On Thursday, September 19, Mill Creek Restaurant hosted 177 gamblers and diners for the Chamber annual Casino Night fundraiser, for a net amount of $5,140.00 into Chamber coffers, announced Mill Creek owner Jim Lotito at the C.O.M.E.T./Chamber meeting Tuesday night, September 24. (Ed.’s note: C.O.M.E.T. stands for Community of Mentone Empowered Together.) Casino Night Winners entered a raffle for gift baskets, all of which were won. An “all you can eat” dinner was included in the $20 gambling tickets.
In addition to hosting Casino Night, Mill Creek donates the food for the Casino Night buffet each year.
Mill Creek co-owner Maribeth Lotito made the gift baskets, which are also available at the restaurant throughout the year.
Many attendees purchased their tickets in advance, receiving more “play money” than the $100 bill at the door.
The Chamber lends its funds to C.O.M.E.T. for its lawsuit requesting the San Bernardino Superior Court to prevent Redlands from completing its takeover of Mentone territory into its limits, as it has for the past 136 years, according to attorney Joyce Caraway, who is prosecuting the case. “The first takeover was in 1888, when it took the part of Mentone that extended from Wabash West, past Stater’s, to a street whose present name is unknown to us, and its southern boundary was Brockton. The next takeover was its 1956 annexation through Mentone’s Section 7 and out almost to Bryant – its illegal foray through Section 7 is now the south side of Redlands’ Airport’s runway. Now it demands annexations to its city limits in exchange for new water service, since its enactment of its 1997 ‘Measure U.’ If its city limits are not next door to the new property development for which water is requested, Redlands demands “Pre-Annexations,” which are completely illegal and unenforceable but it continues to demand them, nevertheless. Redlands avoids having to put the annexation issue to Mentone for a vote by demanding annexations of parcels that are less than 150 acres, which is the statutory voting threshold,” she stated.
“The last brief in our appeal was filed in January and the court has promised its decision ‘on or before’ October 1, 2024,” she added. “What we do next depends on the Court of Appeal’s decision,” she concluded.
C.O.M.E.T. and the Chamber meet the last Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. in Mill Creek Restaurant’s Banquet Hall, in the rear of the restaurant. All are welcome to attend and join the Chamber: businesses pay $50.00 each year and individuals pay $25.00 yearly. Membership in C.O.M.E.T., a Public Benefit Corporation, is included in Chamber membership.
The Other News:
Chamber members and others participate in the Adopt a Highway program six times each year; this time it is on Saturday, September 28, meeting at 7:00 a.m. at Hovey Tile on Mentone Boulevard.
Redlands East Valley High School, “REV,” located at 31000 E. Colton in Mentone, has its only homecoming game Friday, September 27, at 7 p.m. It is also planning a fundraiser; for details call the school at (909) 389-2500.
Mentone Elementary School, 1320 Crafton Avenue, Mentone, is hosting a Festival on October 25, 2024 and a Healthy Choices program on October 28. Organizers are looking for community participants who have healthy recipes to share with the students. For more information call the school at (909)794-8610.
The American Pickers TV group is coming to California soon and is looking for Mentone collectors with unusual items they would sell. Call the Chamber at (909)-362-7248 for information on how to participate. When the American Pickers previously visited Mentone, they went to Pete Van Horn’s home on Garnet, where large statues of Paul Bunyan and a rooster grace the front yard; the Pickers purchased several collectibles.
The Chamber’s Sixth Annual Film Festival, promoting Mentone-area tourism, will occur on November 8-10 at the Portugese-American Club on Crafton Avenue. Tickets are $10 for each day, and shows are at 12:00, 2:00, 4:00 and 6:00 p.m. Attendees may stay through all films for that day, states Angie Grisafe DeLaRosa, one of the organizers. Sunday includes an evening red carpet event, when awards are given for winning films. Several celebrities, including three Grammy-nominees, are expected to attend. See, also, https://www.chamberofcommercementoneca.org.
Probably in February 2025, MACA – “Mentone Area Community Association” – will next host a program regarding the “kite-shaped” train track, which assisted in developing the Mentone area. MACA meets on the second Tuesday of the month when its programs are scheduled.