Dan Abendschein reports that West Covina plans to make $5 million in cuts to narrow its projected deficit to $3 million.*

What Abendschein also tells us is that West Covina spends 77 percent of its budget on public safety. Yikes. Vallejo, the northern California that is declaring bankruptcy, spent up to 75 percent of its budget on public safety.

"You could eliminate all non-public safety city hall personnel, and still not close the deficit," West Covina Finance Director Tom Bachman said.

*****

"Over 10 years our spending on public safety has jumped 99 percent, while non-public safety has only increased 41 percent," Bachman said. "It is hard to see a budget solution that does not involve public safety."

I doubt the city will talk about bankruptcy any time soon. After all, another big reason Vallejo is broke is because of mismanagement. For example, Vallejo's city manager was raking in $317,000. West Covina City Manager Andrew Pasmant is making about $215,000.

*This was updated after a reader pointed out an earlier typo. Thanks to the commenter that stood up for me, but it was my bad. :/

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 11:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

During my early morning 7.5 mile run today through Irwindale and Azusa, I noticed a Day Laborer sign where nearly a dozen men were lined up. My running partner told me that he has seen that line get as big as nearly 40 people.

What I found interesting is that the city condoned it. Why else would they have a sign and provide what looked like bus stops for these workers? It is a very different attitude than we hear from residents that complain about day laborers at places such as Home Depot.

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 11:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A couple of week's ago I blogged about La Puente officials' consideration of re-opening City Hall every Friday.

Looks like they want to know what the community thinks about that.

Go ahead, take this survey. You know you want to.

Posted by Tania Chatila at 5:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The hot story out of Sacramento today: Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger wants to borrow money against future lotto sales to eliminate the deficit.

Here are some excerpts from the AP story by Juliet Williams that ran in our paper today:

The $144.3 billion budget plan for the fiscal year that begins in July is a byproduct of a slowing state economy. Tax revenue has been falling far short of what California needs to keep pace with spending, leading to a $15.2 billion shortfall.

The other $10 billion would remain in a reserve fund the governor wants to create to help the state get through rough financial times in the future.

Williams reports the proposal still requires voter approval come November.

If not....

...the governor would ask the Legislature to approve a temporary 1 cent increase in the state sales tax to pay for the reserve fund. It would last no more than three years.

Ugh, death amd taxes...you know the saying.

Posted by Tania Chatila at 10:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Mike Sprague reports that Whittier is facing a $1.8 million deficit.

WHITTIER - The days of easily balancing the city's budget are over, thanks to rising sales and property taxes.

Instead, City Manager Steve Helvey will go to the City Council during an 8 a.m. Saturday study session looking for ways to balance the fiscal 2008-09 budget.

While the overall budget of $99.7 million is balanced, the key general fund isn't. It has a projected deficit of about $1.8 million.

"On Saturday, we'll give a list of ways we can balance the budget," Assistant City Manager Nancy Mendez said. "There's eight to 10 different ways to balance the budget."

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 10:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Taboo, a Rosemead High Graduate and member of the popular music group the Black Eyed Peas, swung buy his former school for a motivational speech yesterday in honor of "Astronaunt Day." He spoke alongside NASA astronaunt John Olivas.

I'm not exactly sure why Taboo spoke on Astronaunt Day, since he has nothing to do with NASA or astronauts, but the kids seemed to enjoy it, Claudia Palma reports.

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 9:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Reporter Dan Abendschein has an interesting story in today's paper about the benefits of sports industry to the local economy.

Depending on who you talk to, that industry can either boost local economy or simply do nothing at all.

Of course, the local tie is developer Ed Roski's bid to build an $800 million NFL stadium in Industry.

What side are you on?

Sports in the greater Los Angeles region is a $2.1 billion industry, according to a study released by sports promoters Wednesday.

"Those are very small employment numbers," said Kyser.

The study, conducted by UCLA graduate students, looks at professional sports, college sports, horse racing and other annual sporting events in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

"This is one of the strongest sports markets in the country, and the study shows what kind of an impact it has on the local economy," said David Simon, president of the L.A. Sports Council.

(...)

The impact of sports on a local economy is a subject that has long been under debate. Developers and sports team owners, eager to capitalize on public funds, have long touted the benefits of the sports economy.

Economists have been split on the issue: most agree that building a new stadium where one has already existed does not help the economy.

A 2004 study by economists Edward Coulson and Gerald Carlino suggested a new stadium brings benefits to a neighborhood, by raising local property values and bringing in customers to local restaurants and businesses.

The question for cities is whether it pays for the government to invest in sports.

Read the full story here.

Posted by Tania Chatila at 9:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A letter that snuck into a public stack of records containted information that Rosemead officials said shouldn't have been made public yet. The letter was written by a developer wanting to attract national retailers to the Levitx Furniture site on Glendon Way, off the 10 Freeway. In the letter, it names Best Buy as the interested party.

Yesterday, I got a call after my story was edited and out of my hands asking that we hold off running the store name because they are still negotiating with Best Buy. Normally, the city likes to hold off on announcing those sorts of things until the deal is finalized, officials said.

Well, we ran the story. If the negotiating goes bad, don't blame me. I'm just the messenger.

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 8:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

You can't tell by driving by it, but the Starbucks located in the new shopping center across from Big League Dreams is now open. The barista said it opened on Friday, and if you could believe it, there was not one person in line, and not one person going through the drive through. There was just a lonely customer sitting in the store, drinking his coffee. I'm sure that will quickly change.

It doesn't look like the other stores and restaurants, such as Quiznos or El Pollo Loco, are open yet, but signs say that they are coming soon. I don't know what that means, exactly.

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 8:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CSU fee hikes approved, the Associated Press reports

CSU committee approves 10 percent tuition hike Associated Press Last Updated 11:02 am PDT Wednesday, May 14, 2008

LONG BEACH -- The cost of attending a California State University campus is likely to go up again in the fall.

A committee of the CSU Board of Trustees on Wednesday authorized raising yearly undergraduate tuition by $276, or 10 percent. The increase means that undergraduates will pay an average of $3,797 next year, twice as much as what a CSU school cost in fall 2000.

The 23-campus system is under orders from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to reduce campus spending to help make up a statewide budget deficit. Several trustees said they had to ask students and their families to shoulder some of the burden.

The proposal approved by the Board of Trustees' finance committee is scheduled to be considered by the 23-campus system's full board late Wednesday

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 11:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Last night's Rosemead City Council meeting was fast. But it was also extremely frustrating. Council members balked at one another over whether to change minutes from summary to action; debated on why hard copies of city documents are sometimes better than computerized documents; and accused one another of preventing Rosemead from being transparent.

Councilmembers Maggie Clark and Gary Taylor said last night that the decision to go from summary meetings, which has more detail than action minutes, is just another attempt by majority to keep residents in the dark.

Mayor John Tran and Councilwoman Polly Low, however, both said that was ludicrous, and that it was Clark and Taylor that have been trying to keep the actions in City Hall distant from the public.

What I wish I could have told them last night was this: No one cares about the minutes. And even if they did, they don't have access to them.

Case in point: Last night, traffic commissioner Brian Lewin, who attends nearly every meeting, spoke on an issue about the city wanting to raise the rates for those who use the community centers. Brian went up to the podium, and spoke for nearly five minutes about how this is fine, but we shouldn't raise the rates for Rosemead residents.

If Brian would have read the staff report, he would have seen that that is exactly what is being suggested, Gary Taylor pointed out to Lewin.

But Brian didn't read the report. Why? I'm going to speculate that he didn't read it for a few reasons.

No. 1: Residents only have two days before the meeting to review the staff reports, which sit on the counter Monday and Tuesday. And they have to make sure to go to City Hall or to the library to do so.

No. 2: Unlike at most other cities, which make their staff reports available to the public DURING the meeting, Rosemead keeps those documents locked up.

No. 3: The documents aren't available online. If they were, I am sure someone like Brian Lewin would read them.

So, who cares how detailed the minutes are if the public can't view them?

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 10:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Last night's meeting was recorded last night by video camera. That means that DVD's of the meeting will be available to the public at $5 a pop. And hopefully, this also means that the council will eventually be putting these meetings online.

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 10:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Jennifer McLain reports today about a countywide traffic signal synchronization program that will involve six San Gabriel Valley cities...

The program aims to increase mobility through reduced travel times by coordinating signal lights in the major arterials that run through the county.

Over the past few months, nearly $10.8 million worth of grants has begun to be distributed among several local cities, including Azusa, Rosemead, Montebello, Norwalk, Santa Fe Springs and West Covina.

There are more projects are on the way that will use that money, said Bill Winter, Los Angeles County Department of Public Works assistant deputy director for traffic and lighting.

Last March, after several years of stalled funding, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority - which provides 80 percent of the money for the program - opened up funding to cities in the San Gabriel Valley

Posted by Tania Chatila at 9:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As expected, concerns about the amount of traffic a football stadium could bring to the area if built in Industry are coming to fruition.

Note this letter that ran in our Opinion section today:

A stadium at the Pomona (60) and Orange (57) freeways? Are they insane?

Posted by Tania Chatila at 9:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If you're expecting the La Puente City Council to discuss extending an exclusive negotiating agreement with the Charles Co. tonight, don't hold your breath.

Here are some excerpts from a story I wrote for tomorrow's paper:

A recent land deal, the economy and a proposed big-box retail project at a main thoroughfare have officials rethinking negotiations with a prominent developer.

La Puente officials have been in negotiations with the Los Angeles-based company for about a year for what has been preliminarily projected as an 11.5-acre retail commercial center in the 1300 block of Hacienda Boulevard at Fairgrove Avenue.

Mayor Louie Lujan and Councilwoman Nadia Mendoza say they want to "take a step back" and weigh all options before moving forward with a developer for the project, pegged as a retail center.

Councilman Dan Holloway said he has concerns about lingering effects of the city's budget.

And council members John Solis and Lola Storing disagree with their colleagues all together, citing loss to the city and wasted time.

City staff members have 45 days to solicit interest from developers who formerly submitted plans to the city for the project.

Some of those previous developers include Newmark Merrill, Lowe Enterprises and Ed Roski's Majestic Realty.

Maybe Roski will build his football stadium in La Puente instead?

Posted by Tania Chatila at 6:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Talk about climbing the corporate ladder...

MONTEBELLO - A former city bus driver and manager at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has become the city's newest department head.

The position was open for nearly nine months after Allan Pollock left in June. Jackson, also known as AJ, began the stint in April and says her 15 years of experience will aid her in her new post.

Posted by Tania Chatila at 11:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Looks like residents can keep using the Sawpit Wash Trail in Monrovia to jog and walk their dogs, Melissa Pamer reports.

The city had been embroiled in lengthy litigation with a local homeowner who wanted to restrict accesst to the trail where it crosses his property.

But a Pasadena Superior Court judge has sided with the city to keep the trail open to the public.

The story is defintely worth the read.

Posted by Tania Chatila at 10:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

West Covina officials are forecasting an $8 million deficit next fiscal year, according to reporter Dan Abendschein.

Apparently, the city has released a report that anticipates expenditures in 2008-09 will go up by $4 million.

Problem is, the same report predicts revenues will only increase by about $500,000.

Now I'm no math major, but that cost-benefit analysis just doesn't seem to add up.

City staff members will be presenting ideas to the City Council Wednesday on how to cut down on the preliminary $8 million deficit.

City Manager Andrew Pasmant told Dan some of those include an across-the-board cut for each city department, early retirements and hiring freezes.

Read the full story here.

Posted by Tania Chatila at 9:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I hear there was a nice turnout today for the viewing and funeral services for Tom Grueter, a former La Puente planning commissioner.

Grueter died last week at his La Puente home from what family members believe may have been a heart aneurysm. He was 70.

Grueter and his family were known for their long-standing contribution to the dairy industry in the San Gabriel Valley -- Grueter's parents started up Grueter's Swiss Dairy in the 1920s.

The dairy farm was one of the largest in the area at that time -- located on what is now the Pacific Palms Resort -- and provided local businesses, residents and schools with milk.

Tom Grueter worked there until the business shut down in 1975.

He served on the La Puente Planning Commission from 2003 to 2007.

A viewing and funeral services for Grueter were held today at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Rowland Heights.

I hear several city officials attended.

Posted by Tania Chatila at 5:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In a story I wrote last week about Baldwin Park naming its first female police chief, Sierra Madre Police Chief Marilyn Diaz told me that she was the first female chief in the county's history, Inglewood Chief Jacqueline Seabrooks was the second and Hadsell is now the third.

Since then, I've gotten some calls and e-mails from readers pointing out other female chiefs......

Just in case you did not know, Margaret A. York has been the Chief for the Los Angeles County Police since the end of 2003. Please see us on the web. www.LACPOLICE.org

Bradley Sheffield, Sergeant
Los Angeles County Police
Recruitment Unit

I also got a call from someone who said the Los Angeles Count transit police had a female chief, though I haven't been able to confirm that.

I take it Diaz was probably referring to chiefs of municipal police departments when she made her statements to me, still the others are worth mentioning.

Posted by Tania Chatila at 5:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

There are some fighting words in Fred Ortega's article about the open Senate seat in the 29th District. State Sen. Bob Margett is vacating the seat, and now Bob Huff and Dennis Mountjoy are going to duke it out to represent the convservative district.

"Bob Huff has no name ID and Margett's endorsement doesn't mean much," said Mountjoy, whose father served in the Assembly from 1978 to 1995 and authored Proposition 187, the controversial measure that would have denied state services to illegal aliens. "The Mountjoy name has been on the ballot for 30 years and is still good and strong. It stands for principle."

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 8:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Interesting article by Dan Abendschein about the lack of info out there on county judges who are elected to the bench. I'm sure that if Judge Judy were to run, she'd win hands down.

County judges have the power to sentence criminals, settle contentious civil disputes and decide the legality of local ordinances.

Choosing who gets to make these important decisions rests with voters.

But local bar association officials, judicial candidates and sitting judges agree that residents often know very little about the people they choose.

"Judges can have more impact on people then their local legislator," said Brent Braun, who evaluates judicial candidates as part of a committee of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. "Yet many people choose the person on the ballot because they like their name or because they only want to vote for a prosecutor or for some other arbitrary reason."

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 8:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I sure hope everyone's weeked was better than that of this woman, who was attacked in the face by a pelican.

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 10:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This from reporter Amanda Baumfeld:

Montebello appears to have a pretty full agenda for Wednesday. Here is some of what the City Council will discuss:

-An ordinance to ban medical marijuana dispensaries in the city.

-Possibly adopt Robert's Rules of Orders. The council had a special study session on this item in March. The only member who verbally disapproved of adopting the rules was Mayor Bill Molinari who does not see the need for "another layer of bureaucracy."

-They may decide to construct a Fire Department Training Center in the city.

Meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 1600 Beverly Blvd.

Posted by Tania Chatila at 5:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here are the agenda highlights for Rosemead's City Council meeting on Tuesday.

---The city is purchasing four hybrid cars at $150,000 with AB 2766 funds - implemented to reduce air pollution from motor vehicles.

----Go out to bid for companies that can get documents online. The council earlier this year approved $58,000 to purchase an electronic document management system.

----Change how the city prepares its minutes, and consider providing DVDs to the public. The city currently sells audio tapes at $5 each.

----The city will vote on appproving a $10,000 reward to people who have information on a murders that have occurred in the city.

----In closed session, there is a conference with labor negoitations with the Rosemead Employee Association.

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 4:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Talk about a bad week for local politicians.

Between Dolores Holguin, Steven Johnson and now Gary Clifford from Glendora, SGV officials are getting slammed.

GLENDORA - Two young Glendora women arrested last year for putting stickers on the political signs of Glendora elected leaders can take their lawsuit against Councilman Gary Clifford to trial, a judge ruled today.

The women maintain they were handcuffed by the side of the road and taken to the station in separate patrol cars. They said they were booked, searched and kept in jail for four hours, interrogated separately and not allowed to talk to their parents and lawyers.

What I don't: the judge apparently said he did not think the case should ever go before a jury. But he ruled to let it go to trial anyway.

Go figure.

Posted by Tania Chatila at 3:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I want to scream. It's Friday, Rosemead City Hall is closed, and it is impossible for me to get the supplemental information for the agenda. I have to wait until Monday, which means that the stories have to wait until Tuesday.

Almost every other city in the SGV post the staff reports online, although there are other only cities that don't it, like Industry and Montebello (both of which aren't exactly pillars of open government ). La Verne also doesn't post it. I wonder what their excuse is. After all, Rich McKee, champion for open government, is a planning commissioner for the city.

But alas! I can see the light. On Tuesday, Rosemead is starting the steps to getting documents online. I wish I could tell you more, but I can't get access to the staff report!!

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 12:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Don't mess with politicians and their golf courses.

Star-News reporter Kevin Felt wrote a story in today's paper about the future of the Arcadia Par-3 Golf Course.

Apparently, Kare Youth League wants to buy a sliver of the 18-hole, 1,947-yard-long course - 9/10ths of an acre at the edge of the property. Problem is, it would involve moving one hole.

Here's what the council had to say about that:

"I would never be interested in selling any portion at a fair price," said Councilman Roger Chandler, who described himself as an avid user of the course. "I would only be interested if we sold it for an extraordinary price. You can only sell this land once, then it's gone forever."

In January, Councilman Peter Amundson noted a city formula that estimated the value of Arcadia's park at about $500,000 an acre. But Chandler said Tuesday that he didn't think $1 million for the land would be enough.

More than $1 million for 9/10ths of an acre? Sounds like John Martin, Kare executive director, could be willing to pay it.

"We are very interested, no matter how many candy-bar sales it takes," said Martin, noting that Kare provides recreational opportunities for 600 children at its facility. "I have to believe there is a way to bring this all together to help all parties involved."

Posted by Tania Chatila at 11:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Are you serious? The man who Mayor Antiono Villaraigosa wants to nominate as the finance director is requesting a $290,000 salary, which is $70,000 more than the outgoing CAO is getting. The increase comes at a time when the city is dealing with a $406 million budget shortfall, the Daily News reports.

It's amazing to me that as we all deal with a crappy enonomy and many of us can barely finagle a minimal cost of living adjustment that our governmental officials are generously giving themselves raises on our dime.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's nominee to oversee Los Angeles' finances is facing growing opposition from the City Council over his lobbyist connections and his request for a $290,000 salary - far higher than the pay of the current city administrative officer.

The mayor nominated his former chief deputy, Marcus Allen, in March and since then Allen has been meeting with council members to lay out his plans for the post and discuss his salary request, which is $70,000 more than the salary of outgoing CAO Karen Sisson.

The pay request comes even as the city faces a $406 million budget shortfall and would make Allen the fourth-highest-paid official in the city - making even more than the mayor.

The mayor also has the option to give general managers a 5 percent merit bonus that could boost Allen's pay to $305,000 a year.

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 10:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Melissa Pamer reports that Monterey Park developer Jason Chung has a laundry list of things to do to get his condo project up and running.

MONTEREY PARK - A developer who wants to build luxury condominiums along a busy, commercial stretch of Atlantic Boulevard plans to go into overdrive marketing his project to investors in time to meet a new, city-imposed January construction deadline.

Jason Chung has a lot to accomplish before then - including raising the necessary cash, getting approval for his building plan, demolishing the property's existing structure and grading the lot.

"You think he's going to be able to get all that done in seven months? I don't think so," city Director of Development Services Adolfo Reta said Thursday.

On Wednesday, Monterey Park City Council members approved a permit extension for Chung on a 3-2 vote that followed two hours of heated debate and public comment.

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 8:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

 I had a chance to talk to Baldwin Park Chief Executive Officer Vijay Singhal earlier, and he informed me Lili Hadsell was appointed police chief last night.

Because she is already with the department, it works like a promotion so no contracts needed for approval. A new agreement will be drafted, but that's it, she's the big cheese now.

Officials say she'll be making $155,00 a year - $15,000 more than former Police Chief Edward Lopez did.

Sierra Madre Police Chief Marilyn Diaz - who worked with Hadsell when they were both at the Pasadena Police Dept - told me Hadsell is the second female chief of police in the SGV, and the third in LA County.

Diaz was first in the SGV and county, and Inglewood Police Chief Jacqueline Seabrooks was the second in the county.

Talk about girl power.

Posted by Tania Chatila at 3:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Sen. Jack Scott, D-Pasadena, has a new $200,000 gig lined up once he terms out of office by the end of the year, the Associated Press reports.

SACRAMENTO -- State Sen. Jack Scott of Pasadena has been named the next chancellor of California's community colleges.
The Board of Governors for the 109-campus system voted unanimously for Scott on Thursday.

Scott, a Democrat and former teacher, is chairman of the Senate Education Committee. Before he was elected, he served as president of Pasadena City College for nearly a decade. The 74-year-old will be termed out of office at the end of the year. He says he is thrilled to take on the new role, where he will continue to push for more funding for education.

The chancellor's position pays nearly $200,000 a year and includes a state-paid car. Scott replaces interim Chancellor Diane Woodruff.

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 2:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

On the way back from Taco Nazo in Baldwin Park, Tania Chatila and I spotted these rims for sale. For whatever reason, when we saw it we both cracked up.

Who locks their rims around a tree and puts them up for sale? And where is the fourth rim?? What am I going to do with three rims?

But I can understand why this would be a better alternative than Craigslist.

In case your curious, the rims are $500 bucks.  

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 2:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

It's never a dull moment in Baldwin Park.

Looks like contract negotiations with El Monte police Lt. Ken Alva for Baldwin Park's police chief position have fallen through. Sources tell me he was just asking for too much (apparently a lieutenant in El Monte can make more and get better benefits than a chief in Baldwin Park).

So whose next in line? BP's interim Police Chief Michael Taylor? Think again. It's BP's interim Capt. Lili Hadsell, who was a lieutenant before former Police Chief Edward Lopez left.

Hadsell did not turn in an application for the job when the city was soliciting candidates. Mayor Manuel Lozano told me she wanted to, but thought she didn't think she met the criteria.

Her contract is still pending approval, but Lozano said he's confident it'll go through this time.

If it's affirmed, Hadsell would be the first female chief in BPPD's history.

Posted by Tania Chatila at 11:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

El Monte resident Henry August called El Monte Mayor Ernest Gutierrez an "embarassment" for the mayor's actions at a recent sister city event. August, who spoke at the El Monte City Council meeting this week, lambasted the Mayor for showing up at the event drunk, groping his girlfriend on the dance floor, and using "very bad language."

Apparently, the mayor asked a group of women from the sister city what he could do for them. The ladies said they wanted a graffiti cleaning machine. The mayor's response, according to August: "I f***ing control the city. I can do whatever I fell like doing."

After August spoke, no council members or staff followed up on his comments. And from what reporter Claudia Palma tells me, there aren't any plans to talk about it either.

To watch the video, go to http://webmail.medianewsgroup.com/express/express.asp and click on the 5/6/08 meeting's video. It's about 43 minutes into the meeting.

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 10:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)

I finally checked out Big League Dreams last night with my softball team. It is awesome! Batting cages were cheap ($1 for 18 balls), it's really clean, it's safe and the fields are beautiful. Plus, it was totally packed. All the fields had teams playing on it, there were indoor soccer teams playing, kids running around the playgrounds, and people boozing it up in the snack shacks. Who would've thought this is a former landfill?!

It costs $3 to get in, but you get a $2 token that you could use in the snack shacks - which aren't shacks at all.

And in case you forgot which council members were responsible for bringing the Big League Dreams to the community, there is a plaque proudly displaying the names of the councilmembers and the city manager. I can't blame them. This is probably the best thing West Covina's got going for it. That, and this is the city where the Tribune is headquartered.

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 9:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Melissa Pamer reports on the ongoing negotiations between Monrovia and its police department, which has recently stepped up its tactics by threatening a recall election and by putting up billboards.

On Monday, police launched a telephone poll to gauge voter enthusiasm for recalling three City Council members. On Wednesday, the union began two police-supported ballot initiative petition drives. And on Friday, two billboards critical of the City Council and city manager - and paid for by the police union - went up just outside Monrovia.

Also, the union Thursday appealed an April 23 decision by a Pasadena Superior Court judge denying its request for a neutral arbitrator to help forge a new contract.

City Manager Scott Ochoa, whose own compensation package has come under fire from the MPOA, called the recent actions "publicity stunts" that would not influence city officials. However, he said the tactics had made negotiations "distasteful."

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 5:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)