According to the county, “The Registrar of Voters (ROV) is working closely with several city and town clerks to explain to local candidates an error that led five office-seekers to believe they had qualified for the Nov. 5 ballot when they had not.

On Friday, August 9, after the candidate filing period closed, the ROV discovered a clerical error that affected the evaluation of nomination petition signatures for city candidates.  To ensure each candidate met their nomination petition requirement, ROV staff reevaluated all petitions for the city candidates. As a result of this reevaluation, eight candidates were determined to be impacted.

This affected candidates in the cities of Highland, Rialto, Hesperia, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, Twentynine Palms and the Town of Apple Valley.

Five of the eight candidates did not meet their nomination requirements, and therefore, did not qualify as a candidate for the ballot. The ROV immediately communicated this change of status to these city clerks. These five candidates may file a legal challenge to request relief from the courts. Any legal challenges must be resolved by Aug. 29, after which no changes can be made to the ballot.

Three of the eight candidates had the opportunity to obtain additional signatures due to the extension of the candidate filing period through 5 p.m. Wednesday.  These deadlines were extended because the incumbents in those contests had not filed candidacy papers.

These findings were promptly addressed by performing subsequent audits to confirm the findings. In the future, these additional audits will be added to our candidate filing processes and our petition signature review processes.

The mission of the ROV is to conduct the County’s elections in a fair, accessible, secure, transparent, and efficient manner, upholding the highest level of election standards and accuracy, while always providing excellent customer service to the diverse population it serves.

The Registrar of Voters values its partnerships with the city clerks and continues to provide its assistance throughout this process.”

The California Department of Food and Agriculture has declared an end to the Oriental fruit fly quarantine in the Redlands area following eradication of the invasive species.
On September 27, 2023, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture imposed a quarantine in San Bernardino and Riverside counties. The quarantine covered 102 square miles of San Bernardino County. Redlands, which is one of the communities in San Bernardino County which has preserved significant portions of historic agricultural property, was at the epicenter of the infestation.
According to APHIS, 1,200 acres of commercial agriculture production of citrus, apples, avocados, peaches and other stone fruits were affected.
The California Department of Food and Agriculture, known by its acronym CDFA worked in coordination with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Riverside County Agricultural Commissioner, and the San Bernardino County Agricultural Commissioner in arresting the migration of the pest, doing so with the cooperation of the local populace, which complied, for the most part, with orders to refrain from removing fruit from trees and further demands that they not move any produce from their property. If fruit fell from trees, residents were urged to double-bag it and place it in a trash bin rather than green waste bins or other organic refuse designations.
Work crews consisting of a combination of California Department of Food and Agriculture and U.S. Department of Agriculture employees, California Conservation Corps crews, and private contractors specializing in fruit removal then methodically worked their way from one end of the target area to the other, going on to private property to pick up the contaminated, or potentially contaminated, fruit, disposing it into containers from which it was impossible for the flies, larvae or maggots to escape.
California and its fruit industry have been buffeted over the years by several pests, including Mediterranean, Mexican, Tau, melon, peach and guava fruit flies. Oriental fruit flies are most easily distinguished from other flies by their yellow color.
The oriental fruit fly, previously known by the scientific name, Dacus dorsalis and now referred to as Bactrocera dorsalis, is a species of tephritid fruit fly that was endemic to Southeast Asia. It is a major pest species, with a broad host range of cultivated and wild fruits. Having left its native Asia, it is a highly invasive pest that now has a presence in at least 65 countries. It is believed to have invaded Hawaii in 1945 as a contaminant of military material returning from the western Pacific war zone, in particular Taiwan and the Mariana Islands. Fruit imported to the mainland from Hawaii is generally fumigated to prevent the pest from coming her. But fruit brought by travelers, most likely from Hawaii but also from Southeast Asia and other Pacific islands has likely allowed the flies to get into California it is believed for the first time in 1960, at which point it began to immediately ravage fruit and vegetables. Eradication efforts by the CDFA and the United States Department of Agriculture have been an ongoing struggle since then.
According to the CDFA, female flies lay eggs in groups of three to 30 under the skin of host fruits. Larvae tunnel through the host and emerge approximately 10 days later. Flies mature into adulthood in 10 to 12 days and usually live up to 90 days. Adult flies are strong fliers and can travel as far as thirty miles for sustenance. This aggressive search for food allows the pest to infest a region quickly
The lifting of this quarantine signals the successful completion of a nearly 11-month-long collaborative effort to eradicate four unique invasive fruit fly species (Tau, Queensland, Mediterranean and Oriental) from seven quarantine areas across seven California counties — San Bernardino, Riverside, Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Clara, Sacramento and Contra Costa.
“This was an unprecedented situation for California to experience this many active invasive fruit fly quarantines at one time,” said Victoria Hornbaker, director of CDFA’s Plant Health and Pest Prevention Services Division. “The response to these destructive invasive species was an enormous effort, and thanks to the cooperation of residents, the agricultural industry, and our government partners at the local and federal levels, we’re incredibly proud to have successfully lifted all active invasive fruit fly quarantines in the state of California.”
Officials said the USDA made critical investments in the response with personnel and funding, and that commitment underscores the importance of ongoing investment in pest exclusion activities.
According to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, “It’s important to remember that the threat of new fruit fly introductions remains. Left unchecked, they can endanger the state’s natural environment, agriculture, and economy. Agricultural officials urge residents to follow simple precautions and stay vigilant for signs of invasive species. To help prevent any future introductions, residents should:

• Cooperate with agricultural officials and allow them access to your garden to place traps, inspect plants, conduct necessary treatments or remove potentially infested produce.
• Buy fruit trees and vegetable plants from licensed California nurseries. Purchasing agricultural goods from uncertified sources can spread invasive pests. Source your plants locally and responsibly. To find a licensed nursery near you, visit CDFA’s Directory of Licensed Nurseries.
• Inspect your garden for signs of invasive fruit flies or maggots and report any findings to CDFA at 1-800-491-1899 or your local county agricultural commissioner’s office.
• When entering the United States from another country, avoid bringing agricultural products — including fruits or vegetables. Help us protect our agricultural and natural resources and California’s unique biodiversity from invasive fruit flies — please Don’t Pack a Pest (www.dontpackapest.com) when traveling or mailing/receiving packages.”

More can be learned about this invasive species and how to protect the county’s fruits and vegetables at  CAFruitFly.com, rivcoawm.org or awm.sbcounty.gov.

Attack On CIM Guard Revives Chino Valley’s Death Row Inmate Transfer Misgivings

The resourceful though unsuccessful attempt on the life of a correctional officer by an inmate at the California Institution for Men in Chino has revived concerns about security issues involving the influx of Death Row inmates at the facility.
At roughly 8:30 p.m. on Sunday evening August 11, 2024, Kevin G. Roby, 60, clad only in boxer shorts, exited his housing unit and was observed by penal officers shortly thereafter.
Prison guards shouted orders at Roby to return to his housing unit as he began to walk toward the main prison yard. Roby continued and when several officers approached him and employed chemical mace in an effort to restrain him, he used a “shank,” a metal blade he or someone else had fashioned in one of the prison’s workshops which he had pulled from his underwear, to stab one of the guards in the side of his head, opening up a four-inch gash, but failing to reach the victim’s jugular vein or carotid artery.
There were contradictory reports about the action Roby had engaged in. In one account, it was related that the convict had used the element of surprise in wielding the makeshift knife. In another version it was put forth that he had armed himself with the knife and had it in his hand while he was yet heading toward the prison yard and had issued warnings that he would kill anyone in the yard well before a Code I response was ordered and several of the corrections officers formed a skirmish line in order to close in on him in a methodical fashion. Another variation held that Roby had bolted toward the line of correction officers, managing to stab a single guard before he was swarmed by at least six others. Continue reading →

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME
CIV SB 2422295
TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS:
Petitioner STEPHEN PAIGE & ASHLEY BEIRING filed with this court for a decree changing names as follows:
BRONSON GUNNER GEORGEI to BRONSON GUNNER LEE PAIGE
THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.
Notice of Hearing:
Date: August 26, 2024
Time: 8:30 a.m.
Department: S37
The address of the court is Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino, 247 West Third Street, San Bernardino, CA 92415
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that a copy of this order be published in the San Bernardino County Sentinel in San Bernardino County California, once a week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing of the petition.
Gilbert G. Ochoa
Judge of the Superior Court.
Filed: July 15, 2024 by
Ariel Barajas, Deputy Court Clerk
Stephen Paige
15006 Mustang Lane
Fontana, CA 92336
(909) 917-39221
spaige19@gmail.com
Published in the San Bernardino County Sentinel on July 25 and August 2, 9 & 16, 2024.

FBN 20240004940
The following entity is doing business primarily in San Bernardino County as
CARNICERIA EL TORO 1329 E 4th STREET ONTARIO, CA 91764; EL TORO MEAT MARKET INC 1329 E 4th STREET ONTARIO, CA 91764
Business Mailing Address: 1329 E 4th STREET ONTARIO, CA 91764
The business is conducted by: A CORPORATION registered with the State of California under the number 5782545.
The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: July 1, 2023.
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/ MAURICIO ANTONIO JERONIMO FIGUEROA, CEO
Statement filed with the County Clerk of San Bernardino on: 5/24/2024
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 J7527
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).
Originally published in the San Bernardino County Sentinel on June 7, 14, 21 & 28, 2024. Corrected on July 26, August 2, 9 & 16, 2024.

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: JOYCE H. HALL
CASE NO. PROVA2400674
To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both of JOYCE H. HALL has been filed by STEVE HALL in the Superior Court of California, County of SAN BERNARDINO.
THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that STEVE HALL be appointed as personal representatives to administer the estate of the decedent.
THE PETITION requests that the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court.
THE PETITION requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.
A hearing on the petition will be held SEPTEMBER 3, 2024 at 9:00 a.m. at San Bernardino County Superior Court, Fontana District
Department F3 – Fontana
17780 Arrow Boulevard
Fontana, CA 92335
IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney.
IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under Section 9052 of the California Probate Code.
Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law.
YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk.
Attorney for Steve Hall:
JAMES LEE, ESQUIRE SBN: 110838
LAW OFFICE OF MARC E. GROSSMAN
100 N. EUCLID AVE, SECOND FLOOR
Upland, CA 91786
jim@wefight4you.com
Telephone: (909) 608-7426
Fax: (909) 949 3077
Published in the San Bernardino County Sentinel on August 2, 9 & 16, 2024.

Continue reading →

Southwest Airlines will no longer be flying from Ontario International Airport to Bellingham International Airport in Washington state, Syracuse Hancock International Airport in New York, George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, and Cozumel International Airport in Mexico.
Alan Wapner, the president of the Ontario International Airport Authority Board of Directors was not immediately available for comment.

In a development that environmentalists celebrated as turning the corner on a decades-long effort to safeguard the ecology of a mountain canyon some four miles from Lake Arrowhead, the U.S. Forest Service has ordered BlueTriton Brands, the bottler of Arrowhead® Spring Water, to discontinue its diversion of water in the San Bernardino Mountains.
In a letter dated July 26, 2024, San Bernardino Mountain District Ranger Michael Nobles informed BlueTriton it must “cease operations” in the San Bernardino National Forest and remove all of the siphoning and drafting equipment along with its pipelines used to collect and transfer water from Strawberry Canyon, located above the 5,000-foot elevation, to a facility further down the mountain.
In a quick turnaround, BlueTriton on August 6 sued Nobles, four of his U.S. Forest Service supervisors and the U.S. Forest Service in federal court in Washington D.C.
The illegal diversion of water from Strawberry Canyon in the San Bernardino Mountains has been ongoing for more than 90 years. Those profiting by the diversion have perpetuated it year after year, decade after decade for what is approaching a century by blurring the distinction between water high up on the mountain with water lower down on the mountain.
Beginning in 1930 and then more aggressively in the later 1930s, 1940s and 1950s into the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, BlueTriton and its numerous corporate predecessors, all under the aegises of the Arrowhead Hot Springs Company, Arrowhead Springs Corporation, Arrowhead® Water Corporation and Arrowhead® Mountain Spring Water Company, utilized adits – horizontal passages bored into rock for drainage purposes – to draft water in Strawberry Canyon. Continue reading →

More than 14 months after the headhunting firm San Bernardino hired to assist it in recruiting a replacement city manager failed to maintain security with regard to a host of the candidates who were being considered for the job, the city council voted to make a payout of $800,000 to one of those applicants who was offered the city manager’s post and then elected to turn it down, only to be fired by the city council he had betrayed when he sought the San Bernardino job.
It now appears Steven Carrigan and his attorney have been able to exploit for their own personal benefit one of the dirty secrets of the municipal managerial profession which for generations has put the taxpayers at a disadvantage when dealing with powerful local government insiders who are in a position to structure their contracts and the rules by which they are considered for employment and, ultimately in many cases, hired.
Part and parcel to these lopsided and as often as not corrupted power relationships is the excessive secrecy of local government operations, a practice that serves the interests of the high-paid public servants as opposed to the residents and citizens who pay their salaries.
As summer dawned last year, Steven Carrigan was in place as the city manager of Salinas, a position he had held since January 2021. Prior to his hiring in Salinas, he had worked in the public sector for 24 years, including eight years near the beginning of his career as the economic development director in Stockton, followed by a stint as the assistant city manager of 25,000-population Sanger in Fresno County. In 2013, he was hired as the city manager of 37,000-population Los Banos in Merced County and in 2015, the city council with 84,000-population Merced, the county seat of Merced County, hired him as city manager on a three-year contract. That contract was extended, but in 2020, with the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, his efforts to readily adhere to the health precautions and COVID-related mandates imposed by Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom rubbed several Republican members of the Merced City Council, in particular its then-mayor, the wrong way and he resigned rather than be terminated. He managed to land on his feet in Salinas several months later, however.
Carrigan perhaps would have remained in Salinas for quite some time. He had initiated a personal relationship with the superintendent of the Salinas City Elementary School District, Rebeca Andrade, and therefore had a reason to remain in 163,542-population seat of government in Monterey County. There did not appear to be any insurmountable challenges in the running the city and there were no overt outstanding personality conflicts with any of the city council’s seven members, although the council had aggressively reviewed his performance early in 2023. Continue reading →