What a week we had here at the Orange Juice! This one was one for the books. It all started on Monday, when I wrote “Santa Ana Council trying to quiet Orange Juice bloggers?” In that post we found out that L.A. Times reporter Jennifer Delson had at last broken the story about how the Santa Ana City Council had asked the “OJ3” – myself, Thomas Gordon and Sean Mill, to either stop blogging or quit our respective City Commissions, or be tossed off.
The story blew up and ended up on the AP wire. Which meant it was a lead story on radio stations all over the United States. Locally our story was told on KFWB and KPCC. I also was interviewed on KOGO, in San Diego. We heard from friends as far away as Denver, reporting that they too had heard about the OJ3. We all began to wonder if we had inadvertently fired the first shot in the Santa Ana Revolution…
On the very day the story broke, the OJ3 showed up at the Santa Ana City Council meeting. They were about to hand $82,000 of taxpayer money to the Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce, so they could waste it by continuing to publish their self-serving propaganda newsletter, CityLine. That publication regularly endorses candidates, including Council incumbents who vote to spend our money publishing CityLine! The Chamber gets the money every year…but not this time. Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido saw us standing, ready to denounce the expenditure, and he then told the audience that Mike Metzler, the Director of the Chamber, had told Pulido that he no longer wanted the money. Score!
We found out in Delson’s article that ex felon Tim Rush was one of the folks calling for the ouster of the OJ3. So on Tuesday, Sean Mill reminded us about Rush’s colored past. It wasn’t pretty. Why Pulido relies on Rush for advice, we will never know.
And on Tuesday the media onslaught began again. The O.C. Register came to our defense, and so did the L.A. Times. How often do both of our local papers agree on anything? This time they did – as they stood up for free speech – and for the Orange Juice. I also chronicled all the media players who reported on the OJ3 with “Censorship scandal continues to unfold in Santa Ana.”
Thomas Gordon then asked what would YOU do if you were Mayor for a day? And Sean Mill explained how “Things have gone from sunny to stormy for Santa Ana’s machine.” Mill also disclosed how the “Genie is out of the bottle.”
Mill wasn’t done picking on Pulido’s cabal after his expose on Tim Rush. He next went after the infamous Mexican-hater, Debbie McEwen, with “What’s the deal with 1002 French St.?“
Then my next “Who is” article debuted, with “Who is David Benavides?” This sad look at the compromising of what once was a promising young man by the Pulido cabal has already been viewed 406 times!
Next, O.C. Register reporter Doug Irving broke the story that Fletcher was trying to put together a “Code of Conduct” for City Commissioners that was obviously the City Council’s latest attempt to put the squeeze on the Orange Juice. Sean Mill then gave us a close-up look at the man who we now call “Fletch.” I then stuck my tongue in my cheek and presented MY “Code of Conduct” for City Council members.
Sean Mill wasn’t done picking on the Pulido-Ream empire. He next asked the question “Why did City Manager Dave Ream go back on his word?“
Luis Rodriguez returned to his keyboard after a long leave of absence from the Orange Juice, with “It’s about accountability.”
We wrapped up our Santa Ana coverage this week with my announcement that if no one else steps up to run against Santa Ana Councilman Carlos Bustamante, then I will.
As dominant as the Santa Ana news was this week, we did find time to cover other Orange County stories. Larry Gilbert wrote about how the Mission Viejo City Council hides massive expenditures in their Consent Calendar.
I wrote about the outcome of Benito Acosta’s trial in Costa Mesa, which like the OJ3 story dealt with censorship. In this case, Costa Mesa Mayor Allan Mansoor prevented Acosta from exercising his right to free speech. And then he had Acosta arrested. The case got tossed and now Mansoor and Costa Mesa face a nasty civil suit that Acosta will likely win. That worked out real well for Mansoor and company. Not.
Claudio Gallegos wrote about how the O.C. Supervisors are bungling management of our county parks and the Silverado Canyon area. Ron and Anna Winship also wrote about the county, with news that O.C. Supervisor Janet Nguyen has been endorsed by the O.C. Lincoln Club.
Claudio also wrote about another instance of government intrusion in our lives, with “Big brother strikes GGUSD!” And Thomas Gordon continued the school theme with “School Safety Zones.”
Claudio then took a look at the dark side of Orange County, with “Monsignor Urell, Some Advice.” And Joe Shaw then took a trip down the lighter side of O.C. living with his “Oktoberfest Memories.”
We also found time to examine national and statewide issues. Aria Ghafari sardonically explained how “Calvert & Lewis are still making us proud.” Aria also introduced us to Democratic congressional candidate Russ Warner. Then Aria told us that “California is Clinton country,” But Julie Meigs countered with “An open letter to Al Gore.”
Larry Gilbert also reviewed the problems with our Social Security system. And Claudio Gallegos examined our problems with the state prison system.
Immigration came up this week too. I wrote about this week’s ICE raids, then Thomas Gordon did too. And anti-Mexican Harald Martin popped up again in the OC Weekly, which I covered with “The monster speaks.”
Before the day is over, we might well end up with over 5,000 visits to the Orange Juice this week. What a week! I can’t wait to see what happens next week here at the Orange Juice.
I appreciate some of your views but have to ask, what’s with the Cityline issue? I pick it up now and then and have found some useful info about new businesses and projects. How else do you propose I learn about the goings on?
You,
The problem is that we the taxpayers are paying to print the CityLine. If the Chamber’s director, Mike Metzler, wants to play publisher, he ought to do so on his own time.
The CityLine is now available online. If folks want to read it, they can do so without having to pick up the actual publication.
As for the news in the CityLine, it is of little consequence. The Register and the Times cover real news items in our community. The Orange Juice also covers Santa Ana fairly well.
You can also find out more about what is going on in the city by visiting the Santa Ana Citizens Yahoogroup, or by going to city meetings, such as commission meetings and council meetings.
Art—
Two pieces of campaign advice:
1) Go easy on the outsourcing. There’s real value in having local control of our police and fire. Would you rather Sheriff Carona and the five Sups be making the decisions as to who gets the enforcement? That might make sense for a small town like Stanton, but not a big city like Santa Ana. Your problem is with the council and city management, not the fire and police.
Besides, I’m sure they aren’t really excited about Carlitos and as long as you’re not putting a knife to their throat, they may cover their bets.
2) If you use Delacroix’s “Liberty” in your campaign mailers, on your sound trucks and human billboards, you’ll win.
Bladerunner,
Over sixty percent of our budget is spent on police and fire. I am calling for an analysis as to what we might save by going with the county. If the savings are negligible, then obviously this won’t be an option.
Carona won’t be there forever. I agree that he is the lamest Sheriff ever…but he will move on hopefully after this term.
As I understand it, when you are represented by Sheriffs, your council does get oversight to a certain extent, and usually there is a Lt. Sheriff in charge who acts as a de facto police chief.
Delacroix! I like it. I might use something from Rage Against the Machine too…you can’t overlook the young voters!
Delacroix’s “Liberty”?….Hmmm?
Go ahead make my day Art!
The 80% of Santa Ana population celebrates Cinco De Mayo in which they beet 32 years later the virtual survivals of Delacroix’s “Liberty” at Puebla, Mexico, on the morning of May 5, 1862.
Yes show them these French breasts and they smother you with them.
Orange County Fire Authority would make sense for Santa Ana. Police would not. Many cities which they could afford to go back to local force.
As for Libraries, County system is healthy but each city adds additonal support depending on local needs. Libraries are built by cities/foundations and then transferred to County for operations. Very few are still owned by cities but the practice varies. It is worth looking into though.
Finally, agree with you about Chamber newsletters. FPPC has been clear about newsletters and emails which go out to more than 200 recipients, cannot contain political endorsements. A ruling has even been made that elected officials photo’s cannot be included if funding of the material is made with city funds. Think this was shared with SA Council and would have been the basis for rejection of Chamber request for funds.
Look forward to your campaign. If you get elected don’t let the office change you!
Art–
Don’t worry about Liberty, or Delacroix for that matter. I’d wager that 99% of the electorate wouldn’t know who the author is, more or less his country of origin.
And you know, those 80% of Santa Ana residents who celebrate Cinco de Mayo celebrate it with the beer of choice–Budweiser-even though they lost the War of Norte Americano Agression. The only people who are anti- French are the GOP congressmen who wanted to rename french fries “freedom fries” in the House cafeteria.
Art is universal Art. Actually, I was being tongue in cheek about putting it all over your campaign stuff but it is a great painting and captures the spirit of the grass roots in town.
And 99% of those familiar with Liberty Leading the People are unaware that it commemorates a revolution that merely replaced one French king (Louis X) with another (Louis Philippe).
That’s so often how it goes in politics…
Unfortunately Gila,
Liberty holds French flag and Mexicans like to wave theirs.
They wouldn’t even wave the USA flag.
Besides, in this stupid country the picture is classified as pornography.
Even Art himself would not allow adult language at this blog.
-Stan