More Antelope Valley People Read the Valley Press Than Any Other Newspaper Established 1915. © 2009 Antelope Valley Newspapers, Inc. All rights reserved. Antelope WEATHER: C8 LOTTO: B1 May 3, 2009 128 pages, 12 sections $1.50 94th year, No. 33 Partly cloudy. Highs in lower 80s. Lows in mid to upper 50s. West to northwest winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts to 40 mph. Inside Today � � �� � � � � � � � � � �� � �� � ��� ��� �� �� � � � � � �� � � � Lake L.A. rings in Cinco de Mayo early LAKE LOS ANGELES — Dancers, equestrians, soccer players and musicians helped cel- ebrate an 1862 victory by Mexican soldiers over French invaders. Hundreds of spectators lined 170th Street East to watch Sat- urday’s Cinco de Mayo parade, whose grand marshal was Ante- lope Valley Union High School District trustee James Lott. The “Star-Spangled Banner” and the Mexican national an them opened the festival that fol- lowed. Mariachi music, folklorico dancing, and food ranging from hot dogs to carne asada were featured. This was the 15th year for the parade and festival, whose spon- sors include Oso Meat Market. Latinoamericanos En Accion coor- dinated the parade. Cinco de Mayo — Spanish for “Fifth of May” — commemorates the 1862 victory of a Mexican army over French troops who Napoleon III sent into Mexico after Mexican president Benito Juarez announced the annulment of Mexico’s foreign debt. Valley Press MOLLY HAUXWELL/Valley Press photos FESTIVAL COLORS — Samantha Novelo, 11, dances with fellow Pearblossom Cheetahs Folklorico dancers during the Lake Los Angeles Cinco de Mayo parade Saturday on 170th Street East. The parade ran from Lake Los Angeles Avenue to Avenue O, with a festival afterward. WAVING PROUD Alfredo Gonzalez holds the ag Saturday as the National Anthem is played after the Lake Los Angeles Cinco de Mayo parade. Experiences an issue in Palmdale race By BOB WILSON Valley Press Staff Writer PALMDALE — As if it weren’t odd enough by itself, a three-way contest for a six-month city council seat being lled by a one-time special election has spawned some unusual political alignments. In previous years, Palmdale’s council elections have been little more than voting-booth battles between Lancaster Republicans seeking to expand their inuence and Palmdale Republicans seeking to increase their autonomy. This year, both factions have endorsed Laura Bettencourt, a can- didate who lives in Palmdale and works as a crime analyst at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Station in Lancaster. Despite a history of elective service reaching back to 1979, Bet- tencourt’s opponent Steve Fox has drawn no support from anyone who might be a future colleague on the Palmdale council, nor has he drawn any support from the political heavyweights who routinely help get local candidates into ofce. “I’m not in the clique,” Fox said. “I like to think it’s because I’m independent.” Bettencourt, who claims no political allegiances or alliances, has drawn the endorsements of Palmdale See RACE on A4 FOX BETTENCOURT Lakes residents fght green plan By ALEXA VAUGHN Valley Press Staff Writer LAKE HUGHES — Plans for the installation of 70 wind turbines on a ridge northwest of Lake Hughes and construction of power lines to connect them with an already-controversial proposed power line in Leona Valley have been submitted to Los Angeles County regional planners. But residents of the Lakes communities aren’t too happy about it. “We as a community are not getting a lot of over- sight protection on these projects,” said Jim Walker, president of the Lakes Town Council. Speaking at a town council meeting Saturday, Walker said he is also concerned about the aesthetic See PLAN on A8 Water board awash in perks RON SIDDLE/Valley Press QUESTIONS RAISED — Palmdale Water Distri ct board members, seated from left, Dave Gomez, Linda Godin, Jeff Storm, Dick Wells and Raul Figueroa, talk during a scheduled meeting Thursday evening in Palmdale. $0 $5000 $10000 $15000 $20000 Palmdale Water District directors’ meeting fees January-December 2008 Godin Gomez Storm Wells Figueroa Source: Palmdale Water District records $17,296 $11,844 $15,416 $17,484 $6,392 �Bankruptcy an option PALMDALE — Palmdale Water District is due to run out of cash within three months and among its options is seeking temporary protection under bankruptcy laws, an internal memo says. The district had approximately $4 million in cash on April 20 when it received its April allocation of property taxes from Los Angeles County, and at its current rate of spending versus revenue will have $140,000 left by July 31, 2009, Administrative Services Manager Michael Williams said in a memo Thursday to board members. “At that point the district would not be in a position to fully pay its vendors, employees and committed contracts for capital improvement projects,” Williams wrote. “The al- ternative at that point would be to cancel contracts, lay off staff, seek temporary protection under bank- ruptcy laws, or some combination Valley Press See BANKRUPTCY on A6 �Directors OK big meal PALMDALE — Palmdale Water Dis- trict Director Jeff Storm treated himself to a $188 meeting fee for attending a Palmdale Chamber of Commerce holiday mixer hosted by the water agency. Storm’s charge for attending what was for all intents and purposes a Hal- loween party comes to light among other examples of board spending as the water district proposes a water rate increase of from 65% to more than 100%, and the free-spending agency’s leaders have been warned they could court bankruptcy with- out a rate increase. Directors appear to charge for as many meetings as allowed under an increased meeting allowance, and when they travel, they dine top table out of the ratepayers’ pocketbook. As discussion focuses on rate increas- es, running out of money and potential bankruptcy, recently district directors have approved thousands of dollars to buy JetHawks tickets and support social events. “How do we justify throwing away this money and then ask for a rate increase after?” asks director Raul Figueroa, who often is outvoted 4-1, particularly in mat- ters of director spending. Regarding the Halloween party on Oct. 23, 2008, PWD expense reports show that Storm was the only board member who charged the district a meeting fee for at- tending. PWD directors voted 3-1 at their Aug. 13 board meeting in favor of spending $1,000 to host the primarily social event. That vote included waiving the water agency policy that prohibits serving alcoholic beverages on the premises so the chamber could sell beer, wine and a Witch’s Brew — a blend of fruit punch, Sprite and vodka. Directors Storm, Dick Wells and Dave Gomez cast the “yes” votes, while Figueroa voted “no.” Director Linda Godin was absent. At the Aug. 13 meeting, the board also approved contributing $2,000 in support of the chamber’s “Taste of Palmdale” gourmet celebration event in early Sep- tember. Figueroa is irritated the district spent $2,500 to sponsor JetHawks games on By ALISHA SEMCHUCK Valley Press Staff Writer See PERKS on A6 CLASSIFIED � E5 Puzzle page starts today Puzzle page starts today ‘A Tribute to Mothers’
