8/18/2017 Board allocates $1.1 million to DA's fight against human trafficking, animal cruelty

http://www.vvdailypress.com/news/20170817/board-allocates-11-million-to-das-fight-against-human-trafficking-animal-cruelty 1/2

By Shea Johnson Staff Writer Posted Aug 17, 2017 at 10:53 AMUpdated Aug 17, 2017 at 10:53 AM

Excoriating human trafficking as “nothing less thanmodern-day slavery,” San Bernardino County SupervisorsChairman Robert Lovingood announced Thursday theboard has allocated $1.1 million in supplemental fundingto fight it and other criminal activities.

Excoriating human trafficking as “nothing less than modern-day slavery,” SanBernardino County Supervisors Chairman Robert Lovingood announcedThursday the board has allocated $1.1 million in supplemental funding to fight itand other criminal activities.

The inflow of money will assist District Attorney programs designed to combathuman trafficking and animal cruelty, while aiding evidence processing forprosecutors.

The DA office’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit has resulted in more than300 arrests since its inception in 2013, although the office did not requestadditional funding for operations.

According to Lovingood’s office, the diversion of staff has strained departmentresources and the allocation of funds specifically for human trafficking cases willease that burden.

“I thank District Attorney Mike Ramos and his team for prioritizing humantrafficking, which is nothing less than modern-day slavery and is the fastest-growing criminal industry in the world,” Lovingood said in a statement. “I alsoapplaud the DA for his ongoing fiscal responsibility.”

Board allocates $1.1 million to DA’s �ghtagainst human tra�cking, animal cruelty

8/18/2017 Board allocates $1.1 million to DA's fight against human trafficking, animal cruelty

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Funding will also be directed to the DA office’s Animal Cruelty Unit, a 2015National Association of Counties achievement award winner. Lovingood’s officesaid funding will act as a deterrent against animal cruelty while assistingprosecution of offenders involved in oft-linked crimes such as elder abuse,domestic violence and street gang activity.

“Criminal street gangs are known to turn pets into fighting dogs for sport and toprotect their gang operations,” Lovingood’s office said. “Gang members are alsoknown to kill or torture pets to intimidate victims.”

Lastly, Thursday’s announced $1.1 million funding allocation will back discoveryefforts by prosecutors who request evidence from law enforcement agencies.

“With the advent of body-worn cameras and other digital media,” Lovingood’soffice concluded, “the demands of processing digital evidence and meetingdiscovery obligations are increasing significantly.”

Shea Johnson can be reached at 760-955-5368 or SJohnson@VVDailyPress.com. Follow

him on Twitter at @DP_Shea.

8/18/2017 Defense attorneys slam key prosecution witness in closing arguments for Colonies bribery trial

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

Defense attorneys slam key prosecution witness in closing arguments for Colonies briberytrial

By Joe Nelson, The Sun

and Richard K. De Atley, The Press-Enterprise

Thursday, August 17, 2017

SAN BERNARDINO >> Defense attorneys in the San BernardinoCounty-Colonies corruption case went on the attack Thursday in theirclosing arguments, slamming a key prosecution witness as “a mealy-mouthed little liar” and telling jurors, “This is a case that should neverhave been brought to trial.”

The seven-month-long trial’s four defendants are charged with takingvarious roles in an alleged bribery of county officials that resulted in a3-2 Board of Supervisors vote in 2006 to settle a lawsuit with RanchoCucamonga developer Colonies Partners LP for $102 million.

Thursday, former county Supervisor Paul Biane’s attorney, Mark McDonald, took on the prosecution’s claimsthat its case will be upheld by exhibits that prove a case of bribery and cover-up. The trial’s two juries will beable to examine the material, such as emails and transcripts of recordings, during deliberations.

“What I urge you not to do is play with them and put them in an order that builds a case for guilt,” McDonaldsaid. “These exhibits don’t prove anything.”

He told the panelists “context is everything” and that prosecutors had presented “a false story.”

McDonald attacked the prosecution’s premise that Colonies intimidated Biane to vote their way by attacking theBiane-sponsored Measure P on the November 2006 ballot, just before the $102 million settlement was approved.

Measure P called for a three-term limit for supervisors and an increase in their annual salary to $150,000.Colonies made a $339,773 contribution to the anti-Measure P group Citizens Against Pay Raises for Politiciansduring that campaign, prosecutors said.

McDonald said that had no bearing on Biane’s vote.

Advanced polling showed Measure P was going to pass, according to testimony from Biane’s former chief ofstaff, Matt Brown.

“That theory was blown out of water,” McDonald said.

Biane was secretly recorded by Brown, who agreed to cooperate in the investigation. Not one incriminatingstatement was made by Biane implicating him in any bribery scheme, McDonald argued.

“This is a case that should never have been brought to trial,” he said.

8/18/2017 Defense attorneys slam key prosecution witness in closing arguments for Colonies bribery trial

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Prosecutors from the District Attorney’s and state Attorney General’s offices allege three former county officialseach took $100,000 bribes, which were reported as campaign contributions, from Rancho Cucamonga developerJeff Burum to gain approval for a $102 million court settlement over flood control work at Colonies Partners’434-acre residential and commercial development in Upland.

Defendants include Burum, Biane, former county Assistant Assessor Jim Erwin, and Mark Kirk, the chief ofstaff for former Supervisor Gary Ovitt.

Biane faces two counts of bribery. Burum and Erwin are each charged with aiding and abetting the receipt of abribe.

A bribery charge against Kirk was dismissed in July. Kirk still faces charges of improper influence of a publicofficial, and conflict of interest. Former Board of Supervisors Chairman and county Assessor Bill Postmus, alsocharged in the bribery case, entered a March 2011 plea deal with prosecutors for a reduced sentence in exchangefor testimony in the Colonies case.

All the defendants have denied any wrongdoing.

Peter Scalisi, representing Kirk, said the prosecution failed in its portrayal of his client as a manipulator whoeither pushed Ovitt into voting for the settlement, or was at least keeping tabs on Ovitt’s stance on the settlementfor Burum, a Colonies co-managing partner.

“Back in January, the government told you that Mark Kirk, improperly, criminally, wrongly, influenced GaryOvitt. But then a problem happened: Gary Ovitt testified, and said that didn’t happen,” Scalisi said. “There’s noconspiracy. It’s ridiculous.”

Both McDonald and Scalisi focused a substantial part of their closing arguments on key prosecution witnessAdam Aleman, who testified under a plea bargain with prosecutors.

“It was hard to look at him during trial. It was hard to see a mealy-mouthed little liar go at it and at it,”McDonald said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything that blatant.”

Scalisi told jurors the fate of the four defendants is in their hands.

“And the best that the government gives you is Adam Aleman?” he asked.

He said Aleman committed perjury and destroyed evidence, which led to his criminal case. Then, Aleman tookthe witness stand during trial and lied some more, Scalisi said.

“He came into this courtroom, raised his right hand ... and then he lied, and he did that to the grand jury,” Scalisisaid.

Aleman admitted lying to the grand jury during his testimony during trial and said he did not know what perjurywas when he testified before the grand jury, before the four defendants were indicted, Scalisi noted.

“It’s a perversion of the system,” Scalisi said.

Per the terms of his June 2009 plea agreement, prosecutors agreed to reduce Aleman’s felony charges ofvandalism over $400, two counts of theft, destruction, alteration or falsification of a public document, andpresenting a false claim to a public board or officer to misdemeanors, Scalisi said.

“He’s going to walk out of here with the equivalent of stealing a T-shirt,” Scalisi said.

Erwin’s attorney, Rajan Maline, began his final argument before court ended for the week. His client is chargedwith seven felonies, including aiding and abetting in the receipt of a bribe and failing to file a tax return. Erwinhas a separate jury because some of the evidence in his case is inadmissible for the other defendants.

8/18/2017 Defense attorneys slam key prosecution witness in closing arguments for Colonies bribery trial

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Like Scalisi and McDonald, Maline asserted the prosecution produced no hard evidence of bribery during trial.

“If the prosecution hasn’t proved beyond a reasonable doubt that a bribe occurred, then you stop,” Maline toldjurors.

Maline also attacked Aleman’s testimony against his client, as well as the prosecution’s claim the defendants’political action committees were “shams,” saying Erwin filled out all the proper paperwork for the PAC andincluded his name on it.

“If anyone wants to go online, they’re going to know exactly who started it,” Maline said of Erwin’s Committeefor Effective Government PAC.

Postmus told district attorney investigators that Burum never crossed the line, that there was never any quid proquo relating to the Colonies settlement.

“And he told you the same thing when he got on the (witness) stand,” Maline told jurors.

Maline will resume his argument when court continues Monday.

URL: http://www.sbsun.com/general-news/20170817/defense-attorneys-slam-key-prosecution-witness-in-closing-arguments-for-colonies-bribery-trial

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

8/18/2017 Redlands police Officer Nicholas Koahou honored for bravery in response to San Bernardino terror attack – Press Enterprise

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By TIMOTHY GUY | tguy@scng.com | The Press-EnterpriseAugust 18, 2017 at 7:27 am

San Bernardino Police Officer Nicholas Koahou is congratulated by Attorney GeneralKamala Harris, after Gov. Jerry Brown, right, presented him with the Governor’s PublicSafety Officer Medal of Valor, Monday, Sept. 12, 2016, in Sacramento. Koahou wasone of several law enforcement officers honored for their actions in the terrorist attackat a San Bernardino government building, last December, that left 14 dead and 22wounded. Koahou was wounded during the shootout that left both suspects dead.

LOCAL NEWS

Redlands police Of cerNicholas Koahou honored forbravery in response to SanBernardino terror attack

8/18/2017 Redlands police Officer Nicholas Koahou honored for bravery in response to San Bernardino terror attack – Press Enterprise

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Redlands police Of�cer Nicholas Koahou was recognized Thursday for his bravery

while responding to the terrorist attack on Dec. 2, 2015, in San Bernardino.

Koahou, who recently transferred from the San Bernardino Police Department to

Redlands, was awarded the Congressional Badge of Bravery by Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-

La Quinta, and representatives for U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris and Rep. Pete Aguilar,

D-San Bernardino, at a ceremony at Beaumont Civic Center.

“I appreciate the recognition,” said Koahou, a Beaumont High School graduate.

“It’s humbling. It’s something I’ll never forget in my life.”

The honor comes more than a year and a half a�er Syed Rizwan Farook and his

wife, Tashfeen Malik, killed 14 people and wounded 22 others at the Inland

Regional Center in San Bernardino.

Following the attack, the two terrorists opened �re on law enforcement personnel

on a residential street in San Bernardino.

“I wasn’t the only one out there,” Koahou recalled. “I had a team of warriors

around me.”

Koahou, then a narcotics of�cer in San Bernardino, was shot in the le� leg while

assisting San Bernardino County sheriff’s Deputy Shaun Wallen, who was pinned

down behind his vehicle during the shootout. Wallen was wounded as well.

Farook and Malik were killed in the shootout.

“This extraordinary bravery at great personal expense to himself saved the life of

a fellow of�cer,” Ruiz said Thursday. “Like his other brothers and sisters in law

enforcement, he ran toward the danger in order to save others. Hearing his story

is inspiring and deeply moving.”

Ruiz was joined by Julie Chávez Rodríguez, Harris’ state director, and Enrique J.

Armenta, Aguilar’s community outreach director, in awarding Koahou the medal,

which is given annually to law enforcement of�cers who exhibit acts of bravery

while in the line of duty.

In September, Harris, then California attorney general, joined Gov. Jerry Brown in

awarding Koahou the Governor’s Public Safety Of�cer Medal of Valor.

“Now we are here today presenting him with the Congressional Medal of Bravery

for his heroism,” Rodríguez said before reading a statement from Harris.

8/18/2017 Redlands police Officer Nicholas Koahou honored for bravery in response to San Bernardino terror attack – Press Enterprise

http://www.pe.com/2017/08/18/redlands-police-officer-nicholas-koahou-honored-for-bravery-in-response-to-san-bernardino-terror-attack/?ut… 3/5

VIEW COMMENTS

Ruiz said only about 10 congressional badges are awarded each year nationwide.

“This award recognizes the immense personal sacri�ce of�cers make and the risk

they take on each day to keep their community safe,” Ruiz said.

San Bernardino police Sgt. Gary Schuelke, also a Beaumont High School graduate

who was on scene Dec. 2, said he has known Koahou his entire career and worked

with his father. Schuelke said he supervised Koahou in the narcotics division for

three years prior to the attack.

“The work ethic that he has as an of�cer, the integrity that he has shines through

and it’s infectious all across the team,” Schuelke said.

Redlands Police Chief Mark Garcia, who previously worked in San Bernardino,

said he knows everyone involved in the response to the Dec. 2 attack.

“The way the San Bernardino Police Department responded to IRC — all of those

people in my mind are heroes,” Garcia said. “They did a great job, and the people

who responded from my department and the San Bernardino Sheriff’s

Department … are all very courageous and heroes as well.”

Thursday’s presentation was a unique opportunity to recognize one of those

people, Garcia said.

“It’s always good for us to recognize and mark milestones in people’s careers and

positive events that happen in law enforcement,” he added.

TIM_GUY Timothy GuyTimothy Guy is the Digital News Editor for The Press-Enterprise and PE.com.Working with reporters and editors, he looks for the best possible way topresent stories online. He has worked at The Press-Enterprise since 2010 andhas covered events such as the Coachella Music Festival, San Diego Comic-Conand Disney D23 Expo.

Follow Timothy Guy @timwguy

Tags:  Echo Code, San Bernardino terror attack,Top Stories PE

8/18/2017 OUR VIEW: County, High Desert not immune from pension crisis - News - VVdailypress.com - Victorville, CA

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By The Daily Press Editorial BoardPosted Aug 17, 2017 at 5:03 PMUpdated Aug 17, 2017 at 5:03 PM

our

Transparent California continues to provide documentation of California’smounting public pension crisis. The organization says in its latest report thatmore than 53,000 government workers in the state are now collecting pensionsof $100,000 or more.

Where do San Bernardino County and High Desert cities and agencies stand?We’re glad you asked. The picture isn’t pretty in the county either, although feware shining a spotlight on the issue.

We checked Transparent California’s 2016 data and found that San BernardinoCounty has two retirees collecting more than $300,000 per year in pension andbenefits. It gets worse, however. The county also has 55 retirees collecting morethan $200,000 per year in pensions and benefits, and another 108 that receive$150,000 or more in pensions and benefits. Many of these earning heftypensions were Sheriff’s Department captains and lieutenants, psychiatrists andpublic defenders, jobs you wouldn’t expect to provide such lucrative retirementpackages.

The county’s total pension liabilities just through the San Bernardino CountyEmployees Retirement Association (SBCERA) amounted to more than $372million for 9,245 retirees. Full-career retirees averaged more than $87,000 inannual pension and benefits. Other county employees are receiving pensionsthrough CalPERS.

But even smaller agencies are amassing hefty pension liabilities. The BarstowFire Protection District is on the hook for $1.1 million for just 17 retirees,according to Transparent California. That’s an average of more than $64,000 in

OUR VIEW: County, High Desert not immunefrom pension crisis

8/18/2017 OUR VIEW: County, High Desert not immune from pension crisis - News - VVdailypress.com - Victorville, CA

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annual pensions and benefits for each retiree.

Victorville has 14 retirees collecting more than $100,000 per year inpension/benefits, led by a former city manager at more than $197,000. AppleValley has six retirees making $100,000 plus on their CalPERS pensions andbenefits; Hesperia has five, though two of them worked for the Hesperia FireProtection District. Barstow also has five.

Thanks to Transparent California, residents can see the tragic tale in black andwhite on their computers. We think if more residents studied these lists a littlebit more closely, there would be a groundswell of support for pension reform.After all, it’s long past time to stop some of this nonsense before every city,county and our state go bankrupt.

Check it out for yourself. Visit transparentcalifornia.com. You can even see whatyour local city, school district and law enforcement employees are paid. It’s eye-opening, for sure. Some would say it is disgusting.

8/18/2017 Orange County employee pension fund alleges big banks are costing retirees money - LA Times

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ocers-lawsuit-20170817-story.html 1/2

T

Orange County employee pension fund alleges bigbanks are costing retirees money

By Andrew Khouri

AUGUST 17, 2017, 2:45 PM

hree major public pension funds, including the Orange County Employees Retirement System, have

sued a half-dozen Wall Street banks, alleging they illegally conspired to control a corner of the stock

market, leading to higher charges for the funds and thus less money for retirees.

In a lawsuit filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in New York, the funds allege Bank of America, Goldman

Sachs, Credit Suisse, JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley and UBS worked together since at least 2009 to

“boycott, attack and acquire multiple entities” that tried to lower costs in the stock loan market.

That market is composed of institutions that lend stock to one another, a practice frequently employed by

pension funds that allows for complicated financial transactions such as short selling and hedging.

A monitor on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Three major pension funds have sued large financial institutions alleging theycolluded to control the stock lending market. (Drew Angerer / Getty Images)

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Plaintiffs’ attorney Michael B. Eisenkraft, a partner at Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll, said the banks for years

have colluded to maintain “their power over this little-known-but-lucrative corner of Wall Street.”

“In doing so, they deprive investors of money that should flow to retirees, families and other hard-working

Americans,” he said in a statement.

Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, UBS, JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley declined to comment; Credit Suisse did

not return a request for comment.

In a press release, the plantiffs’ law firm alleged the banks used EquiLend, a stock lending platform they own, to

“prevent participants from accessing marketplaces where they could benefit from direct, all-to-all trading and

thereby secure themselves the best prices.”

EquiLend declined to comment.

In addition to the Orange County Employees Retirement System, also known as OCERS, the Iowa Public

Employees’ Retirement System and the Sonoma County Employees’ Retirement Assn. are plaintiffs in the

lawsuit, which seeks class-action status.

As of the end of July, OCERS had more than $14.5 billion in assets under management and more than 42,000

active members and retirees, spokesman Robert Kinsler said.

andrew.khouri@latimes.com

Follow me @khouriandrew on Twitter

Copyright © 2017, Los Angeles Times

This article is related to: JPMorgan Chase & Co.

8/18/2017 Rep. Paul Cook Redoubles Efforts to Remove Protections for California Desert National Monuments - Highland Community News: Political

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Rep. Paul Cook Redoubles Efforts to RemoveProtections for California Desert National MonumentsPosted: Friday, August 18, 2017 7:03 am

Joshua Tree, CA – Rep. Paul Cook has redoubled his efforts to adjust the boundaries of Mojave TrailsNational Monument while adding proposed changes to Castle Mountains National Monument. (Map of theproposed changes to Mojave Trails can be found here.)

Rep. Paul Cook has suggested removing the southern portion of Mojave Trails National Monument,including important wilderness areas like the Cadiz Dunes and Sheephole Valley, and historic World War IItraining camps Iron Mountain and Granite. The proposed changes remove about 500,000 acres from thecurrent boundaries. Castle Mountains National Monument, which was not originally included in the review,was nevertheless mentioned in a letter from Rep. Paul Cook to Secretary Zinke for the mining interests inthe area. (Copy of the letter can be found here.)

“The proposed changes to Mojave Trails and Castle Mountains National Monuments are a direct affront tothe will of our community,” commented Danielle Segura, Executive Director, MDLT. “Theserecommendations from Rep. Cook are not in the best interest of the diverse desert communities who havefought for, and benefit from, these public lands.”

Secretary Zinke’s upcoming recommendation for Mojave Trails National Monument is tied to thecontroversial Cadiz Inc. water project, which looks to pump groundwater from an aquifer surrounded by themonument. The Cadiz Inc. project would impact the rare surface water that supports endemic and migratingspecies in the ecosystem. As part of his proposed cuts to the Mojave Trails National Monument, Rep. Cookhas suggested to remove about half a million acres of the Cadiz Valley from the national monument. DavidBernhardt, former lobbyist and lawyer for Cadiz Inc., was confirmed on July 24 as Deputy InteriorSecretary, the second ranking position in the Department of the Interior.

On Wednesday, Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke delivered a recommendation that no changes be madeto Sand to Snow National Monument. Mojave Trails National Monument is still included in the officialDepartment of the Interior review, for which Secretary Zinke will deliver his final recommendations byAugust 24.

Following an executive order in April 2017, the Department of the Interior opened a public commentprocess to hear from local communities about the national monuments under review. Over 2.5 million publiccomments were submitted nationally. The Mojave Desert Land Trust collected over 1,250 commentsfocused specifically on the importance of the monuments in the Mojave. Of the comments collectednationally, analysis has found 98 percent of submitted comments to be in support of the nationalmonuments.

As a long-time voice for veterans, Rep. Cook’s stance on Mojave Trails is in direct conflict with the interestsof the local veterans community. His proposed cuts remove from protection important World War II trainingcenters and cultural sites.

8/18/2017 Rep. Paul Cook Redoubles Efforts to Remove Protections for California Desert National Monuments - Highland Community News: Political

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Californians – veterans especially – have stood in favor of the protection of Mojave Trails since itsconception. In November of 2015, Vet Voice Foundation commissioned the Republican polling firm PublicOpinion Strategies to gauge the public’s support for creating the Mojave Trails National Monument versuspublic support for Rep. Cook’s legislation alternative legislation that proposed a special management area bedesignated, rather than Mojave Trails being designated as a national monument.

When asked their opinion on Rep. Cook’s legislation, 66 percent of Californians – and 65 percent of desertresidents – said they opposed it. Support for Mojave Trails to be designed as a national monument wasreflected in 70 percent of desert residents surveyed. 73 percent of households that include veterans or active-duty servicepeople supported the monuments.

The Mojave Desert Land Trust (MDLT) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with the mission to protectand care for lands with natural, scenic, and cultural value within the Mojave Desert. For more information,visit www.mdlt.org

8/18/2017 Masked protesters demand San Bernardino denounce extremism

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

Masked protesters demand San Bernardino denounce extremism

By Ryan Hagen, The Sun

Thursday, August 17, 2017

SAN BERNARDINO >> A group of anti-fascist protesters, somewearing black hoods and masks over their faces, demandedWednesday night that the City Council denounce right-wingextremism — and left the meeting disappointed.

The activists said they were compelled by Charlottesville — where adriver plowed into a crowd peacefully protesting against whitenationalism, killing a woman named Heather Heyer and wounding

more than a dozen others — and by violence and protests by the alt-right leading up to it, including a Juneprotest in San Bernardino against Sharia law.

“Now we have a person that’s lost their life from some of the same rhetoric that came from San Bernardino,”one speaker, who gave his name only as Caver, said in a fiery comment to the City Council. “Some of you, youmight adopt the platform. Trump won’t condemn it. I don’t know if you will condemn it. The fact is, it’s notgoing to stop unless you do something about it.”

The activists, who interrupted the City Council meeting several times in addition to speaking during thedesignated time for public comments, didn’t get a direct response from any official during the meeting.

The closest anyone came was Councilman Henry Nickel, who had been told earlier in the meeting by protesterCrystal Keshawarz, “If you could be more a stereotype, I think your head would explode.”

Nickel said he appreciated hearing from the public and would like to meet with Keshawarz. Keshawarz repliedthat she didn’t want to meet with him.

Approached by the group as she was leaving the meeting, Councilwoman Virginia Marquez replied, “I have apersonal opinion, but I represent my constituents.”

Marquez said by phone Thursday morning that she’d been flustered by the “chaotic” meeting and upset by anitem regarding housing for the homeless that was delayed until Monday instead of being approved. (Marquezand the protesters both supported it being approved.)

“I should have verbalized my personal opinion,” she said. “I do not tolerate, absolutely do not tolerate any kindof racism.”

Marquez also said she’d held her tongue because California’s Brown Act requires advance notice to the publicbefore discussing public business, such as a resolution stating that the City Council as a body opposes racism.

“This was a very unique meeting in the seven years that I’ve been in office,” Marquez said, because of peoplewearing masks and not giving their full names before speaking. “I believe that their approach was not veryeffective because it was very aggressive and very confrontational.”

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Keshawarz, an Inland Empire resident and founding member of Qal’bu Maryam Women’s Mosque in Berkeley,did not disguise her face. But she defended those who did.

“It’s about the safety of the individuals who arrive,” she said. “It’s about the fact that police target — and notjust police, but you don’t know who’s going to be at that meeting. You don’t know what neo-Nazi is hidingunder a three-piece suit.”

And Marquez’s excuse was a cop-out, she said.

“That is the most cowardly and illogical response I’ve ever heard in my life,” Keshawarz said Thursday. “Citycouncils across the country are making statements. It’s just cowardice.”

Nickel said Thursday that it was “insane” to think one person is better than another just because of skin color,but he was concerned by violence and threats of violence by both sides.

“I denounce any kind of radicalism, and I think both the left and the right are now dominated by fascists,”Nickel said, adding that he respected anyone’s opinion up until they threaten violence — something he thinksthe protesters did.

“I think they crossed that line last night, and I think they did themselves a great disservice,” he said. “They arepeople that support violence, and they are, by their definition, fascists.”

The protesters didn’t verbalize any threats or say that they supported violence Wednesday, but did say thatextremist protests should be shut down, a position at odds with the American Civil Liberties Union and withNickel.

Keshawarz said it is necessary to be intolerant of intolerance, but she said Nickel was delusional.

“It seems like politicians are taking a cue from (President Trump’s) whole accusatory and defamatory statementsmade to anyone that they oppose, and then attempting to create alternative reality based on those accusations,”she said. “Nobody made any threats of violence last night. He’s absolutely, absolutely delusional. And that’s asign of someone who has poor public speaking skills, has poor communication skills, and has poor thinkingskills.”

Keshawarz declined to say whether she thought violence against Nazi protesters was appropriate, but said theappropriate reaction could be extrapolated from what 1960s political activist Angela Davis said when askedabout violence by the Black Panthers.

Davis’ answer included a summary of the violence that already exists, making “explosions” expected.

“That’s why, when someone asks me about violence, I just, I just find it incredible,” Davis said. “Because whatit means is that the person who’s asking that question has absolutely no idea what black people have gonethrough, what black people have experienced in this country since the time the first black person was kidnappedfrom the shores of Africa.”

URL: http://www.sbsun.com/general-news/20170817/masked-protesters-demand-san-bernardino-denounce-extremism

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

8/18/2017 San Bernardino’s Theater Square project gets bigger

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

San Bernardino’s Theater Square project gets bigger

By Ryan Hagen, The Sun

Thursday, August 17, 2017

SAN BERNARDINO >> The plan to revitalize the city’s beleaguereddowntown got a little bigger Wednesday night, as the City Councilexpanded the planned restaurant and retail space to reach Fifth Street.

The addition increases the retail space by 8,000 square feet — tworestaurant and retail pads — to a total of 33,000 square feet.

“I think lot of people travel Fifth Street east-west on a daily basis andnever realize there’s a theater there,” said Community DevelopmentDirector Mark Persico. “So by putting more retail space and restaurantspace on Fifth Street, we’re not compromising the plan — we’re

actually better utilizing the site and fully activating the theater.”

Regal Theater, which opened at the corner of E and Fourth Streets in 2012, is the springboard for the city’s plan.

It draws 700,000 to 800,000 movie-goers per year, according to Persico, but those people then leave town.

“What you can’t do if you go see a movie at the Regal is get something to eat before or afterward,” he said.

Downtown also includes 12,000 government employees who work here during the day, most of whom drive toHospitality Lane or another city for lunch.

“My coworkers were just talking about this today,” said Councilman Henry Nickel, who works downtown.“People want to have more choices, more selection, more variety, and I think a development of this caliber reallystarts to set a tone for our downtown.”

Once the new restaurants and retailers — which are being sought now — start showing profits, the goal is to sellTheater Square, with an anticipated profit of $10 million to $12 million. Those profits will then be used toredevelop Carousel Mall.

The City Council chose developers AECOM and Franzen for the project in November 2015, and officials say thesearch for restaurants and retail is going well.

But the downtown has been largely vacant for much longer than that.

“We need to move the ball sooner rather than later,” Councilman John Valdivia said Wednesday. “I have heardthat we have been working on this downtown for 25 years and residents – I’m on their side – I think theirpatience is waning. We have missed real estate cycles after real estate cycles after real estate cycles,and we needto make sure we are actively engaged with AECOM and Franzen.

“The next cyclical bubble, if it passes, I’m sorry but you’re fired because we cannot continue a cycle of moremoney and more consulting fees,” Valdivia continued.

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City Manager Andrea Miller replied that the developers won’t be paid by the city until the transaction passes andthat they meet with the city biweekly.

In the meantime, tenants are leaving Carousel Mall as the city does not renew their leases.

The adjacent historic Harris Building and Andreson Building are not part of the plan and are not slated fordemolition.

“The vision is to redevelop the downtown through the demolition of Carousel Mall and the added retail andrestaurant space around Theater Square,” Persico said. “Every successful city has a successful downtown, and inorder for us to be successful we need a successful downtown as well.”

URL: http://www.sbsun.com/government-and-politics/20170817/san-bernardinos-theater-square-project-gets-bigger

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

8/18/2017 Pass water agency drops tax rate, lowering ratepayers’ bills – Press Enterprise

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By CRAIG SHULTZ | cshultz@scng.com | The Press-EnterpriseAugust 17, 2017 at 1:34 pm

The Crafton Hills Reservoir allows water agencies in the San Gorgonio Pass to receivetheir share from the State Water Project.

Customers of the San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency will pay slightly less in

property taxes now that the Board of Directors has voted to reduce the rate by a

quarter cent.

LOCAL NEWS

Pass water agency drops taxrate, lowering ratepayers’ bills

8/18/2017 Pass water agency drops tax rate, lowering ratepayers’ bills – Press Enterprise

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The cost will drop from 18.5 cents per $100 of assessed valuation to 18.25 cents.

Someone with a $300,000 home will save $7.50 per year and the reduction will

save ratepayers more than $300,000 this year alone, the agency reports.

The property tax is used to pay for debt service, operations and maintenance

costs for the State Water Project. The reduction is the �rst for the agency since

1992.

The San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency is a regional water supplier, wholesale

water agency and State Water Contractor that purchases water from the California

Department of Water Resources, conveys it through the California Aqueduct, and

sells it to local retail water agencies to replenish groundwater basins in the Pass.

Its service area includes the cities of Calimesa, Beaumont, and Banning, as well as

the incorporated areas of Cherry Valley, Cabazon, the Banning Bench, and

Poppet Flat.

Craig_Shultz_mugx.jpg_03-15-2014_Uid_E_1_1.jpg

Craig ShultzCraig Shultz primarily reports about the San Jacinto Valley. Hestarted his journalism career there in 1985 and has reported on

the community and region for most of that time, covering everything fromsports to city halls and schools. He was previously the editor of The HemetNews and The Valley Chronicle. Shultz was born and raised in the San FernandoValley area of Los Angeles and graduated from Cal State Northridge.

Follow Craig Shultz @PE_CraigShultz

BY NEXTADVISOR

8/18/2017 Victorville rejects $8M claim by wastewater agency over flow diversion

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By Shea Johnson Staff Writer Posted Aug 17, 2017 at 5:09 PMUpdated Aug 17, 2017 at 5:28 PM

On Tuesday, the Victorville City Council rejected aVVWRA claim contending $8,068,509 in damages,opening up the possibility the agency could sue the city incivil court.

VICTORVILLE — Over the past four years, the city’s wastewater flow diversionand failure to pay connection fees have cost the local wastewater agency morethan $8 million, the agency says, putting it in a precarious financial situation.

Victor Valley Wastewater Reclamation Authority officials are casting blame onthe considerable revenue reduction for layoffs that shrunk its workforce by

30 percent and for its inability to fiscally responsibly operate subregional

recycled water facilities in Hesperia and Apple Valley.

On Tuesday, the Victorville City Council rejected a VVWRA claim

contending $8,068,509 in damages, opening up the possibility the agency could

sue the city in civil court.

VVWRA spokesman David Wylie did not address the possibility this week,instead pointing to a Board of Commissioners meeting agenda item from Maywhere it’s articulated that a claim would be filed if mediation wasn’t completedby the end of July. The board discussed the matter in closed session Thursdaymorning, but Wylie said there were no new developments.

Sue Jones, spokeswoman for Victorville, said city policy prevented her fromcommenting on the claim, its rejection or its contents.

Victorville rejects $8M claim by wastewateragency over �ow diversion

8/18/2017 Victorville rejects $8M claim by wastewater agency over flow diversion

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The dispute, according to a summary within VVWRA’s claim, was born in 2009,when the city agreed to finance and construct an industrial wastewater

treatment plant near the agency’s main plant to serve the Dr Pepper

Snapple Group facility at Southern California Logistics Airport.

According to VVWRA, the $32 million city facility “encountered difficultieshandling” the Dr Pepper Snapple Group facility’s high-strength waste and thus,in order to treat it, the city added a domestic treatment module to the plant toblend industrial flows.

“The domestic sanitary flows now used at the City’s plant are flows thatVVWRA used to receive from the City of Victorville,” VVWRA officials wrotein the claim, pleading that wastewater diversion and withholding of portions ofconnection fees were a breach of the 2006-renewed agreement between the jointpowers authority that governs the agency.

The wastewater diversion, primarily beginning in 2013, has remained a source ofcontention going back to 2009 among the four-member authority, whichincludes the cities of Victorville and Hesperia, the town of Apple Valley and SanBernardino County.

VVWRA officials say the diversion, alone, has cost the agency at least $7.3million, while another $752,000 has not been delivered in connection fees.

In February, Hesperia spokeswoman Rachel Molina told the Daily Press that thecity has long-believed Victorville was in breach of contract and that other JPAmembers felt similarly. At the time, Jones said Victorville was preparing tophysically send all of its flows to VVWRA’s regional plant, a reversal that wouldbe in accordance with an earlier advisory opinion sought by VVWRA and itsgoverning entities.

Meanwhile, the rocky financial situation in which VVWRA finds itself wasdescribed in the minutes detailing a May board presentation by an accountingsupervisor.

VVWRA projected a positive $2.6 million cash flow at the end of the fiscal year.

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But if the agency were to operate two subregional plants in Apple Valley andHesperia, the official said, its overall fund would be driven into the red in 2018,with a negative $3.2 million balance expected by 2019.

The agency does have $7.9 million in reserves, but dipping into that fund is anacknowledged temporary solution.

During that May board meeting, it was also suggested the board “may wish toconsider loaning VVWRA funds in the short term so that it might be possible tomitigate the size of (rate) increases.” The agency was unable to finance any debtsince it fell short (0.82) of meeting its 1.1 debt coverage ratio.

Compounding the issue, VVWRA officials still haven’t been told, Wylieconfirmed Thursday, whether $32 million in emergency funding will bedisallowed after the management of those dollars for a since-completed

major pipeline replacement project was sharply criticized by federal

auditors in January.

In April 2016, the Victorville City Council formally provided notice to end

its service agreement with VVWRA, the culmination of angst at the dais

over the agency’s project list and how those projects had been handled.

Under the agreement, the heads-up required to terminate ties is 30 years.

Shea Johnson can be reached at 760-955-5368 or SJohnson@VVDailyPress.com. Follow

him on Twitter at @DP_Shea.

8/18/2017 Apple Valley Council highlights progress at annual State of Town

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By Matthew Cabe Staff Writer Posted Aug 16, 2017 at 7:54 PMUpdated Aug 16, 2017 at 7:54 PM

APPLE VALLEY — Government moves slowly, as the old saying goes, andMayor Scott Nassif playfully offered an example of just that during Wednesday’sState of the Town.

It came near the start of the event that brings residents, public officials, theChamber of Commerce and local businesses together each year for a show of thetown’s past, present and future.

“Did you know this marks the 12th year in a row that the State of the Townaddress has mentioned the Yucca Loma Bridge?” Nassif asked, a question thatdrew laughter from the crowd.

Talk of a Mojave River-spanning link between Apple Valley and Victorvillebegan in the 1960s, and Nassif described the 1,606-foot Yucca Loma Bridge as aseed “planted more than 50 years ago” and “harvested” when it officially openedin May.

“In 2006, we announced that the Council had identified the bridge as our No. 1transportation priority,” Nassif said. “In 2010, we said, ‘We may just missbreaking ground by the end of the year, but it’s virtually certain we will be turning dirt by summer.’

“In 2011 we said, ‘In less than three years you’ll will be able to drive from here —to there.’ Then, in 2013, ‘We are confident this will be the year of the YuccaLoma Bridge.’ But this year, we can finally say, ‘The Yucca Loma Bridge is open.’”

Apple Valley Council highlights progress atannual State of Town

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The recap proved humorous (if not frustrating for those close to the project)because each announcement — save the one made in 2006 — missed the mark byseveral years, and the City of Victorville remains in the early phases of itsportion of the work, which will eventually connect the bridge to Interstate 15once complete.

Still, Wednesday’s light celebration was an apt example of the town being“Strong to the Core” — the theme of the proceedings — considering YuccaLoma’s economic value, as Councilman Curt Emick later explained.

“With the completion of the Yucca Loma Bridge, the Quail Ridge Plaza is now inthe early planning stages,” Emick told the crowd. “Mal Riley, developer of thesecond and third phases of Jess Ranch Marketplace, is inviting interest in themixed-use concept, including restaurants, offices, townhomes or multi-family(units) and senior living.”

With that said, the bridge didn’t steal the entire show.

Emick also provided an update on the Apple Valley Gateway Center project, a10-acre development at the northwest corner of Interstate 15 and Dale EvansParkway that is expected to bring freeway visibility to Apple Valley.

“The Planning Commission has approved the (center),” Emick said. “Theproposal includes a hotel, retail shops and restaurants.”

Planning Commission approval for the more than 80,000-square-footcommercial project came in April 2016, and town officials are expecting theproject to open the door to significant growth in rural north Apple Valley.

Councilwoman Barb Stanton lauded Victor Valley Transit Authority’s newRoute 42, a bus service that started this week and travels from Victor ValleyCollege to Jess Ranch before heading north up Apple Valley Road with stops atSaint Joseph Health, St. Mary and the Los Ranchos Mobile Home Park, amongothers.

From there, Stanton addressed public safety.

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“Apple Valley is in (the) initial discovery phase and creation of a public safety app(called) Apple Valley Watch,” Stanton said. “We are exploring opportunities thatwill empower our citizens with a crime-fighting tool.”

Stanton told the Daily Press the app would be similar to the recently launchedVVTA Watch, which allows users to report crimes and send photos to local lawenforcement for review. She called it a tool to bring public safety into the 21stCentury.

Another notable mention during the event included word that Victor ValleyWastewater Reclamation Authority’s (VVWRA) subregional water recyclingfacility is 88 percent complete, “with substantial completion expected on Oct.19,” according to Mayor Pro Tem Art Bishop.

Additionally, Councilman Larry Cusack discussed the continued revamping ofthe Village, including a $230,000 grant awarded by Caltrans for the State Route18 Corridor Enhancement Plan that Cusack said will pay for “conceptdevelopment of a complete street with provisions for cars, pedestrians, bikes,stormwater and aesthetics.”

Nassif returned to close out the event with updates on the Big Lots DistributionCenter and a Super Walmart, two projects that have been locked in litigation.

“We are excited to be able to say we are ‘this close’ to seeing the Big LotsDistribution Center become a reality,” Nassif said. “It was approved last year, buta challenge to the environmental review delayed the project. However, a resolution is near. We expect it to besettled by the end of this month, at which time Big Lots can submit buildingplans and get the project started.”

As for Walmart, the company is “ready to pursue development” at the southeastcorner of Thunderbird Road and Dale Evans Parkway, according to Nassif, whosaid the town will “talk soon” with Walmart officials to address the next steps ofthat project.

Matthew Cabe can be reached at MCabe@VVDailyPress.com or at 760-951-

6254. Follow him on Twitter @DP_MatthewCabe.

8/18/2017 Two community events headline Saturday in Adelanto

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By Staff reportsPosted Aug 17, 2017 at 5:11 PM

From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Another Level for Women, HighDesert Outreach Center and Kingdom Life ChristianCenter are presenting “Community Day in Adelanto.”Also, nonprofit Swapping Mamas, a clothing swap/closet,is among the sponsors of a community event at AdelantoHigh School from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. presented by the highschool’s Associated Student Body.

ADELANTO — Saturday will be a day of community in the city, with twononprofit-driven events scheduled.

From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Another Level for Women, High Desert Outreach Centerand Kingdom Life Christian Center are presenting “Community Day inAdelanto.”

With a theme, “It’s all about love,” the event will future music and vendors whilealso acting as a job fair for prospective employees.

Pastor Harold Hines, with Another Level for Women, said the nonprofit’sweekly food distribution, typically on Fridays, will be moved to Saturday to beincorporated into the celebration.

There will also be a free lunch from noon to 2 p.m., a musical petting zoo, freehaircuts and clothes, a representative from Assemblyman Jay Obernolte’s office,raffle prizes and more.

Two community events headline Saturday inAdelanto

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The event will occur at the Unity Center, 11555 Cortez Ave. For moreinformation, call or text Ammie Hines at 760-475-9844 or email her atammiehines@gmail.com.

Also, nonprofit Swapping Mamas, a clothing swap/closet, is among the sponsorsof a community event at Adelanto High School from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. presentedby the high school’s Associated Student Body.

Other sponsors include Frontier Communities, High Desert CommunityFoundation, Sydney Paige, the Adelanto Saints and the city.

Two-hundred pre-selected Adelanto High students will receive free schoolsupplies, according to Lisa Anderson, an event organizer with Swapping Mamas.

After the event’s introduction with guest speakers, there will be vendor boothsand resources and free food scheduled from 9:30 a.m to 11:30 a.m.; a magic showat 11:30 a.m.; and then a backpack and food giveaway at noon until 1 p.m.

Anderson said the event, which will feature vendors and resources from themilitary, San Bernardino County Fire Department, the county’s Foster YouthServices and much more, is open to the entire community.

Adelanto High School is located at 15620 Joshua Road.

8/17/2017 The Lincoln Shrine in Redlands is home to Confederate Army artifacts. Here’s why

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

The Lincoln Shrine in Redlands is home to Confederate Army artifacts. Here’s why

Museum seeks to provide context and tell the whole story behind the Civil War

By Kristina Hernandez, Redlands Daily Facts

Wednesday, August 16, 2017

REDLANDS >> As a growing number of cities consider removingand storing monuments and artifacts associated with the ConfederateArmy, the Lincoln Memorial Shrine here remains focused on itsmission to present a complete picture of the Civil War.

The debate over public monuments honoring Confederate veteransexploded last weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia, where the plannedremoval of a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee prompted arally that turned violent.

In the days that have followed, the iconic Hollywood ForeverCemetery announced it had removed a statue memorializing Confederate veterans and the city of San Diegotook down a plaque honoring Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederate states.

In Redlands, artifacts from the Confederate Army reside at the Lincoln shrine behind A.K. Smiley PublicLibrary. The shrine, the only museum of its kind west of the Mississippi River, pays tribute to PresidentAbraham Lincoln, his work and the events leading to and following the Civil War. Artifacts from theConfederate Army are used to help tell the story of the conflict, said Nathan Gonzales, a local historian andcurator of the shrine.

“But how you present it has to do with context,” he said. “There are certain (parallels) that we can draw todaywith events that happened then.”

Because of this historical context, he added, he does not recall any significant complaints about ConfederateArmy artifacts at the shrine.

“Occasionally some people will be concerned that something was too graphic, but war was not a pleasant thing.”

Redlands’ ties to the Confederate Army were largely established after the war. After the town was incorporatedin the late 1800s, soldiers who fought for the South eventually made their way here, and some are buried atHillside Memorial Park Cemetery on Alessandro Road. Their final resting places are scattered throughout thecemetery, and as far as local historian Tom Atchley knows, there have been no problems associated with thegraves.

Still, that does not mean the conversation of the Confederate Army’s stance during the Civil War goes unnoticedhere. A Civil War Roundtable meets monthly in town — except for the summer months — and many of itsmembers are “pro-South to this day,” Atchley said.

“One of our last presentations last year was by someone who had written a book about why Robert E. Leedeserved a good reputation because of his personal military prowess and his helping in establishing Washingtonand Lee University, where he became the chancellor after the Civil War was over,” Atchley said. “But then

8/17/2017 The Lincoln Shrine in Redlands is home to Confederate Army artifacts. Here’s why

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there’s also a group within the group that feel, and they’re certainly justified, that taking down statues is the rightthing to do considering Robert E. Lee is a traitor.”

Much of the pro-South talk, he continued, has to do with loyalty to a state rather than the U.S.

“But,” he said, “you know what he was fighting for — he was fighting for the preservation of slavery.”

The shrine itself is home to a bust of Lee, as well as Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant, commanding general of theUnion Army. But neither are displayed above Lincoln’s, and how they are displayed establishes a hierarchy,Gonzales said.

“It’s absolutely important that every American understands our collective past, and that includes that good thingsand the bad things,” he said. “We’re not a perfect nation, but we have to understand our past to move forward tobecome a more perfect union.”

URL: http://www.sbsun.com/lifestyle/20170816/the-lincoln-shrine-in-redlands-is-home-to-confederate-army-artifacts-heres-why

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

8/17/2017 St. John Bosco Mission 76th Mi Ranchito Fiesta - Highland Community News: Entertainment

http://www.highlandnews.net/entertainment/st-john-bosco-mission-th-mi-ranchito-fiesta/article_146a73b8-8375-11e7-80fb-e3bc8cfe38d5.html?mode=p… 1/1

St. John Bosco Mission 76th Mi Ranchito FiestaBy Angela L. Espinoza de Vargas | Posted: Thursday, August 17, 2017 10:54 am

There will be a south-of-the-border festive feel at the historicSt. John Bosco Mission on Saturday, Aug. 26, as theparishioners once again present to the community the 76thannual Mi Ranchito (my lovely ranch) Fiesta.

“We will again feature a pit barbecue combination plate,taquitos with real guacamole, tacos, tostadas, tamales, hotdogs, snow cones with traditional sweet syrup, aguas frescas(fresh-fruit waters estilo Guerrero), pastries, and a beergarden,” said Henrietta Chavez, fiesta chair.

Church youths will sponsor numerous children’s games withprizes to guarantee a fun-filled day for the entire family.

The yearly event is the mission’s major fundraiser of theyear. For several years, fiesta proceeds have been designatedfor a much needed sacristy. After many required meetings,the new building has been approved and construction willsoon begin.

“The fiesta continues to be a success due to the collaborative effort of all our parishioners. The men andyoung boys set up booths and mothers, children, grandmothers and great-grandmothers not only hand foldcolorful paper flowers to be used on the booths but also prepare what we consider our award-winningtamales,” said Lupe Perez, fiesta co-chair.

Fiesta gates open at 2 p.m.

Ready to dance

St. Bosco Mission youth (left to right)Alegra Caldera, 9, Diego Caldera, 10, andChelsea Vargas-Delfin, 10, pose in theirtraditional dance attire in front of thechurch's historic water trough, built in1907.

8/18/2017 Upland sets aside $1.2 million for vital water project improvement

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

Upland sets aside $1.2 million for vital water project improvement

By Liset Márquez, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin

Thursday, August 17, 2017

UPLAND >> In its last meeting for the next month, the Upland City Council amended the budget to allow avital water project to continue as well as approve several contracts aimed at streamlining operations in theplanning department.

On Aug. 14, city leaders agreed to a $1.2 million increase to improve an integral part of the city’s water supplysystem, Reservoir 15, which receives water from imported and local groundwater wells.

In October 2016, the City Council declared an emergency condition in its water system and approved a workplan for the first phase. Most of the work has been completed, but staff requested additional temporaryimprovements to enhance the structure of Reservoir 15, which is located north of 17th Street and west of BensonAvenue.

The increase in funding will be paid from a corresponding increase in water sales revenue, said RosemaryHoerning, Upland’s Public Works director.

“We’re anticipating that we’re going to get some revenue from the lease from some stored groundwater,”Hoerning said. “That will come in September and pay for the requested budget amendment.”

In other action, the council also unanimously approved:

• A professional services agreement with MIG Inc., not to exceed $125,000, will provide one contract assistantplanner who works 16 to 20 hours a week in the planning division of Development Services. The position is paidthrough fees the city collects from developers.

Upland has been using MIG for five years, said Jeff Zwack, the city’s Development Services director.

“We’re very careful at the vetting process to determine that they are useful to us, especially in Upland dealingwith historic preservation and the basics of our general plan,” he said, referring to the contract planner.

The contract is for one year, with two one-year contract extensions. The council did not have to amend the 2017-18 budget since the funds were already appropriated, Zwack said.

• A one-year contract, not to exceed $250,000, with Interwest Consulting Group for a full-time buildingofficial/plan’s examiner position. The position is paid through fees by plan check issued to developers and thepublic, he said.

The Aug. 28 council meeting has been canceled, and the council will next meet Sept. 11.

URL: http://www.dailybulletin.com/government-and-politics/20170817/upland-sets-aside-12-million-for-vital-water-project-improvement

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

8/17/2017 Combat Camera at Norton AFB Museum - Highland Community News: Entertainment

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Combat Camera at Norton AFB MuseumPosted: Thursday, August 17, 2017 11:45 am

The Norton Air Force Base Museum is hosting an "Evening at the Museum" featuring retired USAFphotojournalism Ken Hackman on the Norton AFB's Air Combat Camera Service on Wednesday, Aug. 23,at 7 p.m. The event will be held at the museum, 1601 E. Third St., San Bernardino. For more informationand seating information, call (909) 382-7307 or e-mail nafbmuseum@gmail.com.

8/18/2017 Redlands’ faith groups pray for Charlottesville

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

Redlands’ faith groups pray for Charlottesville

By Sandra Emerson, Redlands Daily Facts

Thursday, August 17, 2017

REDLANDS >> Members from various faith and community groupsin town gathered Thursday evening at First Presbyterian Church topray and express concern following last week’s violent protests inCharlottesville, Virginia, involving white supremacists andcounterprotesters that left three dead and many injured.

“We gather tonight because we know we need to be intentional,” saidPastor Cheryl Raine in her opening remarks. “We need to intentionallybuild community across all of the beautiful diversity that is here inRedlands and is around the globe.”

Raine led the group in prayer and invited attendees to share prayersfor Charlottesville and the world.

“I think it’s important for the Redlands community, certainly for the Redlands faith community, to acknowledgewhat’s going on in the world and to pray for that,” said Marcia Fagan, First Presbyterian Church member. “Ithink that we’re stronger together and it’s important for Redlands to take a stand.”

There were also moments of silence held for the people killed and injured amid the chaos Saturday, includingHeather Heyer, 32, who was struck and killed when a Dodge Challenger drove through a street full ofcounterprotesters. Numerous others were injured.

• Photos: Prayer vigil for Charlottesville held at First Presbyterian Church

The driver, identified as James Alex Fields Jr., 20, of Ohio, faces second-degree murder and other charges.

Virginia State police are also investigating the deaths of state troopers Lt. H. Jay Cullen, 48, and Trooper BerkeM.M. Bates, 41, who had been deployed to the rally and were killed when their helicopter crashed outside thecity.

“All that needs for evil to triumph is for good men and women to do nothing,” said Gretchen Andrews, chair ofthe Redlands Human Relations Commission, paraphrasing a quote by 18th century Irish statesman andphilosopher Edmund Burke. “That goes through my head over and over. We can’t do nothing. We have to standup.”

Mary Ann Shoup, a member of the Redlands First United Methodist Church, said attending Thursday’s vigil iswhat Jesus would want. It can also be physically difficult for senior citizens like herself to be activists, sheadded.

“I want to do something,” Shoup said. “I’m here. That’s why this is important.”

Veta Arnold, who has been a member of the Redlands First Presbyterian Church since 1962, said it’s importantto bring the churches together and be united in prayer.

8/18/2017 Redlands’ faith groups pray for Charlottesville

http://www.sbsun.com/social-affairs/20170817/redlands-faith-groups-pray-for-charlottesville&template=printart 2/2

“We churches may be competitive, but we’re really all caring about the same thing,” she said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

URL: http://www.sbsun.com/social-affairs/20170817/redlands-faith-groups-pray-for-charlottesville

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

8/18/2017 KCDZ 107.7 FM - CONGRESSMAN COOK CALLS ACTIVISTS STATEMENTS ON MOJAVE TRAILS FALSE

http://z1077fm.com/congressman-cook-calls-activists-statements-on-mojave-trails-false/ 1/1

« YUCCA VALLEY RECRUITING YOUTH COMMISSION MEMBERS ASSEMBLYMAN MAYES TAKING MORE HEAT ON CAP AND TRADE VOTE»

CONGRESSMAN COOK CALLS ACTIVISTS STATEMENTS ON MOJAVE TRAILS FALSEBy Z107.7 News, on August 18th, 2017

Congressman Paul Cook is calling statements that a pending decision on the Mojave Trails National Monument is tied to the Cadiz Water proposal false. Wednesday, reacting to the announcement that the Sand to Snow monument will not be changed, The Mojave Desert Land Trust issued a

statement that said, “Secretary Zinke’s recommendation for Mojave Trails National Monument is tied to the controversial Cadiz Inc. water project,which looks to pump groundwater from an aquifer surrounded by the national monument to coastal cities.” Cook fired back, saying, “Certain membersof the environmental community are creating a false narrative that the Cadiz water project is somehow tied to the boundary of Mojave Trails NationalMonument. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Cadiz project is outside of both the current boundary of the Mojave Trails – a boundarycreated behind closed doors by the Obama administration – as well the bipartisan boundary established by my desert legislation and in SenatorFeinstein’s legislation. The purposefully misleading narrative by these groups is an effort to justify the executive overreach of the Obamaadministration in establishing the boundaries of Mojave Trails. These groups should be condemned for their deception, and they should be ashamed oftheir support of a boundary that was established without proper vetting by the public or by Congress."

S H A R E T H I S :

August 18th, 2017 | Tags: cadiz, congressman paul cook, mojave desert land trust, mojave trails national monument, morongo basin, san bernardino county, sand to snow nationalmonument | Category: Local News, Top Story

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NO CHANGE TO SAND TO SNOWNATIONAL MONUMENT

ANOTHER OBSTACLE FOR CADIZPIPELINE PLAN?

CONGRESSMAN COOK WANTS 23 OF 27NATIONAL MONUMENTS RESCINDED ORREDUCEDAugust 17, 2017

In "Featured"August 4, 2017In "Local News" July 13, 2017

In "Local News"

8/18/2017 Manufacturing still a bright spot for Inland Empire – Press Enterprise

http://www.pe.com/2017/08/18/manufacturing-still-a-bright-spot-for-inland-empire/ 1/4

By PRESS-ENTERPRISE EDITORIAL BOARD | Press-EnterpriseAugust 18, 2017 at 12:06 am

AP Photo/David GoldmanIn this Sept. 18, 2015 photo, Sparks fly as a welder works on a frame for a school busat Blue Bird Corporation’s manufacturing facility in Fort Valley, Ga.

Manufacturing remains a bright spot in the Inland Empire, where the sector is

doing better than in the rest of the state and the nation.

OPINION

Manufacturing still a brightspot for Inland Empire

8/18/2017 Manufacturing still a bright spot for Inland Empire – Press Enterprise

http://www.pe.com/2017/08/18/manufacturing-still-a-bright-spot-for-inland-empire/ 2/4

For example, manufacturing jobs in San Bernardino County grew by 13 percent

from 2009 to 2016 — from 49,000 to 55,500 jobs — according to Robert Kleinhenz,

economist for The Center for Economic Forecasting and Development at UC

Riverside.

During the same period, the nation saw 3.4 percent growth in manufacturing

jobs, and California had just 1.5 percent growth.

The Inland Empire Economic Partnership’s latest Quarterly Economic Report,

released in July, shows that manufacturing employment for the two-county region

hit 100,000 in June, up by 1,300 jobs, or 1.3 percent, from June 2016.

John Husing, IEEP’s chief economist, and Kleinhenz agree that one reason for the

growth of Inland Empire manufacturing is that companies are relocating from

Los Angeles County because land is cheaper here and they can design new plants

that incorporate today’s more automated manufacturing processes.

That’s a double-edged sword, of course. Automation will endanger many of the

new jobs in 10 or 15 years, as Husing has noted.

The Inland Empire is also attractive to manufacturing companies because they

can hire workers for lower pay here than in the coastal counties, Husing said.

Employees save time and money by giving up a long commute to L.A. County, so

they’re willing to settle for somewhat lower pay.

And local governments in the two-county region are receptive to manufacturers

needs. That’s not true of state government. Husing has long complained that state

environmental regulations hamstring manufacturers and the blue-collar workers

they employ.

That came up on a recent multi-day tour by Rep. Norma Torres, D-Ontario, of

Inland Empire manufacturers to hear about the challenges they face. One

manufacturer told her his company has to outsource a specialized heat treatment

process to Michigan, where it can be done for a fraction of what it would cost here

because of California’s strict environmental restrictions.

The region is fortunate that a number of manufacturers are able to work through

those regulations.

Press-Enterprise Editorial Board

Tags:  Editorials

8/18/2017 Candidate for governor Antonio Villaraigosa stops by Riverside, calls the Inland Empire an area of ‘strivers’

http://www.dailybulletin.com/article/20170818/NEWS/170819474&template=printart 1/2

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

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Candidate for governor Antonio Villaraigosa stops by Riverside, calls the Inland Empirean area of ‘strivers’

By Alejandra Molina, The Press-Enterprise

and Imran Ghori, The Press-Enterprise

Friday, August 18, 2017

Gubernatorial candidate Antonio Villaraigosa said during a stop inRiverside on Wednesday, Aug. 16, that he wants Inland cities such asRiverside, Moreno Valley, and Fontana to be known as “Villaraigosacountry.”

“All these areas have ‘strivers,’” Villaraigosa said. “Some of them,they wanted to buy a home, build a business, and L.A. was tooexpensive.”

“They’re searching for the ‘American Dream,’” he added.

More than 40 people, many of whom were Inland business owners, gathered at ProAbition Kitchen & WhiskeyLounge to hear Villaraigosa speak Wednesday evening. Ticket prices for the fundraiser, which was hosted byBailHotline and the California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, ranged from $1,000 for guests and $10,000 forhosts.

City elected leaders at the event included Moreno Valley Mayor Yxstian Gutierrez, Moreno Valley CouncilmanUlises Cabrera, and Victorville Councilwoman Blanca Gomez.

Villaraigosa, the former mayor of Los Angeles, at one point stood next to the elected leaders and said, “This isthe face of the ‘American Dream.’”

He said it was important to pave the path for young leaders.

Villaraigosa, who at times switched from English to Spanish, highlighted his family’s immigrant roots anddenounced what happened in Charlottesville, Va. — where three people died over the weekend when a largegathering of white nationalists and counter-protesters erupted in violence.

If elected, he said, “You’re gonna see a governor who wants to unite us, who wants to open up the door for all ofus, who’s gonna stand up for our immigrants.”

He spoke about the importance of improving the business climate for small and diverse businesses and alsospoke in favor of the World Logistics Center, a planned 40.6-million square-foot warehouse complex that hasbeen opposed by environmentalists and many Moreno Valley residents.

Earlier Wednesday, Villaraigosa spoke at the Moreno Valley State of the City address. Afterward he joinedGutierrez and other city officials for a tour of the 1.8 million square-foot Skechers warehouse at the east end ofMoreno Valley.

8/18/2017 Candidate for governor Antonio Villaraigosa stops by Riverside, calls the Inland Empire an area of ‘strivers’

http://www.dailybulletin.com/article/20170818/NEWS/170819474&template=printart 2/2

He said he’s visiting parts of the state that haven’t gotten enough attention in the past as part of his listening tourin which he wants to highlight housing and job concerns among the middle class.

“I’ve focused more time in the Central Valley and the Inland Empire because what I’ve said of some people inmy party — I call them the Davos Democrats — fly over the homes of people we’ve left behind and never beenin those living rooms,” he said. “I’ve been in those living rooms. I’ve grown up in those living rooms.”

The term Davos Democrat has been used among some in the party to describe business-friendly members of theparty and gets its name from a city in Switzerland where the World Economic Forum holds its annualconference.

Villaraigosa also touched on immigration issues, saying he’s long supported sanctuary city-like protections forundocumented immigrants. He said he hasn’t seen the full details of a bill in the legislature to make California asanctuary state but supports the concept.

He called Los Angeles the “epicenter” of undocumented immigrants and one of the safest big cities in thecountry when he was mayor.

“We’ve been doing what we’ve been doing in Los Angeles since 1978 and it started under Daryl Gates, aconservative police chief who decided that immigrants weren’t coming forward to report crimes when they werevictimized or to testify,” he said.

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URL: http://www.dailybulletin.com/government-and-politics/20170818/candidate-for-governor-antonio-villaraigosa-stops-by-riverside-calls-the-inland-empire-an-area-of-strivers

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

8/18/2017 California police killed 157 people last year — more than a third of them in L.A. County — report says - LA Times

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-report-california-fatal-police-encounters-20170817-story.html 1/2

C

California police killed 157 people last year —more than a third of them in L.A. County —report says

By Associated Press

AUGUST 17, 2017, 8:45 PM

alifornia's attorney general says 157 people died during encounters with police in the state last year —

and more than a third of those deaths occurred in L.A. County.

A report released Thursday by state Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra marks the first time California has

publicly released statewide statistics on police use of force.

The report said there were 782 incidents in 2016 in which a police officer either used force that resulted in

serious injury or death, or fired their weapon. And more than a quarter of those incidents happened in L.A.

County, with the vast majority involving either the Los Angeles Police Department or the L.A. County Sheriff’s

Department. (The Long Beach Police Department was the only other agency in double digits: 21.)

The map shows the locations of 52 officer-involved killings in L.A. County in 2016. (Homicide Report)

8/18/2017 California police killed 157 people last year — more than a third of them in L.A. County — report says - LA Times

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-report-california-fatal-police-encounters-20170817-story.html 2/2

With 55 deaths — nearly all included in The Times’ Homicide Report database — L.A. County accounts for

about 35% of last year’s fatalities at the hands of law enforcement across the state, according to the report.

Forty-two percent of the civilians involved were Latino. Although black people make up just 6% of the state’s

population, according to the most recent Census data, they represented nearly 20% of the use-of-force and

shooting cases last year. More than half of the officers involved were white.

A state law requires California police departments to report the data to the state attorney general's office.

Though some departments already tracked such data on their own, many did not.

Times staff writer Marisa Gerber contributed to this report.

marisa.gerber@latimes.com

For more news from the Los Angeles County courts, follow me on Twitter: @marisagerber

ALSO

Police investigating double killing in South L.A.

Sacramento police release footage of controversial encounter with pregnant woman

Married Alhambra couple sues employer, saying insurance was revoked because they're gay

Copyright © 2017, Los Angeles Times

This article is related to: Homicide, Los Angeles Police Department, Xavier Becerra

8/18/2017 Police use force against blacks in California at higher rate, new data shows | 89.3 KPCC

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Police in California shot at or used force against black people last year at triple the rate relative to their portion of the population, according to a first everreport on use of force released Thursday afternoon by the state Department of Justice.

According to the report, law enforcement agencies reported officers shot at or otherwise seriously injured 782 people across the state in 2016. In dozens ofthese incidents, officers perceived the people as armed when no weapon was found. More than half of the people were unarmed, the data show.

The statistics begin to fill in the information void that has enveloped police uses of force in California and the rest of the nation, where it is often difficult togarner basic facts.

Until now, no statewide agency has collected numbers on police use of force or the frequency of unarmed people being killed by law enforcement.

"We had nothing," said Assemblymember Freddie Rodriguez (D-Pomona), author of the 2015 bill requiring police shooting data collection on which thereport is based. "Now, we have data to look back on what's happening on the street."

Advocates said the data was disheartening, but not surprising. "We know that black people have been bearing the brunt of use of force," said Mark-AnthonyJohnson with Dignity and Power Now, an L.A.-based organization calling for greater oversight of law enforcement. "I think we’ve seen evidence that changeneeds to happen."

Some in law enforcement said hard data will help them better police their communities.

"We need to look into the causal factors," said Edward Medrano, Gardena Police Chief and president of the California Police Chiefs Association, whichsupported the data collection.

Medrano said it’s a priority among law enforcement leaders to eliminate injuries to community members - and officers.

"I think all of this is helpful to increase the dialog with our communities to help law enforcement evolve," he said. "How and where can we begin that dialogto heal some of the divides in our state and our country?"

Law enforcement agencies were required to collect data on uses of force resulting in serious injury or death beginning in 2016. The state justice departmentpublished a 63-page report with some tables and charts, but it has not yet released raw data, which could reveal hot spots for use of force and shootings.

8/18/2017 Police use force against blacks in California at higher rate, new data shows | 89.3 KPCC

http://www.scpr.org/news/2017/08/17/74785/police-use-force-against-blacks-in-california-at-h/ 4/7

Among the findings in the report:

More than half of the uses of force were in Southern California, a five-county area that accounts for just under half the state's populationNearly half of incidents began with a call for serviceAbout 20 percent of officers were injured during use of force incidents and another 6 officers diedAbout 65 percent of civilians were injured and another 19 percent died

As California's use of force data collection took shape, a state official told KPCC that the station's 2015 investigative series "Officer Involved" provided ablueprint.

KPCC built a detailed database of police shootings over five years by piecing together information from thousands of pages of district attorney records in LosAngeles County. This year, KPCC added hundreds more shootings from San Bernardino County.

The racial breakdown in the use of force report mirrors KPCC's reporting, which found black people were shot at higher rates in both counties than theirpercentage in the population.

KPCC's investigations showed that no officer in Los Angeles or San Bernardino Counties was prosecuted for any of the hundreds of shootings reviewed byprosecutors in the past decade.

Rodriguez’s data collection bill encountered no opposition and passed both houses unanimously in 2015. The law required police agencies to begin collectingdata last year.

This year, a California legislator tried to go further and put forth a bill to establish an independent state team to investigate police shootings, which are nowinvestigated by other officers or deputies, including those from the same department. Law enforcement groups opposed the bill. It was watered down to a“study” in committee.

Despite the new reporting law, many of the details of police shootings are likely to remain secret because state law allows law enforcement agencies towithhold evidence regarding shootings from public scrutiny and can shield officer discipline from the public.

The report notes that while all agencies were required to share data with the state, some nevertheless failed to do so. Dozens of agencies, including campuspolice, reported no significant uses of force incidents last year.

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8/18/2017 Could Monday’s Solar Eclipse Lead to More ER Visits? - Highland Community News: Top Stories

http://www.highlandnews.net/news/top_stories/could-monday-s-solar-eclipse-lead-to-more-er-visits/article_5850c904-8377-11e7-937d-1f56e7624fec.ht… 1/1

Could Monday’s Solar Eclipse Lead to More ER Visits?Posted: Thursday, August 17, 2017 11:10 am

ER Docs Say Yes.

WASHINGTON — As much of the nation prepares for Monday’s extremely rare solar eclipse, someemergency physicians say that this natural phenomenon could lead to a temporary surge in emergency visitsat points across the country. While they are prepared to handle this potential increase in patient traffic, theyurge caution.

“I suspect there will be an increase in patient traffic to ERs, especially in areas expecting a large influx ofeclipse-watchers, such as Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Kansas, Nebraska, Kentucky, Tennessee, SouthCarolina and Missouri,” said Becky Parker, MD, FACEP, president of the American College of EmergencyPhysicians (ACEP). “When a population surges, even temporarily, ER visits tend to rise. Anything out of theordinary that shakes up a regular routine, like this eclipse, or daylight savings, can lead to more vehicleaccidents. Be mindful of that.”

ACEP reached out to emergency physicians across the country to get an idea of what they expect toexperience on Monday in emergency departments. Those in rural areas – especially in the direct path of theeclipse – expect to see an increase of people seeking emergency care. One emergency physician said that ineast Idaho alone, officials are predicting that town and city populations will triple and put pressure on localhospitals to deal with the major increase in patients.

“Like many experts have said, emergency physicians remind the public that it’s extremely important toprotect your eyes during this eclipse,” said Dr. Parker. “If you choose to look at it, you must use proper eyeprotection for safe viewing from a reputable manufacturer. Staring at the sun – even for a second – cancause severe, permanent loss of vision. Remember, regular sunglasses do NOT offer enough protection,”states Dr. Parker.”

For more information, please go to the Centers for Disease Control and Preventionhttps://www.cdc.gov/features/solar-eclipse-safety/index.html

“For many in this country, Monday’s solar eclipse will be a once-in-a-lifetime event,” said Dr. Parker. “Wewant you to enjoy it, but do so safely and be mindful of the risks.”

ACEP is the national medical specialty society representing emergency medicine. ACEP is committed toadvancing emergency care through continuing education, research and public education. Headquartered inDallas, Texas, ACEP has 53 chapters representing each state, as well as Puerto Rico and the District ofColumbia. A Government Services Chapter represents emergency physicians employed by military branchesand other government agencies.

8/18/2017 Riverside postpones design discussion on $40-million library – Press Enterprise

http://www.pe.com/2017/08/17/riverside-postpones-design-discussion-on-40-million-library/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter 1/2

By ALICIA ROBINSON | arobinson@scng.com | The Press-EnterpriseAugust 17, 2017 at 1:39 pm

Courtesy of City of RiversideA rendering shows Riverside’s new Main Library design with an outdoor terrace at right.

Riverside of�cials will delay a discussion and vote on the proposed design for the new downtown library until 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 5.

The council had planned to consider the design Tuesday, Aug. 22, but two councilmen and Mayor Rusty Bailey are unable to attend the

meeting, city spokesman Robbie Silver said.

The $40 million library would be a two-story building on a pedestal with a plaza underneath and would also include public archives. It

would be built facing Mission Inn Avenue on the site of the former Greyhound bus terminal.

Library trustees unanimously voted to recommend the design to the council on Monday, Aug. 14.

Of�cials plan to renovate the current library, which was built in the 1960s, and turn it into the Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Arts,

Culture and Industry.

The Riverside City Council meets in the council chambers at Riverside City Hall, 3900 Main St.

ALICIA_ROBINSONAlicia Robinson

LOCAL NEWS

Riverside postpones design discussion on $40-millionlibrary

Tags:  Top Stories PE

8/18/2017 Infographic: Orange County's wealthiest cities have biggest opioid problem | 89.3 KPCC

http://www.scpr.org/news/2017/08/16/74763/orange-county-s-wealthiest-cities-have-biggest-opi/ 3/7

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1:03 Listen

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Opioid abuse and overdoses have caused emergency room visits in Orange County to more than double over the last decade, according to a recent report fromthe county health care agency.

The cities with the highest rates of opioid-related emergency room visits are in generally wealthy south Orange County and along the coast, with Dana Pointat the top of the list.

Opioid-related emergency room visits in Orange County

Top 12 cities Ave. annual visits per 100,000 residents (2011 - 2015)Top 12 citiesDana Point Ave. annual visits per 100,000 residents (2011 - 2015)120Top 12 citiesCosta Mesa Ave. annual visits per 100,000 residents (2011 - 2015)99Top 12 citiesSan Clemente Ave. annual visits per 100,000 residents (2011 - 2015)92Top 12 citiesLaguna Beach Ave. annual visits per 100,000 residents (2011 - 2015)90Top 12 citiesLaguna Woods Ave. annual visits per 100,000 residents (2011 - 2015)88Top 12 citiesLaguna Niguel Ave. annual visits per 100,000 residents (2011 - 2015)74Top 12 citiesHuntington Beach Ave. annual visits per 100,000 residents (2011 - 2015)73Top 12 citiesSan Juan Capistrano Ave. annual visits per 100,000 residents (2011 - 2015)73Top 12 citiesLaguna Hills Ave. annual visits per 100,000 residents (2011 - 2015)65Top 12 citiesMission Viejo Ave. annual visits per 100,000 residents (2011 - 2015)56Top 12 citiesFountain Valley Ave. annual visits per 100,000 residents (2011 - 2015)56Top 12 citiesNewport Beach Ave. annual visits per 100,000 residents (2011 - 2015)51

Source: Orange County Health Care Agency.

8/18/2017 Infographic: Orange County's wealthiest cities have biggest opioid problem | 89.3 KPCC

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“More affluent communities have, maybe, more free time, more access to prescription medications,” report author Curtis Condon said in an interview.

Overdoses linked to prescription opioids, like Vicodin, Oxycontin and morphine, seem to be more concentrated in those affluent parts of the county andamong older people, he said. Meanwhile, heroin overdoses are more common in central and north Orange County, as well as among younger people.

Orange County's percentage of emergency room visits due to heroin overdoses was only slightly higher than the percentage due to prescription opioidoverdoses, according to the report.

Most of the patients were white males. The highest rate of emergency room visits by far was among 18- to 24-year-olds.

Still, older people aged 45 to 64 are dying of opioid overdoses at the highest rates in Orange County. Older people are prescribed more opiates than theiryounger peers, Condon said.

“You know, aches and pains. Or if you have surgery, a lot of times you’ll be prescribed a lot of opioids," Condon said.

Orange County's opioid-related death rate is much higher than the state average — and nearly three times higher than neighboring Los Angeles County,according to the California Department of Public Health's Opioid Overdose Surveillance Dashboard.

Still, the rate of deaths in OC caused by opiates is a fraction of that seen in the California counties with the worst problem, including Plumas, Lake andTuolumne counties. California ranks low nationwide for opioid abuse.

The California Department of Public Health plans to give Orange County 6,200 doses of Naloxone, which can reverse an opioid overdose, as part of astatewide plan to combat addiction. A local nonprofit will distribute the drug to at-risk individuals.

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