“Don’t ever let anyone tell you that your voice isn’t powerful” says editor David Phillips of the Internet site loosely named in the San Bernardino Sun article printed Sunday morning by Jim Stienberg. Mr Phillips and his staff worked hard over the last part of 2016 and early 2017 to highlight some major issues effecting Rialto residents, business owners and taxpayers.
First was the planned secret meeting of the first Rialto sanctuary city committee by Raza Rialto and Councilman Rafael Trujillo which thanks to Mr Phillips and his staff was stopped dead in its tracks with some unexpected help from right wing advocates for following the rule of law.
Second was the travel of two elected officials and two high ranking police officers to Washington DC at a cost of over $17 thousand dollars. This request was once again buried in the consent calander where at times over 50 items will be approved with one simple vote. Not only did our story rack up thousands of hits and readers but the mayor and council were forced to address the travel and explain themselves. On top of that a follow up story by Jim Stienberg of the San Bernardino Sun was written to further highlight to the local community what is happening with this travel.
Our questions Tuesday led to an admission by Mayor Robertson that even though she was staying in Washington for the 20th she would not be going to the inauguration. Now according to the San Bernardino Sun article she is coming home EARLY!!!!!
We started this blog five years ago as a response to the lack of reporting from the bigger media who’s job it is to report on what is going on in the Rialto region. We started our 1st year with only 1,000 views to an average of 5,000 views a month. Our articles have been used in other publications and we’re the first place many news publications go to for information. Much like Jim Stienberg’s article we are the vehicle for making sure that our leaders do not veer to far off course and keep Rialto and the surrounding region moving forward.
On the first city council meeting for the city of Rialto there was standing room only mainly over the issue of sanctuary cities. Councilman Rafael Trujillo and his actions on December 30th 2016 set a firestorm of media exposure on the small Inland Empire City. Both sides of the issue remained free from using racist statements. Everyone kept their arguments to the issue at hand until Luis Nolasco a young Hispanic man called out one race in particular.
Mr. Nolasco began his time calling out the people there from outside the city (that he didn’t agree with) and then began to use race biting statements that have become commonplace with young adults who have been taught that being white is a sin no matter what is in your heart. For some reason those who traveled with him to support the Sanctuary City issue (see their picture below).
Mr. Nolasco highlights growing up in Rialto and how the minority population has swung to the white community. Mr. Nolasco refers to how irrelevant the white community is and that they have 5 years left to exist in Rialto.
A veteran sitting in the audience was visibly shaken by Luis Nolasco’s statement. As the Council took a short recces after the public comment section the gentleman said “my family built this town and it was well before he was even a twinkle in his fathers eye”. Many expressed feelings of confusion to why the council would allow such words to be uttered. One lady said if it wasn’t for the white people who started this town and grew it into a city that this man now claims to love.
There was a great double standard in Louis Nolasco’s original statement that only Rialto Residents should be heard at council meetings when he brought with him people that lived outside the city at the Sanctuary City Committee meeting and to last Tuesdays council meeting. Nobody from the other side asked council not to listen to others just that they listen with a lawful ear.
Arthur Schaper with the We The People Rising held up large quilts from the Remembrance Project of those that died because others were not asked to follow the laws of the land. Councilman Ed Scott said he was not for a Sanctuary City in Rialto and his heart went out to those who lost loved ones due to others not following the law.
“Request City Council to approve travel and training request for Police Chief Randy De Anda and Lieutenant Paul Stella to accompany Mayor Deborah Robertson as security detail during the United States Conference of Mayors Winter Meeting in Washington, DC, January 17-19, and the Presidential Inauguration on January 20, 2017.”
The above image is an image pulled Tuesdays City Council Meeting Agenda Consent Calander from Mayor Deborah Robertson’s Re-election twitter account. As you can see the Mayor wasn’t a fan of President Elect Trump. As you see in the text above the Mayor is telling you that she wants a protective detail to go watch a Inauguration of a candidate she didn’t like. Looking at the Chart provided with the agenda there is no allocation for Chief Deanda or Lt Stella yet there is a base amount for the Mayor to attend the Mayors Conference by her self. We know that Councilman Ed Scott was given his ticket to the Inauguration by Congressman Pete Aguliar but who is picking up the travel and stay for Councilman Scott on this trip:
US Conference of Mayors – Winter Meeting Washington, DC January Mayor $3,200.00 estimate per person
Legislative Meetings (various) Washington, DC Per Year Mayor & 1 Council $5,000.00 estimate per person
So were paying $7,397.04 for the Chief and an Lt, plus a minimum of $3,200 for the Mayor and another $5,000 for Council Member Scott for a minimum of $15,597.04!!!!!!
Mayor Robertson used the Republican Nominee Trump as a way to hurt people running for election here locally. Here are a few of the examples:
Candidates that were republican or had a more conservative leaning Mayor Robertson used this to turn people away from them. She was heard routinely saying those trumpsters are going to take away everything.
Mayor Robertson poisoned voters minds when they were considering candidates like her opponent Ed Palmer, City Council Candidate David Phillips and Congressional Candidate Paul Chabot. It was so bad that it was routine for a public event for a Mayor Robertson supporters trying to shut down these candidates when they tried to speak.
Mayor Robertson not only hurt Republican candidates but committed democrats who failed to fall in line with her tactics or policies.
Lynn Hirtz – Democrat running for city council was tied to Donald Trump by Mayor Robertson.
Ana Gonzalez – Bernie Sanders Democrat supporting Hilary was tied to Donald Trump by Mayor Robertson.
Joe Britt – Running for City Council was tied to Donald Trump by Mayor Robertson.
Ed Killgore – Democrat running for reelection to the water board was tied to Donald Trump by Mayor Robertson.
If the Mayor is so upset over the Election of President Donald Trump why does she have to go and why are the taxpayers paying for it? Mayor Robertson even had former Assembly Member Cheryl Brown calling out people who challenged Mayor Robertson at Democrat meetings as trumpsters that needed to be stopped. What makes matters worse is Mayor Robertson is the Mayor of Rialto a struggling working class city. Our people are hard working but a majority of our families are still struggling or just getting by. Most of our ids will never stay in a $400 a night hotel room, eat lavish meals and fly all over the country. The sad reality is that less than 50% of Rialto youth will never even go on a field trip and when they do it is to s neighboring city that offers more than Rialto.
Reach out to your leaders and let them know that Rialto needs to bring travel costs under control and leave Chief Deanda and Lt Stella home so that they can do their jobs.
For years Rialto public leaders have used your tax dollars to go on lavish trips all over the nation. The situation got so bad that an audit 4 years ago led Councilman O’Connell to ask the Council to approve measures that would bring travel spending under control. These changes were short lived as Mayor Robertson has allowed commisoners to travel on the tax payers dime and now the city council has a $99,000 travel budget for the year.
Our Mayor has used the Mayors Conference to use your tax dollars to spend time taking selfies with Presedent Obama in the distant background and eating rich food and staying in 4 star accomidations. All of these are luxuries that the people of Rialto will never get the chance to enjoy. Mayor robertson was questioned for bringing City Clerk McGee with her to lavish travel destinations with no clear reason for the City Clerk to atend.
Now Mayor Robertson is making good on a campaign promise, reports are that if she won she would be taking Cheif Randy Deanda to Washington DC with her. Well we found out how this abuse of tax dollars would bare out. Mayor Robertson is taking Cheif Deanda and Lt. Paul Stella with her to Washington DC has her own personal Security Detail!!!!!!!
Lets break down these travel requests that total more than $7,000!!!!!!
Where in the budget are they pulling this money?
Why are we paying for 4 seperate cab fare’s when they are supposed to be security detail?
How much is the overtime going to cost with these two not being home doing their duties?
We spoke to current Mayors, Council Members and Former Elected leaders and nobody has heard of ever brining their own security detail to any travel. In addition those attending the Trump Swearing in are not brining in their own security they are relying on the Washigton DC city, county and federal law enforcement officers to keep everyone safe.
Residents already on edge after freshman Councilman Rafael Trujillo tried to start Rialto down the road of becoming a Sanctuary City are wondering what is happening to their city. One resident said “when will our council and mayor just do what is right for us” and another said “if Mayor Robertson couldn’t have her raise she will get her money one way or another”.
On top of this $7,000 travel bill for security Mayor Robertson is spending $3,200 minimum on this trip. It is unclear if the taxpayers are paying for Councilman Ed Scott’s travel as well. Unless someone comes to their senses this will be approved on Tuesday January 10th 2017 at 6pm.
Today IECN Reporter Anthony Victoria posted a lengthy article that took a look at the events that transpired at Rialto’s City Hall last Friday December 30th 2016. In this story Mr. Victoria’s article begins to craft an alternative definition to the Term “Sanctuary City”. A simple google search will provide you the definition we provided in a story we wrote last week:
A sanctuary city is a city in the United States or Canada that has adopted a policy of protecting undocumented immigrants by not prosecuting them solely for violating federal immigration laws in the country in which they are now living illegally. … The designation has no precise legal meaning.
According to Mr. Victoria’s article this is the definition that is now being used:
The term is used generally to describe the process in which local governments refuse to use their own resources or funds to enforce national immigration laws, according to the California Law Review.
When we searched the California Law Review we were left with no results for the term Sanctuary City. So why are those in favor of protecting those who break our borders and laws working so hard to redefine what a Sanctuary City means? Well it’s elementary my dear Watson you see the idea of a local governing body standing in the way of prosecuting people who have broken Federal law no longer sits well with the American people, But we are tired of watching our resources being abused. So the term is changed not by legal experts or educational bodies no we have activists and career politicos working to redefine a word to make it more palatable.
Another popular tactic within this activist crowd is word play. You see we are talking about the future of Illegal Immigrants not legal immigrants or anyone else here LEGALLY. So Mr. Victoria inserts a quote from Ana Gonzalez the former challenger for the City Clerks job last election, Mrs Gonzalez is quoted as saying “A lot of [undocumented residents] are asking, ‘What’s going to happen? Are we going to be safe? The immigrant” population is scared.” You see what they did there they first used the new term undocumented residents (illegal alien) then turn it around to say immigrants are scared (people with a legal right) living here. Why would a legal immigrant have anything to fear?
Mr. Trujillo who apparently only speaks to Spanish media writers said this to Mr. Victoria:
“Gonzalez and several stakeholders were scheduled to meet with Rialto councilmember Rafael Trujillo at City Hall on December 30 to discuss the issue, but were instead met with protest from Claremont-based group We The People Rising. Trujillo–feeling threatened by the large presence of the group–decided to postpone the meeting. Trujillo claims that the meeting was unofficial and that no city committee has been created to address the issue. A lot of people are afraid of the new [presidential] administration coming in,” Trujillo said. “I’m trying to learn about the issue and what it means.”
Even though Mr. Trujillo claims that no Committee was formed this is the message that Blanca Gomez the Freshman Council Member sent to our editor 2 days before the meeting (see above). To further complicate things for the councilman who refuses to tell the truth, Alejandro Cano Spanish reporter for La Opinion news posted this on his Facebook page the night before the meeting:
Even though Mr. Cano tries to deny why he was at the Rialto city hall in the video below he made it very clear on his Facebook page what he was doing and why he was there.
These dangerous activists want you to believe that this law protects your tax dollars and illegal immigrants just looking for a better life. Yet sanctuary cities have been on the front lines of harboring some of the most dangerous illegal aliens that rack up felonies yet get released back into our cities and neighborhoods. Francisco Sanchez admitted to shooting Kate Steinle shooting in 2015 he did this after being released for drug charges and was a 7 time felon and a 5 time deportee. The San Francisco Sheriff refused to honor a detainer request from ICE because his city was a Sanctuary City.
Rafael Trujillo, Blanca Gomez and these activist groups refuse to look at the bigger picture. President elect Donald Trump has said he will pull Federal Funding from cities that refuse to work with Federal authorities. Since Mr. Victoria’s article failed to address the potential money lost if Rialto were to deny Federal Authorities the right to remove dangerous illegal alien criminals we decided to ask City Administrator Mike Story what this might look like for Rialto:
“I do not have specific numbers on what a sanctuary city would cost the city, but just if we lost CDBG federal funds for capitial and community services programs it could be over 1 million dollars just for that program. Not sure of the others.”
So what we should be asking Rafael Trujillo and Ana Gonzalez is are you ready to put Rialto in a $1 Million dollar hole? Also Ana Gonzalez statement in the article by Mr. Victoria speaks to not wanting to allow our police to break up families:
“Ana Gonzalez agrees with Nolasco. “Our city is not prepared to do this kind of enforcement,” she said. “If there’s a crime committed, then of course action needs to be taken. But we shouldn’t be focused on breaking up families.”
Mrs. Gonzalez must be confused because police all over this country are forced to do this to people every single day. When a mother or father breaks a law and the police are forced to arrest that person a family is broken up. Many times the families are forced to leave their homes and become homeless because the fruits of their financial support came from illegal deeds. If a bank robber gets caught we don’t let his kids keep the stolen money because that is all they have no we take it away. This is why we used to punish people so that others would count the cost of breaking our LAWS!!!!!
Please welcome Rialto’s newest addition to our fleet, Medic Engine 205 (ME205)!! This has been decades in the making and she’s finally in service at Fire Station 201 until a temporary station is built in mid 2017. It will be staffed with a Captain, Engineer and Firefighter/Medic. This new engine will provide an enhanced service to the south end of Rialto. #rialto #rialtofd #rialtofire #engine205 #local3688 #rialtofirefighters #rialtofirefighters3688 #station205
On December 30 at the Rialto City Hall a meeting took place while nobody was paying attention due to the holidays. Organizers invited interested Rialto community members to assist in organizing to make Rialto a SANCTUARY CITY for illegal immigrants. Sanctuary cities are a blatant violation of federal law. They undermine law enforcement and there is a clear connection to illegal immigration and crime. Further, they cost taxpayers millions out of our pockets. Most LEGAL immigrants oppose illegal immigration, and we need to give them respectful credit for that.
Newly elected Victorville City Council Member BLANCA GOMEZ was present and appeared to be an active part of the meeting, apparently in favor of sanctuary cities. Does Ms. Gomez’ signal participation in opening doors for the High Desert to follow? Does she advocate bringing the same to Victorville in the future as well? It is worth watching closely, and asking her what her role is in the Rialto push for sanctuary city status.
Additionally represented at this meeting was TOPEC (Training Occupational Development Educating Communities) which is a Immigration Legal Center that serves migrant communities in Riverside, San Bernardino, and Imperial Counties. TODEC’s mission is to ensure equitable access to information and services for limited and non-English speaking people. Also represented was LULAC (League of United Latin American Citizens to advance the economic condition, educational attainment, political influence, housing, health and civil rights of the Hispanic population of the United States. Note: It does not say ‘legal’ Hispanic population.
Given the election that just occurred in which California passed marijuana laws which defy Federal Law, and is accepting and encouraging Sanctuary Cities that harbor perons who have illegally entering the US, defyig the Federal Law, they have laid the groundwork for major litigation, and it is ‘we the taxpayers’ who will pay for it. It seems like Ms. Gomez is already poised to spend big money in legal fees if she tries to bring this to the High Desert.
***This was the invite that was sent out to a Rialto constituent.
“You are invited to the first meeting of the Rialto Sanctuary City Committee Meeting Friday, December 30th, 10:00am at City Hall, 150 S. Palm Ave in Downtown Rialto. This is a small group meeting focused on Rialto residents who want to help lead us into the work that needs to be done. There will already be organizational leaders in attendance like Maribel Nunez, TODEC, and LULAC. Refreshments will be served.”
Sun Edison, Inc. the world’s largest renewable energy development company, announced that it has signed a 20 year power purchase agreement with the Rialto Unified School District in California for 8.4 megawatts (MW) DC of solar power. As part of the agreement, Sun Edison will install solar canopies above the parking lots of all 28 schools in the district.
The school district expects the solar systems to generate a 20 percent savings on their electricity bill, which equates to $1 million saved in the first year alone. Over the course of the 20-year contract, the school district expects to generate an estimated $30 million dollars savings on energy costs.
“The Rialto Unified School District is taking a financially savvy approach to control their energy costs,” said Sam Youneszadeh, Sun Edison managing director of Western U.S. commercial and industrial. “The Sun Edison solar canopies will generate clean, affordable energy while providing welcome shade for cars in the parking lot. Sun Edison solar solutions are quick to deploy and bring our customers real, immediate energy savings for years to come.”
“These SunEdison solar systems have the potential to generate millions of dollars in savings for our school district over the next 20 years,” said Dr. Cuauhtémoc Avila, Rialto Unified School District superintendent. “These savings can be used to fund other critical needs, and the solar systems can be incorporated into the curriculum as real life examples of innovative science at work. SunEdison has a great track record of solar installations for schools throughout California and we’re delighted to be working with them on this project.”
Another benefit will be through a ciriculum that will be built around this solar project. The funds and savings will be used in part to give students skills and training to enter the field of Solar Energy. Mohammad Islam said that this project has been a long time in the works and that it is nice to see the fruits of their labor becoming a reality.
Rialto’s solar systems are expected to generate enough electricity each year to power more than 1,300 homes. By choosing solar, the school district is eliminating the emission of an estimated 21 million pounds of carbon dioxide annually, the equivalent of taking more than 2,000 cars off the road.
The first school to kick off this project is Carter High School and construction began during the winter break. If the company can work without having to use phases the canopy mounted solar systems are expected to be completed in the second half of 2017.
Operation and maintenance of these solar power plants will be performed by SunEdison Services, which provides global 24/7 asset management, monitoring and reporting services.
Even the county school board sent representatives out to congratulate Rialto Unified School District in this effort.
With a New Year also comes with a flood of new laws. These laws are normally meant to protect you but they normally just make our beautiful state a place we just can’t afford to live in.
You will be beyond surprised at the time our legislators wasted last year in any of the laws that were formed and created. The reason that our state is in the shape it is can be laid at the feet of these crazy laws.
Those convicted of driving under the influence must install a device in their cars that would ensure they are sober before they can start the ignition.
The state’s ban on texting while driving expands to include other distractions, such as searching for “Pokemon Go” characters.
Once a gray area for motorcyclists, new rules will be established by the California Highway Patrol for how fast they can drive when riding between cars along the lane line.
Companies including Uber and Lyft can no longer hire drivers who are registered sex offenders, have been convicted of violent felonies or have had a DUI conviction within the last seven years.
Drivers for companies like Uber and Lyft can’t have a blood alcohol content of 0.04% or more.
Charter bus drivers must provide written or video instructions to passengers on how to use the vehicle’s safety equipment and emergency exits.
School districts must improve bus driver training to avoid students being left alone on buses and must notify the Department of Motor Vehicles if students are left behind.
There will be new protections against foreclosure for surviving spouses who own their home but are not listed on the mortgage.
A program providing electric-car rebates will now only be available to those making $150,000 a year or less.
To help the state’s housing crisis, it will be easier for California homeownersto construct additional small units on their properties, whether in their garages or as freestanding second structures.
The cost for lead-acid batteries like those used to start cars and trucks will increase to help pay for cleaning up contaminated sites like the former Exide battery plant in Los Angeles County. Consumers will see the new $1 fee starting in April.
Inspired by the sexual assault allegations against comedian Bill Cosby, California eliminated statutes of limitations for rape and some other sex crimes. That means if a crime happens after Dec. 31, 2016, the victim can report it at any point in the future and see it prosecuted; previous law generally limited prosecution to within 10 years.
In response to outrage over the six-month sentence for sexual assault given to former Stanford student Brock Turner, prison time will be mandatory for those convicted of assault in which the victim was unconscious or not capable of giving consent because of intoxication.
County prosecutors can pursue felony charges against people caught with the most common date-rape drugs and who also have demonstrated the intent to commit a sexual assault.
Convicted sex offenders involved in Internet-related crimes must report their email addresses, user names and other Internet identifiers to police.
It will be tougher for law enforcement to seize someone’s cash, cars or property. A criminal conviction is now required before the police can permanently take from a suspect any assets valued under $40,000.
A ban is in place on possession of a synthetic drug called “spice.” The first offense would be an infraction; the second or third offense would be a misdemeanor.
Children can no longer be charged with prostitution, given the high incidence of human trafficking of people younger than 18. Adults who perform or solicit prostitution would not face mandatory minimum sentences.
Public schools can now expel students for bullying through video or sexting. State education officials will be required to publish information on sexual cyber bullying online and encourage schools to teach students about sexting.
People will no longer be able to buy semi-automatic rifles that have a bullet button allowing removal of the ammunition magazine, commonly used in mass shootings. Those that have such weapons will have to register them with the state.
Licenses to carry a concealed weapon will no longer vary from county to county. State justice department officials will create a uniform license.
Law enforcement officers and concealed-weapon permit holders who leave firearms in cars are now required to lock them in a safe box or in the trunk.
Bathrooms in public buildings with a single toilet must be designated as all-gender, open to anyone. The law will take effect March 1.
The state can’t fund or require public employees to travel to states believed to discriminate against lesbians, gays, bisexual or transgender people.
Smoking or use of electronic cigarettes within 250 feet of any Little League baseball game or other youth sports event is now illegal.
Beauty salons and barbershops can now offer patrons a free beer or glass of wine.
Denim is now the state’s official fabric to recognize its role in California history.
Every autographed collectible sold in California must come with a certificate that verifies it’s not a forgery, under a bill backed by famed “Star Wars” actor Mark Hamill.
Patients who go to their insurance’s in-network hospital, lab or other health facility will not face surprise, larger charges if the doctor or health worker treating them is not in the network.
California businesses and public agencies are authorized to have on hand medicine designed to combat severe, emergency allergic reactions.
Women can pick up an entire year’s worth of birth control pills at once, and health plans must cover the cost.
To counter a spike in opioid overdose deaths, prescribers must check a state database to see whether their patients also have received drugs from other physicians.
Terminally ill Californians will have the “right to try” experimental drugs that do not yet have full federal approval for clinical trials.
Want to save an animal trapped in a car in heat or cold? As long as you call authorities first, you won’t be held legally liable for breaking into the car.
Dog kennels and pet hotels must check on animals once a day and provide elevated platforms in cat enclosures.
A dog seized from criminal fighting rings will no longer automatically be labeled “vicious” — which leads to it being euthanized. Instead, each dog will be evaluated to see whether it can be rehabilitated to safely re-enter society or be placed in a sanctuary.
Carbon monoxide gas chambers are banned in animal shelters for euthanizing animals.
Orca breeding and performance programs, like the one formerly run by SeaWorld theme parks, will be outlawed starting in June.
Felons serving sentences in county jails will be able to vote in California elections as part of an effort to speed their transition back into society.
Voters can now legally take a selfie with their completed ballot.
Voters are permitted to legally hand off their sealed ballot to anyone to mail or deliver in person.
More cities and counties can offer public financing of political campaigns.
Come one come all to our 2nd annual Most Influential Person in Rialto poll. Last year we had three great people responsible for making Rialto a great place to live work and play. The last week of 2016 we ran a post looking for your nominations and we also pulled some choices here from the staff at Rialto Now. Were super excited to see who comes out on top for this years post.
The rules are simple all you have to do is vote and we will do the rest. There are safeguards to keep people from stacking the deck but were not asking you for any information just your votes. Voting will end January 8th 2017 at Midnight.
rialtonow 