The San Bernardino County Sun from San Bernardino, California • Page 19

Inside: Readers sound off in 'Feedback'B2 Inside: School district moves ahead with developmentB5 Inland Emhre Randell Beck The Sun Asst. Managing Section EditorMetro Tuesday (909) 386-3874 August 5, 1997 Fax (909) 885-8741 I CountyEast that fades from white to gray. Robert Xavier James was shot in the head while strapped in the back seat of his parents' Clirvs- The sheriff asks for the public's help In finding the people responsible for the death of 2-year-old Robert Xavier James. By Sonja Lewis Sun Staff Writer A tragedy unfolded on one of the busiest streets on one of the busiest nights in Hesperia and someone must have seen something. San Bernardino County Sheriff Gary Penrod stepped in front of cameras and microphones Monday afternoon to urge people to call the department if they can help investigators find the gunman who shot at a family in their car, killing a 2-year-old boy.

"There was a lot of traffic in that area and we expect that someone must have seen something," Penrod said. The sheriffs office is looking for a White male driver and White male gunman who were inside what may have been a medium blue mid-1980s Chevrolet Camaro with louvers on the back window and a horizontal stripe and speeding up in what appeared to be an effort to keep the family from passing on the two-lane street. Then the Camaro passenger hoisted himself atop the driver's side window and took aim at the Imperial. The father lost control of the vehicle and pulled over to the side of the road. When he realized his son had been shot, Travis James drove to Desert Valley Hospital in Hesperia, where the boy was pronounced dead.

The sheriffs department has taken the car as evidence, with the baby seat still strapped in See SH00TING7B3 the front seat. Twelve or 13 rounds were fired. Several struck the car, but missed the parents and James' 6-year-old sister, who was with the boy in the back seat. "We're getting a lot of calls. Just not the one we need," said Sgt.

Paul Cappitelli. Because of the recklessness of the slaying, sheriffs investigators from special divisions have been reassigned to the case and are working around the clock to find the shooter, Penrod said. The Camaro driver first taunted James by swerving, slowing News digest Water quality good, annual report shows YUCAIPA Yucaipa Valley Water District's annual quality report shows almost no detectible contaminants. The few it reported are well below unsafe levels established by the state Department of Health Services. The district obtains 9 percent of its water from surface sources primarily streams in the Oak Glen area and 91 percent from wells.

"In all cases, the quality of Hhe Yucaipa Valley Water Dis-' trict's water is considered to be very safe by state and federal requirements," the report states. Of the 41 organic contami-nanls all water agencies test for, only one showed up in a trace amount in groundwater and one in surface water. Trace amounts i of the inorganic chemicals alu- mmum, arsenic, fluoride and ni- 15 trate were detected in groundwa-ijj ter; fluoride and nitrate were detected in surface water. I Cindy YingstThe Sun (909)790-1917 i Public hearing will I be held on mining VOLUNTEERING FOR EXCITEMENT Judge reviewing case regarding Redlands mall I 'Si HIGHLAND The Highland Planning Commission will hold a public hearing at 6 p.m. today on the draft environmental impact V.

mm i i a PPfMlMj 0 mmmmmtmm 3 San jBernardlno Ave. Lugonia Ave. (Q Colton Ave. L. -J SCOTT DeLAYSpecial to The Sun Above: Mario Gamboa, left, rests after being helped down the mountain by San Bernardino County FireEMT Joe Thurman, right.

Below: Thurman helps Gamboa down the side of a mountain above the Forest Falls Picnic area. ler Imperial Robert James as they drove along Main Street in Hesperia on Friday night. His father, Travis James, and mother, Wendy Whitte, were seated in 0 county is heavy surf," said San Bernardino County Sheriffs Cpl. Bill Fertig, who helps coordinate search-and-rescue operations. The county even has that, if you take into consideration Whitewater and flash-flood conditions, said Bryan Lavender, a research analyst with the sheriffs department who also coordinates the department's Cave Rescue Team.

"I've seen water 10 feet deep in something that is dry See RESCUEB4 Redlands Redlands Playschool will reopen in October at Westside Christian Church. By Maria T. Garcia Sun Staff Writer REDLANDS Redlands Playschool, forced to close when it lost its home at the First Presbyterian Church in June, will reopen this fall at Westside Christian Church. Parents and teachers said Monday they were relieved and excited. "We're thrilled," said Jane Tveten, a teacher at the preschool.

"I'm excited," said Dale Whitehurst, whose four oldest daughters attended the school. He hopes to enroll his fifth daughter in the school this fall. Redlands Playschool closed in June when First Presbyterian Church officials said they needed to move church offices downstairs to better serve the congregation's elderly population. They said declining enrollment made it hard to justify keeping the school open. Westside Christian Church of- Search-and-rescue teams see it all report for Robertson's Ready Mix's proposal to expand its mining operations in the Santa Ana Wash.

Robertson's officials are ex- pected to make a presentation and the commission will hear comments from the public. The meeting will be at the Donahue Council Chambers, 26985 Base Line. Ann KnickerbockerThe Sun (909)798-2391 Mayor wants reversal of speaking limit SAN BERNARDINO A three-minute speaking limit that the City Council imposed on itself could be short-lived if Mayor Tom Minor has his way. After only a brief trial at a meeting Monday, Minor said that he would ask the council to re-is consider the limit at a future i' meeting. ft "It impedes meetings too much," he said.

"I am going to ask to the council to consider the limit for council comments only." 1 During Monday's meeting, 4th Ward Councilman David Ober-helman and 2nd Ward Councilman Frederick Curlin both were i cut off after using up their three minutes of allotted time. City Clerk Rachel Clark kept a timer at her desk and minded elected officials when their time had expired. Fifth Ward Councilman Jerry Devlin proposed the limit to keep council meetings from bog-! ging down with long and irrele-- vant comments by elected officials. Lynn AndersonThe Sun (909)386-3854 City council approves school construction RIALTO The Rialto school board, during a special meeting Monday, approved construction of Sam V. Curtis Elementary i School for $6,410,945.

j. The school will be built on the northeast corner of Lilac I Avenue and Merrill Avenue, i Bids were opened July 22 and were awarded Monday to 20 com- panies for various construction components. Construction manager will be Ledesma Meyer Construction Co. Inc. "We hope to have construc-J tion going by a week from today," said Jerry Vincent, director of facilities planning for the Rialto Unified School District.

"We i might even have some action going by the end of the week." A groundbreaking ceremony is set for 10 a.m. Aug. 14 at the site. Christopher LeeThe Sun (909) 889-9666 Cr Majestic Realty is in a court battle to continue work on its Citrus Plaza development. By SULIPSA LUQUE Sun Staff Writer SAN BERNARDINO A Superior Court judge on Monday stopped short of issuing a temporary restraining order against Majestic Realty to halt further work on its Citrus Plaza development in Redlands.

Judge James Edwards said he viewed Majestic's explanation of concrete footings it poured recently for a water tank as a misrepresentation and a violation of an agreement to get permits before proceeding with construction. "The court is upset at what has happened at this time," Edwards said. "Extremely upset." Majestic is building a shopping center in an island of county land surrounded by Redlands. On Monday, Redlands challenged a county decision to allow Majestic to build a 1.2-million-gallon water tank rather than hook up to city water and sewer services. Although Redlands failed to halt construction earlier this year, a judge had required the city be notified at least five days before building permits were issued for any work beyond the grading that started in May.

Majestic Realty has until the end of Wednesday to convince the judge that it did not violate that order. Both sides could return Friday if Edwards thinks other site work could continue while he decides whether the county was correct in allowing construction to begin on the water tank. He said he hopes to resolve the issue before Aug. 14. "They (Majestic) are trying to read the orders as narrowly as possible so that they can get away with as much as possible," said Marie Cooper, one of the attorneys representing Redlands.

"Either they are going to build or they are not going to build, but school gets Information Redlands Playschool serves children ages 2 through 6. For more information, call (909) 792-7971. ficials announced Monday they expect to get facilities licensed next month and open for classes in October. Westside Christian Church member George Anderson said they welcome the school and are happy to help keep the school's 43-year tradition alive. "It's part of our goal to reach younger people and provide a service to the community," he said.

The church has already begun remodeling one building and will fence and build a playground. The school will be licensed initially for 40 students, Tveten said. Teachers and parents rejoiced Monday. "It was an emotional issue," REDLANDSN SUN GRAPHICS we don't trust them without a court order." Attorney Thomas Winfield, representing Majestic and the county, said the cement work is part of the grading and doesn't require a permit. "Everyone is viewing this as something other than construction.

1 don't know that any more is being contemplated," he said. "There is no momentum taking place by the county or my clients." Attorneys presented arguments for about two hours on Monday. The city contends the county violated the area's specific plan, which calls for development in the unincorporated area to connect to existing water and sewer lines. Allowing developers to build their own systems could have long-term environmental effects, said Stephen Kostka, another attorney for the city. "You can't build without an infrastructure plan," he said.

"They go together like glove and hand." Winfield said the county's November decision was not a policy amendment to the plan, but rather an attempt to move the project along by providing a service Redlands would not make available without annexing the area to the city. "The county's agencies are providers of last resort," Winfield said. new home SUN GRAPHICS Tveten said. "We felt that our home was taken away from us." "Redlands Playschool provided an outstanding start for my daughters, Whitehurst said. "As a principal and an educator, I know how important that is." He is principal at Bryn Elementary School.

Whitehurst said he's pleased that another church will operate the preschool. "You come to trust certain organizations, like the YMCA, with your kids because you see what a great job they've done with other children," Whitehurst said. Orange Ave. i i Barton Rd. JC Brobkslde V-.

Ave. 0Sjjte By Stacy Spaulding DeLay Sun Staff Writer It may look like a snowy mountain cliff from the Swiss Alps, or a sandy stretch of the Sahara, but in fact it's San Bernardino County. And county search-and-rescue volunteers say they can handle both extremes and everything in between. "The county encompasses every type of topography that you'll find in the world, from high-above-the-tree-line snow and ice to below sea level. The only thing we don't have in the WHAT'S NEXT San Bernardino City Attorney Jim Penman will prepare an updated ordinance banning the sale of fireworks in the city limits.

The City Council, which agreed to the ban Monday, is expected to approve the ordinance on Aug. 18. that the move would hurt community clubs that depend on fireworks sales to support their programs. In some cases, pyrotechnics sales make up the majority of a club's annual budget, said Karen Sakaguchi, chairwoman of the San Bernardino-Tachikawa Sister Cities Exchange Program. "Our proceeds have allowed us to send deserving San Bernardino students to Tachikawa for one month every summer for 38 years," she said.

A representative of the Del Rosa United Methodist Church asked the council to consider how their actions might affect Fourth of July traditions. "Besides our church fundraiser, I look forward to spending the Fourth of July with my grandchildren in the back yard See BANB3 S.B. Council votes for ban on fireworks By Lynn Anderson Sun Staff Writer SAN BERNARDINO Despite pleas from community groups, the City Council on Monday banned the sale and discharge of all fireworks within the city limits, except in professional shows. "If a child loses an eye, or an adult a digit, the price becomes too high in terms of public safety," 2nd Ward Councilman Frederick Curlin said before joining a council majority that voted to outlaw pyrotechnics, including "safe and sane" models. City Attorney Jim Penman will return with an updated fireworks ordinance for council approval on Aug.

18. The city's current ordinance outlaws the sale of all but safe and sane fireworks, and makes it illegal to set fireworks off in some fire-prone areas. First Ward Councilman Edward Negrete stood alone when he voted against the ban, stating Local digest PACKAGE PROBLEM: UPS strike threatens havoc among Inland Empire businesses. Business BIO. ART AND HISTORY: A Loma Linda man is loaning a 200-year-old Spanish cross to the San Bernardino County Museum.

UvingDl. OBITUARY: Jeanne Cal-ment, the world's oldest person, dies at age 122. UvingDl..