Writing Shotgun

BELMONT STATION JOINS AD BOYCOTT AIMED AT THE PAPER YOU’RE READING RIGHT NOW

Will SwaimMon. September 29
 

ALSO? A CHICKEN-WING EMBARGO

Seeking to control business, politics, and media on Second Street, Belmont Shore Business Association president Gene Rotondo has expanded his effort to starve the District of ad revenue, now reportedly also denying the president of the local neighborhood association continued access to chicken wings at Legends, one of several bars he owns.

“Last night, while attempting to enter Legends Bar to meet some friends, I was told by Legends Manager Shaun Alexander that I am no longer allowed to enter Legends,” Belmont Shore Residents Association president Mike Ruehle wrote in an email to the District, the Press-Telegram and LBReport.com. “He told me his orders came from the business owner, Gene Rotondo . . . . I’m not the only one.  Another person, who chooses to be my friend, is also banned from the three Second Street bars that Mr. Rotondo co-owns.”

The Belmont barmeister has had a bad couple of weeks. On September 11, Rotondo and a group of Second Street business and property owners—as well as Third District Councilman Gary DeLong—tried but failed to stop Ruehle’s re-election to the residents association, a group that has frequently opposed the landowners.

Days later, Rotondo must have lived the whole nightmarish event a second time when District senior editor Dave Wielenga reported on the election results (“The Ruehleing Class,” September 17). Rotondo was not mentioned in the story, but he is part of part of that group, some of whom double as city officials—officers of the business association and parking commission, which are funded by such public revenue streams as business license fees and parking meter money. Wielenga has written several reports about situations in which the public duties and personal objectives of these officials coincide.

Shortly after Wielenga’s story hit the streets, Belmont Station owner Gary Roth pulled his advertising from The District, joining a list that includes the Belmont Shore Business Association, Legends, Polly’s Coffee, Salon SOMA and realtor Frank Colonna.

In a phone call to District sales representative Kristina Coffeen, Belmont Station’s Gary Roth said the magazine “continuously prints lies about Gene Rotondo and Belmont Shore.” As a result, Roth said, “I don’t want to do business with you, and I don’t want to see you or anyone from the District in any of my three businesses down here.”

“He was pretty angry,” Coffeen said. “Angrier than Rotondo.”

The ad boycott started in July after Wielenga reported that the Belmont Shore Parking Commission—then headed by major local landowner Bill Lorbeer, whose holdings include the property where Rotondo operates Legends–were trying a second time to float a bond that would pave the alleys around private properties and pay Colonna, another big property owner and a former city councilman, $1.5 million for a parking lot that services one of his buildings.

The central point of the story was a statement by Mayor Bob Foster, who at the August 5 city council meeting said, “I’m gonna flag this. I just want to make sure that the property owners involved who may benefit from this, that there are safeguards—that there’s no conflict-of-interest here.”

The story enraged Rotondo, but for some reason, not right away. Days after it appeared in the magazine and on thedistrictweekly.com, Rotondo and his retinue dropped by the District’s booth during the Belmont Shore Stroll & Savor event. As we handed out copies of the District to strollers and savorers, Rotondo gregariously shook my hand, grabbed a magazine and talked with Coffeen. He said nothing about Wielenga’s story. To the contrary, one of Rotondo’s hangers-on, a self-described marketing guy, declared the District “the best publication in Long Beach,” and expressed—almost manically–his deep desire to join “the only publication that really matters” in advertising sales.

A week later, Rotondo called to pull his ads for Legends from the District. He promised Coffeen he would make sure no one else in the Belmont Shore Business Association advertised with us, either. And the marketing guy was reported appearing in Second Street stores to tell other advertisers to follow Rotondo’s lead. Several now have.

When Polly’s Coffee owner Mike Sheldrake pulled his ad, he called Wielenga a “cheap-shot artist” and a “sniper.” Wielenga responded that Sheldrake was free to criticize our reporting, but was wrong to think there is anything “cheap” about whatever “shots” we may take. He pointed out that the loss of advertising like Sheldrake’s—which frequently happens when businesses are angered by stories that reflect poorly on them or their friends—is expensive.

The irony here is that Wielenga, when he worked for OC Weekly a decade ago, wrote a glowing cover story about Sheldrake and the creative and courageous ways he was positioning Polly’s Coffee to respond to the arrival of two Starbucks Coffee stores on Second Street. Sheldrake wasn’t offended by the fact that Wielenga took his side—with some pretty strong words–in his battle with the coffee giant. In fact, Sheldrake laminated a copy of the story, and it has hung in Polly’s Coffee for the last 10 years.

Starbucks continued to advertise in OC Weekly. That’s business smarts.

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  • Looks like it's time to boycott Belmont Shore to show support for the district. I'm in.
  • RF
    Bit by bit people are becoming aware of how these folks operate in Belmont Shore. Ask the residents on Corona and Covina what it's like to deal with their neighbor Gene. He so despises any opposition to his out of town drunken bar patrons that he can't even bring himself to play the "nice game".

    What consistently amazes me is that Mr Rontundo doesn't realize that every time he thumbs his nose at residents he makes it that much harder for himself and his partners to do business in the Shore. Now what do you think the residents are going to say when the Acalpulco Inn plans are submitted and residents realize that Gene is one of the new owners who is attempting to open up the entire front of the building for the biggest outdoor patio on 2nd St.?

    Well, I am guessing the good people of Belmont Shore will support his plan just like they supported the ATM he is now being forced to dismantle. Now in the old days Gene would have been able to get away with his ATM shenanigans and his plans for AI would have slid right through planning.

    Is someone going to tell Gene that his diminishing power combined with his arrogance will be his downfall? Nah, let him learn the hard way.
  • Mike Ruehle
    In today’s recessionary economic environment, one must question whether Legends Bar owner and Belmont Shore Business Association President Gene Rotondo’s personal and retaliatory actions hurt or help the 2nd street businesses he is supposed to represent. Most of these businesses rely heavily on the local community residents that live around them for their financial support. So, why is Mr. Rotondo doing things that risk alienating his customers?

    Do 2nd street business owners truly understand what their President is doing? Not only did Business Association President Rotondo attempt to control the September 11th Belmont Shore Residents Association (BSRA) election, he is also using their Business Association employees to spread fabrications and misinformation about the BSRA. This isn’t the first time that Mr. Rotondo tried to take over the BSRA. Last December, the Business Association President invited Parking Commissioner Jeanette Gavin to the Business Association monthly meeting to announce the formation of a new residents association that was largely ignored by everyone. Furthermore, when residents challenged a code infraction at his Legends bar, Mr. Rotondo cut off all communication with the BSRA. He has since banned the BSRA from participating in the Business Association monthly meetings and Business Association events on 2nd street. He also stopped Business Association participation during monthly BSRA meetings where residents typically learned about upcoming Business Association events. These are events that the Business Association and the Residents Association previously collaborated together on. And now, as President of the BSRA, I’ve been banned from Business Association President Rotondo’s place of business. How do actions such as these help anyone, let alone the business owners he was elected to represent.

    Business Association President Rotondo is the owner of a popular bar that, unfortunately, has been the source of numerous public disruptions in our community. As President of the BSRA, I have received many emails asking for help from residents frustrated by the increasing frequency of fights, public urination, vulgar language and vandalism in front of their homes. When contacted, Mr. Rotondo frequently claims these events never occurred and were fabricated by residents for some unknown reason. Rather than taking responsibility for his over served patrons, Mr. Rotondo chooses to retaliate against the messenger and the newspapers that have the audacity to question his conduct.

    Business Association President Rotondo’s response to residents concerns about the operations of his business is to portray the BSRA as being anti-business. That is the method he uses to cloud the issue. Nothing is further from the truth. Like me, most residents in our community live here due to the close proximity of the businesses we patronize and enjoy. I could easily argue that Mr. Rotondo is anti-business by spreading misinformation, attempting to seize residents’ organizations and refusing to communicate and alienating resident customers of the 2nd street businesses. It helps nobody for Mr. Rotondo to utilize his Business Association presidency bully pulpit to punish newspapers and residents organizations that draw attention to his heavy handed activities serving to benefit his personal business.

    Mike Ruehle
    BSRA President
  • 2nd St. Fatwa
    Here's to hoping Long Beach Vice makes some unexpected visits to A.I. and Belmont Station. With the start of the fall semester, the bell has sounded for all the under-aged undergrads to make the pilgrimage down to 2nd St. for the course entitled "How to Spend the Next 6 and a half Years of Your College Experience". The course covers all the basics; Public Urination, Bumming Smokes, Blacking Out, Jager Bombs vs. Shoot the Roots, Bro-mance 101, How to Identify Your STD, and the ultra intensive How to Make Daddy Believe A.I. is an Actual Mexican Restaurant When His Credit Card Statement Shows Up. Damn how I miss Barwinkles and Live Bait.

    Are we really supposed to be surprised that Rotondo and Colonna are meddling in local politics to protect their ever growing financial acquisitions? Hell, Frank Colonna wasn't happy just having his hand in the cookie jar, he wanted to become the cookie jar. Politics as usual. If you're sick of the rich getting richer and the puppetry of local politics, stop supporting A.I., Belmont Station, Legends/Pete's, Polly's, and anything Colonna touches.

    Oh yeah, a reminder to the incoming freshman class.....every time you put a jack johnson or sublime song on the jukebox god kills a kitten.
  • Mike Ruehle
    I attended today’s monthly Belmont Shore Business Association meeting where President Rotondo reported he was re-elected as the Business Association President. Who would dare oppose him? Soon afterwards, Mr. Rotondo announced to the group that I am a liar and all that I print is a lie. Moreover, he told the business group I am banned from his Legends bar because my lying makes his employees feel uncomfortable. Immediately afterwards, I was publicly slammed by Parking Commissioners Lorbeer and Schneiter. Of course, that didn’t happen until Mayor Foster left the meeting after making his presentation on measure I.

    The reason I go to meetings such as this is to stand before my accusers to answer their questions and quash new fabrications they would create in my absence. I do not hide in the background and I don’t react to their name calling and insults. I make myself available for people who have questions and want to talk about both sides of Mr. Rotondo’s stories. Communication is the key. Previously, communication was controlled by this group of influential individuals. However, as a result of the reporting of the District and the PT, people who live or do business in the community are starting to pay attention to what is going on and where the truth lies.
  • Greggory
    While of course I'm sorry about the content of this story, I'm glad to see it here -- and frankly, so should the principals, since everyone ought to fully stand by his conduct, even if a report of it shows up in print. And maybe the people here are, in fact, proud. That's hard to imagine -- but there's a lot of variety out there in the big, bad world. Anyway, thanks for providing a view of this.
  • Pprmint
    I don't frequent the Bars on 2nd Street because I have found them to be too "likkered up" with alcohol the name of the game. Now don't get me wrong, my son was even a manager of one of them, I just find them to be very focused on the sale & consumption of alcohol. I do however take great offense to what I see as "child's play" in the Shore and they are not even in the Tot Lot. Are you owners, retailers and erstwhile "legends" of the Shore going to continue to play--you can't come into MY sandbox, even when the sand really isn't yours. I would think it is time for you grown-ups to stop the gottcha game, learn how to negotiate with each other because in actuality in the long run both sides want the same thing. An area that is productive and one that they all can be proud of...but for adults to fling insults sounds very much like the school yard and if you guys need a teacher or the principal to calm you down and call a time out, I will be glad to serve.

    In the meantime, you are free to not subscribe to whomever or whatever you choose and to tell you the truth many of us who want to deal with businesses run by adults are free to do the same. It is time to find common ground, because if you do not, all of us lose.
  • Goodgovt4?
    It will be a pleasure for many of us to do business elsewhere. Gene and his gang have finally gone too far and they should realize that they have become a repeated embarrassment to so many of us. What ego, gall and nerve !! Not so smart, or neighborly either? We'll keep going to Seal Beach until certain people learn to be fun, friendly and fair.

    WE also have options, friends, connections and money.. The BSBA was originally formed to remedy parking issues, but it has actually worsened them, right? No significant parking fix was feasible, nothing significant happened, so let this be the sad conclusion paragraph of a book called excessive government intrusion, style drift, greed, ego and hubris?. Given all the acrimony, let's disband this costly, self serving, overly non transparent, often anti -resident waste of time and money? They need US, we don't need them, last we checked?

    They have clearly failed in their mission and they have repeatedly exceeded their intended scope, and authority , while now apparently feeling justified in impinginging upon many persons' rights and quality of life ?. Is this good government? This sounds like grounds for CENSURE in many arenas, and sanction in others..

    Fiscally, we have a strained budget, and the BSBA have not really delivered value for the dollar, have they? These days it seems as if they have increasingly squandered public monies to impede Democracy and fair debate? Enough of these clowns , jerk their funding, or charter, or at least insist upon citizen mandated oversight and participation.?

    Why not sponsor terminating this problem around Gary? , We'll all remind the 9 Democrats on the dias that Mr Rotundo's hard turn to the right has a place in his private life, but not in OUR public life , or the use of OUR funds . We built this entire area out without this Association, and we'll be fine without them. I recall better times without them.

    WE,, the residents, and our friends, are the Heart and Soul of the Shore, all of us, not just a few of them. We pay the taxes that pay for this party, and we need to remind some of them about this more often. It has been a pleasure to help Mike, and others, remind a few people when they get ' A little too big for their britches', or too ''caught up in their own press, or clippimgs''.

    Also, as tolerant fellow business owners, we can't believe that Mr Rotundo, and some of his friends, are being allowed to senselessly destroy so much good will in the area ?. Especially with so much competition for discretionary dollars? And this maniacal '' kill the message'' ...''and the messenger'' nonsense, combined with all of these attempts to silence dissent, restrict free speech, hand pick Boardmembers and all the rest is simply wrong, and wrong headed ! This cloud over the area is quite alarming. A few think that some of this has at times had that putrid, dictatorial, if not slightly Hitler -esque feel to it ? So rather than burn the books, burn the' E' library at the District and elsewhere? Shrewd business ....fellows.. A lot of people are quietly quite upset with a few of you guys, and they are talking, uneasily.

    Also, many of us are still reeling from seeing raucous, semi drunken beer hall patrons storming the BSRA election while trying to stuff the ballot box . People being herded by folks with their Legend's shirts turned inside out? And our Councilman actively participated with endorsement stickers that he provided? Ever heard of a conflict of interest Mr DeLong? Talk about ham handed 'Old Chicago' style stunts ?. Al Capone also used similar stunts to sway elections his way. Next time will you be handing out soup and temporary day jobs for votes?

    Now for another big concern, these unfair patron bans upon Mike Ruehle and friends. Why are we taxpayers subsidizing these guys? This is a Breach of Public Trust isn't it? We residents and taxpayers invested, and basically own $ 500,000 of Legends, plus interest, right? Since we loaned them their reconstruction funds, don't they have to be as even handed and fair in the conduct of their business as the State and Federal Government ?. They do. So, should the supposedly good will of public money continue to be subverted to basically fund Discrimination, Denial of Civil Rights and Denial of Free Association ? No. These guys do not have the same rights as privately funded, or owned sole proprieterships, do they ? NO, because they chose US, as their partner and banker. This sounds more and more like a classic slam dunk ACLU case, which several are studying. This just all seems to stink more and more.

    How much of this conduct Breaches several of the Conditions and Covenants in the terms of this loan definitely deserves further scrutiny . We all know how many Constitutional 'strings ' or rules that follow many uses of public funds. Regardless, we don't want our tax dollars used to feed this ongoing problem do we? We are hearing people say that he deserves to have his loan called. Gary carried this deal to Council, and vouched for the recipient, he now needs to at least help put this fire out, rather than fan it again and again

    We also heard that Gene actually used some of the funds to buy into another club? He testified to Council that he was unable to rebuild without our help ? But may he have actually used our funds for a business expansion plan? We didn't hear that in his testimony before Council, so if this is in fact true, isn't this another breach of public trust in the use of our General fund ? Let's ask?

    Regardless, and with all the rest aside, many of us fail to see the wisdom in the 'BS ' Business Association repeatedly bathing itself and it's friends ...in business and community harming.. bad ink. You can't buy the bad PR some of you seem fatally drawn to, or repeatedly walk into.

    The District is not your problem, nor is Mike.
  • wrongbeachJohn
    I'm done with 2nd Street-goodby domenicos, tea garden, peets, pollys, lucilles and taco surf. There are some nice new places in Seal Beach and Los Alamitos.
    Maybe if gino resigns from the bsba/ia/pia et al and moves his operation to the old Rossi's Steak House location will I return to patronizing bs.
  • Sarah T
    I have lived in Belmont Shore for almost 10 years. I have small children, and have endured much or the daily disruption from the second street bars. Although I am not a member of the Belmont Shore Residents Association, (yet) I definitely understand what the fuss was all about at the Sept 11th election. I have only visited Legends once since it re-opened. All I can say is that the service was almost as bad as the food. Not going there is not much of a sacrafice as far as I am concerned. Good job District Weekly! I now have an ever better reason to pick up your paper.
  • ooohh,... nice post...very intersting
  • An Outsider’s Point of View:

    I live in the 3rd District, but not in the Shore. I guess that makes me somewhat of an outsider on this issue but, perhaps, an outsider’s view is what is needed. So here goes:

    There is so much about this situation that has become petty and, honestly, unworthy of professional adult consideration. It would prove far more constructive and productive if all of the principles would avoid this pettiness and stop their various, quite frankly, childish behaviors. None of those negative behaviors is doing anything to improve and resolve these challenges and everything to exacerbate and degrade them.

    Here’s what I see to be the crux of this challenge…the very foundation upon which all of the other related challenges are built: As currently constituted, the Belmont Shore Parking and Business Improvement Area Advisory Commission (or ‘The Parking Commission’) is not equally representative of the two primary stakeholders within its area of influence: Residents and Businesses. Its mission…even it’s name…is rather convoluted and torturous. This is a what’s referred to as a Council Action Commission (i.e. created by ordinance or resolution). It is a quasi-governmental entity that is actually supposed to represent and advise the city on issues under its portfolio. Its members are appointed by the Mayor and approved by the City Council. As such they *represent* the City and should be well above all of this petty bickering and endeavor to mediate and represent all interests in Belmont Shore equally and fairly, rather than being seen to actively participate in much of the current pettiness and bickering.

    As a city, I think we can do better.

    Introducing the “Belmont Shore Area Advisory Commission” (or BSAAC)

    I think we can all agree that parking challenges in Belmont Shore impact residents and business pretty much equally. Certainly there are more residences than businesses in Belmont Shore but the impacts to both are fairly equally distributed. But parking is only one of the many challenges extant in the Shore. Thus if there is to be a City-sponsored Commission appointed to advise our Mayor and Council, it should have a broader and more generalized focus and a name reflective of that mission. I propose the re-constitution of “The Parking Commission”. It should be renamed the “Belmont Shore Area Advisory Commission” and should advise on *all* issues, including parking AND business AND residential challenges, that exist within its area of influence.

    The BSBA can, and should, still exist to advocate for area business. The BSRA can, and should, still exist to advocate for area residents. As private (non-governmental) organizations they can (and do) develop whatever by-laws suit them and can (and do) engage in all of the politicking, advocacy activities and, sadly, all of the pettiness and childish behaviors they want to. If we are all honest I think we will agree that members from both of those private organizations have engaged in these negative behaviors throughout the life of this current and escalating friction.

    But, as mentioned, the Parking Commission should be above all of that and, I submit, a reconstituted, re-focused and renamed “Belmont Shore Area Advisory Commission” would be. It would be above all of that because, of the seven (7) seats available, three (3) would be allocated to area business property stakeholders; three (3) would be allocated to area residence property stakeholders and the seventh seat would be allocated to a person who is both (an area resident who also owns or operates an area business). On the BSAAC, only that 7th seat need be endorsed by the BSRA and the BSBA and it would have to be endorsed by BOTH (In other words, the two groups would have to actually cooperate with one another and agree on something). Because some who might desire to serve on this Commission might *not* choose to affiliate with either of the mentioned advocacy groups, the remaining seats need not be endorsed by either of them.

    The application process for the seats on this Commission would be submitted and processed in the usual way but the Mayor would assume a far greater role in the final selection of these particular Commissioners. This would help to alleviate allegations (founded or unfounded) of Council District favoritism.

    In this way, and on this newly reconstituted Commission, business and resident concerns, needs, desires and interests would be considered and addressed *co-equally*. Neither group would have the upper hand and both groups would have no choice but to work together and to advise the Mayor and Council in partnership with one another, as it should be, rather than at odds with one another, as is currently the case.

    Hopefully someone in City Hall who can make something like this happen is reading this with an unbiased eye and an open mind and will give the idea of an admitted outsider due consideration. Because if something pro-active and productive isn’t done about this situation soon, this outsider fears that Long Beach generally and Belmont Shore specifically will quickly become the laughing stock of the entire County.
  • BelmontShoreLover
    What a shame...I've lived in Belmont Shore for 39 years....everyone has always gotten along. It's one thing to challenge the status quo, but Mike Ruehle seems to love stirring things up just for his own amusement. Before you blindly follow his charge, why not get to know of some of the people he is denigrating...you may discover they are actually good people, contrary to all the innuendo that Mike has created. I have frequented many of the businesses over the years and have found the business owners to really care about the community.

    Mike Ruehle appears to be one of those people who have nothing else to do in their life except create problems. While the rest of us are working and raising kids, he has time to sit around writing letter after letter, making unsubstantiated claims, and creating dissension. Come on Mike, grow up and get a life and let Belmont Shore return to being the happy community it was before you started playing your silly games.
  • Mike Ruehle
    Other than Gene Rotondo, what business owner am I “denigrating?” For over a year, Business Association President Mr. Rotondo has been telling everyone that I am anti-business. It is a fabrication that he continues to spin. In addition, Mr. Rotondo took over the December Belmont Shore Residents Association (BSRA) meeting, loudly proclaiming that the BSRA was anti-business. I repeat, show me the businesses that I have belittled.

    As I have said many times, I live in Belmont Shore BECAUSE of the businesses. If the businesses weren’t here, I wouldn’t live here. My bank is on 2nd street. My gym is on 2nd street. I eat all of my meals on 2nd street because I don’t cook. I buy my cloths on 2nd street. I know many of the business owners and appreciate the services they provide. This assertion that I am anti-business is ridiculous.

    This anti-business rhetoric is a smoke screen that is constantly being spun by Mr. Rotondo’s supporters in attempts to worry the other business owners about their resident association clients. I ask you to post your evidence of the businesses I have denigrated for all to see.
  • Bob
    Long Beach? Check.
    Corruption? Check.
    Small-minded politicians posing as civic leaders? Check.
    Small-minded business owners posing as concerned members of the community? Check.

    Nice to know that nothing's changed in Long Beach since I left 10 years ago.
  • wrongbeachJohn
    You hit the nail smack-dab on the head. You forgot one thing.

    Small-minded business-union boss posing as mayor-comandante? Check.
  • Patrick Newsom
    No wonder most local papers are forced to stick to the feel good story. Rescued puppies and beach cleanups rarely ruffle the feathers of the landed gentry. It's situations like this that really get me down on capitalism. Good work, District.
  • Chesney
    I hope you all have learned your lesson, District. You'll never get wasted or thrown up on at Belmont Station and you'll never get service at Legend's, or a house from Frank Colonna just like everyone else!

    Let that be a lesson to you to stick to stories about fuzzy fuzzy kittens and rescued dogs with pluck and personality from now on.

    It is nice to know the pen is still mightier than the sword. What do they think you're some Rupert Murdoch behemoth? Small minds....

    But srsly moar fuzzy kittenz storiez plez.
  • Melissa
    Who wants to party with those shmucks anyway?
  • DWR
    Political bickering aside, the two issues Shore residents really want addressed are drunkeness and parking.

    Mike Ruehl's standing up to the old corrupt business-as-usual I think is a good thing. But just what can be done about the noise and intoxication emanating from the bars and restaurants? Seems the only gauranteed cure would be to ban all liquor sales on 2nd St. and we all know that'll never happen. I empathize with Shore residents on this issue but I just don't see any permanent feasible solution.

    Same thing with the decades-old parking shortage. There's no real viable solution unless, possibly, funds are allocated in Mayor Foster's half-billion dollar infrasture bond proposal/parcel tax for -- Oh, I dunno -- reducing the housing stock? razing some buildings and buiding parking structures? opening beach lots for overnight parking? (just ideas).

    Based on what I've been reading and experiencing, it makes me wonder then if the BSRA and BSBA are now set to permanently lock horns over the two issues that perpetually loom largest over residents -- and businesses -- with no real progress ever being made.
  • Goodgovt4?
    A petition to close the bars at 12PM would probably garner 90% 'YES' signatures on a door to door basis in the area . I think that a few of the Viagra crowd should take sensible step back , be fair, and wise, and realize that they are smoking in a fireworks factory. At times we ask ourselves , 'It has to be alcoholism related Dementia?'.

    We're with Melissa, Power to the People....Right On !
  • DWR
    If you reside in the Shore, then how 'bout you start circulating a petition for closing bars at 12PM? After you gather enough signatures and present the petition to Gary Delong, you'll then see whose side your city councilman is really on: the residents or the bar owners.
  • CoastalAdvocate
    We are sorry to say, but in trying to apparently look out for his friends and committee to elect, we have seen Gary forced to plead the losing brief , against the residents, or the law, or common sense, or fairness, time and time again. At times he appears to be kind of 'Doing what he was kind of hired to do'' when you get to know the agenda of certain players and a few of his supporters.

    So often it seems purely profit driven, partisan and almost like spoiled, elitest 'Frat Boys' deciding who comes to the 'Keg-er', or who is tossed aside, or something ? Thankfully, the failure rate is telling.

    Historically, it starts with ; 'They are crazy', or other means of marginalizing, then there's the singling out, then the 'malcontent' or 'critic' label, then personal attacks threats and more. But thank God, or Grace or Good Providence , that the people aren't so dumb. Often, our blessing is that so many of these guys are 'Not the least bit subtle' , and that their pride, ego, animus and hubris so often betray them, as may again be the case?

    Spinning a minority view against the majority has worked many times in the Press Telerag, City Hall, The Chamber, or elsewhere, but the Dis-infecting light of The District, The LB Report and the hard work of many of us, substantially levels the playing field.

    Some of the bad guys seem to hate it like Nixon abhored ''The Pentagon Papers ! '' . HOORAY ! You can sometimes kind of sense or smell these guys' anxiety when they do something as dumb as 'Blitzkrieging'' a HOA election, like that BSRA farce, or in trying to declare one well meaning guy ''persona non grata'', as Legend's did with Mike Ruehle, and in pulling an ad or two..

    Some of this also reminds you of PT owner Dean Singleton's promise to 'Grind the District into the dust' !! That chide remains perpetually amusing ! Don't hold your breath Sir, better yet, DO ! Your paper is dying, and this one is growing, one might gather?

    But with back to Mr.'' Do Wrong'', by losing so often, and by upsettng so many people on such a wide range of issues, he seems to be very, VERY, slowly learning to listen to the people, rather than repeatedly 'Play King'. He was warned early on.

    So, several of many neighborhood favoring petitions could probably work because he has increasingly become vulnerable to a recall Petition. There happens to be a big pool of funds already set aside. The choice remains taking him out, or hoping that he will finally come along, and around. We can fight issue by issue, or drain the swamp ?

    Inside te beltway, all of this is not lost upon his colleagues or many key constituents.

    For further example, we saw him ignore 5,700 signatures opposing the Wetlands Home Depot because he " tends not to trust petitions''. So, he wasted hundreds of thousands of dollars ignoring the electorate until the Coastal Commission and The Superior Court ruled for the People, and the fair application and exercise of the Law.

    Give his colossal failure on Home Depot and more, Gary may now, finally have a little more respect for our hard fought for right to Petition our Government for Grievances ? Hence, the sugestion.

    Strategically, a few of these overzealous , self absorbed , greedy, self aggrandizing Neo Con business bullies, could just be at risk of a similar fate because our community does not have to take a lot of this abuse, and they know it. Don't they also ignore recent precedent at their own peril?

    Our residents have a wonderful way of banding together and doing the right, fair and proper thing, from the prospective of a peaceable, concerned resident. Remember the 7,000 of us who stopped the hotel over Khoury's through 'Save Our Bay' ?. All we need is a spark, and friends who care. The network is inplace, and patient.


    So , if we decide on a Petition Drive, door to door, we would then join with the wisest Democrats we can find , and go around Gary in trying to lobby 5 votes on Council. We have done this when it is proper, and important. This is pure Democracy when dealing with a detached or conveniently deaf loal representative.

    Sharing more of this area's tax revenue with the rest of the City, or simply the rest of District 3, by disbanding the Belmont Shore Kangaroo Court, and Insiders Only Pocket Lining Society, is probably a very easy sell downtown, given the Budget woes.. Many would gladly vote to get more of our revenue. Certainly, a more even and fair distribution of revenues is long overdue, and an easy sell .

    But in 'the slowest of slow learner file'' ( LOL..sorry) we have breaking news !!. Signs may point to De'tente, and a thawing of sorts, which the District helped. Rumor has it that The Prince of Palos Verdes and Park Etates actually met with Mike recently.

    Maybe representative government and The Equal Protection Clause of The United States Constitution are actually rights finally bestowed upon more, and hopefully all of us in District 3 ?

    If only Stephanie Loftin or Charlie Legeman had won this seat !! Several of the main advocates or activists would also be great.

    To better government, better quality of life, and better days !!
  • claire carsman
    Continue to fight the long time owners on 2nd Street. They think they own it, but they don't. In the 30 years I've lived in Long Beach, 2nd street has changed from a lovely small shop business area, to a mini mall. Legends started that trend. As we say in Yiddish, tough nuggies.
  • K.T.
    Accept the facts, Swaim. Your boilerplate publication is coming to an end and there's nothing you can do, save getting ALL of us to join cults, to stop that fact from coming into fruition. Likewise, why don't you use your time and editorial space a bit more wisely by building future advertising relationships with new clients, rather than continuing to burn bridges with your former ones?
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