Posted on 07/08/2006 8:39:25 AM PDT by TheDon
A longstanding day-labor center on Laguna Canyon Road has been ordered closed by Caltrans after an anti-illegal-immigration activist discovered the site was on state land without proper permits.
The Laguna Beach City Council responded that it will determine its strategy for dealing with the order at its next meeting, according to Caltrans spokeswoman Pam Gorniak. That meeting is July 11.
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Minuteman member Eileen Garcia did the research determining that the site did not have necessary permits and presented the information to the California Department of Transportation on Wednesday.
Caltrans gave the city a notice on Thursday to remove the center "as soon as possible." It remains unclear if the center will continue operating until the next council meeting.
Garcia and others have been protesting the site – and its funding by rent collected from the Festival of the Arts – since last summer. About 150 people gathered at the site last July, some shouting messages decrying illegal immigration and others speaking in favor of immigrants. Police stepped in on several occasions to separate the two groups.
Last year, the city distributed $175,000 in festival rent to nonprofit groups. The largest payment – $21,000 – went to the South Orange County Cross Cultural Council, which runs the day-labor center.
"Our charities in Laguna Beach are being screwed, but the day laborer site has received so many freebies you wouldn't believe," she said. "Any legitimate business would have been run off because it's on public land."
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(Excerpt) Read more at ocregister.com ...
ping
Way to go Eileen! Shut 'em down!
The drive along Laguna Canyon Road is just beautiful as it winds it's way inland through largely unspoiled, varied landscape. The hiring center is a real stain (complete with stench) on the view.
You can listen to the interview John and Ken had with Eileen Garcia at http://www.kfi640.com, via "KFI on demand" link.
No doubt!
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