Vindictive Behavior of former Founding Board of Neighborhood Empowerment Commissioner Tammy Membreno the "Root Cause" of Exhaustive Measures against the LA-32 NC?

Recent emails (and DONE complaint) chronicles the "Do as I Say, Don't Do as I Do, Vindictive Behavior" of former Founding Board of Neighborhood Empowerment Commissioner, current Executive Director of the "Connected Non-Profit Barrio Action" and LA-32 NC Vice-President (before quiting the board, again) Tammy Membreno (** with help of a certain "El Sereno Delusional Society"/ LA-32 NC Board Member).   

Wonder what Mayor Eric Garcetti would think of his Mayoral Supporter's racially-tinged, vindictive ,insensitive email comments, considering the attacks on his ethnicity during the 2013 Mayoral Campaign.



** Blogger's Note: As the LA-32 Neighborhood Council nears tonight's first meeting under the punitive "Exhaustive Measures" of "Disempowerment LA", Board Members of the occupied NC will be dealing with the "vindictive, root reasons" behind the subjective actions taken against the community-elective body, as caused by former Vice-President Tammy Membreno (who quit the board, again). Ms. Membreno is no stranger to the Insider Community of Los Angeles Politics, back from her time as a young staffer to late, legendary CD-14 City Councilman Art Snyder, serving as a founding Commissioner of the Board of Neighborhood Empowerment (appointed by then Mayor Richard Riordan) and according to community members, allegedly, parleying her relationship with former CD 14 City Councilman Richard Alatorre, into her current position as the Executive Director of the longtime El Sereno, "Connected Non-Profit" Barrio Action (** which currently has no Board of Directors listed on its Website). Over the years, Barrio Action has served as the Fiscal Agent for the likes of the Bicentennial Parade Committee, the El Sereno Farmers Market and Councilman Huizar's "Winter Wonderland". In recent years, the former DONE Commissioner has served on the last three incarnations of the LA-32 NC, including the current board. During the last NC Board incarnation, Ms. Membreno, who did not seek re-election after serving under the Presidency of Hugo Garcia (who's board dysfunction we previously noted), manage to get herself appointed to a board vacancy and elected President (overseeing the noted CLARTS Fund Townhall Meeting, that allegedly prompted her soon after resignation due to political pressure), to counter the possibility of Rose Hills Activist Anthony Manzano assuming the position. For whatever reason (maybe dealing with past threats against her?) Ms. Membreno has held the Manzanos (both former LA-32 NC Member Joe Manzano and son, current LA-32 NC Treasurer Anthony) in low esteem. Sadly, it was those past issues, in my opinion, that have metabolized into a personal, vindictive vendetta against the Manzanos (and those like myself who sought to mitigate the personal nature of the dispute), along with other political motives that divided the board and brought about "Disempowerment LA's" punitive actions, due, in part, to the misguided allegations and comments in the disclosed emails (and complaint) below---Scott Johnson in "Disempowerment LA-occupied LA-32". 

-------- Original message --------

From: Scott Johnson
Date: 11/18/2013 2:41 PM (GMT-08:00)
To: Castro Connie ,anthony manzano ,tammy membrano ,eddie santillan
Subject: Re: LA-32 NC Executive Committee Meeting
Good Afternoon Connie,

For most part, I am in concurrence with your request. That said, its disappointing that our outstanding fiscal issues will have to now wait until the New Year for resolution.

I STRONGLY recommend that you seriously explore removing the Budget and Finance Committee Members who did not show up to last Friday's meeting (Tammy Membreno, Yolie Garcia.

Its obvious that this issue has become personal to the likes of Tammy Membreno and Yolie Garcia (** Yolie and her husband Jorge of the "El Sereno Delusional Society", have a lawsuit against the City of Los Angeles over the recognition of the Rose Hills Community), which inhibits objective resolution of these issues. The required paperwork is all ready to be submitted but it would seem that some committee members want Anthony Manzano to resign as Treasurer first, before working on the behalf of the NC to finalize the pending resolution. 

With respects,

Scott Johnson

LA 32 NC Recording Secretary

** Tammy gets subjective, threatening and deviates from the truth with her response (which did not merit a response).

Nov 18, 2013 

Hello Connie

I thought I would take a minute to address Mr. Scott Johnson's current concern with the budget and finance committee and his assertion that now the issue has become "PERSONAL" with the likes of Tammy Membreno.  

Personal would mean that I have a been in a position to share my personal life  AND A INAPPROPRIATE INVOLVEMENT with Mr. Manzano and thus our PROFESSIONAL INTERACTIONS CANNOT BE SEPARATED FROM ONE TO THE OTHER.

If Mr. Manzano was interested in my input on all the REQUIRED WORK FROM THE TREASURER that needed to be turned in at the next meeting, well his inability and stubbornness to place a courtesy call to figure out if I could make the meeting, made it impossible for me to know and plan ahead. I found out that a meeting was happening after getting a notice TWO DAYS BEFORE THE MEETING.

It is obvious from your request to have Ms. Garcia and my self remove from the committee, that you are his "personal" adviser since he is not the one requesting it and he is the Chair of the committee.  I have been clear in my desire to have Mr. Manzano either step up and accept and own his mistakes or be removed from the role that obviously even with all your advise,  and direction cannot do on his own (or in this case with your help).

Let also be clear Mr. Johnson that I will not take a passive position on your verbage when you describe my activities on the board.  You have no reason to continue to use words such as "high jacking" and openly lie at meetings on what actually happened at other meetings. This kind of language is of course obvious from the previous email that went out to some board members from Mr. Marquez and it is interesting that the "verbage" being used by the likes of you is that same as that was in that email.  I am not going to sit there and wait for you to cue me in as to how I need to vote or what to do.  You will not take disparaging lies and make them your truth because unlike others, I will seek legal action against you.

Let me refresh your memory Mr. Johnson - the meeting of November 19, 2013, was TO SERVE AS THE MEETING IN WHICH BOTH THE BOARD AND BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE WOULD COME TOGETHER TO RESOLVE AND APPROVED NEEDED ITEMS.
Mr.  Johnson, you currently have the upper hand on the board; people are listening to you and following you and your lead.  It really does not matter why, whether you have done favors for them or bring them into the fold, you should use this leverage to get things accomplish for this board.  If you do not like the questions, do not think that by you raising your voice and trying to intimate or trying to imply in any way that some of us should not hold a place on the board, will keep me quiet.

I am confident of my skills in my tool box.  And there are many other board members that are equally confident but are disappointed and demoralized from some of the actions on the board.

Please feel free to call me so that you can report accurately my positions and intentions as a board member.  You have my number.

** Tammy's board supporter and El Sereno Delusional Society Member Yolie Garcia backs up her Barrio Action Mentor .......
Nov 19, 2013

Fellow Board Members,

My intentions were to compose and send this email when I learned about the Budget and Finance (B&F) Meeting scheduled by the committee chair, Anthony Manzano.  I first found out about the scheduled B&F meeting when Anthony emailed the agenda to the entire Board on Wednesday, November 13, 2013.  Prior to this notification, I had no idea there was going to be a B&F meeting on Friday the 15^th.  

In fact, I was looking forward to the November 19 Special Meeting to work on unfreezing the funds and moving past this unnecessary waste of time.  I was able to confirm my planned attendance to the November 19 meeting because it was scheduled with time and not last minute. Unfortunately, now we will all need to wait to a later date since the November 19 meeting will not be taking place due to lack of quorum.

Contrary to Scott Johnson’s opinion, I was unable to make arrangements with a 2-day notice to attend a 5:30 B&F meeting on Friday.  Like many of you I work full time, like some of you I dedicate time to other organizations, and like a few of you I have school-age children.  

I find it disrespectful of Scott Johnson to request for me to be removed from the B&F committee for missing a meeting scheduled with little notice and no consideration or courtesy of asking B&F committee members if they were available to attend.  At no time did the B&F chair ask if the time and day of the meeting worked for the members.

In addition, we would not be having this issue if the chair had scheduled regular monthly meetings as the rest of the committee chairs.  I have constantly asked for regular monthly B&F meetings.  I have also stated that the B&F meetings need to be working meetings to prepare the mandated paperwork to DONE.

Scott needs to take an un-bias look at the record, of all the past meetings that have been nothing but a waste of everyone’s times because the Treasurer Anthony Manzano failed to fulfill his duty.  It’s absurd for Scott to blame me for the past 3 months of the NC budget being frozen.  Why doesn’t he say something about getting rid of Anthony Manzano?  Scott is okay with Anthony Manzano who is the one who got the NC budget frozen and has kept it like that for 3 months.  However, if I miss a last minute meeting, he thinks he can blame me as if it has all been my fault.  That’s just ridiculous reasoning.

So for Scott to try to turn this situation into a personal matter is far from the truth.  If anything, Scott’s statements clearly show that he has some personal issue against me and/or Tammy Membreño.  If he can’t be enough of a man to include me in his e-mail when he is talking about me then maybe he needs to keep his sorry excuses to himself.

For the record, Anthony Manzano needs to schedule regular monthly meetings with input from the other committee members and take the necessary documents/paperwork to complete the tasks before us. If the NC funds remain frozen, it is not because Tammy and I missed the last B&F meeting.

Sincerely, 

Yolie Garcia

** In late December, 14 of the 21 LA 32 NC Board Members, used their power granted to them via the LA-32 Bylaws, to call a Special Meeting where all the outstanding fiscal issues were resolved, without Tammy Membreno, Connie Castro, Edward Santillan or Yolie Garcia in attendance. But that did not end Tammy's vindictive behavior as we continue below.....

Read more »

A Morning Subjective Musing on the Dysfunctional State of "Disempowerment LA"

With less than 36 hours before a supposed Special Meeting of the "Disempowerment LA-occupied LA-32 Neighborhood Council with no Agenda posted, we channel the bureaucratic (mixed with political considerations), mindset of the NC oversight agency, in crafting our own subjective list of reasons for the absence of an Agenda for tomorrow's meeting.

"Disempowerment LA's" General Manager Grayce Liu in better times (for the LA-32 NC) with ex Failure Mayor Antonio Villar.

"Disempower LA NEA/LA-32 NC Overlord" Lisette Covarrubias, when in the Office. 

** Blogger's Note: Good bloggin morning from behind the lines of the "Disempowerment LA-occupied LA-32 Neighborhood Council", as NC Board Members and Stakeholders await a formal agenda on what community concerns the occupying, bureaucratic overlords will allowed to be broached at tomorrow's Special Meeting of the LA-32 NC at the El Sereno Senior Center, starting at 6 PM. As we near the final hour of the morning, we thought that a moment of channeling the bureaucratic, dysfunctional mindset of a certain "Disempowerment LA NEA/LA-32 NC Overlord" (when not filing workplace grievances, allegedly), would be a fun, subjective exercise (kinda like placing a certain NC on Exhaustive Measures, but I digress), on why the Board Members and Stakeholders are still in the dark on what community concerns will be allowed for discussion tomorrow.

* Lack of cohesive office schedule for a certain "Disempowerment LA NEA/LA-32 NC Overlord" to review concerns from ALL Board Members and Stakeholders in regards to crafting the appropriate agenda.

* Weak "Disempowerment LA Structure regarding whether a NC with issues, is in need of a "Board Retreat" (as in 2012), or merit being place on "Exhaustive Measures", as one can ascertain in the 2012 and 2014 Memos to different incarnations of the LA-32 NC.

* Inconsistent Disempowerment LA General Manager understanding (that depends on the political considerations) how subjective actions of the department staff affect NCs like LA-32. ie. Lack of current information regarding ADA accommodations for Board Members, Lack of openness and transparency regarding department dialog (with local politicians?) that lead to subjective, punitive actions, Ethical concerns regarding employee conduct and a dysfunctional department that wastes taxpayers money among others.

* Lack of clarity on the pathway out of punitive Exhaustive Measures designations and the role "Council for Councils" can have as First Responders for NCs with issues.

* Safety concerns among Board Member and Stakeholders due to a lack of cohesive policy from "Disempowerment LA" regarding dealing with "Procedural Bullys" (ex. "The El Sereno Delusional Society").

* Creating an environment wanted by the local politico (and his cronies), that is conducive to the appropriate "Stakeholders Benefits". ie Connected Non-Profits, questionable Charter School, non-disclosure of CLARTS Fund status and NC allocation of funds for groups with IRS issues ......,  among others

Thus, everyone can see how easy it is being subjective, especially when merged with the political considerations of a certain local politico and neighborhood cronies ---Scott Johnson from "Disempowerment LA-occupied LA-32

   From a "Disempowerment LA-mandated LA-32 NC "Board Retreat" in 2012 ...........

2012 "Disempowerment LA" Memo on LA-32 NC "Board Retreat", Page 1.

2012 "Disempowerment LA" Memo on LA-32 NC "Board Retreat", Page 2.

 

........ to "Disempowerment LA's punitive, Exhaustive Measures against the LA-32 NC in 2014.

2014 "Disempowerment LA Memo placing the LA-32 NC on Exhaustive Measures, Page 1.

2014 "Disempowerment LA Memo placing the LA-32 NC on Exhaustive Measures, Page 2.

From these identical memos from 2012 and 2014, its easy to surmise that the art of "cut and pasting memos" to meet the desired resolution (with political considerations included) is part of the dysfunctional work culture at "Disempowerment LA".

Your thoughts ..............

Scott Johnson in CD 14

Morning Briefs on the Los Angeles Political Machine for Monday

Get ready for a return of the Politics of Weather as rain arrives mid-week.

From along the Santa Ana River above Redlands.

Good bloggin morning to everyone as we return from a quick weekend getaway from "Disempowerment LA-occupied LA-32", to the beautiful San Bernardino Mountains.

As you can tell from the photo above, there are still places in our surrounding mountains that have flowing water. But come Wednesday, Mother Nature will bring something called R-A-I-N back to Southern California for an extended stay. If the upper-level Jet Stream is redirected over Central California, or further south, with a west to east flow, then we may experience an "Atmospheric River Event", which would go far in alleviating our severe drought but not without health and safety ramifications..

In Southern California, it always seems that major rain events are predicated with major brush fires that leave hills and mountain slopes striped bare and primed for debris flows. Thus, when Mother Nature reminds everyone of her supreme authority over us, as she will, come especially Friday, then brace yourself for a return of "Politics of Weather", with your local politico donning yellow rain gear, with plastic wrap cameras, recording it all. ** BTW, climate models are hinting at strong El Nino for next winter, can't imagine any politico wanted to exploit that news for a photo op. 

 LA County Board of Supervisor (and possible CD 14 Candidate) Gloria Molina drop kicks Op-Ed supporting 710 Freeway Tunnel. 

** Memo to the likes of the "No on 710 Coalition" and "Concerns Neighbors of El Sereno", your LA County Board of Supervisor (and possible CD 14 City Council Candidate), Gloria Molina, along with Assemblyman Ed Chau, co-keyboard an Op-ed in the San Gabriel Tribune that details their joint support of a 710 Freeway Tunnel to close the six mile gap to connect the 710 to the I-210 Freeway in Pasadena. Local activists might want to consider the following .............

These residents were promised decades ago that this fix was a stop-gap measure. Opponents need to quit trying to stop the gap from being closed.
These same naysayers also erroneously claim that a tunnel will worsen air quality. They conveniently ignore how air quality is already horrendous in Southeast L.A. — especially for its children, where 12 out of every 100 children develop asthma.
There is a direct connection between asthma in Southeast L.A. and the pollution caused by cars and trucks forced to stand idle along an incomplete 710 Freeway. It’s all the more true since commuters must use the streets as de facto “streetways.”
The pollution that 710 tunnel opponents don’t want is already in the air, being breathed by Southeast L.A. families — who don’t have the extra time and resources to devote to NIMBYism.
These comments should put an end to the "Molina Boo Boo for CD 14" rumors.

** Memo to Mayor Eric Garcetti's Chief of Staff (and possible CD 14 Candidate) Ana Guerrero, please inform your East Area Director Patricia Alarcon that "Disempowerment LA-occupied LA-32 Stakeholders are awaiting a response to this email sent to Ms. Alarcon on February 14, cut and pasted below.

Mayor Garcetti's East Area Director Patricia Alarcon.

Good morning Ms. Alarcon,

Hope this email finds you well on this Valentine's Day.

In lieu of the recent punitive actions taken by Empower LA against the LA 32 Neighborhood Council and your email confirming the Mayor's Office receiving the documentation, I respectfully ask if Mayor Eric Garcetti will be taking a formal position on the current standing of the LA 32 NC Elective Body.

Further, if the Office of Mayor Garcetti is to take a formal position, then the office should consider the following before drafting a formal reply.

First, with Empower LA taking punitive actions against LA 32 which includes controlling the drafting of its agenda. What assurances can stakeholders have that their respective issues will be given objective due diligence by an elective body free of pre-conceived political bias? At the time of Empower LA's Memo, the LA-32 NC were working on important time sensitive issues, involving the USC Health Science Campus Master Plan and Zoning concerns involving a Charter School, among others (** including funding request for parade with past IRS issues). Will the Office of Mayor Garcetti ensure that the community comments heard by the LA 32 NC on these issues, get an objective resolution? 

Second, will the Office of Mayor Garcetti's staff grant access and accord all LA-32 NC Board Members the right to speak freely regarding the "personal dynamics" (including Empower LA's collusion with board members in targeting certain individuals) that were the foundation for Empower LA's punitive actions?

Third, will the Office of Mayor Garcetti's staff investigate internal Empower LA work place issues that have cause employees of the department to file a work place grievance over the role of the "Council for Council Mentors" to act as "NC First Responders" in intervening as Crisis Mentors for NCs, at no cost to the taxpayers?

Fourth, will the Office of Mayor Garcetti work with Empower LA and the City Attorney Office to address the issues of "Procedural Bullys" ( the husband and wife duo of the El Sereno Historical Society come to mind), who's are wasting taxpayers money by filing frivolous complaints, denigrating upstanding community members who don't agree with their "El Sereno-centric vision" and creating the hostile meeting environment noted in the Empower LA Memo? 

Fifth, will the Office of Mayor Garcetti take a stand against the repugnant, incendiary racial comments made sadly by board members and those in the community against some serving on this elected body? Would the Office of Mayor Garcetti consider using the resources of the Human Relations Department to set up a series of workshops within NCs to combat racial bigotry?

In closing Ms. Alarcon, its my sincere hope that the Office of Mayor Garcetti will help the LA 32 NC move forward in bring all resources to the table in achieving objective remedies that grows a strong, independent community-centric elective body, while holding those responsible for the "repugnant, personal conduct" that was unfortunately, the basis for the punitive actions taken by Empower LA.

With respects,

Scott Johnson 

LA 32 NC Recording Secretary

A potential CD-14 City Council Candidate should not smoke away an opportunity to listen to very real voters.

** Please note that the comments above are solely my own and not reflective of any formal LA 32 NC approved position.

** Also note that I will make this comments public in the spirit of openness and transparency. 

Your thoughts ..............

Scott Johnson in CD 14     



Montebello (CD 14 East) Brothers Calderons, Ron and Tom, Indicted on Corruption Charges

The longtime Montebello (CD 14 East) Calderon Political Family is reeling after brothers Ron and Tom are Indicted on multiple counts of Corruption. We ponder what a certain "Los Angeles City Councilman", "two Los Angeles Public Officials" and a future "State Senate President" (as noted in leaked FBI Affidavit), may have to say about today's announcement? 

State Senator Ron Calderon: "My Indictment is this Long".

Darn!! Never bet against Fridays as being the day political bombshells are dropped as witness with the local US Attorney's Office announcement of multiple counts of Political Corruption against the Brothers Ron and Tom of the longtime Montebello (CD-14 East) Calderon Family.

As bloggin friend and (yesterday B-day celebrant) Randy Economy, reports in the Los Cerritos News.

California State Senator Ronald Calderon and his brother former Assemblyman Thomas Calderon have been indicted on at least 31-felony counts it was announced on Friday by Federal investigators.

The indictments were confirmed in a noon time press conference by US Attorney Andre Birotte in Los Angeles.

Senator Ronald Calderon has agreed to surrender to federal authorizes on Monday, and his brother Ton Calderon was taken into custody on Friday.

Ron Calderon faces 24 charges including bribery, money laundering and tax fraud, which carry a maximum sentence of 400 years in prison, Birotte told reporters. The senator who represents a wide swatch of Southeast Los Angeles County agreed to surrender to authorities on Monday, Birotte said.

Birotte also said that former Assemblyman Tom Calderon faces seven counts of money laundering and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon.

Soon to be State Senate President Kevin de Leon: "I guess Ron won't be needing that paid State Appointment I promised (allegedly) anytime soon. BTW, Affidavits don't lie.

 

Your thoughts ..............

Scott Johnson in CD 14 



A "Do as I Say, Don't Do as I Do Moment" via a "Disempowerment LA" NEA

As we near the end of the first full week of "Disempowerment LA's" Occupation/Exhaustive Measures against the LA-32 Neighborhood Council, we bring you this "Do as I Say, Don't Do as I Do Moment" from "Disempowerment LA's" NEA/Overlord Lisette Covarrubias. 

"The current Marie Antoinette of the LA-32 NC"

Meet "Disempowerment LA" NEA/De Facto LA-32 NC Overlord, Lisette Covarrubias. A native of South Los Angeles, Lisette received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science at the University of California Berkeley and her Masters Degree in Latin American Studies and Urban Planning at the University of California Los Angeles.  Before joining the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment, Lisette worked as a Project Assistant for the Center for Human Rights and as a Graduate Student Researcher at the UCLA Labor Center, and as a Political Analyst at the Mexican Consulate in Los Angeles.

** Blogger's Note: On this end of the first full week of "Disempowerment LA's Occupation/ Exhaustive Measure we bring you a glimpse of NC life under "Disempowerment LA NEA/Overlord" Lisette Covarrubias and judging from her actions as a well-paid Neighborhood (Dis)Empowerment Advocate (NEA), she is most definitely a "Do as I Say, Don't Do as I Do" type of employee. First, as the email below illustrates, her "Do as I Say Persona" (when in the office), is all too apparent to those who read what was sent to the Joint Budget & Finance and Elections Committee Members, five minutes after their meeting began last evening. But what most NC members don't know about Ms. Covarrubias is her "Don't Do as I Do" work place persona. In recent weeks, it had been reported that a number of "Disempowerment LA" NEAs have filed a work place grievances over the efforts of "Council for Councils" to act as non-paid, "NC First Responders", that would work with NCs on the verge of being placed on Exhaustive Measures. Further, sources within the Greater NC Community state that it was Ms. Covarrubias who "allegedly" testify against the proposed role of "Council for Councils". One can surmise, based upon the previous information, that the current LA 32 NC NEA/Overlord's time at the UCLA Labor Center, were very formative in developing her thought process about the role of paid, city staff in overseeing NCs and that the right of workers to grieve perceived work place slights, should be paramount over common sense solutions to complex NC issues, a right to grievance, not accorded NCs placed on punitive Exhausive Measures---Scott Johnson in Disempowerment LA-Occupied LA-32. 

** BTW, from the First Amendment of the United States of America Constitution ........

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, ** and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. (obviously a right not accorded NCs on subjective, Exhaustive Measures by "Disempowerment LA").

      

A "Do as I Say Email" from the current LA-32 NC "Disempowerment LA NEA/ Overlord" 

To LA32NC@empowerla.orgjay@empowerla.orgpatricia.alarcon@lacity.org and 4 More... 

Feb 20 at 5:05 PM (five minutes after meeting begun). 

Good Afternoon Board Members,

I hope this email finds you well

Thank you for sending us the information regarding the upcoming Joint Elections and Budget and Finance Committee Meeting.

While we appreciate the Neighborhood Council's proactive approach in addressing pending matters, please be reminded that while in Exhaustive Efforts, the Board is to focus on Elections 2014 and Elections Outreach. To the extent possible, the Department will work and consult with the LA 32 Board on crafting the agenda for items to be considered and reviewed by the NC.     

Please be reminded that per the Letter that was sent to LA 32 NC on February 13th, the Neighborhood Council is to focus on the following two issues: Elections 2014 and Elections Outreach. We understand that during tonight's meeting, the committees will be addressing Election related items, which comply with the requirements set in the letter, however, after reviewing the content of the agenda, we noticed that the committees will also be discussing policies and procedures and funding matters.  Please understand that at this time, those recommendations that come from the committees will not be considered by the Board.  Funds for the LA 32 Board have been frozen since September 2013 and the LA 32 NC has been asked not to address funding matters, given their status.  There is also a moratorium on bylaws, which means that at this time, recommendations on changes for Neighborhood Council bylaws will not be considered either.

Per the email that was sent to the LA 32 Board on February 14th, we have asked that the NC call a Special Meeting.  The Department will craft the agenda for that meeting to deal with upcoming elections.  We have been informed that the Special Meeting is set to be held on Wednesday, February 26th at 6PM.  Please be sure to confirm your attendance and the location.  The Department will send out the agenda for the Special Meeting by end of business day, Monday, Feb. 24th.  The Neighborhood Council is responsible for assuring that the agenda is posted, per the Brown Act.

If you have further questions, please contact me at 213.978.1156.

Best,

** If you would like to comment regarding the above email directive, consider this .........

From: "Lisette Covarrubias" <lisette.covarrubias@lacity.org>
Date: February 21, 2014 at 7:06:33 AM PST
To: angeladNCLA32@yahoo.com
Subject: Out of the Office Re: Model Neighborhood Council
Thank you for your email.
I will be out of the office and returning on Monday, February 24, 2014.  If you need assistance, please call our Help Line at 213.978.1551.
Best

......, sadly too common and not good for a community without a collective voice.

Your thoughts ..............

Scott Johnson in LA-32

The Thugs who nearly killed SF Giants Fan Bryan Stow get off easy thanks to Mike Feuer's Co-Authoring of AB-109

For the family of beating victim, San Francisco Giants Fan Bryan Stow, the "Roulette Ball of Justice" landed on "Miscarriage of", as the Thugs who nearly kill him, get off with light terms, influence by now City Attorney Mike Feuer's co-authoring of AB-109.  

This supposed Attack Mailer from former City Attorney Carmen Trutanich, has today become a prophetic Campaign Flyer of Truth.

*Blogger's Note: For Angelinos, the senseless beating of a father, paramedic and San Francisco Giants Fan Bryan Stow, was a blunt reminder how the current state of sports rivalries, are becoming a reflection on our society. What was once an innocuous, verbal back and forth exercise in rhetoric, using clean language, has now became a serious introspection on degrading social mores, when partaking in the fan experience. Sadly, as social mores are dumbed down and incidents like the heinous beating of Stow, become too common place at sporting events, a check and balance to counter deviant social behavior, called Justice, has been degraded due to the actions of now City Attorney Mike Feuer. Continue below ...............  

 ....... As Bryan Stow fought to remain alive, with the prayers of family, community and with the superb help of the medical staff at LA County-USC Medical Center, then Assemblyman Mike Feuer was in Sacramento, co-author what has and will be known as the Prison Realignment Debacle, or simply AB-109. Based upon political expediency, more than public safety, thousands of supposed "Low Level, Non Violent, Non-Revocable Parolees" are making their way back onto the streets, impacting crime rates (despite the propaganda of LAPD's Com-stats pronouncements), and what affect did AB-109 have on today's sentencing of the duo that beat Stow into a life term of assisted living? Continue below .............

........... Thanks, in part to AB-109, the vile duo pictured above, face the following, after pleading guilty in accepting a Plea Bargain; Louis Sanchez, eight year in prison (** with credit for 1086 days served and may serve as little as two years in State Prison, thanks in part to AB-109), this considering the Prosecution specified that he cut and disabled Stow's tongue, put out an eye and slit his nose, ear and lip in addition to other injuries that left him brain damaged. No wonder this piece of crap was smirking as Superior Court Judge George Lomeli read the sentences. For Marvin Norwood, four years in prison (** with his credit for time already in custody appeared to account for at least the majority of that term. Deputy District Attorney Michele Hanisee said Norwood could be released immediately, without LA County Probation Supervision. thanks in full to AB-109).  Thankfully, we still have the Federal Case involving firearms procession which may add 10 years to what AB-109 has taken away in reducing prison time. And consider the following ...........  

Will now City Attorney Mike Feuer comment on today;s Miscarriage of Justice?

.......... This is a perfect example of the severe flaws with AB 109. Do to the overwhelming court cost, along with prison overcrowding, more than 75 % of current criminal offenders awaiting trial for serious or violent criminal offenses, are now being allowed to enter into plea agreements to lesser non violent criminal offenses. No longer are these convicted criminal offenders being held accountable for their violent criminal offenses. Thus, will the LA Times state the above again, come re-election time for City Attorney Mike Feuer in 2017? The growing AB-109 Body Count may influence that.

Your thoughts ..............

Scott Johnson in CD 14

A Morning Brief on Antonio "Tony" Villar's latest and past Flings for Thursday

Yes!! We still bloggin care to report on a former Failure Mayor Antonio Villar's present and past relationships. Care to join us? 

 LA Weekly's Gene Maddaus broke the latest regarding former Failure Mayor Antonio Villar's "new serious relationship", with 31 years old New York City Saleswoman Kim Honig. As a bloggin gift to the young Ms. Honig in honor of her new union, we thought we share some flashbacks from some of her new Sugar Papi's past relationships and prep her for life with Tony.    

 As the young Miss Honig will soon find out her Sugar Papi craves, loves, adores attention, witness his past infatuations with Telebimbos, who's reading of his political exploits, or in the case of the photo above, dropping out of the race for governor, led to romance (with Lu Parker). Then when the fine wine (and medical drugs) brought out his "inner-Machismo", breakup (allegedly).

 In the spirit of building that special bond in their budding romance (at least to the next Telebimbo catches Tony's always, straying eyes), young Kim should consider a thematic, Date Night, where she role plays an aspiring, young politico bed-hopping Telebimbo. Remember Kim, your ability to handle the "microphone", will keep the Sugar Papi happy.

 Young Kim should understand that her new Sugar Papi will need to spend quality time with his guy pals on occasions. Both don't worry, what happens with the guys (and their hired party companions), stays with the guys, unless somebody tips off TMZ.

 Some day, if this new father/daughter, whoops, romantic relationship gets really serious, then the Sugar Papi may jet Kim out west to meet the family, well political familia. Just think how proud Kim will be to meet her future "Political Mijo in Law", CD 14 City Councilman Jose Huizar. Maybe Huizzy will hire her as an "Office Scheduler" (with monthly pay raises for performing "assigned tasks") but that may provoke anger from Sugar Papi.

 Being objective and contrite, we hope that young Kim has the mental fortitude to handle all the gossip (and truths) regarding her new Sugar Papi's proclivities to stray away from the main love nest. Just remember that the thoughts behind that bleached-white smile, are not always innocent and focus on maintaining any semblance of fidelity. Just ask his ex. wife. 

But lastly as parting advise to the young Kim, remember in your current union with the Sugar Papi known as the Failure Mayor, you are in Tony's World now. And all the attention this fleeting blog post will bring, is all about him, with Tony's current fling for the moment, to be soon filed away in the bloggin archives (** BTW, wonder what Tony's fellow City Terrace OGs, think about him dating a young Gabacha?).

Your thoughts ...............

Scott Johnson in CD 14 

Exhausting all Measures is Paramount in dealing with Delusional NC "Procedural Bullys"

In our continuing series on the punitive actions of "Disempowerment LA" against the LA-32 Neighborhood Council, we expose the husband and wife "Procedural Bullys" of the "El Sereno Delusional, errr, Historical Society", who's ceaseless, costly frivolous complaints against the LA-32 NC, mixed with vile personal attacks against upstanding community members (including LAFD firefighters), are BAD, UGLY and serve no greater GOOD, especially in cost to the taxpayers.   

From the website of the "El Sereno Delusional, whoops, Historical Society".

** Blogger's Note: In our continuing series focusing on our fact-based, Top Ten List  for "Disempowerment LA's" punitive declaration of Exhaustive Measures against the LA-32 Neighborhood Council (today we focus on # 7), we introduce you to the husband (Jorge Garcia) and wife (Yolie Garcia) duo behind the "El Sereno Delusional, correction, Historical Society". When these two are not filing frivolous lawsuits against the City of Los Angeles over a neighborhood name, delaying a critical public works project, or demeaning community members for not agreeing with their revisionist, El Sereno-centric historical pronouncements, they can be found lurking in wait, for the slightest reasons to file complaints against the community elective body, with "Disempowerment LA". Thus, being dubbed the "Procedural Bullys of LA-32". Most, if not all NCs city-wide have these types of community personas, who are always waiting to complain and find alleged, nefarious conduct during any given NC's proceedings. That said, the respective public/ private entities that have oversight of "Disempowerment LA", need to create a protocol for dealing with the expenses incurred in responding to the frivolous complaints of "Procedural Bullys" (which during this term of the LA-32 NC, must be in the upper four figures). But most important, the volume of frivolous complaints should not be a consideration for "Disempowerment LA" to place a NC on Exhaustive Measures. Meanwhile, as we wait for a dysfunctional "Disempowerment LA" to address the issues of "Procedural Bullys", lets not waste any more bloggin time in keyboarding our fact-based dissertation, on the "Delusional Society of NC Procedural Bullys of LA-32", in their own words---Scott Johnson in Disempowerment LA-occupied LA-32.

 

1. Should serious students of history make this type of degrading comment regarding city-recognized communities, in the course of a supposed historic dissertation, as noted on their website?

Delusional to say the least.

2. How can a husband and wife duo be taken seriously as students of history (or as community members) when they attack the brave LAFD Firefighters of the Hillside Village Community Station 16, for merely noting the community on its truck?



 The Hillside Village placard on Engine 16 prompted this vile attack below ..........

We need to make sure our fire stations are staffed with city employees who are proud to serve the industrious working-class community of El Sereno.  The current staff at LAFD #16 are a pathetic bunch who are too embarrassed to represent El Sereno.  Let's get rid of these bums and request, demand, fire station personnel who are proud to work for and with our community.  Plain and Simple; our tax-dollars pay their salary, yet they slap our faces with these idiotic and unprofessional actions.  Forward your complain to the Battalion and Division Headquarters.  The information is provided at the bottom of this section. Delusional (and a vile attack on those who place their lives on the line daily) to say the least.

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Morning Brief on a Bankrupting Minimum Wage Scheme for Hump Day

As Los Angeles City Clowncil Central Committee Members Nury Martinez, Curren Price and Mitch O'Farrell ask for a report on the consequences of a $15.37 Minimum Wage for Hotel Workers, business, civic and city leaders should look to Detroit, Michigan, to note the effects of bankrupting, progressive policies on a large municipality. 

Will run away governmental expenses and bankrupting, progressive policies lead to Los Angeles becoming the "Detroit on the Pacific" in the near future.

Good morning from the East Bank of the Los Angeles River as your Los Angeles City Clowncil Central Committee moves closer to approving a Minimum Wage Hike that will bring "Ciudad de Los Angeles" in line with Detroit, Michigan in becoming bankrupt Sister Cities.

The City Clowncil Central Committee trio of Nury Martinez, Curren Price and Mitch O'Farrell asked their colleagues to approve the drafting of a report on the ramifications a $15.37 per hour Minimum Wage for Hotel Workers (then everyone else in short time), would have on the city. Obviously, this trio should of review the Congressional Budget Office findings regarding the projected 500,000 jobs that would be lost nation-wide if President Barack "H" Obama's nation version of a Minimum Wage Hike ($10.25 per hour) becomes law, before moving forward with its own micro version. But then they would not have the subjective findings they want to push this scheme forward.

But while the Clowncil Central Committee Trio awaits approval of an economic report on the proposed Minimum Wage Hike, progressive supporters of the supposed $15.37 per hour living wage, are making the rounds city-wide in the effort to grow support.

At this month's Los Angeles Neighborhood Council Coalition (LANCC) Meeting in Hollywood, the front group promoting this scheme, Left Wing, Progressive Madeline Janis's LAANE organization, sent two reps to sell this scheme to the assembled NC activists and the blowback was immediate. The LANNE duo, while attacking the profit margins of the big hotels  fail to mention LAANE's ties to Big Labor (especially LAANE supporter SEIU), who would love to have a higher Minimum Wage, to use as a benchmark for future contract negotiations with the City of Los Angeles.

As a former SEIU 347 Shop Steward and Executive Union Board Member in the City of Commerce, I know first hand how a hike in the Minimum Wage (and its ensuing affect on the Cost per Living Index, CPI), can have at the negotiating table, come contract time.

In the City of Los Angeles currently, you have thousands of unionize, part-time employees making below the proposed Minimum Wage of $15.37 per hour. If the proposed Minimum Wage Hike is approve, the hourly rate becomes the new benchmark at the negotiation table, which would mean higher employee costs for a municipality that is projected to have another $200 Million Dollar deficit looming in the upcoming Fiscal Year ....... and rest assure, like the hotels, the city will past on the cost of this scheme to you. 

That's if bankruptcy does not come first to the soon to be "Detroit on the Pacific".

Your thoughts ................

Scott Johnson in CD 14.   



How a "Connected Boyfriend/ Girlfriend Arts Project" can get your Neighborhood Council put on Exhaustive Measures

What could of been a love story of a "Connected Boyfriend/Girlfriend Arts Project", is instead a teachable moment on how disclosing a secretive "line of credit" can get your Neighborhood Council placed on Exhaustive Measures. 

What CD 14 City Councilman Jose Huizar funds, via the CLARTS Fund in Boyle Heights ......

..... becomes a fail "Connected Boyfriend/Girlfriend Arts Project" along Alhambra Rd. in LA-32.

In our continuing series on our subjective Top Ten Reasons why "Disempowerment LA" took punitive, Exhaustive Measures against the LA-32 Neighborhood Council, we focus on item number 9, which will be a blogging novella on a secretive, Line of NC-funded Credit for a "Connected Boyfriend/Girlfriend Arts Project", disclosed. with the funds being refunded to the General Fund, not the NC account. Our blogging, political novella begins with ........

The Connected Girlfriend, Angelica de la Torre.

Ms. de la Torre once was part of a lovely duo (herself and Melissa) that ran a Farmer's Market on Fridays along Huntington Drive, in partnership with a "Connected, Non-Profit" and most important, the blessing of her local politico .......................

El Sereno Farmers’ Market got off to a great start recently when hundreds attended its inaugural event, which included an array of foods and services and even the famous Kogi Korean Taco Truck. Councilmember Huizar is co-sponsoring the Farmers’ Market, along with Barrio Action Youth and Family Center (their fiscal agent?) and the L.A.32 Neighborhood Council (** ?, not when it came to her request that the NC pay for banners that supported her business, but I digress). Council District 14 also helped Farmers’ Market organizers Angelica De La Torre and Melissa Chincilla get all the necessary permits to open on time. The market is a welcome addition to the El Sereno community and needs strong community support to succeed. The El Sereno Farmers’ Market is held every Friday, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and is located on Huntington Drive North and Maycrest Avenue. Check out their Facebook page HERE (the Facebook Page, like the Farmers Market, no longer exists).

Ms. de la Torre's loyalty to Councilman Huizar was given the highest score as disclosed during the 2011 "Listgate Scandal" (3 the highest for loyalty, 5 the highest for influence) .........

Cynthia Ruiz, El Sereno Resident (2 and 2). Rudy Torres, President of El Sereno Chamber of Commerce (3 and 2). Eddie Santillon, Honorary Mayor of El Sereno (3 and 2). LAPD Officer Steve Morales, Senior Lead Officer (3 and 4). Arturo Durado, Principal of El Sereno Middle School (2 and 4). Heidi Acosta, Principal of Sierra Vista Elementary (3 and 3). Anthony Manzano, LA 32 NC (3 and 1). LAPD Officer Oscar Cassini, Senior Lead Officer (2 and 3). Angie De La Torre, LA 32 NC/ El Sereno Farmers Market (3 and 2). Julio Torres, Our Town Magazine (** 3 and 5). ** Only perfect score from all the lists.

Her continuing loyalty to Councilman Huizar earned her (and Melissa) additional public funding ..........

The March 14, 2011 AB 1290 fund status report reported a $15,000 commitment and $15,000 expenditure for the Adelante Eastside RPA for the El Sereno Farmer’s Market.  Both transactions reference the same Council authorization (CF10-1881).  However, the Council only authorized $15,000 to be transferred to the City to help fund the El Sereno Farmer’s Market.  The transfer was made in February 2011 and is appropriately reported  as an expenditure for the RPA.  However, there is no other Council authorization to commit an additional $15,000 for the Farmer’s Market. While the commitment did not impact the cash transfer from the CRA to the City on March  15, 2011, the additional commitment overstates what the Council approved as a designated use of the AB 1290 funds.

The Connected Boyfriend, Michael Oropeza.

Mr. Oropeza joins the LA-32 Neighborhood Council and was soon bonding with his new fellow arts soulmate Angelica (while still eyeing his surroundings), in addition to growing his budding political ambitions by becoming a Field Deputy for LA County Board of Supervisor Gloria "Molina Boo Boo". He quickly learns the art of crafting memos which glorify the work of his boss (ie. taken credit for others endeavors). But that said, "Connected Boyfriend/Girlfriend" remain true to their joint love, the arts, through the LA-32 NC General board and its Arts & Culture Committee and thus, a "Connected Boyfriend/Girlfriend Arts Project" (funded with NC funds) is born (a song dedication is in order).

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Morning Brief on Gloria Romero's beef with the Old Boys Political Machine for Tuesday

Former State Senate Majority Leader, Education Reformer  and the noted "Other Woman" Gloria Romero, rips the Old Boys in Sacramento over their hypocrisy in the Senator Roderick Wright conviction.

 Former State Senate Majority Leader Gloria Romero

 Is incoming State Senate Majority Leader Kevin de Leon pondering his own past domicile issues?

Good morning from the "East Bank of Los Angeles" as the morning low clouds burn away to reveal a once Sacramento Latina Politico, who is keyboarding missives aimed at the hypocritical Old Boys Club in the State Capital of  "Greece on the Pacific" (formerly known as the Golden State).

Former State Senate Majority Leader Gloria Romero once had it all as part of the ruling class in Sacramento, Local political observers will remember that it was Romero, along with then Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, who pushed Mayor Antonio Villar's LAUSD takeover scheme AB 1381, which later ruled unconstitutional.

But while Mayor Villar proved to be a Fail Education Mayor, Romero's passion for true Education Reform (and a nine year passionate affair with late LA County Labor Federation Leader Miguel Contreras), brought her into conflict with former labor allies (especially CTA) over supporting the growth of Charter Schools and Prop 32, which would of diluted the power of unions statewide.

Thus, it should come as no surprise to anyone politically astute, that the once insider take keyboard umbrage at the current state of hypocrisy within the State Senate (regarding dealing with convicted felon State Senator Roderick Wright), in her new Columnist role with the Orange County Register. But its her comments regarding in-coming State Senate Majority Leader Kevin de Leon that are raising eye brows ..............

For example, the recently announced successor to Steinberg as leader of the Senate, Kevin de Leon, D-Los Angeles, has had past political opponents accuse him of carpetbagging, that is, moving into a district to to qualify to run for a particular seat, as referenced in an LA Weekly story from 2006. (It's a common political practice and is legal.)

One de Leon opponent, longtime district resident Elena Popp, rightfully called it an “old boys network.” At the very least, it was a distasteful magical carpet(bag) ride.

After de Leon vacated his Assembly seat, he supported current Assemblyman Jimmy Gomez, D-Los Angeles, who also immediately faced residency challenges. A 2012 YouTube video captures him giving three answers about where he lived, finally, laughing “I move a lot.”

Romero's comment regarding de Leon are interest in lieu of rumors over the years of their "close relationship" and they must of stung the former San Diego resident considering this "clarification" submitted to the Register .............

Kevin de Leon was leasing an apartment in the 45th state Assembly District at the time he ran for the Assembly in 2006. De Leon’s residency was ambiguously characterized in a column by Gloria Romero in the Feb. 4 edition of the Register.

........ hmmm, when did Carol Jacques couch become an apartment (allegedly)?

Your thoughts ...............

Scott Johnson in CD 14