Reprinted from the Hesperia Star.
Hesperia Unified police officer target of ‘vote no’ campaign signs in last days of election
October 29, 2010 5:40 PM
Beau Yarbrough
Staff Writer

Bill Holland has joined the club of Hesperia city council candidates this year to be the target of campaign ads urging voters to choose anyone but him.

But unlike Russ Blewett, Dave Holman and Thurston “Smitty” Smith, who are the target of ads run by Al Vogler, the husband of Councilwoman Rita Vogler, Holland’s opponents aren’t taking exception to his political views — they have problems with his professional life as a police officer for the Hesperia Unified School District. Read the rest of this entry »

Reprinted from InlandPolitics.com

Friday, October 29, 2010 – 6:10 a.m.

Is the city of Victorville on the brink?

The buzz in city and county political circles isn’t good.

Possible insolvency and unincorporation is becoming the talk.

With financial issues plaguing the city as a result of flawed decisions by its officials, now amplified by the Great Recession, the rumors are of no surprise.

Millions of dollars in debt obligations and shrinking revenues has buried the city.

Mayor Terry Caldwell’s decision not to seek reelection is probably a harbinger of things to come.

Just how far and wide the fallout will travel no one knows.

But one has to wonder whether or not the city and its problems will fall into the lap of county supervisors.

Putting lipstick on this pig won’t work for much longer.

First time USCIS has halted an EB-5 regional center
Reprinted from the Daily Press.
October 26, 2010 1:01 PM
Brooke Edwards

VICTORVILLE • The federal government has terminated Victorville’s foreign investor program, ending the city’s hopes to raise tens of millions of dollars for projects at Southern California Logistics Airport.

It’s the first time U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has ever terminated an EB-5 program, agency spokeswoman Mariana Gitmore said by phone Tuesday. She said Victorville hadn’t been able to demonstrate that it meets the criteria to raise funds through the federal program, despite repeated requests for more information. Read the rest of this entry »

Letter to the Editor, reprinted from the Hesperia Star

Man of honor

I am writing this response to Al Vogler’s and Allise Vogler’s Letters to the Editor.

My husband and I have known the Smith’s for over twenty years. Smitty, my husband and I, had served on the Hesperia American Little League Board together for over five years, our families have vacationed together and our son’s were best friends. I am proud to say that I known the Smith’s well!

In my discussions with Smitty regarding the Vote No on Smith, Blewett, Holman campaign signs launched by the Vogler’s, Smitty has opted to take the high road by not responding in the paper, and I commend him for that. However, I cannot let another day go by without telling the community the WHOLE truth about Smith not nominating Rita Vogler to be mayor.

The truth is that Al Vogler has already begun preparing for this attack on Smith before the mayor nomination. Smith discovered that Al Vogler had gone to city hall and obtained both Smith and Leonard’s form 700’s and from 460’s. Yes, well all know these are public documents, however, Vogler masquerades as Smith’s friend, when in reality, Vogler was angry that Smith did not vote the way Vogler wanted him to about a water issue.

This coupled with Allise Vogler sending the email “threat,” (of which I personally saw) that Smitty better vote the “right way” in nominating Rita Vogler as mayor, explains the Vogler’s true motives.

Shame on you, Al Vogler! You got your hand stuck in the cookie jar once again. You should know that after what the Smith family has been through personally, there is nothing you can do to hurt them.

Hesperia Voters: On November 2nd, it is your choice of candidates to support. I am merely trying to set the record straight and let you know that Thurston “Smitty” Smith is a man of honor!

Leisa Lewis
Hesperia

Reprinted from the Hesperia Star

VVC professor was appointed to board after death of Richard Lupton
October 19, 2010 6:00 PM
Beau Yarbrough
Staff Writer

Dave Dupree is in the unusual position of being an incumbent in his first election in this year’s Hesperia Recreation and Park Board race.

The Victor Valley College political science professor was appointed to the board of directors in December 2009 after the death of 15-year board veteran Richard Lupton the month before.

“The way I view this position is that it’s a service position,” said Dupree. “I’m not looking for a feather in the cap or anything like that. I’m a taxpayer, I’m a community member and I’ve been involved at that level. And this is an opportunity for me to serve the community, not to be served by the community.”

In his first year on the board, Dupree has asked the district to expand its website beyond the calendar of activities that it currently focuses on. Read the rest of this entry »

Reprinted from Our Hesperia

On October 11^th, in the Hesperia Star’s opinion letters, Helen Rodgers (former Hesperia Unified School District board member) wrote about many people that she knows were coming up to her and telling how they will be voting for her in November.  She said, “I thanked them for their support, but told them I was NOT running for any position. They insisted I was, as they had seen my campaign posters throughout Hesperia”. Read the rest of this entry »

Reprinted from the Hesperia Star
Mayor believes Hesperia can retain fire, police without new taxes

Beau Yarbrough
Staff Writer

Mayor Thurston “Smitty” Smith doesn’t want to talk about the campaign currently being waged against him a major financial backer of his when he first ran for the Hesperia City Council in 2006 — Al Vogler, the husband of Councilwoman Rita Vogler.

“It’s just a friendship that went south,” Smith said Wednesday. “Very ugly went south.”

Rather, Smith, a 22-year resident of the city, and in his sixth year as an elected official (he served on the board of the Hesperia Recreation and Park District for two years before being elected to the city council) wants to focus on what he’s accomplished in his time in office.

Although the city isn’t paving any roads in the next year, Smith says the council has paved 150 miles of them in the past four year, and in tough economic times, Hesperia has to spend its money elsewhere.

“To me, public safety is number one. It’s the number one job of government,” he said. “So if we’ve got to cut back on roads this year, I think we’ll get back on par when it comes time again.”

Although the city is in better shape financially than some neighboring communities, Smith is hoping voters will give it some more breathing room this November.

“If the state would stay out of our pockets, that would be a help. I mean, I think they took $11.2 million from the city.” Earlier this year, the council passed a proclamation voicing their support for Prop. 22, which would refine an earlier ballot measure, and limit the legislature’s ability to take municipal funds to balance the state budget.

But the possibility of the state government doing further budget balancing by taking or delaying funds for local governments, Smith has some ideas on how to save money while retaining current levels of fire and police staffing and response times.

In particular, he’s concerned that municipal aid agreements mean Hesperia fire and police sometimes help out in Victorville or other neighboring areas more than personnel from those stations are helping out in Hesperia.

“If I’m going over there twice as much as you’re coming here, I should be sending you a bill.”

But there aren’t any quick fixes in his mind: “I think we’re in this bad economy anywhere from two to five years, still.”

Smith and fellow council member Mike Leonard loudly opposed a proposed half-cent sales tax this summer, killing it and keeping it from showing up on November’s ballot. Smith supported the proposed tax back in January, when it was going to solely be used for public safety. But then the council majority’s focus shifted, he said.

To read the rest of the story in the Hesperia Star click here.
Beau Yarbrough can be reached at 760-956-7108 or at beau@hesperiastar.com. Follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/Hesperia.Star.