Archive for April, 2008
« Previous EntriesMy Concern About the Recent SEADIP Process
Monday, April 28th, 2008Readers — the following is a memo I recently sent to the City Manager, Pat West, in response to two meetings I attended/hosted on the recent “SEADIP” process:
DISCUSSION
On June 5, 2007, by a 9-0 vote approved the following:
Substitute motion to direct the Planning staff to: (1) initiate the process to revise SEADIP ordinance that would […]
Why Civil Service Is Important
Monday, April 28th, 2008Last week, the Civil Service Commission came before the City Council and requested that we reinstate $350,000 of the budget we slashed from the Commission.
Okay. Let’s first discuss what Civil Service is. Civil Service was established at all levels of government to set up a system by which individuals are hired on the basis of […]
LBUSD Science Fair
Sunday, April 27th, 2008I had the privilege of being a reviewer at the LBUSD Science Fair held today (in horrible heat) at Cabrillo High School.
Each reviewer was assigned two schools to review: I reviewed Newcomb Academy and Franklin Middle School.
The students had prepared a display (and some had models of their inventions) and a report on the topic […]
In Sacramento
Friday, April 25th, 2008I am on vacation from my job with the teachers’ union, so that I could attend the California Medical Board in Sacramento.
I was appointed as a public member to the Board by Senate Pro Tem Don Perata and will serve until 2011.
Our charge is to discipline and to license all the doctors in California. I […]
Update on Residential and Small Business Gas Bills
Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008The Long Beach Gas and Oil Department has issued a memo about the increases in the cost of natural gas.
The current cost of natural gas purchased by the Long Beach Gas and Oil Department on behalf of its customers has increased 18 percent over the last two months, and 41 percent over April of last […]
Why We Shouldn’t Feed the Ducks
Monday, April 21st, 2008Over a year ago, a constituent contacted me about the death of 40 ducks around the lakes and ponds in the 5th district. After looking into the problem, I formed a Task Force on Lakes, Ponds and Wetlands and together we have been working on the problems related to these bodies of water and the […]
Los Coyotes Diagonal Burglaries
Sunday, April 20th, 2008There were 4 residential burglaries on Los Coyotes Diagonal last week. I learned this from a very involved neighbor and received follow up information from the Eastside Commander.
Yesterday, I stopped by their homes to see if they were okay and to find out if there was anything the City could do.
A home burglary is awful. […]
Community Baby-Shower
Monday, April 14th, 2008Long Beach is one of three cities in California that operates its own public health department. This provides the opportunity for the City to address public health problems that impact all of us — no matter whether or not we have our own private health care coverage.
For instance, in the late 1980’s and 1990’s — […]
Give Us Your Abandoned and Uprooted Trees, 3rd District!
Friday, April 11th, 2008This is a message to anyone in the 3rd District that doesn’t want the 30 trees planted along Sixth Street in Alamitos Heights.
Apparently several of the trees were “blocking” a view of Recreation Park golf course and so someone took upon themself to uproot or cracked about a dozen of the saplings. A neighborhood “furor” […]
Voter Turn Out Was Appalling
Thursday, April 10th, 2008Can you imagine electing officials to the City Council and Board of Education with less than 11% of the voters casting votes?
It just happened this last Tuesday.
These officials will now be able to cast votes in their respective legislative bodies with the same clout as their colleagues who were elected by much higher voter turnouts.
I […]