Press Corps

Report: Loretta Sanchez used campaign money for wardrobe

2008-12-03T00:00:09Z

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin wasn't the only candidate in last month's election to spend campaign funds for some new threads.

Rep. Loretta Sanchez, an Orange County Democrat, is among five candidates in the recent election named by the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington to have spent hundreds of dollars on clothing, allegedly violating a ban on using campaign money for personal use. Sanchez is the sister of Rep. Linda Sanchez, a Democrat who represents Whittier, Lakewood, Paramount, Cerritos, La Mirada, Lynwood and Southgate. The two have the distinction of being the first sisters elected to Congress.

The other candidates also named for misusing their campaign money are Rob Andrews of New Jersey, Republican candidates Bill Dew of Utah and William Breazeale of North Carolina, and Libertarian presidential candidate Bob Barr.

Here are the details, according to an Associated Press article:

CREW's review of campaign finance reports found Dew's campaign spending $1,089 on clothing for him at Men's Wearhouse; Sanchez's campaign spending about $189 on "meeting clothing" for Sanchez and $145 on clothing for an aide; Breazeale's campaign purchasing $1,000 in clothing for Breazeale at a men's store in North Carolina; and $954 in clothing purchased by Andrews' campaign after Andrews' luggage was lost. Barr aide Andrew MacPherson received a $500 clothing allowance from Barr's campaign, a filing with the FEC shows.

The "growl" on Pine Avenue

2008-12-02T22:18:06Z

Downtown supporters have found a new online forum for airing out their frustrations about Pine Avenue and finding ways to improve the main street, which used to bustle with shoppers and now has more than two dozen vacant storefronts.
Save Pine Avenue is a website launched in November by a dozen contributors consisting of residents, business owners and property owners known as "The Big Grizzlies."
The website, which started after the P-T launched this series about Pine, currently has about 33 members and includes upcoming dates for downtown meetings and activities and featured topics for discussion, such as making CityPlace an outlet mall and trying to have a New Year's Eve block party.
There's also a section called What The?, which features some harsh words for the city, Redevelopment Agency and the Downtown Long Beach Associates.

RDA, Suja Lowenthal celebrate demise of billboard

2008-12-02T04:20:35Z

Redevelopment leaders and 2nd District City Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal tomorrow morning will host a press conference on finally tearing down what they considered to be blight at a major city intersection -- a billboard at 645 E. Ocean Blvd., at Alamitos Avenue.

1st District special election planned

2008-11-26T02:00:14Z

City Councilwoman Bonnie Lowenthal will be sworn in Monday to the state Assembly, and City Clerk Larry Herrera is on top of things to get that seat filled.

Today Herrera announced his proposed schedule for an April 7 special election, which the council is expected to call for Dec. 9. Under Herrera's schedule, candidates for the seat can begin fund-raising that same day. Then, the nomination period will run from Dec. 29 to Jan. 9, followed by the special election April 7.

Already, five possible candidates have announced they may run to represent the 1st District, which encompasses part of downtown, neighborhoods north and west of there, and part of the Port of Long Beach.

The likely candidates are the Rev. Misi Tagaloa of the Second Samoan Church; attorney Evan Braude, president of the Historical Society of Long Beach and a former 1st District council member; Harvey Cochran, a council gadfly and movie theater employee; Robert Garcia, interim dean of student affairs at Long Beach City College and president of the North Pine Neighborhood Alliance; and Bill Grisolia, a legal and policy specialist and homeless advocate.

Until the special election happens, Mayor Bob Foster's office will handle 1st District affairs, per the City Charter, though residents of the 1st District will still be able to call the regular district office number for assistance.

Prop. 8 discussion at Beer & Politics tonight

2008-11-26T00:00:58Z

The Proposition 8 ban on same-sex marriages has certainly caused an uproar before and after the election this month.

Tonight, the debate over the measure will contniue during the monthly Beer & Politics event. Guests William T Garner, a retired Los Angeles County Superior Court judge, and Daniel Brezenoff, a clinical social worker and Southern California spokesman for the Green Party, will discuss Prop. 8, what it means for California and the legal battles that are to come.

The discussion will begin at 7 p.m. at Gallagher's Pub & Grill, 2751 E. Broadway. If you can't go, you can watch the discussion in a live, interactive Web cast at www.beerandpolitics.org.

Bellflower city, school officials settle suit

2008-11-25T23:03:05Z

Nearly 18 months after filing lawsuits against each other, the city of Bellflower and Bellflower Unified School District have agreed to settle, both sides announced today.
According to a lawsuit filed May 31, 2007, city officials sought to stop the school district from building a nutrition center at Bellflower High School because they say the project did not comply with the California Environmental Quality Act.
A day later, on June 1, school officials sued the city over a 1991 redevelopment agreement that they say entitled the district to more than $15 million.
In the settlement, the city decided to make available $4 million in redevelopment funds for improvements at Bellflower facilities over the next 10 years and the school district will give the city more access to BUSD facilities for city programs.
For more information, read all about it in Wednesday's Press-Telegram.

Taxpayers Association pushes for fiscal reform

2008-11-22T00:52:30Z

Still high off the defeat of the Measure I infrastructure tax Nov. 4, the Long Beach Taxpayers Association has announced it will refocus its efforts to push for fiscal reform at City Hall.

In a statement released today, the Taxpayers Association says it was "a force in preventing the Mayor from passing Measure I." The fledgling grassroots organization and other opponents of Measure I used mostly word of mouth and limited resources to build opposition, raising little money during the campaign.

Today's statement says the group will work to educate the public about the city's financial situation. Long Beach had to lay off workers and make cuts to eliminate a $16.9 million budget deficit going into the current fiscal year, and city officials are now expecting revenues to fall short by $8 million to $10 million because of the national economic crisis.

"If the city continues 'business as usual', the deficits will continue to grow, due in part to the expensive five year (employee) contracts granted by the Mayor and City Council," the statement says.

That Long Beach has fiscal problems is undeniable. Whether the Taxpayers Association has viable solutions remains to be seen. And whether anyone at City Hall will listen or make any drastic institutional changes to the way local government spends money is anyone's guess.

Are Long Beach's emergency rooms in trouble?

2008-11-21T23:29:31Z

Find out Dec. 4 when 5th District Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske hosts her monthly Wake Up Long Beach discussion, this time on the subject "Why Our Emergency Rooms May Be in Trouble in Long Beach."

I'm not sure exactly what "trouble" is referred to, but Press-Telegram writer Brenda Duran recently reported that Long Beach Memorial Medical Center and other area hospitals have been swamped with extra patients after several Los Angeles County hospitals closed and that Memorial is reducing its number of beds. Read the full story here.

The Dec. 4 breakfast discussion will begin at 7:30 a.m. in the El Dorado Golf Restaurant at Studebaker Road and Willow Street. The cost of breakfast is $10. RSVP by calling (562) 570-6932.

Panelists will be Diana Hendel, chief operating officer of Long Beach Memorial Medical Center; Ray Jankowski, CEO of Community Hospital of Long Beach; Deputy Fire Chief Alan Patalono; Schipske; and possibly Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe.

Labor charges to be filed against Long Beach Hilton

2008-11-19T23:15:15Z

Long Beach Hilton workers say they are feeling the heat from management for their efforts to unionize. UNITE HERE Local 11 announced today that it's filing Unfair Labor Practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board against the 398-room hotel owned by HEI Hotels and Resorts.

UNITE HERE says it has identified more than 20 alleged incidents including "interrogations, threats, and surveillance in a heavy-handed effort," increased security patrols in employee areas, the "threat of lost wages, hours and employment from management" and "repeated interrogation of workers by management about organizing activities including a 2-hour interrogation of one worker by the General Manager."

In a media release, Hilton General Manager Kristi Allen responds: "We have not seen the allegations and cannot comment at this time about them although the hotel will cooperate with the NLRB'S investigation and comply with the legal process."

Council OKs watered-down sex offender law, but prosecutor won't touch it

2008-11-19T06:02:17Z

The City Council approved a revised sex offender ordinance late Tuesday night, but in an odd face-off, City Prosecutor Thomas Reeves said he won't prosecute the law.

The council meeting went late, and as I was filing other stories I missed part of the discussion, so look at the Press-Telegram Web site Wednesday (I can't promise the time, but I'll try to get the story up as quickly as possible) or at Thursday's paper for a full report on the discussion.

It was a bit strange, to be sure, just like the whole sex offender residency issue. I'll boil the situation down for you.

Last winter, neighbors of 1149 E. First St. were alarmed to learn more than a dozen registered sex offenders were living in the apartment building. Their representative, Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal, had the city attorney's office create a law to restrict where sex offenders live in Long Beach and to limit how many can live in a building. The law was passed by the council, then challenged on its constitutionality and the city suspended enforcement of the law, but last month a lawsuit was still filed by 35 sex offenders against the ordinance.

So, the city attorney's office rewrote the law, eliminating its retroactive effect, which means it won't apply to the 800 registered sex offenders living in Long Beach, nor any others who were convicted before the law takes effect 31 days after the mayor approves it. The law also has several other changes, such as limiting to one the number of sex offenders than can live in a single residential unit, such as an apartment, rather than in an entire apartment building as originally written. Furthermore, it eliminates the creation of "child safety zones" of 300 feet around places where children gather.

However, the ordinance keeps certain provisions, such as requiring that sex offenders live at least 2,000 feet from schools and parks. It also restricts property owners from knowingly renting to sex offenders in the restricted areas.

City Attorney Robert Shannon says he will still use civil penalties against those who violate the ordinance, but without Reeves on board, there won't be any criminal penalties for violators.

Last chance to hear about the breakwater study

2008-11-19T02:55:17Z

Some people say it needs to come down to return our beaches to their former glory. Others say it is the only thing protecting Long Beach's coast from storms and high waves.

Whatever your opinion on the Long Beach breakwater, you can learn more about a study being conducted on possible changes to the sea wall Wednesday (Nov. 19).

The third and final breakwater workshop will take place Wednesday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Aquarium of the Pacific, 100 Aquarium Way. City officials don't just want to inform the public, but they want your input as well.

The workshop will include a brief overview of the Breakwater Reconnaissance Study being conducted, a review of public discussion from the previous two breakwater workshops, and small breakout group discussions. If you missed the first or second breakwater workshops, you can get up to speed by visiting the Breakwater Reconnaissance Study Web site and reviewing materials from the other workshops.

Parking at Wednesday's workshop is $6 at an adjacent structure.

City, business and community leaders to talk downtown retail

2008-11-17T19:34:47Z

City, business and community leaders will discuss retail opportunities and recruitment efforts downtown at a community forum on Wednesday, Nov. 19, at the Marriott Courtyard Hotel.

The forum will include 2nd District City Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal and representatives from the Redevelopment Agency, Downtown Long Beach Associates and the Downtown Residential Council, a new coalition of neighborhood and homeowners associations.

The meeting comes at the heels of public outcry over the state of downtown, including Pine Avenue, a once-booming commercial street with more than two dozen empty storefronts in the heart of downtown.

"What I like to do is initiate an honest dialogue with stakeholders in downtown that results in everyone rowing in the same direction and working together toward a common goal," Lowenthal said. "In talking with city and downtown stakeholders, it became pretty evident that we all needed to know where everyone is -- really be on the same page with the various efforts to addressing retail and economic development."

Lowenthal said the meeting will focus on the thinking behind the city's retail plan.
"People weren't sure what was being done," she said. "They see empty storefronts and there's a perception that nothing's being done.

"Well, there's a story behind that empty storefront and I think that's a story that needs to be part of this dialogue, giving the history and the foundation of the retail strategy and the evolution of the retail strategy that the city is working on and what the city can do better through the assistance of these residential stakeholders."

The meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. at 500 E. First St. in Long Beach.

Measure I campaign funding topped $700K on election day

2008-11-12T21:19:36Z

That's right. By the Nov. 4 general election, when Long Beach voters shot down the Measure I infrastructure improvement parcel tax (which required a two-thirds vote), the campaign supporting it had raised $719,620, according to campaign finance reports filed yesterday at the City Clerk's office.

From Oct. 30 to Nov. 4, in the last days berfore the election, the Rebuild Long Beach campaign raised an additional $65,500 on top of the $657,000 it had raised over the previous two or three months.

This last infusion of money came from 11 mostly large contributions, including $5,000 from the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach; $13,333.34 from Lyon Apartment Companies of Newport Beach and $6,666.66 from essentially the same contributor, Lyon Management Group; and $10,000 from KUD International LLC, as well as $5,000 from its president and CEO, Marvin Suomi.

Meanwhile, the City Clerk's Web site doesn't list any new contributions for the No on Measure I campaign, presumably because it didn't raise any more money past Oct. 29. Its last reported contributions were a comparatively miniscule $5,368.

To see the full campaign finance summaries and contribution lists, go to the City Clerk's campaign finance site.

UPDATED: Mayor goes down under to talk climate change

2008-11-12T19:34:03Z

Mayor Bob Foster was absent from last night's meeting, apparently giving up council gadflies for koalas and kangaroos. A member of his staff told me today that he left over the weekend for Australia and New Zealand to talk about energy and climate change.

I'm awaiting more details of the trip, and the staff member couldn't tell me whether Foster would be at next week's meeting. If Foster misses next week too, he will go more than a month without presiding over a council meeting.

Foster won't be at next week's meeting either, I have been told. Also, I've learned that the travel and hotel expenses of the trip are being funded by the non-profit California Foundation on the Environment and the Economy, which sends local government officials on one or two such trips each year.

The council doesn't meet on the last Tuesday of each month and didn't meet Nov. 4 because of the election. This month, there are only two meetings, yesterday and next Tuesday. The last time the council met before this week was Oct. 21, and if Foster misses next week, he won't be back on the council dais until Dec. 2.

But Foster's involvement in the global energy discussion does seem to fit in with Long Beach's goals. City officials have been making efforts to "green" Long Beach over the past couple of years and have expressed their desire to make it a leader in conservation.

Mayor appoints new harbor commissioner

2008-11-11T00:18:32Z

Mayor Bob Foster announced today that he has appointed attorney Susan Wise to the Harbor Commission.

"Susan will be a great addition to the Harbor Commission," Foster said in a statement. "Her intellect, experience and problem-solving skills will be invaluable as she participates in the decisions that will greatly impact the Port of Long Beach."

The City Council must confirm the mayor's appointment to make it official.

Wise would replace Doris Topsy-Elvord, who retired at the end of June after serving five years on the commission. Wise will serve a six-year term.

The five-member commission oversees a $1 billion budget in one of the nation's busiest ports.

Wise has been an attorney for almost 34 years with experience in both commercial and civil cases, and as a Superior Court mediator, according to the mayor's office. She is a partner with Long Beach-based Wise Pearce Yocis & Smith.

A 3rd District resident who has been in Long Beach more than 30 years, Wise has been active in the community, volunteering on the board of directors for the Children's Clinic, the YMCA of Greater Long Beach, Long Beach Bar Foundation and the Long Beach Nonprofit Partnership.