Redlands News: December 20, 2024
Mayor rotation rejected, $5.3M encampment grant accepted, CLB basketball opener, Plus where to ring in the new year in Redlands
Election Hub Updates: SB Valley Water Conservation District & City Treasurer Races, Opinion from U.S. Congressional Candidate, and Redlands Symphony Conductor's Final Season
REDLANDS, Calif. — A special election for the San Bernardino Valley Water Conservation District Board Division 2 seat is underway, with two candidates presenting their qualifications and priorities to voters. The election is between incumbent Dr. Hillary Jenkins and challenger Mark Falcone.
Why it matters: The San Bernardino Valley Water Conservation District, established in 1932, plays a crucial role in managing local water resources. One of its primary goals is to recharge the Bunker Hill Groundwater Basin in an environmentally and economically responsible way.
The candidates: Hillary Jenkins, the incumbent, was appointed to the board in July 2024. She is a Professor of Hydrology and the Hedco Endowed Chair of Environmental Science at the University of Redlands. Jenkins holds a Ph.D. from Duke University and has been studying groundwater in the local watershed for the past decade.
"As a member of this community, I care deeply about protecting our water resources in a way that meets our needs without compromising the needs of future generations," Jenkins said. Her top three priorities are clean water, sustainable solutions and community engagement.
Jenkins emphasizes the importance of protecting the local aquifer from pollutants and promoting the capture and storage of surface water during wet years. She also aims to collaborate with various stakeholders to optimize water use for the long term.
Mark Falcone, the challenger, brings 35 years of business management experience from the private sector. He currently serves as a Commissioner on the Community Advisory Commission for East Valley Water District and has lived in Highland for 31 years.
"I bring a unique blend of business acumen and water industry experience to the role," Falcone stated. His top priorities include maximizing water capture, balancing conservation and use and prioritizing water security.
Falcone advocates for collaboration among local produce growers, city planners, water wholesalers/retailers and community members. He also emphasizes the importance of education and innovative technologies in water management.
Read more about the SBVWCD and the candidate's responses to our questionnaire at here:
Candidate profiles here:
📚 Local Measure D - Redlands Unified $500 million bond: A deep dive into a local school bond measure that needs 55% of voter approval to pass. Read more from CFR contributor David James Heiss here.
💰 City Treasurer election: Two candidates are vying for the nonpartisan job, including currently appointed city treasurer Philip Doolittle and challenger John Paul Maier. The City Treasurer is responsible for receiving, safeguarding, and disbursing public funds in compliance with state laws. This is a city-wide election that will appear on the ballots of all Redlands residents. Read more about the candidates here.
What does real patriotism look like?
It's a question we all need to ask ourselves, especially in a time when those who wrap themselves in the flag are the very ones undermining the core values it represents. For far too long, politicians in Washington have sold the idea that patriotism means less taxes, less government, and more freedom. But let’s get real — that’s never been true. And in today’s age of extremism, it’s even further from reality.
The multi-generational lie that less government automatically means more freedom is a smokescreen that politicians like our current representative hide behind. They plaster "patriotism" as their campaign slogans, but when you reel it back, it’s all a distraction. What’s really happening is the erosion of freedoms and the gutting of opportunities for working people.
Take a hard look at what my opponent stands for. He has supported legislation that dictates which books schools can offer, how people live their lives, and medical decisions that should be private. Voting to decertify a free and fair election? That’s not just a bad decision — it’s a betrayal of democracy itself. The tentpole of our country, the right to free and fair elections, is something that millions of Americans have sacrificed their lives for. So don’t insult us by pretending you're the patriot when you're the one working to undermine the very freedoms this country was built on.
An invitation to submit an op-ed ahead of the Nov. 5 election was also offered to U.S. Rep. Jay Obernolte (CA-23).
📹 Public safety cameras approved: Redlands City Council has approved a $2.1 million agreement to upgrade the city's public safety camera system, replacing technology that has been in use for over 15 years. Police officials say the updated camera system is critical for crime prevention, investigations and real-time monitoring of public spaces. Read more here.
Ransom Wilson has traveled throughout the world, playing flute with the late conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein and conducting symphonies such as the Cleveland Symphony and the London Symphony.
For the past nine years, Wilson’s home away from home has been the Redlands Symphony Orchestra. This 2024/25 season will be his last with Redlands, and he will hand over the baton to the next Redlands conductor.
Wilson, 73, will focus on mentoring 60 students at the University of Alabama, guiding them in orchestral studies and conducting.
Saying goodbye to Redlands, including the town, the people and his musicians, will not be easy, Wilson said. He joined the Redlands Symphony Orchestra as its music director in 2016 and served nine years as the Jon Robertson Legacy Endowed Chair for the Redlands Symphony.
It is such a supportive town, Wilson said, of Redlands.
Read more about his storied career and final season in Redlands from writer Julie Farren here.
Redlands went to the dogs last Sunday. Nearly two hundred dogs and their owners met at Ed Hales Park to show off their costumes and socialize before participating in the sixth annual dog jog, a two-mile walk through the city ending at Smiley Park.
The event, organized by the Redlands Chamber of Commerce, is a fundraiser for the Redlands Animal Shelter. This year, the chamber will donate more than it ever has: $4,350, plus 30 water bowls placed along the route, 200 tennis balls, and hundreds of boxes and bags of treats, food, and water bottles, according to Evan Sanford, executive director of the chamber.
Read more from reporter Shantell Sunderman here.
BEAUMONT – The Citrus Valley High football team picked a bad time for its first-ever Citrus Belt League loss to Beaumont.
The Blackhawks fell to the Cougars 35-3 on Friday night at Don Smith Field, all but assuring Beaumont of a CBL title. The Cougars still have Redlands East Valley (1-7) and Redlands (4-4) left on their schedule, but neither seem a threat to upset Beaumont.
“(Beaumont) is a very good football team and they’re going to be CBL champs,” Citrus Valley coach Kurt Bruich said.
It was Beaumont’s first victory against Citrus Valley since 2014, though the teams didn’t start playing regularly against each other until Beaumont joined the CBL in 2021.
Read more about Friday night's game from local sports contributor John Murphy here.
🏃♀️🏃♂️Runners enjoyed mild weather Saturday during the Citrus Belt League cluster cross-country meet No. 2 at Prospect Park. Read more about the cluster meet here.
📌 Free Halloween events in Redlands: From Plane or Treat to the Olive Avenue Halloween extravaganza, fine out where to celebrate Halloween in Redlands:
📌 Honoring Veterans Day: A.K. Smiley Public Library in Redlands is gearing up for a presentation about local men who served in World War I. Read more here.
As the World Series begins tonight, fans are mourning the passing of former Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela, a beloved icon whose legacy left a lasting impact on Major League Baseball and the hearts of Los Angeles fans.
Dave Card, the local Redlands photographer, captured a photo of Valenzuela playing in the 1980s.
Valenzuela, who passed away Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, was a fan favorite known for his dominant pitching and charismatic presence on and off the field.
Continue reading here.
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