You heard it here first.

The PE follows up on the legal issues attendant to claiming a dog as a deadly weapon. Your humble correspondent was all over the issue below.

Interesting......

The PE reports that single sex classes in Jurupa middle school "have not only improved students' concentration and participation, they have also shattered a few stereotypes." Who knew that boys without the stressors of nearby girls would actually be able to concentrate better? Who knew that girls freed from boys' leering and jeering would actually participate more? Hmmm. What we need right about now is a lawsuit from NOW claiming discrimination.

Off roaders are getting no respect

The PE reports that the state and RivCo are giving up on the development of an off road vehicle park. This despite that the the state gave RivCo $6.8 million dollars for the park in the 1980s for the park. The money apparently got used up for other things. Get a load of this information:

Off-roading demand

Inland counties have the highest percentages of off-highway vehicle registrations in the state, but no state recreation areas for those riders to use.

Top five counties by percentage of off-highway vehicle registrations:

Riverside County

San Bernardino County

San Diego County

Fresno County

Orange County

State off-highway vehicle recreation areas:

Hollister Hills (San Benito County)

Oceano Dunes (San Luis Obispo County)

Prairie City (Sacramento County)

Carnegie (San Joaquin and Alameda counties)

Hungry Valley (Los Angeles and Ventura counties)

Ocotillo Wells (Imperial County)

So say you've invested $5000 for a dirtbike your options for riding in a state park are driving to Gorman near the grapevine or the long smelly drive to Imperial county. Nice. So there are 7200 square miles in RivCo, (which is 4,608,000 acres) and the state and RivCo can't find 5ooo acres for dirtbike riders? Rest assured though - those dirtbikers won't be disturbing any kangaroo rats or delhi sand loving flies. Democracy in action.

We're No. 4!!!

Click here to see our geographic renown!!!! Our citizens are ranked No. 4 in Forbes' list of ..... [drumroll please] ...... the most obese community. We're living large!

Judge Spitzer is running for a judgeship

As long time readers know, Judge Spitzer was removed by the Commission on Judicial Performance from his seat on the Superior Court. Interesting, five people, including Judge Spitzer himself are running for that position.

In an effort to publicize this the IELB is proud to copy verbatim the PE's description of Judge Spitzer's competition:

Anne M. Knighten, a judicial staff attorney for Riverside County Superior Court. She is a 1982 graduate of Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles and has worked for the Superior Court since 1986.

John D. Molloy, a Riverside County deputy district attorney. Molloy joined the prosecutor's office in 1997, and has handled high-profile murder cases. He is a 1996 graduate of Pepperdine University School of Law in Malibu.

Robert W. Nagby, a Riverside County Superior Court Commissioner since 1998 and a graduate of Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. He has been a private practice attorney and a Riverside County deputy district attorney.

John Vineyard, a private-practice attorney specializing in business and real estate issues. Vineyard is a 1989 graduate of UC Davis King Hall School of Law and a past president of the Riverside County Bar Association.

Ooops

Previously, your humble correspondent linked to a post in the PE stating that the 60/91/215 interchange was nearly done. Apparently, someone jumped the gun.


This article suggests it's all Caltran's fault. Does anybody care? The inland empire is a region of over 3 million people. That makes it one of the largest population centers in the country. Yet, here we've suffered with the terrible clover leaf interchange for decades and the project promised to us still isn't done. Alas, I think our people are too busy living their lives to hold Caltrans' "feet" to the fire. I'm afraid we get the government we deserve.

Modern day Solomon?

The PE reports on Federal District court judge Stephen Larson's order regarding "whether to shut down a ramshackle Coachella Valley mobile home park." The fascinating article demonstrates how the judge deals with the difficult balancing of interests. The Federal Government wants to shut down the park which sits on an Indian reservation, the Indian owner of the park doesn't have the funds to fight, and the residents need shelter.

Victorville to Palmdale?

The trip from Victorville to Palmdale may get a whole lot easier if the High Desert Corridor Joint Powers Authority has its way. See the PE for how the authority needs only $2,000,000,000 to get a road built between the two cities. The thought is that it would take some pressure off the 210, 10, and 60 freeways. Interestingly, the article does not mention the other hurdle, state and federal regulations plus likely substantial eminent domain. If you're a glass half full type, perhaps you might want to run out and by some land on and around Pearblossum highway. Maybe in 20 years it might be worth something.

Pit bull attack

Apparently a 17 year old boy told his 65 lbs pit bull to "sic" two young boys with one boy suffering severe facial lacerations from injuries occurring thereafter. The 17 year old boy is being charged with an assault producing great bodily injury. How does the district attorney prove that the actual attack was the result of a highly trained animal responding to an order to attack as opposed to a coincidental action by the dog following a statement by its human? I would assume the former could serve as the criminal intent for a conviction whereas the criminal intent would be nearly impossible to show in the latter. As an aside the 17 year old faces 8 years in the big house. A neighbor says that the two young boys were bratty. The 17 year old tried to hide the dog. When the police found the dog it attacked them. See here for an article on the case.