Greater Orange News Service

THE ROCCO RECALL REPORT
A Special News Series of Orange Net News /O/N/N/

The Clock is ticking…...
Recall Petition Signature Gathering Starts

The effort to oust Orange Unified School Trustee Steve Rocco began today Friday June 29th with the circulation of the offical Petition to Recall. A small group of Orange Unified citizens has undertaken the task to collect 11,100 valid signatures to force a Recall Election. The citizen group has until September 21st, 2007 to collect the signatures. To ensure enough valid signatures at least 15,000- 16,000 signatures will need to be collected.

The Orange Communication System has posted a Rocco Recall Signature Countdown Clock on the Greater Orange News Service webpage (CLICK ON: GONS ) which will count down the days and time until the signature deadline.

Hoffman says she will have to move to run

Unlike being a Congressional candidate that has no residency requirement that you live in the Congressional district you want to represent, Orange Unified’s requirement that you live in the OUSD Trustee Area you represent (but are elected by the whole district) has apparently caught up with would-be OUSD Rocco opponent candidate Florice Hoffman.

The following is the record of the first short-lived
Blog Candidate of 2007:

Anatomy of a Blog Candidate for Orange U.S.D.
June 21st, 2007- The Liberal OC

Florice Hoffman supporter Valerie Servin posts an invitation to a fundraiser to “join Florice and her supporters” at a fundraiser. The post introduces Hoffman as
“Orange Unified School Board candidate Florice Hoffman is one of our finest local democratic candidates”

The post asks for checks to be made out to
“Hoffman for Orange U.S.D.
ID#1297480
8502 E. Chapman Ave. #335
Orange, CA 92869”
CLICK ON: Liberal OC

June 21st, 2007 Orange Net News
At 11:23 am Orange Net News emails the following to Hoffman:

“The Liberal OC Blog has you running for OUSD School Board. Could you please let us know what Trustee Area you are running for? Do you have a website we can link to?”


June 21st, 2007 Florice Hoffman email
At 2:23 pm Hoffman writes the following email to Orange Net News:

"Unfortunately I don't yet have a website, but I am planning to have one as soon as the recall is approved.

I am waiting to see how the recall signature effort goes as I am planning on challenging Rocco.

Words cannot express my frustration with his tenure.

From teacher pay to class size reduction to facilities to NCLB, Rocco has missed major opportunities to improve education and our district. When I think about how he wastes time speaking about conspiracies instead of improving education all I can do is roll my eyes and shake my head in frustration. He is a distraction and a detriment to public education.

I will get off my soap box now; talk to you soon,"

June 21st, 2007 IBEW Hall
At 5:00 pm the Florice Hoffman for Orange U.S.D. fundraiser begins.

June 21st, 2007 Orange Net News
At 5:28 pm the Orange Net News series THE ROCCO RECALL REPORT is posted on the Greater Orange News Service announcing the Florice Hoffman candidacy.
CLICK ON: GONS

June 22nd, 2007 Orange Juice
Orange Juice Blog reports on Florice Hoffman candidacy.
CLICK ON: Orange Juice


June 22nd, 2007 OC Blog
The influential OC Blog posts in response to the Hoffman candidacy:
Wanted: Conservative To Run If Rocco Recall Qualifies
CLICK ON:OC Blog


June 22nd, 2007 OC Blog
At 9:56 pm a comment on the OC Blog states:
“That was a error on the part of that blog. She is not running against Rocco, doesn't live in that trustee area. That blog wasn't listening - they got creative with a little bit of info, without paying attention to the details. Oh dopey them!”

June 23rd, 2007 Greater Orange News Service
At 8:19 am links to the OC Blog, Orange Juice and the Liberal OC are posted.

June 23rd, 2007 OC Blog
Following up on the June 22nd comment posted about Hoffman not being a candidate, OC Blog writer Jubal emails Hoffman to inquire about if she is running. Responding to the email Hoffman writes back which Jubal posts as an update to the OC Blog original post:

“ANOTHER UPDATE (6/23/07): Ms. Hoffman followed up with a second e-mail:
1. I have to move if I run.
2. My sons do not graduate from Canyon High School until June, 2008.
3. I am an employment attorney, run my own business and not a layer[sic].
4. I am committed to public education and making sure that OUSD has great
and safe schools.
5. I do no find all this blogging constructive. I am too busy raising my
children, working and making Orange County a better place to live.
Thank you,
Florice Hoffman”

THE ROCCO RECALL REPORT
A Special News Series of Orange Net News /O/N/N/

Is an original news production of Orange Net News /O/N/N/
OrangeNetNews@verizon.net
“Independent, Local, News and Viewpoints”

Orange County Blog Site TWISTED BADGE.Com has emailed the following AP Story about its victory in the U.S. 4th District Court of Appeals in a libel suit from Joe Cavallo an honorary Orange County Reserve Sheriff.

For more information CLICK ON:
TWISTED BADGE


O.C. reserve deputy can't sue for libel, court says
From the Associated Press
June 27, 2007


An appeals court has ruled that a Republican activist can't sue a website for libel for publishing a story about how he vandalized a political rival's $200,000 Bentley. In April 2005, Ronald Cedillos allegedly got into a shouting match at a Newport Beach restaurant with attorney Joe Cavallo. Later, Cedillos allegedly used a key to scratch the Bentley's paint job. Cedillos, who is an Orange County reserve sheriff's deputy, was never charged with vandalism, but he eventually paid Cavallo $23,000 to repair the damage. The website www.twistedbadge.com , owned by private investigator Michael Madigan, reported the incident, (www.twistedbadge.com/story_articles/id_312/) and Cedillos sued for defamation. The website said it "examines a system which allows bad cops to twist the badge and punishes good cops for reporting them."

But the 4th District Court of Appeal said in a June 22 opinion that Cedillos cannot sue for libel because he's a reserve deputy and must meet stricter rules for public officials who want to bring defamation suits. Although Cedillos became a reserve deputy only because he was a political contributor to Sheriff Mike Carona, the appellate panel ruled the honorary status makes him a public official and worthy of media scrutiny.

"The potential for abuse of police officer power and public social harm by such untrained individuals is actually greater than any writer of traffic tickets," Justice David G. Sills wrote.



END - Additional media coverage regarding this case will be available at www.twistedbadge.com The 4th DCA's unanimous opinion is included below. Thanks for staying tuned to www.twistedbadge.com.



All electronic messages received and sent by this site are inspected and certified to be virus free. We have upgraded the security of our database and there are now user friendly links to subscribe, unsubscribe and/or comment. All e-mails are the property of Integrity Publications and may be published unless confidentiality is specifically requested. If your friends and associates would like to get the inside story, please ask them to sign up at www.twistedbadge.com

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RONALD CEDILLOS,

Plaintiff and Appellant,

v.

MICHAEL MADIGAN et al.,

Defendants and Respondents.




G036941

(Super. Ct. No. 05CC07333)

O P I N I O N




Appeal from a judgment of the Superior Court of Orange County, Corey S. Cramin, Judge. Affirmed.

Stroock & Stroock & Lavan and Deborah Drooz for Plaintiff and Appellant.

Worthe Hanson & Worthe and John R. Hanson for Defendants and Respondents.

* * *

In 1999, plaintiff Ronald Cedillos was made a reserve deputy sheriff. It is true that he never actually functioned as a deputy sheriff and that his name was removed from a government database of “peace” officers in 2002. However, there is nothing else to indicate that he was not a reserve deputy sheriff in Spring 2005, and in fact Penal Code section 832.6, subdivision (a) shows that a person can be reserve deputy sheriff without being a “peace officer.”

Defendant Michael Madigan operates a website, “Twistedbadge.com,” devoted to exposure of “law enforcement malfeasance.” The website’s banner is “Our Mission Is To Promote Public Awareness Of The Need To Be Vigilant In Matters Involving Law Enforcement Malfeasance.” In the ninth installment of a series about “corruption” posted April 17, 2005, the focus was on Cedillos. In that installment Madigan posted a story to the effect that Cedillos had “‘keyed’” the car of criminal defense attorney Joe Cavallo after an argument in a restaurant bar that ensued when Cavallo approached Cedillos’ female dinner companion. In the next installment, posted April 24, 2005, Madigan also revealed that Cedillos had paid $23,000 for the damage to Cavallo’s new Bentley.

A month later, on May 31, 2005, Madigan received a letter from Cedillos’ attorney demanding a retraction. After Madigan refused to retract the story, Cedillos brought this defamation action. Madigan responded with an anti-SLAPP suit motion to dismiss the case. The motion was granted. Cedillos brought this appeal in the wake of the ensuing defense judgment and attorney fee order.

We affirm. There is no question that Cedillos’ suit passes the first of the two prongs under which anti-SLAPP suits are analyzed. Madigan has been sued for “protected activity” (see Navellier v. Sletten (2002) 29 Cal.4th 82, 88) in making allegations of malfeasance by a law enforcement officer in a county with a population bigger than Vermont’s. Orange County is not Mayberry. Those allegations readily qualify as a public issue.

There is also no question that the second (merits) prong (see Code Civ. Proc., § 425.16, subd. (b)(1) [“probability that the plaintiff will prevail on the claim”]) was met. Under Gomes v. Fried (1982) 136 Cal.App.3d 924, 933, even a “patrolman or low-level police officer is a ‘public official’ for purposes of the New York Times [v. Sullivan (1964) 376 U.S. 254] privilege.” Cedillos attempts to distinguish the rule in Gomes on the theory that a patrolman or “low-level” police officer’s duties are “‘peculiarly governmental in character and highly charged with public interest,’” and “‘can have a great potential for social harm’” (to quote his brief, quoting from Gomes, supra, 136 Cal.App.3d at p. 933, itself quoting from Coursey v. Greater Niles Township Publishing Corp. (Ill. 1968) 239 N.E.2d 837, 841). He claims he was merely a “businessman operating outside the public sphere.”

The attempt to distinguish the rule in Gomes is, however, not persuasive under the facts of this case. The context of the keying allegation was the alleged criminal malfeasance (see generally Pen. Code, § 594 [criminal vandalism]) of a reserve deputy sheriff who had received his reserve deputy job by virtue of making a campaign contribution to the local sheriff. The potential for abuse of police officer power and public social harm by such untrained individuals is actually greater than any writer of traffic tickets.

That leaves the question of whether, even given applicability of the New York Times standard for defamation actions, Cedillos still might prove malice. On this record we must conclude not.

Such “constitutional malice,” as the New York Times v. Sullivan standard is often called, is defined as knowledge that a defamatory statement was false, or was made with reckless disregard of whether it was false. (Readers Digest Assn. v. Superior Court (1984) 37 Cal.3d 244, 250.) Cedillos asserts that he has presented at least a prima facie case of constitutional malice in this case based on either Madigan’s purposeful avoidance of conflicting information about the keying story (cf. Harte-Hanks Communications, Inc. v. Connaughton (1989) 491 U.S. 657) or fabrication of a quotation (cf. Masson v. New Yorker Magazine, Inc. (1991) 501 U.S. 496). Specifically, he asserts that there was purposeful avoidance because there were five witnesses (including Cedillos himself and his female dinner companion) who Madigan did not interview. He also claims that a statement attributed to him, “I know your car!” was a plain fabrication, made up merely to give credibility and verisimilitude to the keying story.

To make a prima facie showing of constitutional malice, it must be such as would pass the clear and convincing standard of proof at trial. (See Reader’s Digest, supra, 37 Cal.3d at p. 252.) Malice is not shown by a “failure to investigate” alone (Harte-Hanks Communications, Inc. v. Connaughton (1989) 491 U.S. 657,692). Rather, as shown by St. Amant v. Thompson (1968) 390 U.S. 727, 732-733, there must be some indicia of “an awareness” by the defendant of the “probable falsity” of the statement, or evidence of a “doubtful mind.”

No such awareness has been shown here. There has been no showing that Madigan harbored any doubts or even should have harbored any doubts. Madigan’s source for the story was a former deputy district attorney in Orange County who had confirmed the details with Joe Cavallo. Not asking Cedillos himself or his female companion hardly seems unreasonable because it would have yielded a predictable denial and might have been the flashpoint for a disagreeable personal exchange.

As for the quotation, “I know your car,” it is a slightly milder version of the statement attributed to Cedillos in a Newport Beach police report. In that report a witness (a friend of Cavallo’s) told the Newport Beach police officer who wrote up the report about the keying incident and said that he “heard Suspect Cedillos tell Victim Cavallo, ‘I know what you drive. I’ll get your car.’” That’s so close as to confirm the story told to Madigan by the former deputy district attorney, and wholly fails to show malice given a clear and convincing standard. Indeed, the quote is in fact more substantively accurate than the one in Annette F. v. Sharon S. (2004) 119 Cal.App.4th 1146, 1166 [“convicted perpetrator of domestic violence” where plaintiff had never been “convicted” of any crime] which was held insufficient as a matter of law because the plaintiff admitted she did “hit” the defendant. (See id. at p. 1170.) “I know your car” is closer to “I know what you drive. I’ll get your car” than “hit” is to “convict.”

The clear and convincing requirement effectively put the burden on Cedillos to come up with affirmative evidence of malice. The most Cedillos has shown is the failure to interview Cedillos to get his side of the story. But that failure, as we have noted was reasonable under the circumstances, and therefore could hardly constitute “clear and convincing” evidence of malice. Since Cedillos did not carry his burden, we therefore need not dwell on any implications of the fact that Cedillos paid $23,000 to repair the car.

The judgment is affirmed. Respondent is to recover his costs on appeal.

SILLS, P.J.

WE CONCUR:

RYLAARSDAM, J.

BEDSWORTH, J.

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A Sapphire Picnic and Red, White and Blue



Villa Park’s Family Picnic a Sapphire Birthday Celebration

After 45 years, Villa Park has had a lot of practice throwing parties. This year’s July 1st Family Picnic at Irvine Lake will also be the 45th birthday celebration for Greater Orange’s “Hidden Jewel”.

The traditional fun of games, prizes, a car show and entertainment will be enhanced this year with special 45th Anniversary events like the Hidden Jewel Treasure Hunt. Prim Jewelers has donated sapphire jewelry valued at $600 for the treasure hunt all over Villa Park. Purchase clues to find the treasure (proceeds benefit the Villa Park Community Services Foundation) with the first clue available at the picnic. A Hidden Jewel Cupcake Contest joins the traditional Chili Cook-off and of course the Cross-town Tug-of-war featuring Serrano vs Villa Park Elementary Schools. Other events include:
• Live Entertainment
• Roving Clowns
• Children's Game Booths and Crafts
• Traditional Races and Games
• Bounce Houses
• Meals prepared by the Villa Park Rotary
• Beer and Wine Sales
• Vendor Booths
• A Classic Car Show
• Demonstrations by the Sheriffs and OCFA Firefighters
• And Lots of Door Prizes
Villa Park Family Picnic
Sunday July 1st Noon- 5 pm
Irvine Lake , Community of Silverado
$3.00 per person /Kids under 5 free

3rd of July Celebration:
Orange Salutes the Red, White and Blue

A festival with fireworks is Orange’s traditional contribution to the Greater Orange Communities Fourth of July festivities with the 3rd of July Celebration. The festivities will begin at 4 p.m. at El Modena High School with activities such as a petting zoo, pony rides, interactive games and live music. Local non-profit organizations will sell food and novelty items. The Orange Community Master Chorale of Santiago Canyon College will perform a program with a tribute to the U.S.A. at 8 p.m. The fireworks spectacular will begin at approximately 8:50 p.m.

Tickets are $5 for children and adults, kids two and under are free. Tickets can be purchased at the Orange Community Services Department, 230 E. Chapman Ave. or in limited quantities at the gate of El Modena High School on July 3 before 8 p.m.

3rd of July Fireworks
Tuesday July 3rd
Gates open 4 p.m. Fireworks start at 8:50 p.m.
Fred Kelly Stadium at El Modena H.S., Orange
$5.00 per person /Kids under 2 free


Metro TALK is a community service of the
: Greater Orange Communities Organization:
:GoCo:
GreaterOrangeCO@gmail.com

Community Update

Reaction to Hoffman vs. Rocco Race
The following Orange County Blogs have posted reactions to a possible run by Florice Hoffman in a race for Orange Unified School District Steve Rocco’s seat in a proposed Recall Election.

CLICK ON:
OC Blog

OC Juice

Liberal OC

THE ROCCO RECALL REPORT
A Special News Series of Orange Net News /O/N/N/

Florice Hoffman to run for Rocco’s Seat

Orange Labor Attorney Florice Hoffman will be seeking Orange Unified School Board Trustee Steve Rocco’s Area Six Seat if the Rocco Recall petition drive is successful. Hoffman had her first fundraiser on June 21st. True to her strong labor background that fundraiser took place at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Hall in Orange.

In an emailed response to an Orange Net News inquiry into her candidacy, Hoffman stated that she is waiting to see how the petition drive goes. She wrote:

" I am waiting to see how the recall signature effort goes as I am planning on challenging Rocco.

Words cannot express my frustration with his tenure.

From teacher pay to class size reduction to facilities to NCLB, Rocco has missed major opportunities to improve education and our district. When I think about how he wastes time speaking about conspiracies instead of improving education all I can do is roll my eyes and shake my head in frustration. He is a distraction and a detriment to public education.”
-Florice Hoffman 6/21/07 email

Hoffman’s labor activity started with her family, her father had a 45 year career as a labor activist. Hoffman’s labor career includes positions in New York, Pennsylvania, Arizona and New Jersey. Moving to California in 1984, Hoffman opened her own Orange law office in 1999 specializing in employment law and labor law. Her civic activities include serving on the Board of the Orange Senior Center; a member of the Orange Unified School District Legislative Coalition; Legislative Chair of the Orange County Chapter of the Coalition of Union Labor Women; and serves on the Executive Board and the Central Committee of the Orange County Democratic Party. Hoffman has two teenage twins who attended OUSD schools.

In 2006 Hoffman ran against Congressman Ed Royce for the 40th Congressional District seat. Hoffman lost to Royce in the overwhelming Republican district 30.7% to 66.8%. In the race, Hoffman chided Royce for not debating her in the race and painted Royce as a corrupt politician (see link below).

In the 2006 contest, Hoffman issued a Position Paper on Education (see link below) in which she faulted the federal government for the following: not fully funding mandates required in the No Child Left Behind Act; cutting the Pell Grants for college students; and not fully funding federal Special Education mandates.
In the 2006 race Hoffman also signed on to the Voters First Pledge and was part of the Impeach Pac of candidates running for Congress.

Valerie Servin in a June 21st post on the influential blog the Liberal OC, announced the Hoffman fundraiser and wrote:

“Florice is a future leader in our party. We must do our best to ensure that excellent local Democrats like her are elected in school districts throughout the county”
-Liberal OC post 6/21/07

For more information on Florice Hoffman CLICK ON the links below:

Hoffman 2006 Education Paper
Education Paper

Hoffman 2006 Voters First Pledge
Voters First Pledge

Impeach Pac
IMPEACH PAC

Hoffman comments on Ed Royce on Register Blog
HOFFMAN COMMENTS

The Liberal OC Blog announcement of Hoffman Fundraising Event
Liberal OC Hoffman Fundraiser

THE ROCCO RECALL REPORT
A Special News Series of Orange Net News /O/N/N/

Is an original news production of Orange Net News /O/N/N/
OrangeNetNews@verizon.net
“Independent, Local, News and Viewpoints"

Metro VIEWS ______________:GoCo:
Local news editorials from the Greater Orange Communities

OUSD Viewpoints on the Education Alliance Blog

Long time OUSD activist and Foothills Sentry columnist Marjan Dunn had two items posted on the Education Alliance Blog this month.

The Education Alliance was the organization that was responsible for the election of the Education Alliance Slate that was eventually recalled in the Orange Recall: Marty Jacobson, Linda Davis and Maureen Aschoff. The Educational Alliance also ran two candidates in the last OUSD Trustee Election against Trustee Kim Nichols and Trustee Melissa Smith. The Educational Alliance candidates were defeated.

In one of the posts, Dunn calls for the elimination of the requirement that OUSD Trustees live in the Trustee Area they represent. This requirement has made it difficult to find candidates for slates that live in OUSD Area 2 and OUSD Area 6. The last time OUSD Trustee John Ortega in Area 2 ran for re-election he was unopposed. OUSD Area 6 has also been difficult to find candidates to run in with that Trustee Area extending into Santa Ana making it difficult for conservative and moderate slates to find candidates who live in the area.

To view the Education Alliance Blog CLICK ON:
http://www.education-alliance.org/blog/

Community groups and individuals are welcome to submit editorial viewpoints on LOCAL issues for Metro Views

Metro Views is a community news service of the
Orange Communication System OCS
Producers of

:Greater Orange Communities Organization:
:GoCo:
GreaterOrangeCO@gmail.com
Ecast on the
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The views expressed in Metro Views are not necessarily the viewpoints of the networks that ecast it.

For more information on the current issues of defending media freedom in the electronic world visit
The ELECTRONIC FRONTIER FOUNDATION link: www.eff.org.

OUSD's Rocco Bandaged Up at Santa Ana Council Meeting

The Orange Juice Blog has posted this photograph of Orange Unified School Board Trustee Steve Rocco at the Santa Ana City Council Meeting. The mystery of "Who Hit Rocco" may be answered this Thursday June 21st when the Orange Unified School Board meets for it's regularlly scheduled meeting.

To view the posting from Orange Juice CLICK ON:
ORANGE JUICE

The Capistrano Dispatch has posted the entire former Orange County Sheriff Lt. William Hunt lawsuit against Orange County Sheriff Mike Carona on their website. Hunt ran against Carona in 2006. The day after the election Hunt was placed on administrative leave and later demoted.

In a press release also carried by the Capistrano Dispatch
in it's eCast, Hunts' lawyer Richard A. Levine is quoted as follows:

“The lawsuit alleges that during the course of Lt. Hunt’s political campaign during 2005-2006, Lt. Hunt issued public statements, radio addresses, press releases and disseminated campaign literature critical of the performance of Carona in his duties as Sheriff as well as addressing relevant law enforcement issues in the community,” said Richard A. Levine, an attorney representing Lt. Hunt."

To view the Hunt Lawsuit CLICK ON:
HUNT LAWSUIT

ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE
a news service of Orange Net News /O/N/N/
"Independent insight into OUSD"

OUSD June 21st Closed Session Agenda:
Rocco Censure Lawsuit Appeal
The June 21st, 2007 Closed Session Agenda for the first time lists the now official Rocco Censure Lawsuit Appeal to be discussed. Californians Aware v Orange Unified School District appears as a Closed Session agenda item. Rocco lost the first round of the lawsuit over the Rocco Censure and was ordered to pay the district $37,000 in court costs. The first amendment organization Californians Aware had promised an appeal based on their assertion that Rocco’s First Amendment rights were violated by the Rocco Censure. The original court threw the case out siding with the OUSD position that the Rocco Censure was collective speech of the OUSD Board majority and therefore did not violate Rocco’s free speech, but in fact was free speech of the Board majority. Since the Rocco Censure and the lawsuit, the OUSD Board has been more tolerant of Rocco’s trademark rants only trying to remind Rocco to keep on topic of OUSD rather than trying to cut him off completely as had been tried in the past.

ROCCO GETS INTENT TO RECALL NOTICE
at June 7th Board Meeting
During the June 7th, 2007 Orange Unified School Board Meeting, controversial OUSD Trustee Steve Rocco was handed Intent to Recall papers. Rocco was handed the papers during public comments by one of the recall proponents, Michael Foster. In the middle of a dozen speakers (including three elementary students) speaking in support of the OUSD Gifted And Talented Education (GATE) enrichment program for high achieving students, Foster was called for his turn at the podium and simply informed Rocco he was serving him with the Intent to Recall papers. Foster then walked over to Rocco, handed Rocco the papers and returned to his seat in the audience. Members of the audience applauded. Rocco did not react and the next speaker was called.

Later after a lengthy meeting, Rocco spoke during the agenda time allotted to trustee comments. In a typical trademark rant, Rocco began speaking about the legal troubles in the Capistrano Unified School District (which he referred to as San Juan Capistrano) and the indictment of former Capistrano Unified Superintendent James A. Fleming (see link below). OUSD Board President Kim Nichols tried to get Rocco to keep his comments germane to OUSD. Eventually (in a longwinded contorted path) Rocco tried to tie the Capistrano problems to OUSD as an example for administrators and elected officials, many who Rocco contends are part of a public corruption group he calls “The Partnership”. About the recall, Rocco read off some of the proponents’ names on the Petition for Recall and commented about their ties to other OUSD Board members.

For the most recent information on the Rocco Recall
CLICK ON:ROCCO Recall REPORT

For a summary of the Capistrano Unified problems
CLICK ON: LA TIMES


Cautious Board approves plans drawn up for Retirement Debt Bonds
A thoughtful OUSD Board extensively questioned a staff recommendation to issue Bonds to save money on the long term liability OUSD faces from the former practice of offering lifetime medical benefits to employees. Similar to Pension Obligation Bonds other types of government entities have issued, the relatively new idea for school districts is just being introduced. The newness of the program without a track-record seemed to make some OUSD Trustees want to proceed with extreme caution as they extensively questioned the plan. In the end, with assurances that this was not the final vote on the matter, the trustees voted 5 yes (Nichols, Moffat, Smith, Ledesma and Ortega), 1 no (Rocco) and 1 absent (Poutsma) to approve proceeding with development of a plan to be presented at a later date for Board review and approval.

El Rancho Charter
Also at the meeting, the El Rancho Charter renewal process had a public hearing. No one spoke during the hearing and it was quickly closed. The approval process was continued to the June 21st OUSD Board meeting as negotiations between OUSD and the El Rancho Charter Board are continuing. The approval of the El Rancho Charter is scheduled for the June 21st agenda which states that a separate Memo of Understanding (MOU) will be presented at a future Board meeting (Agenda Item 12A, page 2).

5000 Series Student Policies Back except for Drug Testing
At their April 19th, 2007 Board Meeting, the OUSD Trustees by consensus approved the idea of Community Forums to discuss the pros and cons of a voluntary drug testing of OUSD students in a proposed change to Board Policy (BP) 5131.61. Agenda Item 12 E of the June 21st Board Meeting has the Board approving the revisions to the BP 5000 series numbers 5131.7 to 5148.

2008 Special Education Local Plan Assurances
The adoption of an ALL FUNDS BUDGET and other needed plans to be in compliance with federal and state special education criteria is Agenda Item 12B (page 4). The estimated 2007-2008 ALL FUNDS BUDGET shows an estimated balance (above the 3% state required reserve) to be $6,847,436. The actual adoption of the 2007-2008 budget is scheduled for the September 13th, 2008 OUSD Board Meeting.

OUSD Board to Approve Record $575,000 in Attorney Fees
The June 21st Consent Agenda has the OUSD Board approving a record $575,000 to three law firms for future law billings for the district without discussion. The main OUSD law firm of Parker & Covert will receive two approvals: $150,000 for “on going special education matters” (page 72); and $200,000 “an open purchase order” (page 25). The locally infamous Santiago Revocation law firm of Miller, Brown and Dannis has a $75,000 budget item for “general counsel and school charter” matters (page 25). The law firm of Atkinson, Andelson, Loyal, Ruud & Romo has $150,000 on the agenda for “on-going special education matters”. The $575,000 brings to approved legal fees for the calendar year to $852,000 and the total INSIDE watched budget at $854,159.00 (see INSIDE the OUSD Budget below). This meetings added legal expenses puts this year’s INSIDE watched budget over last year’s total of $849,717.00 half way through the calendar year.

INSIDE the OUSD Agenda for June 21st
Item 12 D: Second Reading of Educational Foundation policy: The Agenda states “The revisions are made in an effort to develop a policy that supports and is receptive to all District community foundations”
Item 13: This Informational Item details the Fine Arts Study that OUSD Superintendent Thomas Godley alluded to at the June 7th Board Meeting. OUSD is part of the Arts Alliance Grant which is in part a response to the save music movement and the establishment of the Music Matters Committee by local music supporters.
Item 14 P: This Consent Item gives OUSD Substitutes a 6% raise to $116.60 a day.

COMMUNITY DONATIONS
This is a partial list of community support of OUSD Schools. For a complete list see the Board Agenda page 24: Nohl Canyon-Wells Fargo $1979 for supplies; Cambridge - Cambridge PTA $2726 Reading Counts materials; Anaheim Hills-Anaheim Hills PTA $4000 for supplies; El Rancho – El Rancho PTSA $6745 benches; Orange H.S. –OHS Baseball Boosters $6100 stipends Fairhaven-Fairhaven PTA $3600 transportation.


INSIDE the OUSD Budget

“We’re a $220 million dollar business; we’re going to spend the money somewhere.” -OUSD Trustee Wes Poutsma 9/22/05

INSIDE’s EDUCATIONAL TAX DOLLARS WATCH 2007:
$ 854,159.00 Total*

2007 Consultant/ Speaker Fee Tally:
3/8/07 Dr. Daggett Speaker Fee $ 9,000
4/30/07 Debra Ford Speaker Fee $ 4,090
4/30/07 Danny Brassell Speaker Fee $ 3,500
Total $ 16,590

2007 Attorney Fee Tally:
1/18/07 Parker & Covert (1/07 to 6/07) $175,000
2/08/07 Miller, Brown, and Dannis $ 7, 500
2/22/07 Parker & Covert $ 45,000
5/10/07 Miller, Brown and Dannis $ 50,000
6/21/07 Miller, Brown and Dannis (pg 25) $ 75,000
6/21/07 Parker & Covert (pg 25) $ 200,000
6/21/07 Parker & Covert (pg 72) $ 150,000
6/21/07 Atkinson, A.L.R and Romo (pg 72) $ 150,000
Total $852, 500

*2007 Administrative Conference/Travel: hidden since 6/8/06

JUNE 8th, 2006 Trustees VOTE to Give OUSD Superintendent the power to APPROVE Travel Requests taking this item OUT of the PUBLIC AGENDA

Total for Watched Tax Dollars approved in 2006: $849,717.00*
2006 Consultant Fee Tally: Total $176,400
2006 Attorney Fee Tally: Total Approved $655,000
2006 Administrative Conference/Travel: Total $ 18,317 *
* JUNE 8th, 2006 Trustees VOTE to Give OUSD Superintendent the power to
APPROVE OUSD Travel Requests taking this item OUT of the PUBLIC AGENDA

Total for Watched Tax Dollars approved in 2005: $978,300.00:
Total 2005 Conference Administrator/Board Fees: $ 7,500.00
2005 Attorney Fee Tally: $730,600.00
Total Watched 2005 OUSD Consultant spending: $ 270,200.00



Next OUSD Board Meeting Thursday June 7th, 2007. For more information
CLICK ON: http://www.orangeusd.k12.ca.us/board/pdf/agenda_062107.pdf

OUSD CLOSED SESSION STARTS 6:30 PM on 6/21/07 Regular Session: 7:30 pm

For more information call the OUSD Superintendent’s office at 714-628-4040
For budgeting questions call Business Services at 714-628-4015
ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE Independent insight into OUSD
is an independent news service of /O/N/N/Orange_NetNews@yahoo.com “Independent Local Insight”

THE ROCCO RECALL REPORT
A Special News Series of Orange Net News /O/N/N/

Orange Unified School Trustee Steve Rocco has responded to the Intent to Recall served to him at the June 7th Orange Unified School Board Meeting. Rocco’s response met the legally required 200 word count limit according to the Orange County Registrar of Voters. The Recall Proponents will now publish legal notices and work on a petition to be submitted to the Orange County Registrar of Voters for approval. Rocco’s Recall Response will be included in the petition. Reportedly Rocco’s Response is a recanting of his experiences with The Partnership, his catch-all phase for those who have allied against him starting with his arrest on shoplifting charges at a Santa Ana Albertson’s grocery store years ago.

Since the Intent to Recall notice, the usually recluse Rocco, has also been making appearances around the Greater Orange Community. On June 12th Rocco was at the 4:30 Opening Session of the Orange City Council Meeting. Speaking under Public Comments, complete with a nose bandage, Rocco reported that he had been assaulted and because of swift action by the Orange Police Department, a suspect had been arrested. In his three minutes of time he also verbally attacked OUSD Trustee John Ortega, and reported that he had investigated each member of the Orange City Council and concluded that were not members of The Partnership. One of Rocco’s associates spoke after Rocco on various subjects as Orange Mayor Cavecche continued to ask him to get to the point of City of Orange affairs. Then Rocco got up from the audience approached his associate at the public podium and said that the two were done and thanked the Council Members for their “censorship” and they both left.

The next day Wednesday June 13th, a still bandaged Rocco and an associate appeared outside the Orange Unified Educators Association (OUSD’s teachers association) office door. As a staffer was exiting the office, Rocco and his associate were standing in the hall at the door. When the staffer inquired if they needed help, they asked for the OUEA President. The staffer invited the pair in to see the OUEA President but they declined and left.

THE ROCCO RECALL REPORT
A Special News Series of Orange Net News /O/N/N/
Is an original news production of Orange Net News /O/N/N/


DENIS BILODEAU UPDATE: to See Dana Parson's Los Angeles Times column on the latest about Council Member Bilodeau.
CLICK ON the TOPIX/CITY OF ORANGE NEWS SERVICE
at the top of the Greater Orange News Service page
and then the article.



OrangeNetNews@verizon.net
“Independent, Local, News and Viewpoints”

Ecast on the
INTERNET COMMUNITY GROUP i/))) cg
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For more information on the current issues of defending media freedom in the electronic world visit
The ELECTRONIC FRONTIER FOUNDATION link: www.eff.org

Orange Communication System /OCS/
and its News family
THE ROCCO RECALL REPORT Orange Net News /O/N/N/ eLECTION Watch 2007 Metro Talk ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE Metro Views
Community Update GREATER ORANGE NEWS EBLOG
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SPECIAL REPORT
A community service of Orange Net News /O/N/N/

Orange Council Member Denis Bilodeau Trial
Continued to November 16th

Orange Councilman Denis Bilodeau jury trial on charges of removing a political campaign sign of opponent Carol Rudat in the 2006 City Council Campaign begin today June 12th in Santa Ana at 8:30 a.m. District Attorney Prosecutor Scott Zidbeck asked for and was granted a continuance to November 16th. The delay will allow the two parties to try and settle out of court.

OC Blog writer Jubal posted today that he has been informed that a “DA’s continuance” is tantamount to a dismissal by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office. The OC Blog also quotes Bilodeau Attorney Jennifer Keller as follows:

“if the case had gone to trial, we would have challenged the prosecutions evidence" and she was "confident the judge would have dismissed it."

To read the entire OC BLOG post CLICK ON:
http://www.ocblog.net/ocblog/2007/06/denis_bilodeau_.html

For information on Attorney Jennifer Keller CLICK ON:http://www.jenniferkellerlawfirm.com/

Be sure to watch for all the latest local reports on the Greater Orange News Service and local TOPIX News Service links about Anaheim Hills, Orange and Villa Park in the news with links from across the nation at: http://greaterorange.blogspot.com/

SPECIAL REPORT
Is produced by Orange Net News /O/N/N/
OrangeNetNews@verizon.net
“Independent, Local, News and Viewpoints”

Ecast on the
INTERNET COMMUNITY GROUP i/))) cg
A 21st Century Communications System
For more information on the current issues of defending media freedom in the electronic world visit
The ELECTRONIC FRONTIER FOUNDATION link: www.eff.org

Orange Communication System /OCS/
and its News family
The Rocco Recall Report Orange Net News /O/N/N/ eLECTION Watch 2007 Metro Talk ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE Metro Views
Community Update GREATER ORANGE NEWS EBLOG
Ecast on the
Internet Community Group i/)))cg
A 21st Century Communications System

SPECIAL REPORT Orange Council Member Denis Bilodeau Trial Scheduled for June 12th



Orange Councilman Denis Bilodeau jury trial on charges of removing a political campaign sign of opponent Carol Rudat in the 2006 City Council Campaign is scheduled to begin June 12th in Santa Ana at 8:30 a.m.

The Orange County District Attorney Case Management file lists the case as follows:

“Early in the morning of October 29th 2006, Bilodeau is accused of removing a political sign of his opponent, Carol Rudat, from the intersection of Chapman Avenue and Hewes Street in Orange. He was observed by Rudat’s daughter who called the police.”

The maximum penalty for the offense is six months in jail.

On the Orange Politicos Blog they posted the following post they received from Council Member Bilodeau regarding the anti-Bilodeau website:

"It certainly is "malicious and a reckless disregard of the truth".I hope that you will respect the privacy of me, my wife and childrenand not republish untrue defamatory material".

An anti-Bilodeau website set up during the 2006 City Council Campaign has photographs of the alleged incident.
CLICK ON:Denis Bilodeau Exposed

For the Orange Politicos site CLICK ON:
Orange Politicos

Be sure to watch for all the latest local reports on the Greater Orange News Service and local TOPIX News Service links about Anaheim Hills, Orange and Villa Park in the news with links from across the nation at: http://greaterorange.blogspot.com/


SPECIAL REPORT
Is produced by Orange Net News /O/N/N/
OrangeNetNews@verizon.net
“Independent, Local, News and Viewpoints”

SPECIAL REPORT
A community service of Orange Net News /O/N/N/

ORANGE UNIFIED TRUSTEE STEVE ROCCO
SERVED WITH RECALL PAPERS

At the June 7th, 2007 Orange Unified School Board Meeting, a small group of community activists began the recall election process against controversial Orange Unified School Board Trustee Steve Rocco. In an anti-climatic moment after a week of internet and print media announcements of the impending service, Rocco did not react when during the Public Comment recall proponent Michael Foster announced he was there to serve Rocco with Recall Papers, handed Rocco the papers, then Foster sat back down in the audience. Rocco said nothing until the end of the agenda reserved for Trustee comments when he stated he would comment about the recall at a later date, "You'll get your answer."

Orange Net News broke the story that Rocco would be served by a small group of community activist joined together to work toward recalling Rocco. The Rocco Recall will be the second recall in the Greater Orange Communities as a Villa Park group is in the process of trying to recall Villa Park Council Member Debra Pauly.

Orange Net News will provide complete coverage of the Rocco Recall with a new news service, The Rocco Recall Report.

Be sure to watch for all the latest local reports on the Greater Orange News Service and local TOPIX News Service links at: http://greaterorange.blogspot.com/


SPECIAL REPORT
Is produced by Orange Net News /O/N/N/
OrangeNetNews@verizon.net
“Independent, Local, News and Viewpoints”

Ecast on the
INTERNET COMMUNITY GROUP i/))) cg
A 21st Century Communications System
For more information on the current issues of defending media freedom in the electronic world visit
The ELECTRONIC FRONTIER FOUNDATION link: www.eff.org

Orange Communication System /OCS/
and its News family
The Rocco Recall Report Orange Net News /O/N/N/ eLECTION Watch 2007 Metro Talk ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE Metro Views
Community Update GREATER ORANGE NEWS EBLOG
Ecast on the
Internet Community Group i/)))cg
A 21st Century Communications S

Orange Net News UPDATE

The pending beginning of the Rocco Recall is starting to generate the publicity that Orange Unified School District probably would rather not have. The influential OC BLOG wrote an editorial today The Rocco Recall Is A Bad Idea. In a self-fulling prophecy moment (that is sure to be repeated over and over again through the course of the recall attempt) Jubal at the OC BLOG writes about the Rocco Recall:

For one thing, it only focuses far more public attention on Steve Rocco than is presently the case.

For the whole OC BLOG Editorial CLICK ON:

OC BLOG: The Rocco Recall Is A Bad Idea

ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE
a news service of Orange Net News /O/N/N/ Independent insight into OUSD

ROCCO RECALL PLAN UNDERWAY
Orange Net News broke the story on Monday June 4th that a small group of community activists led by Terri Rasmussen (a neighbor and close friend of Orange Unified School Board President Kim Nichols) are planning to serve controversial OUSD Member Steve Rocco with a Notice of Intention to recall as early as the Thursday June 7th Orange School Board Meeting.

The legal “notice” is the first step in the California recall process and includes up to a 200 word statement for the reasons for the recall. The Notice of Intention must be personally delivered or delivered by certified U.S mail to Rocco. Ten signatures of OUSD registered voters are required on the Notice of Intention. Within 7 days an affidavit must be filed about the service of the Notice of Intention. After being served, Rocco will then have seven days to file an official response to the recall with election officials and by personally serving or sending his response by certified U.S. mail to one of the recall proponents.

OUSD has just over 110,000 registered voters. That number would require recall petitioners to collect valid signatures from 10% of the school district’s registered voters. Successful petition drives must get more than the required amount of signatures to insure they have enough valid signatures after the invalid signatures are disallowed. A Rocco Recall would require petitioners to collect at least 15,000 signatures. They will have 160 days. Rocco’s current term ends in 2008.

Community activists who are veterans of the successful 2001 Orange Recall that ousted the Radical OUSD School Board and elected five of the current OUSD Board members see the task of recalling Rocco as daunting because of various factors peculiar to this effort. The 2001 recall was based on a broad community coalition that included business, taxpayers, real estate, environmentalists, student rights advocates, parents, teachers, students and local political leaders, each with a specific issue regarding the recalled members of the recalled Radical Board. As one activist explained to Orange Net News:

“The Jacobson* majority managed to get everyone mad at them, not just the education community. From real estate agents who had to lie about a fictional Villa Park School District to sell houses inside OUSD, to environmentalists who wanted Barham Ranch as open space, a real community coalition was forged against a common enemy. Rocco may be off-the-wall, but he mostly wastes the other trustees’ valuable time with his endless rants. Most of the negative Rocco publicity has been self-inflicted by the Board in trying to shut him up. Essentially Rocco has no power to injure the community, just his chances of ever being reelected. If the board will just ignore him, he will eventually go-away.”

* Recalled Trustee Marty Jacobson was widely regarded as the leader of the recalled Radical Board

That sentiment seems to also be the sentiment of the OUSD teachers who provided a huge workforce to the 2001 OUSD Recall effort. Sources report that at a recent Orange Unified Educators Association meeting the leadership of teachers association spoke about Rocco being bothersome but harmless with very little time left in his term.

Another factor working against a recall petition drive includes collecting signatures over the summer and fall months. Competing with a possible summer and fall recall petition drive will be the presidential primary and proposition campaigns. In addition, in the OUSD Administration’s Strategic Plan has the district moving towards a third Bond Election during this timeframe. Clearly moving toward a bond campaign while a recall campaign is going on will split valuable human and monetary resources and produce increasingly negative publicity, exactly what the current Board has been working hard to reverse.

Orange Education Foundation Issue Gets Clearer
A disjointed round-about don’t-say-what-you-mean issue informational item was on the May 24th OUSD Agenda. The item was brought by President Kim Nichols about OUSD Board members being on the Orange Education Foundation Board in a non-voting advisory capacity. In Public Comments on the item, Orange Education Foundation President Denise Bittel addressed the Trustees to say as OEF President she was “mystified” as to what the agenda item was all about. It seemed apparent from the comments on the item that so were many of the OUSD Trustees. A very careful Nichols hemmed-and-hawed her way around something about the OEF that was itself not very clear. Eventually that something centered on the OUSD’s own Board Policy 1260 regarding the monopoly of support OUSD gives to OEF.

While Trustee Wes Poutsma volunteered to be appointed as the non-voting member and admonished his fellow trustees “If it’s not broke don’t attempt to fix it”, Trustee John Ortega took a stab at fixing something by proposing if it’s bad to for a trustee to sit on the OEF as an advisor, perhaps the OUSD Trustees should just vote to do away with all OUSD representation on community organizations. Meanwhile Trustee Kathy Moffat who reported that she had been attending the OEF meetings stated she feels the problem is bad communication because she never knows when the meetings are (the meetings have always been at noon on the fourth Tuesday of every month for years).

Well the self-produced OEF “drama” is back! Item 12D (page 13-14) at the Thursday June 7th meeting has a discussion on the revision of Board Policy 1260 that deals with the Orange Education Foundation. Item 12D states in part:

“The law firm of Parker & Covert has submitted its recommendations, as attached in conjunction with staff members input for Board consideration”

That’s right, the district law firm (which charges over $200 an hour) was asked to draw up changes to Board Policy 1260. Twelve changes exactly. The 12 changes basically withdraw OUSD support for just one educational foundation (OEF) to pluralizing the policy to include the change to “local foundations”. While the item lists states: “FISCAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact” they obviously don’t include the fees to the attorneys. As one long time OUSD observer put it, the staff left off one critical “impact” in their recommendation: the “Community Impact”. Noting that some in community feel the whole matter was “handled poorly” and that does impact the community.

INSIDE the OUSD Agenda for June 7th
Item 12A: Plan to hire lots of firms to handle selling Bonds to finance “Post Employment Benefits”
Item 12 B: El Rancho Charter Renewal: Unlike the Santiago Charter this is a given

INSIDE the OUSD Budget
“We’re a $220 million dollar business; we’re going to spend the money somewhere.”-OUSD Trustee Wes Poutsma 9/22/05

INSIDE’s EDUCATIONAL TAX DOLLARS WATCH 2007:
$ 294,090.00 Total
2007 Consultant/ Speaker Fee Tally:
4/30/07 Debra Ford Speaker Fee $ 4,090
4/30/07 Danny Brassell Speaker Fee $ 3,500
3/8/07 Dr. Daggett Speaker Fee $ 9,000
Total $ 16,590

2007 Attorney Fee Tally:
1/18/07 Parker & Covert (1/07 to 6/07) $175,000
2/08/07 Miller, Brown, and Dannis $ 7, 500
2/22/07 Parker & Covert $ 45,000
5/10/07 Miller, Brown and Dannis $ 50,000
Total $277,500

2007 Administrative Conference/Travel: hidden since 6/8/06*

*JUNE 8th, 2006 Trustees VOTE to Give the OUSD Superintendent
the power to APPROVE Travel Requests taking this item OUT of the PUBLIC AGENDA

Total for Watched Tax Dollars approved in 2006: $ 849,717.00*
2006 Consultant Fee Tally: Total $176,400
2006 Attorney Fee Tally: Total Approved $655,000
2006 Administrative Conference/Travel: Total $ 18,317 *

* JUNE 8th, 2006 Trustees VOTE to Give OUSD Superintendent the power to APPROVE OUSD Travel Requests taking this item OUT of the PUBLIC AGENDA

Total for Watched Tax Dollars approved in 2005: $ 978,300.00:
Total 2005 Conference Administrator/Board Fees: $ 7,500.00
2005 Attorney Fee Tally: $730,600.00
Total Watched 2005 OUSD Consultant spending: $ 270,200.00


Next OUSD Board Meeting Thursday June 7th, 2007.

For more information
CLICK ON: http://www.orangeusd.k12.ca.us/board/pdf/agenda_060707.pdf

OUSD CLOSED SESSION STARTS 6:30 PM on 6/07/07 Regular Session: 7:30 pm

For more information call the OUSD Superintendent’s office at 714-628-4040
For budgeting questions call Business Services at 714-628-4015
ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE Independent insight into OUSD
is an independent news service of /O/N/N/
Orange_NetNews@yahoo.com
“Independent Local Insight”

ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE
a news service of Orange Net News /O/N/N/
"Independent insight into OUSD"

Orange Unified School District
2007 Graduation and Promotion Times

The last day of school for the 2006-2007 school year in OUSD will be Thursday, June 14th (the date also happens to be Flag Day). All OUSD high school graduation ceremonies and the district’s middle school promotion ceremonies to high school will take place on that day. The following is the complete schedule:

2007 OUSD Middle School Promotion
and High School Graduation Schedule

9:00 A.M.
Mc Pherson Magnet-promotion at the school

Portola Middle School- promotion at the school

10:00 A.M.
Richland Continuation School-at the school

Yorba Middle School- promotion at the school

10:30 A.M.
Cero Villa Middle School- promotion at the school

11:00 A.M.
Santiago Charter Middle School- promotion at the school

1:30 P.M.
El Modena High School- graduation at Kelly Stadium*

4:00 P.M.
Canyon High School- graduation at Kelly Stadium*

4:30 P.M.
Orange High School – graduation at the school

6:00 P.M.
El Rancho Charter Middle School- promotion at the school

7:00 P.M.
Villa Park High School- graduation at Kelly Stadium*

* Fred Kelly Stadium is located behind El Modena High School at 3920 Spring St., Orange 92869
FOR A MAP CLICK ON:FRED KELLY STADIUM MAP

ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE
is an independent news service of /O/N/N/

Orange_NetNews@yahoo.com
“Independent Local Insight”