Clowncil on Vacation continues

"The Payasos of 200 Spring Street will return after Labor Day"

** Mid-day update: The Board of Public Works with Andrea Alarcon presiding, voted to deny permits for this weekend's Sunset Junction Festival.

Late great morning to all in the "Ciudad de Los Angeles" bloggin political cybersphere!

The city clowncil is midway through its first week of taxpayers funded vacation that will see them return on the Tuesday after Labor Day. You know the supply of political chisme is low when the "Bloggin Maven of City Hall's" Morning Coffee of decaff political news, can fit with space left over in a thimble. Slow is the news when CD 2/7 City Councilman Richard AlarCON's daughter Andrea's role in the Sunset Junction Controversy,is the source of links for the "Bloggin Maven" and Joseph Mailander at Street Hassle.

We have a CD 4 Councilman Tom Labonge and family vacation sighting in Berlin, Germany where the Los Angeles "traveling gnome for sister city relations", received the "Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit" medal from Cousel General Wolfgang Drautz.

A month and four days after two people were shot leaving the Summer Night Lights Program at Wilmington Recreation Center, Mayor Antonio Villar is schedule to visit this evening at 8 PM. will a "certain candidate" (think Paul Koretz twin) for the CD 15  City Council seat, join the mayor tonight?

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14 

Thursday afternoon's "close out" on the Los Angeles Political Scene

Mayor Villar at Summer Night Light festivities (in daytime).

** As the number of Summer Night Lights shooting victims for 2011 stands at 3 (or 4 if Cypress Park incident is related to SNL) Mayor Villar is planning a "night out" for his fellow mayoral chums to visit the Summer Night Lights Program at Costello Park in Boyle Heights/ VNE Territory (Kevlar is optional for this visit).

** THIS IS FUNNY VIA THE LA WEEKLY'S JILL STEWART!

 Credit to LA Weekly's Keith Plocek

Via Stewart's amusing post on the upcoming CD 15 Special Election, do we really need city council members who think, vote and agree the same way "99.993% of the time" while sharing DNA with Mr. Potato Head?

Read more »

Mid-Day Briefs on the CD 15 Political Scene for Thursday

Hope Parke Skelton "does a better job of document control" for his latest progressive client CD 15 Candidate Warren Furutani.

"Campaign Consultant to supposed Progressives" Parke Skelton is becoming "oh so predictable". 

As he did in the recent CD 14 campaign melee, Parke and his polling associates have released a poll of CD 15 "likely voters" that shows "surprise, surprise" his client as one of the frontruners in the race to replace Congresswomen Janice Hahn. The results as crafted by Parke's anoited polling firm.

Svorinich 18
Furutani 17
Buscaino 11

McOsker 7

Now why did we bold Furutani and McOsker's polling results? This is for the benefit of the "brother and sisters" of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor who will collectively endorse someone to wave the proud endorsement banner. No doubt here that the purpose of this poll was to sway union support in the direction of Furutani and with Fed Leader Maria Elena Durazo close friend Mayor Antonio Villar's endorsement of Furutani, the battle among the unions should be just as good as the campaigning between the candidates.

** BTW, the City Council formally approved the dates for the CD 15 Special Election with the primary on November 8, 2011 and runoff on January 17, 2012.

** Someone who claims to be former "UFLAC First Vice-President and current Business Rep, Mike McOsker" is none too happy with the firefighter creator of patmcoskerforcouncil.com blog

To: “anonymous”. Hey, you foul-mouthed coward. You just publicly used a very dirty and childish term to make fun of my family’s last name. Give me a call, tough guy. -Mike McOsker 310 ***-**** PS:…or come by and see me at **** W. **** St. in San Pedro.

** Wonder what the candidates for CD 15 comments are after the latest Summer Night Lights shooting that took place at Wilmington Recreation Center.  A nineteen year old man and fifteen year old teenager are listed in stable condition according to the Daily Breeze.

** Meanwhile' conditions at Harbor Regional Park are catching the attention of park advocates city-wide. Nature Walks around the environs of Lake Merchado are becoming excursions to into Homeless KOA's.

Shooting at Van Ness Park Summer Night Lights Program

"Shooting, Lasers and Cronyism hallmarks of 2011 Summer Night Lights Program".

ABC 7 is reporting that Actors Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena chanced upon a shooting scene about 11:30PM last evening at the Van Ness Park "Summer Night Lights Program".

Gyllenhaal and Pena were on a combination LAPD ride along/research for their upcoming movie "End of Watch" with its theme based upon two LAPD officer's "long-term relationship", when the patrol car they were riding in, responded to the shooting. No comment yet from the Mayor's office on this incident.

The victim with injuries to his lip and arms, is listed in stable condition.

More on other SNL related news later........

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14

Morning Briefs and Outtakes on the Eve of "El Grito"

"Not everyone is happy with Summer Night Lights"

We start off our morning with this public plea.

FROM: Community Artist, Apprentices, and Master Artist/SNL 2009

RE: Summer Night Lights (SNL) Contract

DATE: September 2, 2009

To Whom May It Concern,

We the artists of the SNL Gang Reduction Program demand immediate payment for our services. Many of us turned down other work to be a part of this important effort. The SNL programs success is majorly due to the arts component that is present at all 16 parks. We all depend on this - this is our work, we have committed ourselves not only to our craft but to our community to provide the services they all deserve. Likewise we deserve to be treated as professionals in our field of expertise. The Arts community is one of the most effected groups from the current economic downturn and continue to be disregarded by this neglect on the part of the City of Los Angeles.

The experience working hands on with the community has been remarkable. Many of us artist have gone through various lengths and have over exceeded in order to sustain the art, music and dance workshops for Summer Night Lights. For example, asking our colleagues, friends and organizations to donate materials, paying directly from our pockets, swiping our credit cards, borrowed money for equipment and materials. Although we have been partially reimbersed for materials, we have not been paid for our time and professional experience. There has been a significant amount of preparation, time, planning and effort to make SNL a success. Our efforts have over exceeded our expectations and requirements.The latest press release sent out on August 24th regarding White House Conference on Gang Violence and Crime Control states the following: “U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder praised Mayor’s SUMMER NIGHT LIGHTS program as an innovative approach to reducing gang violence.” This press release illustrates the success of the program however on the other hand we are outraged that we have been left in the shadows; we have been left to fend and find innovative methods to implement and succeed on our own without proper compensation. We have not been paid for our services or materials and equipment.

The contract clearly states that the Department of Cultural Affairs and the Mayors office will provide modest budgets for materials and equipment, we were told by, Michelle Berne, DCA of a budget cut from our original proposal for equipment and materials, soon after we received 25% of our materials budget three weeks into the program. SNL is now in the last week and we have not received not a single payment for our services.We need answers today, via email, letter and a follow up phone call. Thank you for your time and effort in bridging our communities thru the arts.

Sincerely,

SUMMER NIGHT LIGHTS 2009 MASTER ARTIST, COMMUNITY WORKERS, AND APPRENTICES

Maybe these contract workers/ artists should realize that it was more important to bailout Father Boyle's Homeboy Industry with $200,000 in T-shirt sales and pay $6,000 to the 16 "Summer Night Advocates" to spin the virtues of the program within their respective hoods.

OTHER NEWS:

** The Daily News City Hall Beat Writer Rick Orlov, highlights Antonio's comadre Maria Elena Durazo, Jim Alger's buddy Mitch Englander and the re energize Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, in his Monday's "Tipoff Column".

** Former City Controller Candidate and DWP Commission President Nick Patsaouras has come out in support of Tamar Galatzan for the vacant CD 2 Council Seat. He joined with Galatzan in a presser to push for an "DWP citizen advocate".

** The "Old Gray Westside Hag On Spring Street" opines on the dire fiscal days ahead at City Hall. The opening sentence gets to the point.

City Controller Wendy Greuel reported last month that Los Angeles, if it stays on its present course of spending and anticipated revenue, will run out of money next May.

But the question here is whether Greuel and her former City Council colleagues will have the fortitude to tell the likes of IBEW, SEIU and AFSCME, that their early retirement scheme will need more concessions??

** Kudos to LA's and Drudge cohort Andrew Breitbart on the roll out of his latest "bloggin endeavor", "Big Government". Maybe Breitbart will find some time to investigate some of the sub contractors getting gang money in this city. Wonder if ACORN can help in facilitating the creation of a brothel, with a large choice of "Telebimbos" for a certain Spring Street Politico??

** Racism is alive and well in the collectivist cranium of one "Old Gray Westside Hag on Spring Street" Columnist Tim "KIM IL" Rutten, the "Dear Leader of objectively bias Westside Journalism". Paraphrasing Samuel Johnson, "Racism is the last refuge of an mainstream, collectivist columnist with West LAist Liberal tendencies".

** This is dedicated to the Jack Weiss Groupie/ Nuch hater. Patrick R. McDonald questions whether the City Attorney is screwing over some homeless guy in Northridge. The scary part is the name of the "real estate expert" Comment away hater!!, ......... and don't forget to keep tabs on the busted pipes.

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

Feast or Famine for "Connected Non-Profits" ??

"Did Mayor Villaraigosa stiff Father Boyle's Homeboy Industries"

Memo to Celeste Fremon at Witness LA.

How can you be surprise that the former Tony Villar, now known to all as Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, fail to keep a promise ??

Look if the guy could lie to his wife, then what would keep him from saying that the "Check is in the Mail", to the man he once equated to Jesus Christ, Father Greg Boyle ??

Non-profits like most for-profits entities are suffering through hard times made even worst by President Obama and those socialists that reign in Sacramento, but I digress.

Homeboy Industries has been held up as the shining example of what a non-profit, with an visionary front person can accomplish, with the sincere support of those in the public and private sector.

But sadly, sincere non-profits are being usurped by "connected non-profits", created by elite insiders, for the benefit of the exclusive few, not for the greater community.

And as you push Homeboy's "Virtual Carwash Fundraiser", which I'll link here, in the spirit of seeing a carwash use for something positive, and not for raising funds to bury another young life. Let me highlight how some "connected non-profits" use public money.

Take this motion on tomorrows City Council Agenda.

Barrio Action Summer Sports Activity - $10,000 --This activity will provide funding to

Barrio Action Youth and Family Center to support a summer sports program between July 1,
2009 and September 19, 2009, Sport activities will include basketball, volleyball and indoor
soccer. Funding will be used to provide a recreation coordinator and necessary sports
equipment A total of 200 youth will be served, (another handout to Tammy)

EI Centro de Ayuda-Youth Enrichment Project - $13,000--This activity will provide funding
to the EI Centro de Ayuda to support a community Youth Enrichment Project (YEP), YEP will
provide gang prevention and violence prevention services by working with at-risk youth and their parents on school campuses and in the broader community, engage and educate local
communities on these issues and to promote public policies that directly impact these issues,
Funding will enable YEP to focus on the community engagemenUeducation and policy
developmenUpromotion purposes of the Youth Enrichment Project, including costs associated
with holding community forums in northeast Los Angeles communities of Boyle Heights and EI Sereno, honorariums for key forum/community speakers, staffing the project, and publication of policy recommendations resulting from the forums, (Raul makes another Harley payment)

Then there is the new poster boy for "connected non-profits" Legacy LA.

But Celeste, while Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has yet to come through with the $500,000 for Homeboy Industries, let me share this little nugget of public funding coming their way from the proposed budget for the Summer Night Lights Program.

c. Allocate up to $210,000 for a contract with the Los Angeles Conservation Corps (LACC) to
manage youth squad and community program coordination team members providing services at the 16 SNL sites; (the same group DWP payed $100+ per tree to plant)

****d. Allocate up to $200,000 for the costs of shirts from Homeboy Industries for SNL.program participants and staff; and

e. Allocate up to $50,000 for custodial services, utilities and staff time directed towards the
operation of SNL at the Edward R. Roybal Learning Center by the Los Angeles Unified
School District (LAUSD);

So Celeste, not all is lost for Homeboy Industries, at least until Antonio's associates come calling for those franchise fees/ campaign contributions.

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

Morning Briefs and Outtakes on Opening Day of "Summer Night Lights"

"Plead with me for donations"

In the voice of Cheech Marin, "Vatos y Vatas, its time for Summer Night Lights in the Barrio!!"

Yes, coming to an barrio, ghetto, or high crime hood near you is Eric Garcetti's, errrrr, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's second year collaboration with Los Angeles Recreation and Parks that extends park hours to midnight in 16 targeted neighborhoods.

One new winkle in this years program according to sources, is the hiring of "Summer Night Lights Advocates" who are paid $6,000 for eight weeks of work. And what is the main job responsibility of these advocates ?? Spinning the virtues of the Mayor's program!! One wonder if Matt Szabo will train these 16 x $6,000 Advocates on the "Art of Spin" ??

**For those "Cut and Paste Commandos in CD-14", lets play who is the latest to be deleted from Councilman Jose Huizar's City Hall staff contacts.

City Hall Office Staff

Ana Cubas, Chief of Staff(Ana.Cubas@lacity.org)

Francine Godoy, Deputy Chief of Staff(Francine.Godoy@lacity.org)

Rick Coca, Director of Communications(Rick.Coca@lacity.org)

Andrea Sotelo, Executive Assistant & Scheduler(Andrea.Sotelo@lacity.org)

Arturo Gonzalez, District Director(Arturo.Gonzalez@lacity.org)

Multiple Choice for LAUSD Grads.

A. Joe Avila

B. Alvin Parra

C. Henry Casas

D. Irantzu Pujadas

E. Belinda Ortiz

F. Peter Hidalgo

G. Amy Yeager

H-Z, plus Alpha, Beta .................., fill in the blanks.

.........and BTW, when was former Deputy Chief of Staff Henry Casas taken off the Contact List and why ???

** Ron Kaye has a great post on the latest efforts of the political elites to carpetbag their way into a City Council seat. This time the likes of Chris Essel and Paul Krekorian, with "supporting baggage" head to CD-2 to sell themselves to Special Interests,........ then the voters.

** Jan Perry for Mayor in 2013 ?? I want a "Double, Double of Ya right!", with a side order of "Mc No Chance!!", washed down with some "Shaky Dealings on Grand Avenue", to go.....

** As the likes of Mayor Villaraigosa's "Third Floor Spin Chamber" spokesperson Matt Zsabo fronts and spins the virtues of "civic begging", LA Weekly's Tibby Rothman reports on the growing cost.

Then there is this from those "corporate welfare junkies" at AEG.

A typical L.A. resident who sought to hold an event that would cause massive traffic and other disruptions would be treated entirely differently, required to apply for a Los Angeles City permit that could hold them liable for policing, street closure and clean-up costs.

According to Villaraigosa's office, AEG did not even bother to file that basic permit for the MJ Memorial. We're still checking on whether this fact means that city taxpayers are legally stuck with the liabilities.

Someone needs to pay for this in cash, or be held accountable if caught fronting for these arrogant fools at AEG, are you listening on the Third Floor ??

Your thoughts......