Greater Orange News Service

FREE RIDES on NEW YEAR’S EVE
The Orange County Transit Authority is providing free service on its buses for New Year’s Eve. The OCTA will offer free service from 6:00 p.m. on Saturday December 31, 2005 until 4:00 a.m. on Sunday January 1st, 2006. In addition, OCTA offers four long distance Night Owl Runs:

ROUTE 43: La Habra – Costa Mesa (Harbor Bld/ Whittier Bld.)
ROUTE 50: Long Beach- Orange (Katella Ave)
ROUTE 57: Brea-Newport Beach (State College-Bristol)
ROUTE 60: Long Beach –Tustin (2nd Street [L.B.]/Westminster Ave/17th Street)

For more information call (714) 636 -7433 or CLICK ON: http://www.octa.net/

In addition the Los Angeles County (MTA) Metropolitan Transportation Authority system is also offering free rides on all of its buses and light rail train system (Blue Line, Yellow Line etc.) from 9:00 p.m. December 31st until Midnight January 1st, 2006 (27 hours) for more information CLICK ON: http://www.mta.net/press/2005/12_December/metro_189.htm .

Party Hosts Take Note: AAA’s TIPSY TOW SERVICE
The Auto Club is offering free “tipsy tow” service for seven miles to anyone (member or non-member) who requests it from 6:00 p.m. Friday December 31st until 6:00 a.m. Sunday January 1st, 2006. Just call 1-800-400-4AAA (or ask the operator for AAA). FOR MORE INFORMATION CLICK ON:
https://www.aaa-calif.com/corpinfo/05-12-27-ac-offers.asp

Ecast on Orange Net News /O/N/N/

Orange Net News ecasts local interest Twisted Badge stories as a public service. To get the full inside story, back issues or other Twisted Badge information Click On: www.twistedbadge.com .

Twisted Badge has posted the KUCI FM radio interviews from the OC Variety Hour with host Cameron Jackson. The following is from the Twisted Badge web page, if you fail to be connected through the link, visit Twisted Badge for a direct link at
http://twistedbadge.com/ .

Cameron Jackson gets to the point with candidate for OC Sheriff, Lt. Bill Hunt – CLICK ON: listen and learn!

Listen to Cameron Jackson at his best! Listen as he asks DA spokesperson Susan Kang Schroeder about Haidl, Cavallo and her husband, attorney Mike Schroeder.>>click here

Listen to the exclusive interview of Mike Madigan
on The OC Variety Hour>>click here

Cameron Jackson interviews Joe Cavallo - no holds barred.
>>click here

Rick Reiff's KOCE TV "Inside OC" interview w/Joe Cavallo on Mickadeit, Moxley and Schroeder >>click here

Can you handle the truth? Hear straight talk from candidate for OC sheriff, Lt. Bill Hunt.>>click here

If your friends and associates would like to get the inside story, please ask them to sign up at www.twistedbadge.com

NOTE - If you wish to send a story and/or documents to TB, our mailing address is PO Box 1021, Lake Forest, CA. 92609. Our 24 hour toll free hotline is (888) 623-4426. We answer all mail and return all calls.

To view the schedules for Christmas Tree pick-up by local waste management services in the Greater Orange Communities, please CLICK ON the following links to view local information:

City of Orange (after linking, scroll down to the City of Orange section)
http://www.wmorangecounty.com/

City of Anaheim
http://www.anaheim.net/article.asp?id=568

City of Tustin (after linking, scroll down to Christmas Trees and click)
http://www.federaldisposal.com/

City of Garden Grove
http://www.ci.garden-grove.ca.us/departments/public_works/Christmas%20Tree%20Collection/view

City of Villa Park
Villa Park Disposal will be picking up trees on regular trash days for two weeks after Christmas. Place the tree next to your trash on your regular pick-up day and a separate truck will pick it up. Any tree over 6 ft. must be cut in half.

The Villa Park Community Services Foundation, the Villa Park Women’s Club and the Villa Park Rotary will present a New Year’s Eve Gala at the Villa Park Towne Center. The event will include celebrity impersonators who recently played Las Vegas, dancing, casino-style games, a raffle and of course food and a full bar. The cost is $100 per person for VP Foundation members, $130 per person for non-members. Ticket reservations can be purchased at the Villa Park City Hall.

In addition, a Kids Camp will be available to guests with young children. The Kid’s Camp will be staffed by certified child care providers and “an army of volunteers” to keep the kids safe and occupied at the Villa Park City Hall while parents ring in the New Year at the Gala. Space is limited Kids Camp is expected to fill up early. Make your reservation and pay at the Villa Park City Hall. Price is $20 per child for the entire night. Movies, crafts, games, and snacks will be part of the fun. For more information, contact Kim Parker at (714) 998-2680.

A free shuttle will be provided for parking from Villa Park H.S.

Tickets may also be purchased on line with a Paypal account. For more information or to purchase tickets online CLICK ON: http://www.villapark.org/Foundation/gala/galainfo.htm .

2006 Villa Park leaders
The Villa Park council elected new leaders for 2006 at their December 20th, 2005 meeting. Patricia Bortle will serve as Villa Park Mayor and Councilman Ulmer was elected to serve as Villa Park Mayor Pro Tem. To view the new leadership CLICK ON: http://www.villapark.org/members.htm

King of the Mosquitoes
There is more breaking news from the Blogs about the Orange County Vector Control District’s General Manager Gerard Goedhart. Wednesday’s Orange Punch (the Orange County Register’s Blog) reported that the California School Employees Association (CSEA) was trying to organize the Orange County Vector Control District’s small work force. Both the OC Blog and the Orange Punch Blog carried excerpts of a letter to District GM Goedhart from the “chief counsel for the California School Employees Association in September to the president of the Vector Control Board of Trustees”.

The letter accuses Goedhart of violating labor practice laws in trying to foil the CSEA’s efforts to unionize the Vector District’s employees. It states in part:

“CSEA is currently involved in discussions with District workers who seek to be represented by the union. Yesterday District Manager Goedhart met with his staff and threatened to retaliate against them by withdrawing promised benefits, including participation in the Public Employees Retirement System, should they refuse to rescind their interest in being represented by a union. Specifically, he asked approximately 30 staff members to stay at work after their shift ended and told the assembled workers that they could either be represented by him or by a union. He said that everyone must sign a statement indicating their support for him; and, if he did not get one hundred percent support from the staff, he would halt his current efforts to improve their wages and benefits."

The Blogs also carried the rebuttal letter from Goedhart concerning the union accusations. It reads in part:

“I have made no binding, legal promise to enhance the employee’s retirement program. I have conducted research on the CalPERS retirement system and have kept the employees informed of it as their representative. No item has been considered by the Board of Trustees and they are under no obligation to consider any such enhancement at this time.”

Mosquito Union
CSEA is the largest classified employee union in the United States, representing more than 230,000 public employees in California as an independent affiliate of the AFL it mainly represents non-teaching school district employees. However, recently the CSEA has been moving into the bug world.

The CSEA was in a similar legal battle with the Palm Springs area Mosquito District, Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District in a scenario similar to their Orange County quest at the OCVCD. In 2003 the CVMVCD workers joined CSEA after a prolonged battle and tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees from the CVMVCD fighting the unionization effort.

The CSEA involvement in organizing the special district bug workers brings a whole new twist to political figures involvement in the growing debate on how to handle what at first appeared to be at best bureaucratic nest feathering, but now at worst sidestepping union organizing. In addition, the many traditionally conservative bloggers may now find themselves caught between bureaucratic boondoggles and union organizing.

Orange Punch Blog posted OCVCD letters CLICK ON:
http://occommentary.blogspot.com/

OC BLOG posted letter excerpts and budget data CLICK ON:
http://www.ocblog.net/ocblog/2005/12/outsource_this.html


Information on CVMVD from CSEA website CLICK ON:
http://www.csea.com/content/OptionC/News/newsdetails.asp?NewsID=352&FieldOfficeID=50

CSEA Flyer used in CVMVD fight CLICK ON:
http://www.csea.com/content/main/interior_2.asp?section=about&pNavID=1&NavID=201&ParentID=1

CSEA Information used in CVMVD fight CLICK ON:
http://www.csea.com/content/chapterpubs/F/50/GETTING_THE_MESSAGE_1.pdf

Supervisor Lou Correa asks OC Supervisors
and County CEO to Study Vector District Takeover

The OC Blog has posted an email from Orange County Supervisor Lou Correa’s spokesman James Campbell regarding the proposal from Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle to have the county government takeover the independent special district the Orange County Vector Control District. The statement in part reads:

“At today's board meeting, Supervisor Correa formally asked the board & CEO to take Mayor Pringle's lead and look at the issue of folding vector control back into the County. He wants to weigh the pros and cons of such an action, looking at potential efficiencies from both a public safety and fiscal perspective”

The jump to the political realm moved quickly this week as the once little known district came under intense scrutiny in the OC Blogshpere since the special district bureaucrats moved to change the pension plan for the 50 person staff. Not use to the glare of publicity, head district bureaucrat, OC Vector Control District Manager Gerard Goedhart himself has become part of the story as he has called the local press “reactionary” for scrutinizing the district’s moves and in a memo to the district’s largely political 31 member board about his pulling the pension plan from the December 15th meeting wrote:

“I have decided it is not the right time or atmosphere to formally consider it.”

As Tuesday’s events jumped from the Blogshpere to the political arena, the Orange Communication System used its ecast capability to post and fax the story countywide s the OC Blog posted pushed the story with seven updates throughout the day. The Greater Orange eBlog posted double its highest daily hit count since its inception two months ago setting a new daily hit record making the Vector District overage the GOeB's most sought after story.

For the Goedhart Memo CLICK ON: http://www.ocvcd.org/News/Dec5Letter.pdf

For the complete OC Blog coverage including the complete email from Correa’s spokesman James Campbell CLICK ON: http://www.ocblog.net/ocblog/

Anaheim Mayor Apologizes for Past Anaheim votes:
PRINGLE CALLS FOR COUNTY TAKEOVER OF
ORANGE COUNTY VECTOR CONTROL DISTRICT

The controversy over a three time attempt by the management of the special district called the Orange County Vector Control District to try and revamp its pension program continued to grow in the OC Blogshpere. In a blog comment on the influential OC BLOG yesterday, Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle stepped in and wrote that he apologized for Anaheim’s “previous vote” on the Orange County Vector Control District’s controversial pension revamp plan proposed by OCVCD General Manager Gerard Goedhart. Pringle added
“I will work to insure that this does not happen again.”
Pringle then went further than pervious attempts to restructure the Board by proposing:
“Let’s not just restructure the board but let’s get rid of the district as we know it. I would personally support eliminating the Vector Control Board as an Independent Special District and would support making this a dependent district of the county.”

The story about the pension plan at Vector Control began on the Orange County Register Blog Orange Punch. The OC Blog maintained the story through the last week as other Blogs and bloggers kept the story alive. The Orange Communication System posted on the Greater Orange eBlog and used the Internet Community Group to ecast the story throughout the greater Orange communities. In much the same way the Orange County Sanitation District’s “new age consulting” contract story grew in proportion as it took to the internet, the Vector Story continues to spread across the OC Blogshpere and appears ready to cross back into the print media as politicians begin to jockey for positions on the special district’s future.

TO View Pringles Comments on the OC BLOG
CLICK ON:
http://www.ocblog.net/ocblog/2005/12/curt_pringle_ca.html

TO View FLASHREPORT Post by Matt Cunningham CLICK ON:
http://www.flashreport.org/blog0a.php?postID=2005122000052515&post_offsetP=0&authID=2005110112091707

More Bureaucrats Gone Wild at the Orange County Vector Control office as Chief Bug Bureaucrat, District General Manager Gerard Goedhart continues his push for the 35 member politician filled Vector District Board to revamp the district’s retirement fund for the its 50 employees. After three attempts, Goedhart reportedly says he’ll be back in the spring to try again. However, the OC Blogshpere has caught hold of the story originally appearing on the Orange County Register’s Orange Punch Blog and the influential OC Blog is now asking

“When are we going to demand the board send Goedhart (email: ggoedhart@ocvcd.org) into retirement (a la Blake Anderson)?”

While the retirement proposal has been voted down three times, the OC Vector Control District's website continues to carry a November 29th link to a letter explaining the Goedhart Proposal :CLICK ON: VECTOR PROPOSAL
The letter is also the only "article" carried in the OCVCD in the News. section of the website despite the fact that as Goedhart stated at the last meeting, his proposal has been in the news (CLICK ON: OVCC in the News)

Can this be the beginning of the end for Goedhart running the county bug business? Will he retire before the new retirement system he wants or wait out the pressure? Can Orange County bug bureaucrats survive Retirement Roulette and West Nile Virus in the spring? Stay Tuned same Bug Time…same Blog Channels….

FOR OC BLOG STORY CLICK ON: OC BLOG
For OC BLOG COMMENTS CLICK ON: OCBLOG VECTOR COMMENTS

VECTOR DISTRICT TRUSTEES: CLICK ON Who's in Charge?

HOME GROWN GIVING
Orangewood Children’s Home is Orange County's only emergency shelter for neglected and sexually, physically or emotionally abused children and is located in the City of Orange. Orangewood has an enormous need year round, but especially during the holiday season. To view the Wish List please CLICK ON:
http://www.orangewoodfoundation.org/doc/Wish%20List%20-%20OCF.pdf

Orangewood is equipped to hold over 200 children and each year provides refuge for about 2700 children who have been removed from their caretakers by police officers or child protective services workers and placed into protective custody.

Orangewood staff and its volunteers give the children, toddlers and teens a loving environment for periods ranging from a few days to several weeks or months while Juvenile Court decisions are made about their future and welfare. On completion of processing, the children are placed into foster care or in the care of relatives. The average stay is 17 days.

Orangewood includes living facilities called the Home, medical facilities, a branch of the Orange County Public Library system, and an on-site K through 12 school and preschool. The facilities also include a fully equipped gymnasium, softball field, basketball courts, game room, pool and toddler pool.

Through an extraordinary public-private partnership, the Orangewood Children’s Foundation raised the money to build the Home, and then donated it back to the County on its completion. Ongoing special projects funded by Orangewood Children's Foundation help to keep facilities in peak operating condition. The Foundation continues to support the Home and its young occupants, providing a wide range of programs, activities, equipment, supplies, and necessities for the children who reside there.

For further information CLICK ON the link below or call Sarah Wittenberg at
714-619-0254.
For more information CLICK ON:
http://www.orangewoodfoundation.org/foundation5.asp

ELKDOM CHRISTMAS CHEER

The Orange Elk Lodge (#1475) is preparing its annual Christmas Food Basket distribution for needy families in Orange. The Lodge solicits contributions from local merchants and packages donations to create holiday baskets with items to help local needy families prepare healthy holiday meals.

If you can donate to this local cause, or know of a local family that can benefit from this yearly local holiday Elk tradition, please contact the Lodge Office at (714) 538-2168 between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. The Christmas Basket delivery date is set for Saturday, December 17, 2005.

Parking Improvements at The Block and Winter Wonderland Snow until the 24th

City of Orange Personnel Services Manager Mike Harary will be honored at Tuesday Night's Orange City Council as the recepient of the California Public Employees Labor Relations Association's Moving Forward Award 2005. The award was established by the CALPELRA Board of Directors to recognize innovative leadership. The award is presented at the CALPELRA November Conference and is designed to honor organizations or individuals who have had an impact on their organizations by improving labor relations, resolving disputes, addressing new challenges, or by assisting others in their growth in the profession. Recipients of this award are models and mentors to others.

The City Council will also recognize Orange Community Services Director Gary Wann for 30 years of service to the community, as well as ajourn in memory of Elise Eckhoff Porter, a member of one of Orange's pioneering famlies.

Other business includes transfer of a police dog Titus to the officer the dog has lived for four years as the officer gets transfered to the detective unit; at 4:30 p.m. a proposal for Grijalva Park proposed expansion includes a gymnasium and other recreational facilities. Approval of The Block additional parking plan and appointments to the Design Review Committee and the Investment Advsory Board will also be approved.

For complete details on the Orange City Council Meeting CLICK ON:
http://www.cityoforange.org/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=3970
For information on the Moving Forward Award http://www.calpelra.org/contentdisplay.asp?id=7006&level=14&sublevel=67

For Details about the Winter Wonderland Snow at The Block at Orange's AMC Plaza
CLICK ON:
http://www.theblockatorange.com/static/doc_038912.jsp

Dear Frank, Steve, Robyn and writer(s) of Orange Net News:

Thank you so much for giving some "ink" to the Orange High Football Team. So often we hear how people wish that the media would give pre-coverage rather than post coverage and all of you have gone above and beyond to recognize the men of the Orange High Football team, but you also gave an opportunity for alumni, past, present and future to participate. My 2 1/2 year old daughter is already walking around the house saying "Once a Panther...Always a Panther." In addition, many of our local residents who have ties to Servite and Mater Dei (which both were eliminated from the playoffs last week) are even coming to the Pep Rally.

I know Frank is nusing a cold (take two and call me in the morning), but I am looking forward to meeting Mr. Fryer and it is always a pleasure to see Ms. Bryson and I hope Orange Net News sends its under-cover reporters to cover this awesome community event. Can someone please forward this note of appreciation to Mr. LOU PONZI as he has done a good job all season reporting ( but has not done so good on his predictions - and I hope he is wrong again this week). Oh, by the way, Mr. David Reyes - I may be wrong and I may have missed your "blurb" about OHS FOOTBALL and the Community coming together to celebrate this SUCCESS Story. I will "ASS-u-ME" that you are attending tonight and will be doing the POST COVERAGE of the Pep Rally and featuring it in tomorrows edition of the LA Times - Orange County Edition???

Heck if you thought that Friday Night Happy Hour in Orange with "La familia" was fun and "informative" you should see the GREAT CITY of Orange when we have a Orange High Pep Rally surrounded by CHRISTMAS Lights and Decorations on a THURSDAY evening!!!!! Ok, who has goosebumps???? "Let's Go BIG O!!!!" ---- "Panthers Panthers that's our name...Playing Football is our Game...." Ok, now I am singing the song we sang back in 87 when we marched onto the field....Isn't this great?? In closing and in all seriousness, on behalf of many grateful Panther Alumni and the Orange High Faithful, thanks again for spreading the good word, it is truly appreciated.

With warmest regards,

Steven Frank Ambriz Orange High Panther, Class of 1988 "Once a Panther...Always a Panther"

Orange City Council and Orange High School
team up to host a Hometown Pep Rally for the
Orange High Football CIF Championship Game

An old fashion hometown Pep Rally organized by the City of Orange and Orange High School will be held in Old Towne Orange on Thursday evening, December 8 at 6 p.m.

On Friday evening, December 9th, the Orange High Football (11-2) team will play South Hills High School (11-2) in the CIF Finals Division VII Championship Game at Covina District Stadium. Game time will be at 7:30 p.m. Ticket Prices: Adult - $9.00; Student (W/School I.D.) and Child (13 and under) - $5.00 Pre-Sale tickets available at Orange High School up to game day.

All Panthers, past, present and future, as well as all hometown well wishers are invited to cheer on the hometown favorites in this unique Orange Hometown Experience. Once a Panther….Always a Panther!

The Covina District Stadium is located at 220 W Puente St Covina, CA 91723.

FOR MAPQUEST DIRECTIONS CLICK ON:
http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?address=220%20W%20Puente%20St&city=Covina&state=CA&zipcode=91723%2d2543&country=US&title=%3cb%3e220%20W%20Puente%20St%3c%2fb%3e%3cbr%20%2f%3e%20Covina%2c%20CA%2091723%2d2543%2c%20%20US&cid=lfmaplink2&name

For Information on Orange High School history CLICK ON:
http://www.orangeusd.k12.ca.us/ohs/about.htm

TWISTED BADGE UPDATE i/)))cg
Ecast on Orange Net News /O/N/N/

Orange Net News ecasts local interest Twisted Badge stories as a public service. To get the full inside story, back issues or other Twisted Badge information Click On: www.twistedbadge.com .

Corruption in Orange County (Part 16)

Requiem for a Dreamgirl
A tale of sex, drugs, dirty cops—and a girl who knew too much
December 4, 2005
By NICK SCHOU

(reprinted by TWISTED BADGE with the permission of www.ocweekly.com)

It was about 8:15 Sunday morning, July 15, 2001, when Lisa Piho sped toward the intersection of Warner Avenue and Graham Street in Huntington Beach. Later she would say she failed to see the red light because she was changing a CD in her stereo. That might help explain why she was driving 53 miles per hour when, halfway through the intersection, she was broadsided by a car that had the green light—rammed so forcefully that the collision sent her car spinning into 55-year-old Mark de la Fuente, who was crossing the street with his dog. Police arrived within minutes. While Piho passed a field sobriety test, she declined to provide a blood or urine sample that would reveal any drugs in her system. Because she was on probation, Piho could have been arrested for that refusal. Instead, police released her on her own recognizance. Later, after her car had been towed and its contents inventoried, police would discover a small bag of methamphetamines in a suitcase in the trunk. It was impossible to know it at the time, but Piho’s accident would set into motion a police scandal involving a seedy Santa Ana strip club, cops, sex and drugs. It would also claim another victim: Andrea Nelson, a young girl who police believe may have been murdered because she knew too much.
********************************************************
For the rest of this sordid story visit http://www.ocweekly.com/ink/06/13/features-schou.php and www.andrearemembered.com
END OF PART 16 - TB thanks Pastor Wiley Drake (www.wileydrakeinbuenapark.com) for bringing this story to our attention. For updates on the pending case stay tuned to www.twistedbadge.com.
If your friends and associates would like to get the inside story, please ask them to sign up at www.twistedbadge.com NOTE - If you wish to send a story and/or documents to TB, our mailing address is PO Box 1021, Lake Forest, CA. 92609. Our 24 hour toll free hotline is (888) 623-4426. We answer all mail and return all calls.

TRUSTEES DUMP ANOTHER REFORM
TO DENY ROCCO BOARD OFFICE








OUSD Trustee Kathy Moffat


At the November 17th Orange Unified School Board meeting, the OUSD Trustees voted to dump another of the Recall Reforms that they instituted when they took over after the Orange Recall. The latest reform to be dumped is the changes in Board Bylaw 9100 that requires a rotation of Board officers based on the District Areas they represent. The idea of the rotation of officers came from former OUSD Trustee Bob Viviano. Despite his long career, Viviano was denied any leadership role as an “outsider” under the former recalled fringe OUSD Board. After the Orange Recall election, Viviano was elected President and proposed the plan to ensure the rotation of the three Board leadership positions (Clerk, Vice President and President of the Board) to give all trustees an equal opportunity to serve the Board in a leadership role. The rotation plan was part of a package of Recall Reforms quickly approved by the new Citizen’s Board.

Then came the surprising 2004 election of Steve Rocco over Board backed Phil Martinez. Sources in the OUSD Administration report that faced with the prospect of having Area 6 Trustee Steve Rocco assume the duties of Board Clerk in 2007, Board President Kathy Moffat convinced the Board’s Liberal Block, to support the idea of ending the rotation of officers to prevent Rocco from assuming any Board leadership role. At the November 17th OUSD Board Meeting discussing the ongoing revision of Board policies, it was Liberal Block member Kim Nichols who proposed ending the rotation stating that she no longer saw a need for it. Trustee Melissa Smith, while she originally voted for the rotation plan, stated that she never originally agreed with it.

Ironically the second reading and final approval of the revisions to end the Rotation Plan will take place at the December 8th Board meeting, the same meeting that the state required Annual Organization Meeting to install the new Board officers based on the current Rotation Plan will take place. Under the Rotation Plan, this year’s Vice President Kim Nichols will take over the President’s gavel, last year’s Clerk Trustee Rick Ledesma will become the new Vice President, and Trustee Wes Poutsma will become this year’s Clerk.

Moffat began her term as President supporting the OUSD’s Administration efforts to revoke the charter of Santiago Charter Middle School. An unforeseen outpouring of community support from the greater Orange community to save Santiago as a charter school, as well as a poorly written legal report commissioned by the OUSD Administration on the reasons for revocation, led Moffat and other Trustees to back away from revoking the charter of Orange County’s first charter school. Later in the year, the Annual Budget saw the Moffat led Board slashed the Music Program and Class Size Reductions to balance the district’s budget because of the state deficit while demanding little in the way of administrative cut backs. In the budget, the controversial Focus on Results program was shown as an administrative budget cut, but then after the budget process was over, the OUSD Board re-approved the controversial program by shifting funding to federal funds OUSD obtains. The Board also approved pay raises for all staff and a $10,000 bonus-type pay raise for the retiring former OUSD Superintendent Robert French.

Moffat was able to accomplish her long time goal of more positive news spin for OUSD when the district signed up with the advertiser supported, non-political School News quarterly paper. However, most of the Board’s initiatives with Moffat as Board President were steps backward. Moffat oversaw the Board ending the Recall Reform that increased the public’s chance to address the Board from one to two times per meeting (now again, the public has just one chance to address the Board). In addition, Moffat had supported the attempt to eliminate the budget that broadcasts the OUSD Board meetings to the public. Trustee Rick Ledesma was the lone voice who fought hard to have the funds reinstated, or find alternative funding. In the end, it was again community pressure on the Board that saved the funding for the Board broadcasts over local cable, even after the other members of the Board repeatedly reaffirmed their will to end the broadcasts. As the final meeting with Moffat opening the meeting as President of the Board takes place this Thursday, the Board will vote to undo the Recall Reform of rotating OUSD Board leaders. The Greater Orange Community Organization, a local watchdog group, characterized Moffat’s year of leadership as “one small step for education, one giant leap for career bureaucrats”.

COMMUNITY DONATIONS

A Minolta copier was donated to OUSD by Jonathan Taylor. The El Modena H.S. Industrial Arts Department received assorted metal materials from Benner Metals.

Highlights of the NEXT OUSD BOARD MEETING December 8, 2005

Action Item 13 A- Issue Tax Bonds for special tax district (Tremont) to build a school in East Orange.

Action Item 12 C- Second reading on Board Policy Changes from last meeting (Recall Reform Rotation)

Information Item 14 A- Annual Audit- $16 million positive balance with $8.7 million unappropriated

Information Item 14 C- Step Up to Writing program report. No doubt Executive Director Rachel Morga will not make the same mistakes that Assistant Superintendent Cheryl Cohen did with her ill received and controversial Focus on Results Report .

Digest’s EDUCATIONAL TAX DOLLARS WATCH 2005
“We’re a $220 million dollar business; we’re going to spend the money somewhere”-OUSD Trustee Wes Poutsma 9/22/05

Total for Watched Tax Dollars spent in 2005: $ 978,300.000:

2005 Additional Administrator/Board Member Conference Fees:
2/10/05 Las Vegas Special Education Conference: $ 7,500.00
Total 2005 Additional Conference Fees: $ 7,500.00

2005 Attorney Fee Tally:
7/14/05 Revocation Law Firm $ 75,000.00
7/14/05 Parker & Covert $300,000.00
6/23/05 Immigration Lawyer $ 600.00
6/09/05 Parker & Covert $ 20,000.00
5/12/05 Revocation Law Firm $ 60,000.00
3/10/05 Revocation Law Firm $ 50,000.00
2/10/05 Parker & Covert $225,000.00
Total 2005 Attorney Fees $730,600.00

NCLB-No Consultant Left Behind:
10/25/05 Dennis Parker 6 Day Consultant $ 15,000.00
7/14/05 OHS Communication Consultant $ 20,000.00
6/23/05 Focus on Results Consultant $ 206,700.00
Business Services position consultant $ 12,500.00
5/24/05 Focus on Results substitutes $ 4,000.00
4/13/05 Focus on Results substitutes $ 4,000.00
3/16/05 Focus on Results substitutes $ 4,000.00
2/15/05 Focus on Results substitutes $ 4,000.00
1/19/05 Focus on Results substitutes $ 4,000.00
Total Watched 2005 OUSD Consultant spending: $ 270,200.00

The next Orange Unified School Board Meeting: Thursday December 8, 2005
Closed Session will begin at 6:30 pm, Regular Session remains at 7:30 pm
For a complete OUSD Board Agenda CLICK ON:
http://www.orangeusd.k12.ca.us/board/pdf/agenda_120805.pdfFor more information call the OUSD Superintendent’s office at 714-628-4040

HOLIDAY TALK

The overlapping Christmas (December 25th) and Hanukkah (December 25th) seasons this year kick off this weekend with two major local events, one for the Christmas holiday traditionalists and one for the holiday merry-makers. In Orange, the Orange Plaza Tree Lighting on Sunday December 4th from 4:30 p.m. 7:00 p.m. starts the season in Plaza Park at the Orange Traffic Circle. Orange High School Choir Director Michael Short will lead a 350 voice choir and a 60 piece orchestra for the traditional sing-a-long of carols. (Just last month five Orange H.S. choir students were selected to perform with the Southern California All State Honor Choir).

The same evening, a fun-filled tradition of another kind takes place up the hills at the secluded “Port” of Villa Park with the Villa Park Christmas Boat Parade and Holiday Celebration. The fun starts at 4:00 p.m. an goes until 8:30 p.m. on Sunday December 4th as boats ‘sail” their way around Villa Park and end up in “dry dock” at the Villa Park Town Center (for a map CLICK ON: http://www.villapark.org/Foundation/holidayboatparaderoute2005.pdf ).

VECTOR OUT-OF CONTROL CHATTER

Orange County electronic journalists keep having a field day with politicians and bureaucrats from little scrutinized public entities. This week Orange City Councilman Steve Ambriz has been taken to task for a vote he made as Orange’s representative on the little watched Orange County Vector Control District. The OC Blog has led the way on keeping this original Orange Punch Blog story alive and Orange’s newest electronic voice, Orange Politicos has also picked up the story. To view each ones take on the Ambriz vote CLICK ON below.
OC Blog Posting: http://www.ocblog.net/ocblog/2005/11/roll_call_of_wh.html
OC Blog Vote Post: http://www.ocblog.net/VectorControlVote_NOV2005.pdfOC Politicos Post: http://orange-politicos.blogspot.com/2005/11/oh-ambriz-retirement-isnt-right-its.html

OUSD’s Santa Cohen

Over at OUSD, it’s “bureaucrats gone wild” as OUSD’s Assistant Superintendent Cheryl Cohen’s public report on comparing OUSD’s $2 million dollar Focus on Results program to “marriage encounter training” wasn’t the stocking stuffer the OUSD Trustees needed. As the Cohen Report is being decried by community watchdogs as “misguided and misinformed misinformation”, perhaps OUSD’s Cohen should have chucked the report when the agenda item’s morph “typo” was discovered and stuck to “mistletoe” as a holiday present to the OUSD Trustees. If your one of the few in Greater Orange who isn’t up to speed on the water cooler story of the week, you can see Orange Net News’ take on the Cohen “Christmas” Story with this link: http://greaterorange.blogspot.com/2005/11/ousds-focus-on-consultants-part-3.html