In what was at least the sixth fatal confrontation with a civilian in 2024 by a member or members of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, a 32-year-old Hesperia man was shot by deputies in Victorville yesterday morning after he was twice hit by vehicles while walking on Mariposa Road.
“On Thursday, May 9, 2024, at 9:58 a.m., deputies from the Victorville Station responded to multiple calls of a vehicle vs. pedestrian traffic collision on Mariposa Road,” according to a statement put out by the sheriff’s department. “Callers reported the pedestrian, later identified as Nicholas Contreras, was hit by a second vehicle as he continued to walk around after the first collision.
“When deputies arrived at the scene, they attempted to contact Contreras and discovered he was armed with a knife,” the sheriff’s department statement continues. “Deputies gave Contreras multiple commands to drop the knife and get on the ground. Contreras refused to obey the commands, advanced toward the deputies, and a lethal force encounter occurred. Contreras was struck by gunfire and despite lifesaving measures, he was pronounced deceased at the scene.”
The shooting occurred in the vicinity of 12870 Mariposa Road, according to the department.

The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office will pursue capital convictions against two of the five foreign nationals involved in the killing of six other drug traffickers during what was apparently a botched marijuana-for-money transaction on January 23 near Shadow Mountain Ghost Town, touching off reports that a deal had been cut with one of the five accused murderers for his testimony against his co-defendants.
Based on cryptic and shrouded information that has been released as a consequence of the justice system process to which Jose Manuel Burgos Parra, 26; Jose Nicolas Hernandez-Sarabia, 33; Toniel Baez-Duarte, 34; Mateo Baez-Duarte, 24; and Jose Gregorio Hernandez-Sarabia, 34, are being subjected or which has otherwise been assembled in the aftermath of the killings of Narcisco Sandoval, 47; Kevin Dariel Bonilla, 25; Baldemar Mondragon-Albarran, 34; Jose Ruelas-Calderon, 45; Adrian Ochoa-Salgado, 34; and Franklin Noel Bonilla, 22, it appears the architect of the narrative the district attorney’s office will seek to utilize in prosecuting the case is being provided by Toniel Baez-Duarte. In return, the elder Baez-Duarte brother will not be subject to the prosecutorial and sentencing enhancements that will be visited on the other four defendants.
While members of the sheriff’s department and prosecutors have acknowledged in exchanges with one another that Toniel Baez-Duarte’s story may or may not be true in several of its aspects, based on what he has had to say there are relative stages and depths of evil in what occurred on January 23 and led up to it.
The worst actors, according to Toniel Baez-Duarte, were Parra and Jose Hernandez-Sarabia. Continue reading →

In what was at least the sixth fatal confrontation with a civilian in 2024 by a member or members of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, a 32-year-old Hesperia man was shot by deputies in Victorville yesterday morning after he was twice hit by vehicles while walking on Mariposa Road.
“On Thursday, May 9, 2024, at 9:58 a.m., deputies from the Victorville Station responded to multiple calls of a vehicle vs. pedestrian traffic collision on Mariposa Road,” according to a statement put out by the sheriff’s department. “Callers reported the pedestrian, later identified as Nicholas Contreras, was hit by a second vehicle as he continued to walk around after the first collision.
“When deputies arrived at the scene, they attempted to contact Contreras and discovered he was armed with a knife,” the sheriff’s department statement continues. “Deputies gave Contreras multiple commands to drop the knife and get on the ground. Contreras refused to obey the commands, advanced toward the deputies, and a lethal force encounter occurred. Contreras was struck by gunfire and despite lifesaving measures, he was pronounced deceased at the scene.”
The shooting occurred in the vicinity of 12870 Mariposa Road, according to the department.

FBN 20240002629
The following entity is doing business primarily in San Bernardino County as
THE BEAUTY VAULT 1357 KENDALL DR STE 16 SAN BERNARDINO, CA 92407: HARDIMAN HOLDINGS ENTERPRISE LLC 11109 AMARILLO STREET RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA 91701
Business Mailing Address: 11109 AMARILLO STREET RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA 91701
The business is conducted by: A LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY registered with the State of California under the number 202461211225.
The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: March 11, 2024.
By signing, I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime (B&P Code 179130). I am also aware that all information on this statement becomes Public Record upon filing.
/s/ DERRICK EUGENE THOMAS HARDIMAN, CEO
Statement filed with the County Clerk of San Bernardino on: 3/18/2024
I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office San Bernardino County Clerk By:/Deputy J2526
Notice-This fictitious name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before that time. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14400 et seq., Business and Professions Code).
Published in the San Bernardino County Sentinel on April 19 & 26 and May 3 & 10, 2024.

FBN 20240002550
The following entity is doing business primarily in San Bernardino County as
RM ACADEMY LLC 13673 SMOKESTONE ST. RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA 91739: RM ACADEMY LLC 13673 SMOKESTONE ST. RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA 91739
Business Mailing Address: 13673 SMOKESTONE ST. RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA 91739
The business is conducted by: A LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY registered with the State of California under the number 202460718541.
The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: January 1, 2024.
By signing, I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime (B&P Code 179130). I am also aware that all information on this statement becomes Public Record upon filing.
/s/ RAISA TEIXEIRA ESPARZA, CEO
Statement filed with the County Clerk of San Bernardino on: 3/14/2024
I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office San Bernardino County Clerk By:/Deputy J6748
Notice-This fictitious name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before that time. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14400 et seq., Business and Professions Code).
Published in the San Bernardino County Sentinel on April 19 & 26 and May 3 & 10, 2024.

FBN 20240003710
The following entity is doing business primarily in San Bernardino County as
CHEXMATE INVESTIGATIONS 1525 VIGILANT ST UPLAND, CA 91784: KENNETH W COUNTS
Business Mailing Address: 8780 19TH STREET #154 ALTA LOMA, CA 91701
The business is conducted by: AN INDIVIDUAL.
The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: N/A.
By signing, I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime (B&P Code 179130). I am also aware that all information on this statement becomes Public Record upon filing.
/s/ KENNETH W COUNTS, Owner
Statement filed with the County Clerk of San Bernardino on: 4/17/2024
I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office San Bernardino County Clerk By:/Deputy J3108
Notice-This fictitious name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before that time. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14400 et seq., Business and Professions Code).
Published in the San Bernardino County Sentinel on April 19 & 26 and May 3 & 10, 2024.

Continue reading →

San Bernardino County’s more sophisticated political observers have discerned a connection between the continuing series of delays that have plagued the opening of the first phase of toll lanes on the I-10 Freeway to the abiding ambition and fragile electoral viability of a host of politicians who are up for reelection this year.
The controversial pay-to-use lanes, which were originally slated to open by mid-2022 and no later than early 2023, are at this point unlikely to bear traffic any earlier than late November of this year if not until early 2025. Ironically, while only a few of the officeholders who supported those key decisions relating to the toll lanes nearly a decade ago are up for reelection in November, an effort now appears to be underway to assist any and all incumbents, including one who opposed the project, from being associated with that decision by the county’s voters and therefore voted out of office.
San Bernardino County’s transportation agency now goes by the straightforward title of the San Bernardino County Transportation Agency and its acronym SBCTA. It adopted that new name on January 1, 2016, having previously been known as San Bernardino Associated Governments, or its acronym, SANBAG. Founded as a council of governments and joint powers authority by the County of San Bernardino and its then-14 constituent cities – San Bernardino, Colton, Redlands, Ontario, Upland, Needles, Chino, Rialto, Barstow, Fontana, Montclair, Victorville, Loma Linda and Adelanto – SANBAG was overseen by a 19-member board of directors composed of the five county supervisors as well as representatives from those 14 incorporated cities who were either each city’s mayor or designated council member. Ultimately, with the incorporation of Rancho Cucamonga, Grand Terrace, Big Bear Lake, Highland, Hesperia, Apple Valley, Chino Hills, Twentynine Palms, Yucaipa and Yucca Valley, SANBAG grew to represent 24 municipalities and the county by means of a 29-member board. Continue reading →

By Mark Gutglueck
There are currently 61 former San Bernardino County employees who are each receiving a pension of more than one quarter of a million dollars each year.
Former County Counsel Ruth E. Stringer, who was with the county for 33.44 years and retired in 2011, is pulling a $391,680.95 per year pension.
Former County Counsel Michelle Blakemore, who was with the county for 32.11 years and retired in 2021, receives an annual retirement stipend of $378,362.80.
Former Undersheriff Richard A. Beemer, who was with the department for 38.82 years and retired in 2010, will receive $357,945.18 in 2024.
Former Sheriff Rodney R Hoops, who was employed by the sheriff’s department for 34.23 years and retired in 2012, receives an annual pension of $342,378.66.
Hoop’s handpicked successor, Sheriff John McMahon, who was employed with the department for 36.22 years, retiring in 2021, is to receive $326,534.33 in benefits this year.
Former Assistant District Attorney Dennis D. Christy, who was a prosecutor for 35.96 years and left the county in 2012, receives an annual pension of $323,335.25.
Dennis Draeger, who was the elected assessor-recorder at the end of his 39.81 years with San Bernardino County when he left in 2015, is set to receive $321,423.05 in 2024.
Former Assistant District Attorney James B. Hackleman, retired from the county after 35.53 in 2011 and is now paid $318,678.55 annually in retirement.
Former Assistant County Administrator Norman A. Kanold, a county employee for 33.37 years when he retired in 2009, in 2024 will be paid $316,560.78. Continue reading →