Wright’s arrest only latest dilemma in Adelanto’s history

[Pages:96]11/13/2017

Wright's arrest only latest dilemma in Adelanto's history

Wright's arrest only latest dilemma in Adelanto's history

By Shea Johnson Staff Writer Posted Nov 11, 2017 at 7:39 PM Updated Nov 11, 2017 at 7:39 PM

Less than four weeks after Wright told of his intention of "going back into obscurity," his arrest to face federal bribery and attempted arson charges has sharply torn up those plans and ironically thrust the mayor pro tem into the very scandalous history he sought to skirt.

ADELANTO -- Early last month, describing his reasons to retire from public life in 2020, Mayor Pro Tem Jermaine Wright was asked to imagine his ultimate legacy.

Pointing to the city's sordid political past, Wright responded that while he'd want to be tied to Adelanto's resurgence, personally he'd rather disappear -- an idea that to become forgotten must mean to eschew infamy.

It also stood as an unsolicited reminder that the recent company he shared as an elected official here was not all good.

In 2008, former Mayor Jim Nehmens and his wife were sentenced to six months in jail after being convicted of stealing roughly $20,000 from the local little league. Nehmens resigned from the dais in the face of then-allegations.

The city's former finance director, Bill Aylward, has been ensnared since last year in a public corruption case in Beaumont, although city officials here had declined to investigate whether he might have engaged in any wrongdoing during his earlier eight-year tenure in Adelanto.



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Wright's arrest only latest dilemma in Adelanto's history

Less than four weeks after Wright told of his intention of "going back into obscurity," his arrest to face federal bribery and attempted arson charges has sharply torn up those plans and ironically thrust the mayor pro tem into the very scandalous history he sought to skirt.

The federal court process doesn't promise to be a short one, and the ongoing investigation "casts a very dark cloud" over the city's government, according to David Dupree, a professor and chairman of Political Science at Victor Valley College.

"Tough and anxious days lie ahead after Wright's arrest," Dupree said. "No one knows at this point how wide this scandal may go -- whether other council members or any city officials will be arrested and face federal or state prosecution."

The scale of alleged corruption will ultimately determine whether the city's government is relegated to being "paralyzed and chaotic for a significant period of time," he added.

Dupree also said that retaining trust of the constituents will require a great deal of openness from city officials.

In a first step, Mayor Rich Kerr insisted Wednesday the city will fully cooperate with the FBI probe.

"Our city has gone through so many negatives. I believe the Council is heading to a direction they want to uplift the city," Councilman Ed Camargo said. "Rumors can be rumors, but when that agency (FBI) comes in and (investigates), it's like, `Oh, my gosh, here we go again,' and I think we're all just trying to make our city better."

Dating back decades, the city has seen gambling ventures epically fail and a charter school lambasted, received flak for its reliance on revenue from jails and enabling a scrutinized private immigration detention center to operate, and only a few short years ago, it faced the prospect of bankruptcy.

By mid-2015, the city's embrace of the commercial cannabis industry, however, emerged as the harbinger of an eventual economic turnaround, which saw Adelanto balance its budget in July -- with a surplus -- for the first time in eight



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Wright's arrest only latest dilemma in Adelanto's history

The decidedly brighter financial outlook has been accompanied by promises from city officials for future residual developments including hotels, housing, shopping centers, restaurants and more.

During Wednesday's Council meeting, regulars within council chambers spoke to a four-body Council and praised them for ushering in the new era of economic development, seemingly as if to say, "don't quit now."

A defiant Chris Waggener, the Kerr-appointed chairman of the city's Planning Commission, swore to be in the city for the long haul, lauding good decisionmaking for Adelanto's resurgence.

Terry Delgado, an often vocal resident, told the Council to keep up the good work regardless of what transpires even as he acknowledged they were in the midst of a sensitive situation.

"I know it's a lot to endure," he said.

Of the FBI probe, Kerr said he hoped "we can get this done and over with as fast as possible," a signal of seeking to return to business as usual.

But the ongoing investigation, Dupree warned, "probably puts a pause or slowdown on the city's attempt to promote the marijuana business."

"We need to keep in mind, this is only the beginning of the legal process," he said. "Convictions are not certain, and, if they do come, they may be a long way down the road."

Shea Johnson can be reached at 760-955-5368 or SJohnson@. Follow him on Twitter at @DP_Shea.

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'Shadow of controversy' shrouds cannabis industry after Wright's arrest

`Shadow of controversy' shrouds cannabis industry after Wright's arrest

By Rene Ray De La Cruz Staff Writer Posted Nov 12, 2017 at 4:17 PM Updated Nov 12, 2017 at 4:17 PM

Members of the cannabis industry are worried about the ramifications that may come from the recent arrest of Adelanto Mayor Pro Tem Jermaine Wright.

Wright was arrested Tuesday and faces charges for allegedly soliciting and accepted a bribe from an undercover FBI agent in exchange for using his political power to assist and protect a supposed commercial cannabis transportation business.

The 41-year-old Wright is also accused of asking an FBI informant to burn down his Fat Boyz Grill in order to collect insurance money, according to a sworn affidavit obtained by the Daily Press.

Several cannabis-related business owners in Adelanto were asked about the incident surrounding Wright, but did not return multiple messages left by the Daily Press.

However, several industry leaders in the High Desert who are familiar with Wright and Adelanto's growing marijuana footprint shared their thoughts and concerns about Wright's arrest and the future of the industry in the city.

Rehab Delivery owner Kasha Herrington, who is working toward opening a cannabis delivery business in Hesperia, told the Daily Press she was "flabbergasted" when Wright "abruptly changed his attitude" about the business of cannabis in Adelanto.

"I met with Jermaine about two years ago when I was trying to move forward with my business," Herrington said. "He told me he would never allow any cannabis retail in Adelanto, but only grows that would be outsourced for



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'Shadow of controversy' shrouds cannabis industry after Wright's arrest

research and development."

Herrington said she saw "red flags" when Wright's attitude went from "anticannabis to rezoning for certain people" that were interested in opening "recreational cannabis" based businesses.

"This is a sad day for cannabis and the industry is going to get the raw end of the deal because of this," Herrington said. "This situation has nothing to do with cannabis and everything to do with someone who saw green and got caught up in greed."

As for the cannabis industry in Adelanto, Herrington said the City Council should move forward "wisely" as it continues to reap the financial benefits of the burgeoning industry.

"Adelanto should have done what Hesperia is doing now -- taking baby steps and not rezoning at the drop of a hat," Herrington said.

Lisa Johnson, owner of Kushman 420 Top Shelf, told the Daily Press she was "not surprised" by Wright's arrest and wouldn't be "surprised" by any future FBI activity in Adelanto.

"In my dealing with Adelanto I've seen a lot of shady things going on," said Johnson, who is working to open a business in Hesperia. "That's why I wasn't shocked by the FBI's actions."

Johnson said the arrest of Wright puts "a major damper" on future activity between the City of Adelanto and cannabis business owners, with a "cloud of mistrust" hovering over city hall.

"There's a scar on Adelanto that's going to derail the city's plan for being king of cannabis in California," Johnson said. "It's not going their way and it's going to get real ugly."

Rick Casas, a board member and compliance officer for the Medical Marijuana Educational Center, who is also working toward opening a delivery business in Hesperia, told the Daily Press that Wright's arrest may be the harbinger of more FBI activity in the area.



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'Shadow of controversy' shrouds cannabis industry after Wright's arrest

Casas said any possible "side deals going on at city hall" will soon be exposed and the "domino effect will be devastatingly swift." He also predicts Adelanto's "Green Zone" may look different in six months due to more expected "fallout."

"Adelanto is going to feel the effect of this investigation and arrest for years to come," Casas said. "The city has tried to eliminate the stigma of corruption on the dais for years -- only to see this issue bubble up to the surface."

He also added that any forward progress Adelanto has made "has been stymied," with Casas saying, "If you don't walk a straight line, at some point it will catch up with you."

Frances Schauwecker, the owner of the education/cannabis-based Mary Jane University, said she was "disheartened" when she heard the news of Wright's arrest.

"Just when the cannabis industry started gaining ground and respectability, we have this FBI arrest that has cast a dark shadow of controversy over it all," said Schauwecker, who lives in Barstow. "I feel bad for the new patients and the people in the industry who are having to deal with this."

Schauwecker said she doesn't know the future of the cannabis industry in Adelanto, but did remark that the arrest furthers the stigma that surrounds "anything cannabis."

"There are cannabis patients and lawful business owners that depend on medical marijuana," Schauwecker said. "This arrest just put up more barriers and walls for the people that want to do things the right way."

Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227, RDeLa Cruz@, Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz and Instagram @reneraydelacruz

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Residents hear details of Temple expansion near Rancho Cucamonga ? Daily Bulletin

LOCAL NEWS

Residents hear details of Temple expansion near Rancho Cucamonga

Limei Fang-Ling Yen Mountain Temple, has applied to develop two dozen complexes before development restrictions are placed on the mostly underdeveloped open space, is pictured in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. on Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2017. The temple has gone to the San Bernardino County's planning division to request that an exception be made in a zone designated for residential, to allow 24 building that would occupy 154,00 square feet over 37 acres. (Photo by Rachel Luna, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

By LISET MARQUEZ | lmarquez@ | Inland Valley Daily Bulletin PUBLISHED: November 10, 2017 at 5:51 pm | UPDATED: November 11, 2017 at 12:26 am

Residents near the Limei Fang-Ling Yen Mountain Temple, in the foothills above Rancho Cucamonga, on Thursday got their rst glimpse of plans to build a Buddhist Temple and retreat onsite. The temple has submitted plans to San Bernardino County's planning division for an additional two dozen buildings for worship, meeting space, classrooms, living quarters and a dining hall. "It will be a place of worship and people will come to visit the deity. It will be a place for monks and disciples to further their learning," said Eric Chen, the architect for the project, during Thursday evening's meeting at Goldy S. Lewis Center in Rancho Cucamonga. The temple's plan includes a Buddha hall with a roof height of 85 feet. The next tallest building on site will be the chanting hall, which will be 60 feet tall. It will have a 56-foot-tall wing on each side. The rest of the development would be comprised of plazas, sidewalks, landscaping, gardens and parking. Chen revealed more details about the project during Thursday's meeting, which was one of the rst steps in informing the public about the scope of the project.

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Residents hear details of Temple expansion near Rancho Cucamonga ? Daily Bulletin

A 14-page fact sheet was available during the meeting and presentations came from the project manager, architect and a consultant that will conduct a study to see whether the project would impact the environment.

To expand, the temple has requested that the county make an exception in a residential zone to allow 24 buildings which would occupy 154,000 square feet over 37 aces. All the development would be south of the current structure. It is also requesting that it be granted a permit to grade the hillside because the average slope on the site is 11 percent, and be allowed to build four structures over the county's 50 foot height limit.

During Thursday's discussion, Chen assured residents the conceptual design of the Buddha hall would be more subdued, have a residential style and the roof would be dark grey.

The design will "respect the neighbors and the site that it's located on. Our design will follow the land and will be tiered, it will use neutral colors and a lot of landscaping and courtyards to integrate the man made and natural environment," Chen said.

The hall will have a single layer roof, with the pitch of the roof being more than half the building height, Chen told more than 50 people gathered.

"We are not asking the height variance for spatial gain but for aesthetics and for a traditional architecture look. Still, it's a lot to ask," he acknowledged. "If you put it in context, the project is located in big land mass it is a big structure but in context it will vanish."

The closest home will be a third of a mile away, Chen said. The Buddha hall will be in the center of the development and will be surrounded by smaller buildings.

"I think that will t more to this environment and be more respectful to the residents that surround the temple," he said.

At build out, the temple will accommodate 50 to 60 full-time residents, according to project manager Nancy M. Ferguson of The Altum Group.

It will be able to accommodate about 16 Buddhist events a year: eight large events, and four small and four medium events. The larger events are projected to have about 500 visitors, Chen said.

But the ow of traf c isn't expected to change, Ferguson said.

Unlike traditional religious gatherings, "it's going to be staggered arrivals, and once they are there they are there for the duration of the event, Ferguson explained. That could be several days, she added.

"The number of people going back and forth during these events isn't going to be 500 people in and 500 people out each day," she said.

Resident Rolf Pherigo, who's lived in Rancho Cucamonga for 19 years, is concerned how this would impact traf c on the main thoroughfare Wardman Bullock, a two-lane road.

"I think most residents will feel a whole lot better with the environment impact report if it holds the tenants accountable. I would be opposed to 50-passenger bus going up the hill but OK it was if it was shuttle buses," he said. "The more it is de ned for residents than the less there will be opposition."

According to current traf c reports for Wardman, there are about 1,000 car trips a day and it has a capacity of 10,000 trips a day. The project would add another 1,000 trips a day, the report stated.

Pherigo said he came to the meeting with an open mind and looking to learn more about the project. What he learned put his mind at ease.

"I didn't have a vision of what this was going to look like, but I wasn't so sure when someone said 80-foot building, I was thinking minarets and a Russian temple," he said following the two-hour gathering. "Now I see it conceptually, it looks pleasing. If there are enough layers in the trees, and shrubbery, then most of the residents won't be opposing it."

But longtime resident Stanton Lewis wanted to know how the project plans to address being located within a high-risk re zone.

"How could we possibly protect our residents with our resources in Rancho Cucamonga if they have to protect such a large complex that is in the most vulnerable part of the city," he said.

Ferguson said she has been working with the Rancho Cucamonga Fire District to develop a fuel modi cation plan ? to keep the brush clear ? and a re protection plan.

Terri Rahhal, planning director for San Bernardino County, told Lewis his questions about re safety and re hazard, and the public service that is required to respond in an emergency, need to be addressed in the environmental report.

The temple must detail the impacts the development would have on the environment. Once a draft of that environmental report is completed, it will be released for public review, said Natalie Patty, a consultant selected to prepare the environmental analysis report.

The comment period on that draft report will be 45 days. After the county reviews and responds to all the comments on the draft report, a nal version will be prepared and the project will be scheduled for a public hearing by the county's Planning Commission.

The goal is to have the county certify the report by October 2018.

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