Monthly Archives: March 2009

Chu making her rounds

Posted on by
41

Two weeks ago it was El Monte, this week it’s Baldwin Park.

Judy Chu – head of the State Board of Equalization and a candidate for the 32nd Congressional seat – is opening up a campaign headquarters in Baldwin Park on Saturday.

She’s having a big shindig at 9:30 a.m. to celebrate the office’s opening, at 4153 N. Maine Avenue – yes, Bisno Development Co.’s old office.

Expected to be there are: “members of Labor Secretary Hilda Solis’ family, California State Controller John Chiang, Assemblyman Ed Hernandez, D-West Covina, Assemblyman Mike Eng, D-El Monte, and scores of local mayors and council members from the 32nd District,” according to a press release sent out today.

La Puente cash flow

Posted on by
1

La Puente is getting $327,889 in federal money, and they’re using it for improvements along Main Street.

The Main Street Reconstruction Project extends about a mile, between Bamboo Street and Laura Avenue. It will include new pavement and improvements to the sidewalks, curb ramps, striping and utility covers.

“This is a very important project simply because of the amount of traffic we have going down Main Street — not only pedestrian traffic, but vehicular traffic,” Mayor Louie Lujan said.

That area of town — mostly residential — is a major exit and entry point between La Puente and Azusa, Lujan said.

“It’s a very nice bedroom-type of community right next to Azusa,” he said. “It’s nice access to shopping and the 60 Freeway, right up against the golf course.”

The state will administer the funds, according to a one-page staff report.

 


View Larger Map

Rosemead gives a fond farewell

Posted on by
9

Now that the election is over, it’s time for the results to really sink in.

It was the last Rosemead City Council meeting for John Nunez and John Tran last night. Newcomers Steven Ly and Sandra Armenta will be taking over for them, alongside Margaret Clark — who was re-elected — and the rest of the council.

I just sifted through the beginning, end and public communications portions of the meeting, but it didn’t sound like Nunez or Tran commented about their departures.

In fact, it was the residents who spoke out — mostly saying that they were happy with the work the two did, and sad to see them go.

Even kids who helped out in the Johns’ campaign came out in support of the outgoing councilmen:

Here’s some general quotes:

“Mayor Tran, I have seen you conduct the City Council meetings with order. You are well-mannered, polite man and respectful of others … Be careful not to give place to the deceit and viciousness allowed to be spit out by a very few of your supporters. For without it, you may have won this election.”

“I’ve never spoken at a council meeting until tonight. John and John, I’m proud of your accomplishments over the last four years. You did a great job of bringing Rosemead into the 21st century.”

“I hate to think it’s going to go back to the way it was (tight wallet). “I hope things that were established will stay in place.”

A day late and a dollar short

Posted on by
Reply
24833-REVOLT_006.jpg

24834-REVOLT_007.jpg

I know this happened last weekend, but reporter Brian Day got some good pictures when he went out to cover Tax Revolt 2009 last weekend. The event protesting the new state budget and increased taxes was hosted by KFI-AM talk-show hosts John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou at a parking lot in Fullerton.

The event also rallied recall efforts against Assemblyman Anthony Adams, R-Claremont; state Sen. Abel Maldonado, R-Santa Maria; Assemblyman Jeff Miller, R-Corona and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

OPEN FORUM: Finding more money

Posted on by
Reply

West Covina Council Members decided to go ahead and implement a plan to charge for parking at City Hall and the courthouse.

On the bright side, I’ve heard from West Covina council members, they don’t have any plans to implement new taxes.

This is among the several ways that city officials in our area are trying to make up for a loss in revenue.

OPEN FORUM: Have you noticed any new fees or cut in services in your cities the past few months?

Cedillo hits the SGV pavement

Posted on by
62

More on Cedillo:

So, Sen. Gil Cedillo kicked off his campaign in El Monte on Saturday, Rebecca Kimitch reports. His surprise endorsement was Congressman Xavier Becerra, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisor Gloria Molina and retired congressman Esteban Torres.

Here’s a snipet from the story:

Though the crowd responded enthusiastically to most of Becerra’s words, they were not as responsive when asked who in the room had been directly helped by Cedillo’s efforts.

One of the biggest criticisms facing Cedillo is his relative inexperience representing the area of the San Gabriel Valley that makes up the 32nd Congressional district – which stretches from east Los Angeles, through Monterey Park, Rosemead, South El Monte, El Monte, Baldwin Park, West Covina and Irwindale to Covina, Azusa and Duarte.

By contrast, his leading opponent, Chu, has represented the western part of the district in the state Assembly. But Cedillo, who grew up in Boyle Heights, says his roots are in the area – his parents have worked in the Valley and his family goes back three generations in valley cities including Alhambra and Monterey Park.

Cedillo also said he worked for the entire county when he was general manager of the Los Angeles County employees’ union.

The candidate added legislation he has pushed in Sacramento, as both a state senator and state assemblyman, has served all residents of the San Gabriel Valley, not just his district.

Some of the legislation for which he has fought most fervently is aimed at allowing undocumented immigrants to obtain drivers licenses. After introducing the proposal in consecutive sessions of the legislature, his colleagues began referring to him as “One-bill Gil.”

Leftovers Column

Posted on by
1

Tired of hearing about Chu and Cedillo yet? Well, they probably be in the news for awhile.

Here’s the latest Leftovers from City Hall column:

One week after Board of Equalization Chairwoman Judy Chu officially kicked off her Congressional campaign in El Monte, Sen. Gil Cedillo traveled out of his Los Angeles Senate district to announce his own campaign.

Where? In El Monte.

Cedillo may not have as strong a backing in the San Gabriel Valley as Chu, but coming to the heart of the district can’t hurt.

Especially when candidates are still throwing their names in the hat for this heated race. Last week, Republican Jim Hertzel, a Certified Public Accountant from West Covina, announced he, too, would be running.

According to a press release he sent out, Hertzel’s motivation is “fueled by years of feeling that politicians must be held accountable to the views of the community and provide viable solutions.”

Hertzel – who has never held an elected seat – also noted in his press release that he is married to a Philippine immigrant with two adult children.

He’ll face off with Cedillo, Chu, Republican Theresa Hernandez, Emanuel Pleitez and Baldwin Park Unified School Board Member Blanca Rubio. Former assemblyman and newly elected Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water Board Member Ed Chavez apparently hasn’t made up his mind yet.

****

Officials are estimating voter turnout in local elections last week averaged around 18 percent.

That’s not even close to the nearly 55 voter percent turnout during the presidential election, but it was enough to shake things up and force a few incumbents out of office.
In Rosemead, incumbents John Tran and John Nu ez were ousted. Returning to office is Maggie Clark. She’ll be joined by Steven Ly, 24, and Sandra Armenta, 36.

Tran and Nu ez each served only one term, and spent the past four years on a majority that encouraged mixed-use development, brought in a new City Hall administration and allocated money for public information, a city Web site and improving parks.

With potentially a new voting block running the show, it is unclear whether the new regime will choose to preserve some – if any – of the previous council’s programs, projects and even employees.

Also seeing a shift in the council majority is Monterey Park. There, David Lau returns to office without his colleague, two-term councilwoman Sharon Martinez. Martinez’s seat will now be filled by former councilwoman Betty Tom Chu.

With the new council line-up, it appears Tom Chu, Councilman Mitchell Ing and Mayor Frank Venti will lead, while Lau and councilman Anthony Wong will be the odd men out.

Finally, in Covina – where voters chose to keep Kevin Stapleton and John King on the dais – a shift in the council isn’t likely. But the return of former Mayor Bob Low has some people wondering how the dynamic at meetings will change.

Low was elected to serve a seat vacated by former Councilwoman Meline Juarez, who chose not to run again and left her term early because she moved out of state.

Low served on the council from 1978 to 1990, and since then has been a regular critic at council meetings.

jennifer.mclain@sgvn.com

tania.chatila@sgvn.com

(626) 962-8811 ext. 2477, 2109

insidesocal.com/sgvgov

West Covina Chamber: Part III

Posted on by
26

Luis Chacon, the board member on the West Covina Chamber of Commerce, had a court hearing today regarding the restraining order that three staff members filed on Chacon. Here is what happened in court today, according to Chacon:

Here is the just of today’s hearing:

1. I was never served in the action, but out of a sense of personal and community responsibility I sought the information on, and appeared at the hearing. The restraining order was not granted, dissolved, as there was no legitimate and/or reasonable basis for it.

2. All three individuals (Gary Lawson, Monica Cabrerra, & William Medina) acknowledged to the judge I made no threats or insinuations to them in any way ever. It was acknowledged by all three that the only one I was speaking to during the “incident” was my wife. Gary was not even there when the “incident” took place and his position and actions were based solely on hearsay.

3. The judge acknowledged that if Gary wanted me removed from the Chamber’s Board of Directors, the Chamber’s governing body, The Board of Directors, have emplaced policy and procedures where they are the only ones who could properly address and remove me from participation in my duly elected responsibilities and that has not happen.

4. All three acknowledged that I did not pose a threat to them based on direct assault, or threat and all this is based on a sole incident that clearly does not establish a pattern.

5. The judge believed that the only one who had any basis to a restraining order and should have felt threatened was my wife and she was neither present nor has filed anything.

More to come on Monday.

Our cops love IN-N-OUT Burger ***********

Posted on by
10

*****I find it very interesting the comments made on this post. So I will just say this: When we decided to put this up, in no way was it to make any other statement then, ‘Hey, that’s funny – on our way to lunch, we saw two different police agencies in the drive-thru across the street in a matter of days. Wow, I guess they love In-N-Out as much as we do.’ Nothing more. And yes, this is located in borderline Baldwin Park, West Covina and even close to Irwindale. The end.

Our office is located right across the street from a very popular In-N-Out Burger in West Covina.

So popular, we spotted two different police agencies grabbing lunch in the drive-thru in the last five days: Irwindale and Baldwin Park police. Hey, we love In-N-Out too….

***Just to make it clear, this is the address for the In-N-Out straight from the Web site:

15610 San Bernardino Rd.

West Covina, California 91790

24664-irwindalepd.jpg
24665-bppd.jpg

Me so … civic minded

Posted on by
10
24636-mandervile.jpg

Celeste Manderville seems so busy with her modeling career, it’s a wonder how she ever found the time to run an unsuccessful City Council campaign in La Puente last year.

At the time, Manderville was running against incumbents, Renee Chavez, John Solis and Lou Perez, as well as newcomers David Argudo, Dan Holloway, Nadia Mendoza and Martin Paz for two open seats.

Holloway and Mendoza won.

Now, Manderville is asking for votes for another kind of election. I got an e-mail from the former La Puente candidate a few days ago with the subject “VOTE FOR ME! MAKE AND ACCOUNT AND VOTE!!!” Click here to see what she wants you to vote for…

 

Hi celestemanderville!

celeste manderville wants you to check out something out on TriFame.com…

Additional Comments:
Copyright 2008 TriFame, All Rights Reserved.