December 3, 2010 – Daily Brief

By Jeff — Jeff Wilson

Unemployment rate increases to 9.8 percent nationally as US economy adds only 38,000 jobs in the month of November NY TIMES
Meanwhile, locally, Ken Pulskamp says our economy is improving. In an email to residents yesterday, the City Manager wrote: “Sales tax revenues are leveling off rather than declining, which is a good sign because it is a barometer of the overall health of retail activity in our community. Unemployment numbers in Santa Clarita continue to fluctuate, but are trending down which means more residents have been able to find work. The housing market continues to see some positive movement, with new homes being built again and the resale of existing homes steadying.”
Newhall family of four, out of town on Thanksgiving, comes home to find their mobile home -which they owned free and clear- has burned down to the ground. Authorities suspect arson. SIGNAL, ABC 7
The County is looking for a place in Stevenson Ranch to build a new 15,000 sq. ft. library, according to the WRB. The County looked at building it at Richard Rioux Park but resident’s didn’t like that idea. Two other spots on Pico Canyon Blvd are being considered WRB
52 year old mom was arrested last week after slugging a Hart High varsity coach who cut her daughter from the varsity team SIGNAL
Boy who had his iPod stolen from him by a 19 year old a-hole gets justice after his father confronts the man and Deputies move in for the arrest SIGNAL
Craigslist robbers in SCV? In a long post about holiday safety, the SCV Sheriff’s Station says two out of towners were robbed when they came to the SCV to buy cheap cameras they found on Craigslist. The suspects, wearing ski masks, fled in a black BMW. WRB
OMG: at least five cases of bed bugs reported in SCV. I want to burn my mattress after reading about the tiny egg-laying creatures that can produce 400 offspring at a time. Bonus: the Signal talked to Larry Miller of Sit ‘n Sleep fame for this story SIGNAL
Hart District gets $1 million technology grant from the feds KHTS
Michael Dean Stephens, the murderer of Josh Pipho, won’t be sentenced until January SIGNAL
The military’s unmanned space shuttle successfully landed at Vandenburg Air Force base last night LA TIMES
Yet another unabashedly pro-library takeover editorial from the Signal, this one seeking to vindicate Marsha “Cracks are Forming” McLean SIGNAL
Meanwhile, the Save Our Libraries people poke holes in the FAQ section of the city’s library website SOL
Has this guy Andy Pattanyhus even followed the debate over the library takeover? He’s talking as if LSSI isn’t running the implementation program. SIGNAL
Happy Birthday to Sgt. Darren Harris of the LA Sheriff’s Department. Harris is the point man for local media and is a great resource at our station.

Comments (22)

IHeartSCVDecember 3, 2010 at 9:17 am

TMS’s editorial board wrote that county library managers “should sign up for COC business classes.” They should, but only if The Signal’s editorialists agree to sign up for COC writing classes. *Grammar: plurals “They’re a gaping, $22 million-a-year holes for which there can be no fix.” “…out of its own taxpayers’ pocket” *Punctuation: apostrophe “…its going to run a deficit.” *Style: redundancy “…the current needs of modern college students.” *Style: mixed metaphor “It’s bleeding red ink to the tune of $22 million per year”

Timothy Myers SRDecember 3, 2010 at 9:47 am

SNAP!!!!!

mikeDecember 3, 2010 at 10:22 am

P’WNAGE

ReaderMamaDecember 3, 2010 at 10:42 am

I agree, I Heart! The Signal just ran an article last weekend about the how high school grads get to college and have to take remedial English classes because the state standards for high school focus too much on literature and not enough on writing skills. Apparently these same students go on to massacre the English language at small town newspapers.

Coastal SageDecember 3, 2010 at 11:14 am

In terms of the use of The Signal Editorial Board’s energy, it seems stupid for them to waste energy teeth gnashing over the L.A. County Library System’s future operations. Since the City and County have already agreed that County residents can use the City’s libraries, without additional charge, for five years, it’s simply a waste of ink for The Signal to be dissecting what the County library system does in the future. The Santa Clarita City Council voted to leave that library system. The Santa Clarita City Manager and his employees are now the people legally responsible for running Santa Clarita’s libraries beginning 7/1/11. They have delegated that responsibility to L.S.S.I., the Maryland corporation. In a sense, that delegation of the obligation to provide public services is no different than the City having delegated trash pick up service duties to a variety of companies. If you don’t like the service you receive, too bad. Andy Pattanyhus bloviates about residents of Santa Clarita making decisions about the operation of their own libraries. However, despite the City Council’s establishing the 37 person library advisory committee, that committee does not have the authority to tell L.S.S.I. what to do, from a contractual stand point. Think about it. Has anyone posted a detailed essay on how, in other communities, L.S.S.I. humbly and unquestioningly accepts direction from community library oversight committees? I don’t think so. Think about it. Santa Clarita doesn’t have a citizen advisory committee telling the trash haulers how to serve residents and businesses in Santa Clarita who are forced to pay for and use the trash haulers’ services. Instead, the trash haulers set the rules. Come 7/1/11, there will be a significant period of adjustment as library patrons find differences in the services they receive. They will gripe to the L.S.S.I employees, to the 37 person library committee, to City staff members, and to the Council. Right now, it’s unclear who will be responsible for making changes in the way L.S.S.I. operates the libraries, in order to solve the problems which will be raised in post 7/1/11 library patron complaints. Advocating for the City Council or City Manager to make clear the lines of authority to make changes in services, and solve library patron complaints, after 7/1/11, would be a far better use of The Signal Editorial Board’s time. The cynical side of me believes all of this noise suddenly coming from The Signal’s Editorial Board members is part of a conscious public relations campaign to (1) blunt criticism of the City Council on the library issue and (2) create a continuing smoke screen in which library patrons’ service complaints, after 7/1/11, will be lost.

gregory molineriDecember 3, 2010 at 3:18 pm

“The cynical side of me believes all of this noise suddenly coming from The Signal’s Editorial Board members is part of a conscious public relations campaign to (1) blunt criticism of the City Council on the library issue and (2) create a continuing smoke screen in which library patrons’ service complaints, after 7/1/11, will be lost.” AGREED! And isn’t Leon Worden on that board? Seems I remember an awful ot of bytes wasted on his city-sponsored rants on this issue last weekend here at SCVtalk.

Leon WordenDecember 4, 2010 at 9:17 am

Hello Coast – You say: “It’s simply a waste of ink for The Signal to be dissecting what the County library system does in the future.” Just for future reference, while I do not speak for The Signal, as former editor and current member of its editorial board I can tell you that The Signal cares about the unincorporated members of our community. In this particular case, while you might not care what type of library system our unincorporated residents are stuck with, The Signal is concerned.

Timothy Myers SRDecember 3, 2010 at 9:50 am

Two head scratchers from Andy P’s final (mercifully) editorial: 1. He acts like the August 24 takeover vote was like an act of God that we now need to cope with the best we can; and 2. He state that he does not think it should be outsourced, which is the whole basis for creating the revenue stream to do all kinds of wonderful things.

Timothy Myers SRDecember 3, 2010 at 9:52 am

On the assault: Not happy about the Signal not publishing the name of the mother. Doesn’t the public have a right to know there is some enraged 52 year old woman out their on bail who is probably going to try to run me down in the parking lot of the Target in her giant SUV? Hopefully, she is a gun owner too!

cashDecember 3, 2010 at 10:11 am

Don’t shop at Target! Name without picture won’t help you much Timmy. Besides is she not innocent until proven guilty?

ReaderMamaDecember 3, 2010 at 10:37 am

Tim, I’d like to know the woman’s name too. There’s a couple of teachers at Hart I’d like her to smack for me!

FrankDecember 3, 2010 at 10:42 am

Nascent, machinations, diminution, triumvirate, pomology, enfeebled, Tim, this was not your typical political colum, why did you eliminate the football players and coaches from reading today’s colum? High school athletes spend three to four hours a day practicing in many cases year around, with the additional high schools athletes PARTICIPATE in real time competition. This is all tying togther, if we have more high schools, 52 year old “sour grapes” mothers will not have to assault varisty coaches, because their kids will not get cut.

Timothy Myers SRDecember 3, 2010 at 11:03 am

I hadn’t thought of that! Of course, they will murder the coach in their sleep when their “starter” does not get a D-1 scholarship because they play in a bush league.

navigatorDecember 3, 2010 at 1:04 pm

I believe there is an “N” in column

cashDecember 3, 2010 at 10:05 am

Public libraries are money pits with a declining value to most everyone, sort of like the Encyclopedia Britannica and tap dancing! Crack formation should be a big clue that people like Mclean don’t get it.

NateDecember 3, 2010 at 10:44 am

Slug the coach? WTF. This is what is wrong with our society. Entitlement. Michael Jordan was cut from his JV team. How did he respond? Did Jordan Sr. go deck the coach? No, he practised his ass off and made varsity.

Bill ReynoldsDecember 3, 2010 at 11:07 am

NEWS ALERT! Bed bugs procreate excessively within high density housing…

DamageincDecember 3, 2010 at 11:28 am

Would love to run a black light over Bill Reynold’s mattress.

IHeartSCVDecember 3, 2010 at 12:00 pm

:-/ To each their own…

Bill ReynoldsDecember 3, 2010 at 5:49 pm

What are you waiting for ya little sissy.

damageincDecember 6, 2010 at 9:25 am

Uh oh another internet tough guy.

CCDecember 3, 2010 at 1:51 pm

Great…another monument to monumental ego.

IHeartSCVDecember 3, 2010 at 9:17 am
TMS’s editorial board wrote that county library managers “should sign up for COC business classes.” They should, but only if The Signal’s editorialists agree to sign up for COC writing classes. *Grammar: plurals “They’re a gaping, $22 million-a-year holes for which there can be no fix.” “…out of its own taxpayers’ pocket” *Punctuation: apostrophe “…its going to run a deficit.” *Style: redundancy “…the current needs of modern college students.” *Style: mixed metaphor “It’s bleeding red ink to the tune of $22 million per year”
Timothy Myers SRDecember 3, 2010 at 9:47 am
SNAP!!!!!
mikeDecember 3, 2010 at 10:22 am
P’WNAGE
ReaderMamaDecember 3, 2010 at 10:42 am
I agree, I Heart! The Signal just ran an article last weekend about the how high school grads get to college and have to take remedial English classes because the state standards for high school focus too much on literature and not enough on writing skills. Apparently these same students go on to massacre the English language at small town newspapers.
Coastal SageDecember 3, 2010 at 11:14 am
In terms of the use of The Signal Editorial Board’s energy, it seems stupid for them to waste energy teeth gnashing over the L.A. County Library System’s future operations. Since the City and County have already agreed that County residents can use the City’s libraries, without additional charge, for five years, it’s simply a waste of ink for The Signal to be dissecting what the County library system does in the future. The Santa Clarita City Council voted to leave that library system. The Santa Clarita City Manager and his employees are now the people legally responsible for running Santa Clarita’s libraries beginning 7/1/11. They have delegated that responsibility to L.S.S.I., the Maryland corporation. In a sense, that delegation of the obligation to provide public services is no different than the City having delegated trash pick up service duties to a variety of companies. If you don’t like the service you receive, too bad. Andy Pattanyhus bloviates about residents of Santa Clarita making decisions about the operation of their own libraries. However, despite the City Council’s establishing the 37 person library advisory committee, that committee does not have the authority to tell L.S.S.I. what to do, from a contractual stand point. Think about it. Has anyone posted a detailed essay on how, in other communities, L.S.S.I. humbly and unquestioningly accepts direction from community library oversight committees? I don’t think so. Think about it. Santa Clarita doesn’t have a citizen advisory committee telling the trash haulers how to serve residents and businesses in Santa Clarita who are forced to pay for and use the trash haulers’ services. Instead, the trash haulers set the rules. Come 7/1/11, there will be a significant period of adjustment as library patrons find differences in the services they receive. They will gripe to the L.S.S.I employees, to the 37 person library committee, to City staff members, and to the Council. Right now, it’s unclear who will be responsible for making changes in the way L.S.S.I. operates the libraries, in order to solve the problems which will be raised in post 7/1/11 library patron complaints. Advocating for the City Council or City Manager to make clear the lines of authority to make changes in services, and solve library patron complaints, after 7/1/11, would be a far better use of The Signal Editorial Board’s time. The cynical side of me believes all of this noise suddenly coming from The Signal’s Editorial Board members is part of a conscious public relations campaign to (1) blunt criticism of the City Council on the library issue and (2) create a continuing smoke screen in which library patrons’ service complaints, after 7/1/11, will be lost.
gregory molineriDecember 3, 2010 at 3:18 pm
“The cynical side of me believes all of this noise suddenly coming from The Signal’s Editorial Board members is part of a conscious public relations campaign to (1) blunt criticism of the City Council on the library issue and (2) create a continuing smoke screen in which library patrons’ service complaints, after 7/1/11, will be lost.” AGREED! And isn’t Leon Worden on that board? Seems I remember an awful ot of bytes wasted on his city-sponsored rants on this issue last weekend here at SCVtalk.
Leon WordenDecember 4, 2010 at 9:17 am
Hello Coast – You say: “It’s simply a waste of ink for The Signal to be dissecting what the County library system does in the future.” Just for future reference, while I do not speak for The Signal, as former editor and current member of its editorial board I can tell you that The Signal cares about the unincorporated members of our community. In this particular case, while you might not care what type of library system our unincorporated residents are stuck with, The Signal is concerned.
Timothy Myers SRDecember 3, 2010 at 9:50 am
Two head scratchers from Andy P’s final (mercifully) editorial: 1. He acts like the August 24 takeover vote was like an act of God that we now need to cope with the best we can; and 2. He state that he does not think it should be outsourced, which is the whole basis for creating the revenue stream to do all kinds of wonderful things.
Timothy Myers SRDecember 3, 2010 at 9:52 am
On the assault: Not happy about the Signal not publishing the name of the mother. Doesn’t the public have a right to know there is some enraged 52 year old woman out their on bail who is probably going to try to run me down in the parking lot of the Target in her giant SUV? Hopefully, she is a gun owner too!
cashDecember 3, 2010 at 10:11 am
Don’t shop at Target! Name without picture won’t help you much Timmy. Besides is she not innocent until proven guilty?
ReaderMamaDecember 3, 2010 at 10:37 am
Tim, I’d like to know the woman’s name too. There’s a couple of teachers at Hart I’d like her to smack for me!
FrankDecember 3, 2010 at 10:42 am
Nascent, machinations, diminution, triumvirate, pomology, enfeebled, Tim, this was not your typical political colum, why did you eliminate the football players and coaches from reading today’s colum? High school athletes spend three to four hours a day practicing in many cases year around, with the additional high schools athletes PARTICIPATE in real time competition. This is all tying togther, if we have more high schools, 52 year old “sour grapes” mothers will not have to assault varisty coaches, because their kids will not get cut.
Timothy Myers SRDecember 3, 2010 at 11:03 am
I hadn’t thought of that! Of course, they will murder the coach in their sleep when their “starter” does not get a D-1 scholarship because they play in a bush league.
navigatorDecember 3, 2010 at 1:04 pm
I believe there is an “N” in column
cashDecember 3, 2010 at 10:05 am
Public libraries are money pits with a declining value to most everyone, sort of like the Encyclopedia Britannica and tap dancing! Crack formation should be a big clue that people like Mclean don’t get it.
NateDecember 3, 2010 at 10:44 am
Slug the coach? WTF. This is what is wrong with our society. Entitlement. Michael Jordan was cut from his JV team. How did he respond? Did Jordan Sr. go deck the coach? No, he practised his ass off and made varsity.
Bill ReynoldsDecember 3, 2010 at 11:07 am
NEWS ALERT! Bed bugs procreate excessively within high density housing…
DamageincDecember 3, 2010 at 11:28 am
Would love to run a black light over Bill Reynold’s mattress.
IHeartSCVDecember 3, 2010 at 12:00 pm
:-/ To each their own…
Bill ReynoldsDecember 3, 2010 at 5:49 pm
What are you waiting for ya little sissy.
damageincDecember 6, 2010 at 9:25 am
Uh oh another internet tough guy.
CCDecember 3, 2010 at 1:51 pm
Great…another monument to monumental ego.