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10/3/2017 San Bernardino County deputy recorder among dead, more than six others wounded in Las Vegas shooting http://www.vvdailypress.com/news/20171002/san-bernardino-county-deputy-recorder-among-dead-more-than-six-others-wounded-in-las-vegas-shooting 1/3 By Paola Baker Staff Writer Posted Oct 2, 2017 at 10:35 AM Updated Oct 2, 2017 at 5:33 PM LAS VEGAS — A San Bernardino County deputy recorder was among those killed, and more than six other off-duty county employees were injured, after a gunman opened fire on the crowd at an outdoor concert in Las Vegas Sunday evening. The mass shooting occurred at the Route 91 Harvest Festival when a man, identified as Stephen Craig Paddock, 64, of Mesquite, Nevada, by authorities, broke the windows of his hotel room on the 32nd flood of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and began to fire at approximately 10:08 p.m. At least 59 people were killed and officials estimated that more than 500 were injured in the Sunday night attack that occurred while country music star Jason Aldean was performing in front of a crowd of more than 22,000 people. San Bernardino County spokesman David Wert said County Assessor Recorder Bob Dutton had confirmed that Deputy Recorder Dana Gardner died in the attack. Gardner, 52, of Grand Terrace, worked for the county and the recorder’s office since 1991. Wert added that county officials didn’t yet have a definitive total of the wounded, but noted that more than six other county employees were hurt. One was an off-duty San Bernardino County Fire Department firefighter, County Fire spokeswoman Tracey Martinez confirmed. Another worked for the county’s Probation Department, according to a tweet from the department. San Bernardino County deputy recorder among dead, more than six others wounded in Las Vegas shooting

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Page 1: San Bernardino County deputy recorder among dead, more ... · One was an off-duty San Bernardino County Fire Department firefighter, County Fire spokeswoman Tracey Martinez confirmed

10/3/2017 San Bernardino County deputy recorder among dead, more than six others wounded in Las Vegas shooting

http://www.vvdailypress.com/news/20171002/san-bernardino-county-deputy-recorder-among-dead-more-than-six-others-wounded-in-las-vegas-shooting 1/3

By Paola Baker Staff Writer Posted Oct 2, 2017 at 10:35 AMUpdated Oct 2, 2017 at 5:33 PM

LAS VEGAS — A San Bernardino County deputy recorder was among thosekilled, and more than six other off-duty county employees were injured, after agunman opened fire on the crowd at an outdoor concert in Las Vegas Sundayevening.

The mass shooting occurred at the Route 91 Harvest Festival when a man,identified as Stephen Craig Paddock, 64, of Mesquite, Nevada, by authorities,broke the windows of his hotel room on the 32nd flood of the Mandalay BayHotel and began to fire at approximately 10:08 p.m.

At least 59 people were killed and officials estimated that more than 500 wereinjured in the Sunday night attack that occurred while country music star JasonAldean was performing in front of a crowd of more than 22,000 people.

San Bernardino County spokesman David Wert said County Assessor RecorderBob Dutton had confirmed that Deputy Recorder Dana Gardner died in theattack.

Gardner, 52, of Grand Terrace, worked for the county and the recorder’s officesince 1991.

Wert added that county officials didn’t yet have a definitive total of thewounded, but noted that more than six other county employees were hurt.

One was an off-duty San Bernardino County Fire Department firefighter,County Fire spokeswoman Tracey Martinez confirmed. Another worked for thecounty’s Probation Department, according to a tweet from the department.

San Bernardino County deputy recorder amongdead, more than six others wounded in LasVegas shooting

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10/3/2017 San Bernardino County deputy recorder among dead, more than six others wounded in Las Vegas shooting

http://www.vvdailypress.com/news/20171002/san-bernardino-county-deputy-recorder-among-dead-more-than-six-others-wounded-in-las-vegas-shooting 2/3

“Thankfully, that officer was treated, released and is now with family,” the tweetread. “Please keep the victims of this tragedy in your thoughts and prayers.”

Martinez told the Daily Press several off-duty County Fire firefighters attendedthe concert and stopped to render aid as the shooting occurred. One firefighterwas struck as he assisted an injured concertgoer.

“He was rendering CPR to a concertgoer when he was struck,” Martinez said.

She declined to provide the firefighter’s identity, but several social media postshave identified him as Michael Kordich. He reportedly sustained a “non-lifethreatening injury” and was in surgery as of Monday afternoon. While Kordichappears to be the only County Fire employee shot, Martinez said several familymembers of County Fire personnel were also injured in Sunday’s shooting.

Some County Fire personnel are also in Las Vegas acting as a liaison for allcounty employees, Martinez said, and the department has also reached out toClark County Fire Department to offer assistance.

“It’s too early to tell if any of our resources are needed out there, but [CountyFire] is ready with anything they might need,” Martinez said.

Sheriff John McMahon released a statement Monday that said he was “saddenedby the many lives lost,” and that one department member was shot whileattending the event.

An updated statement identified the member as Sgt. Brad Powers, a 19-yearSheriff’s Department veteran assigned to the Fontana Sheriff’s Station. He’scurrently in “critical but stable condition” at a Las Vegas hospital.

“I want to thank everyone who came to Brad’s aid. Please keep him and hisfamily in your thoughts and prayers,” McMahon said.

Tony Briggs, coordinator for the San Bernardino chapter of the Red Cross, toldthe Daily Press he was at Ontario Airport getting ready to head out to Las Vegas.He’s the only local volunteer heading out, but the local chapter is getting a teamof mental health professionals ready, Briggs said.

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10/3/2017 San Bernardino County deputy recorder among dead, more than six others wounded in Las Vegas shooting

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“Over the next few days we’ll have about eight volunteers from our local areathat are all licensed to do mental health work,” Briggs said. “We’re also lookingfor spiritual care volunteers, such as priests, rabbis and the like, to help withspiritual needs, as well as volunteers for health services.”

Briggs said local Red Cross chapter volunteers will “fill in the gaps” in Las Vegas-area teams and can call on volunteers across the country as needed.

Paola Baker may be reached at 760-955-5332 or [email protected]. Follow her

on Twitter at @DP_PaolaBaker.

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Page 4: San Bernardino County deputy recorder among dead, more ... · One was an off-duty San Bernardino County Fire Department firefighter, County Fire spokeswoman Tracey Martinez confirmed

10/3/2017 San Bernardino County employee killed, 5 others injured, in Las Vegas mass shooting – San Bernardino Sun

http://www.sbsun.com/2017/10/02/at-least-one-san-bernardino-county-employee-killed-several-others-injured-in-las-vegas-mass-shooting/ 1/8

By JOE NELSON | [email protected] | San Bernardino SunPUBLISHED: October 2, 2017 at 12:18 pm | UPDATED: October 2, 2017 at 10:28 pm

San Bernardino County Deputy Recorder Dana Gardner (left) and San BernardinoCounty sheriff’s Sgt. Brad Powers. (Courtesy photos)

A longtime employee of the San Bernardino County Assessor/Recorder/County

Clerk’s of�ce was among those killed in Sunday night’s mass shooting at the Route

91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas, where the death toll now stands at 59, of�cials

said Monday.

NEWS

San Bernardino Countyemployee killed, 5 others injured,in Las Vegas mass shooting

Page 5: San Bernardino County deputy recorder among dead, more ... · One was an off-duty San Bernardino County Fire Department firefighter, County Fire spokeswoman Tracey Martinez confirmed

10/3/2017 San Bernardino County employee killed, 5 others injured, in Las Vegas mass shooting – San Bernardino Sun

http://www.sbsun.com/2017/10/02/at-least-one-san-bernardino-county-employee-killed-several-others-injured-in-las-vegas-mass-shooting/ 2/8

“I am so very sorry to report that one of the Assessor/Recorder employees in

attendance at the event was shot twice and, tragically, passed away this morning,”

San Bernardino County Interim CEO Dena Smith said in an email to the Board of

Supervisors Monday. She said the Department of Behavioral Health had been in

touch with Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk Bob Dutton, and counselors had been

dispatched to his of�ce.

“I’ve got people going home. I’ve got four crisis counselors here now. I’m still

trying to assess how we’re going to continue to service the public, and if I need to

call in a favor from Riverside County,” Dutton said in a telephone interview

Monday.

Dutton identi�ed the employee killed in the attack as Deputy Recorder Dana

Gardner, 52, a county employee of 26 years whom he described as a “go-to” person

and a “dedicated public servant.”

“She had a lot of knowledge. She was a great employee,” Dutton said.

Gardner began working for the county on Aug. 26, 1991 as a document clerk in the

Recorder’s Of�ce, which was then part of the Auditor-Controller’s of�ce. She was

promoted to a legal document coordinator in 2004 and deputy recorder in 2015,

county spokesman David Wert said.

Wert said in an email that six county employees, including Gardner, were

wounded or killed in the shooting. Others wounded included a sheriff’s sergeant,

probation of�cer, county �re�ghter, and employees of the Human Services and

Fleet Management departments. All were attending Sunday’s country music

festival in a “non-of�cial capacity,” Wert said.

Las Vegas authorities reported 527 people injured in the mass shooting, called the

deadliest in modern U.S. history.

Dutton said he arrived at his of�ce Monday morning to �nd his staff shaky and

grief-stricken.

Page 6: San Bernardino County deputy recorder among dead, more ... · One was an off-duty San Bernardino County Fire Department firefighter, County Fire spokeswoman Tracey Martinez confirmed

10/3/2017 San Bernardino County employee killed, 5 others injured, in Las Vegas mass shooting – San Bernardino Sun

http://www.sbsun.com/2017/10/02/at-least-one-san-bernardino-county-employee-killed-several-others-injured-in-las-vegas-mass-shooting/ 3/8

The flags outside the San Bernardino County Department of Public Healthbuilding and the Assessor’s Office has been lowered to half staff for the victimsof the Las Vegas mass shooting on Monday, Oct. 1, 2017. Dana Gardner, adeputy recorder for the San Bernardino County Assessor/Recorder/CountyClerk’s Office, was among those killed during Sunday nights mass shooting atthe Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas. (Stan Lim, San Bernardino Sun/SCNG)

“Everybody here is still in shock. They’re waiting for (Gardner) to walk through

the door,” Dutton said.

He said he was contacted shortly before 7 a.m. by Assistant Recorder Joani

Finwall, who informed him that Gardner had been shot twice — once in the chest

and once in the arm.

“She was in touch with (Gardner’s) daughter,” Dutton said. “Obviously Joani was

very rattled, concerned about Dana and her daughter.”

By 7:30 a.m., Dutton said he had been in contact with Finwall three times, the last

to notify him of the grim news that Gardner had died.

At Gardner’s home in Grand Terrace on Monday, cars and trucks lined the curb

outside the house as people streamed inside to offer condolences to the family. A

man who answered the door said the family did not wish to comment. He said

Gardner had a daughter and two sons.

 

Page 7: San Bernardino County deputy recorder among dead, more ... · One was an off-duty San Bernardino County Fire Department firefighter, County Fire spokeswoman Tracey Martinez confirmed

10/3/2017 San Bernardino County employee killed, 5 others injured, in Las Vegas mass shooting – San Bernardino Sun

http://www.sbsun.com/2017/10/02/at-least-one-san-bernardino-county-employee-killed-several-others-injured-in-las-vegas-mass-shooting/ 4/8

#SBCProbation had several people in attendance at the concertin Las Vegas and one was shot. Thankfully, that officer wastreated, released and is now with family. Please keep the victimsof this tragedy in your thoughts and prayers.3:52 PM - Oct 2, 2017

2 16 35

SBC Probation @SBCprobation

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Sheriff John McMahon con�rmed that Sgt. Brad Powers, a 19-year veteran of the

department assigned to the Fontana station, was among the wounded. He said

Powers was in critical but stable condition at a Las Vegas hospital.

Page 8: San Bernardino County deputy recorder among dead, more ... · One was an off-duty San Bernardino County Fire Department firefighter, County Fire spokeswoman Tracey Martinez confirmed

10/3/2017 San Bernardino County employee killed, 5 others injured, in Las Vegas mass shooting – San Bernardino Sun

http://www.sbsun.com/2017/10/02/at-least-one-san-bernardino-county-employee-killed-several-others-injured-in-las-vegas-mass-shooting/ 5/8

San Bernardino sheriff’s Sgt Brad Powers suffered a gun shot Sunday, October 1,2017 during the shooting in Las Vegas. He is listed in critical condition. (Courtesyphoto)

Page 9: San Bernardino County deputy recorder among dead, more ... · One was an off-duty San Bernardino County Fire Department firefighter, County Fire spokeswoman Tracey Martinez confirmed

10/3/2017 San Bernardino County employee killed, 5 others injured, in Las Vegas mass shooting – San Bernardino Sun

http://www.sbsun.com/2017/10/02/at-least-one-san-bernardino-county-employee-killed-several-others-injured-in-las-vegas-mass-shooting/ 6/8

“I want to thank everyone who came to Brad’s aid. Please keep him and his family

in your thoughts and prayers,” McMahon said in a statement Monday.

The San Bernardino County Probation Of�ce con�rmed that one of its of�cers

was wounded in the shooting as well, but said no personal information about the

of�cer was going to be released. However, in a statement, Of�cer Stephanie

Roque, spokeswoman for the department, said, “she is with family and is resting

because, as you can imagine, it was a very traumatic event.”

Smith said in her email to the board, “I am pleased to report that the individual

from probation has undergone surgery, been released and is heading home.”

McMahon decamped for Las Vegas Monday, where a crisis management team was

gearing up for deployment. District Attorney’s Of�ce spokesman Christopher Lee

said District Attorney Mike Ramos was meeting with his chief of victim services

and preparing the team to assist the shooting victims and their families.

Board of Supervisors Chairman Robert Lovingood directed �ags to be lowered to

half-staff at all county facilities, Smith said.

Smith informed supervisors in her email she would be in contact with all

department heads to discuss on-site counseling services being made available to

employees.

“I will also be reaching out to the administrators for the city of Las Vegas and

Clark County this morning to express our condolences and determine if there is

anything we can do to assist,” Smith said in her email.

News of the county employees killed or injured in Sunday night’s shooting echoed

Dec. 2, 2015, when 14 people were killed — 13 of them county environmental

health services employees — in a mass shooting at the Inland Regional Center,

committed by county health inspector Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife, Tashfeen

Malik. The couple was killed in a shootout with police hours a�er the attack,

determined by the FBI to be an act of terrorism.

“With respect to our December 2 victims, I understand some of our folks

contacted the Counseling Team International last night,” Smith said in her email

to the board. “As in the past, CTI will be on site this morning.”

Counseling Team International is a San Bernardino-based counseling center, with

of�ces across Southern California, that has long provided crisis counseling

services to police of�cers and sheriff’s deputies, but following the IRC shooting

expanded its services to other county employees.

Page 10: San Bernardino County deputy recorder among dead, more ... · One was an off-duty San Bernardino County Fire Department firefighter, County Fire spokeswoman Tracey Martinez confirmed

10/3/2017 San Bernardino County employee killed, 5 others injured, in Las Vegas mass shooting – San Bernardino Sun

http://www.sbsun.com/2017/10/02/at-least-one-san-bernardino-county-employee-killed-several-others-injured-in-las-vegas-mass-shooting/ 7/8

Veronica Kelley, Director of the San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral

Health, issued a statement Monday saying her department was “deeply saddened

by the events of the Las Vegas shooting.”

“We are actively providing crisis response interventions as needed to county staff

and the community at large,” Kelley said. “The access unit  provides connection to

behavioral health crisis services to all of San Bernardino County and is available

24/7.”

County Supervisor Janice Rutherford posted a statement on her personal

Facebook page Monday morning a�er hearing the news.

“I know I am not the only parent who held their kids a moment longer this

morning as my heart begged that they never even leave our house,” Rutherford

said. “My heart aches for those who lost loved ones last night and prays for those

who were injured.”

Staff Writer Beatriz Valenzuela contributed to this report.

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Page 11: San Bernardino County deputy recorder among dead, more ... · One was an off-duty San Bernardino County Fire Department firefighter, County Fire spokeswoman Tracey Martinez confirmed

10/3/2017 UPDATE: Sergeant from Fontana station is shot during Las Vegas concert; woman from S.B. County Recorder's Office dies in attack - Fontana …

http://www.fontanaheraldnews.com/news/update-sergeant-from-fontana-station-is-shot-during-las-vegas/article_33756822-a79b-11e7-b3ae-c71246dd… 1/2

UPDATE: Sergeant from Fontana station is shot duringLas Vegas concert; woman from S.B. CountyRecorder's Office dies in attackPosted: Monday, October 2, 2017 10:57 am

Sgt. Brad Powers, a San Bernardino County Sheriff'sDepartment employee who is assigned to the FontanaStation, was shot and injured in the mass shooting whichtook place at a concert in Las Vegas on Oct. 1.

Powers is currently in critical but stable condition and isbeing treated at a Las Vegas-area hospital, said Sheriff JohnMcMahon in a news release on the afternoon of Oct. 2.

"I want to thank everyone who came to Brad’s aid. Pleasekeep him and his family in your thoughts and prayers,"McMahon said.

Powers, a 19-year veteran, was one of at least six SanBernardino County employees who either died or wereinjured during the incident at the Route 91 Harvest Festival.

Altogether, at least 59 people died and more than 500 wereinjured in the deadliest mass shooting in United Stateshistory.

The San Bernardino County Assessor-Recorder's Office hasconfirmed that a county employee who died in the attack wasDeputy Recorder Dana Gardner, 52, of Grand Terrace. Shehad worked for the county and the Recorder's Office sinceAug. 26, 1991.

The names of the other county employees who werevictimized in the tragedy have not yet been released.

“I am saddened by the many lives lost," McMahon said. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to all victims andtheir families.”

The incident took place at about 10:08 p.m., when the suspect opened fire on a crowd of more than 22,000concertgoers from his hotel room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department – SWAT responded to the call, breached the hotel room, andfound the suspect dead.

The Fontana Police Department issued a brief statement on its Facebook page: "Our thoughts and prayers goout to all those affected by this horrible tragedy in Las Vegas."

Sgt. Brad Powers

Sgt. Brad Powers, a San Bernardino CountySheriff's Department employee who isassigned to the Fontana Station, was shotand injured in the mass shooting in LasVegas. (Contributed photo by SanBernardino County Sheriff's Department)

Page 12: San Bernardino County deputy recorder among dead, more ... · One was an off-duty San Bernardino County Fire Department firefighter, County Fire spokeswoman Tracey Martinez confirmed

10/3/2017 UPDATE: Sergeant from Fontana station is shot during Las Vegas concert; woman from S.B. County Recorder's Office dies in attack - Fontana …

http://www.fontanaheraldnews.com/news/update-sergeant-from-fontana-station-is-shot-during-las-vegas/article_33756822-a79b-11e7-b3ae-c71246dd… 2/2

Lifestream in the Inland Empire issued a statement urging local residents to donate blood in response to theshooting.

"Lifestream blood donors are being asked to replenish the blood that has been sent to Las Vegas to ensurethat we can assist with more blood as needed, and continue to serve patients in our local hospitals," said DonEscalante of Lifestream. "O-negative donations are especially needed at this time, but all donations arewelcome."

Walk-ins are welcome at all locations; appointments may be made by calling (800) 879-4484 or going to. For hours and locations, go to .LStream.org https://giftoflife/lstream.org/donor/schedules/zip

Page 13: San Bernardino County deputy recorder among dead, more ... · One was an off-duty San Bernardino County Fire Department firefighter, County Fire spokeswoman Tracey Martinez confirmed

10/3/2017 San Bernardino leaders offer condolences to victims of Las Vegas mass shooting – Daily Bulletin

http://www.dailybulletin.com/2017/10/02/san-bernardino-leaders-offer-condolences-to-victims-of-las-vegas-mass-shooting/?utm_source=dlvr.… 1/3

By BRIAN WHITEHEAD | [email protected] | Orange County Register

October 2, 2017 at 5:50 pm

A wounded person is walked in on a wheelbarrow as Las Vegas police respond during an active shooter situation on the Las Vegas Stirp in LasVegas Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017. Multiple victims were being transported to hospitals after a shooting late Sunday at a music festival on the Las VegasStrip. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP)

SAN BERNARDINO – City leaders on Monday, Oct. 2, showed support for victims of the mass shooting in Las Vegas, the deadliest in modern

U.S. history.

Mayor Carey Davis, in of ce on Dec. 2, 2015, when 14 people were killed and 22 were wounded in a mass shooting at Inland Regional Center in

San Bernardino, tweeted at around 7 a.m.

“The San Bernardino community unites in the support and uplifting for the City of Las Vegas,” he said. “We extend our sincere condolences,

prayers and hopes for healing and swift recovery.

LOCAL NEWS

San Bernardino leaders offer condolences to victims of LasVegas mass shooting

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10/3/2017 San Bernardino leaders offer condolences to victims of Las Vegas mass shooting – Daily Bulletin

http://www.dailybulletin.com/2017/10/02/san-bernardino-leaders-offer-condolences-to-victims-of-las-vegas-mass-shooting/?utm_source=dlvr.… 2/3

7:06 AM - Oct 2, 2017

12 23

Mayor R. Carey Davis @SBMayorDavis

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“May we hold the loved ones of those lost in our thoughts and in our prayers,” he continued, “and may we continue to pray for peace and unity

across our nation.”

Congressman Pete Aguilar, whose district includes San Bernardino, shared a similar message Monday morning.

“Absolutely heartbroken to wake up to the news out of Las Vegas,” he said. “My thoughts are with the victims and their families today.”

Absolutely heartbroken to wake up to the news out of Las Vegas.My thoughts are with the victims and their families today.6:14 AM - Oct 2, 2017

2 14 34

Rep. Pete Aguilar @RepPeteAguilar

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Aguilar also commended the rst responders, some of whom hail from San Bernardino County.

Police Chief Jarrod Burguan also offered condolences to those affected by the attack.

The Police Department “stands with #lasvegas,” he tweeted.

@SanBernardinoPD stands with #lasvegas, thoughts and prayersby all those affected by the #LasVegasShooting6:25 AM - Oct 2, 2017

18 68

Chief Jarrod Burguan @SBPDChief

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Dale Marsden, superintendent of San Bernardino City Uni ed, shared a letter with district parents Monday reassuring the district’s

commitment to student, staff and community safety.

Though Marsden noted the shooting is believed to be an isolated incident, he encouraged families to discuss questions and concerns their

children may have.

“Please continue to partner with us by being our eyes and ears on campus and reporting any safety concerns you see,” Marsden concluded.

“Again, please keep all those involved in your thoughts and prayers today and in coming days.”

Tags:  Las Vegas mass shooting, Top Stories Sun

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10/3/2017 After Las Vegas mass shooting, experts say Southern California open-air venues are vulnerable – San Bernardino Sun

http://www.sbsun.com/2017/10/02/%e2%80%8bafter-las-vegas-mass-shooting-experts-say-socal-open-air-venues-are-vulnerable/?utm_sour… 1/7

By BRENDA GAZZAR | [email protected] | Daily NewsPUBLISHED: October 2, 2017 at 8:58 pm | UPDATED: October 3, 2017 at 6:53 am

Debris is strewn through the scene of a mass shooting at a music festival near theMandalay Bay resort and casino on the Las Vegas Strip, Monday, Oct. 2, 2017, in LasVegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

NEWS

After Las Vegas mass shooting,experts say Southern Californiaopen-air venues are vulnerable

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10/3/2017 After Las Vegas mass shooting, experts say Southern California open-air venues are vulnerable – San Bernardino Sun

http://www.sbsun.com/2017/10/02/%e2%80%8bafter-las-vegas-mass-shooting-experts-say-socal-open-air-venues-are-vulnerable/?utm_sour… 2/7

Sunday’s mass shooting at a country music festival in Las Vegas underscores the

security vulnerabilities of open-air attractions, shopping malls, tourist

destinations and venues around Southern California, experts say.

At least 59 people were killed and more than 520 injured in the deadliest mass

shooting in modern U.S. history. The gunman has been identi�ed as Stephen

Craig Paddock, 64, who reportedly shot from the 32nd �oor of the Mandalay Bay

Hotel and Casino. He was later found dead.

RELATED STORY: Las Vegas mass shooting leaves at least 59 dead, hundreds

injured at Route 91 Harvest Festival

The security vulnerabilities “are virtually in�nite” in Southern California, given

there are so many public places and open-air venues, said Brian Jenkins, an

authority on terrorism and security at the Santa Monica-based RAND Corp.

“You think of anything where there is an assembly of people; that can be an open-

air concert, it can be a tourist venue, it can be anything,” he said. “You can think

of all of the open-air attractions we have in Los Angeles — all of them are

vulnerable.”

Certain venues, such as airports, can be protected all the time at great cost and

with signi�cant disruption, Jenkins said. Temporary rings of security can be set

up around events for short periods of time, such as during a rock concert, a New

Year’s Eve celebration or a political convention.

“But we also have to be realistic and know that we cannot protect everything

everywhere all the time,” he said. “If one is determined to kill and willing to

kill indiscriminately, then any assembly of people anywhere is a target and we

cannot stop that — so we just have to be realistic about what can be done.”

Los Angeles is “constantly re�ning our look at large events” ranging from sporting

events to concerts to Academy Awards ceremonies, Mayor Eric Garcetti said at a

news conference at the Central Library downtown Monday.

“This is the kind of thing that keeps you up late at night as a mayor,” he said.

While there’s no way to stop every attack, Garcetti said they do regularly add both

visible and invisible sources of security using technology, plain clothes of�cers

and resources from other agencies.

“We will continue to do everything we can to protect life in the city from these

mass shootings, both in policy and in protection,” he said. “We can’t make that a

hundred percent secure ever but even as we think forward to all the things that

are coming here, all-star games, Super Bowls, Academy Awards etc. … we have a

lot of experience in this.”

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10/3/2017 After Las Vegas mass shooting, experts say Southern California open-air venues are vulnerable – San Bernardino Sun

http://www.sbsun.com/2017/10/02/%e2%80%8bafter-las-vegas-mass-shooting-experts-say-socal-open-air-venues-are-vulnerable/?utm_sour… 3/7

Any medium- to high-occupancy venue in the region that has no security or

counter-measures in place are the most vulnerable to potential attacks, said Erroll

Southers, director of homegrown violent extremism studies at USC’s Safe

Communities Institute.

“If one is determined to kill andwilling to kill indiscriminately, thenany assembly of people anywhere isa target and we cannot stop that —so we just have to be realistic aboutwhat can be done.” — Brian Jenkins,an authority on terrorism and security at the SantaMonica-based RAND Corp.

While visible security measures can certainly be a deterrent for attackers, tighter

security would likely not have made much difference in the Las Vegas shooting

because of the shooter’s elevated position, said Southers, who is also managing

director of TAL Global Corp., an international security consulting �rm.

“They probably did have screenings for weapons and prohibited items from going

into the concert but you could not stop this man from doing what he did,”

Southers said.

There are examples where security is known to have prevented or deterred

attacks. In the deadly November 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris, for example, part

of the plan involved suicide bombers entering into a large soccer stadium, where

a major match was on. But because security guards were at the gate, the suicide

bombers ended up detonating their bombs outside the stadium, which reduced

the number of casualties, Jenkins said.

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10/3/2017 After Las Vegas mass shooting, experts say Southern California open-air venues are vulnerable – San Bernardino Sun

http://www.sbsun.com/2017/10/02/%e2%80%8bafter-las-vegas-mass-shooting-experts-say-socal-open-air-venues-are-vulnerable/?utm_sour… 4/7

Similarly, USC’s Southers noted that white supremacist Buford O’Neal Furrow Jr.

cased out multiple Jewish institutions — and ruled them out due to security

measures — before walking into the North Valley Jewish Community Center in the

San Fernando Valley on Aug. 10, 1999. At the community center, he �red 70 shots

and wounded �ve people, including three young children and a teen camp

counselor. He then le� the center and proceeded to shoot and kill Filipino-

American postal worker Joseph Ileto.

Los Angeles City Councilman Mitchell Englander, who chairs the council’s public

safety committee and is a reserve police of�cer, called the Las Vegas tragedy “one

that this country has never seen before.”

The City Council had a closed session a couple of weeks ago on preventive

security measures and best practices for large-scale events that involved police

and other city of�cials, he said.

“We’re very focused on it and have been and we’re fortunate we haven’t had an

incident of any real magnitude here,” Englander said.

But the biggest message, he argued, is to the general public to stay alert and to

speak up when something doesn’t seem right with a loved one or in one’s

community.

“In term of mass events, large crowded events, while we have to be conscious and

more cautious, we also can’t let this change us in our freedom and we can’t let it

change our lives,” Englander said.

Staff writer Elizabeth Chou and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Page 19: San Bernardino County deputy recorder among dead, more ... · One was an off-duty San Bernardino County Fire Department firefighter, County Fire spokeswoman Tracey Martinez confirmed

10/3/2017 Family, friends weep as loved ones land at Ontario airport after Las Vegas mass shooting – Press Enterprise

http://www.pe.com/2017/10/02/family-friends-weep-as-loved-ones-land-at-ontario-airport-after-las-vegas-mass-shooting/ 1/5

By ALEJANDRA MOLINA | [email protected] | The Press-EnterprisePUBLISHED: October 2, 2017 at 3:40 pm | UPDATED: October 2, 2017 at 7:34 pm

Ryan Hultner of Fountain Valley greets his tearful wife Katy at the Long Beach Airportafter she arrives back from Las Vegas. She and her friend escaped serious physicalinjury when a shooter opened fire at a Jason Aldean concert, killing at least 58 people.(Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

LOCAL NEWS

Family, friends weep as lovedones land at Ontario airport afterLas Vegas mass shooting

Page 20: San Bernardino County deputy recorder among dead, more ... · One was an off-duty San Bernardino County Fire Department firefighter, County Fire spokeswoman Tracey Martinez confirmed

10/3/2017 Family, friends weep as loved ones land at Ontario airport after Las Vegas mass shooting – Press Enterprise

http://www.pe.com/2017/10/02/family-friends-weep-as-loved-ones-land-at-ontario-airport-after-las-vegas-mass-shooting/ 2/5

Renee Hays realized the incessant pop-pop-pops that rang through the Las Vegas

Strip on Sunday, Oct. 1, weren’t �recrackers.

They were gunshots that sent many like her running to take cover. Soon, the

Ontario resident went to the aid of others.

Hays, who was at Route 91 Harvest Festival when the shooting erupted, said she

helped put people in the back of pickups and administered CPR to a woman who

was later pronounced dead by paramedics.

“We just tried to help whoever we could,” said Hays, 45.

Trisha Erickson, left, is greeted at the Long Beach Airport by family membersafter she and a friend from Fountain Valley arrive from Las Vegas on Monday,October 2, 2017. They both survived a mass shooting at a Jason Aldean concertwhich killed at least 58 people. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange CountyRegister/SCNG)

At least 58 people were killed and more than 500 injured in the attack on the

Route 91 Harvest Festival, where country music star Jason Aldean was performing

for more than 22,000 fans. It is the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

Hays arrived at the Ontario International Airport on Monday morning as anxious

family members waited for their loved ones’ morning �ight to land from Las

Vegas.

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10/3/2017 Family, friends weep as loved ones land at Ontario airport after Las Vegas mass shooting – Press Enterprise

http://www.pe.com/2017/10/02/family-friends-weep-as-loved-ones-land-at-ontario-airport-after-las-vegas-mass-shooting/ 3/5

Dozens of �ights Monday were scheduled to arrive in Southern California from

Las Vegas to Ontario International, John Wayne, and Los Angeles International

airports.

Flights in and out of McCarran Airport in Las Vegas were temporarily halted

Sunday night in response to the shooting, but by early Monday morning the

airport was fully operating. FlightAware, an online tracking service, reported no

delays Monday at Southern California airports.

In Long Beach, Ryan Hultner of Fountain Valley greeted his tearful wife Katy at

the airport a�er she arrived from Las Vegas. She and her friend escaped injuries.

Angelina Rodriguez, a 45-year-old Rancho Cucamonga resident, embraced her

sister when she arrived in Ontario. She wept as she recounted the Sunday night

massacre.

She didn’t attend the festival but she and her wife had just gotten back to their

hotel a�er dinner when they heard the shots, which she said sounded like rolling

doors.

They were staying on the 17th �oor at the Luxor hotel, across from where the

concert site.

“The concert didn’t end at 10 o’clock and everything went dark,” she said. “I

couldn’t �gure out why.”

The sirens went off in the hotel and they were advised to stay inside and lock their

doors. They were locked in until 4:30 a.m.

Rodriguez said she and her wife were supposed to come back Sunday a�ernoon,

but decided to stay an extra day to spend more time with their friends. They

wound up missing the 6 a.m. �ight due to the lockdown.

The airport ride back “was somber,” she said. “Everybody was just kind of hugging

each other.”

Press-Enterprisereporter

Alejandra Molina

Tags:  crime, las vegas, Las Vegas mass shooting,Top Stories PE

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10/3/2017 'Fight for your life': High Desert residents escape Las Vegas mass shooting

http://www.vvdailypress.com/news/20171002/fight-for-your-life-high-desert-residents-escape-las-vegas-mass-shooting 1/5

By Rene Ray De La Cruz Staff Writer

By Shea Johnson Staff Writer Posted Oct 2, 2017 at 5:42 PMUpdated at 8:18 AM

“I haven’t been able to sleep and I still keep hearing thesound of loud pops in my head.”

LAS VEGAS — A 25-year-old Barstow man and his girlfriend were in the frontrow, enjoying the outdoor performance by country music superstar JasonAldean, when the shots rang out.

“At first, we thought it was a Taser. It was pretty far away,” Justin Bowles said byphone Monday. “I just thought someone was being a jackass in the crowd, but itwasn’t until people started dropping, hitting the floor — seeing blood on thisguy, and this guy next to me — ‘Oh, crap, this is real!’”

The mass shooting Sunday night at the Route 91 Harvest Festival, across fromthe Mandalay Bay Hotel, prompted initial confusion before sparking a chaoticscene as thousands of attendees sought refuge from a hail of rapid gunfire.Several of the event-goers were High Desert residents, who offered harrowingtales of escape.

Bowles and his 30-year-old girlfriend, Olga Ramirez, also from Barstow, made asplit-second decision he credited for saving their lives.

“We can’t stay here because bullets continued to fire,” he said. “It was fight foryour life, you know?”

‘Fight for your life’: High Desert residentsescape Las Vegas mass shooting

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10/3/2017 'Fight for your life': High Desert residents escape Las Vegas mass shooting

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The two flung themselves over a roughly 5-foot barricade next to the stage,where she was struck by a bullet to her lower back. But neither would know itfor some time until the adrenaline faded; she was ultimately treated at a localhospital and recovering well Monday.

On knees and elbows, they crawled under the stage to hide and used a generatoras a shield. They continued to hear bullets ricochet against the barricade andgenerator.

“There was a brief second, the bullets stopped,” Bowles said “He’s reloading, so Isaid, ‘Let’s go.’”

The couple, who attended all three days of the festival beginning Friday,eventually made their way out through a back exit to a dirt parking lot.

It was then when Ramirez said she felt wet, as if someone had spilled a drink onher. It was blood. Fearful that continued fast-paced movement could worsen hercondition, the couple flagged down a truck, which stopped, but almostimmediately afterward they spotted an ambulance.

Ramirez was taken to the hospital, where she remained Monday. Her parentstraveled to Las Vegas to be with the couple.

Bowles, a government contract employee in Yermo, said that despite the frenzyspurred by the attack, he remembered, too, the human response visible in thedirt parking lot.

“There’s people everywhere,” he said. “Everybody helping everybody.”

He added that he hoped the attack would serve to unify.

″(The concert) represented everything good and honorable that America standsfor. It’s like, what a better place to hit, you know?” he said. “Things like this, itbrings us together even more. It makes you want to love one and another.”

Staci LeClair of Apple Valley said words cannot adequately describe “the horror”she and her husband, Jim, witnessed as a lone gunman rained down bullets onmore than 22,000 concert-goers.

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10/3/2017 'Fight for your life': High Desert residents escape Las Vegas mass shooting

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Sitting about 200 yards from the concert stage, the LeClairs sat with familymembers listening to Aldean when they heard a loud “pop-pop-pop,” StaciLeClair said.

The group first thought the popping sounds were coming from firecrackers orfailing concert equipment. But they soon crouched down, then began runningfor safety when they heard the sound again and saw Aldean and his band exit thestage.

“When I was running, I was crying and I honestly thought this is the end,” StaciLeClair said. “I kept thinking that I would never be able to hug, kiss or tell myboys that I love them every again.”

Staci LeClair said she credits her husband’s training as a Los Angeles County FireDepartment fire captain for helping the group to find safety in a large industrialfreezer near the outdoor vending area.

“Unfortunately, shootings are a fact of life now,” Jim LeClair, 45, said. “Whenyou go to a big event, you have to look for exits and get together with yourgroup to pre-plan your escape route. You also have to have a plan if the celltowers get knocked out and you can’t use your phone.”

During the shooting, Staci LeClair noticed the shooter first began firing towardthe stage area before working his way back through the crowd.

“When we thought it was safe, we started heading toward the MGM Grand,”Staci LeClair said. “That’s when we came across a limo driver who took us to ourhotel room at the Mirage Hotel.”

During the limo ride, the limo driver picked up a couple who “came out of thebushes,” and stayed with the LeClairs at their hotel until they could make it backto their own hotel, LeClair said.

“We actually had a room on the 31st floor at Mandalay Bay, but we checked outearly on Sunday and moved over to the Mirage,” Staci LeClair said. “It’s hard toimagine that the shooter’s room was on the floor above us. Not being there was agreater intervention.”

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10/3/2017 'Fight for your life': High Desert residents escape Las Vegas mass shooting

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Kymberley Suchomel, who was at the concert with four friends, told the DailyPress she still can’t fathom the “scope and horror” of Sunday’s shooting.

“I’m most definitely in a state of shock and it will take some time for me to getover this,” said Suchomel, 28, who lives in Apple Valley. “I haven’t been able tosleep and I still keep hearing the sound of loud pops in my head.”

Suchomel said her group was on the lawn area, about 200 feet from the stage,when she thought she heard the sound of firecrackers fill the air. She credits herfriend Ricky Ardito for instructing the group to stay low to the ground whenthey heard the shots.

As the group was being fired upon, Suchomel said she thought of her daughter,Scarlett, as she called her husband and grandmother, Julie Norton, to tell them“goodbye” for the final time.

“We fell to the ground and got up running about three times,” Suchomel said.“When we saw people not getting up, we kept running and we didn’t look back. Ican’t stop thinking how it could have been us — we were literally inches awayfrom people who were shot.”

Finding no way out of the venue, Suchomel said the crowd tore down a securityfence during their escape.

After making it back to their hotel room at the Tahiti Hotel, Suchomel said shepacked up her things and sped back to her family in Apple Valley as fast aspossible.

“It’s good to be back home with my family, but my heart is with those who areinjured or have lost loved ones,” Suchomel said. “All I keep doing is watching thenews coverage of the shooting and keep thinking we were there.”

Anna Marie Law wrote on the Desert Dispatch Facebook page that she and herfour daughters, who live in Barstow, Victorville and Hesperia, were able to fleethrough a side gate emergency exit.

“We were jumping metal fences and about 25 people were given a safe place tostay in an apartment right behind (the) concert until the cops said it was safe toreturn to our hotel,” she wrote.

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10/3/2017 'Fight for your life': High Desert residents escape Las Vegas mass shooting

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Melissa Miller wrote that she and her friend, Kelly, left the concert about 30minutes prior to the gunfire because she wasn’t feeling well. Her brother andsister-in-law, however, stayed behind.

“They escaped but it was horrific,” she wrote.

The Daily Press also heard Monday of injuries to local residents not named inthis story, but could not sufficiently confirm those details.

Shea Johnson can be reached at 760-955-5368 or [email protected]. Follow

him on Twitter at @DP_Shea.

Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227, RDeLa

[email protected], Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz and Instagram

@reneraydelacruz.

SIGN UP FOR DAILY E-MAIL Wake up to the day’s top news, delivered to your inbox

Page 27: San Bernardino County deputy recorder among dead, more ... · One was an off-duty San Bernardino County Fire Department firefighter, County Fire spokeswoman Tracey Martinez confirmed

10/3/2017 2 Riverside County deputies shot in Las Vegas mass shooting – Press Enterprise

http://www.pe.com/2017/10/02/2-riverside-county-deputies-shot-in-las-vegas-mass-shooting/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter 1/3

By BRIAN ROKOS | [email protected] | The Press-EnterprisePUBLISHED: October 2, 2017 at 5:48 pm | UPDATED: October 2, 2017 at 7:13 pm

Flowers are placed near the scene of a mass shooting at a music festival near theMandalay Bay resort and casino, top left, on the Las Vegas Strip, Monday, Oct. 2,2017, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

A Riverside County sheriff’s deputy was in critical condition Monday, Oct. 2, a�er

being shot at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival in Las Vegas on Sunday.

NEWS

2 Riverside County deputies shotin Las Vegas mass shooting

Page 28: San Bernardino County deputy recorder among dead, more ... · One was an off-duty San Bernardino County Fire Department firefighter, County Fire spokeswoman Tracey Martinez confirmed

10/3/2017 2 Riverside County deputies shot in Las Vegas mass shooting – Press Enterprise

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Join the Conversation

A corrections deputy was also shot, Riverside County sheriff’s Deputy Michael

Vasquez said, but was treated at a hospital and released.

The Sheriff’s Department declined to identify the deputies or provide any other

information about them, including where they are assigned.

“Due to privacy concerns, we are unable to con�rm the name of the deputy

sheriff and correctional deputy which were injured as a result of this tragic

incident. Thank you for your understanding,” Vasquez said.

The Riverside Sheriffs’ Association, the union that represents deputies, also

declined to release any information.

BRIAN_ROKOSBrian RokosBrian Rokos writes about public safety issues such as policing, criminal justice,scams, how law affects public safety, �re�ghting tactics and wildland �redanger. He has also covered the cities of San Bernardino, Corona, Norco, LakeElsinore, Perris, Canyon Lake and Hemet. Before that he supervised reportersand worked as a copy editor. For some reason, he enjoys movies where theEarth is threatened with extinction.

Follow Brian Rokos @Brian_Rokos

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Tags:  Las Vegas mass shooting, Top Stories PE

Page 29: San Bernardino County deputy recorder among dead, more ... · One was an off-duty San Bernardino County Fire Department firefighter, County Fire spokeswoman Tracey Martinez confirmed

10/3/2017 Riverside woman who survived Las Vegas shooting feared she wouldn’t see family – San Bernardino Sun

http://www.sbsun.com/2017/10/02/riverside-woman-who-survived-las-vegas-shooting-feared-she-wouldnt-see-family/ 1/4

By BEATRIZ E. VALENZUELA |PUBLISHED: October 2, 2017 at 1:01 pm | UPDATED: October 2, 2017 at 7:09 pm

A man in a wheelchair is taken away from the Route 91 Harvest country music festivalafter apparent gun fire was heard on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo byDavid Becker/Getty Images)

LOCAL NEWS

Riverside woman who survivedLas Vegas shooting feared shewouldn’t see family

Page 30: San Bernardino County deputy recorder among dead, more ... · One was an off-duty San Bernardino County Fire Department firefighter, County Fire spokeswoman Tracey Martinez confirmed

10/3/2017 Riverside woman who survived Las Vegas shooting feared she wouldn’t see family – San Bernardino Sun

http://www.sbsun.com/2017/10/02/riverside-woman-who-survived-las-vegas-shooting-feared-she-wouldnt-see-family/ 2/4

Shirley Miller and her friends began to look up into the Las Vegas night sky

expecting to see �reworks exploding over the stage at the Route 91 Harvest

Festival when they heard a series of pops late Sunday night.

Instead what they saw terri�ed them.

“As we looked at the Mandalay Bay, you could see the �ashing that we thought

were the �reworks,” Miller, 60, of Riverside said Monday from her Las Vegas hotel

room. That’s when she realized someone was �ring upon the crowd of 22,000

people.

“You didn’t know where it was coming from,” she said. “It was just unbelievable.

No words can describe it. I’m a pretty tough old lady, but this really opened up my

eyes. We ran for a mile. We just had to be strong and keep running, and I was just

thinking of my husband, and kids and grandkids back home.”

According to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police of�cials, 64-year-old, Stephen Craig

Paddock, of Mesquite, Nevada, opened �re on the crowd from a hotel room inside

the Mandalay Bay resort. He killed himself before SWAT of�cers could enter his

room.

Miller had been in Las Vegas since Thursday with her cousin and their three

friends for the country music concert.

“We were having a good time,” said Miller, the wife of a retired law enforcement

of�cer.

When the shooting started, the group became separated in the chaos, she said.

Along the way, Miller watched as people helped each other out of the venue and

along the streets.

“A woman staying in our resort told us an Uber driver brought her back without

charge,” she said. Miller herself brought a couple from Kentucky back to her hotel

to help provide them shelter.

Miller said she watched the violence of mass shootings hit close to home when

Tashfeen Malik and Syed Rizwan Farook shot and killed 14 people at the Inland

Regional Center conference room on Dec. 2, 2015.

“You can look at them on TV and watch them on the news,” she said, her voice

cracking, “I never thought I would experience anything like this myself.”

Page 31: San Bernardino County deputy recorder among dead, more ... · One was an off-duty San Bernardino County Fire Department firefighter, County Fire spokeswoman Tracey Martinez confirmed

10/3/2017 Here’s how you can help Las Vegas mass shooting victims – Daily News

http://www.dailynews.com/2017/10/02/las-vegas-shooting-how-to-help/ 1/2

By SANDRA EMERSON | [email protected] | Redlands Daily FactsPUBLISHED: October 2, 2017 at 1:15 pm | UPDATED: October 2, 2017 at 7:38 pm

People run from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after apparent gun fire was heard on October 1, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photoby David Becker/Getty Images)

LifeStream

American Red Cross

Las Vegas area hospitals are in need of blood donations and hundreds of victims will need support following Sunday night’s mass shooting.

At least 58 people were killed and more than 500 wounded after a gunman on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino opened

fire on the Route 91 Harvest country music festival below.

Here’s how you can help:

United Blood Services in Nevada is in need of blood donations, specifically O-negative donations, according to LifeStream. To find a local

donation center visit https://giftoflife.lstream.org/donor/schedules/zip

The American Red Cross is not currently in need of financial assistance, but encourages volunteers to donate blood. To make a blood

donation appointment, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit www.redcrossblood.org online or call 1-800-RED CROSS.

NEWSNATIONAL NEWS

Here’s how you can help Las Vegas mass shooting victims

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We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community.Although we do not pre-screen comments, we reserve the right at all times to remove any information or materials thatare unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwiseobjectionable to us, and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law, regulation, or government request. Wemight permanently block any user who abuses these conditions.

If you see comments that you find offensive, please use the “Flag as Inappropriate” feature by hovering over the rightside of the post, and pulling down on the arrow that appears. Or, contact our editors by emailing [email protected].

Las Vegas victims fund

Clark County Commission Chair Steve Sisolak has launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for victims. The funds will be used to

provide relief and financial support to the victims and their families. To donate visit https://www.gofundme.com/dr2ks2-las-vegas-victims-

fund

This list will be updated as more information is available.

Sandra EmersonSandra Emerson covers the cities of Redlands, Highland and Yucaipa for the Redlands Daily Facts and The Sun.

Follow Sandra Emerson @TheFactsSandra

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Page 33: San Bernardino County deputy recorder among dead, more ... · One was an off-duty San Bernardino County Fire Department firefighter, County Fire spokeswoman Tracey Martinez confirmed

10/3/2017 KCDZ 107.7 FM - BAD WATER FORCES CLOSURE OF WONDER VALLEY COUNTY FIRE STATION

http://z1077fm.com/bad-water-forces-closure-of-wonder-valley-county-fire-station/ 1/1

« ASSEMBLYMAN CHAD MAYES STAFF HOLD YUCCA VALLEY OFFICEHOURS TOMORROW

8TH ANNUAL JOHNSON VALLEY OKTOBERFEST SATURDAY »

BAD WATER FORCES CLOSURE OF WONDER VALLEY COUNTY FIRE STATIONBy Z107.7 News, on October 3rd, 2017

There’s been lots of talk lately about the fate of the Wonder Valley Fire Department, which is currently devoid of firefighters. Reporter David Haldane,who attended a community meeting yesterday at which the topic was discussed, provides this report…

It’s all about the water. That’s the message delivered by Scott Tuttle, a battalion chief with the San Bernardino County Fire Department, at yesterday’s monthly Wonder

Valley community meeting. One of the main topics of discussion was the department’s recent abandonment of the local fire station, despite promisesthat it would remain open.

According to Tuttle, the local firefighters were quietly moved to Twentynine Palms last month after several contaminants–including arsenic andchromium–were found in their water. The good news: the move is only temporary, until the department finds a solution.

The battalion chief’s remarks drew fire from some residents who said they’d been drinking the same water for decades without ill effects. Hisresponse: the fire department can’t legally force employees to drink potentially bad water. He said he had no idea when the firefighters would return.

S H A R E T H I S :

October 3rd, 2017 | Tags: morongo basin, san bernardino county, wonder valley, wonder valley fire department | Category: Local News

8

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WONDER VALLEY COMMUNITY MEETINGTO DISCUSS CLOSED FIRE STATION

COUNTY SAYS WONDER VALLEY FIRESTATION WILL REMAIN OPEN FOR NOW

JOSHUA TREE MOBILE HOME CALLED ATOTAL LOSS AFTER FIRE THURSDAY

October 1, 2017In "Featured"

June 14, 2017In "Local News"

May 5, 2017In "Featured"

Page 34: San Bernardino County deputy recorder among dead, more ... · One was an off-duty San Bernardino County Fire Department firefighter, County Fire spokeswoman Tracey Martinez confirmed

10/3/2017 KCDZ 107.7 FM - JOSHUA TREE MAN FOUND DEAD IN JAIL CELL FRIDAY

http://z1077fm.com/joshua-tree-man-found-dead-in-jail-cell-friday/ 1/1

« HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS SCHEDULES PIT PICKED UP AT 7-11 IN 29 PALMS »

JOSHUA TREE MAN FOUND DEAD IN JAIL CELL FRIDAYBy Z107.7 News, on October 2nd, 2017

A man who was arrested Friday afternoon for being under the influence of a controlled substance was found dead in his jail cell a few hours later.According to a Sheriff’s report, deputies were called to the Hi-Desert Medical Center about 11:35 a.m. for a report of a combative man. HenrySimmons, 60, of Joshua Tree, was arrested at the hospital about 12:50 p.m. and taken to the Morongo Basin Jail. About 9 p.m., a deputy wasperforming a routine check and discovered Simmons unresponsive in his single-person cell. Simmons was pronounced deceased at the jail. TheRiverside County Coroner’s office conducted an autopsy Monday. The cause and manner of death of Henry Simmons are still pending.

S H A R E T H I S :

October 2nd, 2017 | Tags: body found, fatality, joshua tree, morongo basin, morongo basin jail, san bernardino county | Category: Featured, Local News, Top Story

173

RELATED

YUCCA VALLEY MAN ARRESTED FORJOSHUA TREE BURGLARY

THREE ARRESTS FOR STOLENPROPERTY, ILLEGAL WEAPONS ANDDRUGS

ARREST FOR BURGLARY, DRUGS, INTWENTYNINE PALMS, JOSHUA TREE,AND LANDERSFebruary 10, 2017

In "Local News" January 19, 2017In "Local News"

September 8, 2016In "Local News"

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10/3/2017 Man struck and killed by train in Oro Grande

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By Paola Baker Staff Writer Posted Oct 2, 2017 at 11:24 AMUpdated Oct 2, 2017 at 6:01 PM

ORO GRANDE — Authorities said a man was struck and killed by a train here Monday morning.

The incident, which occurred near Riverside Preparatory Elementary School in the 19000 block of National TrailsHighway, was reported at approximately 9:25 a.m.

San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Victor Valley Station Deputy Nicholas Sewell told the Daily Press that the victim was aman from Hawaii, on a trip with his wife traveling along National Trails Highway.

The man, who Sewell said was believed to be 57, apparently saw graffiti on the side of the train tracks, pulled over and gotout of his vehicle to take a picture when he was struck by the train.

Cecilia Ramos, who lives across the street from where the collision occurred, said her daughter-in-law “heard screaming.”

“She went outside to check it out and saw his body on the tracks,” Ramos said.

The name of the victim was being withheld pending positive identification and notification of next of kin.

No other injuries were reported. BNSF spokeswoman Lena Kent said the railroad crossing was closed until around 3 p.m.Monday while authorities investigated. The train was headed west to Los Angeles when the man was struck, Kent said.

“This unfortunate incident is a good time to remind people to stay off the railroad tracks,” Kent said.

Oro Grande School District Public Information Officer Charity Lindsey said access to Riverside Preparatory Elementarywas temporarily limited when the incident occurred, but all school districts schools were operating as normal.

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Man struck and killed by train in Oro Grande

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10/3/2017 Yermo Elementary School placed on lockdown after reports of a man with a gun

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By Paola Baker Staff Writer Posted Oct 2, 2017 at 2:40 PMUpdated Oct 2, 2017 at 5:47 PM

YERMO — Yermo Elementary School was placed on a lockdown after a man wasreportedly seen with a gun near the campus Monday afternoon, officials said.

Reported at 1:21 p.m. Monday, officials initiated the lockdown after a studentreported seeing a man with a gun outside the school, located at 38280 GleasonStreet, according to scanner traffic.

San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Steve Beckham confirmeddeputies responded to the report at the school. There were no reports of shotsfired or any injuries, Beckham said.

A later statement from sheriff’s officials said the school was placed on lockdownas deputies “conducted an extensive search.” However, deputies were unable tofind anyone nor evidence to validate the report made by the student, officialsstated.

“The school staff worked well with law enforcement during the incident toensure the safety of the children and staff members,” officials said. “Sheriff’sdepartment personnel will continue to do extra patrol in the area to helpalleviate any concerns or tensions our residents may have in reference to thisincident.”

It’s unknown when the lockdown was lifted, and Daily Press messages left withthe Silver Valley Unified School District weren’t returned Monday.

No injuries were reported from the incident, which remains under investigation.

Yermo Elementary School placed on lockdownafter reports of a man with a gun

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Anyone with information is urged to contact Deputy Michael Rodriguez orSergeant Anthony Padfield at the Barstow Sheriff’s Station at at 760-256-4838.Persons wishing to remain anonymous can contact the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-782-7463 or online at www.wetip.com.

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Page 38: San Bernardino County deputy recorder among dead, more ... · One was an off-duty San Bernardino County Fire Department firefighter, County Fire spokeswoman Tracey Martinez confirmed

10/3/2017 Sheriff’s deputies investigating deaths of two Highland residents – Daily Bulletin

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By GAIL WESSON | [email protected] | The Press-Enterprise

PUBLISHED: October 2, 2017 at 7:10 pm | UPDATED: October 2, 2017 at 7:51 pm

San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies are conducting what’s labeled a “death

investigation” after two adult female Highland residents were found dead inside a

residence Thursday, Sept. 28, of cials announced in a Monday, Oct. 2, news release.

Autopsies will be conducted to determine the cause and manner of death.

Detectives with the Specialized Investigations Division are handling the case.

Cynthia Ann Martinez, 55, and Jessia Mary Martinez, 34, were found dead at 1:45

p.m. Thursday by deputies in a residence in the 26000 block of Baseline Street.

“No further information is available for release,” the news release stated. No

information was released about whether the victims are related.

Anyone with information related to the investigation may call Detective Justin Giles

or Sgt. Dave Johnson at 909-387-3589.

Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may call the WeTip hotline at 800-782-7463

or submit information online at www.wetip.com

LOCAL NEWS

Sheriff’s deputies investigatingdeaths of two Highland residents

Tags:  investigation, Top Stories Sun

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10/3/2017 Lower fares from Ontario are just one of the reasons things are looking up for the Inland Empire airport - LA Times

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R

Lower fares from Ontario are just one of thereasons things are looking up for the InlandEmpire airport

By Catharine Hamm

OCTOBER 2, 2017, 7:00 AM

ecently the round-trip airfare from LAX to Phoenix clocked in at $162, including all taxes and fees.

Meanwhile, the airfare from Ontario International Airport to Phoenix came in at — wait for it —

$162.

What’s going on here? Some kind of airline duplicity (perish the thought)? Has the world as we know it rotated

off its axis?

We wondered because fares from Ontario have almost always been higher, sometimes much higher.

Welcome to the world of Ontario Airport under local control, where things appear to be looking up for fliers in

the Inland Empire as well as refugees from LAX.

Ontario International Airport is experiencing low fares. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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10/3/2017 Lower fares from Ontario are just one of the reasons things are looking up for the Inland Empire airport - LA Times

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Ontario Airport used to be part of Los Angeles World Airports, but in November ownership was turned over to

the city of Ontario.

There was much backing-and-forthing as the change was being effected, but most of the squabbles and

struggles don’t affect consumers directly.

Here are some things that do:

►You may pay less to fly out of Ontario. Using data from the airfare chart published in the Los Angeles

Times Travel section, we looked at round-trip fares from Ontario to Las Vegas, Phoenix and Honolulu for the

six months of Sundays before and after the handover.

The results:Round-trip fares from Ontario to Las Vegas had dropped from an average of $194 to $134.

Average fares to Phoenix? $167, down from $205.

The fares to Honolulu went up by $3 on average, partly because of a six-week stretch when those fares hit

$1,065. If you factor out those weeks, the fare dropped to an average of $738, down from $824.

You can’t credit local control for all this. Airline competition, lower fuel prices, consumer demand and the

mystery/science of yield management, in which airlines try to get consumers to pay top dollar if conditions

warrant it, are all in play.

But changes at the airport also figure into the fare joy, said Alan Wapner, president of the Ontario Airport

Authority and mayor pro tem of Ontario.

Among the airport authority’s goals, Wapner said: Decrease expenses and increase non-aviation revenue from

parking and other sources.

“Those two things will bring down the cost of doing business and translate into lower fares,” Wapner said.

Besides decreasing the size of airport staff, parking fees were increased and parking lots automated. Food and

beverage and other concessionaire contracts were renegotiated, Wapner said.

Add to that an increase in number of flights and ...

►You have more company at Ontario. Passenger traffic is up after a sharp decline.

In 2007, Ontario served 7.2 million passengers. Then that number plummeted, partly because of the recession,

to a little less than 4 million by 2013.

As with any business, the airport needs customers. And although anyone who uses a horrendously busy over-

capacity airport wouldn’t complain about fewer passengers, a drop like that hurts, especially when you think

about revenue that’s not related to airlines.

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Nearly 4.3 million passengers used Ontario in 2016. That uptick began in 2014, before local control resumed.

Other factors also influence the choice of airport, of course, including fares, schedules and convenience.

The trend continues. Recently released figures for August show that traffic was up again year over year by

almost 40,000 domestic and international passengers.

►You like Ontario airport, which is good because happier fliers are more apt to be repeat fliers.

Take Karen Rosenthal of Claremont, who is enthusiastic about the airport. “It takes us 30 minutes, front door to

gate, when flying to [the] Bay Area or Sacramento or Seattle et al,” she said in an email.

“Lots of parking, curb unloading space, quick check-in and efficient [Transportation Security Administration]

with increased flights and additional airlines now that [Ontario] is under local control. It may be worth the

drive from L.A.!”

A recent J.D. Power airport survey suggests that Rosenthal has plenty of company. Ontario scored 782 out of

1,000 points among medium-size airports among travelers in a satisfaction survey conducted from January

through August. The results factor in terminal facilities, airport access, security check, baggage claim, baggage

check-in and food, beverage and retail. The average was 781, so we can say Ontario is above average.

Albuquerque, Cleveland and San Antonio cannot.

Meanwhile, beleaguered LAX, at 712, was second to last in the mega-airport satisfaction category, above

Newark, N.J.

If there is a downside to the Ontario love and a lesson from LAX, it’s this: Success begets success.

LAX set a record for number of passengers in 2000, at 63.7 million. Last year, that passenger number was

nearly 71 million, according to an L.A. Times article based on a Southern California Assn. of Governments

report.

Even more frightening, LAX could top 100 million passengers by 2040, the association predicted. If that sounds

like the distant future, the math pencils out to just 23 years.

Ontario, meanwhile, has room to grow. It can handle 12 million passengers, Wapner said, so for now, it’s using

only about a third of its capacity.

He recognizes that one of the challenges will be whether the airport can “maintain that level of convenience

once we meet 12 million passengers or more.”

Always a good idea to keep an eye on today and tomorrow, if LAX is any indication.

But for now, we can sit back and enjoy the ride.

Have a travel question or dilemma? Write to [email protected]. We regret we cannot answer every inquiry.

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10/3/2017 Editor's Notebook: Taking a big first step toward reducing crime

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By Steve Hunt Editor Posted Oct 2, 2017 at 8:00 AMUpdated Oct 2, 2017 at 8:00 AM

It’s been nearly four years since I joined the Daily Press as editor and the HighDesert has seen some significant changes in that time.

Crime has always been an issue in the region, as it is in virtually any city or townin California. You can’t get away from it, but it is worse in some places thanothers.

I’ve experienced crime firsthand over the years. I had my pickup truck stolen inOntario. I received death threats in West Covina. I had property stolen from myyard in Hesperia several times. I found stolen mail in front of my house there,too.

But the primary way I know that the High Desert has seen a steady uptick incrime — especially violent crime — over the past few years is by the number ofcrime stories my public safety reporters bring to us every day.

I take no joy in having them write stories about shootings, murders or robberies.But I feel an obligation to our readers and to the public to inform them aboutwhat’s going on in their cities and the region. So we print stories about thesecrimes. And there are way too many of them.

There are days when I remark to City Editor Kevin Trudgeon that I feel like theDaily Press has become the Crime Gazette. It’s disturbing to me, both as aneditor and a resident of Apple Valley and the High Desert.

I would love to put out a newspaper that was devoid of crime news. And before Ileave the Daily Press, it is my hope that I will be able to do so. But it’s going totake effort on the part of all of us to get to a place where the High Desert is as

Editor’s Notebook: Taking a big �rst step towardreducing crime

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safe as it was when we first moved here.

Over the years, various people — including myself — have called for communityforums on issues such as crime. Joseph W. Brady, a local businessman and VictorValley College trustee, was the latest to do so. Earlier this year, he made that callin an op-ed column he wrote for the Daily Press.

This time, something different happened. Instead of only hearing the sounds ofcrickets, the phone started ringing. San Bernardino County District AttorneyMike Ramos was the first to call. He responded to a column I had written andsaid he wanted to be part of a forum to discuss solutions.

Plans were formulated for the Daily Press to host a Facebook Live forum inAugust. Unfortunately, the death of my mother forced us to reschedule thatevent. Now it is set for 10 a.m. Monday.

Among those participating will be Sheriff John McMahon, who was quick toagree to take part. Supervisor Robert Lovingood also stepped up early on. As theweeks progressed, others expressed their desire to take part. Assemblyman JayObernolte was among the first to reach out, but unfortunately he will not be ableto participate this time.

However, we will have representatives from virtually every city in the HighDesert on Monday, as well as Brady and myself.

Potential solutions will be discussed, including proposed sales tax hikes toincrease staffing of law enforcement. That proposal has proven to becontroversial among writers of letters to the editor, many of whom are unhappywith how government spends taxpayer dollars already.

Others, like former Victorville City Council candidate Michael Stevens, proposethat residents become more involved in their own protection, participating inNeighborhood Watch groups, learning how to minimize their chances ofbecoming victimized, etc.

It’s doubtful that anyone will come up with one awesome solution to crime onMonday. My guess is several ideas will be offered, some of which will requirebuy-in from you and I, the residents of the High Desert.

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But no matter what happens on Monday, the conversation has been started andideas are now flowing. That’s the first step to solving any problem.

I hope you’ll join in watching the forum live atwww.facebook.com/vvdailypressnews, but if you can’t we will post it on

our website at vvdailypress.com so you can watch it whenever you have sometime.

We’d like to hear your comments about the forum, your ideas to solve the crimeproblem and your suggestions for future Facebook Live events.

We’re all in this together and the sooner we can figure out how to make theHigh Desert a safer place, the better we’re all going to like living here.

And maybe one day soon, I’ll be able to print a newspaper that doesn’t have asingle crime story in it. That will be a very happy day indeed.

Steve Hunt can be reached at 760-951-6270 or at [email protected]. Follow him

on Twitter at @stevehunteditor.

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10/3/2017 Mediterra arguments heard - Highland Community News: Political

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Mediterra arguments heardPosted: Monday, October 2, 2017 11:32 am

On Friday, Sept. 29, arguments were heard in the suit to stop the Mediterra project from advancing.

David Raley, who owns a 24-acre vacant farm within the development, has declined offers to buy his land,and filed a writ of mandate April 1, 2016 to to set aside Highland approval of the development, based on“aesthetics, agricultural resources, air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, geology, greenhousegases, hazardous materials, noise, and traffic, among other things.”

Friday was the first full-blown hearing on the issue with arguments for both the petitioner and the city. Otherinterested parties represented include the developer, Sunland Communities, Calvary Chapel, GreenspotCorridor and San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District, all listed as plaintiffs.

The Mediterra project is along Greenspot Road, east of Santa Paula Street on 180 acres. It was approved for200 low density homes, 110 medium density homes and six estate lots. It would include two parks, pluslandscaping and a water quality management basin.

Judge Alvarez said he would review a transcript of the arguments, and set a hearing on the status of the writfor Nov. 15 in San Bernardino Superior Court Dept. S23.

The city’s attorneys were ordered to give notice of the hearing.

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10/3/2017 Cook passes bill targeting parole welfare

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By Susan Monaghan / For the Daily PressPosted Oct 2, 2017 at 12:01 AM

The act prohibits people who have an outstanding arrestwarrant for a felony or parole violation from receivingspecific monthly welfare benefits.

Rep. Paul Cook, R-Apple Valley, voted on Thursday in favor of the ControlUnlawful Fugitive Felons (or CUFF) Act. The bill passed the House with 244votes against 171.

The act prohibits people who have an outstanding arrest warrant for a felony orparole violation from receiving specific monthly welfare benefits.

CUFF would apply only to felony charges or crimes with a minimum term ofone or more years in prison, but it would not punish individuals convicted ofmisdemeanors, such as outstanding parking tickets.

The bill would save $2 billion over a decade, according to the CongressionalBudget Office.

The act is supported by the National Sheriffs Association and the FraternalOrder of Police.

“Wanted felons and parole violators must be held accountable for their actions,”Cook said. “This commonsense legislation prevents taxpayer dollars fromfunding the lifestyle of potentially dangerous criminals.”

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Cook passes bill targeting parole welfare

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10/3/2017 For bridge demolition, I-15 full closures coming at Stoddard Wells

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By Staff reportsPosted Sep 26, 2017 at 10:55 AMUpdated Sep 26, 2017 at 3:18 PM

Interstate 15 at Stoddard Wells Road will be shut downcompletely for two days next week, in one direction eachday, as crews demolish the bridge at Stoddard Wells,officials said.

VICTORVILLE — Interstate 15 at Stoddard Wells Road will be shut downcompletely for two days next week, in one direction each day, as crews demolishthe bridge at Stoddard Wells, officials said.

The work is part of the $71 million project to reconstruct freeway interchangesat Stoddard Wells and D and E streets, as well as widen the Mojave River Bridge.

On Oct. 3, southbound I-15 will be entirely closed at Stoddard Wells from 10p.m. to 6 a.m. Oct. 4. The planned detour is Stoddard Wells/Bell MountainRoad, then along the west side of I-15 to the on-ramp.

On Oct. 4, northbound I-15 will be entirely closed at Stoddard Wells from 10p.m. to 5 a.m., when two lanes will open up. The closures are expected to belifted by 7 a.m.

The planned detour is D Street/Highway 18 exit to Stoddard Wells along theeast side of I-15 to Stoddard Wells/Bell Mountain on-ramp.

Motorists are advised to try and avoid the area during the closures.

The project, meanwhile, is expected to be completed by early 2019, officials said.

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For bridge demolition, I-15 full closures comingat Stoddard Wells

Page 48: San Bernardino County deputy recorder among dead, more ... · One was an off-duty San Bernardino County Fire Department firefighter, County Fire spokeswoman Tracey Martinez confirmed

10/3/2017 Stop AB 953 from sidelining our law enforcement officers - News - VVdailypress.com - Victorville, CA

http://www.vvdailypress.com/news/20171001/stop-ab-953-from-sidelining-our-law-enforcement-officers 1/3

By Joseph W. BradyPosted Oct 1, 2017 at 12:01 AM

Over the course of the last few months, I have written and spoken about many ofthe challenges that the High Desert region, San Bernardino County, and theInland Empire face in dealing with crime.

While many of our elected officials are attempting to find ways to deal with thisissue, the California Assembly and Senate have decided to implement AB 953,the Racial and Identity Profiling Act of 2015. As if the Democratic legislature andthe voters of the state have not already done enough to contribute to thegrowing crime problem in the High Desert, implementation of AB 953 will nowdivert our already understaffed police and Sheriff Departments off the streets tofulfill this law’s massive paperwork requirements.

This new law will require an increased amount of time by our public safetyofficers to fill out reports, which will do nothing to reduce crime. It will, in fact,actually increase crime. Every minute spent by an officer filling out the expandeddata fields for their normal stops is precious time not spent by officersproactively patrolling and protecting schools, parks, businesses and residentialneighborhoods.

According to San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon, a conservativeestimate of the impact AB 953 will have on his department in terms of reducedavailable work hours per deputy is over 150,000 hours annually. That policingtime will be diverted to filling out forms.

Expressed in Full Time Equivalency (FTE) measures, this will represent the lossof 90 deputy and 22 sergeant positions, or approximately one-sixth of thecurrent patrol staffing levels.

Stop AB 953 from sidelining our lawenforcement o�cers

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AB 953 was originally drafted and passed by the legislature to focus on expandingthe existing definition of “racial profiling,” which was already prohibited by statelaw. The manner in which it has been interpreted by state officials will result incity and county law enforcement agencies becoming buried in paperwork.

In simple terms, let’s assume that you and three of your friends are driving downBear Valley Road and you are issued a speeding ticket. While in the past theofficer would cite you for speeding and remind you to drive safely, now theofficer needs to fill out an additional form for the driver as well as any passengersasked for identification, cited or asked to leave the vehicle order to ensure thathe/she was not racially profiling the passengers.

For comparison purposes, when a similar policy was adopted in the city ofChicago, arrests declined by 28 percent, police stops declined by 82 percent and,not surprisingly, violent crime skyrocketed.

Creating a system that incentivizes officers to not make proactive stops may be a“politically correct” solution, but is the exact opposite of the crime control tacticsthat actually enhance public safety. It will not take long for criminals to realizethat they can run the streets wild, committing crimes with relative impunity,simply because policy makers, academics, and legislators allow their socialphilosophies to blind them to the hard realities faced by police officers on thefront lines.

On the heels of AB 109, and Propositions 47, 57, and 64, as AB 953 isimplemented in its new form criminals will be soon be further emboldened,effective law enforcement diminished, crime rates will continue to rise andpublic safety compromised to an unprecedented degree. I urge all citizens withinthe High Desert region and those within San Bernardino County to reach out toyour elected lawmakers and ask them to immediately have this absolutelyridiculous law revised or overturned.

We must stop tying the hands of the law enforcement officers who are trying tokeep our communities safe.

Joseph W. Brady is president of the Bradco Companies and a Victor Valley College

trustee.

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10/3/2017 Valley Voices: The good, bad and ugly of local prisoner release

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By Lynne ColePosted Oct 1, 2017 at 12:01 AMUpdated Oct 1, 2017 at 9:10 PM

After months on the trail seeking info on the “white van” issue, I have learnedsome interesting facts.

The good news ...

The white unmarked vans belong to a group called People’s Care headquarteredon Amargosa Road. I spoke with a man named Carlos at this organization. Heanswered all my questions and was extremely helpful. They have 16 vans that aremarked (only at specific times) with magnetic signs displaying their logo. (Thepictures I have show vans without their signs.) They transport adults withspecial needs from their group homes to various jobs where they are taught real-life work skills.

This is an amazing program! These adults help at thrift stores, churches, roadsideclean-up, landscaping and many other sites. They meet every day and transfereveryone to the proper van and take them to their job for the day. The magneticsigns are only allowed on the vans when they are transporting their clients.These vans are actually marked every Monday through Friday from 7 to 9 a.m.and again from 2 to 4 p.m.

These are good people doing good things for the community. Unfortunately,they have been caught up in the bad news and rumors surrounding the lawenforcement vans dropping off parolees. Some of People’s Care vans have beenvandalized and their clients yelled at and insulted.

The bad news...

Valley Voices: The good, bad and ugly of localprisoner release

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10/3/2017 Valley Voices: The good, bad and ugly of local prisoner release

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The parolee and local prisoner release is bad news that someone must havethought was a good idea. A letter writer (9-8-17) said the parolees andprobationers need to go back where they came from. She is exactly right. I spokewith Supervisor Lovingood’s office in June and learned the system for paroleerelease. They must return to the city where they were arrested and report totheir parole officer within 48 hours of their release.

They are given a bus voucher to their arrest location and dropped off at thetransportation center. Drop-off times are between 5 and 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. andmidnight. One of the first questions I asked the Supervisor’s office was if it hadever been tried to contract buses taking them to a central location down belowso they could use their vouchers to their various cities. It might even be morecost effective than constant piece-meal drop-offs.

I was told this had never been attempted. Probationers are handled differently,and I tried to get info from the County Probation Office. Of all the calls I havemade, only this one was a complete failure. I was told this is a state issue and therepresentative couldn’t give me any information.

And the ugly ...

Last Sunday’s Daily Press headline was big, bold and spoke volumes. Eventhough it addressed the alarming rise in murder rates, it can’t be separated fromour overall crime problem.

There are many unanswered questions regarding the prisoner drop-off system.Who’s calling the shots? Someone must have thought this was a viable plan.Why drop-off at times when no buses are running? Is it an attempt to keepcitizen awareness low? Nobody considered that the first (and only) place wheremost of them go is to buy alcohol at the AM/PM?

I was told it takes about an hour after drop-off for the fights to begin. Themarket has to close from 1 to 4 a.m., but many of those released wait in theparking lot for market to re-open. Of course they can still shop for all the thingsfor sale in the parking lot. I imagine the Old Town “working girls” are quitehappy with this system. Clients delivered to a specific location on a regularschedule. Gotta be good for business!

Page 52: San Bernardino County deputy recorder among dead, more ... · One was an off-duty San Bernardino County Fire Department firefighter, County Fire spokeswoman Tracey Martinez confirmed

10/3/2017 Valley Voices: The good, bad and ugly of local prisoner release

http://www.vvdailypress.com/opinion/20171001/valley-voices-good-bad-and-ugly-of-local-prisoner-release 3/3

Many thanks to Doug Robertson, Victorville’s city manager, for his helpful andprompt answers to my many questions.

Lynne Cole is an Apple Valley resident.

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