OC Blog

March For Justice Candlelight Vigil

Local consultant Steve Spernak has asked us to post about a candlelight vigil he is organizing on Friday, April 29 at 5:00 p.m. in the Grandstand Parking Lot at the Irwindale Speedway. The vigil is a project of The March for Justice (which Spernak is directing) and is being held in remembrance of L.A. County Sheriff's Deputy David March, who was gunned down in cold blood when he pulled over Armadno Garcia for a routine traffic stop. Garcia subsequently fled to his native Mexico, where he remains. You can read the March 23, 2005 Frank Mickadeit column below for a more complete account this crime and The March for Justice:

Two Bucks Puts Ex-Cop On Fugitive's Trail

It's the cheapest contract Lake Forest political consultant Steve Spernak has ever signed. A $1 retainer and another $1 when the job is finished.

It might also be the most difficult job he's ever signed on for.

For two bucks, Spernak - a former cop - has agreed to help the parents of a slain L.A. County sheriff's deputy bring the suspect in their son's killing to justice. Not only is the suspect at large, but he's believed to be in Mexico.

David March was 33 years old, a well-conditioned 6-foot-5 and wearing a bulletproof vest when he pulled over a car for a routine traffic stop in Irwindale on April 29, 2002. The lone man in the car was just 5-foot-9 and a bloated 230 pounds. It was about 10:40 a.m., broad daylight.

But the man whom authorities have identified as that motorist was a known drug courier and the suspect in an attempted murder. He had vowed he'd never be taken by police - a true desperado. He pulled out a 9-mm pistol and shot March in a part of his torso the vest didn't cover. March fell to the pavement, never drawing his own gun. The motorist then got out of the car and shot March in the head to ensure he would die.

The suspect, Jose Arroyo Garcia, who goes by Armando Garcia, fled to his native Mexico. He is shielded from deportation there because Mexico will not send its citizens back to countries to stand trial for crimes that could bring the death penalty or life in prison.

Spernak heard the story from March's parents last year when he was running a congressional campaign in L.A. County. Spernak was a full-time cop in Cypress and is currently an O.C. reserve deputy sheriff.

"It was every cop's nightmare," Spernak said yesterday as he recalled the circumstances of March's last traffic stop. "It was a whole new level of brutality," he said of the final shot to the head. "That's what got to me. That was my line in the sand."

So, Spernak earlier this year signed a $2 personal-services agreement to be the executive director of the "March for Justice" campaign. The formal launch will be April 29 with a candlelight vigil in Irwindale.

Nobody really knows how many suspects in violent crimes have fled to Mexico. Jan Maurizi, an L.A. County deputy district attorney knows of about 350 Southern California suspects in Mexico, including some from O.C. But that is surely an undercount, she said. In theory, these people can be caught and prosecuted in Mexico by Mexican police under Mexican law, but Maurizi said Mexican authorities seem to be working on only about 20 percent of the cases. Extradition is possible in such cases only if U.S. authorities are willing to reduce the charges to crimes that don't call for the death penalty or life in prison.

Spernak wants to change Mexican law altogether. He is pulling together regional leaders like L.A. County District Attorney Steve Cooley, family of other victims and law-enforcement activists to lobby U.S. leaders who have influence with Mexican leaders. Sen. Dianne Feinstein is already on board. Spernak said his group is "on the bubble" for a meeting next month with President George W. Bush.

On the Mexican front, Spernak will start to screen Mexican presidential candidates (Mexico's election is next year) for their positions on extradition. The Mexican Legislature is on the verge of allowing Mexican citizens living in the United States to vote in the election without having to return to Mexico.

"There are 10 million Mexican (voters) living in the United States," Spernak said. "We can turn an election on that."

I'm usually not much for candle light vigils, but this is a worthy cause. E-mail Spernak for more information about the vigil or how you can get involved in The March for Justice.

Brea: One of OC's Silliest Cities

Steve Greenhut blogged yesterday on the no-growth Myrmidons who run the Brea City Council:

One of OC's Silliest Cities

The city of Brea continues to cry poormouth about its budget situation, at one point making cuts and trying to raise business taxes because of its financial straits. But the city loves to waste money, especially on projects located outside of the city limits. The left-wingers who run the city are intent on stopping development around Brea, so they will spend, spend and spend some more to achieve that goal. See the article reprinted below.

Brea has been paying Waters & Faubel to run a PR campaign to stop growth on the hills in unincorporated land in OC and LA counties (full disclosure: my home is located near the hills) and it has been spending money on lawsuits to stop the City of Industry from buying the old Firestone scout ranch.    

Brea epitomizes the absurdity of the modern implementation of Smart Growth. It used eminent domain to level the old downtown and ran up hundreds of millions of dollars in total indebtedness through its redevelopment agency to build a new downtown. Everyone interested in Smart Growth, the New Urbanism, redevelopment and modern urban design ought to drive along Brea Blvd. and Birch St. to get a look at what passes for hip urban planning. The street is a glorified shopping center, complete with subsidized movie theaters and boutiques. It looks garish, almost cartoonish. The new downtown epitomizes redevelopment these days: massive subsidies, corporate welfare and central design. Stores and restaurants go in and out of business. The restaurants are bland chain-style affairs. There is nothing real there. There certainly is no sense of community -- the stated purpose of New Urbanism.    

It is just a fancy updated strip mall with the goal of luring sales tax dollars into the city. Meanwhile, city officials are apoplectic, concerned that more houses will be built around Brea. Officials don't want more of the single family-type homes they live in, but prefer high rise apartments, condos and townhouses.    

Brea will probably survive this atrocity, but I am glad I live in a neighboring city. I can shop in Brea, but let that city's taxpayers deal with the traffic and other headaches.    

Posted by Steven Greenhut -- at 4:45 PM on March 30, 2005

OC Blog News Roundup -- March 31, 2005

Today's top stories from behind the Orange Curtain:

The Governator Campaigns in Anaheim For Reform Initiatives -- OCR

Coffeehouse Is On Dana Point Burner -- LAT
Jean Pasco reports on continuing controversy over Diederich Coffee's allegation that D.P. Councilman Russ Chilton pressured a planning commissioner over the coffee chain's planned new store -- which would provide direct competition to the coffee house owned by Chilton's wife.

Creator of Hot Pockets Donates $30 Million to UCI -- LAT
Wow. Can we be his friends?

Fox Theater Foundation Hires Director to Fund Raise For Restoration -- LAT
But please don't rattle the tin cup at City Hall.

Santiago Middle School Holds Seminar on Sex Abuse -- OCR
Hard to believe the OUSD Board was poised to revoke the charter instead of taking common sense measures like this.

Brea's Suit Challenging Land Sale To City of Industry Dismissed -- OCR
Boo hoo for Brea.

Op-Ed: Wrong Lesson About Technology -- OCR
Anaheim resident Hugh Glenn pens terrific column about the misplaced faith in technology as an elixir that will cure our abysmal public education system.

Editorial: Freedom To Blog -- OCR
Amen.

Where Are They Now?: The Randall Twins

Reading Gustavo Arellano's post about the OC Metblogs led me to visit the site for the first time in weeks. So I'm reading the most recent post -- about One Broadway Plaza -- and see that the author is Michael Randall. The name rings a distant bell: that couldn't be one of the Randall twins, could it?

So much for Democrat outreach to people of faith, eh, Howard? (source: Mike's Daily Lockup)

For those who don't remember their controversial case, twins William and Michael Randall of Anaheim Hills in 1991 were kicked out of their Boy Scout troop for refusing to recite the Boy Scout Oath in its entirety. Being agnostics, they didn't want to pledge "to do my duty to God" but thought they were entitled to remain in the Boy Scouts anyway. The Boy Scouts disagreed and expelled them. The twins father sued the Scouts, enlisted the ACLU and fought it all the way to the California Supreme Court, which ruled against them in 1998. In the meantime, however, a lower court forced the Scouts to accept the twins as members. The Randalls seemed to value their solipsistic view of non-discrimination more than everyone else's right to free association.

In any case, they gradually disappeared from view. Like everyone else, I gave them little thought until a couple of years ago at the In 'N' Out on Imperial Highway in Anaheim Hills, where a cheery young man whom I recognized as one of the twins took my order. It struck me as ironic that this avowed agnostic who had waged a ferocious seven-year legal battle to not pledge his duty to God was now handing out hundreds of drink cups bearing Biblical inscriptions.

Anyway, I click on the link to blogger Michael Randall's personal blog and presto! -- my hunch was correct. The proprietor of Mike's Daily Lockup is none other than one-half of the infamous agnostic Randall Twins, recently graduated from Cal State Fullerton and -- to my horror -- planning to attend law school.

His blog is worth perusing. He obviously still nurses animosity toward the organization he inflicted so much harm upon even as he battle to belong to it on his own terms. And young Mr. Randall has unsurprisingly joined the great mass of Angry Democrats who buzz around Daily Kos attempting to slake their unquenchable thirst for anti-Bush bile.

I'd like to share this gem from Randall's March 24 posting (the final paragraph is the kicker):

Last night the West Wing was an incredibly good episode. Entitled "In God We Trust," the episode dealt with the issue of religion as a test for politicians when they run for office. When the Republican presidential candidate Arnold Vinick refuses to respond to questions by reporters outside of his office (after his primary challenger refused to hear his offer of the vice-presidency) on his lack of visits to church. Instantly his non-response is treated as if he has never attended church and thus causes uproar on his commitment to his religious faith. As I watch this last night I felt as if the writers of the show took a page from the issue which is a driving force in my life.

When I was in Boy Scouts my religious beliefs were challenged when I was asked by the den mother if I attended church. When I said "no" she launched into a downward spiral of questions on everything from my parents religious beliefs to if I believe in god. Vinick could not avoid the questions as conservative beliefs and the Republican Party have become intertwined.

While I'm not sure if the writers got the idea for Vinick's religious conflict from my case, I thank them for addressing the topic of religion and politics in a well written, well researched, and well played episode.

Well, we don't have too exaggerated a sense of our own importance, do we? I watched the same episode, and to equate the Vinick-personal religiosity plot line with his war against the Boy Scouts is just...idiotic. The Vinick character's point was that whether or how often he goes to church was his own business and had no bearing on his qualifications to be President. The opposite was true of the Randall Twins legal battle. He and his brother made their non-belief everyone else's business, and attempted to force a private, voluntary organization to disregard its own qualifications for what constituted a Boy Scout and accept the Randall's instead.

Then there's the conceit of thinking West Wing writers -- in this age of "ripped from (today's) headlines" TV -- might have cribbed the story line from his nearly decade-old legal battle. Yeah - I'm sure that's exactly where they got the idea.

Carona speaks...

But makes no decision... Yet...

Apparently the efforts of AOCDS to force out Carona and anoint Hunt the next "Top Cop" for Orange County haven't been successful. Carona has apparently not ruled out a run for re-election.

Madigan posts the following today on his site after writing that Carona was retiring, and endorsing Hunt: The following response was provided to Twisted Badge on behalf of Sheriff Carona by his spokesman, Jon Fleischman: "As of today, I have made no official decisions about my political future - whether I run for higher office, retire into the private sector, or seek re-election for an additional term as Sheriff. Consistent with this, I have obviously not endorsed anyone else for the office that I hold. In the meantime, I remain humble every day as Sheriff of Orange County -- I am so proud to lead the greatest law enforcement agency in America, and to have been twice elected by the people of Orange County as their Sheriff." - Michael S. Carona

Ok, Sheriff, so what's it gonna be?  The statewide campaign that you will lose because Republicans (other than Arnold) can't win statewide, the millions from Chase Manhattan Bank for joining the Executive Management Team or bumming it in The OC at $150k a year for another four?

Blogroll Updates

I revamped the blogroll in an attempt to restore some order and meaning. You can judge my success for yourself. I added a few blogs -- California Club for Growth Blog, Bloginators and Golden State Senate Blog -- to the California Stuff section, and created an Orange County Political Links section filled with Measure A links.

The OC Blog Logo Design Contest

OC Blog needs a logo. Notice I don't say "new logo" because we don't even have an old logo. And that is because the Blogpen is almost entirely devoid of graphic talent (and the default graphic bar at the top doesn't count as a logo).

So, we turn to our readers for help. I hereby announce the Official OC Blog Logo Contest. First, some caveats, suggestions, etc.:

We can't pay you because we don't have any money. However, we will be happy to provide the winner with a free blogad for one year (yes, we will be accepting ads in the near future). And if the winner doesn't really need or want that, he or she will still have our eternal gratitude.

As for design guidelines, I favor the citrus crate label motif, which would be so appropos for OC Blog (the rest of the Blogpen can feel free to chime in). However, contestants should feel free to follow their creative muse.

if you're interested in helping us out or if you have any questions, send me an e-mail.

We're Paying for This?

There's more fallout from the Harvard report on high school dropout rates in the OCR today at The truth on dropouts, please.  These numbers are amazing, and only slightly better in Orange County per The bad news about the dropout rate as the Register wrote in Commentary last weekend.

CA Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell needs to speak to these bogus numbers, and do a much better job than his interview with Lou Dobbs a few nights ago (which was way more of a tap dance than a serious discussion...smilin' Jack blamed a lack of funds for his dilemma).  Or maybe Jack needs to go the way of those other lying weasels Chuck Quackenbush and Kevin Shelley.

 

OC Blog News Roundup -- March 30, 2005

Today's top stories from behind the Orange Curtain:

One Broadway Plaza Tower Over Some Neighbors' Heads -- OCR
Article on Santa Ana residents who are unaware of Measure A battle due to culture and language barriers.

Crossing Into Danger -- OCR
Pedestrian safety re-examined in wake of pedestrian deaths.

Capo Unified Board OKs New School Boundaries -- OCR
Superintendent James Fleming's quote is revealing.

Carona - Yesterday's news?

An early morning update on my blog-entry from yesterday.  A board member of the Deputies Union wrote to the OC Blog, and made it clear (from his perspective): 

"...the AOCDS board of directors is not "searching" for a candidate for Sheriff. Myself and others have tremeandous faith in Bill Hunt's ability to lead. Bill Hunt's vision is the future of the OCSD."

Always good to have clarification.  So from these comments, we can figure a few things out:

The Union is NOT discouraging Hunt -- apparently they aren't encouraging Carona to stick around.  Then again, the Union and Hunt, were very vocal supporters of Gates-then Storm-then-Walters for Sheriff.  Anybody but Carona.  It had seemed like the affable Sheriff had won everyone over... Given Carona's support for the lavish retirement benefits they enjoy, it should be a lesson to the Sheriff - labor ALWAYS goes with their own. 

Hunt apparently has a 'vision' - hmmm, an Orange County where teenagers can smoke pot free from law enforcement harrassment?

Let's be fair - I am sure this Bill Hunt is a fine dude, his picture is mighty handsome.  A look at any measurable crime statistics shows that under his watch, San Clemente continutes to be a pretty safe place...

But Carona brought to the Sheriff's Department some pretty weighty public management credentials (two Masters degrees, FBI Academy) to the table.  What does Hunt bring?  Oh yes, it was in the Register a few weeks back.  Hunt has his own baseball cards?  Perhaps you'll want to drop him a line (bhunt@ocsd.org we presume) and ask for one - maybe he'll sign it for you! 

Some feel that Hunt's election would return the department back to the days of Brad Gates and Uber-UnderSheriff Raul Ramos - a time where encouragement and enthusiasm were doused in favor of cronyism and intimidation.

Given Carona's positive leadership for the agency, you would think that Wayne Quint would have every deputy sheriff writing their boss, urging him to stay.  But then, let's not give Quint any more credit than he deserves.  He is a union boss. 

Adios,

El Pistolero