Native American Nostalgia - Gary Stroutsos’ Magic Flute

 Posted By CotoBlogzz

Leavenworth, WA -  Icicle Creek Center for the Arts has scheduled an evening of traditional Native American song and enchanting storytelling for  Saturday, May 12, 7:30pm featuring Gary Stoutos, A master of the Native American Flute.

Icicle Creek Center for the Arts is Dedicated to celebrating excellence in the lively arts and inspiring generations of students, artists and audiences through exceptional educational experiences, live performances, and special events - all in the breathtaking, natural setting of the mountain meadows.


Tickets are $15.  Call the ticket office at (509) 548-6347 to order your tickets or online at  icicle@icicle.org

Lutakawi, Zuni Governor, photographed before 1925 by Edward S. Curtis

Gary Stroutos brings music traditions from the Zuni, Diné (Navajo) and Salish peoples alive.   While Dine People are often referred to as Navajo Indians the term is viewed as insulting by the Dine People

Diné (Navajo) People

Salish, or Coast Salish refers to a cultural subgroup of the First Nations in British Columbia, Canada and Native American cultures in Washington and Oregon in the United States who speak one of the Coast Salish languages.

Salish People

The Zuni are a federally recognized Native American people, who for the most part live in the Pueblo of Zuni on the Zuni River, in western New Mexico.

Gary recalls that "when I played for the first time before an all Native American audience, one of the elders from the Salish people, Oshanee, broke down crying when I began playing my elf flute. I asked her what was wrong and she told me that 'the music reminds me of days gone by and my relatives'."

Gary Stroutsos’ Magic Flute

Following the performance, Gary will host a Q&A session to answer questions about his career and the flutes that he plays.

In 2011, Gary Stroutsos worked with Julie Cajune at the HeartLines Center for American Indian Policy and Applied Research - Salish Kootenai College with the support of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to produce Remembering the Songs, a CD and DVD collection of traditional Native American music. This project sprang, in part, from Stroutsos’s own path after he gave up a career as an Afro-Cuban jazz band leader in 1995 to pursue the simple and incredibly pure sound of the Native American flute. That path led him from the banks of the Missouri River to the red rocks of the Southwest.

Along the way elders asked him to preserve their songs through the flute and implored him to play them often, lest their songs be forgotten. Remembering the Songs reflects time spent with friend and mentor Paul Thompson, Navajo flute maker – Fernando Cecillion, Zuni song keeper – and Lucy Vandenburg, daughter of Jerome Vandenburg one of the last Salish men who made and played traditional flutes. 

Gary has performed throughout North America and in the Far East. He has played at the White House for President Clinton, and he is a frequent head-liner and master-of-ceremonies at flute festivals throughout the country. He is also a respected story teller and often combines school programs with his concerts wherever he plays. 

Gary continues to work in each of the genres for which he has become known. He continues to push musical boundaries while maintaining his romantic style. He teaches students that the magic of the flute is in loving each note and defining it carefully with the spaces around it. It is that magic that often draws fans to travel cross-country to hear him play. 

Located in 409 Icicle Road, Leavenworth, WA 98826, Icicle Creek Center for the Artis is dedicated to celebrating excellence in the lively arts and inspiring generations of students, artists and audiences through exceptional educational experiences, live performances, and special events - all in the breathtaking, natural setting of the mountain meadows.
Phone: (509) 548-6347 Toll-Free: (877) 265-6026 Email: icicle@icicle.org

For more information on Icicle Creek, please visit www.icicle.org

Is US Postal Service in Ranch Santa Margarita Worth saving?

Posted by CotoBlogzz


Is US Postal Service  Worth saving?




Is a rhetorical question posed  By Elisabeth Meinecke Townhall Magazine Managing Editor.

My  visceral  reaction was a resounding, "Heck No " when I read the headline, as it evoked a flurry of emotions from my visit  to the Rancho Santa Margarita's post office yesterday, at around 2:30 pm




I have found that using the self- serving equipment at that post office, I can conduct most of my business, such as purchasing stamps, particularly purchasing certified mail service.  Previously, when serviced by a  live clerk, using the term loosely, I was generally confused at all the terminology being rifled at me with the clerk 's expectation that my response would either yes or no.  Period.  Have you heard of the Soup Nazi?




At around 3:05 pm, a  young lady next to me was trying to use a tape dispenser to seal  a small  package. As she was fumbling with the equipment, a Post Office  Nazi clerk with the name tag, Maria R., started to yell at the young lady that the post office closed at 3:00 pm sharp, and if she was not ready, she would just have come back another day.



To make matters worse, the young lady apparently had committed a cardinal sin and her paperwork was not altogether right, making the Post Office nazi even more upset.  In no uncertain terms, I objected to the way the young lady was treated, and the Post Office nazi threatened me with calling the Sheriff!  I encouraged her to call law enforcement, but she did not.  I also admit to using terms like "sorry excuse for a government employee "




As I reflect on the incident and my past experiences, I find that i preferva root canal than to have to deal with US Post Office personnel, particularly at the Rancho Santa Margarita Office.




Back to elizabeth's question.  Like  a prophet in the desert, I have been making the argument that in order to save California and the country, is to slay the hydra :  The symbiotic relationship between politicians, unions, lobbyists and bureaucracies and why in order to remove this cancer, 80% or more state and federal bureaucracies- AQB, LAFCO, CLRC, EPA, DEO, DEP OF EDUCATION, The US Post Office and so on - should close and or merge.

Do you know that lobbyists outnumber lawmakers in Sacramento by 10-1?  Do you know that unions led by the teachers union spent over $500,000,000 in a ten year period trying to buy lawmakers?

So, Is US Postal Service Worth saving? The answer visceral and otherwise is a resounding NO,

Desecrating Manzanar & an insult to America

“We had about one week to dispose of what we owned, except what we could pack and carry for our departure by bus…for Manzanar.”   William Hohri NPS Photo

Posted by CotoBlogzz

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA - Here the mostly radical left & hyphenated media goes again using rhetorical devices, to manipulate the dependent, the apathetic and or in the President’s words, 69% of American are stupid!

.In this case, the Orange County Register uses race -baiting to promote it's interests:  The piece titled Muslims from O.C. see meaning in Manzanar, largely amplifies the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) message that not only  Sharia is the Same as the U.S. Constitution, but
also compares the “ Muslims in America plight" with  what  Japanese-Americans suffered during the WWII  camp.  

Manzanar is most widely known as the site of one of ten camps where over 110,000 Japanese Americans were imprisoned during World War II. Located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada in California's Owens Valley between the towns of Lone Pine to the south and Independence to the north, it is approximately 230 miles northeast of Los Angeles.

Since the last prisoners left in 1945, former prisoners and others have worked to protect Manzanar and to establish it as a National Historic Site to preserve and interpret the site for current and future generations. The primary focus is the Japanese American Internment era,[ as specified in the legislation that created the Manzanar National Historic Site.

Stating the obvious Karen Carpenter Lugo,  Co-Director, Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence writes,  "There is no valid moral or historical claim that Japanese internment and the current need to confront a dishonest agenda about sharia equally represents racism.”  But of course, it is not about CAIR and the OC Register’s piece  trying to mount a moral argument as much as it is to manipulate the target market. The comparison is similar to the one used by the Gay & Lesbian Community demanding entitlements because what they one is “similar to the civil rights” battle.

Unfortunately, the  Orange County  Muslims' visit to Manzanar should be viewed as desecration,   the  Council on American-islamic Relations message should be an insult to  all Americans, and the OC Register's piece should be an insult to  classic journalism.

Now, while President Obama wrongly apologized  to Karsai, for burning desecrated Qurans, the President  failed  to recognize HE was being manipulated.  The message the President sent, as seen from the mullahs is that America has bowed to Islam.

The President for example, as well as the Muslim Community in America remain mum on the fact that the burnt Qurans had already been desecrated by Muslim radicals passing coded messages to each other. 

The President, as well as the Muslim Community in America remain mum  on the Christian Pastor to be killed by Iran's Muslim government  for NOT converting to Islam or that in Pakistan, Thousands of Qurans were dumped in raw sewage.

So, it is not about mounting a moral argument, as it would be void of intellectual integrity.  It is about selective aesthetic reasoning.

Selective Aesthetic Reasoning

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Selective Aesthetic reasoning

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA - Glen McCoy's political cartoon provides an excellent illustration of the typical selective aesthetic reasoning used by the Mostly Radical Left & Hyphenated Media. 

Selective Religiosity

The Gospel according the Radcial Left, Obama, Pelosi, Boxer, Fluke and feminist Steimen's

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA - President Obama unwisely apologized for the inadvertent. burning of defaced Qurans.  When the Holy  Quran is defaced, it is to be destroyed.

The President failed to recognize HE was being manipulated by the mullahs, more interested in reining in their subject. The message the President sent, as seen by  the mullahs is that  America bowed to Islam, as evidenced by the President’s actions

Selective misogynist reasoning:

 boycott AOL, Carbonite, Citrix, Go To Meeting, Legal Zoom, ProFlowers, Quicken Loans, Sleep Number, Sleep Train And demand lawmakers take a stand

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA - Name calling is never a good idea when trying to deliver a persuasive argument.  On the other hand, name calling is an excellent rhetorical device when trying to manipulate.

 

Forget Cirque du Soleil, How About Cirque du Monsieur Obama?

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA - The traditional circus is commonly a traveling company of performers that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists. Most modern circuses have a system of tiered seating around the ring for the public and since the late 19th early 20th century the performance has taken place under canvas and more recently plastic tents commonly called "The Big Top"

Obama's WOW - The Rosen/Clinton Rules

Obama's War on Women (WOW)

1.  Wise women subscribe to the Gospel According to Pelosi/Obama - " a baby is nothing more than a fetus and a fetus is worthless"  Oxford University "connected"  Ethicists Alberto Giubilini and Francesca Minerva

KNX1070/CBS's Political Polish Joke

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA - “First of all, there's been a lot of confusion about the spelling of "Polak." It's not "Polock", "Polack", or "Pollock." And it's not "Pole", because that's something you stick old, worn-out boots on. It's just plain "Polak", because that's how it's spelled in Polish. No, really. I myself am Polish, and I'm not dead-headed enough to get offended by Polish jokes. I must admit, Polish jokes tend to be the most creative and catchy of any jokes I've ever heard”  writes Do Widzenia, a  Computer Science major student at Yale in The Canonical List of Polish Jokes

King Obama? - Which Three Branches of Government?

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA - We think that President Obama's Freudians or gaffes are not errors, as much as indicators of his belief system:  Candidate Obama said he had visited 57 states - there are 57 states in the Organization of Islamic Conference.

Abandon the OC Titanic, Abandon the OC Titanic. Abandon......!

Abandon the OC Titanic, Abandon the OC Titanic. Abandon......!

ORANGE COUNTY OPTIMISM = 70% CHANCE SCHOOLS GET THEIR MONEY 

by Chriss Street

The liquidity of the Orange County Treasurer’s Investment Pool was hammered last week when the City of Tustin withdrew $40 million and the State of California announced its intentions to soon pull out another $90 million.  It was also reported that no other member of the Auditor-Controller bureaucracy is willing to accept the head job, following the resignations of County Treasury Oversight Chairman George Jeffries and the exit of the Auditor-Controller David Sundstrom and Assistant Auditor-Controller Shaun Skelly.  In a move reminiscent of the listing Titanic informing passengers after hitting the iceberg the band will continue to play on deck for their enjoyment, the office of the Orange County Treasurer, which manages local schools payroll and savings accounts, sought to reassure a Friday meeting of school Superintendents that there was a “70% chance they would be able to get their money and only a 30% they would not.”

The Orange County financial crisis remained invisible until the State of California filed a lawsuit to recover $73.5 million of property tax revenue Orange County had appallingly been diverted from local schools mid-November of last year.  The county justified its grabbing the kiddie’s cash as retaliation for the state shortchanging the county money in an unrelated matter.  It now appears the real motivation was to bailout the Orange County Treasurer’s Investment Pool that was suffering a liquidity crunch after the Treasurer surreptitiously bought $279 million of illiquid Orange County Pension Obligation Bonds (POB) to fund a lucrative interest rate wager.  The maneuver initially allowed the county to cancel 490 emergency layoffs and encouraged the Treasurer to buy $80 million more POBs to allow the county to raise its bet to $518 million.  But the lawsuit risks an increased liquidity strain if the county has to return the cash.

Following the resignations of the Jeffries and the exits of Sundstrom and Skelly, the Orange County Board of Supervisors acknowledged at their Tuesday public meeting that Deputy Auditor-Controller Jan Grimes declined the top position and no other senior Auditor-Controller staff member seemed to want the high paying job.  Board Chairman John Moorlach stated that although “the Auditor-Controller functions as the fiscal conscience of the County”, the elected position is not “protected” by law and the Board could gain the authority to appoint the Auditor-Controller by passing a countywide ballot measure.  Moorlach emphasized elected officials answer to the voters, while an appointed department head reports to the CEO.  He suggested: “It would be challenging for an appointed Auditor-Controller to stand up to the CEO when it could cost the appointee’s job.” As Supervisors prepared to hire another recruitment consultant, one Board member bemoaned about the lack of job takers for the Orange County Auditor-Controller position, “I support the recruitment, but I don’t have much hope there.”

Perhaps the reason no insider wants the Auditor–Controller’s top job is they fear the potential liability of being the point person as the county approaches an expected cash crunch by the end of June.  Through a California Public Records Act California Public Records Act demand, a letter was produced from Assistant Auditor-Controller Shawn Skelly to county CEO, Tom Mauk, dated two days before Skelly abruptly retired on March 30, 2012.  The document, entitled “Second Report – General Fund Level Available Financing,” states that check-book-cash available to make the county’s $65 million bi-weekly payroll will fall to $23.6 million by the end of June.  Skelly warned: “Any future use of reserves could potentially worsen today’s difficult cash situation.”  When the county filed its most recent Comprehensive Annual Financial Report on December 16, 2011, Auditor-Controller David Sundstrom warned that Orange County had a $30,146,000 shortfall in “Reserves for Contingencies” according to Government Finance Officer Association accounting guidelines,   Fifteen days later, he resigned.

Rumors have persisted for months that the County of Orange was stretching out accounts payable to vendors.  This would be a dramatic departure from the County’s 2006-2011 strategy under the former Auditor-Controller of paying vendors in 10-12 days to get favorable vendor pricing.  It has now been confirmed that the January payments for certain outside Board members of county agencies delayed until April.  To confirm the dollar amount of slowing vendor payments, California Public Records Act demands were served on the Orange County Auditor-Controller department last week and documents production is due in 10 days.

The klaxon horn is blaring in Orange County as liquidity is pours out of the Treasury and observers expect the Judge to soon pull the $73.5 million in dispute in the state lawsuit out of the Treasury and into a safe keeping escrow account.  The current travails of the county have a familiar déjà vu.  A week before Orange County filed the largest municipal bankruptcy in American history on December 5, 1994; county Chief Budget Officer Ronald S. Rubino also reassured county executives, in an emergency meeting, that Treasurer Bob Citron’s Investment Pool was safe.  Rubino also estimated there was a 70% chance the Treasurer would have enough money to fund operations and only a 30% chance there would be a problem.  Two years later and after spending a million dollars on legal fees, Rubino agreed to plead no contest to settle two felony indictments.  Is it really surprising no insider wants to take the Auditor-Controller’s job?

 Follow Chriss' Blog at www.chrissstreetandcompany.com

 Chriss Street’s latest book: “The Third Way”; now available on www.amazon.com  If you would like to order a signed copy, contact The Forum Press at:  www.theforumpress.com

Guitarreando: Guitar Story-Telling at Saddleback College

Posted by CotoBlogzz

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA – The Department of Music at Saddleback College is scheduled to  present Guitar Stories on Sunday, May 6^th at 7:30 pm in the McKinney Theatre. 

Canadian Guitarist Alexander Dunn performs selections from Tedesco's Caprichos de Goya, Op. 195, with short films based on Goya by Canadian artist Daniel Laskarin and guitarist Randy Pile focuses on the music of Spain’s most famous composer of the 20th century, Joaquín Rodrigo and the father of Brazil’s national music, Heitor Villa-Lobos

Tickets are $20 general; $15 students/seniors.  Call the ticket office at 949-582-4656 (Tues-Sat, noon-4 pm) or online at www.saddleback.edu/arts.

Francisco Goya's images, Los Caprichos, are a dark journey through the mindscape of the artist. Set to music by Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Capricho! combines live music with digital projections.  Canadian classical guitarist Alexander Dunn has performed to enthusiastic acclaim in Canada, the USA, Cuba, New Zealand, Mexico, Brazil, Southeast Asia, China, South Africa, western and eastern Europe, and Russia. In solo recital, concerto, and chamber music he is consistently praised for his musicality, technique and rich sound. An experienced chamber musician, he has worked with principal players from the Pacific Baroque Orchestra (Vancouver), Seattle Baroque Orchestra, Tafelmusik (Toronto), in duo concerts with guitarists Pepe Romero, and with numerous other musicians and vocalists. He has been a featured soloist with the CBC Vancouver Radio Orchestra, Victoria Symphony, Vancouver Symphony, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Pacific Baroque Orchestra, La Jolla Symphony, Malaga Sinfonico, New England Symphony, and many major US orchestras as a guest artist with Los Romeros.

Alexander Dunn

 . 

Saddleback College faculty member and classical guitarist Randy Pile trained in the Old World tradition of sophisticated elegance, tempered in the New World exploration of flamboyant virtuosity, and distilled through flawless technique, has been placed within a handful of the world’s finest performers. 

As a touring artist for the California Arts Council, Randy is one of the most sought after performers of his generation, both at home and abroad.  As recitalist, concerto soloist and chamber musician he has won acclaim for his rich tone, powerful technique, graceful interpretations and sensitive musicianship.  His international following has been gained through performances in the USA, Europe, Canada and the South Pacific with appearances in major music festivals, including the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Aspen Music Festival, Salzburg Mozart Festival, the Malaga Music Festival, the Northwest Guitar Festival, and New Zealand’s Summer Festivals.

The Music Department has established a comprehensive program which is considered to be one of the finest in California:  a complete lower-division curriculum for transferring music majors, numerous performance groups, private and group lessons, a full concert series with faculty and guest artists, and general music courses.  The nationally recognized faculty is dedicated to performance and to teaching in all areas such as vocal, instrumental, jazz, guitar and piano.  Other music classes include harmony, musicianship, composition, history and appreciation of western art music, rock, jazz and world.

Saddleback College is located at 28000 Marguerite Pkwy in Mission Viejo, just east of Interstate 5 at the Avery Parkway exit.  Free parking is available in Lot 12.  Take Avery Parkway to Marguerite Parkway turn left to the third traffic light, which is Saddleback’s Marguerite entrance. Turn right into the campus and take the second left to “Theatre Circle,” turning right into Lot 12.

Located in Mission Viejo, Saddleback College provides quality higher education and training to the greater south Orange County community.  Having served more than 500,000 students since 1968, Saddleback College offers more than 300 degree and certificate programs to help students reach their personal, career, and educational goals.  For more information, please visit www.saddleback.edu.  For Fine Arts events, visit www.saddleback.edu/arts. 

Saddleback College Rent Cast Members Collect $3,462 for AIDS Walk Orange County

Posted by CotoBlogzz

Mission Viejo, CA – The Department of Theatre Arts’ production of Rent, directed by Daniel R. Trevino, choreography by Ellen prince and musically directed by Christopher W. Smith, played to full houses with standing ovations for each performance.  In keeping with the Broadway tradition, cast member Philip Bushell announced to the audience at the end of each performance that cast members would  be out in front of the theatre to collect for the AIDS Services Foundation’s AIDS Walk Orange County.

The cast presented the money collected from the audiences totaling $3,462 to Marc Marger, Director of Support Services, AIDs Services Foundation of Orange County following the run of the show (April 13- 22, 2012).

“The cast and crew members of Rent are great examples of the many Saddleback students who work tirelessly to better themselves and the community,” said Dr. Tod A. Burnett, President of Saddleback College. “The generosity of the audience and the selflessness of the students is something for which everyone at the college should be proud.”

A small group of volunteers founded AIDS Services Foundation Orange County (ASF) in late summer 1985, because people were dying, desperately needed help, and had nowhere to turn. ASF is now the largest and most comprehensive nonprofit AIDS-service organization in Orange County with a staff of almost 50 committed and caring individuals, a 21-member Board of Directors and hundreds of dedicated volunteers.

ASF helps more than 1,600 men, women, children, and families in Orange County living with HIV disease. Services include food, transportation, housing, emergency financial assistance, kids and family programs, mental health counseling, support groups and HIV education and prevention services. We hope for the day when we will never have to open our doors again. Until then, we work hard to ensure everyone living with HIV and AIDS in Orange County has access to life enhancing care and prevents its spread.

The Department of Theatre Arts program at Saddleback College produces several fully-staged shows in which students are encouraged to participate.  Theatre Arts students are given the opportunity to audition for every production and Theatre Arts students are given priority in the casting process.  In addition there are numerous opportunities for students to contribute in backstage activities of all college productions.

Saddleback College is located at 28000 Marguerite Pkwy in Mission Viejo, just east of Interstate 5 at the Avery Parkway exit.  Free parking is available in Lot 12.  Take Avery Parkway to Marguerite Parkway turn left to the third traffic light, which is Saddleback’s Marguerite entrance. Turn right into the campus and take the 2^nd left to Theatre Circle, turning right into Lot 12.

Located in Mission Viejo, Saddleback College provides quality higher education and training to the greater south Orange County community.  Having served more than 500,000 students since 1968, Saddleback College offers over 300 degree and certificate programs to help students reach their personal, career, and educational goals.  For more information, please visit www.saddleback.edu and for Fine Arts information, please visit www.saddleback.edu/arts. 

Can I Borrow $1Million if I Promise there is 70% Chance I'll Pay it back?

ORANGE COUNTY OPTIMISM = 70% CHANCE SCHOOLS GET THEIR MONEY

by Chriss Street

The liquidity of the Orange County Treasurer’s Investment Pool was hammered last week when the City of Tustin withdrew $40 million and the State of California announced its intentions to soon pull out another $90 million.  It was also reported that no other member of the Auditor-Controller bureaucracy is willing to accept the head job, following the resignations of County Treasury Oversight Chairman George Jeffries and the exit of the Auditor-Controller David Sundstrom and Assistant Auditor-Controller Shaun Skelly.  In a move reminiscent of the listing Titanic informing passengers after hitting the iceberg the band will continue to play on deck for their enjoyment, the office of the Orange County Treasurer, which manages local schools payroll and savings accounts, sought to reassure a Friday meeting of school Superintendents that there was a “70% chance they would be able to get their money and only a 30% they would not.”

The Orange County financial crisis remained invisible until the State of California filed a lawsuit to recover $73.5 million of property tax revenue Orange County had appallingly been diverted from local schools mid-November of last year.  The county justified its grabbing the kiddie’s cash as retaliation for the state shortchanging the county money in an unrelated matter.  It now appears the real motivation was to bailout the Orange County Treasurer’s Investment Pool that was suffering a liquidity crunch after the Treasurer surreptitiously bought $279 million of illiquid Orange County Pension Obligation Bonds (POB) to fund a lucrative interest rate wager.  The maneuver initially allowed the county to cancel 490 emergency layoffs and encouraged the Treasurer to buy $80 million more POBs to allow the county to raise its bet to $518 million.  But the lawsuit risks an increased liquidity strain if the county has to return the cash.

Following the resignations of the Jeffries and the exits of Sundstrom and Skelly, the Orange County Board of Supervisors acknowledged at their Tuesday public meeting that Deputy Auditor-Controller Jan Grimes declined the top position and no other senior Auditor-Controller staff member seemed to want the high paying job.  Board Chairman John Moorlach stated that although “the Auditor-Controller functions as the fiscal conscience of the County”, the elected position is not “protected” by law and the Board could gain the authority to appoint the Auditor-Controller by passing a countywide ballot measure.  Moorlach emphasized elected officials answer to the voters, while an appointed department head reports to the CEO.  He suggested: “It would be challenging for an appointed Auditor-Controller to stand up to the CEO when it could cost the appointee’s job.” As Supervisors prepared to hire another recruitment consultant, one Board member bemoaned about the lack of job takers for the Orange County Auditor-Controller position, “I support the recruitment, but I don’t have much hope there.”

Perhaps the reason no insider wants the Auditor–Controller’s top job is they fear the potential liability of being the point person as the county approaches an expected cash crunch by the end of June.  Through a California Public Records Act California Public Records Act demand, a letter was produced from Assistant Auditor-Controller Shawn Skelly to county CEO, Tom Mauk, dated two days before Skelly abruptly retired on March 30, 2012.  The document, entitled “Second Report – General Fund Level Available Financing,” states that check-book-cash available to make the county’s $65 million bi-weekly payroll will fall to $23.6 million by the end of June.  Skelly warned: “Any future use of reserves could potentially worsen today’s difficult cash situation.”  When the county filed its most recent Comprehensive Annual Financial Report on December 16, 2011, Auditor-Controller David Sundstrom warned that Orange County had a $30,146,000 shortfall in “Reserves for Contingencies” according to Government Finance Officer Association accounting guidelines,   Fifteen days later, he resigned.

Rumors have persisted for months that the County of Orange was stretching out accounts payable to vendors.  This would be a dramatic departure from the County’s 2006-2011 strategy under the former Auditor-Controller of paying vendors in 10-12 days to get favorable vendor pricing.  It has now been confirmed that the January payments for certain outside Board members of county agencies delayed until April.  To confirm the dollar amount of slowing vendor payments, California Public Records Act demands were served on the Orange County Auditor-Controller department last week and documents production is due in 10 days.

The klaxon horn is blaring in Orange County as liquidity is pours out of the Treasury and observers expect the Judge to soon pull the $73.5 million in dispute in the state lawsuit out of the Treasury and into a safe keeping escrow account.  The current travails of the county have a familiar déjà vu.  A week before Orange County filed the largest municipal bankruptcy in American history on December 5, 1994; county Chief Budget Officer Ronald S. Rubino also reassured county executives, in an emergency meeting, that Treasurer Bob Citron’s Investment Pool was safe.  Rubino also estimated there was a 70% chance the Treasurer would have enough money to fund operations and only a 30% chance there would be a problem.  Two years later and after spending a million dollars on legal fees, Rubino agreed to plead no contest to settle two felony indictments.  Is it really surprising no insider wants to take the Auditor-Controller’s job?

 Follow Chriss' Blog at www.chrissstreetandcompany.com

 Chriss Street’s latest book: “The Third Way”; now available on www.amazon.com  If you would like to order a signed copy, contact The Forum Press at:  www.theforumpress.com

Laguna Woods Village Warnings about Tax-Exempt Status Fall on Deaf Ears

LETTERS

To  All Shareholders 

This is an example of IRS Commissioner Steve Miller objectives in establishing honesty and integrity with the oversight IRS Form 990. PCM/GRF has never been honest and compliant with this Form 990. This is the reason they have been under the radar. Not as they say "IRS is cracking down on gated communities" This is another GRF cover-up of their lack of oversight. It could cost the directors millions of dollars for their gross negligence. See IRS Cose 4958 or other attachment

Click on : "GRF Could Lose Their Exempt Status" This was a warning signal that was sent to GRF in 2009-2010. Of course GRF wanted to please PCM and did not respond

Members 1st Foundation, Paul Loughrey

Editor's Note:  The Laguna Woods Village governance board, the  Golden Rain Foundation (GRF) has gone from 501(c)4 status to 528 status, as a result of the IRS’ scrutiny of tax-exempt homeowner’s associations, including GRF.  This means the residents need to come up with and additional $250,000 per year to meet its tax obligations.

Now, if residents saw this coming, should the auditors not have been raising red flags much earlier?  What about the GRF Directors?

If you would like to make a comment about a specific news article, editorial or commentary and have it considered for publication in the CotoBuzz Journal as a Letter, Photo or Video Clip  to the Editor, please send it to buzz@cotobuzz.com --- or mail to Letters to the Editor, c/o CotoBuzz, P,O. Box 154, Trabuco Canyon, CA 92678 Letters should be brief, and may be edited for clarity and length. All material become the property of CotoBuzz Journal  and may be republished in any format. Please include your full name, mailing address and daytime phone number (your number will not be published).

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