Big Bear Lake News

A 24-year-old woman is scheduled to be arraigned today on an allegation that she left her three children -- including a 7-month-old -- unattended in the family's home in Sugarloaf overlooking Big Bear Lake, San Bernardino County sheriff's officials say.

The California Highway Patrol has begun taking reservations for a teen driving safety course scheduled for Nov.

Fawnskin, CA - The Code Enforcement sweep conducted by the Big Bear Sheriff's Station resulted in an additional 34 vehicles, boats and trailers being towed. All the vehicles were in violation of state vehicle code or county ordinances. "This figure makes a total of 188 tows for similar sweeps conducted within the valley over the last six months," according to department spokesperson Tiffany Swantek. The Tow Day was the last planned sweep of this type for the year before the winter season.

Friday, November 6, 2009 Sugarloaf, CA - A report of unsupervised juveniles screaming inside a residence in the 100 block of San Bernardino Avenue in Sugarloaf brought a response from deputies at the Big Bear Sheriff's Station. The front door of the residence was locked and no one answered the door about 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Shortly before 8 p.m. Wednesday, Shampo returned to the residence where she was taken into custody without incident.

Navy Seaman Recruit Kimberly A. Burns, daughter of Diane C. Burns-Bentson of Big Bear Lake, and Steven E. Smith of Lucerne Valley, recently completed U.S. Navy basic training at Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Ill.

Their three elementary-school aged children rode the school bus with at least two students who were diagnosed with H1N1 influenza, or swine flu. And school officials in Victorville didn't tell them. "They are taking away our fundamental right," said Amos. "Knowledge about the spread of the illness is important to parents who can then decide if sending their children to school is too high a risk. "My concern is not just for my kids, but for other kids as well." Joining them in their frustration are neighbors Linda and David Armstrong. It was two of the Armstrong's three children who were confirmed H1N1 victims. As parents, the Armstrongs said they feel everyone in their children's school, Lomitas Elementary, should be notified if someone tests positive for H1N1.

More than a dozen wild mustangs and burros rounded up on public lands in the deserts of California and Nevada will be up for adoption this weekend in Redlands. The local offering by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management is aimed at increasing adoptions by saving potential owners a trip to the government-run horse and burro corrals in Ridgecrest, said Art DiGrazia, the program manager. Interested buyers can preview the animals from 1 to 4 p.m. Friday at Sundance Ranch, 27273 Pilgrim Road, in Redlands' San Timoteo Canyon. Adoptions will be held there starting at 9 a.m. Saturday. Potential owners must have their applications approved by the BLM. Applications will be available online and at the ranch from 1 to 4 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Those whose applications are approved before 9 a.m. Saturday will be given a lottery number for adoption of their selected animals.

Sheriff's deputies report a 60-year-old maid was shot and killed at Camp Cedar Falls in the Angelus Oaks area. Shortly after Celebrada Lomato-Sexton was found at the Seventh-Day Adventist complex, deputies arrested 30-year-old Leith Winston Hamilton, who was a co-worker. "They both worked and lived at Camp Cedar Falls," Sheriff's Department spokesperson Arden Wiltshire, "but the possible motive for the shooting remains unclear." Responding emergency personnel arrived following a 9-1-1 call and pronounced Lomato-Sexton deceased. Hamilton, whose occupation was listed as a mechanic, is being held on no bail on suspicion of murder at the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga.

Local inn owner arrested Stan Miller of Knickerbocker Mansion in Big Bear Lake was arrested this morning on suspected terrorist threats. According to Capt. Greg Garland of the Big Bear Sheriff's Station, Miller had a dispute with the Big Bear Lake Department of Water and Power over a water bill. The bed and breakfast inn owner allegedly made several phone calls to the water agency making threats, Garland said. The final call led the DWP administration to notify authorities. Miller is being held on $50,000 bail and is still in custody, Garland said.

Studies done over the years on the effectiveness of red-light cameras have been the source of much debate among proponents and opponents of the safety devices. In 2005, The Washington Post conducted an analysis of traffic collision data in Washington, D.C., including 37 intersections where red-light cameras were installed in 1999 and 2000. The analysis showed that the number of crashes at locations with cameras more than doubled, from 365 collisions in 1998 to 755 in 2004. Injury and fatal crashes climbed 81 percent, from 144 such wrecks to 262, according to an Oct. 4, 2005, article published in the Post.

Note: The suspect vehicle appears at the top of the screen moving from right to left starting at 00:12. Investigators today are expected to release surveillance footage and photographs of the SUV that hit and killed a 5-year-old boy in July as he crossed a Big Bear Lake street with his family. Kushan Bhandari was hit July 30 while walking across the intersection at Lakeview Drive and Bartlett Road with his mother and 11-year-old brother. A motorist hit him and kept driving.

BIG BEAR LAKE - Bear Mountain at Big Bear Lake is the latest Southern California ski area to open its runs for business. For now, early season rates are in effect and ticket availability is limited. The cost for an all-day adult lift ticket is $25. For young adults, ages 13-21, the cost is $20. Children, ages 7 to 12, can expect to pay $10 and children 6 and under are always free with a paying adult

Jack Briner brings more than 40 years of banking experience to his CEO position at First Mountain Bancorp, the small Big Bear Lake-based holding company behind First Mountain Bank.

The vehicle is described as possibly a 1999 or 2000 GMC or Chevy two-door with tinted windows. It likely has minor damage to its front end. It left behind a minuscule amount of debris -- not enough to identify its specific make or year. Accident investigators estimate the vehicle, its headlights on, was traveling between 45 and 50 mph in the 40 mph zone. Its driver, they said, should have had enough time to stop for the pedestrians, who had the right of way. Instead, the SUV struck all three family members. Kushan's mother and 11-year-old brother were seriously hurt but recovered.

The Adventure Pass requirement fee for visitors to the San Bernardino National Forest will be waived on Veteran's Day, Nov. 11, U.S. Forest Service. "Veterans Day is a great way to connect communities with public lands while honoring the sacrifices made by America's veterans and armed services personnel,"

The economy grew in the third quarter for the first time in more than a year, but will the recovery hold? "We're already seeing increased holiday hiring for temporary positions," said Sarah Cullins, president and CEO of Finesse Personnel Associates, an employment staffing agency in Rancho Cucamonga and Riverside.

The first and larger of the two projects is to be built on about 900 acres near Barstow and Rabbit Springs Roads. That project, if constructed, would provide 100 megawatts, which is enough to power 65,000 homes daily. The second project, dubbed Strawberry Peak — which is to be built on 160 acres at Highway 18 and Canyon View Road.

September 2009 was supposedly the end of the zoo’s 50-year lease, and a new home had to be found. A site was even selected, next to the Discovery Center, which seemed to make sense because it would take two related tourist attractions. Somewhere along the line somebody actually reads the zoo’s lease and sees that it really doesn’t expire till February 2010. A good thing too, because now other sites are being looked at for the potential move. Naturally environmental groups were opposed to even a 25 acre development on the 676,666 acre San Bernardino National Forest. Center for Biological Diversity, which loves to close off forest access across the country by filing lawsuits, said no. Save Our Forest Association, ditto. Sierra Club’s Big Bear Group originally weighed in endorsing C and then withdrew it; other groups said no way.Of course, hundreds of thousands of dollars have already been spent studying and designing the Discovery Center site, but no biggie. Back to the drawing board,

Mountain residents woke up to a surprise Wednesday morning, and skiers may get an even bigger one today. Cold weather, and a little snow. With temperatures at Big Bear Lake and Wrightwood in the low 30s Wednesday -- mid-20s with the wind chill factored in -- snowmaking crews were working furiously. Mountain High Resort in Wrightwood will open one or two lifts today for season pass holders and on Friday for all visitors, spokeswoman Kim Hermon said. It's their earliest ever opening on man-made snow, she said. Bear Mountain at Big Bear Lake may open this weekend, but it's too soon to be certain, Marketing Director Chris Riddle said. If it does open, it may be only for a day or two.

Daylight saving time (DST; also summer time in British English—see Terminology) is the practice of advancing clocks so that afternoons have more daylight and mornings have less. Typically clocks are adjusted forward one hour near the start of spring and are adjusted backward in autumn. The practice is controversial.[1] Adding daylight to afternoons benefits retailing, sports, and other activities that exploit sunlight after working hours,[3] but causes problems for farming, evening entertainment and other occupations tied to the sun.[4][5] Traffic fatalities are reduced when there is extra afternoon daylight;[6] its effect on health and crime is less clear. Although an early goal of DST was to reduce evening usage of incandescent lighting, formerly a primary use of electricity,[7] modern heating and cooling usage patterns differ greatly, and research about how DST currently affects energy use is limited and often contradictory.[8]