e e k l y W EL CHICANo Vol 57, NO. 08
IECN
.com
Febr uar y 14, 2019
Assemblymember Ramos holds historic swearing-in ceremony Community News
THIS WEEK Gloria’s Cor ner Pg. 3
CSUS B alumni one of 50 teache rs wor ldwide pi cked f or Global Te ac her Prize
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s the first California Native American elected to the state legislature, Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-Highland) held his indistrict swearing-in ceremony on February 9 at California State San Bernardino. The swearing-in was conducted by Speaker of the Assembly Anthony Rendon (DLakewood). The program featured remarks by Speaker Rendon, Congressman Pete Aguilar (DRedlands), Assemblymember Jose Medina (D-Riverside), Assemblymember Lorena (D-San Diego), Gonzalez Assemblymember Jim Frazier (D-Discovery Bay), President of California State San Bernardino Tomas D. Morales, and Secretary of San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Ken Ramirez. As the first California Native American elected to the State Legislature, this historic swearing-in highlighted the culture of native peoples in California with performances of Big Horn Sheep Songs lead by Assemblymember
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OFFICE
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ASSEMBLYMEMBER JAMES RAMOS
Assemblymember James C. Ramos being sworn-in by Speaker Anthony Rendon at Cal State San Bernardino on Saturday. Ramos and members of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, and Intertribal Bird Songs lead by Wayne Nelson. The event was held at the Santos Manuel Student Union and holds special significance to Assemblymember
Ramos, as it is named after his great-great-grandfather Santos Manuel, who established the San Manuel Reservation. The program also included the following presentations from
community members across the 40th Assembly District: Master of Ceremonies performed by Terrance Stone, CEO for Young Visionary Youth Leadership; opening song by Ecclesia Ramos, cont. on next pg.
City staff directed to star t RFP for animal shelter operations By Maryjoy Duncan Countywide partnership supports student success
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INSIDE Gloria’s Corner
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Words To Think About 5 Opinion
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Legal Notices
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H OW TO R E AC H US
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D
uring the joint special meeting of the Mayor and City Council on Monday, Feb. 11, city staff presented several options in regards to the animal shelter that include rebuilding the existing 50-yearold facility that does not meet modern shelter standards, constructing a new facility, repurposing an existing building, entering a Joint Powers Authority, or contracting with the Riverside County Department of Animal Control Services. Dozens of residents took to the podium to express their discontent with the conditions of the shelter that has fallen into disrepair from years of neglect, and reject the option of outsourcing to Riverside. “The underlying message is, regardless of the politics, we need to do the right thing, we need to make certain that the shelter is adequate enough to keep those animals safe,” said Animal Control Commissioner
Angela Halfman. “And after all these years it is still a crumbling, leaking inadequate facility. Something should have been done a long time ago.” Council person Sandra Ibarra made a motion to start an RFP (Request for Proposal) for shelter operations and to relieve the Police Department from the oversight of the shelter, seconded by Councilman Henry Nickel. The motion passed 4-2 with Teddy Sanchez and Jim Mulvihill voting against the motion. “This is an opportunity to start fresh, fix the errors of the past… to make San Bernardino a worldclass city,” Nickel indicated. “The treatment of animals is an indication of how we’re doing.” Staff will return with an RFP proposal that explores opportunities for operations and collaboration with rescue and volunteer groups, as well as options for a temporary fixture for shelter animals while the process is underway, and a strategy for relieving the Police Department from oversight of the shelter.
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CITY OF SB
Animal Control Commissioner Angela Halfman spoke during the city council meeting underlining the deplorable conditions at the city shelter that resulted from years of mismanagement and neglect, and the need for viable, long-term solutions.