Pedalling 100 Miles for Leukemia & Lymphoma

Here is a message from friend and fellow professional land surveyor, Teri Kahlen, PLS. 

Hello Friends and Family,

Welcome to my Team In Training Webpage.

As most of you know I have a passion for challenges and a love for cycling. What you may not remember was my first 100 mile bike ride with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training in 2003 when my cycling friend was diagnosed with Lymphoma. I joined this wonderful organization to raise money to help find cures and more effective treatments for blood cancers.

I’m improving the quality of my life by participating and with your support; I can help improve the quality of life for patients and their families as well. …. Since 2003 I have completed two other century bike rides and a hiking adventure down the Grand Canyon with Team In Training. I have made many friends along the way and am so grateful for the opportunity to help in a cause I believe in. Thank you all for your past support.

This year I am training to participate in another 100 mile bike ride. This is an epic ride around Lake Tahoe in both Nevada and California. It includes a challenging 800 foot climb to a rest stop overlooking Emerald Bay and a 1,000 foot climb to Spooner Junction. It includes an out and back on Highway 89/ Bike Trail to visit historic Truckee, California, before continuing around the lake. There are also many short rolling ascents and descents totaling over 2,600 vertical feet of elevation gain! The altitude ranges between 6,300 feet and 7,100 feet above sea level.

This is a very difficult ride with training beginning in February and continuing every Saturday for four months. This doesn’t seem like much compared to all the individuals who are battling blood cancers.

Whatever you give counts!

On behalf of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, thank you very much for your support. I greatly appreciate your generosity.

Teri Kahlen

If you have it in your heart and wallet to donate, please do!  Here is the link to her donation page:
http://pages.teamintraining.org/ocie/ambbr12/tkahlenavc

Supreme Court Rules on Challenges To the State's Plan to Dissolve Redevelopment Agencies

(From http://www.courts.ca.gov/16345.htm)

Court Decides the State Has the Authority to Dissolve Redevelopment Agencies but Does Not Have the Authority to Condition Their Continued Existence on Required Payments

San Francisco — Resolving challenges filed by the California Redevelopment Association, the League of California Cities, and the cities of San Jose and Union City, the California Supreme Court today upheld the constitutionality of Assembly Bill 1X 26, which dissolves redevelopment agencies and redirects their property tax revenues, and struck down Assembly Bill 1X 27, which would have allowed redevelopment agencies to continue to operate, but only if they opted in on a plan that required annual payments.

On July 18, the California Redevelopment Association and the League of California Cities filed a petition asking the court to overturn both Assembly Bill 1X 26 and Assembly Bill 1X 27.  On August 11, the court agreed to hear the lawsuit and issued a partial stay of various provisions of both bills and to issue a decision before January 15, 2012.  The court expedited briefing and argument on the matter and held oral argument on November 10.

In a majority opinion authored by Associate Justice Kathryn M. Werdegar, the court upheld the enactment of Assembly Bill 1X 26, dissolving redevelopment agencies and redirecting their property tax revenues.  The court explained that, because the Legislature had the authority to create redevelopment agencies, it also had the corollary power to dissolve them.  The court noted that although Proposition 22, as enacted by the voters in 2010, amended the state Constitution to impose additional limits on the state's fiscal powers, nothing in that initiative or other parts of the state Constitution guaranteed the continued existence of redevelopment agencies.

The majority, however, held that Assembly Bill 1X 27 was unconstitutional because it conditioned the ability of redevelopment agencies to conduct new business on agreeing to an annual payment plan based on a portion of property tax revenues allocated to redevelopment agencies.  The court explained that this opt-in plan violated Proposition 22 because that measure arose in opposition to similar past legislation and was intended to preclude further required payments based on redevelopment agency property tax revenues.

The majority opinion by Justice Werdegar was signed by Associate Justices Joyce L. Kennard, Marvin R. Baxter, Ming W. Chin, Carol A. Corrigan, and Goodwin Liu.

Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye joined the majority opinion upholding Assembly Bill 1X 26, but dissented with respect to the conclusion that Assembly Bill AB 1X 27 was unconstitutional.

The Chief Justice observed that neither Proposition 22's history nor its express language appeared to prohibit the opt-in payment plan created by Assembly Bill 1X 27.  The dissenting opinion noted that it appeared the Legislature had carefully drafted Assembly Bill 1X 27 so as not to violate Proposition 22 by allowing the annual payment to come from any local revenue source and not specifically redevelopment agency funds, which Proposition 22 expressly protects.  The Chief Justice concluded that Assembly Bill 1X 27 does not facially conflict with the state Constitution and further noted that the parties presented no evidence that the measure would actually violate the state constitution in practice.

The court unanimously reformed Assembly Bill 1X 26, which had been largely stayed during the pendency of this action, by extending its various deadlines by four months.

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To read all of AB 1X 26, click HERE or go to http://leginfo.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/asm/ab_0001-0050/abx1_26_bill_20110629_chaptered.html.

To read all of AB 1X 27, click HERE or go to http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/asm/ab_0001-0050/abx1_27_bill_20110629_chaptered.html.

Need Help Keeping Up To Date With City Hall and Your City?

If you want to know what's happening in Fullerton, one source to consider is the Focus on Fullerton newsletter.  You can subscribe through the City's eLists service by clicking HERE or at https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/CAFULLERTON/subscriber/new. 
Click HERE for the latest Focus on Fullerton.

Fullerton PD Shares Recent Police Activities

In what I think is a concerted effort by the Fullerton Police Department to share information, here are three recent FPD stories you may not have heard.  The first two are from FPD Press Releases while the third is an update from Acting Chief Dan Hughes.

On a side note, I have been criticized for my support of the Fullerton Police Department's efforts to rid the City of graffiti.  It seems some believe that tagging and vandalism are minor crimes not worthy of policing.  What many are forgetting is that this effort to to gain the upper hand on taggers is was initiated by the residents of West Fullerton.  They insisted that the FPD take these costly crimes seriously which they have.  I appreciate city leaders who listen to and respond to the residents.  Acting Chief Dan Hughes is doing everything he can to put uniforms on Fullerton's streets including placing himself on patrol in an effort to give residents the level of service they are demanding.  Until someone can prove otherwise, I believe the effort is genuine and commendable, especially considering the current state of the Police Department left in the wake of the invisible Chief Sellers and a culture of corruption reminiscent of LAPD's Rampart scandal courtesy of retired FPD chief turned council member, Pat McKinley.

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Subject: Police find marijuana plants in home where put bull attacked 2-year-old

Contact: Sgt. Andrew Goodrich, Fullerton Police Department    (714) 738-6838

Police and paramedics responded to a residence in the 2500 block of Larkwood last night (Dec 26) regarding a pit bull who had bitten a 2-year-old child at a home.

Fullerton Police Sgt. Andrew Goodrich said that the mother ran to a nearby neighbor with her 2 year old son and asked the neighbor to call the paramedics. Fullerton Fire responded, treated the toddler, and transported him to an area trauma center. While at the hospital, the victim was treated for a 7” laceration on his head.

The mother was house sitting for a friend, and does not live at the residence. She stepped outside the room for a moment, and then heard growling and a scream from her child. When she ran back into the room, she saw the dog standing over her child, and the child bleeding from the head.

Animal Control responded and took custody of the dog, a pit bull terrier. While searching the house for the dog, officers found a significant quantity of marijuana growing and being processed inside. The homeowner was contacted, and no arrests have been made.

Detectives are investigating both the marijuana cultivation and the possible child endangerment.

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Subject: Police arrest man in interrupted burglary case after pursuit
Contact: Sgt. Andrew Goodrich, Fullerton Police Department    (714) 738-6838

Police arrested a man for residential burglary today (Dec 27) after a vehicle pursuit that started in Fullerton and ended in La Mirada. Two suspects are still outstanding.

Fullerton Police Sgt. Andrew Goodrich said that at about 12:30pm, a 12-year-old home alone called the police after three suspects entered his house, thinking no one was home. The suspects first knocked on the door, and the 12-year-old didn’t respond because he didn’t know the people. When it appeared no one was home, the suspects went into the back yard, and entered from the rear.

With the 12-year-old still on the line with dispatchers, officers responded with lights and sirens to the residence. The suspects fled in their car just as officers arrived.

Officers began chasing the suspects, who collided with a car at the intersection of Gilbert and Malvern. The suspects continued westbound on Malvern, eventually crashing into a fire hydrant in La Mirada, near

La Mirada Blvd.

and Imperial Hwy. Officers’ set-up a perimeter to search for the suspects, and eventually located Deon William Oden, 23, from Los Angeles. Oden was booked at the Fullerton Jail for burglary, felony evading, felony hit & run, and other charges.

“This method of residential burglary, sometimes referred to as “knock-knock bandits”, is becoming more common. We want to remind residents that depending upon the situation, advising someone who is at your door that you are home without opening the door is something people should consider”, said Fullerton Police Captain Dan Hughes.

The two other suspects are still outstanding. They are described as a black female in her 30s, and the other is a black male.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call Detective Michael Hines at (714) 773-5765, or the front desk of the Fullerton Police Department at (714) 738-6716.

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Last week FPD arrested Eric Avina, 19 yr old from Fullerton, for possession of vandalism implements. Avina is on probation and has been identified as “REKS” of the LFL tagging crew.  “REKS” has been very active on the west side of town and FPD is working with his probation officer in an effort to obtain a significant jail sentence for a violation of his probation.  A juvenile with the moniker of “RATE” or “RATER” was also arrested last week for vandalism, possession of vandalism tools, and possession of stolen property. Detective Bolden observed the juvenile placing “slappies” on several signs and the suspect was in possession of more than 20 U.S. Postal mail stickers that were going to be placed on various properties.

"I believe we are making some significant progress with this tagging crew," said Acting Chief Dan Hughes. "We are committed to relentlessly pursuing these individuals until their behavior stops."