Mountaineer Progress Newspaper

Headline News - September 7, 2017

Phelan Chamber hears about new recycling rules

By Terri Hill

Kimberly Ward, Executive Secretary and Human Resources Manager for the Phelan Pinon Hills Community Services District (PPHCSD), addressed the Phelan Chamber of Commerce Tuesday, at their regular meeting. Ms. Ward presented details about new state-mandated recycling laws for businesses, and how the PPHCSD is developing a commercial solid waste and recycling ordinance.

Of particular interest to members of the Chamber is AB 341- Solid Waste Diversion. It established commercial diversion mandates, created a state-wide goal of 75% diversion, and redefined what diversion is. (PPHCSD flier) Diversion, here, means recycling instead of sending all refuse to the County landfill.

Currently, San Bernardino County businesses divert 50% of solid waste from landfills, however, businesses in the PPH District divert 3%.

Businesses and churches will have to be compliant with the new ordinance, once approved by the PPHCSD Board. At that time, bins will be provided, the size of which will be determined by the access at the particular location. A 4-yard container measures 6 feet x 4.5 feet x 4 feet, so if a business does not have room for the bin, and access to it by CR&R carriers, 60-gallon bins will be provided. New buildings, such as Dollar General, are already required to include space on their property for both a trash and a recycling dumpster.

Ward estimates the new ordinance will be in place before the end of the year. She suggests that business owners start sooner than later, educating themselves and their staffs in the practice of recycling. Before the bins are provided, recycling can be dropped off at the CR&R yard at 9828 Buckwheat Road. Residents can also take recyclables to the yard. Ward pointed out the businesses that pay for your recycle materials take only CRV items. Many other materials can be recycled at CR&R. Residents cannot be required to recycle, because in the rural area, they cannot be required to have trash collection service. Ward stressed the importance of residents doing their part, wherever possible.

Types of materials to recycle include:

-Aluminum cans and metal cans

-Cardboard and chipboard

-Plastic and glass bottles and jars

-Clean, dry office paper

-Catalogs, magazines, and junk mail

-Plastic items without metal

You may not recycle:

-Ceramics or broken glass

-Contaminated or wet paper (used paper plates, pizza boxes)

-Food waste

-Rubber tires

-Hazardous waste: paint, batteries, antifreeze, pesticides, cleaning products, appliances, cell phones, TVs, computers/monitors

 

Ward also mentioned shredded paper. A copy of the Certificate of Destruction can be sent to her, at her CSD office, and counted toward diversion totals.

PPHCSD and CR&R plan to work with each business to help them achieve compliance. For more information, visit www.pphcsd.org, or www.calrecycle.ca.gov.

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 WCSD to take over Solid Waste responsibilities

By Terri Hill

After weeks of special meetings and countless hours spent by board members with theirs and the County’s attorneys, agreements on the Solid Waste Fee Transfer and Solid Waste management, between the County and Wrightwood Community Services District (WCSD), were approved at Tuesday’s regular meeting of the Board.

WCSD will issue new “Dump Cards” October 1^st. The system, for the property owner, will remain as it was with the County. Each property will receive a punch card, good for one 500-pound load per week, 52 weeks per year. Also unchanged, are the rules for using the card. The service is intended for normal household and yard waste; hazardous materials and contractor garbage are prohibited. Originally, the dump cards were made available to rural residents as an option for weekly disposal of household trash, as residents are not required to pay for weekly pick-up service provided by, in our area, CR&R.

Also approved by the board was the Exclusive Franchise Agreement with CR&R. The WCSD will, in effect, take over the contract that the County entered into with CR&R. Trash service will remain the same, however the WCSD will now receive the franchise fees.

WCSD must fill the Board vacancy, left by Stephanie Carroll, by October 14. They will be accepting applications until September 26, and will conduct short interviews at the regular Board meeting on October 3. After a brief conversation with each applicant, the Board will vote and appoint the best candidate to the position.

Regular Board meetings are scheduled for the first Tuesday of each month. Information on the Board member opening and other WCSD business can be found at wrightwoocsd.org and on their Facebook page.

 

 

 

STATE ROUTE 138 (WEST) WIDENING PROJECT

SAN BERNARDINO—The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) continues work on the $52.1 million State Route 138 (SR-138) West Widening Project. 

Asphalt work, smoothness grinding, and final striping continues throughout the project limits.  Pavement work is expected to last another 30-45 days.  During the September 8, 2017 full closure (9/8 11pm – 9/11 4am), pavement work between Interstate 15 to Lone Pine Canyon Rd is expected to be complete.  Following the 30-45 days of pavement work, electrical work will remain in addition to other off roadway items.

 

Full project completion is expected during late fall (November 2017). Caltrans thanks the motoring public, Phelan, and Wrightwood communities for their continued support as the project moves towards completion.

Please be aware of the work and SLOW FOR THE CONE ZONE.

Know before you go! To stay on top of roadwork in the Inland Empire go to www.caltrans8.info and sign up for commuter alerts.  View traffic conditions at http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) continues work on the $893,000 Interstate 15 (I-15) Bridge Maintenance Project. The project replaces join seals and bridge deck surfaces at seven overcrossings, including State Route 138/I-15. Work on SR-138 bridge over Interstate 15 will begin on Monday September 11, and run through Friday September 14, work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and September 18 through 20th work hours will be 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

One lane will be open to traffic, and all on and off-ramps will close intermittently. According to Tyeisha Prunty, Caltans PIO, only one ramp at a time will be closed. Prunty will issue an update, as soon as it becomes available. Work might still be done during the week of September 18^th. 

By Michael Palecki

     Last Sunday afternoon, The Wrightwood Arts Center (TWWAC) presented an exhibit of hand woven wool rugs created by weavers from the village of Teotitlán de Valle in the State of Oaxaca, Mexico. On display were 14 rugs, tapestries and antique serapes from the private collection of local artist and importer Scott Roth, as well as 28 contemporary rugs for sale. Additional viewing dates have been scheduled for September 10 and September 12.

     The Zapotec Civilization in the Valley of Oaxaca dates back 2,500 years. Under Spanish occupation 500 years ago, residents of Teotitlán de Valle founded in 1465, were allowed to keep their land because they possessed a high level of creativity in their weavings and were willing to adjust to nuances of European culture. In return, the Spaniards introduced new varieties of sheep for wool, and upright European looms, and allowed a somewhat autonomous form of government, which continues to function today.

     According to Scott Roth, in his presentation last Sunday, it was the construction of the Pan American Highway a few miles away in 1974 that exposed the village to an unprecedented level of tourism and demand for weavings. As one of the first American tourists to Teotitlán de Valle in 1974, Roth was impressed with the beauty and quality of wall hangings and rugs, and came back to California with a substantial inventory for his new business. In time he commissioned 40 weavers to express their Zapotec heritage on the looms, in competition with Navaho Indian tapestry and rug designs.

     Formerly an agrarian society, the village just 20 miles east from Oaxaca City now has a population of 8,000, and displays a wealth from weaving as one of the highest standards of living in this hemisphere from rug sales, according to Smithsonian Magazine. In return for prosperity, the form of government has combined public service and civic obligation to build roads, schools, a new city marketplace, drainage systems and a health clinic.

     According to Cultural Survival Quarterly Magazine, “Members of the community decide what projects the community will undertake. In order to participate, each household is required to provide a male laborer for approximately 10 to 15 days of communal labor per year and accept appointments to committees for one to three years of every four years of adult life. Civic jobs such as mayor, judge, police and school committees are all done on a voluntary basis.”  Funds for projects are mostly raised privately and represent what is best for the population of weavers.

     From this fountainhead of creativity, some rug designs in the exhibit were influenced by Mayan patterns and Navaho Indian designs. Modern artists such as M.C. Escher, Picasso and Miro inspired other weavers. As with Navaho Indian weavings, serapes came before rugs and the exhibit includes a serape, from 1930, depicting the Aztec Calendar. On another wall, a design of monkeys woven by Isaac Vásquez was inspired by a Mayan pattern. Nearby, a rug depicting fish and birds was a copy of a M.C. Escher drawing. And quite striking in its black, white, and gray tones, a Pre-Columbian inspired pattern was bold and seemingly three-dimensional.

     With more than 60 guests viewing rugs and tapestries the TWWAC gallery was abuzz with discovery of the Zapotec culture and filled with excitement for those who purchased rugs. The public is invited to view the exhibit at 6020 Park Drive in Wrightwood on Sunday September 10 from 3:00 until 6:00 p.m., and on Tuesday September 12 from 4:00 until 7:00 p.m.; Roth will deliver an oral presentation on the weaving process at 4:30.