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Husband Barricades Home; Arrested

    A man barricaded himself in his house Friday evening after his wife left the residence and called police from the Shops at Mission Viejo, according to a Sheriff’s spokesperson.  The wife reported her husband had been drinking, and assaulted and threatened to kill her.

    About 25 officers responded, including a SWAT team. The 47-year-old man remained in the home until 10:30 pm when he peacefully surrended.   He was being held at the Theo Lacy Jail pending bail of $20,000.

    The incident occurred in the 25600 block of Pacific Crest Drive, northeast of the Oso/Marguerite intersection.

Track Finals: Pedrogo Wins Hurdles; McNanny Tops Pole Vaulters

    Mission Viejo’s track and field teams produced six finalists and two champions at Saturdays CIF finals. 

    Diablo Devalle Pedrogo won the 100 meter hurdles and teammate Sean McNanny was champ in the pole vault.  Mission’s sprinter Joey Branker took 4th in the 100 meters and 3rd in the 200 meters.  James Cameron finished 7th in the 1600 meters.

    Trabuco Hills placed 4th in the 1600 meters.  Chad Rozean was 6th in the 400 meters for Trabuco, and Michael Miela came in 5th in the 110 meter hurdles for the Mustangs.

Baseball Playoffs: Matzek Yanked After 4 No-Hit Innings

    Capo Valley defeated Long Beach Wilson 8-4 in the first round of the CIF baseball playoffs.  They will next face Orange Lutheran.

    Tyler Maztek was pulled from the game after pitching four no-hit innings and leading 4-0.  He had struck out six and thrown only 38 pitches, but now will be able to throw against Lutheran on Tuesday.

    “I’d rather win CIF than get a no-hitter,” he told the Times.

Youth Casino Night

    The youth members of the City’s Community of Character Committee are sponsoring a Casino Night for other young people next week.  Does it seem for a moment there is a paradox between vice and virtue in that announcement?

    Perhaps the ends justify the means, however, since the event is a fundraiser for the Cancer Society’s Relay for Life charity.

   The casino event is geared toward eighth graders and older and will include poker, blackjack, bunco and other popular games along with prizes, snacks and much more. Adults are welcome. Admission is $10 and includes playing chips and snacks.  The fun happens May 29 from 6:30 to 10 pm.

    The gig will take place at City Hall.

Water Spikes 57% Over Next 3 Years

    Yesterday the Moulton Water District Trustees approved a price increase that will step prices up over the next three years.  The action will result in a $20 monthly hike in the average residential bill.  The Santa Margarita District is expected to approve similar increases at its meeting on July 8.

    On June 1 the average Moulton bill will surge from $37 to $43, or 16%.  On June 1 of 2010 and 2011 another $7, and then $8, will be imposed, respectively.  The raises amount to 57% inflation in water rates over the three year period.

    Last month the District also announced water use restrictions effective June 1 as part of its ‘Level 2’ shortage alert.  MV residents can irrigate yards only on Monday, Thursday and Saturday before 10 am or after 5 pm for periods not to exceed 15 minutes.  The rules prohibit washing driveways or other paved surfaces and ban washing vehicles unless by bucket or with a hose equipped with a positive water shut-off nozzle.

Letter: MV Residents Donate 5 Tons Of Food

Mission Viejo residents donated 10,000 pounds of food—five tons—for the National Letter Carriers Food Drive on May 9. I got this total from no better source than my own carrier, who was proud of the accomplishment.

The US Postal Service, postmasters and carriers worked extra hard, and the general public also responded equally to the increased need for donations in the recession. The sponsoring Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County collected about 300,000 pounds of food through the mail carriers—150 tons. That was 60,000 pounds more than the prior year, a 20-percent increase. Based on population, Mission Viejo’s contribution was right on target with the county haul.

With the recession and high gas prices affecting everyone, people were more generous in realizing that the working poor, seniors on fixed income and the unemployed middle class were in greater need than every for food. The Register frequently reported on this growing need coupled with declining receipt of overstock from grocery stores, food manufacturers and government surplus.

While the federal government is expanding its social net, the American public replied loudly and clearly on May 9, “We can take care of our own.”

For the last year I have been one of thousands of volunteers at Second Harvest, which supports 400 civic and religious organizations that distribute the food directly to the needy. For more information, go to www.feedoc.org.

Allan Pilger

Letter: Oso Trail: “Can Barely Find Words”

I am so dissapointed in this decision I can barely find words.  I find the whole point of the Oso Creek Trail is to “escape” from the street traffic and to provide a small respite from the suburban sprawl that encroaches on our daily life – even in beautiful Mission Viejo.  I have, much to my dismay, a very limited knowledge of how our city government makes decisions, but I hope that they are able to reconsider this issue and keep the trail pure and simple without the blight these giant kisoks would bring.  I understand that the prospect of a grant is enticing – but at what cost to our beautiful city?  I urge the council to reconsider.  Sometimes simple is best.

Kim Baley

Commissioners Disappoint Naturalists On Oso Trail

    Let’s say the federal government offers to put a 13-foot tall monument in your backyard.  They’ll pay $50,000 of the $60,000 cost if you’ll contribute $10,000.  The height and nature of the design can’t be changed, and the structure may conflict with the natural setting, but you can place information on the monument describing the foliage in your yard or post other self-congratulatory information for guests to peruse.  Deal?

    Commissioners took the deal Monday, on behalf of taxpayers, by approving the installation of the controversial 13-foot tall ‘kiosks’ in MV’s backyard, Oso Creek Trail.  The vote was 6-1. 

    The City Council approved the kiosks last month but then ran into unhappy feedback from some residents who use the trail.  At a subsequent meeting the Council decided to refer the matter to the Community Services Commission, with Mayor Ury hinting something smaller might be more acceptable.   

    Chairman Brian Skalsky, an appointee of Cathy Schlicht and himself a hiker, opposed the injection of the large structures into the natural setting on the Trail in Mission Viejo’s backyard.  “I felt the 13 ft signs were not appropriate for the area and a more scaled down size would be appropriate,” he said.  

    Business signs are limited to less than half that height in the commercial parts of town.

    Other Community Service Commissioners seemed swayed by staff’s opinion that the kiosks could not be redesigned, nor the money used for an alternate purpose, because the federal grant was predicated on a specific proposal and drawings.  They also didn’t want to give up the ‘free’ money.  The grant is for $285,000 and the City will ante up $40,000. [Thank ’em or Spank ’em]

SEC Charges MV Man For Stock Manipulation

    Today the Securities and Exchange Commission named Mission Viejo resident Jacob Canceli, 50, as one of eight defendants in a complaint for penny stock manipulation.  Canceli is a penny stock promoter.

    The ring of defendants allegedly reaped more than $6.2 million in illegal profits from the scheme in 2006-2007. The SEC says the strategy, labeled “pump-and-dump,” used various methods to create false impressions of demand for stock in specific companies. After artificially inflating the price, the defendants supposedly dumped shares they held on behalf of the issuing companies.  Canceli allegedly held 312 million of those shares in his account.

    In addition to the SEC complaint, the Delaware District attorney filed felony criminal charges against six of the men, including Canceli.

Letter: Life Was Simpler

When my little cousin (now 37 yrs old) sent me this article I couldn’t believe it! I used to work at Farrells (1979-1982) Ice Cream Parlour back in the ‘day’. What a place for a kid working his way through college to work at! The memories ALONE of a time in my life that was MUCH simpler with no worries and responsibilities are priceless. My biggest concerns in 1979 were to get that ‘ZOO’ over to table 41 before it melted. The hot fudge cake (wow!), the ‘Green River’ drink, the cheeseburgers and patty melts!

All their food was so, SO good that it was a mystery to me (and very dissappointing) how Farrells ever could’ve just dissappeared. So welcome back and thanks so much, Mr. Bob Farrell, for bringing back a piece of HISTORY! (at least Southern Californians think so!) I look forward to taking MY kids there very soon!

Maurice Quintero

Seven-Year Home Remodel Gets New Contractor

    The residents of the Mission Ridge neighborhood have complained repeatedly to City Hall for relief from the nuisance and eyesore of a home remodeling project they say has continued for seven years.   A large portion of the work was done without permits, including a full basement that was excavated under the existing structure. 

    The homeowner requested permission to build an 18-car underground garage a few months ago, but the application was denied by the Planning Commission and the City Council.  The home has above ground garages for 8 cars, according to neighbors, and the house has grown to over 9,000 square feet.

    The architect for the project told the City Council on Monday that the property owner is now doing modifications necessary to receive “as-built” permits.  The current owner purchased the home from a general contractor who initiated most of the work, then tried to complete unfinished plans for the buyer.  On Monday a new contractor told the Council the previous owner/contractor, Mr. Holt, had been told to leave the property.  Mr. Holt has lived at the property since the sale, and a neighbor reported seeing him still on the site. 

    The Council was also told the property owner, Mr. Le, may decide not to use the home as his family’s permanent residence, due to the turmoil in the neighborhood.  If Le tried to sell the property, given the history, it begs the question whether there would there be any potential buyers; perhaps the previous owner, Mr. Holt?

    The new contractor provided a timeline and assured the City the work would be completed by September, after Councilmember Kelley agendized the issue for consideration of legal remedies.  The Council instructed Staff to soon provide an inventory of work done at the property, and directed the City Attorney to review the legal issues involved. 

    Several neighbors asked the Council to put themselves in their shoes.  One woman invited the Council to stay at her adjacent home for five days to appreciate the nightmare nearby residents are experiencing.  The residents have expressed dissatisfaction with the Staff and Council for allowing the situation to continue for so long.  A well-known local real estate agent chided the council, saying that before the City was incorporated, the Mission Viejo Company would never have tolerated such behavior.

I Am Mission Viejo

I AM MISSION VIEJO is a photographic journey to all places that make up a student’s world. The exhibit will be displayed Wednesday, May 27, by the Trabuco Hills Photo Department in the MPR, rooms 701-702 from 6 pm to 8 pm. All photos are images and impressions created by students. Admission is free. 

MV Rejects Props: Higher Margin Than State & County

    Mission Viejo voters were more broadly opposed to the state financial propositions than voters countywide or statewide.  State counts were running about 2-1 against the tax and budget propositions, while the county margin was approximately 3-1.  MV was averaging about 4% more opposition than the county vote.

    Prop 1-A, the “Rainy Day” proposal, was defeated by the largest margin.  MV voters, at last report, had cast 14,032 ballots against 1-A compared to 3,316 in support.

    The legislative pay restriction under 1-F was the only proposition passed yesterday.  Mission Viejo voters were supporting it by about a 2-1 ratio, 10,487 to 5,854.  About 28% of the City’s 61,938 registered voters had voted.

Letter: Lost Financial Opportunity

I thought the city administration’s excuses for not rebidding these contracts were lame at best. A three to six months bidding cycle is absurd.

I ran General Procurement for a large aerospace company in Long Beach, Ca. before retirement. These type of service contracts would at most have had a three to four week turnaround cycle time.

The city is losing an opportunity to significantly lower costs—with the ultimate costs being born by the citizens, city employees and the taxpayer.

Joe Holtzman