There has been some mention that the City Council's Christmas firing of Chief Romero may be part of a larger plan to bring the L.A. County Sheriff's Department in to replace the Pomona P.D.
I wanted to have more than just a gut level reaction against this idea, so I spoke to a business associate who is a retired 20 year veteran with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. I know this man to be a measured, thoughtful and methodical person, so I believed he would give me an impartial and honest answer.
He said that the biggest pro to dissolving the police department and contracting with the sheriff's department would be the cost. It would be much cheaper not to have our own department and be part of a large county organization.
Another pro is that Pomona would have access to more state of the art equipment and specialized deputies (i.e. deputies who only work with gangs for instance to the exclusion of everything else). He said that it COULD result in more officers on the street at night for instance, because the sheriff's department has an equation of officers to citizens that they must abide by, which is the same for every City they serve.
He said that the sheriff's department also has the ability to flood the streets with a police presence if an area of town needed that (as in the case where there were a rash of burglaries in a particular neighborhood). When I asked him if he thought the sheriff coming to town would result in less crime and more solved cases, he responded, "I don't know about that."
The other thing he talked about was that the city council would actually have less control over the sheriff's department than they currently have over the P.P.D. He said that typically a sheriff's Captain would be assigned to work with the local city government. He said that the Captain would try to keep the city happy in order to keep the contract with the city, but that overall, the Captain answers to his superiors at the Sheriff's office, not the city council. In some ways this is a big pro for Pomona, since we are already seeing signs that this new government believes they are above the law and above the people and can do what they want, despite how bad it smells.
He said that the awarding of a large government contract is big money, and that there is the opportunity for local politicians to be wined and dined, and benefit personally.
He said that the biggest con to bringing the sheriff in was "lack of identification" with the community. He said that initially, Pomona police officers would be absorbed into the sheriff's department. After training elsewhere, the former P.P.D. officers would likely come back to work as Sheriff deputies in Pomona. Over time, however, deputy sheriffs would be placed here temporarily, but then routinely promoted or transferred to other areas of L.A. County. He said that this would result in a revolving door of officers who don't know the people, places and institutions in the community. He said that having the Sheriff replace the P.P.D. would necessarily take away from the small town feel of a city.
Of all the pros and cons, the one that reasonates with me most is the threat to Pomona's small town feel. When people wonder aloud why I live in Pomona, it's not just that I live in a great old house, but what keeps me here is the sense of community. I strongly believe that disbanding the Pomona P.D. would directly affect the quality of my life here in Pomona. I don't want to be another anonymous L.A. County town whose been stripped of most of it's personality. But then again, I don't like to shop at Walmart either.
Anybody have some thoughts on this, including the members of local law enforcement who read the blogs?
Thanks to Ren for today's image. For more of his images of Pomona, click here.
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Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Cop Land
Monday, December 15, 2008
Picturing Pomona
We each have our own image of what Pomona should be. The odd thing is that most of us online seem to hold fairly similar hopes for Pomona. Yet our hopes are usually diametrically opposed to what actually happens in our City government.
I wondered if looking at how others "picture" Pomona could be of any help to our current state of affairs: 
Above is pouty-lipped "Monna Pomona" by Rosetti
The story goes that this guy named Vertumnus shape-shifted himself into an old woman in order to convince Pomona of how great marriage would be for her. Previous to this, Pomona was only interested in her garden. 
Above is Frenchman Jean Ranc's interpretation of the same scene.
And this one is Francesco Melzi's version. Melzi was a pupil of Leonardo.
Here's Vertumnus changed back into a man, and getting busy with Pomona. This sculpture is by Camille Claudel and is housed at the Musee Rodin.
Here's Pomona as mosaic, featuring her right armpit. 
Another armpit shot.
Above is the sculpture that stands Outside the Chicago Board of Trade Building.
That's the Goddess of Pomona on the left and Ceres on the right, welcoming folks to the New York Fair on an old promotional poster.
A rather nice bas relief on the Cornell University campus.
"Pomona" by Nicolay Antonov.
Not sure where this one comes from, but I like her attitude.
Unknown. Feel free to say if you know who painted this.
A Los Angeles Times' photographer's image of Pomona as a broken City.
The Penninsula Hotel at 5th Avenue and 55th STreet. Pomona on the left and Diana on the right. 
A famous one by Nicolas Fouche.
Hey, how'd Norma get in here? Please call security. 
This one is by someone named T.F. Simon. I'm not even sure if it's supposed to be the goddess, but this is one of my favorites - too bad it's so blurry.
"Pomona" by T.F.Simon. 
Pomona as she appears in Thomas Plaza on Second Street. Thank you to Senior Staff Photographer Richard E. Nunez for the shot.
This is just a small sampling of Pomona in art. Feel free to post below what your favorite rendition of Pomona is.
I went to the City Council meeting tonight, but got there too late to witness the fireworks over Chief Romero's firing, I mean retiring. I hear there were two speakers, including Virginia Madrigal, and still no transparent reason given for what happened. When I arrived, I was greeted by talk of a recall in the entry way. Some people are vowing to make it happen. Recall was apparently raised during the general meeting as well. I'm eager to hear more details, so provide them if you have them.
THE END
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Thursday, December 11, 2008
Darn right I'm down for the recall
For the record, my family is NOT in favor of the check points, yet we are in favor of this police chief. Like most folks who are paying attention in this town - who are not bought and paid for-, we can recognize a decent public servant and human being when we see one. I could go on, but luckily for my fingers, David Allen's column this morning summed up my thoughts about the situation so precisely, that I don't think I can say anymore, and certainly not any better than he did. Bravo, David, and thank you for publicizing just how bad this situation smells.
We have a chance to take back our beautiful but funky City from the corruption whose grip she has been in for far too long. Let the signature collecting begin!
And yet one more blog to add to the blog roll: Recall Rothman.
THE END
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Friday, November 14, 2008
New Pomona Businesses
The "Green Mini Mart" is celebrating it's grand opening at Holt and Palomares, in the old smokeshop storefront. Quite the act to follow. From my car, which is about as close as I ever intend to get to the place, it looks like the Green Mini Mart sells condoms and Jolt colas. I"m hoping they don't sell liquor, but I wouldn't bet money on their not doing so.
Pomona also boasts a new independent gas station at that corner, called, aptly enough, "Pomona Gas." I've always liked that little station anyways, and gas is $2.25 a gallon there right now!
The gas station at Alvarado and Garey also recently changed hands to an indepent whose name isn't quite as catchy as Pomona Gas, but is something like S &W. Gas is cheaper and the gas station is lot more crowded than it ever was when it was a chain.
THE END
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Odds and Ends
THE END
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Friday, November 07, 2008
Think Global, Blog Local
While outsiders to Pomona like to count our homicides, I prefer to count our blogs. The Pomona Blog Epidemic of 2008 is upon us. As I have had to turn my attention away from my own blog, others have been lighting up Pomona's information alleyways with their own blogs. Pomona has 14 blogs by my count. I've added a new blog roll to my side bar which includes them all, in order of most recent post. As there is likely someone firing up a new Pomona blog as I type, please forgive me if my list is already out of date.
Ugly Stepsister Claremont is pathetically behind the ball on this one, having only four blogs that I know of (Sid's Side, Claremont Insider and two coming out of the Claremont Colleges). I'm sure they'll correct me if I'm wrong. Ontario has one blog that I know of: the Ontario Emperor A.K.A. the hipper Mr. Ontemps. (Sorry, blogger's link feature isn't working, otherwise I'd redirect you to those blogs.) I know of no blogs out of San Dimas, La Verne or Chino Hills, nor have I yet to see a Phillips Rancher or Rancherita blog.
Recently I discovered that Pomona, CA.'s sister city of Pomona, MO. (whose watertower is today's photograph), also has a blog. You'll have to get there yourself:
http://www.pomonapost.wordpress.com/
Check out the Pomona Posts' entries entitled "Town Pride or Arrogance" and "Watertower Serves as Strong Reminder," which show that Pomona, MO. shares both Pomona, CA.'s name and our fabled inferiority complex.
THE END
And here is the rest of it.
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A Thank You Card From Dr. T
"The Goddess has allowed me some space to say, on behalf of our School Board and our 30,000 students, a very sincere “Thank You!” to everyone who came out to support Measure PS, our bond measure that will allow us to make long-needed repairs and renovations to our schools. Not only did we have overwhelming voter support with a 74.5% YES vote, but we had a great deal of volunteer support leading up to election day.
I want to publicly thank Associated Pomona Teachers (APT), California School Employees Association (CSEA), One LA, Pomona Chamber of Commerce, Inland Valley Faith Consortium (local African-American pastors), local Roman Catholic parishes, and parent groups and individual parent leaders at PUSD schools. The School Board and I are humbled by the trust you have placed in us, and we are committed to living up to the community’s expectations of excellence for our students.
Sincerely,
Dr. Thelma Meléndez de Santa Ana
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Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Regarding Rothman
One thing is clear, the much-talked-about corruption in Pomona is not going to stop on it's own. We need to start putting pressure on the district attorney's office to investigate corruption in Pomona city government. The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Public Integrity Division is set up for this very purpose. I think we have all seen or heard about things that warrant an investigation. I urge people to write or call them:
District Attorney
Public Integrity Division
320 W. Temple, Rm 766
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 974-6501
Their website is at http://da.co.la.ca.us/pid.htm
I think we should expect, make that DEMAND, the best from Rothman, because otherwise, well it's really depressing to think about.
Pomona: she's like your high maintenance friend who always chooses the wrong guy!
But question, what happens if his drug test comes back dirty?
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Lytle is Vital
Fans of the Lincoln Park Puppet Lady and her Halloween Fortune Teller Puppet may want to check out a free puppet show this Saturday. The Puppet Lady describes the show as silly, with an environmental message.
Here's the particulars:
Saturday November 8, 2008
Lytle is Vital Puppet show, Craft and Bake Sale.
Come Enjoy the Fall in the Mountains at Lytle Creek Community Center
14082 Center Rd Lytle Creek CA
Show Times: 10:00 am, 12:30 pm and 3:30 pm
Click here for more info and more showtimes, go to http://theatre.csusb.edu. Sorry my linkage feature is not working tonight, so you'll have to manually type in the address.
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Tuesday, November 04, 2008
And The Winner is...
Not sure what to make of the article about Rothman not being legally drunk, as it seems to imply his drug tests will be a problem. It's all very curious dontcha think?
You can track local election returns at this link, and you can comment about the local elections by clicking the comments button below.
My polling station was 35 people deep at about 8:15 a.m. It was nice to see friends and lots of familiar faces. I usually don't have to wait at all, so if this was any indication, there were 35 times as many people who voted in Pomona today.
THE END
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Monday, November 03, 2008
Have you seen Brody?
This is a photograph of Brody, a resident of Lincoln Park who was last seen on October 29 near Towne and Alvarado. Brody is a slender, tan-colored female chihuahua. Her owner is a reader of the blog and has been desperately searching for Brody and hoping for her safe return. Apparently Brody ran into a fence, panicked and then ran down the street and has been missing ever since. Brody was lost on Alvarado between Palomares & Towne. On Friday, the owners met two people who saw her by Columbia & Gibbs, and one who saw her on Lincoln by the park. The owner has checked the shelter, handed out and put up fliers, patrolled the area everyday by car, as well as on foot.
So please everyone, keep your eyes out for this little lost dog. If you see her, or have seen her, please call Chiquita at (909)568-1107.
THE ENDAnd here is the rest of it.
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Sunday, November 02, 2008
Paula Lantz Sits Down with the Goddess
A couple weeks ago, I sent out candidate questionnaires to the two most visible candidates for the District 4/Lincoln Park council seat: Paula Lantz and Primo Castro. I tried to find an email for the third and only other candidate, Jonathon Askugue, but was unsuccessful. I only received a response back from incumbent Paula Lantz (pictured above in front of her electric car). This was curious, since Primo Castro has two or three times initiated emails to me asking for publicity on the blog. I unexpectantly met Primo on Pomona's historic home tour (in Ed of M M M My Pomona's master bedroom of all places) and Primo was agreeable to taking part in the candidate questionnaire at that time. But I've heard nothing in response to my email of questions to Castro. So, Paula will apparently be the only one coming for tea today. Please welcome her to the blog.
Paula Lantz (PL): "When I asked the Goddess about how long she expected the answers to be, she implied that bloggers aren’t noted for their long attention spans. Of course, I had already written my Tome, so I created a “short and sweet” version as she suggested. I also let her know that if there truly were a “short and sweet” answer to the first 4 questions, I would be the Presidential candidate, not those other two guys! You can read the unedited version if you are the exception, or just curious…
GoP: Please note, Paula's unedited version will appear in the post below this one, entitled "Paula Unplugged."
GoP: What do you see as the 3 biggest problems in Pomona overall, and how would you address each one?
PL: The three biggest problems in Pomona are:
Not enough money for necessary infrastructure and service improvements
Lack of Community engagement or involvement
Efforts to divide us based on Culture or Ethnicity
FYI… Education is a HUGE issue, but those questions belong to candidates for the School Board, next year. This Superintendent has brought a new way of doing things and a breath of fresh air to us all. There are now afterschool programs at every school, public and private, in District 4. Programs in the public schools go from 3 to 6, and are free. There are 2 new Preschools too, one at St. Paul’s Episcopal and one operated by the Y at First Methodist Church.
GoP: What do you see as the 3 biggest problems in our district overall, and how would you address each one?
PL: The three biggest problems in District 4 are:
Property Maintenance
Illegal/unpermitted construction
Buildings and Behaviors on Holt Avenue
GoP: Many residents are of the belief that the biggest problem in Pomona is not crime or poverty, but corruption and imcompetence in our local government. What are your thoughts on this, and what can be done?
PL: I have no first hand knowledge of Corruption on the Council, but that probably depends on how it’s defined. You will need to read my thoughts in the “unedited” version.
How competent/incompetent we are is up to you. It really depends on how well you do your homework during election season, and whether you pay attention to us the rest of the time.
GoP: There are a large number of vacant lots and buildings in our district, and in Pomona as a whole. What do you see as the root cause of this? What can be done about it, specifically with regard to the many-years-blighted eastern corners of Garey and Alvarado?
PL:The root cause of our empty buildings is that businesses can’t rent/buy them and make a living. Most are too small, too old, have too little parking and too few people nearby with expendable incomes. Our Downtown has the potential to be the exception, but this economy is hitting everyone hard.
GoP: Do you have any goals with regard to making Pomona a "greener," more sustainable city? Please describe them.
PL: We can increase our distribution of reclaimed water, re-evaluate our landscape criteria, and dump-the-pump and buy an electric car like I did!
GoP: Who do you support for Mayor of Pomona and why?
PL: George Hunter for Mayor!
GoP: Who do you support for the State Assembly and why?
PL: I have to work with whoever is elected, so the choice is yours. City Council is non-partisan, and I plan to keep it that way.
GoP: What is your opinion of Pomona's City Attorney?
PL: A curious question. The City Manager, City Clerk, City Attorney and the City Treasurer are all evaluated by the City Council. These evaluations are part of their personnel folders, and not public.
GoP: Anything else you would like to add?
PL: I am an elected official that speaks from the heart, not from whichever way the wind is blowing at the time. I’ve never been one to make wild promises, but I’ve kept the promises I’ve made. I promised to make decisions based on Issues, not Individuals, and I’ve kept that promise. I promised to make decisions based on what’s best for Pomona, not Special Interests, and I’ve kept that promise. I’m independent, I do my homework, and I get things done. I want your vote so I can continue getting things done, both for our District, and for the City as a whole.
Sincerely,
Paula
GoP: Please see her long answers in the post below.
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Paula Unplugged
Here are Paula's unedited (longer) responses.
GoP: What do you see as the 3 biggest problems in Pomona overall, and how would you address each one?
PL: In my opinion, the biggest problem that Pomona faces is not having enough money to provide the services we need. We are over a hundred years old, and much of our infrastructure, is in need of replacement or significant repair. Some of our City is still without streetlights, sidewalks, and even curbs and gutters. Most of our alleys need paving, and a “normal” sized alley is about $75,000! While the current economic “down-turn” has made our situation more severe, we have had a fundamental problem with our budget for years. We spend more than we receive, and our revenue is basically determined by State and County formulas. Employee salaries, including the wages-portion of the Fire Contract, are about 70% of our General Fund Budget. The Police and Fire Departments, salaries and operations, are 73%. And we all want more Officers. While folks can talk about “waste,” and I’m sure there is some, we’ve cut back, laid-off, and not filled positions in order to be only 3.5 million dollars upside down this year! This is the first deficit budget I think I’ve ever voted for, because for the first time I felt there was a real effort to rein in spending. In the past, the majority of the Council went along with the recommendations of our former City Manager (who gave $500 to my opponent, by the way), which was to incur millions of dollars of Bond debt in order to fill the shortfall. And that was just one year of the “smokes and mirrors” that were done to prevent/postpone the really difficult decisions until he retired. Well, he retired last year, and here we are. I don’t mean to imply that he caused the problem, but he spent 5 years unwilling to deal with it directly, and convincing a majority of the Council to do the same.
I think the second biggest problem is the fact that so few people are really engaged in their neighborhoods and the community at large. The Lincoln Park area is certainly an exception, but it is just that, an exception. As I have been walking in other areas, I am surprised by the people who don’t even know there IS an election other than that for President. In the past there have been questions, or issues that folks wanted to discuss, but not much this time. That’s why I have made such a point of “Building Community.” While I know some have tried to put “Community Organizing” in a bad light, I’m proud of the work I did in the 60’s, and I’m proud of what I am doing now. Without Community behind you, nothing changes, no matter what laws you pass, or programs you support. In applying for a new million-dollar Weed and Seed Grant, focused on District 4, I met with every School Principal this spring, including St. Madeleine’s. I spoke to parent groups, met with Pastors and Priests, collected Parent, Parish and Neighborhood Watch surveys, and attended three community meetings hosted by the Youth and Family Master Plan’s Community Engagement group. The increased Policing and Programs will reflect the wishes of the community, within Grant guidelines. We will never have “enough” Police Officers, so the residents themselves need to learn how they can be more proactive in improving the quality of life in their neighborhoods, and how they can utilize City resources more effectively.
The third biggest issue is the cultural and economic differences that some would use to divide us. We are more alike than we are different, but there are those whose power base depends on a We-They mentality. I don’t mean to ignore the fact that the large number of newly arrived immigrants impacts our Schools, and the services the City provides. That is our reality, and to the extent that we involve all in the solutions, we “become” community, even if we didn’t start out that way. There are those, however, who want us to separate, rather than unite. Look at the whole “checkpoint” issue. As you may know, I wasn’t at all happy with what I saw the night of May 3, and I was even unhappy with the lack of response to my questions by the Police Department. But “concerns” quickly were manipulated into either for Checkpoints, or against them; either for the Police, or against them; either Minuteman/woman, or Latin@. The hateful, derogatory, disgusting and dishonest attacks that ensued, from both sides, will take months, if not years, to heal. As recently as last week, flyers were distributed all over the City, written in Spanish, admonishing all readers not to vote for the 6 members of the Council who voted for Checkpoints. Two of them aren’t even up this time!
I imagine that most reading this expected me to list Gangs, Violence or Crime and Poverty somewhere in the Big Three, and I certainly don’t want to minimize the problems they create, but did anyone read the comments online after the various Daily Bulletin articles about Checkpoints? Hundreds! I ask, have you ever read that many comments after an article about a gang shooting, or a drug deal gone bad? There certainly haven’t been 500 people on the City Hall steps drawing attention to, or protesting those tragedies. The agitators (on both sides) are scared to death that we will actually work together to solve our problems, and then the bigotry, anger, resentment and hostility that they depend on to define themselves will no longer be relevant.
GoP: What do you see as the 3 biggest problems in our district overall, and how would you address each one?
PL: Property Maintenance and Illegal Construction are two of the biggest problems in our District, and I began addressing them several years ago. As a Social Worker, I was in the homes of families living in terrible conditions. One family had twins, and while Mom was carrying them down the stairs, one of them gave way, and she dropped the boys, resulting in permanent brain damage for one. There was no lawsuit, and no insurance coverage either. I could go on and on about the roof leaks, lack of heat, broken toilets, etc. which landlords refused to repair, and families, desperate for a place they could afford, tolerated. Twice I brought forward the idea of requiring inspections by the Building Department at the point that a home sells, in order to be sure that all the toilets flush, that it has heat, and any room additions, kitchen remodels, etc. are done properly, and have permits. Both times the Real Estate Community intimidated a majority of the Council into backing off because it would be “too expensive” and “too difficult” to deal with, and it would slow, or prevent many sales. That was my point. After the last attempt, we set up a Residential Improvement Task Force, which includes Realtors, Property Managers, Residents, several City Staff members, and me. As a result of the communication that has been established between these various entities we have changed the way Pomona liens and identifies problem properties, and we’ve made recommendations to the Council which it supported by purchasing new, well equipped trucks for Code enforcement and laptops for the Building Inspectors that actually interface with Code enforcement! A specific unit has been established that deals exclusively with “abatement” cases. Obviously, with the increase in Foreclosures, we have been inundated, and there is no money for more Inspectors. In an effort to be more proactive, City Council has actually adopted a Foreclosure Strategy. One major component is daily updates of homes going into default, and putting them on a “watch” list for external inspections and extra patrol. District 4 has actually been one of the hardest hit areas, especially East of San Antonio. I also get daily emails of new property listings, many of which brazenly advertise a garage conversion or room addition with “no permits.” I send those addresses directly to Abatement. An inspection happens within a week and the property is liened, so that it can’t be sold until the unpermitted work is taken care of, or the new owner agrees to fix things within a specified amount of time. The other major component is the “Eyes on Pomona” concept that will begin with District 4, at the next meeting of the Lincoln Ave. Neighborhood Watch. Again, we’re back to Community Building, because the idea is to enlist the neighborhood to look out for each other, and vacant properties in their area, letting them know what to watch for, and who to call when problems arise.
Probably the third biggest issue is the activity and image that Holt Avenue creates. As a result of “Community Building” with a Neighborhood Watch group, Pomona First Presbyterian Church, Chief Romero and Pomona PD, we did shut down the Smoke Shop at the corner of Palomares and Holt. It may have taken too long, but it got done, and isn’t a gathering place for hookers and drug dealers anymore. Prostitution continues to be a problem, but Chief Romero believes in dealing with quality of life issues, as well as the high profile crimes, and activities that were so obvious two or three years ago have significantly decreased. Not gone, by any means, but not nearly as bad as they were.
GoP: Many residents are of the belief that the biggest problem in Pomona is not crime or poverty, but corruption and imcompetence in our local government. What are your thoughts on this, and what can be done?
PL: I suppose it depends on your definition of corruption and incompetence, and since it’s my answer, I guess I get to define it. I don’t have first hand knowledge of corruption in Pomona Politics, as in ballot boxes being stuffed, or elected officials getting trips to the Bahamas in return for their votes. That being said, there are certainly abuses of authority, and there have been amazingly coincidental changes in voting behaviors with the addition of certain campaign contributions. I will give you some examples.
One Councilmember flashed his badge at the bank in order to go to the front of the line, implying, but not saying that he was a Police Officer. Another completely changed his position on a project after it was approved, undermining it at every turn when he realized how much money the competition could contribute to future campaigns. A very recent case involves a Councilmember refusing to pay his bill at a local car repair place. He bragged about being a Councilmember, and the trouble he could cause them if they didn’t give in, so they did. They were new to the City, and told me that they just figured this was a “little Chicago,” and we would all be like that! The “Wining and Dining” that this same Council member demands/expects, is embarrassing. Developers actually have joked with me about who has gotten stuck with the highest tab (last I heard it was about $900 for lunch with him and one of his Commissioners). Local business owners have many a story of their own, privately, but are the first to say that’s where it stops.
Recently we had another pedestrian fatality on Temple Avenue in front of Scoreboard’s. After the second one, a Police Officer suggested a system of signs to discourage folks from parking and walking across the street to the Bar. The Officer recently testified, under oath, in a case involving a third fatality that the signs were approved by our Traffic Engineer, but weren’t put in place because the same Councilmember wouldn’t allow it. Even Scoreboard’s owner testified that the Council-man was “taking care of it.” We lost the case, and now there’s been a fourth fatality.
A final example is what happened to our 2006 Budget. As the result of budget crunches, City staff negotiated a roughly 2 million dollar decrease in the County Fire contract in the early 2000’s. The Fire Chief agreed; all Stations remained open, and neither Firefighters, nor their Union voiced any objection. The Union was very involved financially in the Mayor’s race in the winter of ‘05, and their candidate won. A few months later, the night that the budget was to be adopted, already over a million dollars upside down, our new Mayor demanded that the 2 million dollars be put back into the Firefighter’s contract, and because a majority of the Council was facing re-election in the fall, and wanted Fire Union support, they agreed and the motion passed. By the way, the Fire Union didn’t support a single incumbent, and they all lost.
The biggest threat that I see to our Local Government, is that it is increasingly less Local. Look at the Financial Forms that all candidates fill out. See where the money comes from. Is it from local residents, or local business owners? Can you even find it? Candidates supported by the Firefighters Union, for example, have had several mailings on their behalf, but since the Union doesn’t clear it with the candidate first, they don’t have to report it. You don’t even know that it’s the Firefighters, because it says “Citizens for a Greener Pomona”. You also have some campaign managers and/or candidates telling businesses that they’d better “pony up” if they want to keep doing business in the City. They are making it into a “Pay or Play” city. Some say, get over it; that’s the realities of Politics; they’re not buying votes; they’re buying “access” and all that. You be the judge.
As for Incompetence, that’s the voter’s call, not mine. Some Council members do their homework, read the staff reports, ask questions, etc., and some don’t. Most hardly miss a meeting, but a very few miss quite a few. A few are regularly late, but most are rarely late at all. Most are flexible enough to accommodate extra meetings when necessary, or earlier start times, but a few refuse. If they are re-elected, I have to assume that their behavior is OK with their constituency, or like many of us, the voters are just too busy working and raising a family to notice.
What can be done? If you hear about, or see an abuse of power, notify the Police Department. This Chief will follow up. Look at the Financial Forms that candidates file. Who’s behind them? Money isn’t evil, you know. We all need it to run campaigns. We can’t knock on every door, and have to rely on printed material, phone calls, signs and so forth to connect with residents. It all costs money. Are you comfortable with where that money comes from, or does it really matter? Look at the qualifications of the candidates. What evidences of Leadership do they have? What history of Community Service? Do they have enough life-experience to understand the intricacies of local government? Are they strong enough to make decisions, not based on debts owed to contributors, but based on what’s best for Pomona? If the candidate is an incumbent, do they ask questions and do their homework? Look at their record. Do you see them in the Community? When you call, or email, do they respond? Are they respected by their colleagues? You see, ultimately, it really is you that determine if you get competent representation. You’re the ones who vote!
GoP: There are a large number of vacant lots and buildings in our district, and in Pomona as a whole. What do you see as the root cause of this? What can be done about it, specifically with regard to the many-years-blighted eastern corners of Garey and Alvarado?
PL: The properties at Alvarado and Garey, are owned by private entities. The old Fire House, which was a restaurant in its most recent past, is simply in such bad shape that it doesn’t pencil for anyone to buy it as a restaurant, or much of anything else. They would have to put in an entirely new commercial kitchen, which was too much of a gamble 10 years ago, not to mention in this economy. While the service station across Garey could change operators last month without much down time, no one has been putting “new” service stations in this area for quite a while. For a variety of reasons within that industry, they have been closing them instead. The owner isn’t willing to sell for a price that makes development of that property profitable.
I have had several conversations with the owner of the former service station property at Orange Grove and McKinley. He also now owns the two houses next to it. He is actually proposing to tear down the two houses and build a bigger, better Arco Station/mini mart. It is private property, so he can propose whatever he wants, but I doubt our staff or Planning Commission will be very supportive. A doctor has bought the old Radio Shack/ 99cent store, and plans to build an office there.
The vacant building at the corner of Gibbs and Monterey is tied up in litigation between its owner and the company that bought him out about 10 years ago. It was for sale, and has a buyer if the legal issues are ever resolved. The vacant lots to the South of the Y are in escrow also. The Auto Body shop will eventually close, the Roofing Company will relocate, and the City will be selling its property next to the railroad tracks to the same developer who will be submitting plans for development.
Over on Indian Hill you have the old Food 4 Less remodeled and expanded with a new façade. Vacant for a long time, there is now so much activity that parking is a problem. The area near Indian Hill and San Bernardino, especially on the West side, has issues similar to Holt. Old buildings that rent to marginal businesses that Code Enforcement must monitor constantly for signage and maintenance problems. PD is a regular visitor too, because of the panhandlers/dope dealers that gravitate to the area. Again, we can work to make them maintain the exterior, but it is private property, and they can rent to whomever they want.
The biggest problem with most of the vacant commercial buildings in town is that businesses can’t rent them and make a living. Most are older, smaller and need lots of upgrades to make them work for a healthy business model. They have little or no parking, and aren’t attractive to customers. A related problem is that many have been owned by the same owner for many years. There is no mortgage, so they can rent for lower than market rates to marginal businesses because they can’t or won’t make major improvements. This detracts from the better businesses which eventually leave. Some, like the old Antique Mart in the 100 block of Second Street, were just bought as investments by out-of-towners. When the doctor bought it, he doubled the rent, so the business relocated across the street, and the building has been vacant ever since. Neither the City, nor our Redevelopment Agency has enough money to buy the properties, even if they were for sale. The fundamental problem for many of the empty and underutilized buildings is that they simply aren’t located in an area that can support them financially. We are working with someone now to help us redesign our major commercial corridors, because basically, they are no longer commercial corridors, they are simply corridors.
GoP: Do you have any goals with regard to making Pomona a "greener," more sustainable city? Please describe them.
PL: One of my goals is to have more of our Parks and other Landscaped City properties, irrigated by reclaimed water, as a way of conserving our local water supply. We only buy about 25% of our water from outside sources. Pomona has its own wells so we provide most of our own water. We have a system that distributes reclaimed water, but it is more limited than I would like to see.
We have also systematically analyzed City hall to decrease Utility costs and increase efficiency. We were able to pay for the changes in what we saved the first year!
Another of my goals is to revamp our landscape criteria. I have begun those conversations with the Planning Department because I have been getting complaints from both sides of the drought tolerant, sustainable environment camps. Many are not happy with the front yards of cactus, farm crops, gravel and bark chips popping up near them. Folks concerned about the environment and trying to be more responsible in their use of our natural resources are dealing with the City because there is too much dirt showing, or they don’t meet the minimum grass requirement. We need to re-evaluate in light of the realities of the 21st century.
I have been President of Foothill Transit twice in the last 5 years, and on my watch we have transformed our dirty diesel bus fleet into one that is 2/3 CNG. And yes, we are definitely helping T. Boone Pickens pay for all of his T.V. time, as we buy all of our CNG from his Clean Energy. Foothill Transit has two maintenance facilities, one in Arcadia, and one in Pomona. The Pomona one is now 100% CNG, and we’ve even provided space for the Public to purchase CNG for their vehicles next to our facility on East End and the railroad tracks. By the way, I have a great picture of me in my Dump-the-Pump T-shirt, driving my little electric GEM car in front of our fleet of CNG buses in Pomona.
It may not count as “green” but I was at the forefront of pushing for Franchise Agreements with our trash haulers so that they pay for District-wide cleanups like we had on the 25th. These give folks local places where they can get rid of their old couches, broken bikes, etc., rather than keeping them in the garage, stacked in the backyard, or dumped in a vacant lot or alley.
GoP: Who do you support for Mayor of Pomona and why?
PL: I support George Hunter for Mayor. He is the only candidate with the experience and the integrity to lead our City in the right direction. I don’t mean to imply that there aren’t other ethical candidates, but George also has experience and a genuine understanding of what the job entails. We do not always vote the same on issues (even though most votes are 7-0), but I always know I can trust him, and frankly, that matters more to me than how a colleague votes. As Council members we represent different geographical areas, so it stands to reason that we will, from time to time, see things differently. But Trust…Trust is not a function of geography, political party, gender, or ethnicity. It is function of character, and George displays impeccable character on a regular basis.
GoP: Who do you support for the State Assembly and why?
PL: My supporters are voting for both of the major candidates, and probably some of the “minor” ones. My signs are in yards with signs that support opposing sides of Propositions, as well as opposing candidates. As a Council member I need to have a good working relationship with our representatives in both Sacramento and Washington D.C. City Projects and Grants can depend on those relationships, and I certainly don’t want to jeopardize them. The Mayor and City Council seats are non-partisan, and I plan to keep them that way.
GofP: What is your opinion of our City Attorney?
PL: Curious question. The Council evaluates the City Manager, City Attorney, City Clerk and the City Treasurer. Those evaluations are personnel issues, not discussed in public.
GoP: Anything else you would like to add?
PL: As difficult as it is for me to “briefly” add anything, I will try. I have brought Experienced, Independent representation to this District. I don’t always tell you what you want to hear, but I tell you the truth to the best of my knowledge. I don’t make wild promises, but I’ve kept the promises I’ve made. I promised to represent you, not Special Interests, and I’ve kept that promise. I promised to make my decisions based on Issues, not Individuals, and I’ve kept that promise. I am Leadership you can trust, and I ask you to trust me with your vote on Tuesday.
Paula Lantz
GoP: Thank you, Paula. And that's a wrap!
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Sunday Makeover
Here are Before and After Shots of the LONG PALM TREE FIRE MEMORIAL, courtesy of Ren.
Rumor has it that the LONE PALM TREE FIRE MEMORIAL is now gone, but I assure you that the Goddess statute is still inside the library. If anyone knows the circumstances of the LONE PALM TREE FIRE MEMORIAL's disappearance, please update the blog. I think I might actually miss it's patheticness on my drives up and down Garey. Is a guerilla gardener at work in the City of POmona or was this a rare act of pre-beautification clearing by the City of Pomona? A girl can hope, can't she?
I am still recovering from the deluge of tricker treaters on Halloween. Definitely the highest turnout over on my street in our five years in Lincoln Park. We literally had to beg the crowd to let us close up shop so that we could take Mr. Big out. Anyone get a number count? I always tell myself I'll count, but then I end up zoning out by the tenth princess. It was nice to see some of the Yes on 8 signs taken down in honor of the holiday.
THE END
And here is the rest of it.
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Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Pomona Measure PS
I emailed the Pomona Superintendent of Schools to offer her some space on the blog for Measure PS. Here's what she had to say:
"This is just a note of thanks to Goddess of Pomona and your contributors for your ongoing support of the Pomona community and Pomona Unified School District. We’ve been working hard to transform public education here, and we know it’s crucial to the renaissance of our city. Measure PS, which is on the November 4 ballot, is part of our effort to help improve our city as a whole by improving our schools. I can’t ask you to vote one way or the other on it, but I can ask you to be sure and vote on it. It will be near the bottom of your ballot. Thanks again!
Dr. Thelma Meléndez de Santa Ana
Superintendent, PUSD"
P.S. by G of P: Did you know that "Dr. T" has her own blog? I wondered how common it was for a superintendent to have a blog, so I googled "superintendent" + "blog." Dr. T's blog was on the second page of hits! And when I googled "children's librarian" + "blog," Miss Lois' blog turned up on the third page of hits. And the fact that Pomona has both a children's librarian blog AND a superintendent's blog, well WOW!
P.S.S. As if that were not enough, Pomona has another spanking new blog, whose writer insists it's not quite ready for primetime, so stay tuned.
THE END
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Sunday, October 26, 2008
Fire Bug
Pomona's newest blog, Ren's Corner Blog, has photos of Friday's fire in Lincoln Park.
Speaking of fires, did you know that Garey Avenue - between the Planned Parenthood Building and the Shell Gas Station - was the scene of the LONE PALM TREE FIRE OF 2007?
In a joint effort by the Shell Corporation and the City of Pomona, a barely living (if not completely dead) memorial still stands at the site.
As you can see, careful attention has been paid to every last detail of the memorial, which features a charred stump and dried frongs arranged atop in abstract fashion.
Anyone coming off the 10 freeway at Garey, pumping gas at the local Shell, retrieving last minute birth control supplies from Planned Parenthood, or simply passing by on Pomona's main drag, is treated 24/7 to the MEMORIAL OF THE LONE PALM TREE FIRE OF 2007. I believe that's 5,000 drivebys a day, per CalWatch's recent traffic statistics. Oh wait, if you look closely at the photo again, you can see that even passing trucks on the 10 freeway can view down onto the memorial.
For more mistakes in Pomona's landscape involving palm trees, check out Student in Pomona.
THE END
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Friday, October 24, 2008
Friday Movie Matinee
Today's Friday Movie Matinee tells the emotional lovestory of Pomona's newest lady of the sky and the men who drive her to great heights. With a gripping introduction by Lt. Ray Mansfield, this is a cinematic treasure. I am delighted to host today's feature presentation: Straight At You from the Pomona P.D.
Thanks go out to Public Information Officer Sgt. Mike Olivieri, who says he's a reader of the blog, for alerting me to the P.P.D.'s entry into the world of You Tube. Who needs Adam 12 reruns when you've got present-day "PPD 10-FIVE."
You may want to check out their other flicks, which include public service announcements and descriptions of recent crimes.
Have a nice weekend.
THE END
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Thursday, October 23, 2008
Ghandian Acts in Pomona
Here's a link to yet another reminder that not everyone with a smelly T-shirt in Pomona is out to rob you. Though you might want to check that your doors are locked this weekend, as word is there will be a "Walk for Norma" this Saturday.
As promised, I sent candidate questionnaires out to the Lincoln Park city council candidates last night and will post any responses if, and when, I get them.
I did not send questionnaires out to the Mayoral candidates, as I have already endorsed George Hunter, so that seemed a little weird. Other than bashing Torres, I have never before George come out on the blog for any specific candidate. The blog was about unifying what was good about Pomona, and politics seems to necessarily tear people apart. Why I endorsed George was this: I don't see the mayoral seat as being an entry level position, unless you're a Brown - as in Willie or Jerry - or, in the case of Pomona, a Samaniego! And what about the former mayor of San Dimas who owns the tattoo place downtown? That cut it down to George and Elliott Rothman who are the only current council members running. George's reputation for honesty, humor and affection for Pomona, and the almost complete absence of my hearing the same about Elliott or observing it at the two council meetings I attended, made George the only choice.
With regard to Elliott, I won't kick a man while he's down, but even he and his supporters surely understand that Pomona needs leaders from here on out that help us turn the corner, not folks who give others even more reasons to laugh at us and look down on our city. The good news is that the Reign of Torrer will soon be over.
And please, to all the candidates - and their supporters who send out glossy mailers allegedly without their permission - do not send this goddess any more flyers that refer to my city as a crime-ridden ghetto. Remember, it's only people who don't actually live here who think that's true. With the exception of David Allen, of course, and one or two of the Phillips Ranchers!
As I step off the old Tide box, take off my shoes and stike my best cross-legged Ghandi pose, I leave anyone still reading with this alternate definition of Ahimsa: 
Ahimsa: the standard operating procedure of the citizens - and non citizens - of Pomona -- except the one or two lost souls you'll read about in tomorrow's headlines.
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Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Sakura Ichi That Scratch
With the cost of gas, we are staying closer to home these days, even for our Japanese food.
I had heard that Sakura Ichi was stylish inside, and I was not disappointed. Although the tables were a bit high for the chairs, it didn't matter because the high backed chairs were too comfortable to complain about, and the wait staff went out of their way to make sure we were well-fed and taken care of.
I actually felt sick before going there, but their egg soup really hit the spot. It was generously flavored with shitake mushrooms, as was my husband's udon. Mr. Big got the children's terriyaki meal, which was a big hit in part because all their kid's meals come with a toy.
As we were enjoying the stylish digs and good food, a female singer set up shop and started to play live music right in front of us. (Yes Angel, checking my email I see you emailed me about this.) I believe the woman who performed was named Adua and she had a beautiful voice. I felt kind of sad to leave such an atmospheric environment, but Mr. Big's 9 p.m. bedtime beckoned.
If I am describing SAkura Ichi right, you might think that the restaurant has the feel of an expensive place, but the prices were reasonable. So much so that I wondered how they could afford the live music, given that the sushi bar was not full, and out of I think 5 dining tables in our area, only three of them were occupied. That is, until we got to the exit door, and passed by a large group of college students who appeared to be embarking on a night of drinking. I probably should have thanked the students for enabling Sakura Ichi to provide us boring-parent-types with such a pleasant experience.
As my husband said, it's nice to have a good Japanese restaurant in Pomona. We will definitely be back.
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Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Super Sandwiches
For the past five years, my family has driven cross count[r]y to eat at Lee's Vietnamese Sandwich joint in San Gabriel and Fullerton. They have about 35 California locations, in what seems like every city BUT Pomona. They have one across from U.C. Irvine which, until recently, was open 24 hours a day. Lee's has something of a cult-like following, which I will readily admit to being a part of. With the pickled carrots and white stuff (someone help me out here), cucumber, cilantro and choice of meat, served on a fresh baguette, these are the most flavorable sandwiches I've ever had. And healthy too. Not to mention addictive.
While Lee's Sandwiches is the largest chain, some say that Mr. Baguette's Sandwich Shop in San Gabriel/Rosemead actually has the better sandwiches. I personally think that the bread at Mr. Baguette's may be better, but I prefer the overall sandwiches at Lee's.
My husband disagrees.
Some Pomona area restaurants offer Vietnamese sandwiches on their menu, but we've never found a Vietnamese sandwich shop in the Pomona Valley. Turns out Super Sandwiches has been around for two years. I only found out about them when they appeared in a mailer a few weeks ago. Super Sandwiches serves an excellent Vietnamese style sandwich (may I recommend the charbroiled or BBQ pork or chicken, remember to order it "Vietnamese style," although you probably want to manually take off the peppers.) Super Sandwiches also serves smoothies that not only rival Lee's, but the honeydew tastes exactly like Lee's.
The Clockwork Orange dining chairs at Super Sandwich deserve a shout out as well.
For anyone interested in checking it out, Super Sandwiches are closed on Sundays and only open weedays until 6. Which means they have better hours than the Pomona Baking Co.
As for me, it's nice to be craving food that I don't have to drive 20 miles to get.
It goes without saying that we could use a Vietnamese sandwich shop in Pomona. Perhaps one of the candidates will add that to their platform.
More Pomona posts to follow. I promise.
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Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Too Much On My Plate
Lately, I have been experiencing Pomona through the eyes of outsiders. As I have recently met new co-workers, I am seeing a lot of confused faces when I tell them I live in Pomona. And, it's not just my imagination. I think people form an image of who I am as a person, and when they find out I live in Pomona, it just doesn't jive. A couple of them have flat out asked me why on earth I live here.
Even I, Goddess, have a hard time describing Pomona to outsiders. They nod their heads when I tell them, but I can see that they are still wondering "What the?"
Then on the weekends, I've been seeing Pomona from the eyes of the people from Phillip's Ranch. Mr. Big join