Something Wicked This Way Comes Archives - Page 38 of 46

August 13, 2012August 21, 2012Chronic Failure

A Sobering Thought…

Here’s something that ought to give Fullerton voters pause as they contemplate the upcoming election in November:

FloryBird — Will the cruise feature an open bar?

The bitter bag of bile that got up and harangued the council the other night, Jan Flory, is running to resume a job she was fired from ten years ago. Mrs. Flory seems to believe that her election will be “a cruise” because she will have the backing of the police union. She is as wrong as she can be, and that’s saying a hell of a lot.

You see, Mrs. Flory has had her head stuck in the sand the past year as her pals in the FPOA have been exposed in one humiliating crime after another. Where Flory sees sweetness and light, reasonable citizens (not the claque of union stooges in the audience the other night) see a Culture of Corruption.

Will Mrs. Flory ever expound upon the doings of Albert Rincon the serial sex offender; or Kelly Mejia, the computer thief; or Vince Mater, destroyer of evidence; or April Baughman, property room thief; or Miguel Siliceo who sent the wrong man to jail for five months; or any the various cases, already filed, of physical abuse of citizens by cops in downtown Fullerton? Don’t count on it. Accountability is not one of Mrs. Flory’s long suits.

Which brings us to Flory’s own record on the Fullerton City Council, an eight year reign of error, characterized by an impressive effluvium of paranoia and vindictiveness.

During her tenure on the council she backed boondoggle after boondoggle as FFFF has painfully detailed on our pages. She approved massive development projects that included giving away air rights and streets that were bought and paid for by the public. For six years she approved an illegal 10% tax on our water to pay for the salaries, pensions and perks for her union allies and herself. In 1994 she stated publicly that she wished the completely unnecessary utility tax were doubled. She voted for the disastrous 3@50 pension benefit that has created a massive unfunded pension liability.

Fullerton voters will most certainly be reminded of her record, real soon.

In 2002 the voters had seen enough and drove this harridan out of office. Will 2012 be a cruise for Mrs. Flory?

August 10, 2012August 11, 2012Behind Closed Doors

THE BIG SACRIFICE: .6%

by Grover Cleveland198 Comments

Barry — The BS had a high caloric content.

Over at the Save Our Culture of Corruption website, the FPOA shares this rather interesting tidbit:

Last year, the Fullerton Police Officers Association along with City Employees and the Firefighters Associations agreed to cost savings, pension reform and more cuts, which totaled $1,065,000 per year in real dollars for Fullerton taxpayers and the City! (Italics added)

Now I have absolutely no idea what this means, or where that number comes from. It doesn’t matter. It was meant to look impressive and impress the masses with all the sacrifices and cost savings our wonderful police have made. You are supposed to glide over the fact that the number (whatever it means) includes all union employees in Fullerton, but that doesn’t matter much, either. As the lawyers say, I’ll stipulate that it’s a meaningful figure and not just some chunk of stray pastrami that fell out of Barry Coffman’s mustache.

And now for context, let us consult the City’s Annual Budget and contemplate that number in relationship to total projected City expenditures for FY 2011-12.

On page A-21 we note that the total General Fund expenditures will be $71,784,315. Do the math. Divide the alleged savings of $1,065,000 by that total and you get a pipsqueak 1.5%, and only a fraction of that attributable to the rank and file cops themselves. 1.5%. Feeling rosy yet? But it gets even more comical.

On page A-28 you will see that the total projected City expenditures from all sources, including the grants that pay for cop overtime, is a $178,800,088. Do the math, again. Now the percentage of alleged sacrifice compared to the total cost to run the City shrinks to a minuscule .6%. That’s 6/10ths of one percent, Pythagoras, even if the number is legit.

Wow, what a sacrifice!

If you didn’t know any better you might credit the FPOA for their heartfelt concern for the taxpayers who employ them.

Now you know better.

August 9, 2012Behind Closed Doors

Sharon Quirk’s Problem With The Ladies

by Disillusioned Ex-Hippy100 Comments

The Voice of OC(EA) is reporting here about the protest held in front of the Old Courthouse by NOW, the OCEA and others demanding that the State’s Attorney General look into the sexual mistreatment of female County workers at the hands of Carlos Bustamante and his superiors.

You’ll notice that one of the “others” was our own Mayor Sharon Quirk. Well, okay.

AlRincon2-163x300 — GOD MODE ACTIVATED. Lookin’ out for the ladies, oh yeah!

But wait! Almost immediately the name Albert Rincon sprung to mind. Who is Albert Rincon? He is the stand-up Fullerton cop that none of the FPD apologists ever want to talk about; the creep who was accused of serially molesting women in the backseat of his patrol car and who cost the taxpayers of Fullerton $350,000 to settle two of the cases.

Remember that these assaults took place during Quirk’s tenure on the council; and that Rincon, in response to numerous complaints from abused women, was merely required by his superiors to take patdown training classes; and that after the settlement was announced, Rincon was quietly permitted to walk away from the FPD – for entirely different reasons.

And what did the outraged Quirk do to investigate an institution that not only permitted, but virtually encouraged this predator? What did she do to bring justice to all the victims?

What’s that Sharon? We can’t hear you?

Next time she goes looking for female victims to stand up for, I humbly submit Quirk doesn’t have to look quite so far afield.

August 8, 2012Repuglicanism

Fullerton Will Not Solicit Information From Sheriff

by Disillusioned Ex-Hippy308 Comments

Last night the City Council voted 3-2 against asking the OC Sheriff to provide information about their cost to take over police services in Fullerton.

Chaffee and Quirk went with the public employee union pearl-clutchers, as expected, as did Greg Sebourn. Bruce Whitaker and Travis Kiger voted to seek additional information about providing public services, a reasonable position, you would think.

The Old Guard and the cop union turned this into a life and death issue, which maybe for them, it is. Even old Bankhead and Flory tottered up to speak. The idea of possibly saving millions means nothing to them, and never did.

Perhaps the most interesting this is that Sebourn’s vote puts the lie to the anti-recall goons who insist that the recall replacement candidates are lock-step puppets for anybody.

August 7, 2012August 7, 2012"Dick" Ackerman

An Important Message From Sylvia!

by admin177 Comments

The Boys in The White Van have just intercepted this vital communication from former Fullerton Spokesholetress, Sylvia Mudrick to a whole gaggle of Old Guard acquaintances. Hmm. The Bushala Three? Right on! Check it out:

Hi – I have a big favor to ask! As you probably have heard, at the Aug. 7 Council meeting, the Bushala Three, encouraged also by Shawn Nelson, will direct Joe to get a quote from the Sheriff’s Department to take over law enforcement in Fullerton.

I’d like to ask you to – if you agree with keeping the FPD – contact
people on your email list and ask them to either call (714-738-6311), email (council@ci.fullerton.ca.us), or attend the meeting to voice opposition to the Sheriff being asked to take over the city.

Nothing is to be gained by bringing the OCSD on board, while much
would be lost – less manpower in the field and lack of the FPD’s familiarity with the city and its people. Also, the OCSD has had its own hefty share of controversies.

I’ve never felt compelled in my nearly 27 years with the city to send
out this kind of appeal, but Fullerton is in a dire situation and needs help. Hope you agree with the urgency here.

Thanks so much!
Sylvia Mudrick

Interesting that Sylvia thinks nothing is to be gained by gathering information about police service costs. But this sweet lady probably never cared a whit for the people that were paying her own inflated salary and benefits during her 27 year stint with the City, as she peddled mindless PR pabulum to the likes of Lou Ponsi and Barbara Giasone.

Well, we here at FFFF believe that knowledge is power, and that the City Council would not only be remiss, but would be derelict in the duty to the citizenry if they didn’t explore options and collect information.

August 3, 2012Behind Closed Doors

Keep The FPD!

by The Fullerton Harpoon279 Comments

The natives are getting restless. Well, some of them, anyhow. It appears that a campaign to keep the Fullerton Police Department is underway. Here’s the Facebook site.

Obviously the cop union has decided to start promoting its own perpetuation since the union would cease to exist if, say, the OC Sheriff Department assumed a police services contract with Fullerton – as Yorba Linda just did. And the residents of Fullerton are paying over 30% more, per capita, for municipal policing than the good folks in the City of Gracious Living.

The union’s intention is no doubt to try to make “local control” a fall 2012 campaign issue – and that’s good. Given the behavior of the FPOA brethren and sistren the past couple of years, and budget-busting cost of the FPD to the taxpayers, reasonable people may well be wondering about alternatives.

A lot of people will be asking where was the “local control” when Veth Mam was framed? Where was it when Albert Rincon was molesting women in his patrol car? Where was it when Kelly Thomas was murdered?

July 31, 2012July 31, 2012Behind Closed Doors

The Revolution Was Televised. But You Were Watching Dancing With the Stars.

by Joe Sipowicz476 Comments

Check this out:

The streets of Bagdad or Kabul? No, this occupying force is all dressed up with no place to go – except the mean streets of Anaheim, where the police department has done just about everything possible to take a bad situation and make it worse.

But what’s with all the paramilitary bullshit? Camouflage? Really? What the Hell have we let out country become? Why did we let a bunch of neo-conservative chickenhawks and cowardly statist liberals turn our nation into a place where the local street cops are parading around with all the latest military hardware Homeland Security could buy for them?

Anaheimistan Lalo Cop Block OCW-thumb-504x505 — Courtesy of the OC Weekly

I don’t know about you, but the thought of a Cicinelli, a Wolfe, a Ramos, or a Hampton decked out like GI Joe, gives me nothing but apprehension. In Fullerton our new council needs to start scrutinizing this militarization of the flatfoots, and PDQ.

July 29, 2012Something Wicked This Way Comes

Play It Again, Spam…

by Jan Florys Dog141 Comments

Last week several commenters noticed pronounced physical similarities between Fullerton and Anaheim PD spokesholes. And so, for your amusement and bemusement FFFF shares some images.

Here’s is Anaheim PD’s Cop Explainer-in-Chief, Sergeant Bob Dunn:

And here is Fullerton’s former official fibber, the egregious Sergeant (now elevated to Lieutenant by Chief Danny) Andrew Goodrich:

And finally, here is current FPD Yakkity-Yak, Sergeant Jeff Stuart:

Well I guess they’re on to something, although to be honest, you people all look alike to me.

July 27, 2012July 28, 2012A Step in the Right Direction

Did the FPD Hand Out a Phony “Life Saving” Medal?

by Joe Sipowicz226 Comments

FFFF just received a comment from a Friend unhappy at the notion that the FPD falsely awarded the heroism of one of its own, when the true heroes were a couple of civilians.

Here’s the comment:

#4 by Anonymous on July 27, 2012

Who gave the (2) policemen Medals of Honor ????

Read the following from a Fullerton resident.

“As a lifelong resident of Fullerton, I continue to be astounded at the Fullerton Police Department’s utter lack of ability to tell the truth about anything.

Recently, Corporal Mike Bova received the department’s Lifesaving Medal for supposedly rescuing a woman passenger from a burning car (see Fullerton Observer story below). That would be great if he had actually saved anyone from a burning car. The fact is, (2) citizens Dominic and Ruben Carnesi saved that woman from the burning car. Officer Bova did not show up to the scene until well after both the elderly driver and passenger of the car had been rescued.

The mother of the (2) heroes was outraged and contacted the Fullerton Observer to let them know the actual story. The Observer subsequently printed the actual version of the story (also attached below). While the Fullerton Police Department will now be honoring the (2) heroes, I notice in the updated Fullerton Observer story that there is no mention of taking back the medal that Officer Bova disingenuously accepted. I am left to shake my head and wonder how in the world a man with any honor stands and accepts a medal that he knows he did not earn. Does Officer Bova have no integrity? Is there anyone in the Fullerton Police Department worthy of the trust and respect traditionally bestowed upon police officers? Sadly, it appears that the answer is no.”

Fullerton resident

From the Mid-June 2012 Fullerton Observer – Page 8 (http://www.fullertonobserver.com/artman/uploads/fomidjune.pdf)
Four Exceptional Police Officers Honored
MIKE BOVA
On the evening of February 5, 2012,
Corporal Mike Bova was dispatched to a
call of a traffic collision in the area of State
College and Bastanchury Road. While
enroute to the call, he was advised that a
passenger in one of the involved vehicles
was possibly trapped in the windshield of
the car. Upon his arrival, he discovered
that due to her extensive injuries which
included a broken hip, leg and arm a
female passenger was still trapped inside
one of the cars and the engine compartment
was engulfed in flames. Without
regard to his own safety, Mike, along with
his brother Patrick, who was on a ridealong,
and two other unknown civilians,
managed to remove the victim from the
wreckage of the vehicle and move her to a
safe location. According to Fire personnel
on scene that night, Corporal Bova’s quick
actions resulted in the passenger’s life
being saved. For his actions, Corporal
Mike Bova is being awarded the
Department’s Lifesaving Medal.

From the Mid-June 2012 Fullerton Observer – Page 3 (http://www.fullertonobserver.com/artman/uploads/fojuly_001.pdf)
HEROES: Carnesi Brothers
Save Couple from Burning Car
The Mid-June Observer (page 8) carried
a story about Officer Mike Bova
and his brother Patrick who were honored
for saving the life of a woman
caught in the wreckage of a vehicle
involved in an accident. Two
“unknown civilians” were also credited
for helping to remove the woman from
the vehicle, which was engulfed in
flames, and moving her to a safe
place. The proud mother of those two
individuals contacted the paper and
offered the photos above of her sons,
the other set of brothers who were the
unidentified heroes in the story.
“It was Super Bowl Night and my
husband and two sons, Ruben and
Dominic, witnessed an accident at St.
College Blvd. and Bastanchury. They
were the first ones at the scene. They
got the woman, who was trapped in
the car, free and safe of the burning car.
When they got home they had red eyes
and soot all over them.”
Dominic described the scene. “The
accident happened right in front of us.
The engine compartment of the car
was on fire and smoke was filling the
car. My brother and I could see immediate
action was necessary. We first
helped the elderly man driving the car
to a safe place. He was in shock but he
could walk.
The woman, however, was trapped
by the dashboard and the passenger
side door would not open. My brother
Ruben tore out the dashboard freeing
the woman, who was already disabled
with a broken leg, so that we could pull
her out of the driver’s side of the vehicle.
My brother told her, “this is going to
hurt.” She said, “I don’t care please get
me out.” The car was filling with
smoke. We got her out and were
helped by other bystanders to carry her
to a safe location away from the burning
vehicle. Meanwhile, other
bystanders were trying to put the
engine fire out. It was a group effort,”
said Dominic.
Then the police arrived with fire
dept. paramedics following. The officers
asked us what happened. We told
them and pointed out that the driver
and two passengers of the vehicle that
had hit the couple’s car had taken off
running. Police later caught two men
and a woman at the Summit and
arrested them after we identified them.”

Okay. It sure looks like somebody is not telling the truth. The FPD storys claims that Corporal Mike Bova pulled the woman out. The brothers’ tales makes no mention of cops showing up until after the rescue was effected by them.

The council should demand an inquiry into this, pronto, so as to clear the good name of Mike Bova and the FPD!

July 26, 2012July 26, 2012Behind Closed Doors

Well, That Figures

by Mr. Peabody200 Comments

Once and a while I do a Public Record Act request search, ya know, just to see who’s been digging into Fullerton’s records.

And look what I found:

Some person named Greg Diamond, who lives in Brea, is interested in a report about a domestic dispute incident involving State Assemblyman Chris Norby. This issue is not new and quite some time ago FFFF tagged former police spokeshole and union boss Andrew Goodrich as the most likely leaker of the now discredited insinuation of spousal abuse that was helpfully passed along to the public by a union-sponsored blog.

Good news. Hopefully the City will hand over any internal documents on the topic, and especially the possible external communications sent by a helpful PIO to the Voice of OC(EA). Perhaps our new council will make sure that happens.

I am informed that this drone is working for Sharon Quirk in her cardboard cut-out bid to beat out Norby for the new 65th Assembly District seat in the Assembly.

If she thinks this sort of dumpster diving is going to help her campaign, she’s got another think coming. Instead, I hope in the coming months Quirk will expend her energy articulating her positions on increasing taxes in California, explain why the schools are so screwed up, how JCs and state universities squander billions every year with ridiculous bureaucracies and opine on the idiotic environmental master planning embodied in AB32 and SB 375.

Do I hope in vain?