The new week has begun, but I can't forget what a great weekend we just finished. Janet and I went on our Friday night date to the new Antonino's, located at the northwest corner of Foothill Boulevard and Vineyard Avenue. Singh has done a phenominal job with the place. It's huge, but the food is still excellent. I had some monster shrimp and Janet has filet mignon. This was our way of celebrating Mothers' Day and supporting Antonino's at the same time. I want the west end of town to be just as busy as the east end. Antonino's is a good start. My daughter Alison came down from college with a bunch of friends- from Alabama, Texas, Oregon and Washington. We had a wonderful Mothers' Day weekend with a house full of kids. We were almost a complete family, as Anna was the only one away at school. On Saturday, I rode in the Cucamonga Challenge Bike-a-thon. I can't believe it, but I finished!! I  rode 28 miles! The race began and ended at Central Park. I did have to stop for a meeting after 26 miles. A woman from the California Dental Association came from the airport and interviewed me about future campaign possibilities. After the meeting, I hurried on, and finished. I wasn't the fastest, but I finished. I was too tired and sore to walk my precinct, but I feel I made lots of good contacts at the race. Our city has some pretty wonderful people. I hope the folks at the Pacific Electric Trail made some money on the race. Proceeds go to support improvements along the trail. Sunday was our day of rest. I made breakfast for Janet. Later in the day, Alison made Sunday dinner. We gave mom a rest, and lots of presents. At church all the guys sang "Love at Home" to the moms. It really was one of the most restful, peaceful weekends of my life. I love my family, my city, and my life. I am at peace. Calm before the storm? Bring it on.

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Is it possible to be worn out, yet very happy. That describes me this morning. Friday has barely begun, and I'm pooped. I got almost 4 hours of sleep Wednesday night. That's because our council meeting went past 10:30 p.m., and then I had to drive back to the office in San Bernardino to get a few things done before driving to L.A. Thursday morning at 6 a.m. I found my way into our office building at 11 p.m., but it was scary trying to find the lights. One custodian joined me, but stayed on another floor. I got to bed after midnight, and got up after 4 a.m. I attended a World Trade event at the Wilshire Grand, and drove back to work with my colleague Tim Shears. I was able to go to a meeting at City Hall at 5:30 p.m., and then speak at the Alta Laguna Mobile Home Park at 7:00. At 9:00 I visited the new beginning of Antonino's, a wonderful Italian Ristorante that moved across the parking lot at the Thomas Winery on Vineyard and Foothill. Please visit Antonino's. It has great food, and Singh is the best restauranteer ever. He has invested his life in trying to rejuvenate the west end of town. We need to make the West end just as vibrant as the East end. His restaurant is beautiful. I'm running  on adrenaline now. I'm tired, but I'm  happy. I love meeting with residents and helping them solve their problems. I get a lot of joy in that. I am elected to serve. And I want to make our citizens (our best customers) happy. When our residents have a complaint, we should return their calls sooner than later. I know we can do better. In my walking of the precincts, I see some dead lawns and unkept properties every so often. We can do better. Our police and fire response times could always improve, and our service can be impeccable and empathetic. We can do better. Our kids need quality field space for our many youth sports organizations- BEFORE they grow up. We can do better. Our seniors need support, protection, and respect. We can do better. Our city staff is awesome, but we can do better. We can serve the public like we are truly their servants, and do our best to be business-friendly instead of stifling to business. We can do better. I love Rancho, and I love working for its citizens, but I can do better. And I will. If for some reason I have neglected to call any of you back on a resident concern, please call me. My home number is (909) 941-0664. My cell is (909) 615-1144. If I am in a meeting, I will call you back as soon as I can. Or email me at rex@vineyardpress.com or randj884@msn.com. I know we can do better. Have a wonderful weekend!

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At last night's council meeting, approval was given to the developers of Victoria Gardens Mall to build possibly three buildings that could be anywhere from 80 to 160-feet tall. The mall is moving up! Comparisons were drawn to the Americana at Brand in Glendale. I decided that if we were to compare our mall to the high rise Americana, then I would expand the comparison. I stated that Americana has some "spectacular" features: 1) Americana has some tremendous aestetics like a huge chandelier hanging above one of the streets. It also has a phenominal water feature, and beautiful light features. I said that our mall was a huge success, but we can do better! 2) Americana at Brand in Glendale has invested in parking structures that have the technology to show drivers exactly how many spaces are available on each floor, so cars can proceed to the next floor without wandering around in frustration. If our mall is going to build 290 living units above the current stores, and build 3 tall mixed-use structures in the parking lots, them they are going to have to invest in parking structures, traffic circulation, and some "spectacular" features like a unique fountain and light features that perhaps light up the skyline. Again, I'd like to say we have a beautiful mall, but if it is going to grow by a third, then we can do better. We owe it to the people of Rancho Cucamonga to give them a safe, SPECTACULAR facility that has enough parking spaces to make the shopping experience a joy. I know we can do better! 

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I was talking to a resident tonight about a problem with a pit bull when I asked him the date of the upcoming neighborhood watch meeting I had committed to attend. He said it was yesterday. Darn!!! I just haven't been myself lately. I have been forgetting to put dates on my calendar, and generally flaking out on some of my responsibilities. Sorry. My friend said that one lady at the meeting does NOT like me. I supposedly neglected to help solve her problem. I sure feel bad when I fail to help people. I do the best I can. Some people believe that City Councilmembers serve full time. In reality, I have a day job. It's tough to serve a population of 180,000 after work and on weekends. And once in a while I need some time to myself or my family. God bless them. They have been wonderfully patient with me. I am committed to solving your problems if they can humanly be solved. The quality of life for our residents is foremost. I say this with all sincerity when I state that when you are not happy, I am not happy. Impeccable service is so important to me. That's why I've got to find that lady who isn't happy with my service. Like I said, I've been out of sorts lately- totally overwhelmed and a bit disorganized. The  reason I didn't write earlier tonight? I forgot my password. God bless you all, and have an organized night. :)

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Whenever I've had a rough day, I hit the doors. I try to walk on Saturdays, but this week I had a difficult day, and decided to walk a precinct after work. Wow! Everyone seemed to be home on Monday evening. I walked until dusk. The people were great. In spite of our problems, the people of Rancho Cucamonga are gracious and kind. They are my strength. They lift me up. I really love this city. Most people in the doors are concerned about the issues that matter to them locally- like crime in their neighborhood, or the speed of passing vehicles, or landscaping (or lack of it). Almost everyone wants to maintain the value of their home as high as possible. They want abandoned homes to be cared for so as to not drive down the value of their neighborhood. These are the things people care about most- the quality of life issues that they experience daily. That's why one of my highest goals has been the maintenance of high property values. To protect our most valuable assests and increase their value is critical to keeping Rancho Cucamonga a first class community. If you are experiencing any blight in your neighborhood, or crime, or any other unsavory issue, please send me a message at randj884@msn.com or rex@vineyardpress.com

Furthermore, I think it is important to do all you can to show your love for your friends and family. Love is what it's all about. A community that expresses love for others is like heaven on earth. Do something kind for your neighbor today. That kindness and love will send a ripple that will spread out to many others. Start a chain reaction. Love your neighbor, your spouse, your children, and, of course, yourself. Don't give up on yourself. You are worth more than you know. Have a great Wednesday!

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Last week I hosted a delegation from China in my office at the County's Economic Development Agency. Through a translator, we had a lively discussion. We exchanged small gifts, had water or tea, and I introduced them to Krispy Kreme donuts. After posing for pictures under the Grand Old Flag, as well as California's Bear Flag and the Red Flag of China, I was peppered with questions about birth control and taxes. The group listened intently. I sensed a bit of suppressed envy when I stated that I had three children, and came from a family of 10 kids. I knew this was a sensitive issue, since the Chinese are limited to one child per couple. On taxes, the Chinese told me that the state can afford to help the people because corporations pay a whopping 70% corporation tax. I wondered what our own corporations are paying. Are we going in the direction of the Chinese? Mind you, I was speaking with public officials- one of which was a leader of the Communist People's Party. It was almost surrreal. We were in awe of each other, yet I felt sad that I could not tell them more. Or maybe my sadness was in the realization that our system of taxation is beginning to look a little more like that of the Red Chinese than we would like to think. Taxes are not the answer to all our ills. Tell that to the California State Legislature- Republicans and Democrats alike- who are all beginning to resemble one great party. Food for thought.

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Good Sabbath to you all! I hope this correspondence finds you all well. I've had a restful Sunday- the way it should be. I think I'm ready for a new week. In case you didn't notice, the Easter Hunt was very successful! I'm so grateful to all the help we got, and for the fact that no one was hurt. We had the citizen patrol and police explorers on hand to keep the peace. They did an awesome job! About 550 kids participated, and about 400 adults. It was a lot of fun. You can see pictures on the gallery section of my web site. We will mail out the pictures with the Easter Bunny within two weeks. Five hundred and twenty pictures were taken, so it will take a little while to process them. Thanks so much to Rhonda McKenney for her photography talent. She was responsible for a huge number of participants and volunteers. It was a great success. I know this may sound silly to some of you, but I really get a lot of joy out of sponsoring activities that give our city more of a sense of community. With 180,000 people, our city has grown extremely fragmented. Though we share common goals, there are not enough activities that draw us together. I have truly enjoyed seeing many people in our community come together for such activities as the Snowflake Festival, Veterans' Night Points of Light, Easter Egg Hunt, 4th of July fireworks, etc. People-- let's be united! There's so much we can accomplish if we work together. Tough times are still ahead, so we need to have a strong sense of unity and community. We need to be ready to help each other. I want to be a part of building a strong sense of community for all of us.

I wanted to mention something that you may have read about. Much has been written in the local papers about the County Assessor scandal. I worked for the county assessor for about a year and a half. During my tenure, I did all I could to be a diligent worker and abide by all regulations that were known to me. I worked all the hours I was paid for, and I never engaged in anything that would contradict my high standards of ethics and hard work. I feel it is so important to never judge anyone by what is written in the papers. All people deserve utmost consideration and goodwill, as well as due process of law. Some people that I worked with have been arrested. I would urge all people of good will NOT to judge anyone until all the facts have been presented. In this country, the accused are considered innocent until proven guilty. Do not judge, lest ye be judged. Lets pray for people instead of wishing them harm. We are a greater people than that. I know we can do better.

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It's already midweek, and its time to close the Easter Egg Hunt to new registrants. We just hit 500 kids! That's a huge success, but we don't want to get too unmanageable. If you're coming, get there by 8:30 and take your child's picture with the Easter Bunny. We will try to send out an email with guidelines and safety tips. Let's have some fun! But don't forget the true meaning of Easter. Here's the lyrics to a song that really boosts my spirits when I'm down:

I know that my Redeemer lives-    What comfort this sweet sentence gives!

He lives, He lives who once was dead-    He lives, my ever-living Head.

He lives to bless me with His love-    He lives to plead for me above.

He lives my hungry soul to feed-    He lives to bless in time of need.

He lives to grant me rich supply.    He lives to guide me with His eye.

He lives to comfort me when faint-    He lives to hear my soul's complaint.

He lives to silence all my fears-    He lives to wipe away my tears.

He lives to calm my troubled heart-    He lives all blessings to impaart.

He lives, my kind, wise heav'nly Friend-    He lives and loves me to the end.

He lives, and while He lives I'll sing-    He lives, my Prophet, Priest and King.

He lives and grants me daily breath-    He lives, and I shall conquer death.

He lives my mansion to prepare-    He lives to bring me safely there.

He lives! All glory to His name-    He lives, my Savior still the same.

Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives: "I know that my Redeemer lives!"

He lives! All glory to His name! He lives, my Savior still the same.

Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives: "I know that my Redeemer lives!"

                                                                               Have a wonderful day everyone!

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Hello folks! We have 394 registrants for the Cucamonga Cotton Tail Easter Egg Hunt! And I know we will get more. If anyone would like to help us stuff eggs on Thursday night or help on Saturday morning, please send me a message at rex@vineyardpress.com  There is so much happening, but so little time to write about it. Work, and the hunt, are keeping us busy here at the Vineyard Press. Tonight the city council tours the 1200 acres above Los Osos High School that will someday be the city's last planned community- with a possible golf course and 25-acre sports park. More on that later. God bless!

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I'm baaaaaaack! Life has been different lately. The computer was so slow it had to be upgraded. And work has been hectic. City council matters have been demanding. In essence, it's been a tough few weeks. But somehow, I love it. My children are healthy. Janet is by my side, and I like life! We are gearing up for the Cucamonga Cotton Tail Easter Egg Hunt! Please bring your kids or grandkids on Saturday, April 11. The hunt begins at 9 a.m. Look for the golden ticket!! If you are an adult, and would like to help stuff eggs, join me at Central Park Thursday night to volunteer and eat! Send an email to vineyardpress.com and let me know if you would like to volunteer.

The city continues on a steady path, but the budget situation is making life challenging. How do we maintain high levels of service with ever decreasing levels of revenue? It's a tough situation. I don't want to see a decline in our quality of life, so we have a lot of brainstorming to do. I have really enjoyed walking in the doors and talking with residents on Saturdays. I am currently walking and handing out my survey to residents north of Banyan and west of Archibald. Keep your eyes peeled for me. If you have a particular concern and would like a personal visit, email me at vineyardpress.com

More updates on what has been going on lately will be put on this blog tonight. Have a good day everyone! And that includes you too Bob.

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