Frank Ferry is back! Welcome back Councilmember Ferry!
- Anniversary of Northridge Quake 17 years ago today. The 6.x temblor struck at 4:31 am on Martin Luther King day, just like today is. The SCV went through the most trying period in its history as the I-5 collapse cut us off from Los Angeles and shut down the valley. YOU TUBE
- Frank Ferry’s recovery from surgical complications is on track. He posted to Facebook this weekend. See above.
- A Pinkie in Ventura: Excellent story from the VeCo Star this weekend on incivility and hostility in politics. The Star shares a story from a healthcare protest in 2009 wherein an anti-HCR protester had his pinkie bitten off. Our own Cameron Smyth weighs in in the article, saying that combative political language ought to be thought of as tactical politics, not serious threats. But read through and decide for yourself VECO STAR
- Dem State Senate Candidate Darren Parker comes to SCV to campaign SIGNAL
- Biased Signal Headlines #1: The Signal takes the City’s line of thought when it comes to the new library tax, which will come before the Council a week from Tuesday. As SCVTalk readers know, the City is proposing a new tax to fund libraries that is lower than the old County tax, despite promises that the County’s tax could be applied to the City’s libraries after takeover. The City is proposing a new tax in lieu of the old one and calling it a tax cut, a sentiment echoed by The Signal. But is that fair? SIGNAL
- Biased Signal Headlines #2: The Signal treats last week’s Public Library Advisory Committee meeting like a grade school textbook account on the Constitutional Convention. But a blogger -who is not a member of the committee- complains that the exercise was disorganized and its leader incompetent SIGNAL, BLOG
- Great VeCo Star article on how redeveloment agencies work (or don’t work) and what Brown’s plan to eliminate them would do. VECO STAR
- Colliers realty report says nearly 1/3rd of office spaces are vacant in the SCV and it doesn’t look like it’s going to improve in 2011 SIGNAL
- SCV Patriots/Tea Party group finally takes note of library takeover. It only took the City’s library tax proposal to get their attention SCV PATRIOTS
- Buck McKeon sees lots of threats: During an appearance on a “This week in Defense” show, he says China is a top threat to the US, along with Iran and North Korea THE HILL
- Federal agents seized 100 lbs of Cocaine and $2.5 million and arrested two Canadian men after a bust in Valencia last week. ABC 7 says several law enforcement agencies were in on the bust of a place described as a warehouse. The feds allege that the men planned to transport the coke to Canada, where they could fetch a higher price. No local coverage of the bust, so here’s ABC 7
- Not a Ferry Fan posts 14 minute opus (complete with mariachi music) on Laurene Weste’s letter about comprehensive immigration. YOU TUBE
- Hart Board members Messina and Sturgeon have alleged that fellow Board member Gloria Mercado-Fortine has a conflict of interest over her elected position and her position with a charter school that does business in the SCV. The Signal takes a look at the FPPC’s forms and rules on the matter SIGNAL
- A report about the fire chief who killed himself in Ventura last year will be posted on the County’s website by as early as April, according to the SIGNAL. Timothy Ottman worked on many fire station projects in the SCV before he ended his life.
- Free advertisement for Valencia BMW, courtesy of the SIGNAL
- McLean and Ender are “narcissistic amateurs pretending to play their roles,” Dave Bossert rages in a post alleging that the two Councilmembers laughed at speakers during last week’s Council meeting. He says Santa Clarita ought to become a charter city with an elected mayor. WRB
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Reading the two linked VeCo Star pieces — especially the one on redevelopment agencies — makes me realize what we’re missing in quality local journalism.
Instead, we get “First in an occasional series on local dealerships and their automotive manufacturers’ unique histories” plus assorted City talking points memos.
I agree with you NickleDime.
Today is not only the anniversary of the 1994 Northridge earthquake, but also the 6.8 Kobe, Japan earthquake which occurred exactly one year later on January 17, 1995. Here’s one more anniversary for today – the Persian Gulf War – The initial conflict to expel Iraqi troops from Kuwait began with an aerial bombardment on 17 January 1991.
However, this date is not all bad – today is also the birthday of my youngest daughter and the reason I can recall so easily all the above dates – they kept interfering with our birthday celebrations!
Interesting that January 17, 1994 also happened to be Monday, MLK Day. The weather was about the same as well. It was particularly eerie for me yseterday driving South on Reseda Bl. by the location of the Northridge Meadows apartments. Many memories.
The event of the Messina/Mercado battle gives me the opportunity to show you an example of why I would never run for school board. I believe that K-12 public education, even where it is little tainted by Teachers Unions, is a worthy sector of the economy to privatize. The advent of charter schools has had the effect of increasing accountability in public schools, but until the entire system is based on rewarding educational institutions and individual teachers for excellent results and firing or demotion of those who “phone it in” (or worse) the system will continue to hold America in the lowest percentile of education success in the world.
Therefore, I am naturally inclined to support Gloria’s right to work in the Charter School industry. If I was ever to be elected to school board, it would be my unwavering agenda to attempt to privatize that district. So remember, vote NO on Kevin for School Board! LOL!
Form 700 is very important and should be filled out honestly and completely. If Gloria is leaving important investments or other financial activities off there, then she needs to amend. But if this whole ordeal is the result of a political falling out between Gloria and Joe or if those against Gloria are seeking to force her out of the Charter School business… Well, you all know that would be WRONG WRONG WRONG.
My hope is that the district’s counsel will return to the board with fair and equitable solution to this crisis that is fair to the concerns and responsibilities of each party.
2 SCV 1994 earthquake shows:
1995 State of the City (Northridge earthquake, 1 year later) ->
http://www.scvtv.com/html/stateofcity011695.html
Out & About with Roger Martin ->
http://www.scvtv.com/html/outabout011794.html
On Dave Bossert:
DB always assumes that the next thing will resolve all of his complaints. He fails to perceive the obvious. Based on recent history if Santa Clarita were to move to an elected executive mayor it would most likely be Laurie Ender. He also fails to note that Bell was a charter City with an elected Mayor pretty much run by a City Manager anyway.
I am also a bit put off by his claims of apathy (though true). In the case of the made up political entity of “West Ranch” he was elected to his current position with 23 votes and they have not held an election SINCE.
While I think Laurie Ender would (will) make a great mayor, the elected mayor position could just as easily go to Frank Ferry. He has shown he can win without campaigning; in previous elections he has shown that he can slaughter his opponents when he DOES campaign.
I think if there ever were to be an elected mayor, the decision would ultimately be in the hands of the “Citizens for Integrity in Government”.
To an elected mayor I prefer a monarchy. The Newhalls are the rightful rulers of this land.
Maybe we could give it back to the Tataviam.
If there were any left.
IHeart:
Don and Cheri Fleming are the only duo with the correct Royal bloodlines to rule as monarchs.
You would both be put in the stocks for a day and a night for uttering such treasonous remarks.
I am still confused why bossert commentary is daily brief worthy?
Little Natie would invoke the fairness doctrine if he were Master Blogger. Well, he was a Master Blogger once upon a time before failing.
I would put commentary which is factual and well written not guy who writes pathetic slam piece after slam piece, calls himself a newspaper, writes his own wikipedia entry and plagerizes any and all press release or article which serve his purpose to pass himself off as some sort of new source. I just have higher standards then you.
“Then you” too funny, Little Natie… haha!
DB fails to acknowledge that “Charter City” does not mean anything except that we get to spell out our own terms via the City Charter, instead of California General Law. So, instead of having a contracted City Attorney, and a hired City Clerk, and a complete lack of City Treasurer, we, in drafting and approving our charter, could dictate our elected officers, which might also include mayor.
However, a City of our size would have a very difficult time having an elected, executive mayor. The budget that accompanies a politically selected executive is outrageous. Which is why only cities like LA, SF, SD, and Oakland have a mayor-council government. Even San Jose, the third largest city in the state doesn’t have a mayor-council government.
Let me put it to Dave Bossert like this: Would you want to pay a Mayor and their staff fulltime salaries? Oh, and make it hefty salaries?
The Council-Manager form of go
Reading the Signal of today, one really understands just how much we miss the Newhalls.
If there’s to be a monarcy I vote for Gregg & Shell Amsler to rule.
Oh wait, can you vote for a monarch?
RE: The City of Santa Clarita’s proposed library tax:
“despite promises that the County’s tax could be applied to the City’s libraries after takeover”
Never criticize people for realizing they need to “do the right thing”, like live up to the requirements of Propositions 13, 218, etc.
The Signal’s story just follows the city’s spin. When will we get real investigative reporting?
Folks: Why not have certain Neighborhoods in Santa Clarita vote to secede from the City and establish their own monarchies or principalities, a la the Kingdom of San Marino in Italy?
Who would be the rulers and ruled in say Saugus, Newhall, Valencia, etc. How about places such as Sand Canyon (Ostrom?) or Placerita Canyon (Veluzat?).
Wait — we already have a King (Pulskamp), Queens (Ender; Weste; etc.), and a tap dancing Jester (McLean).
Whether ot not Santa Clarita would have a full-time responsible Mayor would be up to the Santa Clarita Charter City Commission once it was established. I have heard great reasons both for and against this idea. Personally, I am keen to the idea of breaking SCV up into wards or districts and having candidates run within those sub-communities. This would reduce the amount of money spent in the elections (hey there clean money people) and insure that each part of Santa Clarita is properly represented. “Home Rule” as the charter process is known would also allow The City to save hundreds of thousands of dollars a year on contracting and public works construction. It really is a win/win for the city and right now would be a really good time to reinvigorate our local government with a hard examination of the City we want to be!
Kevin, I’m surprised. You’re reading from the UCLA political science curriculum handbook (step-by-step guide to liberalizing city & county governments). Remind me to tell you about it sometime, assuming you don’t already know exactly what you’re saying!
And by “liberalizing” you mean no longer disenfranchising an entire ethnic group in Newhall and Canyon Country?
Yep, that sort of thing. Just surprised to hear it coming from someone who purports to be a conservative Republican, is all.
Though I must say, I commend Kevin for using his real name. Those who don’t are cowards. (And you needn’t remind me that YOU know who everyone is, Jeff. That fact is useless to those of us who aren’t in the club.)
Leon,
Unfortunately, it’s the cowards that prey on those that use their real names (and put their jobs in jeopardy) that make it extremely difficult for many to use anything beyond a pseudonym.
I can cite at least a half dozen cases.
It’s just a blog. It ain’t worth the exposure.
Call up Mayor Daley and ask him for ideas on the Mayor and Aldermen system lol