Seeds of Hope Car Show

04 Mar 2013 Leave a comment

by rialto-now in Uncategorized

When Calling to join let them know you heard about it on Rialto Now

We are looking for vendors all types of car clubs or just car , looking for all styles of motorcycles, peddle bikes, peddle cars or if you are just an enthusiast of any of these and want to show what you have at this fundraiser for Seeds of Hope www.seedsofhopeoutreach.org that helps everyone one with food, some infant needs, anger management, parenting classes and more in The Inland Empire. To find out more about participating at this event please contact Albert 909-213-7288 or Gloria Gaona 909-856-0741. Find out about our special Sponsorship Packages, Gold, Silver & Bronz. Thank You for your support.

Assembly Memeber Brown Introduces Bill 335 to Curb Costly Vehicle Impounds

02 Mar 2013 Leave a comment

by rialto-now in and the unincorporated communities of Bloomington and Muscoy, Assemblymember-Elect Cheryl Brown, Bad Commerce, Ca, City of Rialto, Colton, Crime, Fontana, Grand Terrace, Inland Empire, Public Safety, Rialto, Rialto, Rialto Police Department, San Bernardino, Uncategorized, youth Tags: , , ,

Below you will find Assembly Woman Cheryl Brown’s latest Bill. This Bill by its own wording seems to further work against our Law Enforcement professionals when trying to enforce our Laws that you must have a valid driver’s license to operate a motor vehicle in California.

This bill claims it is aimed at helping low income families that can’t afford to pay impound fees by allowing a licensed driver to come pick up the vehicle. My biggest problem with this is what is keeping them from getting behind the wheel of that same vehicle the following day? If a licensed family member couldn’t keep the car from being legally driven the first time without the threat of penalty they won’t worry about the second or third……….

I find it mind boggling that we continue to raise taxes on purchases; gas and income then turn around and blame the police and long existing laws on the plight of the low income families.

In the second piece by the Assembly Woman’s office the statement is made that only people outside of the 47th district are upset about the new law. I don’t think that is true at all. I received this press release weeks ago and was torn on posting it. You see I have developed a relationship with Assembly Woman Brown’s office. They include me in her press releases and since local papers and media don’t seem to find her work important we have become the go to place to get the latest and greatest. Now that I am publishing this opposition piece that will probably go away.

Something my father told me was the only people afraid of the law is people living outside of it. Why would a low income person that has a valid license even have a reason to fear their vehicle being impounded? They wouldn’t here is a list of reasons you are without a license:

DUI

Reckless driving

Too many tickets

Owing child support

Not a Valid Resident

So pretty much this only affects people that drink and drive, have no respect for the road rules or they owe child support and refuse to pay. Hmmm ok now it’s clear why we need these laws right?

Now to the Police Departments, that is listed as already changing the laws to fit someone’s political leaning. All of these cities have 2 things in common high crime and felony disrespect for enforcing laws that are difficult at times. LAPD & LASD both have had tons of controversy over the last couple years are we really going to use them as a test study for a law like this?

So what do the stats say about unlicensed drivers and the cause and effect of impounding vehicles? Here is a break down:

  • In 2008 AAA (Triple A) conducted a study of accidents in 6 states titled “Unlicensed to Kill”, in those states California was included.
  • 7,700 fatal crashed per year.
  • 1 out of 7 drivers involved in those crashes had no license, an invalid license or an unknown status.
  • Annually 4,000 people are killed in collisions in California.
  • More than 20% of Drivers involved in these collisions are not licensed to drive.
  • A driver with a suspended license is 4 times more likely to be involved in a fatal collision.
  • California has 20 million licensed drivers.
  • 720,000 licenses have been suspended or revoked.
  • Estimated 1 million drivers are driving without ever being issued a license,

In Rialto alone the following stats are provided (2010-2011):

  • 2080 citations were issued for CVC 12500, unlicensed drivers.
  • 895 citations were issued for CVC 14601, suspension violations.
  • 129 drivers involved in collisions were unlicensed (21.99%).
  • 69 drivers involved in Hit & Run collisions were unlicensed (22.07%).

So if all of this isn’t enough to make you wonder why we would lessen the penalty of Driving without the proper license this story from one of the cities (San Francisco) that has a police department currently allowing unlicensed driver to keep their cars.

Drew Rosenberg, 25, was killed by an unlicensed driver who was in the U.S. under a program called Temporary Protective Status. Attempts at obtaining justice for this crime have thus far gone unheeded. Here is a detailed account of what has transpired. Read more about him and his families loss at http://unlicensedtokill.org/

Driving is a privilege and not a right…if you abuse it, then it is taken away.

If you would like to let The Assembly Woman know how you feel please contact her PR person:

CONTACT: Ashley Jones

(909) 381-3238

Ashley.Jones@asm.ca.gov

Assemblymember Cheryl R. Brown Seeks to Curb Costly Vehicle Impounds

SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember Cheryl R. Brown (D-San Bernardino)  has introduced AB 335, a bill that will assist the working class communities by prohibiting law enforcement from impounding vehicles that can be parked legally or released to a licensed driver. AB 335 would amend the current law that requires a police officer to impound a car if the person is found driving a vehicle without a license or driving with a suspended or revoked license.

“The goal of this bill is to help curb the practice of impounding and holding vehicles for 30 days for drivers who are cited with a suspended or revoked license. A driver should never operate a  vehicle  without a license, but they shouldn’t be forced to pay thousands of dollars in towing and impoundment fees as a result of a mandatory 30 day hold,” said Assemblymember Brown.

Vehicle impounds have a devastating impact on working class drivers who depend on their cars to get to work, transport their children to school and take care of other necessities. The cost of retrieving the vehicle is often so high that they end up losing the car.

“There are several police departments around the state that have implemented their own vehicle impoundment policy against unlicensed drivers. Those departments allow such drivers to either park their cars in a legal parking space or move the car to avoid an impoundment. AB 335 would simply codify this policy to make it a statewide practice,” concluded Assemblymember Brown.

The bill was introduced yesterday and has been moved to the Assembly Rules Committee for assignment to the appropriate policy committee.

Assemblymember Cheryl R. Brown represents the 47th Assembly District, which includes Colton, Fontana, Grand Terrace, Rialto, San Bernardino, and the unincorporated communities of Bloomington and Muscoy.

Website of Assemblymember Cheryl R. Brown: http://www.asmdc.org/members/a47/

WHY OPPOSITION TO AB 335 IS BASED ON MISGUIDED ASSUMPTIONS

February 21, 2013

If you have not heard the misguided outrage over my introduction of AB 335 dealing with impounding vehicles for traffic violations, you probably live in the 47th Assembly District, which is the District I represent.

It appears that my legislation has been the focus of groups and individuals who do not live in the 47th Assembly District and are oblivious to the abuse the bill is designed to prevent. While I realize that the opposition is stemming from a certain mindset and predetermined judgments that have absolutely nothing to do with the purpose of the legislation, I would hope everyone reads the bill before they jump to assumptions that we are condoning unlicensed drivers.

First, this bill is drafted to protect low and fixed-income families who can’t afford to lose their only means of transportation for 30 days because someone in the household decided to drive without a valid driver’s license.  It is unquestionable that vehicle impounds have a disproportionate impact on low-income drivers because the cost of the impound fees are often greater than the vehicle’s value.  In fact, the cost of retrieving a vehicle from impound is sometimes so expensive that low and fixed-income families choose to walk away from their vehicles instead of paying the unaffordable impound fees.  Eventually, drivers who fail to pay the fees vehicles are routinely auctioned off to the benefit of the towing company.  Unfortunately, for those families, this is usually the only vehicle the family owns.

For example, in San Bernardino drivers of impounded vehicles pay a $225 towing fee and $50 a day in storage fees.  After a 30-day hold, it leaves owners with a bill of $1,725. Oakland has a $170 towing fee and $60 a day in storage fees, which is $1,970.  In 2010, Oakland towed 2,058 cars of unlicensed drivers, accumulating about $288,120 in tow release fees.  In the city of Escondido, towing fees generate approximately $400,000 a year.  These large fees and penalties are exactly the kind of fiscal incentive that too often leads to abuse of impounding laws.

AB 335 simply implements what several police departments around the state have voluntarily added to their own internal policy, which allows a driver with an invalid license to safely park their cars in a legal parking space, or they can authorize a licensed driver to take the car from the scene.  The police departments of Oakland, San Francisco, Berkeley, Vallejo, Los Angeles and the Los Angeles County Sheriff, in addition to several others are part of the growing list of agencies choosing to not impound driver’s vehicles.

In the 47th Assembly District as with all households, most are licensed drivers but there is always one or two that don’t have a valid license.  This is no reason to impound their vehicles for an inordinate amount of time, especially 30 days.  It does not take that long to clear up any deficiencies with one’s driving privileges.

Under this bill, unlicensed drivers will still be cited or arrested and pay the requisite fees/fines.  There is absolutely nothing in AB 335 that prevents full enforcement or punishment of unlicensed drivers.   However, if a vehicle can be legally parked or released to a licensed driver to avoid the impound costs, it will be permitted.

So assumptions that this bill allows unlicensed drivers to continue driving illegally for whatever reason are not true.  It is also not true that simply allowing a family member or individual to safely recover their only means of transportation empowers them to drive illegally.  To assume, that every car impounded is owned by the driver is also false.  The bill does not prevent any officer on site making the decision to tow; however, it does make it the officer’s last option.  This would be very important for grandma to get her car back because she did not know that her grandchild was driving on a revoked, suspended or invalid license.

I encourage you to visit my website to read more about AB 335.

Assemblymember Cheryl R. Brown represents the 47th Assembly District, which includes Colton, Fontana, Grand Terrace, Rialto, San Bernardino, and the unincorporated communities of Bloomington and Muscoy.

Website of Assemblymember Cheryl R. Brown: http://www.asmdc.org/members/a47/.

https://www.aaafoundation.org/sites/default/files/2011Unlicensed2Kill.pdf – 2011

https://www.aaafoundation.org/sites/default/files/UnlicensedToKillResearchUpdate.pdf – 2008

 

Walk For Yes On Measure “W”

09 Feb 2013 Leave a comment

by rialto-now in Uncategorized

Assemblymember Cheryl R. Brown On Celebrating Chinese New Year

08 Feb 2013 Leave a comment

by rialto-now in Uncategorized Tags: , , ,

Statement From Assemblymember Cheryl R. Brown On Celebrating Chinese New Year

SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember Cheryl R. Brown (D-San Bernardino) issued the following statement today in honor of Chinese New Year:

 

“Please join me in celebrating Chinese New Year on Sunday, February 10, 2013, the largest and most significant annual celebration in Chinese culture. It is the Year of the Snake and is meant for progress and attention to detail. I honor this special occasion and welcome a year of good faith and growth.”

 

Assemblymember Cheryl R. Brown represents the 47th Assembly District, which includes Colton, Fontana, Grand Terrace, Rialto, San Bernardino, and the unincorporated communities of Bloomington and Muscoy.

Website of Assemblymember Cheryl R. Brown: http://www.asmdc.org/members/a47/      

Rialto Police Department PR on DUI

05 Feb 2013 Leave a comment

Rialto PD DUI

Image by rialto-now

Steve Johnson, Rialto Eisenhower Shot in Apparent Car Jacking

22 Jan 2013 3 Comments

by rialto-now in Uncategorized

Coach Steve Johnson was shot in what is being called a car jacking when he pulled over to use a phone more details coming………

Steve Johnson, Rialto Eisenhower

I received word today that the basketball coach for Eisenhower HS – Steve Johnson was shot in San Bernardino. Information is that Mr. Johnson is at Loma Linda and in critical condition.
As we get more information I will update you. I have no other information however, it appears to have been a random a ttack….but this too is not confirmed.

Reports are coming in from Law Enforcement officials in San Bernardino that Coach Steve Johnson’s statements have lacked consistency. His stories have had holes in them.

Something we find interesting is that the coach would choose such a Dangerous place to stop to use the restroom. Second is why he choose to drive to the police station verses calling for help on his cell phone. Remember reports are that the robbers left with none of the victims personal property.

There were reports also that a rumor was being spread that he was shot and school those rumors were quickly squashed.

More details will come in the following days……………

Below is the report From NBC:

http://m.nbclosangeles.com/nbclosangeles/pm_107879/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=lqCrLsBr

A high school basketball coach who was shot multiple times drove himself to a nearby police station and was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries, police said Tuesday.

“The student athletes were, as expected, in shock, very quiet,” said Rialto Unified School District spokeswoman Syeda Jafri.

Steve Johnson stopped near Seccombe Lake Park (map) in the 500 block of N. Sierra Way on Monday about 7:45 p.m. to use the restroom. The 47-year-old Yucaipa resident was driving to the south end of San Bernardino to fuel up his car, police said.

While in the parking lot, three men approached the coach and tried to steal his wallet.

“During this time one or more of the suspects fired a handgun at the victim, striking him several times in the upper torso. The suspects fled on foot with no property,” according to a statement from the San Bernardino Police Department.

Johnson drove himself to the police department.

Statement from Assemblymember Cheryl R. Brown on the Shooting of Steve Johnson, an Eisenhower High School Basketball Coach

SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember Cheryl R. Brown (D-San Bernardino) issued the following statement on the shooting of Steve Johnson, an Eisenhower High School basketball coach:

“I am saddened and shocked by the attempted robbery and senseless shooting of Eisenhower Coach Steve Johnson.  We, as a society, cannot remain inactive to the consistent increase in violence in our country.  We just celebrated the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. whose mission was to promote nonviolence and the power of love. Every day, we are informed of a tragedy as the result of someone mindlessly shooting innocent people.  We must all engage in putting a stop to the violence in our communities.  This can only happen when a community decides to do something to create an atmosphere of safety.  Laws and regulations alone cannot accomplish it.  During my tenure, I will do everything I can to promote a safe environment that advocates resolving our differences, issues and problems by nonviolent means.”

Assemblymember Cheryl R. Brown represents the 47th Assembly District, which includes Colton, Fontana, Grand Terrace, Rialto, San Bernardino, and the unincorporated communities of Bloomington and Muscoy.

Website of Assemblymember Cheryl R. Brown: http://www.asmdc.org/members/a47/

First Council Meeting of 2013

17 Jan 2013 Leave a comment

by rialto-now in Bad Commerce, Ca, City of Rialto, Currupt, davidsMarketing, Deborah Robertson, Ed palmer, Inland Empire, Joe Baca Jr, June Hayes, Mike Story, Public Safety, Rialto, SCAT, Shawn O'Connell, Street Crime Attack Team, Uncategorized, youth Tags:

https://twitter.com/RialtosNowThis is the link to click on Twitter to get a play by play of Rialto City Council meetings we try to attend all of the meetings.

Current sitting Council from left to right. Shawn O'Connell, Ed Plamer, Mayor Robertson & Joe Baca Jr.

Current sitting Council from left to right. Shawn O’Connell, Ed Plamer, Mayor Robertson & Joe Baca Jr.

The meeting held January 8th 2013 was not long but it was full of interesting items.

Rialto PD Community Officer Cpl. Cameron Nelson is giving a presentation on the dangers of synthetic drugs

http://youtu.be/3BArWvTjysI opens his presentation.

http://miami.cbslocal.com/latest-videos?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=6714960 Dangers of “Spice” video.

http://youtu.be/-mil_VdTabk After the Video

http://youtu.be/mDbQRyhLL1g Continued presentation

http://youtu.be/BWea3iMX0Io Ends with a Question from Councilman Joe Baca Jr.

Councilman Palmer is asking questions about park cleanliness. This was in reference to Item D2 on the Consent Calendar. Councilman Ed Palmer raised concerns over park cleanliness and the quality of work being done by the outside contractors. His solution for one of the biggest and most used parks is Jerry Eves Park is to allow the Soccer League who uses that park the most to have the responsibility of keeping it clean and getting paid for it.

This is a good idea it raised allot of concerns from other council members of not including other sports leagues and giving them the opportunity, what about changes in the Volunteer ranks of sports leagues and what about parks that had no sports field. They approved the allotment of $39,661 to Azteca Landscaping for Landscape Maintenance District and Grounds Maintenance Services from now until June 30th 2013. In that time Public Works Director Marcus L. Fuller will put together a plan to include community partnerships with groups in Rialto. City Manager Mike Story suggested that the sports teams caring for their own fields could be used to eliminate some of the lighting fees the city has began asking the teams to pay with cuts in revenue.

June Hayes lambastes council over confusing utilities concession agreement. There are businesses and homes outside the city limits that are tied into our waste water system. These individuals are charged 3 times the amount a waste water customer is charged inside the city limits. With the new connection agreement the talk was if the rates would be necessary or fair. The justification of the higher rates remaining was to allow a buffer to exists to help bridge any unseen accounting issues over the next year.

At the last council meeting Councilman Shawn O’Connell asked the city staff to go over the figures and better pin down what was needed and if they could do with a smaller buffer in an effort to bring outside customers in line or close to that of customers inside the city. June Hayes argument was the councils apparent lack of foresight and continued damage to potential businesses by charging the external businesses at such a higher rate. They made a decision to lower the rates for the residential customers from 3 times what Rialto Residents pay to 1.3 times the rate. The rate for the businesses effected outside the city would remain at the rate of 3 times. The reason was to make sure that if Veolia the outside contractor running the wastewater systems number were incorrect the Rialto Rate payers would be in jeopardy of having to fill in the gap with even higher rates. Council echoed the notion you feed the family (Rialto Residents) first. After a year they will re-evaluate the charges. City Attorney Jimmy Gutierrez stated they can legally (in his opinion) charge outside customers higher rates and make a profit.

Councilman Palmer asks for true transparency no more wasting tax dollars on veiled vacations. City Council in an effort to show that they will do whatever they can to show they are sharing in the cuts. This was done by a Motion Councilman Joe Baca Jr. that all trips, conferences and trainings would be frozen for the remainder of this year’s budget ending June 30, 2013 if someone thought there was a reason to attend an event or travel they would have to bring the item before the council and let the people hear what the money was being spent on. Staff reported that there was $22,343 left in the council’s budget and $6,400 for supplies.

Joshdularny@inlandnewspapers.com

Joshdularny@inlandnewspapers.com

Josh Dulaney of the San Bernardino Sun Newspaper called this an attempt to look in the couch cushions for spare change in a effort to balance the budget. If Mr. Dulaney ever spent any real time at council meetings or even getting to know the city he would have known the reasoning for Councilman Ed Palmer to bring this up as a TAB item. Councilman Palmer stated that when he first became a Council Person that he was told the trips were vital, after a few though he began to see it was more vital for city staff to attend conferences and such since they were the ones getting the deals done. He also stated that trips to Washington were more like tax payer vacations because if he wanted to speak with (then) congressman Baca he could see him when he was here in the district.

Mayor Robertson objects to councilman Baca’s motion to eliminate council travel budget and vote on each instance as needed it appeared she saw it as an attack on her the vote passed 3-1 with Mayor Robertson voting No. Two of the amounts highlighted in the budget report were $25,203 for membership in the League of Cities and 5,200 for Mayors League of cities registration.

We move from council travel budget to slurry seal contracts. According the Public Works Director Marcus Fuller in the past the contractors have failed to cover the amount of area they promised so the city is behind their scheduled Slurry Seal plan. American Asphalt was the chosen bid and they came in well under the amount that Mr. Fuller had calculated. Mr. Fuller hoped to be able to extend the scope of work and catch up on the places they have fallen behind.

Visit this web link to learn what Slurry Seal is and what it is used for http://amasphalt.com/services/preventative-maintenance.asp

Moving right along to discussing how to fill the empty council seat the debate over filling the empty council seat was more how to appoint the person and less about if an election was even in the discussion. Mayor Robertson wanted the process to be identical to when she was appointed. With the mayor attending some events in Washington DC this month and the looming deadline of the Utility Tax ballot measure and the further city debt to deal with the councilmen O’Connell, Palmer & Baca decided to have interested parties submit a letter of reference to the city clerk’s office and the Mayor forced a 3 day deadline of last Friday 1-11-2013 at 5 pm. The word around is that 9 people submitted letters for the council to look over. We know that Joe Britt, Ed Scott & Raphael Trujillo were confirmed to have included their letters, the other 5 remain a mystery. Council will spend the following week to make a decision and will make it public on 1-22-2013. To hold a special election it will cost $285K for open council seat that made this avenue a dead issue.

Something confused me at this meeting & I plan to obtain clarification. I requested to speak on 2 issues at this council meeting. I submitted my intentions on the communications form and submitted it. For some reason Mayor Deborah Robertson chose to ignore this intent and force me to wait until the end at the Oral Communications portion of the meeting. It was my understanding that people were directed to this point when they were speaking on an issue not on the current agenda. Under the Oral communications section Council, staff or the Mayor are under no obligation to respond or address your comments. Is it Mayor Robertson’s intent to ignore the will of the people?

In the Oral Communications I (David Phillips) and Rafael Trujillo spoke out. I spoke on the need to be quick, fair & wise with the council appointment as well as highlighting more wasted money that was allocated to the rails to trails project in the amount of $14,500 through heavily populated gang area.

Rafael Trujillo spoke out on the large amount of graffiti that plagued our city over the holidays. Mr. Trujillo was so much calling out the city as he was pleading with them to take care of the graffiti in a timely manner. He said that his community takes care of graffiti inside his community (Elm Park) but he needed the city to pick up the slack on the outskirts of his community.

___________________________

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Join us and help Rialto Rid itself of dangerous thugs and tagging crews by attacking their markings go to http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rid-Rialto-of-Graffitti/216882198324244

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Camp Diva’z Empowerment Workshop Camp

16 Jan 2013 2 Comments

by rialto-now in Uncategorized Tags: , ,

Diva & Fabulous Youth Foundation Event

Saturday, August 10, 2013

  • 12:00pm until 5:00pm

  		•
    Rialto, California 92377
  • I’m a Diva and Fabulous Youth Foundation will be hosting its First Annual “Loving Yourself First” Girls Empowerment Workshop Camp Saturday, August 10, 2013 12pm-5pm … Rialto Community Center 214 N. Palm Avenue Rm. 101 Rialto, Ca 92376. The “LOVING YOURSELF FIRST” Girls Empowerment Workshop will be a 5 hour mentoring and leadership camp. This camp is offered to young girls between the ages of 8-13yrs of age.  Girls have amazing capabilities if they are empowered and given the opportunity to shine. Our young girls are very active, imaginative and unique that is what we want to bring out of each girl in our camp. We are looking for motivational speakers to speak to the girls on different topics at the workshops. If you are interested in being a motivational speaker, donate items/products, or sponsoring this event. Please call Kimberly Woods @ 909.200.7591 or email her @ divaandfabulous@yahoo.com. More information and details coming to you soon. Thank You! Kimberly Woods Founder/CEO I’m a Diva and Fabulous Youth Foundation (DFYF) Phone: 909.200.7591 or 909.609.7144 Website: http://www.divaandfabulousyf.org/ LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/pub/kimberly-woods

“SPOTLIGHT” with Ed Scott on the Elections & the Open Council Seat

15 Jan 2013 Leave a comment

by rialto-now in Budget, Ca, City of Rialto, davidsMarketing, Deborah Robertson, Ed palmer, Ed Scott, Inland Empire, Joe Baca Jr, Nieghborhood Watch, Rialto, Shawn O'Connell, Target, Uncategorized, Water, wwwstoprialtowaterratehikes.com Tags: , , ,

Hello Rialto so you thought the elections were over right?

Wrong we still have an open council seat!!!!!!!

Ok so maybe the thought of more election pandering doesn’t excite you, if that’s the case this is right up your alley.

The city council has chosen to make an appointment verses spending money on an election. They gave candidates 3 days to get their letters of interest into the city clerk’s office (Friday 5pm) and now they have the task of choosing one of these people to fill the vacant seat for the remainder of the term (1.5 years).

Rumors are already circling that the 3 seated council members have already made up their minds? Is it simply rumor? Or is there something it?

There is no way to know what another person is thinking until you ask them to put it to writing. Here is the Interview from Ed Scott enjoy.

Ed Scott is seeking the open council seat

Ed Scott is seeking the open council seat

*What are your thoughts on how the local elections played out for citizens of Rialto?

I am happy with the two Councilmembers who were voted in. Obviously I am disappointed voters didn’t do more research on the Mayoral candidates as I feel the outcome would of been different. Having said that I am in full support of our new Mayor and wish her the best.

*In what ways will you try and remain a part of the work to make a better Rialto now that you’re no longer on the Council?

For 23 years I’ve been active in this community and will continue to do so in any way I can. I may run again sometime down the road.

*Are you seeking the appointed seat left vacant by your opponent for Mayor Deborah Robertson?

Yes I am I feel I would be a good asset to the new Council especially in business development and perchlorate.

*How do you thing this spot should be filled?

The Council should review applicants and pick a person qualified.

*What is the value of having it done now verses waiting till June in a special election?

We need leadership, there are major financial issues facing this city and a person with knowledge of these issues would be helpful.

*Can you explain the importance of having an odd number of people voting?

You certainly don’t want tied votes and if the council cannot come up with a consensus then a 3 – 2 votes is helpful. In a perfect situation if staff and the council are doing their homework a unanimous vote should take place. Voting on issues is not about one’s personal agenda it’s about what is good and right for the community.

*What was your greatest accomplishment & failure as a council member?

I think my hard work to bring new businesses into our community was important. i.e. Coco’s, Wal-Mart, Target, In & Out multiple distribution centers bringing job to Rialto and my work in bringing the perchlorate law suit to an end. But my greatest pleasure was when I could help a resident of small business with a problem and could leave them with the feeling that an elected official cared about them. There is no better feeling. As far as failures I don’t really look at anything that way. Would I have of done something’s different yes, hind sight is always important.

*There is talk of putting Measure “V” on the ballot again any thoughts on this? Why in your opinion did it fail in November?

It failed because people didn’t understand why the City was doing it and we let big oil companies come into our city and flat out lie to our residents. I worked for big oil companies for over twenty years and I tried to warn the city how ruthless they can be but my concerns fell on deaf ears.

*What in your opinion is the greatest hurdle in the community’s path between now and the next election?

Having enough money to keep the City solvent and at the same time maintain our necessary levels of service for public safety.

*Veolia will be the operator of both the Water and Waste Water for Rialto for the next 30 years, what are your thoughts on this? Can they handle both with minimal errors? Did you have a choice you wish was there instead?

Yes I am confident they can handle it my choice to run the water department was West Valley it just didn’t happen

*As a small business owner what can Rialto do to make this an attractive home for our local small businesses?

Make the permitting and government interaction easier. The City needs to understand that when a small business loses business because of safety concerns or because government is difficult to do business with it is devastating. Most small business people are not rich people they are hardworking residents.

*Residents of the country club area came out to the Coffee with the Chief in December commenting on the way the Golf Course has become a mess and attracts criminals and the wild life is moving in as well. What was done wrong there in your opinion?

The golf course was losing 20,000 a month the owners had a right to close it. The residents should have worked with the owners instead of suing them. No one won in that situation but lawyers. The best thing now is to support the new development at the golf course so it can be reopened and become prosperous.

Rialto Swat standoff

10 Jan 2013 Leave a comment

by rialto-now in Ca, Centurion Security Patrol, City of Rialto, Crime, Dr. Michael Neeki, Inland Empire, Public Safety, Rialto, Rialto Police Department, SWAT, Uncategorized Tags:

RIALTO — Police late Tuesday surrounded a home in a north city neighborhood attempting to deal with a barricaded man who might be armed.

It was the fourth time that day that police were called to the upscale neighborhood with many manicured lawns in the 2500 block of Amberwood Avenue.

As of 9:30 p.m., the homeowner remained barricaded in the house surrounded by the Inland Valley SWAT.

“The first three times we were called out was for loud music coming from the home,” said Rialto police spokesman Capt. Randy DeAnda. “The fourth time, around 3:15 p.m., was because a neighbor called and said the homeowner was walking around the neighborhood with a rifle.”

More than a dozen residents were evacuated and the SWAT was deployed after the homeowner, Richard Bright, 46, barricaded himself in his home.

“When officers arrived the rifle was found lying in his driveway,” DeAnda said. “But we don’t know what he has in the home.”

DeAnda said he was unaware of what type of rifle Bright had.

Bright lives alone in the home.

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Residents in the neighborhood said that Bright has some issues that need to be dealt with.

One neighbor who wishes to remain anonymous due to fear of retaliation, said that Bright walks around in the early morning hours wearing a hoodie type sweatshirt and sunglasses pulling on door handles of neighborhood vehicles.

“I’ve seen him walk up to my door and just stand there,” said the neighbor. “He doesn’t say a word, he just stares at you and turns around and walks away.”

Law enforcement is aware of Bright’s strange behaviors.

“We believe he has some sort of psychiatric issues,” DeAnda said. “But we’ve established contact with him over the phone and are doing everything in our power to end this peacefully.”

Read more: http://www.sbsun.com/ci_22336949/rialto-man-holds-police-at-bay-upscale-neighborhood#ixzz2Hb5DlUWQ

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