for young officers.
"I feel what he's doing is being responsive to the thingswe said we wanted when he came on," Councilman Joe Sampson said at lastTuesday's meeting.
Contact writer Jason Pesick at (909) 386-3861 or via e-mail at jason.pesick@sbsun.com.
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BS Ranch Perspective & Update:
Mark Kling has done a great job! He has hired that second Capt. The way that he did it was like hiring from within the department which is a better way of doing things. There is a built in Respect for Capt. Martinez before he even starts, He had left after serving Rialto as an Acting Caption. The Previous Chief, for what ever reason, Promoted, another person to Capt. right in front of Capt. Martinez. the ultimate Back Stab. For what ever Chief Meyer had against Martinez that is all the more to respect him when he comes back, because we all know how much of a Crooked Chief, that Meyers was!
The other chain of command that was lacking is also being filled by a long time City Employee that left when the things looked really bad here in Rialto. You cannot Blame Sgt. Crispin for leaving and going to the Riverside D.A.'s office to get a more secure position for his family, after all he was not going to jeopardize his family over a Position at a Police Department when he has all that Experience with Investigations. Well Sgt. Crispin is coming back to work for Rialto Police Department as well, that is all great News. For the Troops that work for Crispin you will see what a pleasure that it is working for him.
I am glad to see that The Old Rialto Police Department is coming back into focus, I am just sad that I cannot patepate in the change and the wonderful changed that are taking place. The Corrupt Police Department is Gone, There is a New Chief in Town, Mark Kling is his name!!
BS Ranch!
Rialto Planning Fire Station For Area South of I-10 Fwy
BS Ranch Perspective:
This was in the works back when there was plans for a New Police Station, at the same location as the current Police Station. The fire station also Acquired land at the N/W Corner of Santa Ana and Willow Ave, in South Rialto. Their main Concern at the time was that they were having trouble getting across the I-10 freeway, When the freeway and Cars are trying to come home on the Friday night Commute night, there is at least a 25-40 minute Response time for the Ambulance and Fire engine to Respond from Fire Station 201, Which is located at Rialto Ave, at Willow Ave. The Fire Trucks Either respond straight down Willow, or they cut across to Riverside and straight down. which I think is the Strategy now, because there is just to much danger to cross Bloomington, and Willow and Merrill Ave. Even with the Lights and Siren. They can get a much faster response from the Lights/ and cars and people when they drive straight down Willow to Rialto and then cross E/B on Rialto Ave to Riverside and straight to the Cross on the south end and turn to go to where the call history says that the call is supposed to be at.
They need a Station with the appropriate equipment on it for those Gasoline storage tanks on the south end of the city, they also need another ladder company that can also take care of that end, so that would make two ladder companies for the city of Rialto. a bit much, but when the Tank farm takes off then and only then people will say wow great that Rialto City council thought ahead. Other then that, with the war going on, the Rialto Fire Department shouldn't' get anything beyond what the people in Los Colinias got when they build those houses in that end. they need to think about that too.
BSRanch
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This was in the works back when there was plans for a New Police Station, at the same location as the current Police Station. The fire station also Acquired land at the N/W Corner of Santa Ana and Willow Ave, in South Rialto. Their main Concern at the time was that they were having trouble getting across the I-10 freeway, When the freeway and Cars are trying to come home on the Friday night Commute night, there is at least a 25-40 minute Response time for the Ambulance and Fire engine to Respond from Fire Station 201, Which is located at Rialto Ave, at Willow Ave. The Fire Trucks Either respond straight down Willow, or they cut across to Riverside and straight down. which I think is the Strategy now, because there is just to much danger to cross Bloomington, and Willow and Merrill Ave. Even with the Lights and Siren. They can get a much faster response from the Lights/ and cars and people when they drive straight down Willow to Rialto and then cross E/B on Rialto Ave to Riverside and straight to the Cross on the south end and turn to go to where the call history says that the call is supposed to be at.
They need a Station with the appropriate equipment on it for those Gasoline storage tanks on the south end of the city, they also need another ladder company that can also take care of that end, so that would make two ladder companies for the city of Rialto. a bit much, but when the Tank farm takes off then and only then people will say wow great that Rialto City council thought ahead. Other then that, with the war going on, the Rialto Fire Department shouldn't' get anything beyond what the people in Los Colinias got when they build those houses in that end. they need to think about that too.
BSRanch
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Rialto planning fire station for area south of I-10
Article Launched:11/27/2006 12:00:00 AM PST
RIALTO- City officials plan to build a new fire station to serve the southend of the city, where it takes nearly twice as long in some areas forfirefighters to respond to an emergency.
Though much of the city's development has been focused north ofthe 10 Freeway, projects for the south end have been proposed,prompting the city to take a closer look at the thinly populated area.
"There's a clear need for the station there," Fire Chief Steve Wells said.
Wells said response times south of the 10 are eight to 10 minutes, compared with five minutes in the rest of the city.
ThePlanning Commission on Tuesday will consider the Rancho El Rivinoproject by Young Homes, a 726-home development on 165 acres south ofthe freeway. It would occupy county land just north of El Rivino Roadthat would be annexed by Rialto.
Economic Development Director Robb Steel said theEnvironmental Impact Report drawn up for the project showed there isinsufficient fire response in the area to serve the proposed homes.
The city is negotiating a development agreement with YoungHomes that would help pay for the fire station and infrastructure thecity would need for the development, such as sewers.
Steel said the city has askedYoung to pay development fees higher than the current rate because thecity is poised to raise those fees. He said the city has asked for evenhigher fees to fund a new fire station.
Building and equipping the station will cost $6 million, Steel said.
PoliceChief Mark Kling said it is also possible there will be a policesubstation at the same location and that as the city continues todevelop, it will be necessary to increase the department's size.
"Right now we wouldn't have the staff to fill a substation," he said.
Inaddition to the El Rivino project, a number of industrial projectseither already exist or will eventually will be built south of 10. InSeptember, the City Council approved a 1.4 million-square-foot heavyindustrial center that will be built on Riverside Avenue and Agua MansaRoad.
But Wells said industrial development does not demand as much from the Fire Department as does residential development.
If the Planning Commission approves the proposal, it would go before the City Council in January.
Rialto Plans South-Side Fire Station
BS Ranch Perspective:
This Idea, and or plan has been in the works since before my accident in 1997, they had been trying to get a station in the South since before they were asking for a station in the North end. Station Four was to be in the South end of the City South of I-10 on the corner N/W corner of Willow and Santa Ana Ave if My memory is correct, they once had a sign that was there and everything. The reason for the Fire station at that time was that it was impossible for them to get across the I-10 in the mornings and afternoons when the Traffic was backed up, and the response time to a fire call just at Santa Ana and Willow was about 25 minutes or more at peak times. The time has had to increase with the increase in traffic and times. They also have been trying to figure that if they had a major fire down in the Tank Farms the Colton Fire Department would be there first as they have southern Station already to respond and get there before the City of Rialto Especially when it is at 17:00 hrs, and the traffic is just at its peek. They are well at the most mortified with the traffic. I can imagine that it would take the Rialto Fire Department a total then of about 40 minutes to get across the freeway and to the tank farm!! Sorry to say, but that is what it would take to cross the I-10 depending on the day, I mean some days they could do it in no time and others forget about it, they would never be across. .
This Southern Fire Station Plan was back in a time when the Rialto Police Department was going to try to fight for extra monies from the Taxpayer in Rialto for a Brand New Police Station, after all at the time we were Changing our clothes in the hallway. downstairs with Blinder so that the Woman Employee's couldn't get an eye full of Police Officer when they were walking down the hall.
We had trouble when they where Qualifying Officers because the Lockers that we dressed at were in the hallway corridor that was the entrance to the Indoor gun range. The Female officers would either have to stay in the room until they were told it was clear or they were dismissed from the training until the graveyard officers were finished dressing. This went on for the first year and a half that I worked at Rialto, the whole time we tried twice to get a measure of a Half sent tax, or a $50 dollar, 5 year Property tax initiative on the ballot passed. They never were passed even with all the work that we did, we had the whole Off duty Police Force working on this, it was miraculous. really, but we never got it, so it stands to wonder that the PD didn't get involved in the Property tax deal that encounters the Tax reform that adds so much to the family home depending on how big their property was, that was the utility tax, which passed. wow..The State, Police was not the thank the PD and the Small stuff that we did he;peed and I have to say that the very little participation that we did might have helped it pass as well.
But that is not for me to say, after All I am the one that for the first two years changed my clothes in the hallway, it was to the point after a while that we didn't care and it we weren't so modest about changing. the girls came down could watch us change and we didn't care. we were wearing something after all! But, then they opened up that Conference room and we realised what or how it was wrong and how they should have did that sooner. But again that is just me.
BS Ranch.
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This Idea, and or plan has been in the works since before my accident in 1997, they had been trying to get a station in the South since before they were asking for a station in the North end. Station Four was to be in the South end of the City South of I-10 on the corner N/W corner of Willow and Santa Ana Ave if My memory is correct, they once had a sign that was there and everything. The reason for the Fire station at that time was that it was impossible for them to get across the I-10 in the mornings and afternoons when the Traffic was backed up, and the response time to a fire call just at Santa Ana and Willow was about 25 minutes or more at peak times. The time has had to increase with the increase in traffic and times. They also have been trying to figure that if they had a major fire down in the Tank Farms the Colton Fire Department would be there first as they have southern Station already to respond and get there before the City of Rialto Especially when it is at 17:00 hrs, and the traffic is just at its peek. They are well at the most mortified with the traffic. I can imagine that it would take the Rialto Fire Department a total then of about 40 minutes to get across the freeway and to the tank farm!! Sorry to say, but that is what it would take to cross the I-10 depending on the day, I mean some days they could do it in no time and others forget about it, they would never be across. .
This Southern Fire Station Plan was back in a time when the Rialto Police Department was going to try to fight for extra monies from the Taxpayer in Rialto for a Brand New Police Station, after all at the time we were Changing our clothes in the hallway. downstairs with Blinder so that the Woman Employee's couldn't get an eye full of Police Officer when they were walking down the hall.
We had trouble when they where Qualifying Officers because the Lockers that we dressed at were in the hallway corridor that was the entrance to the Indoor gun range. The Female officers would either have to stay in the room until they were told it was clear or they were dismissed from the training until the graveyard officers were finished dressing. This went on for the first year and a half that I worked at Rialto, the whole time we tried twice to get a measure of a Half sent tax, or a $50 dollar, 5 year Property tax initiative on the ballot passed. They never were passed even with all the work that we did, we had the whole Off duty Police Force working on this, it was miraculous. really, but we never got it, so it stands to wonder that the PD didn't get involved in the Property tax deal that encounters the Tax reform that adds so much to the family home depending on how big their property was, that was the utility tax, which passed. wow..The State, Police was not the thank the PD and the Small stuff that we did he;peed and I have to say that the very little participation that we did might have helped it pass as well.
But that is not for me to say, after All I am the one that for the first two years changed my clothes in the hallway, it was to the point after a while that we didn't care and it we weren't so modest about changing. the girls came down could watch us change and we didn't care. we were wearing something after all! But, then they opened up that Conference room and we realised what or how it was wrong and how they should have did that sooner. But again that is just me.
BS Ranch.
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Rialto plans south-side fire station
City seeks quicker response as it considers development
Article Launched:11/27/2006 12:00:00 AM PST
RIALTO- City officials plan to build a new fire station to serve the southend of the city, where it takes nearly twice as long in some areas forfirefighters to respond to an emergency.
Although much of the city's development has been focused northof Interstate 10, projects for the south end have been proposed,prompting the city to take a closer look at the thinly populated area.
"There's a clear need for the station there," Fire Chief Steve Wells said.
Wells said response times south of I-10 are eight to 10 minutes, compared with five minutes in the rest of the city.
Separately,the Planning Commission on Tuesday will consider a 726-home developmenton 165 acres south of the freeway. The Rancho El Rivino project byYoung Homes would occupy county land just north of El Rivino Road thatthe city would annex.
Economic Development Director Robb Steel said theenvironmental-impact report drawn up for the project showed there isinsufficient fire response in the area to serve the proposed homes.
The city is negotiating a development agreement with YoungHomes that would help pay for the fire station and otherinfrastructure, such as sewers, the city will need to build to serve the development, Steel said.
the development.
Steelsaid the city has asked Young to pay higher development fees than usualbecause the city is about to raise the fees and is trying to fund a newfire station.
Building and equipping the station will cost $6million, Steel said.
PoliceChief Mark Kling said it is also possible there will be a policesubstation at the same location and that as the city continues todevelop, it will be necessary to increase the size of his department.
"Right now, we wouldn't have the staff to fill a substation," he said.
Inaddition to the El Rivino project, a number of industrial projectseither already exist or eventually will be located south of I-10. InSeptember, the City Council approved a 1.4 million- square-foot heavyindustrial center that will be built on Riverside Avenue and Agua MansaRoad.
But Wells said industrial development does not demand as much from the Fire Department as residential development does.
If the Planning Commission approves the proposal, it would go before the City Council in January.Monday, November 27, 2006
Further 210 extention to be done in '07 (Daily Bulletin 112407).
BS Ranch Perspective:
The work that they have been doing has been progressing right along, it is a wonder that they are saying that it will not be done for another year, now. The Bridges in the wash and many of them that are in the city area of San Bernardino seem to be running ahead of schedule. The bridge work that has been in the wash they are putting the top on and they will soon be placing the cross for the concrete roadway that will cross the was there and well that will fill the street or freeway road lanes and that will be done. I guess the only thing that is left is the bridges that I have just thought of that they are really just started construction on now. and these are the bridges that take the freeway across Muscoy, and the I-215, those are partially done, but not all the way. They are just working on them, but the way that they are going I predict that they will get done with them in the summer of Next year!! Which will still be ahead of schedule or ahead of the new schedule by a couple of months. The old schedule the freeway would have just opened to commuters. but they closed it for that three months, and the rains that placed it so much more behind.
I really cannot wait for it to open and start using it. because It will save time and make the neighborhood quieter with the traffic noise.
BSRanch
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The work that they have been doing has been progressing right along, it is a wonder that they are saying that it will not be done for another year, now. The Bridges in the wash and many of them that are in the city area of San Bernardino seem to be running ahead of schedule. The bridge work that has been in the wash they are putting the top on and they will soon be placing the cross for the concrete roadway that will cross the was there and well that will fill the street or freeway road lanes and that will be done. I guess the only thing that is left is the bridges that I have just thought of that they are really just started construction on now. and these are the bridges that take the freeway across Muscoy, and the I-215, those are partially done, but not all the way. They are just working on them, but the way that they are going I predict that they will get done with them in the summer of Next year!! Which will still be ahead of schedule or ahead of the new schedule by a couple of months. The old schedule the freeway would have just opened to commuters. but they closed it for that three months, and the rains that placed it so much more behind.
I really cannot wait for it to open and start using it. because It will save time and make the neighborhood quieter with the traffic noise.
BSRanch
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| Further 210 extension to be done in '07 |
| Jeff Horwitz, Staff Writer Inland Valley Daily Bulletin |
| Article Launched:11/24/2006 12:00:00 AM PST |
| The freeway extension that will shave minutes off many county residents' commutes will be here in a year. Since2003, regional transportation agency San Bernardino AssociatedGovernments has been working on the remaining eight miles separatingthe current end of the 210 Freeway in Rialto from San Bernardino, whereit will connect with Highway 30. It has already completed more than adozen bridges and overpasses for the $313 million project, and pavingof the highways in between is well under way. But one massive bridge is still under construction, SANBAGspokeswoman Cheryl Donahue said, a 558-foot span across Lytle CreekWash that, when complete, will contain nearly 4 million pounds of steeland be supported by 7-foot concrete pillars sunk 115 feet into theground. That bridge should be finished by early spring, and all theremaining highway, lighted and striped, will be open to traffic byabout this time next year, Donahue said. Recently, the work has even been on budget, with contractssigned two years back shielding the project from "the huge increases inconcrete and steel prices, with all the work going on in China,"Donahue said. While construction has gone smoothly, however, the projectis a year behind its original schedule. The holdup was largelyenvironmental, with a year's delay before SANBAG could get theappropriate clearances and permits for the project. In the area of the Lytle Creek Wash, the freeway's pathtraversed some of the same ground favored by the endangered SanBernardino kangaroo rat and the Santa Ana River woolly star, a plantwith lavender flowers. Along with other environmental impact mitigation measures,Donahue said, crews staked out the construction areas in an overnightrat relocation operation, armed with live traps baited with bird seedand rolled oats. Fourteen kangaroo rats were caged and brought to asafer habitat. With the freeway's completion next year, Donahue said, thearea's human inhabitants will also see a changed environment. Studiesand common sense suggest that the freeway will alleviate traffic on the10 Freeway, which runs largely parallel to the 210 extension. It will also reduce congestion on north-south surfacestreets, Donahue said, because residents of the foothill communitiesalong the northern edge of the San Bernardino Valley will no longerneed them to get to a freeway. Along with cars, Donahue said, her agency also expects thefreeway to bring money. Home prices usually go up when commutes areeasier, she said, and commercial areas adjacent to freeways tend toprosper. "We'll see what it does for economic development in Rialto and San Bernardino," Donahue said.
Jeff Horwitz can be reached at (909) 386-3856. |
'06 Victor Eyes Seat as Rialto Mayor! (SB Sun 112206)
BS Ranch Perspective:
Looks like Robertson has her eye on Grace Vargas's Seat! I don't know if there is anyone that will be able to beat the 46% of the vote that she got over the rest of the candidates for City Council, I cannot see how she was able to pull in that many Votes since she was one of the Fab Four that wanted to Sell the Police Department to the County. Then when the contract was Ironed out she was right there saying that she was marginal at best and that the Police Department is the way to go, etc etc! I don't know where she really is on an Issue. I realize that she received calls of "Treats" due to what She called Racially Motivated Comments" due to the Police Departments/Sheriff Department Contract Battle, in which she was in total Agreement with.
Robertson was in total agreement that the Sheriff Department should be the Law Enforcement Agency all the way up to when they had to cow down and say that they were in the wrong with the Way that they handled them selves regarding the Voter Laws, they kept accusing the people of "Voice United" that they were braking Voter Laws by forcing people to sign the petition under duress. Yet when it came time to tally up the signatures and say who won the signature war regarding the Petitions, the City Council along with the City Lawyer Owens Stalled!! They Purposely Stalled the outcome in hopes that there was some way that they could come up with some violation that was done by the people that were in favor of the Police Department to Stay over the Sheriff Department.
Owens Came out and said that there was a distinct violation of Voter Rules when it came to Collection of Signatures, so 4300-4900 signatures were rejected by the City clerk, a move that was not in the best interest of the citizens of Rialto, but the best interest of the wishes of the City Council and the Administrative Staff (Anything to keep the Sheriff Department Contract Dream alive). Why even when Owens, (Who is a Fully Qualified Lawyer who has passed the Bar and everything) has advised the City Clerk Barbara McGee that the Signatures that were in question were obtained in violation of of the Voter Rules regulating the collection of signatures for petitions. Mr. Owens said that the signatures collected by people that lived in the County of San Bernardino, but not the City of Rialto were in violation of these Rules. When in fact the person collecting signatures for a city has to be a Registered Voter, who lives in the County in which they were collecting signatures.
Well, to make a long story short, Owens withheld these signatures from the Citizens of Rialto, thinking that the petitions had failed yet it was brought up every meeting since they were rejected. The Sheriff was discussing the take over of Rialto City as a contract City in every County Community Speech that the Sheriff was giving, and Sheriff Penrod even included Rialto as a large portion of the State of the County Speech in which he was all set to take over the City and absorb Rialto into the County Enforcement Team when the time came.
However it was the tenacity of the people of Rialto that kept bringing the petition up in the City Council Chambers during every City Council meeting. It was then that the mayor Grace Vargas made the motion to take the petitions and have them looked over by a independent investigator. Grace Vargas said that it was a good Idea that the rejected petitions and the rejected signatures be looked at by a Independent person to see if they were in fact true independent Investigator.
The City Council elected to take them to the Registrar of Voter's since they were more up on the Voter laws then Owens was, Since he was having problems with the Voters laws since he started to deal with them when they started.
The Petitions were not at the Register of Voters for more then an hour when they got the call that Owens had been denying as not good were in fact good signatures by good signature collectors. Immediately there was 4900 signatures that were added to the 900+- signatures that we already had that were good, and that gave us 5000 signatures. Only 2900 signatures were needed to place that on the ballot. and put before the voter in the city of Rialto. The City Council Realized that Owens had broken the Election Laws, and they right away had two options one was to put it before the city as a vote the other was to put the bill into law right away. They elected to place it into an ordinance and changed the laws for Rialto right then. This historical petition for Rialto made it so that the City Council was no longer able to simply vote the Police Department away, they had to put it before the city as a vote, the second obviously was to keep the police Department!!
Now I am wondering when they are going to Get rid of Owens, who has given them this headache for so long!! Another person that needs to be taken away from the likes of duty is that of the city Administrator.
Between the two of them they make about $1,250,000.00 a year between the two (Owens $750.000.00 Garcia $500,000.00). I know that Garcia makes a little more. Now take home is about $30,000.00 a month minus the taxes. WOW, that is what I NOW MAKE IN A YEAR!!!
Robertson doesn't deserve to be The Mayor of Rialto That is true by the history that I just spelled out. It is obvious that she is not working for the best interest of the People of Rialto, I am not sure who she is working for. Let us consider this. Ed Scott is but one man who speaks with but one voice, and he had Robertson's ear, and vote all the way down to the Petitions being falsely held up, on a Voter Rule when if you read the rule that Owens was holding them on clearly states so that any 3rd grade Student can understand them regarding Voter Laws and the collection of Signatures, Yet Owens a Lawyer who is collage taught and Bar passed failed to understand the laws as they pertain to signature collection.
Who is Robertson going to listen to in order to get her feelings from. because she certainty doesn't do reading on her own, or research on her own. espeically when it was to the election laws and the collection of the signatures on petitions.
She only listened to Owens who, I think this might be a streach but I beleive that they all were taking orders from one person that was calling the shots, it was not the Current Mayor, it was either the Mayor Pro-Temp Sampson (who lost his job this last time to Baca Jr.), but he was following the one person that hates the Police Department!! That person is the only one that has an active Law Suit against the cities Police Department for Wrongful Detainment. That person is none other then City Councilmemeber Ed Scott!!
Ed Scott was the one that wanted the Sheriff Department to take over and be the law Enforcement for the area. Now Ed Scott, needs to be voted off the council. and be gone!! take my word on it along with Robertson. they really need to go, why she was relelected,?? I don't have a Clue?? Ed Scott is the one that was the puppet master and Robertson, Joe Sampson, and Whinnie Hanson were the Puppets being told what to do, how to vote what to say by Ed Scott the Puppet master!!
BSRanch
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Looks like Robertson has her eye on Grace Vargas's Seat! I don't know if there is anyone that will be able to beat the 46% of the vote that she got over the rest of the candidates for City Council, I cannot see how she was able to pull in that many Votes since she was one of the Fab Four that wanted to Sell the Police Department to the County. Then when the contract was Ironed out she was right there saying that she was marginal at best and that the Police Department is the way to go, etc etc! I don't know where she really is on an Issue. I realize that she received calls of "Treats" due to what She called Racially Motivated Comments" due to the Police Departments/Sheriff Department Contract Battle, in which she was in total Agreement with.
Robertson was in total agreement that the Sheriff Department should be the Law Enforcement Agency all the way up to when they had to cow down and say that they were in the wrong with the Way that they handled them selves regarding the Voter Laws, they kept accusing the people of "Voice United" that they were braking Voter Laws by forcing people to sign the petition under duress. Yet when it came time to tally up the signatures and say who won the signature war regarding the Petitions, the City Council along with the City Lawyer Owens Stalled!! They Purposely Stalled the outcome in hopes that there was some way that they could come up with some violation that was done by the people that were in favor of the Police Department to Stay over the Sheriff Department.
Owens Came out and said that there was a distinct violation of Voter Rules when it came to Collection of Signatures, so 4300-4900 signatures were rejected by the City clerk, a move that was not in the best interest of the citizens of Rialto, but the best interest of the wishes of the City Council and the Administrative Staff (Anything to keep the Sheriff Department Contract Dream alive). Why even when Owens, (Who is a Fully Qualified Lawyer who has passed the Bar and everything) has advised the City Clerk Barbara McGee that the Signatures that were in question were obtained in violation of of the Voter Rules regulating the collection of signatures for petitions. Mr. Owens said that the signatures collected by people that lived in the County of San Bernardino, but not the City of Rialto were in violation of these Rules. When in fact the person collecting signatures for a city has to be a Registered Voter, who lives in the County in which they were collecting signatures.
Well, to make a long story short, Owens withheld these signatures from the Citizens of Rialto, thinking that the petitions had failed yet it was brought up every meeting since they were rejected. The Sheriff was discussing the take over of Rialto City as a contract City in every County Community Speech that the Sheriff was giving, and Sheriff Penrod even included Rialto as a large portion of the State of the County Speech in which he was all set to take over the City and absorb Rialto into the County Enforcement Team when the time came.
However it was the tenacity of the people of Rialto that kept bringing the petition up in the City Council Chambers during every City Council meeting. It was then that the mayor Grace Vargas made the motion to take the petitions and have them looked over by a independent investigator. Grace Vargas said that it was a good Idea that the rejected petitions and the rejected signatures be looked at by a Independent person to see if they were in fact true independent Investigator.
The City Council elected to take them to the Registrar of Voter's since they were more up on the Voter laws then Owens was, Since he was having problems with the Voters laws since he started to deal with them when they started.
The Petitions were not at the Register of Voters for more then an hour when they got the call that Owens had been denying as not good were in fact good signatures by good signature collectors. Immediately there was 4900 signatures that were added to the 900+- signatures that we already had that were good, and that gave us 5000 signatures. Only 2900 signatures were needed to place that on the ballot. and put before the voter in the city of Rialto. The City Council Realized that Owens had broken the Election Laws, and they right away had two options one was to put it before the city as a vote the other was to put the bill into law right away. They elected to place it into an ordinance and changed the laws for Rialto right then. This historical petition for Rialto made it so that the City Council was no longer able to simply vote the Police Department away, they had to put it before the city as a vote, the second obviously was to keep the police Department!!
Now I am wondering when they are going to Get rid of Owens, who has given them this headache for so long!! Another person that needs to be taken away from the likes of duty is that of the city Administrator.
Between the two of them they make about $1,250,000.00 a year between the two (Owens $750.000.00 Garcia $500,000.00). I know that Garcia makes a little more. Now take home is about $30,000.00 a month minus the taxes. WOW, that is what I NOW MAKE IN A YEAR!!!
Robertson doesn't deserve to be The Mayor of Rialto That is true by the history that I just spelled out. It is obvious that she is not working for the best interest of the People of Rialto, I am not sure who she is working for. Let us consider this. Ed Scott is but one man who speaks with but one voice, and he had Robertson's ear, and vote all the way down to the Petitions being falsely held up, on a Voter Rule when if you read the rule that Owens was holding them on clearly states so that any 3rd grade Student can understand them regarding Voter Laws and the collection of Signatures, Yet Owens a Lawyer who is collage taught and Bar passed failed to understand the laws as they pertain to signature collection.
Who is Robertson going to listen to in order to get her feelings from. because she certainty doesn't do reading on her own, or research on her own. espeically when it was to the election laws and the collection of the signatures on petitions.
She only listened to Owens who, I think this might be a streach but I beleive that they all were taking orders from one person that was calling the shots, it was not the Current Mayor, it was either the Mayor Pro-Temp Sampson (who lost his job this last time to Baca Jr.), but he was following the one person that hates the Police Department!! That person is the only one that has an active Law Suit against the cities Police Department for Wrongful Detainment. That person is none other then City Councilmemeber Ed Scott!!
Ed Scott was the one that wanted the Sheriff Department to take over and be the law Enforcement for the area. Now Ed Scott, needs to be voted off the council. and be gone!! take my word on it along with Robertson. they really need to go, why she was relelected,?? I don't have a Clue?? Ed Scott is the one that was the puppet master and Robertson, Joe Sampson, and Whinnie Hanson were the Puppets being told what to do, how to vote what to say by Ed Scott the Puppet master!!
BSRanch
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'06 victor eyes seat as mayor
Article Launched:11/22/2006 12:00:00 AM PST
RIALTO - The November election isn't even a month old, but the 2008 race for mayor of has apparently already begun.
Councilwoman Deborah Robertson announced her 2008 candidacy for mayor after she won re-election to the City Council on Nov. 7.
Robertson,who was first elected to the council in 2000, was the biggestvote-getter in the city election earlier this month, finishing with 28percent of the vote - 461 votes ahead of Assemblyman Joe Baca Jr.,D-Rialto, who won the other contested seat.
Robertson said she has made no formal announcement but thatshe plans to run for mayor in 2008 and is letting people know about it.
"I'm very goal-oriented. I've always been," she said.
Thecity's main priorities should be renewing the utility-users tax,dealing with the city's contaminated drinking water supply and workingon economic development, Robertson said.
Robertson currently works as a deputy district director for Caltrans.Transient Burglar Arrested by Police (Daily Bulletin 12306) Katrice N. Smart Arrested!!
BS Ranch Perspective:
This is Wonderful News!!
On my previous Writing regarding this story, I said that the best way was that they had to Catch her in the act, and in some cases they did. One Victim Woke up while she was in their house!! Tuesday, the Victim woke up only to see Smart standing over him, he quickly acted and tried to detain her in his home, but she slipped out and got away. An area check and contact with an employee of the East Jackson Remodel, remembers a woman that was fitting her discription in the area of the East Jackson Apartments. An Area check found her and she was placed under arrest!!
ANOTHER GREAT JOB BY THE DEDICATED MEN AND WOMAN OF THE RIALTO POLICE DEPARTMENT!!
The Department now that deserves the 3%@50 Retirement More then any of the other departments that have it, Right Now! Espeically with what they have been through this past year!!
BSRanch
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This is Wonderful News!!
On my previous Writing regarding this story, I said that the best way was that they had to Catch her in the act, and in some cases they did. One Victim Woke up while she was in their house!! Tuesday, the Victim woke up only to see Smart standing over him, he quickly acted and tried to detain her in his home, but she slipped out and got away. An area check and contact with an employee of the East Jackson Remodel, remembers a woman that was fitting her discription in the area of the East Jackson Apartments. An Area check found her and she was placed under arrest!!
ANOTHER GREAT JOB BY THE DEDICATED MEN AND WOMAN OF THE RIALTO POLICE DEPARTMENT!!
The Department now that deserves the 3%@50 Retirement More then any of the other departments that have it, Right Now! Espeically with what they have been through this past year!!
BSRanch
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| Transient burglar arrested by police |
| Joe Nelson, Staff Writer Inland Valley Daily Bulletin |
| Article Launched:11/23/2006 12:00:00 AM PST |
| RIALTO- She targeted homes with open or unlocked doors - casually walkinginto the dwellings late at night or in the wee hours and taking purses,wallets and other small items she could quickly make off with. For more than a month, police suspect 21-year-old transientKatrice Nichole Smart burglarized at least 10 homes in the area ofRiverside and Etiwanda avenues, making off with mostly cash shepilfered from wallets and purses while residents slept in their beds,police said. But sometimes the sounds of a burglar sifting throughpossessions roused residents from their slumber. One resident caughtthe suspected burglar in the act and tried to detain her, but she brokefree and ran off. On other occasions when she was caught in the act,she was able to flee before police arrived, Rialto police Sgt. ReinhardBurkholder said. About 9 p.m. Tuesday, Smart's luck ran out. The RialtoPolice Department's Street Crime Attack Team located her at an EastJackson Street apartment, where she had been staying with anacquaintance, and arrested her. "During an interview, she admitted to at least five of ourburglaries," Burkholder said. "And then she also told us that thepurses and wallets that she did take, she would take the money out ofthem and discard the purse or wallet into a trash can." Before the woman's arrest, police asked employees atseveral convenience stores in the area if they'd seen anyone matchingthe description of the suspected burglar. "One of the workers said a person fitting the descriptionhad been in the store and was causing a problem, and they startedtaking pictures of her," Burkholder said, adding that the pictures weregiven to detectives, who then circulated them around the departmentasking if anyone recognized or had contact with the woman. Cpl. John Black recognized the woman as someone he had aprior run-in with on the street, and gave detectives a name. Furtherinvestigation led police to the East Jackson Street apartment complexwhere Smart had been staying, Burkholder said. Smart, who has several criminal convictions dating back to2003 including two petty thefts, burglary, and battery, was booked intothe West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga on suspicion ofburglary. She is expected to be arraigned Monday in Fontana SuperiorCourt. Contact writer Joe Nelson at (909) 386-3887 or via e-mail at joe.nelson@sbsun.com. |
Elusive Cat Burgler Hits at least 10 Rialto Homes..(Press-Enterprise 112106)
BS Ranch Perspective:
These Cat Burglars are the worse of all Burglaries, you usually don't sustain any damage to your home but you realize that the suspect watched you sleep, that is horror, and you realize that they could have hit you or struck you with anything before you woke up to confront them they had the drop on you the whole time. The only thing is that if you had more then one person sleeping in your house at one time that they might have felt. After all the more quite Cat Burglars are the more that they can get away with stuff, if you have however a yap or a Jack Russell Terror would solve this problem, but then a German Shepherd would also stop this problem too.
BS Ranch
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These Cat Burglars are the worse of all Burglaries, you usually don't sustain any damage to your home but you realize that the suspect watched you sleep, that is horror, and you realize that they could have hit you or struck you with anything before you woke up to confront them they had the drop on you the whole time. The only thing is that if you had more then one person sleeping in your house at one time that they might have felt. After all the more quite Cat Burglars are the more that they can get away with stuff, if you have however a yap or a Jack Russell Terror would solve this problem, but then a German Shepherd would also stop this problem too.
BS Ranch
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Elusive cat burglar hits at least 10 Rialto homes
BURGLARIES: The suspect has hit at least 10 Rialto homes -- some with residents sleeping inside.10:00 PM PST on Tuesday, November 21, 2006
RIALTO - A slippery cat burglar hasthe attention of police after hitting at least 10 homes within the sameneighborhood over the past month, twice breaking loose from victims whoattempted to tackle her in the act.
The woman began her spate of break-ins on Oct. 19, and has used thesame technique to burglarize five other homes in the area of Riversideand Etiwanda Avenues, said Rialto police Sgt. Reinhard Burkholder.
The latest burglary occurred on Saturday, said Burkholder, who did not disclose how much property was taken.
Usually wearing a black-hooded sweatshirt, the woman enters homes inthe night by finding unlocked doors and windows. She searches primarilyfor purses, wallets and jewelry, Burkholder said, and unusually,doesn't just focus on unoccupied homes.
"She knows they're home," Burkholder said. "But she'll try to get as much as she can before anyone notices."
She has been confronted by victims during the burglaries twice, butmanaged the "wrestle herself away" as they tried to detain her,Burkholder said.
Police are looking for a woman in connection with the case: KatriceNichole Smart, 21, a transient. She is 5 feet 6 inches tall, 180pounds, with shoulder-length hair and a large gap between her upperfront teeth.
Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Carl Jones at 909-820-2596.
Reach Paul LaRocco at 909-806-3064 or plarocco@PE.com
Woman Wanted for 10+ Burglaries in the Rialto Area! (Fox News)
BS Ranch Perspective:
Now is the second most hardest part of the Investigation. You have the Suspect Identified, Rounding them up for the Arrest is the next hardest part. Identification is the First. The Third of coarse is getting the conviction! This case looks like a pretty good one however they got great Circumstantial Evidence and they have the finger prints and the like from the entrances. They just have to Catch her, and if the can Catch her in the act of entering a home, that would seal the deal and make the other cases tie in better with the M.O.! The sooner she is arrested the better, that way there are people with less loss and less property damage!!!
Good Luck Rialto Police Detectives, Police Officers and the like. this Smart Girl looks familiar to even me, with out knowing her history, it is hard to say.
BS Ranch
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Now is the second most hardest part of the Investigation. You have the Suspect Identified, Rounding them up for the Arrest is the next hardest part. Identification is the First. The Third of coarse is getting the conviction! This case looks like a pretty good one however they got great Circumstantial Evidence and they have the finger prints and the like from the entrances. They just have to Catch her, and if the can Catch her in the act of entering a home, that would seal the deal and make the other cases tie in better with the M.O.! The sooner she is arrested the better, that way there are people with less loss and less property damage!!!
Good Luck Rialto Police Detectives, Police Officers and the like. this Smart Girl looks familiar to even me, with out knowing her history, it is hard to say.
BS Ranch
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| Woman Wanted for 10+ Burglaries in Rialto Area | ||
| | ||
| Last Edited: Tuesday, 21 Nov 2006, 6:19 PM PST | ||
| Created: Tuesday, 21 Nov 2006, 6:16 PM PST | ||
Accordingto police, the suspect enters the residences through opened or unlockeddoors. In some cases the victims are asleep inside the residence. Onnumerous cases the victims would awake to the sounds of the suspectgoing through their property, but the suspect would leave the residenceprior to the police arriving on scene. The suspect, identified viaphoto line-ups, has been identified as 21-year old Katrice NicholeSmart. Smart is described as an African-American woman, 5'6"tall, 180 pounds, with shoulder length hair. She has a large gapbetween her top front teeth. She is known to be homeless, and has beenseen in the area of Baseline and Sycamore Avenue. Anyone with any information regarding this incident is asked to please contact the Rialto Police Department, 909-820-2550. | ||
| |
Monday, November 20, 2006
Deborah Roinson Wins Big Announces Run for Rialto Mayor in 2008??
BS Ranch Perspective:
Well isn't this some kind of news, this woman along with Edward Scott and "Joe" Sampson, and Winnie Hanson all tried to Re-Develop the Police Department and give it to the County of San Bernardino. They wanted to allow Sheriff Penrod to try to solve the crime problems when the primary responsibility of the Sheriff is to maintain the Jail and Prisoners of the County!! They are also responsible to look for violent criminals as their second responsibility!
Deborah Robertson only came to her senses after the public had spoken. There was a massive Signature drive for a new Law that stated that the City council no longer had the sole power and decision to take the beloved Police Department of the city of Rialto and Change it without a Vote of the People of Rialto. The People of Rialto would have to vote over 50% that they would want the Sheriff Department to come in and be the law enforcer for the city.
If that Rialto City Council (Made up of Deborah Robertson: Y, Ed Scott: Y, Joe Sampson: Y, Winnie Hanson: Y, and Mayor Grace Vargas: N) had voted to go with a Law Enforcement Agency that does have it's own SWAT team that is Nationally Recognised and is a good team, they have the largest Law Enforcement Air Force in the USA with 3-5 Helicopters, 4-7 fixed wing plans of various sizes, they have the crime lab, Coroners Office, with Forensics. the Sheriff Department did away with the K-9 Division when Penrod became Sheriff or just before. Their Homicide Division is a centralized Division and responds to the Homicides that occur all over the county, and they work out of the Central Patrol Offices or the main Sheriff's Headquarters. They don't have such a great clearance record, only a 67% when the Rialto Detectives that they are trading with has a clearance rate on homicides of over 89% somewhere in that area. I am not positive on the clearance statistic for the Homicide for the Detectives of Rialto, but I do know that it is about a 25% better clearance record then the Sheriff's Department in the same area. Even the Burglaries and shootings our Detectives even though they are so much more short handed then the Sheriff Department is with all the resources that they have, Rialto does a better job then the Sheriff Department does in all aspects of the Job of keeping the Streets safer for the Citizens of Rialto.
You have to understand that this is the Safety of the people that live and work in Rialto that we are talking about here. The people that drive through, the people that Work 8-10 hours a day in Rialto and spend a majority of their time here because they work at the Warehouse such as the Toys~R~Us Warehouse or the new Target Western Distribution Center, in the North end of the city!! they have a right to be safe at work. not to mention the 90,000. to 100, 000.00 people that need to know that their City Council is looking out for their Best interest, By Making the Votes and Decisions that will make the place that they live safer and more economical to live, not more expensive and more crime riddled!!
That is just what Deborah Robinson was doing teaming up with Ed Scott, Winnie Hanson, and Joe Sampson, I am just happy now that Grace has some help on the council when Joe Baca Jr. takes over to help her. He will be an asset to the people of Rialto, he will look out to what is best for the city of Rialto I hope he will, Knowing his father like I do, I hope that he will continue to fight for the good and the better of the people of rialto. It really meant a lot to me, and a lot of people that Joe Baca Jr. stood with his father and argued for the Police Department to stay when we were down but not completely out.
I also want to Thank Owens!! The city Attorney for being such a great Strategical Genius by LOOSING EVERY COURT BATTLE AGAINST THE, (How did Mr. Owens put it?) LAWYER FROM RIVERSIDE THAT DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE VOTER LAWS IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. But when in Court!! OWENS LOST EVERY TIME!!! THANK YOU MR OWENS!!
PLEASE IF YOU ARE SMART, I KNOW YOU ARE!! YOU WILL THINK TWICE ABOUT VOTING FOR HER FOR MAYOR, BECAUSE OF HER POOR DECISIONS SURROUNDING THE DEPARTMENT OF THE POLICE, AND SAFETY OF THE CITY!!
Because of the ugliness of this battle that was done between the Police and City Council, and City Administration. The City Administrator found it necessary to bring in the Fire Department's Union to fight the Police Departments Union in fighting for their vary existence. This battle has left a Scar so deep in the city that they are no longer getting along with each other. They handle calls with each other and that is about it, other then that they are just cold and not talking to each other. I worked hard to make friends across the street and this is all cold and thrown away. There are some very good men to know and get to know and be friends with on the Fire Department, Knowing this is hard to be in this battle with my Police Brothers. but I'm in it because I am a loyal soldier. This SCAR, and hate, and insults is all caused by the city council and their fight to rid the City of the Police Department, and pulling the Fire Departments Union in to fight with them. They made certain Promises to the Fire Department I know the City Administrator did Garcia is good at that. HE promised if the Utility Tax was to pass, and the RPBA (Rialto Police Benefit Association) was to help, they would give us the Retirement package that we were asking for. the 3% @50 Retirement package, all but 2 other agencies have this retirement package. Even the Smaller City Colton has the 3% @50 Retirement and Rialto Police still does not. Upland and San Bernardino City doesn't as well.
San Bernardino City has a modified Retirement plan that is 3% @ 55 Rather then at 50, and this contract year they are asking the city to change to the 3% at 50 instead of what they have. If they get it then Upland and Rialto are the only two cities. Rialto and Upland become the training cities with a lot of turn over for the rest of the cities in the area, what that means is that they would pay to train someone to be a great police officer and they would leave as soon as they get their probationary period over with, to get that 3% at 50 Retirement package, rather than stick around and hope to get it with the Department that they are at. They will go to a department that has it and they will do it, this happens over and over and over. Rialto was a training city when I started and since My accident in 1997, I would say that approximately 90% of the Department has left/ Passed away/ or Retired due to injuries caused on duty!
BS Ranch
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Well isn't this some kind of news, this woman along with Edward Scott and "Joe" Sampson, and Winnie Hanson all tried to Re-Develop the Police Department and give it to the County of San Bernardino. They wanted to allow Sheriff Penrod to try to solve the crime problems when the primary responsibility of the Sheriff is to maintain the Jail and Prisoners of the County!! They are also responsible to look for violent criminals as their second responsibility!
Deborah Robertson only came to her senses after the public had spoken. There was a massive Signature drive for a new Law that stated that the City council no longer had the sole power and decision to take the beloved Police Department of the city of Rialto and Change it without a Vote of the People of Rialto. The People of Rialto would have to vote over 50% that they would want the Sheriff Department to come in and be the law enforcer for the city.
If that Rialto City Council (Made up of Deborah Robertson: Y, Ed Scott: Y, Joe Sampson: Y, Winnie Hanson: Y, and Mayor Grace Vargas: N) had voted to go with a Law Enforcement Agency that does have it's own SWAT team that is Nationally Recognised and is a good team, they have the largest Law Enforcement Air Force in the USA with 3-5 Helicopters, 4-7 fixed wing plans of various sizes, they have the crime lab, Coroners Office, with Forensics. the Sheriff Department did away with the K-9 Division when Penrod became Sheriff or just before. Their Homicide Division is a centralized Division and responds to the Homicides that occur all over the county, and they work out of the Central Patrol Offices or the main Sheriff's Headquarters. They don't have such a great clearance record, only a 67% when the Rialto Detectives that they are trading with has a clearance rate on homicides of over 89% somewhere in that area. I am not positive on the clearance statistic for the Homicide for the Detectives of Rialto, but I do know that it is about a 25% better clearance record then the Sheriff's Department in the same area. Even the Burglaries and shootings our Detectives even though they are so much more short handed then the Sheriff Department is with all the resources that they have, Rialto does a better job then the Sheriff Department does in all aspects of the Job of keeping the Streets safer for the Citizens of Rialto.
You have to understand that this is the Safety of the people that live and work in Rialto that we are talking about here. The people that drive through, the people that Work 8-10 hours a day in Rialto and spend a majority of their time here because they work at the Warehouse such as the Toys~R~Us Warehouse or the new Target Western Distribution Center, in the North end of the city!! they have a right to be safe at work. not to mention the 90,000. to 100, 000.00 people that need to know that their City Council is looking out for their Best interest, By Making the Votes and Decisions that will make the place that they live safer and more economical to live, not more expensive and more crime riddled!!
That is just what Deborah Robinson was doing teaming up with Ed Scott, Winnie Hanson, and Joe Sampson, I am just happy now that Grace has some help on the council when Joe Baca Jr. takes over to help her. He will be an asset to the people of Rialto, he will look out to what is best for the city of Rialto I hope he will, Knowing his father like I do, I hope that he will continue to fight for the good and the better of the people of rialto. It really meant a lot to me, and a lot of people that Joe Baca Jr. stood with his father and argued for the Police Department to stay when we were down but not completely out.
I also want to Thank Owens!! The city Attorney for being such a great Strategical Genius by LOOSING EVERY COURT BATTLE AGAINST THE, (How did Mr. Owens put it?) LAWYER FROM RIVERSIDE THAT DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE VOTER LAWS IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. But when in Court!! OWENS LOST EVERY TIME!!! THANK YOU MR OWENS!!
PLEASE IF YOU ARE SMART, I KNOW YOU ARE!! YOU WILL THINK TWICE ABOUT VOTING FOR HER FOR MAYOR, BECAUSE OF HER POOR DECISIONS SURROUNDING THE DEPARTMENT OF THE POLICE, AND SAFETY OF THE CITY!!
Because of the ugliness of this battle that was done between the Police and City Council, and City Administration. The City Administrator found it necessary to bring in the Fire Department's Union to fight the Police Departments Union in fighting for their vary existence. This battle has left a Scar so deep in the city that they are no longer getting along with each other. They handle calls with each other and that is about it, other then that they are just cold and not talking to each other. I worked hard to make friends across the street and this is all cold and thrown away. There are some very good men to know and get to know and be friends with on the Fire Department, Knowing this is hard to be in this battle with my Police Brothers. but I'm in it because I am a loyal soldier. This SCAR, and hate, and insults is all caused by the city council and their fight to rid the City of the Police Department, and pulling the Fire Departments Union in to fight with them. They made certain Promises to the Fire Department I know the City Administrator did Garcia is good at that. HE promised if the Utility Tax was to pass, and the RPBA (Rialto Police Benefit Association) was to help, they would give us the Retirement package that we were asking for. the 3% @50 Retirement package, all but 2 other agencies have this retirement package. Even the Smaller City Colton has the 3% @50 Retirement and Rialto Police still does not. Upland and San Bernardino City doesn't as well.
San Bernardino City has a modified Retirement plan that is 3% @ 55 Rather then at 50, and this contract year they are asking the city to change to the 3% at 50 instead of what they have. If they get it then Upland and Rialto are the only two cities. Rialto and Upland become the training cities with a lot of turn over for the rest of the cities in the area, what that means is that they would pay to train someone to be a great police officer and they would leave as soon as they get their probationary period over with, to get that 3% at 50 Retirement package, rather than stick around and hope to get it with the Department that they are at. They will go to a department that has it and they will do it, this happens over and over and over. Rialto was a training city when I started and since My accident in 1997, I would say that approximately 90% of the Department has left/ Passed away/ or Retired due to injuries caused on duty!
BS Ranch
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| Deborah Robinson Wins Big Announces Run for Rialto Mayor in 2008 |  |  |  |
| Tuesday, 14 November 2006 | ||
| RIALTO By Cheryl Brown
Incumbent Joe Sampson lost his re-election bid to former Assemblymember Joe Baca Jr. who lost his bid as the Democratic nominee for State Senate in June. Robertson announced, "I am running for the Mayor of Rialto in '08." She said that the city of Rialto residents are owed a better community. "The city is moving in the right direction. I will be working on my platform. Projects we will see in a couple of years will bring a significant amount of mixed use development. It will bring significant amenities for our middle income lifestyle," she said. Joanne Gilbert won by a big margin one of two seats in the Rialto Unified School District. She will be joined by John R. Kazalunas who beat Corey Jackson out by less than three percentage points. | ||
Retail, Residental Project to be presented to Rialto City Residents.
BS Ranch Perspective:
Wow, this is a wonderful Idea!! Actually if they can get the monies and the developers to get involved that quickly sounds like they already have this underway. IT is weird that they didn't seek comment from "The Mouth" of the City Council "Ed Scott" on this matter, I suppose he said that he was abstaining from this decision making all the way because it was within a 500 foot area from his business, and he doesn't want to make anyone think that he has any input.
However Having said all the good stuff, there is no law that states that he cannot be behind closed doors pulling all the strings for his puppet's to work for him, I am not talking about the newly elected Baca, but Hanson, and Robertson. Flores Jr. Is well respected not only by the paper obviously but by this writer too!! I know Joe pretty well and He is a good Stand up guy, really one that you would want in your corner.
I do have to say that this over all is a great Idea, especially if it grabs the look of the old City Hall, Fire Station One, Police Station that was located where that park is located today! May it go forth and be built and make the downtown a better place for the Run~Whatcha~ Brung, and maybe we can make it more than a one day event, and it can be moved to a three day event again. It will be interesting to see..
BS Ranch
The Press-Enterprise
Wow, this is a wonderful Idea!! Actually if they can get the monies and the developers to get involved that quickly sounds like they already have this underway. IT is weird that they didn't seek comment from "The Mouth" of the City Council "Ed Scott" on this matter, I suppose he said that he was abstaining from this decision making all the way because it was within a 500 foot area from his business, and he doesn't want to make anyone think that he has any input.
However Having said all the good stuff, there is no law that states that he cannot be behind closed doors pulling all the strings for his puppet's to work for him, I am not talking about the newly elected Baca, but Hanson, and Robertson. Flores Jr. Is well respected not only by the paper obviously but by this writer too!! I know Joe pretty well and He is a good Stand up guy, really one that you would want in your corner.
I do have to say that this over all is a great Idea, especially if it grabs the look of the old City Hall, Fire Station One, Police Station that was located where that park is located today! May it go forth and be built and make the downtown a better place for the Run~Whatcha~ Brung, and maybe we can make it more than a one day event, and it can be moved to a three day event again. It will be interesting to see..
BS Ranch
Retail, residential project to be presented to residents
12:35 AM PST on Wednesday, November 15, 2006
By MASSIEL LADRÓN DE GUEVARAThe Press-Enterprise
Rialto officials not only want people to shop in the city's downtown area, they want them to live there, too.
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Plans for a $26 million mixed-use development project are being presented to business owners and residents in the vicinity of Rialto and Riverside avenues Thursday in an effort to get feedback and keep people informed of the city's plans, said John Dutrey, Rialto housing program manager.
The city is looking at building 117 low-income senior housing units, 5,222 square feet of retail space, a 3,700-square-foot community center and 148 underground parking spaces at Rialto and Riverside avenues, he said.
Funding for the proposed Crossroads Project will come from federal tax credits, private sources and the redevelopment agency, he said.
Property owners and merchants are invited to attend a meeting at Rialto City Hall, where they will be encouraged to offer opinions and ask questions before the project proceeds, Dutrey said.
"We think the future of mixed-use development will become more of a reality in the downtown area because of the surrounding retail and the proximity to the Metrolink station," Dutrey said.
The Crossroads Project would be the first mixed-use project in Rialto, said Robb Steel, the city's economic development director said.
City officials hope to bring in several more mixed-use projects, he said.
"I think it will create for the downtown a 24-hour activity center and it will be a signature building on a major corner," Steel said.
The city is negotiating with the owners of a vacant church, a single-family residence and a dog grooming business to acquire their land for the project, Steel said.
The properties were appraised and offers have been made to each owner, he said.
There has been no negative response and it probably will be a matter of reaching the best price for each property, Steel said.
Once negotiations are completed, it will take six months to a year to get permits for the project, said Rod MacDonald, partner with KDF Communities, the proposed developer of the Crossroads Project.
Construction time should about 13 months, he said.
The building's design will have some elements similar to the former Rialto City Hall, which occupied the corner of Riverside and Rialto avenues.
"There has been a movement recently in Southern California to recapture the main street, and this is a good example of that," MacDonald said.
The movement gives cities more viable downtowns and provides entertainment close to home, in some cases within walking distance, for residents he said.
Joe Flores Jr., who owns an upholstery supply store on Riverside Avenue, said he thinks the project is a good idea.
"If everything works out the way they say it's going to work out, it will be an asset," Flores said.
"Anytime you can increase retail space in the downtown and bring people in too, it's a win-win situation," he said.
Reach Massiel Ladrón De Guevara at 909-806-3054 or mdeguevara@PE.com
Friday, November 03, 2006
Dad Turns in Sons in Shooting
Dad Turns in Sons in Shooting
BSRanch Perspective:
This is a good thing, However one of the most hardest things in the world to do for a parent, to turn in his own son's in a shooting that they committed against a former gang member that was trying to turn his life around after spending a long time in prison. He was purchasing some Beer at a Market in the 900 Block of West Foothill and the suspects followed him from the store and killed him by shooting him in the back. One of the, cowards way of getting revenge.
I am just proud for what the father did and consider him a hero, even though he is, hurting pretty bad inside for what his children have done at such a young age.
We should Pray for the Father for his bravery and working is way through this and showing his children what was right from wrong by making that hard phone call and turning them in.
BSRanch
Dad turns in sons in shooting
CRIME: Officials say two more suspects are sought in the killing outside a convenience store.
10:00 PM PDT on Monday, October 23, 2006
Two teens accused of killing a 26-year-old man as he left a Rialto convenience store Wednesday were turned in by their father Monday to San Bernardino Juvenile Court, a Rialto Police Department spokesman said.
The youths, identified as Marcos Torres, 15, and Rogelio Torres, 17, were brought to Juvenile Court at about 11:30 a.m. by their father, who was not identified, said Rialto Sgt. Reinhard Burkholder in a news release.
The teens will be charged as adults, the news release said.
Raymond Garnica, of Rialto, had entered Carter's Liquor after 8 a.m. Wednesday to buy beer and a pack of gum. A store surveillance camera shows two people trailing behind him.
Garnica left the store at Spruce Street and Lorraine Way with his beer but forgot the pack of gum. He returned to the store to get the gum and gave the older suspect a dime to help him make his purchase, then left.
The suspects followed him out of the store, and according to witness reports, argued with him before one of the suspects fired at him from the middle of the street.
Police arrived to find Garnica lying on the sidewalk. He was taken to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.
Police also are looking for two more suspects.
Anyone with information can contact Detective Kurt Kitterle at 909-820-2590 or 820-2550.
Reach Julie Farren at 909-806-3066 or jfarren@PE.com
Thursday, October 26, 2006
SBPD, Police Union Look to the Future!!!!
SBPD, Police Union Look to the Future!
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BS Ranch Perspective:
BSRanch
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SBPD, police union look to the future
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BS Ranch Perspective:
cannot help but notice one thing, that the San Bernardino Police Department has also moved to get away from their 3% at 55 and change it to 3% @ 50 retirement, just like every other Police Department in the Inland Empire except Two other departments, Upland, and Rialto!! Rialto was almost Disband and Contracted with the Sheriff Department all over the Retirement of the Officers, however The Sheriff Department does not offer any Medical benefits to their Deputies when they retire now at 50 anyway. They don't get any Medical at all for the retired Deputies. So you might be getting the 3% At 50 but no Medical Benefits, and that can cost you up to $700 a month or more!
Now that SBPD wants to have the 3% @ 50 Retirement, and if they get it then the City of Rialto, and the City of Upland will have to pony up and pay for the Benefit of having a lower crime rate with their own police department! Because when Ed Scott was trying desperately to get the Crime Rate in Rialto to bloom Higher an higher by cutting back on all the maintenance to the Police Cars, and the Officers Pay, not to mention that they were cutting back on the Officers Benefits by not paying for new people to replace the ones that left. so when they were down over 20 officers the Police Officers that were working at Rialto Police department still lowered the crime some 15% with less officers. Now that they have to keep the Police Department they need to figure out a way that they can pay them and give them the benefits that they deserve such as the 3% at 50 retirement package. SBPD is going to get it, and eventually so is Upland and then the city of Rialto will have no choice. because Rialto becomes a training facility as it always has been.
The people that Rialto seems to not want around seem to leave and go to other agencies and excel, to the point that some of them are Sergeants, and Captains at other departments. I don't have an Idea why they wanted to get rid of them. Maybe because they were good and they knew it.
BSRanch
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SBPD, police union look to the future
Article Launched:10/22/2006 12:00:00 AM PDT
By Gina Tenorio
Staff Writer
SAN BERNARDINO - They had common goals. Or so they would all eventually learn.
City officials, San Bernardino police administrators and the Police Officers Association agreed last summer that whatever benefits package they hammered out during yearlong contract negotiations would be the ones they would be presenting to any future job candidates.
The negotiations wrapped up in late August.
"I think we reached a package that everyone could live with," said City Manager Fred Wilson, who worked closely with the Police Department and association.
Starting next year, officers will see a gradual increase in the annual uniform allowance, said the association's president, Sgt. Rich Lawhead.
"We will receive $975 overall annually," Lawhead said. "It will go up gradually until (late 2008). Before that, we got $600 annually."
This will help officers who are paying upwards of $140 for a good pair of wool uniform pants, he said.
The new contract also aims to entice experienced officers to join the San Bernardino Police Department by offering a sign-on bonus, said police Lt. Ted Henson, who heads the Police Department Personnel and Training Unit.
Any officer with two years of continuous service with a California municipal law-enforcement agency would be eligible for a $5,000 sign-on bonus. Entry-level recruits would be eligible for $2,500, Henson said.
The association also secured a little bit more for an officer's medical benefits after retirement. A sworn officer who works continuously for 30 years or more is eligible for $450 a month to pay for medical needs. A 20-year veteran may get the minimum of $200.
But the most significant change was the new retirement plan known as the 3 percent at 50, in which officers could retire at age 50 and receive 3 percent of their pay multiplied by the number of years worked.
Previously, it was 3 percent at 55, Lawhead said.
All of these added features and expenses, to be implemented in phases and completely in place by 2009, will add $2.8 million to the annual cost of running the Police Department.
The cost is worth it to a city looking to increase the size of its police force to fully staff Mayor Pat Morris' Operation Phoenix and the Police Department's crime-fighting initiatives.
Without these options, San Bernardino police are not as capable of competing against a throng of police departments scrambling to fill their staffs.
"Many agencies are having a difficult time filling their vacancies," Henson said. "They are employing a number of tools and programs to attract interest."
Many police departments, such as the one in Rialto, which struggled to hammer out a contract following turmoil last year - city officials considered scrapping the Police Department and contracting with the Sheriff's Department - have begun offering new officers a $5,000 signing bonus. Sworn personnel who brought in new officers were offered $1,000, Rialto police officials said in September.
Most police departments are after experienced officers with two or more years of training, Henson said. Tried and tested officers take less time to train. And it is easier to judge their on-the-job integrity, Henson added.
"A lot of the transgressions made by officers points to the urgency (of) selecting these qualified officers," Henson said. "You can hire character and you can teach skill."
Henson did not disclose how many officers the Police Department currently employs. It was authorized to have 330 as of Oct. 1. That's the highest number of authorized personnel in at least six years.
But hiring is not easy, especially as attrition continues to take its course. Since Oct. 1, the Police Department has lost a total of 16 officers.
Meanwhile, it has hired 17 novice officers and brought in in two more experienced officers from other departments since the start of 2006.
Henson, Lawhead and Wilson are looking ahead, however, and feel strongly the new contract, though much more costly than before, will make an impact.
"There's no shortcut to get where you want to go," Henson said.
Contact writer Gina Tenorio at (909) 386-3854 or via e-mail at gina.tenorio@sbsun.com.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Water Quality Panel May Select Perchlorate Cleanup Czar (SB Sun 101306)
Water Quality Panel may select Perchlorate Cleanup Czar
Jason Pesick San Bernardino Sun Staff Writer Article Launched 10/13/2006
Jason Pesick San Bernardino Sun Staff Writer Article Launched 10/13/2006
The Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board today will consider allowing a retired state water official to determine whether to force three corporations to clean up perchlorate contamination in Rialto.
The action would represent another step in the process to clean up the water contamination that was first discovered in 1997.
"I think they have to take some strong action," said state Sen. Nell Soto, D-Ontario, chairwoman of the Senate Select Committee on Perchlorate Contamination.
Perchlorate is a chemical used in the production of products such as fireworks and rocket fuel and can interfere with the functioning of the thyroid gland.
The resolution up for consideration would delegate the water board's authority to an independent hearing officer to issue what are known as cleanup and abatement orders that force polluters to clean up contamination they caused.
The three corporations that would face cleanup orders are Black & Decker Corp., Goodrich Corp. and the fireworks company Pyro Spectacular. In 2003, the board issued a similar order against San Bernardino County for perchlorate flowing from its property on Rialto's north side.
The hearing officer would be Walt Pettit,
who was the executive director of the state Water Resources Control Board until 2000.
The move to delegate authority to Pettit was the result of allegations made by Emhart Industries, owned by Black & Decker, that the regional board is biased, according to Kurt Berchtold, the board's assistant executive officer.
He said Emhart claimed that because the board's staff, which investigates allegations against the corporations, has been communicating with board members for years on the issue of perchlorate contamination, the board members themselves are compromised.
"They're just using bogus tactics to hinder the process," Paul Van Dyke, Soto's chief of staff, said about Emhart.
Soto said the board has been too passive in its efforts to clean up the contamination. She said she is not thrilled the board is delegating its authority to Pettit, but also said, "I think anything they do is better than what's going on now."
BS Ranch Perspective:
It sounds like they are going after the businesses that are not doing business in Rialto, BF Goodrich/Good Year is not doing any more business in Rialto any more, neither is Black and Decker that know of, but then I am in the little picture of the whole thing. Sure they send out this DVD of them complaining about the Contaminant being in the soil and they have talked a little about how to get it out of the soil, however not that much, as if the Filter is a Non Patented Filterization that they are not allowed to talk about just yet, because they are just getting them on line, and the Patent is pending!
I am just a concerned Citizen that wants clean clear water when I turn on the faucet, to drink some water. I don't trust 8 million parts per gallon either, I am wanting it to be 1 billion or 8 trillion parts per quart!! that is what I consider to be safe!! Not the EPA's version of what they consider to be a safe drinking water. I think that Redlands has the right Idea when it comes to Drinking water. Re-Drill Wells and find wells that don't have Perchclorate and then pipe it to reservoirs in the city for storage!! Great Idea!!
BS Ranch
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Firefighter Pay at Issue in Upland....Better benefits elswhere cites why city has trouble with turnover
Firefighter pay at issue in
Upland
Upland
Better benefits elsewhere cited as
why city has trouble with turnover
why city has trouble with turnover
Article Launched:10/08/2006 12:00:00 AM PDT
Turnover is increasing at the Upland Fire Department, and as
firefighters start negotiations this month with the city's Human Resources
Department, they're looking to improve their wages and benefits.
"The problem is, there is so much turnover," said John Fowler,
president of the Upland Firefighters Association. "We have lost about 35 guys
since 1992. Four or five of them went to Ontario (Fire Department) because wages
and benefits are better."
About 10 years ago, under a different City Council, Upland
firefighters and police officers were on the same wage and benefit levels, Mayor
John Pomierski said. But the city started to experience major financial problems
and in order to balance the budget, took money from an account designated for
firefighters.
"The city was so strapped for money," Pomierski said. "We have
been trying to build back up ever since, trying to get the fire department back
up in line with the police officers."
Despite the upgrade process, some firefighters said they have
seen the department's morale slip as its finances have lagged behind other
cities. And they've started looking for new places to work.
Victor Lopez, 31, was with Upland for 11 months before he
started looking elsewhere.
"(Upland)
was a good way to get into thefire department," Lopez said.
But he soon realized that other cities could offer more money
and a better retirement plan.
He said he preferred Ontario, which was known for its high
salaries, good retirement plan and manpower.
"They have two medics on each unit and four men on their
trucks," Lopez said. "Ontario has eight fire stations, compared to Upland's
four."
Lopez has been with Ontario for about three years.
"My family was a huge factor in transferring. My kids and wife
have all of their benefits paid for," he said.
Later this month, the association will submit a proposal to the
city for higher total compensation.
The process, which takes several months, will most likely not be
considered by the City Council until early next year.
According to last year's budget, firefighters in Upland were
paid a starting monthly wage of $4,408, while Ontario firefighters received
$4,442 monthly.
The $34 difference may not sound like much, but Ontario recently
went to negotiations with its own City Council. The department confirmed that
over the next four years, firefighters will experience multiple increases
totaling 10 percent.
"When it comes to negotiations, the fire department compares
themselves to other cities in the area as leverage," Pomierski said. "They
compare themselves to other departments close to the same size to see what they
get paid and what their allowance is."
Fowler, who is also a fire captain, said Upland and
Rialto are the only two cities that have not upgraded to better retirement plans
and higher wages.
"Our medical is still so far down. We are behind in medical,
dental, vacation and retirement," said Fowler. "Across the board, we're low in
all areas."
Fowler said he is not trying to blame the City Council, which
has been supportive of increasing wages since 2000.
"(Upland) has done a good job restoring the budget and bringing
money into the city. The mayor has been very good at getting our wages up,"
he said.
But salary is not the highest concern for the Upland department,
said Fowler, who at 49 would be eligible to retire in a year in most other
cities.
"I can't afford to retire. I'll have to work for another five
years," he said.
The top priority for negotiations this year is to receive a
better benefits and retirement package, he said.
"We don't want to be the highest paid, we just want to get to
the average of total compensation so our guys won't leave," Fowler said. "Kids
come here to gain experience as a firefighter. We train them with our dollars,
and then they move on to something better. Some of them like it here, fall in
love with the city, but they have to look out for themselves and their
families."
Upland Fire Department:
Starting wage for a firefighter is $4,408 per month.
The retirement formula is 2 percent at 50. This means that when
a firefighter retires at the age of 50, every year of service will be multiplied
by 2 percent, equaling a pension percent of salary.
Insurance and benefits for a firefighter are given in a lump sum
of $766 per month.
Ontario Fire Department:
Starting wage for a firefighter is $4,442 per month.
The retirement formula is 3 percent at 50.
Insurance and benefits for a firefighter are given monthly in
three different categories:
- Single: $405
- Two-party: $801
- Family: $1,037
Lori Consalvo can be reached by e-mail at
lori.consalvo@dailybulletin.com or by phone at (909) 483-9391.
BS Ranch Perspective:
It looks like Upland Fire has something in common with
Rialto Fire, & Police! Rialto Police/Fire and Upland Fire are the
only agencies in the Inland Empire that do not offer something better then
that of 2% at 50. 99% of the Departments Officer a Retirement
plan of 3% at 50 years of age. Lets look at some of the other Agencies
that offer less. San Bernardino Police Department Offers 3% @ 55 and that
is better then 2% at 50 any day!!
The trouble is that Rialto City Council thinks
that the Retirement that one gets doesn't count towards what one did
for their employer, well I worked hard for the city of Rialto, and I
am here to say that they are wrong! The people that work hard
for the city of Rialto deserve to retire at a time in their life
when they are at an age that they should not be placing their life on the line
to save public safety. The people that reach fifty in the line of law
enforcement deserve to retire, it is much to dangerous of a
career these days to keep going on and on,
So I say to you, Please Remember that Rialto should Retire
at a Respectable age like their Counter parts in other sixties, are finding
themselves. Why even the County of San Bernardino has the retirement of 3%
at 50! Just two city's in the Inland Empire now don't offers the
newly Changed Retirement Plan and that all should change. Please Ed Scott
Find the money. You Seem to be finding the money to fight the County on the
Perchlorate, when we should be working with the County and not fighting with
them. You are Wasting City Dollars that could be used to pay for a more
responsible Retirement plan for the Employee's of Rialto a 3% @ 50 Retirement
Plan for all employees!! that is and would be the best yet!!
BSRanch
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