OC Blog

Red County/OC Blog News Roundup -- November 30, 2007

Today's top stories from behind the Orange Curtain:

Barbara Boxer Blocking Jim Rogan Judicial Nomination -- OCR
It's payback time from the Marin County lefty.

Clinton Gets Standing Ovations From Evangelicals -- OCR and LAT
The presidential contender was the only candidate to speak at the AIDS summit.

Initiative Launched Against Disney -- OCR
A group files paperwork for a ballot measure that would require voter approval of a Disney theme park.

Editorial: Wrongly Seized Pot Must Be Returned -- OCR
Appellate court tells Garden Grove it can't rely on federal ban on medical marijuana

Editorial: Judge Correctly Clears Laguna Beach Center -- OCR
Anti-illegal-immigration activists lose a battle in Laguna Beach over day-labor center.

Sacramento Development Firm To Buy Boeing Site In Anaheim -- OCR
The commercial developer is in escrow to buy the Anaheim plant, home to the city's second-largest employer.

Education Key To Learning English For Immigrants -- OCR and LAT
According to a report, Latino immigrants with higher education levels or who came here as children are more likely to learn English.

Spending Balloons To Enhance Great Park -- LAT
Irvine plans to spend $14 million on amenities at the Great Park and still give free rides, despite some objections.

Harman Hosts Meeting To One Attendee, Leaves Early -- DP
State Sen. Tom Harman held an open meeting with constituents Thursday, but a low turnout prompted him to duck out early.

Housing Project Goes To NB Council -- DP
The Newport Beach Planning Commission approved a multimillion dollar development agreement with the Irvine Co. Thursday night to create a new planned community in Newport Center.

Pioneering Traffic Signal Debuts In Fullerton -- OCR
Flashing yellow arrows at major intersections can save drivers time, but some say they're confusing.

Garden Grove Man Pleads Guilty To Sea Lion Stabbing -- OCR, LAT and DP
Hai Nguyen, 24, admitted to fatally stabbing the marine mammal in violation of federal law during a July incident.

Santa Ana Wins $1 Million For Bike Trail -- OCR
State grant will help pay for link between city's existing loop of trails and Costa Mesa's bike paths.

Welcome Signposts To Mark HB City Boundaries -- OCR
Designs include 14-foot-tall surfboard with the words 'Huntington Beach, Surf City U.S.A.'

Newport Beach Golf Course Won't Get Bulldozed -- OCR
John Wayne Airport officials back off plans to turn back nine into parking lot.

Anaheim-Based Non-Proft Helps Seniors Stay Independent -- OCR
Virginia Erk hated staying in a nursing home when she had kidney problems in 2001.

Crossing The Thin Blue Line -- OC Weekly
Police expert slams OC Sheriff’s Department for ‘cowboy’ attitude and ‘fatal errors’ that led to a street execution.

Beasts Of Burnin' -- OC Weekly
An outlaw animal-rights group targets a local bank branch in its war on animal testing.

¿Quien Es Más Mafia? -- OC Weekly
How the bishop and the sheriff stack up against the Godfather

Sister Knows Best -- OC Weekly
If the nuns in charge of the St. Joseph Health System are so pro-labor,why are some of their employees determined to unionize?

Greenhut's Sunday Column Is Disingenuous: Part 3

So what did happen at the Republican Party of Orange County Central Committee on November 19?

Here's how Steve Greenhut described it in his November 25 Commentary column:

After former Cypress Councilman Mike McGill drafted a resolution calling for a Carona resignation, party leaders convinced him to soften the measure to gain wider support. So McGill introduced a resolution that called on the sheriff to take leave until the federal charges are resolved. It was weak, but it would have extended the time the sheriff would vacate his office and at least open up a debate about the sheriff's behavior.

SD35 Watch: Tom Harman Seeking Re-Election

This came over in the afternoon from the Harman for Senate re-election campaign:

STATE SENATOR TOM HARMAN ANNOUNCES THE KICK-OFF OF HIS 2008 RE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN

Huntington Beach, CA - Incumbent Republican State Senator Tom Harman officially kicked off his 2008 campaign for re-election to the State Senate today. Harman has served in the Legislature since 2000 and was most recently elected to the State Senate in 2006. Harman stated that as part of his election kick-off activities he has already obtained endorsements from numerous locally elected officials.

Greenhut's Sunday Column Is Disingenuous: Part 2

I guess some of my recent posts have hit a nerve with my friend Steve. He lets loose with an ad hominem screed over at Orange Punch. So much for debate and discussion. Maybe if I march in lock-step with Orange Punch, I'll get a nice post for Valentine's Day.

Back to Steve's Sunday column.

Steve also hauls out the favorite bugaboo of those who find themselves stymied in the political arena: Mike Schroeder. According to this storyline, there is only one possible explanation for the behavior of the Central Committee members last week fear of Schroeder.

Greenhut's Sunday Column Is Disingenuous: Part 1

As readers of the OC Register know, Steve Greenhut wants Sheriff Carona to resign...yesterday. So when the OC GOP Central Committee didn't figuratively deliver Carona's head on a platter, Steve penned a Sunday column accusing them of being cowards.

But his commentary is an example of how columnists can stretch and twist the truth, even when the untwisted truth should serve them just fine.

Let's take Steve's treatment of OC GOP Chairman Scott Baugh's comments to the committee. In a blog post the day after the Central Committee meeting, here's how Steve characterized Baugh's speech:

Party Chairman Scott Baugh, although offering some mild rebuke of the sheriff, gave a rousing talk designed shore up support for the sheriff.

Here's how Steve characterized it in his column:

AD73 Watch: Family Action PAC Endorses Harkey

This just came over the transom from the Diane Harkey for Assembly campaign:

DIANE HARKEY IS ENDORSED BY THE FAMILY ACTION PAC FOR 73RD ASSEMBLY DISTRICT

Orange County (CA)--- The Family Action PAC announced today that they are endorsing Dana Point Mayor Diane Harkey for the 73rd State Assembly District in the Republican Primary Election to be held  June 3rd,  2008.

Red County/OC Blog News Roundup -- November 29, 2007

Today's top stories from behind the Orange Curtain:

Sheriff's Wife Backed No-Bid Contract For Swap Meet -- OCR
Swap meet operator had given thousands to campaign of Deborah Carona's husband, Mike.

Frank Mickadeit: Did Brown Really Want To Clear Name? -- OCR
Bishop's contempt hearing is off.

Citation Against OC Bishop Dropped -- LAT
The diocese and attorneys for the plaintiff in the sex-abuse case disagree, however, over what led to the action.

A River Might Run Through It -- OCR
Cal State Fullerton students to unveil design for Santa Ana river 'parkway.'

Editorial: Plan For Housing Near Disney Park Fizzles -- OCR
Finally, the SunCal plan for Resort District housing has died.

Court Orders Garden Grove Police To Return Seized Pot -- OCR
Ruling by state appeal judges is a win for medical marijuana patients, advocates say.

Placentia Businesses Adjust To Failed Development -- OCR
Owners of Crowther properties say they have lost time.

Anaheim To Kill Power At Motel To Remove Residents -- OCR
Problems highlight hurdles for Anaheim and residents in solving motel-family problem.

Shuttles OK'd For JWA Area -- OCR
Three routes will begin this spring.

Settlement Will Help Injured Women Continue Rehabilitation -- LAT and OCR
eriously injured while jogging in Dana Point, they see the city's payment as a way to cope. But still they miss their 'supermom' roles.

Newport-Mesa Studies Plan To Create K-6 Schools -- OCR
Schools now divide many elementary students among multiple schools.

Dana Parsons: It's Hard To Embrace The Penalty For Hugging In School -- LAT
Dana writes about the hugging dealio at Hewes Middle School in Tustin.

Warren Calls Leadership The Key To Defeating AIDS -- OCR
Three-day conference at Saddleback Church includes Sen. Hillary Clinton on Thursday.

Protesters Turn Silent -- DP
Muslim students at UCI take different approach to rebuked historian’s return.

City Gives OK On Lawsuit -- DP
Online travel site representative says city confused about process, will become losing situation with case.

The Political Landscape: Bill To Back Nuclear Plant -- DP
State energy can’t sustain on just wind and solar powers, assemblyman says. Opposition mounts.

Local Company Designs Hybrid Local Power Plant -- DP
Inland Energy, a Newport Beach developer, has designed a hybrid power plant that officials said would be the first to combine natural gas with solar power when it opens in 2010.

Opinion: New Mayor Needs Leadership Skills -- DP
Barbara Venezia opines that the new mayor needs leadership skills.

Lincoln Club President Speaks To The LC's Big $$ For CalCounts

When the Orange County Lincoln Club endorsed the CalCounts Initiative, you knew it was only a matter of days before the big shoe would drop - a major contribution towards qualification.  This is because the Lincoln Club has a long tradition of not just talking, but DOING.  If you look back over the history of the Orange County Lincoln Club, you will see that they have spent a generation being at the forefront of great things. 

It's actually worth taking a few minutes to read this great profile of the O.C. Lincoln Club penned by OC Blog Proprietor Matt Cunningham for Red County Magazine.

We reached out to Rich Wagner, the President of the Lincoln Club, and asked him if he would put pen to paper (or more likely fingers to keyboard) and share with readers why his organization, which is quite selective about which battles it chooses to wage, has weighed in to give the CalCounts Initiative a huge push towards qualification...

That column appears today on the FlashReport.  It begins thusly...

LEADING A MOVEMENT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Richard K. Wagner, President, Lincoln Club of Orange County

The Lincoln Club of Orange County Board of Directors has voted decisively to endorse and support the California Counts Electoral College Reform initiative.  Agreeing to contribute $100,000 to the cause, the Board felt that for far too long, too many voters in California have not been counted in Presidential elections.

For over 45 years the Lincoln Club has been at the forefront of most of the major issues confronting California.  It was initial support and funding of club members that helped launch Ronald Reagan's 1966 gubernatorial campaign.  In 1978 early seed money and support by the club helped allow for Proposition 13 to proceed to the ballot.  In 2003 it was a $200,000 commitment along with the club's good name that helped to launch the recall of Gray Davis.  In most instances, the club acted only after substantial, and sometimes heated, debate, and this vote was no exception.

The greatest cause for concern by some club members was the idea of reforming the Electoral College process in California.  Taking the state from a winner-take-all to one where electors are chosen by Congressional district caused great angst.  In fact only a month ago most board members were against this initiative for just this reason. However the debate established some solid arguments as to why this initiative should be considered and supported, and the reasons had nothing to do with trickery or slight of hand with regards to the election process.

Read the rest of Wagner's column here.

Bill Hunt: Private Dick

When I was about 9 years old I wanted to be a private detective, then a fire fighter and then I settled on architect, that didn't go anywhere.

But congratulations to Bil Hunt for fulfilling the dream of so many pre-teens.  Hunt it seems is trading on his career in law enforcement, a career marred by controversy that ended with him getting fired, to get business as a private investigator.

You can check out for yourself his web page.  As noted by Wisckol over at the Total Buzz blog Hunt lists "Political Opposition Research" as one of the services he offers.

I don't begrudge Hunt for making a living.  But I know that private investigators rank down around the bottom of the list of respected professions, somewhere between lobbyist and pimp.  If Hunt really stands for "honor and integrity" he might want to re-think his choice in how to make a buck because going through a political opponents trash and tailing the mistress of a corporate exec. to see of she is two-timing him isn't what most voters are looking for in a leader.

Dr. Pipes speaks at UCI -- MSU disrupts speech by walking out en masse

Dr. Daniel Pipes spoke tonight at UCI.  His topic: Islamic extremism. 

First, what didn’t happen, unlike earlier this year, members of the Muslim Student Union didn’t try to shout him down. 

What did happen was a Muslim Student Union-led walkout en masse, so, it was a disruption of a different kind as the MSU members did violence to Dr. Pipe’s free speech rights using a kinder, gentler tactic.  (Memo to the MSU: you can protest outside and hand out all the flyers you want.  But pause to reflect on how your actions and fear of violence caused seven hired police officers to be present – vs. no police hired to protect MSU events on campus – how does that look?  Also, big hint here: stand up for the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America.  If you are not a citizen, you clearly should not pledge allegiance – but for goodness sake, out of politeness, respect and protocol, STAND, if you can.  I stand at a respectful position of attention when other nations pay respect to their flag.  When in America, you should do the same.  Not to do so looks bad, very bad.)

As the MSU walkout emptied about half of the room, Dr. Pipes continued his remarks.  Then the lighting system when dim several times, at one point almost plunging the room into darkness.  Dr. Pipes just smiled gently from the podium. 

As for the content of Dr. Pipes’ speech, it was all rather academic and reasonable.  There was nothing he said that was extreme or at variance with what I learned while a Strategic Studies major at Claremont McKenna College with two years of Arabic and a semester overseas studying Islamic political thought in Cairo Egypt.  Ironically, had the members of the MSU and their supporters stayed to listen, they would have heard Dr. Pipes say that going into Iraq and staying was a mistake and that we should not take responsibility for running Iraq and caring for Iraqis.  Same with Iran.  Toppling Iran or preventing their acquisition of nuclear weapons yes.  Occupation, no.   In this, Dr. Pipes draws a closer analogy to the defeat of Soviet communism during the Cold War in 1991, rather than the defeat and total occupation of the Axis powers in1945 – two examples he brought up three or four times in the course of lecture. 

Dr. Pipes’ main thesis was that America needs a coherent strategy to deal with Islamic extremism of the type that took its political cues from Italy and Germany circa the 1920s and 30s and first developed indigenously in India and Egypt.  In this, I am in full agreement with Dr. Pipes, both as to the origin of modern Islamic totalitarianism as an ideology that aspires to global conquest, as well as in the need for a comprehensive strategy.  As Dr. Pipes said: this is not a war against terrorism, terrorism is a method.  This is a war against Islamic extremism.  To win this war Dr. Pipes said that we will need the assistance of moderate Muslims who seek to modernize their faith.  He was confident that this was doable, if very difficult.