Council And Mayoral Races Set In 23 Of County’s 24 Municipalities

This week the races in the 23 of the county’s 24 municipalities that will conduct electoral contests for city/town councils in November shaped up as the final filing deadlines for those offices was eclipsed.
In eight of those cities, races for mayor will also be held.
In Chino Hills, which is holding its first election under the newly created ward system, incumbent councilman Ray Marquez is facing no opposition in District 1. Neither is incumbent councilman Peter Rogers being challenged in District 2. In the city’s District 4, where Brian Johsz is the incumbent after having been appointed to the council following the voluntary resignation of Ed Graham last year, two candidates are vying to unseat Johsz in his effort to obtain voter validation, those being former councilwoman Rossana Mitchell-Arrieta and Ronald Eaton. It is incidental that the city’s district map which was adopted last year was drawn up by Johsz.
In Chino, appointed councilman Paul Rodriguez, who lives in the city’s newly formed District 1, is seeking election in opposition to Tyra Weis, a teacher. In District 2, no incumbent is running. In that field, former State Senator/former Assemblywoman/former Congresswoman Gloria Negrete-McLeod is vying against Dorothy Pineda, a small business owner, Chino Valley Unified School District Board Member Sylvia Orozco and Mark Hargrove, a retired policeman. In District 3, appointed Councilman Gary George wants to achieve election in his own right, but must overcome the competing candidacy of Sheriff’s Lieutenant Marc Lucio.
In Montclair, five candidates are vying for mayor. Incumbent council members John Dutrey and Carolyn Raft are seeking to replace Virginia Eaton, who was appointed to the mayor’s post earlier this summer to replace her husband, the late Paul Eaton. Joining them in the mayoral race are Sousan Elias, Kelly Smith and Alfonso Sanchez. Incumbent Montclair Councilman Bill Ruh and incumbent Councilwoman Trisha Martinez are seeking reelection. Competing with them are Juliet Orozco, Remoushell Henry, Benjamin Lopez and Omar Zamarripa.
In Ontario, incumbent councilmen Alan Wapner and Jim Bowman are seeking reelection. They are being opposed by Richard Galvez, Josef Nikyar and former Mayor Gus Skropos.
Mayor Paul Leon is being challenged by former city councilmen Rudy Favila and Sam Crowe.
In Upland the city will hold its first election using the newly minted electoral ward system. In District 2, the city’s northeastern quadrant which touches Rancho Cucamonga and San Antonio Heights, incumbent Councilwoman Janice Elliott is up against Planning Commissioner Yvette Walker. In District 3, the southwestern portion of the city bordering Ontario, Montclair and Claremont, incumbent Gino Filippi faces two challengers, Ricky Felix and Irmalinda Osuna. In District 4, which lies on Upland’s southeastern side bordering Rancho Cucamonga and Ontario, incumbent Councilwoman Carol Timm faces Tammy Rapp and Rudy Zuniga.
Rancho Cucamonga’s two-term mayor and former fire chief Dennis Michael is being challenged by Mark Gibboney and Thomas Reed. This year, the City of Rancho Cucamonga, just as Chino Hills, Chino, Upland, Fontana, Hesperia, Redlands, Yucaipa, Yucca Valley and Twentynine Palms, will initiate ward system voting. Thus two of the city’s incumbent council members – Bill Alexander and Diane Williams – will be leaving office later this year. In their places will be council members representing the city’s central north end and the city’s south side, districts 3 and 2, respectively. Vying in District 2 are Kevin Kenly, a parcel company supervisor; Elvira Harris, a consultant; and Kristine Scott, a public affairs manager. In District 3, Ryan Hutchison, a business man; John Gallegos-Cordero, a DA hearing officer; Ben Cutler, an information technology analyst; Marc Steinorth, the incumbent 40th District Assemblyman; and Edward Rodarte, a realtor, are competing against one another.
In Fontana, incumbent Mayor Acquanetta Warren is opposed by incumbent Councilman Jesse Sandoval along with Mylinda Carrillo, Lorena Corona, Hafsa Sharafat and Carlos Sandoval.
In the newly created District 1, Shannon O’Brien and Phillip Wayne Cothran Jr. are seeking election. In District 4, incumbent Councilman John Roberts is being challenged by Glenda Barillas and Patricia A. Gonzalez.
In Rialto incumbent city councilmen Ed Scott and Joe Baca Jr. are running against Karla Perez and Ana Gonzalez.
In Colton, both incumbent Councilman Frank Navarro and Parks and Recreation Commissioner Mark Garcia are vying to replace Mayor Richard DeLaRosa, who is not running for re-election. Colton has long had a ward system. In District 1, District 2 and District 4, incumbents David Toro, Ernest Cisneros and Luis González, respectively, face no opposition.
In Grand Terrace incumbent Mayor Darcy McNaboe is standing for reelection against incumbent Councilwoman Sylvia Robles. Three men, including Ken Henderson, who was appointed to the council in December 2017, along with Jeff Allen and Jeffrey McConnell, are vying for a two-year term. Greg Batla is running against incumbent Doug Wilson in the race for a four-year term on the panel.
In Adelanto, business owner Gabriel Reyes, customer service representative Ronald Beard and incumbent Councilman Ed Camargo are running for mayor against incumbent Rich Kerr. Two council posts are also up for election in Adelanto this year. One incumbent, Charley Glasper is not seeking reelection. The other incumbent, John Woodard, is. Running in the same race are David McConnell, a veteran; Shad Boyd, who is attempting to establish a marijuana marketing concern in the city; Edward Reyes, an author; Planning Commissioner Chris Waggener, Stevevonna Evans, a business executive; Gerardo Hernandez, an entrepreneur; Harold Hines, an insurance broker; and Brad Eckes, a security guard.
In Victorville, James Kennedy is not seeking reelection to the city council. Councilman Eric Negrete is. Daniel Ramos, Debra Jones, Lionel Dew, Valentine Godina, Lizet Angulo, Kevin Johnson, Leslie Irving, Manuel Musquiz, John Lira, Craig Garcia, Christine Blakeley, Rita Ramirez, Jerry Borja, Mary Jo Kirsch and Jerry Laws are running for council, making it the largest field in the county in this year’s election.
In Barstow, incumbent Councilman Tim Silva is seeking to remain in office by competing in the city’s first election featuring a ward system. He is asking voters to elect him as the city’s District 1 council representative. Opposing him is David Mendez, a retired civilian employee at the Marine Corps Logistics Base. In Barstow’s District 2, incumbent Merrill M. Gracey is opposed by Planning Commission James Noble, Brianna Martinez and Bennie Fedrick, a business owner.
In Hesperia, incumbent Councilman Bill Holland, who has been elevated to the appointed position of mayor, is seeking reelection under challenge by Lara Nava, Dan Ramirez, Robert Lucero and Gonzalo Gurrola. In District 3, Cameron Gregg is challenging incumbent Councilman Paul Russ. In District 4, Jeremiah Brosowske, the appointed incumbent, is challenged by Brigit Bennington.
In Apple Valley, 13 candidates are running in that town’s at large election in which three positions are at play. Two incumbents – Curt Emick and Scott Nassif – are seeking reelection. Another incumbent, Barb Stanton, is not running. The other candidates are Roger La Plante, Angela Valles, Kari Leon, Courtney Hernandez, Xavier Ariza, Michael Karen, Bryen Wright, Janate Valenzuela, Matthew Pautz, Richard Bunck and Ruth Cordova.
In San Bernardino, run-off elections are due after contests held in the city’s mayoral, First, Second and Fourth wards in June did not produce any majority vote-getters. Incumbent Mayor Carey Davis is up against incumbent Councilman John Valdivia. In Ward 1, Gil Botelo, the top finisher in June is running against Ted Sanchez, who finished in second. In Ward 2, Cecilia Miranda-Dolan and Sandra Ibarra are competing after both outdistanced incumbent Councilman Benito Barrios in June. In Ward 4, incumbent Councilman Fred Shorett must run for a second time against second place finisher Alex Beltran.
In Highland, which moved to ward elections two years ago, District 2 incumbent councilwoman Anaeli Solano faces no opposition. In District 4, incumbent Councilman John Timmer is opposed by Gilda Gularte.
In Redlands, ward elections are beginning this year. There are no incumbents residing in District 1. Five individuals – Denise Davis, Andy Hoder, Priya Vedula, Eric Whedbee and Renea Wickman – are running there. In District 3, incumbent Councilman Paul Barich is being challenged by Enrique Estrada, Joe Richardson and Mike Saifie. In District 5, incumbent Councilman Paul Foster is opposed by Ryan Johnson. In a throwback to the at-large system that was formerly in place, a special election is being held to select someone to serve the last two years of the term to which former councilwoman Pat Gilbreath claimed in 2016. Gilbreath died in October 2017 and was replaced with appointee Toni Moberger. In November, Momberger must stand for election to a two-year term against Brian Seghers and Michael Eyck.
In Yucaipa, David Avila, an incumbent councilman, is being challenged for reelection in the newly created District 1 by Wyatt Padget. In District 2, incumbent council member Greg Bogh, who currently serves as the city’s appointed mayor, is unopposed.
In Big Bear Lake, three of the incumbent council members, Rick Herrick in newly formed District 2, Randy Putz in the just created District 3 and Dave Caretto in District 4, were the only individuals to qualify their candidacies. Accordingly, the city council on August 20 will hold a special meeting to adopt a resolution appointing the trio and thereby foregoing a municipal election this year.
In Yucca Valley Jim Schooler and Edmund Shadman will compete against one another for a berth on the town council in newly formed District 1. Incumbent Councilman Merl Abel, who resides in District 3, is being opposed by Jo Ann Bollen. In District 5, incumbent Mayor Rick Denison is running unopposed. Councilman Bob Leone is not seeking reelection.
In Twentynine Palms incumbents Dan Mintz, John Cole and McArthur Wright were placed into districts 3, 4 and 5 when the city’s electoral map was drawn up last year. All three are seeking reelection. Denise Cullum is seeking to displace Mintz in District 3. Former Councilwoman Cora Heiser is running against Wright in District 5. It appears that John Cole has no opposition in District 4.
In Needles, incumbent Mayor Ed Paget will not seek reelection to that post, but is vying for city council. Incumbent Councilman Jeff Williams will not seek reelection to his current post, but is running for mayor. As such, Williams is the only mayoral candidate and a lock to be elected. Joining Paget in the council race for two positions up for election this year are incumbent Councilwoman Louise Evans, Timothy Terral, a cable TV technician, Barbara Beard, an attorney, and Sachary Longacre, a retail sales manager.
The City of Loma LIinda completed its municipal election in June, with incumbents Phillip Dupper and Ron Dailey besting challengers David Sanner and Gabriel Uribe.
Mark Gutglueck

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