The San Bernardino County Sun from San Bernardino, California • Page 4

A6The San Bernardino County Sun, FRIDAY, February 20, 1998 feasible, go for it, desert dwellers say county is rate, said Victorville Mayor James Busby since it does not have proper representation on the five-member San Bernardino County board of supervisors. "And it gets an unfair share of public services, especially courts." Apple Valley City Manager Bruce Williams gives partial credit for incorporation of his town and neighboring Hesperia to the failure of a 1988 vote to create a new Mojave County in the High Desert. chance. Let's debate it, and let voters decide." Apple Valley resident Gerda Feldmann, who worked for the Mojave County movement, said the proposal was workable because of the High Desert's economic interests. But it was destined to fail because of a 1974 law allowing votes by all residents of a county affected by a break-away effort.

"At least seven other attempts to create new counties in California failed because of that law," Feldmann said. Desert supporters of a new county were outvoted in 1988 by residents in the county's more populous San Bernardino Valley. Backers of Knight's proposed High Desert County would face the same obstacle from opponents in the excluded parts of the three counties. The concept of a new county was popular among desert residents a decade ago, but its financial viability must be reassessed again, said Ron Rector, general manager of the High Desert Regional Economic Development Authority. "I would like to see the desert control its own destiny and finances," said Victorville developer Joseph Brady, president of the Bradco Cos.

"But I don't know if a new county would be economically viable until an in-depth economic analysis is completed." Brady said both the Victor and Antelope valleys have possess substantial work forces but insufficient jobs. So more than 50,000 workers commute. "But let's give (Knight's) bill a Activists begin tour of Chiapas Water: Funding sought "People voted for incorporation because of a lack of a fair share of county services, especially police," he said. "We're still short on transportation funds, although (1st District Supervisor) Kathy Davis is having some success getting them." Davis said through her secretary that she has not seen Knight's bill proposing the new county, and was not contacted by the senator. "She can't comment at this time," said executive secretary Linda Ellsworth.

Zapatista leaders and top government officials over the next two weeks. It also plans to visit Acteal, where gunmen with alleged links to state officials and Mexico's ruling party massacred 45 people in December. The activists, representatives of private human rights groups, will submit a report on their findings to the European Commission, delegation organizer Ig-nacio Garcia said. The visit comes as the Mexican government steps up efforts to control the actions of foreigners in Chiapas. The state has drawn thousands of rebel sympathizers, journalists and other vis said.

Brulte said he supports the return of all property taxes to the localities from whidh they, but especially in this case. "Regardless of whether the Legislature decides to return all property taxes to local government, this is clearly an exception that should be reviewed," Brulte said. "If we're going to continue to provide water in the pass area we shouldn't be penalizing this water agency." itors since 1994, when Zapatistas rebelled to demand greater rights for Mexico's Indians and poor. In recent weeks, the government has complained more loudly about the foreign presence in Chiapas and has stepped up expulsions of those it says have violated the constitutions ban on foreign involvement in national affairs. On Tuesday, Mexico deported an American identified as Robert Edwin Schweitzer.

The government said Schweitzer worked as a journalist covering peace talks between the Zapatistas and the government If a new By Chuck Mueller Sun Staff Writer If a break-away county is economically viable, many High Desert civic leaders say, "Go for it!" "Desert cities deserve more attention than they receive from the more developed areas of these counties," said Hesperia Mayor John Abbott of state Sen. William "Pete" Knight's plans to carve High Desert County out of San Bernardino, Kern and Los Angeles counties. The desert should be sepa Homeless Continued from A1 fore he finally was arrested? Shank deferred to police administrators, who were unavailable for comment. For each citation, Wade earned a failure to appear warrant when he didn't show up for court and he never showed up for court. Each citation also carried a bail amount, for example, $75 for being a pedestrian out of a marked crosswalk, $377 for littering and $512 for begging.

Wade wasn't arrested until Feb. 13, apparently on a failure to appear for a misdemeanor charge of possessing marijuana. When he was booked at West Valley Detention Center, Wade's name was automatically entered into the county records system to see if he had anything else pending and out came 87 failures to appear on the various citations. Wade was arraigned Tuesday. Deputy Public Defender Lauri Ferguson was appointed to represent him.

By Thursday, Wade's paperwork was piling up on the desks of court officials who were wondering, who is this guy? Did the cops make a hobby out of him? How come they didn't arrest him sooner, particularly since the same officers kept citing him? One court official's theory: "Have you ever tried to get the police to make an arrest? It takes a lot of time to arrest someone. It's a lot of paperwork." As to who Wade is, Officer Shank declined to say where the transient liked to hang out. On each citation, Wade gave his ad-- dress as 845 W. Kingman St. the Salvation Army.

Mary Schmidt, a director at the Salvation Army, recognized his name. "All his mail comes here. He uses our address. I keep returning it," she said. Wade's case may not be an isolated one.

A couple of days ago, Schmidt said she hand-carried 11 citations to the county Marshal's Office that had been sent to one woman in care of the Salvation Army. "They told me to throw them away, because they keep spitting them out," Schmidt said. "What could this woman have done to generate all these? Each one is costing the taxpayer 32 cents in stamps." Schmidt said she doesn't un-. derstand the point of continually citing transients. "So many of these fellows on the street are mental health cases," she said.

Capt. Richard Diggs of the county Marshal's Office said his department used to go out and arrest people on misdemeanor warrants. Wade's failures to appear could have elevated some of his citations to misdemeanors. Now the department relies on the mail. "I'm not sure how we could ever attach the paperwork to the body when they are in some homeless shelter Diggs said.

"In this situation, I don't know how we would get someone before the court." Diggs suspects the multiple citations against Wade were encouraged by business owners, who don't want transients hanging around. The owners want the police to deal with the homeless problem, and the police apparently think the courts can handle it. Diggs doubts if the courts can deal with the homeless, either. PoolTaMeFactory Outlet AMF Brunswick World Of Leisure Billiards DA. Slate I pay mm, oooooooooooooooooo 1 1 Ml I it I I I wP Is 9 W' I 11 Feminine Tops I 1 tt Zt 1 I Reg $18-824 IflT! SVJ I I SALE 14.99 sale i3.so-si8 fl 7 Atfb I I Men's Rayon I niS- POl CTl A I VI I fP A 30 Off I Tim Misses' Petftes' Dresses, 25 Off clas- Jumpsuits Pant Sets Entire Stock Haggar MTTTVTTTTTT SALE Reg.

"1 Slacks Dockers it SALE 47.60-120.40 fy- Wrinkle-Free Twill Continued from A1 "The way the bill is written, you have to be a member of the state water project and you can't be making any profit. San Gorgo-nio is the only agency that qualifies," said Brulte spokeswoman Lisa Rettig. "It is estimated that by 2003 the agency will be making money so the funding would end." While there is no critical need for the retention basin at this time, said Stockton, eventually there will be. And if the agency had the basin now, it would be collecting rainwater from the storms in the area, a cash crop of sorts, he i'ij and more. Urn Ailh The Associated Press POLHO, Mexico Scores of foreign human rights activists set to work on Thursday on an inspection tour of Chiapas, despite a Mexican government crackdown on what it sees as meddling in the troubled southern state.

On Wednesday, masked musicians playing trumpets, saxophones and drums welcomed the 210 observers from Europe, Canada and Nicaragua. The musicians were followers of the rebel Zapatista National Liberation Army, which runs a shadow county government based here. The delegation plans to meet SALE 34.99 Entire Stock Levi's1 550" Jeans In softwash or black. Reg. 4 A isT ft it 1 1 'Ft'! Assorted Fall Holiday Sweaters Cardigans, pullovers and sweater coats In sic and novelty styles.

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