Sanity trial underway for man who killed grandparents in Palm Desert
Felon who entered property in fire evacuation zone on probation
Pg 27
Pg 16
VISIT CORONANEWSPRESS.COM
Thursday, January 11-January 17, 2024
Local. Relevant. Trusted.
VOL. 8,
NO. 155
Board OKs contract with PR firm to boost Probation Department recruitment By City News Service
T
he Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved the Riverside County Department of Probation's request for a $180,000 contract with a public relations firm to establish marketing strategies intended to strengthen recruiting and retention of personnel. "Part of our strategy has been finding the best PR firm to assist in the competitive world of public relations," Chief Probation Officer Christopher Wright told the board ahead of its 5-0 vote. "We believe this firm's over 30 years of experience and working with law enforcement were the right fit for our department." The two-year compact
with Chino Hills-based TOC Public Relations was among the proposals that the board entertained during its first meeting of the year. The company was selected without seeking competitive bids, which the Department of Probation explained in documents posted to the policy agenda was justified based on the firm's history of "specialized ... relevant law enforcement public information experience." Only Supervisor Kevin Jeffries questioned the sole source contract award, commenting that a "noncompetitive bid" might be negatively viewed, but he was solaced by Wright's explanation.
Chief Probation Officer Christopher Wright. | Photo courtesy of the Riverside County Probation Department
Probation officials said in agenda documents that TOC is "well-positioned
to provide digital marketing, content creation, communications consult-
ing and training services specifically designed and developed for public safety agencies." Wright confirmed that the department's current employee vacancy rate is 24%, down from 35% seven months ago. "We feel that TOC will help us meet our goal (of attracting prospects)," he said. "Our No. 1 goal is focusing on recruitment and retention. Our expectation is to staff our facilities at a higher rate due to prison closures. We're facing competition in surrounding counties, where they're looking for the same candidates. I'm really seeking to be aggressive (in recruitment)." TOC's job will be to
launch a new web portal designed to highlight the positives of working for the Department of Probation, as well as amplify messaging via all social media channels, targeting "viable applicants and allowing the public relations unit to identify meaningful online productions through analytics." The firm will be the principal actuator of content creation for online information dissemination, handling advertising and formulating recruitment strategies, according to officials. The contract will expire on Jan. 8, 2026. All funding will be drawn from the department's internal budget.
Variety hosts 10 Directors to Watch, Creative Impact Awards Brunch
Woman suspected in fatal shooting with son to stand trial for murder
By City News Service
By Kristy Ramirez, City News Service
ariety on Friday hosted its 10 Directors to Watch as well as its Creative Impact Awards Brunch as part of the Palm Springs International Film Festival. At the brunch, which was held Friday at Parker Palm Springs, Variety honored Penelope Cruz with the Creative Impact in Acting Award, Yorgos Lanthimos with the Creative Impact in Directing Award, and Eric Roth with the Creative Impact in Screenwriting Award. Additionally, the publication celebrated its list of 10 Directors to Watch, Blitz Bazawule for "The Color Purple," Ilker Catak for "The Teachers' Lounge," Sophie Dupuis for "Solo," Cord Jefferson for "American Fiction," Titus Kaphar for "Exhibiting Forgiveness," Anna Kendrick for "Woman of the Hour," Kobi Libii for "The American Society of Magical Negroes," Aaron Schimberg for "A Different Man," Ena Sendijarevic for "Sweet Dreams" and Eva Trobisch for "Ivo." "Particularly at a time when changes in financing, shooting and distribution generate new challenges for artists to get their films funded, their visions fulfilled and finally
mother who allegedly bought a gun for her bounty hunter son accused of fatally shooting a knife-wielding fugitive in front of Palm Springs police officers must stand trial on murder, a judge ruled Friday. Lisa Roberta Vargas, 55, and her son Fabian Hector Herrera, 38, were arrested in 2021 for the shooting death of 33-year-old David Spann. Vargas is charged with one felony count each of murder, knowingly supplying a firearm, and false affidavit as perjury. Herrera is charged separately with one felony count each of murder, being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, being in possession of firearm ammunition, and possessing body armor. During Vargas' preliminary hearing Friday at the Larson Justice Center in Indio, Deputy District Attorney Patrick Farrell told the judge that previous testimony established that neither Vargas or Herrera were licensed to work as bail agents in California, were dressed in a manner that made police officers believe they were law enforcement professionals, that Vargas purchased a firearm for her son who is a convicted felon, and she broke into Spann's
See Awards Brunch Page 28
See Fatal shooting Page 14
V
A