Explorers graduate

Saturday August 14, 2009 I had the opportunity to attend the explorer graduation and present certificates to the young graduates.

Police explorers see growth with academy

August 05, 2009 3:20 PM By DAVID HELDRETH, staff writer BARSTOW • The Barstow Police Department explorer program is getting an injection of manpower this month. The department kicked off the 15th session of its explorer academy on Monday at the Cora Harper Community Center. The academy is back after taking last year off due to restructuring within the program, according to explorer advisor Sabrina Ellis. The program is currently down to six members, but the academy’s 16 recruits will boost it to 22 members. Ellis said the 2009 class is the second largest the academy has drawn in its history. The prospective explorers range in age from 14 to 20. “It’s good to get the program running again and get kids involved,” Ellis said. “The program teaches kids teamwork, how to behave in society and gives them a good grounding in the law enforcement community.” Ellis, who was herself a graduate of the explorer academy, said many explorers continue on to work in law enforcement and several are now working at the Barstow Police Department. Officer Scott Johnson, Cpl. Andrew Ellis and Det. Keith Kirby are just three examples of Barstow officers that graduated from the local academy. The academy graduates will be enlisted to help the department during community events such as the Mardi Gras Parade, Christmas Cops for Kids and the annual Independence Day celebration, according to Ellis. Recruit Marcos Lara, 16, said he hopes to be able to be more involved in the community as an explorer. “At first I saw my brother Fernando doing the explorers and it made me interested,” Lara said. “I want to be more of a leader and be able to help my city.” However, before the recruits get to his the streets they must make it through two weeks of instruction on the basics of law enforcement. The recruits will take classes in everything from processing crime scenes and the California penal code to the correct way to perform a felony car stop. Lt. Albert Ramirez and Cpl. Jeremy Bledsoe will instruct the academy in gun and shooting range safety before the recruits are allowed to do live fire practice at the police shooting range on Saturday. Ellis said although the classroom instruction is important, it’s good for the recruits to get hands on training.Kaylan Smith, 14, said she preferred the academy’s activities to the classroom lessons. “I’m looking forward to learning about the buildings searches because we’ll really be trying things ourselves,” Smith said.

Barstow to put new road crack sealer to work

By JESSICA CEJNAR, staff writer BARSTOW • The newest piece of equipment in Barstow’s street-repair arsenal will soon be put to work. Barstow’s Public Works Department will begin a two-month long project Monday repairing cracks on more than 29 streets within city limits using its new crack sealing machine. The machine arrived in the city June 10 after the City Council approved its purchase from Dispensing Technology Corporation for $71,000 at its April 20 meeting. Mayor Joe Gomez, who sits on the Street Committee, which recommended the Council purchase the machine, said the Public Works Department hasn’t had new road equipment for more than 20 years. Repairs to older vehicles have become costly, and finding parts is often a challenge. In the past much of the equipment necessary for street repairs had to be rented, Gomez said, and roads haven’t been consistently maintained. The city also awaits the arrival of a new asphalt patch truck that will use a hot mix application with emulsion and a tamper device to permanently fill in potholes. The City Council approved the purchase of the truck for $171,000 at its April 6 meeting. The truck is expected to arrive in late September, Public Works Supervisor Ronnie Zamora said in an e-mail Tuesday. Gomez said people have complained about the potholes on Rimrock Road, North 2nd Avenue and H Street. H Street between Linda Vista Road and Rimrock Road is currently on the list of crack sealing projects the city would like to get to if time allows. “With the new hot patch truck using a hot mix will make a big difference,” Gomez said. “Most of the concerns I hear right now are about the potholes, and those are being addressed.” City Spokesman John Rader said the crack sealing machine and hot patch truck will both be used for pavement preservation projects. The crack sealing machine will seal the cracks, and a few months later the hot patch truck will act like a glue, helping to prolong the life of the road for another 10 years.

City's youth council members have high hopes

The Barstow City Council members and myself are looking forward to the ideas and suggestions from our youth.

May 7, 2009 - 4:06 PM By ABBY SEWELL, staff writer BARSTOW • The newest and youngest members of Barstow’s government already have plans for the future. The Barstow City Council appointed the first eight members of its newly formed Youth Advisory Council Monday. The youth council was formed by a City Council resolution in March to give the Council greater insight into the needs of Barstow’s youth. Sixteen-year-old Barstow High School junior Amanda Sabblut said she first heard of the youth council while watching a City Council meeting on television with her father, local radio personality Cory Baker. She had never done anything like it before, but Sabblut said she wanted to get involved in hopes of bringing more activities geared towards teenagers in Barstow. “There’s some things that happen in the community for the teens and the youth, but if you think about it, there’s really not that much oriented towards them, towards us,” she said. As well as more recreation for the youth, Sabblut suggested the city could put on events like resume-writing workshops geared towards teens. Keisha Crawford, a 14-year-old home-schooler who is also part of the new youth council, agreed that the city should put on more events for teens, from carnivals to concerts in the public parks. “I think we need more activities for the youth to keep them off the street,” she said. “There’s so many kids that are in gangs, and some of them are my friends, and I don’t want to see them on that path.” Being in a leadership position is nothing new to Crawford. She is home schooled this year, but last year she was student body vice president at Barstow Junior High School. Crawford said her mother, who knew that Crawford missed being a part of the student government, read in the newspaper that the City Council was looking for youth council applicants and suggested that she apply. “I wanted to join because my mom has always told me to make things better you have to be able to speak it,” she said. Jiazi “Kitty” Guo, an 18-year-old Barstow High School junior originally from China moved to Barstow two years ago when her mother got a job in the area. Guo, who serves as student body vice president at the high school and president of the art club, also spends much of her time volunteering and working with various clubs and organizations. Guo said she started volunteering in hopes of getting into a good college, but she also enjoys community service. Like Sabblut, she sometimes watches the Barstow City Council meetings at home with her family. “If I have time, like no homework, I always watch to see what’s going on in the city,” she said. Guo said she would suggest to the city that they create more public parks and implement safety measures like more lights at the existing parks. She also suggested having days when the community would plant trees and flowers to beautify Barstow. The eight youth council members will go through an orientation session next week and then will attend the Barstow Parks, Recreation and Cultural Commission meeting scheduled for May 13 to see how a citizen commission works. The youth council will hold its own meetings and make quarterly reports to the City Council.Contact the writer:(760) 256-4123 or asewell@desertdispatch.com

Cleaning up Barstow

The City of Barstow Encourages Residents to Pitch in and Pick It Up on Community Clean Up and Recycling Day

Barstow, Calif. (March 23, 2009) — The Barstow Mayor and City Council members invite Barstow residents to make a difference by participating in the biannual Community Clean Up and Recycling Day on Saturday, April 11. Residents can help beautify Barstow by offering a few hours of their time in cleaning up their own property or a public area. Residents are encouraged to clean up Barstow by picking up trash/recyclables, removing graffiti, and pulling weeds from public areas. The city will coordinate several clean up sites around town. “The Community Clean Up Day and Recycling Day is but one of many ways the city focuses on sustainability,” says Belinda Barbour, solid waste coordinator for the City of Barstow. “We are asking all of us, as a community, to participate in a nonpartisan way to preserve our future by reducing, reusing, recycling and rethinking our habits. Everything you do can make a difference,” added Barbour. City residents may dispose of excess trash, furniture, and other trash generated as part of owning or maintaining their home for free at the San Bernardino County landfill on Saturday, April 11, 2009. The Barstow-area landfill, located on Barstow Road, will be open from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. City residents will have tipping fees waived on this day. Only privately owned vehicles and vehicles with trailers are permitted. Proof of residency will be required. Don’t forget to cover all loads going to the landfill or the County will charge you, even on this free Cleanup Day Businesses, organizations, churches and families that are interested in making a longer-term commitment are encouraged to join the Adopt-a-Block program. The program is dedicated to improving the quality of life and revitalizing the local environment through nuisance abatement activities and events that bring neighborhoods together. Block improvement activities are only limited by the sponsor’s imagination. This program provides individuals or groups of local residents and organizations the opportunity to volunteer to take responsibility for enhancing their community environment, one block at a time. An individual or group can adopt a city block by committing to a two-year agreement available at the City of Barstow. A sign will be placed on the block denoting the block adoption. “We have a great opportunity with the Adopt-a-Block to not only improve the aesthetics of the community, but to honor our military members, past and present,” said Joe Gomez, Mayor of Barstow. “Barstow is a military town and what better way to honor their sacrifice than by dedicating some hard work to our men and women of the military,” added the Mayor. He went on to say that, through the adopt-a-block program, interested groups or individuals can dedicate their hard work in cleaning up a block to a local military member or veteran of their choice, which will be commemorated through the sign. For more information on the Adopt-a-Block program or the Community Clean Up and Recycling Day including getting involved in a coordinated area, contact Belinda Barbour at 760-255-5126 or bbarbour@barstowca.org.

City looks at algae as possible fix for wastewater problems

County Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt leading the way in Algae technology

Several weeks ago Supervisor Mitzelfelt' field rep Jesse Flores introduced me to Dr. Patrick Hatcher. Mitzelfelt is supporting the concept and future algae farms in Daggett, Ca, along I-40.

Biofuel and fertilizer produced as byproducts

March 13, 2009 - 3:45 PM By ABBY SEWELL, staff writer BARSTOW • The solution to the city’s problems with the groundwater contamination around Soapmine Road could come in the form of green algae. Mayor Joe Gomez is floating the idea of partnering with Southern California-based developer Brad Ducich and a group of Virginia-based researchers to create an operation in which ponds full of green algae would eat the nitrates from contaminated water while the algae is harvested to make biofuels and fertilizer. The treated water could then be pumped back into the ground to flush out the contaminated groundwater. Ducich and Dr. Patrick Hatcher, a professor of chemistry and biochemistry at Old Dominion University and executive director of the Virginia Coastal Energy Research Consortium, were in Barstow Friday to talk to stakeholders including the mayor, Councilman Tim Saenz, and residents of the Soapmine Road area. The prospect could have the city and Soapmine Road residents on the same side of the table for once. The city is under orders by the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board to come up with a remediation plan for the Soapmine area groundwater. The water board determined that the high level of nitrates in the groundwater was caused by the city irrigating a field to the west of the Soapmine Road area with treated wastewater from the city’s wastewater plant for about two decades prior to 2004. Soapmine Road resident Christina Byrne, who has been vocal on the groundwater issue, said residents are excited by the idea of using algae in the cleanup. “The neighborhood is very optimistic,” she said. “I’m optimistic, I’m happy.” Algae is not being used commercially for wastewater treatment currently, Hatcher said, but Virginia Coastal Energy Research Consortium and several other groups are currently conducting pilot projects pairing biodiesel production with wastewater remediation. Al Darzins, group manager of the National Bioenergy Center at the National Renewable Energy Lab, which has put many years of research into algae-based fuels, said algae has a higher energy content and yields a far higher amount of oil per acre than other plants used for biofuels. But with the fuel costing an estimated $10 a gallon or more to produce, it is not yet cost effective, he said. Hatcher said that with the production costs being offset by selling byproducts like fertilizer, the actual cost per gallon of biofuel could be $1.50 to $2 a gallon. The idea of using algae for wastewater remediation in Barstow is still very much in the initial phases and will need to go to the City Council before it moves forward, Gomez said. First Step Plus LLC, a company owned by Ducich, already has a conditional use permit to develop 34 acres on Interstate 40 by the Daggett airport into a truck stop. Now, Ducich said, he is looking at putting an algae farm on the property and selling biofuel as well as regular fuel there. Ducich said he hopes to begin construction in the next six months.Contact the writer:(760) 256-4123 or asewell@desertdispatch.com

Ft Irwin hiring, locals please apply!

By MARK MUCKENFUSSThe Press-Enterprise

The U.S. Army base at Fort Irwin has nonmilitary jobs. The base's remoteness -- it is 45 miles northeast of Barstow, with nothing but desert in between -- makes it less attractive to many job seekers. But officials there say there has been a jump in interest recently. "Our applications have tripled," said Debra Rivera, who is in charge of overseeing non-appropriated-funds jobs, which are self-sustaining operations such as the fast-food restaurants on the base. "We have people coming all the way from Helendale and Apple Valley (80 miles away). They're willing to make a very long commute." She often has openings among the 230 such jobs on base. "We hire all the time," she said. Human resource specialist Robert Tamayo said about 90 percent of the base's jobs paid for through appropriations are handled by private contractors. But there are 280 civilian jobs handled directly by his office. "At any given moment we have an average of 10-15 jobs open," he said. Civilians can apply for housing on the base, although military personal receive preference. There are also base buses that shuttle commuters from Victorville and Barstow free of charge. Most appropriated-funds jobs, Tamayo said, can be applied for online through USAjobs.com. The same is true for other bases. Tamayo said he is getting more applications than ever through the Web site these days. "Now the competition is greater," he said. "We have so many qualified applicants. It's increasing the pool of candidates, which is good for us, but not everyone is getting selected for what they apply for." Reach Mark Muckenfuss at 951-368-9595 or mmuckenfuss@PE.com