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MONDAY, AUGUST 05- AUGUST 11, 2024
VISIT RIVERSIDEINDEPENDENT.COM
NO. 183
VOL. 10,
Riverside County supervisors OK committee to address problems in animal shelters By City News Service
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he Board of Supervisors Tuesday approved formation of a committee to monitor the Riverside County Department of Animal Services and coordinate with administrators and outside organizations to find solutions to the department’s challenges, including how to lower its kill rate. “There are ongoing concerns around the adoption process, data and funding,” Supervisor Manuel Perez said ahead of the 5-0 vote for implementation of the Ad Hoc Committee for Continuous Improvement of Animal Services. “It’s important that we shed light on and provide information. There are a lot of concerns that have been brought up, and they will be addressed by this committee.” Along with Perez, Supervisor Yxstian Gutierrez will serve on the panel, whose members intend to join in a community meeting set for 9:30 a.m. Thursday at the Coachella Valley Animal Campus, 72-050 Pet Land
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Place, Thousand Palms. Two Coachella Valley residents spoke prior to the board vote on the committee, and neither of them believed the endeavor would instigate the changes required to significantly improve Department of Animal Services’ operations. “I’ve been involved with the animal control issue for years and years,” Brad Anderson told the board. “I don’t think the ad hoc committee will add to anything. It’ll probably make things worse. The board as a whole needs to be involved in the complex issue of killing animals in Riverside County.” Tiffany LoBue said the issue of reducing the county’s high kill rate and increasing adoptions has been on the front burner for her and other activists “for three years now.” “You decided to do something about this after ... the community was up in arms,” LoBue told the board. “The ad hoc committee will only further kick the can down
A cat at a Riverside County animal shelter. | Photo courtesy of the Riverside County Department of Animal Services/Facebook
the road. The community has already done the lion’s share of the work that is under the Department of Animal Services’ purview.” She said activists have
repeatedly emphasized what she characterized as the “abject failure” of the department to accelerate adoption rates and reduce kills. “The time is now to make
big changes,” LoBue said. Perez said the committee will work to demonstrate that the reform issue is not an “us versus them” matter for the county. “It’s important that we all understand we have a role and to take that on,” he said. Activists claim the county has the highest rate of euthanasia for sheltered pets in the United States. In 2023, only 51% of cats impounded were adopted out or relocated to rescue organizations; the rest were euthanized. LoBue and others have appeared before the board on multiple occasions to complain about the hurdles people face trying to adopt a pet, the lack of promotional efforts online featuring available pets and the excessive kill rates. In his and Gutierrez’s proposal for the ad hoc committee, Perez noted the Department of Animal Services has made headway expanding shelter space, especially with the reopening last year of the San Jacinto
Valley Animal Campus, and in saving more pets through mobile spay/neuter programs, expanded partnerships with nonprofits and increased staffing. “Despite making real progress, achieving and maintaining a 90% release rate -- commonly referred to as `No Kill’ -- has been difficult to attain,” the supervisors wrote in documents posted to the board agenda. The chief focus of the new committee will include assessing how the department conducts business and how operations might be streamlined and improved by setting goals and developing an action plan. Input will be sought from “community members, animal advocacy groups, city partners and elected officials to address concerns,” the supervisors said. The committee will also seek to evaluate departmental data and work to verify its accuracy and determine how it can be more “readily available for public scrutiny.”
Indian Wells term limit measure challenged in court
Nixon Fire grows to 5,222 acres, 21% containment
By City News Service
By City News Service
ndian Wells officials are sticking with their interpretation of the city’s term-limits law in the face of a joint lawsuit by one current and one former city councilmen. Voters in Indian Wells approved Measure J in March 2020, which limited City Council members to two four-year terms. Over 61% of the ballots cast were in favor of the initiative. Current Councilman Ty
Peabody and former Councilman Doug Hanson have filed a joint lawsuit. Both Peabody and Hanson have served two four-year terms, but argued that terms served before the measure’s adoption should not apply toward the maximum allowed. During the November 2020 election, the city clerk refused to accept nomination papers from those who had served two full terms on the council. Hanson sued in
response, leading the Riverside Superior Court to rule under state law that Measure J did not apply to terms served before its passage. Hanson’s name was on the ballot in 2020, with the same interpretation being applied in 2022. However, city officials now say that appellate cases decided in 2023 have changed See Indian Wells Page 31
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irefighters are reporting minimum growth of a 5,222-acre wildfire in the southern reaches of Riverside County and near the border with San Diego County that is 21% contained, authorities reported Friday. Firefighters kept the fire within existing perimeters Thursday night but monsoons may produce lightning and increased winds Friday, fire officials said. The Nixon Fire showed
minimal growth Friday toward the northeast and southeast portions, according to a statement from Cal Fire and the Riverside County Fire Department. Firefighters continued to utilize waterdropping helicopters to assist in maintaining control lines, although the fire continues to have spots well within the containment lines producing smoke. “Today firefighters were challenged with changing
weather conditions, however, they were aided by an increase in humidity due to the monsoonal flow which was expected over the fire area,” the statement said. “Crews will remain actively engaged to gain additional control over the next several days.” Officials also reported Thursday that four structures See Nixon Fire Page 32