FREE
County pet adoption campaign offering canines minus fees continues to Monday
Overturned propane truck snarls traffic on freeway in Jurupa Valley
PG 02
PG 32
VISIT HEYSOCAL.COM
MONDAY, MARCH 17- MARCH 23, 2025
VOL. 11,
NO. 215
San Bernardino County board approves funding for health care, homeless services
Board OKs auto aid fire protection agreement between Riverside, county
By Joe Taglieri
By City News Service
T
joet@beaconmedianews.com
he Board of Supervisors on Tuesday signed off on an “automatic aid” agreement between the Riverside County Fire Department and the city of Riverside Fire Department, guaranteeing that the latter will make resources available to handle blazes and other emergencies within the county jurisdiction around March Air Reserve Base. In a 5-0 vote without comment, the board authorized county fire Chief Bill Weiser to enter into the compact with the city at a projected annual cost to the county of $416,000, of which three-quarters will have to be siphoned from a contingency, or reserve, fund, according to documents posted to the board agenda. The remainder will be paid out of the departmental budget. The county and city last entered into an automatic aid agreement in 2018. The new one — which is retroactive to July 1, 2024, and expires at the end of the 2028-29 fiscal year — specifies that city firefighters and equipment will be available to provide services across an expanded area, known as
T
he San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday OK’d funding allocations for a range of health care resources and services to address homelessness. The county’s Behavioral Health Department is increasing funding by more than $70 million, to nearly $160.4 million, to expand substance use disorder and recovery services provided by community-based organizations, according to Tuesday’s meeting agenda. The added funds aim to enhance inpatient treatment and clinical services, assisting an estimated 5,888 additional adults and adolescents to receive addiction care in therapeutic settings, a county statement reported. The funding will also increase treatment beds from 169 to 303. These community-based organizations contract with the Behavioral Health Department to offer addiction treatment services: G and C Swan Inc., Inland Valley Drug and Alcohol Recovery Services Inc., Phoenix House Orange County Inc., Social Science Services Inc., known as Cedar House Life Change Center, and Veteran’s Alcohol Rehabilitation Program Inc. The boost in funding is supported through Drug Medi-Cal, opioid settlement funds and 2011 realignment
See Fire protection Page 31
Rainstorm causes mudslides in San Jacinto A crew of workers clears an encampment in December at Wildwood Park in San Bernardino. | Photo courtesy of the city of San Bernardino
funds, officials said. Department grant awards The board approved several department grant awards and a reallocation of funding. - About $1.36 million is in Emergency Solutions Grant funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development that the county’s Community Development and Housing Department administers and
distributed to the county Office of Homeless Services. “This funding will enhance efforts to address homelessness through comprehensive services such as mapping homeless encampments, providing outreach services and case management, funding emergency housing services, and assisting indiSee SB board Page 31
viduals in need with finding permanent housing,” according to the county statement. - Approximately $1.7 million from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the Strengthening Public Health Infrastructure Grant Program goes to San Bernardino County Public Health in an effort to
By City News Service
F
irefighters were on the scene of multiple mudslides in San Jacinto Thursday that trapped occupants of several vehicles, as a late-winter rainstorm moved through the Inland Empire. The mudslides were first reported around 6:05 a.m. Thursday at the intersection of Soboba Road and Chabela Drive, according to the Riverside County Fire Department. Members of the department’s Swift Water Rescue Team helped free six people, all of whom were released after receiving on-site paramedic evaluations. Soboba Road was closed between Chabela Drive and State/Gilman Springs while crews attempted to disperse See Rainstorm Page 32
OUR 2025 SUMMER CAMP GUIDE IS HERE!