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March 2008 ArchivesArizona Sen. John McCain is scheduled to attend a $2,300-per-person fundraising reception in Palm Desert tomorrow in his first trip to California since becoming the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, a campaign aide said. McCain is set to begin a three-day trip to Southern California tomorrow by attending a campaign fundraising luncheon at a La Jolla hotel and a town hall meeting with military families in Chula Vista. During the trip, McCain is scheduled to attend a roundtable for Latino small business owners in Santa Ana and fundraisers in Newport Beach and Bel-Air and speak to the Los Angeles World Affairs Council in Los Angeles. First a herd of horses shut down a Corona freeway and now a motorcycle wreck has triggered a SigAlert, according to the California Highway Patrol Web site. Eastbound lanes of Highway 91 are moving - albeit slowly - now that crews have cleaned up after a 3:30 a.m. wreck at Green River Drive that left two horses dead, three injured and nine uninjured and taken away, officials say. Residual congestion remains. And now the westbound lanes are locked tight because of a 7:05 a.m. motorcycle accident in the westbound lanes near Serfas Club Drive. An ambulance was assigned to the call, though there are no details available on injuries.
A 32-year-old woman was booked today on assault with a deadly weapon charges for repeatedly stabbing a 23-year-old man in south Desert Hot Springs, authorities said. Deputies responded to the reported stabbing in the 15300 block of Avenida Florencita, Riverside County sheriff's officials said in a release. The 23-year-old victim had multiple stab wounds. He was transported to a local hospital where he was listed early today in critical but stable condition, sheriff's officials said. Georgina Lopez Aguirre, 32, was booked at the Indio Jail and was in the process of being released on $25,000 bail, a jail spokesman said.
Jury selection is slated to get under way today in the trial of a 20-year-old Los Angeles man accused in the shooting death of a 10- year-old boy. Gregory Ford Lymoel is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Chris Fields, a fifth-grader from El Cajon who was shot as he sat in the back seat of his mother's car in Moreno Valley. The defendant is also charged with attempted murder for allegedly shooting Chris's 22-year-old brother and trying to shoot the boy's mother. The Fields family was on its way home, stopped for a red light at the intersection of Iris Avenue and Kitching Street around midnight on Dec. 23, 2006, when people in three separate vehicles began exchanging words nearby, according to authorities. Riverside County sheriff's investigators allege Lymoel, a reputed gang member who goes by the moniker ``T-Zone,'' opened fire on the Fields' car, hitting Chris in the head and his brother, Floyd, in the cheek. Roberta Fields, the child's mother, attempted to accelerate away from the gunfire but was unable to escape in time, authorities said. Chris Fields was pronounced dead at Riverside County Regional Medical Center within hours of the shooting. Sheriff's investigators spent nearly six months working on the case before arresting Lymoel last June. In addition to the murder and two attempted murder charges, he faces allegations of discharging a firearm to cause great bodily injury and using a firearm in the commission of a felony, court documents indicated. The District Attorney's Office may seek the death penalty. The trial has been set on several previous occasions, but Lymoel's attorney, Ryan Markson, has asked for continuances in order to finish other trials. Lymoel is being held without bail at the Robert Presley Detention Center in downtown Riverside. —From news services
An pre-dawn wreck involving a herd of 14 horses on a Corona freeway left five animals dead or injured and Highway 91 at a standstill, officials say. "There were two (horses) deceased. There were three injured. And the other nine appeared to be OK," Orange County Animal Care Services spokesman Ryan Drabek said about 7 a.m. "They are the ones that were corralled and returned to the stable." The herd apparently escaped from a horse farm just south of the freeway at Green River Drive, where the 3:30 a.m. accident occurred in the eastbound lanes. Traffic remains tied up for at least eight miles in both directions, California Highway Patrol Officer Albert Gracino said. Three eastbound lanes have been reopened and the remaining two lanes may be reopened soon, he said. But the residual back-up is likely to continue for several hours, he cautioned. --Richard Brooks Expect a massive tie-up along Highway 91 through Corona for most of the morning as freeway crews clean up after a wreck involving a herd of horses, the California Highway Patrol warns. The two eastbound car pool lanes and the fast lane reopened, CHP Officer Albert Gracino said about 6:45 a.m. The accident happened about 3:30 a.m. in the eastbound lanes near Green River Drive. About a dozen horses got loose in the traffic lanes, according to initial reports. At least one animal was killed and the rest had to be rounded up. Gracino figures that the clean-up will take about 40 minutes. But the back-up will last for hours in both directions. "The back-up westbound is to La Sierra - eight, nine, maybe 10 miles," Gracino said. "I can't really make out the backup coming in from the west. At the very least, it's got to be back to Gypsum Canyon - that's about seven or eight miles. "After they get it cleaned up, the residual backup is going to be several hours."
Click here to see up-to-the-minute air traffic status at airports across the United States. Place your cursor on the dot at the airport you're seeking and a pop-up window will give you a status report. You have three choices for getting the data: View by region A legend at the bottom of the page explains the dots' color code: GREEN: General Arrival/Departure delays are 15 minutes or less.
A SigAlert remains in effect along eastbound Highway 91 through Corona near Green River this morning after a herd of horses got loose on the freeway, triggering a wreck that killed at least one animal and spooked the rest, according to the California Highway Patrol website. At least two traffic lanes reopened at 5:45 a.m. The trouble began about 3:30 a.m. when callers began reporting "dozens of horses in (traffic) lanes - some have been hit," according to the website. Within 15 minutes, officers determined that one horse was dead and the rest were in a grassy area on the freeway's right shoulder. An hour after the accident, the horses' owner was enroute with a trailer to reclaim the animals. And two hours after the accident officer's had reopened the car pool and fast lanes. —Richard Brooks
County tax officials throughout Southern California are beginning to reduce the assessed values of homes as the housing market continues to spiral downward. Los Angeles County has dropped the assessed values of more than 41,000 homes, resulting in an average tax saving of $660 per home. Other counties have also begun the reassessment process. Property tax bills are mailed in October. Riverside County assessor Larry Ward says staff will be working 10-hour days and weekends to handle reassessments. His office is getting at least 100 calls a day from homeowners. Last year, Riverside County’s automated system reduced the value of about 9,000 homes. Values were cut an average $43,000, and the homeowners received a $500 tax break. —The Associated Press
Get rid of old cars, trucks and horse or boat trailers for free during the next four months when the city of Norco runs its Junk Your Clunker campaign. —Alicia Robinson
Click here to link to the radar loop, giving you a bird's eye view of SoCal's weather. —The Press-Enterprise Thought for Today: “Not to be able to grow old is just as ridiculous as to be unable to outgrow childhood.” — Carl G. Jung, psychiatrist (1875-1961). —The Associated Press
Click here to see up-to-the-minute air traffic status at airports across the United States. Place your cursor on the dot at the airport you’re seeking and a pop-up window will give you a status report. You have three choices for getting the data: View by region A legend at the bottom of the page explains the dots’ color code: GREEN: General Arrival/Departure delays are 15 minutes or less.
Click here to get a snapshot of Inland region traffic conditions – in real time. Check in with us through the morning. We'll be posting detailed traffic reports of any major incidents in BREAKING NEWS as soon as we've gathered the details. —The Press-Enterprise It's Monday, March 24, 2008. Here's how the weather is looking: Today TONIGHT: TOMORROW: TOMORROW NIGHT: Click here to see the detailed forecast for the Inland region. And while you're there, scroll down the page and put in your ZIP code to get the outlook for your neighborhood.
Firefighters from the Riverside County and San Bernardino city fire departments are battling a 1-acre vegetation fire that started around 3:42 p.m. in unincorporated Oasis, near the Salton Sea. Five fire engines and 25 personnel had been dispatched to the fire at Avenue 78 and Polk Street as of 4:25 p.m., according to information from Riverside County fire officials. Three date palms, an abandoned structure and an acre of vegetation were reportedly burning. The cause of the fire is under investigation. — Alicia Robinson UCLA defeated Texas A&M, 53-49, Saturday night to advance in the NCAA College Basketball Tournament. The Bruins stuffed Aggies drive with time running out to get the win. The Press-Enterprise
Just days after her release on parole, former 1970s radical Sara Jane Olson was headed back to prison Saturday to serve at least one more year after what corrections officials called an "administrative error" resulted in her early release. Criticism that followed Olson's release Monday spurred a thorough review of her sentence and the timing of her parole, Chief Deputy Secretary Scott Kernan said at a news conference. Officials discovered a 2004 miscalculation that resulted in the former Symbionese Liberation Army member being released a year too early, he said. Olson, 61, was intercepted at Los Angeles International Airport on Friday night and told her right to leave the state had been rescinded. She was sent to stay with family in Palmdale, Kernan said. On Saturday, a warrant for her arrest was issued and she was taken into custody without incident. She will be returned to the same prison in Central California that she walked out of Monday and will not be eligible for release until March 17, 2009, Kernan said. Olson's attorney, Shawn Chapman Holley, called her return to custody "ridiculous." "It's like they make up all new rules when it comes to her," Chapman Holley said. "It's like we are in some kind of fascist state." In 2001, Olson, formerly known as Kathleen Soliah, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 14 years in prison for attempting to bomb police cars in 1975 with the SLA, the group best known for kidnapping newspaper heiress Patricia Hearst. Olson vanished soon after she was charged in the attempted bombings and reinvented herself as a Minnesota housewife. Olson later pleaded guilty in 2003 to second-degree murder in the 1975 shooting death of a customer during a bank robbery in Carmichael, near Sacramento. She was serving a concurrent, six-year sentence in that case. The clerical error that resulted in her release came from a failure to properly factor the Sacramento sentence into her parole calculations, Kernan said. "This is an extremely unusual situation," the department's General Counsel Alberto Roldan said. Roldan said the long period between Olson's crimes and her sentencing made the calculations especially difficult. The Associated Press Related: Riverside doctor angered over release of woman radical who killed his mother Two people were injured in an off-road motorcycle crash today in Anza, according to a Riverside County Fire Department press release. Firefighters called to the area of Cary Road and Highway 371 at noon Saturday found two people with moderate to major injuries. The two were taken by helicopter to area hospitals. Witnesses said the people had collided head-on while riding motorcycles in the off-road area. —Rocky Salmon San Bernardino County firefighters are battling a blaze at an abandoned building in Colton. The call came in at 1:15 p.m. Saturday about a building fire near West Valley Boulevard near South Riverside Avenue in Colton, a fire official said. —Rocky Salmon Police are investigating the death of a man who was believed to have set a fire in a home in the Indio area, authorities said today. The unidentified man had argued with his wife Friday and began pouring gasoline in the living room, Indio police spokesman Ben Guitron said. The woman and the couple's two children, ages 17 and 20, left and were not injured, Guitron said. The fire was reported at 5:19 p.m. Friday in the 47000 block of Austin Drive near Santa Fe Court and resulted in one fatality, Cal Fire/Riverside County fire officials said. The fire was confined to a bedroom area, Guitron said. Coroner's officials were working to identify the man, Guitron said. The investigation was expected to continue. —From news services Three people were arrested after they broke into a car that police had parked behind a Palm Desert department store as part of a special operation to catch thieves, police reported Saturday. On Friday night, members of the Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage and Indian Wells special enforcement teams placed a "bait car" in a parking lot at the rear of a Target store on Painters Path near Fred Waring Drive. At 6:05 p.m., officers saw a green Mazda Protégé drive around the area a few times, according to a Palm Desert Police Department press release. The car eventually stopped and a man got out and headed to the bait car. The man broke the windows and took what officers had left in the car. The three tried to leave but officers stopped them before they could get out of the parking lot, the release said. Benjamin Abalos, 23, of Palm Springs; and Juan Sandoval, 19, and Maria Segura, 28, both of Cathedral City, were arrested on suspicion of vehicle burglary, conspiracy to commit a burglary and possession of methamphetamine. —Rocky Salmon Arraignmenent was scheduled for April 2 for man charged with murder in a March 13 killing in La Quinta Cove, authorities said.
Sanchez was shot in the chest while sitting in his car, said Deputy Herlinda Valenzuela of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department. Martinez was arrested Tuesday and made an initial court appearance Friday. His bail was set at $1 million. —From news services
Click here to link to the radar loop, giving you a bird's eye view of SoCal's weather. —The Press-Enterprise Thought for Today: “All that is not eternal is eternally out of date.” — C.S. Lewis, British author (1898-1963). —The Associated Press
Click here to see up-to-the-minute air traffic status at airports across the United States. Place your cursor on the dot at the airport you’re seeking and a pop-up window will give you a status report. You have three choices for getting the data: View by region A legend at the bottom of the page explains the dots’ color code: GREEN: General Arrival/Departure delays are 15 minutes or less.
Click here to get a snapshot of Inland region traffic conditions – in real time. Check in with us through the morning. We'll be posting detailed traffic reports of any major incidents in BREAKING NEWS as soon as we've gathered the details. —The Press-Enterprise It's Saturday, March 22, 2008. Here's how the weather is looking: Today TONIGHT: TOMORROW: TOMORROW NIGHT: Click here to see the detailed forecast for the Inland region. And while you're there, scroll down the page and put in your ZIP code to get the outlook for your neighborhood. Two San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies were justified in shooting a burglary suspect in Hesperia on Aug. 1, district attorney’s officials said in a report Thursday. The report recommended that deputies Franklin Hardin and Paul Solorio receive commendations for apprehending Joseph Asolelei Mulu, of Long Beach, Theodore Tinofa-Atasi Settle, of Apple Valley, and Myles Saunoa Asuega, of Las Vegas. The deputies were responding to a silent alarm when they discovered a burglary-in progress at the Cigmart, 16143 Main St. One of the suspects fired a handgun and wounded Solorio in the shoulder and earlobe, the report said. Mulu was shot three times in the abdomen but survived, the report said. The men were charged with attempted murder of a peace officer and robbery as well as special allegations of conducting a crime to benefit a criminal street gang.
A third teen has been arrested and charged in connection with January’s execution-style slayings of a young couple at an abandoned High Desert military bunker, officials said. Cameron Thomson, 16, of Covina, was taken into custody at his home Wednesday and is being held without bail at juvenile hall pending arraignment today. Like 19-year-old David Brian Smith and 18-year-old Collin Lee McGlaughlin, who were arrested in January, Thomson is charged with two counts each of murder, kidnapping and attempted robbery. San Bernardino County sheriff’s detectives have alleged that Thomson operated as the lookout on Jan. 5, when they say McGlaughlin and Smith ordered 18-year-old Christopher Cody Thomson and his girlfriend, 16-year-old Bodhisattva Sherzer-Potter out of their car and into the bunker in Helendale. The victims had attended a birthday party there the night before and were found shot to death the next afternoon. Detectives have said that the suspects targeted Thomson and Potter for a robbery because they were the last partiers at the bunker that night, but shot them without taking any property. —Paul LaRocco
Matthew Martel, acting warden at the California Rehabilitation Center since 2007, has been appointed warden at the Norco facility. The position pays $129,108 annually. Martel, 59, of San Bernardino, has held various posts at the prison since 1982, including acting warden, chief deputy warden from 2006 to 2007. Martel also was facility captain at the Community Correctional Facilities Administration at Adelanto from 1999 to 2002 and facility captain at Ironwood State Prison in 1995. Martel served in the U.S. Air Force Reserve from 1980 to 2002. —The Press-Enterprise
A 35-year-old Ontario man was fatally shot Thursday afternoon by police who were called to his apartment to investigate a reported violent disturbance, authorities said. Ontario police arrived at the apartment in the 500 block of N. Sultana about 4 p.m., a police news release said. They heard the sound of a gunshot from inside, and as they retreated and took cover they heard a second gunshot, the release said. A third shot was heard and a woman ran out of the apartment, followed by a man who stopped at the front door. The man, later identified as Robert Anthony Serrano, yelled and “engaged the officers in a manner presenting threat to the safety of the officers,” the release said. Officers opened fire, hitting Serrano, who died at the scene. Serrano was on parole for domestic violence, but has had no prior arrests with the Ontario Police Department, the release said. Later, police found a handgun inside the apartment, but investigators do not know if it was the weapon officers heard being fired when they arrived.
Palm Desert resident Rolf Hoehn has been appointed by the Palm Springs City Council to represent his city on the Palm Springs International Airport Commission. He will serve the unexpired term ending June 30, 2009. The vacancy was created by the death of William Bizzell. Hoehn’s history with the airline industry includes vice president of divisions of Aeromexico Airlines and Lufthansa Airlines, general manager of Arabian Gulf States for Lufthansa, and deputy director for Lufthansa Airlines in the United Kingdom and Ireland. —Jennifer Whitaker
A 46-year-old Hemet man was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of stealing 13 rings from a jewelry store on March 5, a Riverside County sheriff’s release stated. A man walked into Keller’s Jewelry Store in the 26000 block of McCall Boulevard in Sun City and asked to see some rings, the release stated. The clerk placed a tray with 13 rings on the counter and the man ran out of the store with the rings, the release stated. Kirk Speelman was arrested on suspicion of burglary and possession of stolen property, the release stated. Detectives recovered 12 of the 13 rings Thursday at a pawn shop in La Habra, the release stated.
Police today searched for a man who robbed a thrift store in Palm Desert. —From news services
A suspicious package that prompted the evacuation of an Eastvale mobile home park turned out to be nothing hazardous. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department hazardous device team was called out to investigate the package, found near the intersection of Cleveland Avenue and 65th Street. The mobile home park was evacuated at about 9:15 p.m. By about 11 p.m., the hazardous device team had determined the package posed no danger, said sheriff’s spokesman Jerry Franchville. —Sarah Burge
The first weekend of spring promises to bring warm temperatures, clear skies and a slight breeze, according to forecasts from the National Weather Service. "It’s going to be very pleasant," National Weather Service meteorologist Stefanie Sullivan said. The valleys are expected to have highs in the low 80s with lows in the mid-40s, according to National Weather Service forecasts. The deserts will be a bit cooler with highs in the mid-70s and lows in the mid-50s this weekend, according to National Weather Service forecasts. The mountains are forecast to have highs in the mid-60s and lows in the 20s, according to the National Weather Service. The valleys, deserts and mountains are expected to have winds from 5 to 10 mph today and Saturday, according to forecasts. On Saturday gusts are expected from 20 mph in the valleys to 35 mph in the mountains, according to the National Weather Service. Sullivan said this month has been drier than normal so far, but the warm temperatures are on par with other years. “Aside from the rainfall, it’s pretty average,” Sullivan said. —Jessica Logan
The U.S. Interior Department on Thursday issued a $466,613 grant to purchase nearly 3,000 acres of endangered species habitat in the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument above the Coachella Valley. The grant is aimed at buying 2,869 acres in the Santa Rosa Mountains used by the Peninsular bighorn sheep, desert slender salamander and desert tortoise, U.S. Rep. Mary Bono Mack, R-Palm Springs, announced. The land is key foraging and lambing areas for the sheep, she said. "With rapid population growth in Riverside County, it is important that we preserve our open space and protected endangered species," Bono Mack said in a statement. —Jennifer Bowles
Caltrans work for the $14 million Magnolia Avenue Interchange project in Corona will cause closures on Interstate 15 and the northbound Magnolia Avenue offramp. One lane on the northbound side of the freeway at Magnolia Avenue will be closed from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. tonight. The northbound offramp will be closed tonight from midnight to 4 a.m. Saturday. —Paige Austin
Names of two finalists for Riverside Community College District chancellor may not be released until next week. Trustees, who selected the finalists Tuesday, agreed to give them time to inform their current employers that they are under consideration for the position. Trustees were still waiting Thursday. RCC spokesman Jim Parsons said, “We will release that information as soon as that occurs.” Jim Buysse, the district’s vice chancellor for administration and finance, has been serving as interim chancellor since Salvatore Rotella retired in June. The district, which encompasses Riverside, Jurupa, Corona, Norco, Moreno Valley and portions of Perris, serves 30,740 students. The main campus is Riverside City College. Campuses in Norco and Moreno Valley are in the process of becoming separate colleges. —Elaine Regus
A 16-year-old boy pleaded not guilty to murder Friday for his alleged role in the slaying of a teen couple shot in an abandoned military bunker in the Mojave Desert. The boy was arrested late Wednesday in Covina, becoming the third suspect in the case. He was charged with two counts of murder, said San Bernardino County Deputy District Attorney Steven Sinfield. Authorities believe the boy served as a lookout during the Jan. 5 murders of Christopher Cody Thompson, 18, and his girlfriend, Bodhisattva "Bodhi" Sherzer-Potter, 16. "I'm glad they're getting all of them now," Mike Thompson, Christopher's father, told the Victorville Daily Press after the latest arrest. "We knew of that third person, but we're happy they're bringing justice to everybody now." Collin Lee McGlaughlin, 18, of West Covina, and David Brian Smith, 19, of Covina, both pleaded not guilty to murder in January. They also were in the Barstow courtroom Friday, but had their preliminary hearing continued to June 6. The bunker on a defunct military installation had become a graffiti-scarred hangout for youths since it was abandoned in the mid-1980s. Authorities have shut it down since the killings. A friend of the couple told investigators there was a gathering there on the night of Jan. 4 and the next day a parent of one victim called to say they hadn't come home. The friend went back to the bunker and found the bodies. --The Associated Press
County tax officials throughout Southern California are beginning to reduce the assessed values of homes as the housing market continues to spiral downward. Los Angeles County has dropped the assessed values of more than 41,000 homes, resulting in an average tax saving of $660 per home. Other counties have also begun the reassessment process. Property tax bills are mailed in October. Riverside County assessor Larry Ward says staff will be working 10-hour days and weekends to handle reassessments. His office is getting at least 100 calls a day from homeowners. Last year, Riverside County’s automated system reduced the value of about 9,000 homes. Values were cut an average $43,000, and the homeowners received a $500 tax break. —The Associated Press
A third teen has been arrested and charged in connection with January’s execution-style slayings of a young couple at an abandoned High Desert military bunker, officials said. Cameron Thomson, 16, of Covina, was taken into custody at his home Wednesday and is being held without bail at juvenile hall pending arraignment today. Like 19-year-old David Brian Smith and 18-year-old Collin Lee McGlaughlin, who were arrested in January, Thomson is charged with two counts each of murder, kidnapping and attempted robbery. San Bernardino County sheriff’s detectives have alleged that Thomson operated as the lookout on Jan. 5, when they say McGlaughlin and Smith ordered 18-year-old Christopher Cody Thomson and his girlfriend, 16-year-old Bodhisattva Sherzer-Potter out of their car and into the bunker in Helendale. The victims had attended a birthday party there the night before and were found shot to death the next afternoon. Detectives have said that the suspects targeted Thomson and Potter for a robbery because they were the last partiers at the bunker that night, but shot them without taking any property. —Paul LaRocco
Matthew Martel, acting warden at the California Rehabilitation Center since 2007, has been appointed warden at the Norco facility. The position pays $129,108 annually. Martel, 59, of San Bernardino, has held various posts at the prison since 1982, including acting warden, chief deputy warden from 2006 to 2007. Martel also was facility captain at the Community Correctional Facilities Administration at Adelanto from 1999 to 2002 and facility captain at Ironwood State Prison in 1995. Martel served in the U.S. Air Force Reserve from 1980 to 2002. —The Press-Enterprise
A 46-year-old Hemet man was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of stealing 13 rings from a jewelry store on March 5, a Riverside County sheriff’s release stated. A man walked into Keller’s Jewelry Store in the 26000 block of McCall Boulevard in Sun City and asked to see some rings, the release stated. The clerk placed a tray with 13 rings on the counter and the man ran out of the store with the rings, the release stated. Kirk Speelman was arrested on suspicion of burglary and possession of stolen property, the release stated. Detectives recovered 12 of the 13 rings Thursday at a pawn shop in La Habra, the release stated.
Caltrans work for the $14 million Magnolia Avenue Interchange project in Corona will cause closures on Interstate 15 and the northbound Magnolia Avenue offramp. One lane on the northbound side of the freeway at Magnolia Avenue will be closed from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. tonight. The northbound offramp will be closed tonight from midnight to 4 a.m. Saturday. —Paige Austin
The U.S. Interior Department on Thursday issued a $466,613 grant to purchase nearly 3,000 acres of endangered species habitat in the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument above the Coachella Valley. The grant is aimed at buying 2,869 acres in the Santa Rosa Mountains used by the Peninsular bighorn sheep, desert slender salamander and desert tortoise, U.S. Rep. Mary Bono Mack, R-Palm Springs, announced. The land is key foraging and lambing areas for the sheep, she said. "With rapid population growth in Riverside County, it is important that we preserve our open space and protected endangered species," Bono Mack said in a statement. —Jennifer Bowles
The first weekend of spring promises to bring warm temperatures, clear skies and a slight breeze, according to forecasts from the National Weather Service. "It’s going to be very pleasant," National Weather Service meteorologist Stefanie Sullivan said. The valleys are expected to have highs in the low 80s with lows in the mid-40s, according to National Weather Service forecasts. The deserts will be a bit cooler with highs in the mid-70s and lows in the mid-50s this weekend, according to National Weather Service forecasts. The mountains are forecast to have highs in the mid-60s and lows in the 20s, according to the National Weather Service. The valleys, deserts and mountains are expected to have winds from 5 to 10 mph today and Saturday, according to forecasts. On Saturday gusts are expected from 20 mph in the valleys to 35 mph in the mountains, according to the National Weather Service. Sullivan said this month has been drier than normal so far, but the warm temperatures are on par with other years. “Aside from the rainfall, it’s pretty average,” Sullivan said. —Jessica Logan
Palm Desert resident Rolf Hoehn has been appointed by the Palm Springs City Council to represent his city on the Palm Springs International Airport Commission. He will serve the unexpired term ending June 30, 2009. The vacancy was created by the death of William Bizzell. Hoehn’s history with the airline industry includes vice president of divisions of Aeromexico Airlines and Lufthansa Airlines, general manager of Arabian Gulf States for Lufthansa, and deputy director for Lufthansa Airlines in the United Kingdom and Ireland. —Jennifer Whitaker The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in the Inland Empire was seven-tenths of a cent lower today than the record set earlier in the week, the Automobile Club of Southern California reported. The average in Riverside and San Bernardino counties dropped to $3.62 today from Tuesday’s record $3.627. Today’s average is 2.2 cents more than last week’s, 43 cents more than last month and 92.4 cents more than this time last year. "Prices continued to set new all-time records in most areas until Monday or Tuesday of this week, and then started declining very slightly," Auto Club spokesman Jeffrey Spring said. "With just a couple of days of very small price declines, it’s too early to tell if we’ve reached a spring peak or we’re at a plateau." —From news services The University of San Diego has upset the University of Connecticut, 70-69, in overtime in the first round of the NCAA tournament. USD was seeded 13th in the West Regional. UConn was seeded fourth. USD will now face Western Kentucky in the second round. —The Press-Enterprise
A 35-year-old Ontario man was fatally shot Thursday afternoon by police who were called to his apartment to investigate a reported violent disturbance, authorities said. Ontario police arrived at the apartment in the 500 block of N. Sultana about 4 p.m., a police news release said. They heard the sound of a gunshot from inside, and as they retreated and took cover they heard a second gunshot, the release said. A third shot was heard and a woman ran out of the apartment, followed by a man who stopped at the front door. The man, later identified as Robert Anthony Serrano, yelled and “engaged the officers in a manner presenting threat to the safety of the officers,” the release said. Officers opened fire, hitting Serrano, who died at the scene. Serrano was on parole for domestic violence, but has had no prior arrests with the Ontario Police Department, the release said. Later, police found a handgun inside the apartment, but investigators do not know if it was the weapon officers heard being fired when they arrived.
Caltrans work for the $14 million Magnolia Avenue Interchange project in Corona will cause closures on Interstate 15 and the northbound Magnolia Avenue offramp. One lane on the northbound side of the freeway at Magnolia Avenue will be closed from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. tonight. The northbound offramp will be closed tonight from midnight to 4 a.m. Saturday. —Paige Austin Colton police are searching for two masked, hooded men who robbed a city bank Thursday by forcing employees into a back room. The robbery took place at 9:59 a.m. at the Pacific Transportation Federal Credit Union on Santo Antonio Drive. Two men entered the bank and, after forcing the employees into the back, removed cash, a Colton police news release reported. The men were communicating with another suspect or suspects with a handheld radio, the release said. No one was injured. No detailed description of the suspects was available. Anyone with information may contact police at 909-37-5000 or 909-370-5021. —Paul LaRocco
A 19-year-old Rialto man has been arrested and charged with the October 2007 shooting death of a man at a Fontana party, officials said. Anthony Marquez, 19, was taken into custody at a Rialto home Thursday morning, and was jailed at the West Valley Detention Center in lieu of $2.1 million bail. He and another man are charged with firing handguns to kill 20-year-old Diego Diaz at a home on Alder Avenue on Oct. 28, 2007, according to a complaint filed in San Bernardino County Superior Court. Fontana police suspect that Marquez belongs to a local “party crew,” which they said is the equivalent to a criminal street gang. The shooting was believed to be caused by a dispute between party crew members, Fontana police Sgt. Jeff Decker said. During Thursday’s arrest of Marquez, detectives also seized three firearms, Decker said. —Paul LaRocco Two San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies were justified in shooting a burglary suspect in Hesperia on Aug. 1, district attorney’s officials said in a report Thursday. The report recommended that deputies Franklin Hardin and Paul Solorio receive commendations for apprehending Joseph Asolelei Mulu, of Long Beach, Theodore Tinofa-Atasi Settle, of Apple Valley, and Myles Saunoa Asuega, of Las Vegas. The deputies were responding to a silent alarm when they discovered a burglary-in progress at the Cigmart, 16143 Main St. One of the suspects fired a handgun and wounded Solorio in the shoulder and earlobe, the report said. Mulu was shot three times in the abdomen but survived, the report said. The men were charged with attempted murder of a peace officer and robbery as well as special allegations of conducting a crime to benefit a criminal street gang.
A third teen has been arrested and charged in connection with January’s execution-style slayings of a young couple at an abandoned High Desert military bunker, officials said. Cameron Thomson, 16, of Covina, was taken into custody at his home Wednesday and is being held without bail at juvenile hall pending arraignment today. Like 19-year-old David Brian Smith and 18-year-old Collin Lee McGlaughlin, who were arrested in January, Thomson is charged with two counts each of murder, kidnapping and attempted robbery. San Bernardino County sheriff’s detectives have alleged that Thomson operated as the lookout on Jan. 5, when they say McGlaughlin and Smith ordered 18-year-old Christopher Cody Thomson and his girlfriend, 16-year-old Bodhisattva Sherzer-Potter out of their car and into the bunker in Helendale. The victims had attended a birthday party there the night before and were found shot to death the next afternoon. Detectives have said that the suspects targeted Thomson and Potter for a robbery because they were the last partiers at the bunker that night, but shot them without taking any property. —Paul LaRocco 
Nate Spagnoli, 12, Temecula, carries a wooden cross in the 22nd annual Cross Walk through Temecula today. (Silvia Flores/The Press-Enterprise)
Ekaterina Mocalis, 17, left, and her sister Arianna Mocalis, 16, right, lift their hands while worshipping with other local residents after the 22nd annual Cross Walk through Temecula today. (Silvia Flores/The Press-Enterprise)
Jackie Ortiz, 12, of Menifee, carries a cross along during the 22nd annual Cross Walk through Temecula today. (Silvia Flores/The Press-Enterprise)
A teenager was shot Thursday afternoon while walking with two friends along Hill Street in an incident that began as an argument with another group and escalated to gunfire. The shooting occurred at 4:07 p.m. as the teenagers walked west on Hill Street near Pepper Street, San Bernardino police said. Three juveniles in a white or silver Honda pulled up, argued with them and then opened fire. The injured teen’s friends took him to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton. His injuries were not life threatening, police said. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call 909-384-5656. —Michael Perrault
A third teen charged in connection with January’s execution-style slayings of a young couple at an abandoned High Desert military bunker pleaded not guilty this morning, officials said. Cameron Thomson, 16, of Covina, entered the plea in San Bernardino County Superior Court in Barstow. Authorities arrested Thomson at his home Wednesday and he is being held on $1 million bail. Like 19-year-old David Brian Smith and 18-year-old Collin Lee McGlaughlin, who were arrested in January, Thomson is charged with two counts each of murder, kidnapping and attempted robbery. San Bernardino County sheriff’s detectives have alleged that Thomson was the lookout on Jan. 5, when they say McGlaughlin and Smith ordered 18-year-old Christopher Cody Thomson and his girlfriend, 16-year-old Bodhisattva Sherzer-Potter out of their car and into the bunker in Helendale. The victims had attended a birthday party there the night before and were found shot to death the next afternoon. Detectives have said that the suspects targeted Thomson and Potter for a robbery because they were the last partiers at the bunker that night, but shot them without taking any property. Thomson is due in court on June 6. —Paul LaRocco
County tax officials throughout Southern California are beginning to reduce the assessed values of homes as the housing market continues to spiral downward. Los Angeles County has dropped the assessed values of more than 41,000 homes, resulting in an average tax saving of $660 per home. Other counties have also begun the reassessment process. Property tax bills are mailed in October. Riverside County assessor Larry Ward says staff will be working 10-hour days and weekends to handle reassessments. His office is getting at least 100 calls a day from homeowners. Last year, Riverside County’s automated system reduced the value of about 9,000 homes. Values were cut an average $43,000, and the homeowners received a $500 tax break. —The Associated Press
Two women’s semifinals and are scheduled for today in the Pacific Life Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Second-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova will meet fourth-seeded Maria Sharapova in the first women’s semifinal, which will begin at 2:30 p.m. at the earliest, while top-seeded Ana Ivanovic will face third-seeded Jelena Jankovic in a night semifinal beginning at 7 p.m. Sharapova leads the series against Kuznetsova, 4-3, including victories in each of their last two meetings. Ivanovic has a 4-1 lifetime record against Jankovic, including three victories last year. This is the first time in the tournament’s 20-year history that the top four women’s seeds all advanced to the semifinals. On the men's side, top-seeded Roger Federer, the world’s top-ranked player for more than four years, will meet unseeded Tommy Haas in the other quarterfinal, which will begin no earlier than 4 p.m.
Police today searched for a man who robbed a thrift store in Palm Desert. —From news services
A 46-year-old Hemet man was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of stealing 13 rings from a jewelry store on March 5, a Riverside County sheriff’s release stated. A man walked into Keller’s Jewelry Store in the 26000 block of McCall Boulevard in Sun City and asked to see some rings, the release stated. The clerk placed a tray with 13 rings on the counter and the man ran out of the store with the rings, the release stated. Kirk Speelman was arrested on suspicion of burglary and possession of stolen property, the release stated. Detectives recovered 12 of the 13 rings Thursday at a pawn shop in La Habra, the release stated.
The first weekend of spring promises to bring warm temperatures, clear skies and a slight breeze, according to forecasts from the National Weather Service. "It’s going to be very pleasant," National Weather Service meteorologist Stefanie Sullivan said. The valleys are expected to have highs in the low 80s with lows in the mid-40s, according to National Weather Service forecasts. The deserts will be a bit cooler with highs in the mid-70s and lows in the mid-50s this weekend, according to National Weather Service forecasts. The mountains are forecast to have highs in the mid-60s and lows in the 20s, according to the National Weather Service. The valleys, deserts and mountains are expected to have winds from 5 to 10 mph today and Saturday, according to forecasts. On Saturday gusts are expected from 20 mph in the valleys to 35 mph in the mountains, according to the National Weather Service. Sullivan said this month has been drier than normal so far, but the warm temperatures are on par with other years. “Aside from the rainfall, it’s pretty average,” Sullivan said. —Jessica Logan
Five-time Bob Hope Chrysler Classic winner Arnold Palmer was today named the official host of the Coachella Valley’s most prestigious golf tournament for its 50th anniversary next year. Palmer, who lives in La Quinta part-time, has played in the tournament 42 times. "It was very special to me when I was asked to serve as the host of next year’s 50th anniversary Bob Hope Chrysler Classic," Palmer said. "I enjoyed some of my greatest success in the Hope in the early years and have loved the Palm Springs area ever since I first went there." —From news services
Adrien Joseph Sotomayor, 21, was arrested at 9:15 a.m. at his Yucaipa home, and booked into the Central Detention Center in San Bernardino in lieu of $1 million bail, said San Bernardino County sheriff’s spokeswoman Jodi Miller. On Thursday, prosecutors issued a warrant charging Sotomayor with one count of murder in the Jan. 5 death of 46-year-old Cherry Valley resident Grant Dodder. Sotomayor’s friend, 21-year-old James Hiles, already has been charged with murder. Detectives have said that Dodder was attacked in the bar’s parking lot during a fight between eight men. Witnesses said that Dodder was stomped and kicked in the head, according to court records. Dodder was a member of the Set Free motorcycle ministry in Yucaipa and had gone to the bar that night to pick up a friend, family members said. Sotomayor is scheduled to be arraigned on Monday, Miller said. Hiles is next scheduled to appear in court on April 3. --Paul LaRocco
The unemployment rate in Riverside County dropped slightly last month to 7 percent, with job losses in trade, transportation and utilities offset by gains in education, leisure and hospitality, state labor market officials reported today. The perjury case against Barry Bonds was put on hold for three months while prosecutors said today they still plan to obtain a new indictment against Major League Baseball’s home run king. U.S. District Judge Susan Illston had earlier ordered prosecutors to fix their original indictment because it lumped too many of the slugger’s alleged lies to a grand jury in to too few charges. Illston said that prosecutors needed to either drop some of the allegations from the indictment or add more charges. —The Associated Press Authorities have exhumed and identified the body of a man found Wednesday buried in a vacant field in Moreno Valley. Police unearthed the body at about 8 p.m. Thursday near a home in the 24700 block of Atwood Avenue in Moreno Valley, Riverside County sheriff’s Investigator Jerry Franchville said. Through fingerprints, coroner’s officials have identified the man as Orlando Duarte Sr., 45, of Corona. Corona police found the body Wednesday night while conducting a kidnapping investigation in the neighborhood. Police have not said if Duarte's death is related to the kidnapping and have not released details of the kidnapping investigation. Authorities have not determined a cause of death and plan an autopsy later today. No arrests have been made. —John Asbury
It's Good Friday on all sorts of levels. Let's wrap up this week and head into a great Easter weekend. Sit back, relax and catch your breath.
WHAT'S UP? PE.com Weekend Watch host Jennifer Dean takes us on a tour of Scandia Amusement Park in Ontario and fills us in in Easter Weekend events, including IE appearances of comedians Craig Robinson and Bill Engvall and the Humane Society sponsored "Walk with the Animals" at Fairmount Park in Riverside. Check it out.
Have a great afternoon, a safe and joyous weekend and we'll see you here on Monday for another week of LUNCH BREAK.
A 35-year-old Ontario man was fatally shot Thursday afternoon by police who were called to his apartment to investigate a reported violent disturbance, authorities said. Ontario police arrived at the apartment in the 500 block of N. Sultana about 4 p.m., a police news release said. They heard the sound of a gunshot from inside, and as they retreated and took cover they heard a second gunshot, the release said. A third shot was heard and a woman ran out of the apartment, followed by a man who stopped at the front door. The man, later identified as Robert Anthony Serrano, yelled and “engaged the officers in a manner presenting threat to the safety of the officers,” the release said. Officers opened fire, hitting Serrano, who died at the scene. Serrano was on parole for domestic violence, but has had no prior arrests with the Ontario Police Department, the release said. Later, police found a handgun inside the apartment, but investigators do not know if it was the weapon officers heard being fired when they arrived.
The U.S. Interior Department on Thursday issued a $466,613 grant to purchase nearly 3,000 acres of endangered species habitat in the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument above the Coachella Valley. The grant is aimed at buying 2,869 acres in the Santa Rosa Mountains used by the Peninsular bighorn sheep, desert slender salamander and desert tortoise, U.S. Rep. Mary Bono Mack, R-Palm Springs, announced. The land is key foraging and lambing areas for the sheep, she said. "With rapid population growth in Riverside County, it is important that we preserve our open space and protected endangered species," Bono Mack said in a statement. —Jennifer Bowles
County tax officials throughout Southern California are beginning to reduce the assessed values of homes as the housing market continues to spiral downward. Los Angeles County has dropped the assessed values of more than 41,000 homes, resulting in an average tax saving of $660 per home. Other counties have also begun the reassessment process. Property tax bills are mailed in October. Riverside County assessor Larry Ward says staff will be working 10-hour days and weekends to handle reassessments. His office is getting at least 100 calls a day from homeowners. Last year, Riverside County’s automated system reduced the value of about 9,000 homes. Values were cut an average $43,000, and the homeowners received a $500 tax break. —The Associated Press
The chancellor of the University of Texas has been chosen as the top candidate to lead the 10-campus University of California system. —The Associated Press
Sentencing for a 32-year-old registered sex offender from San Jacinto who looked up one’s girl’s skirt with a mirror and stalked another at a library in Hemet has been pushed back until April 1. Raul Toribio Fernandez was expected to get 10 years and eight months in prison today after pleading guilty to two counts of annoying or molesting a child. He also admitted to prior strikes for a 2002 residential burglary conviction and a conviction for lewd and lascivious behavior with a child under 14. —From news services The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in the Inland Empire was seven-tenths of a cent lower today than the record set earlier in the week, the Automobile Club of Southern California reported. The average in Riverside and San Bernardino counties dropped to $3.62 today from Tuesday’s record $3.627. Today’s average is 2.2 cents more than last week’s, 43 cents more than last month and 92.4 cents more than this time last year. "Prices continued to set new all-time records in most areas until Monday or Tuesday of this week, and then started declining very slightly," Auto Club spokesman Jeffrey Spring said. "With just a couple of days of very small price declines, it’s too early to tell if we’ve reached a spring peak or we’re at a plateau." —From news services
Get rid of old cars, trucks and horse or boat trailers for free during the next four months when the city of Norco runs its Junk Your Clunker campaign. —Alicia Robinson A teenager was shot Thursday afternoon while walking with two friends along Hill Street in an incident that began as an argument with another group and escalated to gunfire. The shooting occurred at 4:07 p.m. as the teenagers walked west on Hill Street near Pepper Street, San Bernardino police said. Three juveniles in a white or silver Honda pulled up, argued with them and then opened fire. The injured teen’s friends took him to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton. His injuries were not life threatening, police said. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call 909-384-5656. —Michael Perrault A Southern California Edison worker was injured Thursday morning when he came into contact with an energized conductor while working on aerial lines in a Redlands canyon area. The employee, whose name was not released by the utility, was taken to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton for treatment and evaluation, said Steven Conroy, a spokesman for Edison. Information on the extent of his injuries was not available, Conroy said. The accident occurred around 10:40 a.m. near San Timoteo Canyon Road. The injured man and two other workers had been installing overhead conductor lines, Conroy said. The employee, who has been with the company for 10 years, has experience and training in working around energized and de-energized conductors, Conroy said. —Imran Ghori
CHINO -- One of the two men charged in the videotaped mistreatment of cows at a Chino slaughterhouse last year accepted a plea agreement this morning that will give him six months in jail. Rafael Sanchez Herrera, 34, was sentenced this morning after pleading guilty to three misdemeanor charges involving cattle abuse in San Bernardino County Superior Court in Chino. Before the plea was announced, Sanchez’s attorney Mario Martinez said his client spoke for three hours on Tuesday with two investigators from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Martinez declined to provide details, but said none of the questions involved his client’s testifying. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has placed an immigration hold on Sanchez, who is expected to be deported to Mexico after he serves his 6-month sentence. —John F. Berry
Two suspects in a stabbing tried to elude San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies early Thursday morning — eventually ramming the officers’ vehicle before being apprehended, authorities said in a news release. Gonzalez was air-lifted to Loma Linda Medical Center for treatment. Information on the extent of his injuries was not available, authorities said. While conducting a search, deputies attempted to stop a suspicious vehicle. The suspects fled, then rammed a deputy’s cruiser. Audrey Lee Brown, 19, of Victorville, and Wyatt Lee Jochim, 24, of Phelan, were arrested when the pursuit ended. Jochim was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, assaulting a police officer, felony evading and assault with a deadly weapon. Brown was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, felony evading and assault with a deadly weapon, police said.
Redlands police arrested a 34-year-old homeless man on suspicion of attempted murder after he allegedly attacked and stabbed another transient. The 41-year-old victim received superficial wounds to his face and neck during the incident that occurred shortly before 1 p.m. Wednesday, said Carl Baker, Redlands police spokesman. The suspect, Juan Anthony Gonzales, is said to have approached the victim in a vacant lot near New York Street and Redlands Boulevard, Baker said. Police believe Gonzales may have been angry after he was told to leave the area earlier in the week. Anyone with information is urged to contact Detective Stephen Crane or Detective Mike Reiss at 909-98-7659 or Redlands Police Dispatch at 909-798-7681. —Michael Perrault
A 19-year-old Rialto man has been arrested and charged with the October 2007 shooting death of a man at a Fontana party, officials said. Anthony Marquez, 19, was taken into custody at a Rialto home Thursday morning, and was jailed at the West Valley Detention Center in lieu of $2.1 million bail. He and another man are charged with firing handguns to kill 20-year-old Diego Diaz at a home on Alder Avenue on Oct. 28, 2007, according to a complaint filed in San Bernardino County Superior Court. Fontana police suspect that Marquez belongs to a local “party crew,” which they said is the equivalent to a criminal street gang. The shooting was believed to be caused by a dispute between party crew members, Fontana police Sgt. Jeff Decker said. During Thursday’s arrest of Marquez, detectives also seized three firearms, Decker said. —Paul LaRocco San Bernardino police have released the name of a man arrested after a shooting in the 1200 block of West King Street. Paulino Uzueta, 19, was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon. He is accused of shooting Chris Fehoko, 25, during a gang-related dispute, San Bernardino police said. The victim is a documented Los Angeles area gang member, Lt. Scott Paterson said in a news release. Uzueta was arrested after a San Bernardino police SWAT team and other officers surrounded a house where neighbors reported shots had been fired. The shooting occurred shortly before 11 a.m. Wednesday, and Uzueta was arrested about 1:30 p.m. Police obtained a search warrant and entered the house, where they allegedly found marijuana and a loaded weapon. Uzueta also faces charges for possession of marijuana for sale and felony possession of a firearm, Paterson said. Uzueta is being held at the West Valley Detention Center. COLTON -- Colton police are searching for two masked, hooded men who robbed a city bank Thursday by forcing employees into a back room. The robbery took place at 9:59 a.m. at the Pacific Transportation Federal Credit Union on Santo Antonio Drive. Two men entered the bank and, after forcing the employees into the back, removed cash, a Colton police news release reported. The men were communicating with another suspect or suspects with a handheld radio, the release said. No one was injured. No detailed description of the suspects was available. Anyone with information may contact police at 909-37-5000 or 909-370-5021. —Paul LaRocco Two San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies were justified in shooting a burglary suspect in Hesperia on Aug. 1, district attorney’s officials said in a report Thursday. The report recommended that deputies Franklin Hardin and Paul Solorio receive commendations for apprehending Joseph Asolelei Mulu, of Long Beach, Theodore Tinofa-Atasi Settle, of Apple Valley, and Myles Saunoa Asuega, of Las Vegas. The deputies were responding to a silent alarm when they discovered a burglary-in progress at the Cigmart, 16143 Main St. One of the suspects fired a handgun and wounded Solorio in the shoulder and earlobe, the report said. Mulu was shot three times in the abdomen but survived, the report said. The men were charged with attempted murder of a peace officer and robbery as well as special allegations of conducting a crime to benefit a criminal street gang.
Names of two finalists for Riverside Community College District chancellor may not be released until next week. Trustees, who selected the finalists Tuesday, agreed to give them time to inform their current employers that they are under consideration for the position. Trustees were still waiting Thursday. RCC spokesman Jim Parsons said, “We will release that information as soon as that occurs.” Jim Buysse, the district’s vice chancellor for administration and finance, has been serving as interim chancellor since Salvatore Rotella retired in June. The district, which encompasses Riverside, Jurupa, Corona, Norco, Moreno Valley and portions of Perris, serves 30,740 students. The main campus is Riverside City College. Campuses in Norco and Moreno Valley are in the process of becoming separate colleges. —Elaine Regus
The U.S. State Department says the passport files of Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, plus the files of Republican presidential candidate John McCain, have been breached. —From news services
A former Palm Desert medical marijuana dispensary operator and his two managers — all facing trial on drug charges — will ask today that a search warrant used in the case be quashed. —From news services
A third teen has been arrested and charged in connection with January’s execution-style slayings of a young couple at an abandoned High Desert military bunker, officials said. Cameron Thomson, 16, of Covina, was taken into custody at his home Wednesday and is being held without bail at juvenile hall pending arraignment today. Like 19-year-old David Brian Smith and 18-year-old Collin Lee McGlaughlin, who were arrested in January, Thomson is charged with two counts each of murder, kidnapping and attempted robbery. San Bernardino County sheriff’s detectives have alleged that Thomson operated as the lookout on Jan. 5, when they say McGlaughlin and Smith ordered 18-year-old Christopher Cody Thomson and his girlfriend, 16-year-old Bodhisattva Sherzer-Potter out of their car and into the bunker in Helendale. The victims had attended a birthday party there the night before and were found shot to death the next afternoon. Detectives have said that the suspects targeted Thomson and Potter for a robbery because they were the last partiers at the bunker that night, but shot them without taking any property. —Paul LaRocco
Police today searched for a man who robbed a thrift store in Palm Desert. —From news services Investigators determined today that a 26-year-old woman who had been thought to have been abducted from her Pomona home went willingly with her five "alleged kidnappers," two of whom are being sought for alleged parole violations. The boyfriend of Monica Ayala told police that Ayala was taken Wednesday night from their home in the 900 block of Bradford Avenue near East Kingsley Avenue by as many as five suspects, said Pomona police Sgt. Rick Baker. "That victim (Ayala’s boyfriend) reported that he had been beaten and tied up by the suspects," Baker said. "He reported that his girlfriend ... had been taken from their residence by the same persons, along with a vehicle belonging to (Ayala) and property belonging to both." Yesterday afternoon, police announced that Ayala had been found unharmed, walking near her home, he said. Although no longer being considered a kidnapping, police today were still seeking two of the men Ayala left with — Pomona residents Saul Esquivel, 27, and Alan Pierson, 31. Both men were being sought for parole violations, Olivieri said.
A former Chino slaughterhouse worker pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges related to last year’s videotaped mistreatment of cattle, court officials said this morning. The initial court appearance for Daniel Ugarte Navarro, 49, was originally scheduled for Monday, but court officials did not say why his arraignment was unexpectedly switched to Thursday. Ugarte was identified as the former pen manager in the undercover videotaping of cattle abuse at the Westland/Hallmark Meat Co. He is charged with eight misdemeanor and felony counts related to animal abuse. Ugarte returns to San Bernardino County Superior Court in Chino on April 17. The other slaughterhouse worker pictured in the videotape, Rafael Sanchez Herrera, is expected to accept a plea agreement in the same courtroom this morning.
A suspicious package that prompted the evacuation of an Eastvale mobile home park turned out to be nothing hazardous. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department hazardous device team was called out to investigate the package, found near the intersection of Cleveland Avenue and 65th Street. The mobile home park was evacuated at about 9:15 p.m. By about 11 p.m., the hazardous device team had determined the package posed no danger, said sheriff’s spokesman Jerry Franchville. —Sarah Burge
The State Water Resources Control Board approved $3 million to the city of Rialto and West Valley Water District to study and create a cleanup plan for a plume of perchlorate, water officials said Wednesday. The plume has tainted more than a dozen drinking wells, officials said. The five-member board voted unanimously Tuesday to grant the money once they come up with their plan, said William L. Rukeyser, a board spokesman. A state hearing aimed at finding those responsible for the perchlorate, an ingredient of rocket fuel and fireworks, has been delayed several times. —Jennifer Bowles
Matthew Martel, acting warden at the California Rehabilitation Center since 2007, has been appointed warden at the Norco facility. The position pays $129,108 annually. Martel, 59, of San Bernardino, has held various posts at the prison since 1982, including acting warden, chief deputy warden from 2006 to 2007. Martel also was facility captain at the Community Correctional Facilities Administration at Adelanto from 1999 to 2002 and facility captain at Ironwood State Prison in 1995. Martel served in the U.S. Air Force Reserve from 1980 to 2002. —The Press-Enterprise
A 46-year-old Hemet man was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of stealing 13 rings from a jewelry store on March 5, a Riverside County sheriff’s release stated. A man walked into Keller’s Jewelry Store in the 26000 block of McCall Boulevard in Sun City and asked to see some rings, the release stated. The clerk placed a tray with 13 rings on the counter and the man ran out of the store with the rings, the release stated. Kirk Speelman was arrested on suspicion of burglary and possession of stolen property, the release stated. Detectives recovered 12 of the 13 rings Thursday at a pawn shop in La Habra, the release stated.
Caltrans work for the $14 million Magnolia Avenue Interchange project in Corona will cause closures on Interstate 15 and the northbound Magnolia Avenue offramp. One lane on the northbound side of the freeway at Magnolia Avenue will be closed from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. tonight. The northbound offramp will be closed tonight from midnight to 4 a.m. Saturday. —Paige Austin
The first weekend of spring promises to bring warm temperatures, clear skies and a slight breeze, according to forecasts from the National Weather Service. "It’s going to be very pleasant," National Weather Service meteorologist Stefanie Sullivan said. The valleys are expected to have highs in the low 80s with lows in the mid-40s, according to National Weather Service forecasts. The deserts will be a bit cooler with highs in the mid-70s and lows in the mid-50s this weekend, according to National Weather Service forecasts. The mountains are forecast to have highs in the mid-60s and lows in the 20s, according to the National Weather Service. The valleys, deserts and mountains are expected to have winds from 5 to 10 mph today and Saturday, according to forecasts. On Saturday gusts are expected from 20 mph in the valleys to 35 mph in the mountains, according to the National Weather Service. Sullivan said this month has been drier than normal so far, but the warm temperatures are on par with other years. “Aside from the rainfall, it’s pretty average,” Sullivan said. —Jessica Logan
The U.S. Interior Department on Thursday issued a $466,613 grant to purchase nearly 3,000 acres of endangered species habitat in the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument above the Coachella Valley. The grant is aimed at buying 2,869 acres in the Santa Rosa Mountains used by the Peninsular bighorn sheep, desert slender salamander and desert tortoise, U.S. Rep. Mary Bono Mack, R-Palm Springs, announced. The land is key foraging and lambing areas for the sheep, she said. "With rapid population growth in Riverside County, it is important that we preserve our open space and protected endangered species," Bono Mack said in a statement. —Jennifer Bowles
Palm Desert resident Rolf Hoehn has been appointed by the Palm Springs City Council to represent his city on the Palm Springs International Airport Commission. He will serve the unexpired term ending June 30, 2009. The vacancy was created by the death of William Bizzell. Hoehn’s history with the airline industry includes vice president of divisions of Aeromexico Airlines and Lufthansa Airlines, general manager of Arabian Gulf States for Lufthansa, and deputy director for Lufthansa Airlines in the United Kingdom and Ireland. —Jennifer Whitaker
SAN BERNARDINO -- The San Bernardino Cluster of Parishes, a regional group of Catholic churches, will host a Passion Walk today for Good Friday in downtown San Bernardino. Participants will gather at 1:30 p.m. at Court and E streets. An opening prayer will start the walk at 2 p.m. and stops will be made for prayer, song and reflections throughout the walk, which ends with music and a dramatization of the Passion. At each stop, prayers will be received for youth, an end to violence in the city, home and hearts, justice for immigrants, unity among cultures and peace on earth. The event ends with a bilingual service presided over by Bishop Gerald Barnes at the Sturges Center for Fine Arts at 3 p.m. —The Press-Enterprise
Two women’s semifinals and two men’s quarterfinals are scheduled for today in the Pacific Life Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Second-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova will meet fourth-seeded Maria Sharapova in the first women’s semifinal, which will begin at 2:30 p.m. at the earliest, while top-seeded Ana Ivanovic will face third-seeded Jelena Jankovic in a night semifinal beginning at 7 p.m. Sharapova leads the series against Kuznetsova, 4-3, including victories in each of their last two meetings. Ivanovic has a 4-1 lifetime record against Jankovic, including three victories last year. This is the first time in the tournament’s 20-year history that the top four women’s seeds all advanced to the semifinals. Seventh-seeded David Nalbandian will face unseeded Mardy Fish in a men’s quarterfinal that will begin no earlier than 1 p.m. and top-seeded Roger Federer, the world’s top-ranked player for more than four years, will meet unseeded Tommy Haas in the other quarterfinal, which will begin no earlier than 4 p.m. The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in the Inland Empire was seven-tenths of a cent lower today than the record set earlier in the week, the Automobile Club of Southern California reported. The average in Riverside and San Bernardino counties dropped to $3.62 today from Tuesday’s record $3.627. Today’s average is 2.2 cents more than last week’s, 43 cents more than last month and 92.4 cents more than this time last year. "Prices continued to set new all-time records in most areas until Monday or Tuesday of this week, and then started declining very slightly," Auto Club spokesman Jeffrey Spring said. "With just a couple of days of very small price declines, it’s too early to tell if we’ve reached a spring peak or we’re at a plateau." —From news services
Sentencing is set today for a 32-year-old registered sex offender from San Jacinto who looked up one’s girl’s skirt with a mirror and stalked another at a library in Hemet. Raul Toribio Fernandez is expected to get 10 years and eight months in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of annoying or molesting a child. He also admitted to prior strikes for a 2002 residential burglary conviction and a conviction for lewd and lascivious behavior with a child under 14. Judge Sherrill Ellsworth indicated the court would give Fernandez the 10- year sentence. Prosecutor Rich Necochea said his office did not offer Fernandez a plea agreement because the District Attorney felt the case warranted a sentence of 25 years to life. "She’s going to have to strike the strike’’ to give Fernandez the 10- year sentence, Necochea said last month. Fernandez was arrested April 11 at the Hemet Public Library on Latham Avenue, police said. The witness who made the call also identified Fernandez as the suspect in a March incident at the library, Hemet Lt. Jeff Pinney said. Pinney said the defendant used to go into homes in Orange County, watch children as they slept and touch himself. On the request of Orange County victims, Fernandez was moved to Riverside County to serve out his parole, which would have expired this month had he not committed more crimes, the lieutenant said.
Jurors will hold a second day of deliberations today in the trial of a 40-year-old Nuevo man allegedly responsible for the death of one man and assaults on the victim’s companions. "We’re not saying that Mr. Martinez stabbed anybody," Davis said. However, Martinez was the one that started an argument that culminated in his ramming the victims’ car with his own and the teens cutting three men. "He was merely at the wrong place at the wrong time,’’ Zimel said. "People are responsible for their own actions,’’ Zimel said. —From news services
A 35-year-old Ontario man was fatally shot Thursday afternoon by police who were called to his apartment to investigate a reported violent disturbance, authorities said. Ontario police arrived at the apartment in the 500 block of N. Sultana about 4 p.m., a police news release said. They heard the sound of a gunshot from inside, and as they retreated and took cover they heard a second gunshot, the release said. A third shot was heard and a woman ran out of the apartment, followed by a man who stopped at the front door. The man, later identified as Robert Anthony Serrano, yelled and “engaged the officers in a manner presenting threat to the safety of the officers,” the release said. Officers opened fire, hitting Serrano, who died at the scene. Serrano was on parole for domestic violence, but has had no prior arrests with the Ontario Police Department, the release said. Later, police found a handgun inside the apartment, but investigators do not know if it was the weapon officers heard being fired when they arrived.
Police today searched for a man who robbed a thrift store in Palm Desert. —From news services
Get rid of old cars, trucks and horse or boat trailers for free during the next four months when the city of Norco runs its Junk Your Clunker campaign. —Alicia Robinson Palm Springs has gained its 16th and 17th officially recognized neighborhoods. The Araby Cove and Mesa Neighborhood organizations are now associated with the city’s Office of Neighborhood Involvement.
The State Water Resources Control Board approved $3 million to the city of Rialto and West Valley Water District to study and create a cleanup plan for a plume of perchlorate, water officials said Wednesday. The plume has tainted more than a dozen drinking wells, officials said. The five-member board voted unanimously Tuesday to grant the money once they come up with their plan, said William L. Rukeyser, a board spokesman. A state hearing aimed at finding those responsible for the perchlorate, an ingredient of rocket fuel and fireworks, has been delayed several times. —Jennifer Bowles
Click here to link to the radar loop, giving you a bird's eye view of SoCal's weather. —The Press-Enterprise Today is Good Friday. Thought for Today: “History is always repeating itself, but each time the price goes up.” — Anonymous. —The Associated Press
Click here to see up-to-the-minute air traffic status at airports across the United States. Place your cursor on the dot at the airport you’re seeking and a pop-up window will give you a status report. You have three choices for getting the data: View by region A legend at the bottom of the page explains the dots’ color code: GREEN: General Arrival/Departure delays are 15 minutes or less.
Click here to get a snapshot of Inland region traffic conditions – in real time. Check in with us through the morning. We'll be posting detailed traffic reports of any major incidents in BREAKING NEWS as soon as we've gathered the details. —The Press-Enterprise It's Friday, March 21, 2008. Here's how the weather is looking: Today TONIGHT: TOMORROW: TOMORROW NIGHT: Click here to see the detailed forecast for the Inland region. And while you're there, scroll down the page and put in your ZIP code to get the outlook for your neighborhood.
If you like warm weather, you’re going to love this weekend. Inland valley temperatures are forecast to climb from today’s 70-ish readings into the mid-80s in the warmest areas Saturday and Sunday, according to the National Weather Service. Daytime temperatures in the mountains this weekend will range from the low 60s to low 70s, forecasters say. The warming trend also will bring breezy weather, mainly below the Cajon Pass, though wind speeds should remain below the advisory level. A decrease in temperatures and a renewal of the morning marine layer is expected about Tuesday, according to current forecasts. Temperature records on this date in the Inland area include 98 degrees set in Palm Springs in 2004 and 8 degrees in Big Bear Lake in 1963. In 1991, a four-day storm ended on this date after dropping up to eight inches of rain in the lower elevations and up to 14 inches in the mountains. Tornadoes hit Riverside and the Muscoy area of San Bernardino. A vehicle overturned today on top of an underground electrical vault in Moreno Valley, trapping and injuring two motorists, a fire official said. The crash at Hidden Springs Drive, near Mountain View Road, was reported at 3:16 a.m., said Riverside County fire Capt. Jennifer Ricci. Firefighters could not extricate the person until electrical crews arrived to cut the power, said Cheri Patterson, with the Riverside County fire information office. Two people were hospitalized with moderate injuries, Patterson said. —From news services
A bicyclist was killed in a collision with a vehicle in downtown Riverside, and authorities sought witnesses to help them piece together the events surrounding the accident. The 61-year-old woman was turning her bike onto University Avenue from Fairmount Boulevard around 11 a.m. Tuesday when she was struck by a car traveling westbound on University, according to Riverside police spokesman Steve Frasher. —From news services A mobile home park was evacuated at about 9:15 p.m. tonight because members of the Riverside County sheriff’s department were investigating a suspicious package near the intersection of Cleveland Avenue and 65th Street in Eastvale, an investigator said. Sheriff’s investigator Jerry Franchville said he did not know how many people were evacuated, what kind of package was found or who found it. The sheriff’s hazardous devices team was continuing to investigate the package at 9:50 p.m., Franchville said. Jessica Logan
A Cathedral City man who allegedly stabbed two teens during a fight was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, a police sergeant said today. Moises Ojeda, 20, is accused of stabbing two 17-year-old boys yesterday in Cathedral City, Sgt. Paul Herrera with Cathedral City police said. "During the altercation, two subjects were stabbed with a knife," Herrera said. One of the teens was taken to Desert Regional Medical Center, where he was in stable condition with wounds to his arms and chest, the sergeant said. —From news services
An autopsy has been scheduled to determine the cause of death of an inmate found unresponsive in his cell at the California Institution for Men in Chino, prison officials reported. —Gene Ghiotto
A spousal-abuse suspect who is barricaded in his Fontana home this morning is a parolee who is named in a parole-related arrest warrant, police say. “I know there’s nobody else in the house with the suspect,” Sgt. Jeff Decker said about 7 a.m. A SWAT team has surrounded the home on the 6600 block of Tokay Avenue and has tossed in a phone in hopes of speaking to Richard Douglas, whose age is not available. Authorities have set up a perimeter around the area. “I haven’t heard whether he has picked it up yet or not,” Decker said. Police were summoned to the scene shortly after 2 a.m. by reports of an assault on a woman at that address. “The female was being chased up and down the street, according to the call,” Decker said. The Riverside City Council has approved in concept a new five-year rate plan for commercial and residential garbage removal.
A magnitude-3.0 earthquake shook the Inland Empire early today. The quake struck at 12:10 a.m., its epicenter five miles east of Highgrove, and was felt through a wide area of northern Riverside and southern San Bernardino, according to U.S. Geological Survey. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries. —From news services
A 46-year-old man has been convicted of first-degree murder for killing his former girlfriend, whose remains were found in May 2004 near Palm Springs. The Van Nuys Superior Court jury found true the special circumstance allegations that Paul Baker murdered Judy Palmer during a rape and a burglary. —From news services
The number of foreclosed properties sold at auction last month in Riverside County declined, but the figure was still 288 percent higher than a year ago, a real estate tracking firm reported. "In the near term, it’s going to get worse before it gets better based on default activity," said ForeclosureRadar.com founder and president Sean O’Toole. O’Toole predicted a peak in auction sales activity across the state sometime in the next six to nine months. San Bernardino County went from number eight to number 11 on the list. Other than Riverside, no other Southern California counties made the top 10. —From news services
A lottery ticket worth $185,818 from the latest Mega Millions draw was sold at an Indio pharmacy, California Lottery officials said today. —From news services
The chancellor of the University of Texas has been chosen as the top candidate to lead the 10-campus University of California system. —The Associated Press
The American Red Cross says it paid $688,000 for more than 6,000 hotel rooms that went unused during last year’s Southern California wildfires. In a statement released Thursday, the Red Cross said the unused rooms accounted for about 22 percent of the 27,714 room nights booked during the wildfires. —The Associated Press
San Bernardino resident David Weed, 26, faces life in prison without the possibility of parole after being convicted of first-degree murder while committing a robbery, Ontario police said in a news release. Weed killed 34-year-old Ontario resident Shawn Nix on Christmas Day, 2006. Ontario police discovered Nix’s body inside his apartment in the 1700 block of East D Street in what appeared to be a robbery. Two other men are awaiting trial for their involvement in the murder and robbery, according to the San Bernardino district attorney’s office. Police believe the men robbed a Radio Shack, Auto Zone and several other businesses. —Michael Perrault
Work on the $14-million Magnolia interchange will continue this week causing delays for drivers on the northbound Interstate 15. Also through Friday night, Caltrans will close the northbound offramp at Magnolia Avenue from midnight to 4 a.m.
Two suspects accused of financially exploiting a 79-year-old Riverside widower, allegedly using about $80,000 of his credit to purchase a sport utility vehicle, an engagement ring and furnishings, were in custody, authorities said. Nina Costello, 34, and Larry Thompson, 35, both of Perris, were arrested on suspicion of theft by false pretenses and financial elder abuse in connection with a six-month scheme, according to Riverside police. Costello befriended the man last fall and persuaded him she was destitute and involved in a religious mission of which he could be a part, said police spokesman Steve Frasher. The target eventually began to spend more time with Costello and Thompson, who she introduced as her brother, Frasher said. "Costello also convinced him that she needed him to purchase a car for her business as an interior decorator," Frasher said. "She used the victim’s credit to purchase approximately $80,000 worth of property, which included furnishings, a 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe and an engagement ring." The matter came to the attention of Riverside County Department of Social Services workers, prompting an investigation by Riverside police, Frasher said. —From news services
A judge ruled today that a 48-year-old Perris man must stand trial in the 1985 shooting death of a retired Riverside police officer-turned-security guard, who was gunned down during a robbery at a shopping center. A post-indictment arraignment in the case is set for April 3. Taylor was killed during a robbery at the Tyler Mall. The injured robber left behind a blood trail, including stains found inside the robbers’ getaway car, a stolen Datsun B-210 compact, according to testimony. That evidence was processed and — nearly 22 years later — allegedly matched to Leslie Parker, whose DNA had been collected and stored in a federal database after he was convicted in a separate case, according to court documents. Riverside County Deputy District Attorney John Molloy said District Attorney Rod Pacheco likely will make a decision in the next six weeks on whether to seek the death penalty for the defendant. Outside court, the defendant’s attorney, Brent Romney, would not comment on specifics in the case, saying only, "It’s an utter tragedy — then and now." Parker has been held without bail at the Southwest Detention Center in Murrieta since his arrest last May. —From news services
Police are asking for the public’s help locating a man charged with shooting three people and killing one of them last weekend in front of his San Bernardino trailer. Juan Antonio Herrera, 29, is charged in a $1 million arrest warrant with murder, attempted murder and illegal firearm possession. Detectives said he fatally shot Raymond Moreno, 17, and wounded two other men shortly before 3 a.m. Saturday. The shooting occurred in front of Herrera’s trailer in the 700 block of East Ninth Street, and was sparked by a “beef” Moreno and the others had with people there, according to an arrest warrant affidavit filed in court. The victims were members of a local tagging crew, the affidavit said. Herrera, also known as “Smiley,” is 6 feet tall, weighs 250 pounds and has black hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call San Bernardino police Detective Pete Higgins at 909-384-5624. —Paul LaRocco
A 46-year-old man has been convicted of first-degree murder for killing his former girlfriend, whose remains were found in May 2004 near Palm Springs. The Van Nuys Superior Court jury found true the special circumstance allegations that Paul Baker murdered Judy Palmer during a rape and a burglary. —From news services
The chancellor of the University of Texas has been chosen as the top candidate to lead the 10-campus University of California system. —The Associated Press
A 55-year-old man who has been in prison for a 1983 murder he says he did not commit was ordered today to be released from jail, a week after his murder conviction was overturned by a judge who found that a key prosecution witness had lied. Willie Earl Green has consistently maintained he was wrongly convicted of the 1983 slaying of a woman at a crack house in South Los Angeles. That conviction was overturned last week, and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday it would not seek to have him retried. "I am so excited, elated," Green’s wife, Mary, told reporters outside court today. "I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time." In overturning the conviction, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Stephen A. Marcus ruled Green did not receive a fair trial because jurors were never given information that probably would have undermined the credibility of the only witness who identified Green as one of two men responsible for the killing. The witness, Willie Finley, recently recanted his trial testimony, saying he was high on cocaine during the killing and had been helped by police to identify Green as a suspect. Marcus also found that detectives had improperly tainted the identification process by telling Finley that Green had previously been convicted of stealing from the victim. —From news services
A Los Angeles man could get his 1965 Ford Mustang back 37 years after it was reported stolen. —From news services
An autopsy has been scheduled to determine the cause of death of an inmate found unresponsive in his cell at the California Institution for Men in Chino, prison officials reported. —Gene Ghiotto
David Beckham was recalled by England today and could make his 100th international appearance in next week’s exhibition game at France. Even though the squad will be trimmed to 23 after the weekend’s Premier League matches, Beckham will face tough competition for a place on the right of midfield from David Bentley, Theo Walcott and Shaun Wright-Phillips. —The Associated Press
REDLANDS -- A Southern California Edison worker was injured this morning when he came into contact with an energized conductor while working on aerial lines in a Redlands canyon area. The employee, whose name was not released by the utility, was taken to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton for treatment and evaluation, said Steven Conroy, a spokesman for Edison. Information on his injuries was not available, Conroy said. The accident occurred about 10:40 a.m. near San Timoteo Canyon Road when the injured man and two other workers were installing overhead conductor lines and he came into contact with an energized conductor, Conroy said. The employee, who has been with the company for 10 years, has had experience and training in working around energized and de-energized conductors, Conroy said. —Imran Ghori
Two San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies were justified in the non-fatal shooting of a burglary suspect in Hesperia on Aug. 1, the district attorney’s office announced today. The report also recommended that deputies Franklin Hardin and Paul Solorio receive commendations for apprehending Joseph Asolelei Mulu, 24, of Long Beach, Theodore Tinofa-Atasi Settle, of Apple Valley and Myles Saunoa Asuega, of Las Vegas, also 19. The deputies responded to a silent alarm when they discovered a burglary in progress at the Cigmart, 16143 Main St. Mulu, refusing orders to show his hands, fired his handgun and wounded Solorio in the shoulder and earlobe, the report said. Mulu survived three shots to his abdomen, the report said. The three burglary suspects were charged with attempted murder of a peace officer and robbery as well as special allegations of conducting a crime to benefit a criminal street gang. —John F. Berry
SAN BERNARDINO -- San Bernardino police today named the man they arrested Wednesday after a shooting in the 1200 block of W. King Street. Paulino Uzueta, 19, was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon. He is suspected of shooting Chris Fehoko, 25, during what police called a gang-related dispute, San Bernardino police Lt. Scott Paterson wrote in a news release. The victim is a documented Los Angeles area gang member, according to the release. Uzueta was arrested after San Bernardino Police Department’s SWAT team and other police officers surrounded a home at which neighbors reported shots had been fired. The shooting occurred shortly before 11 a.m. Wednesday, and Uzueta was taken into custody about 1:30 p.m. after a standoff. Police obtained a search warrant and entered the home, where they reported finding marijuana and a loaded weapon, the release stated. Uzueta also is suspected of possession of marijuana for sale and felony possession of a firearm, the release stated. —Michael Perrault
Get rid of old cars, trucks and horse or boat trailers for free during the next four months when the city of Norco runs its Junk Your Clunker campaign. —Alicia Robinson
A former Palm Desert medical marijuana dispensary operator and his two managers, who are facing trial on drug charges, will ask tomorrow that a search warrant used in the case be quashed. Stacy Hochanadel, the former owner of CannaHelp, and managers James Campbell and John Bednar, all 31, were arrested in December 2006, and charged with felony possession of marijuana for sale, transport and sale of marijuana and keeping a place to sell controlled substances. The three contend they were running a legal medical marijuana business under Proposition 215 and Senate Bill 420. Under California law, marijuana can be sold on a not-for-profit basis to patients with a doctor’s prescription, although it is illegal under federal law. In ordering the three to stand trial, Judge Eric G. Helgesen of Tulare County said last Dec. 7 it appeared the defendants violated the law because the dispensary was profitable, generating well over $1 million in pot sales. The three defendants have been allowed to remain free on their own recognizance on the condition that they do not obtain marijuana in excess of what the law allows. All three men are medical marijuana cardholders with prescriptions for the drug. They also cannot sell the drug or provide it to patients in a care-giving capacity. If convicted, they could be sentenced to 16 months to two years in prison, prosecutors said. —From news services Police were searching for a suspect who robbed a bank today in Desert Hot Springs. —From news services Palm Springs has gained its 16th and 17th officially recognized neighborhoods. The Araby Cove and Mesa Neighborhood organizations are now associated with the city’s Office of Neighborhood Involvement.
Corona police investigating a kidnapping have discovered a buried body in an open field behind a home in Moreno Valley. The discovery came late Wednesday night in the 24700 block of Atwood Avenue. Corona police and Riverside County authorities have not said if the body is connected to the kidnapping. Authorities have declined to name the kidnap victim or suspect, or even when the kidnapping occurred. The discovery came about 9:45 p.m. Wednesday when police noticed disturbed soil in the field. After brushing the dirt away, they discovered part of a human body, said Riverside County sheriff's Investigator Jerry Franchville. Corona police contacted authorities in Moreno Valley and sheriff's homicide detectives, who cordoned off the street to investigate the death. As of 2 p.m., the body has not been exhumed. No arrests have been made. —John Asbury
Police are asking for the public’s help locating a man charged with shooting three people and killing one of them last weekend in front of his San Bernardino trailer. Juan Antonio Herrera, 29, is charged in a $1 million arrest warrant with murder, attempted murder and illegal firearm possession. Detectives said he fatally shot Raymond Moreno, 17, and wounded two other men shortly before 3 a.m. Saturday. The shooting occurred in front of Herrera’s trailer in the 700 block of East Ninth Street, and was sparked by a “beef” Moreno and the others had with people there, according to an arrest warrant affidavit filed in court. The victims were members of a local tagging crew, the affidavit said. Herrera, also known as “Smiley,” is 6 feet tall, weighs 250 pounds and has black hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call San Bernardino police Detective Pete Higgins at 909-384-5624. —Paul LaRocco
The number of foreclosed properties sold at auction last month in Riverside County declined, but the figure was still 288 percent higher than a year ago, a real estate tracking firm reported. "In the near term, it’s going to get worse before it gets better based on default activity," said ForeclosureRadar.com founder and president Sean O’Toole. O’Toole predicted a peak in auction sales activity across the state sometime in the next six to nine months. San Bernardino County went from number eight to number 11 on the list. Other than Riverside, no other Southern California counties made the top 10. —From news services
If you like warm weather, you’re going to love this weekend. Inland valley temperatures are forecast to climb from today’s 70-ish readings into the mid-80s in the warmest areas Saturday and Sunday, according to the National Weather Service. Daytime temperatures in the mountains this weekend will range from the low 60s to low 70s, forecasters say. The warming trend also will bring breezy weather, mainly below the Cajon Pass, though wind speeds should remain below the advisory level. A decrease in temperatures and a renewal of the morning marine layer is expected about Tuesday, according to current forecasts. Temperature records on this date in the Inland area include 98 degrees set in Palm Springs in 2004 and 8 degrees in Big Bear Lake in 1963. In 1991, a four-day storm ended on this date after dropping up to eight inches of rain in the lower elevations and up to 14 inches in the mountains. Tornadoes hit Riverside and the Muscoy area of San Bernardino. Police today found a 26-year-old woman who was reportedly kidnapped from her Pomona home, but the suspects remained at large. Monica Ayala’s boyfriend reported that she was abducted last night from the residence in the 900 block of Bradford Avenue by as many as five suspects, said Pomona police Sgt. Rick Baker. Police sought public help to find her and the suspects, and early this afternoon announced that she had been found, apparently unharmed, near her home. Pomona police Sgt. Michael Olivieri said Ayala was being interviewed by detectives. Authorities were continuing their search for the suspects, two of whom were identified as Saul Esquivel, 27, and Alan Pierson, 31, both of Pomona. Police are also seeking two men and a woman in connection with the case. Their descriptions were not available. Late last night, a man flagged down a police officer and said he and his girlfriend — Ayala — had been held against their will at their home for several hours by as many as five people, Baker said. "That victim reported that he had been beaten and tied up by the suspects," Baker said. "He reported that his girlfriend ... had been taken from their residence by the same persons, along with a vehicle belonging to (Ayala) and property belonging to both." Police went to the victims’ residence but found no one there, Baker said. A short time later, officer’s saw Ayala’s van parked in an alley, but she was not there, Baker said. Esquivel — who is wanted for a parole violation — and Pierson are believed to be known to both victims, Baker said. —From news services
The State Water Resources Control Board approved $3 million to the city of Rialto and West Valley Water District to study and create a cleanup plan for a plume of perchlorate, water officials said Wednesday. The plume has tainted more than a dozen drinking wells, officials said. The five-member board voted unanimously Tuesday to grant the money once they come up with their plan, said William L. Rukeyser, a board spokesman. A state hearing aimed at finding those responsible for the perchlorate, an ingredient of rocket fuel and fireworks, has been delayed several times. —Jennifer Bowles
Two suspects from Palm Springs are in jail, suspected of passing fraudulent checks at a Rancho Mirage Home Depot and other crimes, authorities said. Search warrants were served Tuesday in two Palm Springs locations. Items were allegedly recovered that had been obtained by the suspects through fraudulent means, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. Anyone with information regarding the case was urged to contact the department at 760-836-1600. —From news services Commissioners at one of the nation’s major seaports unanimously approved a final prong of a landmark plan today intended to dramatically clean up some of America’s dirtiest air. The vote by the Los Angeles Harbor Commission is designed to usher in a new generation of cleaner-running trucks that carry goods in and out of the Port of Los Angeles each day. The heavy truck traffic is considered a major culprit in the region’s notoriously polluted air. The plan still needs the approval of the City Council. Some predict the plan will lead to a tangle of lawsuits that could delay environmental gains for years, as well as lead to higher prices for consumers. Under the plan, nearly 17,000 independent truckers who work at the port would be required to become employees of trucking companies. The companies — licensed motor carriers — would be responsible for purchasing and maintaining trucks that meet tougher federal emissions standards. Labor supports the change but critics say it’s a thinly veiled attempt to unionize independent truckers. It’s unclear how the plan would dovetail with the neighboring port in Long Beach, which earlier adopted a plan that allows independent truckers to continue hauling goods. Together, the twin harbors are the nation’s busiest port complex.
The American Red Cross says it paid $688,000 for more than 6,000 hotel rooms that went unused during last year’s Southern California wildfires. In a statement released Thursday, the Red Cross said the unused rooms accounted for about 22 percent of the 27,714 room nights booked during the wildfires. —The Associated Press A vehicle overturned today on top of an underground electrical vault in Moreno Valley, trapping and injuring two motorists, a fire official said. The crash at Hidden Springs Drive, near Mountain View Road, was reported at 3:16 a.m., said Riverside County fire Capt. Jennifer Ricci. Firefighters could not extricate the person until electrical crews arrived to cut the power, said Cheri Patterson, with the Riverside County fire information office. Two people were hospitalized with moderate injuries, Patterson said. —From news services
A Cathedral City man who allegedly stabbed two teens during a fight was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, a police sergeant said today. Moises Ojeda, 20, is accused of stabbing two 17-year-old boys yesterday in Cathedral City, Sgt. Paul Herrera with Cathedral City police said. "During the altercation, two subjects were stabbed with a knife," Herrera said. One of the teens was taken to Desert Regional Medical Center, where he was in stable condition with wounds to his arms and chest, the sergeant said. —From news services
Can you feel it in the air? Welcome to the First Day of Spring. We've got a bunch of videos today to celebrate. Kick back with that PB&J and let's get the Vernal Equinox edition of LUNCH BREAK started.
Enjoy this beautiful First Day of Spring, and we'll see you right back here tomorrow for the TGIF edition of LUNCH BREAK. —The Press-Enterprise
An autopsy has been scheduled to determine the cause of death of an inmate found unresponsive in his cell at the California Institution for Men in Chino, prison officials reported. —Gene Ghiotto
A magnitude-3.0 earthquake shook the Inland Empire early today. The quake struck at 12:10 a.m., its epicenter five miles east of Highgrove, and was felt through a wide area of northern Riverside and southern San Bernardino, according to U.S. Geological Survey. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries. —From news services
A lottery ticket worth $185,818 from the latest Mega Millions draw was sold at an Indio pharmacy, California Lottery officials said today. —From news services
Robert G. Spitzer, whose bid was turned down Wednesday for review of his dismissal from the Riverside County Superior Court, has submitted a letter to county vote officials asking for his name to be removed from the June 3 ballot. Spitzer, 59, was removed from office last October by the state Commission on Judicial Performance for willful misconduct and dishonesty. The judge appealed, saying the commission failed to look at mitigating circumstances. While he could not act as a judge, Spitzer’s removal was not final until the state Supreme Court decided on his petition for review, which he filed late last year. Word came Wednesday afternoon that the petition was denied. Awaiting outcome of his appeal, Spitzer had filed for candidacy and was qualified to run in the June election for the bench from which he had been removed. The six-year term for the countywide office ends this year. “I was very surprised and disappointed to receive an e-mail notification,” about the denial, Spitzer said in a letter addressed to Riverside County Registrar Barbara Dunmore. He said the denial means the commission’s removal order is now final.
Moreno Valley police are investigating a possible homicide in the 24000 block of Atwood Avenue. A death was reported about shortly before 10 a.m. and police have cordoned off the block between Perris Boulevard and Heacock Street. Moreno Valley Police Chief Rick Hall said investigators are trying to determine if the person was slain. If authorities determine it is a homicide, it would be second in two days the city. On Wednesday, police found the body of a beaten man laying next to a hammer. Two people have been arrested in connection with that death. —John Asbury
San Bernardino resident David Weed, 26, faces life in prison without the possibility of parole after being convicted of first-degree murder while committing a robbery, Ontario police said in a news release. Weed killed 34-year-old Ontario resident Shawn Nix on Christmas Day, 2006. Ontario police discovered Nix’s body inside his apartment in the 1700 block of East D Street in what appeared to be a robbery. Two other men are awaiting trial for their involvement in the murder and robbery, according to the San Bernardino district attorney’s office. Police believe the men robbed a Radio Shack, Auto Zone and several other businesses. —Michael Perrault
A Southern California Edison worker suffered a severe electrical shock this morning in San Timoteo Canyon near Redlands, San Bernardino County fire officials say. Paramedics and an ambulance crew are among the emergency personnel sent to the 10:41 a.m. call on San Timoteo Road near Smiley Boulevard, said fire department Dispatch Supervisor Tom Barnes. The first units arrived at 10:47 a.m., he said. There’s no word on the victim’s injuries or condition. —Richard Brooks
Police are asking for the public’s help locating a man charged with shooting three people and killing one of them last weekend in front of his San Bernardino trailer. Juan Antonio Herrera, 29, is charged in a $1 million arrest warrant with murder, attempted murder and illegal firearm possession. Detectives said he fatally shot Raymond Moreno, 17, and wounded two other men shortly before 3 a.m. Saturday. The shooting occurred in front of Herrera’s trailer in the 700 block of East Ninth Street, and was sparked by a “beef” Moreno and the others had with people there, according to an arrest warrant affidavit filed in court. The victims were members of a local tagging crew, the affidavit said. Herrera, also known as “Smiley,” is 6 feet tall, weighs 250 pounds and has black hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call San Bernardino police Detective Pete Higgins at 909-384-5624. —Paul LaRocco
A Great Oak High School student was transported to Inland Valley Regional Medical Center on Wednesday after taking too many muscle relaxants, officials said.
—Claudia Bustamante
David Beckham was recalled by England today and could make his 100th international appearance in next week’s exhibition game at France. Even though the squad will be trimmed to 23 after the weekend’s Premier League matches, Beckham will face tough competition for a place on the right of midfield from David Bentley, Theo Walcott and Shaun Wright-Phillips. —The Associated Press
A woman in West Covina was asking a 911 dispatcher for help when her pleas were interrupted by gunshots, then silence. —The Associated Press
Part of Monroe Avenue in Murrieta is shut down this morning for the funeral of the firefighter who died last week of complications resulting from an infection by a rare parasitic amoeba. Capt. Matt Moore, 43, was a 17-year veteran of the Murrieta Fire Department. Monroe Avenue is closed to traffic from California Oaks Road to Troyes Avenue through the service, which is at 11 a.m. at Calvary Chapel Murrieta, 24225 Monroe Ave. —Sarah Burge
Temecula school officials are trying to ease parents’ fears about a threat of violence today at Day Middle School. District spokeswoman Melanie Norton said the threat was found written on a girl’s bathroom wall at the middle school on Tuesday. Police were called in to investigate, but concluded the threat was not credible, Norton said. The school resource officer has been on campus full-time since the threat was discovered, along with a plainclothes officer. School staff was also notified to be on alert, Norton said. The students’ parents, however, were not notified. Norton said because police did not feel the threat was credible, district officials decided against it. “It wasn’t worth causing a lot of anxiety and panic for parents,” Norton said. But by this morning, the district was preparing a press release to dispel unfounded rumors about the threat that began to circulate last night with a vengeance. Now, she said, there are rumors going around that threats have been made against other Temecula schools. There have been no other threats, Norton said. Norton said the message found at Day Middle School said something along the lines of “I’m going to kill everyone on March 20.” Below it, Norton said, someone had added, “You’re crazy.” —Sarah Burge An undetermined amount of diesel fuel leaking from a 2,000-gallon tanker-trailer seeped into the ground in west Hemet on Wednesday. Hemet Battalion Chief Bill Roth said firefighters were called to a construction site near Tres Cerritos and California avenues about 7 a.m. regarding a leaking fuel tanker-trailer. He said no homes were damaged and no one was injured in the leak. Roth said the situation was under control by early afternoon. The staff from the Riverside County Environmental Health Department was at the site to assist in managing the incident. —Herbert Atienza
The State Water Resources Control Board approved $3 million to the city of Rialto and West Valley Water District to study and create a cleanup plan for a plume of perchlorate, water officials said Wednesday. The plume has tainted more than a dozen drinking wells, officials said. The five-member board voted unanimously Tuesday to grant the money once they come up with their plan, said William L. Rukeyser, a board spokesman. A state hearing aimed at finding those responsible for the perchlorate, an ingredient of rocket fuel and fireworks, has been delayed several times. —Jennifer Bowles
A Norco man pleaded guilty to murder in connection with the death of a San Jacinto man who was attacked at a jail in French Valley.
An autopsy has been scheduled to determine the cause of death of an inmate found unresponsive in his cell at the California Institution for Men in Chino, prison officials reported. —Gene Ghiotto
Work on the $14-million Magnolia interchange will continue this week causing delays for drivers on the northbound Interstate 15. Also through Friday night, Caltrans will close the northbound offramp at Magnolia Avenue from midnight to 4 a.m.
An airplane made a hard landing Wednesday afternoon at Flabob Airport, 4130 Mennes Ave. in Rubidoux, a sheriff’s investigator said. —Jessica Logan Palm Springs has gained its 16th and 17th officially recognized neighborhoods. The Araby Cove and Mesa Neighborhood organizations are now associated with the city’s Office of Neighborhood Involvement.
A 9-year-old boy in Bakersfield whose reported abduction Wednesday triggered a two-state Amber Alert apparently died in an accidental collapse of dirt in a lot near his home and another boy who reported the abduction made up the story, police said. The body of Zane Newton was found “completely covered” in dirt in a field hours after the reported kidnapping. Police said it appears Newton fell into a hole and was buried when it collapsed around him. Newton was reported abducted while playing outside with a boy, who told police a masked man pulled up in a black car and opened fire on them. —The Associated Press
Lawyers are expected to present their closing statements to a jury today in the trial of Menifee man charged with sexually assaulting his 9-year-old foster daughter. Joseph Patrick Billock, 50, an ordained minister, faces 30 years to life in prison if convicted of two counts of sexually abusing the girl who was placed with him for less than two months in 2005. Closing statements are expected this morning at the Southwest Justice Center in French Valley. —Tammy McCoy
Top-seeded Ana Ivanovic will face 12th-seeded Vera Zvonareva, and third-seeded Jelena Jankovic will meet Lindsay Davenport today as women’s quarterfinal play concludes in tennis’ Pacific Life Open in Indian Wells. Ivanovic and Zvonareva will begin the day’s play, playing at 11 a.m. on Stadium Court 1 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Ivanovic and Zvonareva have met four times, with each player winning twice. Jankovic and Davenport will meet in the day’s third match on Stadium Court 1. Davenport has won four of her five matches against Jankovic, but the loss came in their most recent meeting, last year in Beijing. In men’s play yesterday, Roger Federer, the world’s top-ranked player for more than four years, defeated Ivan Ljubicic, 6-3, 6-4, in a fourth-round match, spoiling Ljubicic’s 29th birthday. —From news services
Members of the Fontana Police Department's SWAT team peacefully resolved a domestic violence call on the 6600 Block of Tokay Street today. (William Wilson Lewis III / The Press-Enterprise)
A standoff in Fontana ended lasting more than three hours ended peacefully after a man surrendered and was arrested on suspicion of felony domestic violence. Fontana police were called to a home in the 6600 block of Tokay Avenue at about 3 a.m. after a 911 call, according to Fontana police Lt. Obie Rodriguez. Police confronted Richard Lee Douglas, age unknown, at the scene. Douglas retreated back into the home, refusing to come out when police knocked on the door. When police checked Douglas’s criminal record, they discovered that he was wanted for a no-bail arrest warrant that charges him with being a parolee-at-large, Fontana police Sgt. Jeff Decker said. A SWAT team was called in at about 4 a.m. More than a dozen officers surrounded the home. Around 6:30 a.m., authorities threw a phone inside the home to try to make contact with him, said Decker. Douglas eventually walked out of the home around 7:30 a.m. and surrendered, Rodriguez said. Douglas was also arrested as a parolee at large. A woman at the home suffered minor injuries.
A magnitude-3.0 earthquake shook the Inland Empire early today. The quake struck at 12:10 a.m., its epicenter five miles east of Highgrove, and was felt through a wide area of northern Riverside and southern San Bernardino, according to U.S. Geological Survey. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries. —From news services
Two suspects accused of financially exploiting a 79-year-old Riverside widower, allegedly using about $80,000 of his credit to purchase a sport utility vehicle, an engagement ring and furnishings, were in custody, authorities said. Nina Costello, 34, and Larry Thompson, 35, both of Perris, were arrested on suspicion of theft by false pretenses and financial elder abuse in connection with a six-month scheme, according to Riverside police. Costello befriended the man last fall and persuaded him she was destitute and involved in a religious mission of which he could be a part, said police spokesman Steve Frasher. The target eventually began to spend more time with Costello and Thompson, who she introduced as her brother, Frasher said. "Costello also convinced him that she needed him to purchase a car for her business as an interior decorator," Frasher said. "She used the victim’s credit to purchase approximately $80,000 worth of property, which included furnishings, a 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe and an engagement ring." The matter came to the attention of Riverside County Department of Social Services workers, prompting an investigation by Riverside police, Frasher said. —From news services A magnitude-3.0 earthquake shook the Inland area early today. The quake struck at 12:10 a.m., its epicenter 5 miles east of Highgrove, and was felt through a wide area of northern Riverside and southern San Bernardino, according to U.S. Geological Survey. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.
A diesel fuel spill from an overturned big rig on Interstate 215 in Riverside prompted all northbound lanes to be shut down briefly today while crews worked to clear the scene, authorities said. The accident just south Columbia Avenue was reported around 11:25 p.m. Wednesday, said California Highway Patrol Officer Albert Graciano. No injuries were reported. Two lanes were blocked, and crews were sent to clean up some diesel fuel that spilled from the truck, Graciano said. During the cleanup, all northbound lanes were closed briefly, he said. All northbound lanes were cleared by 5:48 a.m. today, said Graciano.
Two suspects from Palm Springs are in jail, suspected of passing fraudulent checks at a Rancho Mirage Home Depot and other crimes, authorities said. Search warrants were served Tuesday in two Palm Springs locations. Items were allegedly recovered that had been obtained by the suspects through fraudulent means, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. Anyone with information regarding the case was urged to contact the department at 760-836-1600. —From news services
If you like warm weather, you’re going to love this weekend. Inland valley temperatures are forecast to climb from today’s 70’ish readings into the mid-80s in the warmest areas Saturday and Sunday, according to the National Weather Service. Daytime temperatures in the mountains this weekend will range from the low 60s to low 70s, forecasters say. The warming trend also will bring breezy weather, mainly below the Cajon Pass, though wind speeds should remain below the advisory level. A decrease in temperatures and a renewal of the morning marine layer is expected about Tuesday, according to current forecasts. Pre-dawn temperatures today were warm, with a 55-degree reading at 6 a.m. in Palm Springs and temperatures in the 40s in most valley cities including Corona, Chino, Ontario, Sun City, Murrieta, Temecula and the mountain towns of Angelus Oaks and Pine Cove. March Air Reserve Base was a chilly 38 degrees. And it was still below freezing in the higher mountain elevations, where it was 32 in Wrightwood and 28 in Big Bear City. By comparison, it was 23 at the Grand Canyon – and 60 in Las Vegas. Temperature records on this date in the Inland area include 98 degrees set in Palm Springs in 2004 and 8 degrees in Big Bear Lake in 1963. In 1991, a four-day storm ended on this date after dropping up to eight inches of rain in the lower elevations and up to 14 inches in the mountains. Tornadoes hit Riverside and the Muscoy area of San Bernardino.
A judge ruled today that a 48-year-old Perris man must stand trial in the 1985 shooting death of a retired Riverside police officer-turned-security guard, who was gunned down during a robbery at a shopping center. A post-indictment arraignment in the case is set for April 3. Taylor was killed during a robbery at the Tyler Mall. The injured robber left behind a blood trail, including stains found inside the robbers’ getaway car, a stolen Datsun B-210 compact, according to testimony. That evidence was processed and — nearly 22 years later — allegedly matched to Leslie Parker, whose DNA had been collected and stored in a federal database after he was convicted in a separate case, according to court documents. Riverside County Deputy District Attorney John Molloy said District Attorney Rod Pacheco likely will make a decision in the next six weeks on whether to seek the death penalty for the defendant. Outside court, the defendant’s attorney, Brent Romney, would not comment on specifics in the case, saying only, "It’s an utter tragedy — then and now." Parker has been held without bail at the Southwest Detention Center in Murrieta since his arrest last May. —From news services A standoff ended peacefully this morning when a parolee surrendered to a SWAT team that surrounded his house after he became a suspect in a spousal abuse case, police say. “He came out,” Sgt. Jeff Decker said of Richard Douglas, who gave up about 7:15 a.m. Officers were summoned to the house along the 6600 block of Tokay Avenue about 2 a.m. by reports that Douglas’s live-in girlfriend had been beaten. Her injuries are minor, Decker said. When police checked Douglas’s criminal record, they discovered that he was wanted for a no-bail arrest warrant that charges him with being a parolee-at-large, Decker said. No gunshots were reported during the standoff. —Richard Brooks
A lottery ticket worth $185,818 from the latest Mega Millions draw was sold at an Indio pharmacy, California Lottery officials said today. —From news services
A spousal-abuse suspect who is barricaded in his Fontana home this morning is a parolee who is named in a parole-related arrest warrant, police say. “I know there’s nobody else in the house with the suspect,” Sgt. Jeff Decker said about 7 a.m. A SWAT team has surrounded the home on the 6600 block of Tokay Avenue and has tossed in a phone in hopes of speaking to Richard Douglas, whose age is not available. Authorities have set up a perimeter around the area. “I haven’t heard whether he has picked it up yet or not,” Decker said. Police were summoned to the scene shortly after 2 a.m. by reports of an assault on a woman at that address. “The female was being chased up and down the street, according to the call,” Decker said.
A 46-year-old man has been convicted of first-degree murder for killing his former girlfriend, whose remains were found in May 2004 near Palm Springs. The Van Nuys Superior Court jury found true the special circumstance allegations that Paul Baker murdered Judy Palmer during a rape and a burglary. —From news services
The number of foreclosed properties sold at auction last month in Riverside County declined, but the figure was still 288 percent higher than a year ago, a real estate tracking firm reported. "In the near term, it’s going to get worse before it gets better based on default activity," said ForeclosureRadar.com founder and president Sean O’Toole. O’Toole predicted a peak in auction sales activity across the state sometime in the next six to nine months. San Bernardino County went from number eight to number 11 on the list. Other than Riverside, no other Southern California counties made the top 10. —From news services A SWAT team is surrounding a Fontana house this morning as police try to talk a spousal abuse suspect into surrendering, police say. “They just threw a phone inside to try to make contact with him,” Sgt. Jeff Decker said at 6:37 a.m. The standoff began more than an hour ago along the 6600 block of Tokay Avenue just south of Interstate-210. The suspect was identified as Richard Douglas, age unavailable, who Decker said is named in a no-bail arrest warrant for a previous incident. There was no word on the charge for which the warrant was issued. —Richard Brooks
Get rid of old cars, trucks and horse or boat trailers for free during the next four months when the city of Norco runs its Junk Your Clunker campaign. —Alicia Robinson The Riverside City Council has approved in concept a new five-year rate plan for commercial and residential garbage removal.
A bicyclist was killed in a collision with a vehicle in downtown Riverside, and authorities sought witnesses to help them piece together the events surrounding the accident. The 61-year-old woman was turning her bike onto University Avenue from Fairmount Boulevard around 11 a.m. Tuesday when she was struck by a car traveling westbound on University, according to Riverside police spokesman Steve Frasher. —From news services
Click here to link to the radar loop, giving you a bird's eye view of SoCal's weather. —The Press-Enterprise Thought for Today: “In the republic of mediocrity, genius is dangerous.” — Robert S. Ingersoll, American lawyer and politician (1833-1899). —The Associated Press
Click here to see up-to-the-minute air traffic status at airports across the United States. Place your cursor on the dot at the airport you’re seeking and a pop-up window will give you a status report. You have three choices for getting the data: View by region A legend at the bottom of the page explains the dots’ color code: GREEN: General Arrival/Departure delays are 15 minutes or less.
Click here to get a snapshot of Inland region traffic conditions – in real time. Check in with us through the morning. We'll be posting detailed traffic reports of any major incidents in BREAKING NEWS as soon as we've gathered the details. —The Press-Enterprise It's Thursday, March 20, 2008. Here's how the weather is looking: Today TONIGHT: TOMORROW: TOMORROW NIGHT: Click here to see the detailed forecast for the Inland region. And while you're there, scroll down the page and put in your ZIP code to get the outlook for your neighborhood.
LOMA LINDA -- For the first time since he was named president and CEO of Loma Linda University Adventist Health Sciences Center, Dr. Richard Hart gave the community a glimpse of his bedside manner. Bright, engaging and full of ideas on moving the school and medical center forward, Hart addressed a group of Inland Empire health care professionals and city leaders this morning on the Loma Linda University campus. Hart’s vision and mission for the university centers around reaching out to the communities of Riverside and San Bernardino counties through partnerships with other area hospitals. "There must be growth," Hart said, citing a statistic that more than 50 percent of people in the Inland Empire go outside of the county for health care. "We’ve been too insular through the years. We (Loma Linda) have more recognition in Rwanda than Rialto. We haven’t connected with the community. "I believe we can be more creative in the community." —Cindy Martinez Rhodes
A bicyclist was killed in a collision with a vehicle in downtown Riverside, and authorities sought witnesses to help them piece together the events surrounding the accident. The 61-year-old woman was turning her bike onto University Avenue from Fairmount Boulevard around 11 a.m. Tuesday when she was struck by a car traveling westbound on University, according to Riverside police spokesman Steve Frasher. —From news services
Parents, caregivers and interested residents of the Colton Joint Unified School District can check out the new textbooks for Special Day Classes in Economics and Principles of Democracy for 12th-graders. —Cindy Martinez Rhodes
Cell phones and laptops won’t be allowed in UCLA’s neuropsychiatric hospital in order to protect patients’ privacy. —The Associated Press
A former Coachella Valley assemblywoman is expected to announce today that she will run in the June Democratic primary for the right to challenge Rep. Mary Bono Mack, R-Palm Springs, in November. Bornstein spent two years in the Assembly and has also served as Chief Deputy State Controller under Kathleen Connell. She was Director of Housing and Community Development under Gov. Gray Davis. Most recently, Bornstein, an attorney and teacher, headed up the national nonprofit Campaign for Affordable Housing. Riverside County’s 45th Congressional District encompasses the cities of the Coachella Valley east to the Arizona border, including Coachella, Blythe, Indian Wells, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Indio, Cathedral City, Desert Hot Springs, La Quinta, and Rancho Mirage. The district also includes Moreno Valley, Hemet and parts of Murrieta and Temecula. Bono Mack has represented the district since 1998. —From news services
Twenty-nine Rialto apartment residents are temporarily homeless this morning after a van caught fire in a carport and the flames spread to five apartment units causing at least $500,000 damage, fire officials say. An evacuation center has been set up at the Rialto school district offices on South Willow Street. Those needing assistance can call the Red Cross at 909-888-1481. The last fire crew left the scene at 6:39 a.m. today. Flames were first noticed at 9:37 p.m. Tuesday along the 300 block of West Ramona Drive. “The initial report was a van that was on fire in a carport,” said Dispatch Supervisor Jaime Vilches of the San Bernardino County Fire Department. “That’s what caused the rest of the building to catch fire.” No one was hurt, but the half-million-dollar damage estimate probably will rise, said Rialto Fire Department Battalion Chief Troy Johnson. Two fire investigators continue to probe the burned-out areas to examine the cause. —Richard Brooks
A deepening marine layer will bring a slight cooling trend to the Inland area through Thursday and breezy weather to the mountains, but daytime valley temperatures will rebound this weekend to about 80, according to the National Weather Service. No hazardous weather is in the forecast. Pre-dawn temperatures were decidedly temperate this morning, with a 6 a.m. reading of 54 degrees in Palm Springs. Most Inland communities were in the 40s, including Chino, Ontario Sun City, Murrieta, Temecula, Wrightwood and Victorville. A few areas were decidedly chillier. It was 38 degrees in Corona and Angelus Oaks and 34 at March Air Reserve Base. In Big Bear City, it was 25 degrees. By comparison, it was 20 at the Grand Canyon and 46 in Avalon on Catalina Island. The region’s high-temperature records for this date was set in 1997 when it was 97 degrees in both Palm Springs and Riverside. The cold-temperature records were set in 1963, when it was 2 degrees in Big Bear Lake and 10 degrees in Idyllwild. —Richard Brooks The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department has released the name of a man who was shot to death in Coachella, a release from the department stated. Jesus Servin Jr., 44, of Coachella, was found shot to death the 84000 block of Via Zahidi on Monday night, the release stated. Deputies were notified of the incident at 8:04 p.m. Anyone with information is asked to call 951-955-2777. —Jessica Logan
Investigators are seeking the public’s help in finding a hit-and-run driver who badly injured a 53-year-old Big Bear City man during a Saturday accident in Joshua Tree. Ricky L. Dixon was hit by a 1998 to 2005 Ford Explorer SUV or Ford Ranger pickup truck that is believed to have a damaged right-side head light and a missing right side mirror, according to the California Highway Patrol. Anyone with information on the accident or the vehicle is asked to call the CHP at 760-366-3707. —Richard Brooks A “baby lion” jumped into a traffic lane this morning in Reche Canyon, north of Moreno Valley, according to the California Highway Patrol Web site. The critter was reported at 6:24 a.m. along Reche Vista Drive, just south of Reche Canyon Road. Mountain lions are periodically sighted in the canyon. Austin Pineda, an eighth grade student from Romoland School District, won the Riverside County spelling bee today and will represent the county in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Pineda correctly spelled fruticose -- of or like a shrub -- to win. Pineda attends Boulder Ridge Middle School. Ramakrishnan Kumaran, a sixth grade student at Acacia Middle School in Hemet, will advance to the state elementary school spelling bee. He finished in fourth place overall in the county bee. His alternate will be Raymond Galloway, a fifth grader at Lasselle Elementary, a Val Verde Unified School District campus in Moreno Valley.
A 25-year-old Wildomar man has been convicted of attempted voluntary manslaughter for stabbing a friend to death during a party at his home. Joseph James Sawicki had been charged with attempted murder, but the nine-woman, three-man jury convicted him instead of the lesser charge of attempted voluntary manslaughter for the Sept. 8, 2006, stabbing of his good friend, David Matthews, during a melee at Sawicki's home in the 22000 block of Shoreview Court. —From news services
Daniela Hantuchova and Maria Sharapova, the last two women’s champions of tennis’ Pacific Life Open, will meet in a quarterfinal match tonight at Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Sharapova has won six of her seven matches against Hantuchova, with her only loss coming in their first meeting in 2004 in Tokyo. Sharapova is seeded fourth. Hantuchova is seeded fifth. Hantuchova won the first five games of her fourth-round match against Sania Mirza in a 6-1, 7-6 (4) victory. Federer needed only 53 minutes to defeat Nicolas Mahut, 6-1, 6-1, in a third-round match Tuesday. The tournament continues through Sunday. —From news services
SAN BERNARDINO — An ice chest-size box found this morning in the parking garage of the Carousel Mall in San Bernardino contained industrial radioactive material, authorities said. The plastic yellow box contained a radioactive check source device, Estacio said. The devices are used for checking water wells, pipes and metal. Symbols on the outside of the box indicated it contained radioactive material. Estacio said the device contained Cesium 137, a common industrial radiological source. “When it’s outside the container, it’s very strong and could be very dangerous,” he said. “There’s enough radiation that within about five minutes you could suffer some irreversible damage to your internal organs. You would have to be very close to it, within a couple of feet.” He said the Cesium appeared to be properly packaged in metal inside the plastic container, so the risk to anyone coming within about 10 feet for a short time “is the equivalent of a few dental x-rays.” San Bernardino Police Sgt. Mike Potts said parking control officers came across the container when they checked the parking structure a little after 6 a.m. —Darrell R. Santschi
San Bernardino Police Department's SWAT Team approaches the scene of a shooting that left one man injured today at the 1200 blk of W. King Street in San Bernardino. (Stan Lim/The Press-Enterprise)
A suspect is brought out at the scene of a shooting that left one man injured in the leg today in San Bernardino. (Stan Lim/The Press-Enterprise)
Lucilla Uribe reacts as she watches a neighbor taken away in hand cuffs at the scene of a shooting today in San Bernardino. (Stan Lim/The Press-Enterprise)
Riverside County Sheriff Stan Sniff announced his endorsement of Russ Bogh for state Senate today, but you had to trek to Indio if you wanted to witness the show. Read more on our Ballot Watch blog. The second man to serve as city manager after Norco incorporated has died. Nicholas Frank Poppelreiter Jr., 77, lived in Norco for 18 years and most recently was a resident of Colfax, daughter Marie Hyatt said. Mr. Poppelreiter was Norco’s top city administrator from 1966 to 1969, and his family lived in the same Pedley Avenue home from about 1966 to 1984. He helped the city get its first library and worked on plans and funding for Interstate 15. While in Norco, Mr. Poppelreiter also was a charter member of the city’s Kiwanis club. But he may be best remembered for appearing at the Norco Valley Fair in a cowboy hat like the character Hoss wore on the TV show “Bonanza.” Hyatt said Mr. Poppelreiter also served as an assistant administrator for Riverside County and worked as a planner for Azusa and assistant city manager for Commerce. His career also encompassed 39 years of military service in the California National Guard, Air Force and U.S. Army Reserve. Mr. Poppelreiter died March 13 and will be buried in the Sacramento Valley VA National Cemetery in Dixon. —Alicia Robinson
The remaining two defendants in a Riverside murder-for-hire trial were convicted today. Frank Bazzo, of Murrieta, and Joe Olivarez, of Altadena, were found guilty of killing Mostafa Shirazi in front of the Riverside Public Utilities office in downtown Riverside on Aug. 15, 2005. On Monday, Shirazi's ex-wife, Epifania Nicolas, a Blythe dentist, was acquitted by a separate jury of conspiring with Bazzo and Olivarez. A murder charge has been filed against a suspect in a Saturday morning shooting in San Bernardino that left one man dead and two wounded, police said Tuesday. —John F. Berry
Chuckawalla Valley State Prison reopened today near Blythe after a flu outbreak caused the facility to go into lockdown. More than 800 inmates were quarantined with the flu. Two deaths may have been related. The prison reopened to new inmates, visitors and volunteers after a 12-day lockdown to stop the influenza outbreak that originally started in nearby Blythe on the Arizona border, Lt. Debbie Asuncion said in a statement. The Riverside County coroner’s office and prison physicians are still investigating the death of two men, Pete Marquez, 53, and Michael Haley, 35, of Long Beach, who both complained of flu like symptoms. Their deaths have not been tied to the epidemic at the prison. Since Feb. 23, 12 inmates were hospitalized and two are still undergoing treatment. The outbreak struck about 650 inmates in its first two weeks and sickened a total of 805 out of the 3,145 inmates at the facility. Many reported symtoms of fever, body aches and coughs. An unspecified number of staff also reported having the flu. No inmates have been diagnosed since Saturday, Asuncion said. The 20-year-old prison will resume regular weekend visiting, family and attorney visits, inmate transfers and regular programs, Asuncion said.
A 42-year-old Aurora, Ill., man was arrested in Moreno Valley on suspicion of committing lewd acts with a child who was reported missing from Illinois, according to a news release from a multi-agency team that investigates sex crimes. Law enforcement officials in Illinois told the Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement Task Force that a 15-year-old girl was reported missing from Aurora, Ill., on Dec. 7 and may have been brought to Moreno Valley by a convicted sex registrant, the release stated. —Jessica Logan A $10,000 reward is up for grabs today in the death of a retired NASA employee killed by an arrow during an early morning walk on March 11. Angel Martinez, a 62-year old man who had worked at Edwards Air Force Base, was found face-down at or near 13th Street East and Avenue K about 1:45 a.m., said Deputy Oscar Butao of the Sheriff’s Headquarters Bureau. Martinez was recently released from hospice care at the Antelope Valley Medical Center and often went on walks at night because he had trouble sleeping, authorities said. The reward was approved by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on a motion by Supervisor Michael Antonovich, who represents the county district that includes Lancaster. Anyone with more information about the killing was asked to call Sgt. Timothy Miley at the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. —From news services
Two suspects who had remained at large in what authorities are calling a widespread mortgage lending fraud turned themselves in late Tuesday night in San Bernardino, Assistant District Attorney Larry Roberts said. Eric Michael Pony, 25, and his sister, Paulette Pony, 23, both of Tarzana, surrendered at the San Bernardino County Jail. Bail for both has been set at $2 million, Roberts said. The Ponys and five other suspects will be arranged arraigned later this afternoon. —Jack Katzanek
A bicyclist was killed in a collision with a vehicle in downtown Riverside, and authorities sought witnesses to help them piece together the events surrounding the accident. The 61-year-old woman was turning her bike onto University Avenue from Fairmount Boulevard around 11 a.m. Tuesday when she was struck by a car traveling westbound on University, according to Riverside police spokesman Steve Frasher. —From news services
A 35-year-old man was convicted today of capital murder for the August 2001 slaying of a Cal Poly Pomona student who disappeared on her way to a fraternity party and was found the next day with her throat slit. —From news services
A deepening marine layer will bring a slight cooling trend to the Inland area through Thursday and breezy weather to the mountains, but daytime valley temperatures will rebound this weekend to about 80, according to the National Weather Service. No hazardous weather is in the forecast. Pre-dawn temperatures were decidedly temperate this morning, with a 6 a.m. reading of 54 degrees in Palm Springs. Most Inland communities were in the 40s, including Chino, Ontario Sun City, Murrieta, Temecula, Wrightwood and Victorville. A few areas were decidedly chillier. It was 38 degrees in Corona and Angelus Oaks and 34 at March Air Reserve Base. In Big Bear City, it was 25 degrees. By comparison, it was 20 at the Grand Canyon and 46 in Avalon on Catalina Island. The region’s high-temperature records for this date was set in 1997 when it was 97 degrees in both Palm Springs and Riverside. The cold-temperature records were set in 1963, when it was 2 degrees in Big Bear Lake and 10 degrees in Idyllwild. —Richard Brooks
Daniela Hantuchova and Maria Sharapova, the last two women’s champions of tennis’ Pacific Life Open, will meet in a quarterfinal match tonight at Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Sharapova has won six of her seven matches against Hantuchova, with her only loss coming in their first meeting in 2004 in Tokyo. Sharapova is seeded fourth. Hantuchova is seeded fifth. Hantuchova won the first five games of her fourth-round match against Sania Mirza in a 6-1, 7-6 (4) victory. Federer needed only 53 minutes to defeat Nicolas Mahut, 6-1, 6-1, in a third-round match Tuesday. The tournament continues through Sunday. —From news services An airplane made a hard landing Wednesday afternoon at Flabob Airpor, 4130 Mennes Ave. in Rubidoux, a sheriff’s investigator said. No injuries were reported, said Investigator Jerry Franchville of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. The plane’s landing gear was working and it landed on the runway, but harder than it should have, Franchville said. The incident was reported to the Sheriff’s Department at 2:29 p.m. —Jessica Logan
Twenty-nine Rialto apartment residents are temporarily homeless this morning after a van caught fire in a carport and the flames spread to five apartment units causing at least $500,000 damage, fire officials say. An evacuation center has been set up at the Rialto school district offices on South Willow Street. Those needing assistance can call the Red Cross at 909-888-1481. The last fire crew left the scene at 6:39 a.m. today. Flames were first noticed at 9:37 p.m. Tuesday along the 300 block of West Ramona Drive. “The initial report was a van that was on fire in a carport,” said Dispatch Supervisor Jaime Vilches of the San Bernardino County Fire Department. “That’s what caused the rest of the building to catch fire.” No one was hurt, but the half-million-dollar damage estimate probably will rise, said Rialto Fire Department Battalion Chief Troy Johnson. Two fire investigators continue to probe the burned-out areas to examine the cause. —Richard Brooks
SAN BERNARDINO – A man was arrested this afternoon on suspicion of shooting another man outside a house. Shortly after 10 a.m., neighbors called police to report that shots had been fired at a home in the1200 block of W. King Street. Officers arrived and found a young man on the sidewalk with a superficial wound, San Bernardino Police spokesman Lt. Scott Paterson said. About half a block away, SWAT officers surrounded a house from where they believe the shots were fired, he said. Officers noticed holes on the home’s walls, suggesting that bullets had been shot from inside, Paterson said. The victim had what appeared to be gang tattoos, he said. Police believe there were two gangs involved in the shooting, one from the Los Angeles area, Paterson said. About 1:20 p.m., police led a man in handcuffs out of the one-story home. About 2:50 p.m., SWAT officers used a ram to break down the door and enter to search the home, which Patterson said is standard in such a case. Police have not released the names of either man. —Michael Perrault
A former Coachella Valley assemblywoman is expected to announce today that she will run in the June Democratic primary for the right to challenge Rep. Mary Bono Mack, R-Palm Springs, in November. Bornstein spent two years in the Assembly and has also served as Chief Deputy State Controller under Kathleen Connell. She was Director of Housing and Community Development under Gov. Gray Davis. Most recently, Bornstein, an attorney and teacher, headed up the national nonprofit Campaign for Affordable Housing. Riverside County’s 45th Congressional District encompasses the cities of the Coachella Valley east to the Arizona border, including Coachella, Blythe, Indian Wells, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Indio, Cathedral City, Desert Hot Springs, La Quinta, and Rancho Mirage. The district also includes Moreno Valley, Hemet and parts of Murrieta and Temecula. Bono Mack has represented the district since 1998. —From news services A “baby lion” jumped into a traffic lane this morning in Reche Canyon, north of Moreno Valley, according to the California Highway Patrol Web site. The critter was reported at 6:24 a.m. along Reche Vista Drive, just south of Reche Canyon Road. Mountain lions are periodically sighted in the canyon.
Part of Monroe Avenue in Murrieta will be shut down Thursday for the funeral of a firefighter who died last week from complications resulting from an infection by a rare parasitic amoeba. Capt. Matt Moore, 43, was a 17-year-veteran of the Murrieta Fire Department. Monroe Avenue will be closed to traffic from California Oaks Road to Troyes Avenue beginning at 9 a.m. and continuing through the service, which begins at 11 a.m. at Calvary Chapel Murrieta, 24225 Monroe Ave. Members of the public attending the funeral should enter Monroe Avenue off Jackson Avenue. —Sarah Burge
Firefighters received a report of a plane that made a hard landing at the Flabob Airport in Rubidoux this afternoon. The report came in at about 2:30 p.m., according to the Riverside County Fire Department. No injuries were reported in the landing.
City personnel shut down part of an East County thoroughfare today to allow for the removal of about 200 pounds of bees from a ficus tree in front of a downtown coffee shop. La Mesa Boulevard was closed between Spring Street and Palm Avenue for about two hours, beginning at 6 a.m., according to police. The city had been receiving complaints about a large swarm of the insects in the area, though no related injuries were reported. —From news services
With the help of a judge, lawyers for Mike Love and his former Beach Boys bandmate Al Jardine today resumed efforts to settle litigation related to their past feud over use of the band’s name. The current case centers around Love’s request for about $2 million in attorneys’ fees spent in previous litigation against Jardine in federal court. A mandatory settlement conference that began yesterday morning and continued until about 8:30 last night failed to produce a resolution, so the attorneys and Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Alexander Williams were back in court this morning in a last-ditch bid to settle the case before the scheduled April 14 trial date. Jardine had been touring under the names "Beach Boys Family & Friends," "Al Jardine, Beach Boy" and "Al Jardine of the Beach Boys" until a federal judge, ruling in a copyright infringement case brought by Love, that the singer-guitarist could not use any reference to "Beach Boys." Jardine’s lawyer, Lawrence C. Noble, maintains in his court papers that the request for the fees should be denied because it was not made in federal court. According to the suit, Love is the sole licensee, through Brother Records, to perform under the name "Beach Boys." Jardine "did not agree to abide by terms of a proposed license," so he was denied use of the name, the suit states. A federal appeals panel in 2003 upheld a previous finding by U.S. District Court Judge Harry Hupp that Jardine cannot use the band’s name for his own projects. —From news services
A decision by a 28-year-old man to plead guilty to murder in the beating death of an inmate, who was attacked by a total of five prisoners at the county jail, was a shocking development, a deputy district attorney said today. Shaun Allen Wachter delivered the killing blow to Joseph Anthony Perez, 36, of San Jacinto, on Oct. 7, 2004, at the Southwest Detention Center, according to prosecutor John Davis. "It’s been unprecedented in my experience," Davis said of the plea. "It was a surprise." Davis said that of the 200 or so murder cases he’s prosecuted in his career, only one other defendant has pleaded guilty, with no plea deal made. That man received a 65-year prison term. Davis said he thought perhaps Wachter was just tired of the delay in going to trial, something for which the Riverside courts have become infamous. Wachter’s attorney, Peter Morreale, was not immediately available for comment. Perez had already been badly beaten by another inmate earlier that day, and avenged himself by slicing his attacker’s face with a razor, Davis said. When Wachter and the others saw Perez attack their friend, they allegedly jumped him, punching and kicking him, even after he was down and unconscious, Davis said. Wachter then walked over to a large lemonade dispenser, picked it up slammed it into Perez’s head several times, the prosecutor said. "Wachter was the one who delivered the death blow," Davis said. According to the Riverside County coroner’s office, Perez died of skull fractures and brain contusions caused by blunt force impacts to the head and neck. The four other men are set for a trial-readiness conference on May 9. They were all awaiting trial on various offenses when the 2004 killing occurred. SAN BERNARDINO -- SWAT officers have surrounded a home in the 1200 block of W. King Street this afternoon. An armored vehicle and at least 20 San Bernardino police cars have been on the scene since after 1 p.m. Just before 1:30 p.m., police led a man in handcuffs out of a one-story home. As of 2 p.m., police officials had not released further details on the incident. —Michael Perrault
A murder charge has been filed against a suspect in a Saturday morning shooting in San Bernardino that left one man dead and two wounded, police said Tuesday. —John F. Berry Stocks pulled back sharply today, erasing most of the previous session’s big gains as investors grew concerned about high commodities prices and the possibility that banks remain vulnerable to further problems from soured debt. The Dow Jones industrial average fell nearly 300 points after rising 420 on Tuesday. Talk swirled about whether further write-downs are in the offing after Merrill Lynch & Co. filed a lawsuit against a company involved in a debt transaction with the company, according to several reports. Merrill was among the steepest decliners of the financial stocks. News that the government plans to free up billions of dollars at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, a move that could help struggling homeowners, for a time helped quell some of the market’s fears. But it couldn’t stave off selling late in the session by investors who have seen big advances evaporate many times during the course of the credit markets crisis and decided to preserve some of their gains. According to preliminary calculations, the Dow on Wednesday fell 293.00, or 2.36 percent, to 12,099.66. —The Associated Press
A deepening marine layer will bring a slight cooling trend to the Inland area through Thursday and breezy weather to the mountains, but daytime valley temperatures will rebound this weekend to about 80, according to the National Weather Service. No hazardous weather is in the forecast. The region’s high-temperature records for this date was set in 1997 when it was 97 degrees in both Palm Springs and Riverside. The cold-temperature records were set in 1963, when it was 2 degrees in Big Bear Lake and 10 degrees in Idyllwild. —Richard Brooks
Investigators are seeking the public’s help in finding a hit-and-run driver who badly injured a 53-year-old Big Bear City man during a Saturday accident in Joshua Tree. Ricky L. Dixon was hit by a 1998 to 2005 Ford Explorer SUV or Ford Ranger pickup truck that is believed to have a damaged right-side head light and a missing right side mirror, according to the California Highway Patrol. Anyone with information on the accident or the vehicle is asked to call the CHP at 760-366-3707. —Richard Brooks
Austin Pineda, an eighth grade student from Romoland School District, won the Riverside County spelling bee today and will represent the county in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Pineda correctly spelled fruticose -- of or like a shrub -- to win. Pineda attends Boulder Ridge Middle School. Ramakrishnan Kumaran, a sixth grade student at Acacia Middle School in Hemet, will advance to the state elementary school spelling bee. He finished in fourth place overall in the county bee. His alternate will be Raymond Galloway, a fifth grader at Lasselle Elementary, a Val Verde Unified School District campus in Moreno Valley.
Coachella Valley residents can now register for the annual "Mow Down Air Pollution" program, in which residents can exchange a gasoline-powered mower for a $100 zero-emission electric model. Coachella Valley residents can register to participate in the program by calling 888-425-6247. From 8 a.m. to noon April 5, residents will be able to turn in their working, gasoline-powered mower in exchange for a Neuton cordless mower for $100 at Palm Springs City Hall, 3200 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way. —From news services
A 25-year-old Wildomar man has been convicted of attempted voluntary manslaughter for stabbing a friend to death during a party at his home. Joseph James Sawicki had been charged with attempted murder, but the nine-woman, three-man jury convicted him instead of the lesser charge of attempted voluntary manslaughter for the Sept. 8, 2006, stabbing of his good friend, David Matthews, during a melee at Sawicki's home in the 22000 block of Shoreview Court. —From news services
Two suspects who had remained at large in what authorities are calling a widespread mortgage lending fraud turned themselves in late Tuesday night in San Bernardino, Assistant District Attorney Larry Roberts said. Eric Michael Pony, 25, and his sister, Paulette Pony, 23, both of Tarzana, surrendered at the San Bernardino County Jail. Bail for both has been set at $2 million, Roberts said. The Ponys and five other suspects will be arranged arraigned later this afternoon. —Jack Katzanek 
Donna Charpied has been an opponent of the proposed Eagle Mountain landfill, which would occupy the dark areas of the mountains in the background. (The Press-Enterprise/Amanda Lucidon) To find out where it is and more details, read Jenn Bowles' Envirnoment Blog. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department has released the name of a man who was shot to death in Coachella, a release from the department stated. Jesus Servin Jr., 44, of Coachella, was found shot to death the 84000 block of Via Zahidi on Monday night, the release stated. Deputies were notified of the incident at 8:04 p.m. Anyone with information is asked to call 951-955-2777. —Jessica Logan
Daniela Hantuchova and Maria Sharapova, the last two women’s champions of tennis’ Pacific Life Open, will meet in a quarterfinal match tonight at Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Sharapova has won six of her seven matches against Hantuchova, with her only loss coming in their first meeting in 2004 in Tokyo. Sharapova is seeded fourth. Hantuchova is seeded fifth. Hantuchova won the first five games of her fourth-round match against Sania Mirza in a 6-1, 7-6 (4) victory. Federer needed only 53 minutes to defeat Nicolas Mahut, 6-1, 6-1, in a third-round match Tuesday. The tournament continues through Sunday. —From news services
SAN BERNARDINO — An ice chest-size box found this morning in the parking garage of the Carousel Mall in San Bernardino contained industrial radioactive material, authorities said. The plastic yellow box contained a radioactive check source device, Estacio said. The devices are used for checking water wells, pipes and metal. Symbols on the outside of the box indicated it contained radioactive material. Estacio said the device contained Cesium 137, a common industrial radiological source. “When it’s outside the container, it’s very strong and could be very dangerous,” he said. “There’s enough radiation that within about five minutes you could suffer some irreversible damage to your internal organs. You would have to be very close to it, within a couple of feet.” He said the Cesium appeared to be properly packaged in metal inside the plastic container, so the risk to anyone coming within about 10 feet for a short time “is the equivalent of a few dental x-rays.” San Bernardino Police Sgt. Mike Potts said parking control officers came across the container when they checked the parking structure a little after 6 a.m. —Darrell R. Santschi
LOMA LINDA -- For the first time since he was named president and CEO of Loma Linda University Adventist Health Sciences Center, Dr. Richard Hart gave the community a glimpse of his bedside manner. Bright, engaging and full of ideas on moving the school and medical center forward, Hart addressed a group of Inland Empire health care professionals and city leaders this morning on the Loma Linda University campus. Hart’s vision and mission for the university centers around reaching out to the communities of Riverside and San Bernardino counties through partnerships with other area hospitals. "There must be growth," Hart said, citing a statistic that more than 50 percent of people in the Inland Empire go outside of the county for health care. "We’ve been too insular through the years. We (Loma Linda) have more recognition in Rwanda than Rialto. We haven’t connected with the community. "I believe we can be more creative in the community." —Cindy Martinez Rhodes
Well, we made it to Wednesday. There's something to celebrate when we've hit the mid-mark of the work week, right? Here's an eclectic mix of videos to go along with the bologna and cheese sandwich and bag of chips.
Arthur C. Clarke, author of "2001: A Space Odyssey" was 90. Here's the start to the Stanley Kubrick film bearing the same name as the book - one of the great movie openings of all time. Ivan Dixon, who played Sgt. Kinchloe on the '60s classic television comedy "Hogan's Heroes," was 76. Here he is in the opening credits to the show's pilot. WEDNESDAY FUNNIES: Here's 2 minutes, 57 seconds of comedian David Dean on the differences between men and women. \ DANCING? In case you missed it, here's comedian-KLSX radio host Adam Corolla and pro-dancer Julianne Hough, one of the dance teams on ABC's "Dancing With the Stars." You may want to look away during the judging. Ohmygawsh. Hope you have a good afternoon and a restful evening. We'll see you here tomorrow for the Thursday edition of LUNCH BREAK. —The Press-Enterprise A $10,000 reward is up for grabs today in the death of a retired NASA employee killed by an arrow during an early morning walk on March 11. Angel Martinez, a 62-year old man who had worked at Edwards Air Force Base, was found face-down at or near 13th Street East and Avenue K about 1:45 a.m., said Deputy Oscar Butao of the Sheriff’s Headquarters Bureau. Martinez was recently released from hospice care at the Antelope Valley Medical Center and often went on walks at night because he had trouble sleeping, authorities said. The reward was approved by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on a motion by Supervisor Michael Antonovich, who represents the county district that includes Lancaster. Anyone with more information about the killing was asked to call Sgt. Timothy Miley at the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. —From news services
Parents, caregivers and interested residents of the Colton Joint Unified School District can check out the new textbooks for Special D |