Teens help in police sting

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Edition: SB - SB - 1 - 12/11/06
Typeset by: JCIONE12/10/06
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MONDAY ❘ DECEMBER 11, 2006
50¢
Helicopter crashes, kills 3
No patients were aboard medical transport
By Gina Tenorio
and Selicia Kennedy-Ross
Staff Writers
Jennifer Cappuccio/Staff Photographer
San Bernardino County fire officials stand at the edge of a
road leading to the site of the crash of a Mercy Air helicopter
east of Interstate 15. Three people were confirmed dead.
CAJON PASS — Three people were
killed Sunday night when a Mercy Air
medical-transport aircraft crashed near the
top of Cajon Pass.
The helicopter — a Bell 412 known as
Mercy Air 2 — was carrying a pilot and two
crew members whose names had not been
released as of late Sunday.
The crew was headed back to Southern
Tribe hopes
to revive bill
“
It’s cold, the fog is rolling in thicker and thicker. That’s all we
know.”
TRACEY MARTINEZ | SB County fire spokeswoman
California Logistics Airport in Victorville
from Loma Linda University Medical Center, said Ian Gregor, a spokesman with the
Federal Aviation Administration. No
patients were on board.
Reports of the crash and “balls of fire”
began pouring in from motorists on north-
bound Interstate 15 near Highway 138
around 6 p.m., said Tracey Martinez, a
spokeswoman with the San Bernardino
County Fire Department.
Although the crash was visible from the
freeway, it was several miles east of the
See CRASH ❘ Page A4
UNDERAGE AND UNDERCOVER
Pact would allow more slots
By Andrew Edwards
Staff Writer
SAN MANUEL INDIAN
RESERVATION — Tribal
members are hopeful state legislators will soon take action that
would allow the tribe to install
thousands of new slot machines.
were sworn in. Jerry Paresa, the
San Manuels’ director of government operations, said he expects
a new bill to ratify the casino
deal could be discussed in the
state Capitol as early as January.
“I’m confident that we will
have
a carrier for the San ManThe San Manuel Band of Misuel
compact,”
Paresa said.
sion Indians and Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger have made a
Assemblyman Bill Emmerdeal to allow the tribe to add son, R-Redlands, carried legisla5,500 slot machines at San Man- tion to support the San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino. uels’ amended compact in
Legislation to ratify the agree- August. With time running out,
ment stalled in August during the San Manuels’ deal was
the final days of the previous rolled into a different bill that
legislative session.
would have ratified amended
A new session started Dec. 4 compacts for six tribes. But the
when newly elected lawmakers
See GAMING ❘ Page A4
Pastor’s ‘pillars’ help
prop up community
By Michel Nolan
Staff Writer
SAN BERNARDINO — For the
Rev. Bronica Martindale, Westside
woes can be addressed by four components — “pillars,” she calls them.
“I developed this model to address
four components — health and physical activity, safety, youth activities
and beautification,” she says. “Those
are the four pillars we are focusing
on.”
The pillars support the foundation of
a Westside program Martindale is
designing to help Mayor Pat Morris’
See VOICE ❘ Page A4
MYNISHA’S CIRCLE
Committed to finding
solutions to crime in our
community. Learn more at
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<<Bronica Martindale about the issues and
President of California possible solutions to local
Gardens Neighborhood crime and violence.
Association
Jennifer Cappuccio/Staff Photographer
John Keil, 18, carries a can of beer back into the store after an employee sold it to him at La Bodega Wines and Spirits on
Waterman Avenue in San Bernardino on Sunday. The Police Department used minors to help them conduct a sting
operation targeting vendors who sell alcohol to minors and adults who buy for them.
Teens help in police sting
By Selicia Kennedy-Ross
Staff Writer
SAN BERNARDINO — Dave Baughman always has several
packs of gum on hand, evidence of his work as a vice officer with
the Police Department.
“I’ve got about a thousand packs,” says Baughman, who often
buys the gum during the minor-decoy sting operations he works.
The stings are intended to catch adults contributing to the
delinquency of minors either by buying or selling them alcoholic
beverages.
Sunday was no different.
Baughman watched as a young man, a Police Explorer posing
as an underage patron, attempted to buy a 24-ounce can of beer at
Amigo’s Market, a liquor and grocery store. The clerk asked his
age and refused to sell to him.
Baughman walked out of the store. This one was a no-go.
Jennifer Cappuccio/Staff Photographer
But not everybody fared as well. At least four clerks were Police officers leave OK Liquor after citing the owner for
See MINORS ❘ Page A4 selling a can of beer to their 18-year-old decoy on Sunday.
The clerk didn’t ask for the teen’s age or ID.
REMEMBERING LOVED ONES
INDEX
Jennifer Reynolds,
left, and Beverly
Ribaudo light a
candle in memory of
a lost loved one on
Sunday in Fontana.
Ribaudo, whose son
Michael was killed at
her home this year,
sponsored the vigil
to provide a public
remembrance of
people who have
died.
Wayne Clemons Jr.
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HOLIDAY FUND
BOYS & GIRLS CLUB
Proceeds from this year’s
Holiday Fund will go to the
Boys & Girls Club, a nonprofit
safe haven that provides
after-school programs and activities
including homework assistance, recreation
and art to young people.
Donations are tax deductible. Please send
contributions to:
The Sun’s Holiday Fund
2239 Gannett Parkway
San Bernardino, CA 92407
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Boys & Girls Club of San Bernardino
1180 W. Ninth St.
Open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. weekdays.
Boys & Girls Club of Delmann Heights
2969 N. Flores St., San Bernardino
Open 7:30 a.m.-7 p.m. weekdays.
Boys & Girls Club of Rialto PAL
248-250 E. Base Line
Open 1-7 p.m. Monday;
3-7 p.m. Tuesday-Friday.
For more information about the clubs,
call (909) 888-6751.
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