 April 2024
Pictured from Left to Right: Supervisor Jesse Armendarez, Supervisor Curt Hagman, Congresswoman Norma Torres
Monday, April 22, 2024, marked a historic milestone with Brightline's groundbreaking ceremony for its highly anticipated high-speed rail project connecting Rancho Cucamonga to Las Vegas.
The groundbreaking ceremony, held at the site of the future Las Vegas station, signifies the commencement of construction on this transformative transportation infrastructure. Representatives from Brightline, local government officials, and community stakeholders gathered to celebrate the start of this monumental project, which promises to revolutionize travel between Southern California and Las Vegas.
I am excited for local residents to experience the benefit of convenience and the sustainable travel option with the Brightline high-speed rail service. This project is expected to stimulate economic growth and create thousands of jobs throughout the region. Construction of the rail will generate opportunities for local businesses and suppliers, while ongoing operations will support jobs in hospitality, tourism, and transportation sectors. This zero-emission electric train will remove over 400 thousand tons of CO2 emissions every year.
 San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus, District Attorney Jason Anderson, and I are raising concerns over the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation's (CDCR) decision to transfer death row inmates to San Bernardino County.
Chino Institution for Men (CIM) is receiving the third highest transfer of inmates in the state, following the closure of San Quentin's death row by Governor Gavin Newsom who announced his plan to transition San Quentin into a rehabilitation center.
The transfer of death row inmates to CIM creates tangible public safety concerns for local residents. CIM has a history of infrastructure deficiencies that have resulted in several well-documented, recent escapes. Relocating this category of inmate to CIM is irresponsible and ignores the realities of what the facility is capable of handling.
Residents can contact Governor Gavin Newsom through the following link. (Please select the "Prison Issues/Concerns" topic from the drop-down menu and proceed to leave your comment.)
Around the District City Tour
 Throughout April, I visited council meetings in the Fourth District to provide the city council members and residents with a San Bernardino County, Fourth District update. My colleagues and I continue to invest in our communities, residents, and businesses by allocating resources to areas where they bring the greatest return on investment.
During my presentations, I offered updates on the Homelessness Ad Hoc Committee, Prado Regional Park, Cucamonga-Guasti Park, Chino Airport, Ontario International Airport, Fourth District funded projects, and other topics.
Click image to play video
The latest San Bernardino County News Now edition offers more information about the new Valley Communications Center. In addition, viewers will see The Fourth District featured in the monthly "District Minute" segment, learn about the latest updates at Ontario International Airport and Fourth District events.
Watch San Bernardino County News Now for April 2024 right here.
 The Edison Scholars Program acknowledges students who aspire to be tomorrow's makers — visionaries, inventors, guardians, and pioneers — and who dare to be exceptional.
Edison International offered 30 high school seniors $50,000 in college scholarships to help them pursue their aspirations in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) and improve the world.
During the Upland City Council meeting on Monday, April 8th, Southern California Edison representative Melissa Boyd, Upland City Council members, my colleague Supervisor Armendarez and I congratulated Kevin Gewaid, an Upland High School student and recipient.
We wish you the best of luck at U.C. Berkley as you pursue your Mechanical Engineering major.
 My office will host a Job Fair and Expungement event on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, for residents in collaboration with the San Bernardino County Workforce Development Department, the Law Offices of the Public Defender, Ontario International Airport, and the City of Ontario.
Attendees will have the chance to network with a range of employers and have access to resources such as the Public Defender, Preschool Services, Veterans Affairs, Transitional Assistance, and others during the event.
The job fair will take place a the old Ontario International Airport terminal at 1940 Moore Way in Ontario from 10 am - 2 pm.
Be sure to dress to impress and bring copies of your resume.
 I partnered with the City of Chino to host a free document shredding event for San Bernardino County residents.
Please join me on Saturday, March 16th from 9am-12pm (or until the shredding truck reaches capacity) at Chino City Hall, located at 13220 Central Ave., in Chino.
- Documents destroyed on-site
- Limit of 3 standard filing boxes (10"x12"x15") per vehicle
- No CDs, DVDs, binders, x-rays, plastics, etc.
For more information on this event, please call my District Office at (909) 465-5265.
 Passenger volume at Ontario International Airport (ONT) increased 11% to 557,000 in March, and nearly 10% in the first three months of the year.
Last month, ONT welcomed approximately 516,000 domestic passengers and over 41,000 international fliers, indicating an 8.3% and 66% increase, respectively.
 Ontario International Airport (ONT) was even busier than usual on Wednesday, April 10, 2024, as international airline Volaris celebrated its 10-year anniversary of operations between the Southern California gateway and Guadalajara, Mexico.
Music could be heard at the Terminal 2 security checkpoint as Volaris passengers made their way to their departure flight to Guadalajara International Airport (GDL). They were met at Gate 207 with complimentary birria tacos, entertainment, and festive décor to commemorate the event. Prior to boarding, there was a brief ceremony with airport and airline officials, and lucky travelers received Volaris ticket draws.
Mexico City-based Volaris provides daily roundtrip service between ONT and GDL, with flight #1860 arriving in Ontario at 10:57 p.m. each evening and flight #1861 departing two hours later at 12:58 a.m. Scheduled flying time is approximately three hours.
 San Bernardino County Animal Care has announced that effective Wednesday, May 1, 2024, they will increase the spay/neuter voucher amounts to $100 for cats/kittens and $200 for dogs/puppies. Additionally, they propose allocating monies to provide vouchers for spaying/neutering unowned community cats.
Spaying and neutering your pets are the keys to a healthier, happier pet community! It prevents overpopulation, reduces the risk of cancers, curbs behavioral issues, and promotes responsible pet ownership. Plus, it's a win-win for your furry friend and the environment.
To learn more about how you can access a voucher for a pet, please visit the Animal Care website.
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