May 12, 2008 - Daily Brief
It’s been so chilly here lately, at least in the evenings. We almost turned on the heat last night. That’s fine with me though because in a matter of weeks the old SCV furnace will be turned on once again. But no matter the temperature, your Daily Brief is ready with the latest SCV news.
News
- LA Media finally takes note of Landsource/Newhall Ranch story: Better three weeks late than never I suppose: on Friday, the Los Angeles Business Journal reported that the future of the 21,000 home Newhall Ranch project is “uncertain” in light of Newhall Land parent company Landsource’s inability to make payments on a $1.1 billion loan. A Landsource bankruptcy has been expected for weeks and the best reporting on this has come from the Wall Street Journal and some real estate trade publications. Here’s the way the LABJ put the potential effect of a Landsource bankruptcy on Newhall Ranch: “A bankruptcy filing could place some 48,000 acres of property owned by Landsource -including the 12,000 acre proposed Newhall Ranch- in the hands of creditors.” One day after the LABJ story, the Times finally picked up on the intrigue and spoke with our very own Marlee Lauffer, who told the Times that while everything is up in the air Newhall Land is “continuing to focus on our day-to-day activities.” So where’s this story going dear reader? Predictions?
- Wiley neighbors rally against Avenue project:Some 100 Newhall residents and former City Councilman TimBen Boydston rallied on Saturday against the controversial Avenues Project, a proposed 37 acre mixed-use and high(er?) density project on the old mule ranch wedged between Wiley Canyon road and Interstate 5 in Newhall, according to The Signal. The project -sporting twin 12 story towers, a hotel, and 800 residencies- is a “travesty” according to Boydston, who advised members of the WethePeople and Calgrove Corridor Coalitition to attend Tuesday’s City Council meeting in mass. “This is not Santa Clarita and not why my family moved here 40 years ago and not why your family might have moved here yesterday,” Boydston said. Massive early opposition was key to killing the MRF; will a show of force at Tuesday’s Council meeting have the same effect in Newhall? I’ll be there to find out. Tammy Marashlian reports. Also, Fox 11 LA calls it a “mega-project” and has a video report.
- More from the bizarre case of the CHP officer and Valencia Jogger: You thought the final chapter in this strange story had already been written; former City Councli candidate and CHP vet Dwight McDonald was convicted attacking a Valencia jogger named Steven Gilbert in 2007 and was ordered to serve some 60 days in jail. Well, on Saturday, Signal Editor Josh Premako reported that a restraining order placed on McDonald had been dissolved and a new one placed on Gilbert, which ordered the jogger to stay at least 100 yards away from McDonald and his family. Premako’s report is here.
- After the strike, gold for City filming: The writer’s strike may have impacted filming in the SCV last fall, but Hollywood returned in a big way in April. During that month, the City of Santa Clarita issued some 64 percent more filming permits (31 total) than in April 2007 (19) and added a whole list of new shows that are being filmed in whole or in part in Santa Clarita. There’s an HBO show called “1%” which is being filmed by Santa Clarita Studios, the new (and awful) Knight Rider series, and the attractively named “Manure”, starring Billy Bob Thornton. All this filming helps pump some $20 million into the SCV economy every year, the city says. KHTS has the report.
- Buck McKeon wants space shuttle orbiter retired to Antelope Valley: The Congressman who’s district encompasses the SCV and Antelope Valley (and much of the state) will work with California’s Congressional Delegation to bring a space shuttle orbiter to what might be a new Antelope Valley Aviation and Aerospace museum. The report comes by way of Aero-News.net, an aviation site, but it quotes the San Fernando Valley Business Journal. The 30 year old space shuttle program is due to be retired in 2010 and placing one in the AV is only fitting since all six shuttles were built in Palmdale’s Plant 42. Out with the mule museum, in with air ‘n space!
- More on Hart reassignments: I should apologize for being inaccurate in my Friday brief. I said the 30 student assistants at the Hart District were being “laid off,” when in reality some will have the option to be reassigned. The Daily News reports that at least 10 of the proposed 44 people affected by the changes will not be reassigned, however. Anyway, here’s the Daily News article with most of what you know but a few additional details.
- Cam Smyth, the eco-friendly Republican? The San Francisco Chronicle reports that our homegrown state Assemblyman, Cam Smyth, has introduced legislation that would forbid HOAs and “common interest developments” from prohibiting homeowners from installing solar energy systems on their houses. The bill is aimed mostly at condominium groups. The bill, AB 1892, will be heard before the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee. I’m all for it; I’d love to place photo-voltaic cells all over the roof of my condo and stop sending Edison a huge check each month. SFGate article, AB 1892 details
- Vagabond diner diarist hits the SCV: Fascinating piece from Josh Premako who tells the tale of a self-described son of a ” 70s flower child gypsy” who’s spent the last several months driving across America and eating in old fashioned diners. He hit our very own Way Station recently and Premako interviewed him. mmmmm Way Station
Blogs, Miscellaneous and Opinion
- The SCV’s dirty little secret: William S. Hart was as gay as Brokeback Mountain: A clever blogger, heretofore unknown in the annals of SCVTalk, recently visited our valley’s Historical Society in connection with a 3rd grade historical scavenger hunt. He took in all the history and concludes that the Docents at the Historical Society are liars. Here’s what he says about SCV father William S Hart: “I mean come on folks…living with your spinster sister in a remote mansion on-top of a hill, great fashion and decorating sense, short-marriage, no other women in your life, and your best friend, aside from a horse, is a bachelor painter guy from Montana…”Broke-back Mountain” ring a bell?” More SCV revisionist history
- Jay Harn dishes on The Signal’s new look: It turns out the Signal’s font/design refresh was due to the fact that the Creekside staff at TMS finally got new Windows PCs, according to Publisher Jay Harn in a blog post on The Signal’s website. “The reason for the change is that we are updating our computer systems and switching from some very out-dated Macintosh computers to brand new Dell PCs. Because of this huge change, we found that we had to convert a lot of our technology and so we felt that it was a good time to “update” our look,” he writes. He also talks about the Signal’s new Editorial Board, which decides “the opinion of this newspaper in its “editorials” or political endorsements, both online and in print.” Welcome to the Dark Side of WIntel muhahaahah
- Machine Politics in SCV: Interesting Sunday LTE in The Signal. Valencia resident Tom Pedersen analyzes the recent City Council election results and concludes that “machine politics, with all its warts, has entered our fair city.” He goes on to slam Laurie Ender by saying that she was simply a front for developer interests in the SCV and defines machine politics as “the organization of effort by seemingly separate entities, high flow of money, illegal behavior, unethical behavior by elected officials and negative and misleading campaign ads.” All that flowed to Ender’s campaign, according to Pedersen, but he ends his LTE by saying she has a opportunity to surprise the SCV by being active in city matters like TimBen Boydston was. Link
- Some Signal readers don’t have Tivo or onscreen programming guides: One Signal reader is comically out of date and says he’s not happy with the Signal’s “too big” TV guide. Jay Harn reponds.
- Bruce McFarland not happy with proposed City Code of Ethics & Conduct: The City’s proposed code of ethics will be discussed at tomorrow’s City Council meeting, but Bruce McFarland says it’s no good right off the bat. “This sounds good, but the policy does not establish even one additional regulation for city folks to follow,” he writes in an op/ed in today’s Signal, while defining the word “Pulskamperie as “the ability to make people believe you addressed a problem while actually doing nothing.” He wants people to show up at tomorrow’s Council Meeting. Link
- Why Dave, are you referring to me as a communist? So here I was reading West Ranch Town Council President Dave Bossert’s post on supporting the “Be Cool to your School” test-drive event when all of the sudden, he launched into a rant about the “communist house frau and her lap dog JW, the SCV yapper.” If that’s in reference to me, I want to know who’s lap I’m sitting in, and is she hot? Anyway, Bossert says the test-drive event is a win/win for the community and that you should go down to Creekside and test-drive to your heart’s content because it helps the schools. Link
I don’t think a “communist house frau” is allowed to be hot. I can only envision the female “Purple Cobras” player from the movie Dodge Ball.
As for the ethics policy, is Bruce “Drama” McFarland serious? Now he’s pissed that City Staff created a PROPOSED ethics code “that reflects what the Council has previously indicated to be the community’s expectations for the City’s elected and appointed officials.”
Looks like the folks at City Hall are being proactive and are trying to get the ball rolling on the issue. But, as always, if it’s coming from City Hall it must be corrupt.
If Bruce and his merry band of do-gooders think there should be an independant oversight committe, great. Bring it up in
his opening commentsthe public comments during the council meeting. This is a proposed document, and will most certainly be reviewed by the council prior to being adopted.I wonder what would happen if our own “Johnny Drama” helped review the document and provided constructive criticism on the document instead of name calling and grandstanding?
I work with a lot of designers and it has been about 10 years since I’ve heard of anyone “upgrading” to a PC from a Mac. The term for that is “backward migration”. The most important move is from an old version of QuarkXpress to a new version of Adobe InDesign. It’s like going from an old Chevy Cavalier to a Lexus.
Marlee Lauffer is our local Baghdad Bob. We won’t get a straight answer from her until she resigns, if then. You’d think the media would be on to this by now.
That test drive is the biggest local scam I’ve seen. They are undoubtably spending more money advertising their donation than on the donation itself.
Liked the article on the guy hoping from diner to diner, but I wish we would have heard his view on the Way Station.
Good for Smyth… I’m in favor of anything that either promotes solar energy and/or weakens HOAs.
No comments on Hart’s sexual orientation?
I feel a YouTube video of Hart with background music from Brokeback Mountain is apropos right now.
I work with a lot of designers and it has been about 10 years since I’ve heard of anyone “upgrading” to a PC from a Mac. The term for that is “backward migration”
Very well, you poked the beehive, now prepare for the wrath.
For small design, arts, niche publications etc, I imagine your point is true.
But for large scale networks, enterprise-level reliability, and excellent 24/7 technical support, a Windows network is the only way to go.
Most publishing software these days is available on both Mac and PCs, so the Mac’s edge is largely negligible in 2008. And The Signal employs about 100 people, most of whom probably need computer access. Putting them all on a unified Windows domain with group policies and a consistent upgrade path makes sense.
Overall, as Leo Laporte says, Windows makes sense for businesses, while Macs make sense for home users and smaller organizations.
We should ask the Signal about which computers they prefer anyway.
No you didn’t!
Of the three dozen or so designers I work with through the course of a year, each of whom is at a larger organization than the Signal, just one uses a PC.
There is much more to it that the specific application you are using. The operating system handles graphics, color and fonts in a far superior way.
You’d know better than I on the matter of deploying over an enterprise (and dodging viruses, adware, spyware, etc.), but as to the specific task of newspaper layout, they have to be in a small crowd.
I’ve got more Mr. Wilson, just ask for it!
KipRockfist: City staff and a member or two of the Council will have reviewed the ethics document with the Chamber of Commerce before it is presented for public comment. The Council will most certainly yield to the wishes of the Chamber and will make their decision based on that input. The Public comment will carry little weight. The Council is in the pocket of privileged local businesses, the developers and other special interest. These GOB’s will not let an ethics code stand in the way of their privileged access to the City and the Council. Pulskamp is clearly influenced by special interest.
Bruce may have a different approach to making his views known, and I wish he would tone it down a little, but he his spot on when it comes to the need for ethics and reform in the City.
“Marlee Lauffer is our local Baghdad Bob. We won’t get a straight answer from her until she resigns, if then. You’d think the media would be on to this by now”.
Marlee is a loyal soldier doing the job she is paid to do.
I would expect nothing less of her if she worked for my company.
I doubt it is a happy time for the employees a Newhall Land. After all, they did not cause the mess they are in.
Her loyalty as an employee is immaterial to her credibility as a news source. She does a very good job at what she does and part of what she does is to keep the media from getting the whole story. For years, reporters covering NHL&F have stopped digging after getting a direct quote from her, but I have never, ever heard her off message. Again, stellar job at doing her job, but as a reader, I’d like to know more than the company line.
Mike: My point is that she is doing her job. I know that you only get the spin the company wants her to sell. This is common place with most company’s. She is good at it, hence your disappointment.
We all know the name Newhall Land has out lived its value. Newhall is but a very small piece of a much bigger pie. This probably binds Marlee’s hands even more.
The company is in trouble, this is common knowledge. What would you like her to say? We give up! Our company has made some dumb financial moves! Some might say the past CEO may deserve the negative comments, but Marlee and company are still trying their best.
Cash Do you have any verifiable facts on the council reviewing its ethics code with the chamber or are you just hypotheticating all over the place and expecting us to clean it up! yuck! What a mess!
As for Brucie, he is running for office (good luck) and wants the perception of being ethical (my opinion) but after the stunts he pulled in the last election it didn’t do him any favors. I think Bruce shot himself in the foot and did nothing to boost his credibility at all.
“Cash Do you have any verifiable facts on the council reviewing its ethics code with the chamber or are you just hypotheticating all over the place and expecting us to clean it up! yuck! What a mess!”
Yes, the Chamber has a standing monthly meeting with the City staff and various councilmembers to discuss the agenda ahead of the public meeeting. Last year every date was on the Chamber calendar, this year, after some public exposure, the dates were removed. However, the meetings still occur each month. I assume the Code of ethics will be of interest Chamber and open for discussion. I would also expect certain leaders of the Chamber to attend the upcoming council meeting to voice their opinion on the code. I am telling you, this City Staff and Council are taken business friendly to the extreme.
Give your Coucilmember a call and see if they attended the meeting. No more than two can attend or they violate the Brown Act. Mayor Bob is a good bet!
Cash, I neglected to point out how this much be an incredibly hard job for her to do under the circumstances. I do feel for her and everyone at NHL&F, it may be the end of the road and a lot of them put their lives and hearts into it.
Comparatively speaking, Newhall Land has been the best local developer. When they become truly nameless and faceless we’ll know how good we had it.
Now I know that homosexuality has no age limits, but I’m not sure if being in your 60s and living with your sister necessarily qualifies as living a gay lifestyle. With that kind of logic, the Golden Girls would have never left their Florida condo. And I’d hardly call a 6+ year marriage to Winifred a “short-lived” marriage. I kinda doubt Bill Hart Jr would consider his dad gay, nor would Amelia Earhart, another “woman” in his life.
Don’t be “f’ing” with 2-Gun Bill around here!
Mike; I agree with you. I won’t be touching the Vince Hans comment! He’s not trolling, I just have no information to contribute.
Bill, Bruce actually had some impact last election season. The controversy ultimately fizzled due to the lack of a smoking gun in Kellar’s names, but it did make some serious waves. As for looking good, he doesn’t really have a chance, so his candidacy is more of the wave-making variety anyway.
Mike, I think you are right. The thing that bothers me is how it was done and for why. If he truly wanted to be Mr good guy he would have brought all that out when he first learned of it. Instead, he waited for the timing to try and take Kellar out. Kinda sleazy in my opinion. I was disappointed more than anything.
You’re probably right, but in fairness, it was a very long time between Bruce raising the issue and Kellar ultimately fixing his filings. Had Kellar taken care of it that week, it wouldn’t have seen like much of an issue. He really let it linger and like Scott Wilk said in the Signal, it might have cost him 1st place.
Cash, thanks for the info. I will check that out and thanks. Now I don’t have to clean up all that hypothetication! MAN, that can be a job! (hope I spelled that right, I’m not so gud a spellin)
Bob was concerned over the disclosure because of his clients. He had no problem with it but like in law, real estate has some presumptions of confidence and Bob didn’t want to find himself in trouble on that front so he waited to get a response from the officials on that subject. Unfortunately, that took some time. When he got the word from them he needed to disclose he did so right away. On that point you are probably right, it cost him first place but I think he did it the right way. I have known Bob for a long time and have NEVER seen him anything less than honest. If I ever thought he was anything less I would not support him. For me, that goes for everyone.
I think in retrospect, Kellar’s version of the story makes sense, and now I take him at his word. There were not names on that list that that would seem worthy of nefariously concealing, his motive for client privacy seemed genuine, if misguided (legally speaking).
But this law and the corresponding regulations and paperwork are explicitly clear and if he wasn’t sure, he should have taken his upon his own initiative to obtain clarification when he left that area blank. I think he’s more or less admitted to and apologized for as much. I’m glad he cleared in up prior to the election, and for his sake, I’m glad it didn’t cost him the election. Though I don’t fault Bruce, except maybe for the timing, but his own timeline seems to make sense as well, and I think The Signal, with the lone exception of a single headline, did a very good job in being prudently persistent on the issue.
OK, Bob is boring compared to King Dave, Lets pick on him LOL
Yeah, what a bunch of hot air! Did anyone read the entry on the car dealers? I posed a simple comment to him and I got back a novel of an answer about anything but the point I raised.
Tim Myers, if I were you, I’d ask Jeff for some column inches on SCVtalk, if he’ll have you. You are far too good for the WRB.
To the mouth of the West Side:
Dave,
The President of the Auto Association could not have done a better job of hyping the self rewarding
“Be Cool to My School” promotion. He is your West Ranch neighbor, is he not! How does it feel being the lap dog. What happened to Scooter and Spark Plug! What is next Dave, will you be singing the Acura Theme song? Me Me Me Me!!!!
If the car dealers are doing so well, have them pay for their own advertising, and stop using city tax money.
The dealers do not pay the taxes, they merely collect the money when we buy the car, and forward the money on.
Because of this scam on taxpayers,
my last two cars were purchased outside the city.
NEWS ALERT!
SCVTalk.com Blog Master Blocks Poster’s IP Address!
It’s a fact, ladies & gentlemen. In order for me to now post comments here I must utilize various computers within SCV, hence my future postings may occur on a random basis.
So, be aware that if you choose to post your conservative point of view, you too may be banned from this blog. First, another poster may call into question your education by pointing out spelling/grammar errors. Then another may call you a troll, then another may order you to go away. And then finally, the Blog Master may block your IP Address as he did mine.
It should be noted that this is exactly what the Democrat Party would do upon winning our Presidential election and securing majority rule of both houses of Congress. They will implement the Fairness Doctrine which is designed to drastically limit free speech in America.
This Blog Master has limited free speech by removing my IP Address, thus infringing on my free speech. Much like what Code Pink has been doing at Berzerkley’s Marine Corp recruiting office.
It should also be noted that I fully expected the Blog Master to take this drastic step as it’s an action that I previously experienced. As a returning combat soldier from a War fought against spreading communism, myself and my buddies received harrassment from leftwingers at San Francisco’s airport. We were verbally assaulted, thash was thrown at us and we were spat upon. Ironically, we had just fought in a War to protect freedom in America which those people used against us.
Until next time…
Oops. That’s trash, not thash. Thought I better note that before Mike does.
I would like to respond to the comment about the “revisionist history” blog.
I had it pointed out to me and resisted the temptation to try to reply to such ignorant comments. However, if this is going to ge discussed by others, I would not want to have other people read it and think that there was any truth truth to it.
I clearly this poor, clearly challenged blogger didn’t get much of an education on a “historical” scavenger hunt without supervision, so I would suggest that he visit Heritage Junction on a Saturday or Sunday from 1 to 4 in the afternoon. If this person is embarrassed to show his face there (he should be), maybe he could pick up a few facts at scvhistory.com.
Anyone wishing to find out more about our history is welcome to do the same, or even call contact me at pat@scvhistory.com.
I sure hope the blogger’s third grader got more out of the exercise…
CIB Bill: It’s a fact, ladies & gentlemen. In order for me to now post comments here I must utilize various computers within SCV, hence my future postings may occur on a random basis.
This is unfortunate. Most of us are old enough to think for ourselves. I have not heard Jeff’s version so I will withhold judgement. I hope you will continue to post Bill.
This Blog Master has limited free speech by removing my IP Address, thus infringing on my free speech.
I have done no such thing.
It sounds like you are having problems with your PC or Mac Bill, but you’re obviously still able to get on the website.
Good luck with that.
Funny how we managed to have a germane, respectful, yet spirited discussion of the news yesterday. Amazing what can happen when people stay on topic, even if they disagree.
p.s. Jeff can’t handle the truth (about the Macintosh
)