Category: San Bernardino

The Humane Society of San Bernardino Valley will be hosting its annual Casino Night and Dog House Auction “Howler-ween” Party presented by Caston Inc. on Saturday, October 12, 2024 from 5 PM – 9:30 PM at 374 W. Orange Show Road, San Bernardino.  Attendees can gamble the night away and have the opportunity to win several fabulous high-end raffle prize packages including an Eastern Sierra vacation package, Six Flags tickets, a suite at the Ontario Reign, Knott’s Berry Farm tickets and so much more. Guests will also enjoy gaming, music, dancing, food and fun. One of a kind birdhouses, a dog house and deluxe pet beds will be available for live auction.  Costumes are encouraged, but not required. There will be a contest for “Best Costume”, with the winner being announced at the end of the event. New additions to the event this year include a henna tattoo artist. The HSSBV is thrilled to announce a live musical performance by Michael Landingham on the outdoor patio from 5 PM – 6:30 PM. Michael Landingham is a singer/songwriter from Orange County CA, with over 15 years

The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) has been awarded nearly $500 million in federal grants for clean transportation programs, marking the largest grant allocation under the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) program across all 50 states. This initiative, part of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), aims to combat climate pollution through substantial investments in cleaner transportation. The SCAQMD oversees air quality standards across Los Angeles, Orange, and parts of Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. This grant is set to make a significant impact, especially in San Bernardino County, a region heavily affected by vehicle and industrial emissions. According to the SCAQMD’s Climate Action Plan, the funds will be directed toward several key initiatives: Installing over 1,000 medium and heavy-duty vehicle chargers and deploying 800 electric vehicles along with 18 electric locomotives. Reducing air pollutants from diesel emissions in low-income and disadvantaged communities. Creating an estimated 470 high-quality jobs in California, with a focus on building an apprenticeship pipeline leading to union careers. Educating communities about electric vehicles to expedite their adoption. Enhancing resilience in the freight sector by modernizing vehicles and developing a

In a harrowing incident that has shaken the community, the San Bernardino Police Department is investigating a gruesome homicide after a burn victim was discovered late Monday night. The horrifying scene unfolded on July 22, 2024, at approximately 10:38 PM, at the intersection of N. Duffy St. and W. Donald St. Firefighters from the San Bernardino County Fire Department responded to an emergency call and found the victim, now identified as John Doe, suffering from extensive burn injuries. Tragically, despite immediate medical attention, the victim succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. The San Bernardino Police Department’s Homicide Unit has taken over the investigation, seeking to uncover the circumstances that led to this brutal crime. Authorities are appealing to the public for any information that could aid in solving this case and bringing those responsible to justice. Anyone with information is urged to contact Homicide Detective B. Keith at (909) 384-5638 or Homicide Sergeant J. Plummer at (909) 384-5613. Community members are encouraged to come forward with any details, no matter how small, to help solve this case and provide closure

The City of San Bernardino has announced that Kenneth Chapa has joined its leadership team as the new Economic Development Director. Chapa’s first day on the job was on July 15. “Ken Chapa has a distinguished background in economic development and tourism,” said Acting City Manager Rochelle Clayton. “We are thrilled to have him aboard and look forward to him hitting the ground running.” Chapa has over 20 years of experience in economic development and tourism at both the municipal and state levels in Arizona, Nevada, and Michigan. Most recently, he spent the last four years as the Director of Economic Development and Tourism in Avondale, Arizona, where he oversaw the creation and implementation of the Phoenix suburb’s first Economic Development Strategic Plan since 2008, and its first ever Tourism Plan. “I’m excited and grateful for the opportunity to join the City of San Bernardino team,” said Chapa. “I look forward to working with our residents, business community, and city leadership to grow our economy and showcase San Bernardino as a premier location to do business.” Prior to his time in Avondale, Chapa spent nearly

The San Bernardino County Arts community celebrates as Alejandro Gutierrez Chavez, Executive Director of Arts Connection, is appointed to the Board of Directors for CA for the Arts (CFTA) and CA Arts Advocates (CAA). This prestigious appointment recognizes Alejandro’s outstanding leadership and commitment to advancing the arts across California. Alejandro Gutierrez Chavez, a dynamic leader in the San Bernardino County Arts community, brings a wealth of experience and a passion for equity and inclusion in the arts. Under his guidance, Arts Connection has flourished, providing vital support to local artists and promoting the arts as an essential component of community well-being. Alejandro’s appointment comes at a pivotal time for the arts in California, as CFTA continues to champion policies and programs that ensure the arts are accessible to all. His role on the board will enable him to bring resources and opportunities from the state level to the local communities of San Bernardino County, further strengthening the region’s cultural infrastructure. “I am honored to join the Board of Directors for California for the Arts and California Arts Advocates.” said Alejandro Gutierrez Chavez. “This opportunity allows

At the July 16th “Coffee with a Cop” event at Studio D in downtown San Bernardino, Lieutenant Nicholas Oldendorf delivered critical updates on crime statistics, law enforcement actions, and the city’s ongoing revitalization efforts. The gathering, attended by residents, provided a comprehensive overview of the challenges and successes faced by the San Bernardino Police Department (SBPD). Weapons and Fireworks A major success for the SBPD was the seizure of nearly 18,000 pounds of illegal fireworks in the first week of July. “We’ve seen a significant drop in fireworks-related calls – from 724 in 2021 to just 217 in 2024,” Oldendorf explained. This reduction could be attributed to increased enforcement and successful seizure operations. “As someone who enjoys fireworks but understands their impact, especially on veterans like my wife, a combat vet, we are working hard to manage this issue,” he added. Addressing the issue of illegal weapons, Oldendorf noted that 614 illegal weapons had been recovered by June 2024, a slight decrease from the 619 retrieved by the same time last year. More positively, homicides have decreased by nearly 50 percent. Surge in Petty Theft

The surge in catalytic converter thefts in San Bernardino has claimed another victim. John Banola, a local community college professor, discovered his silver Honda Accord had been targeted while parked overnight at the Best Western San Bernardino, located at 258 E Redlands Blvd. The incident has sparked a broader conversation about the responsibilities of businesses in aiding victims of such crimes. Banola, who lives in Los Angeles County and works in San Bernardino, opted to stay at the hotel on April 29th to avoid the severe 5 PM rush hour traffic after a tiring day at work. He parked his vehicle at 2:15 PM and returned at 9:15 AM the next morning, shocked to find his vehicle sounding like “a racer car” when he attempted to start it. “I looked underneath and saw where the pipe was cut and wires were hanging,” he recounted. “You can run a vehicle that way, but legally you’re not supposed to.” Upon discovering the theft, Banola promptly contacted the front desk at the hotel and subsequently reached out to the San Bernardino Police Department (SBPD). He was informed to

This morning, July 9th, the Rudy C. Hernandez Community Center buzzed with excitement as a new mural, entitled “Welcome to San Bernardino,” was unveiled in a ceremony that brought together local artists, community leaders, and residents. The vibrant mural, created by San Bernardino Native Christian Mariscal, is a significant addition to the San Bernardino Beautification and Cultural Infusion Project, funded by a Creative Corps Inland SoCal grant from the Inland Empire Community Foundation in partnership with the California Arts Council. The ceremony, which began at 10:00 a.m., marked a celebration of the city’s rich cultural tapestry. Each letter of the mural’s “San Bernardino” lettering showcases colorful and intricate depictions of the community, embodying the city’s spirit and diversity. Artist Christian Mariscal, known for his previous public art projects, including murals at parks and community centers across the city, spent 28 days, totaling 220 hours, creating this masterpiece. “I’ve been doing a lot of serape style artwork and I tied that into the lettering and the background,” Mariscal shared. Mariscal’s journey as an artist began in his youth, using graffiti as his medium. “I started spray

The San Bernardino County Museum is elated to share that they are offering free admission to their historic sites including Agua Mansa Pioneer Cemetery, María Merced Williams and John Rains House, and Oro Grande Cemetery. “By offering free admission to our historic sites, we hope to attract new visitors and provide access to these historically significant sites to our entire community,” shared Museum Director David Myers. The Agua Mansa Pioneer Cemetery is all that remains of the communities of Agua Mansa and La Placita. Situated across from each other along the Santa Ana River, they were the first non-native settlements in the San Bernardino Valley and the largest settlements between New Mexico and Los Angeles during the 1840s. The cemetery is located at 2001 Agua Mansa Road in Colton and is open Sundays through Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Donations are welcome. The María Merced Williams and John Rains House, built in 1860, has a history as colorful as the property’s gardens. Namesakes Rains and Merced, granddaughter of the prominent landowner Don Antonio Maria Lugo, built the home to withstand the hot inland

For the first time in nearly five years, the City of San Bernardino’s proposed budget for the fiscal year 2024/2025 projects higher expenditures than revenues, leading to intense debate among city council members during the June 26th special meeting. Councilman Theodore Sanchez highlighted the fiscal discrepancy, stating, “We have $236.6 million in revenues and the proposed budget is $237.7 million. This is the first time in at least five years that we are projected to spend more than we are projected to make in revenues from all sources. This city unfortunately has one of the most dubious reputations for being one of the largest cities to go through bankruptcy. I want to make sure that the decisions we make here are fiscally sound.” Sanchez pointed out the impact of adding nearly 150 positions over the last 16 months, noting, “What that does is it expands the bandwidth of the work at city hall but it cuts into capital improvement projects; such as streets getting repaved, bridges getting built, and parks getting cleaned up.” He proposed cuts to previously approved positions, including an additional administrative assistant