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Thursday, January 29-February 04, 2026
County supervisors approve loan for ER at bankrupt Blythe hospital
By City News Service he Board of Supervisors Tuesday approved revisions to a Riverside County policy that permits spouses of military veterans to apply for credits toward job placement in county government, loosening up the process for applicants. "There are so many different efforts going on when it comes to our veterans," Supervisor Manuel Perez said
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Board revises policy on hiring credits for military vets' spouses
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By Joe Taglieri joet@beaconmedianews.com he Board of Supervisors on Tuesday OK'd a $1 million loan and assistance from Riverside County agencies to keep the only emergency room in Blythe open at bankrupt Palo Verde Hospital. Without access to emergency care at the Blythe facility, the nearly 20,000 residents in the city and nearby areas would lose access to "timely treatment for life-threatening conditions where minutes matter," according to a county statement. The nearest hospital with emergency capability is over 70 miles away. "This represents the county's effort to preserve emergency medical care in the Palo Verde Valley," county CEO Jeff Van Wagenen said prior to supervisors' 5-0 vote. "The county provides safety net services across all of the county. We hope to stabilize the emergency department and make an assessment regarding next steps, then bring recommendations back to the board in the very near future." The loan agreement with the Palo Verde Healthcare
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ahead of the 5-0 vote Tuesday. "There's a lot (more) to come our way." The Department of Human Resources received the board's authorization to amend Board Policy C-3, also known as the "Veterans Preference Policy," under which qualifying retired, disabled or activeduty military personnel preparing to leave service receive credit that elevates
See Vets' spouses Page 27
| Photo courtesy of the Palo Verde Healthcare District
District "does not solve every challenge the district faces, but it provides us breathing room to work on long-term solutions," district board Clerk Joanna Gonzalez told county supervisors. Van Wagenen and Supervisor V. Manuel Perez, whose 4th District includes the hospital, proposed the rescue loan earlier this month. They also called for a county health care "strike force" to come up with a plan for solving the hospital's fiscal crisis. Palo Verde Healthcare District administrators
immediately accepted the county's offer. The district has only a few days' cash on hand to fund operations, officials said. The district will be able to access loan funds as soon as it establishes a dedicated bank account for the $1 million, which will come from the county's General Fund. The strike force will consist mainly of staff members from the Riverside University Health System to do evaluations and identify
practices focused on fixing shortfalls to, at minimum, make the emergency department solvent. The financial deal specifies the county will have "first priority" status among the health care district's creditors and in no way will be liable for any of the district's debts. The loan agreement contains provision for an approximately nine-month grace period, no loan payments required. Beginning in October, however, initial payment on
See Blythe hospital Page 27
Corona mom expresses dismay, disbelief over early release of son's killer By Paul J. Young, City News Service
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Corona mom whose youngest son was fatally struck by a distracted driver possibly under the influence as he bicycled with friends was struggling Monday to understand how the defendant will be released from prison next month after serving barely a quarter of her sentence, calling it an injustice that demands a See Early release Page 28
change in state law. "It's like we're being re-victimized all over again," Kathleen Montalvo told City News Service. "The pain of what happened is still there. How did she obtain parole after a quarter of her sentence? I promise you, she didn't get rehabilitated in that time." The woman's son, 20-year-old Benjamin Jorge