9/27/2018 Cajon Pass fire contained - News - VVdailypress.com - Victorville, CA http://www.vvdailypress.com/news/20180926/cajon-pass-fire-contained 1/3 By Paola Baker Staff Writer Posted Sep 26, 2018 at 11:38 AM Updated at 9:36 AM CAJON PASS — Fire crews expected to continue mopping up overnight a stubborn wildfire that shut down Interstate 15 for several hours when it first broke out Wednesday morning. Dubbed the Keenbrook Fire, the blaze burned through 50 acres and was at 50 percent containment as of 8 p.m., just a little over six hours after flames first began to spread off southbound I-15 and Kenwood Avenue in Devore. “We’re making progress,” San Bernardino National Forest Service spokesman Zach Behrens said Wednesday evening. “There’s heavy mop-up going on and we’re continuing to monitor hot spots as flare-ups are still occurring.” The fire began shortly before 11 a.m., quickly spread and created a giant plume of smoke visible in the High Desert and throughout Southern California. It grew from 20 to 50 acres in less than an hour before fire personnel from various local agencies started making inroads. Officials were quick to shut down I-15 right at the start of the blaze, Caltrans spokeswoman Terri Kasinga said, and also shut down northbound Interstate 215 at Kendall in San Bernardino. Apart from a brief period just after noon where one northbound I-15 lane was reopened, the freeway closures lasted until about 3 p.m. “Fire crews were concerned that the fire might jump to the northbound side (of I-15),” Kasinga said. “So all lanes were promptly shut down again.” Firefighters were aided by calm winds and the relentless efforts of air tankers, which poured water and fire retardant on the blaze. Cajon Pass re contained
Transcript
9/27/2018 Cajon Pass fire contained - News - VVdailypress.com - Victorville, CA
By Paola Baker Staff Writer Posted Sep 26, 2018 at 11:38 AMUpdated at 9:36 AM
CAJON PASS — Fire crews expected to continue mopping up overnight astubborn wildfire that shut down Interstate 15 for several hours when it firstbroke out Wednesday morning.
Dubbed the Keenbrook Fire, the blaze burned through 50 acres and was at 50percent containment as of 8 p.m., just a little over six hours after flames firstbegan to spread off southbound I-15 and Kenwood Avenue in Devore.
“We’re making progress,” San Bernardino National Forest Service spokesmanZach Behrens said Wednesday evening. “There’s heavy mop-up going on andwe’re continuing to monitor hot spots as flare-ups are still occurring.”
The fire began shortly before 11 a.m., quickly spread and created a giant plumeof smoke visible in the High Desert and throughout Southern California. It grewfrom 20 to 50 acres in less than an hour before fire personnel from various localagencies started making inroads.
Officials were quick to shut down I-15 right at the start of the blaze, Caltransspokeswoman Terri Kasinga said, and also shut down northbound Interstate 215at Kendall in San Bernardino. Apart from a brief period just after noon whereone northbound I-15 lane was reopened, the freeway closures lasted until about3 p.m.
“Fire crews were concerned that the fire might jump to the northbound side (ofI-15),” Kasinga said. “So all lanes were promptly shut down again.”
Firefighters were aided by calm winds and the relentless efforts of air tankers,which poured water and fire retardant on the blaze.
“Crews and aircraft got on scene really quickly and that helped slow the rate ofspread,” National Forest Service spokesman Mike Dunn said at the scene. “We’vebeen able to keep it contained in this little pocket between Cajon Boulevard andKenwood Avenue.”
Early on, firefighters issued advisory evacuation notices to Mathews Ranch andpeople in structures north of the fire. It is unknown if any residents actuallyevacuated, but Dunn said the advisory was lifted just after 1 p.m.
Approximately 250 firefighters were dispatched to combat the Keenbrook Fire,Behrens said, which included two air tankers, one heli-tanker, two mediumhelicopters and an air attack plane.
San Bernardino County Fire Department and and Calfire personnel also were onhand to help douse the flames. Seven County Fire engines were also involved inthe firefight, as well as one handcrew, one bulldozer and three water tenders.
The blaze snarled I-15 traffic for hours as crews fought to contain it. In the earlyevening, the northbound lanes were reported to be backed up past the 215 split,with heavy traffic moving up the hill, while the southbound lanes were nobetter. Traffic was backed up almost to Main Street in Hesperia.
Kasinga said all northbound lanes were open and only the Nos. 4 and 5southbound lanes remained closed as of 5 p.m.
“One of the reasons they kept the freeway closed for so long was because therewere power poles right by the freeway with fire smoldering at the top,” Kasingasaid. “As soon as the flames were extinguished, the lanes were reopened.”
The flames did not reach power lines, Kasinga said, but the poles will needrepairs in the next few weeks.
“We’re just very glad [Edison] didn’t have to remove the actual wires, becausethat would have kept things closed longer,” Kasinga said.
National Forest Service crews were expected to remain at the fire lines well intothe night as they clear up the scene, Behrens said.
9/27/2018 Cajon Pass fire contained - News - VVdailypress.com - Victorville, CA
“We’re already on extended staffing as it is because of weather concerns,”Behrens said. “Right now, we’re at 17 percent relative humidity. It was higherearlier in the day, so it’s just getting drier.”
Humidity is expected to decrease to between 8 and 15 percent, according to theNational Weather Service, which warned of an elevated fire danger onThursday.
The area of Kenwood Avenue and Cajon Boulevard in Devore is just a few milessouth of where the Bluecut Fire originated in August of 2016. That blazeeventually burned more than 100 structures, more than 35,000 acres and moremore than 85,000 High Desert residents were in the mandatory evacuation zone.
No injuries were reported due to the Keenbrook Fire. The cause remains underinvestigation.
9/27/2018 50-acre blaze in Cajon Pass shuts down 15 Freeway for hours – San Bernardino Sun
By BEATRIZ E. VALENZUELA | [email protected], MEGANBARNES | [email protected] and BRIAN ROKOS |[email protected] | San Bernardino SunPUBLISHED: September 26, 2018 at 11:50 am | UPDATED: September 26, 2018 at8:18 pm
A plane makes a fire retardant drop as a hand crew work below fighting the KeenbrookFire in the Cajon Pass on Wednesday, September 26, 2018. (Photo by Stan Lim, ThePress-Enterprise/SCNG)
NEWSCRIME + PUBLIC SAFETY
50-acre blaze in Cajon Passshuts down 15 Freeway for hours
Caltrans spokeswoman Terri Kasinga encouraged motorists in such situations to
stay off residential roads with which they are unfamiliar. And if sitting in traf�c is
too dif�cult, Kasinga suggested going to dinner or watching a movie to allow time
for traf�c to decrease.
Wednesday a�ernoon, while most of the smoke had cleared, Southern California
Edison crews still had to assess damage to poles holding up electrical lines that
spanned the northbound and southbound lanes before the freeway could reopen.
“As soon as Edison gives us the green light, we will open up the freeway,”
California Highway Patrol Of�cer Brian Alvarez said about 2:30 p.m.
That happened minutes later.
The northbound lanes reopened about 2:40 p.m. Three of the �ve southbound
lanes reopened 10 minutes later. The right two lanes continued to be closed into
the evening.
The advisory evacuations were li�ed around 5 p.m. Cajon Boulevard reopened at
5:15 p.m.
Some 250 �re personnel from multiple agencies were working to extinguish the
�ames. Aircra� dropped water and �re retardant in the �re area.
SB County Fire@SBCOUNTYFIRE
Assigned resources from #SBCoFD include 7 engines, 1 handcrew, 1 dozer, 3 water tenders, and numerous overhead positions.
San Bernardino National Forest @SanBernardinoNF#KeenbrookFire Update: - Location: 15 Fwy north of Kenwood - 50 acres, 0% containment - Rapid rate of spread w/ spotting; resistant to control - Advisory evacuations for Mathews Ranch and structures to the north of fire - 250 personnel - Freeway closures via @caltrans8
Containment on the 50-acre #KeenbrookFire is currently 30%. Progress continues as crews mop up, but spotting and flare ups remain a persistent challenge. The advisory evacuations have been lifted, but Cajon Blvd. remains closed.4:52 PM - Sep 26, 2018
29 17 people are talking about this
Traf�c updates are available on Twitter at @caltrans8 and the Caltrans Quickmap
at quickmap.dot.ca.gov
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Encourage property owners to vote ‘no’Dorothy Calvert Yucca Valley | Posted: Wednesday, September 26, 2018 5:31 pm
Since my daughters are paying property taxes in this county of San Bernardino, I’d like to encourage localresidents to vote “no” (on the Fire Protection 5 expansion) or to call the nice people at San BernardinoCounty Fire Department at (760) 228-6380 and they will tell you the procedure for downloading a form foryour opinion or will mail you one.
When one is on a fixed and very limited income, that is not an option many of us have in the MorongoBasin. Or is hiking up our taxes a way for the county to force us out of our homes? Because I may end up inone of the cardboard boxes off the side of Twentynine Palms Highway.
9/27/2018 Lucerne Valley/Johnson Valley MAC Board opposes fire tax - News - VVdailypress.com - Victorville, CA
By Martin Estacio / For the LeaderPosted Sep 26, 2018 at 12:01 AM
Illegal dumping and San Bernardino County’s proposed parcel tax were hot-button issues at Thursday evening’s Lucerne Valley/Johnson Valley MunicipalAdvisory Council meeting.
The MAC Board took a position to formally oppose the parcel tax proposed bySan Bernardino County Fire. The so-called FP-5 tax would apply to everyproperty owner in Lucerne and Johnson Valleys, as well as all otherunincorporated portions of the county.
Illegal dumping
Several attendees posited that because the local solid waste site, the Camp RockTransfer Station, is limited in what it can take, this contributes to the amount ofgarbage strewn throughout the desert.
“Everyone remember that what is not accepted at the transfer station ends up inthe desert,” said MAC Chairman Roger Peterson.
People with “questionable loads” that are turned away don’t go back home withtheir trash, he said.
Mark Lundquist, field representative for Third District Supervisor James Ramos,also addressed “not very scrupulous” contractors who pocket clients’ disposal feesand end up leaving construction material where they’re not supposed to.
Superintendant Brud Hancock with County Solid Waste Managementacknowledged that the transfer station is a land-use-only site, meaning it canonly accept ordinary household waste, tires, metals, recyclables, and appliances.He sees the problem as more than about just what the site can accept, however.
Lucerne Valley/Johnson Valley MAC Boardopposes �re tax
A resident of Yucca Valley, Hancock related how even though the Landerslandfill accepts more than Lucerne Valley’s site, he still sees bags of trash dumpedin close proximity.
Hancock said he believes the solution is in educating people about alternativesand utilizing code enforcement more efficiently, noting that even if the siteswere able to accept everything, they’d have to remain open 24/7, which isn’tfeasible.
One of these alternatives is the ABOP site located behind Fire Station 8. It isallowed to accept certain household hazardous waste, including antifreeze,batteries, motor oil/filters, latex paint, and electronic waste.
Run by volunteers, it is typically open the third Saturday of every month. Once ayear, however, it accepts all household hazardous waste, according toSupervising Hazardous Materials Specialist Monica Ronchetti.
There are also 14 permanent hazardous waste sites located throughout thecounty, with the closest being in Apple Valley, she said.
Parcel tax
The tax would levy $157.26 annually on every unincorporated parcel, vacant ornot, and would include a 3 percent maximum annual inflationary factor.Proceeds would be used to maintain existing services, according to County Fireofficials.
Chief Mark Hartwig spoke at the Aug. 17 MAC meeting, listing as some of thereasons for the proposed FP-5 expansion a $29.3 million deficit eating up reservefunds and the lack of paid-call firefighters to help cut costs.
MAC board member Harriet “Marie” Brashear said the chief didn’t explain howthe specific number for the tax was calculated, however.
A protest process is in place for the proposal with notices that were mailed to allproperty owners Sept. 14. If at least 25 percent of owners protest, the tax will beplaced on the ballot for voters to decide. If protests number greater than 50percent, the proposal will be withdrawn outright.
9/27/2018 Lucerne Valley/Johnson Valley MAC Board opposes fire tax - News - VVdailypress.com - Victorville, CA
Attendees at the meeting were worried about the absentee owners who mightnever receive the notice or disinterested owners who might see it as just routinecorrespondence from the county.
Also something troubling brought up was the fact that some who don’t havecomputer access might not be able to print out and mail a form before theprotest period ends with the public hearing on Oct. 16.
The notice warns that the fire “district is not responsible for any delays caused bythe Postal Service for any protest submitted by regular mail” and the lettercannot be postmarked.
For clarification, the notice sent out lists a return address with “Service Zone FP-5 Expansion” listed on the top, sent to the owner of record with the assessor’sparcel number.
To obtain a protest form, you can either visit www.sbcfire.org or contact “211.”
Proposed fire tax is a total sham!Steve and Sandy Ball Yucca Mesa | Posted: Wednesday, September 26, 2018 5:28 pm
I am asking all residents of San Bernardino County to say “no” on your (Fire Protection zone FP-5) protestform that all homeowners should have received in the mail as a public notice. SBC Fire Chief Mark Hartwigpromised (the protest forms) would be mailed out to all homeowners in the county. The problem is theprotest form that you need to send back if you disagree with the tax was not mailed with the public notice.
Now keep in mind, they pay a bulk postage fee, so why did they leave out the protest form?
Chief Hartwig was not truthful and did not tell all the county residents at all of these meetings throughoutthe county that the protest form would not be included in the packet. Can you really trust what he said aboutthe proposed expansion of Fire Protection Zone 5?
This fire tax is a sham and you should call Supervisor James Ramos at (909) 387-4855 or email [email protected] to express your concern. If you have Internet service, as a lot of our ruralresidents may not have. And many of these residents are older and if they have Internet may not know howto use it. Real convenient for getting this past.
You need to voice your protest vote, and send Chief Hartwig back to the drawing board.
Why we should protest fire department plans for newfeeBy Ed Vallerand Twentynine Palms | Posted: Wednesday, September 26, 2018 5:32 pm
The (San Bernardino County fire department’s proposed fire assessment) increase is to cover a $27.6 millionshortfall, not to provide any extra services. SBC Fire wants some of the poorest people in the county tosubsidize San Bernardino City area fire protection. Wonder Valley’s $132 increase equates to 661 TopRamen noodle meals per year and $157.26 equals 779 meals per year.
•A $42-43 million reserve existed in 2014. How did it become a $29 million shortage?
•Fire personnel are overpaid. On publicpay.ca.gov, in 2017, a search of San Bernardino County’s 100highest paid workers, where the lowest paid is $198,106, shows many medical/legal personnel, 25 firemenand only 12 sheriff personnel on the list (the sheriff is paid just 10 percent more than a fire captain, plus theunder-sheriff is paid only about $4,000 more than a fire captain). Why are we paying $198-253K to firepersonnel who are required by federal labor laws to sleep for at least six hours per 24 hour shift? $50,000 forsleeping. WOW!
•Blotted pay raise: The 2014-16 firefighter Memorandum of Understanding (contract) was superseded in2015 with a new 2015-2019 MOU. In it, the basic firefighters saw a one-year 2.5 percent to 3.5 percentCOLA raise plus their annual step increase, resulting in a 5 percent to 8.4 percent increase. The captains sawone-year COLA increases of 9.2 percent to 12.3 percent plus their annual increases, resulting in a 12 percentto 14.9 percent increase. The engineers were the biggest gainers, seeing a one-year 10.9 percent to 14.7percent COLA raise plus annual increase.
CalPERS liabilities/future retirement pay went way up in excess of 12 percent due to these 2015 raises!
•Country contracts with cities? Normal sustaining contracts specify a level of effort (number of manmonths/man years of effort) with an annual inflation factor applied for future years. FP-5 has a 3 percentinflation factor in it but what factors do the city contracts have? Does giving personnel 14 percent increasesresult in the county/us eating about a 12 percent cost increase?
•Yucca Valley: Will inferred promises be kept? Twentynine Palms was told the county planned to build a $5million station around Adobe and Amboy. Never happened! The city purchased a “hotel” ladder truck (forthe water-board-managed fire department) that has been gone for at least six months to AppleValley/Victorville. How much of the 22 percent of Yucca Valley property taxes that go to the fire departmentand $157.62 from the new assessment will stay here?
•Morongo Basin Ambulance responds faster to calls than SBC Fire in many areas. June’s MBA report to theTwentynine Palms City Council showed that MBA was on scene before SBC Fire 58 percent of the time,concurrently 27 percent and after SBC Fire only 15 percent of time. MBA also supplies a monthly report tothe Municipal Advisory Council.
•You can get fire insurance through the state exchange even without a local fire station. A state insurancerepresentative briefed Wonder Valley. If someone cannot get insurance than they can contact the state. An
insurance company will be assigned to cover them. WV is already in the most expensive category because itdoesn’t have water service, so probably no cost impact.
If the protest fails, will the union get big raises in its new 2019 contract and propose another increase in baseand annual growth rate? Protest now!
EDITOR’S NOTE — This soapbox was edited to fit in the 600-word limit and to expand some concepts thatwere abbreviated.
9/27/2018 Government makes things harder - Hi-Desert Star: Letters To Editor
Government makes things harderOtter Smith Morongo Valley | Posted: Wednesday, September 26, 2018 5:30 pm
Because of San Bernardino County’s constant quest for more taxation of its residents, local events can be atrisk. Event ,planners please be aware that if you expect even one food vendor, you will have to have apermit. Also, the vendor has to have a permit. Fees for both can be pricey and ultimately discourage bothevent and vendor since everyone is just trying to raise funds.
And if you “get caught,” you will be penalized (like a criminal). As it is, small food vendors are finding thatit is just not worth vending in San Bernardino County and small fundraising events can’t afford the permitfee to have food vendors.
This attitude of San Bernardino County towards small business discourages enterprise, in my opinion, and itis getting harder and harder for those struggling to get ahead.
Look how the Airbnbs were jumped on for revenue because they have been so successful, especially in ourrural setting.
Yes, we all need to contribute to our county government, but come on. When everything you worked hardfor goes to the county….
9/27/2018 Arrowhead Grove Revitalization Project – a decade-long vision to transform a community through affordable housing - Inland Empire Co…
IECN photo Maryjoy Duncan: SafeRoutes to School has been established
Arrowhead Grove Revitalization Project – a decade-long vision to transform a community throughaffordable housing
Those who suffer homelessness, overcrowding or unstable living conditions are atincreased risk of poor school attendance among school-aged children, and mental andphysical health issues for adults. The importance of providing safe and affordable housingis critical in transforming a community by elevating the quality of life and providingopportunities.
Through public and private partnerships and extensivecollaboration between different levels of government, the Cityof San Bernardino proved it possible to transform the formercrime-ridden Waterman Gardens public housing developmentinto a safe and thriving neighborhood through theArrowhead Grove Neighborhood Revitalization Project.
Two initial phases of the redevelopment – Valencia Vista andOlive Meadow – have been completed, earning recognitionfrom the National Association of Housing andRedevelopment Officials, the Affordable Housing Tax CreditCoalition and others for the transformative impact the projectis having on lives and the community at large.
By Maryjoy Duncan - September 26, 2018
IECN photo Maryjoy Duncan: Community leaders convened at Olive Meadows of the Arrowhead Grove Revitalization Project on Friday,Sept. 21 to celebrate the completion of the first two phases and funding in the amount of $76.8 million for the third phase. Pictured fromleft San Bernardino City Mayor Carey Davis; Assemblymember Eloise Gomez Reyes; Dr. Louise Bedsworth, Executive Director StrategicGrowth Council; Senator Connie Leyva; SB County 5th District Supervisor Josie Gonzales; Steve PonTell, President and CEO, NationalCORE; SB Councilmembers James Mulvihill, Virginia Marquez and Fred Shorett.
from Arrowhead Grove to E. NealRoberts Elementary School; picturedare students who performed prior tothe event.
“This is more than just housing, this is about reinventing acommunity and revitalizing San Bernardino, to ensure thesafety of everyone in the community,” announced Rep. PeteAguilar (D. San Bernardino). “Here is an opportunity to raisea family in a safe community and a place to call home.”
As traditional funding sources have become sparse, this project represents a public-privatepartnership that is redefining how the state, cities, developers, and health institutionstogether can create affordable and workforce housing. Partners include the City of SanBernardino, the County of San Bernardino, Housing Authority of the County of SanBernardino; National Community Renaissance and the Clancy Company.
Community leaders convened at Olive Meadow on Friday to celebrate the success of thefirst two phases and funding for the third phase – public funding of $8.2 million from theHousing Authority of San Bernardino County, County of San Bernardino and City of SanBernardino; $20 million from the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communityprogram; and a $1.2 million loan from Dignity Health.
“Community housing and the health of the people we serve are inseparable issues,” saidJune Collison, president, Community Hospital of San Bernardino. “People who live inhomes they can afford are better able to support their families with healthy food andimportant preventive health services. In turn, this brings down the cost of care overall byreducing acute care and emergency room admissions.”
Safe Routes to School has been established from Arrowhead Grove to E. Neal RobertsElementary School, and social services are delivered on-site to provide residents the toolsand support they need to move toward financial independence.
Dr. Louise Bedsworth, Executive Director of the Strategic Growth Council, explained theorganization supports the development of healthy, vibrant and resilient communities acrossthe state, and over half of the $1 billion spent that past year was used to support lowincome and disadvantaged communities.
“(Arrowhead Grove) is a representative project because of its level of communityengagement and partnerships, and the integration of transportation, safe routes to school,transit passes, childcare and workforce development,” Bedsworth commended.
When completed, the neighborhood revitalization project will include approximately 400units of affordable housing, 20 percent of which will be designated market-rate housing(the first to be built in the city for families), and community amenities – such as acommunity center, swimming pool, children’s play area – upgraded infrastructure and aneducational village space designed to foster integrated learning for children in thecommunity.
Maryjoy Duncan
Maryjoy Duncan is the Managing Editor of IE Community News. For news leads, she can be reached via email:[email protected].
By BEATRIZ E. VALENZUELA | [email protected] | San Bernardino SunPUBLISHED: September 26, 2018 at 7:35 pm | UPDATED: September 26, 2018 at 7:37 pm
San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Sgt. Brad Powers, a 19-year veteran of the department, was among the wounded in the Route 91 mass shootingin Las Vegas, his wife Kristin Powers saved his life by pulling him to cover and getting him out the event, during a press conference at SanBernardino County Sheriff’s office in San Bernardino on Wednesday, September 26, 2018. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Brad and Kristin Powers snapped a sel�e in front of the main stage of the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival in Las Vegas as Jason Aldean
belted out “When She Says Baby,” when the sound of gun�re erupted at the open-air concert.
NEWSCRIME + PUBLIC SAFETY
‘She really is my Wonder Woman,’ San BernardinoCounty sheriff’s sergeant and Las Vegas mass shootingsurvivor says of wife
Kristin Powers shows off her tattoo which commemorates the Route 91 mass shooting in Las Vegas. She helped save her husband,Brad Powers, who was shot during the concert. (Photo by Beatriz E. Valenzuela)
It became so synonymous with Kristin and her heroics, that last month for her birthday, Kristin got her �rst tattoo. She and Brad designed
a special tattoo featuring the Wonder Woman logo surrounded by the date of the shooting, the word “Survivor” and the time she and
bystanders helped her put a tourniquet on Brad.
“She really is my Wonder Woman,” Brad said
But for Kristin, it wasn’t just her actions, but the steps taken by strangers and friends that night in the Nevada desert that saved her
husband.
As she continued to try to get help for her husband, friends and strangers rallied around the Rancho Cucamonga couple and got them —
and others — out of the line of �re.
A woman, Angel Shanley, and her friend, Alex, were driving from the scene with a woman, named Dominica, in the bed of her truck who’d
been struck twice in the chest, stopped long enough for Kristin to beg for help for Brad who at that point was bleeding out, she recounted.
Angel told Kristin to get in and she and her friend took the wounded to Sunrise Hospital.
“Even as bad as he was, when he saw Dominica, he said, ‘Take her �rst,’” Kristin said. “Even with as much blood as he lost, he told them to
take her �rst because that’s who he is. He always thinks of others �rst.”
To this day, the Powers, Shanley, Alex and Dominica remain good friends.
“We’re all in a big group text,” laughed Brad. “We talk nearly every day or once a week at least.”
Monday, Oct. 1, will mark the �rst anniversary of the tragic shooting and some survivors and family members of those lost that night, may
be planning on returning to Las Vegas.
However, the Powers said they will be celebrating their second chance at life together as a family surrounded by loved ones while honoring
the 58 lives lost, they said.
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Beatriz E. ValenzuelaBeatriz E. Valenzuela is an award-winning journalist who’s covered breaking news in Southern California since 2006 and has been onthe front lines of several national and international news events. She’s worked for media outlets serving Southern California readerscovering education, local government, entertainment and all things nerd including comic book culture and video games. She’s anamateur obstacle course racer, constant fact-checker, mother of three and lover of all things adorable.
Tags: Las Vegas mass shooting, Top Stories IVDB, Top Stories PE, Top Stories RDF, Top Stories Sun
Hikers BewareBY HEIDI FRON Reporter | Posted: Thursday, September 27, 2018 9:00 am
Hikers throughout the San Bernardino National Forest(SBNF) are being warned to remain alert when exploring theforest, especially if they wander away from marked trails. Anannouncement from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’sDepartment warns that if anyone discovers a marijuanacultivation, get out of the area immediately and contact lawenforcement promptly.
On Sept. 20 and 21, investigators from the sheriff’sMarijuana Enforcement Team (MET) partnered withmembers of the U.S. Forest Service and the CaliforniaDepartment of Fish and Wildlife in a collaborative effort. Aspart of the Campaign Against Marijuana Planting (CAMPprogram), they began at approximately 7 a.m. to investigateillegal marijuana grows in the San Bernardino NationalForest.
During the operation, investigators located three large plotsof marijuana growing in the forest near Marble Canyon,Arctic Canyon and East Fork Canyon. The areas are locatedseveral miles north of Big Bear Lake and south of LucerneValley.
Investigators seized 10,204 marijuana plants from the illegalgrow sites, according to the report. There is no suspectinformation at this time.
Camping equipment and large amounts of trash also were found, evidence that the suspects had been livingnear, and caring for, the large marijuana grows. Investigators believe members of illegal drug traffickingorganizations are responsible for the marijuana grows found in the National Forest.
The suspects cleared natural foliage away in order to facilitate the cultivations. This causes irreversibledamage to the forest. Natural water sources, such as creeks and streams, serve as a water supply for thegrow sites.
In addition, suspects often use fertilizers and toxic pesticides, some of which have been outlawed in theUnited States. These substances can seep into the ground, contaminating the ground water and impactingwildlife.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation is urged to contact the Sheriff’s Gangs/NarcoticsDivision at (909) 387-8400 or [email protected].
The Marijuana EnforcementTeam, U.S. Forest Service andthe Department of Fish andWildlife located three large,illegal marijuana grows in theSan Bernardino National ForestSept. 20 and 21.
Callers wishing to remain anonymous are urged to call the We-tip Hotline at 1 (800) 78-CRIME (27463) orleave information on the We-Tip Hotline at www.wetip.com.
By Shea Johnson Staff Writer Posted Sep 26, 2018 at 5:40 PMUpdated Sep 26, 2018 at 5:40 PM
VICTORVILLE — A 10-year Navy veteran, Daniel Ramos returned to the HighDesert in 2012 to assume ownership of his brothers’ smoke shop as they left topursue real estate opportunities.
“I take a lot of pride in that shop. We have a great reputation,” he said, adding it’swhere he has attained an unexpected education in civic matters. “You almostbecome a counselor to the community, man. They each have a story, they eachhave concerns. They’ll stay five or 10 minutes and they’ll share things going on intheir life — good or bad.”
The customers — a diverse group, he noted — keep him informed about issuesfacing the community not only in Victorville, but throughout the region. Thevarying perspectives even come from past elected officials in the region whofrequent the business, he added.
Using that intel and relationships fostered as a launching pad, Ramos, 38, isbranching out in an attempt to effectuate policy in Victorville, which he believedhad “dipped” at worst — “flatlined” at best — since the 1990s amid sinking moraleand quality of life: “We’ve pretty much lost our pulse, not only in Victorville, butthe whole High Desert.”
To improve conditions in the city, he is running for City Council — calling on aninfusion of youth and a renewed spirit of volunteerism — to address the issues hebelieved have most attributed to the city’s shortfalls: Homelessness, crime, a lackof downtown and the war on cannabis.
Candidate profile: For ‘flatlined’Victorville, volunteer spirit a remedy
On homelessness, he acknowledged the epidemic wasn’t one belonging toVictorville alone — although it is more prevalent here than nearly anywhere elsein San Bernardino County — and one potential opportunity he has kickedaround to put a dent in the problem harks back to his Naval days.
He advocated for a safely managed program where families volunteer on a short-term basis to take in a homeless individual, clean them up and connect them toresources — similar to an “adopt a sailor” initiative that connects Navy personnelon duty overseas to families through the USO.
He tempered that it was admittedly an exaggerated plan — a “crazy idea,” even —but also a reflection of the ineffectiveness of current ideas and a rallying cry forsomething fresh.
Ramos has aligned himself as a strong proponent of revitalizing downtown,positioning the prospect as not merely a feel-good story, but a necessity toelevate surrounding areas and suppress crime while uplifting communityconfidence.
He touted his wide network, and recognition of the edge in tapping into thoseconnections, as a boon to line up new hometown businesses that can fill OldTown and develop a brand unique to the city. He also called the Council’srejection of marijuana-themed festivals at the state-owned fairgrounds a “huge,huge setback” for revenue that could have benefited the city’s golf course andlibrary, saying that it also signaled a disconnect between city leaders and theelectorate.
Ultimately, he asked voters to look themselves in the mirror and questionwhether they were satisfied with what has been happening.
“If their answer is ‘no’,” he said, “now is the time to change it.”
The general election is Nov. 6. Visit www.vvdailypress.com to see videos of eachcandidate explaining why they’re running for office and what key issues they’refocused on.
Shea Johnson can be reached at 760-955-5368 or [email protected]. Follow
9/27/2018 Fugitive high desert couple on the run after child's death
https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/2018/09/26/fugitive-joshua-tree-couple-run-after-childs-death/1380464002/ 1/7J AY C A L D E R O N , PA L M S P R I N G S D E S E R T S U N
High desert couple chargedwith child abuse after their
son died from exposure nowon the run
PA U L A N D M I S T Y WA R F O X S Q U AT T E D W I T H T H E I R F I V E C H I L D R E N I N A D E R E L I C T C A B I N
F O R M O N T H S . W H E N O N E D I E D, T H E Y C H O S E TO R U N .
Christopher Damien (/staff/49051/christopher-damien), Palm Springs Desert Sun
A bible with the Warfox name in an abandoned home in Landers,California where the Warfox family had been living, September 20,2018. (Photo: Jay Calderon/The Desert Sun)
Paul and Misty Warfox were living in this remote abandoned home onBoone Rd in Landers, California when one of their children diedunder suspicious circumstances. (Photo: Jay Calderon/The Desert Sun)
“What kind of emotional hold did Paul have on her?” Dawson asked. “I didn’t know him
that well, but I’m very, very disappointed in Misty. Six hours that boy laid there before they
got him help.”
Paul Warfox has previous criminal convictions for
theft, burglary, driving without a license, and driving
under the influence.
But before Dylin’s death, Warfox had been regularly
attending a local church support group for addicts in
recovery and he had recently taken a job as a security
guard.
O’Linn Security did not return The Desert Sun’s calls
to confirm the dates of Paul Warfox’s employment.
Jennifer Thompson was in a relationship and lived
with Paul Warfox for about 10 years. She grew close
to his son, who she met at six-months-old and helped
raise for the next decade, abuse was common in their
household.
Thompson remembers a man with an explosive
temper struggling to come to terms with his mental
illness and addiction.
“He kept his drinking problem well-hidden for years, but the drugs became obvious,”
Thompson said.
To Thompson, Paul’s involvement in the tragic death sadly comes as no surprise.
“We had CPS in the house a number of times,” Thompson said. “Three different clinical
workers tried to teach him how to be a parent, but he never learned. He’s manipulative
and people give him the benefit of the doubt.”
The abandoned house where Paul and Misty Warfox were living is abandoned again.
There’s a picture of Wonder Woman colored in crayon and dated 2018 tossed in a hole
dug near the cabin’s entrance where the wall is stripped to the studs. A Bible sits on a
chair, “Warfox” is written across its cover in black marker.
Next to the home, a car with a recovery ministries
bumper sticker and security tags is on blocks, its back
window smashed in. Dirty diapers and migraine
medication are strewn about the property. Two
silhouette target papers with about 22 bullet holes
each are taped to a shack where they threw their
trash, they’re labeled “Cody” and “Ronnie”.
The bench warrant for the arrest of Paul and Misty
Warfox remains active. The couple’s remaining four
children are in protective custody.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said
in a statement that they are actively pursuing the
fugitives, but the department refused to release their
mugshots.
“The investigation into their whereabouts is ongoing
and Homicide Investigators are following up on any
and all leads as to their whereabouts,” the department said.
Callers wishing to remain anonymous are urged to call the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78-
CRIME (27463), or you may leave information on the We-Tip website at www.wetip.com
You can contact the Specialized Investigations Division Homicide Detail at (909) 387-
3589.
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9/27/2018 Governor signs suicide prevention bill; suicide prevention event in Rancho Cucamonga on Sunday – San Bernardino Sun
Is Southland housing market losingsteam?Prices keep rising, but sales decline and listings increase
BY ANDREW KHOURI
Southern California home prices kept rising in August, but sales fell as questions growover whether the torrid housing market is finally cooling.
The median sales price in the six-county region rose to $535,000, up 1% from July,research firm CoreLogic said Wednesday. The median — the point at which half the
THE MEDIAN home sale price in Southern California rose to $535,000 in August, up1% from July and 7% from August 2017. It was shy of the record $537,000 in June.Above, a home for sale in Highland Park in 2014. (Patrick T. Fallon For The Times)
homes sold for more and half for less — was up 7% from a year earlier and just shy of theall-time high of $537,000 reached in June.
Sales, however, fell 8% from August 2017. The drop-off came even though more homeswere on the market, an indication that sky-high prices and rising mortgage rates arecrimping demand.
Real estate agents said buyers seem to be pulling back, but it’s difficult to tell whetherthere’s a true shift in the market or whether it’s more of a typical seasonal slowdown.Demand often tapers off in late summer and fall and doesn’t pick up again until spring, atime when it’s easier for families to find a home and move before their kids have to returnto school.
Furthermore, during the six-year climb in prices, there have been moments when themarket paused, even in spring, and then accelerated again.
“There is a lot of talk of ‘Is the market softening?’ ” said Anselm Clinard, a real estateagent who specializes in northeast Los Angeles. “I think it is a little too early to tell.”
For now, some real estate agents said they are dealing with more supply and less demand.
Tregg Rustad, an agent who specializes in Los Angeles County’s Westside, said thedynamic is most noticeable on the high end — particularly for homes whose sellers aretrying for what he called aspirational pricing. He said a house he listed in Santa Monicafor $3 million has sat for two months with no serious bids.
“In the past, it might have sold,” Rustad said.
Agent Kim Ho, who finds fixer-uppers in more affordable communities in and aroundDowney for investors, said those investors are passing on more deals because the homesthey have renovated are taking longer to sell.
“I have seen them be a lot more cautious in the past couple of months,” Ho said.
One reason for a softening could be that people simply have less buying power. Theaverage rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage is 4.65%, up nearly a percentage point from ayear ago, according to Freddie Mac. The rise would’ve added about $200 a month to whatpreviously would’ve been a $2,666 monthly mortgage payment for a $535,000 house.
There also are more homes for sale, though inventory remains very tight.
Overall, the number of homes on the market in Southern California at the end of Augustwas up 7% from a year earlier, according to Redfin. The number of listings was up 4.8% inJuly and 3.3% in June, two months when most of the August sales would have openedescrow.
As inventory grows, price cuts are becoming more common in all six Southern Californiacounties compared with a year earlier, Zillow data show, indicating that more thanseasonal factors could be at play.
In Los Angeles County, 15.9% of listings had at least one price cut in August, comparedwith 10.6% a year earlier. The share of listings with price cuts rose in Orange County to19.2% from 12.7%; in Riverside County to 19.8% from 13.4%, in San Bernardino County to17.5% from 12.6%, in Ventura County to 18.9% from 13.8%, and in San Diego County to22.9% from 12.9%.
More price cuts don’t mean the bottom is dropping out of the market.
The last big increase in price reductions started in summer 2013, after a sudden increasein mortgage rates that occurred when the Federal Reserve signaled it would slow bondpurchases. That “taper tantrum” was blamed for cooling the housing market and helpinghalt an explosive run of double-digit price gains.
Annual price appreciation in L.A. and Orange counties slowed to 4.9% in October 2014,down from a high of 22.1% a year earlier, according to the Case-Shiller index, viewed asone of the most reliable gauges of home prices. Home-price gains then hovered in the 5%and 6% range for the next three years before accelerating to a high of 8.2% in April. Gainshave since slowed, reaching an annual rise of 6.4% in July, the latest month for whichdata are available.
A clearer picture on the market’s trajectory should emerge next spring during the typicallybusy buying season. Economists have said that although price growth may slow, homevalues are unlikely to decline unless there’s a recession.
In large part, that’s because California’s housing shortage is too great, experts say.
The effects of the shortage can be seen in gentrifying neighborhoods such as Leimert Park.
In recent years, the South L.A. neighborhood has seen an influx of buyers from theWestside, many of them white, who have scooped up less-expensive Spanish-style housesin the largely middle-class African American neighborhood.
As a result, prices have skyrocketed, as have fears that black residents may lose theirfoothold in the neighborhood — which would be particularly painful because it once waslegally restricted to whites, and African Americans fought to be part of it.
Real estate agent Heather Presha, who lives nearby, said buyers’ interest in theneighborhood hasn’t cooled. Agents from outside the area, she said, are still engaging inan “intrusive” practice she doesn’t use: knocking on doors and urging older residents tosell.
Those door knocks often end with an angry “No,” but when homes do go on the market,bidding wars are common and properties “fly off the shelves,” she said.
BREAKING NEWS Live stream: Brett Kavanaugh, Christine Blasey Ford testify
A year after Mayor Sam Liccardo outlined a new housing plan, San Jose has made slow progress in reaching its ambitious goal of adding10,000 affordable homes by 2022.
How slow? Just 64 units had been completed by the end of the 2017-18 �scal year this June, according to a new report from the city’shousing department. Another 594 units are under construction and 270 are in predevelopment.
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NewsCalifornia News
San Jose has built just 64 of 10,000 affordable housing unitsplanned for 2022San Jose residents will vote on an affordable housing bond measure in November.
9
(Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)Construction for “Villas on the Park,” on N. 2nd St., expected to be �nished in October 2019, in downtown San Jose,Calif., on Monday, July 23, 2018. “Villas on the Park” will include 83 affordable units (plus a managers unit for a total of84 units) and it will be “downtown San Jose’s �rst development with 100% supportive housing for people experiencinghomelessness.” (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
By EMILY DERUY | [email protected] | Bay Area News GroupPUBLISHED: September 25, 2018 at 2:55 pm | UPDATED: September 26, 2018 at 5:34 am
This November, San Jose residents will vote on Measure V, a $450 million affordable housing bond measure. While Loving and manyother housing advocates are pleased the City Council has added the measure to the ballot, Khamis doesn’t think spending more moneyis going to �x the city’s housing crisis.
“I’m disappointed,” said Councilman Johnny Khamis. “These are not numbers that I like.”
Jacky Morales-Ferrand, the head of the city’s housing department, said the goal of reaching 10,000 units includes not only units built,but also units under construction or planned for development.
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“Therefore, there are 928 units that can be applied to the goal, leaving an additional 9,072 to reach the goal,” Morales-Ferrand wrote inan email.
“We’re getting off to a good start and we’ve been able to do that without having a large funding stream,” she said, noting that the citylost millions of dollars in affordable housing funds when the state eliminated redevelopment agencies.
Still, Khamis is frustrated by what he sees as the council and city constantly asking the housing department to pivot directions, from afocus on tiny homes to rent ordinances to other issues, which he thinks is slowing down progress. And he’s upset by what he thinks arebad criminal justice policies that have made it more dif�cult for cities to thrive.
“I feel that the state just dumped a whole mess of people out of our prison system,” he said, “and now we’re just having to deal withthem.”
But Jennifer Loving, the chief executive of�cer of the organization Destination: Home, which was formed in 2008 with the goal ofending homelessness in Santa Clara County, isn’t convinced that reducing the prison population is exacerbating homelessencampments. And she’s more optimistic about the city’s plan to address homelessness. (Morales-Ferrand, the head of the city’shousing department, sits on the Destination: Home board.)
For years, Loving said, San Jose added new homes, but they weren’t necessarily affordable. In the last eight or so years, she said, the cityhas begun to make adding deeply affordable housing, and particularly permanent supportive housing for formerly homeless people, adeliberate priority and started working with the county and other groups to increase the supply.
So far, two projects — The Plaza and Vermont House — have provided the �rst 64 units for formerly homeless people.
“We have such an opportunity right now,” Loving said. “For the �rst time, we have a shared roadmap for success and the city has shownthat they’re doing their part.”
In addition to the 928 affordable housing units in some phase of the development or entitlement process, the report says there are anestimated 1,682 prospective developments in the city.
Approximately 426 of the 594 units currently in development will be for formerly homeless individuals, with the rest going to peopleearning up to 50 percent of the area’s medium income, which is just over $53,000 for two people. According to the report, the city hascommitted just shy of $31 million to these projects.
The 2nd Street Studios project is expected to �nalize construction in October, and Villas on the Park broke ground earlier this year. Bothare expected to house formerly homeless people.
The city already manages a portfolio of around 20,000 affordable apartments and is in the process of rehabilitating a number ofproperties.
Occasionally, the report acknowledges, the city loses affordable housing units. Recently, restrictions that required 29 units at a propertyknown as Foxchase Drive Apartments to be reserved for very low income residents expired. In March, the property owner gave residentsa one-year notice, meaning rents can go up to market rates in March 2019.
“Even with more money, it doesn’t mean we’re going to have homes quickly,” he said.
18 Awesome ThingsTo Do In SouthernCalifornia This Week
When LA County Workers File HarassmentComplaints, Sometimes Nothing Happens ToThe Accusedby Mary Plummer in News on September 19, 2018 6:40 PM
Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration houses the Los Angeles County Equity Oversight Panel. Photo by Susanica Tan.
If you're a Los Angeles County worker and file a harassment complaint, you likely expectsomething will get done.
Not always the case, says an audit recently released by the L.A. County auditor-controller.
The review covered the county's system of handling workplace conduct complaints, includingsexual harassment and things like race and age discrimination, and the discipline that wasrecommended in several dozen cases from October 2015 to October 2016.
The audit found nearly half resulted in reduced levels of discipline or no discipline at all.
Here's more that you may want to know:
Q: What's behind this audit?
The county says the audit was scheduled even before last year's coverage of sexual misconductaccusations leveled against high-profile men in the entertainment, media and other industries.
But after those headlines, the Board of Supervisors called for a review of the way the countyhandles harassment and other misconduct complaints filed by its huge workforce.
Remedial ClassesAren't Working InCommunity Colleges-- And Now They'reAbout To BeCanceled
This Amateur MetalDetectorist IsFighting Pirates OnThe Beaches OfSanta Monica
Selling Tacos (AndEverything Else) OnThe Streets Of LAJust Got A WholeLot Easier
At the center of the review is the County Equity Oversight Panel, the little-known agency that'sresponsible for reviewing investigations and recommending discipline in cases whereemployees have been accused of violating county policies.
Q: And what did the audit find?
That the system sometimes falls short. That tracking the complaints when it comes to anydiscipline that's handed out needs improving, and that the processing of the cases needs to bemore timely.
Discipline can run the gamut, from written reprimands to firings, and the oversight panel makesrecommendations to the departments. The departments can sometimes reduce therecommended discipline that the oversight panel recommends, but they must say why in a letter.
The auditor recommends that all discipline outcomes — including whether the discipline isappealed — should be tracked. That way, the oversight panel would get a better handle on whythe discipline was reduced or not carried out.
Timeliness is another problem: in some cases, the oversight panel's recommended disciplinewasn't implemented for over six months. In one case, it languished for over a year.
On average, it took 18 months from the time a complaint was filed to the discipline beingimposed.
Officials pointed to staff shortages, turnover, and competing priorities for the delays.
Q: So what else does the auditor want to fix?
Beyond tracking the cases, the audit recommends the oversight panel evaluate why thedepartments reduced the discipline that was recommended. It also calls on the oversight panelto work with the departments and troubleshoot any issues so the complaints can be addressedin a timely way.
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By JOHN PHILLIPS |PUBLISHED: September 26, 2018 at 6:57 pm | UPDATED: September 26, 2018 at8:19 pm
Willie Brown Jr. former San Francisco mayor speaks to the large crowd during hisannual “The Breakfast Club” that raised money for the Willie Brown Jr. Institute onPolitics and Public Service on Friday, Oct. 13, 2006 in San Francisco. Willie Brown,Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and other political figures discussed the upcomingelections. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
18 Awesome ThingsTo Do In SouthernCalifornia This Week
BEST OF LAIST
The Hidden History Of LA County's OfficialAnthemby Austin Cross in Arts & Entertainment on September 20, 2018 1:25 PM
The Colwell Brothers, from left, Paul, Steve and Ralph, perform at the Hollywood Bowl in 1965. (Photo courtesy Pace Magazine)
Fifty-three years ago, a peppy batch of singers came to Los Angeles on the heels of one of thecity's darkest chapters: the Watts Riots. Their name was Sing-Out '65 and they brought arepertoire of bouncy tunes promoting peace and unity. One of these songs would become L.A.County's official anthem.
God made the world and then He looked around To find Him a county and this is what He found. A land of sea and mountain and desert wilderness;
And he made an earthly paradise He called Los Angeles
The ode, titled "Seventy-Six Cities," would spend the next five decades in relative obscurity. Thestory behind the song, along with the sheet music, can be found on L.A. County's website. Butwhat you won't easily find are its ties to an evangelical organization that saw itself on the frontlines of an ideological war — and one which some former members has called out as a cult.
The brothers who wrote the tune performed it for KPCC's Take Two earlier this year. When itwas written, there were 76 cities in L.A. County (we've added a dozen more since then).
Remedial ClassesAren't Working InCommunity Colleges-- And Now They'reAbout To BeCanceled
This Amateur MetalDetectorist IsFighting Pirates OnThe Beaches OfSanta Monica
Selling Tacos (AndEverything Else) OnThe Streets Of LAJust Got A WholeLot Easier
This is the story of our anthem.
Religious roots
Three decades before Sing-Out sang out for L.A. County's Board of Supervisors, an evangelistnamed Frank Buchman was making a name for himself with an organization known as theOxford Group.
Buchman's group saw the tensions that preceded WWII a direct result of sin in the world. Theywould work to bring their Christian revolution to Europe, earning them a spot on a Nazi watchlist. But it was in 1938 that Buchman founded the group that would ultimately help birth L.A.County's song: the Moral Re-Armament, or MRA.
Much like the Oxford Group, the MRA took a keen interest in public culture and politics.
"It was concerned that the West was in an ideological struggle with fascism and communismand that people in the west were losing that battle," said Daniel Sack, author of the book "TheReinventions of an American Religious Movement."
Sack said the MRA believed it could arm the world to battle these foes by building "ideologicalknowledge" like absolute love and purity. They would put on Broadway-influenced plays to gettheir message out, but, as post-war America evolved, Sack said Buchman recognized a growingneed to change their tune — literally. That change would come with the help of three brothersfrom the San Gabriel Valley city of San Marino, who formed a trio dubbed The Colwell Brothers.
The clean-cut brothers toured the world with the MRA, eventually creating, leading and writingsongs for the group of musical campaigners.
Up With People
Sing-Out would eventually take on a name that some might find more familiar: Up With People.The rebranding was based on one of their most popular songs, written by the Colwell Brothers.The group became internationally famous, going on to perform four Super Bowl halftime shows.
Austin Cross@AustinCross
Did you know @CountyofLA has an official song? No, it's not Randy Newman's "I Love L.A." It's a jaunty tune titled "Seventy-Six Cities," and it made its debut over 50 years ago. Hear the full (crazy) story today on @taketwo.7:52 AM - Sep 20, 2018
Up With People cast members perform on the field during the Super Bowl XIV halftime show in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on
January 20, 1980. (Photo from Up with People Archive [MS 49], courtesy of University of Arizona Libraries, Special Collections)
Despite that fame, Up With People has faced criticism from former members. In the 2009documentary, "Smile 'Til It Hurts: The Up With People Story," director Lee Storey details a"groupthink" mentality in the organization and details allegations of arranged marriages andquestionable sexual politics.
Actress Glenn Close is a former member and has publicly referred to the group as a "cult" onseveral occasions. Earlier this month, she told NPR's Peter Sagal that her experience as anearly member of Up With People was "incredibly traumatic."
"It was very controlled. It was the offshoot ofwhat basically was a cult group," she said inthe interview. "(The goal of) any cult is tomake the world better, but their way."
In an interview with Us Weekly, Close saidshe "wouldn't trust any of my instinctsbecause [my beliefs] had all been dictated tome."
But other former members who spoke withLAist disagreed.
"It really was not at all — from myperspective and for many others — cultish inany way," said former Sing-Out '65 memberCyddia Rodrigo. "(It) was one of the
crowning experiences of my life. I went into it a shy, young girl, and came out of it a woman."
Up With People continues to tour and recruit today. MRA ceased operations in 1970.
Students at Jordan High School in Watts watch Sing-Out '65
perform during a visit in 1965. (Photo courtesy Pace Magazine)
It was September 1965. Los Angeles was recovering from the Watts Riots — a catastrophic raceriot in the predominantly African American neighborhood of Watts that left 34 dead and causedat least $40 million dollars in damages.
As the community recovered, Sing-Out was slated to perform at the Hollywood Bowl and JordanHigh School in Watts. The Colwell Brothers knew what they were walking into.
Sing-Out '65 performs in front of a train. (Photo courtesy Pace Magazine)
"We were certainly aware of what was going on in L.A. at the time," Paul Colwell said in aninterview with Take Two. "The riots in Watts, the discrimination in housing and all the underlyingcauses of that situation."
"We (wanted) to lift them up and give a vision of what they could be," Steve Colwell added. "It'sa hope. We need to always give people hope that there is a better way."
After weeks of emailing, LAist tracked down two of the three Colwell brothers. Steve is 85 andPaul is 83. Together, they composed "Seventy-Six Cities" on the train ride from Chicago to L.A.
Historian Dan Sack says it was likely nocoincidence that Sing-Out was in town. Thegroup (soon-to-be Up With People) had ahistory of showing up in places wheretensions were high.
"Whenever there were anti-Americanprotests somewhere like in Japan, when thestudents there were protesting againstAmerican influence, all of the sudden the UpWith People [Sing-Out] kids would appearand the Japanese students would say 'Oh, Ilove America, this is great.'" Sack said thegroup's performance in Watts had a similareffect.
On this goodwill trip, Sing-Out would beinvited to sing for the L.A. County Board ofSupervisors. There, they would perform our soon-to-be county song. The Board was soimpressed with Sing-Out's performance that they unanimously adopted a motion to declare itL.A. County's official song.
The Colwell Brothers hoped Los Angeles would find a way out of racial strife. Let's check backon that in another 53 years.
You made it! Congrats, you read the entire story, you gorgeous human. This story was madepossible by generous people like you. Independent, local journalism costs $$$$$. And now thatLAist is part of KPCC, we rely on that support. So if you aren't already, be one of us! Help ushelp you live your best life in Southern California. Donate now.
Contact the author of this article or email [email protected] with further questions, comments or tips.
Tags:
BEST OF LAIST , GLENN CLOSE , HISTORY , LA COUNTY , MUSIC , SING-OUT ,
THE COLWELL BROTHERS , UP WITH PEOPLE , WATTS RIOTS
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