Around Yucaipa: Weekly News Roundup: June 30 Edition

City News

There were no injuries at yesterday afternoon's fire in the Stater Bros. shopping center at 4th Street. The fire started at the USA Cleaners, burned neighboring China Express and Rice Bowl, and damaged several other businesses.

Assisting in this mutual aid incident were fire units from San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, and the cities of Redlands, Highland and Colton.

San Bernardino Sun: Fire tears through strip mall

The investigation of Yucaipa Police Detective Julie Brumm and Deputy Charles Elder helped lead to the arrest of 28-year-old Jason Deiner of Banning for 11 armed robberies in Yucaipa (Cottage Creamery, ARCO near 3rd and Arnett's market), Calimesa, Redlands and Banning.

The moral of the story came down to video surveillance systems. “Arnett's has a great system, but it wasn't turned on, ARCO's was,” said Zehms. “The systems need to be effective and in operation. And don't leave a lot of money in the till,” he beamed as he looked at Brumm and Elder.

Press-Enterprise: Banning suspect arrested in string of heists.

From the last city council meeting:

The city council approved an agreement between the city employee's union and the city. All general employees will receive a 4% raise effective July 6, and get an increased life insurance benefit.
The city council has approved two new positions in the local branch of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department: an additional sergeant and corporal. They also approved cost-of-living raises.
Eminent domain proceedings will begin against three landowners on Panorama Drive (map).
The city intends to develop a series of three catch basins in this area, both for flood control and to channel runoff water into the groundwater supply. The city also intends to develop recreational facilities as part of the project, known as the Oak Glen Creek/Wilson II Basins Project.
The contract with the county of San Bernardino to collect hazardous household waste has been renewed. There will be an increase in a fee for the coming year to 28 cents per resident bi-monthly.
A final decision on the Yucaipa Christian Church application to build an electric sign has been postponed, since Mayor Dick Riddell could not be present .
A bid to install a shade sail at Yucaipa Community Park was rejected. The city is hoping that putting together a complete design will allow them to get a bid under $100,000.

School News

Yucaipa-Calimesa School District named assistant superintendent of human resources Sherry Kendrick as the superintendent to replace Mitch Hovey. Kendrick was the district's chief negotiator in the contentious and prolonged contract negotiations with the teachers' union that arrived at an agreement in May. According to the Press-Enterprise:

Kendrick must also confront what [union vice president Patrick] Smith called "shortsightedness" in the district's recent decisions, such as going ahead with the Mesa View school project before road issues were settled and the district possibly assuming some ongoing costs for an artificial football field and track at Yucaipa High School.

"There's still a lot of suspicion among our association members when the district does anything ... we're a pretty cynical lot at this point," Smith said.

On Tuesday, the Yucaipa-Calimesa school district employees approved an $80.4 million budget for 2007-08. According to the Press-Enterprise, this balances the budget, but leaves no room to pay for additional personnel.

The board had wanted to augment support staff at its schools, including custodians, secretaries and security personnel, and add some assistant principals, which were among the recommendations from a budget advisory committee of administrators, staff and parents.

However, the board has vowed not to fund ongoing, annual expenses with one-time revenues, Ingram said.

Yucaipans in the News

77-year-old Wyvonna Joyce "Cherrie" Riddell, wife of Mayor Dick Riddell, passed away on June 25 from complications due to lung cancer. A native of Texas, she resided in Yucaipa for over 20 years. She and Dick were married for more than 59 years. Monday morning, July 2, a Rosary will be held at St. Francis X. Cabrini Catholic Church, and a Mass of Christian Burial and celebration of her life will be held on July 5. Memorial donations may be made to Yucaipa Valley Pregnancy Counseling Center, AudioVision Radio Reading Service for the blind, and the American Cancer Society.

According to the San Bernardino County Sun, Brad Camp makes a difference as a guidance counselor at Orangewood Continuation High School in Redlands. The entire Camp family is dedicated to education:

Camp and his wife of 30 years, Brenda, a third-grade teacher at Yucaipa Valley Elementary School, live in Yucaipa. Their involvement in education seems to have rubbed off on their daughters: Brianna is in her second year teaching history at Yucaipa High School, and their youngest daughter Brittany is finishing her first year teaching fifth grade at Meadow Creek Elementary School in Yucaipa.

Yucaipa High School grad Mark Teahen has had a knockout year as right fielder for the Kansas City Royals. According to the Sun:

Entering Tuesday, Teahen leads the Royals in batting (.290), RBI (40) and triples (5). He also has 38 runs scored, 12 doubles and five home runs, making him the logical choice to represent Kansas City in next month's All-Star Game at AT&T Park in San Francisco.