MONDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2014 - OCTOBER 12, 2014
riversideindependent.com
VOLUME 1, NO. 23
A veto sets back Riverside County cities Family by Vickie Vértiz members can Four struggling Riverside County cities are citing back-room ask court to politics for the veto signed by Governor Jerry Brown of a bill that seize guns would have restored up to $19 million to them. The veto could even lead Jurupa Valley to disfrom unstable solve altogether, according to the San Bernardino Sun. loved ones The bill was a recent attempt to reverse a decision made in 2011 by California legislators which shifted vehicle license-fee revenue from cities to law enforcement. Sponsored by Sen. Richard Roth, D-Riverside, the bill was a chance to balance the budget in the middle of the long-lasting Great Recession. The Sun said that the policy affected all California cities, but negatively affected Jurupa Valley, Eastvale, Menifee and Wildomar, which are all recently-incorporated Riverside County cities. Because they are new additions, the cities were depending more on the vehicle license fees than older neighbors, said the Sun. The cities have been forced to cut back on services, said the paper, but Jurupa Valley was hit the hardest because it became a city only two days after the bill was up for a vote, losing nearly half of the revenue it was counting on in its
Riverside residences. The case has been referred to the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office for potential prosecution. At one of the homes, located in the19000 block of White Dove Lane, investigators recovered more than 40 gallons of
After 22-year-old Rodger Eliot went on a shooting rampage this May in Isla Vista killing 6 and wounding 12 more people, officials called, again, for stricter gun control laws. California assemblywomen Nancy Skinner consequently sponsored a bill allowing guns to be seized from mentally ill individuals. The law, which was signed into effect last Tuesday, lets people demand a court order to temporarily seize guns from family members who pose a threat to the community or themselves. In order to prevent these potentially dangerous individuals from buying firearms, they will also be added to a list. Prior to his planned shooting, Eliot had legally acquired three guns, and his parents had repeatedly warned police of his unstable condition. California has recognized that “family members are the ones who most acutely understand when their loved ones are in a dangerous situation,” according to the executive director of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence Josh Horwitz, and thus, has now become the first state of the country to allow them to ask for a court order seizing firearms. In other states with similar only law enforcement officials have the right to do so. Skinner told the New York Times: “This puts California in the leadership on efforts to stop
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Gov. Jerry Brown -Photo by Terry Miller
first year of existence. Jurupa Valley has faced fiscal difficulties ever since and might run out of funds in two years. The Sun quoted Riverside County Supervisor John Tavaglione, a Republican representing Jurupa Valley and Eastvale, saying the Democratic governor is “out of touch.”
“I don’t think this was even a serious consideration for him, quite frankly … They basically thumbed their nose at us.” The Sun added that some people have even suggested the Legislature override the veto, but that strategy is not historically supPlease see page 2
HSI dismantles large-scale drug lab in Riverside
Investigators seize nearly $5 million worth of chemicals, crystal methamphetamine and marijuana Seven men, all originally from Mexico, were arrested on state criminal charges Thursday following U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations’ (HSI) discovery of a drug lab inside a residence in the Mission Grove neighborhood of Riverside and a related marijuana
grow at another home nearby. Six of the men, ages 22 to 51, are facing possible drug charges. The seventh suspect is being held for questioning in connection with an ongoing murder probe out of Sacramento. The men were detained after HSI special agents executed state search warrants at three
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Web tool to help improve student success launched State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today introduced a new online tool, the Quality Schooling Framework (QSF), to offer guidelines and spread best practices to administrators to help them create a better learning environment for their students. “This Web-based tool will help administrators improve teacher training, testing, budgeting, parent participation, and other aspects of school operations,” said Torlakson. “This is just one of our efforts to help schools prepare students for college, careers, and a bright future.” The QSF came about as a result of Torlakson’s A Blueprint for Great Schools initiative, which recommended the California Department of Education increase its role in sharing resources and tools with administrators throughout the state to help improve schools. The QSF acts like a map,
providing guidance to administrators on how to make effective plans, policies, and fiscal decisions. It is organized around 10 elements that focus on improving instruction, testing, teacher learning, school leadership, and getting parents more involved in their children’s learning. These elements, which are drawn from research on effective schools, can be applied to planning at the district level for the Local Educational Agency Plan and the Local Control and Accountability Plan. The QSF is designed to add best practices recommended by school leaders. It should be particularly valuable in helping districts and schools as they move toward greater local flexibility and decision-making. The QSF was developed by the California Department of Education with the help of the California Comprehensive Center at WestEd.
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Mayor’s Celebration for Arts and Innovation The region’s largest fundraiser in support of the arts evolves into the region’s largest fundraiser in support of both the arts AND innovation. The City of Riverside, Riverside Arts Council and SMART Riverside join together on Saturday, October 11 at the Riverside Municipal Auditorium as they present the Mayor’s Celebration for Arts and Innovation. The evening will be filled with exhibitions, demonstrations and performances by Riverside’s outstanding arts organizations,
technology firms, colleges and universities. In addition to a silent auction, live auction and opportunity drawing, the evening will include The Art of Food, a Taste of Riverside-style event featuring heavy hors d’oeuvres by twenty of the best restaurants in Riverside. For more information, visit www.MayorsCelebrationRiverside.com or call the Riverside Arts Council at (951) 680-1345. Date: October 11th, 6 - 10 pm. Location: Riverside Municipal Auditorium
A veto sets back Riverside County cities Continued from page 1
ported with success. Evan Westrup, spokesman for the governor, told reports that the veto message “speaks for itself.” Ever since funding was taken away, Inland government officials have been lobbying to restore funds, said the Sun. In 2012, officials attempted to restore funds but Brown vetoed it because he said the policy could have negative, long-term consequences for the overall state finances. Reasoning for the recent veto echoed similar reasoning, adding that, while the economy improved, the governor still had concerns over “long-term costs to the general fund.” The recent bill would have provided property tax money that goes to education to the four cities instead, bringing to mind the idea
of “Robbing Peter to pay Paul.” State law requires full funding for education, said the Sun, “that money would have to have been repaid from the general fund.” Inland leaders read the veto as Sacramento being indifferent to what happens to Inland Empire cities and residents. Partisan politics are playing a significant role in the matter. Three years ago when the fees were first moved, Brown blamed Republicans for forcing him to divert vehicle license fees because they refused to consider higher taxes on income, sales and vehicles, said the Sun. Reactions from some Inland Republican officials included blaming Brown of taking revenge on Inland constituents, but did not address their choice to ignore raising taxes to pay for much-needed services.
New gun control law Continued from page 1
gun violence, and it gives a very effective tool to law enforcement and families to intervene before a shooting tragedy occurs.” Opponents of the bill argue against it because it would take away the rights of the Second Amendment and is not an adequate measure to prevent mass shootings. According to
the NY Times, Gun rights supporter and California assemblyman Tim Donnelly said: “Every one of us wants to prevent a mass shooting. The question is: Would this bill stop that? I don’t believe you can ever stop that with laws. I don’t believe you can legislate evil out of the hearts of men.”
OCTOBER 6, 2014 - OCTOBER 12, 2014 | 3
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Governor Brown reinforces access to healthy food options on state property SB 912 will require healthy options in vending machines Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. today signed legislation that will ensure current nutritional standards for foods and beverages sold in vending machines on state property remain in effect permanently. “California is facing an obesity epidemic that demands we do everything we can to ensure access to healthier food options,” said Senator Mitchell, author of Senate Bill 912 (SB 912). “For most of us the workplace is our home away from home, so our state facilities should offer nutritional choices onsite and within sight, both for employees and the public we serve.” Since 2008, state law has required that one-third of beverages sold on state property meet minimal nutritional standards and since 2011, 35 percent of the food. SB 912 simply preserves current law by removing the sunset on these guidelines. “California is facing a public health crisis as more than half of adults and teens are classified as overweight or obese,” said Dr. Diane Sobkowicz, president of the board of directors for the American Heart Association’s Sacramento division. “We know that sugar-sweetened beverages are a huge contributing factor to this problem and we applaud Governor Brown for taking this step to ensure that state workers and visitors to the state will continue to have access to healthier options. The workplace is a key environment for maintaining the health of the population but we still have a long way to go and this is just one aspect of our multifaceted effort to combat obesity in connection with heart diseases and stroke.” Heart disease and stroke are the number one and number three killers of Californians, respectively. Obesity greatly increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes and some forms of cancer.
Lost productivity and medical care costs related to obesity, overweight and physical inactivity are estimated to cost California $52 billion annually. “Fighting the obesity epidemic will take a multipronged approach and continuing to ensure access to healthy food and beverage options for our state workers is a good start,” said Sobkowicz. “We must also ensure access to healthy foods for all Californians while reducing consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and promoting increased physical activity for adults and children.” Co-sponsors of SB 912 in-
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clude the American Heart Association, the California Center for Public Health Advocacy and the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network.
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4 | OCTOBER 6, 2014 - OCTOBER 12, 2014
Governor Brown signs legislation to ban single-use plastic bags in California Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today signed the nation’s first statewide ban on single-use plastic bags – SB 270 – aligning state law with ordinances passed by a growing number of local governments in California to reduce plastic waste. The legislation, authored by Senator Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima), prohibits grocery stores and pharmacies from distributing single-use plastic bags after July 2015 and enacts the same ban for convenience stores and liquor stores the following year. It will also provide up to $2 million in competitive loans – administered by CalRecycle – to businesses transitioning to the manufacture
of reusable bags. Thus far, over 120 local governments in California have passed ordinances banning single-use bags in some fashion, with widespread support from community and environmental groups. SB 270 is supported by many of these same groups, along with local governments, businesses and labor organizations. “The California coast is a national treasure and a calling card for the world, helping us attract visitors and business from around the globe. Removing the harmful blight of single-use plastic bags, especially along our coastline and waterways, helps ensure the kind of clean and healthy environment
we need to have a stronger economy and a brighter future,” said Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins. “California is the first state in the U.S. to ban the most ubiquitous consumer item on the planet, in an effort to drive consumers towards sustainable behavior change. Data from the over 127 local plastic bag bans has proven that bans are effective at reducing litter and changing consumer attitudes, and have refuted industry’s claims of apocalyptic impacts on jobs and poor communities. A state plastic bag ban saves taxpayers the huge amount of money spent on litter cleanup, and protects the environment,” said Clean Seas Coalition and
Seventh Generation Advisors director Leslie Tamminen. “SB 270 is a great victory for all of California. We’ve seen locally that plastic bag bans lead to cleaner water and healthier wildlife, keeping trash off our beaches and out of our creeks. The success of bag bans in our local communities has empowered state legislators to make the right decision for the health of California’s waterways. Governor Brown’s signature of this statewide bag ban is an important moment for our state, demonstrating that California is once again willing to take the lead on important environmental issues,” said Save the Bay executive director David Lewis.
Drug lab in Riverside dismantled Continued from page 1
liquid methamphetamine and approximately 40 pounds of finished crystal methamphetamine. The liquid methamphetamine would be enough to produce another 250 pounds of crystal meth, which currently sells on the street in California for as much as $1,000 an ounce. Besides the cache of chemicals, the Mission Grove residence also featured other equipment consistent with a drug manufacturing operation, including two propane tanks hooked up
to a makeshift stove for “cooking” the liquid meth and several freezers in an upstairs bedroom for use in completing the crystallization process. “There’s no question this seizure has dealt a significant blow to the criminal organization behind this drug trafficking scheme,” said Claude Arnold, special agent in charge of HSI Los Angeles. “Methamphetamine is a powerful drug that devastates entire communities. By keeping this dangerous
-Courtesy Photo
contraband from reaching our streets, we’ve potentially saved untold lives.” The probe into the drug manufacturing scheme is ongoing, but HSI special agents say preliminary evidence indicates the methamphetamine in the residence was likely smuggled into the U.S. from Mexico in liquid form, then converted into its crystalized form at the drug lab for subsequent distribution. In addition to the home on White Dove Lane, HSI special agents also executed search warrants at two other Riverside residences, one of which housed a marijuana grow. At that location, in the 17000 block of Twin Lakes Drive, investigators discovered 300 marijuana plants
and 230 pounds of processedmarijuana. The processed marijuana has an estimated street value of approximately $1 million. Additionally, the operation resulted in the seizure of fourfirearms, including a stolen rifle, and $70,000 in cash. HSI received substantial assistance with the enforcement action from the multiagency Inland Regional Narcotic Enforcement Team (IRNET); the Riverside and Fontana police departments; the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department; and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. For more information, visit www.ice.gov. You may also visit us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, or access this news release on your mobile device.