Election Day has come and gone, but what happens next? The San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters is posting regular updates on the Election Results webpage until all eligible ballots have been counted.
Some ballots are still being processed, including mail ballots received on election day, mail ballots postmarked on election day but received within seven days, provisional ballots, and mail ballots placed on hold. A mail ballot may be on hold due to signature verification issues, in which case the voter is notified and given a chance to resolve it. Once the signature verification issue is resolved, the envelope can be opened, and the ballot counted.
Provisional ballots, given to voters whose eligibility to vote is uncertain, are held until the voter’s eligibility status is confirmed. The provisional ballot is counted once determined that the voter was eligible on or before Election Day.
The Registrar of Voters will certify the election no later than December 8.
Public Works strives to be storm-ready
County Public Works was prepared for Tuesday’s storm system and will continue to work to keep residents safe as the winter storm season passes through the recent-burn areas and all of San Bernardino County.
Public Works has been working continuously with partner agencies to develop plans and implement protective measures to assist the property owners in the mountain communities affected by the El Dorado fire. The county maintains a multi-agency team that monitors and coordinates for road closures, emergency response, and debris clean up on roads and public facilities.
Over the past few years, the County, working with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, installed K-rail at select properties identified by NRCS, and implemented an emergency notification system and a dedicated informational burn area webpage. This area is heavily monitored as storms approach and frequent agency coordination meetings take place for shared activation plans with partner agencies.
Now that winter weather has arrived, the County team will continue to monitor and be alerted to any storm events and crews will activate immediately. During and after storm events, County crews work 24/7 until all County maintained roads are open and free of flooding and debris flows.
For the latest evacuation notifications, sign up for the TENS system to receive alerts.
Health officer urges public to take precautions as hospitalizations for pediatric respiratory illness rise
Due to an increase in pediatric hospitalizations and daily emergency room visits for respiratory infections, the County Health Officer strongly encourages San Bernardino County residents to follow preventive measures.
“San Bernardino County is seeing high rates of respiratory illness severely impacting capacity in our pediatric hospitals with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) being a contributing factor,” said County Health Officer Dr. Michael Sequeira. “Respiratory illnesses can severely affect young infants and children, and we are encouraging residents to take precautions.”
Respiratory syncytial virus is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms. Most people recover in a week or two, but RSV can be serious, especially for infants and older adults.
People infected with RSV usually show symptoms within 4 to 6 days after getting infected. Symptoms of RSV infection usually include:
Runny nose
Decrease in appetite
Coughing
Sneezing
Fever
Wheezing
These symptoms usually appear in stages and not all at once. In very young infants with RSV, the only symptoms may be irritability, decreased activity, and breathing difficulties.
Seek medical attention immediately if your child is showing warning signs, which may include having trouble breathing, showing signs of dehydration (i.e., no urine in over 8 hours, dark urine, very dry mouth, and no tears), has a persistent or high fever, or looks or acts very sick. Call your primary care provider, pediatrician, urgent care, or hospital to help navigate steps to recommended care before your visit.
There are steps you can take to help prevent the spread of RSV:
Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your upper shirt sleeve, not your hands.
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially before and after eating and using the bathroom.
Avoid close contact, such as kissing, shaking hands, and sharing cups and eating utensils, with others.
Clean frequently touched surfaces such as doorknobs and mobile devices.
Do not go to school or work when you are symptomatic.
Mask when indoors or in large group settings.
Get your flu shot and COVID-19 vaccines to prevent complications from these viral illnesses.
Parents and caregivers should keep young children with acute respiratory illnesses out of childcare, even if they have tested negative for COVID-19.
RSV infections occur primarily during the fall and winter cold and flu season, causing bronchiolitis and pneumonia in children under one year of age and placing infants, young children, and older adults, with chronic medical conditions, at risk for more severe disease.
Residents are urged to get a flu shot or COVID-19 vaccine to reduce the number of hospitalizations due to severe illness. To find free flu vaccination clinics throughout the county. To get a COVID-19 vaccine, visit SB COVID 19 or call the COVID-19 Hotline at (909) 387-3911.
Remembering two fallen County firefighters
The San Bernardino County Fire Protection District and the communities they serve are mourning the loss of two of their finest last week with the passing of Fire Marshal Mike Horton and Captain Karl Hegle.
Chief Horton proudly served his country in the U.S. Army for three years prior to entering the fire service in 1981 as a firefighter with the Norco Fire Department. He served in various firefighting ranks before joining San Bernardino County Fire in 2006 as the Deputy Fire Marshal. Chief Horton took the helm as Fire Marshal in September 2013.
Captain Hegle started in the fire service with the California City Fire Department in 1995 and joined the Upland Fire Department in 2007. When Upland transitioned into the San Bernardino County Fire District in 2017
Captain Hegle was gifted with a new community to serve in Wrightwood.
The County Family express its deepest condolences to the families and friends of Chief Horton and Captain Hegle.
Countywide Vision committee to report on public safety, equity activities at Town Hall meeting
Hear about the work performed throughout San Bernardino County by the Countywide Vision Public Safety and Equity Element Committee at a town hall meeting on Monday evening, Nov. 14, at Victor Valley College.
Panelists will include Sheriff Shannon Dicus; District Attorney Jason Anderson; Chief Probation Officer Tracy Reece; Public Defender Thomas Sone; San Bernardino County Fire Chief Dan Munsey; Pastor Samuel Casey, Executive Director, Churches Organized for Prophetic Engagement (COPE); George Lamb, President and CEO of Faith Advisory Council for Community Transformation (FAACT); Phyllis Morris, Chair, Reimagining Our Communities (ROC); and Bill Thomas, Public Affairs Chairperson, NAACP High Desert Chapter.
Presentations will be followed by an opportunity for the public to ask questions.
The committee has been hard at work developing strategies and engaging in activities in response to the June 2020 declaration of racism as a public health crisis by the Board of Supervisors.
The meeting will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Victor Valley College Student Activity Center, 18422 Bear Valley Road in Victorville. Refreshments will be served.
The Countywide Vision is a community-based effort led by the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors and the San Bernardino Council of Governments to ensure the county increases its capacity to meet the economic, educational, public safety, housing, and environmental needs of its residents and investors.
NAEBOR Clinic celebrates grand opening, focuses on Black, African American pre-natal care
The NAEBOR Clinic, designed and committed to provide culturally responsive pregnancy and postpartum care to Black women across San Bernardino County, celebrated its grand opening on October 24, in the city of Rialto with a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by clinicians, supporters, funders and the community.
Understanding the importance of representation, NAEBOR (Neighborly, Adaptable, Equitable Care for Black Obstetric Patients with Respect) is a clinic model tailored to Black and African American families designed to improve pregnancy outcomes and perceived patient experiences.
There are many elements that set the NAEBOR clinic apart, according to NAEBOR Co-Program Director Kendra Flores-Carter, DSW. For example, all care providers at the NAEBOR clinic receive training in cultural humility and implicit bias to ensure that respectful care is always provided with empathy for the patient’s life experiences. Also, guided by the clinic’s health care team, “Our patients choose the prenatal care plan that is right for them, which is very important,” Flores-Carter explained. “Women can access the full spectrum of prenatal care services including traditional in-person maternal care, telehealth or intense care (designed for high-risk pregnancies),” Flores-Carter said. NAEBOR Clinic also has social workers and community health workers who provide connections to existing programs for families.
The clinic is supported in part by an investment by First 5 San Bernardino, an organization that recognizes the significance of the prenatal and early years of life in influencing a child’s health, development and life outcomes.
“First 5 San Bernardino is incredibly proud to support NAEBOR Clinic to address the decades long, documented disparities in birth outcomes in Black families,” said First 5 San Bernardino Executive Director Karen Scott. “While this issue has been discussed at length for years, First 5 San Bernardino is proud to partner with the NAEBOR clinic to proactively work with black mothers and seek solutions in closing this gap,” Scott concluded.
Offering prenatal education classes and accepting most insurance, NAEBOR Clinic is located at 416 W. Foothill Blvd, Rialto (inside the Mommy & Me building). The clinic is open Mondays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information on services and appointments, visit NAEBOR Clinic or call 909.421.0493.
Veterans, active military receive half-off admission at Regional Parks on Veterans Day
In honor of Veterans Day, Regional Parks will honor our veterans and active military personnel with half-off regular park admission on Friday, Nov. 11.
Participating parks include Cucamonga-Guasti, Glen Helen, Mojave Narrows, Prado and Yucaipa.
We salute all our service men and women who currently serve or have served our country. Thank you for your service!
This offer does not apply to fishing permits, annual pass purchases, camping or picnic shelter reservations.
High Desert Resource Fair coming to the Mojave River Valley with Assessor-Recorder mobile unit
The San Bernardino County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk is excited to partner with Supervisor Col. Paul Cook (Ret.), Victor Valley College, Workforce Development, and the Public Defender to offer our Mojave River Valley community members services, such as vital records and assessment information, and a job fair with dozens of employers onsite.
The Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk mobile unit will be at the event on Tuesday, Nov. 15, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Abundant Living Family Church HD located at 17555 Mauna Loa St., Hesperia.
Those wishing to obtain certified copies of a birth, death or marriage certificate that occurred in San Bernardino County are encouraged to visit our website at ARC Mobile Unit Dates and Appointment Information to complete an application in advance and view the requirements to obtain these records. For those seeking employment, please visit: https://bit.ly/3ha2jSo.
County Libraries Baker’s Book Club offers delicious treats from Baker’s drive-thru
Do you like reading? Do you like milkshakes? Do you like reading and milkshakes? It’s not too late to sign up for the Baker’s Book Club and earn delicious treats for meeting reading goals! The program ends Nov. 19, so hurry!
To participate in this program, visit any of the 32 San Bernardino County Branch Libraries to sign up in person, or sign up using the Beanstack app at sbclib.beanstack.org.
Participants must be between the ages of 4 and 17, and a parent or guardian will need to sign to acknowledge reading accomplishments.
A voucher for a free Baker’s food item will be issued as reading goals are met. Each child and teen may earn a total of three awards and vouchers for the duration of the program.
San Bernardino County has jobs that will open on Saturday, Nov. 12.
We encourage you to apply and share these job openings with those who may be interested in them. Recruitments listed are subject to final department approval. Check Job Opportunities for the most up-to-date recruitments.
For all monkeypox-related information, including case statistics, FAQs, guidelines, and resources, visit the County’s monkeypox webpage at wp.sbcounty.gov/dph/monkeypox. Individuals who are interested in the vaccine may complete the Monkeypox Vaccine Interest Form.
For all COVID-19 related information, including case statistics, FAQs, guidelines, and resources, visit the County’s COVID-19 webpage. Residents of San Bernardino County may also call the COVID-19 helpline at (909) 387-3911 for general information and resources about the virus. The phone line is NOT for medical calls and is available Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you have questions about social services, please call 211.
