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MONDAY, OCTOBER 14- OCTOBER 20, 2024
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VOL. 8,
NO. 193
Corona educator named a 2025 California Teacher of the Year By Staff
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orona High School automotive technology teacher Bob Mauger is one of California’s five teachers of the year, officials announced Tuesday. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said in a statement, “These remarkable teachers have a lasting impact on their students, equipping them with the skills needed for success. They serve as an inspiration and exemplify the exceptional work happening in California schools.” In May, Mauger was named one of four 2025 Riverside County Teachers of the Year. “Mr. Mauger’s selection as a 2025 California Teacher of the Year is a testament to the excellence of educators across Riverside County who continue to focus on providing outstanding opportunities for students in their classrooms while preparing them for their future,”
Bob Mauger and students celebrate his selection as one of the 2025 California Teachers of the Year. | Photo courtesy of the Riverside County Office of Education
Riverside County Superintendent of Schools Edwin Gomez said in a statement. “His resourcefulness in securing industry-standard
tools and equipment helps ensure that students have what they need to succeed, secure jobs, and overcome personal challenges.”
The state Department of Education administers the Teachers of the Year Program with support from the California Teachers
of the Year Foundation. The program began in 1972 to publicly recognize outstanding teachers with the added aim of helping
to inspire new teachers to enter the profession. Mauger and the other teachers of the year will serve a yearlong stint as ambassadors of the profession and as representatives of the state. “The prospect of becoming a teacher never entered Bob Mauger’s mind,” according to a statement from the Riverside County Office of Education. “After many stops and starts exploring various career options, everything changed after he volunteered at his daughter’s elementary school. ... Mauger describes his teaching career as increasingly rewarding with each passing year — especially as more students make the shift from his classroom to their own career journeys. His greatest satisfaction comes from witnessing the ‘aha’ moments from See Top teacher Page 28
Riverside County settles suit with Lamps Plus over misleading ads
Riverside County board OKs new fire ant inspection contract with state
By City News Service
By City News Service
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iverside County will receive just over $1 million from Chatsworth-based Lamps Plus Inc. under a civil settlement stemming from the company’s marketing strategies, which prosecutors contend involved false advertising that misled consumers, it was announced Wednesday. The Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, together with DAs’ offices in Los Angeles, San Bernardino and San Diego counties, filed suit against Lamps Plus
earlier this year following an investigation spearheaded by the Consumer Protection Unit in Riverside, which uncovered instances where the defendants “unlawfully advertised” products, according to a DA’s office statement. Last month, the plaintiffs and company reached a settlement in Riverside County Superior Court that was affirmed on Oct. 2 by Judge Carol Greene. The terms specify $3.8 million in civil penalties and $300,000 in cost recovery for the inves-
tigative resources expended. According to Deputy District Attorney Evan Goldsmith, Riverside County’s share of the payout will come to $1.025 million. “Lamps Plus allegedly used ‘compare at’ and ‘comparable value’ sales tags to indicate a bargain price, even where the product sold was an own-brand product with no competitor in the market, or where the compaSee Lamps Plus Page 27
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he Board of Supervisors Tuesday authorized the Riverside County Office of the Agricultural Commissioner to renew its contract with the state for inspections of interstate shipping points to identify and eliminate any red imported fire ant infestations. The compact with the California Department of Food & Agriculture will be retroactive to Aug. 1 and conclude on July 31, 2025, at an estimated total cost to the
state of $95,118. “Residents and businesses will be positively impacted, in that this program is aimed at preventing the spread of red imported fire ants, which are injurious to humans, landscape and exporting businesses,” the Office of the Agricultural Commissioner said in a statement posted to the board’s agenda. The office has served as the CDFA’s inspection and enforcement agent for red imported fire ant containment over the last decade.
Personnel generally examine plant nurseries imported into California to try to confirm whether infestations are present. Portions of the Coachella Valley are under a federal quarantine of red imported fire ants that is managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Orange County has the largest quarantine zone, while Los Angeles County has the smallest in the region. See Ant inspection Page 27