OPINION&EDITORIAL Page A4 • July 24, 2014 • Inland Empire Community Newspapers
Yazmin Alvarez
H
Water cops? Inland agencies launch conservation website to avoid fines
osing down your driveway or vehicle could cost you up to $500 a day after new rules passed recently by state water regulators include fining water wasters during the severe drought. The State Water Resources Control Board approved an emergency regulation July 15 mandating that California residents reduce outdoor water use. The new state regulations prohibit washing a car with a hose that does not have a shutoff valve, watering the lawn more than twice a week and washing down streets and sidewalks. Regulations also include using potable water in a fountain or decorative water feature, unless the water is recirculated. The regulation makes an exception for health and safety circumstances. But don’t fear the water cops quite yet. Local agencies said they’re still figuring out the details of how fines will be enforced and their first efforts will be to educate customers on how to use water more efficiently and offer tips on becoming more environmentally aware. To help make conservation efforts successful, water agencies across the Inland Empire have partnered together to launch a new website to promote water efficiency across Riverside and San Bernardino counties. The website, www.iefficient.com, launched July 22 serve as a clearinghouse for information on Water Saving Garden Friendly Plants and plant sales; rebate programs that offer cash for water saving products; as well as plenty of conservation tips and educational links. Included on the site are detailed
rebate information from the cities of Colton, Loma Linda and Redlands; East Valley Water District; Marygold Mutual Water Co.; Muscoy Mutual Water Co.; Rialto Water Services; Riverside Highland Water Co.; San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District; West Valley Water District; Western Heights Mutual Water Co.; and Yucaipa Valley Water District. “We’re trying to make it easier for people to find the information they need about rebates and other information that can help them save water during this historic drought,” said Bob Tincher, manager of water resources for San Bernardino Valley District Municipal Water District, a statement. The thought that most water waste comes from inside the home is also something that residents need to be clarified on, he added. “Most residential water consumption and most residential water waste occurs outside as a result of excessive watering of lawns, broken sprinkler heads and faulty or improperly set irrigation timers,” he said in the news release. “We need to shift our focus and let people know where most of their water waste is occurring. That’s outside. Even little things like changing to efficient sprinkler heads and weather-based irrigation timers can produce significant savings, while reducing water waste.” Water agencies conducted a survey recently and found that nearly 70 percent of Riverside and San Bernardino county residents falsely believed that most of their home water usage was inside their home, according to the release. This assumption could lead Inland Empire residents to think that they have done all they can to save water by installing low-flow shower nozzles, low-flush toilets and water efficient appliances, when they have a tremendous potential to achieve much greater water conservation by focusing their attention on outdoor water use, Tincher said in the news release. Lawn and landscape maintenance typically account for about 70 percent of each home’s water consumption in California. But focusing the attention at outdoor water use will help inland water agencies achieve the levels of conservation needed during the water crisis, Tincher added.
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Past shows the citizens of Colton do not want Padilla as City Clerk
On July 15, 2014 the Colton City Council, in a vote of 5 to 2, selected Carolina Padilla to fill the position of City Clerk. The position was vacated when Eileen Gomez moved to Laguna Nagel for a much deserved position after doing a great job for Colton. Does the city council not remember how the citizens of Colton voted Ms. Padilla out of office in 2008? Per-
haps she lost because of a newspaper photo of her playing solitary on her laptop during a city council meeting. Again Ms. Padilla lost an attempt to regain her seat in the 2012 election when her opponent got a resounding 72.17% of the vote. These two elections showed that the people of Colton did not want Ms. Padilla as City Clerk. It appears that the majority of the
Please read this information and you a choice of their long wait or pass it on to all veteran who are in to advise you of the other alternathe system of the Veterans Admin- tive of care from outside doctors. istration hospitals. I have no doubt that they will A few weeks ago the VA was in- they try to accommodate you as structed to make all appointment much as possible, but as we have wait-times as short as possible. If seen with the VA scandal we still they can not accommodate your might be facing some rotten aprequest for a short appointment ples. If this is the case, notify the wait-time, they have been in- head of the department with which structed to furnish you with the you are having difficulty. name of private doctors closest to your home for shorter appoint- Please approach these people ment wait-times. with kindness and understanding. Not all employees are closedThe VA will continue to make minded. They are just doing a job, appointments for up to three and most of them care. months out for their hospital. The understanding is for them to offer Many vets do not get the newsI am a veteran, as so many other being held in a Mexican prison for Americans are. making a wrong turn. When he realized that he was in Mexico, he I feel obligated to write to the asked to return to the USA and exnewspaper in regard to our Ma- plained that he had a couple of regrine, Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi, istered guns. because there has been no newspaper coverage of his plight! That was March 31, and he is still locked up in a Mexican prison and I find that disgusting and ap- our government has yet to demand palling. his release. Sgt, Andrew Tahmooressi is
Denise Berver
Fictitious Business Name Danielle Castaneda & Accounting Graphic Artist/Web Manager Michael Segura
RIALTO RECORD Established 1910.
Published weekly on Thursday. Adjudicated as a newspaper of general circulation by the Superior Court of San Bernardino County, State of California, case #26583 and therefore qualified to publish legal notices.
Inland Empire Weekly Established 2005.
Published weekly on Thursday. As a community newspaper of general circulation.
CIRCULATION VERIFICATION
We need to stay united as a brotherhood and keep our sixes covered by each other to make sure every old and young vet gets what is owed them. We are asking for nothing more than what we earned. If you have any questions on this matter you may contact me at corrales69@msn.com
Jim Corrales, Vietnam Veteran, U.S. Navy, Claremont
I am asking every American to
OF CALI FO R-
contact President Obama (202456-1111), Harry Reid (202-2243542) and all the elected officials and tell them to demand that Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi be released, or America could withhold foreign aid to Mexico (which was approximately $500 million in 2013) and close all entries into and out of Mexico. Loren Rohde, Rialto
True American original, local legend is gone
(909) 381-9898 • FAX 384-0406
Jazmine Collins
paper so it falls on us to pass information on that will minimize what happened in Arizona.
Obtain release of Marine from Mexican prison
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Ronald H. Lawrence Colton, CA
Vets need to be aware of VA care options
Just 24 hours shy of Independ- wife and I were honored to be ence Day, and a month short of his called best friends by the man him91st birthday, a true American self. original and local legend passed In his long, rich life this colorful For water conservation tips, visit away. Inland Empire figure was a mewww.iefficient.com. William “Dancin’ Willie” Lane is chanic, truck driver, dancer, pedgone. For the last eight years my dler, all-around entertainer, husband, father, brother and friend to many. He and a local group performed at the White House for President Reagan. He went skydiving four times including his last Mailing Address: P.O. Box 110, Colton, CA 92324 • Office Location: 1809 Commercenter West, San Bernardino, CA jump at 88, just two years ago. He Letters are printed in the order they are 92408 received and are subject to editing for clarity. celebrated his 76th birthday by jumping out of a plane, his 77th by Deadline is Tuesdays at noon. Readers may also submit their perspectives online driving a race car at the California at iecn1@mac.com • For advertising inquiries email iecnads@yahoo.com Speedway. And he loved to perform. Oh, boy, did he love to perColton Courier El Chicano Gloria Macías Harrison Publisher Inland Empire form. He also loved to play pool Established 1876. Established 1969. Community Newspapers Bill Harrison Co-Publisher Published weekly on Thursday. Published weekly on Thursday. and the old shark usually beat me, Colton Courier • RIALTO RECORD Diana G. Harrison General Manager Adjudicated as a newspaper of general Adjudicated as a newspaper of general too. His quick wit was always a Inland Empire El Chicano • Weekly circulation by the Superior Court of circulation by the Superior Court of San Diana G. Harrison Managing Editor San Bernardino County, State of Calijoy to experience. He was very Bernardino County, State of California, We are award-winning newspapers, Yazmin Alvarez Community News Editor fornia, case #73036 and therefore case #154019 and therefore qualified to having been so recognized by the free with his opinions, but not so qualified to publish legal notices. publish legal notices. Community News Editor Anthony Victoria Inland Professional Chapter of the much about himself; we never Legal Advertising & Receptionist
city council did not respect the wishes of the citizens of Colton as shown in the last two elections. They seem to forget that its “We The People…”, not we the council, who by the way work for the citizens of Colton.
knew he was a painter until we found three very respectable paintings in his home this week.
Anyway, if you have any remembrances of the one and only Willie Lane, feel free to call (or stop in) and share them with us at Eagle Smog Check in Rialto. We have many of his costumes, awards, photos and other memorabilia. Our number is 909-421-3610. We would truly love to meet his daughter, Becky, who lives in the area. To use a quote from Hamlet:
“He was a man, take him for all in all, I shall not look upon his like again.” David and Mercedes Moore, Rialto
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