WEBWIRE – Monday, November 26, 2007
SAN FRANCISCO – In a recent settlement, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Pioneer Chemical Company, a Gardena, Calif. based pesticide producer, agreed to a $15,500 fine for the company’s alleged failure to submit accurate annual pesticide production reports to the Agency.
The EPA determined that Pioneer Chemical Company, was producing Super 60 PYM Foamer, a disinfectant and fungicide for hospital, institutional and industrial use, and not reporting it to the EPA in its annual pesticide production reports.
“Companies producing pesticides must be careful to report the production of all products produced in their facilities,” said Katherine Taylor, associate director of the Communities and Ecosystems Division in the EPA’s Pacific Southwest region. “The EPA uses these reports to track pesticide production and ensure safe management and distribution.”
The violations were discovered as a result of an inspection performed at the Gardena facility by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation.
The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act regulates the sale, distribution, and use of pesticides within the United States. Federal law requires each producer or repackager to report the registered pesticides and the quantity of such pesticides produced annually.
11/27/2007
Auto parts manufacturer to place operations in Indiana
HSAC Acquisition Corporation, a leading supplier to the automotive industry, announced November 27 that it will relocate its California operations to Fort Wayne, Ind., creating more than 145 new jobs by 2011.
The Gardena, Calif.-based company, which will do business as Hi-Shear Automotive, will invest more than $5 million to relocate its manufacturing operations to a 34,000-square-foot facility in southeast Fort Wayne with plans to begin operations at the facility by mid-2008.
"HSAC joins a growing list of companies, like Medco and Really Cool Foods, that are choosing to locate new operations in Indiana. We have worked hard to create a competitive business climate that encourages just this kind of investment, and this is another sign that our efforts are paying off and creating new jobs for hard-working Hoosiers," said Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels.
The company, which specializes in the manufacturing of wheel bearing retainer nuts and brake cable tension limiters, will begin hiring managers, engineers, clerical staff, warehouse specialists, maintenance technicians and production and assembly workers in mid-2008.
The relocation of HSAC follows Defiance Acquisition LLC’s purchase of the company earlier this year. The cross-country move will bring the company closer to its sister company, Defiance Stamping, located nearly 45 miles northeast of Fort Wayne in Defiance, Ohio.
"We purchased Hi-Shear earlier this year because we knew it had excellent product offerings and great growth potential," said Yosufi Tyebkhan, president of Defiance Acquisition LLC. "We have started to realize some of that potential, and the time is right to accelerate that growth through the synergies to be gained by working even more closely with Defiance Stamping."
HSAC is a Tier 1 and Tier 2 supplier to the automotive industry including Ford, GM, Dana and Chrysler.
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered HSAC Acquisition Corporation up to $855,000 in performance-based tax credits and up to $30,000 in training grants based on the company’s job creation plans. The state will also provide the City of Fort Wayne with a grant of up to $75,000 to assist in off-site infrastructure improvements needed for the project. The city, through the Fort Wayne-Allen County Economic Development Alliance, will provide the company with property tax abatement and a $100,000 performance-based grant to help offset the cost of reconfiguring the building. WorkOne Northeast will assist the company recruit, screen and train candidates for the new jobs.
"Fort Wayne is proud to welcome HSAC to the corporate community of Northeast Indiana," said Mayor Graham Richard. "This new operation will allow the company closer proximity to key customers, as well as close proximity to HSAC’s sister company in Ohio."
The Gardena, Calif.-based company, which will do business as Hi-Shear Automotive, will invest more than $5 million to relocate its manufacturing operations to a 34,000-square-foot facility in southeast Fort Wayne with plans to begin operations at the facility by mid-2008.
"HSAC joins a growing list of companies, like Medco and Really Cool Foods, that are choosing to locate new operations in Indiana. We have worked hard to create a competitive business climate that encourages just this kind of investment, and this is another sign that our efforts are paying off and creating new jobs for hard-working Hoosiers," said Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels.
The company, which specializes in the manufacturing of wheel bearing retainer nuts and brake cable tension limiters, will begin hiring managers, engineers, clerical staff, warehouse specialists, maintenance technicians and production and assembly workers in mid-2008.
The relocation of HSAC follows Defiance Acquisition LLC’s purchase of the company earlier this year. The cross-country move will bring the company closer to its sister company, Defiance Stamping, located nearly 45 miles northeast of Fort Wayne in Defiance, Ohio.
"We purchased Hi-Shear earlier this year because we knew it had excellent product offerings and great growth potential," said Yosufi Tyebkhan, president of Defiance Acquisition LLC. "We have started to realize some of that potential, and the time is right to accelerate that growth through the synergies to be gained by working even more closely with Defiance Stamping."
HSAC is a Tier 1 and Tier 2 supplier to the automotive industry including Ford, GM, Dana and Chrysler.
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered HSAC Acquisition Corporation up to $855,000 in performance-based tax credits and up to $30,000 in training grants based on the company’s job creation plans. The state will also provide the City of Fort Wayne with a grant of up to $75,000 to assist in off-site infrastructure improvements needed for the project. The city, through the Fort Wayne-Allen County Economic Development Alliance, will provide the company with property tax abatement and a $100,000 performance-based grant to help offset the cost of reconfiguring the building. WorkOne Northeast will assist the company recruit, screen and train candidates for the new jobs.
"Fort Wayne is proud to welcome HSAC to the corporate community of Northeast Indiana," said Mayor Graham Richard. "This new operation will allow the company closer proximity to key customers, as well as close proximity to HSAC’s sister company in Ohio."
Police break up cockfights
Tip brought Gardena police to an Artesia Boulevard site where they found about 100 spectators and more than 100 caged fowl.
By Larry AltmanStaff Writer (Daily Breeze)
Officers found dead roosters, injured birds and gambling sheets showing about $40,000 in business when they uncovered a cockfighting operation in Gardena, police said Monday.
About 100 people watching the fights scattered when officers showed up Sunday morning in an arena behind businesses in the 1400 block of Artesia Boulevard. About 30 people were detained, but the fight promoters disappeared, Gardena police Lt. Ed Burnett said.
"It was like a scene out of a movie with all the people running out," Burnett said.
Birds were fighting in a ring at the time but ran with the spectators. Equipped with razors attached to their legs, the roosters continued fighting beneath a car until they ran off.
"They got away pretty much during the stampede of people," Burnett said.
On Sunday and Monday, police and animal control officers removed the more than 100 roosters and hens from cages, taking them to several shelters.
Although most were healthy, some birds showed signs of scratches and other injuries, Burnett said.
An anonymous 911 caller tipped Gardena police to the operation at 8:30 a.m. Sunday. Officers went to check the site behind a U-Haul and automotive business and could hear roosters crowing as they approached, Burnett said.
A few men standing at the entry to several poorly constructed wooden shacks spotted the officers and alerted the people inside, Burnett said.
Fights were under way at one shack that served as an arena. Although most people escaped, the 30 detained spectators were identified, interviewed and released.
In addition to finding cages full of chickens, officers found three dead roosters in buckets, razors and other apparatus used for fighting.
Officers also found a bottle of Ascorbol, an injectable drug used as a steroid to prepare roosters for fighting. The bottle had a rooster on the label, Burnett said.
Tally sheets left behind by the organizers showed about $40,000 in wagers. The operators also were selling refreshments and souvenir sweat shirts and caps inscribed with the word "cockfight."
"It's not real sophisticated; just a lot of money has exchanged hands," Burnett said.
Detectives are working to identify the operators and determine who owns, leases and subleases the property. The site was located far enough from the street and residences that no one could see or hear the activity, Burnett said.
The people who were detained could face criminal charges, but spectating at a cockfight is a lower-grade crime than organizing one, Burnett said.
USER COMMENTS
"Uhh, umm"
This is a perfect example of low moral standard. The reality of these type of event's. It bring's drug dealer's, gang members, other low life's. There is no regulation to such event's. Then there is alot of money in cash around. So all can figure what might transpire. It is not that i believe that a living being should be in that much pain. I do indeed. The people who put on such event's should. Let someone from jail get on steroid's and go attack them with knive's. It is event's like this that are bringing the dollar down to the peso standard.- Disgusted
posted: Tuesday, November 27th at 14:41 PM
Dont blame everything on the brownie
posted: Tuesday, November 27th at 14:17 PM
"If they were superstar athletes the local DA would hang them like a pignata!"
Poor Micheal Vick is going to get 5yrs for dog fighting?!! In earlier news an 83yr old Texas oilman, Wyatt, got 1 year for stealing $11M in an oil for food scam involving crooked Iraqis. Why is justice so uneven?- MakeMyDay
posted: Tuesday, November 27th at 14:01 PM
""Response to Nationality""
There is only one culture that raises chickens in urban America.
posted: Tuesday, November 27th at 13:57 PM
"Where is PETA when you need them..."
Stalking rich women in furs....
posted: Tuesday, November 27th at 13:50 PM
By Larry AltmanStaff Writer (Daily Breeze)
Officers found dead roosters, injured birds and gambling sheets showing about $40,000 in business when they uncovered a cockfighting operation in Gardena, police said Monday.
About 100 people watching the fights scattered when officers showed up Sunday morning in an arena behind businesses in the 1400 block of Artesia Boulevard. About 30 people were detained, but the fight promoters disappeared, Gardena police Lt. Ed Burnett said.
"It was like a scene out of a movie with all the people running out," Burnett said.
Birds were fighting in a ring at the time but ran with the spectators. Equipped with razors attached to their legs, the roosters continued fighting beneath a car until they ran off.
"They got away pretty much during the stampede of people," Burnett said.
On Sunday and Monday, police and animal control officers removed the more than 100 roosters and hens from cages, taking them to several shelters.
Although most were healthy, some birds showed signs of scratches and other injuries, Burnett said.
An anonymous 911 caller tipped Gardena police to the operation at 8:30 a.m. Sunday. Officers went to check the site behind a U-Haul and automotive business and could hear roosters crowing as they approached, Burnett said.
A few men standing at the entry to several poorly constructed wooden shacks spotted the officers and alerted the people inside, Burnett said.
Fights were under way at one shack that served as an arena. Although most people escaped, the 30 detained spectators were identified, interviewed and released.
In addition to finding cages full of chickens, officers found three dead roosters in buckets, razors and other apparatus used for fighting.
Officers also found a bottle of Ascorbol, an injectable drug used as a steroid to prepare roosters for fighting. The bottle had a rooster on the label, Burnett said.
Tally sheets left behind by the organizers showed about $40,000 in wagers. The operators also were selling refreshments and souvenir sweat shirts and caps inscribed with the word "cockfight."
"It's not real sophisticated; just a lot of money has exchanged hands," Burnett said.
Detectives are working to identify the operators and determine who owns, leases and subleases the property. The site was located far enough from the street and residences that no one could see or hear the activity, Burnett said.
The people who were detained could face criminal charges, but spectating at a cockfight is a lower-grade crime than organizing one, Burnett said.
USER COMMENTS
"Uhh, umm"
This is a perfect example of low moral standard. The reality of these type of event's. It bring's drug dealer's, gang members, other low life's. There is no regulation to such event's. Then there is alot of money in cash around. So all can figure what might transpire. It is not that i believe that a living being should be in that much pain. I do indeed. The people who put on such event's should. Let someone from jail get on steroid's and go attack them with knive's. It is event's like this that are bringing the dollar down to the peso standard.- Disgusted
posted: Tuesday, November 27th at 14:41 PM
Dont blame everything on the brownie
posted: Tuesday, November 27th at 14:17 PM
"If they were superstar athletes the local DA would hang them like a pignata!"
Poor Micheal Vick is going to get 5yrs for dog fighting?!! In earlier news an 83yr old Texas oilman, Wyatt, got 1 year for stealing $11M in an oil for food scam involving crooked Iraqis. Why is justice so uneven?- MakeMyDay
posted: Tuesday, November 27th at 14:01 PM
""Response to Nationality""
There is only one culture that raises chickens in urban America.
posted: Tuesday, November 27th at 13:57 PM
"Where is PETA when you need them..."
Stalking rich women in furs....
posted: Tuesday, November 27th at 13:50 PM
11/13/2007
Trash Fees Piling Up
Anonymous said...
Dear Gardena Watch,I agree with that comment last Friday from one of the readers. Keep up the good work and thanks for gathering the info. My trash fees went up and seems kind of high.Thanks for letting me post anonymous since I had a bad experience with one of the city folks and don't want to be on their bad side.
November 13, 2007 5:56 PM
Dear Gardena Watch,I agree with that comment last Friday from one of the readers. Keep up the good work and thanks for gathering the info. My trash fees went up and seems kind of high.Thanks for letting me post anonymous since I had a bad experience with one of the city folks and don't want to be on their bad side.
November 13, 2007 5:56 PM
11/08/2007
Council Meeting Minutes For Chosen Few
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Meeting Minutes": Hey, Gardena Watch. Your site is really cool. I don't have cable and don't know what is going on. The city makes you pay $10.00 if you want a copy of the meeting. I can't afford that. Used to be able to go to the library and check out a copy. Wonder why they stopped that? Makes me think they want to keep us ignorant so they can do whatever they want and nobody complains. Lots of good information. Please keep it going! Thank you!
Posted by Anonymous to Gardena Watch at November 8, 2007 5:51 PM
Posted by Anonymous to Gardena Watch at November 8, 2007 5:51 PM
10/19/2007
10/18/2007
Head-swatting case still high (melo)drama
Former Carson councilwoman returns to court after breaking 9-foot restraining order.´ No. 1 HitBy Gene MaddausStaff Writer
Eight months after Carson became a national laughingstock when Vera Dewitt swatted Jan Schaefer in the head with a sheaf of papers, Schaefer's shriek of agony is still echoing in the courts.
Who could forget the moment, immortalized on YouTube, when the former councilwoman whacked the city commissioner during a February council meeting? Schaefer hesitated before screaming and rolling on the floor, offering instant talk-show fodder and an unintentional summation of all that is childish in Carson politics...
Read the entire article from The Daily Breeze that hit the newsstand today.
See the video link above on You Tube (No. 1 Hit-first line of this posting) and a direct link above this article of Parody Video by teenager.
Eight months after Carson became a national laughingstock when Vera Dewitt swatted Jan Schaefer in the head with a sheaf of papers, Schaefer's shriek of agony is still echoing in the courts.
Who could forget the moment, immortalized on YouTube, when the former councilwoman whacked the city commissioner during a February council meeting? Schaefer hesitated before screaming and rolling on the floor, offering instant talk-show fodder and an unintentional summation of all that is childish in Carson politics...
Read the entire article from The Daily Breeze that hit the newsstand today.
See the video link above on You Tube (No. 1 Hit-first line of this posting) and a direct link above this article of Parody Video by teenager.
Lowering the Bar
Anonymous said...
Yeah, no kidding. There are 3 stumps right in front of Smart N Final on Redondo Beach Blvd. I don't know how long they've been sitting there like that. What pisses me off is that the city tries to look good by bringing in these stores and then they don't keep up the maintenance. No wonder most people like to shop in Torrance (me included). But look at the choices we have--all low-income clientele business. The 99 Cent store and more drug stores you can shake a stick at.
Can't we aim higher than this? And as far as the 99 Cent Store, it's fallen into shambles. I've been hoping for a Trader Joe's in this city but I know they respond to a higher standard than what Gardena has to offer. And what happened to the Senior Housing Project that was approved by the City Planning Commission? Shot down, of course, by the city "leaders." Not in their best interest," obviously. Now there are condos going up on Artesia.
Shame, shame, shame on our city leaders. The only thing they're interested in is what they can reap for their own agendas and most likely their own pockets.Thanks Gardena Watch. This is a Godsend for people who feel so frustrated. We want better for ourselves and this city.
Comments posted anonymously or cited on Gardena Watch are the express opinions of those individuals and not the opinion of Gardena Watch.
Yeah, no kidding. There are 3 stumps right in front of Smart N Final on Redondo Beach Blvd. I don't know how long they've been sitting there like that. What pisses me off is that the city tries to look good by bringing in these stores and then they don't keep up the maintenance. No wonder most people like to shop in Torrance (me included). But look at the choices we have--all low-income clientele business. The 99 Cent store and more drug stores you can shake a stick at.
Can't we aim higher than this? And as far as the 99 Cent Store, it's fallen into shambles. I've been hoping for a Trader Joe's in this city but I know they respond to a higher standard than what Gardena has to offer. And what happened to the Senior Housing Project that was approved by the City Planning Commission? Shot down, of course, by the city "leaders." Not in their best interest," obviously. Now there are condos going up on Artesia.
Shame, shame, shame on our city leaders. The only thing they're interested in is what they can reap for their own agendas and most likely their own pockets.Thanks Gardena Watch. This is a Godsend for people who feel so frustrated. We want better for ourselves and this city.
Comments posted anonymously or cited on Gardena Watch are the express opinions of those individuals and not the opinion of Gardena Watch.
Response to City Planning
Anonymous said...
What's up with the City? Do they know what they're doin'?The picture looks like this new structure is out of place. I hope the final product blends in with the neighborhood. I've seen more ugly colored buildings every year. Dark blue on Normandie, Orange on Marine, ugly gold houses. There are some ugly signage and fences too.A neighbor was so frustrated when he wanted to take a pool out. When getting the demo permit he was told one thing. When the inspector came out he was told another thing. When another inspector came out again he was told yet another thing. The city can't even get a routine thing like demoing a pool straight forward for the public.I tried telling the city, no one listens. Thanks for making this GardenaWatch blog.I want to hear from other folks so write in.
Comments posted anonymously or cited on Gardena Watch are the express opinions of those individuals and not the opinion of Gardena Watch.
October 18, 2007 6:34 AM
What's up with the City? Do they know what they're doin'?The picture looks like this new structure is out of place. I hope the final product blends in with the neighborhood. I've seen more ugly colored buildings every year. Dark blue on Normandie, Orange on Marine, ugly gold houses. There are some ugly signage and fences too.A neighbor was so frustrated when he wanted to take a pool out. When getting the demo permit he was told one thing. When the inspector came out he was told another thing. When another inspector came out again he was told yet another thing. The city can't even get a routine thing like demoing a pool straight forward for the public.I tried telling the city, no one listens. Thanks for making this GardenaWatch blog.I want to hear from other folks so write in.
Comments posted anonymously or cited on Gardena Watch are the express opinions of those individuals and not the opinion of Gardena Watch.
October 18, 2007 6:34 AM
10/16/2007
Dear Me
Bradford's real home address has been the topic of conversation for some time. Maybe someone in Carson can tell us what's really going on because Gardena City Council is obviously operating under a code of silence.
Ex-Mayor Dear, can you help us out? Since we think your brother lives in Carson, would you mind asking him and get back to us?
Comments posted anonymously or cited on Gardena Watch are the express opinions of those individuals and not the opinion of Gardena Watch.
Ex-Mayor Dear, can you help us out? Since we think your brother lives in Carson, would you mind asking him and get back to us?
Comments posted anonymously or cited on Gardena Watch are the express opinions of those individuals and not the opinion of Gardena Watch.
10/15/2007
No Answer
Anonymous said...
There's many more just like this. I emailed the city before on a street request for repair, never happened, never even got a answer.
October 14, 2007 11:43 PM
Comments posted anonymously or cited on Gardena Watch are the express opinions of those individuals and not the opinion of Gardena Watch.
There's many more just like this. I emailed the city before on a street request for repair, never happened, never even got a answer.
October 14, 2007 11:43 PM
Comments posted anonymously or cited on Gardena Watch are the express opinions of those individuals and not the opinion of Gardena Watch.
10/12/2007
10/11/2007
Architectural Potpourri
Gardena Valley Baptist Church, as seen todayConstruction at Gardena Valley Baptist Church is moving along nicely. Unfortunately it's another architectural hodgepodge in our city that makes the words city planning sound like an oxymoron. The church, with it's A-Frame style, surrounded by stone, is now dwarfed by this imposing, heavy, boxy addition. Is architectural integrity too much to ask for in this city?
10/10/2007
Deal or No Deal?
Anonymous said...
I’m not so concerned about Landsdell working a trash deal in Los Alamitos Were those comments posted by a disgruntled city employee or Gardena city official? Who knows. If Landsdell leaves we‘re still stuck with our city council. Talk about making deals. Look at all the stuff that's gone on with Waste Resources and Phoenix Waste in Gardena. Gardena citizens many not be very vocal but they’re not naïve.
Comments posted anonymously or cited on Gardena Watch are the express opinions of those individuals and not the opinion of Gardena Watch.
I’m not so concerned about Landsdell working a trash deal in Los Alamitos Were those comments posted by a disgruntled city employee or Gardena city official? Who knows. If Landsdell leaves we‘re still stuck with our city council. Talk about making deals. Look at all the stuff that's gone on with Waste Resources and Phoenix Waste in Gardena. Gardena citizens many not be very vocal but they’re not naïve.
Comments posted anonymously or cited on Gardena Watch are the express opinions of those individuals and not the opinion of Gardena Watch.
10/07/2007
City Manager Moving?
Anonymous said...
Mitch Landsdell is trying to make a move behind the scenes to leave Gardena and move to the City of Los Alamitos as it's new City Manager, post firing of their former City Manager. The rumor is that he is trying to work a deal into Los Alamitos so a new trash company can be brought in...maybe Landsdell has more $$$$ through the trash men than we all know!Landsdell is working with the Los Alamitos City Council majority, led by Egomaniacal Councilman Troy Edgar to make his move into Los Alamitos...check it out.
October 7, 2007 9:51 AM
Comments posted anonymously or cited on Gardena Watch are the express opinions of those individuals and not the opinion of Gardena Watch.
Mitch Landsdell is trying to make a move behind the scenes to leave Gardena and move to the City of Los Alamitos as it's new City Manager, post firing of their former City Manager. The rumor is that he is trying to work a deal into Los Alamitos so a new trash company can be brought in...maybe Landsdell has more $$$$ through the trash men than we all know!Landsdell is working with the Los Alamitos City Council majority, led by Egomaniacal Councilman Troy Edgar to make his move into Los Alamitos...check it out.
October 7, 2007 9:51 AM
Comments posted anonymously or cited on Gardena Watch are the express opinions of those individuals and not the opinion of Gardena Watch.
Citizens Stumped by Cutting Down of City Trees
The Public Works Department of Gardena has been cutting down trees in our city. The problem is--the trees are not being replaced. The one pictured on the left, at 15829 Dalton, near Marukai Market, an inside source tells the editor, has allegedly been cut down and covered by a barricade for over a year. Not only is the wooden barricade a hazard for pedestrians, it's an eyesore and diminshes the quality of life in our city.
Home Sweet Home--Gardena?
Anonymous said...
Is Steven Bradford still on your council? You should check his address. . .he lives in Carson. Maybe that's why the Gardena council doesn't care how things look. Isn't living there a requirement to hold office?
October 6, 2007 6:02 PM
Comments posted anonymously or cited on Gardena Watch are the express opinions of those individuals and not the opinion of Gardena Watch.
Is Steven Bradford still on your council? You should check his address. . .he lives in Carson. Maybe that's why the Gardena council doesn't care how things look. Isn't living there a requirement to hold office?
October 6, 2007 6:02 PM
Comments posted anonymously or cited on Gardena Watch are the express opinions of those individuals and not the opinion of Gardena Watch.
10/06/2007
City Planning
Who approved this monstrosity? This overblown, modern structure is being built behind the 1920s house in the front. On an R-3 lot, one has to wonder how this got approved. The Planning Commission didn't even know about it. It's supposedly a one family unit.
10/05/2007
Fri 5 Oct 2007
Sheriff’s Department’s Arrest Contests to be Investigated
Posted by admin under County of LA , Crime
http://westranchbeacon.com/blog/2007/10/05/sheriffs-departments-arrest-contests-to-be-investigated/
The Los Angeles County public defender’s office on Thursday launched an investigation into arrests made two months ago by sheriff’s deputies participating in a five-city competition to book as many suspects as possible during a 24-hour period reports the Los Angeles Times.
Public Defender Michael P. Judge said his office would review all the arrests made Aug. 15 — the day of one of the competitions — and challenge the merits of the cases in court.
“Our contention is that the activities of the deputies may not have been prompted by what they saw but rather by the pressure of producing greater arrest numbers for the competition,” Judge said.
The competition in question was dubbed “Operation Any Booking” and was initiated by a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department lieutenant who said he wanted to increase the productivity and boost the morale of some deputies in the Lakewood station, which serves the southeast Los Angeles County cities of Lakewood, Bellflower, Paramount, Artesia and Hawaiian Gardens.
The deputies making the most arrests in those cities won “bragging rights,” Lt. James Tatreau told The Times earlier this week.
Tatreau said he helped organize that and other monthly competitions, including a contest to see how many vehicles deputies could impound in a single night, as well as how many “field interviews” of gang members and other suspected criminals deputies could conduct during a 24-hour period.
Sheriff Lee Baca called for an end to the competitions after learning about them from Times reporters Wednesday. A spokesman for Baca said Thursday that the sheriff was not concerned about the public defender’s inquiry.
Read it here: Sheriff’s Arrest Contest
Sheriff’s Department’s Arrest Contests to be Investigated
Posted by admin under County of LA , Crime
http://westranchbeacon.com/blog/2007/10/05/sheriffs-departments-arrest-contests-to-be-investigated/
The Los Angeles County public defender’s office on Thursday launched an investigation into arrests made two months ago by sheriff’s deputies participating in a five-city competition to book as many suspects as possible during a 24-hour period reports the Los Angeles Times.
Public Defender Michael P. Judge said his office would review all the arrests made Aug. 15 — the day of one of the competitions — and challenge the merits of the cases in court.
“Our contention is that the activities of the deputies may not have been prompted by what they saw but rather by the pressure of producing greater arrest numbers for the competition,” Judge said.
The competition in question was dubbed “Operation Any Booking” and was initiated by a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department lieutenant who said he wanted to increase the productivity and boost the morale of some deputies in the Lakewood station, which serves the southeast Los Angeles County cities of Lakewood, Bellflower, Paramount, Artesia and Hawaiian Gardens.
The deputies making the most arrests in those cities won “bragging rights,” Lt. James Tatreau told The Times earlier this week.
Tatreau said he helped organize that and other monthly competitions, including a contest to see how many vehicles deputies could impound in a single night, as well as how many “field interviews” of gang members and other suspected criminals deputies could conduct during a 24-hour period.
Sheriff Lee Baca called for an end to the competitions after learning about them from Times reporters Wednesday. A spokesman for Baca said Thursday that the sheriff was not concerned about the public defender’s inquiry.
Read it here: Sheriff’s Arrest Contest
Operation Any Booking
LA Sheriff's "Operation Any Booking" Competititon - Brilliant
Yellowworld Forums - http://forums.yellowworld.org
Sheriff's Department's arrest contests to be investigated
Public defender's office plans challenges to cases stemming from a contest Aug. 15 at the Lakewood station geared to boost deputies' productivity.By Matt Lait and Scott GloverLos Angeles Times Staff WritersOctober 5, 2007The Los Angeles County public defender's office on Thursday launched an investigation into arrests made two months ago by sheriff's deputies participating in a five-city competition to book as many suspects as possible during a 24-hour period.Public Defender Michael P. Judge said his office would review all the arrests made Aug. 15 -- the day of one of the competitions -- and challenge the merits of the cases in court."Our contention is that the activities of the deputies may not have been prompted by what they saw but rather by the pressure of producing greater arrest numbers for the competition," Judge said.The competition in question was dubbed "Operation Any Booking" and was initiated by a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department lieutenant who said he wanted to increase the productivity and boost the morale of some deputies in the Lakewood station, which serves the southeast Los Angeles County cities of Lakewood, Bellflower, Paramount, Artesia and Hawaiian Gardens.The deputies making the most arrests in those cities won "bragging rights," Lt. James Tatreau told The Times earlier this week. Tatreau said he helped organize that and other monthly competitions, including a contest to see how many vehicles deputies could impound in a single night, as well as how many "field interviews" of gang members and other suspected criminals deputies could conduct during a 24-hour period.Sheriff Lee Baca called for an end to the competitions after learning about them from Times reporters Wednesday. A spokesman for Baca said Thursday that the sheriff was not concerned about the public defender's inquiry."The sheriff has never been shy about having anybody review anything," Steve Whitmore said. "These are good, solid arrests."According to statistics produced by the Sheriff's Department as part of a public records request, there were 28 arrests on the night of Operation Any Booking. That figure matched the average number of arrests made throughout the month.However, department officials acknowledged that the other contests regarding vehicle impounds and field interviews resulted in dramatic increases in those activities. For example, the five cities in which deputies ordered vehicles impounded had 37 vehicles towed during the day of the competition, compared to an average daily total of 4.7 vehicles.Judge said that even though the statistics did not show an increase in the arrest numbers during the competition, that did not necessarily mean the figures weren't inflated. "It could have been a really slow night," Judge said.Judge said he did not know how many of the cases from Aug. 15 were still pending or how many involved clients of the public defender's office. "That's what we're trying to ascertain," he said. If there still are active cases, Judge said he believed the revelations of the contest would be "ripe material for cross-examination" of the arresting deputies. Loyola law professor Laurie Levenson said she was not surprised Judge had launched an investigation."The sheriff basically handed him this opportunity," she said.But Levenson said she thought the public defender would be fighting an uphill battle to have any cases overturned absent solid evidence that the deputies had done something wrong."Officers can have all the wrong motives, but they're still legal stops as long as there were objective facts to support reasonable suspicion or probable cause," said Levenson, a former federal prosecutor in Los Angeles.She said Judge and his colleagues could also try to argue that they would have been better able to defend their clients had they known about the contests and used them to challenge officers' credibility in court.Getting information out of the Sheriff's Department absent a court order may also be a problem, Levenson predicted."It's not easy to get somebody to go back and reopen an investigation," she said.The story about the contest, published Wednesday and also posted on http://www.latimes.com/ generated more than 200 e-mails from around Southern California and across the country. Many people condemned the contests and the Sheriff's Department. But many others supported the competitions and praised Tatreau by name, some saying that he should be promoted for his innovative approach to policing.
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Sheriff's Department's arrest contests to be investigated
Public defender's office plans challenges to cases stemming from a contest Aug. 15 at the Lakewood station geared to boost deputies' productivity.By Matt Lait and Scott GloverLos Angeles Times Staff WritersOctober 5, 2007The Los Angeles County public defender's office on Thursday launched an investigation into arrests made two months ago by sheriff's deputies participating in a five-city competition to book as many suspects as possible during a 24-hour period.Public Defender Michael P. Judge said his office would review all the arrests made Aug. 15 -- the day of one of the competitions -- and challenge the merits of the cases in court."Our contention is that the activities of the deputies may not have been prompted by what they saw but rather by the pressure of producing greater arrest numbers for the competition," Judge said.The competition in question was dubbed "Operation Any Booking" and was initiated by a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department lieutenant who said he wanted to increase the productivity and boost the morale of some deputies in the Lakewood station, which serves the southeast Los Angeles County cities of Lakewood, Bellflower, Paramount, Artesia and Hawaiian Gardens.The deputies making the most arrests in those cities won "bragging rights," Lt. James Tatreau told The Times earlier this week. Tatreau said he helped organize that and other monthly competitions, including a contest to see how many vehicles deputies could impound in a single night, as well as how many "field interviews" of gang members and other suspected criminals deputies could conduct during a 24-hour period.Sheriff Lee Baca called for an end to the competitions after learning about them from Times reporters Wednesday. A spokesman for Baca said Thursday that the sheriff was not concerned about the public defender's inquiry."The sheriff has never been shy about having anybody review anything," Steve Whitmore said. "These are good, solid arrests."According to statistics produced by the Sheriff's Department as part of a public records request, there were 28 arrests on the night of Operation Any Booking. That figure matched the average number of arrests made throughout the month.However, department officials acknowledged that the other contests regarding vehicle impounds and field interviews resulted in dramatic increases in those activities. For example, the five cities in which deputies ordered vehicles impounded had 37 vehicles towed during the day of the competition, compared to an average daily total of 4.7 vehicles.Judge said that even though the statistics did not show an increase in the arrest numbers during the competition, that did not necessarily mean the figures weren't inflated. "It could have been a really slow night," Judge said.Judge said he did not know how many of the cases from Aug. 15 were still pending or how many involved clients of the public defender's office. "That's what we're trying to ascertain," he said. If there still are active cases, Judge said he believed the revelations of the contest would be "ripe material for cross-examination" of the arresting deputies. Loyola law professor Laurie Levenson said she was not surprised Judge had launched an investigation."The sheriff basically handed him this opportunity," she said.But Levenson said she thought the public defender would be fighting an uphill battle to have any cases overturned absent solid evidence that the deputies had done something wrong."Officers can have all the wrong motives, but they're still legal stops as long as there were objective facts to support reasonable suspicion or probable cause," said Levenson, a former federal prosecutor in Los Angeles.She said Judge and his colleagues could also try to argue that they would have been better able to defend their clients had they known about the contests and used them to challenge officers' credibility in court.Getting information out of the Sheriff's Department absent a court order may also be a problem, Levenson predicted."It's not easy to get somebody to go back and reopen an investigation," she said.The story about the contest, published Wednesday and also posted on http://www.latimes.com/ generated more than 200 e-mails from around Southern California and across the country. Many people condemned the contests and the Sheriff's Department. But many others supported the competitions and praised Tatreau by name, some saying that he should be promoted for his innovative approach to policing.
9/22/2007
Deputy is allowed to pursue his bias suit
The member of the Regulators claims he was transferred from a station because he is Latino.
By Stuart Pfeifer, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer September 22, 2007
A sheriff's deputy can move forward with a lawsuit that alleges the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department unfairly transferred him out of its Century station because he is Latino, a judge ruled Friday.
Deputy Angel Jaimes alleges that African American supervising officers transferred him in 2004 to rid the Century station of experienced Latinos who were admired by other deputies.
The lawsuit has brought attention to a group of deputies in the Century station -- Jaimes among them -- who got matching tattoos and called themselves the Regulators. A series of anonymous letters, purportedly written by fellow deputies, claimed that Jaimes and other Regulators intimidated those who were not part of their clique, extorted money from them and had undue influence over the running of the Century station.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Terry A. Green ruled that the case can proceed to trial, despite sheriff's officials' claims that the transfer was related to defamatory statements the deputy made to a supervisor, not to ethnicity.
Green said he based the decision in part on a lieutenant's testimony that Cmdr. Willie Miller and division Chief Ronnie Williams told her the Century station was "was run by Mexicans and they were going to change that."
Jaimes has alleged in the lawsuit that supervisors, including Sgt. Arthur Scott, openly referred to him and other Latino deputies at the Century station as the Mexican Mafia, the name of a prison gang linked to violent crimes throughout the country.
Jaimes confronted Scott in a meeting at the Lynwood station and used profanity while criticizing the sergeant's management style and for failing to apologize for using the Mexican Mafia term. The department later suspended Jaimes for 25 days for those comments and transferred him from Century to the department's Transit Services Bureau.
Jaimes' lawsuit seeks to overturn the transfer and suspension and seeks monetary damages. Green said allegations that the department was motivated to transfer Latino deputies out of the Century station was enough to allow the case to go to trial.
By Stuart Pfeifer, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer September 22, 2007
A sheriff's deputy can move forward with a lawsuit that alleges the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department unfairly transferred him out of its Century station because he is Latino, a judge ruled Friday.
Deputy Angel Jaimes alleges that African American supervising officers transferred him in 2004 to rid the Century station of experienced Latinos who were admired by other deputies.
The lawsuit has brought attention to a group of deputies in the Century station -- Jaimes among them -- who got matching tattoos and called themselves the Regulators. A series of anonymous letters, purportedly written by fellow deputies, claimed that Jaimes and other Regulators intimidated those who were not part of their clique, extorted money from them and had undue influence over the running of the Century station.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Terry A. Green ruled that the case can proceed to trial, despite sheriff's officials' claims that the transfer was related to defamatory statements the deputy made to a supervisor, not to ethnicity.
Green said he based the decision in part on a lieutenant's testimony that Cmdr. Willie Miller and division Chief Ronnie Williams told her the Century station was "was run by Mexicans and they were going to change that."
Jaimes has alleged in the lawsuit that supervisors, including Sgt. Arthur Scott, openly referred to him and other Latino deputies at the Century station as the Mexican Mafia, the name of a prison gang linked to violent crimes throughout the country.
Jaimes confronted Scott in a meeting at the Lynwood station and used profanity while criticizing the sergeant's management style and for failing to apologize for using the Mexican Mafia term. The department later suspended Jaimes for 25 days for those comments and transferred him from Century to the department's Transit Services Bureau.
Jaimes' lawsuit seeks to overturn the transfer and suspension and seeks monetary damages. Green said allegations that the department was motivated to transfer Latino deputies out of the Century station was enough to allow the case to go to trial.
Gardena, All-America City
Welcome to Gardena, the one-time "All America" city. Once home to manicured Japanese gardens and clean streets is now transformed to inner city squalor. The photograph you see was taken at the U.S. Post Office, Main Branch, on Redondo Beach Boulevard on September 22, 2007.On September 15, 2007 the city of Gardena held their 8th Annual "Keep Gardena Beautiful Day." The flier, still on the city website, advertises that "volunteers will gather to clean up city parks, right of ways and neighborhoods" (link to web site)
I can't blame the volunteers--there is far too much to do in this city. As far as the City of Gardena City Council and committees, I wonder if they're paying attention.
7/31/2007
Hawthorne councilman indicted in conflict case
By Ari B. Bloomekatz, Times Staff WriterJuly 27, 2007
Hawthorne City Councilman Ludwig "Louis" Velez was indicted this week on charges that he used his elected position to trade favors with a developer.Velez was indicted on felony charges and has surrendered to authorities.Sandi Gibbons of the Los Angeles County district attorney's office said Velez was accused of a "conflict of interest" but would not comment further because the indictment was sealed.
See article L.A. Times
Hawthorne City Councilman Ludwig "Louis" Velez was indicted this week on charges that he used his elected position to trade favors with a developer.Velez was indicted on felony charges and has surrendered to authorities.Sandi Gibbons of the Los Angeles County district attorney's office said Velez was accused of a "conflict of interest" but would not comment further because the indictment was sealed.
See article L.A. Times
7/29/2007
Nissan HQ tax dollars
From BlogoWogo:
Police officers in Gardena, California and Rocky Mount, North Carolina have taken to setting up roadblocks to check vehicles for illegal tint, registration and drivers for belt usage and license possession. No drunk drivers were busted, but 62 vehicles were impounded during the four-hour California roadblock alone. Police estimate that each seizure is worth around $1,400 in towing, ticketing and impound fees each. Well, it is twenty-three years past 1984, we suppose. This makes us feel a little queasy and a lot mad. After all, they disbanded the Royal Ulster Constabulary. Who told freaking Gardena they could pick up the mantle. We suppose losing those Nissan HQ tax dollars hurt worse than they initially thought. Thanks Carlos. Thanks a lot. – Davey G. Johnson
Police officers in Gardena, California and Rocky Mount, North Carolina have taken to setting up roadblocks to check vehicles for illegal tint, registration and drivers for belt usage and license possession. No drunk drivers were busted, but 62 vehicles were impounded during the four-hour California roadblock alone. Police estimate that each seizure is worth around $1,400 in towing, ticketing and impound fees each. Well, it is twenty-three years past 1984, we suppose. This makes us feel a little queasy and a lot mad. After all, they disbanded the Royal Ulster Constabulary. Who told freaking Gardena they could pick up the mantle. We suppose losing those Nissan HQ tax dollars hurt worse than they initially thought. Thanks Carlos. Thanks a lot. – Davey G. Johnson
7/18/2007
Be part of the start up of a new Charter School in Los Angeles
Developer committee is looking for volunteer members to help research the feasibility of starting a new charter school in south central Los Angeles, Torrance or Gardena. Become part of a founding community. Your kids get first choice to enroll in new school or you may become a full time employee once charter is granted.Charter schools are publicly funded, but community and privately managed public school. Our Mission is to create a 6-12th grade school dedicated to instructivist teaching methods and a college-prep curriculum.Instructional Methods - Direct Instruction and Mastery Learning (used now by catholic, private college prep., and Asian schools)Academic Curriculum - phonics, literacy, mathematics, science and empiricism, Core Knowledge (E.D. Hirsch), and character values.Our founding team has a total of over 30 years teaching experience, plus 18 years experience in private business and management. All are experienced in the Sylvan Learning methods in which a student is not promoted until he masters the previous skill level.
Kids enjoy learning, but enjoyment is a consequence of achievement not a prerequisite. If interested in making this charter happen, contact CharterStartUp@yahoo.com and let us know if you are a: 1)Parent 2)teacher 3)Administrator 4)Business leader 5)Education Reform supporter 6)other (specify).Thank you,
Kids enjoy learning, but enjoyment is a consequence of achievement not a prerequisite. If interested in making this charter happen, contact CharterStartUp@yahoo.com and let us know if you are a: 1)Parent 2)teacher 3)Administrator 4)Business leader 5)Education Reform supporter 6)other (specify).Thank you,
7/17/2007
Trash hauler alleges illegal political solicitations in Gardena
Interference is alleged in lawsuit that includes charges that councilman sought illegal donations.
Gardena City Councilman Oscar Medrano solicited campaign contributions from the city's commercial trash hauler, in apparent violation of city law, according to a lawsuit filed Monday.
The suit also alleges that Medrano wanted his campaign fliers to be included in city trash bills, which would also be illegal.
The allegations arise from a deepening dispute between Gardena's two rival haulers.
Click here to read Daily Breeze article By Gene Maddaus Staff Writer (from The Daily Breeze 07/17/07)
Gardena City Councilman Oscar Medrano solicited campaign contributions from the city's commercial trash hauler, in apparent violation of city law, according to a lawsuit filed Monday.
The suit also alleges that Medrano wanted his campaign fliers to be included in city trash bills, which would also be illegal.
The allegations arise from a deepening dispute between Gardena's two rival haulers.
Click here to read Daily Breeze article By Gene Maddaus Staff Writer (from The Daily Breeze 07/17/07)
7/16/2007
Waste Resources of Gardena Files Lawsuit to Stop Illegal Interference of Waste Hauling Contract in the City of Gardena
LOS ANGELES, July 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Waste Resources of Gardena ("WRG") filed a lawsuit today seeking to protect its rights against unlawful interference with its contract and unfair competition in connection with WRG's commercial waste hauling contract with the City of Gardena. The lawsuit was filed in the Superior Court of the State of California in Los Angeles County against Phoenix Waste & Recycling Services ("Phoenix") and its associates, Haig Papaian and Rouben Kandilian, waste haulers who hold the residential waste hauling contract with Gardena. Haig Papaian and Rouben Kandilian, on behalf of Phoenix, made numerous false statements about WRG's performance in order to cause the City to seek an early termination of the commercial waste hauling contract. Further, Haig Papaian and Rouben Kandilian, using improper relationships with City of Gardena officials, sought to force WRG into giving up its substantive rights, and ultimately, to seek an early termination of the WRG's commercial waste hauling contract. WRG is operated by Kosti Shirvanian, who has over 50 years in the waste management business. Until Phoenix's attempts to interfere with its contract, WRG's performance of its commercial waste hauling contract received strong reviews from City of Gardena officials. After Phoenix began to make false statements about WRG's capabilities, WRG began receiving critical reviews of its performance. Further, Phoenix began to use City of Gardena Councilmembers, including Councilmember Oscar Medrano, to force WRG to give up portions of its contract for the benefit of Phoenix. WRG was threatened with retaliatory action if WRG did not comply with Phoenix's demands. Phoenix ultimately caused the issuance of a five year notice of termination against WRG, which would cause WRG to lose substantially all of the investment that WRG made into providing waste hauling services for Phoenix. WRG is represented by Robert Bonner and Maurice M. Suh, lawyers with the international law firm, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. "Spreading misstatements about WRG's performance under the contract and using City of Gardena officials to extract concessions from WRG is simply wrong," said Maurice Suh, who represents WRG. "Waste hauling contracts are of critical importance to the proper functioning of the City of Gardena, and those contracts should be awarded based upon performance and experience, not upon misstatements and political favoritism." "My career has been about providing cost-effective trash hauling services in an efficient and consumer-friendly manner. I have tried to resolve this matter with City officials, I feel like I have been given no choice except to file this lawsuit," said Kosti Shirvanian. SOURCE Waste Resources of Gardena -0- 07/16/2007 /CONTACT: Pearl Piatt of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP, +1-213-299-7963, for Waste Resources of Gardena/ CO: Waste Resources of Gardena; WRG; City of Gardena; Phoenix Waste & Recycling Services; Phoenix; Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher ST: California IN: ENV CHM SU: LAW SS-AB -- LAM145 -- 1895 07/16/2007 16:33 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com
Click here to read article
Click here to read article
7/12/2007
Anonymous said...
It's unbelievable how the public can be fooled and unaware of a person of this poor character being able to be elected as a public servant.Character traits and poor judgement exhibited by Tanaka rarely change over time. Instead people like this learn how to hide it.He's costing the public money in trade for his own ambition and gain.I will not vote for him. Tell your friends and neighbors. http://www.worldfreeinternet.net/news/nws168.htm
Comments not citing an individual's name are the express opinions of those individuals and not the opinion of Gardena Watch.
Comments not citing an individual's name are the express opinions of those individuals and not the opinion of Gardena Watch.
Meeting Minutes
At one time the videotape of the council meeting was available to all residents, at no charge, from our local L.A. County library. Things have changed and we're not sure when, how or why that's happened. It now costs $10 for a copy of a DVD of the meeting, available at City Hall. That's more than some albums cost these days.
Postings not citing an individual's name are the express opinions of those individuals and not to be considered fact-based.
Postings not citing an individual's name are the express opinions of those individuals and not to be considered fact-based.
7/10/2007
7/07/2007
Lynwood defies order to hold recall vote
The council strips the city clerk of her duties when she tries to certify petitions. And it refuses to set an election date. A judge gets the case today.
A battle over the integrity of the election process is coming to a head this week in Lynwood, where the City Council has defied the Los Angeles County registrar-recorder and refused to set a date for a recall election targeting four of its members. The registrar-recorder's office concluded in June that there were enough signatures on recall petitions to force a special election for the four officials, two of whom were recently indicted on public corruption charges. But when Lynwood's elected city clerk tried to certify the recall petition, the City Council voted to strip her of all election duties, appointing its own election official to take up the matter. The city clerk gave the petitions to the Sheriff's Department, which has rejected the City Council request to review the documents.
Click here to read article: By Hector Becerra, Times Staff WriterJuly 3, 2007
A battle over the integrity of the election process is coming to a head this week in Lynwood, where the City Council has defied the Los Angeles County registrar-recorder and refused to set a date for a recall election targeting four of its members. The registrar-recorder's office concluded in June that there were enough signatures on recall petitions to force a special election for the four officials, two of whom were recently indicted on public corruption charges. But when Lynwood's elected city clerk tried to certify the recall petition, the City Council voted to strip her of all election duties, appointing its own election official to take up the matter. The city clerk gave the petitions to the Sheriff's Department, which has rejected the City Council request to review the documents.
Click here to read article: By Hector Becerra, Times Staff WriterJuly 3, 2007
L.A. THEN AND NOW
Gardens, glens and people inspired some city names
The beauty of their surroundings and the females in founders' lives provided fodder.
By Cecilia Rasmussen, Times Staff WriterJuly 8, 2007
GLENDORA
click to enlarge
HERMOSA BEACH
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Third in a series of occasional storiesEarly cityhood names often stem from pride — in a famous novelist, an entrepreneur's thatched roof "punch" stand or even God.Los Angeles County has 88 cities, each with its own story. Here's how some of them got their names, along with the year they incorporated:
The beauty of their surroundings and the females in founders' lives provided fodder.
By Cecilia Rasmussen, Times Staff WriterJuly 8, 2007
GLENDORA
click to enlarge
HERMOSA BEACH
click to enlarge
Third in a series of occasional storiesEarly cityhood names often stem from pride — in a famous novelist, an entrepreneur's thatched roof "punch" stand or even God.Los Angeles County has 88 cities, each with its own story. Here's how some of them got their names, along with the year they incorporated:
Gardena (1930)Local legend has it that Spencer R. Thorpe, credited with starting the first settlement near 161st and Figueroa streets in the late 1880s, named the town because he thought it was a beautiful garden spot. Three communities — Gardena, Strawberry Park and Moneta — joined together to create what began as an agricultural town.
Glendale (1906)This foothill town was originally known as Verdugo, named for Spanish soldier Jose Maria Verdugo, who began farming on the 36,403-acre Rancho San Rafael in 1784. An 1881 county map identified this area as Riverdale, but the post office refused to recognize the name because there was already a Riverdale in Fresno County. The community took the name Mason for a short period, until the village of citrus orchardists officially became Glendale at a town meeting in 1884. Its name is a bit redundant: "Glen" and "dale" both mean valley.
Glendora (1911)The name was coined in 1887 by Chicago manufacturer and town founder George Dexter Whitcomb, who combined two words: glen (to connote the adjacent terrain) and his wife's nickname, Dora, short for Leadora.
Hawaiian Gardens (1964)Credit for naming this community belongs to an enterprising but unknown businessman who turned a Prohibition-era thatched-roof fruit stand near Carson Street and Norwalk Boulevard into a thriving refreshment stand. Legend has it that the proprietor had a talent for moonshine, and farmers would trot over from their lima bean fields and dairy barns for spiked punch. Travelers on the horse trail often said the shack resembled a Hawaiian garden. The name stuck.
Hawthorne (1922)This city received its name around 1906 after Laurine Harding Woolwine, daughter of Benjamin Harding, one of the town's founders, suggested that the community of barley fields be named for her favorite novelist, Nathaniel Hawthorne. She shared the author's birthday.
Hermosa Beach (1907)The name stems from the Spanish word for beautiful, which the Hermosa Beach Land & Water Co. used in 1901 to advertise the property. When the community incorporated six years later by the slimmest of margins — 24 aye, 23 nay — the only beach bunnies on the Hermosa sand were rabbits that lived under the pier. In an appeal to snootier settlers, Hermosa Beach used to call itself "The Aristocrat of the California Beaches."
Hidden Hills (1961)The 2,000-member gated equestrian community near Calabasas and the Los Angeles-Ventura County line was named by A.E. Hanson because the hills shield the area from nearby roads. Hanson — landscape architect for such stars as Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks — was known for his vision, drive and appreciation of simplicity.
Huntington Park (1906)Developers E.V. Baker and A.L. Burbank named the community in 1903 as an enticement for Henry E. Huntington to build his Pacific Electric Railway through their 100-acre development, which had been called La Park. However, the post office considered it La Park until the city incorporated.
Industry (1957)Once undeveloped agricultural land in the La Puente Valley, it became a community devoted solely to commerce after World War II, evoking images of smokestacks and tireless assembly lines, of great machines clanking around the clock.
Inglewood (1908)This community was once part of two land grants: the Ranchos Aguaje de la Centinela and Sausal Redondo. After several changes in ownership, the 25,000-acre ranch was purchased by Canadian immigrant Daniel Freeman, who was in search of a warm climate for his wife, ill with tuberculosis.In 1887, Freeman and a group of investors organized the Centinela-Inglewood Land Company and laid out the town of Inglewood, so named by a stockholder's relative who supposedly hailed from Inglewood, Canada.
Irwindale (1957)Instead of getting its name from the area's rock, gravel and sand deposits that the construction industry has been digging up for more than a century, it's named for the man who in 1899 owned the area's first gasoline-powered water pump. Irwin's first name is unknown; even the city's website doesn't include it. His daughter, Dale, provided the second part of the name.
La Cañada Flintridge (1976)The first part of the dual name, La Cañada, means valley, glen or dell in Spanish. La Cañada was part of a 6,000-acre Mexican land grant. The second part was named by one-time U.S. Sen. Frank Putnam Flint, who called his subdivision Flintridge.When the two distinct communities opted to become one city, a clerk erroneously put a hyphen between their names. Nearly a decade later, in 1985, residents deleted the punctuation with an ordinance because they believed it connoted separation between the two parts of the community.
La Habra Heights (1978)The area was part of the La Cañada del Habra land grant in 1839. Habra means gorge or pass, referring to the passage through the Puente Hills. "Heights" was added to distinguish the community behind the hills from La Habra in Orange County.Lakewood (1954)Philanthropist Ben Weingart and partners purchased 3,500 acres of the old Rancho Los Cerritos in 1949, eventually supplying thousands of families with low-cost housing in a "dream city" that had been planned since the 1930s.Many think the name comes from Bouton Lake — located on the golf course of the Lakewood Country Club — which was formed in 1895 when oil drillers accidentally opened an artesian well. However, because many early residents of the area were from the East Coast, others believe the community was named after Lakewood, N.J.
La Mirada (1960)Andrew McNally, founder of Rand McNally Publishing Co., first gazed over his 2,378 acres of Southern California in the 1890s. His new holdings included the panorama of verdant hills that were reflected in the nearby lake, creating an enchanting vista — hence, La Mirada, or "the view."He also planted thousands of olive trees on his Windemere Ranch. Another story is that the greenery of the orchard looked like a mirage against the brown countryside.Subdivided in 1953, the community incorporated as Mirada Hills seven years later. But within months voters changed the name back to La
"1000 California Place Names" by Erwin G. Gudde; The Dictionary of California Land Names by Phil Townsend Hanna; "Los Angeles A to Z" by Leonard Pitt and Dale Pitt; Chambers of Commerce and city websites; Los Angeles Times archives
HISTORICAL #1 DEBUT ON BILLBOARD GOSPEL CHARTS
(July 6, 2007)
The strategic collaboration of Alpha Dog and Tyscot Records has garnered a historical #1 debut on the Billboard Gospel Charts.
Tyscot Records celebrates its first #1 album debut in the 31 year history of the longest running independent Gospel label in the country as Bishop Jones and his church choir rejoice for charting at number 1 with their first CD.
The forecast for the project looked promising well before its June 26 release. Bryant Scott, Tyscot President stated online sales for Welcome to the City were at a record 15 times more that any other new project they have touched. That includes works by John P. Kee, the Anointed Pace Sisters, Deitrick Haddon and other top names in gospel.
"This is exciting because this is Bishop Jones' first release and not many artists have a #1 debut on their first project," says Bryant Scott - President, Tyscot Records. "We are very proud of this CD, which is in stores and online everywhere, along with the exclusive two-disc DigiPak version sold exclusively at Wal-mart and walmart.com." A grand album release concert was held at the Gardena, CA sanctuary on the Sunday before the album release which featured a pre-recorded congratulatory message from Diddy, who is a member of the 20,000 City of Refuge.
Still climbing the Radio & Records charts is the lead off single "Not About Us" produced by Gerald Haddon.
The video makes its debut on BET's Video Gospel this Sunday morning at 10:00 AM EST. Take a look by clicking HERE.
The strategic collaboration of Alpha Dog and Tyscot Records has garnered a historical #1 debut on the Billboard Gospel Charts.
Tyscot Records celebrates its first #1 album debut in the 31 year history of the longest running independent Gospel label in the country as Bishop Jones and his church choir rejoice for charting at number 1 with their first CD.
The forecast for the project looked promising well before its June 26 release. Bryant Scott, Tyscot President stated online sales for Welcome to the City were at a record 15 times more that any other new project they have touched. That includes works by John P. Kee, the Anointed Pace Sisters, Deitrick Haddon and other top names in gospel.
"This is exciting because this is Bishop Jones' first release and not many artists have a #1 debut on their first project," says Bryant Scott - President, Tyscot Records. "We are very proud of this CD, which is in stores and online everywhere, along with the exclusive two-disc DigiPak version sold exclusively at Wal-mart and walmart.com." A grand album release concert was held at the Gardena, CA sanctuary on the Sunday before the album release which featured a pre-recorded congratulatory message from Diddy, who is a member of the 20,000 City of Refuge.
Still climbing the Radio & Records charts is the lead off single "Not About Us" produced by Gerald Haddon.
The video makes its debut on BET's Video Gospel this Sunday morning at 10:00 AM EST. Take a look by clicking HERE.
7/05/2007
Gardena Gets Greedy
Adventures in Revenue Generation
Police officers in Gardena, California and Rocky Mount, North Carolina have taken to setting up roadblocks to check vehicles for illegal tint, registration and drivers for belt usage and license possession. No drunk drivers were busted, but 62 vehicles were impounded during the four-hour California roadblock alone. Police estimate that each seizure is worth around $1,400 in towing, ticketing and impound fees each. Well, it is twenty-three years past 1984, we suppose. This makes us feel a little queasy and a lot mad. After all, they disbanded the Royal Ulster Constabulary. Who told freaking Gardena they could pick up the mantle. We suppose losing those Nissan HQ tax dollars hurt worse than they initially thought. Thanks Carlos. Thanks a lot. – Davey G. Johnson
Licensing Roadblocks Generate Revenue by Seizing Cars [TheNewspaper]
Police officers in Gardena, California and Rocky Mount, North Carolina have taken to setting up roadblocks to check vehicles for illegal tint, registration and drivers for belt usage and license possession. No drunk drivers were busted, but 62 vehicles were impounded during the four-hour California roadblock alone. Police estimate that each seizure is worth around $1,400 in towing, ticketing and impound fees each. Well, it is twenty-three years past 1984, we suppose. This makes us feel a little queasy and a lot mad. After all, they disbanded the Royal Ulster Constabulary. Who told freaking Gardena they could pick up the mantle. We suppose losing those Nissan HQ tax dollars hurt worse than they initially thought. Thanks Carlos. Thanks a lot. – Davey G. Johnson
Licensing Roadblocks Generate Revenue by Seizing Cars [TheNewspaper]
South LA Teen Loses 4 Fingers In Fireworks Explosion
MSNBC July 5, 2007
LOS ANGELES - A 13-year-old boy lost four of his fingers on his left hand following the explosion of what was described as as "cylindrical firework" at his South Los Angeles home, a city fire spokesperson said Wednesday. Fire personnel were dispatched to the scene of the explosion in the 6900 block of South Main Street at 9:08 p.m. Tuesday, according to Los Angeles city fire spokesperson Brian Humphrey. The teenager told firefighters that he had seen an adult in his home put a "cylindrical firework" in a closet and then leave, Humphrey said.
Mistaking the device for a "Roman Candle," which is limited to producing sparks, the boy took the firework outside and lit the fuse.
Humphrey said the high-powered explosion that occurred in the boy's left hand destroyed four of his fingers beyond recovery, but spared him other obvious physical impairment. "Firefighter-paramedics cleaned and dressed the boy's painful wounds while their colleagues fruitlessly searched the vicinity for remnants of his fingers," he said.
The boy was accompanied by his mother to Harbor/UCLA Medical Center for further medical treatment.
LOS ANGELES - A 13-year-old boy lost four of his fingers on his left hand following the explosion of what was described as as "cylindrical firework" at his South Los Angeles home, a city fire spokesperson said Wednesday. Fire personnel were dispatched to the scene of the explosion in the 6900 block of South Main Street at 9:08 p.m. Tuesday, according to Los Angeles city fire spokesperson Brian Humphrey. The teenager told firefighters that he had seen an adult in his home put a "cylindrical firework" in a closet and then leave, Humphrey said.
Mistaking the device for a "Roman Candle," which is limited to producing sparks, the boy took the firework outside and lit the fuse.
Humphrey said the high-powered explosion that occurred in the boy's left hand destroyed four of his fingers beyond recovery, but spared him other obvious physical impairment. "Firefighter-paramedics cleaned and dressed the boy's painful wounds while their colleagues fruitlessly searched the vicinity for remnants of his fingers," he said.
The boy was accompanied by his mother to Harbor/UCLA Medical Center for further medical treatment.
7/02/2007
Licensing Roadblocks Generate Revenue by Seizing Cars
From: theNewspaper.com: A journal of the politics of driving http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/18/1830.asp
Roadblocks in California and North Carolina generated significant revenue from licensing infractions and automobile seizures.
North Carolina state police have begun experimenting with short-term "safety checkpoints" that contrast with the more traditional approach used in California.Troopers in Rocky Mount, North Carolina set up a roadblock on Riverside Drive that lasted just thirty-minutes. Joined by the city police, the troopers were able to issue $75 tickets to anyone neglecting or choosing not to wear a seatbelt. Forgetting a driver's license at home yielded $160 citations. The intention behind the short-term roadblocks was preventing motorists from using cell phones to warn friends and family to avoid the road and its inconvenience. According to police, the location of each roadblock spreads quickly.
Traditional four and six hour roadblocks in California this week allowed two police departments to seize 119 vehicles likely to yield $140,000 in fines and fees. In Gardena, 1489 motorists traveling on Redondo Beach and Crenshaw Boulevards between 10am and 2pm yesterday were stopped and ordered to show their paperwork. The effort yielded 62 vehicles seized over licensing violations each of which will likely net $1200 in towing and storage fees. Officers were able to issue another 34 tickets for seatbelt and window tinting issues. No drunk drivers were identified."We were only there for four hours and under 2,000 cars went through the checkpoint," Gardena Police Officer Carl Freeman told the Los Angeles Daily Breeze newspaper. "That means almost 2,000 drivers got educated."The city yesterday received a $468,445 grant of state and federal gas tax money from the California Office of Traffic Safety to conduct additional DUI roadblocks.In the city of Bakersfield, another 1300 motorists were subjected to a search at at Chester Avenue and 40th Street allowing police to collect 57 cars. The roadblock, funded by state and federal gas tax money, lasted from 7am to 1pm. Only one suspected drunk driver was identified.Source: 62 errant drivers make wrong turn in Gardena-- lose cars (Daily Breeze (CA), 6/28/2007)Regional News:Other news about Bakersfield, CaliforniaOther news about Gardena, California
Roadblocks in California and North Carolina generated significant revenue from licensing infractions and automobile seizures.
North Carolina state police have begun experimenting with short-term "safety checkpoints" that contrast with the more traditional approach used in California.Troopers in Rocky Mount, North Carolina set up a roadblock on Riverside Drive that lasted just thirty-minutes. Joined by the city police, the troopers were able to issue $75 tickets to anyone neglecting or choosing not to wear a seatbelt. Forgetting a driver's license at home yielded $160 citations. The intention behind the short-term roadblocks was preventing motorists from using cell phones to warn friends and family to avoid the road and its inconvenience. According to police, the location of each roadblock spreads quickly.
Traditional four and six hour roadblocks in California this week allowed two police departments to seize 119 vehicles likely to yield $140,000 in fines and fees. In Gardena, 1489 motorists traveling on Redondo Beach and Crenshaw Boulevards between 10am and 2pm yesterday were stopped and ordered to show their paperwork. The effort yielded 62 vehicles seized over licensing violations each of which will likely net $1200 in towing and storage fees. Officers were able to issue another 34 tickets for seatbelt and window tinting issues. No drunk drivers were identified."We were only there for four hours and under 2,000 cars went through the checkpoint," Gardena Police Officer Carl Freeman told the Los Angeles Daily Breeze newspaper. "That means almost 2,000 drivers got educated."The city yesterday received a $468,445 grant of state and federal gas tax money from the California Office of Traffic Safety to conduct additional DUI roadblocks.In the city of Bakersfield, another 1300 motorists were subjected to a search at at Chester Avenue and 40th Street allowing police to collect 57 cars. The roadblock, funded by state and federal gas tax money, lasted from 7am to 1pm. Only one suspected drunk driver was identified.Source: 62 errant drivers make wrong turn in Gardena-- lose cars (Daily Breeze (CA), 6/28/2007)Regional News:Other news about Bakersfield, CaliforniaOther news about Gardena, California
6/28/2007
62 errant drivers make wrong turn in Gardena --- lose cars
From The Daily Breeze, 06/27/07
With help from Torrance, checkpoint officers "educate" those cited by having their vehicles towed.By Sandy MazzaStaff Writer
A phalanx of bewildered men, women and children waited at the side of the road after police took their cars for violating state law Wednesday afternoon.
It was the first safety checkpoint in Gardena in about six years. But the excuses had a familiar ring.
"One woman's husband had a valid license and yet she was driving the car (without one)," said Gardena traffic investigator Carl Freeman. "Why? He said she is too scared to get a license. But, she's not too scared to drive on the road with two kids in the car?"
Gardena and Torrance police officers screened drivers for valid licenses and safety violations from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Redondo Beach and Crenshaw boulevards.
During the four-hour operation, 1,839 cars went through the checkpoint and 1,489 were stopped by officers. About 3 percent of those, or 62 vehicles, were towed - 49 for unlicensed drivers and 13 for a suspended license. Two vehicles were abandoned before reaching the checkpoint.
Citations were issued to 34 drivers for not wearing seat belts, having bald tires or tinted windows, or other safety violations.
"The goal here is not to take away people's cars. The goal is to turn unlicensed drivers into licensed drivers," Freeman said.
He said unlicensed drivers are more prone to accidents and also don't carry insurance.
Some got angry when police instructed them to leave their vehicles. Officers responded with a courteous but stern lecture.
"Driving in this state is not a right; it's a privilege," an officer told a man with a suspended license driving a new Infiniti SUV.
"Your car will be impounded. Go ahead and get any items you want to take out and leave the key in the ignition."
Gardena has not held a safety checkpoint since 2001.
"We did this for the safety of the community," Freeman said. "We were only there for four hours and under 2,000 cars went through the checkpoint. That means almost 2,000 drivers got educated."
Cars, vans and SUVs lined the secondary inspection area Wednesday, where officers handed out tickets and tow companies took the vehicles. The fee for the tow and 30-day vehicle storage is $1,200 per vehicle.
Many people who pulled up to the inspection area listened as officers scrutinized their identification and told them that their cars would be towed.
Some offered excuses.
One woman waited with her two young children and teenage son while her husband talked to police by the side of the road.
"I feel sad because my daughter is sick," she said. Her husband "was waiting for a vacation to go get a license."
Some didn't seem to care.
A woman who arrived to pick up her boyfriend, whose car was impounded, said she knew he had no license. Then they drove off offering no explanation.
As traffic backed up to Van Ness Avenue, an officer walked up to a white van and said: "Hi. Driver's license?"
The driver shook his head.
"No?" the officer said. He turned toward a secondary inspection area and yelled, "Got one coming in."
With help from Torrance, checkpoint officers "educate" those cited by having their vehicles towed.By Sandy MazzaStaff Writer
A phalanx of bewildered men, women and children waited at the side of the road after police took their cars for violating state law Wednesday afternoon.
It was the first safety checkpoint in Gardena in about six years. But the excuses had a familiar ring.
"One woman's husband had a valid license and yet she was driving the car (without one)," said Gardena traffic investigator Carl Freeman. "Why? He said she is too scared to get a license. But, she's not too scared to drive on the road with two kids in the car?"
Gardena and Torrance police officers screened drivers for valid licenses and safety violations from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Redondo Beach and Crenshaw boulevards.
During the four-hour operation, 1,839 cars went through the checkpoint and 1,489 were stopped by officers. About 3 percent of those, or 62 vehicles, were towed - 49 for unlicensed drivers and 13 for a suspended license. Two vehicles were abandoned before reaching the checkpoint.
Citations were issued to 34 drivers for not wearing seat belts, having bald tires or tinted windows, or other safety violations.
"The goal here is not to take away people's cars. The goal is to turn unlicensed drivers into licensed drivers," Freeman said.
He said unlicensed drivers are more prone to accidents and also don't carry insurance.
Some got angry when police instructed them to leave their vehicles. Officers responded with a courteous but stern lecture.
"Driving in this state is not a right; it's a privilege," an officer told a man with a suspended license driving a new Infiniti SUV.
"Your car will be impounded. Go ahead and get any items you want to take out and leave the key in the ignition."
Gardena has not held a safety checkpoint since 2001.
"We did this for the safety of the community," Freeman said. "We were only there for four hours and under 2,000 cars went through the checkpoint. That means almost 2,000 drivers got educated."
Cars, vans and SUVs lined the secondary inspection area Wednesday, where officers handed out tickets and tow companies took the vehicles. The fee for the tow and 30-day vehicle storage is $1,200 per vehicle.
Many people who pulled up to the inspection area listened as officers scrutinized their identification and told them that their cars would be towed.
Some offered excuses.
One woman waited with her two young children and teenage son while her husband talked to police by the side of the road.
"I feel sad because my daughter is sick," she said. Her husband "was waiting for a vacation to go get a license."
Some didn't seem to care.
A woman who arrived to pick up her boyfriend, whose car was impounded, said she knew he had no license. Then they drove off offering no explanation.
As traffic backed up to Van Ness Avenue, an officer walked up to a white van and said: "Hi. Driver's license?"
The driver shook his head.
"No?" the officer said. He turned toward a secondary inspection area and yelled, "Got one coming in."
6/20/2007
6/18/2007
Charges fly over hauling of trash
A flap over collection contracts creates a stir in Gardena, a city with a history of trouble involving rubbish.
By Stuart Pfeifer, Times Staff WriterApril 9, 2007
Over the last four years, trash has brought only trouble to the Los Angeles County city of Gardena.Officials have been hit with lawsuits and a record $70,000 state fine for failing to recycle enough. And there have been allegations of political favoritism, poor service and unfair rate hikes.The two companies that hold city contracts include one hauler who used to run a business that was at the center of a bribery scandal. The other is owned by an executive with the Commerce Casino, known for donating generously to political candidates across the county.Some of those contributions have gone to several Gardena council members, including Los Angeles County Assistant Sheriff Paul K. Tanaka, who is Gardena's elected mayor.Tanaka accepted $5,000 in political donations from the Commerce Casino and its top executives in 2004 and then cast a deciding vote in 2005 to award an $8-million residential trash contract to a company owned by casino director Haig Papaian.
Of all the city's trash travails, however, none has been as publicly roiling as the one that recently threatened the reelection of Councilman Oscar Medrano Jr.One challenger accused Medrano of trying to pressure commercial waste hauler Kosti Shirvanian into giving up routes worth $360,000 per year and passing them to Papaian, who had publicly complained that his residential contract was not profitable enough.Medrano denied the allegation and was reelected — but not before another council member asked pointed questions about a private Jan. 18 dinner attended by Medrano and the two trash haulers.There are at least two versions of how their dinner conversation went — and one of the haulers, Papaian, declines to talk about it.The men met at Cherrystones Grotto & Grill a few days before the council was to consider starting a long process that would end Shirvanian's contract. (Unlike Papaian's contract, Shirvanian's included a provision requiring that the city give him five-years notice before severing their deal.)Customer complaintsThe council move was proposed by officials who said they had received customer complaints. Shirvanian's dealings with the city have been controversial dating to 2003, when competing haulers claimed the city unfairly granted him an exclusive right to haul trash, thus forcing them out of town.According to Shirvanian, Medrano said during the dinner that the council would stop plans to terminate his contract if he would turn over some business to Papaian's company, Phoenix Waste & Recycling. Another councilman, Steven C. Bradford, Shirvanian said, also stopped by. (Bradford denied he participated in the conversation.)Medrano has a different recollection: He said Shirvanian set up the dinner and volunteered to give up the business without any promises about his contract. The councilman said he never agreed to halt plans to terminate the contract with Shirvanian's firm, Waste Resources of Gardena. "What Kosti wanted was somebody to deliver something that couldn't be delivered," Medrano said. "Kosti wanted me to shift the votes around. But I can't do it. It's not how I do things. It's not me. He made it up out of thin air."Records show that the next day, Shirvanian sent Medrano and other city officials a letter outlining his intention to give some routes to his competitor and thanking the councilman for agreeing not to start the contract termination process. At the council's Jan. 23 meeting, however, officials proceeded to do the opposite and sent Shirvanian a contract-termination letter. Medrano voted in favor.During the meeting, Tanaka said it made good business sense to schedule the end of Shirvanian's contract. Vendors perform best, the mayor said, when they know they must rebid for a contract.
Councilman Ronald Ikejiri was the lone dissenting vote, saying he was concerned about Medrano's dinner with Shirvanian and Papaian. He said council members should conduct business in public and allow city staff to negotiate with vendors. "What was so perplexing to me is there was a meeting and it was only a few days before the Jan. 23 meeting," Ikejiri said of the dinner. "Our city attorney has always admonished us to always allow the professional staff to handle negotiations."
Steve Sherman, a 25-year Gardena resident who closely monitors politics in the city of 61,000, said he has watched with concern as the council awarded trash contracts to political donors."I wouldn't be a bit surprised if campaign contributions have an influence on them," Sherman said.
Papaian and the Commerce Casino have donated to Tanaka, Bradford and Councilwoman Rachel Johnson, records show. Bradford also accepted money from Shirvanian's employees in an unsuccessful run for state Assembly.And Medrano acknowledged in a recent interview that Shirvanian had twice bought him dinner since he was elected to the council — gifts he failed to report on state conflict-of-interest forms. In 2005, Tanaka and Bradford cast key votes in a 3-2 council decision to award the residential trash contract to Papaian's company. In addition to support for Tanaka's campaign, Papaian's casino and its employees have been strong supporters of the mayor's boss, Sheriff Lee Baca. The casino and its employees have contributed more than $25,000 to Baca's political campaigns. The casino also contributed more than $100,000 to Baca's charity, the Sheriff's Youth Foundation, on which Papaian sits as a board member. Neither Tanaka nor Papaian returned several calls for comment.In addition to operating what has been described as the world's largest poker club, Papaian has a lengthy background in the waste management industry. He helped run his father's company, Haig's Disposal, from 1971 to 1980, and then operated Haig & Haig Inc. until 1997. Gardena was the first city in which his new company, Phoenix, was awarded an exclusive contract.
Corruption scandalShirvanian, meanwhile, is the former owner of Western Waste Industries, which was entangled in a political corruption scandal more than a decade ago. In 1996, former Compton City Councilwoman Patricia Moore was convicted of extortion and tax fraud after confessing to receiving from $500 to $1,000 a month from a Western Waste vice president to ensure her support for the firm. Neither Shirvanian nor Western Waste was charged with any crime.
Councilman Medrano said he had allowed Shirvanian to buy him dinner in Pasadena last year and at Lawry's in Beverly Hills after he was elected to the council in 2003.Medrano said he failed to report the dinners — officials must reveal all gifts worth $50 or more — because he was not aware that dinners could be considered gifts. He said he recently amended his conflict-of-interest forms to add the Shirvanian dinners as gifts."We didn't have anything big," Medrano said, recalling the Shirvanian dinner in Beverly Hills. "It was an entree. My wife had probably one or two glasses of wine. It was $60 or $70 or maybe $80. For me and my wife it was under $100."When I went out to dinner with him in Beverly Hills," the councilman continued, "he had no contract. He wasn't doing business with the city. He was just creating a company." Asked who paid for the Jan. 18 dinner at Cherrystones, Medrano said, "I don't remember. It might have been Haig."
6/17/2007
Gardena changes law on utility-users tax
From an article in The Daily Breeze 01/13/05
Author: Eddie North-Hager DAILY BREEZE
Date: Jan 13, 2005
Text Word Count: 637
Abstract (Document Summary)
The Gardena City Council appeared to lay the groundwork this week to increase its utility-users' tax by changing the language of a law adopted 18 years ago. But some councilmen denied any plans to raise taxes despite the city's financial problems.
Though Waste Resources of Gardena and Phoenix Waste and Recycling Resources scored slightly higher in the analysis, Waste Management offered a lower monthly rate of $13.31 per household. The offer from Waste Management, which is the city's current residential hauler, was 29 cents lower than Waste Resources and Phoenix.
In 2003, Waste Resources, which is part of a joint venture with the city, was awarded Gardena's $6.5 million commercial waste account. But current haulers, including Waste Management, sued, claiming they weren't given enough notice of contract termination. The settlement allows Waste Resources to become the sole commercial hauler in 2006.
Author: Eddie North-Hager DAILY BREEZE
Date: Jan 13, 2005
Text Word Count: 637
Abstract (Document Summary)
The Gardena City Council appeared to lay the groundwork this week to increase its utility-users' tax by changing the language of a law adopted 18 years ago. But some councilmen denied any plans to raise taxes despite the city's financial problems.
Though Waste Resources of Gardena and Phoenix Waste and Recycling Resources scored slightly higher in the analysis, Waste Management offered a lower monthly rate of $13.31 per household. The offer from Waste Management, which is the city's current residential hauler, was 29 cents lower than Waste Resources and Phoenix.
In 2003, Waste Resources, which is part of a joint venture with the city, was awarded Gardena's $6.5 million commercial waste account. But current haulers, including Waste Management, sued, claiming they weren't given enough notice of contract termination. The settlement allows Waste Resources to become the sole commercial hauler in 2006.
Gardena switches to 3-bin trash pickup system
From an article in The Daily Breeze 06/02/05
Daily Breeze - Torrance, Calif.
Author:
Eddie North-Hager DAILY BREEZE
Date:
Jun 2, 2005
Text Word Count:
681
Abstract (Document Summary)
On July 1 the city's residents will have their trash picked up by Phoenix Waste and Recycling Services, which brings Waste Management's 17-year rubbish-collection reign to an end.
Phoenix, which is owned by United Pacific Waste and Recycling Services of Pico Rivera, is a new trash hauler whose owner sold his previous trash business more than five years ago, [Michael Huls] said. Phoenix is a nonexclusive hauler in El Monte, where it has a significant market share of commercial and multifamily accounts, Huls said.
The city was also under pressure from the California Integrated Waste Management Board. It fined Gardena $70,000 for not meeting recycling mandates two years ago and has threatened to retroactively fine the city $10,000 a day if a recycling program wasn't in place by July 1, Huls said.
Daily Breeze - Torrance, Calif.
Author:
Eddie North-Hager DAILY BREEZE
Date:
Jun 2, 2005
Text Word Count:
681
Abstract (Document Summary)
On July 1 the city's residents will have their trash picked up by Phoenix Waste and Recycling Services, which brings Waste Management's 17-year rubbish-collection reign to an end.
Phoenix, which is owned by United Pacific Waste and Recycling Services of Pico Rivera, is a new trash hauler whose owner sold his previous trash business more than five years ago, [Michael Huls] said. Phoenix is a nonexclusive hauler in El Monte, where it has a significant market share of commercial and multifamily accounts, Huls said.
The city was also under pressure from the California Integrated Waste Management Board. It fined Gardena $70,000 for not meeting recycling mandates two years ago and has threatened to retroactively fine the city $10,000 a day if a recycling program wasn't in place by July 1, Huls said.
Gardena OKs 65-cent trash fee increase
From an article in The Daily Breeze 08/10/06
Daily Breeze - Torrance, Calif.
Author:
Gene Maddaus DAILY BREEZE
Date:
Aug 10, 2006
Text Word Count:
455
Abstract (Document Summary)
Phoenix Waste & Recycling, which has had the exclusive residential franchise for a little longer than a year, had sought an increase of as much as $5, citing the rising cost of gas.
Phoenix submitted a request in June to increase the residential rate to $18.95 per month. In subsequent discussions, Phoenix lowered its asking price to $17.44, and provided spreadsheets showing that its monthly cost of doing business, including a "modest profit," was $16.97 per customer.
City Manager Mitch Lansdell denied the requests, noting that under the contract, Phoenix had to ask for an increase by April 1. Lansdell granted a 4.8 percent increase based on the consumer price index, to $14.25.
Daily Breeze - Torrance, Calif.
Author:
Gene Maddaus DAILY BREEZE
Date:
Aug 10, 2006
Text Word Count:
455
Abstract (Document Summary)
Phoenix Waste & Recycling, which has had the exclusive residential franchise for a little longer than a year, had sought an increase of as much as $5, citing the rising cost of gas.
Phoenix submitted a request in June to increase the residential rate to $18.95 per month. In subsequent discussions, Phoenix lowered its asking price to $17.44, and provided spreadsheets showing that its monthly cost of doing business, including a "modest profit," was $16.97 per customer.
City Manager Mitch Lansdell denied the requests, noting that under the contract, Phoenix had to ask for an increase by April 1. Lansdell granted a 4.8 percent increase based on the consumer price index, to $14.25.
Tanaka says he told Medrano not to talk to haulers
From an article in The Daily Breezee 03/15/07
Daily Breeze - Torrance, Calif.
Author: Gene Maddaus STAFF WRITER
Date: Mar 15, 2007
Text Word Count: 593
Abstract (Document Summary)
Gardena Mayor Paul Tanaka said he warned Councilman Oscar Medrano not to meet privately with two trash haulers in January, marking the first time Tanaka has expressed any disapproval of the meeting.
Tanaka was also critical of Daily Breeze coverage of the issue, which he said made Medrano look like "some kind of buffoon and a crook." Tanaka also strenuously objected to being linked to the trash situation, saying it made him look bad in the community.
A week before Medrano met with the haulers, Tanaka removed the termination notice from the council's agenda, without explanation. Had Tanaka allowed discussion to proceed that night, Medrano would have had no leverage with which to negotiate the following week.
Daily Breeze - Torrance, Calif.
Author: Gene Maddaus STAFF WRITER
Date: Mar 15, 2007
Text Word Count: 593
Abstract (Document Summary)
Gardena Mayor Paul Tanaka said he warned Councilman Oscar Medrano not to meet privately with two trash haulers in January, marking the first time Tanaka has expressed any disapproval of the meeting.
Tanaka was also critical of Daily Breeze coverage of the issue, which he said made Medrano look like "some kind of buffoon and a crook." Tanaka also strenuously objected to being linked to the trash situation, saying it made him look bad in the community.
A week before Medrano met with the haulers, Tanaka removed the termination notice from the council's agenda, without explanation. Had Tanaka allowed discussion to proceed that night, Medrano would have had no leverage with which to negotiate the following week.
Trash hauler: City reneged on deal
From an article in The Daily Breeze, 02/05/07:
Daily Breeze - Torrance, Calif.
Author: Gene Maddaus STAFF WRITER
Date: Feb 5, 2007
Abstract (Document Summary)
When first asked about it, [Oscar Medrano] said he did not remember who called the meeting. Later, he said it was held at [Kosti Shirvanian]'s insistence. He also said that he agreed to attend as a "mediator" between the two haulers. But according to Shirvanian, Medrano called the meeting and was hardly impartial.
Once the deal was arranged, Medrano called Councilman Steve Bradford, and Bradford came to the meeting, according to Shirvanian. Medrano explained the deal to Bradford, and Bradford agreed to pull the termination notice off the upcoming council agenda, Shirvanian said.
To Shirvanian, the real reason for the notice was given by Medrano at a meeting at City Hall on Jan. 16. Shirvanian planned to meet only with [Mitch Lansdell] and his staff, but Medrano sat in. Shirvanian said that Lansdell discussed the complaints and other service issues, but Medrano wanted to talk about Papaian, who was losing $30,000 per month on the residential contract.
Daily Breeze - Torrance, Calif.
Author: Gene Maddaus STAFF WRITER
Date: Feb 5, 2007
Abstract (Document Summary)
When first asked about it, [Oscar Medrano] said he did not remember who called the meeting. Later, he said it was held at [Kosti Shirvanian]'s insistence. He also said that he agreed to attend as a "mediator" between the two haulers. But according to Shirvanian, Medrano called the meeting and was hardly impartial.
Once the deal was arranged, Medrano called Councilman Steve Bradford, and Bradford came to the meeting, according to Shirvanian. Medrano explained the deal to Bradford, and Bradford agreed to pull the termination notice off the upcoming council agenda, Shirvanian said.
To Shirvanian, the real reason for the notice was given by Medrano at a meeting at City Hall on Jan. 16. Shirvanian planned to meet only with [Mitch Lansdell] and his staff, but Medrano sat in. Shirvanian said that Lansdell discussed the complaints and other service issues, but Medrano wanted to talk about Papaian, who was losing $30,000 per month on the residential contract.
6/16/2007
Trash problems rile residents of Hawthorne
Customers gripe about missed pickups, garbage cans left in driveways and higher fees since a new hauler took over. By Doug IrvingStaff Writer
The complaints have been piling up ever since Hawthorne changed the way it collects trash and handed the job to a new hauler. And, for some residents, that's not all that's piled up.
City leaders have been peppered with claims of missed pickups and growing mounds of garbage.
They also have heard plenty about garbage cans dumped in driveways and higher charges turning up on trash bills ever since Allied Waste Services took over the city's routes this spring.
The change was supposed to solve an expensive problem for Hawthorne. Its former trash hauler had fallen further and further behind in its payments to the city and now owes an estimated $1.5 million.
But Hawthorne officials are finding that fixing the city's trash problems isn't quite as easy as slapping a new company's logo onto garbage cans and trash trucks. They say some bumps and hassles were to be expected during the changeover, and they hope to have them smoothed out soon.
"It's going to be resolved," said William Wilson III, the general manager of Allied's Gardena Division. "Within the course of the next two weeks, we should have no problems within the city of Hawthorne."
Trash collection has been a thorn in Hawthorne's side for more than a year. Before Allied took over, the city had worked almost exclusively for decades with H&C Disposal - which had slipped in its payment of routine city fees.
City leaders spent most of last year trying to coax the money out of H&C, then gave up this April and canceled the contract. It hired Allied to handle not just H&C's old residential routes, but also those for commercial buildings, apartments and offices.
As part of the deal, Allied had to make an upfront payment of $1.5 million to the city - enough to cover the debt H&C had built up.
The company raised the monthly trash rate for most residential customers by about 5percent; but it also started charging some larger customers, such as apartment buildings, new service fees.
The complaints started ringing into City Hall shortly after Allied trucks began rolling. For one thing, Allied uses trucks with automated arms that lift and empty garbage cans - and don't always put the cans back where they should be.
Allied also has been learning the hard way that H&C and other previous trash haulers in Hawthorne didn't always keep the best records of their customers.
By the city's count, Allied inherited some 800 trash bins that had never shown up on accounts before.
The company has since brought in more drivers to work Hawthorne on more days, as well as helpers to walk the residential routes and make sure bins are left where they should be.
It also has posted a full-time customer-service representative at City Hall, who can be reached at 310-349-2986.
Company officials told the City Council this week that the problems were part of a rougher-than-expected transition, but that they would be taken care of. "It takes time to iron it out," Mayor Larry Guidi said.
H&C Disposal, meanwhile, has collapsed since losing the city's contract. It filed for bankruptcy and, in court documents, listed more than $3.8 million in outstanding claims against it.
The biggest of those claims, by far, is the $1.5 million that Hawthorne thinks the company owes.
In the past, members of the City Council have shown little interest in pursuing that money with a lawsuit, choosing instead to sever the company's contract and move on.
But City Attorney Glen Shishido indicated this week that Hawthorne would file a claim with the bankruptcy court. "Of course we'll do a filing," he told council members. "Oh, of course we'll petition for the full amount."
doug.irving@dailybreeze.com
The complaints have been piling up ever since Hawthorne changed the way it collects trash and handed the job to a new hauler. And, for some residents, that's not all that's piled up.
City leaders have been peppered with claims of missed pickups and growing mounds of garbage.
They also have heard plenty about garbage cans dumped in driveways and higher charges turning up on trash bills ever since Allied Waste Services took over the city's routes this spring.
The change was supposed to solve an expensive problem for Hawthorne. Its former trash hauler had fallen further and further behind in its payments to the city and now owes an estimated $1.5 million.
But Hawthorne officials are finding that fixing the city's trash problems isn't quite as easy as slapping a new company's logo onto garbage cans and trash trucks. They say some bumps and hassles were to be expected during the changeover, and they hope to have them smoothed out soon.
"It's going to be resolved," said William Wilson III, the general manager of Allied's Gardena Division. "Within the course of the next two weeks, we should have no problems within the city of Hawthorne."
Trash collection has been a thorn in Hawthorne's side for more than a year. Before Allied took over, the city had worked almost exclusively for decades with H&C Disposal - which had slipped in its payment of routine city fees.
City leaders spent most of last year trying to coax the money out of H&C, then gave up this April and canceled the contract. It hired Allied to handle not just H&C's old residential routes, but also those for commercial buildings, apartments and offices.
As part of the deal, Allied had to make an upfront payment of $1.5 million to the city - enough to cover the debt H&C had built up.
The company raised the monthly trash rate for most residential customers by about 5percent; but it also started charging some larger customers, such as apartment buildings, new service fees.
The complaints started ringing into City Hall shortly after Allied trucks began rolling. For one thing, Allied uses trucks with automated arms that lift and empty garbage cans - and don't always put the cans back where they should be.
Allied also has been learning the hard way that H&C and other previous trash haulers in Hawthorne didn't always keep the best records of their customers.
By the city's count, Allied inherited some 800 trash bins that had never shown up on accounts before.
The company has since brought in more drivers to work Hawthorne on more days, as well as helpers to walk the residential routes and make sure bins are left where they should be.
It also has posted a full-time customer-service representative at City Hall, who can be reached at 310-349-2986.
Company officials told the City Council this week that the problems were part of a rougher-than-expected transition, but that they would be taken care of. "It takes time to iron it out," Mayor Larry Guidi said.
H&C Disposal, meanwhile, has collapsed since losing the city's contract. It filed for bankruptcy and, in court documents, listed more than $3.8 million in outstanding claims against it.
The biggest of those claims, by far, is the $1.5 million that Hawthorne thinks the company owes.
In the past, members of the City Council have shown little interest in pursuing that money with a lawsuit, choosing instead to sever the company's contract and move on.
But City Attorney Glen Shishido indicated this week that Hawthorne would file a claim with the bankruptcy court. "Of course we'll do a filing," he told council members. "Oh, of course we'll petition for the full amount."
doug.irving@dailybreeze.com
6/14/2007
Gardena City Council weighs trash deal to help company
The firm that picks up residents' garbage is losing money; city leaders may try to help.
By Sandy MazzaStaff Writer (Daily Breeze 06/14/07)
The Gardena City Council rejected a rate-increase request from its residential trash hauler, Phoenix Waste and Recycling Services, but is instead considering suspending $160,000 in fees.
The council voted Tuesday to postpone its decision until the June 26 meeting and asked City Manager Mitch Lansdell to discuss alternatives with the trash hauler, which has said it's financially strapped.
The company is contractually entitled to raise customers' rates by 58 cents a month this year, but it asked for a much larger increase from the current $14.25 a month to $18.36.
Instead, the city proposed suspending two fees charged to the company - for the city's household hazardous waste and recycling compliance programs - totaling $80,000 a year for two years.
The council "directed me to go back to discuss with Phoenix some alternatives to the current proposal of suspending fees for two years. I'm not sure what form that will take," Lansdell said.
He said it may be similar to sales-tax-rebate programs the city has had with other businesses, such as its two card clubs and a Target retail store. In those cases, the companies were expected to return the money when business improved.
"They pay a fee to the city based on their gross receipts. The city returned a portion of that. … When their business grew to a certain level, they paid it back."
Though the city is not required to assist these businesses, it does so "to be a good business partner," Mayor Paul Tanaka said.
"This could be the city's way of `investing' in the trash company with the idea of ensuring their financial well-being so they can do the service needed to be done with no unnecessary (rate) increases," Tanaka said.
Phoenix Waste has struggled with finances and reports of improperly influencing council members since it won the trash-hauling contract in 2005.
The company may have been doomed from the start in bidding on a city proposal that was not viable, Phoenix Waste Vice President Haig Papaian said.
"We made a mistake in our books but not in our service," Papaian said.
He said unexpected increases in gas and dump fees, among other things, have caused the company to lose more than $400,000 a year on this contract.
Phoenix agreed to a low fee - compared with surrounding cities - for its services when it won the contract in 2005 because council members said they would not accept any bidders that would charge more than the monthly rate that the former hauler charged, Lansdell said.
When the city sent out the request for proposals in 2005, Gardena wanted a trash and recycling system that separates solid waste from recyclables for a monthly cost to the consumer of $13.60.
"That was the rate Waste Management was giving at the time," Lansdell said, though he acknowledged that Waste Management did not offer three carts or automated trucks.
Phoenix was the only company that agreed to the low rate. Papaian said he knew the figure was low but thought the company could eventually make a profit.
"We didn't know fuel (and dump fees) would go up that much," Papaian said.
Some residents said they were disappointed with Phoenix Waste's requests for raises above the allowances in their city contract.
"Trash always seems to be a problem in the city," resident Steve Sherman said. "These were business people. … They must not have known what they were doing when they took this contract if they're defaulting now."
Papaian's contributions to council members' campaigns before his company got the contract have become the focus of controversy.
He said he donated to the campaigns of of Mayor Paul Tanaka, Councilman Steve Bradford and Councilwoman Rachel Johnson in 2004 because he wanted to contribute to the city, not because he wanted to influence their future votes. None of his direct contributions, which totaled $3,000 to council members, were illegal.
"There were no illegal campaign contributions done. We did not contribute to anyone on this council while we had this contract," Papaian said.
The council gave the city's commercial trash hauler, Waste Resources Inc., a five-year termination notice this year because of complaints with its service, Lansdell said. Lansdell said Waste Resources also asked for a rate increase, and that request will be decided by the council in the next few months.
By Sandy MazzaStaff Writer (Daily Breeze 06/14/07)
The Gardena City Council rejected a rate-increase request from its residential trash hauler, Phoenix Waste and Recycling Services, but is instead considering suspending $160,000 in fees.
The council voted Tuesday to postpone its decision until the June 26 meeting and asked City Manager Mitch Lansdell to discuss alternatives with the trash hauler, which has said it's financially strapped.
The company is contractually entitled to raise customers' rates by 58 cents a month this year, but it asked for a much larger increase from the current $14.25 a month to $18.36.
Instead, the city proposed suspending two fees charged to the company - for the city's household hazardous waste and recycling compliance programs - totaling $80,000 a year for two years.
The council "directed me to go back to discuss with Phoenix some alternatives to the current proposal of suspending fees for two years. I'm not sure what form that will take," Lansdell said.
He said it may be similar to sales-tax-rebate programs the city has had with other businesses, such as its two card clubs and a Target retail store. In those cases, the companies were expected to return the money when business improved.
"They pay a fee to the city based on their gross receipts. The city returned a portion of that. … When their business grew to a certain level, they paid it back."
Though the city is not required to assist these businesses, it does so "to be a good business partner," Mayor Paul Tanaka said.
"This could be the city's way of `investing' in the trash company with the idea of ensuring their financial well-being so they can do the service needed to be done with no unnecessary (rate) increases," Tanaka said.
Phoenix Waste has struggled with finances and reports of improperly influencing council members since it won the trash-hauling contract in 2005.
The company may have been doomed from the start in bidding on a city proposal that was not viable, Phoenix Waste Vice President Haig Papaian said.
"We made a mistake in our books but not in our service," Papaian said.
He said unexpected increases in gas and dump fees, among other things, have caused the company to lose more than $400,000 a year on this contract.
Phoenix agreed to a low fee - compared with surrounding cities - for its services when it won the contract in 2005 because council members said they would not accept any bidders that would charge more than the monthly rate that the former hauler charged, Lansdell said.
When the city sent out the request for proposals in 2005, Gardena wanted a trash and recycling system that separates solid waste from recyclables for a monthly cost to the consumer of $13.60.
"That was the rate Waste Management was giving at the time," Lansdell said, though he acknowledged that Waste Management did not offer three carts or automated trucks.
Phoenix was the only company that agreed to the low rate. Papaian said he knew the figure was low but thought the company could eventually make a profit.
"We didn't know fuel (and dump fees) would go up that much," Papaian said.
Some residents said they were disappointed with Phoenix Waste's requests for raises above the allowances in their city contract.
"Trash always seems to be a problem in the city," resident Steve Sherman said. "These were business people. … They must not have known what they were doing when they took this contract if they're defaulting now."
Papaian's contributions to council members' campaigns before his company got the contract have become the focus of controversy.
He said he donated to the campaigns of of Mayor Paul Tanaka, Councilman Steve Bradford and Councilwoman Rachel Johnson in 2004 because he wanted to contribute to the city, not because he wanted to influence their future votes. None of his direct contributions, which totaled $3,000 to council members, were illegal.
"There were no illegal campaign contributions done. We did not contribute to anyone on this council while we had this contract," Papaian said.
The council gave the city's commercial trash hauler, Waste Resources Inc., a five-year termination notice this year because of complaints with its service, Lansdell said. Lansdell said Waste Resources also asked for a rate increase, and that request will be decided by the council in the next few months.
6/11/2007
Red Light Cameras at Intersections in Gardena
Some of Gardena's tickets can be ignored. If your "ticket" does not have the Superior Court's name and address on it, it is what some people call a "Snitch Ticket." For more details, see the Snitch Ticket section on the Your Ticket page.
On Oct. 6, 2004 RedFlex announced that Gardena had awarded it a contract for up to ten cameras, for a fixed fee of $6070 per camera per month ( = up to $728,400 per year ), for a term of five to nine years.The contract, signed Sept. 28, 2004, includes a "cost neutrality" clause, whereby the city will not have to pay RedFlex the full rent if there aren't enough fines to cover the cost. (Other cities with similar clauses are Capitola, Davis, Laguna Woods, Loma Linda, Los Alamitos, Marysville, Modesto, Murrieta, Paramount, Rocklin, San Leandro, San Mateo, and Union City. See Defect # 10.)
http://www.highwayrobbery.net/redlightcamsdocsGardenaMain.html to view past intersection ticketing.
On Oct. 6, 2004 RedFlex announced that Gardena had awarded it a contract for up to ten cameras, for a fixed fee of $6070 per camera per month ( = up to $728,400 per year ), for a term of five to nine years.The contract, signed Sept. 28, 2004, includes a "cost neutrality" clause, whereby the city will not have to pay RedFlex the full rent if there aren't enough fines to cover the cost. (Other cities with similar clauses are Capitola, Davis, Laguna Woods, Loma Linda, Los Alamitos, Marysville, Modesto, Murrieta, Paramount, Rocklin, San Leandro, San Mateo, and Union City. See Defect # 10.)
http://www.highwayrobbery.net/redlightcamsdocsGardenaMain.html to view past intersection ticketing.
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