Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner Still A Bargain

According to a release by the American Farm Bureau, the cost of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for 10 people is $44.61, a $2.35 price increase from last year’s average of $42.26. MORE>>

I'd be hard-pressed to get lunch at a local fast-food joint for $4.46, and I suspect the nutritional value of roast turkey with stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls, cranberries, peas and pumpkin pie with whipped cream is far superior to a burger, fries and a soda.

Besides, how do you put a price tag on the opportunity to gather with family and friends to give thanks for the many blessings of the past year? At our house, we're grateful we still have a house and a job to pay for it, good health and each other's love and respect.

Happy Thanksgiving!

image: www.whatscookingamerica.net

Police Blotter: Pair Robs All Pet Feed Store

According to a San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department news release, On Tuesday, November 25, 2008, at 5:19 PM, deputies responded to 25598 Baseline in reference to an Armed Robbery that just occurred. Two black male adults entered the All Pet Feed & Tack and ordered the employees to the ground at gunpoint. The suspects stole an undisclosed amount of cash from the business and both suspects fled the scene on foot westbound on Baseline. A search of the area by responding deputies met with negative results. No one was injured during the robbery.

The investigation is ongoing at this time. Anyone with information about this incident or similar incidents is urged to call Detective Yost or Deputy Leichliter at the Highland Police Station (909) 425-9793 or We Tip at 1-(800)-78-CRIME.

image: tinkerart.typepad.com/.../san_bernardino/

San Manuel Tribal Member Jeopardizes Plea Agreement With Latest Arrest

Both The Press-Enterprise and The San Bernardino County Sun newspapers are reporting that Stacy Cheyenne Nunez-Barajas, recently sentenced to electronic home monitoring in a murder-conspiracy case, has jeopardized her agreement with an arrest late Friday.

Last month, Nunez-Barajas was sentenced to a year of electronic monitoring and her brother, Erik Barajas, 36, received six months for their roles in a case linking them to the Mexican Mafia and the methamphetamine trade in the Inland Empire. MORE>>

San Manuel Named "Favorite Spot To Play Poker" in The P-E's Annual Reader's Choice Awards 2008

I've recently been perusing my copy of The Press-Enterprise's annual "Reader's Choice Awards 2008" booklet. It's a rather Riverside-centric collection of restaurants, shopping and services for a paper that bills itself as one that serves the two-county Inland area.

There's a couple fast-food chains with outlets in Highland mentioned as favorites, but you already know my feelings about corporate fast food from previous posts.

The one local standout, however, is San Manuel Indian Bingo & Casino, named "Favorite Spot To Play Poker," by readers of the largest newspaper in the Inland area.

Their entry claims:

"Guests can enjoy 3,500 of the latest slots, live poker and Vegas-style blackjack, high-limit gaming, high-stakes bingo, incredible entertainment, sumptuous dining, and a generous player-reward program. Owned and operated by the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, the casino has been providing fun and excitement since 1986. Since that time, players have received more than $2 billion in cash, prizes and giveaways...."

Sadly I was unable to find a link to this year's Reader's Choice awards on The P-E's web site. Searching "reader's choice," I received only three story results, all from 2007.

image: www.Rocketfinance.net

Trial Begins for Two In 2005 Cee Vee's Shooting

The Press-Enterprise is reporting the trial began today for two defendants in the 2005 slaying of a Highland liquor store owner and his employee.

Cee Vee's Liquor Store owner Steven Hall, 53, and Brian Gregorio, 25, were both shot in the head after cooperating with two bandits in March 2005.

Defendants Christopher White, 21, and Darwin Richardson, 22, face life without parole if convicted of robbery and murder.  A third defendant, Tristan Allan, 23, will be tried separately.

Surveillance video was shown during opening statements of the shooting and of the defendants cashing stolen lottery tickets two hours later at a Corona convenience store, according to the report.  MORE>>

Southern California Hammered By Wind-Driven Fires, Hundreds Of Homes Lost to Flames

While homes went up in flames over the weekend in Santa Barbara, Los Angeles and parts of Orange and Riverside counties, San Bernardino and Highland were spared any damage as a result of hot, dry Santa Ana winds.

A small brush fire in the Del Rosa area late Sunday was kept to only a few acres with no loss of property, according to www.Rimoftheworld.net.

As the winds diminish firefighters are making gains in their battle against the flames.  MORE>>

image:  Robin Beck/AFP

Survey Says Unhappy People Watch Nearly 30 Percent More Television Than Happy People

In a report released Thursday, unhappy people watch almost 30% more television than happy people. The finding comes from a survey of nearly 30,000 American adults conducted between 1975 and 2006 as part of the General Social Survey.

While happy people reported watching an average of 19 hours of television per week, unhappy people reported 25 hours a week. The results held even after taking into account education, income, age and marital status. In addition, happy individuals were more socially active, attended more religious services, voted more and read a newspaper more often than their less-chipper counterparts. The researchers are not sure, though, whether unhappiness leads to more television-watching or more viewing leads to unhappiness

"TV is not judgmental nor difficult, so people with few social skills or resources for other activities can engage in it," said researcher John Robinson, a sociologist at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Robinson and UM colleague Steven Martin wrote of their research for the December issue of the journal Social Indicators Research.

They add, "Furthermore, chronic unhappiness can be socially and personally debilitating and can interfere with work and most social and personal activities, but even the unhappiest people can click a remote and be passively entertained by a TV." MORE>>

Believe it or not, there are a certain number of perfectly happy folks out there who live without television. See this story on www.LiveScience.com.

image: www.allaboutsymbian.com

Federal Commerce Department Audit Cites Grants Improperly Used At SB International Airport

The Press-Enterprise is reporting that nearly $600,000 in grant money has been improperly used by operators of San Bernardino International Airport, according to a recent Commerce Department audit.

Airport authorities counter they are working to improve required record keeping and that the discrepancy amounts to only 4% of grant money received over a five-year period. MORE>>

See the airport's web site here.

image: Michael P. Neufeld, Rimoftheworld.net

It's Beginning To Look Like A WalMart Christmas!

Wal-Mart's low prices piqued the appetites of bargain shoppers in the third quarter, raising the kingpin's earnings slightly above Wall Street views, according to an Investor's Business Daily story posted to Wal-Mart's web site.

The world's top retailer expects a stronger dollar will hurt overseas sales in the fourth quarter. But Wal-Mart says it's upbeat about the holidays, given its price leadership position during these rough times. The discount giant earned 77 cents a share, up 12% from a year ago and a penny over forecasts. Sales rose 7.4%to $98.64 billion.

But even Wal-Mart, which has been among retail's top performers this year, hasn't been immune to the rough economy. Third quarter sales gain was the weakest in years. Same-store sales grew 3% vs. a year ago while most retailers suffer declines. Wal-Mart shares swung with the overall market, closing up 4%.

The retail giant's low prices on national brands and broad array of products are striking a chord with consumers struggling to make ends meet in today's tough economy. "Their value proposition is resonating with its core customer in this environment," said Morningstar analyst Joseph Beaulieu. "Their customers are going to Wal-Mart for food and other necessities and doing one-stop shopping while they're there." MORE>>

I don't have the dough this year to do a lot of my shopping at Macy's and Nordstrom but don't know how much if any lot of my hard-won loot will be spent at Sam Walton's. Will you shop extensively at Wal-Mart for Christmas gifts this year?

image: Cleanmpg.com

Highland Police Plan "Click It Or Ticket" Campaign To Ensure Safe Thanksgiving Holiday On Highways

According to a San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department news release, the Highland Police Department will be aggressively enforcing the state’s seat belt and child safety seat laws during a "Click It Or Ticket" mobilization November 17-30.

The campaign relies on heavy enforcement and public education as a means to help reduce deaths and injuries on California’s roadways. California currently has a seat belt use rate at 95.7 percent.

"The Click It or Ticket campaign has shown that Californians have gotten the message that seat belts work," said Captain Bobby Phillips. "But hundreds still are dying every year because they didn’t buckle up. Our officers will not accept excuses or give warnings. It really is Click It or Ticket."

California has a primary seat belt law which requires that every passenger in the car, including the driver, is required to wear a seat belt at all times. If stopped and found to be in violation, law enforcement will issue citations without warning. Tickets for first seat belt violations range from $80 to $91 for adults and $330 to $401 for children under age 16, depending on the county.

"While we are very happy with actually surpassing 95 percent usage, that still means that more than a million people are in real danger in the event of a crash," said Christopher J. Murphy, Director of the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS). "It takes just two seconds to reduce your chances of dying in a crash by half."

Teens and nighttime car occupants lag behind others as far as buckling up is concerned. Officer will be concentrating even more on ensuring they are properly restrained. More than 280 law enforcement agencies statewide will be participating in this year’s Click It or Ticket mobilization.

Funding for officer overtime to support California’s Click It or Ticket campaign was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

For more information contact Sgt. Don Lupear at the Highland Police Station at 909-425-9793.

Get Ready & Hold On Tight For Thursday's Big Event/Disaster Drill, "The Great ShakeOut"

No, it's not a new McDonald's menu item. Dubbed the Great ShakeOut, at 10 AM on Thursday, November 13, 2008, five million people across the state will participate in one huge simulated 7.8 magnitude earthquake drill. Such activities, normally reserved for police, fire and emergency room staffers, are including even office workers because of the large-scale destruction that might occur in such an event. MORE>>

What are your plans in the event of a devastating quake hitting the Inland Area in your lifetime? Would you be able to communicate with family if cell phones no longer work? What if major roads and bridges are destroyed, do you have a meeting point planned? Is there water, food and camping equipment, enough to last for three days, stored in your garage? With a portion of the San Andreas Fault running across the base of the mountains above Highland, it's borderline suicidal not to have some kind of plan in place should disaster strike. The recent fires of 2003 and last year should be a warning to all of us. I love to hear from others what kind of plans they have.

This is a great time for all of us to get our emergency preparedness acts together so we don't have to depend on public resources, which will no doubt be overwhelmed, in such a catastrophe.

image: (from 1994 Northridge Quake) The Washington Times

Just When You Thought We Might Be Out Of The Financial Crisis Woods...There's More Fairy Tales

Just when you thought we might be out of the woods when it comes to the financial crisis, with the Bush Administration getting their $700 billion Boondoggle Bailout sold on the idea they'd buy up bad mortgages on the books of major banks, they change their tune.

First we're told the money would be used to buy stock in major banks and get them back into the business of lending again. Then today out trots Treasury Secretary Henry J. Paulson with a new version of their financial fairy tale-turned tragedy.

As the story du jour goes, the Fed now may be giving away handouts to auto manufacturers, credit card companies and other major non-bank businesses. The stock market swooned again for the third day in a row. My 401(k) is now a 201(k), how's yours? MORE>>

image: Telegraph.co.uk/Bloomberg

Weekend Mountain Plane Crash Victims Identified

According to a San Bernardino County Sheriff/Coroner's release, the four victims of Sunday's small plane crash on Mt. San Gorgonio have been identified. Douglas Ralph Bowles, age 74 of Hesperia, was the pilot of the single-engine Piper aircraft. Bowles was accompanied by three passengers: Bowles’s grandson, Joshua Daniel Chlebek, age 28, a resident of North Hollywood, Oludare Ibiyemi Akinwunmi, age 29 of Sun Valley, and David Rodney Helland, age 60 of Encinitas.

At about 11:30 AM on Sunday, November 9, 2008, the aircraft was returning to Hesperia from Baja California and was lost from radar during a storm over the summit of San Gorgonio. The following day the wreckage of an aircraft was located on a slope west of the peak. San Bernardino Sheriff's Department Search and Rescue, along with Coroner investigators, responded to the scene via helicopter and confirmed the aircraft was the same as that lost on Sunday. The accident is under investigation by the National Transportation and Safety Board.

Oil Prices Slip To Lowest Level In Almost Two Years

The New York Times is reporting that oil prices as of Tuesday have fallen to their lowest level in 20 months, despite efforts by the OPEC cartel to stem the slide, as weak economic growth continues to reduce demand around the world.

While lower energy prices are providing some welcome relief for struggling consumers, a 59 percent decline in oil prices since their summer peak also shows how radically the prospects of the global economy have darkened in recent months. At an emergency meeting last month, members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries agreed to reduce their output, as of Nov. 1, to slow the price slide. MORE>>

My neighbors, friends, family and I have all changed our driving habits significantly since gas prices peaked at around $4.65/gallon this past Summer in the Inland area. I try as often as possible to do my shopping on the way home from work and use my bicycle for short trips to the grocery store in between. How have your driving habits changed since gas prices set records in July? Have you resorted to your old gas-guzzling ways again now that a gallon of gas goes for about $2.50?

image: Kim Raff/The News & Advance, Lynchburg, VA, via AP

Mervyns Going Out Of Business, To Liquidate Inventory, Auction Leases at All 149 Locations

According to a press release posted to their web site, Mervyn's, a regional retailer in California and the Southwest, plans to hold going out of business sales at all of its remaining 149 locations and to wind down its business. The Company intends to effect this process through Section 363 under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.

Together with its financial and legal advisers, Mervyn's completed a thorough analysis of all available options, including a sale of the Company, prior to undertaking this course of action. The Company and its Board of Directors determined that holding going out of business sales during the holiday season is the best way to maximize value for the Company’s creditors. Mervyn's intends to retain an outside professional services firm to assist in the liquidation sales of inventory.

I haven't shopped at Mervyn's in years. I used to buy Levi's 501 jeans there years ago, but when my favorite pants started to cost over $30 a pair I switched to Wranglers I could get at Wal-Mart for half the price. Though not technically Highland, the store in San Bernardino at 4010 Highland Avenue is currently running a 30% off sale, with a sales associate stationed at each entrance to admonish customers that all sales were final and Mervyn's credit cards can no longer be used for purchases.

image: Corbis Stock Photos

Plane Crashes On Mt. San Gorgonio, Claims 4 Lives

According to a San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department release, on Sunday, November 9, 2008, a 1972 single-engine Piper airplane was reported missing. The plane was overdue on a flight from Baja California, Mexico en route to Hesperia. The plane was believed to have been occupied by four persons. The Hesperia Police Department initiated an investigation and Sheriff’s Aviation and the Civil Air Patrol began searching.

On Monday, November 10, 2008 at approximately 12:30 p.m., the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department helicopter located a plane down in the area of San Gorgonio Summit. Due to weather conditions and the location of the wreckage recovery efforts were postponed until Tuesday morning at sunrise.

On Tuesday, November 11, 2008 two Coroner Investigators along with eight Search and Rescue personnel were inserted into the San Gorgonio Peak area. Rescue personnel were then required to repel down to the plane wreckage. Due to extensive damage to the aircraft, tail numbers were not visible to aid in the identification of the wreckage. Due to the remote location of the plane crash, it took several hours for the bodies of the victims to be extracted from the crash site.

Before releasing the identity of the victims, positive identification and notification will be done by the Coroner’s Division.

San Manuel Pair Receive Light Sentences For Their Roles In 2006 Murder-For-Hire Scheme

The Press-Enterprise reports two wealthy San Manuel tribal members were sentenced Thursday to home electronic monitoring and five years probation in a plea agreement for their roles in a 2006 murder-for-hire plot. Stacy Cheyenne Nunez-Barajas, 26, was sentenced to one year of electronic monitoring and her brother, Erik Barajas, 36, received six months for their roles in a highly publicized case linking them to the Mexican Mafia and its role in the methamphetamine trade in the Inland Empire.

An earlier story suggested a connection between political contributions of $22,500 by the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians to District Attorney Mike Ramos' campaign may have influenced the seemingly light sentences in light of their crimes. MORE>>

What Highland Needs Is A Good Pastrami On Rye

When the new Highland Crossings shopping center opens it will have yet another Subway sandwich shop. Subway's web site as of this writing claims 30,131 outlets in 87 countries, and they claim Entrepreneur Magazine recognizes Subway as "The #1 Global Franchising Opportunity of 2008."

Their restaurant locator feature, when Highland CA 92346 is searched, shows no less than 10 locations in the surrounding area.

I have no problem with Subway, I salute their ability to take risk and earn rewards as they've co-opted a great idea, the corner mom & pop deli, and reduced it to a series of menial tasks and sucked the all life and personality out of it in the process.

What Highland needs is a restaurant with a richness of personality, like a good Jewish delicatessen, where you can get a mile-high pastrami on rye so big you'll take half home and eat it for supper.

My fear is that the new shopping district will be a clone of every other shopping area in Southern California, made to be absorbed at 40 miles-per-hour, with the typical sampling of corporate-owned dining spots lacking anything even vaguely resembling charm.

"Change Has Come To America," Says Obama In Victory, To Become 44th U.S. President

Democrat Barack Hussein Obama became the 44th President of the United States tonight, the first African American ever elected to the post, in a resounding victory over Republican candidate John McCain. Racial barriers, real or imagined, collapsed as voters, seeking significant change, turned out in record numbers. Linked by party affiliation Republican McCain was unable shake the connection to President George W. Bush's failed policies on the economy, mortgage meltdown and the war in Iraq.

image: Getty Images/New York Magazine

EVWD To Proceed With Plans For New District HQ

The San Bernardino Sun is reporting that the board of East Valley Water District has decided to push forward on plans to build a new $25 million headquarters, despite complaints from district customers that now may not be the best time to pursue such a large project.

Dozens of customers gathered at City Hall last week during a public hearing on proposed rate increases averaging 10 percent. The board ultimately voted to increase water rates 12.5 percent and sewer eight percent.

Customers complained that with the slumping economy, now may not be the best time for embarking on such large-scale project, and that the district should make do with what it has. MORE>>

Why is it government agencies thumb their noses at the public like this? While everyone else is cutting back, they boost rates and set about building themselves a taj mahal. No doubt this expansion is based on the District's current and projected water usage in the area. We all need to conserve even more to skew their projections.

NOTE: Hurry up and read this story on The Sun's web site. After 10-15 days you'll need to pay to access their archives. Bigger papers don't do that.

image: http://sueannsnwprblog.blogspot.com