I've seen the local papers sliding down the slippery slope where political opinion and paid for propaganda are presented as legitimate news stories. Here are a few questionable "news" items.

Water allowance triples for coming year
Allotment still at all-time low February 27, 2010
Daily Press Brooke Edwards

APPLE VALLEY • The Mojave Water Agency, which controls the water supply for the entire Victor Valley, is slated to get three times more water for the coming year than expected. That’s enough to serve an additional 16,650 homes.
However, Friday’s announcement from the State Water Project that California’s 27 water contractors will receive not 5 but 15 percent of what they’re requesting still leaves them at an all-time low. And less water coming in from the state means MWA will have to use more of its local supply to keep taps flowing, rather than storing this year’s plentiful rain for future dry years.
“It’s obviously not where we want to be, where we need to be,” said MWA spokesman Michael Stevens of the allocation. “But 15 is better than 5.”

After learning that the MWA has hired a public relations firm (and paid out over $100,000.00 tax dollars) to maximize community support and "reduce and or neutralize community opposition" to its R3 project, this type of misleading press release is to be expected. The MWA requested 82,800 acre feet of water and the State Water Project uped the 2010 allotment to 12,420 acre feet. 15% of what the MWA requested instead of 5%. As far as serving "an additional 16,650 homes" with the new allotment. The Mojave Water Agency cannot replace the water that it has overdrafted from the basis if it were to use the entire 15% allotment on replacement water alone. Out of the first 5% (4140 acre feet) of 2010 water the MWA has allocated 1850 acre feet to the High Desert Power plant in Victorville and Luz Solar Partners at Kramer Junction. Leaving just 1788 acre feet for the Mojave Basin Watermaster for judgement obligations or replacement water. The next paid adverisement is from the BIA on the return of the building industry in Victorville.

Rebuilding the construction industry
Victorville building permit pace up from 2009
February 27, 2010

DAVID KECK For the Daily Press

VICTORVILLE • The city is on a pace this year to exceed the number of building permits it issued in 2009 by 25 percent, leading some in the industry to see the Victor Valley as an oasis of hope in an industry battered by recession.
Victorville Development Department officials had issued 54 permits as of Feb. 19, not even two months into 2010. If the trend holds, the department will have issued about 325 permits by year’s end. It granted 260 building permits in 2009, according to city spokeswoman Monica Petersen.
Not that the brisk pace surprised those in the industry. Homes are selling better here than in most of the nation right now, they note. Home sales nationwide plummeted 11.2 percent to record lows in January, the Commerce Department reported.
“There are buyers out there who see (Victorville) as the most affordable market there is,” Frank Williams, chief executive officer of the Baldy View Chapter of the Building Industry Association, said.

Wow, 54 permits as of Feb 19! " If the trend holds' is the key wording in this infomercial. What is selling is the forclosed homes that were going for $300,000+ now selling for $120,000. There are thousands of these that will sell before anyone will buy a new home. Add no credit or loans or jobs in Victorville and it doesn't look so rosy. And last and least, the Anthony Riley story in the Hesperia Star.

Riley announces assembly run
If elected, school board Riley, would replace Adams in 59th district
February 25, 2010
Beau Yarbrough Staff Writer
Hesperia Unified School Board member Anthony Riley wants Anthony Adams' assembly seat.
"There's also a spending addiction in Sacramento and that's the reason for our serious state budget problems," Riley, 38, is quoted as saying in a press release issued Thursday morning announcing his intention to seek the Republican nomination in the June 8 primary.

I'll post some comments off of a political blog about Riley.You be the judge if they are on the mark.

Anthony Riley is not only connected to the corruption hitting 4/5 of the SB supervisors, he is linked to the criminal indictments of the failed charter school scandal in the High Desert. He sits on the Hesperia school board, which is going broke. He got elected with teacher union money. Do the Republicans really want a union guy who is connected w/ 2 political corruption scandals to replace Adams?


Riley was endorsed by the teacher's union. It's not clear why he would be interested in being on a school board because he doesn't have any children of his own. It looks like it is just another item for his resume. He is another professional politican, like Adams.

What sense does it make to get rid of Adams if we just put a Union guy in his place?

Riley has had an interesting journey. While part of his resume is staffer, he was also principal of the now defunct charter school. The defunct charter school issue is interesting. Charter schools can be great, but not if the people running them are taking the money. It has been a big issue in the High Desert.