OC Blog

OC Blog News Roundup -- December 13, 2005

Today's top stories from behind the Orange Curtain:

OCTA Board Favors More 91 Freeway Lanes -- LAT and OCR
Widening the 91 Freeway within five years to ease massive congestion won approval Monday from Orange County's transportation agency.

New Rules Proposed For Carpool Lanes -- OCR
Following the Bay Area model, the plan would let solo drivers in during off-peak hours.

Fear Of Exiles Vexes Many In South OC -- LAT
San Juan Capistrano streets 'go dead' when immigration agents are around, one activist says.

Judge Kline Pleads Guilty In Child-Porn Case -- LAT and OCR
In a plea deal, former Orange County judge admits he had images of boys in his computer.

Tookie Williams Executed -- OCR
The Crips co-founder was put to death at San Quentin for killing four people in 1979.

Liver Staffing Blamed -- OCR
UCI had patients awaiting organs but no in-house surgeon at times, a report says.

Irvine Ethics Proposal To Heat Up Meeting -- OCR
One provision says members of the City Council could not be lobbyists.

Huntington Beach Slaps Another $1.5 Million In Developer Fees On Hearthside Homes -- OCR
Hey -- what's a little government greed when it's "for the environment."

Unmarked Sheriff's Car Stolen In November, Disappears Again -- OCR and LAT
This wouldn't have happened if Bill Hunt were Sheriff! The culprit is a Carona donor out for a joy ride, no doubt!

Newport Beach Is Relatively Tsunami-Safe -- DP
Now that's something to include on a home-for-sale flyer!

Newport-Mesa School Board To Vote On Allowing Students Who Fail High School Exit Exam To Walk In Graduation Ceremony Anyway -- DP
Yeah -- why should there be any consequences for failing? We wouldn't want to hurt anyones feelings.

Lennar Looking To Lure Top Restaurants -- OCBJ
Homebuilder Lennar Corp. is courting two legendary Anaheim restaurants to move to the city’s Platinum Triangle redevelopment area. The wooing is part of Lennar’s effort to build an urban enclave of condominium towers, shops and fine restaurants around Angel Stadium of Anaheim.

OC Blog News Roundup -- December 12, 2005

Today's top stories from behind the Orange Curtain:

Bill Campbell: Let All Use Carpool Lanes In Off-Hours -- LAT
O.C. supervisor points to the Bay Area practice and will ask Caltrans to see if it would work here.

Laguna Beach: A Half-Cent's Difference -- OCR
Laguna residents, businesses and visitors disagree on the likely effects of a proposed increase in sales tax.

How Laguna Would Use Sales Tax Increase -- OCR
Q & A on what the city would do with the extra money.

Editorial: Tax For Landslide Repairs? -- OCR
The Reg urges LB voters to reject sales tax increase.

Martin Wisckol's The Buzz: Who'd Get Top Billing - OCR
Maertin writes on CRA's anti-Arnold rumblings, the timing of the 35th SD special election, and othe  matters.

Urban Transitions -- OCR
The time may have come for a Manhattan lifestyle in Orange County.

Bowers Museum Gets $1 Million Gift -- OCR
Gift from East West Bank will help pay for the wing that's under construction.

Editorial: Costa Mesa Applies A Bandaid -- OCR
Local enforcement won't get at heart of illegal-immigration problem

OC Blog News Roundup -- December 11, 2005

I'm filling in for Lurk's weekend Roundup duties. So here are the today's top stories from behind the Orange Curtain:

A Smart Eye On Growth -- OCR
A citizens' group monitors plans for development and speaks out on any that it considers bad for Fullerton. Who made the NIMBY's arbiters of our proerty rights?

OCTA May Ease Carpool Rules -- OCR
Monday at 9:00 a.m., Orange County Transportation Authority board: Will discuss asking for new car-pool rules, such as allowing motorists to enter and exit the lanes at any time. 600 S. Main St., Orange. Information: (714) 560-OCTA.

Editorial: Laptop Dancing -- OCR
The Reg opines on Fullerton School District laptop policy and the legal imbroglio with the ACLU.

Liver Unit Suffered In Silence -- LAT
# UCI's small transplant center was paralyzed by fear of failure, but its director discouraged dissent and struggled to maintain its image.

Laguna Beach To Vote On Tax To Fix Slide Damage -- LAT
City officials say sales tax boost is needed to shore up Bluebird Canyon. They're optimistic, but some residents say the election will be close.

Less Costly Housing Is A Professorial Perk -- LAT
In the early 1980s, UC Irvine officials noted a disturbing trend. Even with the lure of great weather, they were having a hard time attracting faculty. The reason: Housing prices were unaffordable. Their solution — University Hills, an employee housing development — has become a model for universities everywhere.

Homeowners, The Clock Is Ticking -- LAT
Orange County Treasurer-Tax Collector John M.W. Moorlach reminded homeowners Friday that the latest installment of annual property taxes is due Monday.

OC Blog News Roundup -- December 9, 2005

Today's top stories from behind the Orange Curtain:

Property Cleanup Called Complete -- OCR
42-acre slice of Bloa Chica declared free of contamination. That's lovely.

Editorial: Irvine's Ethical Tangle -- OCR
City officials push forward an Orwellian plan.

Bridge Designer To Pay OCTA -- OCR
The deal ends a dispute over cracks in the car-pool transition ramp near John Wayne Airport.

UC Irvine Oversight Post Is Long Unfilled -- LAT
The woman hired in the wake of medical school scandals quit more than two years ago, deciding the job was merely 'window dressing.'

OC Sheriff Lobbying For Civilian Badges -- LAT
Orange County Sheriff Michael S. Carona has been quietly championing an effort to change a state law to give sheriffs and police chiefs more leeway in giving badges to civilian volunteers who have no police powers.

Toll Road Rage: Strangers In A Strange Land -- OC Weekly
"Judeo-Christian holidays are coming, and it’s time for us to come together. Right now. Over me. And over the San Mateo Creek as well."

OC Blog News Roundup -- Addendum

I missed these articles:

First, an excellent op-ed by FlashReport publisher Jon Fleischman on the sorely neglected 10th Amendment:

Don't make everything a federal issue
A growing intrusion onto local turf is happening on the Republicans' watch

By JON FLEISCHMAN

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

- 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

There is a troubling trend coming out of Washington, D.C. - one that I would not have expected to worsen with Republicans in control of the federal government. In recent years, we have seen a disturbing increase in what is called federal preemption, where the national government passes laws that take authority from local governments or the states and creates an overriding policy from Washington.

You can read the rest here.

I also neglected to include Frank Mickadeit's column in today's Roundup.

OC Blog News Roundup -- December 7, 2005

Today's top stories from behind the Orange Curtain:

John Campbell Wins -- OCR, LAT and DP
Gilchrist comes in 3rd behind Democrat Steve Young.

Costa Mesa Will Enforce Immigration Law -- OCR and DP
On a 3-2 vote, Costa Mesa will become the first city to have its police enforce federal immigration laws, the City Council voted early Wednesday.

Agency Picks Route For 241 Extension -- OCR and LAT
Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency picks route that Proposed tollway would cut through a state park and an endangered-species habitat. Groups are threatening suit -- what a surprise!

Providence Center Gets Greenlight in Fullerton -- OCR
Councilman Shawn Nelson: 'This is what our city needs for now and in the future.'

Cleaning Up The Books On Tax Refunds -- OCR
Orange County owes more than 900 businesses $1.3million going back to 1989.

OC Board of Supervisors OK's $100,000 For Sheriff's Lawyers -- OCR and LAT
Pssst! Don't read this story -- I'm trying to bury any bad news about Carona. And don't tell the ultra-perceptive Deputy Dawg or Tim Whitacre -- they'll say mean things!

Carona Ally Switches To Supporting Bill Hunt -- LAT
Psst! Don't read this one either!

Residents Speak Against Town Center -- OCR
"There's no central park, no town square, just a central parking lot," said Tom Lynch of Yorba Linda Residents for Responsible Development. The whole concept is being vastly over-sold.

OC Blog News Roundup -- December 5, 2005

Today's top stories from behind the Orange Curtain:

Frank Mickadeit: Court Documents Remain Not So Public -- OCR
Headline aside, the best part of the column is Frank's relating of the infamous 3-hour endorsement of Tom Harman by Bill Morrow.

Martin Wisckol's The Buzz: Hunt May Be The Hunted In The Sheriff's Investigation -- OCR
Martin discusses a very different version of the Bill Hunt and the DUI-ride home incident.

A Fresher Orange -- OCR
Old Towne's changing face will have new places to eat, specialty boutiques, a flag shop and much more.

Placentia-Yorba Linda School Board To Pick Names For New Schools -- OCR
Might we suggest OC Blog Middle School?

A Run For Their Money -- DP
And go, go, go. A Daily Pilot photographer catches hopefuls for the open U.S. House seat in action. Photographs by Douglas Zimmerman.

First Big SEC Fines Under Cox -- OCBJ
Nearly $200M in Penalties Handed Out in Mutual Fund Probe

OC Blog News Roundup - December 4, 2005

Today's top stories and commentary from behind the Orange Curtain:

Starting on the front page, the OCR gives a tacit endorsement to John Campbell for the 48th CD: Sen. John Campbell: He's taking nothing for granted in race. 

Campbell's position (really a lack of commitment) on Illegal Immigration is enough to not want him in this position, but the good alternatives are lacking.  Campbell's just a Cox clone, and he did nothing about II either -- and don't expect much coming back to the District.  See also Greenhut's UnSpin (unlinkable) on Gilchrist.

OCR's Greenhut comes out for outsourcing something: It’s time to swat Vector Control.  The parasites will be voting again next week re. spiking their pension plans.  In part,

Based on its recent actions, including its third attempt this year to spike pensions, the agency is far less devoted to maintaining public health than it is to improving the financial health of the people who work there...instead of getting fired up to battle pests, the district has been focusing on a different aim. It raised salaries significantly for many of its roughly 50 employees. Less than a year after the tax hike, the board started pressing for a 62 percent increase in the pensions it pays its workforce – a large part of which isn’t even necessary, given that bug spraying can be outsourced to private pest-control companies.

OCR also editorializes on the Great Shrinking Park, but again there's no link to the piece.  Too bad, it's well written;  "...a large park is a nice thing, even in a region awash in parkland...even better would be a larger component of housing to meet the region's housing demand, and commercial facilities [and expand the tax base]."

OCR: Stanley "Tookie" Williams: Life or death?.  Arnold's opportunity to support the correct decision to put a murderer to death, or lose it ALL if he commutes the sentence.

OCR's Bunis on Republican scandals: Cunningham's crime amplifies stereotype.  A balancing piece on Pelosi, Waters et al might be the followup.

LAT's Pasco on Gilchrist vs. the Car Dealer: O.C. Race a Border Skirmish.  In part,

Jim Gilchrist, cofounder of the border security group called the Minuteman Project and candidate of the American Independent Party, has run an energetic and increasingly wellfunded campaign against state Sen. John Campbell (R-Irvine). He has forced the lawmaker to renounce votes allowing illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition at state universities and to use Mexican identification cards for official purposes. And he has turned the race into a virtual referendum on immigration policy...  Gilchrist's persistent anti-illegal immigrant theme forced Campbell in September to apologize for his votes in the Legislature on tuition and ID cards.  A month later Gilchrist upstaged Campbell while both were guests on a drive-time KFI-AM radio broadcast of "The John and Ken Show." The issue: illegal immigration, which Gilchrist blames for a host of social ills from traffic congestion to overcrowded emergency rooms.

Late last week, Campbell was hammered -- pilloried and bludgeoned -- on the John and Ken Show for ducking a planned on-air live debate with Gilchrist tomorrow in Laguna.   A top-rated, one million listener talk radio program, #1 in drive-time, is not to be made this angry, especially given the lame excuses and dodging that Campbell's people ("spokes holes" in John and Ken speak) came up with -- Campbell's made a powerful enemy in John Kobylt -- who does hold grudges and is one of the most articulate radio talkers in the country.  Neither of them suffer fools.  J&K gave Rep. David Dreier a good scare in 2004 (and were instrumental in the Davis Recall), and will probably do so again next year (especially if John March can be talked into running), but be completely sure they'll be watching Campbell like hawks as he's assimilated into the Republican old boy's club to vote on and supports what's he's told to.

LAT's Parsons on Cunningham: When the Rich Feel the Itch to Be Bad.  A yawner.  Is the LAT too cowardly to take on Maxine Water's indiscretions?

Not the worst idea you'll hear today from the LAT: 'A' is for audit -- of schools.  If it stayed apolitical (fat chance) and outside union influence (fatter chance), it ought to happen here too.

OC Blog News Roundup - December 3, 2005

Today's top stories and commentary from behind the Orange Curtain:

OCR's Wisckol profiles 48th CD loser-to-be Steve Young: Long shot in 48th is in it for the long haul.  In part,

"(Gilchrist and Campbell) are demonizing a [LAW BREAKING] people who aren't responsible for the ills they're being accused of," he said. "They're a convenient, unprotected target."  Young believes [ILLEGAL] immigrants are a net gain to the country's economy - while many pay taxes and Social Security, they rarely get [UNDESERVED, UNEARNED] benefits.

About damn time (DP): Job Center nears its end.  In part,

The Job Center, where day laborers connect with contractors who need short-term help, opened in 1988 to address the problem of workers loitering in Lions Park and swarming passing cars in the hope of snagging a few hours or days of work.  Over the years, various council members and residents lobbied to close the center, arguing that the city shouldn't be in the employment business and that some who use Job Center are in the U.S. illegally.

And the CoC libs have to meddle, ignoring the impact of the illegals, and protecting and coddling their cheap labor pool: 

Led by Coast Mesa Chamber of Commerce President Ed Fawcett, the group is moving ahead with plans for what they're calling the Center for Resources and Employment Opportunities. The center will start as a place for laborers and employers to connect and will eventually offer a range of classes and services -- English as a second language, job-skills training and help for people seeking permanent employment.  "Really what we want to do is provide a growth experience for these individuals, so that if they don't choose to, they don't have to live on day labor," Fawcett said. "They can grow into a regular career, a regular trade. That's the component that's been missing in the past that's kept these individuals frozen in place."  The goal is to have a self-funding center paid for by fees charged to day laborers and employers, perhaps with help from private donations.  Local schools are interested in offering English classes, and some job-skills courses could be taught by laborers with expertise in carpentry, drywall, and other specializations, said Crissy Brooks, executive director of Mika Community Development Corp., a nonprofit, Christian, service group. Brooks has been closely involved with planning the new job center. 

Will the CoC employers also be checking for legal SSNs, withholding properly and paying legal wages? 

Making plenty of sense in Costa Mesa was this Alicia Robinson piece in the DP from 12/1 about Mayor (and Sheriff's Deputy) Allan Mansoor wanting to task their police department to ship the vermin over to ICE: Police could enforce immigration law.  And this from yesterday's Register helps too: Immigration policy shift in O.C.  And even more from yesterday's DP (Robinson again on top of it): Community responds to divisive idea.

OCR, LAT: Disney settles lawsuit over fatality.  Disney settles in Thunder Mountain death.

OCR: District won't release journals.  From 11/30, Some journal entries by 2 Tesoro students focused on violence:  "Tesoro High seniors Scott J. McKnight, left, and Sam Smith were suspended after writing violent scenarios about their English teacher, Alyssa Di Somma, in class journals."

OCR: Rustler Sam to skedaddle from Golden West.  School mascot PCed.

OCR: The Block parking predicament.

OCR: Irvine planners vote to OK 1,030 condos.

OC Blog News Roundup - December 2, 2005

Today's top stories from behind the Orange Curtain:

Gilchrist Staying The Course In Congressional Bid -- OCR
Third-party candidate using Minuteman momentum in his race for Congress.

Immigration Policy Shift In OC -- OCR
Proposals would allow city and county officers to enforce immigration laws.

Judge: Gay Student May Sue Principal -- OCR and LAT
Good grief.

Left-Wing Agitator Is Exonerated In May Theft Of Police Flashlight -- OCR and LAT
No apology to the jury from lefty Theresa Dang, who yesterday complained they were not a jury of her peers, i.e. 12 violent left-wingers.

Homicide Detective Writes His Way To Relief -- LAT
The Santa Ana police officer lightens his career's psychic load with crime novels for teens that also affirm Christian family values. Cool.

Democrat Charges Uphill -- DP
Alicia Robinson profiles Steve Young, Democrat sacrificial lamp in the 48th CD.

Community Responds To Divisive Idea -- DP
Some say enforcing immigration law is vital; former police chief says proposal could ruin cops' rapport with city's Latinos.

Capturing El Morro -- DP
A producer and a director trade thoughts about their storyboard inside trailer No. 180. (That's an address, not a Hollywood dressing room.)