A Hollow Victory….

 

….BUT JUST FOR A MOMENT IN TIME

For those of you who were not present at last evening’s Wildomar City Council meeting, you missed my rant. Upon arriving at City Hall, just before the meeting, I was met at the door by a tall young man whom I did not know, but apparently he knew me. He shoved an envelope into my usually gregarious hand  and told me that I had been “served.”

What I was served with was a “cease and  desist” letter from Patricia Dorati, Publisher of the Menifee Post, Wildomar Gazette and the universally beloved Canyon Lake Observer.

Taking advantage of an always curious audience, I arose during Public Comments and, read word-for-word, the contents of the letter, an act I will replicate for you to now, as follows:

“Please be advised that I own the fictitious business names “Wildomar Magazine” and “Wildomar magazine.com” and that ownership would apply to e-mail, websites and related communications (both verbal and visual) and sites. The website which you currently operate has been done so without my permission and may or may not correctly state my position.

Therefore, please cease and desist from the use of the name, and website.

If the dismantling of this website does not occur within 24 hours then I will take any and all necessary legal or other action against you.

Patricia A. Dorati

Publisher”

Is “other action” a personal threat? After legal, what else is there?

Inasmuch as WordPress is a large blogging website, over which which I have no control, “the dismantling of this website” is not within my power.

Currently, I am consulting with my own legal counsel to ascertain if the purchase of “fictitious names” on June 11, 2010 constitute a legitimate basis for Dorati’s demand or, on the contrary, perhaps constitute an infringement of “my trademark” since I have been publishing as Wildomar Magazine for over 2 years.

And there is always that First Amendment thing.

Nevertheless, in order to exercise good “risk avoidance,” I have already reestablished my blog, as follows:

www.wildomarcityregister.wordpress.com

When and if that site is compromised, Zak and I will follow with the Wildomar Independent, or perhaps, the Wildomar Bee. The potential list of blogging names is endless.

As I continued with my animated speech last evening, I noted that this is the 2nd attempt to squelch my free speech through threats and infringement of my First Amendment rights, the first being last December when then-Mayor Scott Farnam physically assaulted me, a disabled veteran, at a city holiday function function, requiring me to file a complaint with the Wildomar Police Department.

Scott does not know how close he came to been sued for his conduct, but it would have cost Wildomar approximately $50,000 to defend him. The partners in a prestigious San Diego law firm had already agreed to take the case when I decided not to, for the sake of the city.

 Therefore, rather then suing him, and by default, the city, I have chosen to make a full disclosure regarding his outrageous and disqualifying conduct toward a citizen of Wildomar, hoping to adversely affect his chance for reelection, should he choose to run.

 So then, after 218 articles over 2 years and in excess of 26,000 individual views of Wildomar Magazine, Zak and I invite you to join us and continue in our civic journey at Wildomar City Journal.

Did I make the deadline?

This Is Why You Don’t Appoint A Developer…

…..TO YOUR PLANNING COMMISSION

In an embarrassing but pristine display of “inherent conflict of interest,” the foolish decision by the Murrieta City Council to appoint Glenn Daigle, a local land developer, to the Murrieta Planning Commission once again makes the pages of the Californian.

http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/murrieta/article_4bf3d2e7-c19a-5d9b-8b28-d3fcca2ef75d.html

And in this particular case, it’s not just the fact that Daigle is a developer but that he is a developer with an unsavory history of political machinations in Lake Elsinore. Zak is not surprised by the extraordinary level of Daigle’s insinuation into Murrieta politics.

The sooner that the Murrieta City Council rids itself of the effects of its own political buffonery, the better for Murrieta.

It is time for Daigle to get the hook.

Comments can be made to zakturango@excite.com.

 

 

 

“Un”

 

…QUALIFIED

Neophyte Planning Commissioner B”un” B”un”oit has reportedly turned in his 20 nominating signatures and they have been confirmed by the Riverside County Registrar of Voters. This makes the obviously eager B”un” B”un”oit the first official candidate, ironically, to qualify, for an election run for a Wildomar City Council seat in the November 2010 election.

Each Wildomar Magazine reader will have to decide for themselves, but one has to question the judgment and critical thinking skills of Candidate B”un”oit for thinking that some people might be sufficiently impressed to vote for him as a city councilman on the basis of 5 months experience as an appointed Planning Commissioner.

Already, his untried leadership skills were made evident at last week’s Planning Commission meeting, when he suggested that the city should wait to make a decision on the Medical Marijuana Collective ordinance until the November election is held, apparently in order to see if Proposition 19, the Marijuana Legalization Initiative passes or not.

Unfortunately for Bunoit, the marijuana collective activists, advocates and promoters will embroil Wildomar in costly litigation, long before November arrives,  in the face of such feckless hesitation.

Silence would have been a far more thoughtful position on the marijuana collectives for the inexperienced Bun to take.

Bunoit must have felt the need to expose his leadership skills to the voting public.

Fortunately,  for the more canny, observant voters in Wildomar, he did.

Comments can be made to zakturango@excite.com.  

Veteran’s Administration Relents…

….AND WILL ACCEPT “LEGAL” MEDICAL MARIJUANA USE BY SUFFERING VETERANS

It becomes the first Federal agency to take an official position allowing legally obtained marijuana to be utilized as a pain reducer by suffering veterans.

Take a few minutes to educate yourself by linking to the New York Times article, as follows

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/24/health/policy/24veterans.html

It’s a part of the “cultural tsunami” that is threatening to sweep over Wildomar, unless thoughtful leadership responds appropriately.

If you consider yourself  a Religious Conservative,  who waves the American flag and thanks veterans for the service on behalf of this country, and who, at the same time, oppose thinking leaders, such as Council Member Sheryl Ade, who is taking the lead in attempting to bring about a “thoughtful” Medical Marijuana Ordinance in order to permit and, ultimately, control currently legal “Collectives,” which may enhance accessibilty for local veterans, you may want to pause for moment and rethink your current dilemma.

The rash of whiny e-mails, opposing any proposed ordinance whatsoever, in any form,  that would allow legal (already legal, under current state law) “collectives”, which dribble into her “inbox” on a repetitive basis, reflects an organized and orchestrated effort by a limited group of religious conservatives.

The evidence of orchestration is obvious, since they all say the same things.

Legal “collectives” does not include “dispensaries,” which Ade is on record as opposing.

However, now that the Veterans Administration is about to relent in favor of compassion for suffering veterans, it is time for thinking men and women of “faith,” if they exist, to consider the impacts of their out-dated, compassion-less opposition.

If you’re going to oppose a legal means of reducing pain for suffering veterans, then stop waving the American flag with such faux vigor.

You can’t do both.

That’s why it’s a dilemma. 

The conclusions and choices are not always so simple and obvious, as depicted in photo below.

 

It will take some thoughtful contemplation on your part, to come to the proper, reasonable and compassionate conclusion, which is to support CouncilMember Ade in her efforts to legally reduce the suffering of those truly in pain, while at the same time, protecting Wildomar by restraining the baser intendtions and efforts of those who merely want to sell “entertainment” marijuana.

 WWJD? What would Jesus do?

He would opt for compassion. He always did.

Comments can be made to zakturango@excite.com.

An Un-Funny Thing Happened…..

 

..ON THE WAY TO THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA COLLECTIVE

Borrowing a concept from that side-splitting Zero Mostel movie about the difficulties of living in ancient Rome, Zak wants to prevent  the same level of laughable antics in Wildomar. (See Zak, on the left, above).

As I attended Wildomar Planning Commission last evening, keeping my eyes and ears open on behalf of my readers, I was shocked to the point of, once again, having to speak out during the Public Comments portion of the meeting.

When I opened my Agenda, the item up for Commission consideration was an ordinance regarding  Marijuana Dispensaries. And, although city staffer David Hogan tried to explain that a “collective” is included in the definition of “dispensaries,” somehow, somewhere, the unnuanced and politically tone deaf staff and legal professionals don’t get it.

Rather than including a tepid definition of “collective” in the ordinance, the city should be very careful to say exactly what it means, by putting the word “collective” in the very title of the ordinance. If the title says “dispensary,” that is what everyone is going to read, throughout the state of California. And worldwide, via the Internet. Putting Wildomar on the “pot” map.

All of this originally started when a medical marijuana “collective” opened its doors in Wildomar, without a permit. In attempting to get ahead of the pent-up cultural tsunami that is about to sweep over our state and community, somehow the local issue went from “collectives,” a ponderous and paper driven (which restrains uncontrolled growth) method of providing  a naturally-occurring pain control substance to the suffering.

A “dispensary,” on the other hand, is a place where all manner of people sell and buy marijuana.

Once the word goes out, given the ham-handed use of the word “dispensary,” in the place of “collective,” the worst fears of those who oppose this ordinance, in any form, may be realized.

Although I support the concept of a medical marijuana collective, I would not support a marijuana dispensary.

“Words matter!” I thought I heard Zak wisely state last night. (Editor’s note: I don’t like to speak out during public meetings, as I prefer to express my civic “voice” through writing Wildomar Magazine. However, I reserve the right to speak out whenever officials need a public rebuke, as they did last evening.)

Wildomar city staff, legal counsel, and City Council better understand that words do matter, and immediately, because  delay caused by ineptitude will bring costly litigation against the city as surely  as would outright rejection.

At the end the day, avoidance of litigation is what should be driving this issue in Wildomar.

The first “collective” came to Wildomar uninvited.

Yet, its existence provides an opportunity, through the creation of the appropriate ordinance, for Wildomar to retain control over its community environment.

Unless the Forefathers and Foremothers of Wildomar correct their professional staff’s blunder and get it “right,” this first time, the next 100 dispensaries to “pop up” in Wildomar, as a result of the uncontrollable publicity surrounding the unfortunate and improper application and approval of the “D” word, will be on them.

Comments can be made to zakturango@excite.com.

I really do need to get something for that painful “crick” in my neck.

When “Opportunity” Knocks…..

 

 

….THE OVERLY-AMBITIOUS ALWAYS ANSWER THE DOOR

http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/menifee/article_c3fe2657-7362-5e94-ba88-b6136f2f9fa2.html

Even if it’s the wrong door.

In an unusual display of political naïveté, upon reading of the turmoil in Menifee described in today’s Californian article, Wildomar’s newly-appointed Planning Commissioner Ben Benoit, reportedly on the advice of his equally naïve political/PR “handlers,” and sensing a fresh opportunity to “serve,” Benoit issued another ill-timed press release to the media, this time announcing his candidacy for a seat on the Menifee City Council.

When told that he needed to actually be a resident of Menifee to run for their City Council, Benoit  retorted by saying, “Someone told me I actually needed  experience to run for the City Council in Wildomar, but that turned out not to be the case. “

“I’m young. I’m fresh and I want to serve somebody”. 

“Somewhere.”

“Anywhere.”

“Besides, it’s my turn.”

Wildomar Magazine suggests service in the nearby community pictured above, since it seems to Zak that Benoit and his PR “people” already live and operate there.

Comments can be made to  zakturango@excite.com.

But only if you know the meaning of the word parody and can spell it.

Scrub Brush With “Famous” Death…

 

…..YOU CAN’T MAKE THIS STUFF UP

And why would anyone want to?  Zak didn’t make this up, but it is a part of Zak’s “quirky” memory bank.

While I was in high school, it was necessary for me to work after school, to be able to afford J.C. Penney’s Penncrest T-shirts and Levi’s jeans, to go with the wingtip shoes, with horseshoe taps on the heels, so I could be “cool” like the rest of the kids in the early 1960s.

Alas, nothing I did was sufficiently good enough to make a skinny kid with a bad flattop haircut, and who played a trombone in the marching band as well as the church orchestra, “cool.”

Eventually, my first car, a 1954, 4 door Chevrolet sedan helped, especially when I put a chrome knob on the gear shift and “Baby Moon” hubcaps on the self-painted rims, black, of course.

Hell, I don’t think I’m cool today, if the word still retains that meaning. However, some of my closest friends find me amusing and seemed to enjoy my company.

While I was working for the Park Pantry Cafeteria on W. Anaheim Blvd. in Long Beach California, I met an older, thin man, who had taken the job as dishwasher for the restaurant. It was apparent from his demeanor that the man was living a hard life, and dishwashing was not a career, it was a job, but only for this week. He had replaced an old woman, a Lithuanian war refugee, with a very obvious neck goiter, named Pauline. (Relax, there are no photos to illuminate the topic).

Nevertheless, between the clanging of pots and pans, the clash of dishes and the tinkle of silverware being washed, in what seemed a meaningless and unending cycle, conversation ensued, often during impromptu cigarette breaks.

This thin, hardened dishwasher told me about his recent stint of employment as an ambulance driver.  And , as fortune would have it, he discovered that he  was one of the persons called by Fate to remove Marilyn Monroe’s remains,  following her untimely death, from her apartment in Hollywood. (I can’t confirm that he is the same man pictured above, but he seems consistent with my memories).

He seemed proud of the connection, as if being the person to push Marilyn Monroe’s gurney out of her apartment became the high point of his life.

I only thought of this memory today as I was sitting at my desk, working, listening to my iPod through my new, inexpensive (what else)? docking station, listening to Elton John singing “Goodbye Norma Jean.”

And I wanted to “share.” 

Comments can be made to zakturango@excite.com.

Wildomar Magazine Endorses..

 

 

…MENIFEE CITY COUNCILMAN SCOTT MANN

http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/menifee/article_0a15b65f-8636-5f61-95a2-1da05e244574.html

Several weeks ago, at the Western Riverside Council of Government (WRCOG) regional meeting at the Morongo Casino and Spa, while quietly sipping a beer and waiting for an opportunity to meet the keynote speaker for the evening, Former Chief of Staff for the Bush Administration, Karl Rove, I heard a voice rising above the din, saying “I want to meet  you.”

At first, my heart skipped a beat as I thought it was Rove himself. Alas, it wasn’t, as my readership continues to be appropriately limited to the historic community of Wildomar and nearby environs.

Looking beyond the pointed finger forcing its way through the crowd like the prow of a U.S. Navy destroyer, I saw  a wrist extending from the cuff of a medium-priced business suit, belonging to none other than Menifee City Councilmember, Scott Mann.

Zak generally relishes the opportunity to interact with those politicos whom he has mocked on the pages of Wildomar Magazine, mocked usually for good reasons. (See the October 2009 archives).

Councilmember Mann and I sat for a decent time span, long enough for Mann to admit that his demeanor on the evening of which I wrote was inappropriate and deserving of the treatment he received in Wildomar Magazine.

It was a mature admission and, as a result, I have changed my initial impressions regarding him. Based on our conversation, Councilman Scott Mann appears to have the best interests of his community at heart and, therefore, has earned the endorsement of Zak Turango and Wildomar Magazine for his reelection to the Menifee City Council in November 2010.

Mann understands that the best way for politicians to deal  with the world of satirical blogging and parody is to enjoy the laugh, as long as it’s funny, contemplate what is being said, and if true, embrace the truth.

Comments can be made to zakturango@excite.com.

A political endorsement by Wildomar Magazine is , however, a bit like being on parole. You don’t want to do or say anything foolish.

Beutz Has Little Inkling of the Contempt…

… ZAK HAS FOR HIM BUT HE’LL SEE IT IN MY FACE…

…and hear it in my voice, as I intend to take to the City Council podium during Public Comments this evening to address the issue.

Today’s Californian reports on an agenda matter for this evening’s Wildomar City Council meeting.

http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/wildomar/article_bc703697-8b43-5c04-a5ea-fb864e9b554b.html

How dare he presume, as one arrogant person with some self-evident legal skills, to seek to overturn the “YES” vote of the majority of property owners, including myself, who generously and appropriately agreed to tax themselves in the paltry amount of $28 per parcel, per year, in order for the City Wildomar, with the assistance of the County, to restore and operate 3 parks in the newly incorporated city limits back to a functional level.

Hopefully, self-proclaimed City Council candidate, Martha Bridges, will be in attendance as well and repeat her past verbal statements in support of Beutz’ actions. The voters of Wildomar should know this about her and hear it from her own lips.

This evening would be a good time you, as well, if you disagree with Beutz’ lawsuit,  to attend tonight’s council meeting yourself, fill out a request to speak, and raise your own voice with your own objections to Beutz’ one man, anti-democratic (when it’s a small “d,” it doesn’t describe a political party) effort at “legislation by litigation.”

Or to come at the very least, join in the “hissing” chorus of outraged citizens, should Beutz have the b*lls to show up tonight and speak on behalf of his own wicked, legal adventures. But that would take more courage to face the community he negatively affects  than it takes to spend the many obsessive hours in some law library.

See you at the meeting.

Comments can be made to  zakturango@excite.com.

Ironically, the aforementioned description of the visual manifestation of contempt could also be confused for the residual effects of my stroke of last year.

Don’t.

This Ambitious Quest Must Begin At City Hall…..

  

…. BUT IT MIGHT END IN THE  MINDS OF INFORMED VOTERS

Not surprisingly, two potential city council candidates were seen at the Wildomar City Hall yesterday, probably picking up nomination papers to officially begin their quest for a seat at the Wildomar City Council dais. 

Martha Bridges, who has made her intentions to run known in her Letters to the Editor pronouncements as “Wildomar Watcher” in the local newspapers, surprised no one to be seen at City Hall, picking up  nomination papers.

Fair enough, as she freely exercises her right to seek public office in this little corner of our national democracy. Of course, Wildomar Magazine will also freely exercise its First Amendment rights to publish parody, satire, opinion and commentary during her campaign, already fraught with broad brush, unsupported allegations of “corruption” by the current city Council, including a highly regarded public servant, the honest and honorable Councilmember Sheryl Ade.

Such unfair, baseless bashing of all incumbents, without specificity, cannot go unchallenged.

Also seen at City Hall was  the ambitious and extraordinarily inexperienced Ben Benoit, recently mis-appointed as Planning Commissioner but who has yet to attend an actual planning commission meeting, since the only meeting scheduled, wherein he could gain experience, was canceled.

If Benoit had walked into City Hall merely as an interested citizen, without his pre-arranged faux Planning Commissioner  portfolio, to take out nominating papers to run for the Wildomar City Council, Zak would not be so concerned for Wildomar or  about Benoit’s ambition.

Instead, apparently Ben will be trying to use this appointment to give himself the appearance of experience.

However, if he foolishly and falsely portrays himself as an experienced Planning Commissioner in his campaign materials, exploiting an appointment that borders upon overt misrepresentation by Benoit himself as to his intentions to serve the citizens of Wildomar as a Planning Commissioner, it would confirm our suspicions that his seeking an elected office in Wildomar is, after all is said and done, “Only About Ben.”

In this case, by apparently hoping to exploit what would be, come November, a brief and meaningless five-month “career” as a Planning Commissioner, he has, in this devious process, supplanted the appointment of a dedicated, experienced and well-qualified member of the community in the person of George Taylor, who also applied for the same position as Benoit, but was passed over by the appointive Council member.

Let us not forget that Incumbent Council Member Scott Farnam is the Council Member that facilitated and foisted this political duplicity on the body politic of Wildomar. Benoit’s ambitious, self-serving candidacy should call attention to Farnam’s willingness to engage in “scratch my back” political chicanery on behalf of a County Supervisor’s ambitious offspring. All of the above at Wildomar’s expense.

In any event, as the campaign unfolds, we will find out how much influence a small, but well-written and oft-read political blog has on  the eventual outcome of this campaign.  It would be ironic, to say the least, if the computer guy’s campaign plans are blunted by an internet blog.

When Benoit’s out-of-town PR people repeatedly flood your mailbox with multicolored brochures, remember, it’s “Only About Ben.”

On the other hand, if Benoit were embrace reality and  immediately resign as  Planning Commissioner for the good of the community, in order to run for City Council, his abject and crass political ambition would be far less objectionable.  At the very least, it would be a bit more ethical.

I have created a new category to cover Ben’s campaign follies and foibles.

Articles about Ben, in the future will be categorized as, simply,  “Ambition.”

Comments can be made to zakturango@excite.com.