More development for Rosemead

The Rosemead Planning Commission is meeting at 7 p.m. on Monday. There’s only one thing on the public hearing: A discussion to consolidate 27 parcels into one, at 4800 Delta Avenue and 8417 Mission Drive.

Based on the agenda, I can’t tell what they have in mind for this project. Victor Nelson of Ramon Healthcare Association submitted the proposal. Online, I couldn’t find muchabout the association, and all I could find under the California Secreatary of State’s business license search was this:

Corporation
RAMON HEALTHCARE ASSOCIATES, INC.
Number: C2718907 Date Filed: 1/21/2005 Status: forfeited
Jurisdiction: NEVADA
Address
801 S RANCHO DR SUITE D-4
LAS VEGAS, NV 89106

Agent for Service of Process
ENSIGN FACILITY SERVICES, INC.
27101 PUERTA REAL STE 450
MISSION VIEJO, CA 92691

Is that a trick question?

While checking up on one of the local blogs, Save Our Community, I read that Hillary Clinton was going to be at Cal State LA on Saturday. Cool, I thought. I should go. After all, who knows when the next time I’ll be able to see a presidential candidate.

Even though I don’t normally work on Saturday, I got the assignment. But here’s the thing. After it was assigned to me, my boss asked, “Are you going to vote for Hillary?” After I gave him my answer, I got to thinking: That’s a trick question. If I answer yes, then he will think I’m going because I want to somehow promote her. If I answer no, then he’ll think I’ll write a piece that will somehow bash her. (Even if I did try to write a piece pushing one way or another — which I wouldn’t — editors would pick up on it.) And if I say, “I’m not going to vote,” then it shows how lame I am. Plus, I wonder whether he asked all of our reporters who have ever written about any election how they were going to vote. Should we give up our right to vote just because we are journalists?

My boss pressed on: “Well, I heard you were going to go to the event anyway.” Yeah. But so what? As a reporter, I jump at every opportunity that would lead to a good story — on and off assignments. Gay pride parades, riots, marches, cop activity. I like that stuff. It’s entertaining. And I don’t go just to get a story in the paper, but for a story when I am 70 years old and I can say, “I remember when I met Bill Richardson,” or, “I remember the time when I saw Hugh Hefner pounding down drinks at the Sante Fe Dam.”

I’m still not sure what the right answer was. I just gave him an honest one.

Vulcan haters

This just in from reporter Bethania Palma…

Everybody hates Vulcan, and I’m not talking about this guy:

i-c2ad7c01bc11784bfc37d921fec51bd4-spock_3[1].jpg

I’m talking about Vulcan Materials Co. They’ve been mining the Azusa Rock site in the foothills for years, and at last night’s joint meeting between the Azusa and Duarte city councils, Vulcan took a beating.

“They really need to go somewhere else,” Duarte Mayor Phil Reyes said. “The valley’s polluted enough.”

Duarte Councilmember Lois Gaston chimed in:

“Are these two councils really going to let the region be held hostage until 2038?”

Meanwhile, Vulcan continues an uphill battle to win the hearts and mines of residents everywhere. Although the mining company is not required to do any reclamation of the hillsides until its conditional use permit expires once and for all in 2038, Vulcan has offered to do immediate repairs if allowed to mine the west side of the rock quarry.

The problem? Some Duarte residents said they’ll be able to see the new mining area from their backyards.

Vulcan looking to expand above “Duarte hills”

Azusa and Duarte had a joint meeting tonight to talk about Vulcan Mining Company’s plan to expand mining operations west to an 80-acre site above the Duarte hills, according to the city of Duarte press release. (BTW — Is there even a place out there called the Duarte hills?)

I’ll check in tomorrow with reporter Bethania Palma to see what, if any, follow up there is.

How do you forget about $8 million?

On the last page of South El Monte’s Mid Year Budget Review, titled “Departmental Requests,” this is what it says:

Redevelopment Projects: Need to budget $4.5 million for various redevelopment project expenditures

Housing Projects: Need to budget $4 million for us on the DC Corp mixed use senior housing project.

*Sratching head* You’d think this is something that would have come to mind six months ago when approving the budget.

The council was scheduled to take action at tonight’s special meeting.

Money, campaigns and developers, oh my

Alison Hewitt reports today about a West Covina deal to give McIntyre Cos. an exclusive negotiating agreement for a vacant parcel at the foot of Big League Dreams Park.

But Councilman Roger Hernandez is upset. Why? The developer has ties to Councilman Mike Touhey and contributed $8,700 to candidates in the November election, Hewitt reports.
Hernandez had this to say in the meeting about the deal: it is an example of the council approving an ENA in exchange for campaign contributions.

Hey, he said it.

It’s not sunny Los Angeles for all of us

The purchase of a new, $275,000 snow plow is among the 60 or so items on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors’ agenda Tuesday. It’s a jarring reminder for those of us from the valleys and beach cities that living in the one of the biggest counties in the country means not every LA County resident lives in the same climate. And who knew snow plows were so expensive?

SGV Weekly Council preview

Not too many meetings this week in the SGV, but there are a few.

In El Monte, there’s a special meeting called for Tuesday to extend a temporary moratorium on the approval of certain development projects in one-family and agricultural zoned lands in the city. It doesn’t seem like it is controversial, but the council needs to take action before the moratorium expires on Jan. 31.

In South El Monte and in La Puente, there are special meetings called for mid-budget reviews. South El Monte’s meeting is at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, and in La Puente it is tonight at 6:30 p.m.

La Puente also has a special meeting Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. for a $12.4 million sewer main project. The issue was once controversial in 2004, when the city was exploring ways to fund it, but now residents are just wondering when the project is going to start, La Puente reporter Tania Chatila tells me.

The only regularly scheduled meeting is out of Alhambra. Nothing of interest on the agenda, but check out the number of lawsuits! Anyone know anything about these that we’re not reporting?


CLOSED SESSION & CITY ATTORNEY ANNOUNCEMENT re SAME – F2M7-14

The Agency Board and/or City Council will move into a closed session pursuant to applicable law, including the Brown Act (Government Code Sec. 54950, et seq.) for the purposes of conferring with the City/Agencys Real Property Negotiator, and/or conferring with the Agency Counsel/City Attorney on potential and/or existing litigation, and/or discussing matters covered under Government Code Section 54957 (Personnel), and/or conferring with the Citys Labor
01-28-08 4
Negotiators as follows; provided, however, prior to so moving into closed session, the City Attorney/Agency Counsel shall make any announcements required by the Brown Act pertaining to such closed session matters:

Conference with Real Property Negotiator (Govt. Code Section 54956.8): None
Conference with Legal Counsel–Existing Litigation (Govt. Code Section 54956.9(a):

1) Estrada vs. Alhambra, Case No. KC050325
2) Rodriguez vs. Alhambra, Case No. GC038921
3) Robert Smith vs. City of Alhambra, WCAB No. VNO 0524942
4) Joseph DeAnde vs. City of Alhambra, WCAB No. ANA 0386932
5) City of South Pasadena vs. Slater, District Court Case No. 98-CV-6996-DDP

Conference with Legal Counsel – Anticipated Litigation: Significant exposure to litigation pursuant to Govt. Code Section 54956.9(b): 1 matter. Initiation of litigation pursuant to Govt. Code Section 54956.9(c): 1 matter.

Discussion of Personnel Matters (Govt. Code Section 54957): Public Employee Performance Evaluations: City Librarian and Director of Community Services. Conference with Citys Labor Negotiator (Govt. Code Section 54957.6): Richard Bacio, Personnel Director/Risk Manager, re Management Employees, Alhambra Police Miscellaneous Association, Alhambra Police Association, Alhambra Fire Fighters Association, and the Alhambra City Employees Association.

Whoops…

3112-lujan_hpl.jpg

Thanks to a tip from a well-informed reader, weve learned that La Puente Mayor Louie Lujans appointment to the AQMD may have been a mistake.

Officials didnt properly follow voting bylaws so Lujan did not actually get the amount of votes he needed to secure the win.

There is going to be ANOTHER election Thursday. Let’s hope they get it right this time.