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Grand jury backs city — again
By REBECCA NEIPP,
News Review Staff Writer
News Review Staff Writer
By REBECCA NEIPP, News Review Staff Writer
By LAUREN LOEWEN, News Review Staff Writer
Desert Valleys assets increase after
closure of Kern Schools branch
closure of Kern Schools branch
Vietnam Wall to highlight Armed Forces celebration
Report on failed initiative agrees city acted within the law
By REBECCA NEIPP, News Review Staff Writer
Armed Forces Day is being celebrated this year with a week’s
worth of special events and guest appearances, highlighted by
the return of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall after an
absence of nearly 13 years. The wall is set to arrive in Ridgecrest
on May 14, the day before Armed Forces Day, and will be
available for viewing 24 hours a day, under full security, until it is
packed up on May 23.
Another special part of the Armed Forces Day festivities will be
the participation of distinguished visitor Juan Garcia, assistant
secretary of the Navy for manpower and reserve affairs. Garcia is
a Burroughs High School graduate, and local friends are looking
forward to seeing him.
worth of special events and guest appearances, highlighted by
the return of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall after an
absence of nearly 13 years. The wall is set to arrive in Ridgecrest
on May 14, the day before Armed Forces Day, and will be
available for viewing 24 hours a day, under full security, until it is
packed up on May 23.
Another special part of the Armed Forces Day festivities will be
the participation of distinguished visitor Juan Garcia, assistant
secretary of the Navy for manpower and reserve affairs. Garcia is
a Burroughs High School graduate, and local friends are looking
forward to seeing him.
The Kern County Grand Jury has once again validated actions of the city of Ridgecrest, according to a report released
March 31. The latest developments in an ongoing struggle between city officials and the Don’t Tread on Me Citizens for
Freedom were investigated by the grand jury, which also published a report March 3 validating the controversial program
for mandatory trash and recycling collection. Don’t Tread on Me members have been publicly critical of the program for
months. Shortly after the program was implemented in November, leaders of the group began circulating petitions
calling for a repeal of the mandatory ordinance. City Attorney Keith Lemieux told proponents at the time that the effort
qualified not as an initiative, but as a referendum, since it sought to revise existing law. Further, a referendum has only
90 days to address existing ordinance, and that window had long since passed.
March 31. The latest developments in an ongoing struggle between city officials and the Don’t Tread on Me Citizens for
Freedom were investigated by the grand jury, which also published a report March 3 validating the controversial program
for mandatory trash and recycling collection. Don’t Tread on Me members have been publicly critical of the program for
months. Shortly after the program was implemented in November, leaders of the group began circulating petitions
calling for a repeal of the mandatory ordinance. City Attorney Keith Lemieux told proponents at the time that the effort
qualified not as an initiative, but as a referendum, since it sought to revise existing law. Further, a referendum has only
90 days to address existing ordinance, and that window had long since passed.
Amended recycling ordinance
on agenda
on agenda
CEO predicts short-term risk, long-term gain
In the month since Kern Schools Credit Union
announced closure of the Ridgecrest Branch, Desert
Valleys Credit Union has seen a nearly 10-percent gain
in its assets.
“Relative to our size, that is a lot of growth,” said Chief
Executive Officer Eric Bruen. A $2.1-million increase in
assets has put the credit union’s value at approximately
$24 million.
Bruen reported to the Ridgecrest City Council at its March
3 meeting that he could not comment directly on the
business decisions of Kern Schools, but that a general
understanding of the laws that govern credit unions
might shed light on the closure.
announced closure of the Ridgecrest Branch, Desert
Valleys Credit Union has seen a nearly 10-percent gain
in its assets.
“Relative to our size, that is a lot of growth,” said Chief
Executive Officer Eric Bruen. A $2.1-million increase in
assets has put the credit union’s value at approximately
$24 million.
Bruen reported to the Ridgecrest City Council at its March
3 meeting that he could not comment directly on the
business decisions of Kern Schools, but that a general
understanding of the laws that govern credit unions
might shed light on the closure.
Council gets first look at voluntary recycling option
Proposed changes to the ordinance mandating curbside
collection of trash and recycling will appear before the
Ridgecrest City Council at tonight’s regular meeting,
scheduled for 6:30 p.m. in City Council Chambers.
The city passed an ordinance in March 2009 that required
all residential and commercial property owners to
subscribe to trash and recycling collection services. The
passing, and subsequent implementation and
enforcement, of the ordinance was a result of pressure from
California Integrated Waste Management (now Cal-
Recycles) to comply with state mandates for diverting
recyclables from the waste stream.
The council approved an agreement with the state in 2007
to put into place several programs in order to increase the
city’s diversion rate above the mandated 50 percent.
While the city was working on programs, it came up with a
formula that showed a diversion rate of 53 percent. On the
strength of those numbers the city let deadlines for program
implementation lapse. The state discredited the city’s
numbers, levied fines and threatened further penalties ...
collection of trash and recycling will appear before the
Ridgecrest City Council at tonight’s regular meeting,
scheduled for 6:30 p.m. in City Council Chambers.
The city passed an ordinance in March 2009 that required
all residential and commercial property owners to
subscribe to trash and recycling collection services. The
passing, and subsequent implementation and
enforcement, of the ordinance was a result of pressure from
California Integrated Waste Management (now Cal-
Recycles) to comply with state mandates for diverting
recyclables from the waste stream.
The council approved an agreement with the state in 2007
to put into place several programs in order to increase the
city’s diversion rate above the mandated 50 percent.
While the city was working on programs, it came up with a
formula that showed a diversion rate of 53 percent. On the
strength of those numbers the city let deadlines for program
implementation lapse. The state discredited the city’s
numbers, levied fines and threatened further penalties ...
Local residents visit the moving Vietnam Wall
memorial when it was in Ridgecrest in 1997.
( click for larger image ) Photo by Laura Austin
memorial when it was in Ridgecrest in 1997.
( click for larger image ) Photo by Laura Austin
Hundreds of children
hunted for thousands of
eggs and dozens of
prizes at the Ridgecrest
Exchange Club’s annual
Easter event. “We love
being able to provide this
to the local children,” said
coordinator Cherish
Rindt. “We’re already
looking forward to next
year’s event!”
Photo by Laura Austin
( click for larger image )
hunted for thousands of
eggs and dozens of
prizes at the Ridgecrest
Exchange Club’s annual
Easter event. “We love
being able to provide this
to the local children,” said
coordinator Cherish
Rindt. “We’re already
looking forward to next
year’s event!”
Photo by Laura Austin
( click for larger image )