Red County/OC Blog News Roundup -- November 22, 2006

Today's top stories from behind the Orange Curtain:

OC Supervisors Approve Salary hikes of 5% For Department Heads -- LAT
A recent review by the Human Resources Department showed salaries lagged behind those offered by other local governments.

Orange Coast Student Board Goes For Optional Oath -- OCR
Trustees vote 3 to 2 to include 'opportunity' for Pledge of Allegiance to be recited at future meetings.

Latino Superstore Not Quite In Santa Ana -- LAT
The city tops others in Latino population, but the new store is in nearby Fountain Valley.

Fallen Tower May Rise Again -- OCR
Fullerton airport officials say KFI radio will create another hazard by rebuilding.

OC Religious Leader, Two Others Guilty Of Health Code Charges -- LAT and DP
Members of Piecemakers could face fines and as much as a year in jail. An appeal is planned.

Family Of Former Patient Donates $5 Million To Hospital -- LAT
Six years after doctors saved their son's life and prevented brain damage, couple give Mission Viejo facility its largest gift.

Huntington Beach OKs Main Street Closures For Special Events -- LAT
A pilot program beginning in March will close a portion of the road on some Tuesdays and some weekends.

Metrolink To Run OC-Riverside Trains On Holiday -- LAT
To ease congestion on the Riverside Freeway on Thanksgiving Day, Metrolink will run six special round-trip commuter trains between Riverside and Orange County.

Council Holds Off On High-Rise Decision -- DP
A plan for five high-rise condominium buildings in Costa Mesa will have to wait at least until January after the City Council voted unanimously to table the matter.

On The Town: The Ignorance of The Young -- DP
Columnist Steve Smith opines about the stupid teens on the OCC student council who banned the Pledge Of Allegiance.

Fullerton Council Delays Action On Amerige Court -- OCR
Controversial plan to build nine-level building downtown will likely come back in January.

Law To Curb Barking Dogs Passes -- OCR
Supervisors OK tough ordinance, which goes into force in 180 days. What's next: stiff fines for having your TV too loud?

Abrupt Turnaround At Capo Unified School District -- OCR
The district must cut costs after tapping reserve funds to the lowest level allowed.

Comments

[Who are these people?]

Council Holds Off On High-Rise Decision -- DP
A plan for five high-rise condominium buildings in Costa Mesa will have to wait at least until January after the City Council voted unanimously to table the matter.

***Jubal--
It stated the Airport Land Use Commission voted or didn't approve, who are these people and how exactly did they vote. Anybody know if it was the entire board or was there some people that approved of teh plan?

Just curious, never knew about this group...interesting

[CUSD Constituent]

The story about the budget crisis at CUSD is a very important story. In it, Interim Superintendent McCully admits that former Superintendent Fleming and the CUSD Trustees:

1. were playing a shell game with the taxpayers money, spending next year's money with this year's;

2. have recklessly spent reserve funds down to the legal minimum of 2 percent – and now the reserves are gone!

3. failed to budget a basic salary increase for the teachers so that any increase will cause CUSD to run a budget deficit.

This story demonstrates the gross fiscal mismanagement that was one of the main platforms of the CUSD Recall and the recent capaign by the ABC Reform Slate.

In my opinion, it also demonstrates why it is important for Trustees Draper, Benecke, Stiff and Darnold to go...now. They have squandered our tax money and put our public education system at risk. They have failed the public and should be removed from office.

[Google to find your answer]

Airport Land Use Commission:

Commissioners (Commissioners' Alternates):
Mr. Gerald Bresnahan, Chairman (Ms. Patricia Campbell)
Mr. Rod Propst, Vice Chairman (Ms. Winnie Houston)
Mr. Herman Beverburg (Mr. Stephen Beverburg)
Ms. Melody Carruth (Mr. L. David Markley)
Mr. Jon Dumitru (Mr. Doug Davert)
Mr. Thomas O'Malley, Jr. (Mr. Leonard Kranser)
Mr. Don Webb (Mr. Homer Bludau)

Contact:
Ms. Kari Rigoni, (949) 252-5170

However, I don't know how they voted the high rises...interesting

[New Recall at CUSD]

The four remaining CUSD incumbents obviously are not fit to serve. I worry about how much more damage they could do if left in office for two more years.

Anyone up for another recall at CUSD?

[Kids First]

If CUSD is faced with more cuts, then why did the CUSD trustees give 3 massive salary increases to its top administrators in the past 12 months?

The first thing that needs to be cut are the $400/hr criminal defense attorney's for Fleming and the Trustees. This was a ridiculous expenditure to begin with and an example of gross fiscal mismanagement given the budget crisis they are once again faced with.

[View from the Top]

Draper, Benecke, Stiff and Darnold -- Recall! Recall! Recall!

[Len Kranser]

To "Who are these people" re the Airport Land Use Commission and its vote on the Costa Mesa high rises.

An ALUC commission or its equivalent is state mandated for each county. The Aluc's role is to review land use around airports to protect people on the ground from building and moving into residences too close to the flight paths and to protect airports and planes from encroachment by developments.

Two members are appointed by the Board of Supervisors, two by the airports, and two by the League of Cities. The six chose a seventh public member.

I attended the meeting that voted 4-2 to find the Costa Mesa project inconsistent with the John Wayne Airport Environs Land Use Plan. The concern was 300-foot tall buildings in an area overflown by private aircraft at low altitudes.

The meeting was reported on November 17 - well before it made the newspapers - on the El Toro Info Site news page. See www.eltoroairport.org