At Tuesday’s Special Council meeting Councilwoman Trish Kelley made a statement denying City Hall was considering the creation of a mixed use development for the Mission Viejo Village Center at LaPaz and Marguerite.
She was referring to a study commissioned by City Hall in early 2007. A subsequent report by the Urban Land Institute (ULI) found, in order to [...]
Archive for February, 2009
Kelley Denies Urban Concept For Village Center
Posted in Business, City Aestheics, Re-Branding & Mixed Use, Zoning & Development, tagged Mission Viejo Village Center, Trish Kelley on February 27, 2009 | 12 Comments »
THHS Freshman Honor Roll
Posted in Schools, tagged Trabuco High School Principal's Freshman Honor Roll on February 27, 2009 | 1 Comment »
There were 183 Freshmen who started Trabuco High School on a high academic note during the first semester. The school announced the following students achieved the Principal’s Honor Roll with grade averages between 3.75 and 4.60:
Natalia Achucarro, Nicholas Adair, Cristie Aguilar, Jordan Alferos, Romeo Alonzo, Ramisa Anjum, Taylor Aralis, Andrew Archer, Jennifer Arthur, Nicholas Ashley, [...]
O’Neill School Back On Chopping Block
Posted in Schools, tagged O'Neill Elementary School on February 25, 2009 | 4 Comments »
Last night the SVUSD Board of Trustees decided to reconsider its January decision to save O’Neill Elementary School from permanent closure. The March 10 agenda will include an item to reconsider that 3-2 vote.
The state adopted a budget last week, and school districts are beginning to receive early numbers for planning purposes. Tom Turner, District [...]
Housing Drama Unfolds
Posted in Redevelopment Debt, Zoning & Development, tagged Low Income Housing, Mission Viejo Affordable Housing on February 24, 2009 | 5 Comments »
Tuesday night’s low income housing workshop was a drama between residents and special interests. The meeting focused on low income housing quotas and redevelopment funding. It also touched on whether the City should go beyond legal compliance to actively expedite ’affordable’ housing.
Special interests in the ongoing housing debate have included 1) developers who potentially benefit [...]
Letter: Image Trumps Wisdom
Posted in Budget, Letters to Editor, Politics, tagged Katsura Yokoshima, Mission Viejo on February 24, 2009 | 5 Comments »
Just as children are weened off the bottle, our city and state governments need to be weened off the deficit spending they have engaged in for too long.
I believe the socially critical, early 90’s rap group, The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy, said it best in their song “Television, The Drug Of The Nation“…
T.V. is mechanized [...]
Affordable Housing Sites; Meeting Tonight
Posted in Redevelopment Debt, Zoning & Development, tagged Low Income Housing, Mission Viejo Affordable Housing, Redevelopment on February 24, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Over the past few years the City has dedicated five sites for low income housing to comply with state guidelines. Tonight a Special Meeting of the City Council will be held to discuss the allocation of the 154 affordable units and the distribution of several million dollars in redevelopment funds, which must be used [...]
Letter: Tale of Two Cities: SJC Nixes $1,500 Float
Posted in Budget, Letters to Editor, Rose Parade Float, tagged Allan Pilger, Mission Viejo News, Rose Parade Float on February 21, 2009 | 7 Comments »
The comparison is mind-numbing. The City of Mission Viejo spent more than $360,000 in taxpayer money for a float in the Rose Parade, in a year the city overall spent $11.8 million more than it received in revenue.
The City of San Juan Capistrano, with a much smaller deficit, this week voted to save $1,500 by [...]
Capo High Topples Top-Ranked Murietta
Posted in Schools, Sports, tagged Capistrano Valley High School Cougars Basketball, CIF 1-A Playoffs on February 20, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Tonight the MV Capistrano Valley High Cougar basketball team advanced to the quarterfinals of the CIF Division 1A playoffs by outshooting Murietta Valley 78-61.
Murietta was favored to win the 32-team playoff. The Nighthawks were 26-2, undefeated in their last nine games, and ranked 14th in the state; so it was a huge win by the 18-10 locals.
[...]
Letter: Housing Municipalization
Posted in Letters to Editor, Redevelopment Debt, Zoning & Development, tagged Affordable Housing, Connie Lee, Low Income Housing, Mission Viejo News, Redevelopment on February 20, 2009 | 2 Comments »
Would anyone previously unenthused about a recall like to calculate the cost of keeping the MUK majority in power?
Target Company officials made a bad choice of partnering with Steadfast, despite warnings from residents, and got stuck with the adjacent vacant parcel at Los Alisos and Jeronimo. They would now like someone who obviously has no [...]
Jail For Bribe
Posted in Uncategorized on February 20, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Mission Viejo resident Reza Khayyami was sentenced today to 6 months in jail for soliciting and accepting a $5,000 bribe. He was previously convicted by a jury of using his position as County Chief Technology Officer to influence work contracts.
In March 2003, Khayyami was hired as CTO for Orange County. In the spring [...]
Republicans Seek MacLean’s Resignation
Posted in Politics, Recall, tagged Lance MacLean Recall, Mission Viejo Recall, Saddleback Valley Republican Assembly on February 20, 2009 | 3 Comments »
The local chapter of the California Republican Assembly voted last night to formally demand the resignation of Mission Viejo Councilman Lance MacLean. MacLean is a fellow Republican who sought and received the group’s endorsement when he was first elected.
Recently MacLean was served with a notice from citizens intending to recall him, but his resignation would [...]
Not In My School District! High Intensity Housing Density: Special City Meeting
Posted in City Aestheics, Crime & Public Safety, Redevelopment Debt, Schools, Zoning & Development, tagged Affordable Housing, High Density Housing, Low Income Housing, Mission Viejo News on February 18, 2009 | 6 Comments »
The City Council has been meeting secretly to discuss the possible intensification of low income housing in Mission Viejo. Monday night’s meeting included a cryptic agenda item indicating the Council was considering entering into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to purchase the 7.4 acres of land adjacent to the new Target Store. The move could thrust the [...]
Hits Hoop For $165,000; Video
Posted in People, Sports, tagged Lakers Basketball Half-Court Contest, Mirage Hotel Basketball Shot, Robert Ward on February 18, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
A USC student from Mission Viejo hit a half-court basketball shot Tuesday night to win $165,000. The shot was taken at the Laker’s game in a contest sponsored by the Mirage Hotel. As part of a marketing program with the team, the Mirage designates itself the Official Las Vegas Destination of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Lakers [...]
Diablo Girls Defeat Redondo Sea Hawks
Posted in Schools, Sports, tagged Clare Facer, Diablo Girls Water Polo, Emily Mendoza, Haley Buller, Kristen Zepeda, Megan Leyds, Monique Martinet, Tala Majaj on February 18, 2009 | 1 Comment »
The MVHS girls water polo team defeated the Redondo Sea Hawks 9-3 Tuesday in a CIF-SS wild card game to advance to round one of the CIF-SS Division 2 tournament.
Goalie Tala Majaj made a career high 21 saves in the game, possibly a school record. Monique Martinet led the Diablo scoring with three [...]
