Anaheim Police Win A Major Battle Against Gang Violence

In the early hours of the morning, Anaheim Police and Federal agents descended upon a number of gang-controlled areas, including the neighborhood in Central Anaheim that has long been infested by the Eastside Gang. Yep, that would be the same Anna Drive / Acacia Street area that has been in the news lately. It seems the cops had very good reason to suspect that some men were into illegal activity and were worth questioning. That suspicion appears to have less to do with racial profiling, and everything to do with the fact that law enforcement has been watching the gang in that area for roughly a year! Those cops knew who was dealing drugs, who was dealing guns, who needed to be questioned, and frankly, who to fear might be carrying a gun. In fact, the OC Register reports   that "Among the mugshots of suspects displayed at the news conference was one of Manuel Diaz. His death July 21 was the first of two back-to-back police shootings last month that touched off nights of protest." 

The LA Times reports that "FBI crime statistics show that after several years of decline, violent crimes in Anaheim increased 10% last year, going from 1,161 to 1,281; murders nearly doubled, from 7 to 15. The increase went against a national trend that saw a 4% decrease in violent crime.

Anaheim police say they are seeing an uptick in gang crimes with guns, which could be a factor in an increase in deadly confrontations involving officers. Police have fatally shot five people in the city this year. "

 The Times goes on to quote Anaheim Police Sgt. Bob Dunn, saying, "The gang crime involving guns is up 40%. The number of guns taken from gang members is up 233%," Dunn said. "The gang crime is up, but importantly, it is the amount of guns from gangs we're seeing."

Following the initial officer-involved shootings in late July, KFI's Steve Gregory pulled records from the Anaheim Police files, from which he reported on the Bill Carroll show that over 900 calls for service were made in the last year for the Anna Drive area, 69.9% of those calls were complaints and tips from local residents. Clearly the people living in that area are desperate to have the gangs cleaned up, although I am sure they would prefer that the gangs not know that they want them gone! 

While I am no apologist for the APD, and I have had my fill of some arrogant behavior from some on the force, I have to applaud the Chief for his discretion and professionalism in handling the recent protests. It could not be easy to stand there, attacked on national television, knowing the criminal back-story of that area and some of the people involved. 

Meanwhile, a gang member was reportedly shot by members of an opposing gang on Wednesday night, while walking along  Sycamore Street near State College.  No reports have surfaced regarding angry residents protesting, looting, or rioting in response this gang-on-gang violence. News cameras are not blocking traffic on Sycamore Street seeking to interview community leaders' reactions to the shooting, and Anonymous and OccupyLA have not yet released their press statements on the event. We will keep our readers updated regarding any lawsuit filed by family members against the gang purported to be responsible for the shooting, and of course we will share the many youtube files sure to be uploaded showing the heinous shooting. Go ahead, hold your breath for that. 

Meanwhile, as national media picks up the news that was included in a press event this morning, the APD site for Press Releases does not appear to have been updated since 2011, 

and there is no mention of this victory for law-abiding citizens on the official Anaheim.net  page for "News in Anaheim" either, which was last updated on August 1st. While Anaheim's Police Chief is doing a great job of trying to clean up challenging areas under overwhelming odds, it seems we have a long way to go in the "official" education of our citizenry. 

The Circus Returns to Anaheim

Today marks one of the most significant City Council meetings  to be held in Anaheim since we recalled the KKK members off our Council in the 1920s. You could not pay me to be Mayor Tom Tait today, and yet, many of us are glad it is he that sits in the center seat on that raised platform, Chairing tonight’s meeting. Tom Tait has become Anaheim’s symbol for “Keep Calm and Carry On,’ southern California style.

On tonight’s agenda, which is a Special Meeting called on an otherwise non-Council meeting date, the City Council, with Councilmember Gail Eastman scheduled to call in from Michigan)   will consider two contentious agenda items, previously postponed when “civil unrest” disrupted the Council meeting on July 24^th.

A possible ballot initiative to allow Anaheim residents to vote on future subsidies of Resort hotels using TOT revenues, will be the first item considered for vote.

The second decision is whether or not to place on the ballot an opportunity for voters to change the City’s Charter to create Council Districts, dividing the city into six distinct areas, each with its own Councilmember responsible to, and elected by, the residents of that District or Ward.

As if these two items were not enough to pack a Council meeting, the business will take place following public comments to allow residents to share their views on community tensions and violence, following recent Police shootings.

In light of the expected crowd, the meeting has been moved from the usual Council Chambers at City Hall (with a capacity of roughly 200) to the Cook Auditorium at Anaheim High School, where at least 1,000 might be comfortably seated. It stands to reason that the City needed a larger venue, centrally located for the audience expected to speak from the Anna Drive area, and something that was not already booked with previous events. But those of us with a passion for history cringe at the idea of folks wearing bandanas over their faces  storming into a Depression-era historic landmark when they have shown little signs of respect for property  to date. We can only hope that a better crowd attends tonight’s meeting. 

 The surrounding neighborhood is already bracing for impact, with storefronts being boarded up, and private security hired along Lincoln, by business owners reluctant to join others further east. Damned if they do, damned if they don’t, the Mayor and Council have no choice but to continue the meeting previously interrupted, take as many precautions for security as possible, and we all hold our collective breath until it is over. (Perhaps if we keep Lorri Galloway in her seat where she belongs instead of out front cheering on protesters we can maintain some level of dignity.)

As far as anticipating votes tonight, division is the name of the game.

The TOT Initiative is not expected to pass. The signature gatherers did not collect enough signatures for the ballot, and there is no legal obligation to let them slip this in. Yes, I know there are plenty of reasons for the shortfall, ranging from the City Clerk’s miscommunication of the requirements (to be fair she is reported to have told the Take Back Anaheim group to hire a lawyer to advise them, not her fault they didn’t!) to an alleged “deal” cut between Nick Berardino’s OCEA and Carrie Nocella/Todd Ament somehow representing the City’s negotiating team. While I have heard from plenty of people claiming to be close to that negotiation who insist a deal was made, and the timing certainly appears about as suspect as an email from an African Prime Minister, nobody can provide proof that the private sector and labor unions cut a deal. Even if proven, the existence of a deal between Berardino and the business community  would still only negate the funding for Galloway’s Take Back Anaheim Initiative, but would not impact whether the City had a legal obligation to place it on the ballot. One would have to assume that further funding might have gained the required additional signatures, but there is no way to prove the allegation. That the Council is willing to consider putting this on the ballot at all is a courtesy. Frankly, I do not see that Initiative being successful even if it did make it to the voters, Galloway seems unable to galvanize the public into any cohesive force for positive change. Look for that one to lose, by a 3-2 vote, if not 4-1.

The District issue has become the most divisive of them all, and with George Kalogridis taking an official position on behalf of Disney in favor of the Districts, we have a whole new ballgame. Kris Murray has been the most vocal Council opponent arguing against putting the issue on a ballot. Sidhu and Eastman have been rather quiet, Sidhu has no horse in this race as he is termed out, (and his political career is over) and Councilmember Eastman typically waits until the last minute when she has heard staff input and public comments before making up her mind, a style she developed while serving on Planning Commission. Galloway and Tait have come out in favor, which Tait’s political enemies  claim is further proof of an unholy alliance between the two. In reality they are in favor of the issue for completely opposite reasons. Galloway appears to be pandering to the same groups she always plays to, claiming to give a voice to the disenfranchised in impoverished neighborhoods. While interviewing residents in some of those areas following the recent protests, many of those folks have Lorri’s number-some have accused her of exploiting them when the TV cameras are running, without fostering any real, lasting change for their lives.

Tait has made it clear that he wants to be sure that residents have a say in how they are to be governed, and the best way to do that is to put in on a ballot and let people vote. I think he may also be trying to avoid paying out on a messy lawsuit, filed by the ACLU, which Anaheim is pretty much guaranteed to lose. As Rod Pacheco points out in the California City News   “Since California enacted the Voting Rights Act, lawsuits have been numerous and against all types of subdivisions. The plaintiffs have won every time, and costs have been significant.”

With $15 million dollars and legal fees on both sides paid by the loser, and a precedent of not a single school district or municipality ever winning against the ACLU in a battle over the California Voting Rights Act, I have to agree. While I detest the idea of Council Districts and the tit-for-tat deal making sure to come with fiefdoms, I detest even more the idea of being forced into them AND writing a check for tens of millions, payable to the ACLU. Should voters choose to reject Districts at the polls, then the City will have a mandate to fight, and we will take our chances with that. But the only way to really know what the people of Anaheim want is to put it on the ballot and let them vote.

Sadly, some leaders are convinced they know best, pushing instead for a citizens group to “study” the issue. But a focus group does not appear to stop the clock ticking on that ACLU lawsuit. It is a question I intend to ask the City Attorney tonight. The only benefit I can see to a focus group is stalling long enough for a few incumbents to be re-elected before the new rules take effect and force Anaheim Hills candidates to compete against each other for smaller slices of the same pie, rather than running roughshod over the entire City with copious amounts of Chamber-raised money. But then, that is just me.

The big “IF” in this debate is covered in today’s OC Register announcement of Disney taking an official position in support of Districts. This is rare in that while Disney likes to write checks to their favorite candidates (or at least the candidates most likely to win based on polling numbers) it is rare for Disney to take sides in a City-wide issue, in fact they have not done so since 2007-2008 when they sued over the SunCal development. That leaves the Disney-Chamber-SOAR  “jobs team” leaders potentially working against the stated desires of Disney. I know a few staffers on both sides of the 5 freeway who are likely slugging bottles of Maalox at their desks today.

So tonight Anaheim will be hosting the circus, which is odd since Ringling Brothers left town last week. All we can do is sit back and watch the votes (and the personalities behind them) play out in an old historic theatre, where hopefully guests will be respectful of the 90-year-old environs, as well as the innocent nearby homeowners and small businesses that had nothing to do with the issues that activists are angry about.

I am off to pick an outfit that goes with a Kevlar vest. I think stiletto heels may not be my wisest choice for tonight. 

Another Galloway on Anaheim City Council? Not on Mike's Record!

Anaheim’s political watchers were floored yesterday at the announcement that Mike Galloway, husband of Councilmember Lorri Galloway, pulled papers to run for Anaheim City Council. Honestly, Galloway’s future has been a much-discussed topic, wondering what kind of move she would make next in order to keep the special interest money rolling into the friends-and-family charity Lorri and Mike run, aided by her best friends and her own kids. Yep, everyone is feeding at that trough. But a run by Mike was unexpected.

Lest anyone confine their disgust at the use of homeless women and children for personal gain to just the lady of the house, Mike Galloway has been personally involved in a lot of dealings that appear to speak to the quality of his character- or lack thereof.

Just to kick off his campaign, let’s look at how the Galloways managed to put together the seed money to relocate from Salinas to Anaheim Hills. While we in Anaheim had known about this, I will borrow documents from Friends for Fullerton’s Future, as they have the primary records easy to grab.

Many rumors about the Galloways are out there on the internet, but in keeping with my policy of “If you can’t prove it you can’t print it,” I am only repeating those allegations that are documented with retrievable records.  (The Galloways are known for suing people who say things they don’t want to hear. See Case # 746160 Santa Ana Superior Court later dismissed as a SLAPP nuisance suit.)

In this case I am working directly from court records retrieved by FFFF from Monterey County courts.

While the dates on this are old (late ‘70s early to mid 80’s) the caliber of character it takes to throw one’s dying aunt into the streets because you sucked her house dry of equity without her knowledge is a pretty timeless issue, and not one that qualifies a person for public office.  In addition, the amounts may seem minor, but relative to today’s dollars, the amounts would be substantial. Imagine the value in the average real estate investment today for a rough comparison. One may overlook a decades-old bankruptcy, or even a youthful indiscretion, but I see this kind of behavior as just pure evil. That said, here is the court case.

On or about October 20, 1977, Plaintiff Barbara J. Russell (Mike Galloway’s aunt) and defendants Michael G. Galloway and his wife, Lorraine Galloway entered into an agreement with regards to property located at 415 Chaparral Street, Salinas, CA.

Defendant took title to the property described above and obtained a loan secured by said property from the Bank of America. The Plaintiff remained in residence on the property and paid to the Bank of America the monthly payments to include an amount for taxes and insurance, provided for in the first mortgage held by Bank of America.

Without notice to the plaintiff, (emphasis mine) Defendant encumbered the property on three occasions. Defendant borrowed $12,000.00 on January 19, 1980, secured by a Deed of Trust recorded February 6, 1980.

Defendant obtained a third loan in the amount of $6,300.00 on September 9, 1980, secured by a Deed of Trust recorded September 29, 1980.

Defendant obtained a fourth loan in the amount of $6,500.00 secured by a Deed of Trust recorded August 10, 1981.

Mike Galloway’s aunt, reportedly dying of cancer, learned that her house was mortgaged to the hilt only when it went into foreclosure! It appears she had trusted her nephew to help with her finances so that she could focus on the battle for her life, and he sucked her dry.

Looking at the original document (attached in the pdf of court docs) the agreement makes it clear that the sale of the property would release all equity back to Barbara Russell, and in the event of her death the money would go to her children. There appears to be no written intent that Galloway had any right to the equity in the house, and the courts agreed. Sadly the judgment was won only after the house was lost to foreclosure, Barbara Russell was awarded the money, but died before it was collected. More later on how the Galloways appear to have pocketed the money altogether.

It isn’t often that I agree with Harry Sidhu, but to be fair, he did try to warn the people of Anaheim about the caliber of the Galloway family’s dealings, with this mailer sent to voters back in 2004. 

Some of us tried again in 2008 to warn voters about the Galloway family’s lack of ethics. Will voters pay attention in 2012? This does not seem like the kind of stewardship that Anaheim needs, especially in light of our current critical environment.  I am going to do what I can to alert Anaheim’s voters, and hope our readers will help by sharing information.  There is a lot more where this came from. 

Please Don't Call It Anacrime

So much has been reported elsewhere already on the powder keg that Anaheim has become.  Two more names added to a growing list of those killed in Officer Involved shootings. Protestors in masks screaming into bullhorns. A demonstration gone terribly, terribly wrong. Rioting and looting. Horrific images that seem to be of some other place, some other people. Is this really Anaheim?

Other than finger pointing and blame, nobody is really talking about the underlying cause of the spark that lit a fuse years in the making. Mainstream Anaheim wants to blame the gang members and the ’hood rats who enable their criminal activity. The violent gangs are certainly one of our major issues, but can any of us really look Manny “Stomper” Diaz’ heartbroken mother in the eye and tell her that her son had it coming to him? The disaster facing Anaheim today is the outcome of many influences, including different cultures, various political agendas, severe budget cuts, raw ambition, and exploitation from special interests, mixed with extreme failure to communicate in even the most basic sense.

This week I am reporting on that giant melting pot of misery, and hopefully we can begin to lay some blame where it belongs (you will be surprised-or maybe not), but, most of all, I hope to begin some discussion that might create some positive and constructive solutions, in the hope that never again will I turn on the evening news to see my favorite neighborhood grocery clerk cleaning up shattered glass from rioters who rampaged within walking distance of my home.

To that end, I have spent the last week quietly interviewing people from a variety of backgrounds, each with a compelling story to tell that illuminates our surroundings. What I found fascinating was how each of those stories became a puzzle piece, and when they are all put together we hopefully will have a better idea of the picture on the front of the jigsaw box. I suspect it is not going to be an image we want to frame for the family room wall.

 The neighborhoods where these fatalities take place scream disenfranchisement. It is easy to understand their bitterness. Let’s face it, few Council candidates walk the precincts of Ponderosa, Anna Drive, or Guinida Lane looking for votes, nor do they spend much time there after they’ve been elected. Except, perhaps, to show up for a neighborhood event long only enough for a photo op. (Arriving for a “work day” in a blinding white skirt and gardening gloves is a dead giveaway. But I digress.) The residents of these neighborhoods know who is, and who is not, really there to help. These people are poor, but they are not stupid. A very, very few have reacted with anger. Most are gathering strength for something more constructive. Perhaps something like Anaheim used to be.

Once upon a time, Anaheim benefitted from true CommunityPolicing programs,bringing together local residents and business owners, boots-on-the-ground police officers, Code Enforcement, and social services agencies. Those cops had the time to get to know the people they were protecting, and they got to know them as people. As a cop who knows his beat, when that thug-who-needs-to-go-to-jail runs for the alley, you know where he’s going, because you know his Mom, and his sister, and his next door neighbor. You know that when you get to Momma’s apartment she is going to hand that kid over to you, because she knows you are only taking her son to jail, not the County morgue. Code Enforcement went after the slumlords to improve living conditions, creating a sense of pride in areas that had long lived without it. Social services helped residents with access to resources, including helping the homeless with programs, rather than moving them on to someone else’s neighborhood park. Locals stepped up and took responsibility for themselves, knowing that someone with power and authority finally had their backs. It worked.

That effort was successful because those who knew what was needed worked together to create a plan, and that plan received the backing and resources of City Council and, specifically, then-Mayor Tom Daly (yes, occasionally even Democrats can be the good guys). For a time, government in Anaheim did what government does best-provide the services as a collective whole that allow individuals to provide for themselves. No nanny-state, just a true partnership of taxpayers and the stewards of those tax dollars.

Then, under Mayor Curt Pringle’s reign, Community Policing programs came to an end, at least in function. They still called it Community Policing, but the opportunity for cops to get out of their cars and get to know the key players face to face was lost to long shifts without partners or back-up. Tensions rose as Police and residents became nameless faces separated by the window of a cop car on a slow cruise down a street that none of them wanted to be on anymore.

Code Enforcement was changed to “Community Preservation” in an attempt to be more “freedom friendly.” In large part, that worked out to just be slumlord friendly. Residents lost hope as their complaints of hot and cold running cockroaches were ignored, then became bitter following the retaliation from absentee owners acting with the complete knowledge that the City Attorney would do nothing to them. Graffiti trucks routinely sat in the City yard for lack of repair funds, although a replacement truck could be had for the cost of, say, one Rose Parade float  (not that I am bitter). The message was loud and clear: business was the priority at City Hall. Residents, at least those who did not contribute to campaigns, would have to take a back seat.

I want to believe that the previous administration’s motives were pure, at least in the beginning. Focus on building a tax base through business development, the logic goes, and eventually we can bring that economic resource into the community. The grand experiment in business-centric policy failed. Anaheim’s unemployment rate at the end of when Pringle’s term actually exceeded that of the County as a whole. 

The downward spiral had begun. The economy in the toilet, neighborhoods in decline. A Police force so underfunded that cops were stressed out and afraid of the streets they were sworn to protect, with the result that the people began to fear the stressed-out cops. Quite a legacy to be handed to a new City Council.

Anaheim is not lost. Dazed and hurt from a beating, but not lost. Today, we tart up my neighborhood with the moniker of “Anaheim Colony Historic District,” but the reality is that I live in the inner city. Unless those brave souls who moved in here before me stood their ground in what had become a war zone, I would never have brought my kids here. It was an effort that made a real, long lasting difference, and thankfully “the Colony” was able to hold onto many of those improvements despite the last decade of civic leadership.

Mayor Tom Tait has looked to those success stories like “the Colony”, as examples of how the City might be pulled back from the brink. “HiNeighbor” has been ridiculed by some as a band-aid on a cancer patient, but it is based on the success of the Anaheim Colony neighborhood, and it is a beginning. The Council as a whole has balanced the budget, managing somehow to stop depleting the reserves while beefing up the APD budget to replace cops as they retire.  And an outside investigation of previous APD incidents had been authorized prior to the latest shootings, for which the State Attorney General and Federal investigators have been called in. If we learn from our mistakes we can fix this. The images of Tuesday’s riot are not indicative of who Anaheim is as a city. Instead, the image of Anaheim is the volunteers who showed up Wednesday  morning, activated by facebook and twitter, to quietly clean up someone else’s mess.

Anaheim did not get to this place overnight, and recent events are not the result of any one situation. To say that everyone on either side is all good or all bad is just too simplistic. While I hope that through strong leadership and a sense of purpose Anaheim can recover our sense of place faster than we lost it, I guarantee it will not happen until we all take the time to work together, and that starts with putting our own political agendas aside http://www.nojordanbrandman.com/blog/2012/7/29/jordan-brandmans-whisper-campaign-targets-mayor-tait.htmland listening to what others have to say.

While interviewing people this last week I heard things I could never have guessed at, from some folks in and out of Anaheim I would not ordinarily encounter. Some of what I heard made me cry, and quite a lot of information led me to apologize, profusely, to people I had characterized as evil. Some information just confirmed the evil I had long suspected in others.

I greatly appreciate Marlena Carrillo of Kelly’s Army agreeing to speak to me, and set the record straight about events I had blamed her Fullerton group for. I am awaiting video proof that shows both sides of the argument, but I will be proactive and publicly apologize in advance.

My greatest apologies go to Mayor Tom Tait. I liked him, even when he was running against my friend, Shirley McCracken. But my only memory of his leadership on City Council was based on his last two years, as he helped his friend, and newly elected Mayor, begin those “Freedom Friendly” policies that became such a disaster for our neighborhoods. And when so many people, with agendas that appear to be polar opposites of Tait’s voting record and stated philosophies, began pumping hundreds of thousands of dollars into his campaign, one has to question what they think they are buying.  I feared that his platform of “Freedom and Kindness” would apply only to well-heeled developers.

 If all that campaign money was intended to buy Anaheim’s special interests a Mayor, Tom Tait never got the memo. He has rooted out special interest back-door deals and slammed those doors (and a few windows left open by previous leaders)  firmly shut.  I have never been so glad to be so wrong about another human being in my life.

One can imagine that if this long-winded diatribe is my introduction, the body of the series is likely to be involved. We are going to break down the elements of how Anaheim got here, one by one, and make hamburger out of a few sacred cows. Please stay with us for the series. 

OC Then

Here is a blog I had not seen before-OC Then. Enjoy.
http://www.octhen.com/search/label/Anaheim

Anaheim Epicurean School Offers Summer Program for Locals!

Local Flavors-Downtown Anaheim Farmers Market Tour/Cooking Class


The new Epicurean School here in downtown Anaheim is sharing some of the best vegetable recipes for Spring. But first, a trip to the Farmers Market to pick up some fresh produce...you’re gonna love it. Call for details. Thursday, May 6 from 5:30-8:30p.m. and May 20 from 11a.m.-2p.m. Class is $75

TABLE FOR TWO
Here's a twist for "date night"...instead of another average meal at another average restaurant-come and cook a meal together, it's fun. Then, sit down and relax, have a nice bottle of wine. Menu: Red leaf Caesar salad with herbed croutons and Parmesan crisps, eggplant timbales, risotto with asparagus and mushroom ragout, lamb skewers with caramelized shallot and thyme crust, chicken picatta, and for dessert.... chocolate souffle!Saturday, May 15 6:30-9:30 p.m. $150/couple

Make your reservations to:
Tina Hashioka
Epicurean School of Culinary Arts
http://www.epicureanschool/ .com
NOW OPEN IN ANAHEIM!

Central District Neghborhood Council THIS WEEK!

Please join us this Wednesday at 7pm at the Downtown Community Center for our Neighborhood Council Meeting

A Few Invitations From Anaheim Historical Society

Anaheim Historical Society Event Tonight!

Dick Dodd, local architect and contributor to the Orange County Register, will offer a PowerPoint presentation on the topic of his book, ³Architectural Styles Orange County² ­ the first comprehensive guide to the evolution of residential styles in our area.

Tuesday Evening, April 20th at 7pm

at Loara Elementary School Auditorium

1601 W. Broadway, Anaheim, CA 92802



Learn how we evolved from the humble adobe homes of pioneering days to today¹s modern residential marvels. Find out about some of our finest architects and visionary builders who made their mark on the world from Orange County. Admission to this event is free and the public is welcome.

Please contact AHS President Helen Myers 714/774-2077. Refreshments will be

served.



In May, you¹re invited to join the Anaheim Historical Society  for a traditional spring tea catered by Locke & Nobel Tea Company on the back lawn of the home of AHS Vice President Joyce Morris and her family in the Five Points Historic District of Anaheim.

Sunday Afternoon, May 23rd at 1pm

at the Molt-Morris House

in the Five Points Historic District

1100 W. Center St. (Lincoln & West), Anaheim, CA 92805

Along with the tea, there will be a talk on the history of Five Points. The tea will cost $22 per person and reservations must be received by April 23rd so that all the baking can be completed. Please send your name, phone number and check to the AHS at PO Box 927, Anaheim, CA 92815. For more information

please call Joyce or Robert Morris at 714/772-1420. Parking can be a challenge (carpool if you can) but there is generally some on West St. or in the cul de sac on Center. The entrance to the backyard is behind house on West.


Any questions on the tea, you can email Mrs. Morris at ambrwd (at) sbcglobal (dot) net



And in June:



Save the Date of Friday, June 11th for our Annual Banquet to be held at

Bella Marri¹s in downtown Anaheim.

More details to follow soon!



Hope to see you all at these events!



Joyce Morris

AHS Vice President

WAND 4th District Candidate's Forum

Recapping last night’s 4th District Supervisor’s forum, in frustration, as I had videotaped much of it and the file is corrupted, so I am working from my few notes. Maybe my camera knows better than I do?


About 200-250 people attended the Candidate’s Forum last night, hosted by WAND (West Anaheim Neighborhood Development Council) and moderated by the League of Women Voters, who got a chuckle when they announced they also accept men. The WAND event is always well attended no matter what race they are highlighting, it seems to be the place where Anaheim’s “informed voters” show up. I think all of the elected Neighborhood Council chairs were present, as well as many Board and Commissions members. This is the crowd the candidates need to impress, as their endorsement might not mean much to the general public, but a sign on one of these lawns can mean another hundred or so votes from those in the neighborhood who know those residents stay involved.

All 6 candidates attended. Questions came from the audience on index cards, and Candidates had 2 minutes to answer each. It is surprising how much information one can glean from those 2 minutes, primarily how very little most of the candidates know about County government and its functions. To his credit, Harry Sidhu appears to have been working with some sort of coach, his answers have become much more polished, primarily because they are canned responses, most likely written for him. Of the candidates, only Shawn Nelson arrived with no notes or talking points, ready to answer questions spontaneously. Frankly that is gutsier than I would ever try, and kudos to him for largely pulling it off. After the event I tried to meet new faces, so as not to get responses from those who know what I want to hear. I did not speak to one person who thought Galloway did well, and Sidhu seemed to confuse people. One woman told me that while she did not always agree with Nelson’s answers, he was the only candidate who understood the job, and the issues, and did not have to look something up before giving an answer, and for that reason she would support him. The overall sense I got was Nelson knew his stuff. That is not an answer I solicited, and for those who doubt, feel free to attend the next forum and conduct your own interviews.

Overall, Rose Espinoza confirmed what I had suspected during the NUFF Forum, she is a nice lady who needs to be involved in her neighborhood, she does a great job as a volunteer, but elected leadership is simply not her strong point. I wish her well on her non-profit endeavors, she truly cares about people, but this is not her venue.

I had not met Art Brown before, and was curious to hear from someone who touts his membership in the Fraternal Order of Real Bearded Santas. He started strong, stating that you can take union money and still tell them no. The 5th term Mayor of Buena Park has a background in law enforcement, and is involved with the OCTA Board and various rail groups, as well as the I-5 Joint Powers Authority. Near and dear to my heart, he is also the longtime President of the Buena Park Historical Society. Yes, Buena Park has history. But he lost me quickly after that, waffling between common sense and government programs as the answer to all ills, with the nail in the coffin being his support for a high speed rail system that stands to decimate his own community. Besides, he is a Democrat, and Allan Bartlett won’t let me vote for them anymore.

Richard Faher continues to scare my socks off, with the creepy habit of referring to himself in the third person, as if reading a bio piece from his website rather than addressing the issues from a first person view. Faher shows up for these events with stacks of meaningless statistics, and last night’s theme revolved around a comparison of Orange County to the “successful government” of a county in Texas he believes does it right. Sadly that county name is lost in my video; it would have been interesting to do a true comparison.

My big interest (because this is a biased piece and anyone who tells you they are writing from a neutral position is lying to you) was the interplay between Shawn Nelson, Lorri Galloway, and Harry Sidhu. Only one of those candidates actually belongs in the District, but I digress. What I found most interesting was the willingness of both Sidhu and Galloway to admit to their short term residency in the District. I expected the standard line of “I have represented the people of the district for X years”, but they both surprised me by coming right out, with Galloway claiming residency in the District of 7 months. I guess she can count the time she lived in the office building; we will let her have that. Harry Sidhu admitted to living in the District for 2 ½ months! Let’s do the math, because Harry Sidhu signed a Voter Registration form on December 31, 2009, (attached below) under penalty of perjury, that he lived at the Calabria Apartments, which qualified him to run for office in the 4th District. Harry then admitted to a crowd of over 200 people that he has lived here far less than that time. Call me a stickler, but committing perjury to run for office at the very least should disqualify one to run for that office, ya think? Other than that side-trip from his carefully prepared public message, Harry toed the line, with the “jobs, jobs, jobs” message, and his new catch phrase “more makers and less takers”.

In contrast, Shawn Nelson has lived in the District since he was 4 years old, and as he pointed out in his closing remarks, “I did not move here because I thought it would be cool to run for office.”

Questions ran the gamut from the usual concerns regarding the economy, lack of park space in North County, bike trails, and my new obsession, transportation. Some were also concerned about the recent push to annex unincorporated islands into surrounding cities, to which all candidates responded that they would leave it to the County island residents to choose their own destinies, although Nelson did point out how inefficient it is to provide County services to those pockets, and perhaps we could contract services to nearby cities without forcing people into the requirements of those cities, which seems fair and equitable.

On the budget, Art Brown pointed out that the OCBC had done a study that was never acted on, and he would like to see that implemented. I have not seen the study, but now I am curious to get a copy, and find out what is in it and why it was not used.

Nelson recommends a department by department audit to find waste and duplication of effort, because “the County cannot be a jobs program.” Galloway gave a non-answer of 6,500 jobs being created by an airport expansion, but did not tell us what she had to do with that. This from someone who took credit for Anaheim improvements that were set in motion by Tom Daly prior to her election to office, but if she showed up for the ground breaking, I guess she gets to take a bow for making the lives of West Anaheim citizens better. Sadly, they have seen no further investment in infrastructure since those programs, and boy are they bitter. Harry Sidhu took a hit for that as well, folks in Anaheim are furious at seeing streets flooding when we continue to put a Rose Parade float into Pasadena every year. To Harry’s credit, he did have some ideas for “jobs, jobs, jobs,” mostly tied to putting people to work for the government, with installing solar panels at the airport and generating clean energy from our landfills. Great ideas, can we afford them? Just asking.

And of course my favorite topic, high speed rail. I know I am not the only attendee who put that one on a 3 x 5 card. This is something that not only hits close to home for the 4th district, as it runs through 3 of the District’s cities, but every Californian should be concerned with the most expensive transportation project in the history of California, and I believe the most expensive in the U.S. to date! And yet….

The Democrats toed the party line on HSR of “creating jobs” and “save the planet”. Art Brown supports the project despite the damage it is likely to cause his community, citing the recent agreement to look into shared track to alleviate the need for more space. News flash Art, the freight lines have the Federal voice on those lines, and they are not on board for this agreement yet, do not relax that pucker too soon. Galloway answered by saying that resurrecting a healthy economy is tied to HSR. May God help us if that is true.

Richard Faher gave one of his few lucid answers in pointing out that he used to commute from his home in Newport Beach to his office in Burlingame, in about an hour on Southwest airlines, and called HSR a “gigantic boondoggle.” Nelson has long been a vocal critic of the project, and had his opinion printed in the OC Register recently. http://www.ocregister.com/opinion/hsr-243226-anaheim-project.html

Shockingly, Harry Sidhu tap danced around the question, saying that as an engineer he had not yet taken a position to support or oppose, the study is not complete, and we have no idea how much it is going to cost. “I have not made a decision but I am prepared to look at the environmental studies.” Hmm….I wonder if he, as an engineer, understands that environmental studies do not explain how we are supposed to pay for this unfunded jobs program for the Chinese transportation industry? How can someone not have an opinion on the biggest transportation project in the history of the State? Environmental studies will not mitigate the concerns brought up by the LAO in their review of the CHSRA’s Business Plan, which is STILL not “investment grade”. How can this man call himself a fiscal conservative if he is willing to spend tens of billions of dollars in the event he likes what he sees in the environmental reports?

In conjunction with the HSR question, was the issue of several hundred million dollars of the County’s Measure M funds being stockpiled to build Anaheim’s ARTIC transportation center. Faher and Nelson opposed the idea, with Nelson pointing out that the money was supposed to benefit the entire County’s transportation systems, and that the top dollar real estate of the Platinum Triangle may not be the best place to find cheap land. Galloway thinks it will be the pride of the County, and Sidhu became very defensive, nearly hostile, insisting that this is not tax money but a public-private partnership! Um…I do not know where the “private” in that statement comes from, so far no private investors have stepped up to supplement the Measure M funds.

The question of the night may well have been a nuance missed by some. Of huge concern to Anaheim’s flatland residents is the concentration of affordable housing and its impacts on the existing neighborhoods that must somehow absorb the parking, lack of open space, and school crowding caused by the projects approved by the current Council. There is concern that Anaheim shoulders more than its fair share of the County’s affordable housing construction, while other communities in South County do little or nothing. Art Brown admitted that the area of Buena Park with the dense apartment projects has the highest crime calls. Rose Espinosa is warm and fuzzy for the Housing Commission. Harry Sidhu tried to back pedal on his support as a Councilmember for some of the highest density projects in the County, and Shawn Nelson let fly with the damning statement that not only had Sidhu and Galloway approved those projects in Anaheim, but they both approved a massive profit spike for a housing developer who crafted one of the worst of these projects, and there are even more in the pipeline! When Nelson specifically called out Sidhu’s involvement with the Elm Street Commons developer, Sidhu’s jaw dropped. Whoops, he knows about that? Yeah, he does, Harry. Blog post coming soon.

At that, Galloway dropped the cheerleader act, and went snarky on Nelson, saying, “There is a different kind of resident that lives here, and their needs must be met.” What makes the people of the 4th District angry is that those needs are being met to the detriment of the people who are already here, and had once enjoyed some level of quality of life prior to being squeezed by the underparked slums of the future that our current Council encourages. Comments after the meeting confirmed my suspicions; Galloway did not make friends with that self-righteous outburst.

Lack of park space was a concern, and several of the candidates pointed out the disparity of what is spent on south county parks, vs. North County. Nelson’s resolution for this, as well as his answer to a question regarding how to create jobs, was to stop using County parks money to pay the Sheriff’s office to not only patrol the harbors, but essentially act as the AAA of the yacht crowd. We currently pay the Sheriff to jump start or tow private vessels, when private vendors in the area are waved off those service calls by the Sheriff! We could save money and help save a few small boating service vendors by eliminating that service, as well as some other redundancies largely related to the Sheriff and parks overlay, that would free up money to build or improve more parks in our own area. Galloway’s response to the parks question was to insist that Anaheim elect someone who comes from our community, which I found ironic. Galloway presents herself as representing the people of Anaheim in the 4th District, when she has done such a miserable job of it as a Council member so far. But then I have never hidden my disdain for Galloway, why start now?

In the end, I saw what I expected to see, Faher is a nut job, Espinosa and Brown are genuinely nice people and I would love to have them over for BBQ and beer, but I do not see them leading us at the County level. Lorri Galloway is what she is, and I become increasingly disappointed in Harry Sidhu, a candidate I had backed repeatedly in the past, whose allegiance to developers and their campaign contributions is beginning to cloud his judgment. That’s what happens when you run for perpetual office, you end up selling yourself for the next campaign, until you forget who it is you were supposed to serve. Call me biased, many will, but Shawn Nelson took this one home on a platter. Nelson was the only candidate to know his own mind without notes, had the courage of his convictions to say what he thinks, and actually understood not only the issues presented, but how the County Supervisors can and cannot work to fit those issues. At times Nelson pointed out that the question did not fit the Supervisor’s authority, rather than give the pat answers voters are looking for. I walked into the forum in support of Nelson for 4th District Supe, the forum solidified my view, and I can tell you that many of the neighborhood leaders I spoke to last night have now jumped ship for Nelson. Look for Sidhu to take a pounding in Anaheim in the next poll. Harry failed to carry Anaheim against Mimi Walters, and he will fail to carry Anaheim in the 4th District. Sadly, that will pull votes away from the other Republican, which aids Galloway.

Also in attendance were:

Chasing Anaheim City Council seats: Kris Murray, Pete Bos, Brian Chuchua, John Leos, Hoagy Holguin. Jordan Brandman is running for re-election to Anaheim Union High School District, and Alex Coronado was there representing Orange County Department of Education. WAND’s own Esther Wallace is running for re-election to Magnolia School Board, Hugh Nguyen was there asking for the Clerk-Recorder’s seat, Anaheim’s Craig Hunter was attending and talking up the Sheriff’s race, (he reports outraising Bill Hunt this period) and Catherine Smith announced she is running for 47th Congressional District.

Another Candidate’s Forum for the 4th District will be held in Fullerton soon, and Nelson and Sidhu will debate at the OC GOP Central Committee meeting Monday night, which I would not miss for the world.

Please help save Anaheim neighborhoods and California's budget!

I had posted a piece to Red County, once again poking at the high speed rail project that is scheduled to eat our neighborhoods, and our economic stability.
http://www.redcounty.com/fireworks-over-high-speed-rail-spin-machine-backfires-curt-pringle/38456?taxonomy=29

Diane Harkey has created AB2121, a bill that points out that the emperor is naked, and we are overpaying the tailor. AB2121 would kill further funding for this boondoggle. and I am begging you to help me support it please. It only takes a moment to contact the members of the Assembly Transportation Committee, who will hear the bill on April 19th. Their contact info is below. Also, if you would please pass the info along to those of like mind, I would love to bombard the Assembly with messages that we have had enough of the State spending our money on broken promises. Thanks for the help!


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Committee Members



Committee Members District Phone E-mail

Bonnie Lowenthal - Chair Dem-54 (916) 319-2054 Assemblymember.Lowenthal@assembly.ca.gov

Kevin Jeffries - Vice Chair Rep-66 (916) 319-2066 Assemblymember.Jeffries@assembly.ca.gov

Bill Berryhill Rep-26 (916) 319-2026 Assemblymember.Bill.Berryhill@assembly.ca.gov

Bob Blumenfield Dem-40 (916) 319-2040 Assemblymember.Blumenfield@assembly.ca.gov

Joan Buchanan Dem-15 (916) 319-2015 Assemblymember.Buchanan@assembly.ca.gov

Mike Eng Dem-49 (916) 319-2049 Assemblymember.Eng@assembly.ca.gov

Warren T. Furutani Dem-55 (916) 319-2055 Assemblymember.Furutani@assembly.ca.gov

Cathleen Galgiani Dem-17 (916) 319-2017 Assemblymember.Galgiani@assembly.ca.gov

Mary Hayashi Dem-18 (916) 319-2018 Assemblymember.Hayashi@assembly.ca.gov

Jeff Miller Rep-71 (916) 319-2071 Assemblymember.Miller@assembly.ca.gov

Roger Niello Rep-5 (916) 319-2005 Assemblymember.niello@assembly.ca.gov

Chris Norby Rep-72 (916) 319-2072 Assemblymember.Norby@assembly.ca.gov

Anthony J. Portantino Dem-44 (916) 319-2044 Assemblymember.Portantino@assembly.ca.gov

Jose Solorio Dem-69 (916) 319-2069 Assemblymember.Solorio@assembly.ca.gov

5 Points Ruby's and Jordan Brandman Re-Election Kick-Off

Anaheim residents no longer have to leave the city in order to shooby dooby down to Ruby's! Our own 5 Points Ruby's is now open. Yes, I know, it seemed like a fairy tale at times, as the poor old flatiron building sat on blocks for years, trapped in a sea of red tape. But Bill Taormina managed to push his way through the obstacles (including piles of money to be spent) and got 'er done! The building, originally constructed in the 1920s in a flatiron style, was crafted to accomodate the pie wedge lot left by the 5 sided intersection of Lincoln (Old County Road at the time) Center, and West Streets. Over time the building, and its surrounding area, faced challenges, as the upper floor units became flophouse style apartments, with all the joys of humanity that come with that environment. The City of Anaheim bought the building, along with the Lund Paints building next door (reused as a restaurant supply warehouse) and the surrounding homes facing south into Center Street, during a road widening project on Lincoln. All were meant for demolition, until local preservationists stepped in. The Lund Paint building was lost, but the residences were moved to other lots on the street, and joined by infill new construction, in styles that reflect the neighborhood. The Flatiron would have been a total loss if not for developer Bill Taormina, who stepped in knowing the the investmen was unlikely to pencil out. Bill rehabbed the building, and in a departure from the usual red and white 50s style Ruby's theme, the 5 Points Ruby's sports a brown  and tan theme that reflects eras from the 20 to the 40s, more in keeping with the structure's period of significance. Photos from the Anaheim History Room's Digital Collection grace the walls, reflecting Anaheim's past. Carhops on skates serve drivers beneath a massive pergola, and the outdoor patio area looks like the perfect spot for Saturday breakfast! A public park is planned for the remaining corner lot.

The restaurant has been serving invited guests during a "soft opening" combining fund raising for local charities with training new hires to serve the public. I attended one of the fundraisers Friday night with Council candidate Kris Murray, Disney's Carrie Nocella, School Board Trustee Jordan Brandman, and our families, in a completely packed house! The Morris family directly across the street were in attendance Friday night, clearly excited to see this finally come to fruition, after years of living in a construction zone! Also residing across the street is larry Black, who has been to Ruby's repeatedly, not only for the excitement, but likely to keep his kitchen clean so he can sell the airplane bungalow his family has on the market.www.CalBungalow. com.



Come on out to see the latest Ruby's, at Lincoln and the 5 freeway (across from Paul Kott's office) and if you run into Bill Taormina, say thanks!

Speaking of Jordan Brandman, his re-election Kick-Off party is tonight at Mama Cozza's restaurant, Ball and Brookhurst. I undertand there are about 100 guests planning to attend, but there is always room for more. You can pay at the door if you can make it last minute!

Carol Latham on Art in Public Places: Anaheim Beautiful

The next meeting of Anaheim Beautiful is on April 7th, 2010 at 12:00 Noon.

Please save the date! This will be a great informative meeting!
Location:
Red Lion Hotel
1850 S. Harbor Blvd.

Cost: $25 per person / $30 at the door.

Reservations Please! - RSVP by April 1st.
Call: 714-765-6079
Guest Speaker: Carol Latham / Anaheim Arts Council
Subject: "Art in Public Places"

Harry Sidhu: Carpetbagger

Anaheim City Councilman Harry Sidhu has moved recently (twice) in an effort to represent the 4th District on the County Board of Supervisors, after Chris Norby vacated the seat in a special election.
How much do we trust Harry Sidhu to be a member of the 4th District community he claims he wants to represent? Recently Harry went to great lengths to tell others that he and his wife had purchased a home in the 4th District, in order to put down roots in the community. As a multi-millionaire, he is certainly in a position to own more than one home, so that is doable. I had been watching the Clerk-Recorder’s public records system, waiting for a transaction to record, showing his purchase of another home, to no avail. The boys from Fullerton accurately picked up Harry’s visit to the Registrar of Voters, claiming he had moved from the Calabria apartments, to a new home at 2215 E. Lucky Way in Anaheim’s 92802, which is well within the 4th District. Over breakfast at Mimi’s recently, Harry verified to me that he and his wife had purchased the home, and that he planned to remain in the house even if he lost the primary in June. When I asked him to put that in writing, along with a pledge not to use the Supe seat as a springboard for yet another office, he offered to send an email to that effect. I have yet to get that, but I digress.


Here’s my problem. A) There is no such address as 2215 E. Lucky Way. At least not in the City of Anaheim. In fact, the location of Harry’s newest abode (and site of dispute with the Bushala team) is in fact 2215 South Lucky Way. Bushala told me yesterday that he went to that location to confirm Sidhu’s residence there, to clear up the confusion over the address.

B) Harry Sidhu does not appear to own the house at that address. Public records show the owner of 2215 S. Lucky Way to be Phuc and Bian Huynh, who live nearby on East Simmons Avenue. The Sidhus are renting.

Which leaves us with several very big questions:

A) Is Harry Sidhu legally registered to vote if he gave a home address that does not exist? If not, is his candidacy for the 4th District even valid? I understand there are others asking that same question, with lawyers.

B) Why did Harry lie to the residents of the 4th District by claiming he had bought his home in the District? Did he really think we were too stupid to check on that? Harry Sidhu can certainly afford to purchase a second house, which he would have done if putting down the deep roots he claims he wants in the area. There is nothing wrong with renting, unless you told others you had purchased.

C) Harry has lived in his 3rd District home, the “elegant Yorba estate” for many years. Why is he so unpopular with his own long term neighbors that he sees himself as unelectable in his own back yard, when the 3rd District seat opens up? Is he so despised on his own home turf that he would rather overcome charges of “carpetbagging” than run in his own neck of the woods? What do Harry’s neighbors know that the 4th District doesn’t?

I do not have answers for those questions, and I frankly will not hold my breath waiting for Harry to answer them, just as he has not sent the email confirming his verbal commitments to me. But I trust the people of the 4th District will ask themselves these questions before voting for our next Supervisor.

Congratulations to Janet Lee and the Shops at Anaheim Gardenwalk for the Maxi Award!

Over last spring and summer, volunteer artist and Anaheim resident Janet Lee worked with the Shops at Anaheim Gardenwalk to create an innovative new program, featuring art in public places-in a shopping center! Janet worked tirelessly with volunteers from many organizations, including Assistance League, Anaheim Historical Society, Boys and Girls Club, YMCA, and others. Together they teamed up with school children in the summer camp programs, and local artists volunteering their time. Using donated materials, the artists created enormous murals, painted by the school kids, to be hung in the public spaces of the Anaheim GardenWalk. The murals depict Anaheim culture and history, based largely on Gail Eastman's children's book, Ana's Home by the River.

That project has now won a Gold Award in the ICSC Maxi Awards, recognizing innovative ideas in shopping center development. This is the only project of its kind in the world, but I suspect the idea will be picked up and taken elsewhere soon! They would do well to hire ball-of-energy Janet Lee to run future programs!
http://www.icsc.org/usmaxiawards/2010_USMaxiWinners.pdf

Good work and congratulations to Janet, the GardenWalk, and thanks to all of the artists, school kids, and organizations that gave time, energy, and resources to this project. The murals can be seen in the upper areas of the GardenWalk center, and are open to the public at no charge.

Children's Book Signing to Benefit Anaheim Family Justice Center

CHILDREN’S BOOK READING AND SIGNING EVENT TO BENEFIT THE ANAHEIM FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER


Dino Mannersauthor Susan Finch and illustrator Allison Seda joined by Anaheim Police Chief, Anaheim City Attorney, and Officer Byrd to teach children important life lessons



ANAHEIM, Calif. (March 2, 2010) – Susan Finch, the author of Dino Manners, a popular children’s book which teaches children to treat their friends with respect, will be joined by Anaheim Police Chief John Welter and Anaheim City Attorney Cristina Talley at the Anaheim Family Justice Center on Friday, March 5, from 4:00 – 7:30 p.m. The trio will share in the reading of the book, and offer words of advice and encouragement to all. The event is free to the public, with proceeds from the book sales benefitting the Anaheim Family Justice Center.



Dino Mannersfeatures colorful and humorous illustrations of a group of dinosaurs learning about friendship, resolving conflict, sharing, how to stay safe, and much more.



Also joining the dinosaur-talk at the event will be Officer Byrd and his friend and author, retired Los Angeles Police Department officer Michael Simonsen. Officer Byrd, a South American Macaw, is no stranger to police work himself. The two officers visit schools to teach children and adults about safety. Officer Byrd likes to entertain his audience with his bike riding, skateboarding, roller-skating, and even driving his own police car.



Established in October 2006, the Anaheim Family Justice Center offers many resources to effectively and efficiently address domestic violence, child abuse, elder/dependent abuse and sexual assaults. By utilizing a multi-disciplinary team approach to intervene, new and innovative ways to support and enhance provisions of crime victim services are proposed.



The Anaheim Family Justice Center is located at 150 W. Vermont Avenue, Anaheim, CA 92805.



For more information please contact the Anaheim Family Justice Center, at (714) 765-1618 (714) 765-1618

A New Music Hall for Anaheim

The Orange County Register reports on a new music hall opening in Anaheim, with some reservations from the neighbors. http://www.ocregister.com/news/neighborhood-236971-music-hall.html

Apparently the owner of the EXTRON site at Ball and East Streets is creating a steak house restaurant, and is also adding a concert hall, with a focus on country music. The site sits on an arterial corner, but is surrounded by residential properties nearby, and the neighbors are understandably concerned. Sadly if you read the comments section below the Register article, the critiques of the project quickly tailspin into name calling and insults, alluding to the stereotype of country music fans being in-bred hillbillies. But just a quick Google search of demographics http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=514540

shows that Country Music listeners tend to be in the 25-54 year old age range (the folks most likely to spend money), they are Caucasian, female, married, homeowners, with kids, and at least some college education. Not exactly the image of "Bubba passed out on your lawn after a night of downing longneck beers" that the neighbors might fear. The parking lot of this concert hall is far more likely to be filled with Beemers than pickup trucks, and the greatest crime spree may well turn out to be GPS units swiped from those convertibles during the concert, not the shotgun target practice some have posted on the Register site.

In addition, the concert hall appears to have made an agreement with the Planning Commission to utilize the same neighborhood protections agreed to by the owners of the Ember nightclub in the Anaheim Colony Historic District. Like the EXTRON site, the Ember property fronts onto a busy arterial street, but backs onto and is surrounded by residences, and those neighbors were greatly concerned for quality of life issues, for the same reasons as the EXTRON neighbors likely are. The owners of Ember agreed to Conditional Use that specified on-site security to keep the party from spilling onto neighboring streets, as well as valet parking, and a strictly enforced dress code. The Ember nightclub has become an assett to the community, and using those same restrictions for the EXTRON site is likely to produce an equally beneficial project. The Conditional Use Permit also gives the neighbors the reassurance that if the owner fails to abide by the rules, the Permit can be pulled. That is a lot more comfort and local control than we get when a "party house" picks up down the street, and we cannot get the cooperation of the absentee landlord to quell the keggers.

A concert hall at Ball and East Street would also create yet another entertainment venue for Resort visitors, who often complain of a lack of nightlife or free-time options after a convention, outside of Disney. Conventioners visiting for a business trip want an adult oriented venue to relax after a busy day of walking through medical device booths at the Convention Center, and they have money to spend, money that goes back into the coffers of Anaheim's General Fund.

I have not spoken to the neighbors, but it appears the project could be a win-win, as long as the neighbors have their concrerns addressed in the CUP, and the owner acts in good faith to abide by those concerns. This could be a great step in closing the gap of the cultural vaccuum of Anaheim. Bring on the music!

More HSR rant

Transportation projects are essential to the economic viability of California. We cannot sell or distribute the goods or services that are the backbone of our business community without transportation infrastructure, and transportation is one of the few tax expenditures worthy of our support-when it is done right. Sadly, California’s High Speed Rail development has become the third cousin of a good transportation project, and as currently designed is a monster boondoggle, inefficiently planned, using money that has yet to be produced by future generations. With the State possibly unable to sell the bonds approved by voters in 2008, and private investment running in the other direction, the CHSRA is now counting on Federal Stimulus funding to get this thing going- Stimulus funding that We The People have no oversight in spending!


Looking at the Business Plan and route alternatives produced thus far, it appears the High Speed Rail project has been created by politicians rather than rail experts, as a giant make-work project. While an efficient system should have been based on ridership demand, we now know those ridership numbers to be inaccurate. http://www.redcounty.com/hsr-contractors-have-some-splainin-do/36578. This is especially alarming to us in Orange County, as the Anaheim to Los Angeles segment is the first scheduled to break ground, and we have yet to see real numbers that justify that impending construction! Even CHSRA’s own people are beginning to question the viability of this, as the LA Times reports “Katz, who also serves as a Los Angeles County transit official, wants a review to ensure that the L.A.-to-Anaheim leg, which has nearly doubled in cost, is based on actual demand and is efficiently designed to avoid duplication with existing rail services. "I think there are a number of legitimate questions that need to be raised," he said.”

Instead of the straight path that bullet trains follow in Europe and Japan, the California route winds like a snake through the Districts and cities of those politicians directly connected to the project, with the most to gain. The inefficient route placement will result in lost time in transit, as we sacrifice the direct path of speed for the gerrymandered path of political expedience. http://www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov/map.htm

In addition, while some areas such as the Central Valley are begging for this project, hoping the jobs will rescue their skyrocketing unemployment numbers; other communities are questioning the wisdom of the route placement, and its impact on their own quality of life. Communities on the peninsula who caught wind of the routes years ago are already well into the lawsuit stage. http://www.calhsr.com/

Here in Orange County the project has been a deeply held mystery, and public outreach is only now beginning, with the first public disclosure of the Alternatives Analysis presented January 20 of this year, using Right of Way width still not determined! As Orange County awakens to the reality of this project, and its imminent time tables, activists are raising the alarm (and money) in anticipation of reviewing, and likely opposing, the upcoming Draft EIR, soon to be released. For those familiar with CEQA, it is distressing to realize we have managed to get as far as Draft EIR with this just now hitting the editorial pages, but both the Los Angeles Times and the Orange County Register have now opposed this project in recent months. It is about time.

High Speed Rail needs to be sent back to the drawing board, and created with a transparent and community-driven planning team, to be an efficient use of our tax dollars, and a benefit to each of the communities it touches. Then and only then should California support the project with the funding it requires and deserves. Until that time, we need to put the brakes on, possibly by removing the project from those currently running it, and turning it over to those without political agendas.

Game over, we need to hit the reset button. Apparently the Los Angeles Times would agree.

latimes.com/news/local/la-me-high-speed28-2010feb28,0,5686672.story

latimes.com

Some fear California's high-speed rail won't deliver on early promises

There's concern that local, state or federal subsidies would be needed as projected ticket prices between L.A. and San Francisco have almost doubled. And building costs for the first phase have grown

By Rich Connell and Dan Weikel

February 28, 2010



Despite a new $2.25-billion infusion of federal economic stimulus funding, there are intensifying concerns -- even among some high-speed rail supporters -- that California's proposed bullet train may not deliver on the financial and ridership promises made to win voter backing in 2008.



Estimates of ticket prices between Los Angeles and San Francisco have nearly doubled in the project's latest business plan, pushing ridership projections down sharply and prompting new skepticism about data underpinning the entire project.



"This just smells funny," said state Sen. Alan Lowenthal (D-Long Beach), a supporter of high-speed rail and chairman of the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee.



New inflation-adjusted construction figures show that outlays needed to build the first 520-mile phase of the system have climbed more than 25%, from $33.6 billion to $42.6 billion.



And some government watchdogs are concerned that a linchpin commitment to taxpayers in the bullet train's financing measure -- that no local, state or federal subsidies would be required to keep the trains operating -- may be giving way.



High-speed rail planners recently advised state lawmakers that attracting billions in crucial private financing will probably require government backing of future cash flow. "Without some form of revenue guarantee from the public sector, it is unlikely that private investment will occur at [the planned] level until demand for California high-speed rail is proven," project planners wrote in December.



That is feeding fears that a larger state commitment, beyond the $9 billion in construction bonds approved by voters, could be sought to complete the 800-mile project. "To now put in that we have to [give] some kind of revenue guarantee . . . is totally unacceptable," Lowenthal said. "That's not what we agreed to."



Financial risks and planning adjustments are inevitable in such a massive project, say officials with the California High-Speed Rail Authority. They insist that significant progress is being made, that there is cause for optimism and that they are keeping their commitments to voters. Opportunities for capturing more federal dollars are greater than ever, they say, because President Obama supports high-speed rail.



"The project is moving forward, very much," said Mehdi Morshed, the agency's executive director.



Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and a coalition of business, labor and political leaders argue that the project is ahead of others in the United States and will provide enormous benefits in job creation, congestion relief and environmental improvements.



Tying San Diego, Los Angeles, Sacramento and San Francisco together with European-style 200-mph trains has been a long-stalled dream for many. The prospect that construction could actually begin has intensified scrutiny of financial, ridership and route issues.



"I think the numbers should be scrubbed," said authority board member Richard Katz, adding that doing so could help the project.



Jeff Barker, the agency's deputy director, said the latest business plan fueled confusion about a revenue guarantee.



"We didn't do a good job of explaining that," he said. The system is being designed to operate without a taxpayer subsidy, and that will be clarified in a new, as-yet unavailable report, he said.



But Morshed, who is stepping down next month, reiterated that some guarantee, probably from the federal government, may be needed to ensure that cash flow can repay front-end construction investments by private parties. That is not uncommon in federally backed projects, he said, and would not violate the state's ban on taxpayer operating subsidies.



Current plans call for up to $12 billion from private-sector investors, about $18 billion from the federal government and up to $5 billion from local agencies. New forecasts show an operating surplus topping $1 billion a few years after service begins.



But some analysts point out that almost all U.S. rail systems -- and a number of foreign operations -- have required large government loans or cash infusions to keep running.



Under the new scenario, one-way fares between L.A. and San Francisco rise from $55 to $105, closer to the cost of an airline ticket. The change shows healthier surplus revenue, which may appeal to private investors. But estimated ridership falls by about one-third, to about 40 million annual boarders in 2030.



Some transit advocates say predictions of private participation aren't realistic. "A lot of it's still magical thinking," said Bart Reed, executive director of the Transit Coalition.



Fare, ridership and financing projections should be viewed as fluid and subject to revision based on changing conditions and assumptions, high-speed rail officials say. But revised ridership estimates have heightened suspicions about the projections' reliability. Some smaller cities, like Gilroy, Merced and Bakersfield, show numbers of nonlocal trips equal to or greater than Los Angeles. "We've never understood their models," said Lowenthal, whose panel is delving deeper into the projections.



A recent federal Government Accountability Office study found that rail cost and patronage projections around the world, including on some high-speed lines, tended to be overly optimistic, making it difficult to gauge the financial viability of projects. Limited federal money may be available for several competing projects, the report adds.



Such warnings underscore what some see as the mixed blessing of the recent windfall of federal dollars. To help create jobs, California is supposed to break ground in two years.



The goal is to start Los Angeles, Bay Area and Central Valley segments about the same time. But the backhoes would be digging before officials know how much future federal and private funding will be available to connect the system, officials say.



Conflicts are brewing in Southern California as planners step up efforts to squeeze trenches, viaducts and extra tracks into a crowded rail corridor cutting across the region. Problems remain over how the bullet train will pass through Los Angeles' Union Station transportation complex. Existing buildings, freeways, rail lines and overpasses around the station make it an extremely tight fit.



In Buena Park, city officials recently learned that part of a new award-winning transit-oriented residential project tied into the city's 3-year-old Metrolink station may have to be ripped out.



A high-speed rail representative told local officials, "We either take the condominiums or we take your station," recalled Councilman Art Brown, who has generally supported the bullet train. Planners are reexamining the issue, but it remains unresolved.



Katz, who also serves as a Los Angeles County transit official, wants a review to ensure that the L.A.-to-Anaheim leg, which has nearly doubled in cost, is based on actual demand and is efficiently designed to avoid duplication with existing rail services. "I think there are a number of legitimate questions that need to be raised," he said.



Communication with cities is being improved, said Barker, the rail agency's deputy director. "We're playing catch-up," he said. Overall, his quasi-independent agency, with a small staff and mostly contract planners, has produced results, he said.



But lawmakers are likely to overhaul the high-speed rail agency and move it more directly into state government, Lowenthal said. "It's not going to be out there on its own," he said.



rich.connell@latimes.com



dan.weikel@latimes.com

Copyright © 2010, The Los Angeles Times

A Happy Ending to a Grafitti Story

The newspapers have been covering a story about Anaheim shop owner Rosa Bobbio, and her battle with the City of Anaheim, and the dirtbags-excuse me, misguided youth, who have tagged her building for years. http://www.ocregister.com/news/city-235823-graffiti-bobbio.html


Sadly, they are not sharing all of the story.

Back in fall of 2009, upholstery shop owner Rosa Bobbio reported to the Anaheim Police Department that her building had been tagged, once again. This time they hit the glass shop windows out front that display her work to passersby, etching the glass with their tagging. Rosa contacted the City to find out what she could do to stop the insanity. She had already installed bars on the windows and doors out back, after several burglaries, but she refused to put bars across the front. As she told me during a visit to her shop, she did not want the criminals to make her feel like she was in jail in her own shop, hiding behind bars. She also did not want the neighborhood to look “trashy” with bars on shop fronts. While the Police were unable to give her much advice on how to stop the tagging, the contact apparently triggered something in the system, alerting the City’s Code Enforcement department to the fact that Rosa had not eradicated the graffiti herself.

Rosa received a letter from Code Enforcement, demanding she replace the glass in her store front. After calling glass companies, she realized it would cost over $1500.00 to replace the large expanse of glass, and she had no assurance that the taggers would not come back and deface the new glass. Rosa felt she was trapped in a cycle of victimization she could not escape. Nobody wants to live that way.

Feeling defeated, Rosa left the graffiti. Clearly, this was not the answer, as Anaheim is committed to removing graffiti as quickly as possible, as that is the only known deterrent to the crime. These “artists” need their work to remain in place, for bragging rights. Get it removed before anyone else sees it, we remove the incentive for the taggers, and they will go elsewhere, to an area where it stays up long enough to be seen, and presumably admired by those with no respect for private property. Based on this stand against the crime, the City of Anaheim issues fines to property owners who fail to clean up their property, and that includes having been victimized by taggers. It is not fair, but life is rarely fair. How many of us clear the trash from our flower beds that was dropped by others? Same concept, but frustratingly for Rosa the price tag was much higher. Feeling victimized twice, first by the taggers, and then by her own City, Rosa dug in her heels. The press covered it, and the City of Anaheim became the big, bad meany.

The sad thing is that all of this was based on pure miscommunication. Rosa Bobbio was convinced that her ONLY option was an expensive glass replacement, with more to come as the taggers repeated their behavior. Once Sandra Seaton, the head of Anaheim’s Code Enforcement division caught wind of the problem, she plugged Rosa in with a company that polishes glass, ridding the window of the graffiti for a much lower price tag. A huge thank you to WKRP Inc. for coming out and tackling Rosa’s windows for free. They do all kinds of graffiti removal services, and the gentleman I met while I was out there talking to Rosa was very nice.

WKRP Services, Inc.

www.wkrpservices. com

Mike Speakman

714-832-2146 Ext 103

949-289-1457 cell

So in the end, Rosa’s windows are graffiti free, (for now) and she now has the name of a lower cost solution should the taggers return. Code Enforcement has waived the fines, as they were only seeking compliance, not punitive action. The only really happy ending to this story would be the tagger in the back seat of a Police car, but we will take our victories where we find them.

Scoping Meeting for new ARTIC train station

On February 24, 2010, the public is invited to a Scoping Meeting to review the plans for the ARTIC train station. ARTIC is the new facility that will serve High Speed Rail (if it gets built) as well as Metrolink, and eventually the ARC monorail through the Resort, and perhaps someday the MagLev to Las Vegas. When initially proposed, ARTIC was supposed to be a public-private partnership. However, the private sector has declined Curt Pringle's generous offer to invest in the station, so it is now a fully public investment, see the chart below to see how our money is being spent.
ARTIC Funding Sources


Funding Sources

Renewed Measure M--Project T Bond Proceeds $99.2 million

Measure M Transit Revenue $44.6 million

2008 State Transportation Improvement Program $29.2 million

Federal Earmark $3.2 million

Federal Transit Administration $2.6 million

*Total $178.8 million

*Information current as of 10/26/09

The Scoping process is a step in CEQA, during which the public agency reveals the plans to the public, and gathers input from the public. This is a very important step, as a comment at this time essentially acts as a "place holder" to allow for dispute later in the event that the project does not meet the desires of the community. Forfeit your right to comment now, and it becomes harder to object later. During the Scoping Meetings for High Speed Rail, only 2 meetings were held in Anaheim, both on the same day, and the only notification listed on the CHSRA's mailing list for those meetings was the City of Anaheim Planning Department. Few showed up, because few knew, and HSR supporters interpret that lack of attendance as lack of interest. So it is important to attend this meeting and send a strong message that yes we ARE interested in transporation issues in our community, when we know about them!

Where:

Anaheim West Tower Gordon Hoyt Conf. Ctr., 2nd Fl.
201 South Anaheim Boulevard
Anaheim, CA 92805

When:
February 24, 2010 at 4:30 p.m.
Visit anytime between 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

Parking:
Parking for the meeting will be at:
City of Anaheim Parking Structure
200 South Anaheim Boulevard
Anaheim, CA 92805


Notice of Public Scoping Meeting


For the Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ARTIC) Draft Environmental Impact Report
The City of Anaheim is responsible for preparing the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for construction/ operation of the proposed ARTIC Project. ARTIC will be an intermodal transportation facility that will replace the existing Metrolink/Amtrak station currently located south of Katella Avenue and west of the Orange Freeway (SR-57). The proposed ARTIC site is located on a 16-acre site south of Katella Avenue, east of SR-57 and Douglass Road, and west of the Santa Ana River.
ARTIC will be an iconic transportationfacility where people will seamlessly move between transit services to reach Southern California activity centers and business districts. The station will accommodate passenger arrivals, departures and transfers with supporting retail, restaurants and passenger services within the building.
Your Input Counts

Interested individuals, organizations, and agencies are invited to participate to learn more about the project and provide comments on what issues you would like to see addressed in the environmental document.

Can't Attend?

Comments may be submitted by March 8, 2010

Contact: Ruth Ruiz, Public Information Specialist,

City of Anaheim

Office: (714) 765-5060 Email: rruiz@anaheim.net

200 South Anaheim Boulevard, Anaheim, CA 92805

Register Now!