8/14 KVCR Midday News: Bill to split Riv. Co Sheriff, Coroner's office clears key hurdle; CJUSD agrees with developer to preserve school

For 91-9, KVCR News, I'm Anthony Victoria. A Senate bill prompted by concerns over a lack of transparency in investigating deaths in Riverside County jails has cleared an important hurdle. The bill would separate the Riverside County Sheriff and the coroner's offices. KVCR's Madison Ament reports. SB 1379 would require the Riverside County Board of Supervisors to separate the offices of Sheriff and Coroner by 2027. It would also require the county to create an independent medical examiner's office. The bill, authored by state senator Sabrina Cervantes, a Riverside County Democrat, came after critics said it was a conflict of interest for the sheriff's department to investigate deaths in its own jails. In 2022, a rash of in-custody deaths claimed 18 lives, the most in any given year in two decades. Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said in a statement to KVCR that the bill is politically motivated. For KVCR News, I'm Madison Ament and San Bernardino. The Colton Joint Unified School District has reached a deal with the developer of a massive warehouse project in Bloomington to keep Zimmerman Elementary School open. The district will receive $27 million under the agreement, which also includes safety measures for students and staff if the project moves forward. The Bloomington Business Park was approved by San Bernardino County in 2022. The 213-acre project could bring up to 3 million square feet of warehouse space to the community and has already resulted in the demolition of homes. A court halted the project in 2024 after finding problems with the county's environmental review. The county has since revised the environmental report. And the Planning Commission is expected to continue reviewing it next week. The project was originally developed by Howard Industrial Partners and is now owned by Bloomington Gateway Distribution Center, a company owned by Brookfield Corporation. A federal judge in downtown L.A. has issued a tentative ruling to stop what civil rights advocates have called illegal warrantless arrest by immigration officers. L.A.S. reporter Jared Bennett shared this update from outside the courtroom yesterday. The ruling will require federal officers to provide documentation that people they arrest without a warrant present a flight risk. Lawyers for the government argued there is no official policy for warrantless arrests. This order could force agents to fundamentally change how they conduct immigration sweeps. Several judges across the country have issued similar rulings. And in two cases, courts have ruled agents are continuing warrantless arrests even after they were ordered to stop. Republican lawmakers are pushing new measures with the goal of making California's top elections office nonpartisan. Cap Radio's Laura Fitzschild has more. Republicans want to amend the state constitution to prevent candidates for Secretary of State from running under a party affiliation. The office oversees California elections. Assembly member Josh Hoover of Folsom is one of the lawmakers behind the measure. Plain and simple, we believe the individual administering our election system should represent the people of California, not a specific political party or perspective. Judicial, city, county, and school board candidates are currently required to run as nonpartisans. The state super...

Superintendent of Public Instruction is the only nonpartisan statewide office. This constitutional amendment, to add the Secretary of State's office to that list, would have to get support from two-thirds of the legislature before going before voters. Republican Assembly member Natasha Johnson. We're not deciding this for California. We're giving Californians the chance to decide for themselves. Democratic Assembly member Gail Pellerin, who chairs the Assembly Elections Committee, said in a statement she would consider the proposal, but that the debate would be better suited for a future legislative session when lawmakers have more time to deliberate. The soonest it could appear on the ballot is 2028. In Sacramento, I'm Laura Fitzgerald. This is listener-supported KVCR News. We're on Facebook and Instagram at KVCR Public Media. Check out our socials and like us or follow us today. That was it for today's midday news report. Donate to our growing newsroom at KVCR.org are at 877-5128843. For KBCR News, I'm Anthony Victoria. Have a great day.