By Elise Gray
Special to the Alpine Mountaineer
The Lake Arrowhead Communities Republican Women held a candidates forum on Tuesday, Sept. 24, at the historic Tudor House. The event, in advance of the November election, provided residents an opportunity to hear directly from Republican candidates on key issues facing the community.
Candidates Bill Mellinger, Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh and James White fielded questions at a forum hosted by the Lake Arrowhead Communities Republican Women.
The forum featured three Republican candidates: State Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh; James White, candidate for the Rim of the World Unified School District (ROWUSD) board of trustees, representing Running Springs; and Bill Mellinger, an incumbent ROWUSD trustee for Crestline.
Each candidate outlined their platforms and addressed questions from the panel and audience.
Ochoa Bogh, currently representing Senate District 23 and running for the newly redrawn District 19, spoke about her experience holding over 50 town halls during her time in office. She stressed her dedication to transparency and to advocating for the Inland Empire. “With 46 perceent of my current district now part of District 19, I remain committed to serving the unique needs of our community,” she said.
White, a former special education teacher and corrections officer, emphasized his work with special needs students and his involvement as chair of the parent advisory board. He called for increased parental involvement in schools, saying, “Parents need to be more engaged with their children’s education.”
Mellinger, a longtime community leader and pastor, shared his efforts on the ROWUSD board to implement drug prevention programs in elementary schools. “We’ve seen an alarming rise in drug overdoses among young people,” he said. “I want to continue fighting that battle, especially in our schools.”
Several hot-button issues were addressed during the forum, including gender transition in minors, biological males in women’s sports and the role of parental rights in education.
On gender transition for minors, Mellinger voiced concern over state policies encouraging gender transition in children. “We need to protect kids from irreversible decisions,” he said. Ochoa Bogh added that parents should have the ultimate authority in making healthcare decisions for their children. White called it a “mental health crisis,” criticizing schools for mandating pronoun education without parental consent.
When asked about biological males competing in women’s sports, all three candidates expressed strong opposition. Mellinger said Title IX was created to protect women’s sports and Ochoa Bogh, whose daughters are athletes, suggested creating a separate league as a possible solution. White noted that allowing biological males in women’s sports erodes years of progress for female athletes.
Regarding education, candidates focused on the need for schools to return to core subjects like reading, writing and math. Ochoa Bogh expressed concern over the quality of education in California. White stressed that parental involvement is key to academic success, while Mellinger called for a return to traditional values in schools.
Candidates also spoke about the fentanyl crisis, tying the issue to border security. Ochoa Bogh mentioned that local law enforcement has voiced concerns about the increasing presence of cartels. Mellinger shared that several families in the community have lost loved ones to fentanyl overdoses, saying, “It’s a crisis we must address at the state and federal levels.” White, citing his background in corrections, called for stricter border policies to curb the flow of illegal drugs.
Club news and upcoming events
In addition to the forum, the club discussed ongoing activities, including participation in the Running Springs farmers market every Saturday, where they register voters and interact with the community. Members were also reminded of the upcoming annual Holiday Fantasy on Dec. 8 at the Lake Arrowhead Country Club.
The next club meeting will take place Oct. 27 and will feature Congressman Jay Obernolte as the guest speaker.
For more information, contact President-elect Mary Kay Bachman at (909) 499-6760.
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