Derry Opposed Settlement Agreement with Former CAO Mark Uffer

Although the board of supervisors approved a $650,000 settlement with the county’s former Chief Administrative Officer Mark Uffer, Supervisor Neil Derry voted against the settlement. In a press release he said the settlement stemmed from Uffer’s “wrongful termination” suit. The board approved the settlement on a 3-2 vote held in closed session prior to their Feb. 28 meeting.

“The apparent lesson for all San Bernardino County employees to learn from this is even if you are an at-will employee and are terminated, go ahead and sue us because we are going to give you a lot of taxpayer dollars,” the supervisor said.

The provisions of Uffer’s at-will employee contract included a generous severance package which he has already received, Derry said.

“Following Uffer’s termination, it was soon discovered that the financial health of the county was in significantly worse shape than the Board was led to believe by his administration. After his departure it was learned that the county faced an on-going structural deficit in excess of $100 million over the next five years,” said Supervisor Derry.

Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt also opposed the settlement. Supervisors Ovitt, Gonzales and Rutherford voted in favor of the settlement agreement.

 

Former Assemblyman Adams Throws Hat Into Congressional “Ring”

Former State Assemblyman Anthony Adams (R)  has announced that he is throwing his hat into the bid for California’s 8th Congressional District.  He will be running  as an Independent. “The citizens of this District are fed up with the partisan bickering that has deadlocked Congress. I saw a survey recently that showed that the company responsible for the Gulf Oil Spill has an approval rating of 18 percent of  the American public. This is the same survey that said the U.S. Congress’ approval rating was nine percent. He added that from the time children are small, including himself, they say they say the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag but in doing so it doesn’t  mean, as adults, that they pledge allegiance to any particular party. According to his announcement he said, “Democrats and Republicans are putting their party ahead of our country. I believe there is a better way.”

“I want to reform government and make it more effective. I want to improve government efficiency and reduce government gridlock. Only then can the shackles be removed from the job creators who will drive this economy back to prosperity. Adams believes the best way to govern is with limited government. “I believe that the voters of the newly created 8th District have fears and concerns. We need to make sure that we roll out the red carpet for new jobs, not pull out rolls of red tape,” he said.

The boundaries of the 8th district include the diverse communities of Crestline, the City of  Highland east to Needles and up to Bridgeport and many communities and cities  inbetween. This district was re-drawn last year by the committee to re-align the boundaries as the result of the most recent census.

 

 

 

Rim High’s Seth Whisner Qualifies for CIF Championships

Congratulations and best wishes are sent to Rim High School “Scots” Wrestler Seth Whisner who placed 8th in the 145 category at last weekend’s CIF wrestling semi-finals. He now heads to the Final CIF championships this weekend in Bakersfield.

Rim wrestlers took the Mountain Valley League championship for the second year in a row as the powerful team went undefeated in league competition. Congrats to  seven Rim wrestlers  M. Eshleman, C. Richter, C. Smith, S. Whisner, D. Wiessner, N. Zuniga and  N. Pesquera who received Most Value Player (MVP) awards.

Overall, San Bernardino County schools are sending 26 wrestlers to the state competition which will be held this weekend in Bakersfield. Rim High School has always has an outstanding wrestling program. The team went undefeated in league meets.

Best of luck, Seth. We’ll start tuning up our Rim High “Scots” bagpipes for your return celebration! We’re proud of you!

 

 

“The Green Valley Lake” Gathering Place: The Pantry!

 

Pat and Randy Rozetti in The Pantry/Malt Shop on Green Valley Lake Road.

Have you ever thought about your pantry and its significance? Probably not but a pantry is a gathering place. It holds food supplies, aprons, more food and other items for cooking. Every pantry is different but one of the best pantry’s around is located in Green Valley Lake, right on Green Valley Lake Road. This special Pantry is found inside  The Malt Shop.

For many years, the Malt Shoppe has been the gathering place for residents and visitors to sit down, enjoy a cup of coffee or a delicious sandwich, one of their extraordinary burgers and let their hair down and simply ENJOY talking to their neighbors and/or even strangers!

The Pantry owners Pat and Don Rozetti  have made a lot of changes in the past few months since they took over the operation………and they’re all good! One of the best things is the deli case they recently brought in. A quick look inside was enough to make my mouth water. It was not only filled with delicious deli meats (that they can slice to order) and salads but the pastries absolutely made me drool. In the summer they plan to smoke roasts and pork and I can smell the aroma already.

During my recent visit Pat Rozetti said that customers will soon be able to order a specially baked and decorated cake for a birthday, anniversary or other special occasion and don’t forget the pies. Yum! Imagine being able to custom order a cake for that special someone, without going down the hill to order it and then pick it up. This sounds like a great idea to me and one that should prove to be a real help for full and part-time residents . As the nation’s economy has struggled and continues to, many residents are trying hard to purchase goods and services locally so the businesses they enjoy in the mountains can stay open to serve their needs……and/or plain old want.

Currently The Pantry is open  Tuesday and Wednesday from 9:30 to 2 p.m. and Friday, Saturday and Sunday they’re open for breakfast, lunch and dinner from 8 a.m. to  7 p.m. The Pantry has a $4.99 breakfast special for mid-week customers but favorites such as their famous burgers and other delicious sandwiches. The hours have changed a bit but the 10-year Green Valley Lake residents want to make sure they accommodate the wishes of as many of their Green Valley Lake friends as well as friends from other mountain area and “out-of-towners” as possible.

Pat and Randy, who are 10 year Green Valley Lake residents, we know people aren’t always what they seem to be. One case in fact is that the small restaurant hosts a four-star chef, Jerry Dodaro, who had his own restaurant in Hawaii on the island of Kauai. With his knowledge of great cooking Pat and Randy are adding Jerry’s delicious Surf and Turf to the menu. (Can’t you taste it right now? I can!) The couple also plan to offer music, cabaret-style, during the summer months.

With the economy being so tight and with so many people having such tough decisions to make right now, Pat and Randy hope to bring back the smiles on customers’ faces. I don’t think they have to worry…………….that’s a given! After all, the Malt Shop has been around a long time and now The Pantry will also be around a long, long time! People who live in big cities often lose the close-knit feeling that small communities have so by offering great new items in the Malt Shop and add to that the delicious new pastries and other goodies from The Pantry you’ve got a mix made in heaven.

Tucked away in the corner is a small shop where residents and visitors can purchase such things as toiletries, a few “hardware” items, a good book to enjoy while they’re in Green Valley Lake, some fishing and outdoor items  and a few other “necessities of life.” And………………..they have an ATM machine.

Can it get any better? I don’t think so! For information call (909) 939-1107.

 

 

Tiny Tot Gymnastics Available for “Tiny Tots”

Do you have a “Tiny Tot” that’s leaping over the back of the couch backwards in some elemental gymnastics move? How about carefully walking on the high fence in the backyard using it like a balance beam? Or holding onto the high bar on the swing set and twirling around? Does he or she vault between trees with pointed toes and does he/she land, stick her/his chest out and raise his/her arms in the air when they land on the ground? If so, you’ve got a budding gymnast on your hands!

The Rim of the World Recreation has a solution to your problem. It’s quite simple………….they need to be in Tiny Tot gymnastics! Who knows? He or she could be the next Olympic contender to represent the Rim of the World communities.

The Rim of the World Recreation and Park District has just the solution for you. Take your “tiny tot,” otherwise known as a pre-schooler or toddler to Hootman Center in Running Springs where he/she can romp around and learn a variety of basic tumbling skills, cartwheels or assisted walk-overs, in a fun, unstructured manner suitable for children of such a young age. The children will also be introduced to the “dreaded” balance beam in a gentle, non-threatening manner.

Even if your budding World Champion  never makes a stab to be on the U.S.A. Olympic team, by starting early in a class like Tiny Tot Gymnastics, they will have learned a lot about coordination, balance, flexibility along with self-confidence and how to  interact  with children their age.

There’s still time to enter the Feb. 27, March 26, April 30 or May 21 classes. For information call the Rim of the World Recreation and Park District at (909) 337-PARK.

The charge is $8 per class and the class is open to children from 18 months through four-year-olds. The class is held at 10 a.m. and it ends 50 minutes later.The teacher is Michele Bryer who has years of experience in dance and coaching gymnastics.

 

 

 

Pete Liapes: A Man for All Seasons! Iconoclast! One of Our Own!

By Bruce Daniels

Did you know that Running Springs is part of a watershed that reaches the Pacific Ocean and  in far northeastern California? Pete Does! He can tell you those amazing facts, and more, as a longtime resident of Running Springs. What we don’t know about Pete is that he is a lifetime fighter, having served in Vietnam with the Marines and with California on the forest fire line.

Pete carries a lot of facts and stories in his head that makes him both historian and story-teller with an All-American background. He knows the San Bernardino Mountain’s back country like the back of his hand. He can show you Indian trails, artifacts and petroglyphs that he uncovered, much to the amazement and approval of local museum curators and archeologists. In fact, Pete schooled himself on the subject while living in Vista and attending Palomar Junior College; later serving with the Mojave River Natural History Association.

Having hiked throughout the mountains, Pete can tell you that the Mojave River, down to where Deep Creek flows,is the only river in California that runs north, emptying into Death Valley. If you happen to have seen a handwritten sign warning you that Deep Creek is mountain lion country, that’s Pete at work. Pete knows his flora and fauna, having written a paper on our local archeology. He once interviewed a 110-year-old lady who had seen, firsthand, a Serrano Indian village near Summit Valley Road and he worked with the San Bernardino County Museum on the Native American history of the area.

A few years ago when a community-wide effort was made to build an inter-mountain trail system, I wished I had known Pete. Today, if we’re lucky, we could utilize his knowledge to revitalize that initiative. All it takes is enthusiasm and momentum re-generated with the help of the next generation.

Pete, 71, is a retired firefighter, having fought some of the worst fires, for over nine years, with the Hotshots of the U.S. Forest Service. He’s probably forgotten more about firefighting than most others. When the Fire Safe Council was formed Pete was elected chairman of what was then called the “Front Country Alliance.”

I got to know Pete from the neighborhood and the fact that he grew up near the Adirondacks in upstate New York at the time when I attended Syracuse University nearby. Coincidentally, my friends were from families he knew in his hometown of Glens Falls.

Pete Liapes paid his dues by volunteering and serving in Vietnam with the Navy Seabees  that were assigned to the Marine Corps 3rd Division. Unlike the general impression that the war was fought by mostly minorities, Pete called it a “middle-class war” where nine of his buddies from his little town were killed in action.

Pete moved to the mountains from Vista, El Centro and Yuma where he raised his son and daughter.

Like the gold mines of Holcomb Valley, I’m sure that many more stories can be mined from Pete in the future.

Sen. Dutton Introduces Legislation to Strengthen Probation Requirements

This week Senator Bob Dutton introduced Senate Bill 1150 that seeks to strengthen probation requirements when felons are released back into their communities in California.

As a result of the state’s recently imposed “prison realignment” plan to reduce the state’s prison population, many prisoners are released into a category called “Post “Release Community Supervision” which, depending on the county, may include a reduced level of supervision by probation officers.

“Under current law, only the felon’s most recent crime is used in determining if that individual is eligible for “Post Release Community Supervision” Under SB 1150, the felon’s entire criminal history would have to be reviewed becoming eligible or this lower level of supervision.

“We need to make sure that as this new ‘prison realignment’ process is put into place it does not put law-abiding citizens at risk,” Senator Dutton said. “If a felon is serving his latest sentence for marijuana possession, he might be eligible for ‘Post Release community Supervision’ even if that person had a prior offense of armed robbery or sexual assault. SB 1150 is intended to make sure only those who are truly low-level offenders receive the reduced level of probation supervision.”

 

When Mary Lou Retton was Winterfest Grand Marshal in Running Springs

Mary Pickford may have been known as  “America’s Sweetheart” but following the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles that title landed squarely on the small, but strong shoulders of Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton. When this tiny (and I do mean tiny) young woman won the Gymnastics “All Around” gold medal as well as four other medals Americans went crazy. Mary Lou had the honor of being the first female gymnast outside the Eastern European countries to bounce away with a gold medal around her neck, especially since it was after 14 European Bloc countries(with the exception of Romania)  boycotted the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. The pressure she was under must have been extraordinary but she nailed all of her venues.  These accomplishments would be an unbelievable fete in and of themselves  but the fact that she had been injured just before the Olympic trials and had undergone knee surgery raised her accomplishments at the Olympics from “unbelievable” to “completely unbelievable.”

I don’t remember the year but it couldn’t have been too long after her Olympic success that we, the chamber of commerce, found out she and her husband had a part-time home in Lake Arrowhead so we asked her to be our Winterfest Grand Marshal and she was! The couple sat on the top of a back seat in a convertible and waved at everyone and with her famous “Mary Lou Retton smile” she was so charming and excited! What a thrill it was to meet such a delightful,  fun young woman who had beaten, at that point, the Eastern Block countries at their own game. She stuck around for quite awhile signing autographs and they enjoyed watching some of the totally insane mud races the chamber sponsored.

She couldn’t have been happier to be there even though the Winterfest parade, like many of our parades today, is very small compared to others. She was a great sport……and she was at the top in a great sport! America, heck, most of the world loved her so it was such an honor to have her with “us” in our little old Running Springs Winterfest Parade because, after all, we’re not talking an event the size of the Rose Parade. But she loved it and those of us who were on the committee all those years ago, will never forget the day we met Mary Lou Retton. We loved her too!

Following the Olympics Mary Lou was the first female athlete to be featured on a Wheaties box. Remember that saying, “Everything old is new again?” Well, Wheaties is coming out with “commemorative boxes” and her photo along with Mohammad Ali and Bruce Jenner will all have a rerun on the famous cereal boxes.

Federal Court Decision May Spell End of Some Forest Service Fees including the Adventure Pass

The fate of the controversial Forest Service “Adventure Pass” fee program is unknown at this time.  However, that may change as a result of a recent decision by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals which basically determined that charging people to “recreate” in the uninhabited forests was illegal.

Actually, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals made a recent ruling that the U.S. Forest Service cannot charge for hiking, walking, picnicking or visiting undeveloped areas of the country’s national forests. When the Adventure Pass program was first initiated in 1996 the fee angered many mountain residents and visitors who were forced to purchase an Adventure Pass. Although it has brought in a lot of money to help the Forest Service maintain amenities at many of its recreation sites people are still unhappy that they have to pay a fee to enjoy many locations throughout the mountains. If people who want to visit the mountains but don’t purchase a $5 Adventure Pass to “recreate” at certain areas they stood (and/or stand) the chance of being ticketed and will be responsible for certain fines.

In announcing the court’s decision, 9th Circuit Court Judge Robert Gettleman wrote  that “everyone is entitled to enter national forests without paying a cent.” The court’s decision was made following the conclusion of a case where four people were very unhappy about paying the fees in a forest in Arizona and who filed suit.

While the Forest Service is expected to appeal the decision,many mountain residents and visitors are happy to hear that there is a real possibility the  program will end. When the program began many people were upset and continue to be upset, because they felt the national forests belong to all Americans and to charge them to visit certain sites and/or amenities amounts to double taxation. The complaints have not calmed down which resulted in the recent lawsuit where the forest service came out on the losing end, so to speak.

Longtime San Bernardino National Forest Service Public Affairs spokesman John  Miller  told me that the Forest Service is currently reviewing the decision by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals concerning some of the recreation fees that are authorized under the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act of 2004. Some of the projects that Adventure Pass funds help pay for included restroom maintenance and upkeep, refurbishing campsites,trash and litter removal, removing abandoned cars, graffiti removal as well as funding visitor’s centers and other buildings.

Once the Forest Service appeals the court’s decision it will be interesting to see what the outcome will be.

Members Needed for “Measure W” Citizen’s Oversight Committee

The Rim of the World Unified School District is seeking new members to serve on the “Measure W ” Oversight Committee. During a meeting on  Feb. 23 the district’s board of trustees approved a call to fill vacancies for the committee panel. The panel must meet quarterly as required by their bylaws.

The application for the committee will be available in the front lobby of the District Office, located 27315 N. Bay Road in Blue Jay. Applications must be submitted to the district Office by 4:30 p.m. Friday, March 30, 2012.

   Qualifications

As mandated under Proposition 39, the selected members of the Citizen’s  Oversight Committee will consist of a minimum of seven members, representing the following areas:

one parent or guardian of a child enrolled in the district;

one parent or guardian of a child enrolled in the district and active in a parent-teacher organization, such as the PTA or School Site Council;

One active member in a business organization representing the business community located in the district;

One member active  in a senior citizen’s organization;

one member active in a bona-fide taxpayers association;

and two members of the community-at large.

In addition to the qualifying standards listed above the candidates must be at least 18 years of age and must not be an employee, official of the District or any vendor, contractor or consultant of the District.

   Responsibilities

Pursuant to Education Code section 15278(b), the committee members’ responsibilities will include informing the public  of the district’s expenditure of the bond proceeds; reviewing expenditure reports produced by the District to ensure that proceeds are expended in accordance outlined in Measure W; presenting an annual written report outlining their activities and conclusions regarding the expenditures of Measure w bond proceeds to the Board of Trustees in open session.