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$1 SERVING BLYTHE,CALIFORNIA WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2018

Supervisors propose DACA resolution

BY CATHYLEEN RICE
TIMES REPORTER
On Feb. 2, Fourth District
Supervisor Manuel Perez and
the Fifth District Supervisor
Marion Ashley announced
their jointly crafted resolution
in support of the Dream Act,
regarding comprehensive
immigration reform.
Introduced in 2012 by former
President Barack Obama, the
Deferred Action for Childhood
Arrivals (DACA) was an
executive program that allowed
undocumented immigrants
who came to the United States
under the age of 16 to apply for
protection from deportation.
Under this program,
“Dreamers” were given the
opportunity to renew their
permits to both work and
study in the United States.
However, under the control
of President Donald Trump’s
administration, as of September
2017, the Secretary of Homeland
Security, in partnership
with the U.S. Immigration
and Customs Enforcement
(ICE) announced the revoked
privileges of the individuals,
who were once protected under
this program, the possibility of
being deported back to Mexico,
since they are considered to be
illegal aliens.
Since the announcement of
the unprotected legal status
of immigrants, Homeland
Security has set an expiration
date for all renewed grants of
deferred action under DACA
to be filed within the early
months of 2018.
With that date set for March
5, President Trump and other
Republican leaders are calling
on Congress to come up with
a replacement plan before the
expiration date arrives.
Having 800,000 people
granted permission under the
Obama administration to have
temporary protection under the
DACA, according to Perez, an
estimated 13,000 people are
current beneficiaries of this
program, residing in Riverside
County.
As representatives of cities
located in California, on Friday,
SEE DACA/A8

BNET arrest
47-year-old
for drugs,
firearms BY URIEL AVENDANO
TIMES EDITOR
On Jan.30, at about 2:41 p.m., a
narcotic-related search warrant was
served by members of
the Blythe Narcotics
Enforcement Team
(BNET) at a residence
within the 400 block of
Alice Lane.
“As result of the
search warrant, BNET UBALDO AMAYA
members located approximately two
pounds of methamphetamine and
heroin combined, two firearms, one of

Community mourns loss which was stolen, and several rounds

of ammunition,” stated the Riverside
County Sheriff Department Colorado
River Station press release.

of local patron According to the release, 47-year-old

Ubaldo Amaya of Blythe was arrested
for:
• Being a felon in possession of a
He was known as a Texas Cowboy, always in jeans, his favorite hat and Cowboy firearm;
boots, working around the community as a public servant spearheading projects • Felon in possession of a stolen
and working closely with city leaders to solve economic and political issues firearm;
affecting the local areas. Leaving this life on Jan. 29, Rudolfo Pinon, a friend • Firearm serial number obliterated;
to everyone, is deeply missed by the community. In a Facebook post from their • Possession of ammunition;
page, the Palo Verde Valley Transit Agency shared on last Monday, “It comes with • Possession of heroin for sales;
great sadness to hear of the passing of Rudolfo Pinon. Rudolfo was a champion • Possession of methamphetamine
of public transit and through his work with DACE, [he] single handedly advocated for sales;
the expansion of transit services and bus stop amenities in the areas of Ripley • Possession of controlled substance
and Mesa Verde. He always worked for the people, and it was always a pleasure while armed;
to work with him. As a longtime friend of Pinon, Rigo Garnica shared with the • Committing a felony while out on
Times, “Rudolfo always cared about our disenfranchised folks in the community. bail.
This is what he was passionate about. We will miss his presence, his energy, Subsequently, Amaya was booked
and the [loving] care he gave to the community. His passing is a deep loss to our PHOTO BY CATHYLEEN RICE/PALO VERDE VALLEY TIMES (TOP); LOANED PHOTO into the Blythe Jail.
community. He will be missed by us all. (ABOVE) SEE ARREST/A8

City fire BBQ Throwdown returns

BY URIEL AVENDANO
TIMES EDITOR
The city of Blythe
Fire Department’s 2nd
annual BBQ Throwdown
community get-together
is right around the
corner, scheduled to
be held at Todd Park
Saturday, Feb. 10, at 11
a.m. near the gazebo
area.
All of the proceeds
from the family friendly
event will again be going
toward Blythe’s 4th of
July Fireworks Show,
which is coordinated and
Community fundraiser this
Saturday at Todd Park
put on by the Blythe’s
volunteer firefighters
every year.
“We have an award
for the Battle of the
Badges that includes
(entrants) from EMS,
law enforcement — it’s
the competition for
the (BBQ title) belt,”
stated City Fire’s Public
Information Officer
Jim Morris, noting that
Border Patrol’s Sam
Briggs won the resident
agency’s barbecue
award last year. “So
we’re going to have that
competition, as well as
the general (People’s)
Choice competition and
more.”
Last year, local
alfalfa farmer and Jack
Seiler took home the
People’s Choice award
— various additional
awards are expected
to be handed out again
this year to hopeful BBQ
aficionados.
“It’s a lot of fun. Last
year we ran out of food,
but this year we’re going
to have something like
three to four times as
much food so we don’t
run out as early as we
did last year,” said
Morris. “We’re going to
have the bounce houses
again, and a corn hole
tournament (…) This
second year, we have
more competitors — We
SEE BBQ/A8

THE CITY OF BLYTHE FIRE DEPARTMENT’S  Battle of the Badges BBQ Throwdown title is on the line again this year, as the
volunteer firefighters kickoff their 2nd Annual 4th of July fundraiser this Saturday, Feb. 10, at Todd Park, beginning at 11 a.m.
FILE PHOTO