LOCAL FAMILIES/FRIENDS HARMED BY 3-COUNCIL MAJORITY

20081018_112005_SV19-TRASH1
Originally uploaded by Stop Athens

The San Gabriel Valley Tribune (and Whittier Daily News) lead with this story showing how much damage Vasquez, Urteaga, and Salazar are doing to Montebello.

This isn't just about the residents being overcharged...they are.

This isn't just about corruption on our city council...it is.

This is also about real people...our friends and neighbors...being put out of business because three council members sold us out.

TRASH TRADITIONS
Armenians' ties to trash hauling are deep-rooted
By Amanda Baumfeld, Staff Writer
Published: 10/19/2008

MONTEBELLO - For a portion of the Armenian community, trash hauling is a serious family business with deep roots in the past.

Most of the city's independent haulers took over rubbish and trash yards that their ancestors started when they migrated to the city more than 100 years ago.

Their roots and their ties to family and employees run deep.

Many of these men and women attended Montebello High School. They attend church in the city, eat at local restaurants. And, most importantly, they pick up trash....
(read full article)

Mayor Sam Takes Urteaga To Task

Mayor Sam has quite a bit to say about Urteaga. Robert has history in LA that's checkered at best.

Interesting things to see...John Edwards (Roberts close friend), his involvement in the shady Vernon Power Plant, and his former employer, Nick Pacheco. Nick is an attorney (and that's being generous) who's been waiting to get the Montebello City contract away from Arnold Alvarez-Glassman. Edwards was making moves to pull that off before his own lies caught up with him.

But give us credit Mayor Sam, we broke this story...(but we still love ya).

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Trash reveals former Pacheco operative Robert Urteaga's hidden past

Once upon a time in CD 14 Political Folklore there was a young political upstart who was entrusted with returning a former politico to his rightful place as Councilman of CD 14.

But with the daunting coalition of unions, non-profits, Mt. Washington elitists, "bloggin cut and pasters", and of course, 80 FAKE NEIGHBORHOOD WATCHES, being coordinated by one Parke "Parque Esqueleto" Skelton. The 30+% lead turn into the "Waterloo" of Nick Pacheco's CD14 political journey.

But for that former campaign manager of Nick Pacheco, Robet Urteaga, his own political aspirations saw him returning to the city of his youth, Montebello, where he was elected to City Council in a recall election.

It is one thing to get elected, but when you have to govern and vote on issues (and piss off special interests), then one should expect something like this to happen when one's "bones rattle in the closet".

(Follow this link for the rest of the story...)

URTEAGA'S ONGOING LIE

Urteaga admits to the FELONY CONVICTION —today—when confronted by the newspapers, but he never gave Montebello voters the opportunity to make an informed decision because he withheld that vital bit of information—just to get elected.

We wonder if he withheld his FELONY CONVICTION from all his endorsers too:

• Los Angeles County Peace Officers Association
• County Supervisor Gloria Molina
• State Senator Ron Calderon
• State Assembly Member Charles Calderon
• Former Speaker of the State Assembly Robert Hertzberg
• Montebello Unified School District Member Marcella Calderon
• Montebello Unified School District Member Hector Chacon
• Central Basin Water Board Member Ed Vasquez
• Montebello City Council Member Bill Molinari
• Montebello City Council Member Rosie Vasquez
• Central Basin Water Board Member Art Chacon
• Former L.A. City Council Member Nick Pacheco
• League of Conservation Voters
• Montebello Police Officers Association
  

And his previous employer, the City of Los Angeles:
(a list of positions Urteaga claims to have held in LA)

• Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan
• Los Angeles Mayor James K. Hahn
• Los Angeles City Councilmember Nick Pacheco
• Los Angeles City Councilmember Janice Hahn
• City of L.A. Recreation and Parks Department

And his current employer, Sue Burnside and Associates.

And the candidates/political campaigns he's worked for:

• Campaign Manager for Beverly Hills Mayor Jimmy Delshad
• Campaign Manager for Nick Pacheco for City Council 2005
• Bob Hertzberg for Mayor 2005
• 2006 California Democratic Coordinated Statewide campaign

Person Nick Pacheco

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URTEAGA'S FELONY CONVICTION HITS THE NEWS

Urteaga admits to wrongdoing in San Gabriel Valley Tribune, and justifies the behavior as a youthful indiscretion.

SORRY, BUT STEALING MONEY AND FORGING CHECKS IS ABOUT CHARACTER AND YOU DON'T HAVE ANY MR. URTEAGA!

He also fails to acknowledge the harm he's done to Montebello and its residents. This guy just doesn't get it.

---

San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Montebello trash fight reveals councilman's criminal record

By Amanda Baumfeld, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 10/15/2008 10:12:15 PM PDT

• PDF: Urteaga court documents

MONTEBELLO - A fight over a trash contract turned to mud slinging when a group opposed to the plan put materials from a City Councilman's criminal record on the Internet.

In 1998, Councilman Robert Urteaga pleaded no contest to grand theft of personal property totalling $30,000, according to court documents...

The People Strike Back

San Gabriel Valley Tribune

City hit with a second lawsuit over trash contract

Published October 15, 2008

By Amanda Baumfeld, Staff Writer

MONTEBELLO - In the second lawsuit filed against the city in a week, a resident is demanding the city make a decision on a proposed referendum that would give voters a say in who hauls commercial waste in the city, according to court documents obtained Tuesday...

Thank you SGVT!

www.stopathens.com has made it to the Leftovers from City Hall blog.

In turn, we must point out that Leftovers from City Hall is a terrific site you need to bookmark if you haven't yet.

The San Gabriel Valley is a spider's web of connections among politicians and their special interest friends. Leftovers from City Hall helps shine light into this "network of corruption" and gives you an insiders peek at what's going on.

We've been a big fan.

SGVT Article: Montebello Postpones Trash Decision

The San Gabriel Valley Tribune Reports on the "spit-in-the-face of residents" council meeting held this past Wednesday.

Highlights:

• Rosie Vasquez seconds a motion before Salazar gets to utter the words (the deal was made)




• Athens representative lies about their wonderful MRF and their services while the SVGTribune article is passed around telling of the $18M lawsuit against Athens by AQMD for numerous health, safety and odor violations




• Athens brings employees to meeting, take all the seats, and force real Montebello Residents to sit in the hallway (smart move)

Montebello postpones trash decision

By Amanda Baumfeld, Staff Writer
October 10, 2008

(Watchara Phomicinda / Staff Photographer)

MONTEBELLO - In front of hundreds of protesting residents, the City Council on Wednesday postponed a decision to let voters decide who takes out the trash in Montebello's commercial areas.

NEWS FLASH: Montebello Has FELON On Its Council

MONTEBELLO COUNCILMAN

ROBERT URTEAGA
IS A CONVICTED FELON

From City Council Members

StopAthens.com has learned that Montebello Councilman Robert Urteaga was convicted of Felony Grand Theft on September 2, 1999.

The Los Angeles District Attorney filed 6 FELONY charges against Urteaga:

Count 1: GRAND THEFT OF PERSONAL PROPERTY, Violation of Penal Code Section 487(a), to wit $30,000 dollars
Count 2: FORGERY OF CHECK, Violation of Penal Code Section 470(a)
Count 3: FORGERY OF CHECK, Violation of Penal Code Section 470(a)
Count 4: FORGERY OF CHECK, Violation of Penal Code Section 470(a)
Count 5: FORGERY OF CHECK, Violation of Penal Code Section 470(a)
Count 6: FORGERY OF CHECK, Violation of Penal Code Section 470(a)

AGENCY: LAPD-Financial Crimes Division
DEFENDANT: Urteaga, Robert
DOB: 9/23/1975
BOOKING NO: 5810249
CASE NUBMER: SA033931

Through a plea agreement, the DA dropped the CHECK FORGERY counts for a plea on Count 1/GRAND THEFT.

ATHENS SUES CITY TO STOP THE VOTE

Just this afternoon, Athens filed a lawsuit against the city to prevent the people from voting on the Referendum.

We hope to have a copy by tomorrow, so check back.

As you know, Rosie Vasquez signed the Athens contract last week. Vasquez spit in the face of 6,323 residents who said "Stop the Backroom Deal," and gave Athens an excuse to file their lawsuit.

Way to go Rosie…you're always looking out for your city and residents…NOT!

ROSIE WATCH: DAY 13 –Berserk @ Fall Festival

Vasquez DSC_5785-1
Originally uploaded by Stop Athens

Rosie Vasquez made herself into another public spectacle, today at the Fall Festival.

Angry over residents exercising their First Amendment right to Free Speech by passing out flyers, Rosie grabbed the microphone away from performers ON STAGE in front of Jimmy's Restaurant, and yelled at the public that they should ignore the "propaganda" being passed out.

On lookers were stunned at the unprofessional, harried, fanatical manner in which their council woman behaved at the public event.

Several "boos" arose from the crowd as Vasquez tried to persuade them to ignore the flyers being circulated by Referendum proponents.

The flyer in question simply told the story about Athens $18 Million Dollar lawsuit brought by the AQMD over numerous, on-going, violations and inviting the community to attend the Oct 8th council meeting to force the council to put the Referendum on the ballot.

Vasquez is a hypocrite.

Rosie was harassed by police, elected officials, and other opponents to the 2006 fire initiative and the 2007 recalls of Lopez-Reid, Bagwell and Sicama. She yelled at the top of her lungs that the harassers were infringing on her "constitutional rights."

We guess that what's good for the goose isn't good for the gander in Rosie's book.