Riverside City Hall: Who to contact and how
Another action-packed city council meeting is coming to you this Tuesday. It's the second city council meeting of the new city council and its first Redevelopment Agency meeting. The latter consists of the city council members wearing different hats. The members get an additional stipend to their annual salaries each time they meet as the Redevelopment Agency.
It's a pretty packed meeting with three discussion items and four presentations including one that Mayor Ron Loveridge is doing on the sister city of Sendai, Japan. It might run long, pushing happy hour back in a couple of hangouts across town and you'd better bring your comfortable shoes so you can settle in for the evening.
If you watch at home, the comfortable shoes advice still applies. Since there's no split screen to show you city residents speaking and how the city council members react, similar to what is used on televised award shows including the Oscars, you'll have to content yourselves to receiving one side of the interaction. You can talk about it, but if you do, be prepared to stand back.
More conversations took place this weekend regarding my allegedly having no ethics or something like that according to Councilman Frank Schiavone but what came out of quite a few discussions as it has in the past is that many people don't know how to contact their elected officials at City Hall so this posting will be dedicated to providing this information.
I've chosen to look at that episode with a glass half-full and if Schiavone hadn't acted out in the way he did like a five-year-old child, I would have never had these conversations this past week and received even more reminders of how more accessible city council needs to become for the city residents who all pay for it, during an era when it seems that the emphasis is moving in the opposite direction. If Schiavone's hope was to stop my interest in city government, he's not succeeded in his efforts. What he's done probably inadvertently, was open up many opportunities to dialogue with people who have walked up after watching that and other meetings to express concerns and ask questions about civic issues. I am very thankful to him for providing these opportunities.
A couple individuals weren't even sure that city council meetings are public. Yes they are, anyone can attend. Some times it just doesn't feel that way because the sad thing is, that unless you're there to stroke egos or agree on everything, some of them don't really want you there. But others can handle it much better and a couple will thank you for expressing your opinion even if it was in disagreement.
However, that's all the more important reason to show up because it's your government too. City Hall isn't a country club at least not yet. But given that its basement housed at least one private business according to media coverage stemming from a county grand jury investigation, who knows what the future holds?
If you can't attend meetings or just want to contact your elected official on an issue, the city's Web site has this page on the city council. It's been updated to include the new council members.
The phone number for the city council is still 826-5991.
The email addresses for the elected officials can be found by clicking on the individual council members which will take you to their biographies. Also on the page, is a search tool if you don't know who your council member is. Just enter your address and it will take you to your representatives page.
The current email addresses are as follows:
Mike Gardner-Ward One: mgardner@riversideca.gov
Andrew Melendrez-Ward Two: asmelendrez@riversideca.gov
William "Rusty" Bailey-Ward Three: rbailey@riversideca.gov
Frank Schiavone-Ward Four: fschiavone@riversideca.gov
Chris MacArthur-Ward Five: cmacarthur@riversideca.gov
Nancy Hart-Ward Six: nhart@riversideca.gov
Steve Adams-Ward Seven: sadams@riversideca.gov
Under the current ward representation system, you are assigned one council member who represents that ward and if you are a registered voter, you can participate in that process of selection every four years. For now, all city council members are only elected by registered voters in their respective wards but some individuals on the dais want to change that to make all runoff elections citywide and if they have their way, there will be an initiative on a ballot at a city election coming to you in the next several years.
You don't have to limit your correspondence with only your city council representative but can contact any of them or all of them on an issue. And even if all of them respond to your concerns or questions on an issue listed on a meeting agenda, it's not a violation of the "serial meeting" provision of the Brown Act as one elected official apparently believes, unless four or more of them hold a discussion on it in any venue outside the meeting.
Most elected officials any place will prioritize their correspondence time towards their own constituents, which is understandable. However, many of them will also be happy to discuss issues with you. You might establish a rapport with an elected official for a particular issue even though this individual is not your elected representative especially for example, at the subcommittee level.
I've found that I've spent more time and energy talking or corresponding to other elected officials besides my own city council representative. I've learned that I can disagree with these individuals without them acting out in public. They don't take disagreements personally, saving them as ammunition to use later. The fact is, you can't always pick your elected official but that person is still your representative and it's always hopeful that they can survive a disagreement on an issue without throwing a snit. I had some really good, thoughtful and informative discussions with my council member but I'm not sure that I can trust him or them any more in terms of being based on anything that's honest. I'm not even sure who exactly it was that I've been conversing with. I guess I know now.
However, if he's indeed such an ethical person and I'm apparently not, then naturally there's not much point for future discussion. He'll be worried about how he looks associating with such a bad unethical, possibly even "racist" person like myself and I'll be worried that whatever disagreement we have on an issue will be thrown in my face in public down the line with the intent to humiliate me because he's really upset about something else.
Will I miss that discourse? Yes, but life goes on and so does politics in Riverside. Never a dull moment indeed with even a local politician's negative commentaries opening some pretty good discussions on civic issues out in the communities.
You don't have to speak at meetings. But if you do, here's one tip off the top. Every speaker at the podium needs an audience to establish eye contact with and the best people to look at especially if it's the first meeting you are speaking at, are Mayor Ron Loveridge and Councilman Andrew Melendrez. These two are the ones on the dais who at least with the old city council, were the best at least in terms of looking as if they were paying attention but the newer members were very attentive at last week's meeting and provided a rather interesting and startling contrast to several of those who've been on the dais longer.
They aren't usually conversing with their neighbors, flipping through papers, looking at palm pilots, leaving or doing the eyeball roll which several others have down to an exact science. In fact, if there's ever a City Council Olympic Games where elected officials put their skills in competition with one another, the eyeball rolling match could be a sold-out event along with the ceiling tile counting contest. Simply focus your eye contact on the city council members who don't look like they wish they were anywhere else but listening to the public and project your voice well, because some times the microphone can be a bit tricky. If they ever do as the resident who spoke last week suggested and shut it off entirely, then simply amplify your voice in a respectful manner so that you can be heard.
If you feel like even though you're being courteous and respectful and are still not being treated that way, then one suggestion is to contact the following organizations:
California First Amendment Coalition
Californians Aware
ACLU Southern California
That chapter of the ACLU is hearing complaints from people in Riverside and paying attention to the higher volume it has been receiving in several different civil rights areas. They've taken on the position of trying to ensure that people in this city have the right to circulate petitions to put issues on the local election ballots without being SLAPPed, looking into the city attorney's interpretation that PC 832.7 prohibits any general statistical information to be released by the Internal Affairs Division of the police department to the public and other public participation issues.
The other two organizations focus their efforts on public participation in local government, especially through the enforcement of the Brown Act and the California Public Request Act. Any concerns that you have about how either is being enforced (or not) in Riverside, check out these sites. They include information to contact them and also for legal referrals.
Californians Aware is responsible for the recent audit of law enforcement agencies state-wide grading them on their enforcement of laws governing the release of police reports and other public information.
Speaking of this organization, it's audit on law enforcement agencies, part two is currently up here.
As you can see here, the Riverside Police Department which previously received a D+ grade has now received two updated grades. It received a failing score for legal compliance and a "C" for customer satisfaction.
Here is the actual audit report.
More to come on how all the Riverside County agencies fared this time around.
There's also a hefty consent calendar, including some high-ticket items. The consent calendar has expanded since back to the decision by the old city council on July 12, 2005 to bar the city's residents from pulling items from it for further discussion. The city council's defense as well as that given by individual council member's closest supporters is that you can lobby an elected representative to pull an item from that calendar. But whether they'll do it is still up to them and you might be competing with larger-scaled interest groups that want it to just pass quietly because for one thing, it might be their project. Some times as happened recently with the University Neighborhood Association with one item involving changes in code compliance's operations, a council member will promise to pull the item then reengage on that promise when he or she is on the dais being asked whether he or she wishes to pull an item.
What lies in the future for this particular issue? Not much, because even if there were enough city council members on the dais to vote to restore it, it would still get sent to Governmental Affairs Committee for future discussion and debate and there's no way that it would survive the process at the committee level to come back with support for the reinstatement. Another election cycle or two might change the dynamics to revisit the issue again.
Valencia Hill street will be closed off temporarily to stop its use as a shortcut to avoid the gridlocked traffic on Watkins, which is kind of serving as an unofficial interstate highway. After six months, an evaluation will be conducted on this measure to see whether the barricades will remain there or be removed.
The University of California, Riverside which is one of the biggest players in local politics sent a letter, an unofficial amicus curae of sorts in support of this blockade. Impromptu cul de sacs may be the solution of the future for dealing with Riverside's considerable traffic issues as its growth and that of cities around it outstrips the progress of updating the city's street and traffic infrastructure to keep up.
Included in the brief report is the priority list of traffic projects in this city. Smack in the middle is a permanent solution to the Magnolia and Central quagmire or as some call it, the labyrinth of reckoning.
Speaking of gridlock, recently a party of sorts was thrown in celebration of the completion of a freeway renovation project.
Press Enterprise Columnist Dan Bernstein wrote about his experiences with the newly constructed part of the 91 freeway.
(excerpt)
I would've stayed for breakfast, but Riverside's MayorLuv asked me to serve as honorary roadkill as dignitary-packed trolleys took a ceremonial spin on the mile-long flyover. (This would be the only time in their storied history the trolleys carried more than one passenger.)
Sadly, a schedule conflict prevented me from making my roadkill debut. But before I left, Caltrans graciously hooked me up with Mike Bergevin, the engineer, and off we went in his truck. Destination: the Riverside Squeeze flyover.
Despite such pedestrian concerns as costs and delays, the topmost flyover on the Riverside Squeeze will instantly become one of the Seven Wonders of the Empire. (The other six: the Mission Inn, Pharaoh's Lost Kingdom, the Parent Navel Orange Tree, the Columbian Mammoth overlooking Highway 60, the Robert A. Nelson Transfer Station, and the Festival of Lights ice-skating rink.)
"experiences with the newly constructed part of the 91 freeway.
In Corona, police officers there hosted a Christmas gathering for local kids, according to the Press Enterprise.
(excerpt)
Sergio was one of more than 1,300 boys and girls to receive a present from police at the event held at the Corona Police Athletic League headquarters and Sheridan Park.
"It not only warms their hearts," said Patton. "It warms police officer's hearts too."
More than 3,000 adults and children who attended received a free lunch. Many of the children took in the petting zoo in Sheridan Park that included an Aldabra tortoise, estimated to be more than 400 years old, and a zebu, a type of cattle from India.
The day was a learning experience for 22 police sergeants from around California who are part of a leadership class taught by Corona City Councilman Stan Skipworth, a captain on the Cal State Long Beach University force.
The sergeants observed Corona Chief Richard Gonzales cooking hot dogs and Officer Pam Buchanan and dispatcher Jamie Roe --dressed as elves -- handing presents to Santa, who in turn handed them out to children.
Sgt. Eric Heichlinger, of Folsom, said, "I think what's neat is this neighborhood used to be a big problem. Now, it's a tidy little neighborhood."
Does the KidZone museum in Hemet have a future?
In Riverside, it didn't but the people in Hemet are trying to save it. Kids museum closures are rare, experts say, and attendance to the museum has been increasing.
(excerpt, Press Enterprise)
A few weeks ago, KidZone officials announced that they would be closing the museum Dec. 31, citing severe financial problems. About a week later, after issuing a public plea for help and after people stepped up to give money, the KidZone board announced that the museum would stay open. However, a permanent funding solution has yet to be found.
"I'm describing the situation as exciting," said Bobbie Christie, president of the KidZone board. Christie said the museum's brush with closure seems to have given its board a renewed sense of purpose.
"It's like a new breath of support from the community," she said.
Christie said the museum staff plans to pursue an array of activities to raise money to keep KidZone open, including seeking grants, staging fundraising events and just pleading for the public to donate money.
Some say KidZone officials must muster all their resolve and revise their way of doing business to get the museum over the hump.
"We are in tougher times than we were," said Bob Duistermars, president of the Central County United Way, which serves southwestern Riverside County. He said area nonprofits all are having to struggle and now must learn to live with less.
More information coming out of Bolingbrook in the wake of the disappearance of former Sgt. Drew Peterson's wife and the inquiry into the death of his third wife, Kathleen Savio, in 2004.
Fox News published an article which stated that Peterson gave $250,000 to one of his sons within a week of his wife, Stacey's disappearance.
(excerpt)
Sources said Drew Peterson, 58, transferred to Steve Peterson nearly $250,000 from several bank accounts, including joint accounts he held with his wife. He reportedly wrote as many as six checks, with one for more than $150,000, investigators said.
Drew Peterson declined to comment but his attorney, Joel Brodsky, said, "I’m sure if that’s true, and I don’t even know whether or not it is, I’m sure that there are legitimate reasons for it."
One legal expert said the former Bolingbrook, Ill., police sergeant may be trying to protect his assets in case he is sued..
In the Chicago Sun-Times, cell phone records have led to a renewal of the search in the canal after Peterson was placed in that vicinity during a phone call to one of his wife's relatives.
(excerpt)
The sister-in-law, Cassandra Cales, has said she called Drew Peterson's cell phone about 11 p.m. Oct. 28. Cales said Peterson sounded out of breath and that he said he was at his home. But Cales said she was outside his house and that he was not there.
"When Cassandra called Drew's phone, it pinged near that area," the source said.
The search of the canal floor, however, does not seem to be achieving much, other than removing abandoned cars from the waterway, said a police source involved in the investigation.
"I think they're just trying to show they looked, she's not in there, and move on to the next location," the source said.
In the Chicago Tribune, a minister is denying he had any ties to Stacey and called Peterson's attorneys comments stating otherwise, slanderous.
(excerpt)
On Monday, Schori told Fox News' Greta Van Susteren that Stacy Peterson had confided to him in August that her husband killed Savio. Brodsky appeared the next day on MSNBC with host Dan Abrams and said he'd "heard rumors that there was some connection" between Stacy Peterson and Schori. Brodsky later said his client was the one who told him that.
This week, Schori responded with a written statement that said: "The ... accusations made by Mr. Brodsky are completely unfounded. It would be wise for Mr. Brodsky to immediately retract his statement." Schori said Friday he's not surprised there was a backlash after his interview on Fox.
"It's expected, but it's hurtful still," he said, adding that he wishes the focus would be on finding Stacy Peterson. "I'm just praying somehow that she is alive, especially at Christmas time. This isn't just a story. This is huge. It's a missing mom, and her kids need her.
It's a pretty packed meeting with three discussion items and four presentations including one that Mayor Ron Loveridge is doing on the sister city of Sendai, Japan. It might run long, pushing happy hour back in a couple of hangouts across town and you'd better bring your comfortable shoes so you can settle in for the evening.
If you watch at home, the comfortable shoes advice still applies. Since there's no split screen to show you city residents speaking and how the city council members react, similar to what is used on televised award shows including the Oscars, you'll have to content yourselves to receiving one side of the interaction. You can talk about it, but if you do, be prepared to stand back.
More conversations took place this weekend regarding my allegedly having no ethics or something like that according to Councilman Frank Schiavone but what came out of quite a few discussions as it has in the past is that many people don't know how to contact their elected officials at City Hall so this posting will be dedicated to providing this information.
I've chosen to look at that episode with a glass half-full and if Schiavone hadn't acted out in the way he did like a five-year-old child, I would have never had these conversations this past week and received even more reminders of how more accessible city council needs to become for the city residents who all pay for it, during an era when it seems that the emphasis is moving in the opposite direction. If Schiavone's hope was to stop my interest in city government, he's not succeeded in his efforts. What he's done probably inadvertently, was open up many opportunities to dialogue with people who have walked up after watching that and other meetings to express concerns and ask questions about civic issues. I am very thankful to him for providing these opportunities.
A couple individuals weren't even sure that city council meetings are public. Yes they are, anyone can attend. Some times it just doesn't feel that way because the sad thing is, that unless you're there to stroke egos or agree on everything, some of them don't really want you there. But others can handle it much better and a couple will thank you for expressing your opinion even if it was in disagreement.
However, that's all the more important reason to show up because it's your government too. City Hall isn't a country club at least not yet. But given that its basement housed at least one private business according to media coverage stemming from a county grand jury investigation, who knows what the future holds?
If you can't attend meetings or just want to contact your elected official on an issue, the city's Web site has this page on the city council. It's been updated to include the new council members.
The phone number for the city council is still 826-5991.
The email addresses for the elected officials can be found by clicking on the individual council members which will take you to their biographies. Also on the page, is a search tool if you don't know who your council member is. Just enter your address and it will take you to your representatives page.
The current email addresses are as follows:
Mike Gardner-Ward One: mgardner@riversideca.gov
Andrew Melendrez-Ward Two: asmelendrez@riversideca.gov
William "Rusty" Bailey-Ward Three: rbailey@riversideca.gov
Frank Schiavone-Ward Four: fschiavone@riversideca.gov
Chris MacArthur-Ward Five: cmacarthur@riversideca.gov
Nancy Hart-Ward Six: nhart@riversideca.gov
Steve Adams-Ward Seven: sadams@riversideca.gov
Under the current ward representation system, you are assigned one council member who represents that ward and if you are a registered voter, you can participate in that process of selection every four years. For now, all city council members are only elected by registered voters in their respective wards but some individuals on the dais want to change that to make all runoff elections citywide and if they have their way, there will be an initiative on a ballot at a city election coming to you in the next several years.
You don't have to limit your correspondence with only your city council representative but can contact any of them or all of them on an issue. And even if all of them respond to your concerns or questions on an issue listed on a meeting agenda, it's not a violation of the "serial meeting" provision of the Brown Act as one elected official apparently believes, unless four or more of them hold a discussion on it in any venue outside the meeting.
Most elected officials any place will prioritize their correspondence time towards their own constituents, which is understandable. However, many of them will also be happy to discuss issues with you. You might establish a rapport with an elected official for a particular issue even though this individual is not your elected representative especially for example, at the subcommittee level.
I've found that I've spent more time and energy talking or corresponding to other elected officials besides my own city council representative. I've learned that I can disagree with these individuals without them acting out in public. They don't take disagreements personally, saving them as ammunition to use later. The fact is, you can't always pick your elected official but that person is still your representative and it's always hopeful that they can survive a disagreement on an issue without throwing a snit. I had some really good, thoughtful and informative discussions with my council member but I'm not sure that I can trust him or them any more in terms of being based on anything that's honest. I'm not even sure who exactly it was that I've been conversing with. I guess I know now.
However, if he's indeed such an ethical person and I'm apparently not, then naturally there's not much point for future discussion. He'll be worried about how he looks associating with such a bad unethical, possibly even "racist" person like myself and I'll be worried that whatever disagreement we have on an issue will be thrown in my face in public down the line with the intent to humiliate me because he's really upset about something else.
Will I miss that discourse? Yes, but life goes on and so does politics in Riverside. Never a dull moment indeed with even a local politician's negative commentaries opening some pretty good discussions on civic issues out in the communities.
You don't have to speak at meetings. But if you do, here's one tip off the top. Every speaker at the podium needs an audience to establish eye contact with and the best people to look at especially if it's the first meeting you are speaking at, are Mayor Ron Loveridge and Councilman Andrew Melendrez. These two are the ones on the dais who at least with the old city council, were the best at least in terms of looking as if they were paying attention but the newer members were very attentive at last week's meeting and provided a rather interesting and startling contrast to several of those who've been on the dais longer.
They aren't usually conversing with their neighbors, flipping through papers, looking at palm pilots, leaving or doing the eyeball roll which several others have down to an exact science. In fact, if there's ever a City Council Olympic Games where elected officials put their skills in competition with one another, the eyeball rolling match could be a sold-out event along with the ceiling tile counting contest. Simply focus your eye contact on the city council members who don't look like they wish they were anywhere else but listening to the public and project your voice well, because some times the microphone can be a bit tricky. If they ever do as the resident who spoke last week suggested and shut it off entirely, then simply amplify your voice in a respectful manner so that you can be heard.
If you feel like even though you're being courteous and respectful and are still not being treated that way, then one suggestion is to contact the following organizations:
California First Amendment Coalition
Californians Aware
ACLU Southern California
That chapter of the ACLU is hearing complaints from people in Riverside and paying attention to the higher volume it has been receiving in several different civil rights areas. They've taken on the position of trying to ensure that people in this city have the right to circulate petitions to put issues on the local election ballots without being SLAPPed, looking into the city attorney's interpretation that PC 832.7 prohibits any general statistical information to be released by the Internal Affairs Division of the police department to the public and other public participation issues.
The other two organizations focus their efforts on public participation in local government, especially through the enforcement of the Brown Act and the California Public Request Act. Any concerns that you have about how either is being enforced (or not) in Riverside, check out these sites. They include information to contact them and also for legal referrals.
Californians Aware is responsible for the recent audit of law enforcement agencies state-wide grading them on their enforcement of laws governing the release of police reports and other public information.
Speaking of this organization, it's audit on law enforcement agencies, part two is currently up here.
As you can see here, the Riverside Police Department which previously received a D+ grade has now received two updated grades. It received a failing score for legal compliance and a "C" for customer satisfaction.
Here is the actual audit report.
More to come on how all the Riverside County agencies fared this time around.
There's also a hefty consent calendar, including some high-ticket items. The consent calendar has expanded since back to the decision by the old city council on July 12, 2005 to bar the city's residents from pulling items from it for further discussion. The city council's defense as well as that given by individual council member's closest supporters is that you can lobby an elected representative to pull an item from that calendar. But whether they'll do it is still up to them and you might be competing with larger-scaled interest groups that want it to just pass quietly because for one thing, it might be their project. Some times as happened recently with the University Neighborhood Association with one item involving changes in code compliance's operations, a council member will promise to pull the item then reengage on that promise when he or she is on the dais being asked whether he or she wishes to pull an item.
What lies in the future for this particular issue? Not much, because even if there were enough city council members on the dais to vote to restore it, it would still get sent to Governmental Affairs Committee for future discussion and debate and there's no way that it would survive the process at the committee level to come back with support for the reinstatement. Another election cycle or two might change the dynamics to revisit the issue again.
Valencia Hill street will be closed off temporarily to stop its use as a shortcut to avoid the gridlocked traffic on Watkins, which is kind of serving as an unofficial interstate highway. After six months, an evaluation will be conducted on this measure to see whether the barricades will remain there or be removed.
The University of California, Riverside which is one of the biggest players in local politics sent a letter, an unofficial amicus curae of sorts in support of this blockade. Impromptu cul de sacs may be the solution of the future for dealing with Riverside's considerable traffic issues as its growth and that of cities around it outstrips the progress of updating the city's street and traffic infrastructure to keep up.
Included in the brief report is the priority list of traffic projects in this city. Smack in the middle is a permanent solution to the Magnolia and Central quagmire or as some call it, the labyrinth of reckoning.
Speaking of gridlock, recently a party of sorts was thrown in celebration of the completion of a freeway renovation project.
Press Enterprise Columnist Dan Bernstein wrote about his experiences with the newly constructed part of the 91 freeway.
(excerpt)
I would've stayed for breakfast, but Riverside's MayorLuv asked me to serve as honorary roadkill as dignitary-packed trolleys took a ceremonial spin on the mile-long flyover. (This would be the only time in their storied history the trolleys carried more than one passenger.)
Sadly, a schedule conflict prevented me from making my roadkill debut. But before I left, Caltrans graciously hooked me up with Mike Bergevin, the engineer, and off we went in his truck. Destination: the Riverside Squeeze flyover.
Despite such pedestrian concerns as costs and delays, the topmost flyover on the Riverside Squeeze will instantly become one of the Seven Wonders of the Empire. (The other six: the Mission Inn, Pharaoh's Lost Kingdom, the Parent Navel Orange Tree, the Columbian Mammoth overlooking Highway 60, the Robert A. Nelson Transfer Station, and the Festival of Lights ice-skating rink.)
"experiences with the newly constructed part of the 91 freeway.
In Corona, police officers there hosted a Christmas gathering for local kids, according to the Press Enterprise.
(excerpt)
Sergio was one of more than 1,300 boys and girls to receive a present from police at the event held at the Corona Police Athletic League headquarters and Sheridan Park.
"It not only warms their hearts," said Patton. "It warms police officer's hearts too."
More than 3,000 adults and children who attended received a free lunch. Many of the children took in the petting zoo in Sheridan Park that included an Aldabra tortoise, estimated to be more than 400 years old, and a zebu, a type of cattle from India.
The day was a learning experience for 22 police sergeants from around California who are part of a leadership class taught by Corona City Councilman Stan Skipworth, a captain on the Cal State Long Beach University force.
The sergeants observed Corona Chief Richard Gonzales cooking hot dogs and Officer Pam Buchanan and dispatcher Jamie Roe --dressed as elves -- handing presents to Santa, who in turn handed them out to children.
Sgt. Eric Heichlinger, of Folsom, said, "I think what's neat is this neighborhood used to be a big problem. Now, it's a tidy little neighborhood."
Does the KidZone museum in Hemet have a future?
In Riverside, it didn't but the people in Hemet are trying to save it. Kids museum closures are rare, experts say, and attendance to the museum has been increasing.
(excerpt, Press Enterprise)
A few weeks ago, KidZone officials announced that they would be closing the museum Dec. 31, citing severe financial problems. About a week later, after issuing a public plea for help and after people stepped up to give money, the KidZone board announced that the museum would stay open. However, a permanent funding solution has yet to be found.
"I'm describing the situation as exciting," said Bobbie Christie, president of the KidZone board. Christie said the museum's brush with closure seems to have given its board a renewed sense of purpose.
"It's like a new breath of support from the community," she said.
Christie said the museum staff plans to pursue an array of activities to raise money to keep KidZone open, including seeking grants, staging fundraising events and just pleading for the public to donate money.
Some say KidZone officials must muster all their resolve and revise their way of doing business to get the museum over the hump.
"We are in tougher times than we were," said Bob Duistermars, president of the Central County United Way, which serves southwestern Riverside County. He said area nonprofits all are having to struggle and now must learn to live with less.
More information coming out of Bolingbrook in the wake of the disappearance of former Sgt. Drew Peterson's wife and the inquiry into the death of his third wife, Kathleen Savio, in 2004.
Fox News published an article which stated that Peterson gave $250,000 to one of his sons within a week of his wife, Stacey's disappearance.
(excerpt)
Sources said Drew Peterson, 58, transferred to Steve Peterson nearly $250,000 from several bank accounts, including joint accounts he held with his wife. He reportedly wrote as many as six checks, with one for more than $150,000, investigators said.
Drew Peterson declined to comment but his attorney, Joel Brodsky, said, "I’m sure if that’s true, and I don’t even know whether or not it is, I’m sure that there are legitimate reasons for it."
One legal expert said the former Bolingbrook, Ill., police sergeant may be trying to protect his assets in case he is sued..
In the Chicago Sun-Times, cell phone records have led to a renewal of the search in the canal after Peterson was placed in that vicinity during a phone call to one of his wife's relatives.
(excerpt)
The sister-in-law, Cassandra Cales, has said she called Drew Peterson's cell phone about 11 p.m. Oct. 28. Cales said Peterson sounded out of breath and that he said he was at his home. But Cales said she was outside his house and that he was not there.
"When Cassandra called Drew's phone, it pinged near that area," the source said.
The search of the canal floor, however, does not seem to be achieving much, other than removing abandoned cars from the waterway, said a police source involved in the investigation.
"I think they're just trying to show they looked, she's not in there, and move on to the next location," the source said.
In the Chicago Tribune, a minister is denying he had any ties to Stacey and called Peterson's attorneys comments stating otherwise, slanderous.
(excerpt)
On Monday, Schori told Fox News' Greta Van Susteren that Stacy Peterson had confided to him in August that her husband killed Savio. Brodsky appeared the next day on MSNBC with host Dan Abrams and said he'd "heard rumors that there was some connection" between Stacy Peterson and Schori. Brodsky later said his client was the one who told him that.
This week, Schori responded with a written statement that said: "The ... accusations made by Mr. Brodsky are completely unfounded. It would be wise for Mr. Brodsky to immediately retract his statement." Schori said Friday he's not surprised there was a backlash after his interview on Fox.
"It's expected, but it's hurtful still," he said, adding that he wishes the focus would be on finding Stacy Peterson. "I'm just praying somehow that she is alive, especially at Christmas time. This isn't just a story. This is huge. It's a missing mom, and her kids need her.
Labels: battering while blue, business as usual, City Hall 101, public forums in all places
posted by Five Before Midnight | 10:57 AM
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