OC Blog

Janet Commissioner Watch: Day 1

Blogger Claudio Gallegos has started a "Janet Commissioner Watch" over at Orange Juice.  Claudio would like his 1st District Supervisor to appoint a  Harbors, Beaches and Parks Commissioner who lives in the 1st District, and is counting down the days until she does so (if she does so).

You can read my previous posts on the topic here, here and here.

Stay tuned...

AD71 Watch: Who Has Jim Silva Endorsed?

Nobody.

There's been a something of a behind-the-scenes kerfuffle surrounding Assemblyman Jim Silva's involvement in a Jeff Miller for Assembly fundraiser tonight at being headlined by Assemblyman Jim Silva at the home of Christine and Bob Iger. A number of folks have become upset thinking this means OC Assemblyman Silva has endorsed non-OCer Miller over OCer Neil Blais in the 71st AD GOP nomination fight.

I'm told by Silva's office that he agreed to come to the fundraiser at the home of his friends the Igers, but hasn't endorsed any candidate in the race.

Harman Dines With The Gov And GOP Caucus

This just came over the transom from Senator Tom Harman's office:

Senator Harman Hosts Dinner With Governor and Republican Caucus

Sacramento - Senator Tom Harman (R-Huntington Beach) hosted a small dinner with Governor Schwarzenegger and various members of both the Senate and Assembly Republican Caucus at his home in Sacramento Wednesday evening to discuss the need to maintain a balance between the environment and economy.

“As a native of Southern California, clean water, beaches, air and our state parks have always been something important to me and the communities I represent,” stated Harman.

SD33 Watch: Walters & Sidhu At Orange-Villa Park CRA Tonight

While they won't be debating, I received an as-yet unconfirmed tip that 33rd Senate District GOP nomination rivals Mimi Walters and Harry Sidhu will both be making remarks and taking questions at the Orange-Villa Park CRA meeting tonight.

Also speaking is OC GOP Chairman Scott Baugh. Maybe he can referee.

The meeting is at 7:00 p.m. tonight at Republican Party of Orange County headquarters, 1800 W. Katella Avenue, Suite 210 in Orange.

Stay tuned...

UPDATE (4:45 p.m.): Assemblywoman Mimi Walters won't be able to make it to the Orange-Villa Park CRA meeting tonight. The Legislature's floor session is still going and is expected to go for a few more hours. So Harry will have the room to himself.

Red County/OC Blog News Roundup -- June 28, 2007

Today's top stories from behind the Orange Curtain:

Seal Beach Jail Is Out Of Business -- OCR
City drops operator whose ex-workers were charged in thefts, killings.

Spending Mounts In Laguna Woods -- OCR
Managers of Laguna Woods Village defend credit card charges, but suspicion persists.

Irvine Is OC's Booming Big City -- OCR and LAT
The community added an estimated 6,500 residents from 2005 to 2006, setting it apart from other big cities in Orange County.

Buscaglia Will Not Join Register As New Publisher -- OCR and LAT
News veteran backs out after misrepresenting her educational qualifications.

Developer Looking For The Next Star -- OCR
Local musicians are encouraged to enter talent search.

Agency On Board With Transportation Plan -- OCR
Developer, architect leave space for proposed Southern California Railroad Experience.

Flossie Horgan Officially Steps Down -- OCR
Downtown businessman Jose Shaw is set to fill Horgan's vacancy. The official announcement will be made Monday.

City Council Deliberates Over Sites For Lake Forest Amenities -- OCR
Lake Forest City leaders say they are nearing a decision on where a sports park and community center might best be built.

OC Reserve Deputy Can't Sue For Libel, Court Says -- LAT
An appeals court has ruled that a Republican activist can't sue a website for libel for publishing a story about how he vandalized a political rival's $200,000 Bentley.

Parishioners Pray For Church -- DP
The weekly noontime Eucharist service at St. James Church drew a crowd three times the usual size on Wednesday, when about 30 parishioners prayed for support and guidance after a court revoked their rights to the church's Newport Beach property.

Group Fights City Hall Move -- OCR
Three members of a prominent Newport Beach environmental group will head the opposition to a ballot measure that would build a new city hall next to the central library.

CRP Saga Continues: Brandon Powers On Tim Morgan's Dissent

The CRP/federal-government-suing-Aussie-COO saga continues.

The Chron's Carla Marinucci has another story today saying there might have been a violation of "federal immigration law by hiring an Australian immigrant for a top finance post without ever demanding to see his proof of legal residence."

Over at the FlashReport Blog (and here's a link to some additional commentary on our sister blog, Red County/San Bernardino, which has been on the story from the get-go), Brandon Powers casts doubt on RNC National Committeeman Tim Morgan's "I was against it all along" protestations:

As the drama regarding the resignation of Michael Kamburowski has been unfolding, I had been hoping that I could get someone on the CRP Board to shoot me straight, explain what actually went on, and tell me how this, let’s call it a “diversion” from Ron Nehring’s ‘Strategic Plan,’ happened in the first place.

HBP Commissioner Situation Gets Curiouser

Yesterday, I posted that Supervisor Janet Nguyen's appointment of Susan Caskey to the Harbors, Beaches and Parks Commission was continued to July 17, due to confusion over whether the pertinent county ordinance allows 1st District Supervisor Nguyen to 5th District resident Caskey. (One commenter claimed Supervisor Pat Bates had pulled that item, but Bate's office says that's not true).

To help those at home to follow along, here's the relevant section of the ordinance (emphasis mine):

Sec. 2-2-15. Commission created; membership.

There is hereby created a Harbors, Beaches and Parks Commission consisting of seven (7) members. Five (5) members shall be appointed by the Board of Supervisors with one member from each supervisorial district.

It's clear Supervisor Nguyen can't appoint a 5th District resident to the HBP Commission because there's already a member from the 5th District.

Or is there?

OC Register's Publisher-To-Be Backs Out Over Resume Scandal

Marti Buscaglia, who was hired to be the new publisher of the Orange County Register, is "backing out after misrepresenting her educational qualifications."

Here's the OCR web story.

The article says "Marti Buscaglia will not become the Orange County Register's new publisher because shemisrepresented her educational qualifications on her resume" and also that "Buscaglia's resume listed graduation from Lima University in Peru" -- but weirdly, it doesn't say exactly what was misrepresented.

It's amazing this sort of thing still happens, but it does. OC politicos who go back to 1988 will remember that then-OC Supervisor Harriett Weider would have been Congresswoman Weider if not for the similar instance of "misrepresenting her educational qualifications." She claimed to have graduated from a college whose name I can't recall, but it came to light during the primary that she had never attended school there.

And so the primary was one by a little-known Reagan speechwriter named Dana Rohrabacher.

Tip Toe, Through The Bond Money Spreadhseets...

The Harman Report just flew across the transom. In addition to saluting the Vietnamese-Americans who protested the visit of Communist Vietnam President Nguyen, the Senator discussed Senator Lou COrrea's recent bond money hearings:

More than 200 local elected officials, community activists and interested residents attended the hearing to listen to experts on these issues from the Governor’s office, the legislature, and several statewide coalitions.  It was well understood that there is an impending need for more communication between state and local governments to help get bond dollars to Orange County.

To this end, I have posted on my website at: http://republican.sen.ca.gov/web/35/res.asp several spreadsheets, which are updated each week of the available bond and grant money available. These documents contain program criteria, contact information, and the amount available.

Thank you, Senator. Now all you good government watch dogs can tip toe through the bond money spreadsheets to your hearts' delight.

Sign Up To Support 241 Tollroad Completion

I picked this off the OC Business Council Indicator that just came over the transom:

Toll Road Supporters, Please Sign Here
The Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA) has created a page on The Toll Roads and Foothill-South websites that includes the names of individuals who support completing the 241 Toll Road to San Clemente. TCA is also planning a publication in the near future that will additionally include names of Foothill-South supporters.

Add your name to the list of toll road supporters today by emailing authorization to use your name and city of residence to [email protected]. For more information contact the TCA's Sheldon Pines at 949.754.3489.

Send in your name!