Ethics and Pensions

With the scandals that rocked the city of Bell, it's been suggested that we need to look in our own back yard. Anonymous asked if someone wouldn't bring forth the evidence of wrongdoing in our city. I'm not personally privy to anything that would rise to that level where a prosecutor would be interested, but I'm very aware of some things going on that are of very questionable ethics.

The most recent case-in-point was the "gaming" of the system by Councilmember Cristina Carrizosa to significantly increase her retirement once she leaves the city council. While it appears that she did nothing illegal, the ethics of this situation is certainly in question.

But even more importantly to me, is that the problems in Bell have been linked to citizens' not being aware of what was going wrong with their city. Here in Pomona, we have several blogs and some decent reporting that has stanched many of the grevious problems. A few years ago a few members of the city council decided that they should also get paid (separately) for being the redevelopment agency. Citizens found out about it and rose up and stopped it. I'm currently on the city's Charter Review Commission and we are looking at the possibility of creating an ethics oversight commission within the city and strengthening the ethics for the council, commissions, city management, police, candidates for office, and others under the perview of the charter, all to enhance citizen oversight to avoid the problems that Bell ran into.

However, I have an even more basic question. SHOULD PART-TIME COUNCILMEMBERS BE GETTING A PENSION AT ALL? Those in the private sector who work part-time usually don't get any benefits. This is the way that banks, grocery stores, and WalMart have been keeping their costs down for years. By hiring people and limiting their work hours to under 30 per week, they don't pay retirement, medical, and other benefits. Why are we so generous to our city council members?

Public service is not supposed to enrich those who are serving. To suggest that council members are doing such an extraordinary job as part-time employees negates the work of all of the others who work part time at little or no personal benefit (do you hear me unpaid commissioners?). Councilwoman Carrizosa stated that she "earned" the additional pension money. So that means that she worked harder than councilmembers Lantz, Atcheley, Saunders, Rodriquez, Soto, and Mayor Rothman? I undestand that their pension will be based on a $9600/year salary (the mayor twice that) and not what they got from their full-time jobs.

Again, this is not about what is legal, but about what is ETHICAL and FAIR.

I look forward to the comments on this item.

_________________________

Remember, August 2nd the council will decide whether or not to put replacing Pomona's Police Department on the ballot. I will be out of town and can't attend. I'm fairly sure that the council knows where I stand on this issues as I've spoken on it in the past. If you haven't spoken out, do so!!!

American Graffiti at the Fox

Sunday, July 25

TIME CHANGE

Doors open at 5:00 pm
Screening begins at 6:00 pm

A Friends of the Pomona Fox Family Screening of American Graffiti

Awoooohhhh, the Wolfman is calling you to get in your hot rod and cruise on over to the Pomona Fox Theater for the classic film, American Graffiti. Join Ron Howard, Richard Dreyfus, Harrison Ford, Susanne Summers, Cindy Williams, Candy Clark, Mackenzie Philips, Paul LeMat, and Charles Martin Smith as they spend their first night of freedom after high school crusin' the streets and hangin' out at Mel's Drive-In. So "Where Were You in '62?"

SPECIAL ADDED ATTRACTION!

Appearing just outside the theater will be the actual 1956 Ford Thunderbird driven by Susanne Summer in the film. "The '56 Thunderbird convertible was purchased by Clay Daily and his wife in 1964 on a used Ford car lot in San Bernardino, CA. It had been painted red and had 55,000 miles showing. A few years later the Dailys moved to Petaluma, CA. This where they had the car painted white. In 1972, Clay's wife had the car parked in downtown Petaluma. When she returned to the car to go home, she found a piece of a brown paper bag on the windshield. Someone had written a note on the paper and asked if the car's owner would like to have the car in a movie. They left a telephone number and said to call if interested. The Dailys thought it was a joke, but they called anyway. To their surprise, it was Lucas Films and they wanted to use the car! The Dailys agreed and the T-Bird appeared in the movie. All of the night shots were done in downtown Petaluma, so Clay and his wife were able to watch some of them."

The Daily's, now living in the Diamond Bar area, have graciously agreed to display the classic car at our July 24 screening after showing it at the Petaluma salute to American Grafitti in May and prior to it's going to Reno, NV for the Hot August Nights Festival. In addition, there will be a number of cars from the era on display outside the theater as well. Join us for Cars, Music, and a classic American film.

Popcorn, sodas, and candy will be available from the snack bar. Hot food and "adult" beverages will be available from Drink, the adjacent restaurant before, during, and after the screening. There will also be a door prizes and other surprises

Prices:	Adults $3.00
	Children 12 and under $2.00

let the sun shine in

Well, I'm back from my jaunt to southern Indiana and East Tennessee. Thanks to my fabulous co-authors for keeping the blog going in my absence!

Thanks also to AnonyMark for alerting me to Dave Allen's article on Cristina Carrizosa's pension and the discussion that resulted from it. I must say, D-Bomb does some stellar investigative journalism when the mood strikes him -- and that's more than I can say for most of the other newspapers I read.

Fair warning, though: A few of the comments in the discussion are pretty anti-Mexican. (I would say "racist," but Mexican isn't a race. Still, I suspect those commenters feel similarly about anyone brown.)

I'm posting the links because I don't know if everyone has seen the article, and frankly, one of our problems seems to be dissemination and discussion of information. We here at M-M-M-My Pomona make no claims to journalistic integrity (or writing quality, for that matter), but we can at least help out with the goal of opening up discussion. Open discussion leads to open government leads to healthy cities.

All Pomona middle schools on state emergency transfer list

Parents of Pomona middle schoolers, you can pull them out ASAP, under a new state regulation adopted by the State Board of Education yesterday in compliance with the state "Race To The Top" federal grant. In fact, every single traditional middle school in the City of Pomona was on the "open enrollment" list. From Palomares to the north, Emerson to the east, Marshall to the west, and Simons and Fremont to the south, every single one was an "open enrollment" school. Previously, the list was titled "low achievement" schools, but that was changed due to a quirk with the state law, which classified some well-performing schools as poor even though they were above the state average.

However, no one would identify the middle schools in the City of Pomona as well performing. All of them are in the lower two deciles, although some are above average when demographics of the student and parent population are considered. Nevertheless, it is interesting that Pomona schools actually do well at the elementary school level - with even the ones in the "bad" areas doing well above average when demographic considerations are included - the high schools, despite the bad reputation, are also performing above average when demographics are considered, with respectable high school exit exam pass rates - while the middle schools are doing a poor enough job to get put on the state list.

The emergency regulation calls for school districts to notify all parents with students in the schools on the "open enrollment list" by the first day of school that they can transfer their kids out. Unfortunately, the only performing middle school in the Pomona Unified School District is Lorbeer Middle School, in Diamond Bar. There are also the K-8 schools that former Superintendent Thelma Melendez de Santa Ana created, but most of them are geared for students to continue forward from the elementary school level. However, the Open Enrollment Act also allows parents to transfer to schools outside of the district, and many of them, such as Bonita, Walnut Valley, and Claremont, have been interested in interdistrict transfers due to declining child populations in those cities. The regulation states that once a student is enrolled outside of their home school, that they will not have to reapply.

Although districts are permitted to set their own due dates for applications, the districts that parents are transferring their kids to will need to respond back to the home district by September 30, 2010, with all transfers concluding by November 1, 2010. Subsequently, notification will be made at the start of the calendar year, with transfers effective the fall of that year. Districts are not require to permit transfers out of the district if it would upset the "racial and ethnic balance" of the district. In the past, as I personally experienced, Pomona Unified has used that to prohibit non-Hispanics from transferring out of Pomona city schools. However, some legal reviewers have cautioned against using that as a rationale, for it violates Proposition 209. Each district will have to come up with a procedure within the next month as to how they wish to arrange for transfers, and the ability for districts to reject students transferring in is limited.

To have all Pomona middle schools on a list that many will interpret as "failing" could be devastating to the district as it attempts to have voters pass a $96 parcel tax increase on all property. I am sure that the ballot argument opposing the tax will be made that highlights this uncomfortable fact. Or advocates of the tax increase could argue that the fact that since all Pomona middle schools were put on the state emergency list, it is evidence that we should put money into Pomona schools to improve. With the utility tax and school parcel tax increase, possible Sheriff's contracting, and other hot topics, there are real choices for our community.

Calfironia Bank and Trust closing down in downtown p-town

I just read this article last night (about the California Bank and Trust closing the Pomona branch) and got to thinking. There are three banks in the downtown area that have huge parking lots. Now it's no secret that I'm no friend of parking lots. I consider them to be something that discourages walking and heavily encourages driving. I never enjoy walking across the BofA parking lot to get to downtown and even less enjoy walking past the Chase parking lot to get to Antique Row. Now I can understand that the Chase building has other offices in it but, with the closure of the CBofT Pomona has an opportunity to increase foot traffic to larger areas of Downtown Pomona.

I know this is a long ways off, since we still need to find something to do with the Pomona Pond/Pit. But, I never like to miss an opportunity when I see one. I know we have some council members that are big fans of cars and parking lots. But, what are the the residence's thoughts? We've got a great plan infrastructure that can easily be converted to pedestrian and mass transit oriented movement. Not to mention some of our poorer residents walk, ride bikes, and take the bus anyways. But is this something we'd all want?

claremont, city of trees and felonies

This article is just too, too sweet. All of Claremont's efforts to be a classy joint are for naught -- turns out a prominent citizen was smuggling arms to Somalia. I would say, "You're slayin' me here!" except that I wouldn't wish to be taken literally.

The question remains: What international crimes do you think Pomona's seemingly-upstanding citizens might be hiding? I've done a fair bit of smuggling myself -- cheese from England, sausage from Germany (minds out of the gutter, people!), drugs in Asia back in my wild youth. Perhaps our John sold nuclear-weapon plans to Ptomania in his own wild youth? Or Chainsaw Ed, not Ramón Mercader, was the man behind the icepick that killed Leon Trotsky?

Come on, we can't let Claremont get one over on us this way! We have a reputation to protect! Let's go do some crimes!

Bonus points for anyone recognizing the movie quotation. And I'll have a post soon about the Sheriffs Dept. proposal, which Calwatch posted to Twitter, but I need to read through the damn thing first.

July events for community calendar

If you are aware of any Pomona-based events in July that do not already appear on the calendar in the right hand column of this blog, kindly let us know about it by sending a note to pomonaevents@gmail.com.

sheriff taylor would have been SO disappointed in you boys

Original Skrip sent me this little tidbit from the Daily News the other day: LA County Sheriffs are drinking on the job more than usual. (Take a moment to ponder the first sentence of the article, I implore you.)

You gotta wonder what is driving them to drink -- is the inevitability of covering poor benighted Maywood or the possibility of trying to match the Pomona Police Department? I'm sure the LA County Sheriffs are fine women and men, but I have to say, I've never seen a member of the Pomona PD soused on the job.

Suddenly I have floating through my head that old Commander Cody song. "My pappy said, Son, you're gonna drive me to drinkin' if you don't stop driving that hot rod Lincoln"....

Health Reform information session

The following message is from Pastor Rick DeBruyne:

"Just a reminder for those of you in the region, tonight [June 23] at Lincoln Ave. Church is hosting an informational meeting on Health Reform @ 6:30 PM in Timmer Hall, 1547 Lincoln Ave., Pomona, CA. I have attached a flier for your convenience.

"Dr. Faisal Quazi from Western University in Pomona will be presenting. No matter where you stand, this is an opportunity to learn more. It will not be a debate on the pros and cons, rather information on how it might affect you.

"If you are not able to attend but would be interested in participating in or hosting a future presentation, please email Dr. Qazi and cc. me.

"Please note: We are hosting this as a service to the community at the request of a colleague in the city. This invitation and the presentation should not be taken as an endorsement or reflection of the views of Lincoln Ave. Church."

It's Summer--A good time for a Movie and Ice Cream

Two great events this weekend, in addition to 4th Saturday ArtWalk.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Friends of the Pomona Fox Family Film!

Sunday, June 27

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sunday is your chance to hiss the Nazi villains and cheer the daring-do of America's favorite hero, Indiana Jones. Friends of the Pomona Fox, in association with the Pomona Fox Theater and the City of Pomona, is pleased to announce our next film program at the Pomona Fox Theater. We will be screening the first adventure film to chronicle the exploits of Indiana Jones, Raiders of the Lost Ark, starring Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, John Rhys Davies, and Denholm Elliott. Directed by Stephen Spielberg and produced by George Lucas, Raiders is one of the most popular films of all time. Doors will open at 1:00 and the film will screen at 2:00 pm. Price: Adults $3.00          Children 12 and under: $2.00 Time: Doors open 1:00          Films screen 2:00 pm Your favorite movie munchies will also be available with fresh-popped popcorn, a selection of fountain soft drinks, and delicious candy. For the adults, there will be beer and wine, as well as hot food available from DRINK restaurant/bar located just off the lobby next to the theater's entrance (and yes, you can eat and drink inside the theater). Have your photo taken with Indy! We'll have a life-size cutout of the Raiders character should you desire a souvenir photo. DOOR PRIZES: Some lucky attendees will be able to walk away with some great prizes, just for showing up. Drawing will be held just prior to the screening of Raiders of the Lost Ark

Ice Cream Social--After Raiders! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Historical Society of the Pomona Valley will be holding their annual Ice Cream Social at Phillips Mansion on Sunday, June 27 beginning at 4:00 pm. Ice cream, fish toss, bubbles and demonstrations of life during the period of the historic Phillips Mansion will all be part of the fun. The mansion was recently restored and furnished with period furnishings and will be available for tours. There will be plenty of time to both enjoy the Friends of the Pomona Fox's screening of Raiders of the Lost Ark as well as enjoying this fabulous historic site and ice cream social. We invite all our members to join us for this event.

Its a party!

Pictures are in from last Saturday's Carmen. There's a whole lot of shaking going on. Meg wrote about two people she particularly like: Nicholas Shelton is on the far left. Danielle Marcelle Bond, Carmen, is the one dancing on the table, of course. Meg also gave a shout out to the children's chorus, here they are:

Allie Casillas; Carmella Porcelli; Courtney Pocock; Donna Borges; Emily Pocock; Hannah Borges; Jacqueline San Nicolas; Leonie Casper; Maddie Waasdorp; Melissa Sutha; Monica Dortha; Nicolas Pinal; Sean Marcum; Sophia Lin; and Vanessa Casillas.

There's one last performance, this Saturday. For info and more pics go to the ROC website: http://www.repertoryoperacompany.org/ and Repertory Opera Company's Facebook page.

Meg has invited me to contribute to the glorious m-m-m-my Pomona blog. Thank you. I'll try to highlight all the "Cultcha" and fun goin' on.

To that end, here's a reminder that we get to see movies at the Pomona Fox Theater all summer. This Sunday, June 27 at 2 pm is "Raiders of the Lost Ark"; adults $3; children $2. For more info go to http://www.pomonafox.org/

Repertory Opera Company redux

Flash mobs -- you gotta love 'em. My favorite flash mobs are when a sizable proportion of the people in some crowded place break out into song and/or dance, like "Doe a Deer" in Antwerp's Central Station.

The most recent musical flash mob I've seen is "Brindisi" sung in Philadelphia's Reading Market (you know the tune, even if you don't know the name of it), from La Traviata -- which of course put me in mind of the ROC, which staged this opera not long ago.

Here's the vid:


I got to thinking... what if the ROC did flash-mob publicity for their next opera? I know they sang some of the greatest hits from Carmen at the Palomares Adobe to publicize the performance, but that was planned. How about an unplanned performance -- guerrilla aria? And if they were to do it, what would be good venues? Aside from Art Walk (too easy), I propose the LaVerne Target store on a sunday afternoon (because if I have to stand in line for 10 minutes, I'd like to have something interesting to listen to). Other ideas?

just curious

We're getting a whole bunch of hits on the most recent post that are coming directly from Facebook. Is there a M-m-m-my Pomona page on FB or something? If so, somebody let me know -- I wanna join! Or if someone has linked to the post from their own FB page, that would be cool to know, too.

Actually, I wouldn't join a M-m-m-my Pomona Facebook page, mainly because I refuse to join or like anything on FB, for privacy reasons. Those are the things that FB datamines for advertising, and by not liking or joining anything, I never see any ads. But I'd still love to know if such a page is out there.

it ain't over till the slim vamp dies

I have to say, it's rather disturbing how much opera depends on domestic violence for its story lines. But that didn't impede my enjoyment of the Repertory Opera Company's staging of Carmen yesterday afternoon, not one bit.

As I learned in the Introduction to Opera class I took as an undergrad (where I acquired my love of opera -- before that, I thought it was just goofy screeching), opera is a combination of carefully-schooled voices, fine acting, and stage spectacle. The ROC's production of Carmen lacked the stage spectacle of the Met (after all, it's community opera, directed by our own Lizbeth Lucca, not Plácido Domingo or Peter Gelb), but it made up for it with the other two components.

If you don't know Carmen, it's a pretty basic story, based on a novella by Merimée: Boy gets girl, boy loses girl, boy kills girl. At least this is one Pomona homicide that won't make the LAT crime map. The music is some of the most memorable in the repertoire of western opera; apparently, when Carmen debuted, people were humming the songs in the streets of Paris. I defy you to do otherwise; I'd bet dollars to donuts that the 150 or so folks at yesterday's performance are all whistling "L'amour est un oiseau rebelle," "Prés des rampartes des Seville," or good old "Tor-e-a-dor en ga-a-a-arde!"

I wouldn't want to be be mistaken for an opera critic, but I'll single out three things that really struck me: the voice of Nicolas Shelton, who played Zuniga; the acting skill of Danielle Marcelle Bond, who inhabited her role better than most grand divas I've seen at the LA Opera; and the children's chorus, who were utterly adorable (make sure you say that weeth a Franche accent). Every aspect of the production ranged from very good to fantastic, though; I'm sure other things struck other folks, and feel free to post about them in the comments.

There are two more performances left: Saturdays the 19th and 26th, at 2pm at the First Christian Church. You can buy tickets at the door, and if you show up an hour early, there is a lecture about the opera. A show at the Dorothy Chandler pavilion will run you at least a benjamin, but this is well under two jacksons -- what a deal.

Now, people, go out there and get some Culcha!

The first photo is of Maria Callas, who was probably the most famous Carmen ever (and deservedly so). The second one is of Enrico Caruso as Don José -- who, I must say, rather resembles the ROC's James Salazar, or, rather, the other way round.

following up

Over at the Metro Pomona blog, they're running a poll as to whether filming Love, Barack was good or bad for downtown. Head on over and cast your vote!

Meanwhile, up the road a piece, I verified that someone has taped a handmade "ARE" over the ungrammatical construction sign. It certainly doesn't look like city work -- for one thing, it's on a piece of fancy stationery (the kind you use for inkjet party invitations). Sistas be doin' it for themselves, I guess.


See you at the Opry tomorrow afternoon? C'mon, Carmen's just about the best introduction to opera I can think of. Try it, you'll like it! Be there or be scared: 2pm, the church behind the CVS on Garey.

meanwhile, up the road a piece...

Spotted in the City of Trees and Ph.D.s. Further, deponent sayeth not.



(I realize this is more of a Dave Allen-type post, but he's on vacation, and the rest of us just have to pick up the slack.)

our safety • our police

This just showed up on the LAT website:
LA County Sheriff's Department Might Be Booted Out of Compton

I'll update with more info as it drifts in over my transom.

As promised, here's the update from this morning's mullet-wrapper. And indeed, they've gone and done it.

PUSD dual-language immersion programs?

I can't seem to find evidence of any dual-language immersion programs in the Pomona Unified School District. Am I missing them or do they not exist? Such programs exist in a some relatively nearby cities (e.g., Ontario).

If they don't exist here, what are the chances PUSD would ever create them? Should such programs be a priority?

Cardamom?

Does anyone know where I can find some cardamom pods? I struck out at Hoa Binh, Cardenas, and WinCo (though WinCo has plenty of ground cardamom in their amazing bulk section). At this point, instead of wasting gas driving around town, I figured I should turn to your collective wisdom.

I'll trade you homemade chai in exchange for your cardamom knowledge.

Overheard at the farmers market

As I loaded the car with all the goodies acquired at this morning's farmers market, I overhead the following half of a cell phone conversation:

[paraphrasing ]

"Sweetie, I'm going to start coming here every Saturday. I just picked up what would have been $40 worth of produce at [insert some store name here I had never heard of] for $10...yes, all organic..."

Indeed, the prices are stunning. And the stone fruits are in!