Rialto Planning Dept is holding a community meeting today Thursday August 18th
If you can’t make the meeting watch it LIVE on our Facebook Page
Home Strong USA Helps Rialto Military Vet Family
01 Jul 2016 1 Comment
On June 29th at 10:30 in the morning a group of local leaders and media joined together to see the second family that Home Strong USA has helped in the last year. This year Home Strong USA came back to Rialto to help the Ortiz family with safety and energy upgrades as well as water saving landscape and a special play area for the two young Ortiz children.
The last year Home Strong USA helped Maribel Chacon with upgrades and drought tolerant landscape. ABC Eyewitness News covered the story you can see it here:
This work isn’t done by just one organization. Teaming up with Home Strong USA on this project were Home Depot, State Farm Insurance and Rialto Councilman Ed Palmer and City Treasurer Ed Carrillo.
HomeStrong USA was formed in 1999 and is a tax exempt 501(c)(3) organization. Our original purpose and mission centered on providing relief to poor and distressed persons through the sponsorship, acquisition, development, and operation of low-income housing. Organizational goals focus on achieving the mission primarily through the delivery of an extensive pre and post-purchase education/counseling program, the acquisition or development of affordable housing projects, and the sharing of best practices and resources with high quality, high performing nonprofit counseling organizations.
Councilman Shawn O’Connell Funeral Set
11 Jun 2016 Leave a comment
As many of you may know the City of Rialto lost one of the biggest advocates for the community on Sunday. Normally we would be all over stories like this but because of our relationship with Councilman O’Connell we were in mourning and took a slight step back to digest what had happened. The last time I saw Councilman O’Connell he had just left Taste of Rialto and was on his way to talk to some old friends. He told me see you Saturday but sadly that would be the last time I would see our beloved brother, friend and councilman.
Councilman O’Connell invited me and my wife to sit at his table for the Friends of the Rialto Library Dinner Mystery fundraiser One Bullet One Silver Spoon. Councilman O’Connell never made that event and those of us at his table grew concerned as the evening went on. As his friends we all made attempts to locate our friend and still we were unable to locate him it was late in the night so we decided to contact the police in the AM and continue our search. As you can see from the message from the city the next day we heard what nobody wanted to believe:
Council Member Shawn O’Connell was found deceased in his vehicle Sunday morning at 11:34 am. He was found in the parking lot of a restaurant in the City of Loma Linda. He was found by Rialto Police Officers who were on their way to Loma Linda University Hospital to check on his whereabouts. The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department and Coroner responded to the location and are conducting a death investigation.
John M. Blodgett with the San Bernardino Sun wrote the best article outside of the Radio Show Let’s Talk Community audio tribute to the late councilman. Mr. Blodgett said he didn’t know Councilman O’Connell but his colleagues did and would write a follow up story. Well John you did better than the follow up article and we would like to thank you.
Councilman O’Connell was a beacon of light and had the communities respect from the moment he hit the ground in Rialto. Shawn O’Connell wanted to work in Law Enforcement but had a hard time getting his foot in the door. He didn’t allow this to stop him he put himself through the Police Academy while working part-time as a Loss Prevention officer for a local National Retail chain. He used to remark on the skills he learned getting people to cough up stolen goods and admit to what they had done would prove beneficial to him as he worked as an officer for Rialto Police Department. Shawn O’Connell gave of his time, money and reputation to further many, many causes in the local region. Each time he made a donation or helped a cause he only had one stipulation that his name be left out of it, he NEVER wanted to have his name attached to his ability to help he just wanted to be able to help.
Councilman O’Connell is the only elected official to lay out a platform of what he would do as a city councilman and complete everything within his 1st term. Councilman O’Connell was comfortable walking away from the job of being an elected official after one term because he believed that the framers of this country never envisioned that elected persons should make a career out of elected service. He only recently promised that he would serve one more term to make sure that:
- The money that is being collected via Measure U (higher fees on South Rialto tank farms) would be spent wisely.
- That council kept its promise to reduce the Utility Users Tax once the money was available as promised to voters.
- That someone else would step up and run for his seat when his 2nd term was up in 2020.
Shawn O’Connell also looked at himself as being lucky. He felt lucky because he had a few great friends and PD brothers that helped him through his injury and change in lifestyle. He was able to do everything he did after his accident because others took the time to be there when he needed it most. So since Shawn O’Connell considered himself lucky to have such strong support from family and friends he used his experience to help other people struggling with life’s medical mishaps. What is funny is he just didn’t help the person going through the tough spot he also helped their family members. He would call family members that had a loved one going through a rough patch in life and check in on them, Shawn was always the first person to visit a friend or community member in the hospital or when they got home and he always came bearing In & Out! Yes story after story other than Shawn’s dedication to visiting and helping he also knew a good burger or shake could help take your mind off of the pain your under now.
We ran a poll to see who the people of Rialto thought was the most influential person in Rialto for 2015 Shawn came in a close 2nd to a equally great man and police chief Tony Farrar. We had almost 30 people that the community was considering as the most influential person in Rialto in 2015 and Shawn still rose to the top. Shawn was flattered but never wanted such a recognition he would have preferred to have remained behind the scenes.
We want to know your stories. How did Shawn’s life effect you? What did Shawn show you that made an impact in your life? Tell us in the comments below.
Earth Day in the City of Rialto
22 Apr 2016 Leave a comment
Earth Day is this weekend and the City has some ways you can get involved in being green. If you can’t make the city sponsored event here are some other ways you can get involved:
- Live near a park? Invite your neighbors to bring gloves, trash bags and trash grabbers if they have them and have a fun day of park cleanup.
- Visit Rialto’s Community Garden and learn about the types of food that Rialto Urban Gardeners are growing.
- Get neighborhood kids together to plant plants or draw pictures of what being earth Friendly means to them.
- Tour a local orchard Like Adams Acres and teach kids about local food and the history of the region we live in.
- Walk around your neighborhood and collect trash and recycling from the streets and planters in the neighborhood.
No matter what you do make sure that everyone knows that it is our part to make our city and surrounding communities a beautiful place to live.
Here are some good tips for you to remember when talking about Earth Day:
- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates for every 1 million mobile devices recycled, 35 thousand pounds of copper, 772 pounds of silver, 75 pounds of gold and 33 pounds of palladium can be recovered.
- Earth Day was founded by Senator Gaylord Nelson on April 22, 1970.
- More than 100 billion pieces of junk mail are delivered in the United States each year. (Be Earth wise and use digital advertising with Rialto Now)
- Recycling, reuse and re-manufacturing account for 3.1 million jobs in the U.S.
- More than 76% of cardboard boxes and 72% of newspaper were recycled in 2006 but less than 50% of printing and writing paper was recycled.
See more at: http://www.henslernurseryindiana.com/earth-day-fun-facts/#sthash.A6AGV9Cm.dpuf
Coffee with Congressional Candidate Paul Chabot
13 Nov 2015 Leave a comment
in Andy Carrizales, Ca, City of Rialto, Coffee Nutz, Colton, congress, Congressman Pete Aguilar, Ed palmer, Ed Scott, Fontana, Grand Terrace, Inland Empire, Lynn Hirtz, Mike Story, paul chabot for congress, pete aguilar, Rialto, Rialto, San Bernardino, Shawn O'Connell, youth Tags: paul chabot for congress
Local Community Advocates Stop Water Meeting In It’s Tracks
14 Oct 2015 2 Comments
On Monday October 12th West Valley Water Board held a “SPECIAL” meeting to address issues that arose from the October 8th regular board meeting. We covered the “SPECIAL” meeting in a previous post to give the public a better idea of what was going to take place at noon on a Monday workday. At the meeting we saw a powder keg of emotions and Electioneering going on while the Water Board of Directors went into an early Closed Session meeting to come to an agreement to fire their current legal counsel from the firm Redwine and Sherrill and to proceed down a path of a dangerous General Public Agenda that from the talk in the crowd was ripe with violations of the Brown Act the very set of rules that dictates how elected boards are to be run and handle themselves. This meeting never made it past the first item on their public agenda.
Here are videos of people that choose to address the Water Board prior to their closed session:
The water Board legal counsel was not invited into the closed session we found out later it was because there had already been a decision to fire him and his firm possible Brown Act violation #1
The first general agenda item was listed as Appointment of Special Counsel. Many in the crowd had an issue with the vague nature of the item in question and once the public began speaking out it was more clear what this “SPECIAL COUNSEL” would be tasked to do. This special counsel was apparently going to be given marching orders to put a negative shade on two people currently running for the water board. Clifford Young the Vice President of the Board had a very angry look on his face and his comments and body language were very aggressive. I spoke on record about the costs of hiring an attorney just to sully the reputation weeks before an election of two people seeking seats on the board and asked how that was fair to the rate payers. I also spoke to Mr. Young and his aggressive posture and the message that was sending to the audience.
After I spoke Mr. Young got up and proved that he was out to cast negative shade over current Board Director Alan Dyer and Former West Valley Water District General Manager Butch Arizia who is running for one of the three seats open for this election. See the whole video below and watch it to the end where West Valley Water Board President Betty Gosney sets the record straight further showing the Vice Presidents true intentions.
Even though the attacks on Mr. Arizia were proven false still on social media the group out to take total control of the Water Board still post these types of statements:
Demwomen Sbc In December 2012 the West Valley Water District. Board members Betty Doshier Gosney
Earl Tilman,Jackie Cox,Alan Dyer, Don Olinger,
Approved a 75% increase on the water bills in our community
Bloomington, Rialto,north Fontana south Fontana. This was during a recession that hit the community, causing hard-working people that year 2012 to now, that are losing their homes and businesses going belly up!
This information is in the WVWD minutes December 2012.
You may call 909-875-1804 to get a copy of the minutes,pulled from the file these minutes dated December 20,2012 resolution 2012-23 article 21.
This meeting had about 20 local residents out asking a lot of good questions and the two words of the day were TRANSPARENCY & BROWN ACT VIOLATION. Mr. Young was affected by these mentions of the Brown Act and the potential violations that existed within the make up of the Special Meeting Agenda that he started to call out the people making the accusations and the people he was speaking too should know their Brown Act pretty well they all have had to abide by it pretty recently. These people were former Councilwoman Lynn Hirtz, Councilman Shawn O’Connell and Private Investigator Thompson all had words of caution for the board if they choose to proceed. Here is video of the rest of the board not falling in line with any more poor decisions and further Brown Act violations.
The list of potential Brown Act violations are listed here:
- The meeting itself and the timing of the meeting.
- The appearance of more than two Board Members meeting and deciding on the issue of firing the current legal counsel.
- Putting out information at a board meeting that would harm or sully the reputation of a fellow board member or other person running for a board seat.
- Calling for a vote on allowing the General Manager of the Water District to find alternate legal counsel for the Thursday regular meeting without it being on the agenda or calling the meeting a emergency meeting.
- The attempt to hire a person that would only report to the board of directors.
If you look at the agenda for tomorrow little has changed except the Confidential Assistant that will report only to the Water Board has gone from a public item to a Closed Session Item.
The meeting is tomorrow at 3pm at 855 West Baseline Road it appears this one will be just as exciting as Monday.
Is city council responsible for the traffic issues in Rialto?
10 Aug 2015 Leave a comment
in Ca, city attorney, City of Rialto, Crime, Deborah Robertson, Ed palmer, Ed Scott, Flores Park Neighborhood Watch, Grace Vargas, Inland Empire, Jimmy Gutierrez, Joe Baca Jr, joseph williams, Lynn Hirtz, Nieghborhood Watch, Rialto, Rialto, Rialto Parks, Rialto Police Department, Shawn O'Connell Tags: city of rialto, Rialto, Rialto Police, rialto police department, traffic commission
Who is to blame for the traffic problems here in Rialto? Well to determine this we need to look at how we arrived here. Rialto Police Department is looking to secure another traffic grant in the amount of $202,070. This grant is primarily to be used for DUI, seat belt and distracted driving enforcement. It can be used for other things but since we use this grant primarily for DUI enforcement Rialto Police stick to this use.
We were told at the last coffee with the chief meeting in a side conversation that the city of Rialto has been removing job openings from the list when it comes to staffing new officers. So with promotions and retirements the department is stretched to fill spots. Another area of contention is the lack of employee benefits that a officer can obtain here in Rialto verses other local departments. So what ends up happening is we train officers they get the fast paced experience that Rialto has to offer then they lateral into another agency and we are short another officer.
So the chart above is from Tab 7 on the agenda for the meeting on August 11th. We have pasted the paragraph in the chart below so you can clearly see what Rialto Police say we have in regards to traffic personnel. Now unless we have been lied to I thought we had a traffic Cpl. but with that being said does the total number of sworn personnel being six make you feel good about the cities ability to control traffic here? Now lets look at the rest of the paragraph. We could have three more officers working traffic but the problem “is not known due to budget issues”.
Also collisions have doubled and injuries are on the rise and people are still dying. The chart tells you that 22350 CVC is the number one collision factor. What is this California Vehicle Code? It is for speeding. Followed by unsafe left turns or U turns and then its for DUI.
So what are the problems who is to blame:
- So we can’t staff our traffic division to proper levels but were adding more and more commercial traffic every three months by selling away prime property to major warehouse companies. Yet the traffic commission keeps approving these businesses stating that we have adequate staffing to keep the city safe from the massive increase of truck traffic.
- So we see that for at least the last three years U turns have been identified as being the second most cause of vehicle collisions and atributed to 69 injuries. So has public works, engineering and the traffic commission failed to recognize that they are forcing people into unsafe driving maneuvers by installing raised cement medians.
- The former Public Works Director addressed community concerns about speeding in local communities in residential areas near schools and parks by increasing the speed limit in these areas. Now you can go as fast as 40-45 MPH through most local neighborhoods Riverside Ave north of the 210 freeway is the same speed? Remember the number one cause of injuries, victims and deaths is speeding. Flores Park has been advocating for reduced speed limits and a stop sign in front of Flores Park & Dallahan Elementary for the last 5 years and the city keeps saying no. The last time they said no it was because the Neighborhood Watch Program doesn’t make money for the city.
I’m not sure about you but it looks like the Traffic Commission, Mayor, Planning Commission, Public Works and City Council have all fallen asleep at the wheel and if the community doesn’t stand up and stop this Rialto will become a traffic nightmare.
City Council meeting is August 11th at City Hall at 6 pm
PROBLEM STATEMENT Our Traffic Unit is currently staffed by a Sergeant, 2 Motor Officers, 2 Accident Investigation / DUI Enforcement Officers, 1 Commercial Enforcement Officer and 6 Parking Enforcement Civilians. Over the past several years, we lost 2 Accident Investigation / DUI Enforcement Officers due to selections to other assignments. We also lost 1 Motor Officer due to a medical retirement. The time line for the replacement of these positions is not known due to budget issues with the city. This grant will assist us in providing enforcement activities that will serve our City population that now number in excess of one hundred thousand people.
22350 CVC – No person shall drive a vehicle upon a highway at a speed greater than is reasonable or prudent having due regard for weather, visibility, the traffic on, and the surface and width of, the highway, and in no event at a speed which endangers the safety of persons or property.
21801(a)CVC – The driver of a vehicle intending to turn to the left or to complete a U-turn upon a highway, or to turn left into public or private property, or an alley, shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles approaching from the opposite direction which are close enough to constitute a hazard at any time during the turning movement, and shall continue to yield the right-of-way to the approaching vehicles until the left turn or U-turn can be made with reasonable safety.
23152(a)CVC – It is a misdemeanor to drive under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
National Night Out in Rialto & the Inland Empire
09 Aug 2015 Leave a comment
Well if you were unaware National Night Out the nationwide event to snuff out crime and to foster positive relationships between the community and Law Enforcement was on August 4th. Many cities locally took part in this years event but not as many as years past.
Rialto, Fontana, Grand Terrace, & San Bernardino all had National Night Out festival events this year. Cities like Riverside & Upland encouraged their communities to hold individual block parties and public safety personnel traveled from event to event.
On the large festival side Rialto came out as a top performer with the amount of items offered all in one area. Two of the biggest draws every year are the rides in police cars (no handcuffs required) and the Gourmet Food Trucks secured by Market Solution Services.
Probably the best music all night was the live music preformed by All Star National Anthem Performer Alexa Capelli who not only sang the National Anthem see it here but also preformed some awesome music for the crowd (see her performances on our Youtube Channel). Once she began to sing the crowd came up to the stage Leslie Parks of Rialto said “I have never heard such a powerful voice in my life” and little Stephanie Ramirez age 8 said “one day I want to be as pretty as her and sing just like her”.
Other awesome live performers brought by Lil Saint Productions were Elizabeth R Estrella and Christian Rapper Carl Fontaine. Rialto Police appear to spare no expense in putting this event together. We heard that the planning meeting was a all hands on deck type of feel.
Close on Rialto’s heels was the Lydo Apartments & ATAP After School Program that held the only large National Night Out program in San Bernardino August 4th. The San Bernardino program offered a lot of what Rialto offered and promised to step it up and put San Bernardino on the map.
Other large events were in Grand Terrace, Montclair and Fontana. Fontana held their event at Fontana Park in the area known as Summit. They had vendors, food and Mc Gruff the Crime Dog. Kids got to get there face painted and take pictures with police officer and many different vehicles. See a great photo from Edward Ornelas below.
Held on August 8th was the National Night Out event in Perris Ca. Perris Mayor Daryl Busch said residents will gain a new appreciation for law enforcement and public safety at National Night Out.
“It is a great, and I want to emphasize great, outreach effort on the part of our public safety folks to show all the varied aspects of their jobs,” Busch said. “Most people only see police on motorcycles or in patrol cars, but this event provide the chance to view the full spectrum of services they provide to our community.”
Perris officials we’re on hand to accept a plaque for their continuing support of law enforcement and public safety. The day’s activities included static displays, food and drink vendors, as well as games and jumpers for children. Taken from http://www.cityofperris.org/news/2015_stories/08-04-15_national-night-out.html
There were cities that went with the smaller block parties but Riverside had over 20 block parties going on all over the city. Upland also went the block party route and Councilwoman Carol Timm posted on Facebook pictures of her and public safety officials going from block party to block party.
Some remarked that it is vital that Upland gets in and around the community as the Pro Drug Lobby is currently working to attack the Ordnance that Upland has to ban Medical Marijuana shops in the city of Upland.
No matter what city your in one thing is true we need to stop fighting our Public Safety officers and we need to collaborate together to help make everyone’s life more enjoyable.
Major Brain Freeze Opens Up In Loma Linda
13 Feb 2015 Leave a comment
in City of Rialto, davidsMarketing, Dine 909, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Davids-Marketing/156816741049580, IE Gourmet Food Trucks, In & Out, Inland Empire, joseph williams, Lynn Hirtz, Rialto, Rialto, youth
As we prepare for the opening of the Rialto Major Brain Freeze we wanted to let you know you can check them out before they land in Rialto in about two months according to the owners.
Major brain freeze is celebrating another store opening in Loma Linda on February 13th 10am to 10pm
Loma Linda Major Brain Freeze Yogurt, GRAND OPENING, tomorrow, Friday the 13th! Yaee! Ribbon Cutting at 10am and fun give always all day long till we close at 10pm. Come celebrate our beautiful new location. We cant thank you enough for all the love and support. On the corner of Mt View and Barton Road.
Celebrate L.E.A.D. Today & Thank A Cop
09 Jan 2015 Leave a comment
in and the unincorporated communities of Bloomington and Muscoy, Assemblymember-Elect Cheryl Brown, Ca, City of Rialto, Colton, Crime, Ed palmer, Flores Park, Flores Park Neighborhood Watch, Fontana, Fontana PD, Grand Terrace, Inland Empire, Lynn Hirtz, Nieghborhood Watch, Public Safety, Redlands PD, Rialto, Rialto, Rialto Police Department, San Bernardino, San Bernardino County’s regional dispatch center, San Bernardino PD, San Bernardino Police, SCAT, Shawn O'Connell, Street Crime Attack Team, SWAT Tags: #IELEAD2015, #Isupportfirstresponders, Civil Rights Community, Michael Brown, Officer Garcia, Pay It Forward, Police officer, Police Officials, Rialto Police, San Bernardino
Today January 9th 2015 is LEAD (Law Enforcement Appreciation Day)
#IELEAD2015
If there ever was a year our Police Officials could use a “Thank You” or a “Pay It Forward” this year would be that year. Here locally Rialto Police have had a busy end of 2014 with a few deaths and some more aggressive robberies. On top of that every cop has been on edge since the Civil Rights Community decided to take their frustrations about the decision to not charge the Ferguson officer in the shooting death of Michael Brown out on police all over the Country.
Being a Police officer is not an easy thing to do. You put on a badge and a uniform and are the front lines of safety in our cities and streets. Look at San Bernardino that community has been falling apart around its self with many major crimes and Officer Garcia from San Bernardino becoming gravely shot and left fighting for his life.
Today please stop and say thank you even a simple two word phrase and a hand shake can change someone’s day.
We would also like to highlight two elected officials we caught saying Thank You to Rialto Police by purchasing doughnuts for the police today. Its nice to see our leaders “LEADING” us to do the right thing.
Knowing a lot of First Responders read this blog I would like to say Thank You for doing what you do and always working to keep us safe even if you don’t know our names. #Isupportfirstresponders #IELEAD2015
rialtonow 