Leave this ex-landfill alone

Editorial from today's LA Times

Afternoon Briefs on the Los Angeles Political Scene for Thursday

"CIty Councilman Bill Rosendahl will bare chest for medical procedure".

Great afternoon to all as we bring you up to speed on all thing political outside of CD 14, in the City of Los Angeles.

We wish a speedy recovery to Venice Beach City Councilman Bill Rosendahl who will go under the knife to repair an abnormal heart rhythm. Rosendahl who's heart is of a liberal variety., ( also should note that he had the heart to help former Mayor Sam Blogger Dave "Zuma Dogg" Saltzberg) looks forward to returning to his normal duties within the Horseshoe on Spring Street, within days.

** As Mayor Sam reported, the former CD 12 City Council Candidate Brad Smith, is back to being current CD 12 City Council Candidate Brad Smith. Smith, who's sudden departure from the CD 12 campaign proceedings was cause for rampant speculation and consternation from LA County Democratic Activists, (who's county endorsement was seen as going to waste) has resolved his "personal and economic issues".

** Lets give CD 4 City Council Candidate Stephen Box credit for "this novel exercise of candidate meet and greeting". Candidate Box dispenses with the bike and tries on the hiking boots for a Sunday's stroll through the brush. ** A Bloggin Disclaimer: Beware of 'six-figure salary city employee" who tosses footballs and high school gridiron tales on the trails of Griffith Park.

** Is CD 4 City Council Candidate Tomas O'Grady and his minions of the Los Felix Forward Coalition, gaming financial disclosures to present supposed larger community support?

** For those who are ignorant on CRA/LA's leading role in decaying ethical government in the City of Los Angeles, take some time to delve into Ron Kaye's numerous recent postings on Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's orchestrated dealings via CRA/LA's "vessel of choice" Chris Essel.

** LAPD Chief Charlie Beck is at the receiving end of criticism for yesterday's MASSIVE response to the shooting of a LAUSD school police officer near El Camino High School.

** The Community Alliance for Open Space (CAFOS) is moving forward with its lawsuit to overturn CD 2/7 City Councilman Richard "Zorro Marxist" Alarcon's debacle to place an unionize truck driving school, within open space designated land at the former Lopez Canyon Landfill. It might be worth noting that a "Certain PLUM Committee Member" has some contributions issues that the likes of the Sierra Club might want to know, or not for sake of embarrasment.

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14

Who'll Get the Last Laugh? Richard Alarcon to be Indicted

It looks like Richard "Lopez Canyon is Mine" Alarcon will indeed be indicted by an LA County Grand Jury as early as today. Councilman Alarcon has long faced accusations that he does not reside in the district (CD7) that he represents, but actually lives in CD2.

From the Times-

Prosecutors have been trying for much of the last year to determine whether Alarcon lied about his residency, which can be prosecuted as a felony. They served search warrants in January on two homes owned by Alarcon’s wife, Flora Montes de Oca -- one in Panorama City, which Alarcon claimed as his residence, and another in Sun Valley.
The latter house is outside Alarcon’s district and is in a neighborhood represented by Councilman Paul Krekorian.

Just last month, 6 members of his staff were called before the Grand Jury to testify.

Speaking of Lopez Canyon, the Community Alliance for Open Space filed suit against the City of Los Angeles and the Bureau of Sanitation on July 29th for the unlawful approval of a truck driving academy on land designated as Open Space. The Alliance raised money to file the lawsuit through donations and a series of bake sales. Read the Writ.

UPDATE-
- 2:30pm- Alarcon being booked now. To be released on OR. Multiple charges.
- 2:45pm- Pleads "Not Guilty" to 18 criminal charges including voter fraud and perjury. Court date Sept. 27th.

Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Friday

-The "I meant to grab my Taser, but pulled out my gun and shot him in the back by accident" defense from former BART cop, Johannes Mehserle, didn't completely fly with the LA jury who found him guilty on Thursday of involuntary manslaughter. Family members and supporters of victim Oscar Grant are outraged that Mehserle wasn't found guilty of murder instead, and the streets of Oakland are feeling the pain.

-Fresh from basking in his and Richard Alarcon's victory of severely damaging Open Space Zoning in Los Angeles, Mayor Villaraigosa contradicts his actions by laying it on thick at the Huffington Post and begs us all to save Open Space. WTF?

-Speaking of Lopez Canyon and Richard Alarcon's obsessive pet project truck driving school, reliable sources are reporting that the Community Alliance for Open Space has found the funding, and a lawsuit will definitely be filed to stop this degradation of designated Open Space. No word yet on how many of Alarcon's staff will be called to testify.

-Gubernatorial candidate Jerry Brown picked up the support of a Who's Who of Latino leaders at Cal State LA yesterday. The running joke at the event? "The ground shaking on Wednesday, that wasn't an earthquake, Meg Whitman just dropped her wallet".

-A federal judge in Boston rightfully rules that the federal ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional. Brace yourself for Mormons going ballistic. What does this mean for Prop 8 opponents?

-And finally, Arizona,"The Embarrassment State", is more than likely to see the pandering and misguided SB1070 law shot down once this terribly written piece of legislation undergoes judicial scrutiny. Oh no! Now what will KFI's John & Ken Show do for ratings?

Lopez Canyon Appeal Goes to City Council on Wednesday

This Wednesday, the Los Angeles City Council will vote to approve or deny an Appeal filed by the Community Alliance for Open Space (CAfOS) in opposition to a truck driving school favored by Councilman Alarcon and the Mayor. The Lopez Truck Driving Academy has been granted a Use Variance to operate on land designated as Open Space at the closed Lopez Canyon Landfill. The Planning and Land Use Committee (PLUM) has no recommendation on the matter after a split vote (Krekorian-Yes to Appeal, Huizar-No).

If you don't already know the backstory on this ridiculous project, take the time to read this excellent and comprehensive report from Petra Fried in the City.

In a nutshell, if the City Council votes to deny the Appeal, Open Space Zoning throughout the City will now be up for grabs for uses outside of what is allowed by right.

Open Space Zoning is so precious in Los Angeles, a city with the lowest Open Space zoning per capita among major U.S. cities, that once land receives this designation it becomes sacred land to local denizens. Richard Alarcon's attempts to force this project onto Open Space land is practically considered sacrilegious and as a dangerous precedent by land use activists.

Alarcon defends the zoning variance by constantly pointing out that he was involved in getting the old landfill declared Open Space in the first place. So apparently, in his view, that entitles him to decide when and if the land actually can't be used for projects that are not allowed by Open Space zoning.

The Sierra Club, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, the entire L.A. County Board of Supervisors, Assemblyman Cameron Smyth, numerous Neighborhood Councils and community groups throughout L.A. have urged Richard Alarcon to find a more suitable location for his pet project, but their pleas have been to no avail.

At a recent Planning and Land Use Management hearing on the matter, Councilman Paul Krekorian (who voted to uphold the Appeal) urged Deputy Mayor Larry Frank, Councilman Alarcon, and CAfOS to work together to find an alternative location. CAfOS, after numerous attempts to contact Deputy Mayor Frank, was told by staff that Mr. Frank was "too busy" to meet and discuss other options.

Alarcon has not responded publicly to Krekorian's request, nor has he returned phone calls to CAfOS.

Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Tuesday

Some of the math around Ticketgate and AEG ponying up some funds for the Michael Jackson Memorial are not penciling out for Walter Moore.  Moore notes that while Mayor Villaraigosa recently announced that AEG, the promoters of the memorial service and owner of the Staples Center would pony up $1.3 million to cover the City's expenses actual expenses according to records are closer to $3.2 million.  So, Moore asks, did the number of free tickets that the Mayor received to Staples Center events "cost" taxpayers just shy of $2 million?

Some activists who have been supportive of Council Member Paul Krekorian's yeoman efforts to date to represent the concerns of his district are now a bit upset with the Second District rep given reports that he may not be in Council the day a vote on an appeal of a controversial trucking school in Lopez Canyon.  Krekorian has supported the appeal to date and the activists feel his presence is necessary for their success.  The activists should consider this though - Krekorian has already bucked the system and while we all like that, as one man there is only so much he can do.  Krekorian's one vote is not enough to make the difference (as it wasn't with the DWP, the Arizona boycott and friend of the court filing).  They need to do as I suggested and that is 1) Hammer Alarcon, 2) Hammer whoever their CM is and 3) Most importantly get as many NCs to pass resolutions in support with those in Lopez Canyon and to make phone calls, write letters and show up.  Use that power and don't count on just one friendly voice in the woods to do it all for you.

We continue to learn in new ways every day how the City Council's boycott of Arizona continues to screw the pooch. This time we find out the City's lucrative red light cameras are contracted out to an Arizona firm.  Yes, the Council will make an exception unlike with the anti-terrorist training for the LAPD. Your Clowncil in action!

Lots of fun at Monday's Laker Day Parade in Downtown LA.  Not enough porta-potties and a mobile medical marijuana vendor truck selling pot lollipops. The suckers were available in your choice of orange or blue. Welcome to LA!

City Council President Eric Garcetti is known for being one of the more technological members of the City Council and now he recalls his first tweet.  Coming so far from those halcyon days Garcetti has become of the first elected officials in the US to issue an iPhone app.