San Bernardino County Government Officials

San Bernardino County ended its relationship with brokerage Salomon Smith Barney on Thursday after the county treasurer concluded that the municipality paid as much as $308,000 in potentially avoidable commission fees as part of transactions overseen by his predecessor, who last week pleaded guilty to federal bribery charges involving the awarding of county contracts.

Two former San Bernardino County officials pleaded guilty in federal court Monday to charges of conspiring to accept bribes. Thomas O'Donnell, 57, the county's former tax collector-treasurer, and Sol Levin, 67, the county's former investment officer, face up to five years in prison when they are sentenced in March.

Four former high-ranking San Bernardino County officials and three businessmen have agreed to plead guilty in a bribery scandal involving the award of millions of dollars in county contracts, federal prosecutors announced Wednesday. At the center of the scam is James J. Hlawek, the county's former chief administrative officer, who has admitted taking payoffs to secure contracts for a waste management company, a financial services firm and a personnel consultant.

The San Bernardino County chief administrative officer has resigned, and county officials said he is being investigated by the FBI. Details of the investigation were not available, and the FBI refused to confirm or deny any investigation. James Hlawek resigned Tuesday as the county's top bureaucrat after four years in the post. His resignation made no reference to the FBI probe.

Setting up a legal battle with Gov. Pete Wilson, the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to block the proposed siting of a low-level nuclear waste dump in Ward Valley in the county's northeastern corner. The supervisors said the 5-0 vote mirrors broad public concern that radioactive waste from the dump could leak into adjacent drinking water sources, particularly the Colorado River about 20 miles away.

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, 4TH DISTRICT (Run-off Election) 100% Precincts Reporting: votes (%) Larry Walker*: 14,647 (54%) Beecher Medlin: 12,313 (46%) BIG BEAR LAKE CITY COUNCIL 3 Elected 100% Precincts Reporting: votes (%) Bonnie J. Roberts: 1,129 (27%) Robert C. (Bob) Davies: 1,023 (24%) Norm Reinik*: 816 (20%) Bill Speyers*: 773 (18%) Donald F.

The county tax collector-treasurer died of a heart attack just minutes after taking part in an exercise class sponsored to reduce stress and improve health among county executives, the coroner said. Joe Bell, 62, collapsed Wednesday in a locker room after the fitness class at the San Bernardino YMCA, Coroner Brian McCormick said. The class is intended to foster good health among county officials, he said. "In this case, it didn't," McCormick said.