Sunland Tujunga Steps Up Again
If there is anywhere in LA that looks like the rest of America it's Sunland Tujunga. The creeping skepticism, apathy, self indulgence and phoniness that symbolizes the rest of LA has not yet infected this beautiful place.
Current path of Station Fire as seen from Sunland Tujunga Saturday morning.
Once again this was on display Saturday as prominent Sunland Tujunga resident Tomi Bowling organized the community in a massive baked goods collection drive to benefit the firefighters battling the blazes of the Station Fire that has impacted the region for the last week. Bowling and her neighbors baked, bought and collected boxes and boxes of cookies (sorted by with and without nuts reflecting our modern realities), cakes, donuts, pies, Twinkies, and more to be delivered to the troops Saturday afternoon.
Additionally, Bowling encouraged participants to sign a giant thank you card and to raise funds for the families of fallen firefighters 47-year-old Capt. Tedmund "Ted" Hall, and 35-year-old firefighter Specialist Arnaldo "Arnie" Quinones. (Information on how to make donations to assist their surviving family members can be found here)
In addition to Bowling and local residents those on hand included a KCBS news crew as well as Mayor Sam blogger Joe B., City Council candidate Frank Sheftel and his campaign manager, local activist David Hernandez.
Current path of Station Fire as seen from Sunland Tujunga Saturday morning.
Once again this was on display Saturday as prominent Sunland Tujunga resident Tomi Bowling organized the community in a massive baked goods collection drive to benefit the firefighters battling the blazes of the Station Fire that has impacted the region for the last week. Bowling and her neighbors baked, bought and collected boxes and boxes of cookies (sorted by with and without nuts reflecting our modern realities), cakes, donuts, pies, Twinkies, and more to be delivered to the troops Saturday afternoon.
Stack of pies donated by the Mayor Sam blog
Additionally, Bowling encouraged participants to sign a giant thank you card and to raise funds for the families of fallen firefighters 47-year-old Capt. Tedmund "Ted" Hall, and 35-year-old firefighter Specialist Arnaldo "Arnie" Quinones. (Information on how to make donations to assist their surviving family members can be found here)
In addition to Bowling and local residents those on hand included a KCBS news crew as well as Mayor Sam blogger Joe B., City Council candidate Frank Sheftel and his campaign manager, local activist David Hernandez.
Joe B.
David Hernandez and Frank Sheftel
Labels: station fire, sunland-tujunga, tomi lyn bowling
Posted by Michael Higby @ 9/05/2009 02:50:00 PM
45 Comments:
i do not for a second believe that the mayor sam blog donated any food. food and higby don't mix. it's like saying that the rats in s.t. donated the cheese. it's just not gonna happen.
I feel much better about Frank Sheffel now that I see he showed up for the media and to help out with the fire. I look forward to seeing Frank and his campaign manager show up to other events and posing on camera after the election.
Hey Fellaz,
It's a fire. Lose the smiles. Get it? Look like you're throwing water on something or reaching for a cat in a tree.
BTW - Pete Sanchez & Chris Essel separately attended this morning.
How come no pictures of them?
Don't make it out that Sheftel is the only one there.
I saw Sanchez myself early this morning. He was here with us!
Really smart compassionate guy.
This guy is the real deal.
People should take notice of him.
Tamar dropped off some home baked cookies as well.
There were no other candidates while I was there and no one mentioned them being there.
3:17 STFU
Tamar showing up with cookies and promises to prosecute aronists is a sign of desperation from the phoniest of the BIG 3.
She is losing the homeowners associations according to well trusted sources. They've confirmed rumors that Jack Weiss is actively fundraising for her, and the mere mention of that name enough to turn them of her.
Worse for Tamar is that the Ethics Commission complaint into her LAUSD funded mailer is likely to be concluded before the election, and that will effectively take her out of the race.
You could say that the BIG 3 is looking more like the BIG 2 with Krackorian appearing to be the stronger candidate.
Essel is not looking at all electable, with her phony slum flat residence having mail piling up. She'll either have to bite the bullet and actually live there or rent a home more in keeping with her Westside lifestyle if she wants to convince anyone that she's got any integrity at all.
All of this is good news for the best of the rest as it makes the chances of a grass roots candidate getting into the run off more likely.
Strongest of the rest? Dogg, Esavi and Benson (believe it or not).
Of course, anything can happen in CD2 and Shifty Sheftel's marijuana buds (no pun intended) could bankroll a nice IE for him to protect their investments from Trutanich's plans to shut them all down.
I was starting to wonder who 10:43 could come from but then the conclusion makes it clear: either Esavi or Benson. Both of whom are pathetically trying to latch on to Weiss-basher Trutanich and Berger, Walter Moore's running mate who is backing like-minded Benson.
She was on Kevin James just last night saying she wants to join Zine and Truanich in a trifecta (though they include Cooley in their "trifecta") exactly as Esavi said he wants to right on this blog in his statement below - and as Dogg keeps saying on his blog, Council and to anyone who'll listen. (Even if he admits that having used him, Trutanich and Zine now don't think he's upscale enough "to be seen with in public." OK.) These are EXACTLY the three who will never make it.
Guess that looks good for Tamar and her cookies, even Essel in her invite to Phil for coffee, Paul (who's given the most positive treatment of the 3 here which makes me most suspicious of him).
Pretty lame to claim that someone bringing cookies is "desperate" especially when this thread features home-baked goods.
Hope Frank Shefel didn't get the candy from his one store mixed up with the candy from his other store.
It was such a great event, hats off to Tomi, Patricia, Paula, Nancy and all the rest for pulling this together on such short notice. S-T is such a special community, there are very few, if any places like it in LA. Hope the firefighters are enjoying the goodies!
Agreed 11:20, whoever is dumping on Tamar Galatzan and Chris Essel is most likely a Benson or Esavi campaign hack.
Bashing Jack Weiss is not going to help either Esavi or Benson as many now believe that Jack would have made a better city attorney than Nooch and see Tamar's support for Jack as an honorable and noble fight for fair representation of progressive democratic values.
The fact that Jack is willing to raise money for Tamar shows that he is a man of his word and holds no grudges even if Tamar's efforts on his behalf fell short of the the mark.
History will remember Jack Weiss as the experienced and level-headed leader that he was. He steered clear of controversy, unlike Trutanich, and basically got on with the business of running the city even if his choices did not please everybody.
We need a leader like Jack and Tamar is that person. She's proven that she knows what's best for the community as a whole, not just the homeowners who exert far too much influence. Los Angeles is a city of many different cultures and Tamar is the only one who will stand up for the rights of the homeless and disenfranchised people who live here. Like Jack, she will fight to reduce painfully long commuting by encouraging housing close to work places, instead of pricing workers out of the neighborhood.
It's time Los Angeles had another person in city hall who actually knows what's best for us, and Tamar has so many connections that will keep people employed in these hard times.
Many jobs in construction and street vending are being lost because foreign workers cannot get jobs, all these people are trying to do is support their families back home. Tamar has kept the schools open for everyone regardless of their nationality, and that's something that no other candidate can do, She's supported building more schools with better facilities for those who cannot afford to pay for private education and give them language skills so they can become productive members of society. She has my vote and will have the votes of many who believe that a good community has to be paid for by those who can afford it.
Benson was in West LA at the LANCC
meeting during most of the day today listening to the grim report by Councilmember Parks regarding the dire financil straights L.A.is in. Listen up everyone, L.A. is broke...there is no money. It was suggested that L.A. do a Chapter 9 because it looks as though there is no way out! Ron Kaye has a video of Parks very candid speech on Our LA. if you are interested. I suggest everyone watch it because it is a real eye opener. It's going to take more than sacrifice to get us out of this mess!
12:43, while your goals are worthy I don't think Tamar is saying that "those who can afford it" want to be taxed more right now to pay for "foreign" workers so they can vend on the streets and so on - she does represent the workers and progressive values but her campaign sounds more balanced between the homeowners and those who rent.
You may be one of the Young Democrats who endorsed her and it's great you're spending your time but keep in mind that it's not an either/or between the more settled homeowners, people with kids like Tamar herself who rent OR own and students and young people who are still students or starting out and more interested in a more dynamic lifestyle near public transit. However you're right that many Homeowner groups ONLY see their own point of view. I think Tamar sees both, I don't know enough about Essel but other than having Shallman running her campaign, she seems pretty hip to the both generations.
All three generations, in fact: the elderly and retired and their worries as their equity has shrunk, too, social security and Medicaid are in peril, and they don't like to see more and more taxes on their homes.
Anon@12:43
What are you, high?
-- "History will remember Jack Weiss as the experienced and level-headed leader that he was." --
You are delusional.
Jack Weiss lost his City Attorney election because he was a jackass. He offended too many people. He was MY City Council representative. I would contact him and then never hear back from him.... even though I was one of his potential voters.
He gave everyone in CD 5 the middle finger!
Some people even organized a recall campaign that fell through.... but thousands signed the petitions.
Yeah,history will remember Jack Weiss, alright.
It will remember him exactly as he was...
And that's not a good thing.
Michael these fools have no clue what the point of your thread was. I do. Thanks for sharing and showing that people in our city truly do care and appreciate our 1st responders. This is a positive story of how people still have generosity in their hearts in a bad situation.
I just viewed the Parks talk at LANCC yesterday and must say I was impressed. I'm not a Bitter Bernie supporter but he's right on the unions especially the Political Union=PPL police union taking over pollitics. In my view they have infiltrated city council buying politicans. Their message is not what is good for the rank and file anymore. Its their own egos for goons like Paul Weber and the Harvey Englander bunch and forget the cops. They collect over $6 million in cop dues each year and haven't done shit for their own officers cause they're too busy bullshitting with city council. Dumb asses!!
Jennerjahn, you're a knee-jerk conservative Republican, you'd have Rush Limbaugh as CD5 rep AND City Attorney and Mayor and Chief of Police (or his clones) if the job paid enough.
LOTS of people, MOST in fact, and anyone educated in the law, are realizing what a fake and how poorly educated in constitutional law this city attorney is, that he is and always was just a Walter Moore-David Berger clone in sheep's clothing. Which is why he has said many times that he and Berger (who he fought to bring in at our expense)/Moore see eye to eye on everything.
As he reneges on every solemn promise he made never intending to keep, to every group to get people's endorsements: his vows regarding real gangbangers vs. kids who just happen to live in gang-culture neighborhoods (his idiotic graffiti injunction for just "hanging" as his "I'm going to paint them an end of the earth scenario"), slammed all over the place;
-- solemn vow to Laura Chick to support her and her attorney no matter how the court ruling comes down, but now calling them "losers" and far worse, letting the matter of a modest fee $100K given the amount of time he spent serve as a "smokescreen" as she put it for his lying and deceit;
-- solemn vow to the MJ pot shops and patient advocate groups that he'd uphold STATE law over federal law no matter what, agreeing with them that Rocky was TOO inclined to be conservative in his interpretation, but now having his OTHER incompetent right-hand Jane Usher, declare ALL pot shops in L A illegal. Even though the Obama Admin. has SINCE deferred to Calif. state law, giving him no "out" for his back-stab lying. BUT he told the MJ people that Jack would be "too tough" on pot shops.
He lies about having saved the city money on outsourcing lawsuits when in fact, his PLANS to do so are contingent are reversing Rocky allowing -- in accordance with budget demands -- 50+ attorney jobs to dwindle by attrition. The Nooch not only wants ALL those jobs back at higher salary for specialist lawyers and staff;
-- also to add 200+ highly-equipped "with cars and everything" Private Police/ Investigators/ Spies to do his partisan dirty work. Like crashing out of his barngate to threaten vague people and Chief Bratton with "criminal aspects," to intimidate Board and Commission members who don't vote HIS way.
Larry Mantle after his KPCC interview with him last week said he's a "good interview because he lacks that cautious filter" others have, he says anything that pops into his head. And he DOES it too. In other words, he's a rash jerk, as intemperate as he is stupid and VERY poorly educated in the law (from that no-name night school in Carson that didn't even meet accreditation standards and had to fold). Even with Cooley putting his own Chief Dep. Livesay (with his own major baggage) and Carter to hand-hold/ teach him at every step at our expense, the guy is his own worst enemy.
Jack was/ is a considered, nuanced person and attorney, with a brilliant mind and if the worst that could be said is he was NOT as "populist" as this buffoon, in other words, suited for the big leagues not the bush leagues, you're only making 12:43's point.
12:43 IS absolutely right about Jack and was very polite about it. Noone cares what you, that vulgar Zine, Cooley (don't get me started on HIS ofc.) and some died-in-the-wool rightwingers say on this.
I can't wait for the Zuma Dogg/Paul Krackwhorian debate coming up this week on the Kevin James show. I think it's Thursday night. Finally they have the top two candidates debating the issues and everyone can figure out whether they want an inside political hack like Kerkorian or a true outsider like Zuma Dogg to represent the people. It promises to be the Rumble in Tijunga.
Gee Whiz! What happened to this thread? Cookies and milk anyone?
anyone?
9:31 Bitter Bernie zeroed in on the cops but don't forget the SEIU
and all the other unions in public service that refuse to negotiate and "feel the pain" they are all guilty of extortion of holding L.A. hostage if they don't get their way, at the expense of all the citizens in L.A. A big thank you to all past and present govenment officials that let this happen to us. They earned their pay from the unions and a big kick in the butt from the citizens of L.A. Of course, we will get a
"but I didn't do it" from all of them who have no remedy on how to fix this mess.
10:58, what happened was clearly that someone attacked Tamar for bringing cookies yesterday and had to make a gratuitous assault on Jack Weiss while they were at it, can't let such dumb stuff go unchallenged.
But Tamar apparently bakes cookies, just according to her own website, don't ask her to bake pie-crusts!
10:30AM, you are so right about Jack Weiss and his reasoned calming influence, as opposed to Trutanich who is just doing the job that homeowners and so-called stake holders want. Tamar Galatzan will be exactly the sort of thoughtful leader that Jack was, and she will not abandon the underprivileged people who ALSO live in LA. The thousands of homeless people who need a safe place to sleep and bathe are the people that she will care about. She will also fight for the rights of immigrant workers to have job security and a say in the way the city they live in is run.
As for the comments made about rich old homeowners bitching and complaining because their precious property taxes have gone up, it takes a leader to stand up to these selfish NIMBY-minded individuals and make them realize that they need to share the pain of the vast majority of Los Angeles residents who cannot afford a home, education, healthcare and private transportation. Tamar is not afraid to stand up for the rights of all the people and she will take positions that are not popular with the wealthy classes that are trying to prevent equal rights for everyone in LA.
I hope Tamar accepts Jack's offer to be her chief deputy when she wins in CD2, because he has the experience and wisdom of how to make alliances across the city to get things done.
With Tamar and Jack in city hall, LA will be a better place for EVERYONE.
Jack Weiss "got on with the business of running the city"???
Right. Is that why he never bothered showing up for council meetings? Too busy getting on with the business of running the city?
10:58, sorry to tell you but while we sppreciate the work of the firefighters, I think we've thanked them and they know that. They've got the fire under control and of course it is sad that human lives were lost.
There's a limit to how much time should be spent on the fire, which the major media have covered very well.
The more important concern for you and the rest of CD2 should be making the right choice of leader for CD2 and that is Tamar Galatzan. Esavi, Zuma Dogg and Benson are all the same - they're just clones of the Trutanich/Moore/Berger machine. Tamar is the only candidate who has the support and inspiration of Jack Weiss, one of our city's most enlightened leaders, and right now that's more important than the fire. If you don't like it, start a separate entry on the fire thing, and please lets get back to the important topic of making sure we get the right candidate in CD2.
LA Daily News endorses Tamar and Sanchez!
What do you make of that?
Anytime you try to point out that Jack Weiss was a great leader for the whole city, not just the homeowners, you always get the same boring lies about Jack not being in council. There's a record of important issues that Jack voted on, and there's also a record of less important things that he did not need to waste time on.
I am glad that Jack has decided to step up to the plate for Tamar, and I am glad that he will help her get elected and to keep her priorities focused on the things that really matter to immigrant minorities and environmentalists. The whole city will be better with Tamar and her experience at helping communities who are struggling to get by is what we need. Viva Tamar!
Ok, ok, I get it. The Jack Weiss/Tamar "supporter" is being facetious. Probably one of Krekorian's goons.
Isn't it a riot to hear Phil "I'm running for Mayor" Genderjane say that someone ELSE is DELUSIONAL?
I guess it wouldn't be funny if Phil wasn't ALSO Mr. "I-have-plenty-of-time-to-get-240,000-recall-signatures-for-the-Mayor."
Yes, Phil is one level-headed guy, ain't he? He wondered aloud how he could come in LAST place. That was just so rich to hear from him!
1053 must be Mr. Zuma Dogg, because he is the only one who refers to himself as a "leading" candidate.
By what measure?
2:42, I think the Tamar/Jack Weiss supporter got a little carried away with herself. There are a lot of us in the community who like Tamar and are very pleased that she had embraced our values. Those values are not always popular with voters and the "Viva Tamar" comment was a little extreme, it's just very hard to for us to find a forum that is open mindend enough to allow our views to be heard. The news that this blog is receptive to a progressive candidate it very encouraging and that's why she made the silly remark.
wow this thread sure took a detour!
too bad, cause the folks in s-t sure
deserve a bit more props as well as the heroic firefighters!
How much more do you expect people to SAY on this topic? You've got the thank-you pies, thank you photo with everyone happy and smiling...?
It's a tragedy that the Station fire was started by someone by intent, hope it's not some thrill-seeking sick firebug. Let's hope there are no more such nuts out there. AND that FEMA helps reimburse our state, as the feds owe us for other public safety costs we're absorbing beyond our share.
Pompous Ass. There are good, caring and decent people in every part of LA. Trust me, Sunland Tujunga has no corner on them.
10:03 AM "Tamar Galatzan will be exactly the sort of thoughtful leader that Jack was..."
That says it all. If you want someone who will look out for their special interest contributors and cares more about themselves and their own career than the constituents, vote for Tamar Galatzan. She'll leave you when you need her most, but only because there is a more important job for her.
Right when CD-2 needs there councilman the most, where is she, oh yeah, she abandoned her job for a better one. That's just what you;re going to get with politicians like Tamar and Krikorian and Wendy Grueuel. They don't care about the CD-2 constituents. They care about themselves and their careers.
Vote for a real Outsider!
A cynic is a man who, when he smells flowers, looks around for a coffin.
The Daily News endorsement of Tamar Galatzan very important, and I'm sorry but the food and fun in S-T is old news. We've said 'thank you' enough now about the fire fighters. OK.
8:20 pm- Your short attention span may be exhausted, but for those who have been in the middle of this, the thanks are just beginning.
September 06, 2009 2:44 PM
You say the word, "must," but "must NOT" be would have been more accurate since I did not post that comment. But, aw yeaaaaaaah...thanks to whoever did that cause it's driving some loser nutz!
KFI just reported that the Station Fire is now in it's 12th day, 51% contained and no homes are currently threatened.
Thank you S-T and Joe B for all your hard work and thank you firefighters and thank you to the CD2 candidates for showing your support, thank you photographers for nice smiley face photos, and time lapse videos set to music, but most of all thank you Phil for starting a different thread.
Thank you, thank you, thank, you, a million times thank you. If I left anyone out, thank you to them, and did I say thank you?
9:36 LOL! Now that's the way to end a thread! Good job!
The "Station Fire" is deemed to
have been started by ARSON/ARSONIST
The "Station Fire" is deemed, sadly
as a " Homicide"
The kind folks, taking the time to
care and treat the NOBLE & TIRED-
DEDICATED FIREFIGHTERS TO TASTY
GOODIES, IS VERY SPECIAL AND UP-
LIFTING FOR THEIR MORAL AND WEARY
SPIRITS! BIG KUDOS TO SWEET FOLKS!
OUR TREASURED FIREFIGHTERS ARE TOO
IMPORTANT AND SPECIAL; THEY AND
THEIR BRAVE SERVICE, SHOULD NEVER
BE MADE LESS OF, NOR BE THE BUD OF
SENSELESS AND STUPID JOKES.
THEY ASK LITTLE AND ARE WILLING TO
GIVE THEIR LIFE FOR YOU AND YOURS!
SADLY, AT THE SACRIFICE OF THEIR
OWN FAMILY!
IT SURE IS THE TIME, TO BE TACTFUL
IF YOU HAVE NOTHING NICE TO SAY-
MIND YOUR MANNERS AND KEEP YOUR
MOUTH CLOSED....AS MOTHER/FATHER
HAVE INSTRUCTED US! STAY POLITE &
SHOW SOME BASIC ETIQUETTE/CLASS.
(LEAVE SOUR GRAPES FOR WINE)
AGAIN, AND ALWAYS, A BIG HEART-FELT
*****THANK YOU, YOUR THE BEST******
BELOVED FIREFIGHTERS
P.S. YES, SWEET INCLUDES MAYOR SAM
I love my friends in the Valley but damn I can hardly wait til this CD2 election is OVER!! Anymore debates this week? This blog has been obssessed with CD2 race. There wasn't as many stories during the mayoral campaign. Good dialogue but we can do without the immature posts and personal attacks. Always stick to the issues. I'd love to ask Essell what gives her authority or experience to think she knows what's best for public safety as I've heard friends say she states all the time at debates.
Wow I notice no one except 12:11p touched on the Daily News endorsement.
I would think this brain trust might take it a bit more seriously. It means someone without our agendas took a look and thought these two were the best of the pack. I read the article.
Sanchez deserves a better look.
We know alot about Tamar. What's his scoop?
What's up with the Mayor Sam crowd?
No one want to look at real stuff about the candidates?
I think real activists know that old, dead newspaper endorsements don't really mean a thing.
We who dislike Tamar, aren't concerned that she may win over the endorsement of the Daily News.
PHONEYNESS!! HAVE YOU WATCHED THE CD2 RACE 3 CANDIDATES FROM OUTSIDE SUNLAND TUJUNGA LEADING IN THE POLLS SOUNDS LITTLE PHONEY TO ME. THESE PEOPLE CAN'T BE SERIOUS IF THEY REALLY WANT CHANGE!!
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