Bloggin Happy Hour Musings on the LA Political Machine for Thursday

Great Bloggin Happy Hour Musings on the local political machine for the eve of another TGIF. Join us as we tip the glass and enlighten you on these political musings that may find their way into someone's decaff morning coffee in the A.M. ; ) --- Scott Johnson..

** Bummer and major drivin burden or those this evening in a radius around the Studio City Enclave of George Clooney as President Barack "H" Obama comes trolling into the San Fernando Valley in search of millions in Limousine Liberal's disposable income. In honor of the President's first visit to the north side of the Santa Monica Mountains, the top earning scribe at the "Old Gray AARP Hag on Spring Street" Steve Lopez, has one word for Clooney and friends, who are willing to dispense $40,000+ in cash to mingle with a "forlorn hope" (blogger commentary), HYPOCRITES!

Yeah, pardon me for being such a party pooper, but isn't it a little offensive that 150 of L.A.'s high rollers would shell out $40,000 to kiss Clooney's ring and get maybe 10 seconds of face time with Obama?

Thus, a brief stray, contrary commentary from the "LA Obama Times".

**  It may be Thursday according to the Blackberry, but our normal "Another Soulvine Thursday" with commentary from the "William Randolph Hearst of South L.A. Journalism" Betty Pleasant, has gone two weeks without a Councilman Bernard Parks rant, but this will do for now.

YOU GO, GREUEL! — In a sign of growing momentum, City Controller Wendy Greuel announced last week the formation of her “Women for Wendy” Committee in her campaign to become the next mayor of Los Angeles. Comprised of female community leaders, grassroots activists, professionals, students and small business owners, the committee will also serve as an advisory group to the campaign for women’s issues. “With their help, we’ll get one step closer to breaking that glass ceiling and electing our city’s first woman mayor,” Greuel said.

Betty, what about "Sister Jan"?

** A Downtown LA happening, especially those that involves a former City Terrace youth-turned-Mayor Antonio Villar (formerly raigosa officially in 2013) musing and photo op, is kitty box liner without commentary (mixed with theater analogies) from Downtown News Editor and Scribe of Wit Jon Regardie. Regardie's latest is on the evolving Farmers Field site plans and its supposed "tight timeline". But pause with me for a moment when I ask, "why is the City of Los Angeles going to front hundreds of millions dollars in bonds to replace the Convention Center, when the plans call for Farmer Field and a new Convention Center to be one in the same, as in same building?

“The key to the success of the project is that it’s one building,” said Ron Turner, the director of Sports/Entertainment for Gensler, the architect of the proposed Farmers Field.

 When is the next viewing of "Chinatown"?

** Lastly, nothing like ending the first edition of Bloggin Happy Hour Musings with this salient story from CD 14 via the Eastern Group Publications.

Responding to public outcry about public safety and quality of life issues related to alcohol sales, 40 alcoholic beverage control and Los Angeles police officers conducted inspections at nearly 200 alcohol beverage selling outlets in Boyle Heights and surrounding communities last week 

Some stats from the story.

 March, the Boyle Heights Coalition released preliminary findings of their then just completed alcohol-availability study. The data showed there were two felony DUIs with injuries, 349 alcohol related traffic violations, and a host of other crimes in Boyle Heights where alcohol played a factor during a six-month period in 2011. During the meeting organizers and residents discussed a moratorium on new alcohol sale licenses for off-site consumption.

But what connected non-profit and GRYD sub-contractor supported more corporate (7-eleven) beer and wine licenses in sensitive communities within the Hollenbeck Division?

Legacy LA supporter and Ramona Gardens Resident Advisory Council Member Liliana Martinez testifies (at 26:45 mark on video) on the behalf of 7-Eleven as noted in previous Mayor Sam post.

 What did Legacy LA get in return for their support of 7-Eleven at this hearing?

...... hopefully not a renewal of their GRYD contract.

Your thoughts and drink responsible ..............

Scott Johnson in CD 14  

TGIF Afternoon Political News Dump 10-6-11: NFL's "no thanks" to AEG

NFL not impress with Corporate Welfare City-State of AEG LA LIVE.

Just think if no one came to play football after all the backroom deals and payoffs, ... well from Yahoo.

Despite significant political momentum throughout California for a downtown Los Angeles stadium that would house an NFL team, the league had a recent message for people involved with the project:

Right now, no thanks.

 During a Sept. 6 meeting at the NFL offices in New York, commissioner Roger Goodell told Los Angeles Councilwoman Jan Perry and political aide Bernard Parks, Jr. that neither the league nor any team interested in moving there would agree to the business proposal set forth by Anschutz Entertainment Group, according to three sources with knowledge of the conversation. AEG is the private company that has offered to build and operate a retractable-roof stadium, which would be named Farmers Field, on the site that is currently part of the Los Angeles Convention Center. That means no free tixs for the Mayor until at least after reverting to "Citizen Villar".

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14

"Corporate Welfare City-State of AEG LA LIVE" strikes back and reunites two "Brothers of Labor"

" The Corporate Welfare City-State of AEG's L.A. LIVE" 

Daily News Journalist Tony Castro was the first to deconstruct the political mythology of Mayor Antonio Villar and chronicled the legal problems of the former City Councilman turned convicted LA County Labor Federation Leader Martin Ludlow.

If one could trace back the evolutionary DNA chain of AEG L.A. LIVE frontperson/strongman Tim LIEweke, it would not surprise anyone to see it originate in the ancient Greek City-State of Sparta where training for fighting political foes was a daily part of life. Hence, AEG's strike back against Los Angeles County Board of Supervisor Michael Antonovich proposed motion to oppose the AEG L.A. LIVE City-State's request for special state protection from environmental lawsuits. AEG found Supervisor Antonovich's "Athenian Political Weakness" (corruption of commerce and money in politics) and attack, in this case Antonovich's wife connection with an AEG affiliate in Shanghai, China. Thus, Supervisor Antonovich withdrew his motion pending legal consultation. (we should note that Antonovich is on firmer legal ground here in this skirmish).

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Afternoon Briefs on the Los Angeles Political Scene for Wednesday

Raider fan shanking Chargers fan in San Diego. View more angry Raider fans videos here

For this longtime-jilted Rams fan, yesterday's City Council vote that approved a supposed MOU between Downtown Overlord AEG and their willing accomplices at 200 Spring Street is nothing more than the next tiresome act of enriching the "City of Los Angeles Insider Class" (as noted by Ron Kaye) at the expense of ethics within City Hall. 

Don't get me wrong, I want the NFL to return here as it should had already if not for Mike Hernandez and Richard Riordan when they shot down former Los Angeles Dodgers Owner Peter O'Malley's attempts in the last decade. (O'Malley getting football then would've equated to no Frank McCourt today) But is the pursuit of returning the NFL to Los Angeles with its questionable financial benefits worth incurring more municipal debt?

Besides the questionable economic benefits, lets not forget sociological issues that come into play with the return of the NFL. It was not long ago that "Raider Black" was the clothing of choice for LA's gangster community. This blogger remembers well the last Rams-Raider Game in Southern California back in 1994 where the fights was better than the game. Still can't forget "Chato" trying to jack me for my Rams gear at that game and thinking what a size 13 cowboy boot would of done to his future child-producing potential. And lets not forget the LAPD lockup in the west end of the Coliseum that was full during Raiders home games. Do we want that type of environment again for NFL football in Los Angeles? Former Raiders Hall of Famer Howie Long didn't. BTW, how do you scare a Raider Fan? Third Strike ...............

** OTHER NEWS AFTER THE JUMP.

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Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Tuesday

Because of the budget shortfalls facing local schools, incoming boss of the LAUSD John Deasy is going to take on some of the pain and cut his salary.  Instead of earning $325K per year, Deasy will only get a $275K annual payout.  Despite the great pain this will cause him, do not worry.  Deasy will still earn more than the Superintendent of the New York City school system, a far larger district than LAUSD.

The Times says business is scoping out the Downtown area for new locales because of talks of a new football stadium.  Or could it be that retailers such as CVS, Walgreens and Fresh N Easy are just following the population growth in the City Center?  When Gucci moves in next to Staples however, we will know it's because of Farmers' Field.

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Farmers' Field?

The Mayor has a reason for a presser.  Read about it at the Fishwrap.