The Buzz

A blog reader emailed a question, “Why is the city’s Character Committee advertising free movies in the Pennysaver? Are attendance and interest so lacking?” The Pennysaver ad ran numerous times, touting the March 20 showing of “Pinocchio.” With the origin of the committee – Councilwoman Trish Kelley’s lie that it wouldn’t involve tax dollars – “Pinocchio” was an interesting choice for a movie.

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Anyone wanting a display of lying can attend a council meeting. Along with Kelley, Councilman Frank Ury’s lies at meetings are well documented. He lied in his ballot statement as well http://www.orangejuiceblog.com/2008/10/mission-viejo-councilman-frank-ury-lied-in-his-candidate-statement , and a judge struck down false and misleading information when Ury wrote the argument against Measure D http://missionviejodispatch.com/city-aestheics/right-to-vote-ledesma-exposes-urys-lie . Instead of having a nose that grows, each time Ury lies, he needs a wider chair.

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Ury was the county GOP’s rising star when he won a seat on the Saddleback Valley school board in the 1990s. He no longer gets a mention from county leaders, especially after he endorsed a Democrat for city council in 2010.

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When the OC Register published an item about poor street conditions http://articles.ocregister.com/2010-09-27/local/24640220_1_roads-poor-condition-motorists , Mission Viejo ranked No. 21 among the nation’s worst. A corresponding chart showed Mission Viejo residents pay an average of $526 annually to repair vehicle damage caused by poorly maintained streets.

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Has Mission Viejo’s Rotary Club become a launch pad for council candidates? Bill Craycraft is a longtime Rotary member, and Mayor Hee Haw Leckness wants a donation box on public property for his Rotary Club. Brian Skalsky joined the Rotary Club and has run twice for a council seat. Wendy Bucknum appears to be campaigning for city council, and her husband recently joined the Rotary. Several others who participate in city politics are in the same club – all for the sake of humanitarianism, of course.

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California Republicans who convened in Sacramento on March 18-21 heard from potential 2012 presidential candidates. Had all the contenders shown up, they would still be talking. Potential candidates include Mitt Romney, Sarah Palin, Mike Huckabee, Newt Gingrich, Mike Pence, Herman Cain, Fred Karger, Jimmy McMillan, Buddy Roemer, Michele Bachmann, Haley Barbour, John Bolton, Mitch Daniels, Rudy Giuliani, Jon Huntsman Jr., Gary E. Johnson, Ron Paul, Tim Pawlenty, Rick Santorum, Donald Trump, John Thune, Jim DeMint, Chris Christie, Rick Perry, Bobby Jindal and George Pataki.