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Monthly Archives: May 2016
Early voting expands for the 2016 Presidential Primary Election
Beginning today, voters in San Bernardino County will have two additional locations where they can cast their ballot prior to the June 7 Presidential Primary Election. Early Voting sites will open at the Ontario Conference Center and Victorville City Hall. Earlier this month, early voting began at the San Bernardino County Elections Office.
Voters can also drop-off their voted mail ballots at the early voting sites, and on Election Day those sites will have drive-thru drop-offs so voters can deliver their ballots without having to get out of their cars. Elections Office staff will be stationed in the parking lots to accept voted mail ballots and distribute ‘I Voted’ stickers.
Voted mail ballots may also be returned prior to Election Day in person at one of 57 mail ballot drop-off locations found at all City Clerk’s offices and County libraries, or to any polling place on Election Day. To find a mail ballot drop-off location, voters can use the Mail Ballot Drop-Off Map located on the Elections Office website at www.SBCountyElections.com.
Additionally, voted mail ballots may be returned via the U.S. Postal Service, but must be postmarked on or before Election Day, June 7, 2016, and received no later than three business days after the election.
At each Early Voting site and every polling place, voters can also take a ballot selfie with their un-voted ballots and their ‘I Voted’ stickers in front of a new Ballot Selfie poster. “We’re hoping to generate excitement about voting in San Bernardino County by allowing voters to take a Ballot Selfie and sharing it on social media sites” said Registrar of Voters Michael J. Scarpello.
Early voting takes place Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Saturday, June 4 from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; and on Election Day, Tuesday, June 7 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The Ontario Conference Center is located at 1947 E. Convention Center Way in Ontario, the Victorville City Hall is located at 14343 Civic Drive in Victorville, and the Elections Office is located at 777 E. Rialto Avenue in San Bernardino.
For more information about this election, visit the Elections Office website, www.SBCountyElections.com, or call (909) 387-8300.
It’s time for Children’s Fund’s Annual Backpack & School Supply Drive!
From June 1 through June 24, Children’s Fund is collecting backpacks and school supplies for foster youth and other vulnerable children and teens in our communities. Let’s equip our children with the tools they need to be successful in school!
Visit Children’s Fund’s website to download a flyer, or view a list of needed school supplies by grade. Questions? Call Children’s Fund at (909) 379-0000.
Thank you for your generosity!
Voter registration deadline is Monday for Presidential Primary
Monday, May 23 is the deadline for California residents to register to vote in the 2016 Presidential Primary Election on June 7. Voters should also re-register to vote when they change their name, address, or party affiliation.
The Republican, Green, and Peace and Freedom parties require voters to be affiliated with their parties to vote on their parties’ presidential contests. However, the Democratic, Libertarian, and American parties are allowing voters who have not chosen a party preference to vote in their presidential primaries.
Citizens may register to vote online at www.SBCountyElections.com. Voter registration applications are also available at the San Bernardino County Elections Office and throughout San Bernardino County at post offices, city clerks’ offices, county libraries, and the Department of Motor Vehicles. Visit www.SBCountyElections.com to view a map of these locations.
The San Bernardino County Elections Office will be open until midnight on Monday, May 23 to accept in-person voter registration applications. The office is located at 777 E. Rialto Avenue, San Bernardino, CA 92415. Mailed voter registration applications must be postmarked no later than May 23.
Registered voters can access personalized election information through My Elections (M.E.) Gateway, an award-winning web application. Registered voters can use M.E. Gateway to view their registration status, polling place location, voting districts, and other personalized election information.
For more information about registering to vote, please visit the Elections Office website at www.SBCountyElections.com or call (909) 387-8300.
Poll workers needed for the 2016 Presidential Primary Election
The San Bernardino County Elections Office is recruiting poll workers for the June 7, 2016 Presidential Primary Election. More than 3,000 poll workers in San Bernardino County will be assigned to work on Election Day.
Poll workers are paid between $115 and $190 for working on Election Day and are typically assigned to work in or near their own neighborhood. Poll workers must be registered to vote in California, attend at least one two-hour training class, and be able to work on Election Day from 6 a.m. until approximately 9 p.m.
Many precincts require bilingual poll workers who speak Chinese, Khmer, Korean, Spanish, Tagalog, or Vietnamese and will receive extra pay for providing this language assistance.
To apply, visit the San Bernardino County Elections Office website at sbcountyelections.com or call 909-387-8300.
Check up on your doctor’s license
The Medical Board of California has made it easier than ever for Californians to check up on their doctors.
The Medical Board encourages consumers to check up on their doctor’s license. Such a checkup is simple and helps consumers make informed choices when choosing a doctor.
To determine a doctor’s status, go to the Medical Board’s website at www.mbc.ca.gov. Please note: if you do not have a computer, call (800) 633-2322 and someone at the Medical Board will look up the doctor for you.
To use the website, click on “License Search” on the home page. Then choose the license type by clicking the checkbox for “Physician and Surgeon.” Then click “Search by Name.”
Enter the doctor’s last name and first initial. If it is a common last name, enter the entire first name. Make sure the names are spelled correctly. Then click on “Search.”
Click on his or her name. Review license details, including verifying whether any disciplinary actions are listed at the bottom of the page.
If you have any questions regarding the information on the doctor’s profile, you may contact the Medical Board or discuss it with your doctor.
The Medical Board also encourages consumers to sign up for the MBC Subscribers’ Alerts on the home page to be notified by email of disciplinary actions taken against a physician’s license, including probationary status, suspension or revocation.
Encouraging patients to check up on their doctor’s license is part of the Medical Board’s ongoing mission of consumer protection. For more information or assistance, please call (800) 633-2322.
Vote early, take a ballot selfie in the 2016 Presidential Primary Election
Pictured from left to right, Elections Office staff members: Ashleigh Bachar, Roxana Castro, and Travis Weaver
San Bernardino County voters can vote early for the June 7, 2016 Presidential Primary Election and while they’re at it, can share their experience with their friends and family by taking a ballot selfie in the Election Office’s “Ballot Selfie” booth and sharing it through social media.
Early voting began at the Elections Office on Monday, May 9 and will continue until Election Day. Two additional satellite early voting sites will be open beginning Tuesday, May 31.
At the early voting sites, voters can take a ballot selfie with their un-voted ballots and their ‘I Voted’ stickers in front of a new ballot selfie poster. “We’re hoping to generate excitement about voting in San Bernardino County by allowing voters to take a ballot selfie and sharing it on social media sites” said Registrar of Voters, Michael J. Scarpello. In addition to early voting sites, the ballot selfie poster will be placed at every polling place on Election Day.
California law currently prohibits a voter from revealing the contents of their voted ballot or taking pictures of other voters with the intent of dissuading a person from voting. However, the law does not prohibit a ballot selfie with an un-voted ballot.
Early voting hours for the Elections Office, 777 E. Rialto Avenue, San Bernardino, CA 92415, are Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Saturday, June 4 from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; and on Election Day, Tuesday, June 7 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
For more information about this election, visit the Elections Office website, www.sbcountyelections.com, or call (909) 387-8300.
Library grand opening celebration in Bloomington
On Saturday, May 14, San Bernardino County will hold a grand opening celebration for the new Bloomington Branch Library.
The 6,700-square-foot library is part of the newly-completed Bloomington Grove affordable housing apartments and Lillian Court senior community. The library is located at 18028 Valley Boulevard in Bloomington.
The Bloomington Branch Library features a children’s reading area, private study rooms and computer lab.
“It’s exciting to bring the fun of books and reading, right into the neighborhood, in a way that will encourage greater access to learning for our local families. The Bloomington Grove family housing, along with Lillian Court senior housing, provide a unique opportunity for residents to live, work and stay in Bloomington. I am so proud of this investment which demonstrates this county’s strong commitment to our unincorporated area residents,” said Supervisor Josie Gonzales.
The free community celebration event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. A public dedication ceremony and ribbon cutting for the library will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. followed by lunch and library tours. Click here for details.
As many as eight food trucks will be on site that day serving a mix of hot dogs, sliders, grilled cheese, Kona ice and cupcakes, plus much more. The first 1,700 attendees will receive a complimentary lunch and dessert ticket.
The family-fun celebration will have music and entertainers including magicians, balloon storytelling and live animals. Booths will feature treats and games. The County Library and Colton Unified School District’s Super Hero Reading Program will be there as well with surprise guests and giveaways. Attendees will also learn more about Vision2Read, a Countywide Vision campaign designed to focus attention on the importance of reading, highlight literacy-related programs and services throughout the county and connect people to available reading resources and/or volunteer opportunities.
The Bloomington Branch Library is part of a greater County reinvestment in the Bloomington community. Along with the library, the County pursued development of 106 much-needed quality affordable housing apartments for seniors and families. The County will begin construction for the second phase of an additional four-acre site which will add 85 units to the Bloomington Grove affordable housing development. The second phase is set to open in Spring 2017. The County developed the housing in partnership with Related California.
The San Bernardino County Library System is a dynamic network of 32 branch libraries that serves a diverse population over a vast geographic area. The County library system strives to provide equal access to information, technology, programs, and services for all people who call San Bernardino County home. The library plays a key role in the achievement of the Countywide Vision by contributing to educational, cultural and historical development of our County community.
Voter Information Guides, mail ballots delivered for 2016 Presidential Primary Election
Voter Information Guides for the June 7, 2016 Presidential Primary Election will be delivered to voters’ mailboxes beginning Tuesday, May 10. Mail ballots will be delivered to voters on the permanent mail ballot list beginning Saturday, May 14.
Inside the Voter Information Guide, voters will find a Sample Ballot, as well as information about candidates, local measures, and how primaries are conducted in California. On the back cover of the Voter Information Guide, voters will find the address of their assigned polling place. Voters are encouraged to hold on to their guide until Election Day so that they can easily find their polling place.
Voters may also access personalized election information, including their Voter Information Guide and their assigned polling place, using the award-winning My Elections (M.E.) Gateway application by visiting the Elections Office website, www.sbcountyelections.com.
Voters can still sign up to receive a mail ballot by filling out the Mail Ballot Application found on the back cover of their Voter Information Guide, by downloading an application from the Elections Office website, or by calling the Elections Office. The deadline to request a mail ballot is Tuesday, May 31. Voted mail ballots may be returned via the U.S. Postal Service, in person to any polling place on Election Day, or to one of the 57 mail ballot drop-off locations prior to Election Day. To find a mail ballot drop-off location, voters can use the Mail Ballot Drop-Off Map located on the Elections Office website at www.sbcountyelections.com.
For more information about this election, visit the Elections Office website, www.sbcountyelections.com, or call (909) 387-8300.
Plans underway for December 2 memorial
Efforts are underway to create a public, County Government memorial to the people affected by the events of December 2, 2015. A memorial committee assembled by Supervisor Josie Gonzales, who was appointed by Board of Supervisors Chairman James Ramos to create and head the committee, has issued the following statement to update the community on the effort:
“We are moving forward with plans for a memorial to those who were taken, the county employees who were injured physically and emotionally, and the people who protected us during the December 2, 2015 terrorist attack in San Bernardino.
“We are family members of those who were taken, county employees who were present during this tragedy, and representatives from various County departments. We are meeting regularly to determine how the world will remember the people involved in and affected by the events of December 2.
“We have discussed a memorial that will serve as a place where all can remember each of those who were taken from us and the beauty they brought into this world. We also want it to recognize the tenacity of our community to persevere and move forward.
“As this committee continues its work, we will determine the nature, location, and timeline of the memorial. We have decided the memorial will focus on the County family and be dedicated primarily to the people whose lives were taken on December 2. The memorial will also recognize those who were injured, and give consideration to the first responders.
“We want to make the memorial a place suitable for quiet reflection. We have also determined that the memorial will recognize the broad ethnic and cultural diversity of those who were taken from us.
“We intend to create a memorial that celebrates life, and that honors the people who were taken on that terrible day; people who dedicated their careers to protecting the community’s health and well-being.
“The County will provide the public with regular updates on the memorial plans and timeline.”
The committee has also adopted the following mission statement:
December 2 Memorial Mission Statement:
Permanently honor and celebrate the innocent souls taken from us by a brutal and cowardly act of terrorism on December 2, 2015, and provide enduring recognition of the County employees who witnessed the attack,many of whom were physically injured and all of whom were emotionally impacted.
Acknowledge those who bravely and selflessly provided protection, comfort, and support to the loved ones of those who were taken, the wounded, our San Bernardino County Government Family, and our county community on the day of the attack and in the days, weeks, and months that followed.
Ensure that our efforts reaffirm respect for life, strengthen our resolve to preserve freedom, inspire an end to hatred, and uphold San Bernardino County’s tradition of strength, determination, and resilience.
