RE: North OC College District

>>>Trustee Area 4

Molly McClanahan
Governing Board Member, North Orange County Community College District, Trustee Area 4

Dana Rose Crystal
Journalist/Student

Ross P. Romero
Real Estate Agent

*****In this race Molly McClanahan did not purchase the ballot statement which could have been a chance to defeat her but neither of her opponents purchased the ballot statement either. Look for incumbency to dominate this race with Molly McClanahan retaining her seat for another four years.

Well! I thought Molly HAD purchased the statement. The filing log at the Registrar of Voters seemed to say so --though I could not really tell by the web version. If she hasn't, it would be a great help, if not for that real estate guy who filed Thursday ( and I could not find a thing about HIM on the google search ).

I am well aware that a ballot statement is a huge help. Many voters don't bother reading anything about the candidates or issues until they get into the election booth --which is why the ballot statement is worthwhile.
But I just did not have the $6,000+ that it cost. I could LIVE on that ammount of money for 6 months!

By the way, yes, I am DanaRose Crystal, candidate for NOCCCD Trustee. You would read plenty about me, if you looked. No matter how slim the odds in this race, I will try my utmost to reach the voters. What I have to say is important; and what I have to offer is invaluable. I have been a student within the NOCCCD for four years, and am a journalist ( and journalism student ). I've actually lived and worked "in the trenches" while the current bigwigs are more like the ceremonial generals whose "fighting days" are over. I know what the students and the teachers REALLY need, and it's not tons of new buildings ( I bet the real estate guy won't say THAT! ). We need decent pay for the teachers --and more part time teachers should be elevated to full-time. In order to make a decent living, many have to take another part time position, and weekly travel from Cypress or Fullerton or one of the NOCCCD campuses to aother district ( like a Coast Community or Rancho Santiago college ). That jeopardizes their freshness at both campuses, and our well-being as students, too. It also risks losing them to the rival campus --especially since the others are richer and more able to hire the teacher at full-time status.

We students need more equipment: more computers, more space, more lab hours -- therefore more lab techs.

BTW, lest you think I am a kid, I am NOT. I am a baby-boomer returning student, who put everything on the line to pursue education in the career of my dreams; so I have sufficient years and life-experience to do perform as a Trustee.

I'm putting together my website, which you can visit later.
Interesting, though --Al Jabbar, who is running for Area 1, is a recent student of Cypress College ( 2000 ). I don't know him personally, but it is cheering that a fellow student is giving this a try.

Thank you,
DanaRose Crystal

Anyone see these pictures?
http://media.www.crystalclearnewsviews.com/media/storage/paper1250/news/2008/02/06/Opinion/Danarose.Crystal.Runs.For.President.Of.The.United.States.Of.America-3294103.shtml

In Trustee Area 2 I just read that Joseph DoVinh is also running for a Santitation District. Can he run for both offices? Apparently he can. I couldn't find a ballot statement for him either. He's running against Jerry Patterson, hasn't Patterson been on there a long time?

Dana,

A bit of advice would be to make sure the information you post is correct, especially when you are running for office.

Al Jabbar is not running as it shows on the filing log that he failed to return his paperwork.

Also it would be hard for Molly McClanahan to have returned a ballot statement when she never took one out in the first place.

This race is not one that I will follow closely, as sadly no Republicans are in the race.

McClanahan should probably wipe the floor with everybody as she has incumbency, along with strong name ID being a former Fullerton City Councilwoman.

district three ought to be interesting, arlene greer has the endorsements of pat bates, ed royce, tom fuentes and many more. she paid for a ballot statement which will help significantly. and, rumor has it that she is a very good fundraiser,,,

Word has it that Charlotte Pirch who's running for Mary Hornbuckle's seat in the Coast Community College may be a fraud. The County Counsel has been asked by the Registrar of Voters to investigate if she is or ever was a college professor. A Google search finds nothing.

She might even be a friend of Hornbuckle put on the ballot to pull votes from Boyd who came close to beating Mary last time.

Randall:

Where did you hear this? Charlotte Pirch is the local president of the League of Women Voters. I think that you should be careful about labeling her a "fraud" unless you have facts to support your claim.

"A bit of advice would be to make sure the information you post is correct, especially when you are running for office.

Al Jabbar is not running as it shows on the filing log that he failed to return his paperwork."

Chris:

Are you sure? It looks like he's running to me.

Well, OC Native, those pics were from my April Fool's Day article, which netted quite a few hits, so I left it up. It was one of my biggest "hits"! I thought a few fun pics would spice up the article.

As for Mr. Jabbar--
My journalism teacher, Mr. Robert Mercer mentioned him to me. He'd said that he'd once recommended that Jabbar run for Student Trustee of Cypress College, if he wanted a springboard into politics, and it worked, as he has since become Adminstrator for Environmental Health of Orange County and Commissioner for the city of Anaheim Cultural Heritage Commission.

He was A.S. President in 1999 and Student Trustee in 2000.

However, you may be right that he isn't running --rather word is he might withdraw, for some reason. But his name is on the ballot, as of today; and he still has his website up:
aljabbar.org

As for Molly having a lock on the election:

Yes, she might just have.

So do many other incumbants and others of the two party system. But if everybody else gave up or never tried some people would stay in office for a lifetime; and new people would never have a chance. The point of participating as a candidate is not always to do what is easy, but to have a say in matters. If no one ever challenged incumbants, all sorts of things that are wrong will continue to be wrong. Challenge to incumbants forces them to make needed changes --and the NOCCCD needs change!

Jabbar should not drop out. Didn't file his papers? I think he had to have. They don't put you into the public filing log until after you sign papers and take an oath.

I went to the Registrar today, and saw that Molly did not have a statement, after all. I, Al Jabbar and Ross do not have them, either --but all four male incumbants do.

Just being thorough ( the journalist in me likes details ):

It seems Al Jabbar filled out some of his papers, but never took the oath. When I came in, Aug. 4, I was told that my info would be on the Internet the next day, and it was. I was told that it would be up, even if I didn't complete my paperwork. At the time, I hadn't created a website, etc. and thought I'd list it, so was told I could finish my paperwork, even add a statement, but then had to take the oath by Friday, August 8. ( I decided to take it earlier, just to be safe. )

Perhaps Al Jabbar might have wanted to see if he could raise enough money to pay for a statement? Maybe, maybe not. But now those other two guys will get back their deposits for the statements, and as of today, be declared the winners, as will area 3's Michael Matsuda --leaving just the race for area 4.

In that race:
Ross P. Romero, the real estate guy will likely have more lawn signs than anybody else! :) So the lawn sign advantage goes to him.

He works for ReMax, and is also an actor. He took at least one class at Fullerton College, and has appeared in some movies and TV shows. More advantage for him: he also does motivational speaking.

"Additional Skills : Motivational Speaker, Karaoke Singer, Poetry Recitalist, Bilingual Spanish, Salsa Dancer, Baseball, Soccer, Swimming, Billiards, Snow Skiing"

So Molly has the incumbancy, and likely will net beaucoup endorsements.

And I am the candidate with the least money to spend --but the MOST to say, and I WILL say it!

I'm actually glad for Ross' candidacy, even if he ends up topping me, because at least someone other than myself will try to challenge the system. A democracy needs challenges via the election process. Otherwise, institutions would be stagnant, and nothing would change.

Chris,

Your comments on the Coast Community College District race seem to be right on the mark. It doesn't seem to be widely known that last week the O.C. Democratic Party did not endorse incumbent Coast District trustee Armando Ruiz. Instead, the candidate you commented on, Lorraine Prinsky, received the endorsement for the area of the district that Mr. Ruiz represents. Hopefully, the Coast community will vote to reject Ruiz and his pension double dipping. His actions in 2004 have already cost taxpayers a very significant sum, over $200,000 what Mr. Ruiz would have received without the "double-dip", since Mr. Ruiz's "retirement" from the Coast board of trustees. Enough is enough.

Anonymous

Anonymous,

I received the email below a few days ago. As I said in a previous post, the real issue of the Coast Community College District election this year is Armando Ruiz. He must go. I am glad that there are others that share this viewpoint.

Dear Members of the Coast District Community:

If you did not know, the Coast Community College District board has three seats up for election this Fall. I live in the Coast District community, but am writing anonymously to protect my privacy. I am writing to you specifically about Area 3 of the District, the seat held by trustee Armando Ruiz. If you did not know, Mr. Ruiz, with the full complicity and knowledge of the Coast District adminstration, took advantage of a state loophole in 2004 to double the size of his pension, which so far has cost taxpayers over $250,000, and will cost over $1,000,000 throughout the remainder of Ruiz's natural life. Many people in the community expressed outrage at Ruiz's actions - there was a recall attempt in the community, and local political leaders rebuked Mr. Ruiz for his conduct. Since that time, Ruiz has continued to collect his six figure pension and his salary as a trustee. In addition, he drives around the District in a Mercedes Benz coupe, and uses District resources for his personal use. This year, Mr. Ruiz is being challenged by Lorraine Prinsky, a professor at Cal State Fullerton. Ms. Prinsky is running on a platform of ethics and pledges to the stop pension abuse like Mr. Ruiz's that takes place on community college governing boards. In addition, it is Ms. Prinsky, not Armando Ruiz, that secured the endorsement of the Orange County Democratic Party last month. Whatever your political affiliation, the Democratic Party should be commended for endorsing a candidate that is running on a platform of ethics and integrity in public service, and who will stop pension abuse by college trustees that work both as a trustee and a government employee at the same time. (www.lorraineprinsky.com). There is a third person in the race, Don Apodaca, but little is known about him. But, more importantly, Ms. Prinsky will support openness and transparency in the management of the Coast District board. If you did not know already, Mr. Ruiz has served on a land development committee for the board. This committee is the one that brought the CVS Pharmacy, which will be selling alcoholic beverages on the campus, to Golden West College, and also, which secretly supported the proposal to build a Costco on the Golden West College campus. How could administrators like the Golden West College president tell people that the Costco deal was "approved" without the support of some higher authority? He has no power whatsover. The proposal may have came from the City of Huntington Beach, but Ruiz and others on the board were looking at Golden West College "surplus land" for development as far back as 2005. At a very recent meeting of the board, Mr. Ruiz rebuffed and delayed the request of some of his board colleagues to make the board's land development activities more open. Why wouldn't Mr. Ruiz support a more open and transparent land development process at the Coast District? Wouldn't an open and public land development process best protect the interests of the community, the students, and the District? Hasn't Ruiz learned anything after the community's reaction to the Costco proposal? And, as president of the board, Mr. Ruiz delayed sharing a letter from State accreditors, with his fellow trustees. This letter placed Orange Coast College on a Warning status. And, at this time, Mr. Ruiz is doing nothing in his current leadership capacity on the board to oversee or correct, the deficiencies that prevail at Orange Coast, the flagship campus of the Coast Community College District. This is yet another reason why new leadership is needed on the board. Each of you are all intelligent, informed people. You have to make your own decisions about the elected officials that you want representing you on the Coast District board, but I hope you will take some of these comments into serious consideration this Fall on election day when you vote for your trustees.

Archstone,

Wow! This is a lot of information. Thank you for sharing.

I find the information in your post to be very troubling. Educators and trustees are supposed to set the highest examples for students.
That is clearly not happening with Mr. Ruiz and his position on the Coast District board. Hopefully, Lorraine Prinsky's candidacy will continue to pick up steam in the coming weeks. If Mr. Ruiz cares so much about students, how can he behave in the way that he does? And, it is shocking that Mr. Ruiz is not doing anything as the president of the board to resolve the Orange Coast College accreditation warning.

How did Orange Coast College get on warning in the first place? How can Mr. Ruiz let this issue slide? I had heard that the President of Orange Coast College, Mr. Dees, had been arrested for Felony DUI but don't know if that has anything to do with the management of the school.

Whether people believe the allegations in the email about the Golden West Costco matter, from my understanding, the issue demonstrated the need for a more open process for managing the district properties. I'm surprised to see that Mr. Ruiz doesn't support that. What does he want? To keep doing things behind closed doors? That certainly doesn't serve the public's interest.

I've been hearing about Mr. Ruiz's behavior for years but your message puts a lot of things in perspective. Change is truly needed on that board. Thank you for sharing the information you received.

Chris, it looks like other blogs are picking up on the issues surrounding Armando Ruiz and his bid for re-election to the Coast Community College District board. I saw this post today:

http://orangejuiceblog.com/2008/09/just-say-no-to-armando-ruiz-in-the-coast-community-college-district/

'Well, OC Native, those pics were from my April Fool's Day article, which netted quite a few hits, so I left it up. It was one of my biggest "hits"! I thought a few fun pics would spice up the article.'

Those pictures are not just the product of an "April Fool's Day article" that is very representative of DanaRose Crystal on a daily basis.

As for the "journalist" in her, I would not take that title as any reassurance that she is fair, balanced or objective. There is a reason she has found herself without any solid and supportive journalism peers or colleagues or careers for that matter.

Do your homework before you cast your vote.
Personally, she won't be receiving mine.

More troubling information on Armando Ruiz is getting around. There seems to be no end to the ways he finds to line his pockets. Can we get this guy out?

See: http://www.theliberaloc.com/2008/10/06/coastline-college-trustee-wasting-money-on-nyc-trip/#more-4397

Text:
Coastline College Trustee wasting money on NYC trip

Orange County, CA-Coast Community College Board Trustee, Armando Ruiz, known for resigning just before the last election four years ago so he could double-dip on his retirement, is feeding from the trough once again. He has booked a trip to New York City the weekend before the election to attend a conference of the Association of Community College Trustees.

At a time of severe budget shortfalls, Ruiz has decided to extend his stay an extra night even though the conference ends at noon and there is plenty of time to catch a flight back the same day. I wonder if he is staying the extra night so he can watch the New York City Marathon?

“The fact that he’s going to the conference and that we’re paying for it is an issue,” says Trustee challenger Lorraine Prinsky, “the fact that Ruiz didn’t bother to consider the budget shortfalls and save a little money by leaving on the day the conference ends makes it even worse.”

According to fellow Trustee Jerry Patterson, Coast Community College Board exceeded its budget for travel by over $20,000 last year. Trustees Patterson, Hornbuckle, and Moreno have cancelled their participation in this years conference due to budget shortfalls. While community college classes are being cut due to lack of funding Ruiz continues to fund travel junkets and authorize extended stays.

Ruiz will fly home on November 2nd even though the conference will be over and flights were available November 1st (rooms are about $600/night that weekend because of the New York Marathon).

As Ruiz plans his trip to New York, Department chairs at OCC, Golden West and Coastline Colleges have been directed to cut hundreds of classes from the Spring ‘09 schedule.

In the midst of a California and national financial crisis, instead of meeting with constituents or addressing concerns in the community prior to election day, Ruiz will be enjoying an extra day at taxpayer expense in New York City.

The Coast Federation of Educators (CFE), the union that represents full and some of the part-time faculty in the Coast District, has long-taken the position that the Board’s travel budget is out of control. “Trustees, per person, have more money than we have been able to negotiate for faculty for conferences and workshops. That’s backwards, and I don’t see how it best serves our students,” said Dean Mancina, CFE President.

Known as the travel junket king in the Coast Community College District, Ruiz has booked a $600/night hotel room on Times Square in order to attend the Association of Community College Trustees conference, costing taxpayers $3,000.

Ruiz is being challenged by 35 year Cal State Fullerton professor Lorraine Prinsky, who is running on a platform of integrity, leadership and accountability. Prinsky told TheLiberalOC.com “I hope that Mr. Ruiz has a sudden awakening and cancels his taxpayer funded trip. It is unconscionable that at a time when we are cutting classes he would blow money on unnecessary travel.”

Thanks everyone for the heads-up on Armando Ruiz.

Having suffered recent events and disclosures regarding corporate greed, it’s important we remain vigilant at every level and call to account unethical officials of all stripes.

Ruiz’s shameful greed and deception in October and November 2004 have been well documented; the information is readily available on line to anyone who takes the time to Google his name.

Worse yet, this isn’t old news. Ruiz continues to this day to collect full time retirement pay of about $54,000 annually for his part-time employment as a college district trustee (which paid about $5,000 per year, on average) AS WELL AS collect another $9,000 a year by staying in the job he “resigned” from just three days before his last election.

How many of us will be able to get retirement pay nearly ten-fold what we earn per year? Ruiz didn’t earn such special treatment. It was an undeserved loop-hole that presented itself and he just wouldn’t say no even though his action was and is so obviously unjust.

His conduct was all the more odious for an “educator” in a community college district, and is even more contemptible when put in context.

Ruiz was present at a district board meeting in September 2003 – just a year before his dubious deed – when the presidents of the district’s colleges announced that because of state budget cuts more than 1,000 classes had to be cut from the fall class schedule. This meant thousands of students couldn’t get into required classes; delaying many from getting timely certificates and jobs. Everyone in the district -- faculty, staff, students – were asked to “belt-tighten,” suck-up the loses, give a little extra for the good of the whole.

If Ruiz were as dedicated to students as he so often claims, he might have offered to donate that extra (and unearned) $54,000 each year to student scholarships rather than scarfing it up for himself.

No, Ruiz has to go. If he doesn’t, he delivers Gordon Gecco’s clarion message; “Greed is GOOD!”

Thankfully, Lorraine Prinsky has come forward to offer her wisdom, experience and dedication to the Coast Community College District.

She’s a real educator, in the best sense of the word; a beloved class-room professor for over 35 years. She’s promised to support faculty and students and return integrity to the Area 3 seat on the board. Check her out at lorraineprinsky.com.

And please pass on her message and the importance of this race to everyone you know in the district.

Str8aero

I heard Lorraine Prinsky speak last week an am impressed. My son goes to OCC and we are worried about the accreditation there. She said that the Board didn't discuss accreditation until three months after they received the warning letter. How can we have confidence in that Board?

I heard Lorraine Prinsky speak last week an am impressed. My son goes to OCC and we are worried about the accreditation there. She said that the Board didn't discuss accreditation until three months after they received the warning letter. How can we have confidence in that Board?

Lorraine Prinsky is the bought and paid for candidate of the teachers union. (Along with Patterson and Pirch)

Does she have any qualifications to run a school district?

Patterson was the one that cost the district $5,000,000 in legal fees regarding the KOCE give away.

Pirch lost a lawsuit for lying on her ballot statement.

A great trio!

Take a look at: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/ruiz-year-district-2194039-coast-election

Lorraine Prinsky is much better qualified than this double-dipping incumbent who has partied at taxpayers expense for too long.

Randall's comment that Prinsky is bought and paid for by the union is a little harsh. But he's right in that she was selected by the union to run after an interview (as was Pirch). And does she have any management qualifications?

Ruiz should expect to get pressure on the double-dipping issue. But it's not like he wrote the law and how many civil servants would have walked away from an extra $50,000 a year?

Ruiz is the only Board member to have the courage to vote against the KOCE sale that will cost the District between $15,000,000 and $40,000,000.

To equal the damage caused by the Board on the KOCE debacle, Ruiz would have to live and collect his extra pension for more than 300 years.

I am shocked that David Boyd would defend Ruiz. Read the other posts here. Ruiz isn't looking out for the District.

I am deciding between Hornbuckle and Boyd. Feel free to post any pro/cons so it can help me make a decision. Pirch, you don't get my vote. If you are reading this, I see it says educator on my ballot, so I guess you lost the professor battle which does make you a fraud and a liar for misleading the public, which I am sick of. I also need help on Joseph Donvinh and Patterson, and I am a Republican if that helps you out there reading this to help me out in choosing who I should vote for. I have researched all of the other candidates and have come easy decisions on the others. I normally prefer to vote out incumbents as the longer one is in office, the more corrupt they seem to become, when given a choice between 2 Dems and 2 Republicans. Bring on the info!

If you attend the Coast District board meetings regularly, as I do, you see the way management has Howald, Hornbuckle, and Ruiz like puppets on a string, agreeing blindly to whatever nonsense they tell them. It's been time for a change for a long time in this district. Patterson challenges management and his fellow trustees frequently. That's what is needed to make real and positive change in the Coast District. Prinsky and Pirch have pledged to bring quality and integrity back to the Coast District. I've met them and heard them speak and I believe they will do what's right for the Coast District. Let's get OCC off the accreditation warning list and back to doing it's good work of helping students. I'm supporting the three P's - Patterson, Prinsky, and Pirch. If you're still not convinced they are the right choice, come to the board meetings and see it for yourself.

Why do I defend Ruiz? Here's the reason:

In 2002 the Board of Trustees decided that due to financial reasons it was in the best interests of the District to sell television station KOCE.

At that time Trustee Jerry Patterson went on record writing that the District should NOT sell “to the highest monetary bidder.” Rather it should be sold to a “foundation” controlled by his friends. And that’s exactly what happened. The station was sold for approximately $15,000,000 in promissory notes while the Trustees refused an offer of $40,000,000 cash.

California Court of Appeals found that the process was fixed from the beginning writing that “To assert that a bid from (a prospective buyer) made the very next day after bidding closed for an extra $15 million in cash while letting a favored bidder off the hook for $4 million two months after the bidding was closed can only be described as the rankest sort of favoritism.”

The Court of Appeal ordered the Trustees to void the sale. The Trustees ignored the order of the Court and allowed the sale to stand.

The net result is the District has lost a minimum of $25,000,000. And given the current financial status of KOCE, the District is in danger of losing up to $40,000,000. Whether the actions of the Board are criminal in nature or merely grossly incompetent is up to others to decide. But today the Board should take whatever steps are necessary to mitigate this loss.

Ruiz is the ONLY Trustee who had the courage to oppose the KOCE sale. I have never met or even spoken with Ruiz. But he was on the right side of the biggest decision the Board had to make in decades.

Prinsky is a well educated professor. But does she have the qualifications to run a major school district? I just don't see any.

With respect to Pirch, how can we expect her to bring "integrity back to the Coast District" when a Court found that she lied on her candidate statement?

As Charlotte Pirch's attorney, I have to speak out on that last statement by David Boyd. Boyd filed a nuisance lawsuit against Charlotte Pirch. Charlotte has taught as a professor at the college level and has lectured, more recently, at other educational venues. We agreed with the Registrar of Voters to use the more recent experience as the ballot designation, as is the common practice. The court made no findings whatsoever; in fact, had we not reached agreement with the Registrar, the court would have thrown the whole case out.

Vote for the three P's: Patterson, Pirch, and Prinsky!

Mark Rosen, Attorney and Garden Grove Councilman

Even Ms. Pirch has admitted that she’s never held the position of “professor” at any college or university as she had claimed. She's never even held a full-time position at any college or university at any level.

With Mr. Rosen’s permission, I’ll release what Ms. Pirch herself wrote on what qualifies her to even be called an “educator.” (At Mr. Rosen’s insistence, my attorney promised to keep it secret.) But trust me, it’s a real hoot.

Let me know Mr. Rosen.

"in fact, had we not reached agreement with the Registrar, the court would have thrown the whole case out."

If that's the case, why did Pirch agree to change her ballot designation? Wouldn't a win in the courtroom restore her tarnished reputation?

I'll vote for Prinsky and Patterson but not for Pirch.

Good point Jon. I overlooked the last part of Rosen’s comment.

Pirch’s only motivation to agree to a settlement would be that she knew that she committed perjury on the documentation submitted to the Registrar of Voters. If it was truthful, why settle? The very high burden of proof was on me. Rosen, being a good attorney, must have concluded that she shouldn’t admit to the perjury and definitely should not perjure herself before the court. They proposed the designation “Educator/Attorney.” While to describe her as an “Educator” is somewhat of joke, its less of a fraud on the voters than “College Professor.”

Had they not agreed to the settlement, the clock would have run out in a few hours and her designation of “College Professor” would have remained. But she might have faced more serious charges at a later date.

(And seriously, Mr. Rosen is a very good attorney.)

Dear Mr. Boyd:

You might have some points on KOCE, but you forget the importance of keeping the station in the public interest. That is what the four other board members were focused on when they voted to sell the station. This is the key issue.

Dr. Lorraine Prinsky is an outstanding professor and has the education, skills, experience and intelligence to serve as a community college trustee. I'm surprised that you would spend time questioning her credentials as opposed to focusing on your own race, given that you came so close to defeating Mary Hornbuckle a couple of years ago. Armando Ruiz needs to be gone. He is bad news: corrupt, unethical, and as others have posted, complacent and willing to do whatever the district management wants him to do - he is their puppet. He sets the worst example for students and elected officials. It's not a question of a "civil servant" cashing in...it is the question of an elected person manipulating the law to his own unethical ends. That's the difference.

Good luck in your campaign, President Boyd. Change is needed so badly on the Coast board. I am disappointed that you can't see it.

Rob Jones III

Rob:

Thanks for you comments and I do see your perspective. In my opinion, there should be term limits on all trustees.

I've written thousands of words on the KOCE debacle. But just allow me to remind everyone the Orange County was never in danger of losing public television. KCET had already agreed to fill any void and retain, and even expand, local programming. And have you noticed KOCE programming the last couple of years. It seems like a fundraiser every night. (And how many times are we expected to see that doo-wop concert?)

I didn't mean to sound critical of Dr. Prinsky. She has had a fine career and may become a good trustee. I just don't see anything in her published materials that shows that she has the management skills to direct a very complex organization.

Ruiz is being attached from all sides. I just think that he deserves recognition for being on the right side of an issues that will end up costing the District tens of millions of dollars.

Lorraine Prinsky believes Gregory Haidl, who was convicted a raping a teenage girl with a pool cue, should not have been sent to prison. In the October 13-17, 2004 edition of the Daily Titan, Prinsky was quoted as saying “It definitely hurts a young person (because) his punishment could be with hard criminals.”

I wonder if Dr. Prinsky paid any attention to the victim? By the way, Haidl is now out of prison and said to be a student at OCC.

Judy,

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion on sensitive issues. The Haidl case was hurtful for the entire community. Given the young age of all of the parties involved, I can see why someone might think that a youth could be rehabilitated, as opposed to being incarcerated. Not everyone is going to agree with that perspective. A crime was committed and a jury rendered a verdict. It's done and we should move forward.

And besides, what does the Haidl case have to do with getting Armando Ruiz out of office? What does it have to do with Ruiz's pension double dipping? Accreditation pitfalls? Travel expenses? Ethics or lack there of? What is the connection? It's such a non-related issue.

Take a look at this development:
Newly published material indicates that one of Ruiz's opponents, Don Apodaca, has suspended his campaign and is now supporting Prinsky's bid based on Ruiz's poor performance as a trustee. Whether you agree with Prinsky's views on the Haidl case, look at the praise that Apodaca gives to her in the article below.

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/ruiz-prinsky-apodoca-2200080-coast-district
Frank Mickadeit
Columnist
The Orange County Register

The potential spoiler in the Coast Community College board race involving public-pension hog Armando Ruiz decided over the weekend to abandon his own humble ambitions for the greater good. Don "Coach" Apodoca told me that based on my recent columns, he's ending his campaign and supporting Ruiz's main challenger, Lorraine Prinsky.

Before we measure Prinsky's car for her trustee parking space, however, let's consider the mitigating factors to this most welcome development. My impressive journalism was about two months late. Apodoca would have had to drop his candidacy sometime in August to have his name removed from the ballot.

That means he's still going to draw some votes. But that doesn't mean Apodoca's decision on Saturday can't make a difference. Perhaps the difference. First, a little background:

Ruiz is the longtime part-time trustee in Area 3 of the college district, which takes in the northwest corner of the county. For years, he was also a full-time administrator in the South County Community College District. As a trustee, he got a small monthly stipend.

Shortly before the 2004 election, he engineered a smarmy deal in which he got to "retire" from the Coast district's board as if that job had been a full-time job paying exactly what he made at his real South County job. Then he ran for election to the Coast district board anyway. So he gets a pension upward of $108,000 a year, instead of what he really worked for – which might be a little more than half that – and he still gets to sit on the Coast board. Your tax dollars at work.

(If this summary isn't enough and you really want to turn over the rock and look at Ruiz's "contribution" to society, go to www.ocregister.com/columns/frank/ and read my Oct. 13 and 14 columns.)

These events were known to the district faculty and a few others, including me, and Ruiz did have his reputation sullied. For the 2008 election, the faculty got behind Prinsky, a Ph.D., and a tenured sociology professor at Cal State Fullerton.

But fortune again smiled on the rapscallion Ruiz: Out of nowhere last summer emerged a third candidate: Apodaca, an optometrist and part-time high school wrestling coach.

He had the backing of some in the coaching community, but he was a very dark horse. He didn't even pay for a ballot statement. Nonetheless, conventional political wisdom holds that entry of a minor third candidate would benefit Ruiz by splitting whatever anti-incumbent bloc was out there. I even heard speculation that Ruiz had asked Apodaca to run.

Not so, Apodoca told me. In fact, he had never met Ruiz and had no idea about his double-dipping. (Ruiz has never returned one of my calls for comment.)

In the days after my columns ran, Apodoca considered his options. He sent me a message saying he was considering dropping out but, he said, "I need to be assured it will not be a meaningless gesture."

He talked to independent sources and he looked into Prinsky's background. Friday night, he and his campaign manager, David Finch, met with Prinsky and her husband at the Starbucks at Goldenwest and Delaware in H.B. What was going to be a 15-minute chat stretched into a two-hour conversation.

Apodaca said it confirmed a few things: One, as he e-mailed me Sunday: that Prinsky is "an honest, hardworking, dedicated lady who does have the temperament and background to straighten out this mess and return our local colleges to the level they once were as the crown jewels of our local communities."

And two, as he said in an interview Saturday night: Prinsky agreed she would look after the issues that made him want to run, chiefly, his desire that community colleges "use athletics as a way to draw in kids who are at risk."

(Had the money spent on Ruiz's nationwide junketing over the years been sent to Golden West and Orange Coast colleges, you'd have been able to spare a sports program or two.)

So Apodoca says he will do what he can to help Prinsky. What that is and how Prinsky hopes to capitalize I will update you on in coming days. But this morning, let's muse for a moment about the civic mindedness of Coach Apodaca and hope he continues to help our youth.

Contact the writer: Mickadeit writes Mon.- Fri. Contact him at 714-796-4994 or fmickadeit@ocregister.com

"(Had the money spent on Ruiz's nationwide junketing over the years been sent to Golden West and Orange Coast colleges, you'd have been able to spare a sports program or two.)"

Good point but it should also be pointed out that the money Patterson cost the District in connection with the KOCE sale could have funded hundreds of programs for decades. And Patterson and Hornbuckle have never voted against any Trustee trip including the trip in question. (At least to the best of my knowledge based on reviewing years of Board minutes.)

It seems like Patterson and Hornbuckle are saying that it's OK to take a trip that's not necessary except during a financial crisis.

"Good luck in your campaign, President Boyd. Change is needed so badly on the Coast board. I am disappointed that you can't see it.

Rob Jones III"

One would have to assume that Boyd sees the need for change. Otherwise, why would he be running against an imcumbent? Pirch's entry in the race with she bogus candidate statement probably insures Hornbuckle's re-election.

ARMANDO RUIZ AND MARY HORNBUCKLE TEAM UP!!

It's true. Today I received a joint mailer. They have support from many faculty members and administrators.

This is great news.

I hope South OC College District Area 7 incumbent John S. Williams is defeated in this election. He is a career politician on this and other boards and also serves at the Orange County Public Guardian/Public Administrator, and receives over $100K for this position, though he hardly puts in any time.

RE: Anonymous said:
I hope South OC College District Area 7 incumbent John S. Williams is defeated in this election. He is a career politician on this and other boards and also serves at the Orange County Public Guardian/Public Administrator, and receives over $100K for this position, though he hardly puts in any time.

Glad to hear some critism of him. His stupid bungling as OC Public Guardian wrecked my life and that of my family. I intend to work for his opponent in the next election, if not run against him myself, just to bring awareness of his ineptitude, and greed as a career-poitician.

*********************TOTAL TRIPE BS*******************************
RE: Anonymous said:
'Well, OC Native, those pics were from my April Fool's Day article, which netted quite a few hits, so I left it up. It was one of my biggest "hits"! I thought a few fun pics would spice up the article.'

Those pictures are not just the product of an "April Fool's Day article" that is very representative of DanaRose Crystal on a daily basis.

As for the "journalist" in her, I would not take that title as any reassurance that she is fair, balanced or objective. There is a reason she has found herself without any solid and supportive journalism peers or colleagues or careers for that matter.

Do your homework before you cast your vote.
Personally, she won't be receiving mine.
*********************TOTAL TRIPE BS*******************************

"On a daily basis..." indicates this is somebody who knows me personally. Based upon her oddly-timed mean email to my myspace account, I will guess it is Michelle Forte, my EX-pal, who snatched the position of A.S. Recorder, though she did absolutely none of the work of a secretary ( no creation of agendas, minutes, committee reports ), though she collected $165-185 per month stipend for a total of almost $2000.

Of course, it could also be one of The Hornet writers whom I have put into a libel lawsuit, or one of the Fullerton College A.S., who will also face lawsuit, now that I have time to do so. Student journalists and politicians who thumb their noses at California and federal laws will find themselves without SOLID allies when it comes time for them to face a judge in Superior Court.

Check your REAL facts, when "Anonymous" trash like this posts such drivel.

No, I didn't win THIS time, but neither did my fellow-first-time-candidates-challengers-to-incumbents.

We WILL next time --and if not, we will at least bring needed attention to serious issues --

---Such as one scandal that needs to be addressed: If you are a NOCCCD student, all you have to do is to click My Gateway to see if you are enrolled in a phantom class. I, and tens of thousands of other students were last spring.
That is a rip-off of the state general fund, and a crime.
Fullerton College is in danger of losing its acreditation, due to this --and I am the investigative journalist who has brought that to attention.

YOU get a life, Michelle and/or others.