Recently in Rosemead Category
The Santa Fe and Whittier Narrows dams have Dam Safety Safety Class II - URGENT (Unsafe or Potentially Unsafe), but there isn't a press release about that on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' website.
You know what there is a press release for? This:
LOS ANGELES--More than 30 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District team members welcomed the addition of a much-anticipated break room on the 11th floor during a ribbon cutting ceremony here Jan. 19.Col. Mark Toy, district commander, said one of the first things he did after taking command July 1, 2010, was to examine employee work stations and brainstorm ways to improve them. One of the things Toy noticed was there was nowhere for workers to take a break and recharge their batteries throughout the workday. Since the compression of the building at 915 Wilshire Blvd. was completed last year, there was no designated location for employees to relax.
"You can't work 14 hour days and then [take a] break in the hallways, parking lot or the bathrooms. I was really concerned there wasn't a place for our people to get away from work. Now we have a great flat screen TV, really nice furniture and vending machines," said Toy.
Completion of the break room was made possible thanks to a partnership and coordination between the executive office; Lincoln Properties, which manages the building; the Logistics Office and General Services Administration.
Email: daniel.tedford@sgvn.com | Twitter: @dgtedford @sgvtribune | Facebook: SGVTribune
I fear I am going to hog some of the links today, but my ego has actually grown very little.
You may have seen Sunday's package in the newspaper regarding city car allowances. Two web links for you on that story. The more specific story about El Monte's car allowances and an overall picture of the Valley.
Then there is another story out of Rio Hondo's Police Academy. This one follows up on claims of ammunition abuse at the school while addressing some other issues at the academy.
Here is one to wet your appetite: Food trucks are gathering at SpeedZone in Industry.
Fran Delach, Azusa City Manager, called redevelopment funds "city life blood." Gov. Jerry Brown may pull the plug.
Those concerned about autism should take a look at today's display. A new study links freeways to autism. That story is coupled with the recent news that having children close together may increase the risk of autism. This also follows recent headlines debunking the doctor who is known for promoting a link between autism and vaccines.
Email: daniel.tedford@sgvn.com | Twitter: @dgtedford @sgvtribune | Facebook: SGVTribune
A lot of national news this weekend dominated the headlines including the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell and the defeat of the DREAM Act. While you were absorbing all that, here are some of the things you might have missed.
An ethics scandal may have ended former congressman Jay Kim's political career and marriage, but in failure he found a new love.
Everything you want to know about the new smart meters rolled out by Edison.
Email: daniel.tedford@sgvn.com | Twitter: @dgtedford @sgvtribune | Facebook: SGVTribune
I'm a little late getting this up (just a whole day) but here are some of the stories you missed this weekend (and maybe Monday too, I know I did). I was out sick Monday, so Tuesday is the official start of my week. Anyway, weekend in review is upon us, in case you were worried.
The defense talks about the Manling Williams hung jury and what this decision means for the future punishment of the convicted killer. (Don't forget about the discussion of the death penalty at this earlier blog post. Note: sometimes peddling my own blog posts to garner readership makes me feel guilty. And sad.)
Everybody's favorite: A water board story (not water boarding, water board.) Some long time members of the San Gabriel Water Quality Authority have left, forcing a lot of changes.
And Rosemead School District board members may raise their stipends 5 percent. They currently make between $262.55 and $266.72 per month.
Email: daniel.tedford@sgvn.com | Twitter: @dgtedford @sgvtribune | Facebook: SGVTribune
While researching this story comparing a referendum in Azusa of Vulcan Materials Co.'s new amended mining plan versus Rosemead residents earlier failed attempt to stop a Wal-Mart in the city, there were some other interesting parallels that I stumbled across.
Community groups filed lawsuits against the Wal-Mart projects' environmental impact report for being incomplete, much like Duarte's lawsuit against the Azusa Rock Quarry plan's EIR, claiming it is insufficient.
A judge agreed that Wal-mart's EIR was incomplete, but the ruling only stalled the project.
What I found most interesting was the Rosemead council came under fire for having an emergency vote to grant Wal-Mart a certificate of occupancy, something opponents said violated the Ralph M. Brown Act's open meeting laws.
Azusa is facing similar claims after an urgency vote to reconsider the mining plan. The council had originally voted against it, but later voted to bring it back for a second vote at a council meeting without putting the item on the agenda. Duarte's lawsuit includes alleging Azusa violated the Brown Act.
In Rosemead, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office faulted the council, but did not demand corrective action because the Wal-Mart was already built and open.
Will Azusa's council face the same fate? And, if so, what are the potential implications?
Email: daniel.tedford@sgvn.com | Twitter: @dgtedford @sgvtribune | Facebook: SGVTribune
Rosemead City Manager Jeffrey Allred got his raise Tuesday, 2.5 percent.
The bump in pay pushed the city executive's pay from $175,000 to 179,375.
The raise came despite a city projection of a $1 million drop in revenues for this fiscal year.
Councilman Stephen Ly justified the raise because of Allred's "stellar" performance and the fact that city services remain intact.
Read more the online story here.
Email: daniel.tedford@sgvn.com | Twitter: @dgtedford @sgvtribune | Facebook: SGVTribune
Considering we have been following city salaries closely in the last month, here is an update on one.
Rosemead City Manager Jeffrey Allred may be getting a raise soon. Allred makes $175,000 now, but council members may decide to give Allred a 2.5 percent raise. Council members will discuss the pay increase tonight at their council meeting.
Apparently Allred's evaluation was so double rainbow all the way that he deserved a 5 percent merit increase, but he decided that was too much during the recession and asked to have it dropped to 2.5 percent.
Public employee salaries have been heavily scrutinized in the wake of the Bell scandal where the city manager was making nearly $800,000 a year.
Allred's is not near that amount, but there are bound to be some people not pleased with their tax dollars being spent on giving extra money to public employees already making six figure salaries.
The council will also look to cast into stone a city ordinance that would hope to put a cork on teenage drinking. The council will consider the ordinance and pay raise at its 6 p.m. meeting at City Hall, 8838 E. Valley Blvd.
Check out the brief previewing tonight's meeting here.
Email: daniel.tedford@sgvn.com | Twitter: @dgtedford @sgvtribune | Facebook: SGVTribune
We are investigating the stabbing death of a Rosemead couple found in their home Monday night.
It appears that one of the victims, Susan Bezner, was also the daughter of former Rosemead Mayor Stuart Maude and the couple was well-known in the community. Look for more in tomorrow's newspaper and online.
Here is today's story:
ROSEMEAD - Coroner's officials Tuesday identified a couple found stabbed to death inside their Rosemead home Monday night as Jack and Susan Bezner, longtime residents with deep ties to the city.
Jack Bezner, 71, was a longtime employee of the Savannah Cemetery in Rosemead. His wife, Susan Bezner, 64, was the daughter of former Rosemead Mayor Stuart Maude.
The couple were found at about 8 p.m. in the home in the 4200 block of Arica Avenue. Detectives were at the home until past 3 a.m. Tuesday, but Lt. Michael Rosson of the Sheriff's Department's Homicide Bureau said no new information was available. Both deaths were being investigated as homicides, he and coroner's officials said.
I'm convinced bed bugs are trying to take over the world.
OK, my general fear of bugs mixed with the paranoia I have had about bedbugs for the last four years probably contributes to my earlier exaggeration. They aren't out for world domination. Just our blood. That's not so bad, blood is only MY LIFE FORCE!
Seriously though, the bedbug problem seems to be getting out of hand. Ben Baeder's story today say calls about bedbugs have ballooned and that the bugs have become immune to certain pesticides.
One expert went as far as to say it is an "epidemic" of bugs. I won't sleep for a week.
Let's switch to a happy hero story. Remember Carl Harstine, the WWII veteran who had his American Flag stolen twice? Well, following that initial story, the community rallied behind Harstine.
An event at his home turned into a community block party. Seriously, it was like something out of a Disney film. People walked out of their homes, children rode their skateboards, people generally flocked to see Harstine presented with new flags and a pole for an overall tribute to the man. It was awe-inspiring.
Also over the weekend, we continued to look at how cities pay their executives, this time at city councils.
No councils are making outlandish pay, generally speaking. But many do receive benefits that are more common with executives: $600 car allowance, executive health benefits, reimbursement stipends.
Finally, everyone should take the time to read Rebecca Kimitch's two-part series about how a doctor shortage could cause a health care crisis. Read the first part here and the second part here.
Email: daniel.tedford@sgvn.com | Twitter: @dgtedford @sgvtribune | Facebook: SGVTribune
With staff cutbacks at newspapers large and small, sometimes press conferences these days are lucky to get one reporter or photographer in attendance.
So for Rosemead Councilwoman Sandra Armenta, apparently one photographer has come to equate a press conference.
Yesterday Pasadena Star-News reporter Dan Abendschein was working on a story about a proposal to bring the high speed rail through some San Gabriel Valley communities, including Rosemead.
Councilwoman Armenta opposes the plan - saying it would destroy neighborhoods - so Abendschein asked if the paper could get a photo of her in front of her house for the story. They scheduled it for 4 p.m.
Hours later, Rosemead's spokeswoman sent out a press release announcing a press conference at 4 p.m. at her home:
NEIGHBORHOOD RALLY TO VOICE OPPOSITION TO CALIFORNIA HIGH SPEED RAIL'S PROPOSED ALTERNATIVE ROUTE LEAD BY ROSEMEAD COUNCIL MEMBER ARMENTAWHAT: Council Member Sandra Armenta, residents who could possibly lose their
homes, and businesses who may be adversely affected by the California High
Speed Rails Authority¹s (CHSRA) project are gathering today to voice their
opposition to a route that the CHRSA is exploring as an alternative. The
CHRSA¹s current draft proposed alignment would cause many residents,
including Council Member Sandra Armenta, to lose their homes.Based on limited information provided by the CHSRA, it is estimated that
homes and businesses located within a 250-foot zone to the north or south of
the I-10 freeway along Ramona Boulevard, would be affected either through
displacement or through the negative impact on property values.WHEN: Wednesday, August 4, 4 p.m.
WHERE: Armenta Residence
Tonight is the night you can become a super hero!
That might be an exaggeration. Would you go for just a regular hero?
All right, probably just neighborhood watch member or an active community member ready to have some barbecue in an effort to combat crime community style. (I prefer Mutant Teenage Ninja Turtle style, but that's not cool anymore or something)
Tonight is National Night Out, where local departments host anti-crime events at parks and block parties.
For those looking to get involved, here is a list of participating cities. Contact your local police department for more information.
San Gabriel Valley cities participating in National Night Out:
Alhambra, Arcadia, Baldwin Park, Duarte, El Monte, Glendora, La Verne, Montebello, Monterey Park, Pasadena, Pico Rivera, Rosemead, San Gabriel, Sierra Madre, West Covina, Whittier
For more information call your local city police departments.
Email: daniel.tedford@sgvn.com | Twitter: @dgtedford @sgvtribune | Facebook: SGVTribune
After a survey of city manager salaries across the San Gabriel Valley, Pasadena and Whittier areas (coverage area for our three newspapers) none are making Bell type salaries, but no one is going hungry (or without a six figure salary) either.
And yet another story that shows what goes around, probably came around because of Bell.
Amid revelations that Bell city officials skirted state salary limits by becoming a charter city, Covina council members are shying away from the idea, which was up for their consideration.
UPDATED: Local FYI: Azusa has gone dark, that is to say, they canceled their council meetings in August. La Verne canceled tonight's council meeting, but will be meeting again on Aug. 16.
Email: daniel.tedford@sgvn.com | Twitter: @dgtedford @sgvtribune | Facebook: SGVTribune
The reporting staff here at the Tribune came together like the A Team ... no wait ... The Justice League (way more fitting) to check in on local cities to see what the City Managers and City Councils are making in the wake of news reports about the city of Bell's City Manager making something like $800,000.
Here is the rundown. (Note: most of us had this information on hand as we regularly check on these things. In cases we didn't, the city handed over the information readily)
Glendora City Manager Chris Jeffers makes $201,816 annually.
La Verne's (soon to be retired) City Manager Martin Lomeli makes $194,580 annually. (Side note: La Verne City Council just passed an ordinance for City Manager pay with $160,600 as the base pay with $195,000 at the peak)
San Dimas City Manager Blaine Michaelis makes $196,452 a year.
Azusa City Manager Fran Delach is paid $212,483 annually. (He got a 5 percent raise at the beginning of this year)
Rosemead City Manager Jeffrey Allred gets $175,000 a year.
El Monte City Manager Rene Bobadilla makes $170,000 a year.
South El Monte City Manager Tony Ybarra takes in $120,000 a year.
Covina's Daryl Parrish's annual salary is $199,500.
West Covina's Andrew Pasmant gets $223,656 a year. (UPDATE: Councilman Mike Touhey called to tell me that Pasmant took the equivalent of a 5-percent pay cut on his deferred comp. That saves the city about $11,000, Touhey said.)
Walnut's Rob Wishner is paid $196,650 a year.
La Puente's Josi Kenline gets $160,000 a year.
Industry City Manager Kevin Radecki takes in $158,133 a year.
Diamond Bar's James DeStefano's salary is about $194,000 a year.
Baldwin Park's Chief Executive Officer made $152,000 a year in 2006, up to $800 a month in lodging, $1,200 a month in health and dental - reimbursed in cash if not all spent - and $300 a month in vehicle expenses or a city car.
As for City Council stipends, San Dimas councilmen make $620 a month while Mayor Curt Morris earns $830 a month.
In La Verne, the city council brings in $519 a month and is entitled to the same benefits as executive management employees. Council woman Robin Carder and Mayor Don Kendrick waived those benefits. In addition, the redevelopment agency pays $30 per meeting. City Clerk Evelyn Clark said they meet about four time per year.
Glendora council members bring in $700 a month.
Email: daniel.tedford@sgvn.com | Twitter: @dgtedford @sgvtribune | Facebook: SGVTribune
![sriracha[1].jpg](http://www.insidesocal.com/sgvgov/sriracha%5B1%5D.jpg)
Apparently, Huy Fong Foods Inc. - which produces and distributes the ever popular Sriracha sauce - is getting a little too hot for Rosemead.The company is in negotiations with Irwindale to move its entire operation to a 22.9-acre site on Azusa Canyon Road. Talks have been ongoing for nearly nine months, and Irwindale City Manager Robert Griego said he hopes to put a cap on it by December.
The owner of Huy Fong declined to comment on the plans Wednesday. But officials in Rosemead and Irwindale said the company is simply getting too big for its own facilities.
"It looks like we're close to finalizing the actual transaction," Griego said. "It's really exciting because their plans are to actually double in size over a period of time."
Huy Fong is currenlty housed at a 68,000-square-foot plant in Rosemead. But the company has grown since first opening shop in 1986.
"When you have places like Irwindale, which may be to offer a cheaper place to do business ... I don't blame a business for wanting to jump on that," said Councilman Steven Ly.
Upon learning of the negotiations, Rosemead officials at City Hall Wednesday morning were trying to schedule a meeting with the company's owner -- an 11th-hour bid to persuade Huy Fong to stay put.
"We just want to speak with them to find out if there's anything we can do to entice them," Rosemead City Manager Jeff Allred said. "But we also understand they are very much a booming business and they have expansion needs."
If they move to the Irwindale, Huy Fong plans to increase its operating facilities by nearly 10 times -- constructing a 626,186-square-foot building with offices, a warehouse and a manufacturing plant, said Ray Hamada, Irwindale's director of planning and community development.
It would probably take a year and half to two years to complete the move, Griego said.
Officials have not named a price on the land, at 4702 Azusa Canyon Road, just yet, but the property is appraised at about $20 million, Hamada said.
It seems former Rosemead Mayor John Tran just can't stay out of the political ring.
Five months after losing his seat on the Rosemead City Council by just one vote, Tran is now trying for the El Monte Union High School District board, which serves parts of Rosemead.
Tran will be facing six candidates in the Nov. 3 race: incumbents Tonson Man, Carlos Salcedo and Theresa Velasco, and newcomers Ben Escobedo, Jane Myring and Steve Ortiz.
He also would have been facing former El Monte Police Chief Ken Weldon, who pulled papers to run on July 15. But Weldon must have had a change of heart -- he never filed his nomination forms.
Tran served on the Rosemead City Council for four years.
He lost a bid for reelection in March, but didn't give up that easy. He filed a lawsuit and challenged dozens of disqualified ballots, which resulted in four additional votes going to Tran.
But it still wasn't enough to beat Councilwoman Sandra Armenta, who won by one vote.
Rebecca Kimitch writes that the City Council will replace the entire planning commission, the board that votes on planning related issues in the city:
ROSEMEAD - The City Council voted Tuesday to replace all five members of the Planning Commission because of their support last year of controversial planning changes in the city.The change marks the latest move by the city council, elected in March, to remove all traces of the former council majority.
Members voted to place Nancy Eng, William Alarcon, Diana Herrera, Victor Ruiz and Joan Hunter on the commission.
The terms of the current five commissioners will be up June 1. Commissioners Daniel Lopez, Todd Kunioka, and Allan Vuu had had applied to be renamed to the commission but were denied because of their support last September of a controversial new general plan - a blueprint for development - in the city, Mayor Maggie Clark said.
Council members also objected to the current commission's vote last November to allow a chicken slaughterhouse to continue operating in the city, Clark said. The council later reversed that decision.
Though new, the new commission is experienced, Clark said.
Alarcon has served on the city council and the planning commission; Herrera has served on the planning commission; Hunter has served on the traffic commission and as president of the Rosemead Chamber of Commerce; Ruiz has served on the traffic commission and has worked on county public works projects; and Eng has served as a neighborhood watch captain and on the Garvey School Board bond oversite committee.
The planning commission will be tasked this year with revising the new general plan. Though the plan was approved last year, the new council majority has vowed to change it because of concerns that it will increase the city's population.
Jeff Allred will serve as Rosemead's newest City Manager, Rebecca Kimitch reports.
ROSEMEAD - The Rosemead City Council selected its fourth city manager in as many years Tuesday, naming Jeff Allred to the post.
Allred, Norco's city manager, replaces Jeffrey Stewart, an interim who was brought aboard April 7 with hopes from the council that he would stay permanently. Those hopes were dashed when Stewart later accepted the city manager post in the Orange County city of Los Alamitos.
"I'll be glad to work with Jeff Allred... but I'm not going to lie, we were lucky to have (Stewart) for six weeks," said councilman Steven Ly.
Allred has served as the city manager of Norco - known as Horsetown USA for its red carpet welcome to horses - for more than five years. Previous to that, he served as assistant city manager in La Verne for 13 years, and has also worked in the cities of El Monte, West Covina and Downey. Read more.
It hasn't been very long since Jeff Stewart took over the Rosemead interim city manager position --- and he's already got one foot out the door.
Stewart is in negotiations with the city of Los Alamitos for a permanent city manager position there, which means Rosemead could be out of a CM really soon.
Stewart took over after Oliver Chi resigned earlier this month, and city officials said they had hoped to keep Stewart on permanently.
"Though our desire was to have him full-time in our city, we knew there was possibility he would be leaving us," Councilman Steven Ly said. "Our goal was we needed to have a quick change in direction of the city to acknowledge the voters' desires ... If (Stewart) does end up leaving, I'm sure we will begin our search process sooner rather than later."
Covina-Valley Unified School District voted to close two schools, Covina and Valencia elementaries, because of budget cuts and declining enrollment. Read here.
New council majority, new guidlines. The Rosemead City Council looks for middle groud as it rethinks the city's building heights, parking requirements and density laws. Read here.
The California Democratic Party endorses Board of Equalization Chairwoman Judy Chu, who is running for the 32nd Congressional seat.
Assemblyman Anthony Adams served with recall papers. Read more.
Updated story on the resingation of Rosemead City Manager Oliver Chi. Read more.
Higher than normal number of candidates gearing up for Monrovia election. Read more.
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