Bugsy skimmed a little too much off the top.
staff photo
Thursday, March 17, 2005
TAKING O' THE GREEN
(From the LA TIMES 3-17-05)
A financial officer for the Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula was arrested Wednesday for allegedly embezzling nearly $500,000, Riverside County authorities said.
Paul Del Vacchio, 39, of Murrieta was financial controller for the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians' casino, and allegedly funneled $489,000 into his bank account over the last two years, a sheriff's spokesman said.
The resort has 500 hotel rooms and 2,000 slot machines. He is expected to be charged today.
That's some serious coin. Bet he makes bail. Turns out this guy's a distance runner (Google'd him). I'm guessing he better grease up his running shoes. Casino owners have an effective policy for dealing with skimmers --- Think Bugsy (aka Moe Green).
Wells Fargo bank ratted him out -- routine check of accounts turned up a ton o green!
(From the LA TIMES 3-17-05)
A financial officer for the Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula was arrested Wednesday for allegedly embezzling nearly $500,000, Riverside County authorities said.
Paul Del Vacchio, 39, of Murrieta was financial controller for the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians' casino, and allegedly funneled $489,000 into his bank account over the last two years, a sheriff's spokesman said.
The resort has 500 hotel rooms and 2,000 slot machines. He is expected to be charged today.
That's some serious coin. Bet he makes bail. Turns out this guy's a distance runner (Google'd him). I'm guessing he better grease up his running shoes. Casino owners have an effective policy for dealing with skimmers --- Think Bugsy (aka Moe Green).
Wells Fargo bank ratted him out -- routine check of accounts turned up a ton o green!
Wednesday, March 16, 2005
PARACHUTE JOURNALISM
The San Jose Mercury news ran a piece on Murrieta this week (you can also find it on line at the Monterey Herald) . The piece describes Murrieta as a hotbed of racism and hate crime.
Oh really??? I've picked apart this piece of garbage several times over the past few days and needless to say there are several flaws. Here's how an AP version of the story begins :
Racist incidents cause unease in booming suburbs inland
MURRIETA, Calif. - Like thousands of other Californians over the past decade, Crystal Farr came with her family to the booming suburbs of inland Southern California for cheaper housing than she could find along the coast.
Farr has come to question the wisdom of the move, however, following the arrest of dozens of alleged white supremacists and a series of racially charged incidents, including an attack in which two students beat her teenage son at school.
The stay-at-home mother, who is black, said the arrests added to her feeling that not everyone is welcome in the rapidly diversifying region east of Los Angeles, where whites are no longer a majority.
Three paragraphs in and I'm asking myself :WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO THE FIVE Ws and an H?
Who are the white supremacists? What is the series of racially charged incidents? and how is in that not everyone is welcome in "the rapidly diversifying region east of Los Angeles." Isn't Murrieta southeast of Los Angeles?
If there is a nut graph in the article it's this: (Assistant Riverside County D.A. John) Ruiz prosecuted one of the region's most notorious hate crimes - a 1999 incident in which a black man from Murrieta was chased and beaten by members of the neo-Nazi Western Hammerskins. Five men were sentenced to prison and local leaders of the group moved to Mesa, Ariz.
I'm not discounting the heinousness of the crime (because stuff like this should never be tolerated) But, hello! 1999 was six years ago.
There's also this: "In January, authorities in Riverside and San Bernardino counties announced that, working with the FBI in separate investigations, they had arrested more than 40 people allegedly tied to white supremacist groups with names such as Public Enemy Number One and Angry Nazi Soldiers. The arrests, mostly on drug and weapons charges, took place over more than a year."
Thank God these people were arrested. How many lived in Murrieta? How many were arrested in Murrieta? The author makes no accounting -- leading one to assume that they were all arrested here...I don't believe that is the case.
There might be a good story in this mess somewhere, but (typically) the reporter and editors have distorted facts and taken incidents out of context... We need the truth. Not a cobbled together weekender on hate crimes in the Inland Empire ...
MTK
The San Jose Mercury news ran a piece on Murrieta this week (you can also find it on line at the Monterey Herald) . The piece describes Murrieta as a hotbed of racism and hate crime.
Oh really??? I've picked apart this piece of garbage several times over the past few days and needless to say there are several flaws. Here's how an AP version of the story begins :
Racist incidents cause unease in booming suburbs inland
MURRIETA, Calif. - Like thousands of other Californians over the past decade, Crystal Farr came with her family to the booming suburbs of inland Southern California for cheaper housing than she could find along the coast.
Farr has come to question the wisdom of the move, however, following the arrest of dozens of alleged white supremacists and a series of racially charged incidents, including an attack in which two students beat her teenage son at school.
The stay-at-home mother, who is black, said the arrests added to her feeling that not everyone is welcome in the rapidly diversifying region east of Los Angeles, where whites are no longer a majority.
Three paragraphs in and I'm asking myself :WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO THE FIVE Ws and an H?
Who are the white supremacists? What is the series of racially charged incidents? and how is in that not everyone is welcome in "the rapidly diversifying region east of Los Angeles." Isn't Murrieta southeast of Los Angeles?
If there is a nut graph in the article it's this: (Assistant Riverside County D.A. John) Ruiz prosecuted one of the region's most notorious hate crimes - a 1999 incident in which a black man from Murrieta was chased and beaten by members of the neo-Nazi Western Hammerskins. Five men were sentenced to prison and local leaders of the group moved to Mesa, Ariz.
I'm not discounting the heinousness of the crime (because stuff like this should never be tolerated) But, hello! 1999 was six years ago.
There's also this: "In January, authorities in Riverside and San Bernardino counties announced that, working with the FBI in separate investigations, they had arrested more than 40 people allegedly tied to white supremacist groups with names such as Public Enemy Number One and Angry Nazi Soldiers. The arrests, mostly on drug and weapons charges, took place over more than a year."
Thank God these people were arrested. How many lived in Murrieta? How many were arrested in Murrieta? The author makes no accounting -- leading one to assume that they were all arrested here...I don't believe that is the case.
There might be a good story in this mess somewhere, but (typically) the reporter and editors have distorted facts and taken incidents out of context... We need the truth. Not a cobbled together weekender on hate crimes in the Inland Empire ...
MTK
Friday, March 11, 2005
Quick take on Michael Jackson: Guilty.
That's how I would write the headline anyway.
Not many people I know are convinced that he will be convicted. (Andy Rooney high-pitched whine) Why is that anyway?
Great example; pundit Catherine Crier (former judge, former prosecutor) told Sean
Hannity yesterday that she thought Jacko was guilty but wasn't so sure he would be convicted. If that's not hedging, then what is it? Of course, she's part of the same media class that would whore out in a second to get a one-on-one with Jackson. Look at Diane Sawyer. Her interviews with newsmakers are only possible because she will never ask the hardball question. Larry King, same thing.
Hannity is another pathetic example. He talks tough, then never gets to the
meat of what is on his mind, instead praising liberal politicians to their
faces, while vilifying them behind their backs. When there's an opportunity to
really grill somebody of the opposite persuasion, his producers serve up softballs by only allowing Alan Colmes to do the interview and vice-versa. Fox pretends to be fair and
balanced, but when it comes time to give some Republican hack grief they simply
back off.
Don't get me wrong, I could watch Fox News Channel all day, but that's just watching. Their live news coverage (outside of Iraq and Israel) is pathetic. Anchors like Jon Scott are merely readers who spew barely literate teleprompter copy while attempting to assert that what they are reading is somehow relevant. I hate (for example) when they pick up a live police pursuit from LA. No one can pronounce the Spanish names of many SoCal locals -- one time I heard Scott offer five different pronunciations of Los Feliz during the reportage of a meaningless car chase. You know they are waiting for gunfire or some other titillating video that can then be run ad
nauseum for the rest of the news cycle -- if not the rest of the week. But there's never any follow up. I wonder, what happened to that guy from Los Feliz. Is he out? Is he doing time? What's the deal?
FOX 11 in Los Angeles is even more pathetic. The worst offender on this insipid station is Tony
McEwing. A lot of mornings he won't read the local sports copy because he deems it too icky. WEIRDO ALERT !!!
How is it that the Los Angeles Times can daily fill eight-page section with news from the Southland, but FOX 11 can barely find local news (other than chases, accidents and murders). On the other hand, Channel 11 always seems to have time for video fresh from the "You
won't believe your eyes" file. You know: Air show accident in Lower Slobovia; "Dog Gives Birth to Kittens in Pakistan" "Michael Jackson Arrives in Court Wearing Pajamas."
Oh yeah, Michael Jackson. I said at the start of this rant he's guilty. How do I know? Why the hell else would he wear pajamas to court?
Thursday, March 10, 2005
Behind the Gate
Damn. Five years out of the newspaper business and you'd think it was all behind me. It feels awesome to be back in black(and white).
Damn. Five years out of the newspaper business and you'd think it was all behind me. It feels awesome to be back in black(and white).
SGVN publishes piece on HST today. Thanks Steve.
Thunderheart live in Hemet tonight 9 p.m. at the Wheelhouse. No cover. Band plays 'til whenever. Set will probably include:
Thunderheart live in Hemet tonight 9 p.m. at the Wheelhouse. No cover. Band plays 'til whenever. Set will probably include:
- I Just Wanna Make Love to You
- I'm a Man
- Takin' Care of Business
- Hootchy Kootchy Man
- Jumpin' Jack Flash
- Joker
- Born to Be Wild
- Boardwalk
- Wonderful Tonight
- Mustang Sally
- Back in the USSR
There will be more. I just can't remember them all right now. Ciao
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
HOW WINEVILLE LOST ITS NAME
There used to be a town in Northern Riverside County called Wineville. The grapes grown there produced some of the nation's finest wines --especially in the 1920s and 1930s (during prohibition). In fact, some of California's first wineries flourished in the area.
The largest of those was the Guasti Winery -- it sits on the land now owned by the Ontario Airport. Actually, Guasti was the site of the world's largest vineyard. It stretched from what is now the San Bernardino Freeway south to beyond what is now Jurupa Avenue. Beyond that was a collection of other wineries (Notably Galleano and San Antonio, which are still in business today). Further south on Wineville Avenue, a strand of eucalyptus trees separated the vines from a group of run-down properties with hen houses, hog sloppers and abandoned cars.
A serial killer named Gordon Stewart Northcott practiced his trade on this far edge of society. In 1929, he was conviced of three child murders and sentenced to death at San Quentin for the crimes, which included the kidnapping of two Pomona boys outside a YMCA meeting.
The made headlines across the nation and singled out Wineville as the location where the "Chicken Murders" took place. Shortly after Northcott's execution in 1930, Wineville decided to change its name. The tiny town became Mira Loma or "Hill View."
The case (and Northcott) ultimately faded from memory. In the intervening years, Wineville also faded. Most of the Guasti vineyards became Ontario International Airport. Galleano and San Antonio remained and still maintain some of the finest old zinfandel vines in the United States. Those too are rapidly disappearing -- housing is cheap in Riverside County.
There used to be a town in Northern Riverside County called Wineville. The grapes grown there produced some of the nation's finest wines --especially in the 1920s and 1930s (during prohibition). In fact, some of California's first wineries flourished in the area.
The largest of those was the Guasti Winery -- it sits on the land now owned by the Ontario Airport. Actually, Guasti was the site of the world's largest vineyard. It stretched from what is now the San Bernardino Freeway south to beyond what is now Jurupa Avenue. Beyond that was a collection of other wineries (Notably Galleano and San Antonio, which are still in business today). Further south on Wineville Avenue, a strand of eucalyptus trees separated the vines from a group of run-down properties with hen houses, hog sloppers and abandoned cars.
A serial killer named Gordon Stewart Northcott practiced his trade on this far edge of society. In 1929, he was conviced of three child murders and sentenced to death at San Quentin for the crimes, which included the kidnapping of two Pomona boys outside a YMCA meeting.
The made headlines across the nation and singled out Wineville as the location where the "Chicken Murders" took place. Shortly after Northcott's execution in 1930, Wineville decided to change its name. The tiny town became Mira Loma or "Hill View."
The case (and Northcott) ultimately faded from memory. In the intervening years, Wineville also faded. Most of the Guasti vineyards became Ontario International Airport. Galleano and San Antonio remained and still maintain some of the finest old zinfandel vines in the United States. Those too are rapidly disappearing -- housing is cheap in Riverside County.
Monday, March 07, 2005
SOME PEOPLE THINK THEY HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS
This letter to the NCTimes/Californian is a good example ...
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2005/03/04/opinion/letters/3_3_0523_17_47.txt (Scroll down a bit to Clinton Keith an example of poor planning)
This guy is full of hot air and bull**** He's not telling the whole story. In fact he's simply using a ruse to get people angry enough to support a stupid recall election.
Truth is: traffic on Clinton Keith runs through at least three separate jurisdictions. While the city controls a large protion of the road, Riverside County is also responsible for a portion of it, as is the state of California.
Calling the city traffic engineer names doesn't change this fact, neither does blaming the Murrieta City Council. I believe this problem will only be exacerbated by the recall -- and may have been already.
Because of the recall, the city council decided to scrap their plan to annex the southern portion of Wildomar. Interestingly enough, the problem portion of Clinton Keith runs right through that part of Wildomar. Facts speak for themselves.
Another thing. What is this recall about anyway? Run away development? Really? I doubt this letter writter lived here before 2001. So what he's really saying is "I've got mine... the rest of you can **** off."
This letter to the NCTimes/Californian is a good example ...
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2005/03/04/opinion/letters/3_3_0523_17_47.txt (Scroll down a bit to Clinton Keith an example of poor planning)
This guy is full of hot air and bull**** He's not telling the whole story. In fact he's simply using a ruse to get people angry enough to support a stupid recall election.
Truth is: traffic on Clinton Keith runs through at least three separate jurisdictions. While the city controls a large protion of the road, Riverside County is also responsible for a portion of it, as is the state of California.
Calling the city traffic engineer names doesn't change this fact, neither does blaming the Murrieta City Council. I believe this problem will only be exacerbated by the recall -- and may have been already.
Because of the recall, the city council decided to scrap their plan to annex the southern portion of Wildomar. Interestingly enough, the problem portion of Clinton Keith runs right through that part of Wildomar. Facts speak for themselves.
Another thing. What is this recall about anyway? Run away development? Really? I doubt this letter writter lived here before 2001. So what he's really saying is "I've got mine... the rest of you can **** off."
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