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San Bernardino officials seek public input on proposed grant for off-road vehicle enforcement By Joe Taglieri
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Riverside County supervisors OK range of public health fee revisions By City News Service
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joet@beaconmedianews.com
he Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a slate of fee hikes tied to Riverside County Department of Public Health services, under a fee schedule revised to reflect inflation-driven impacts to the agency. In a 3-0 vote — with Supervisors Yxstian Gutierrez and Chuck Washington absent — the board formally signed off on the adjustments, which will take effect on May 1. Department of Public Health Director Kim Saruwatari said the Auditor-Controller's Office had scrutinized the proposal and determined the new rates were "equitable and reasonable to recover the cost of providing services." "These new and revised public health program fees are necessary to meet the on-going operational and maintenance costs of providing public health program services to Riverside County residents," according to an agency statement posted to the board's agenda.
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an Bernardino city officials want state funding for enforcing illegal off-road vehicle activity and asked the public Monday to share feedback on the issue. The grant is from California State Parks' Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division and aims to help improve public safety and protect natural areas from illegal off-roading, officials said. The funding would support the San Bernardino Police Department's OffHighway Vehicle, or OHV Enforcement Team, which works to curb illegal OHV use in the Santa Ana River bottom and the city's other sensitive environmental habitats. The proposed funding would go toward increased patrols, equipment maintenance and enforcement operations to reduce noise, property damage and environmental destruction caused by unauthorized off-road vehicles. The program also aims to bolster collaboration with neighboring law enforcement agencies. "The public is encouraged to review the proposal and share their feedback," according to a city statement. "Input will help understand
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San Bernardino County calls on poultry farms, dairies to know signs of bird flu
An off-highway police vehicle. | Photo courtesy of the city of San Bernardino
any community concerns and ensure responsible OHV management. ... This period offers an opportunity for the public to review and provide feedback on preliminary applications." The public comment period for the off-road vehicle enforcement grant is open until 5 p.m. May 5. To leave comments, email ohv.grants@parks.ca.gov. More information is online at ohv.parks.ca.gov/?page_ id=1164. The city is request-
ing $62,000 from the state and will provide the rest of the proposed enforcement effort's $83,000 total. Since the grant program started in 1974, it has distributed over $833 million to California municipalities, State Parks reported. According to the city's grant proposal, "The San Bernardino Patrol and Enforcement OHV Operations Project will conduct patrol operations to address
unauthorized off-highway vehicle activity within the City of San Bernardino. Some enthusiasts access the OHV areas throughout the city by public roadways and often trespass on private lands while riding closed OHV trail systems." The result has been "a significant increase in service calls" that drain law enforcement resources, officials said. "Based on officer observations and informa-
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By Joe Taglieri joet@beaconmedianews.com
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mid the statewide outbreak of bird flu, San Bernardino County officials repeated the call last week to poultry and dairy farmers to recognize the symptoms of infection. Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, commonly called bird flu, is a virus that spreads rapidly, officials said. It has affected many dairy herds and has also been detected in poultry farms, leading Gov. Gavin Newsom to declare a state of emergency in December and to a ban on poultry and dairy cow exhibitions. The California Department of Food and Agriculture is See Bird flu Page 14
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