This letter ran today about the proposed developments in Rosemead. Do you agree or disagree with letter writer, Myrna Brown?

Not for development

I have lived in this area, the city of Rosemead, for most of my 63 years. I've seen it grow from an unincorporated area to cityhood, and have attended Savannah Elementary School, Muscatel Junior High and Rosemead High School. With marriage, my husband and I chose to settle in this city. After our four daughters came into the world, they grew and attended the same schools.

In the former days, what we strove for was decent housing, a good educational system, a good library, churches, community clubs, places of recreation and a place to go when we reached the point where we could no longer take care of ourselves. And through the years we have achieved all of those things and more.

The majority of the members of our City Council are taking us where we do not wish to go. I wish to speak for the longtime citizens of this city and a number of the newer ones. We have no desire to fill this area with commercial buildings. We do not want high-rise buildings in downtown Rosemead. We do not wish to invite more traffic into this area. Expansion is not on our agenda.

I voted for John Tran, our present mayor, who came to my door asking for my vote. He promised to clean up our city if elected. However, Rosemead today is still a large source of polluting trash and litter washing down to the sea.

It seems he was interested in something other than holding to his promises and maintaining what was already here. Then I voted for Polly Low, thinking that the Asian residents needed someone to speak for them. A two-time mistake for which I sincerely apologize.

Myrna Brown

Rosemead

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 4:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Just saw this on the wire:

Former Councilman Pleads Guilty to Conflict-of-Interest Charge

LOS ANGELES (CNS)- Former Hawthorne City Councilman Louis Velez
pleaded guilty today to a felony conflict-of-interest charge involving a developer
whose wife owned a home he was renting.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Robert P. O’Neill immediately sentenced Velez, 34,
to one year probation and a $1,000 fine.

The plea, which was entered as Velez was awaiting trial, bars him from being an
elected official in California for life, according to Deputy District Attorney Max
Huntsman.

Velez, who did not seek re-election last November, was a Hawthorne
councilman when he was indicted last July 23.

The indictment alleged that Velez had “become financially interested in a contract
made by him in his official capacity, and by a body and board of which the defendant
was a member.”

Velez voted twice on an eminent domain project involving the developer -- first in
January 2005 after he had been given the keys to the property and again in March 2005
while renting the home, according to Huntsman.

 One of Velez’s attorneys, Joseph Vodnoy, said his client had “no criminal intent” and
entered the guilty plea because he “thought it was in his best interests to do
so.”
“It’s unfortunate that a young guy trying to do the right thing by the city winds up
with a felony,” he said.

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 2:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Baldwin Park's Community Alliance for Redevelopment Accountability is bringing in the reinforcements in their fight against the city's proposal to use to eminent domain to build a downtown village with luxury homes, a hotel and upscale shopping.

Their holding a community forum on March 13 with the National Federation of Independent Business/California, the California Alliance to Protect Private Property Rights and the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. Those organizations are backing legislation that could limit the amount of power cities have in enforcing eminent domain.

NFIB/California Hosts Community Meeting for Property Owners on
Eminent Domain

Where: Baldwin Park Marriott
14635 Baldwin Park Towne Center
Baldwin Park, Calif.

These guys aren't messing around.

Posted by Tania Chatila at 10:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I received this e-mail from a reader obviously upset over a tentative settlement agreement reached between the county and firefighter Mark Nelson, from Whittier. Nelson alleged workplace harassment after he reported racial slurs to the department's employee relations division.

how can people of our city be so blind as to pay out money to a man with over 30 years of working & living together with dedicated firefighters that have to depend on each other to be able to perform their very dangerous type of work. i still can't understand that Mr. mark nelson - a los Angele's county fire dept. assistant chief, claiming of being harassed for reporting racial slurs about Latinos to the department's employee relations board.
citizens (tax payers), of Whittier. open your eyes! Mr. nelson, is opening the door for anybody like himself, to make such a way out of line claim of harassment, just to collect money from the people of the city he served. i use the term, served, because after stepping out with such a claim, he has violated the trust of all others that would have to work with him. "and he knows that"! to truly understand the world of what a firefighters life is all about, you would have to be part of it. work together in harmony, trust in each other, respect each other, and protect each other. with out any of that, a firefighter would not be able to perform his / hers job. it's also a job that not just anybody would be able to do. i say that with all respect. as for myself, a Latino, and a retired firefighter, all i can say to Mr. nelson, shame on you. i hope the money you walk away with from the people that had their trust in you, lets you sleep at night.
all i can say is, i would not have lived long enough to retire if it weren't for all the good people in the fire department that i worked with. i will always be thankful to all of them.

Posted by Tania Chatila at 9:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Montebello reporter Amanda Baumfeld tells us that the city has chosen a new police chief, Lt. Dan Weast. Other than questions about his educational background, Mayor Bill Molinari does not support Weast because Molinari believes that appointment is political.

Molinari said he believes the appointment of Weast is a "political payback" for Weast supporting council members (Kathy) Salazar, Robert Urteaga and Mary Anne Saucedo-Rodriguez in recent elections.

Weast was the president of the Montebello Police Officer Association during the election and he acknowledges that the association was in support of the candidates. But he says his appointment is based on his experience.

"I don't do paybacks," Salazar said. "This has nothing to do with politics, it's the quality of the man."

Hints of political paybacks weren't only about Salazar. At least one source reportedly told Amanda that Molinari voted against Weast because he didn't get what he wanted. What that was, exactly, we don't know. Also, the new city attorney, Arnold Alvarez Glasman, advised Molinari not to tell Amanda why he voted against Weast. Now why in the world would Glasman give such legal advice?

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 8:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Ever wonder what the human resources employees in our local cities actually spend their days doing? Well, here's a clue.
This is an e-mail sent from a West Covina employee to the California League of Cities.

------------------------------

Traci R. Bailey-Hudson
Management Analyst II - Human Resources
City of West Covina
1444 W. Garvey Avenue, South
West Covina, CA 91793
Phone: (626) 939-8446
Fax: (626) 939-8673
Job Line: (626) 939-8452
www.westcovina.org

Posted by Tania Chatila at 5:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

City Editor Frank Girardot got this message from recalled City Councilman Jeff Siccama. We haven't confirmed this information:

The Montebello City Council voted to destroy all records 7 years and older. This will cover up a lot of their handy work. Sounds like their new city attorney Arnold Glasman is taking care of loose ends as fast as possible.

Jeff

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 12:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

South El Monte city officials celebrated the completion of the first phase of 30, two-story homes. The homes sit on a parcel that used to be used a sluaghter house for rabbits. Here's what Supervisor Gloria Molina's office sent over about it:

SOUTH EL MONTE (Feb 27, 2008) --- Today, Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina announced a former industrial parcel on a 2.5-acre lot is being turned into the South El Monte Villas development which will consist of 30 two-story homes, with three bedrooms, two and a half baths and two detached garages. The homes are located on the 1600 block of Cogswell Road near Michael Hunt Avenue in South El Monte.

In addition, families will benefit from a community tot-lot and picnic area, and the 1,679 sq. ft. homes come with a 10-year warranty.Property owners will be part of a Homeowners' Association as part of
the development deal.

"Today we open the first phase of a 30-unit development, and half of the units will be made available to moderate income families," said Molina.

"This is an especially significant project as we try and alleviate the housing market crisis by placing families in affordable homes and creating home ownership opportunities."

The South El Monte Villas site is the former home of the El Monte Rabbit Company, which was used as a slaughter house for rabbits in 1956.

Most recently, the site was used by a manufacturing company, which fabricated concrete casting of garden and architectural items.

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 11:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I know I know, it's from Carson. Why should San Gabriel Valley residents care about Carson? But anyone with a sense of humor will appreciate this...

Posted by Tania Chatila at 10:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Much to our surprise (do you sense my sarcasm?) the City Council appointed Baldwin Park Police Capt. Michael Taylor as interim police chief during a closed session meeting Tuesday.

On a side note, we are still *patiently* waiting for the resignation agreement signed by Chief Edward Lopez. That would have information as to Lopez’ retirement benefits and/or any severance pay he may receive.

I spoke with City Attorney Joseph Pannone this week and he said that because Lopez by law has seven days to revoke the agreement from the time it was approved (Feb. 20), it technically has not been finalized - thus the agreement is not subject to public disclosure.

The city adds an additional three days to that seven day period to allow for a mailed-in letter of revocation.
So, all days counted, the agreement won’t be ready for me to review until March 1. But that’s a Saturday — so I actually won’t be able to see it until March 3.

All this despite statements from public meeting expert Terri Francke that we should have been able to review the documents from day one.

Oh, the woes of bureaucracy.

Posted by Tania Chatila at 10:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Pasadena Star-News reporter Melissa Pamer wrote this story on Feb. 15 ago about developer Jason Chung and his problems in the city.

MONTEREY PARK - A developer's plans to build luxury condominiums targeted at wealthy Chinese immigrants met a roadblock this week.

Developer Jason Chung, who got initial city approval for the project last year, believes his 54-unit, six-story condo building will appeal to rich families emigrating from dense urban centers in China and Taiwan. He plans a high-end East-West fusion restaurant on the building's ground floor.

"A lot of wealthy Chinese buy in San Marino, Rowland Heights and Diamond Bar, but they really want someplace convenient where they don't have to drive a car," Chung said. "They can walk to get their dim sum."

And then this story ran today in the Los Angeles Times:

They used to call Monterey Park "the Chinese Beverly Hills," a suburb east of downtown Los Angeles that for three decades has been synonymous with the explosion of Chinese immigration and trade in the San Gabriel Valley.

But in recent years, some of the luster once associated with Monterey Park has moved east to newer communities including City of Industry, Walnut and Diamond Bar. And that's left city leaders debating the town's future.

Enter developer Jason Chung. He is offering the city the chance to lure jet-setters from Shanghai, Taipei and Hong Kong to a six-story, steel-and-glass condominium tower. He said residents at the 54-unit luxury complex could enjoy concierge and maid service and would be minutes away from scores of authentic Chinese restaurants.

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 9:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

For the past eight months, officials in Baldwin Park having been using “dire budget constraints” as reasoning behind a lot of things they CAN’T do: they can’t up the police officers’ salaries, they can’t pay their maintenance workers — who threatened to go on strike last year — more money, they can’t move forward with a public safety tax on the next ballot because it would cost the city too much to facilitate it.

Now, many cities like Baldwin Park that do not bring in the same kind of sales tax revenues as other wealthier Valley Cities (i.e. West Covina, Glendora) truly do work on limited budgets. But what I can’t understand is the comment Baldwin Park’s Chief Executive Officer made to me earlier this week after the city conducted its mid-year budget review.

I asked him how the session went and how things were looking financially for Baldwin Park.
He replied, “Good, good. Things are looking good for the year.” He went on to say that “things” were looking good for next year too.

I guess it must be raining money in BP.

Posted by Tania Chatila at 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Amanda Baumfeld reports that Montebello Councilwoman Kathy Salazar is pushing to keep local control of cops and impose an additional 1/2 to 1 percent sales tax for public safety.

My question is this: Why is Salazar such an advocate for public safety? Is there any personal gain that she would get out of it, other than, say, a safer neighborhood? Here's why she says these issues are important to her:

"This is what the city wants," Salazar said. "It gives the power back to the people. It's their city."

****

Salazar, who re-entered office in November, said she wants the sales tax measure on the ballot because during her campaign people said they would be willing to pay for public safety.

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 11:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This past weekend was a cause for celebration in the city of La Puente. Mayor Pro Tem Dan Holloway joined with 7-Eleven to welcome store owners, husband and wife team Satwinder Sidhu and Ronnie Sekhon, to their new Sunset Ave. store at the grand opening celebration on Saturday, Feb. 23.

Mayor Pro Tem Holloway presented Sidhu and Sekhon with a Certificate of Recognition to honor their contributions to the La Puente community before officiating a ribbon cutting ceremony to christen the new store. This is Sidhu and Sekhon's second 7-Eleven in La Puente.

A 7-Eleven opening! So sorry I missed it.

Posted by Tania Chatila at 10:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Councilmembers Gary Taylor and Margaret Clark have served on the Rosemead City Council for a combined 51 years. During that time, they have received health benefits, retirement packages, and have been eligible for car and phone allowances.

Taylor joined the council iin 1974, and Clark joined in 1991.

A records request shows that over the past 15 years, Rosemead has paid Clark and Taylor nearly $225,000 each -- that is broken down to $15,000 a year in meeting stipends. That does not include the other perks.

Why do I bring this up now? Because a records request that I asked for months ago was finally ready, and I had the chance to review these yesterday.

This is just a taste of what I found when looking for all the expenses over a 15-year period. Councilmen John Tran and John Nunez did not join the council until 2005, so obviously their numbers are much lower. However, I did notice that the car allowance since they joined jumped from $250 a month to $500, and the cell phone allowance went from $80 a month to $150, including $300 a year for a new phone. Councilwoman Polly Low joined the counicl in 2007, so, again, her numbers will not reflect those of her colleagues.

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 4:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

South El Monte council members are given monthly cell phone allowances. For example, Hector Delgado was reimbursed $168 in cell phone charges in December 2006, and for $216 in January 2007. You would think, then, that the cell phone number would be on the council members' business cards.

Well, I'm staring at Councilman Hector Delgado's business card, and it's not there. Is he the only one? I don't know. Mayor Blanca Figueroa has her cell phone number, but I don't have the other three council member's cards? Do you?

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 12:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

 

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 11:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here are a few excerpts of emails I've received about the water district story that ran on Monday. I left the names out because when they sent them to me, it may have not been with the intention to print.

******

As a former ten-year employee of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) ... I am shocked and outraged by Director Murrray's agregious behavior; however, I am not surprised!

In fact, while on the West Basin Board, anticipating this potential for corruption, I tried to sponsor and have legislation intoduced that would have reformed this antiquated system by going to a flat rate of compensation and bring the water community into parity with other local governmental entities.

My proposal was vigorously opposed by the "Good 'Ole Boys of Water" and my legislation ultimately died in policy committee. In fact, the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA), the omnibus trade organization representing the water community in California, is on record as "vigorously "opposing the legislative proposal to reform the antiquated per-diem compensation system.

I hate to say it:"but I told you so!". Maybe now, the Legislature will take note of this antiquated system, reform it with a flat rate rate of compensation, and bring the water community in-to-line with other local jurisdictions.

******

Dear Editor:

All humans have the right to clean healthy water, people that live in California are humans, and therefore Californians have the right to clean healthy water. What gives the right to others in a seniority position throughout the San Gabriel Valley and Los Angeles County to take advantage of their privileges and steal nearly $1.6 million that were paid to directors for board meetings and travel expenses.

After having read this article on these two individuals, Willard Murray and Leon Garcia, that benefit from their job to the maximum, I am aggravated to know that they find devious ways to sum up their expenses and legally obtain more money than they should, simply for dining at prestigious restaurants, booking elegant expensive hotels, playing golf, and calling this “a part of their job”.

How is this possible, to let Willard Murray, director at the Water Replenishment District of Southern California attend meetings and take trips to Mexico City, and acquire close to $90,000, just for these “work trips”? If you ask me, this sounds more like an all expense paid vacation. Half of the population in California does not even make a yearly income of this amount.

I believe we should expose these crooks, and bring them to justice for the amounts of funds they are over spending, masquerading under a legal transaction. If we continue to permit people on these boards to abuse our funds this way, then I would not mind initiating a course of action that will bring them to justice.

******

Dear Ms. McLain,

Water-boarding the ratepayers is bad, but investigative journalism is good -- wonderful! -- after its long absence from the Star News.

Dear Jennifer,

This is what concerns us as taxpayers the most--are elected and appointed officials using our money for the people's benefit or for their own? In many cases (and you should really look at the expenses incurred by councilmembers and mayors, they are just as bad) they are poor excuses for free travel, hotels and food, etc by the elected officials and not for the benefit of the public at all.

These jobs are volunteer jobs that should have no benefits (health, cell phones, car allowance vs. actual mileage reimbursement) and very little for conferences and travel. It is bilking the public left and right and should be stopped.

Jennifer,

Thank you for the story. I wonder if there are any females on the water district boards. If not then maybe the Boards are good old boys club. Again thank you for your research covering this story.

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 11:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Pasadena City Council approved an estimated $65 million Huntington Hospital expansion plan Monday, Star-News reporter Fred Ortega reports. The plan calls for a 66,000-square-foot addition to the Valley’s only major trauma center.

Of course, nearby business owners say the expansion is going to have a negative impact.
Read on here.

Posted by Tania Chatila at 8:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Just as expected, Rosemead's meeting was a long one. It adjourned at 12:30 a.m. And it was PACKED! At least 200 people were there, filling the council chambers and the lobby. It was a pretty racially divided crowd. One white man -- who is not aware of political correctness -- leaned in to tell me, "Have you noticed that all the Orientals are for high density?" Another white woman who walked into the meeting at 6:30 p.m. said this when she saw that most of the seats were filled by a group of Asian residents, "Looks like we're outnumbered."

Race wasn't addressed head on during the meeting, but as one insider told me, "It's the elephant in the room."

So, what happened during this 5 1/2 hour meeting? Well, almost 35 people spoke both in favor and against the general plan; Councilman Gary Talyor asked Councilman John Nunez to write an apology letter to all female employees in City Hall - Nunez agreed, adding that he will address the letter to all men, as well; neither Nunez or Taylor will be censured; and a audience member spent about 10 minutes trying to get a picture of City Attorney Bonifacio Garcia sleeping -- although it can't be confirmed that he was sleeping because of the glare on his glasses, a source sitting close to Garcia told me.

I have a notepad full of comments -- both good, bad and funny -- but that entry will have to wait till tomorrow when I am awake. One of my favorites of the night came from Planning Commissioner Todd Kunioka, who used the definition of insanity to address one view on the general plan: "If we do the same thing and expect a different result, that's insane."

One thing that I found especially interesting was each council member gave their opinion about the draft general plan -- basically a blueprint for future city develoment -- before hearing any comments from the audience. They just launched right in to what they thought about the proposed general plan. After the first of nearly 35 spoke on the issue, Mayor John Tran said that he had already made up his mind.

More later today about the specifics of those ammendments.

Only one person was escorted out by one of the three sheriff's deputies at the meeting.

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 1:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Here's some follow up on an earlier post about Prodigy Athletic offcials still advertising Lutheran High School as the site of their spring camp.

I spoke with La Verne's community development director today - Hal Fredericksen - and he told me city officials were surprised to see the reference to Lutheran on the Web site, considering the city attorney sent Prodigy officials a cease and desist letter telling them they can no longer use the school's gym. Fredericksen advised them to take the information down.

Cameron Murray, who runs Prodigy, declined to comment this afternoon, but said if I check the Web site, the info would not longer be there. I did: at 2 p.m., at 2:30 p.m., at 3 p.m. and again just a few minutes ago. The information has yet to be taken down.

Residents are upset Cameron is still using Lutheran to promote his camp. Kim Hanke, who lives on Amherst Street had this to say about officials from Lutheran High School and Prodigy Athletic:

"I call it, that school, it's a pimp school. But they are entrepreneurs. They will rent it to anyone to make a quick buck."

Posted by Tania Chatila at 3:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

UPDATE: Never mind, he wont be running.

Interestingly enough, my editor pointed out Lessig (see previous post) is considering running for a congressional seat. Read on here.

Posted by Tania Chatila at 11:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I’m reading this book called Free Culture by Lawrence Lessig for a class I’m taking about business strategies in media firms. The book is basically a 300-page argument for amending copyright laws. Regardless of your thoughts on the matter, there was one passage that struck me as both a journalist and a blogger.
I should point out the book’s copyright was in 2003.

Blog space gives amateurs a way to enter the debate — “amateur” not in the sense of inexperienced, but in the sense of an Olympic athlete, meaning not paid by anyone to give their reports. It allows for a much broader range of input into a story, as reporting on the Columbia disaster revealed, when hundreds from across the southwest United States turned to the Internet to retell what they had seen.
And it drives readers to read across the range of accounts and “triangulate,” as (Dave) Winer puts it, the truth. Blogs, Winer says, are “communicating directly with our constituency, and the middle man is out of it” — with all the benefits, and costs, that might entail.
Winer is optimistic about the future of journalism infected with blogs. “It’s going to become an essential skill,” Winer predicts, for public figures and increasingly for private figures as well.
It’s not clear that “journalism” is happy about this — some journalists have been told to curtail their blogging. But it is clear that we are still in transition. “A lot of what we are doing now is warm-up exercises,” Winer told me.
There is a lot that must mature before this space has its mature effect. And as the inclusion of content in this space is the least infringing use of the Internet (meaning infringing on copyright), Winer said, “we will be the last thing that gets shut down.”

Posted by Tania Chatila at 11:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

You may all remember the story surrounding the Lutheran High School master plan, which was approved this month after heated debate over what the renovations would do to the neighboring residential community. Well, you may also recall that part of that debate was anger over the use of the high school’s gym by Prodigy Athletic — Cameron Murray’s basketball camp.

La Verne city attorneys sent a cease and desist letter at the beginning of February to the school and Murray, telling them Prodigy could no longer use the gym unless they go through a separate CUP process with the city.

But if you go on Prodigy Athletic’s Web site, the program is still advertising Lutheran’s gym as the location of its spring camp — which, I should add, costs $200 a player or $1,200 a team.

The camp starts in about two weeks. Wonder what’s going to happen to all those ballers come opening day?

Posted by Tania Chatila at 8:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Rosemead residents planning on attending the council meeting tonight should brace themselves for a long one. Between the general plan study session and the censure discussions, my prediction is that no one will get out of there before 11 p.m. And that's if we're lucky. I sure I hope I'm wrong.

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 8:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

What would you do: Spend $150,000 to figure out how to help the homeless, or buy the homeless $150,000 worth of beds or meals?

The Board of Sups will vote today on the issue, Alison Hewit reports:

Funding study on homeless debated
Critics say money should go to shelter beds, donated meals
By Alison Hewitt, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 02/25/2008 09:55:15 PM PST

Advocates for the homeless are divided over whether the county should use $150,000 to do a detailed analysis of the San Gabriel Valley homeless population and the services available for them.

The Board of Supervisors is slated to discuss approving the funds today. It would go to a team of consultants selected by the 31-city San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments and identify any gaps between what's provided and what's needed and to organize providers to fill those gaps.

Some local homeless services representatives praised the effort, but others asked if the $150,000 wouldn't do more good paying for shelter beds or donated meals.

"Unless you have good accurate information, we've seen for years that ... people would just want to do something and they'd just start feeding people without knowing what the need was," said Jan Cicco, chair of the 52-agency Consortium of the East San Gabriel Valley on Homelessness. "$150,000 is not a large price to pay to ensure that the greater sum of services goes where it's really needed." Read more.

 

UPDATE: The Board of Sups okayed a grant for a homeless study.

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 7:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Alta Dena Dairy is spared. For now, Melissa Pamer reports.

MONTEREY PARK - The city's plan to build what officials say is a much-needed new fire station on the site of a 50-year-old drive-through convenience store has upset residents and the business's owner.

More than 600 customers of the the Alta Dena Dairy have signed owner Kimberly Yu's petition calling the store a "historical landmark" and asking the city to find another location for Fire Station No. 2.

The city purchased the dairy property in April 2006 for $625,000 with plans to begin demolition in early 2009, when Yu's lease is set to expire.

Officials say the store site is a good fit to replace an aged, nearby fire station. Read more.

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 5:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

About once a month I will get a person who I interview for a story ask me to read the article before it makes it to print. The answer: No. We aren't a PR group. We are a newspaper.

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 8:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Just spotted this on the wire....

City News Service
LOS ANGELES - The 48-year-old owner of Glendale’s St. Ann’s Hospice pleaded not guilty today to a charge of making illegal campaign contributions.
Gladwin Gill, of Covina, was arraigned this morning in U.S. District Court in downtown Los
Angeles.
Gill agreed in December to eventually plead guilty to the charge, which alleges that he used friends and employees to make $26,000 in illegal campaign contributions to President Bush and other political candidates.
No new court dates have yet been set.

Waddya think of that?

Posted by Tania Chatila at 5:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

This just in from Montebello reporter Amanda Baumfeld:

Montebello City Council is expected to appoint a new Police Chief at Wednesday's meeting. The city has been without a police chief since December when Chief Garry Couso-Vasquez. The item is listed under closed session so very little information is available.

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 2:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I was reviewing a staff report for Rosemead's city council meeting when I came across my name. It looks like each time I call the Rosemead City Attorney Bonifacio Garcia, it comes at a cost. I'm feeling a little guilty now, knowing that my actions come to a $714 cost to Rosemead residents.

Here's how it broke down

Date             Description                                                                     Hours        Charge
4/11/2007      Phone conference regarding records request by Trib                 1.6           $336
7/20/2007      Phone conference with Trib reporter re: Brown Act violation       0.3           $63
8/22/2007      Phone conference with Jennifer McLain re: Mazone matter       0.6            $126
10/10/2007    Phone conference with Jennifer McLain re: Gary Taylor's           0.9            $189
                            recommendation to the Grand Jury

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 11:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

I got a call this morning about an incident that happened over the weekend at former La Puente Mayor Lou Perez’ house.
Apparently, the cops were called. But deputies with the sheriff’s department Industry station found no “criminal conduct,” so no arrests were made and no police report was filed, sheriff’s Sgt. Gerard Velona said.

Here’s Perez’ side of the story:
“My daughter was here causing some problems and so forth. She didn’t want to leave. It was a family gathering.”
Perez said he called the police on his daughter because she was causing a ruckus: “She’s always off the handle anyway,” he said.

All's well that ends well.

Posted by Tania Chatila at 11:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Two local water officials have incurred more than $170,000 in district expenses over two years for meetings and travel expenses, records show.

Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District board President Leon Garcia was paid $82,769 from July 2005 to July 2007 in meetings and travel. Expenses include a six-day trip to Hawaii and $1,155 for a stay at the Disneyland Hotel, 26 miles from Garcia's home.

 

Willard Murray, director at the Water Replenishment District of Southern California was paid close to $90,000 in two years for attending meetings and for travel expenses that included a trip to Mexico City.

Both board members' expenses are within their districts' policies.

Garcia's and Murray's expenses stand out in a records review of 12 local water districts and 60 board members, but their expenses represent only a portion of the nearly $1.6million paid to directors for board meetings and travel among the 12 districts, which provide water throughout the San Gabriel Valley and Los Angeles County.

I've already received a couple of calls this morning, asking whether I looked into other water districts. The truth is that when I started this story nearly three months ago, I thought that I was getting most if not all of the water districts, suppliers, and retailers in the San Gabriel Valley. But I soon realized there are many more than the 12 district that I came up with.

Hopefully, the story will bring on many more follow up stories. I welcome your comments and any direction you think that stories in the future could take.

FOLLOW-UP: And the previous post about the "Elected official does not want to be bothered" was about Leon Garcia. But if you notice, Garcia already said that was him in the comments section of that post.

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 8:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Despite recent gang violence, a wave of nationwide foreclosures and a housing slump, Monrovia isn’t giving up on Colorado Commons.

Star-News reporter Melissa Pamer wrote a story in today’s paper about the long-awaited opening of the mixed-used downtown development. It includes 68 units and one- to three-bedroom homes ranging from mid-$300,000 to $700,000.

Posted by Tania Chatila at 4:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Star-News reporter Robert Hong reports about the city of San Gabriel adding three hybrids to their fleet of city vehicles. The cars - two Ford Escape hybrids and a Toyota Highlander hybrid - cost the city $83,000.

It’s all part of a bid by officials to purchase fuel-efficient vehicles whenever possible.

Read on here.

Posted by Tania Chatila at 12:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We've made reference before to Covina's For the Record page - a spot on the city's Web site where Covina officials make "corrections" to stories in the press. Mostly, they call out reporters from the Tribune. Sometimes they say we got the facts wrong. Other times, they offer supplemental information they feel will help residents be more informed.

A recent example stems from a February letter to the editor about the effects of Proposition 1-A on Covina. City Manager Paul Phillips sent this to our editors after that letter ran. Looks like they call out readers sometimes too.

Response to Letter to the Editor