By Mark Gutglueck
A five-eighths split of the San Bernardino City Council is leaning toward hiring Salinas City Manager Steven S. Carrigan as the county seat’s top municipal administrator, reliable sources have told the Sentinel.
Since shortly after the official confirmation of Mayor Helen Tran’s November 2022 election victory, Robert Field’s tenure as San Bernardino city manager essentially drew to a close. Even before Tran was sworn into the mayor’s post, the city council, in the last gasp of the administration of Mayor John Valdivia, voted unanimously to accept Field’s resignation.
Field had been hired in September 2020, a little less than halfway into Valdivia’s four-year span as mayor. Field, in an astounding misreading of political alliances and reality for someone in his position, had assumed Valdivia to not only be the titular leader of the city, but its dominant political personage as well. And while Valdivia in the months after his November 2018 election as mayor had controlled as many as five of the votes on the city council, making him the head of a ruling council coalition at that time, by the end of Summer 2019, his relationship with three of the council members he had counted upon for support in governing the county’s largest city – Councilman Teddy Sanchez, Councilwoman Sandra Ibarra and Councilman Henry Nickel – had begun to deteriorate. In March 2020, a full six months before Field was hired, then-Sixth Ward Councilwoman Bessine Richards, one of only two remaining Valdivia allies on the council, had been defeated in her reelection bid. Richards was replaced by Kimberly Calvin in December 2020.
During the three months between Field’s hiring as city manager and the installment of a differently-composed city council in December 2020 that saw Calvin replace Richards in the Sixth Ward, Ben Reynoso replace Henry Nickel in the Fifth Ward and Damon Alexander replace Jim Mulvihill in the Seventh Ward, Field on a number of issues began militating to assist Valdivia in his political agenda. That agenda involved promoting the fortunes of entities that had provided Valdivia with campaign contributions and other forms of monetary support. Those entities were seeking city contracts or project approval for their undertakings. In this way, Field, who on one level believed he was merely doing the bidding of his political masters, was actually getting crosswise of a majority of the council which was at odds with Valdivia. Continue reading →

Former Redlands Mayor Bill Cunningham, among the most dynamic and effective controlled-growth advocates in San Bernardino County history, died at the age of 96 on August 16.
Born October 5, 1926 in Manhattan Beach, Cunningham, the youngest of six children, grew up in Southern California. After graduating from high school in 1944, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps and was among the youngest of the final installment of recruits during World War II.
After his discharge as a sergeant, he enrolled at USC. Over the Thanksgiving holiday, on November 27, 1947, he stopped at the soda fountain at the drug store in Newhall for a fudge sundae, and thereupon made the acquaintance of Beverley Wheeler, who was working there. They were married on June 4, 1949.
Cunningham graduated from USC and obtained his first major teaching position at William S. Hart High School. In 1952, he and Beverley moved to Redlands when he was hired at Redlands High School as a teacher and football and track coach.
The couple purchased the 18-acre Glencairn Farm, which included orange and kiwi groves. They raised their four children there.
Cunningham taught at Redlands High School for 19 years. Thereafter, he taught at San Bernardino Valley College, from 1971 to 1982. He subsequently taught physics and astronomy part time at the University of Redlands for 15 years.
As early as the late 1950s, Cunningham had the opportunity to sell the Glencairn Farm acreage at a profit, but he was and remained committed to preserving Redlands’ agricultural district. Continue reading →

Though the once-spirited effort by a handful of San Bernardino County cities to prevent the State of California from usurping a substantial portion of local land use authority has been abandoned, several of their counterparts in Orange County are appealing to the California Supreme Court consider countermanding the state’s mandate that Southern California cities and counties accommodate 1.34 million new homes before the end of the decade.
Traditionally in California and most of the country, land use authority – decisions on what can be built, to what standards and intensity – is exercised at the local, i.e., city or county level. Federal and state governments set building standards with regard to construction and things like fire safety and have qualified autonomy on development issues on state-owned and federal-owned land. Planning processes take place generally in California at the municipal and county levels, such that within city/incorporated town limits, that control is exercised by the cities and towns themselves.
Under this arrangement, theoretically and for the most part practically, through their elected leadership local residents had some level of control with regard to the tenor of development, its intensity, its quality, its mix, its character and nature, and its density.
In recent years, the cost of housing in California has escalated dramatically beyond what was already a significant inflationary scale and the incidence of homelessness has increased. State officials in California, seeking to induce more and intensified home building, over the past nine years have been accommodating of the development industry. Continue reading →

The City of Ontario on August 15 used its power of eminent domain to force the sale of 16 pieces of property.
Despite conducting the vote on the condemnation process at three public hearings held in the course of the August 15 meeting, nowhere in the documentation filed or recorded in conjunction with the action did the city specify the precise acreage of the property seized nor the prices to be provided for it.
Fourteen of the acquisitions were of portions of Assessor Parcel Numbers 0110-061-10, 0110-061-21, 0110-061-24, 0110-061-25, 0110-061-30, 0110-061-31, 0110-131-20, 1048-472-15, 1048-472-22, 1048-472-24, 1048-472-25, 1049-141-24, 1049-141-25, 1049-141-30 and 1049-141-31, all of which were, according to the city, “necessary for the construction of the Grove Avenue and Holt Boulevard Intersection Widening Project.”
A portion of Parcel Number 0110-061-10 was acquired from Crossroad Ontario LLC for a permanent easement and temporary construction easement at 1207 E. Holt Boulevard.
A portion of Parcel Number 0110-061-21 was acquired from OM Sai Hospitality, Inc. for a permanent easement and temporary construction easement. The site address is 1217 E. Holt Boulevard.
A portion of Parcel Number 0110-061-24 was acquired from Hideo Kikumoto and Jeanette M. Kikumoto as Trustees of the Kikumoto Trust dated June 27, 1988 for a permanent easement and temporary construction easement. The site address is 1315 E. Holt Boulevard. Continue reading →

The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors has elevated Luther Snoke, the county’s chief operating officer for the last 33 months, to the role of acting county chief executive officer in the aftermath of Leonard Hernandez’s forced exit from the county CEO position.
On August 8, Chairwoman of the Board of Supervisors Dawn Rowe, the last of a dwindling list of Hernandez’s defenders, reluctantly accepted that Hernandez would need to depart from the county after a revolt by a cross section of the county’s mid-level managers took place the previous week.
In July, after Hernandez had temporarily surrendered to Snoke day-to-day management of the county while he was away on vacation, a concerted move to block Hernandez from returning to his perch as the county’s top staff member materialized. That coup included inducing Pam Williams, Hernandez’s mistress whom he had promoted to the position of the county’s chief of administration within days of his assuming the position of county CEO in October 2020, to come forward and acknowledge the intimate relationship with sexual overtones that she had with Hernandez, while simultaneously seeking whistleblower protection.
Though multiple employees within county government’s executive and managerial echelons for some time had been aware of the relationship between Hernandez and Williams and had concerns that it was compromising the professional integrity of the organization, Hernandez and the county’s director of human resources, Diane Rundles, whom he promoted to the position of deputy executive officer in February, were able to squelch further discussion of the matter or criticism by terminating or forcing the resignations of those who complained about it. Continue reading →

The City of Ontario on August 15 used its power of eminent domain to force the sale of 16 pieces of property.
Despite conducting the vote on the condemnation process at three public hearings held in the course of the August 15 meeting, nowhere in the documentation filed or recorded in conjunction with the action did the city specify the precise acreage of the property seized nor the prices to be provided for it.
Fourteen of the acquisitions were of portions of Assessor Parcel Numbers 0110-061-10, 0110- 061-21, 0110-061-24, 0110-061-25, 0110-061-30, 0110-061-31, 0110-131-20, 1048-472-15, 1048-472-22, 1048-472-24, 1048-472-25, 1049-141-24, 1049-141-25, 1049-141-30 and 1049- 141-31, all of which were, according to the city, “necessary for the construction of the Grove Avenue and Holt Boulevard Intersection Widening Project.”
A portion of Parcel Number 0110-061-10 was acquired from Crossroad Ontario LLC for a permanent easement and temporary construction easement at 1207 E. Holt Boulevard.
A portion of Parcel Number 0110-061-21 was acquired from OM Sai Hospitality, Inc. for a permanent easement and temporary construction easement. The site address is 1217 E. Holt Boulevard.
A portion of Parcel Number 0110-061-24 was acquired from Hideo Kikumoto and Jeanette M. Kikumoto as Trustees of the Kikumoto Trust dated June 27, 1988 for a permanent easement and temporary construction easement. The site address is 1315 E. Holt Boulevard. Continue reading →

By John Marquez
As a concerned citizen, I want to express my strong opposition to Assembly Bill 349, authored by James Ramos. While I acknowledge the intention behind the bill is to address the urgent issues of housing and mental health treatment for homeless individuals, I believe that the proposed approach of lumping homeless people with elderly, senior individuals for treatment at Patton State Hospital is not a suitable solution and raises serious concerns.
First and foremost, I am deeply concerned about the potential consequences of co-locating homeless individuals with elderly patients in a mental health treatment setting. The needs of these two groups are vastly different and combining them in the same facility could lead to conflicts, safety concerns, and inadequate care for both populations.
Patton State Hospital also treats those who are deemed incompetent to stand trial such as crime offenders with mental health disorders as well as subjects who are found to be not guilty by reason of insanity.
Elderly individuals may require specialized care that caters to their medical and cognitive needs, while homeless individuals may require more comprehensive and holistic approaches to address their unique challenges, including social support systems, addiction recovery services, and pathways to stable housing.
Moreover, housing homeless individuals at Patton State Hospital, which traditionally serves as a mental health facility, raises questions about the appropriateness of the environment for individuals who do not have severe mental illnesses. Placing homeless individuals in a facility designed for psychiatric treatment might inadvertently stigmatize them and exacerbate the social challenges they already face. It is essential to consider alternative approaches that prioritize creating safe and supportive environments specifically tailored to the needs of homeless individuals.
Additionally, elderly people may view treatment at Patton State Hospital as a step towards being committed by the judicial system for treatment.
AB 349 might inadvertently divert resources away from improving and expanding dedicated homeless shelters, transitional housing programs, and community-based mental health services. These resources are crucial for addressing the underlying causes of homelessness and mental health challenges, and redirecting them to a single facility could limit the effectiveness of broader solutions.
Lawmakers need to consider a more nuanced and comprehensive approach that includes input from a diverse range of stakeholders, including experts in homelessness, mental health, social services, and community organizations. We need solutions that address the root causes of homelessness and mental health issues while respecting the dignity and unique needs of each affected individual.
While I support the efforts to address the critical issues of homelessness and mental health, I cannot support AB 349 in its current form. I kindly request Assemblyman Ramos to reconsider the proposed approach and explore alternative strategies that prioritize appropriate care, housing, and support for both homeless and elderly individuals.
I hope lawmakers will make decisions that reflect the best interests of our community and ensure the well-being of all individuals involved.
According to the Legislative Counsel’s Digest:
AB 349, as amended, by Assemblyman James Ramos, would allow Patton State Hospital to be leased to provide housing and mental health services for homeless individuals.
Existing law authorizes the California Department of General Services to perform various duties relating to state real property, including authorizing the director of general services to let [i.e., lease] a building located at Patton State Hospital to a nonprofit corporation or local government, for a period not to exceed 20 years, for the purpose of providing services to elderly persons.
Assemblyman Ramos’s bill would delete the 20-year lease maximum and would additionally authorize the director of general services to lease the building described above for the purposes of providing housing to homeless individuals and providing mental health services to those individuals.
AB 349 states:
The People of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 14672.95 of the Government Code is amended to read:
14672.95. Notwithstanding Section 14670, the director of general services may, with the consent of the State Department of State Hospitals, let a building located at Patton State Hospital to a nonprofit corporation or local government for either of the following purposes:
(a) Providing services to elderly persons.
(b) Providing housing to homeless individuals and providing mental health services to those individuals.
John Marquez is a concerned citizen of San Bernardino County.

While Tropical Storm Hilary manifested as mostly medium-intensity rain in the urbanized valley areas in the western, central and eastern portions of lower San Bernardino Valley on Sunday, August 20, the impact of the storm was more pronounced in certain mountain and desert areas.
Flooding and road washouts resulted in what is believed to have been at least one death and a handful of injuries. At certain spots on roadways along Routes 18, 38 and 330 leading to and from the San Bernardino Mountains, conditions could have resulted in further fatalities but did not, in no little due to the rapid response of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department and San Bernardino County Department of Public Works.
At various spans along Highway 38 from Jenks Lake Road to Lakewood Road, at a spot on Glass Road near Seven Oaks and Highway 38, on Radford Camp Road in the Seven Oaks environs, on Oak Glen Road from Harris Road to Casa Blanca Avenue and on Potato Canyon Road in the Oak Glen district, substantial portions of roadway collapsed, such that motorists and their vehicles transiting those areas would have been likely to tumble downward dozens, scores or even as much as hundreds of feet, risking injury or death. The San Bernardino County Department of Public Works, the sheriff’s department, the county fire department and Caltrans acted with alacrity in closing down those roads. Continue reading →

The musicians of the Ontario Chaffey Community Show Band and the Chuck and Patti Pfister Family are proud to present “What The World Needs Now: The Music of Burt Bacharach” on Monday September 18, 2023 at 7:30 p.m.  The concert will be held in historic Gardiner Spring Auditorium on the campus of Chaffey High School, 1250 N. Euclid Ave. in Ontario.  The Woodwind Celebration Ensemble will present a pre-concert recital in the auditorium lobby at 7:00 p.m.  Complimentary coffee and cookies will be served in the lobby prior to the concert.  The performance is free to the public.

The concert represents the start of the Show Band’s 38th season of providing quality musical performances for the concert goers of the greater Ontario community.  The program features a repertoire of hit songs from renowned composer/songwriter Burt Bacharach.  Bacharach, who passed away on February 8, 2023 at the age of 94, is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential figures of 20th-century popular music.  His music has been recorded by over 1,000 recording artists, most notably Dionne Warwick, The Carpenters, Elvis Costello, and Herb Albert and the Tijuana Brass.

The show band’s special guest artist will be jazz pianist, vocalist, composer, and educator Aimee Nolte.  Aimee has made a name for herself with her extensive YouTube channel that boasts nearly a thousand educational and entertaining videos.  With over 250,000 subscribers, Aimee is in high demand as a clinician, and performer.  She just returned from teaching at Victor Wooten’s Theory Camp in Tennessee and is thrilled to be in the company of the show band once again.  Aimee will perform four Bacharach hit songs; “Close To You,” “Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head,” “The Look of Love,” and “That’s What Friends Are For.”

Also highlighting the concert program is Assistant Director Pat Arnold who will perform a tenor saxophone solo on the beautiful ballad “Here I Am” from the film score of What’s New Pussycat.  Show Band Director Gabe Petrocelli is featured on the keyboard in “A House Is Not A Home.”  The outstanding musicians of the Show Band will highlight the evening with their performances of “Do You Know The Way To San Jose,” “I’ll Never Fall In Love Again,” and “What The World Needs Now.”  In addition, they will perform several medleys of Bacharach tunes that include “What’s New Pussycat,” “Alfie,” featuring a saxophone solo by Francisco Mowatt, the theme song from the film “Casino Royale,” the title song from the musical “Promises, Promises,” “Make It Easy On Yourself,” “I Say A Little Prayer,” and “Arthur’s Theme: The Best That I Can Do.”

The performance will be narrated by newspaper columnist David Allen, and Ontario City Councilman Alan Wapner.

Support for the show band can be shown by visiting and feeding the Hungry Tuba located in the lobby.  The concert will be broadcast on local Ontario cable Channel 3.  Check your cable listings for the date and time.

The Ontario Chaffey Community Show Band was founded in 1985 by R. Jack Mercer and is now under the direction of Dr. Gabe Petrocelli and assistant directors David Schaafsma and Pat Arnold.  Band members represent at least two dozen communities throughout Southern California.  Adult musicians and students are invited to participate.  Rehearsals are held on Monday evenings from 7 to 9:00 p.m. at the Chaffey High School Jack Mercer Band Room.  The band performs monthly concerts on the campus of Chaffey High School as well as at other venues throughout the community.  All performances are free to the public.

For more information about the concert visit the Show Band website at www.showband.net or contact Dr. Petrocelli at gabe@showband.net.  The “Friends of the Ontario Chaffey Community Show Band” is a registered charity under Internal Revenue Code Section 501 (c)(3); EIN # 46-1422958.  Donations are welcomed.  Checks may be made out to:  Friends of the OCCSB, P.O. Box 1512, Ontario, CA 91762.  Concert goers interested in being included on the Show Band mailing list are encouraged to fill out an information card at our events.  Be sure to follow the Show Band on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube or its website at www.showband.net.