The District Weekly - Latest Comments in BELMONT STATION JOINS AD BOYCOTT AIMED AT THE PAPER YOU’RE READING RIGHT NOW

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

Laurence Goodhue — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 02:57:35 -0000

RE:Reflections upon some of the comments by Coastal Advocate:

Neither Loftin or Legeman are electable-so say the results of the past election.
More to the point while Loftin might be an excellent person for Open Mike night at the
Comedy Store-we do need someone with a deep roots in the City.De Long is
the classic example of what happens when one is so dis connected from so many
and so much in the district and the City.

As to the comment that Gary might be finally meeting with Mike Ruehle: Belmont'
Shore-is but one of the-to many-issues where Gary demonstrates his disconnect.He
is clearly and simply not cut out to be a good Council person.It is not in his nature-THAT
IS WHY THE FOLLOWING WOULD BE THE BEST FOR ALL:

l.Gary steps down this November.
2.The Mayor will oversee the Third District for two years.That drives circa
$650,000-$750,000 to the bottom line -which could be used for circa 700
sidewalk repairs.
3.The profile of the majority of people and civic organizations in the district
strongly suggest there is enough savvy to work with the Mayor and City
staff. We can get along fine without Gary.Let us face it-it certainly can not
get any worse!!!
4.Over the next two years the community can vet potential replacements.
5.The key to returning the Third District to an even footing is Gary's November
2008 departure.Until he is gone the district will be in constant upheaval.

Laurence B. Goodhue
Long Beach

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

Andy — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 23:46:10 -0000

Succinct and eloquent, the Bard would be proud. Since you haven't seen the fact you can turn off all caps, I'm guessing you're the same troll at Legends who threatened to kick my ass for parking close to your Harley with my "Jap crap".

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

CoastalAdvocate — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 18:34:20 -0000

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 !!

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

Left Wing Gun Nut — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 17:18:05 -0000

Does all this have anything to do with the recent unavailability of the District at my favorite drinking establishments in Costa Mesa? Not that there's a boycott here, but maybe the financial impact of the Belmont boycott?

I've been missing my District Weekly.

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

KTONE — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 17:17:07 -0000

DISTRICT MAGAZINE IS A TERRIBLE RIP OFF OF OC WEEKLY ANYWAYS! I TRIED TO READ THAT CRAP WHILE TAKING A CRAP AND I USED THE PAGES TO WIPE MY BUTT, CRAP GOES GOOD WITH CRAP!

LEGENDS IS THE PLACE TO BE ON 2ND STREET DEAL WITH IT! AND THERE ISN'T A THING ANY OF YOU HATERS CAN DO ABOUT IT!

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

Local Media Matters — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 16:23:02 -0000

The District is the best thing that has happened to Long Beach. The non MediaNews publication can speak freely and question local Government and Businesses, risking ad boycotts. Pay for play (DG-boxing ) can be a dangerous thing.
Yes the Press-Telegram is a shell of it's former self , who before employed 75% of the District staff writers, but competition makes better coverage. We should and so should Retundo be grateful for local media, despite its forms and faults .
When his place burned to the ground, who was there to inform the public about the help they needed and yes on the delays. The District would have been there as well, if it existed. Retundo is above it all, he thinks he's the Godfather of Second Street and hates it when he is questioned by anyone.
When the city brings to second street a 7-11, Hooters, Lovers Sex shop, 9.95 Shoe shop, Wall-Mart, Ross, 7 hooka bars and Military Recruitment storefront, Mariposa's on 2nd and bus in some East Side Longo's, Asian Boyz, and Rollin 20's.......I think he'll pick-up the phone and call the media.

Good Job District !!!

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

Your Mom — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 14:38:48 -0000

If Mr. Swaim is part of a cult - SIGN THIS GAL UP!!!

Happy? Successful? Owner of a growing, highly respected publication?
Check. Check. Check.

You sound a little bitter there K.T., yes?

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

DWR — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 13:08:44 -0000

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.

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

wrongbeachJohn — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 02:00:24 -0000

K.T. are you suggesting that Mr. Swaim operate his publication the same as the whores at the press-telerag do?
The DW plays an important part in reporting news that the rag would never touch because it would upset the real or perceived powers that be or their advertisers.
I think someone like you should be bashing jay beeler for his constant whining about tom reeves, or congratulating randy gordon for his shrewd sleazy maneuvers, instead of sniveling at Will Swaim.

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

K.T. — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 19:31:48 -0000

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?

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

claire carsman — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 19:08:03 -0000

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.

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

Goodgovt4? — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 18:49:23 -0000

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 !

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

DWR — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 18:13:10 -0000

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.

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

Melissa — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 17:43:07 -0000

Who wants to party with those shmucks anyway?

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

Chesney — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 16:28:47 -0000

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.

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

Patrick Newsom — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 16:17:36 -0000

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.

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

wrongbeachJohn — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 16:04:57 -0000

You hit the nail smack-dab on the head. You forgot one thing.

Small-minded business-union boss posing as mayor-comandante? Check.

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

Mike Ruehle — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 15:52:00 -0000

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.

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

Bob — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 12:39:19 -0000

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.

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

BelmontShoreLover — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 12:14:13 -0000

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.

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

flng — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 10:40:29 -0000

ooohh,... nice post...very intersting

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

Sarah T — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 02:33:00 -0000

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.

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

wrongbeachJohn — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 02:12:51 -0000

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.

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

Goodgovt4? — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 20:20:47 -0000

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.

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

Pprmint — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 19:22:49 -0000

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.