The Buzz column, Feb. 25

Residents who attended the Feb. 18 council meeting may have been disappointed with the outcome. The N.O.P.E. tin-hatters were angry about the city’s EMF report, but not for the right reasons. The city’s mistake was in sitting on the report when the results should have been made public. Field Management Services reported with an analysis based on line load and other data that the power lines are operating as they should. There’s no smoking gun or anything else to warrant spending additional time or taxpayer money. The N.O.P.E. group was madder than hell because there’s no smoking gun or anything else to warrant spending any additional time or taxpayer money. The two reports presented during the meeting are discussed in an editorial on this blog.

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Some Casta del Sol residents who attended the Feb. 18 council meeting may have been disappointed if they thought Councilwoman Trish Kelley was going to protect them from rezoning of the golf course. Kelley has consistently supported rezoning. She first voted to rezone two properties along Los Alisos, which are in the Saddleback school district. Low-income families moving into welfare housing on Los Alisos wouldn’t affect her precious Capo district. But she next voted to rezone three parcels in Capo, which should get the attention of Capo PTA moms. Kelley consistently sides with developers, and she does so against her constituents, campaign volunteers, PTA friends and homeowners trying to protect their property.

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Those who watched the entire Feb. 18 council meeting described a meltdown near the end. It was a minor one. Councilwoman Gail Reavis had applied for an appointment to Southern California Association of Governments, and she sent a letter to its chairman asking to be on the transportation committee. Several committee openings were available, but Reavis and Kelley both applied for the same position. Kelley reacted Monday night by retorting, “I got my letter in first!” Kelley called for a vote and prevailed 3-2.

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Here’s a fictive parable about something of equal substance. One day, Reavis was in the parking lot at city hall, and she saw a twig on the pavement. She picked it up, saying. “I love twigs. May I take it home?” Kelley runs out to the parking lot, crying, “It’s MY twig! I saw it first.” The parable has many applications – it could be about a twig, a committee appointment, seating assignments or bird plop.

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Other blogs have discussed at length the decline of newspapers. A notable exception is the San Juan Capistrano Dispatch, which does an excellent job of covering its city. Publisher Jonathan Volzke seems omnipresent, reporting on meetings, city business and everything else that happens in San Juan Capistrano. The SJC Dispatch has added two sister publications, in San Clemente and Dana Point. Mission Viejo residents should hope Jonathan will next look north.

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A blog reader reported that approximately 30 people have filed suit against the Capistrano Unified School District for having their names on the district’s enemies lists. At least two law firms are representing those filing suit. One person who filed said the district will probably pay to settle rather than going to trial.