- The City’s Sleight of Hand: I Heart details how the City will portray their new library tax: ”Leaving the LA County Library System means Santa Clarita won’t be able to collect the special tax that helped fund local libraries (about $1.4M each year). The City wants to collect a new tax amounting to $19/parcel, but they’re pitching it as a “tax reduction” because it’s less than the current special tax levied by the County. In short, if Claritans vote no on the “tax reduction,” they’ll pay $0, whereas if they vote yes, they’ll pay $19.” I HEART SCV
- City says its new partnership with the Inland Library Network will give Santa Clarita residents access to 1 million items from other Southern California libraries. The City says that’s more than the COLA Public Library has, but Wikipedia (I know, I know) shows COLAPUBLIB has 15 million items in circulation. CITY PRESS RELEASE
- Speaking of the libraries, the next Public Library committee meeting will be held tonight. SAVE OUR LIBRARIES has a an interesting take on the last meeting
- Huge food truck festival coming to Central Park next month! Interestingly, it looks like it’s being sponsored by the City. SANTA CLARITA FOOD FEST
- Sad story about a 77 year old father of an SCV man who was struck and killed in a hit and run collision Saturday night in North Hollywood. Earl Biggs is the father of a local sportscaster, who is pretty devastated over the death of his father. LAPD Officers arrested a 21 year old Harvard student from Stevenson Ranch who they allege was the hit and run driver, but they released him later and the DA says it doesn’t have the evidence to charge him. The 21 year old’s father insists to the Signal that his son is innocent. SIGNAL 1, SIGNAL 2
- Do we really want to go there? Now Gloria Mercado-Fortine says Joe Messina’s allegations against her are suspicious because Messina’s company has done business with the charter school she works for. I suspect you can throw the “Conflict of Interest” charge in any direction in the SCV and it will stick wherever it lands. SIGNAL
- Three men were arrested after trying to steal refrigerators from newly-constructed town homes in Canyon Country yesterday. Carol Rock’s crime story is PUN-TASTIC
- John Quigly, the guy who camped out in the Old Glory oak tree in Pico Canyon for 70+ days in 2003 has been arrested for pulling a similar stunt in Arcadia NBC 4
- There may have been 2.9 million foreclosures nationwide last year (a 2% increase over 2009), but California, surprisingly, saw a 14% decrease in foreclosures last year. But there’s indications foreclosure activity will increase in California this year LA TIMES
- Robert Rizzo, the disgraced former City Manager of the City of Bell, is working as a parking lot attendant in Huntington Beach. The Times’ Steve Lopez scored the scoop and has a great photo of the former administrator, complete with old man crotch HERE
- A-hole ranchers neighboring the Heart Castle shoot and kill three Zebras. One rancher said the striped animals were “Predators.” He wants to make a rug out of the zebras LA TIMES
- Speaking of scoundrels and a-holes, John Boston goes there, chronicling the SCV’s grifter class, the wining-dining folks who set up shop in town, became the bell of the ball, then jet out of town with thousands, sometimes millions of dollars and a trail of broken hearts and bruised egos. This is why we Heart John Boston First up- VITAL EXPRESS
- Also, Time Ranger this week is not to be missed WRB
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I believe it is 1 million titles and not items… There is a huge difference as you can have 20 copies of something.
Why direct people to the west ranch beacon instead of the source?
http://www.santa-clarita.com/index.aspx?recordid=349&page=133
Why doesn’t the city fix its RSS feeds?
good question
There own website claims they have 7.5 million volumes. How many titles do they have?
http://www.colapublib.org/aboutus/index.html
The County Library website (http://www.colapublib.org/aboutus/info.html) says they have 978,030 titles (of which 789,237 are book titles). “Circulation,” “items/volumes” and “titles” are three different measures and not inter-comparable. If you have seven copies of three different books and you lend each copy ten times, here are your statistics: 3 titles; 21 items or volumes; 210 circulation.
Thanks SS. I knew I was on to something.
lol–it’s all Ender Math. This is just another city screw up, while we pay more for an inter-library service that we already had. More profit for LSSI.
RE: Inland Library Network
The 661 has divorced the 213 in favor of the 951.
What a marriage. Given the AV-esque rhetoric spewing from the comments this past week, I guess it’s a match made in heaven.
BEST LINE EVAR
“Given the AV-esque rhetoric spewing from the comments this past week, I guess it’s a match made in heaven.”
cosign
The hit and run case seems a little weird to me. According to the article (and his father) the young man was no where near the scene. It was also stated that he was arrested when he “returned to the scene of the accident”. Why did he return to the scene of an accident he wasn’t involved in and apparently didn’t know anything about. Too many contradictions here.
I thought the same thing, navigator; too many contradictions.
It should be easy enough to establish the young man’s alibi and the father insisted that his son never drove a maroon thunderbird that was described as the car that hit Mr.Biggs, yet the young man was arrested 6 hours later when we drove back to the scene of the crime; in what car did he drive back to the scene in? Also, it was 8 pm (rather early) and that’s all the police have to go with? A maroon Ford Thunderbird between 1990-1995? Nobody saw the driver? No licsense number or partial? Also, what it this young man’s alibi? Where was he at 8pm and where was he going at 2 am when he drove past/near the crime scene?
Hope we get more information on this as the facts start coming out. I feel for the Biggs lose; he should not have died that way. However, if this young man is innocent and the authorities drop the ball on investigating further, then that would be an injustice to all involved.
His alibi has already been proven. As a safeguard against future civil lawsuits, the District Attorney even rejected the case.
The 21 y/o who was arrested is basically a 5150. The police even searched his father’s house and garage. They don’t even own a type of vehicle the PD is looking for.
I’m really curious what car the 21 y/o was driving when they accused him of going back to the scene:
“Diamond fled the scene of the crash, but he was arrested six hours later when he drove back to the scene of the crime, according to the statement”.
What made the police believe it was him?
Also:
“Los Angeles Police Department detectives, however, stand by their arrest and are continuing their investigation.”
Hopefully they are looking into more than just this 21 y/o, who they feel commited the crime.
Yes they are. And yes, if you are reading the Signal, you are getting the wrong information.
This kid is an amazing kid… here is what prob happened. A buddy of his was involved and was driving, Adrian was not in the car or involved in any way. The friend that was involved called Adrian telling him of what happend and asked him to go to the scene and see what the police know and what happened. Adrian went to the scene and asked questions about the accident and the police assumed he was the person driving the car…. simple explanation.
Thanks Squad. There had to be an explanation to his strange behavior. Have the cops apprehended the friend yet? Did Adrian give him up?
I would hope the ‘friend’ came forward by now and rescued his friend from further investigation. So, will there be a follow-up or are we going to be left speculating and coming up with our own scenarios? Will the signal follow up on this or let it go?
The father said “We don’t own such a car, nor does (Adrian) know anyone who has such a car.”
The LAPD should interview the parents of the friends of Diamond and check if anybody knows of a Ford T Bird.
“The friend that was involved called Adrian telling him of what happend” – Obviously someone is “withholding the truth” when they claim they don’t know anyone with a car that fit the description of the one involved.
So when it comes down to it, Adrian could be charged with a crime; withholding evidence.
I wouldn’t rule him out as the driver. (attending school in Massachusetts and needs to get around while in LA).
Yes but let’s remember the Signal has made reporting errors like when they reported a police car was involved in the accident on independence day that killed that mother…
SCVtruthsquad said “probably what happened” and all the posters after that took it as that is what happened. He was making an assumption.
yes, it’s an assumption that makes sense. This is not a fact, just trying to figure out the missing pieces and possibel answers.
Not only is the $19 per parcel city library tax a new tax, the county can still collect the $28 per parcel library tax, and Todd has already proposed doing just that. This would make the library tax $47 per parcel. A lot to pay for empty libraries that are open on Sunday.
I think you answered my question, Daddy Joe G…we would still be paying the ‘country’ library tax, on top of the ‘city’ library tax?
Petz feels pretty stupid for falling for the “tax cut” baloney. He was doing the Ickey shuffle in front of the big screen.
Read my lips…no new taxes! The council voted to leave the County library system knowing there was a good
possibility they could not collect the special tax. Marsha McLean posed the question to Darren Hernandez and
received assurance that the city was on a solid financial footing with or without the special tax proceeds. To the
city…live within your means, and if that means only two branches, so be it. We seem to be getting along fine with
the branches we have now, and one is closed. I think a new branch in Newhall and a newly renovated and
expanded branch in Canyon Country would serve our needs. California citizens are likely facing tax hikes on the
state level, we don’t need unnecessary tax increases on the local level.
We don’t need a new library in Newhall either (except as an anchor for the north end of Main St.).
That’s not what the users say
lol–Ender Math. Again. We need a city council that will listen to the residents. Maybe poll the people on what they want, and where they want it, give us a price and let US decide. Enough with the big “donations.” Wait…forgot…the little piggies voted themselves more $. And now they want to “reduce” a NEW tax. I mean, WT…? ENDER MATH!!! Does Muffie Ender never quit?
Conclusions are drawn.
Regardless of what County Librarian Todd (a non-lawyer) has said, the text of the ballot measure approved by County voters for the County library tax is very clear: Once a city secedes from the L.A. County library system, the County may no longer collect the tax. While it’s true that non-lawyers come up with nutball hyperbole in negotiations, usually Council Counsel are more reticent about doing something patently illegal, especially when they (or their “clients”) have already been quoted that they cannot do so.
For the County to continue to collect their library tax from property owners in Santa Clarita after July 1, 2011 is simply an invitation for some lawyer to sue, and either win at the trial court level or win at the Court of Appeal, and collect attorneys fees at an hourly rate of at least 1.5 times what he/she is paid by his regular clients. That multiplier of attorneys fees is even greater with respect to public interest lawsuits in Northern California.
No, the County library system doesn’t get any tax money from City of Santa Clarita residents after July 1. It will continue to collect the library tax from SCV’s unincorporated residents. Todd wants to restructure the special (“additional”) tax and expand it to include taxpayers in cities *within the County library system* where it is not currently assessed (there are a few).
And you raw this conclusion because? By the way, Mrs. Runner seems to lack understanding about EZ and Redevelopment cost. I sure hope she stays away from Sac.
Unbelievable about the zebra killings, would they have also shot a camel or giraffe?
My first thought would be to grab my camera.
http://hometownstation.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=23153:pulchella-winery-clarita-2011-01-11-11-20&catid=26:local-news&Itemid=97 Hey Jeff, did you see the new business story in Newhall. I don’t drink but wife does and will want to check out.
I don’t drink either, but Nate is one of the coolest guys I know. I think it’s really cool that they set up shop in Newhall. Things are happening.
I also hear the Poached Pear in opening a retail bakery in the old Java & Jazz spot. Exciting!
Wow thanks Mike. Feeling is mutual. This place really nice, it seem we really know how to do right by wine. I may have check this out soon.
I wish we had a nice beer bar, kinda yard house like but smaller. Also a coffee house that Mike could get behind, just the carbon emissions from the people I know driving out of town to get good coffee is reason enough!
Hey Nate. If you haven’t already done so, take a stroll over to Mixers and pour your own beer.
Self serve beer?
Yep. Just hand em your credit card (or cash) and tell them how much you want to spend. Then you can spin the tap around and draw whichever beer you choose. First time I’ve ever seen that done.
This is not a new concept, although its the first time I’ve seen this particular application.
I’ve seen it before with Wine Bars. This one place had hundreds of wines, and you can wander around and serve yourself after swiping your pre-paid card (and paying a somewhat hefty ‘card purchase/activation fee’). The wines can be purchased in 3, 5 or 7 oz pours, each at different prices.
I’ve seen wines that ranged from $5/serving to over $750/serving. (outrageous if you ask me… but then again… someone was willing to pay it, right?)
Should be interesting to see this translated to beer, for sure!
There is place just at you describe at the Patios next to Macys here in the SCV that opened recently. Roman Holiday. You can open a tab or put $ on the card (I wasn’t charged any activation fee). Then you try various wines and what not.
The jury is still out for me – I kind of enjoy getting my wine from a real live person who smiles at me and might tell me something new about it rather than a casino machine looking wine dispenser.
The atomosphere is really nice though – I enjoyed my evening there.
Nate, I like you too, but in this instance I was referring to Nate, the owner of the place, brother of Roger, expert on Paisley Park.
Java and Jazz sounds like it could’ve been a real cool place to hang at. Too cool for the location or its time?
Java and Jazz was heavy on the java, super light on the jazz — both in frequency and musically. The owner was really nice — what was his name again? A former NBA player -
Steamers in Fullerton is a great spot and even better business model.
Great jazz nightly (Poncho Sanchez is a regular), usually cover-free, just buy two items apiece, honor system.
And it works. If you’re ever in OC, I highly recommend it. Wish we had something like it here.
Remember when our SCV summer concert series included Poncho Sánchez? And Pete Escobedo? Now, THOSE were concerts worth attending.
Every summer, I write to the City, asking that they would consider returning to this former concert model, rather than an endless stream of cover bands.
yes! We can only dream.
Mitch McMullen
Yup, that’s him. Thanks.
but yeah, as a 19-year old jazz snob, I used to call it java & “jazz”
I remember the time really well, it was right as Seattle-style coffeehouses were popping up in Southern California. Java & Jazz was one of the first, but we had a few: Cambridge Coffeehouse on Lyons and Cafe Cappio on San Fernando come to mind. They were spacious, entertainment-oriented places and the crowds were young. Java & Jazz, for a time, was the cultural center of under-30 SCV.
Thing is, within a year, Starbucks opened in Granary Square, a location so old, it’s not situated on a corner. It wasn’t wildly popular, but they were more streamlined, more espresso-centric than the existing places. It had traces of the feel of the new coffeehouses like Java & Jazz, but it was much smaller, less welcoming. But in a few years, they were everywhere.
I remember Java & Jazz being a bustling place as late as 1997, maybe later, but at some point, the crowds moved on. I don’t quite remember how or why, but Starbucks showing up on every corner, while not an instant drain, steadily wooed their customers.
Mitch has a lot of drive and he’s looking to set up shop again. I wish him luck.
(speaking strictly of the one on Lyons. I only visited the Town Center location once or twice. I didn’t get into coffee until both places had closed)
While a java & “jazz” would be great. I am looking for coffee house that really takes the art of coffee making serious. It has to be Mike approved.
I agree, even if there isnt live music there it would be nice to find a place to chill at besides the normal chains.
Hookah is another I like even though the one place in SCV isnt all that.
They just need to do coffee well and provide a nice place to lounge and I will love them forever.
Petz says Don’t start blogging in the third person. What’s up with the garden?
My kitchen is the best place for coffee, but it does lack “Jazz” as I am more of a Rock/Blues fan.
I went to the coffee shop Undergrounds at Real Life Church this week (bottom level) and they have done a great job. Its a large area, with plenty of couches, tables, seats and a stage for live music. We went in the afternoon, relaxed, enjoyed our lattes (in real mugs) and was really impressed. All of the proceeds are donated to various causes including some non-profits right here in the SCV.
Oh and they have live music – tonight at 8pm.
Just had a remarkable cappuccino at Undergrounds. For espresso, they are using Intelligentsia, which is about as good as it gets. It was far and away the best cappuccino I’ve been served in the SCV.
Peet’s is probably the best for coffee quality and atmosphere. I also enjoy Maui Wowi in the University Center at COC. They have a great patio and good variety of food and drink. Am I the only one who thinks its wrong that a church can run a retail coffee shop that competes with local businesses who have to pay taxes?
Poached Pair would be great in that location
Pair, yes. Puns!
I’ll give it a try.
Can you say recall! The library vote is headed down the same road as the open space vote. It is a fixed vote as most major parcel owners are in bed with the city and the council. My plan is to recover, in one way or another, those taxes that are not appropriate.
The city council is a joke.
If the city uses the same weighted ballot system as the open space balloting, and the same rate of return happens, it will require 2/3 of the regular homeowners to vote ‘NO’ just to break even with the heavily weighted ‘YES’ vote of the developers. We need to be on the lookout for this. Carl Newton said it was legal but it is definitely not a democratic.
Jim:
You know that if it says libraries (or schools) on it will get at least 60% of the regular homeowners.
I’m not so sure this one would follow previous trends. People are tending to be more wary of taxation. If the voters vote 60% for it is a done deal regardless of ballot weighting. The problem is that they won’t need 60 %. A 40% vote from the homeowners is all that will be needed to pass. Again – very undemocratic.
Has anyone looked at the agenda for tonight’s library advisory committee meeting? Vision statements…they are breaking into small groups and working on vision statements. I’ll bet each group will choose a spokesperson to read their vision statement in front of the class….er, I mean other committee members. Then they will do a SWOT analysis…Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats, related to vision statements. With less than 6 months before our libraries go “live”, when does the committee get down to serious business, like deciding what color to paint the “cultural quiet room”?
Generally when one is subjected to this it is employment related so one is at least getting paid. Will they do trust falls at the next meeting?
I can practically smell the marker pen being used with the flipchart.
Ya’all missed a good meeting – at least the last hour of it, anyway. Seriously. There were apologies from Dubberly and Hernández. Committee members were not happy with the state of affairs. Certain prominent community stakeholders were upset, and called the City out. Folks were receptive to opposition hand-outs. A few even said “thank you” to us Shadow Committee for being there.
I’m curious…what exactly did they apologize for?
Dubberly apologized for not having emailed paperwork to the committee members before tonight’s meeting — at the 12/9 meeting, committee members “imagined” a future SCV, and made a sizable list of these ideals. Dubberly was supposed to compile all the lists, and send out to committee members prior to tonight’s meeting, so that committee members could familiarize themselves with the list, for discussion at tonight’s meeting. As it stood, the committee members had about 5-8 minutes to read over the list passed out tonight, and make comments, before moving on to the next exercise. It was a severely truncated effort.
Hernández apologized for not having informed the library committee before the City Council approved joining ILN. Committee members were upset to have been left out of loop, thought that, at least, their opinion should have been considered, before a vote. This oversight left several committee members questioning their role — whether the committee is window dressing, or compiled for real input.
There was more, much more. I’ll let others tell it, though.
…like that wasn’t the intention,
Did we at least agree on a “vision statement”? With 37 committee members having met twice
and probably spending at least one hour per meeting on vision statements….that’s 74 manhours.
Seems like enough time for a vision statement. Need to save time for other pressing matters, like
what color will the library cards be?
How boldly petty. Exactly what one would expect from Captain Ahab.
How boldly petty of you, Lori. Darren Hernandez is a good guy, a solid professional who has quietly done a lot for our city. He and his wife have a new baby that is only days old, which may explain the oversight.
Lori, while individual members were not notified, the Council agenda item was duly noticed as required by law and available via multiple sources i.e. City website, posted in the Signal, and usually also at THE LIBRARY for anyone to read.
Councilmember Laurie Ender will be presenting the Santa Clarita Library plan and answering questions from the audience at next Wednesday’s Canyon Country Advisory Committee meeting, January 19, 7PM at the Mint Canyon Moose Family Center, 18000 Sierra Hwy in Canyon Country.
Here is a chance for you to voice your opinions and get first hand answers to your questions.
Hope you can make it.
Alan:
Ask Laurie about the opinion of the thousands of people who WON’T be attending the CCAC meeting.
Good one!
What Library Plan? We haven’t even gotten to meeting #3. There’s no stinkin’ Library Plan yet to present!
Gotta love the SCV millionaires who love spending other people’s money!
From the Daily News today – Salone Delle Stelle Inc., DBA: Della Stella Salon and Spa, 25350 Magic Mountain Parkway, Valencia; Chapter 7; LA10-64806-VK; assets: $16,898; debts: $1,069,231; Dec. 23.
Hawaiian Drinks Inc., 28050 Hasley Canyon Road, Suite 102, Castaic; Chapter 7; LA10-64660-BR; assets: $0; debts: $603,037; Dec. 23.
Yeah those evil people that actually pay taxes…….
Great article on the upcoming calif tax increases (Oh they are coming) Go purchase some lube now cause it is going to hurt.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-pension-20110113,0,3949542.story
Why you gotta bring my state of residence into this? I did watch an accountant on WGN showing that the 2% decrease for Social Security this year would offset the state’s increase and be a wash. Gladly, I dont pay state taxes
)
How pathetic that they are cutting down almost 180 oak trees just have a place to dump dirt! How unimaginative can LACo Public Works get?!
GO QUIGLEY!
Amen.
Yes, it’s disgusting.
Quigley? Isn’t that the guy that swore that moving Old Glory would kill it? Find out who he likes for the Super Bowl so I can bet against them.
He likes the Green Bay Fudge Packers from what I read
LOL! OK Then Atlanta is a lock… 5 units!
I’m going with Da Bears lol
I am taking the points
I gotta stay with the hometeam regardless of points.
Since I no longer have a rooting interest, I’m highly indifferent this weekend, but I loved this line from one of Bill Simmons’s readers:
“Don’t you know that when Pete Carroll is allowed to coach on a Saturday and pay his players, he’s practically impossible to beat?”
That’s too funny! Lucky for us Bears fans that we play him on Sunday then.
@Saugus Splasher: Darren Hernández and I are on decent terms; he knows my concerns are not personal. And, *I* was not the one who introduced the thought that the library advisory committee should have been informed before the City Council approved joining the ILN — there were at least 5 committee members who made this complaint at the meeting. I am just sharing what transpired.
@Berta, you and I both know that a public notification of the City Council agenda was not the complaint of library advisory committee members. The complaint was that committee members were not sought for advice before taking such action.
Lori you said, “Hernández apologized for not having informed the library committee before the City Council approved joining ILN. Committee members were upset to have been left out of loop, thought that, at least, their opinion should have been considered, before a vote. This oversight left several committee members questioning their role — whether the committee is window dressing, or compiled for real input.”
I responded with the facts regarding proper legal notification, which was provided. You made it sound as though the agenda item and vote were “snuck in”. It was not. It was one person, Marc Winger, who addressed the issue, not members. After he brought it up, a couple more agreed that they would have appreciated individual notice. While it would have been an additional courtesy to notify individually CPLAC members, it is not a requirement. However, Darren indicated he would try to do better in future (my words-AS A COURTESY) once this issue was brought to his attention. The rest of the verbiage is your own interpretation based upon your negative feelings toward the decision, process, etc.
Awwwww…..Berta’s new gig not going so well? There there, don’t forget that not many give a squirt.