June 3, 2022 Update

In Today's Update:

• First 5 San Bernardino urges children’s safety around water this summer

• New Public Defender building opens in downtown San Bernardino

• Assessor-Recorder-Clerk mobile unit helps Morongo Basin residents obtain records

• Family Fish & Wildlife Festival at Prado Regional Park on June 18

• Probation Department and the Forestry and Fire Recruitment Program changing lives

• Department Of Behavioral Health held successful Mental Health Month events

• Homecoming: Works by Cara Romero runs through Aug. 14 at the County Museum

• Pets Of the Week: Lars and Jobie

• Cast your ballot early for the June 7 Statewide Direct Primary Election

• Jobs of the week

First 5 San Bernardino Urges Children’s Safety Around Water This Summer

Summer is here. To stay cool in San Bernardino County, you and your family may be planning to spend time near water.  First 5 San Bernardino urges you to be mindful of water safety for your kids.

According to the CDC, drowning is the leading cause of unintentional, injury-related death among children ages 1 to 4.  It is an accident that is preventable, especially when parents and caregivers make the ABC’s of Water Safety a priority to keep your entire family safe this summer.

• Adult Supervision – Maintain active supervision while children are around water.
• Barriers – Install appropriate fencing, latches and alarms to keep kids away from water.
• Classes – Take CPR and swimming lessons. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children begin swim lessons at one year of age.

Research shows that for every child who dies from drowning, another eight receive emergency department care for non-fatal drowning, said First 5 Executive Director Karen Scott.  “Because drowning happens in seconds and is often silent, it’s imperative that parents keep this top of mind especially as we enter the summer months,” Scott said.  Remember, children near water need your full attention. It’s important that you avoid reading, using your phone and consuming alcohol while you are supervising children. To help, First 5 San Bernardino has created a Water Watcher Tag for you to print and bring to pools or open water. The tag has important safety information for adults supervising children in water, and most importantly, it can be used to identify who’s in charge of supervising children at a specific time.  The free Water Watcher Tag is available for download in English and Spanish. For more information on water safety: CDC:  https://www.cdc.gov/drowning/prevention/index.html First 5 California:  https://www.first5california.com/en-us/articles/water-safety-baby-toddler-preschooler/

New Public Defender Building Opens in Downtown San Bernardino

Opened on Thursday, June 2, San Bernardino County’s latest public building project expands the County’s law-and-justice bandwidth and serves as a boost to downtown San Bernardino.

The newly built headquarters of the Public Defender on the former site of the First American Title building is the latest addition to the downtown justice district and will allow the Public Defender to better serve its clients as well as prevent first offenses and recidivism.

“This building and the Public Defender’s Office symbolize the County’s commitment to innovation and efficiency,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Curt Hagman. “This project will allow for cost-saving consolidation. Adult Services has been spread out over 3 different office locations. This building allowed the Public Defender to move that team here in one location.”

“Also, the San Bernardino County Public Defender’s office was the first Public Defender’s office in the state to go completely digital with record-keeping functions, and this building was designed to support that as well as the newest technologies,” Hagman added.

The three-story building at 323 W. Court St., across from the historic courthouse, has two floors of offices that serve 120 County employees, with room for growth. It includes:

• A state-of-the art training room that can be converted into a mock trial courtroom.
• Common work areas that promote collaboration and stress-relief.

Besides providing the robust defense services that are essential to the operation of the criminal justice system, the Public Defender:

• Operates the Parent and Child Connection Program
• Ensures better outcomes for youth and neighborhoods through the “Let’s End Truancy Program”
• Conducts record clearing clinics that remove barriers to employment for those committed to improving their lives.
• Employs a team of social workers to help their clients obtain resources needed for stability and self-sufficiency, such as housing, behavioral health counseling, social services, and alcohol and drug rehabilitation.

“This building symbolizes the Board of Supervisors’ trust and recognition of the need for a strong and well-funded Public Defender,” said Public Defender Thomas Sone. “This new environment fosters the overall well-being of our team and allows us to better serve our clients.  It not only stands as a pledge to defend the rights and dignity of our clients but also provide equitable access to justice.”

Assessor-Recorder-Clerk Mobile Unit Helps Morongo Basin Residents Obtain Records

The San Bernardino County Assessor-Recorder-Clerk’s Mobile Unit is connecting more and more Morongo Basin residents with Recorder-Clerk services. The ARC Mobile Unit is an RV equipped with the latest technology to allow for the remote production and secure issuance of vital records copies (birth, death and marriage certificates). In its most recent trip to Joshua Tree, the ARC Mobile Unit helped issue over 30 vital records in one day.

Every second Thursday of each month, the ARC Mobile Unit will be in the Joshua Tree area to provide birth, death, and marriage certificates. In addition, every fourth Thursday, the ARC Mobile Unit will be in Rancho Cucamonga. This is in addition to any public events that the ARC Mobile Unit will be participating in. A list of all upcoming events where the ARC Mobile Unit will be located can be found on the ARC website.

San Bernardino County only has records of births and deaths that occurred in San Bernardino County or marriage licenses that were purchased in San Bernardino County. Copies of marriage certificates may be purchased approximately two weeks after the original marriage license is received and recorded in the Recorder-County Clerk’s office. Only the parties to the marriage may be provided a certified copy of a confidential marriage record.

For more information about the ARC Mobile Unit, including appointment and location information, visit: https://arc.sbcounty.gov/mobileunit/.

Family Fish & Wildlife Festival at Prado Regional Park on June 18

Take part in the complete outdoor experience at the Family Fish & Wildlife Festival at Prado Regional Park.

Bring your camping chair and listen to live music while picnicking from 9 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 18. We are pet-friendly too!

For more information visit parks.sbcounty.gov.

Probation Department and the Forestry and Fire Recruitment Program Changing Lives

The San Bernardino County Probation Department is proud to partner with distinguished programs like the Forestry and Fire Recruitment Program (FFRP), who provide support and services to individuals currently and formerly experiencing incarceration and participating in Fire Camps.

FFRP focusses on teaching the mental, emotional, and physical attributes of a wildland firefighter, including CPR, AED (automated external defibrillator), chainsaw use, fire shelter deployment, fire line hand construction, mindfulness, leadership, physical training, resume building, and job applications. The Probation Department refers clients to the program, schedules orientation, offers encouragement and support, orders uniforms and physical training clothes, and provides gas cards and funding for boots.

Together, the Probation Department and FFRRP empowers participants to develop themselves, believe in their ability to overcome, and realize they can do something to give back to the community.

DBH Interim Director Dr. Georgina Yoshioka (third from the left) poses with artists and DBH staff around an artwork that celebrates mental health, recovery, and hope for the future, created by the youth of the One Stop TAY Center.

Department of Behavioral Health Held Successful Mental Health Month Events

The San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) celebrated Mental Health Month in May and brought community members together for special events highlighting the importance of mental health. Nearly 200 people attended the department’s Meet the Artist event at the San Bernardino County Museum. The event celebrated local artists and their artwork that highlighted mental health and wellness.

Later in the month, DBH hosted the San Bernardino County Directing Change Program and Film Contest Screening and Awards at the Cinemark Movie Theater in Rialto. The event honored local students who participated in the statewide Directing Change Student Film Contest, a mental health awareness video project. Students were presented with awards and posed for a celebratory photo with San Bernardino County Assistant Executive Officer Diana Alexander, DBH Interim Director Dr. Georgina Yoshioka, and Fifth District Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr.  View event photos and the winning student films.

Homecoming: Works by Cara Romero Runs Through Aug. 14 at the County Museum

The San Bernardino County Museum is pleased to present, Homecoming: Works by Cara Romero, through Aug. 14, 2022. Romero is a contemporary fine art photographer and an enrolled citizen of the Chemehuevi Indian Tribe. She was raised between contrasting settings: the rural Chemehuevi reservation in the Mojave Desert in California and the urban sprawl of Houston, and now works out of her studio in New Mexico.

For more information about the exhibit, visit http://www.sbcounty.gov/museum/discover/Cara-Romero.html

Pets Of the Week: Lars and Jobie

Lars and Jobie are waiting on their furever home!

Lars, ID # is A764922, is a 3-year-old male gray and tan terrier.

Jobie, ID# is A764977, is an 8-year-old male blonde cocker spaniel.

All pets come spayed or neutered, microchipped and vaccinated. Microchips are paid for by the non-profit Animals aRe First Fund.

For more information, visit animalcare.sbcounty.gov/pets/ or call (909) 386-9820. The Devore Animal Shelter is located at 19777 Shelter Way in Devore.

Cast Your Ballot Early for the June 7 Statewide Direct Primary Election

For the 2022 Statewide Direct Primary Election, you have the choice of when, where, and how to vote. Casting your ballot at an early vote site, or at one of our more than 70 ballot drop-off locations, is the best way to avoid lines and crowds at polling places on Election Day. Pick from a list of locations below and cast your ballot today!

Early Vote Sites

1. San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters Office

777 E. Rialto Avenue, San Bernardino

Open June 3 and June 6, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Open Saturday, June 4 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Open Election Day, Tuesday, June 7 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

2. Town of Apple Valley Conference Center

14975 Dale Evans Parkway, Apple Valley

Open June 3 to 4 and June 6, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

3. Joshua Tree Community Center

6171 Sunburst Street, Joshua Tree

Open June 3 to 4 and June 6, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

4. Ontario Conference Center

1947 E. Convention Center Way, Ontario

Open June 3 to 4 and June 6, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

5. Victorville City Hall

14343 Civic Drive, Victorville

Open June 3 to 4 and June 6, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Ballot Drop-off Locations

The County’s more than 70 ballot drop-off locations are another safe option to vote early. Outdoor drop boxes are bolted to the concrete, and ballots are collected by official election workers. Click here to find a convenient location.

To learn more, we invite you to visit the Registrar of Voters online at www.SBCountyElections.com.

As you prepare to vote, remember, it’s “Your Ballot. Your Vote. Always Secure.”

Job Openings and Hiring Events in San Bernardino County

San Bernardino County has jobs that will be opening on Saturday, Jun 4.

We encourage you to apply and share these job openings with those who may be interested in them. Recruitments listed are subject to final department approval. Check sbcounty.gov/jobs for the most up- to -date recruitments.

For all COVID-19 related information, including case statistics, FAQs, guidelines, and resources, visit the County’s COVID-19 webpage at http://sbcovid19.com/. Residents of San Bernardino County may also call the COVID-19 helpline at (909) 387-3911 for general information and resources about the virus. The phone line is NOT for medical calls and is available Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you have questions about social services, please call 211.