JEFF STONE WATCHDOG BLOG

WATCHING JEFF STONE SINCE AUGUST 2005

2009-07-14T13:23:00.000-07:00

NEXT MONTH CELEBRATING 4 YEARS OF WATCHING JEFF STONE, SUPERVISOR AND HIS EMBARRASSING DOINGS HERE IN RIVERSIDE COUNTY CALIFORNIA!

Jeff Stone - What A Crock & What A Crook

2009-07-14T13:13:00.000-07:00

Thank you to xenubarb for the picture - hope you don't mind that I borrowed it here!!!

WHAT'S WITH THE LAME PICTURE?

2009-07-14T13:09:00.000-07:00

From the July 30th event page:

Yes, I would like to attend. Please make 012345678910 reservations as a "Max-Out" Supporter at $3900 (entitles you and 4 guests to all of Stone for State Senate events).

HELL NO, I WOULDN'T GIVE YOU $3,900 SO I COULD BE A GUEST TO ALL THE "STONE FOR STATE SENATE" EVENTS.

HOW ABOUT ZERO POINT ZERO $0.00.

JUST VOTE NO ON JEFF STONE!

WHY WE PROTEST - AN ACTIVISM FORUM

2009-07-14T13:04:00.000-07:00

ENJOYING THIS FORUM - WHY WE PROTEST.

YES, WHY WE PROTEST JEFF STONE!

CHECK OUT THIS FORUM FOR "STUFF" ON JEFF STONE...

http://forums.whyweprotest.net/249-goldbase/jeff-stone-riverside-supervisor-pays-volunteer-sister-42241/10/

I FEEL SORRY FOR MR. HUNNEMAN HAVING TO INTERVIEW LORI STONE

2009-07-14T12:46:00.000-07:00

Last modified Sunday, July 12, 2009 12:08 AM PDT

HUNNEMAN: No rest for the weary

By JOHN HUNNEMAN - Staff Writer

Good Sunday morning to you. We're at The Mill for breakfast this morning

Lori Stone was weary.

The sister of Riverside County Supervisor Jeff Stone had spent the day working in a community ---- she preferred not to say which one ----- with a law enforcement task force that deals with sex offenders.

"You wouldn't believe some of the things I see," she said.

Stone, the supervisor, has come under some fire lately, because his sister works for him. Her role is to be an advocate for homeless, social, woman's issues and awareness of sexual abuse.

Stone, the sister, however is not on the county payroll but is paid about $65,000 per year by her brother from campaign funds given him by supporters.

She gets no salary, benefits or retirement money from county coffers.

Jeff Stone calls her a volunteer. Some have quibbled with that.

NOT JUST "SOME PEOPLE" - LOTS OF PEOPLE!

Still there is nothing illegal about the supervisor paying her with campaign funds.

"Jeff's donors are very aware of what I do for the county," she said. "If they believed Jeff made a mistake having me on the staff, they would let him know."

WELL, WE'RE LETTING YOU KNOW RIGHT HERE LORI. JEFF MADE A HUGH MISTAKE HAVING YOU ON HIS STAFF!!!!

Before her current duties, Lori Stone was a self-employed local businesswoman for 17 years. She was also a community volunteer known for helping bring the Susan G. Komen Race For The Cure to Southwest County, which has raised millions of dollars for breast cancer awareness

"People need to know what I do for the residents of Riverside County," she said.

Lori Stone ran down a list of her duties and commissions on which she serves, most helping those who might otherwise have nowhere else to turn.

There's not room to list them all.

Here are a couple of examples:

Not long ago she spent a day dressed as a dirty, disheveled bag lady standing along Murrieta Hot Springs Road trying to gauge attitudes toward the homeless. You can probably guess passersby responses.

"It was pretty scary," she said.

CAN YOU SAY THIS IS PRETTY LAME? GET AN ORIGINAL IDEA - TYRA BANKS ALREADY DID THIS!

When five fire fighters were killed battling the Esperanza fire in 2006, she called on friends and connections to make sure family members were not burdened with burial and other expenses.

The brother and sister have also gotten flack for Lori's use of a county-owned car ---- a Ford Explorer with more than 100,000 miles on it ---- to travel the county doing her duties.

She no longer uses the Explorer and now drives her own vehicle. Doing county work she is entitled to 55 cents per mile reimbursement, which will cost taxpayers $4,000 more this year than if she drove the county's clunker, she said.

VOLUNTEERS PAY FOR THEIR OWN STUFF. THAT'S WHY THEY ARE CALLED A VOLUNTEER.

YOU LORI STONE SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAD USE OF A COUNTY CAR TO START WITH. STOP STEALING MONEY FROM RIVERSIDE COUNTY TO PAY FOR YOUR GAS!

IF A CAR THAT HAS OVER 100,000 MILES IS A "CLUNKER" THEN MOST OF AMERICA IS IN TROUBLE!

Lori Stone also manages her brother's political campaigns. She received a sizeable victory bonus ---- $130,000 ---- last year when Jeff was re-elected, yet another source of controversy.

Once again, this money was from donors. Both Jeff and Lori insist her county tasks are kept completely separate from campaign work.

This issue has been circulated for months and so far no one has come forward with proof otherwise.

So if Lori Stone seems weary, it's with good cause. She's got a lot on her plate, a plate that costs the county next to nothing to keep full.

Call columnist John Hunneman at 951-676-4315, ext. 2603.

Supervisors turn in some staff cars

2009-07-12T17:29:00.000-07:00

WAS JEFF STONE SHAMED INTO TURNING IN HIS "VOLUNTEER" SISTER'S COUNTY CAR. GEE, I GUESS EVERYONES CAR THAT HAS OVER 100K OF MILEAGE IS AN OLD CLUNKER.

LORI - USE YOUR OWN CAR! YOU'RE VOLUNTEERING - USE YOUR OWN GAS - SAVE THE COUNTY MONEY.

JEFF STONE IS SO WORRIED ABOUT SAVING MONEY FOR THE COUNTY......VOLUNTEER YOUR MONEY FOR LORI'S GAS! OR BETTER YET USE YOUR "POLITICAL RE-ELECTION MONEY DONATED" TO PAY FOR HER CAR AND GAS!

Last modified Friday, July 10, 2009 6:59 PM PDT

REGION: Supervisors turn in some staff cars

By JEFF ROWE - jrowe@californian.com

RIVERSIDE ---- Political campaigns sometimes turn on the unlikeliest of words, symbols and deeds. In the race for the state Senate's 66th District seat, the iconic element thus far has been an old car.

A Ford Explorer with 100,000-plus miles on the odometer that was used by Lori Stone in her work as a volunteer has generated radio debates, editorials and proposed legislation in Sacramento.

Lori Stone works on homelessness, women's issues, charity fundraising and other concerns for her brother, 3rd District supervisor and state Senate candidate Jeff Stone. She also works on volunteer teams for the Sheriff's Department and district attorney's office. In her work for the county, Lori Stone is a volunteer, but her big brother also counts on her as a political consultant and pays her from campaign contributions ---- about $65,000 a year, he said. No benefits. But the car attracted attention and became a campaign issue.

VOLUNTEERS DON'T MAKE ABOUT $65K A YEAR LORI!!!

County regulations allow volunteers to use county cars, and the state Fair Political Practices Commission says that's legal, but the policy nonetheless raised questions about the cost, wisdom and appearance of the practice.

Assemblyman Joel Anderson, R-El Cajon, recently introduced legislation in Sacramento that would close what he says is a loophole in state law that allowed Stone's sister to use a county vehicle while working as a volunteer for her brother. Anderson hasn't formally declared himself to be a candidate for the state Senate seat, but he was billed that way in a speech earlier this month in Murrieta.

Stone was furious at the legislation, saying it was clearly politically motivated. The bill ---- AB 1399 ---- originally focused on a voting concern, but was rewritten in May to focus on creating what he called a "bright line" regarding the use of county assets.

WAAH, STONE WAS FURIOUS!

Stone said three cars, including the one assigned to his sister, were turned in about two months ago. County officials confirmed that he and some other supervisors turned in county-operated vehicles assigned to particular staff members.

Stone retains his county-issued Dodge Charger and figures he racks up about 33,000 miles a year on county business. His district stretches from Murrieta to the San Diego County line and eastward to Anza.

For county business, his staff members and his sister still can sign out one of three cars assigned to his office from the county fleet. Use of the cars is charged against the supervisor's budget.

Doug Baracz, assistant director of fleet services, says it usually is more economical for staffers and volunteers to use county cars rather than collect the 55-cents-per-mile reimbursement for using privately owned cars. Generally, he said, it costs the county about 31 cents per mile for county cars. That's partly because the county buys fuel in bulk and saves about 25 cents a gallon over the retail rate.

While Stone says he's convinced his staff members' and sister's use of take-home county cars was cheaper for the county, it just became "way too political" to keep them, he said.

Call staff writer Jeff Rowe at 951-676-4315, ext. 2621.

Jeff Stone Using Fictitious Name to Sign Petitions?

2009-07-12T17:17:00.000-07:00

WEB COMMENTS FROM A STORY THAT RAN LAST WEEK IN "THE CALIFORNIAN" ABOUT THOMAS BUCKLEY, LAKE ELSINORE CITY COUNCILMAN.

Readers had this to say about an alleged confrontation between petition gatherers and Thomas Buckley, the councilman they are seeking to recall:

Clarity: Actually, Buckley is in the good company of Jeff Stone who once signed a Temecula petition under a fictitious name, supposedly to see what it was about. Maybe Stone didn't have a phone camera? Buckley should run for county supervisor or state Senate or governor.

WHAT IS THE COUNTY SUPPOSED TO USE SMART CARS?

2009-07-12T16:49:00.000-07:00

JEFF STONE DOESN'T KNOW THE AREA! SINCE RIVERSIDE COUNTY SHERIFF PATROLS MOSTLY THE RURAL AREA OF THE COUNTY WITH BADLY KEPT UP ROADS, AS WELL AS MANY DIRT ROADS, THE LARGE CROWN VICTORIA IS A MUST TO KEEP THE PEACE.

MAYBE JEFF STONE SHOULD TRADE IN HIS GAS GUZZLING DODGE CHARGER AND USE A "SMART CAR" TO SAVE THE COUNTY MONEY!!!

REGION: County considering smaller patrol cars

By JEFF ROWE - jrowe@californian.com

RIVERSIDE ---- On a trip to France in January, Riverside County Supervisor Jeff Stone noticed small police cars scooting about the tight streets of Paris.

"A good idea for Riverside County," he thought. WHAT A DUMB IDEA JEFF!!!!

Back home, Stone took up the notion of using smaller cars with Sheriff Stanley Sniff and the county's fleet manager, Bob Howdyshell.

They agreed on a test.

While Stone envisioned squads of small cars zipping about nabbing evil-doers, even before the tests cars have been decided upon it appears the incumbent Crown Victoria already has won, a triumph attributed to geography, habits, policing tactics and dips in the road.

Stone's goal is to reduce the sheriff's fuel bill, which totaled $5.5 million for the last 12 months. The Crown Victoria only gets about 18 miles per gallon. Hybrids and smaller cars can get twice that. The sheriff's fleet now includes 788 "black and whites," the Crown Vic patrol cars.

Stone became so enthused about the potential savings that he made the conversion to smaller cars part of his 24-point SCRAPE program, an acronym that stands for Saving County of Riverside Against Preventable Expenses. His goal: saving $3 million a year on fuel for the Sheriff's Department.

Finding a smaller, more fuel-efficient patrol car that incorporates all the Crown Victoria features and will be acceptable to deputies will be a great challenge. Patrol cars need to be pursuit-qualified, said Howdyshell, director of the county's Department of Purchasing and Fleet. Pursuit-qualified vehicles used in the United States include the Crown Victoria, Dodge Charger, Chevy Impala and Chevy Tahoe.

"The Crown Vic has done best for us," Howdyshell said.

Deputies apparently agree, although the Riverside Sheriff's Association didn't return calls seeking comment on the proposal.

But police organizations have come to like the performance and protection the muscular Crown Vic provides for patrolling.

To use less than the protection the Crown Vic provides "increases the chances officers will get hurt or killed," said Capt. Larry Grotefend, whose responsibilities include the department's fleet of vehicles. In addition to the patrol cars, the sheriff's fleet includes 163 unmarked cars, 300 vehicles for investigators, and 322 speciality vehicles, such as jail vans, buses and bomb-disposal trucks. Some of the cars used for undercover and investigative work are hybrids or other smaller vehicles, but none is used for patrolling, Grotefend said.

The Crown Vic also possesses a batch of other features deputies like; for example, it handles dips at intersections and rough roads better than the other pursuit-rated cars, Grotefend said.

The police model Crown Victoria costs $24,500 and comes with front-door armor, cooling routed to the trunk to keep radios from overheating, a special handling and cornering package, a tougher transmission and tires certified for 150-miles-per-hour pursuits.

Police cruisers then get what officers call an "upfit" ---- radios, lights, push bar, plastic seat in the back, prisoner screen between the front and back seat and kevlar sheeting on the windows, which makes them bullet resistant. That equipment costs $8,000.

Smaller police cars are used in many countries around the world, especially in compact metropolitan areas such as Hong Kong. Some small towns in the U.S. also are using smaller cars and the trend toward community policing in urban areas is getting more police officers out of cars and onto the street on foot or on new-technology scooters.

For now, the retreat in fuel prices is dampening pressure to save gasoline.

"There is a place for (smaller) cars, but to supplement pursuit vehicles is more difficult," Grotefend said.

Call staff writer Jeff Rowe at 951-676-4315, Ext. 2621.

Is Jeff Stone trying to stop the truth from this blog?

2009-06-21T18:56:00.000-07:00

Just received a message stating that Blogger thinks this is a spam blog.

This blog wants to put the truth out about Riverside County Supervisor Jeff Stone, through news stories, etc.

Are you trying to cover your tracks Jeff Stone?

This is freedom of speech!

Possible CA State Senate of Jeff Stone wants to fix Loophole

2009-06-21T18:44:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Jeff Rowe of The Californian / North County Times for this story

REGION: Bill aimed at use of county car By JEFF ROWE - jrowe@californian.com

A possible rival to Riverside County Supervisor Jeff Stone's state Senate bid has introduced a bill in the Legislature prohibiting elected county officials "from making a gift of public funds or property to any person."

The bill by Assemblyman Joel Anderson, R-El Cajon, closes what he says is a loophole in current law, which allows Stone's sister, Lori, to use a county car while working as a volunteer for her brother. She works on women's issues, homelessness and fundraising for charities on her brother's behalf and is paid from Jeff Stone's campaign funds ---- about $330,000 over the last three years, including an election victory bonus last year of about $130,000."People are offended," said Anderson, referring to Lori Stone's use of a county car and adding that his bill creates a "bright line" guiding the use of public assets.

Disclosure of her use of a county car and gasoline earlier this year created controversy, but Jeff Stone and others stoutly defended her work. County regulations allow such use and Jeff Stone added that it would have been more expensive for the county if his sister had used her own car and filed for mileage reimbursement."(The bill) is aimed at his own political expediency," Jeff Stone said.

JEFF STONE IS USING HIS UNUSED CAMPAIGN MONEY TO PAY HIS SISTER TO "VOLUNTEER".

Anderson has been mentioned as a candidate for the 36th District Senate seat Stone seeks. Anderson says he is "looking at" entering the race. The seat now is occupied by Dennis Hollingsworth, R-Murrieta, who is barred by term limits from seeking re-election. Stone's campaign manager, Jonathan Buettner, said Anderson's bill is "politically motivated" and "proposes to solve a problem that doesn't exist. County policy in place prohibits what he is suggesting." SHE (LORI STONE) IS AN OVERPAID "VOLUNTEER" THAT SHOULDN'T BE GETTING ALL THAT MONEY OR CAR.

Assembly Bill 1399 now will go to committee, which will determine if it merits further consideration.

Call staff writer Jeff Rowe at 951-676-4315, ext. 2621.

No_On_Stone on Twitter!

2009-06-21T18:34:00.000-07:00

Found this twitter No_On_Stone that is trying to "Save California from Jeff Stone one day at a time"!

Go for it!

Jeff Stone’s Lies

2009-06-21T18:26:00.000-07:00

SEE THE LINK FOR YOU TUBE VIDEOS OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING FROM APRIL 2009..........

Lirra Bishop asked a very simple question of Riverside County Supervisor Jeff Stone at yesterday’s Board of Supervisors meeting. Stone sat with his usual smug smile, not answering as usual. I have a feeling when this is all over, he won’t be quite so smug and the smile will be long gone.

All of Riverside County should thank these two women for standing up for everyone’s rights and daring to take on Stone who is turning into one of the worst examples of a public servant that I can think of.

SOME COMMENTS FROM THIS POSTING..........

Explore posts in the same categories: Anonymous

This entry was posted on April 22, 2009 at 10:26 pm and is filed under Anonymous.

You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments. You can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.

5 Comments on “Jeff Stone’s Lies”
Anonymous Says: April 23, 2009 at 4:36 am
I just have one thing to say.
Jeff Stone, fuck you.

SP Batman Says: April 23, 2009 at 7:31 am
I bet that seat was getting pretty hot there…

Benjamin Cisco Says: April 23, 2009 at 11:43 am
Jeff Stone is an embarrassment to the council and county of Riverside. More and more of the general public are seeing examples of the corruption and crimes that the cult helps to promulgate.

The critics of these corrupt politicians and the CoS will continue to help educate the world. It’s just a matter of time, especially with a gentle push from fine folks like Mark who help broadcast the truth. The ‘bad men’ are going down… [I hope some of the poor folks in RPFs are aware of this.]

Supervisor Jeff Stone Says: April 23, 2009 at 3:33 pm
The Anonymous Pamphlet was given to me by Xenu, Ovelord of the Galactic Confederation. Sorry for the delay in answering your request.

Xenumania Says: April 23, 2009 at 8:24 pm
Lirra Bishop is awesome. She has all my respect.

Jeff Stone’s Unethical Behavior

2009-06-21T18:18:00.000-07:00

Jeff Stone’s Unethical Behavior

This is why we need newspapers. Reporters like Julia Glick from the Riverside Press-Enterprise do us all a favor when they bring to light the unethical behavior of local politicians like Riverside County Supervisor Jeff Stone who touts his sister as a volunteer for the county, yet last year he paid her $40,000 more out of campaign funds than he made as a County Supervisor.

Supervisor Jeff Stone frequently praises his sister as Riverside County’s best bargain because she works full-time as an unpaid volunteer in his office.

But records show he paid Lori Stone more than $180,000 in campaign money last year for political consulting and professional services and he assigned her the free use of a county car with taxpayer-funded gasoline included.

Over the past three years, Stone’s campaign payments to his sister totaled about $330,000.
In reporting this story, The Press-Enterprise tried to interview Lori Stone and another staff member. Jeff Stone directed them not to comment and asked that requests be referred to him.

Jeff Stone has been shilling for Scientology but his days may be numbered. In this time of outrage over AIG bonuses, do we really want to hear that a politician’s sister gets paid $181,000 for “volunteering” and is given a free vehicle and gas courtesy of the taxpayers?
That’s not volunteering, Mr. Stone. And you’re no representative of the people.

DEAR JEFF STONE: VOLUNTEERS DON'T GET PAID! I VOLUNTEER, AND DON'T GET PAID. I'M DOING SOMETHING WRONG I GUESS!

PROTECTING THE INTEREST OF THE DRUG COMPANIES AGAINST MEDICAL MARIJUANA

2006-02-23T14:23:00.000-08:00

PUBLISHED IN "THE CALIFORNIAN" 23 FEBRUARY 2006 - COMMUNITY FORUM

JEFF STONE SHOULD WORRY ABOUT THE COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE, NOT THE DRUG COMPANIES & MEDICAL MARIJUANA. AS MY BEST FRIEND SAID, JEFF STONE IS NOT THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY!

Much better choices than marijuana for medical uses

By: JEFF STONE - Proposition 215, "The Compassionate Use of Marijuana Initiative," has placed local government in a legal and ethical quandary.

The ethical quandary that I have as a pharmacist is allowing lay people to open dispensaries for profit and supply marijuana to people without any quality control over what's dispensed or accountability to those being dispensed this potent drug. Can we ensure that marijuana is pure and unadulterated?

THE REST OF THE ARTICLE CAN BE FOUND AT THE INCLUDED LINK. OR, PUT THIS URL IN YOUR BROWSER: http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2006/02/23/opinion/commentary/18_29_082_22_06.txt

I WAS MORE INTERESTED IN WHAT OTHERS HAD TO SAY ABOUT THIS "COMMUNITY FORUM" LETTER BY JEFF STONE.

Comments On This Story

Patrick wrote on February 23, 2006 12:32 PM:"Well said Jim!! Jeff Stone is a purveyor of dangerous drugs that kill more people than all "illegal" drugs combined. His conflict of interest is far too apparent. "Puzzeled", trust me, when you are dying, smoke is the last thing on your mind. Get a grip. You inhale far more toxic waste sitting in your car waiting in traffic on the 5! The facts are plain and simple, Jeff has a vested interest in the pharmaceutical business, why would he want to endanger that??"

Paul wrote on February 23, 2006 11:18 AM:"Stone was elected County Supervisor -- he was not voted into office to be the County Pharmacist. Most drug studies rely on patient feedback as well as scientific data, but Stone would pick and choose only the information that supports his argument -- and protects his source of income. Stone has many masters, from his pharmaceutical oath of practice to his oath of office to represent the will of his constituents. From the volume of feedback, a majority of his constituents supported the compassionate use of a natural drug for medicinal purposes when they approved Proposition 215 and still support its controlled use for that purpose today. In this case, Stone appears to be representing his own private pharmacy practice. What about that ethical quandary? Also, numerous stories show drug use decreasing among teens since prop 215 won voter approval. Another Stone postulation goes up in smoke."

Puzzled wrote on February 23, 2006 10:19 AM:"Let me get this straight in my own mind... Your already sick? And you want to ingest smoke? And that will make you feel better? You have no idea how much of THC you actually ingesting? But, you don't care about that? All you know is, it makes you feel better. But smoking make you feel better? Have you tried smoking other things? Have they made you feel better? If not, why not? Have you even tried any of the drugs Mr. Stone has suggested? Have they helped? Just one more thing.... Smoking makes you feel better? Ingesting smoke makes you feel better? Oh, one more thing... Why do you want to involve some one else? You already know where to get it, right?"

Jim wrote on February 23, 2006 10:01 AM:"Jeff - If you are so concerned about people getting quality medical cannabis then you should work to get cannabis reclassified as a schedule II drug under the 'Controlled Substances Act'. Then it could be distributed through regular pharmacies. You won't because cannabis (as a unpatentable natural herb) is a threat to pharmaceutical industry profits. Besides you aren't a doctor and have no business interjecting yourself between the doctor/patient relationship. You also don't make a very good constitutional scholar or you'd know that the 'supremacy clause' doesn't give the federal government the right to run roughshod over states rights, read the 10th Amendment. You should find another profession because you don't make a very good county supervisor either. Get a life and leave sick and dying Californians alone!"

rsteeb wrote on February 23, 2006 9:08 AM:"Whether Mr. Stone's pharmacy offers alternatives to cannabis is irrelevant. There is no moral authority to discourage ANY responsible adult use of cannabis in a nation with thriving tobacco and alcohol industries. Yes, Federal law is in conflict with California law, and a growing number of other enlightened states. Cannabis should be removed from the 1970 Controlled Substances Act entirely."

Gimmeabreak wrote on February 23, 2006 8:56 AM:"This guy is ridiculous. If he knew anything about medication, he would know why Marinol is absolutlely not enough. It is a poor substitute for marjuana, which has 60 active cannabinoids. Moreover, try getting someone on chemo to swallow the marinol pill. Even if its not the best option, why imprison people who use marijuana. People like Jeff Stone really anger me. "

Jeff wrote on February 23, 2006 8:29 AM:"Jeff Stone is a Riverside County Supervisor. He's following the pattern of grandstanding set by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors. Jeff has plenty of real issues to address that are critically important to Riverside County. Apparently he has nothing of importance to say about them."

Vryht wrote on February 23, 2006 1:44 AM:"There is a reason Jeff Stone is no longer a doctor....he is really bad at it. An informed doctor KNOWS there are no antinausea medications that have mild side effects. THAT is why he trailed off on the topic instead of listing them. COMPAZINE is related to the drug THORIZINE. It makes a person groggy, confused, and they usually sleep for hours. A real doctor would have known that. Then he mentions megestrol side effects from megestrol are increased appetite and weight gain swelling of the hands, feet, or lower legs increased sugar level in the blood headache breast tenderness impotence decreased sexual desire increase in blood pressure nausea or vomiting dizziness weakness leg pain breathing discomfort unusual bleeding or bruising rapid heartbeat chest pain cough sore throat weakness or numbness of an arm or leg sharp, crushing chest pain or heaviness in chest sudden shortness of breath severe mental depression unusual bruising or bleeding Again a real doctor would have known that. Then he posts a spasticity "claim", I say "claim" because I can easilly Google that he ignores ALL current data. Sativex, a WHOLE PLANT EXTRACT of Marijuana has not only THC but very beneficial cannabinoids that have been found ESSENTIAL for relief. Marinol only contains just THC. And being a pill is hard to do when vomiting. Plus the pill is a fixed dosage. You take it a zoom, baked and useless for hours. With self medicated inhaled medicine people can take just enough to relieve nausea or whatever symptom and stop. Basically the article sounded like the writing of a politician that is sucking up to law enforcement and Republicans. Not one based on any science or even enough compassion for patients to do detailed research. Something a REAL doctor would do. "

Eric Widener wrote on February 23, 2006 1:06 AM:"As a cannabis activist, and a medical marijuana patient, after reading this I am simply speechless. Scare-tactics and plain lies."
wow wrote on February 23, 2006 12:54 AM:"If I chose to medicate myself with a cheaper and safer alternative to pharmacueticals, that's my business and nobody elses! Especially not the person/greedy pharmacy owner who stands to lose the most money by my [and a LOT of people like me] decision. An elected oficial who is a pharmacist is not going to represent a partisan approach to politics. It's time to say we've had enough of these attacks from greedy old school and narrow minded politicians. Who in the world do they think they are representing? "

Just for Laffs wrote on February 22, 2006 10:05 PM:"Stone talks of two quandries he faces in this issue, ethical and legal. He may be speaking from both sides of his face.He tells us, "The legal quandary that I face as a public official ---- sworn to uphold the laws of local, state, and federal government ---- is that state and federal law conflict," and then adds, "Under California law, pharmacists must observe the stricter of state or federal law." Noting that Jeff was a pharmacist before being a politician, and that his professional career pays far better than the two small stakes political gigs he has toyed with thus far, it becomes apparent that his bigger concern is not the following the law, but following the money. In his own words, "State law allows medical marijuana to be cultivated, dispensed, and used for medicinal purposes...". Cultivation of marijuana eliminates the pharmasist from the money chain, leaving Jeff a thrid quandry... a personal financial quandry. "

CONFLICT OF INTEREST wrote on February 22, 2006 8:11 PM:"Could anybody have more of a conflict of interest on the Board than this guy? You aren't VOTING are you? Your bias speaks clearly. You are supposed to be representing the voters that placed you in office, NOT your own wallet! You are brainwashed by your pharmaceutical pals. If you were really concerned about ETHICS, you wouldn't be trying to stop dying people from getting help. YOUR DRUGS are KILLING PEOPLE. What have you done to stop that?"

John wrote on February 22, 2006 7:46 PM:"Damn the marijuana laws. Pharmacists like this have tunnel vision. They can't think outside of the regulatory quagmire of modern medicine and the ethical conflicts of interest that make pharmaceuticals a huge business. Profits, prejudice and political expediency with a dab of puritanical ideology - the perfect prescription for tyranny. So I ask Dr. Stone... is imprisoning the sick and dying to force them not to use medical marijuana effective health policy? I think the good doc has lost his soul and doesn't even know it slipped away."

COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN MENIFEE VALLEY

2006-02-21T13:47:00.000-08:00

IF JEFF STONE WAS SO INTERESTED IN THE MENIFEE VALLEY, AND THE NEED TO "DEVELOP COMMERCIALLY", WHY IS HE AND THE OTHER RIVERSIDE COUNTY SUPERVISORS APPROVING AN APARTMENT COMPLEX IN A DESIGNATED COMMERCIAL ZONED AREA?????? (see my continued comments at the end of story).

Development could bring retail, restaurants and aquatic center to Menifee
By: BRIAN ECKHOUSE - Staff Writer - THE CALIFORNIAN

SUN CITY ---- A proposal to commercially develop a large tract of land fronting Interstate 215 just south of Newport Road would not only bring much needed large retail stores and restaurants to Menifee Valley, but could improve its chances to incorporate as a city, 3rd District Supervisor Jeff Stone told an audience of 130 on Wednesday night. In addition to two or three big box stores ---- possibly including a Home Depot ---- the 750,000-square-foot project, proposed the development firm, Donahue Schreiber, could have an aquatic center plus nine acres devoted to a town hall.

"We're trying to get a regional aquatic center," said Verne Lauritzen, Stone's chief of staff, in an interview during Wednesday's meeting. "We'd like to get an Olympic-size pool, but we're not sure we're going to be able to accomplish that."Webb Hall in Sun City hosted the meeting of the Menifee Valley Municipal Advisory Council, a five-member board appointed by Stone, who was the event's keynote speaker. Lauritzen said Stone hoped the pool at the aquatic center, which would be paid for by the developer, would have at least 9 to 14 lanes."That way, we could use it for some (local) clubs," he said. If a deal between the county and Donahue Schreiber can be reached, the development would boost sales and property tax dollars that could help the valley in its bid to incorporate. State law says a new city cannot be established if it hurts its home county financially. Unless there is a significant increase in its tax revenue base, Menifee Valley, including Sun City, would lack the financial base it would need as a city to pay for police and fire protection along with daily operating costs, according to a 2005 comprehensive financial analysis of the area conducted by consultant Economic & Planning Systems of Berkeley.

Currently, there are few big retail stores and supermarkets in the valley."We'd really accomplish two things: development (area residents) need, and provide facilities for the community," Lauritzen said of the proposed commercial development. "It's a huge, huge major project." Stone, who said he was "shocked" by the condition of Sun City's roads, also promised to have about a quarter of them repaved this year. He joked that there were "gardens" growing in some of the community's roads. The repavement project could cost $3 million, he said.

Other matters discussed at Wednesday night's meeting included the tending of abandoned buildings in Sun City and the status of Project LIFT, a Quail Valley-based center for low-income families. Resident Roald Schroeder of Sun City complained that abandoned buildings at Encanto Drive and McCall Boulevard have become a dumping ground. Stone said the county would clean it up.As for Project LIFT ---- which founder Rita Peters figured would be forced to close due to financial difficulties ---- Stone said he is optimistic the county could use community development block grant funds to buy the 2.1-acre site LIFT has leased. If a deal can be reached between the county and the Long Beach-based property owners, LIFT would be saved from closure, Stone said.

Contact staff writer Brian Eckhouse at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2626, or beckhouse@californian.com.

WATCHDOGS VIEW:

WHY BOTHER DEVELOPING THESE COMMERCIAL AND DOZENS OF NEW RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE MENIFEE VALLEY IF YOU CAN'T GET THERE, JEFF STONE??? WHEN BUILDER "PARDEE" STARTED THEIR MONSTER DEVELOPMENT IN LAKE ELSINORE "CANYON HILLS" IN 1990, THEY WERE REQUIRED TO DEVELOP RAILROAD CANYON ROAD FROM A RURAL TWO LANE ROAD TO A 4+/- LANE ROAD. COTTONWOOD CANYON IS RUINED FOREVER NOW WITH ALL THE BORING, OVERPRICED KB HOMES/PARDEE HOMES THAT ALL LOOK THE SAME.

AND NOW........... ANOTHER DEVELOPER WANTS TO ADD TO THE MADNESS, AND DEVELOP 260+ ACRES TO ADD TO THE CANYON HILLS DEVELOPMENT, AND TO THE CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE. GO AHEAD CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE, AND COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE - KISS KISS KISS UP TO THE DEVELOPER!!! YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT THE NEARBY RESIDENTS!

YOU CANNOT GET TO THE MENIFEE VALLEY FROM INTERSTATE-15 ON THESE RURAL 2 LANE ROADS IN DECENT TIME ANYMORE - NEWPORT ROAD (TAKES FOREVER, AND WHEN IT RAINS TOO MUCH - FORGET IT! UNPASSABLE AT SALT CREEK!) - BUNDY CANYON ROAD (TONS OF TRUCKS THAT CAN'T MAKE THE HILLS OVER 45 MPH SLOWS EVERYONE UP). A 10 MINUTE TRIP TAKES 20 MINUTES.

LONG TIME RESIDENTS ARE FED UP WITH RIVERSIDE COUNTY GOVERNMENT SUPERVISORS THAT SIDE WITH THE DEVELOPERS, AND NOT THE RESIDENTS.

AMUSEMENT FOR THE DAY

2006-02-21T13:33:00.000-08:00

In the year 2006 I resolve to:
Stand up for our rights as land owners.

Get your resolution here

STONE LOSING TOUCH WITH PEOPLE ALREADY

2006-02-20T14:21:00.000-08:00

LETTER TO THE EDITOR - THE CALIFORNIAN - 20 FEBRUARY 2006

Stone losing touch with people already

As I watch the rise to political prominence of Supervisor Jeff Stone, I can't help being reminded of the old adage about absolute power and absolute corruption. Elected to represent the interests of his 3rd District constituents against the bully-boys of Riverside County, he seems quickly to have forgotten that mandate.

In December, he trampled all over his own planning commissioners to approve the construction of a high-density, 660-unit apartment complex on Menifee land zoned for commercial use. When several dozen of his constituents attended an appeals hearing to protest, he chided them for being small-minded and short-
sighted.

In January, he stood by while the supervisors crudely abused their "eminent domain" powers in an attempt to steal land from other Menifee constituents.

Now he wants to subvert the voice of the people of California concerning medical marijuana. He asks what would happen if we voted to legalize heroin. Give us some credit, Mr. Stone. We didn't and we wouldn't. Please don't insult our intelligence. In a remarkably short space of time, Mr. Stone now thinks he knows better than the very people who elected him. He is showing himself to be an ego-driven, developer-controlled politician who is out to make a name for himself. Well, here's name to conjure with ---- Judas Iscariot.

Les Nursey
Menifee

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GREAT LETTER LES NURSEY!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I SAY...DEAR JEFF STONE: THANK YOU FOR TELLING THE RESIDENTS THAT WERE PROTESTING THAT THEY ARE "STUPID" NOT TO UNDERSTAND THE GRAND PLAN OF THINGS... COMMERCIAL ZONING FOR THIS MENIFEE AREA SHOULD BE WHAT IT WAS INTENDED - COMMERCIAL! WE ARE NOT "SMALL-MINDED" FOR SPEAKING OUR MIND - HOW DARE YOU! TAKING AWAY COMMERCIAL AREAS FOR RESIDENTIAL USE FROM A HOPEFUL FUTURE CITY IS TAKING AWAY THEIR TAX BASE.

WHAT DID YOU RECEIVE IN RETURN ($$$$$$$$) TO APPROVE THIS APARTMENT COMPLEX, JEFF STONE?

BECAUSE SOMEBODY ELECTED YOU TO THIS POST DOESN'T AUTOMATICALLY MAKE YOU SMARTER THAN US. STOP THE INSULTING WAY YOU PATRONIZE THE HARD WORKING PEOPLE OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY.

DON'T STEAL OUR LAND, DON'T ASSUME WE ARE STUPID, DON'T BECOME ANOTHER "DUKE" CUNNINGHAM - STOP IT NOW!

STONE BEING HYPOCRITICAL IN POT STANCE

2006-02-20T14:12:00.000-08:00

LETTER TO THE EDITOR - THE CALIFORNIAN - 12 FEBRUARY 2006

Stone being hypocritical in pot stance

This letter is in regard to the recent actions of Riverside County's own captain of hypocrisy, one (Supervisor) Jeffrey Stone. Mr. Stone, while recently addressing a medical marijuana advocate on Feb. 7, made a comparison of marijuana to heroin, asking Mrs. Dege Coutee if she would support heroin if it were legalized. I'd ask him the same, except I already have his answer. As a pharmacist, he sold a substantial amount of opium-based medications, i.e. hydrocodone, morphine, demerol, codeine, and oxycodone ---- all closely related to heroin.

After he removes his foot from his mouth, I'd appreciate it if he could explain to my 70-year-old friend who suffers from glaucoma why he'd consider her a criminal for alleviating her pain the way that works best for her. After that, he can explain to my other friend who sits in a wheelchair at the age of 40 suffering from MS why he doesn't want to allow him to overcome his muscle spasms. And never mind the implications inherent in attempting to undermine the will of the people.

ERIC SCHARF
Temecula

THANK YOU MR. ERIC SCHARF FOR YOUR HONESTY. THE LETTER SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.

LETS PAT ARROGANT JEFF STONE ON THE BACK?!?!?!?!

2006-02-10T18:48:00.000-08:00

SIGN READS: TRAFFIC DIRECTORS FUNDED BY COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE SUPR. JEFF STONE

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MUST BE NICE TO BE ABLE TO PAT YOURSELF ON THE BACK WITH YOUR "WONDERFUL" IDEA WITH THE TAXPAYERS $$$$....

Because of the many rural two lane roads, and the explosive (and boring) home tracts being built in the area, the traffic in Southwest Riverside County California has become RIDICULOUS!!!

When Jeff Stone was the mayor in Temecula, CA he had human traffic directors helping out at the worst tied up areas until signals could be installed.

After he became the county supervisor for the SW Riv. County area, he decided to implement his idea here too at a problem frontage road 4-way stop by I-215. This is all fine and good, but did he have to plaster his name on the sign announcing it too???????

Is this an upcoming trend??? Will we have signs for everything from Jeff Stone? THIS NEW SIGNAL, OR STOP SIGN, OR POT HOLE REPAIR, OR BRIDGE, BROUGHT TO YOU BY JEFF STONE?

WHAT AN ARROGANT JERK!!!!!!!!!!

A THUMBS DOWN TO JEFF STONE & HIS IDEA

2006-02-10T18:43:00.000-08:00

Roses and raspberries
1 FEBRUARY 2006
By: The Californian -

A raspberry ---- the "Tilting at Windmills" award ---- to county Supervisor Jeff Stone, who plans to ask his fellow supervisors to join San Diego and San Bernardino counties in suing the state to overturn 1996's voter-approved medical marijuana initiative. It's an ill-advised waste of time and money and nose-thumbing at the voters of California (who, by the way, have reaffirmed their support for the humanitarian use of marijuana in numerous polls before and since the initiative passed). The conflict between state and federal law ---- which doesn't recognize any legitimate uses for marijuana ---- is long-established, and it's clear that the U.S. Supreme Court will have to be the ultimate arbiter of this and similar laws in 10 other states.

It's questionable whether counties, which are essentially arms of the state government, have the legal standing to sue states, and there is little evidence of any widespread abuse of the medical marijuana laws. And, in fact, the portion of the law Stone wants the county to fight is the part that requires them to issue identification cards to people eligible to legally use the drug, so he is in essence fighting the very controls the county should have to keep it from being abused.

It's also rather disquieting to hear Republicans ---- as Stone and the majority of supervisors in all three counties are ---- assert the supremacy of federal law over state law when it suits their interests, but argue in favor of states' rights, not to mention the inviolability of majority rule, in many other circumstances. Riverside County should pass on Stone's proposal and let its neighbors fight this quixotic battle.

RIVERSIDE COUNTY TO MULL JOINING MEDICAL MARIJUANA SUIT

2006-02-10T18:34:00.000-08:00

HERE'S JEFF STONE BUTTING INTO STUFF HE SOULDN'T..... I GUESS HE DOESN'T CARE WHAT THE CALIFORNIA VOTERS VOTED FOR!!!

County to mull joining medical marijuana suit
By: JOSE CARVAJAL - Staff Writer

Supervisor Jeff Stone wants Riverside County to join its neighbors to the north and south in attempting to overturn California's medical marijuana law. At Stone's urging, the Board of Supervisors is expected to discuss in closed session Tuesday whether to join San Diego and San Bernardino counties in suing the state over the 9-year-old "Compassionate Use Act" ---- Proposition 215 ---- which allows the "seriously ill" to obtain and use marijuana for medicinal purposes.

Stone, a pharmacist, said Prop. 215 contradicts a federal law that classifies marijuana as an illegal drug." I believe that the federal law trumps the state law," Stone said. "All of the federal laws have to be equally or more adhered to because the federal laws supersede all other laws in the United States of America."San Diego County officials filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court on Jan. 20 making the same argument. It is believed to be the first lawsuit that seeks to overturn any of the medical marijuana laws approved by voters in 11 states. The suit argues that states have to bow to a federal law that makes all marijuana use illegal and says it has no medicinal value. It cites Article VI of the U.S. Constitution ---- known as the "Supremacy Clause" ---- which makes the Constitution and federal laws "the supreme law of the land."

"The issue is, the state's asking the county to do something here that they know darn well is illegal," San Diego County Supervisor Bill Horn said at the time. It took a week for San Bernardino County supervisors to decide that they wanted to file their own lawsuit. It is expected that the two suits will be consolidated and that Riverside County's ---- if ultimately filed ---- would join them.Area medical marijuana advocates could not be reached for comment Wednesday. Stone said the lawsuit would ultimately settle what has been a confusing situation for counties, which have had to regulate medical marijuana use while questions regarding its legality have gone unanswered." Hopefully, this lawsuit will give the counties some guidelines as to how to move forward," he said. Rather than wait and see what happens with the suits filed by the other counties, Stone said Riverside County should jump in so that judges who decide the case can see that there are many counties in the state that are grappling with the issue.If the county goes ahead with the lawsuit, he said, it will not suspend a state-mandated identification card program that prevents someone from being arrested for possessing medical marijuana.Eighty-five cards have been issued through the program since it began in December, county public health officials said Wednesday.

The Board will consider the matter Tuesday at the County Administrative Center, 4080 Lemon St., Riverside.Contact staff writer Jose Carvajal at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2624, or jcarvajal@californian.com.

COUNTY TO LICENSE SELLERS OF SPRAY PAINT

2005-09-28T13:55:00.000-07:00

EXCUSE ME, BUT WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE THEY THINKING?????

ESPECIALLY JEFF STONE, SINCE HE'S THE ONE THAT IS PROPOSING THE IDEA IN THE FIRST PLACE????

IF SOMEONE BUYS SPRAY PAINT OR WRITING ITEMS TO DO GRAFFITI, HOW IS THE COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE (OR ANYONE) SUPPOSED TO KNOW WHERE THESE LOW LIFE TAGGERS BOUGHT THE PRODUCT IN THE FIRST PLACE????

SOUNDS LIKE ANOTHER HAIRBRAINED IDEA FOR THE COUNTY TO RAKE IN THE DOUGH FOR NO GOOD REASON.....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
County to license sellers of spray paint

By: DAVE DOWNEY - Staff Writer

RIVERSIDE ---- In a bid to curb the spread of graffiti, Riverside County officials moved Tuesday to create a countywide licensing program for businesses that sell spray paint.

The county Board of Supervisors supported Supervisor Jeff Stone's proposal to license retailers that sell paint and other items used by vandals to spray graffiti on such surfaces as block walls and highway signs, but put off adoption of a program until Oct. 25.

Supervisor Roy Wilson called the proposal "an innovative concept." But, in calling for a delay, Wilson said passing an ordinance at this point would have given city retailers that sell the same materials a significant competitive advantage over stores in unincorporated areas. County ordinances apply only in communities outside city boundaries and city stores do not pay county fees.

The supervisors elected to lobby the county's 24 cities to follow their lead and create a uniform licensing program that applies throughout Riverside County's 7,200 square miles. Wilson suggested broaching the matter at the October meeting of the Western Riverside Council of Governments, to which each west-county city belongs, along with the county. By a 4-0 vote, with Supervisor John Tavaglione absent, the board endorsed that strategy.

The Western Riverside council is a 15-member body of elected officials that discusses regional issues such as transportation.

Similar to the county's new tobacco licensing program, adopted earlier this month, the graffiti program would exert pressure on retailers to adhere to county rules regarding the sale of spray paint under the threat of losing licenses to sell such products. Those rules require graffiti items to be locked up.

Stone said it is unknown how many stores would be obligated to obtain licenses under the program and what their costs would be, but he estimated the annual fee could fall in the $200 range. The so-called "graffiti implements" licensing program would take effect July 1, 2006, he said.

"This is going to ultimately lead to a 24-hour abatement policy in this county," he said, noting Temecula already has such a standard. "You don't find graffiti in Temecula," Stone said. "If you do, it is gone within 24 hours." A former Temecula councilman, Stone represents the 3rd District, which stretches from Temecula and Murrieta to Idyllwild.

For the purpose of determining who would obtain licenses, county officials propose defining graffiti items to mean aerosol paint containers, nozzles that can be attached to containers and indelible felt tip markers, among other things. Supervisors said, however, they do not plan to target crayons and chalk, as was indicated in Stone's report to the board.

Stone said crayons and chalk were included in the draft by mistake, as a result of taking language from another ordinance.

"Certainly we don't want Toys 'R' Us to have to get a license," he said. "That was not the intent."

Under the licensing plan, which is subject to revision, violations could be declared either an infraction or misdemeanor.

Infractions could fetch fines of up to $100 for first offenses, $200 for second offenses and $500 for each violation after that. Misdemeanors would be punishable by fines of up to $1,000 and up to six months in jail.

Stone said after the meeting that he did not believe giving someone jail time for improperly selling spray paint conflicted with his well-publicized campaign to end the early release of violent felons from county jails. The county releases more than 3,000 inmates before their sentences are up each year, to relieve crowding in county jails.

"I'm not going to let our jail problems, which I have been attempting to solve, get in the way of addressing the graffiti problems we have in Riverside County," Stone said.

Meanwhile, Robin Zimpfer, assistant county executive officer for the Economic Development Agency, reported that within 45 days officials will bring to the board a plan for putting two graffiti abatement trucks out in the field to look for and clean up defaced property. Zimpfer said one truck will roam the west county and the other will patrol the desert. That plan is a response to an earlier request of Stone's.

Contact staff writer Dave Downey at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2616, or ddowney@californian.com.

___________________________________

TAKEN FROM THE ARTICLE: Under the licensing plan, which is subject to revision, violations could be declared either an infraction or misdemeanor. Infractions could fetch fines of up to $100 for first offenses, $200 for second offenses and $500 for each violation after that.

Misdemeanors would be punishable by fines of up to $1,000 and up to six months in jail.

HOW DOES THE COUNTY DETERMINE WHO IS IN VIOLATION OF THIS POLICY??? DO THEY USE A CRYSTAL BALL TO SEE WHO SOLD THE SPRAY PAINT TO THE TAGGER??? I'M SORRY, BUT I JUST DON'T GET IT!

DEAR JEFF STONE - STAY OUT OF DESERT CENTER!!!

2005-09-18T14:26:00.000-07:00

Town tired of being dumped on
By: DAVE DOWNEY - Staff Writer

A town near Desert Center that sprung up to support a large mining operation years ago now sits boarded up, fenced and abandoned. Riverside County Supervisor Jeff Stone once proposed housing paroled sex offenders in the homes that are located very close to the local elementary school.
DAVID CARLSON
Staff Photographer-The Californian

DESERT CENTER ---- Out on Interstate 10 about 150 miles east of Temecula, a mirage-like place marked by a distinct, broken ring of palm trees, a cafe and a tank museum breaks up the monotonous, desolate desert landscape, if only for a moment.A closer look, however, reveals a community of 500 permanent residents that swells to 1,000 in the winter. Its people are mostly veterans and senior citizens, guards who work at two Blythe-area state prisons and their families, and the seasonal "snowbirds" who flock there in November, seeking refuge from winter cold.

Ten miles to the north of Desert Center is the area's kindergarten through eighth-grade school, where the baseball diamond is landscaped with gravel. School officials say the field likely will remain that way because Eagle Mountain Elementary does not have enough students to field a team, let alone enough money to irrigate a thick thatch of grassy outfield.Looking west and north from Eagle Mountain School it is impossible to miss the gray terraces carved into the chocolate-colored mountains that are the massive iron ore mine, which gave rise to a town in its heyday. One can't miss, either, the steepled former church next to the school and hundreds of abandoned boxlike houses with boarded-up windows and faded and chipped yellow, white or light-brown paint." It was a full-on city," longtime Desert Center resident Rick Overman said, noting it had a bowling alley, a grocery store and a bank.

It is here that Riverside County Supervisor Jeff Stone recently proposed putting some of the county's jailed criminals and paroled rapists. The former Temecula councilman proposed buying the defunct Eagle Mountain state prison nearby and converting it into a county jail. Stone also suggested turning boarded-up homes into halfway houses for sex offenders. Perhaps, Overman said, it seemed like a good idea on the surface: Put the most dangerous criminals and most unwanted sex offenders deep in the heart of the desert, 50 miles from Indio and 50 miles from Blythe. The problem, he said, is that Indio and Blythe aren't the nearest towns; Desert Center is.Worse, he said, the K-8 school, where 25 students are enrolled for class this fall, is a football field's distance away from the would-be halfway houses."It's not in the middle of nowhere, and it's not away from people," Overman's wife, Karen, said of the suggested jail and halfway-house campus. A closer lookFor the Overmans, the campus proposal hit too close to home.It was bad enough, Rick Overman said, that his daughter, now 21, was molested between the ages of 6 and 9 by a man who once lived in the area. The notion of putting sex offenders next to the school went over the top, he said. After all, that's where his 5-month-old granddaughter, Deja Niccole, will one day learn how to read."I kind of take it personally," said Overman, whose thick silver hair and black "Vietnam Veteran" baseball cap match the colors of his favorite football team, the Oakland Raiders. Stone said last month that he never intended to harm anyone in the desert community and has abandoned the idea of setting up halfway houses at Eagle Mountain.

The idea surfaced during the early-summer uproar over the placement of paroled rapist David Dokich in the rural western Riverside County community of Mead Valley. "It was just an idea," Stone said. "It came up during the Dokich issue when we were asking, 'Hey, where do we put these guys?' I was just basically thinking out of the box, thinking out loud." Stone said the site next to Eagle Mountain school "may not be an appropriate place for that." However, it's also not appropriate for registered sex offenders to live as close as one-fourth of a mile from urban schools with 2,000 or more students, as they are allowed under state law, he said. Stone said the Eagle Mountain halfway-house concept was an outgrowth of efforts to see if paroled rapists could be moved farther away from schools all over the county. Those discussions led to state legislation and a proposed initiative to extend the minimum distance to almost a half-mile. Stone, too, said he is abandoning the proposal to buy the 13-acre, 75,000-square-foot defunct Eagle Mountain prison from Kaiser Ventures for $10.8 million, although he continues to believe it is a practical option for a county jail, at a time when a crowded correctional system is spitting inmates onto the street before their time is up."I've always said it would be better to deliver a jail in months rather than years," Stone said. "You wouldn't have to buy a utensil for this place. It is turnkey ready to go." However, Stone said there is no use pushing an option Riverside County Sheriff Bob Doyle opposes. Doyle has said the desert prison's dormitory-style cells are unsuitable for the county's predominantly violent inmate population.

On Friday, Doyle proposed building a new jail in western Riverside County instead to stem the tide of early inmate releases. "It's dead," Stone said of the Eagle Mountain jail idea. " The supervisors all agreed, me included, unanimously (in a closed session) after the sheriff would not consider it an option that we would not pursue it." It's not just the danger sex offenders pose that is giving rise to opposition in Desert Center, a neighborhood of simple, one-story, Bermuda-grass-landscaped houses wrapped around 27-acre Lake Tamarisk and a nine-hole golf course. Local boosters are rising up to stop the jail and halfway-house campus in its tracks because they say it would derail any chance Desert Center has of getting on the economic development map." This type of development does not enhance land values; it takes away from values," said Larry Charpied, 52, an organic jojoba farmer who jokingly refers to himself as a "jojoba witness." Prisons and perverts "Prisons, perverts, garbage dumps and sewage disposal areas ---- all these things that have been proposed for years around here aren't going to do us any good," Charpied said. "They are dead ends." The Eagle Mountain mine is coveted as a potential dumping ground for Southern California's mountains of garbage. Riverside County officials approved a plan to ship trash to the site by rail in the early 1990s, but the project has been tied up in court. Larry and Donna Charpied and regional environmental groups filed suit to halt the plans to dump trash in the mine's 1.5-mile-long and half-mile-wide open pit. The mining town next to it was founded in 1948 by iron magnate Henry J. Kaiser and shuttered in 1983 with the closing of the mine. While the Eagle Mountain company town immediately transformed into ghost town, the Eagle Mountain School kept its doors open to teach math and English to kindergartners and grade-school students living 10 miles away in Desert Center.

The Charpieds and Overmans wish Los Angeles and the rest of urban Southern California would leave them alone and let them pursue their own dream. That dream is not to become the dumping ground for Southern California's unwanted trash and people, Donna Charpied said, but a place where students come to learn about the desert and tourists come to experience the desert wilderness.

"Some people look at the (boarded-up) houses and see a ghost town," Donna Charpied said. "We see wilderness huts."Where some see rocks and cactus, Rick Overman sees a landscape rich in wildlife ranging from mule deer to bobcats to red-tailed hawks and in the history of gold mines and Gen. George S. Patton's desert-training exercises. During World War II, Patton brought soldiers to the area to train for battle in the brutally hot conditions of the barren Sahara Desert, where the Germans were threatening to take control of the Suez Canal. A museum in nearby Chiriaco Summit commemorates that historic desert training center. "It's actually pretty out here," Overman said. "A lot of people don't see it that way. But it is. This place is just crawling with nature." It's particularly beautiful at night, he said."There's no lights to hide the stars," Overman said. "You can see the Milky Way like you can just reach up into it. And you can hear the coyotes. It's relaxing. I'd like to see this go for something other than a resort for perverts."

Contact staff writer Dave Downey at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2616, or ddowney@californian.com.

DESERT CENTER SHOULD BE LEFT ALONE - THANK YOU JEFF STONE FOR TAKING BACK YOUR STUPID IDEA. WE COULD ALWAYS OPEN A HALF WAY HOUSE IN MURRIETA NEAR THE FANCY BEAR CREEK COMMUNITY.......

PLAN DENYING FUNDS TO CHAMBER FAILS

2005-08-26T19:38:00.000-07:00

Plan denying funds to chamber fails
SUPERVISORS: Though two chambers would have gotten money, one that lost favor would not.
11:06 PM PDT on Tuesday, August 23, 2005
By KIMBERLY TRONE / The Press-Enterprise

Riverside County supervisors Tuesday refused to support colleague Jeff Stone's bid to reward a chamber of commerce he helped start and snub a chamber he opposes.

Stone, who represents southwest Riverside County, had requested $30,000 for the Menifee-Sun City Chamber of Commerce, which is headed by Julie Johnson, his former staff member. The new chamber opened in May.

He also sought $10,000 for the Idyllwild Chamber of Commerce, but didn't offer money to the Menifee Valley Chamber of Commerce, which has represented the area for 30 years. Stone abandoned his support for the Menifee Valley chamber in February, when it was considering a regional partnership with the Hemet/San Jacinto Valley Chamber of Commerce. Stone opposed the plan, which has been put on hold.

Stone faced a storm of criticism from several Menifee Valley chamber members at Tuesday's meeting. They said it was unfair for him to funnel public money to a rival chamber he helped create.

"Mr. Stone, you threw us a curveball -- and I voted for you," said Chuck Cena, a member of the Menifee Valley chamber. "This is a very, very poor political move."

Stone's request for the chambers was part of a $141,500 spending package for 15 nonprofit organizations in the southwest Riverside County. The board approved the balance of Stone's funding requests.

The money comes from the county's Community Improvement Designation fund.
By offering support to the new chamber, Stone said he was attempting to bolster an organization that is positioned to bring jobs and economic development to the region. But Supervisor Bob Buster said he was "very sad" to see how Stone's actions had divided the Menifee Valley community.

"I would be using my office to bring these two groups together," Buster said.
Supervisor John Tavaglione said he agreed with Buster, and pointed out the special fund was intended to support communitywide activities, such as youth programs.
"Chambers are meant to get support from the business community," Tavaglione said.

Reach Kimberly Trone at (951) 368-9456 or ktrone@pe.com

STONE REBUKED FOR CHOOSING ONE GROUP OVER ANOTHER

2005-08-26T18:55:00.000-07:00

Stone rebuked for choosing one group over another
By: DAVE DOWNEY - Staff Writer
AUGUST 24, 2005 - THE CALIFORNIAN

RIVERSIDE ---- County officials Tuesday rejected Supervisor Jeff Stone's plan to give public money to a fledgling Menifee chamber of commerce headed by a former Stone staff member, while giving nothing to a rival chamber that has served the area for three decades. County supervisors said they could not support a proposal that would divide a community.

In proposing to deliver $141,500 in county community improvement funds to 15 organizations, Stone asked the Board of Supervisors to award $30,000 to the Menifee-Sun City Chamber of Commerce, which formed in April.

The business group is led by former Stone staff member Julie Johnson, who left in May to become the chamber's president and chief executive officer. At the same time, Stone's list of suggested recipients left out the established Menifee Valley Chamber of Commerce, which was Johnson's former employer and has frequently clashed with the supervisor.

Stone contended the older group's decision months ago to explore a merger with the Hemet chamber threatened to hurt Menifee by undermining the community's efforts to build a tax base and form a city. A Menifee Valley member said the merger was no longer on the table. In any event, the county supervisors said Tuesday they could not support a proposal that would give one business group tens of thousands of dollars and zero to another group performing the same service in the same community. "I'm very sad that this took place," Supervisor Bob Buster said. "We're all here to bring communities together, not to split up groups."Supervisor John Tavaglione added that the county funds in question were intended for nonprofit organizations that provide public services to communities, not for chambers of commerce that promote private business development.

After seeing that his proposal was about to be shot down, Stone withdrew the spending request for the Menifee-Sun City chamber, as well as a request to award $10,000 to an Idyllwild chamber.

The supervisors voted 4-0, with member Roy Wilson absent, to approve the remaining requests.Among the recipients are Canyon Lake Lighthouse, $5,000; the Winchester Volunteer Fire Department, $10,000; the county's Grandparents Raising Grandchildren program, $5,000; the Commission on Women, $2,500; the county Economic Development Agency, $25,000; and Temecula Noon Rotary, $500.

Six people, most of them members of the older Menifee Valley chamber, strode to the podium to protest Stone's plan. Among them was Joe Daugherty, a Sun City business owner and local school board member. "We don't need to split Menifee any more," Daugherty said. Dawn Prather of Murrieta, a past chairwoman of the Menifee Valley chamber, asked, "Why is only the new chamber getting a share and the old chamber being abandoned?" Michael Foster, president and chief executive officer for Menifee Valley, read a one-page letter from the group's membership.

"It is with some confusion and frustration that we come to you today concerning Supervisor Stone's request to grant public funds as a means of endorsing a chamber of commerce that he himself has started," Foster said. "We are both frustrated and confused because, never in the history of this board has any supervisor immersed himself or herself into the politics of a local community to the point that we have reached here today. ... He is apparently doing everything in his power to shut down a chamber that has faithfully served its community for more than 30 years."

Stephen Tapley of Temecula, who owns a Sun City shopping center, said he was pressured by members of Stone's staff to provide office space for the new chamber rent free. Stone disputed that point, saying the private business group intended to pay a fee.Stone made no apologies for focusing attention on the new chamber."Frankly, in the last year the old chamber had the wrong board of directors. They were going down the wrong path," Stone said. "They need to focus on building their own tax base, not Hemet's."The established chamber claims more than 300 members. Stone said the new group's membership is approaching 200.Johnson, the new group's president, did not speak at the meeting.

In an interview Monday, she said it was appropriate to fund her chamber and not the other because her group is the one with the local focus."Two chambers can exist and we're proving it right now," Johnson said. "That's just the way it is; it's called the free enterprise system. It's the American way of life. You don't create monopolies, and that benefits the American consumer."Contact staff writer Dave Downey at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2616, or ddowney@californian.com.

MUST BE NICE TO HAVE THE POWER TO SPEND PUBLIC FUNDS ON YOUR FRIENDS AND THEIR PET PROJECTS, OVER THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY!!!!!!!

STONE PLAYING FAVORITES WITH FORMER STAFF MEMBER?

2005-08-26T18:44:00.000-07:00

Roses & raspberries - 8/26/05
By: The Californian

A raspberry ---- the "Playing Favorites" award ---- to county Supervisor Jeff Stone, for his attempt to funnel $30,000 in taxpayer funds to a new chamber of commerce in Menifee in a politically motivated bid to support it over a more established chamber.

The long-standing Menifee Valley Chamber of Commerce stumbled earlier this year with an ill-advised bid to link up with the Hemet-San Jacinto chamber, prompting local business owners to form the new Menifee-Sun City Chamber. Stone's personal support has helped the new chamber gain credibility in the local business community, and while one can question whether a county supervisor should be injecting himself into such a localized dispute, there's nothing inherently wrong with it. But trying to boost the fortunes of one over the other with taxpayer money crosses the line (public support of any chamber of commerce is questionable). When it became clear this week that his fellow supervisors weren't going to allow the gift, Stone withdrew the request. But Stone should step back from this dispute and let the Menifee and Sun City business communities sort their own dirty laundry.

THIS NEW CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WAS STARTED BY A FORMER STAFF MEMBER OF JEFF STONE. SO, HE'S SUPPORTING HIS BUDDY..... SOUNDS WRONG TO ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SUPERVISOR STONE SUED OVER FEBRUARY ACCIDENT

2005-08-26T18:11:00.000-07:00

Supervisor Stone sued over February accident
By: DAVE DOWNEY - Staff Writer
AUGUST 2005 - THE CALIFORNIAN

RIVERSIDE ---- A lawsuit has been filed against Supervisor Jeff Stone and Riverside County in connection with a traffic accident the former Temecula councilman was involved in while driving his county vehicle to work last winter. The suit, filed by Elena Satalan of Moreno Valley, seeks an unspecified amount of damages from Stone and the county to cover medical expenses and loss of pay she allegedly incurred, according to court documents. The suit states that she was unable to work following the collision.

The accident occurred at 7:28 on the morning of Feb. 22, near the intersection of Alessandro Boulevard and Barton Street in southeastern Riverside. Stone, reached by telephone Friday, said he was driving from his Temecula home to his office at the County Administrative Center in downtown Riverside at the time. The suit was filed Aug. 5 in Riverside Superior Court. Satalan was driving a 1999 Toyota; Stone drove a 2005 Chrysler 300 owned by the county. Stone said the accident occurred on a cloudy, rainy morning when roads were slick. "It was one of those unfortunate situations where it was raining profusely," he said. "When the light turned yellow, there was plenty of time for the cars in front of me to go through the yellow light, but someone slammed on the brakes."Stone said he responded by slamming on his brakes, but was unable to stop his vehicle in time to avoid skidding into the rear end of the car in front of him."It was a very minor impact," he said, saying the county car was traveling 5 to 8 mph. "It was a slight tap." He said the damage to the woman's car totaled no more than $200 to $300."I feel bad if she was in fact hurt," Stone said. "Unfortunately, accidents happen. This is why you have insurance. This is the first accident I have had in 10 or 15 years." Satalan filed a claim for damages with the county on May 13, and on July 15 county officials denied it. Neither Satalan nor her attorney could be reached for comment Friday. Elected to a four-year term in 2004, Stone has been a member of the Riverside County Board of Supervisors since early January. He represents the county's 3rd District, which stretches from Temecula and Murrieta to Hemet and Idyllwild.Contact staff writer Dave Downey at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2616, or ddowney@californian.com.

MY COMMENTS:

A: MUST BE NICE TO DRIVE A NICE FANCY CAR ON THE TAXPAYERS MONEY!

B: WHY WOULD SOMEONE DURING A RAIN STORM BE TRYING TO RACE THROUGH AN INTERSECTION, ESPECIALLY A YELLOW LIGHT? I THOUGHT YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO DRIVE CAREFULLY DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER - NOT DASH THROUGH YELLOW LIGHTS.

C: WHY WAS THE HIT DRIVERS' MS. SATALAN CLAIM REFUSED BY THE COUNTY? OR, WHY DIDN'T STONE TAKE CARE OF THE PAYMENT FOR THE AUTOMOBILE DAMAGE HIMSELF???

STONE'S STYLE RUBS SOME WRONG WAY

2005-08-26T17:56:00.000-07:00

Stone's style rubs some wrong way
By: DAVE DOWNEY - Staff Writer
AUGUST 18, 2005 THE CALIFORNIAN

Supervisor Jeff Stone's abrasive, confrontational style of pushing initiatives is getting him noticed, not only in Riverside County but in Sacramento.In recent weeks, the former Temecula councilman has locked horns with the county sheriff over inmates who get out of jail early, with the state's top fire official over whether a wildfire air attack base should remain in Hemet and with Sacramento lawmakers over sex-offender legislation. Every step of the way, Stone has grabbed headlines.

"He wants his name in print every day," suggested Bill Breliant, an 82-year-old Beverly Hills man who used to breed race horses in Hemet and owns 138 acres next to Hemet-Ryan Airport, the epicenter of perhaps Stone's hottest issue. "He's making news, but he's causing a lot of problems for himself. He threatens the sheriff. He threatens everybody."Others see a different county supervisor."It's nice to see somebody on the Board of Supervisors who doesn't just fall into line," said Art Cassel, a Lake Mathews-area resident who attends many board meetings. "He is willing to go out on a limb. I don't always agree with what he says, but at least he is thinking outside the box, and that is something we need in Riverside County.""He's not part of the good-old-boy network, and I like that," Cassel said.On the county board, however, one colleague ---- Supervisor Bob Buster ---- suggests that Stone's often-combative approach is unhealthy. The approach not likely to produce the results Stone wants, Buster said, and may well drive a wedge of distrust between the county and other government agencies.A state lawmaker who was targeted by Stone's attempt to censure 10 Democrats earlier this summer suggested the approach could in fact backfire."You know, we're all human beings," said Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg, D-Los Angeles. "There might come a moment when I might be able to repay the favor when I'm voting for something."Taking on Sacramento"

On June 21, Stone asked supervisors to issue a "vote of no confidence" for Goldberg and other Democrats on the public safety committees of the Assembly and Senate. He suggested the legislators repeatedly resisted efforts by local Republican lawmakers to keep convicted rapists behind bars for longer periods.Stone withdrew the item when it became clear he did not have the board's support."I didn't agree with him on that one," Supervisor Roy Wilson said. "You don't hit somebody over the head with a two-by-four and turn around and say, 'We need your help with this bill.'"Goldberg said she never heard of a county board censuring the Legislature."You can tell him from me that the only vote of 'no confidence' that I listen to is the one from the people of the district that I represent," Goldberg said. "I think if he wants to have an impact on legislation, he should do what every other organization does, which is to pass a resolution saying that he supports or opposes a certain bill. That's the useful thing to do. This other stuff is probably just for show."It wasn't just for show, Stone said."Yes, it certainly would have gotten some publicity," he said. "But it would have shed some light on the bills that have been killed."While it is true Goldberg and others represent specific districts, Stone said lawmakers should look out for the interests of all Californians.Besides the Legislature, Stone has been clashing with Riverside County Sheriff Bob Doyle and with Dale Geldert, director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.Stone has expressed concern on many occasions about the 3,000 inmates annually being let out of jail before completing their sentences, to make room in Riverside County's crowded correctional system for incoming prisoners. The sheriff has proposed building large new jails and expanding existing ones, costly projects that take years. Stone has stressed cheaper alternatives, such as buying the defunct dormitory-style prison at Eagle Mountain in the eastern Riverside County desert, that he says could deliver relief in months rather than years. Doyle has maintained that Eagle Mountain's dormitory-style housing isn't adequate for holding the county's mostly violent inmate population, and that the remote location would threaten the safety of correctional officers who would be an hour from the nearest hospital.Fighting over public safetyIn July, while Doyle was on vacation, Undersheriff Neil Lingle sparred with Stone at a meeting where the supervisor unveiled his 21-page report on his suggested jail solutions, including Eagle Mountain."The undersheriff's comments ... referring to my study as a farce were improper," Stone asserted later in a three-page letter to Doyle. "The use of words like 'grandstanding' were not appropriate," he added.The letter was widely perceived among county officials as an attempt by Stone to extend an olive branch to Doyle, but the fact that copies were sent to seven newspapers raised eyebrows among the officials. Stone insisted on Friday that he was not seeking still more publicity by distributing the letter, but rather letting the public know what he was doing.Wilson, the supervisor from the Palm Springs area, said, "I wish that he and the sheriff would just sit down and work out their differences rather than fighting back and forth, which has been the M.O. lately on both sides."

Stone has been at odds with the top brass at CDF for even longer.The state agency, which provides fire protection for Riverside County under a contract, was slowly moving to shift its regional air tankers from their base at Hemet-Ryan Airport to March Air Reserve Base 15 miles to the northwest. It was a decision that was actually initiated by the Riverside County board back in 1997, albeit long before Stone arrived. Earlier this year, the Legislature and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger budgeted more than $8 million for the relocation, which could be completed by 2006.However, in April, three months after taking office, Stone lobbied to halt the project. He maintained the relocation would leave forested areas around Idyllwild, which is in his district, more vulnerable to a fast-moving wildfire because it would take a few extra minutes for planes to reach the mountains from March. Stone's 3rd District stretches from Temecula and Murrieta through the Menifee-French Valley area to Hemet and the San Jacinto Mountains. At the county board's urging, state officials agreed in May to take another look at whether the planes should stay at Hemet-Ryan. As the summer has dragged on, Stone has grown increasingly impatient. Stone insists the state missed a self-imposed Aug. 1 deadline for making a decision. State officials maintain they never made such a promise. A forest of letters The dispute has produced a flurry of letters between him and the state."We've had enough paper generated from the letters through the exchanges over this thing to wipe out an entire forest," quipped Michael Jarvis, a CDF spokesman in Sacramento.In the most recent one, dated Wednesday, Stone and Supervisor John Tavaglione called on area lawmakers to jump into the fray. The supervisors also questioned the CDF director's motives."We believe that the director's decision on this issue may be more politically motivated than public safety motivated," the supervisors wrote.That line brought a sharp retort Friday from Jarvis."This clearly shows a lack of knowledge on what Director Geldert has been doing on this project," Jarvis said. "Questioning his motives is not only unfair, it is irresponsible. You are talking about someone who has committed his whole life to public safety, as has the entire administration at CDF here. ... So that line is offensive."It is one thing to criticize the agency's handling of the study, he said, but quite another to attack the character of the state's stop fire official."This has taken on a nasty tone, which is very unfortunate," Jarvis said.Stone defended his sharp tone."No. 1, he (Geldert) doesn't keep his commitment to me (to deliver a report by Aug. 1)," Stone said. "It leads me to believe that he doesn't have the confidence in his staff to write a report about the efficacy of keeping the air base at Hemet-Ryan."Supervisor Buster suggested Stone should tone down his rhetoric on Hemet-Ryan and other issues, as well."We don't need to get in a fight all the time to get things done. That is self-defeating and ultimately could hurt the reputation of the county," Buster said. "I think you ought to go to great lengths to work cooperatively with your opposition first."Shaking things upStone countered that, while he has "always been a believer in diplomacy," at times one must speak out."One thing I will do, I will rattle the status quo if they are going down the path of a political solution ... and making a decision that is contrary to the best interests of this county," Stone said. "The people who elected me wanted to see someone in there who would shake things up."Still, Buster suggested Stone's confrontational way of shaking things up often does not result in all the facts being put on the table."It generates a lot of heat, but not a lot of light," Buster said.On the other hand, Wilson suggested that, for the most part, the heat radiating from Stone's seat at the county dais stems is no different than the drive and enthusiasm that each of the other supervisors roared into office with upon first being elected to the board."I appreciate Jeff's energy level and his desire to move forward," Wilson said.The veteran supervisor said the fight with CDF is being fanned into flame by sincere concern."Jeff is charging full speed ahead because many constituents in his district feel that fire service would be better served by having the air attack base down at Hemet rather than at March," Wilson said. "He is issue-driven there, not necessarily picking on CDF."Stone said he is not picking on anybody."I'm very frank," he said. "Maybe when I mention the truth people don't like that, but it doesn't mean that it is an attack. I do my best to attack issues."Contact staff writer Dave Downey at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2616, or ddowney@californian.com.

HIGHWAY 74 BUDGET DOUBLES IN FIVE YEARS

2005-08-26T17:47:00.000-07:00

Highway 74 budget doubles in five years
By: DAVE DOWNEY - Staff Writer
AUGUST 23, 2005 - THE CALIFORNIAN

RIVERSIDE ---- Widening Highway 74 between Lake Elsinore and Perris will cost $76.4 million, nearly double the original amount set aside for the project five years ago, regional transportation officials learned Monday.The Riverside County Transportation Commission's budget committee voted 6-1 to recommend increasing the budget of $69.8 million by $6.6 million to cover the soaring costs of land and construction materials. Costs also have increased as a result of weather-related delays.

Construction workers lost time during last winter's downpours. They also were sidelined for months afterward because the near-record rains saturated soil so much that groundwater rising to the surface prevented digging, agency officials said. As a result, the contractor, Riverside Construction Co., is not expected to complete the 8.5 miles of new four-lane highway under construction between Interstates 15 and 215 until about a year from now, said Hideo Sugita, deputy executive director of the transportation commission."It could slip further if there are significant rains this winter and if the rains impact construction," Sugita said. "The prior schedule for completion was April of '06. We're now looking into the summer of '06 and it could be further out if we have more rain." The first three miles is open between I-15 and Wasson Canyon Road, and construction is continuing on the remaining section to the east. When completed, Highway 74 will be a shiny, four-lane ribbon of asphalt, with a continuous left-turn lane and 8-foot-wide shoulders, through an area that has been dubbed "Blood Alley" because of its frequent fatal accidents.

Monday's no vote was cast by committee member Jeff Stone, the county supervisor from Temecula. Stone said he voted against the revised budget to protest the escalating costs and the transportation agency's apparent helplessness to prevent the increases.He termed the series of increases "embarrassing."

The panel's vote will serve as a recommendation to the full 29-member commission, which is scheduled to take up the matter Sept. 13. Bob Magee, chairman of the budget committee and Lake Elsinore mayor, wanted to know whether the committee had a choice on whether to go along with the latest spike, short of stopping the project in its tracks."We've gone in five years from a $40 million project to a $76 million project," Magee said. "Do we have any alternative but to approve this budget adjustment?""No, sir," Sugita responded.The commission initially established a project budget of $40.5 million in January 2000. In July of that year, the commission revised the figure upward to $51.3 million, reflecting efforts to accelerate land purchases and make amends for chewing up the coastal sage-scrub habitat of the threatened California gnatcatcher bird. A second increase to $69.8 million was approved in May 2002, reflecting the skyrocketing cost of buying land in one of the nation's hottest real estate markets."This is the third time staff is coming back to the well for a budget adjustment," Sugita said. He said the latest change is being driven by yet more increases in land costs, both to provide room for the new highway lanes and to add territory to gnatcatcher reserves in the area.

Sugita said the biggest single increase ---- $3.2 million ---- is being driven by soaring costs for construction materials such as asphalt and gravel, which are in short supply because of the booming construction going on throughout Southern California.

It hasn't helped, said Eric Haley, executive director, that landowners have been pushing to get higher prices for their property. "People at the end of the line are looking for a strategic benefit in this process," Haley said. The agency is in the process of buying 525 parcels for Highway 74, a record for a Riverside County road-widening project. Sugita said most have been obtained, but about 50 more properties are needed. He said negotiations for a few properties are deadlocked and likely will wind up in court. Contact staff writer Dave Downey at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2616, or ddowney@californian.com.

MY COMMENTS:

WHY WOULD JEFF STONE VOTE AGAINST THE REVISED BUDGET? I DIDN'T KNOW WE COULD CONTROL MOTHER NATURE AND ONE OF THE WETTEST WINTERS ON RECORD, THE HIGHER COSTS FOR BUILDING MATERIALS, OR THE COSTS OF REAL ESTATE TO PURCHASE ADDITIONAL NEEDED PROPERTY?!?!? ALSO, WHAT'S WRONG WITH PROTECTING THE NATCATCHER BIRD???

I FIND HIS COMMENTS "EMBARRASSING"!