The Tale of the Bookie Trustee (only in OC)

     Ain't it cool? One of our college district's founding fathers was a prominent OC bookie!

     Natch, he was a "Young Republican," too, like Don Wagner; plus he was involved in Little League and wore red, white, and blue underwear. I wonder if he was as pious as Don? No doubt.

     Well, here's the story (most of which first appeared in DtB three years ago):

From The origins of our college district, Part 6, DtB, July 18, 2017:

      Alyn Brannon was a founding trustee of our district. I’ve read through countless accounts of his and his colleagues’ decisions and deliberations back in the day. I’ve tried to imagine that small crew of right-wing, government-hating Republicans, including the Little-League officiating Brannon, attempting to nurture the South County district to greatness. It's an odd picture.

     The formation of the first board of trustees was curious, you know. In February of 1967, when all the dust settled, the Times (“Last-Minute Push Elects 5 in New JC District,” Feb. 16, 1967) reported, 

     Five men backed as a slate have been elected to the board of trustees of the new South Coast Junior College District.
     They will take office by March 6….
     Top vote-getters in the field of 31 candidates were Louis J. Zitnik, Alyn M. Brannon, Michael T. Collins, Hans William Vogel and Patrick John Backus.
     All five had the endorsement of the conservative Committee to Elect Competent Trustees, which made a last-minute, house-to-house distribution of a pamphlet in populous areas throughout the huge district.

     The local Republicans had their ducks in a row, I guess. The anointed ones were duly elected.
     In that article, Brannon is described as a young, Republican go-getter:

     Brannon … is owner of the friendly Quality Dairy in Tustin. Holder of a master’s degree in industrial relations, he has been an instructor at Santa Ana College in business organization and labor relations. A past president of the Orange County Young Republicans, he is a member of the Tustin Area Republican Assembly.

Mr. B

     Only two weeks earlier, the Tustin News reported his candidacy (“Brannon another Tustin JC Candidate,” Feb. 2), laying out unsurprisingly staunch facts about the fellow. He worked with the Little League. He was a member of “Orange County Sports Officials Association and Tustin Area Republican Assembly.”
     The News offers his “statement,” which is pretty unremarkable:

     “I…believe in ‘home rule’ – that the closer the governing body is to the people the better – provided the size is economically large enough to be efficient.
     “The organization and staffing of this college must be studied with great care and using sound business principles…. I think it time that the harassed taxpayer started getting more for his money.
. . .
     “I will perform the job to the best of my ability, judging each decision by the following standards: a) Is it fair? b) Is it honest? c) Is it best for the benefit of all concerned?
. . .
     “I do not feel that the reception given to those who attend some public meetings has been as cordial as it should be. Some so-called public servants seem to have a superior attitude and treat any questions asked by the citizenry with ridicule….”

     Years ago, I did a little digging into our “founding fathers.” Mr. Brannon stood out a bit. (See Charter trustees: the curious Mr. Alyn Brannon.)
     I wrote:

     1. I Googled "Alyn M. Brannon" and found a recent federal court case record the upshot of which is that someone by that very name pleaded guilty to failing to file his taxes (ten years ago), received probation, and requested a shortening of his probation. Evidently, that person has a prior criminal history ("the Defendant in this case has a prior criminal history and violated the conditions of his pretrial release while awaiting sentencing in this case"). For some reason, the feds took this case very seriously. But is this our “Alyn M. Brannon”?
     Incidentally, this tax-evading Brannon often finds/found it necessary to travel to Mexico, which, he argued, made his continuing probation burdensome. The court was unmoved.
     This Brannon (age 77 in 2008, hence about age 37 in 1968) had lived in Oklahoma—remember that—but had moved to Arizona by the time of sentencing/appeal. 

     2. One Alyn M. Brannon, with apparent ties to a business in Tustin (recall that "our" Brannon lived in Tustin), was the operator of a Cessna that crashed in Louisiana, having departed from Oklahoma, in 2002 (See):

     On June 15, 2002, approximately 2150 central daylight time, a Cessna P210N airplane, N4720P, was substantially damaged after the right main landing gear collapsed during landing roll at the Shreveport Downtown Airport (DTN), Shreveport, Louisiana. The private pilot and his passenger were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by Tower Systems Inc., of Tustin, California. [Tower Systems is a computer software firm that sells a very widely used “methadone clinic” software.] Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The flight departed the Shawnee Municipal Airport, Shawnee, Oklahoma, approximately 2030, and was destined for Shreveport. 
     According to the pilot, while on approach to DTN, he lowered the landing gear, and the landing gear extended. However, the landing gear annunciator light (green), confirming the landing gear had extended and locked into position, failed to illuminate. By a visual check, the pilot confirmed the left main landing gear was extended, and the passenger confirmed the right main landing gear was extended. During a low approach over the runway, the tower controller performed a visual check of the nose landing gear, and the controller stated he was 90 percent positive the nose gear was extended. While landing on runway 32, the right main landing gear collapsed, the airplane veered to the right and came to rest upright off the right side of the runway.

     I found another record that indicates that there were no injuries in this incident and that the operator (Brannon) was not also the owner of the aircraft. The operator’s (i.e., Brannon’s) street address was 13422 Wheeler, Santa Ana.

Cessna P210

     Again, the departure city was Shawnee, Oklahoma. —So this is likely the tax evader above (how many Alyn M. Brannon's could Oklahoma have?)
     Now get this: there’s a record of an Alyn M. Brannon, a resident of Stateline, NV, owning a 1967 Piper. According to a FindTheData record of a report, in February of 1994, while operating that plane in the Lake Tahoe area, Mr. Brannon crashed, totaling the plane.
     There was one fatality. [Note: more recent research indicates that Alyn's son, Donald, was alone on the plane when it crashed.]
     I have found another FindTheData report according to which one Alyn M. Brannon owns/owned a 1974 Grumman aircraft. Evidently, that Brannon lives/lived in Phoenix, AZ. I have also found a record of an Alyn M. Brannon, owning a Grumman, living in Zephyr Cover, NV. 

     3. Other records indicate that there is an 80-year-old Alyn M. Brannon (hence, 36 in 1968) who is possibly associated with addresses in Costa Mesa, Santa Ana, Tustin, and Arizona.
    You do the math. I think it is likely that these records concern one Alyn M. Brannon, and he's our Alyn M. Brannon.
     Gosh, such a guy.

     An anonymous reader left a comment on the above post: “Just to let you know ... yes, this is definitely the same Alyn M. Brannon. He did all the things you mentioned and a whole, WHOLE lot more.”
     I was intrigued.
     Lately, I’ve been perusing old newspaper articles, especially concerning the town of Tustin in the early days of our district, and I happened upon the "WHOLE lot more." It turns out that, while serving on the board, Brannon was charged with bookmaking and extortion.
     We’ll get to that.
     Before that, in July of 1971, he was voted president of the Saddleback Community College District Board of Trustees, succeeding the venerable and respected Hans Vogel, also of Tustin. 
     That must’ve been swell for him.
     Then, a year later, there’s this:

     Alyn M. Brannon, a Saddleback Community College District trustee, will appear Wednesday in Harbor Municipal court for a preliminary hearing on charges of conspiracy to commit bookmaking and extortion.
     Brannon…was being held…in Orange County Jail in lieu of $25,000 bail.
     District attorney aids said Brannon, a part-time teacher at an Anaheim business school, is suspected of operating a $25,000-a-week gambling operation, booking bets on football, basketball and other sports. He was arrested, officials said, after one bettor was threatened in a dispute over a $2,800 gambling debt. (“Preliminary Hearing Set for Trustee,” LA Times, September 1, 1972.)

Mr. Brannon, 1967

     They threatened a guy? What kind of cordiality is that?
     And I do believe, my dear fellow, that extortion counts as harassment.
     A week later, the Tustin News was on the case:

     Tustinite Alyn Brannon today awaited an Oct. 4 preliminary hearing on charges of bookmaking and conspiracy growing out of his arrest August 28 by Newport Beach police at the harbor.
. . .
     The college trustee appeared at yesterday’s hearing in the harbor [sic] municipal court where the continuance to 9 a.m., Oct. 4 was granted.
     It was understood Brannon advised the college board and administration that on advice of counsel he is making no public statements at this time on the arrest and allegations connected with it. (“Al Brannon Due for Bookie Rap Hearing Oct. 4,” Tustin News, September 7, 1972.)

     Two days later, the Times reports:

     Forty-three additional counts, including taking bets on football and baseball games and even tennis matches, have been filed against Alyn Brannon, Saddleback College trustee accused of running a gambling business.
. . .
     Don Carroll, senior district attorney’s investigator, said the counts against Brannon now include extortion, conspiracy to extort, and numerous charges of bookmaking and conspiracy to make book…. (“College Trustee to Face New Charges in Gambling Case,” LA Times, Sept. 9, 1972)

     Gosh, I do hope that, when they decided to break guys’ legs, they were at least fair about it!
     A few months later, in December, the Tustin News reports that

     Superior Court Nov. 28 continued the hearing against Tustinite Alyn Brannon to 2 p.m. Dec. 12….
     According to Superior Court records, the Saddleback College trustee is faced with a Grand Jury indictment that includes 19 counts of accepting a bet, seven counts of bookmaking, two counts of conspiracy, one count of receiving, holding or forwarding bets and one count of obtaining money for extortion.
     However, according to [Brannon’s attorney John] Downer, the counts have been reduced to 26….
     Charges of conspiracy and bookmaking brought against Brannon…were dismissed Nov. 30…. (“Grand Jury Raps Against Brannon,” December 7, 1972.)

     Nearly a year later, we hear from the Times:

     Voice prints, ruled as acceptable evidence in California courts only seven months ago, may figure in the trial of Alyn Brannon and Robert E. Kelly, charged with conspiracy, bookmaking and extortion.
. . .
     The prints were taken from a tape which allegedly involve Kelly in an extortion threat over collection of a gambling debt.
. . .
     His codefendant, Brannon, … was president of the Saddleback College Board of Trustees in 1971-72.
     They were indicted Nov. 12, 1971, after being arrested…. (“Voice prints may be used in County bookmaking trial,” October 25, 1973.)

     Voice prints? Go figure.

Zitnik, Brannon, and Reagan

     In January of 1974, the long-suffering Tustin News—the conscience of Tustin, if, that is, it has a conscience—offers an editorial:

     One candidate for the seat vacated by Mike Collins’ resignation from Saddleback College board of trustees has announced her filing for the post with a demand that Trustee Al Brannon resign. She feels his pleading guilty to one count of bookmaking is enough and that whether the judge who passes sentence makes it less or more than a year…that Trustee Brannon should step down.
     …[Through this move,] Brandt … forces the other trustee candidates to take a position on the Brannon bookmaking count. And the governing board will, no doubt, be looking into the matter with their colleague Brannon. 
     The fact Brannon and counsel apparently “plea bargained” with the District Attorney’s office…does not mitigate the situation. The original mass of counts was about 36, later reduced to 27 charges. And after “aging” in the court continuances for over a year the matter evolves into a mere one plea of guilty on bookmaking.
     Mrs. Brandt rightly puts the moral issue into focus for all to see. We will await with interest the outcome. (“Mrs. Brandt forces Brannon issue focus,” Tustin News editorial, January 10, 1974.)

     I love the (likely unintended) understatement: the governing board will, no doubt, be looking into the matter [i.e., Brannon's running a bookmaking racket, engaging in extortion, etc.] with their colleague. 
     D'ya think?

Tustin, 1965

     And note the disdain for "plea-bargaining." It ain't honest and it ain't fair. As Gary Cooper would say, it isn't "square."
     A week later, Brannon resigns and apologizes. According to the Times, 

     Voters in the saddleback [sic] Community College District will select two new trustees this spring as a result of board member Alyn Brannon’s resignation.
     The 43-year-old Brannon quit the board of trustees Monday after pleading guilty last month…to a charge of bookmaking. His resignation had been expected.
     …Brannon said he will remain in office until an election in June….
     “I want to publicly apologize to my family for the embarrassment and shame I have caused them for the actions I may have done in the past,” Brannon said.
     Brannon explained in a five-minute speech at the board meeting that he was resigning after talking with friends and fellow trustees. (“College Trustees Resigns Post,” January 16, 1974.)

     Gosh, you’d think being found out as a bookie would be enough to resign right there—i.e., back in 1972.
     In April, we learn that Brannon the Bookie was at long last sentenced to 90 days in the pokey:

     Resigning Saddleback College Trustee Alyn M. Brannon of Tustin was sentenced to 90 days in Orange County Jail Monday in Superior Court after Judge Robert L. Corfman reduced a felony bookmaking count to a misdemeanor.
     Corfman denied probation, but agreed to a stay of execution on jail until 5 p.m. April 22....
     Case was continued to various dates over two years, until, through plea bargaining, Brannon pleaded guilty to one count of bookmaking last December. (“Brannon Draws 90-day Bookie Rap Sentence,” Tustin News, April 11, 1974)

     I guess he took up plane-crashing later.
     So, there you have it.

From More on Saddleback's "bookie trustee", DtB, July 19, 2017

The Happy Booker
     As it turns out, Alyn Brannon, one of our district’s original board trustees (1967-1974), pursued his career as bookie kingpin long after his arrest and sentencing in 1972-1974. (He resigned from the board in January of 1974, a month after pleading guilty as part of a plea bargain.)
     Evidently, he's the incorrigible type.
     I describe all of that below.
     Immediately below, however, I provide the most interesting of the newspaper stories about Brannon’s sometimes colorful bookmakery. ("The Case of the Unfriendly Bettors," LA Times, April 1981. Check it out, it's good!)
     Tearful public apologies notwithstanding, Brannon was serious about his bookie gig. His various operations are often described as the most significant ("top operator") in OC. Brannon is usually described as the “kingpin” of a sophisticated illegal enterprise, involving secret apartments in Tustin, secret offices in Laguna Hills, dark tables at restaurants, flamboyant underlings with sleek, silver Porsches.
     But why? According to one article, Brannon explained that he  risked his good name, family, etc.—because of the "excitement."
     His saga is sometimes funny. At one point, while awaiting a hearing regarding the appeal of a judge's ruling, Brannon is arrested on a new charge. One of his "bookmaking agents," a court bailiff, calls on the phone to arrange a bet. The conversation is recorded by cops. Brannon is thrown back into prison.
     Reading about Brannon’s post-trustee career was sometimes sobering. I learned that, among Brannon’s colleagues in his 1979 arrest was his son, Donald. (His other son, Barry, would appear to have taken that other, higher road; he's had a successful career as an Air Force pilot.) Son Donald, however, died in a plane crash in Lake Tahoe in 1994. (In the mid-90s, Brannon's bookie operation had an office in Lake Tahoe.)
     Sheesh.
     Brannon has been a parole violator and a repeat offender. He was arrested again for bookmaking—the "biggest bookmaking operation" yet uncovered in OC—in 1997, twenty-five years after his first arrest, when he was President of the Saddleback board and a young Republican star.
     SOCCCD. We're special, ain't we?
     In 2008, he was convicted of failing to pay his taxes. He was confined to his home and was made to pay $30,000 in restitution. He didn't like that much.
     I believe he's still alive, in his mid-80s, and living in OC. Or maybe Arizona. Or Texas.

(Click on graphics to make them larger.)

Brannon’s post-trustee career: "excitement"

     Note: Alyn Brannon resigned from the Saddleback Community College District board of trustees in January of 1974. He had been arrested and charged for bookmaking and extortion in September of 1972. He was eventually convicted, fifteen months later, on one count of bookmaking in December 1973 thanks to a generous plea bargain.

1974
     • Brannon's first arrest didn't reach sentencing until December of 1973. According to the Times (“Former College Trustee gets 90 days in jail,” 4-9-74), “When Brannon appeared before [the judge], his attorney, John M. Downer, asked the court to consider that the bookmaking operation was among 'seven friends' and had no connection with organized crime.”

1979
     • According to the Times (“Police Break Up Bookmaking Ring—Four arrested,” 3-8-79), “A six-month police undercover investigation has broken up bookmaking operations that were reportedly grossing $185,000 a week in Santa Ana and Seal Beach.” The arrests were made by Garden Grove police. Three people were arrested, including Brannon’s son, Donald, of Tustin. (Another person in Scottsdale, AR, was sought by police.) “Investigators said the bookmaking operations were run out of the Rum-runner’s Inn in Seal Beach and Reuben’s restaurant on Tustin Ave., in Santa Ana….”

Mr. Brannon with shovel

1981
     • According to the Times (“Arraignment set for bookmaking suspects,” 3-4-81), “Two men suspected of being Orange County’s top bookmaking operators for professional football games and other sports will be arraigned in Superior Court March 16.”
     Alyn M. Brannon and Salvatore Charles Consalvo were “charged with 20 counts involving felony bookmaking and conspiracy.”
     The two were indicted “last week” by a grand jury following a six month investigation. Bookmaking equipment was found in an apartment in Tustin and an office in Laguna Hills.

     • LA Times, April 10, 1981: "The case of the unfriendly bettor "(See graphics) —This offers some delicious details concerning Brannon's operation.

     • According to the Times (“Court Asked to Oust DA in Bookie Case,” 4-29-81), “[T]wo men are accused of running a $50,000-a-week bookmaking and football card operation in several bars in the Mission Viejo area. “District Attorney’s investigators said they believe [Hyman] Wolenski and [John] Lombardi were bookmaking agents for Alyn M. Brannon of Santa Ana, who was indicted by the OC Grand Jury in February for bookmaking. At the time, Brannon, 50, was on parole from a previous bookmaking conviction….”

     • According to the Times (“Two enter guilty pleas to bookmaking charges,” 6-20-81), “Two men who authorities say ran the biggest sports gambling operation in OC have pleaded guilty in Santa Ana Municipal Court to one count each of bookmaking. Alyn M. Brannon, 50, of Santa Ana and Salvatore Consalvo, 56, of Mission Viejo will be free on their own recognizance until Friday, when they must appear in OC Superior court to reenter their pleas to felony charges.”
     Brannon is also pleading guilty to “violating probation from a previous bookmaking conviction.”

     • According to the Times (“Two men plead guilty in county bookmaking case,” 6-27-81), “Two men [viz., Brannon and Consalvo] who authorities say ran the biggest sports gambling operation in OC pleaded guilty…one count each of felony bookmaking.” “Law enforcement officials said Brannon, who had previously been convicted of bookmaking, was the kingpin of a ring that handled about $200,000 a week in sports bets.”

     • According to the Times (“Man gets 2-year prison term in bookmaking case,” 8-20-81), “Alyn M. Brannon, 50, a former president of the Saddleback College board of trustees, was sentenced to two years in prison Wednesday after pleading guilty to one count of felony bookmaking. Orange County Superior Court Judge William Murray also gave Brannon a concurrent two-year term for a count of parole violation after an earlier bookmaking conviction.”

1982
     • “Bookie May Serve Just One-Sixth of Sentence,” LA Times, 1-21-82:
     Brannon receives a two-year sentence, but he later claims that his lawyer told him that, after his 120-day review (in prison), the judge would release him. But the judge regards Brannon as a hard case who has managed to avoid serious jail time and he means to make sure Brannon finally gets it. Brannon is released after 120 days (Vacaville on Dec 16, 1981) because of a death in the family, and the judge allows him to stay out of prison until the hearing—when Brannon learns that he’s heading back in to serve out the rest of his 2-year term. Lots of legal maneuvering follows, but it comes to nothing.
     While out, Brannon works at a Santa Ana hotel.
     “His attorney, William Stewart, is expected to argue that Brannon should be allowed to remain free. But the OC district attorney’s office is particularly interested in seeing that Brannon serves his full two-year sentence because of his lengthy history of involvement in gambling.”
     “If Brannon is released after just four months, [Deputy DA Rick] Toohey said, there is no reason to believe he won’t go back into the sports betting business.”
     “He has a history gambling activity that goes back almost a decade,” Toohey said. “This is not a man who should be free.”
     “According to court records, Brannon told a probation officer that he was willing to risk his good name in the community to get into sports bookmaking because of the ‘excitement’ involved.”

     • According to the Tustin News (“Commissioned,” 6-24-82), “Barry D. Brannon, son of Mr. and Mrs. Alyn M. Brannon of North Tustin, has been commissioned a second lieutenant through the Air Force ROTC program, and earned a bachelor’s degree at the U of Colorado, Boulder….”

     • According to the Times (“Bailiff was bookmaker, police say,” 6-24-1982), “A tip Newport Beach police received earlier this month has led them, officers said, to an unusual bookmaker – the bailiff in the courtroom of the presiding judge of Orange County’s Harbor Municipal Court.” … “And the bailiff in turn has reportedly helped set up the arrest of a former Saddleback Community College trustee, who was free pending an appeal relating to a bookmaking conviction, police said. After hearing a police tape recording of the undercover bet Wednesday, a judge ordered the former trustee back behind bars.”
     “Police identified the bailiff as Darrell Strobele, a deputy Orange County marshal for 17½ years….”
     Strobele didn’t take bets in court, but he did take them while at the courthouse in Newport Beach. There are indications that he occasionally used the judge’s chambers when the judge wasn’t there.
     “A bettor working with the police placed a bet with Strobele on June 14, making the case against him, [investigator Milt] Geiger said.”
     “At investigators’ request, Strobele agreed a week later to telephone Alyn Brannon, former community college trustee, convicted bookmaker and longtime friend of Strobele since the two men met as high school sports referees, Geiger said. Police tape-recorded the conversation as Strobele placed a bet, Geiger said.
     “The tape recording enabled the district attorney’s office Wednesday to have Brannon sent back to jail.”
     “Superior Court Judge Leonard McBride, who had allowed Brannon to remain free without bail while Brannon appealed McBride’s refusal of a new trial, was in no mood to offer Brannon a second chance.”
     Evidently Brannon’s attorney, Dennis LaBarbera listened to the tape during court and “had nothing to say.”
     “The judge was so angry I could have asked for a change of clothes for Brannon and he would have turned us down,” LaBarbera said later. “There really was no point in arguing this thing any further.”
     “Law enforcement officials have complained in the past that Brannon, who has a 10-year history of bookmaking arrests, has spent little time in jail.”

1984
     • According to Tustin News (“Silver Wings,” 1-19-84), second Lt. Barry D. Brannon has graduated from US Air Force pilot training and has received his silver wings.

1994
     • According to the Tustin News (“Donald Brannon,” 2-17-94), Alyn Brannon’s son, Donald Brannon, was killed Feb 13 just after takeoff from South Lake Tahoe Airport. (Alyn Brannon was known to have a part of his bookie operation in Lake Tahoe.)

1997
     • According to the Times (“Authorities Arrest 10 in Bookmaking Case,” 4-2-97):

     Authorities announced Tuesday what they described as the biggest bookmaking operation uncovered by Orange County investigators and the arrests of 10 California and Nevada residents suspected of illegally taking in about $1 million per month.
. . .
     …[P]olice from Seal Beach, Anaheim and Newport Beach and the district attorney's office served 11 search warrants, including one at a Cerritos commercial building where they believe the operation was housed. While searching the building, in the 11100 block of Artesia Boulevard, officers also took bets from callers, Anaheim Lt. James Flammini said.
. . .
     Investigators alleged that those arrested, who range in age from 22 to 65, were taking at least 100,000 bets per month at the Cerritos location and another in Lake Tahoe [note: Lake Tahoe is where the aforementioned plane crash occurred].
     Arrested in California were Alyn Murdoff Brannon, 65, of Costa Mesa; Mark Kiyo Snyder, 30, of Trabuco Canyon; Sushma Gohil, 22, of Orange; Spencer Haruo Okuno, 32, of Pasadena; and Decourcy Wright Graham, 55, of Corona del Mar. Brannon recently spent two years in state prison for bookmaking, Flammini said.
     Arrested in Nevada were Michael Franklin Reeder, 35, of Zephyr Cove; Michael Reid Harvin, 30, of Stateline; Damien Leroux, 30, of Ontario, Canada; Shannon Ione Dolan, 23, of South Lake Tahoe, and Nicole Suzanne Berlandier, 24, of South Lake Tahoe.

2010
     • From Find-a-Case: February 5, 2010

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, PLAINTIFF, v. ALYN M. BRANNON, 

ALSO KNOWN AS AL BRANNON, DEFENDANT.

     On November 12, 2008, the Court sentenced the Defendant Alyn M. Brannon to three years probation after he pled guilty to a misdemeanor information charging him with failure to file an income tax return in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7203. The Court also ordered the Defendant to serve six months in home confinement and to pay restitution in the amount of $30,000.00…. On November 30, 2009, the Defendant filed a Combined Motion for Early Termination of Probation and Brief in Support…. The Court set the motion for hearing … and heard evidence from the Defendant on February 5, 2010…. For the reasons set forth below, the Defendant's Motion for Early Termination of Probation is hereby DENIED.
. . .
     [U]nlike the defendant in McNeill, the Defendant in this case has a prior criminal history and violated the conditions of his pretrial release while awaiting sentencing in this case.... Such demerits notwithstanding, the Court granted a departure from the sentencing guidelines (at the government's request) to avoid incarcerating the Defendant and placed him on probation for well less than the maximum term possible. There is no indication that the defendant in McNeill received such merciful consideration prior to being released from probation early. These dissimilarities from McNeill all relate to one or more of the factors set forth in Section 3553(a), and they far outweigh any factors favoring early release.

1997: a Golden Oldie — Math instructor tells students that IVC was run by a cult!

I came across this WACKY old DtB post based on something I reported in one of my newsletters in late 1997. It touches on some contemporary themes: cults, conspiracy theories, lunatics in charge, etc. Check it out:

Howard Dachslager’s theory: Irvine Valley College was run by a Humanities “cult” 
By Roy Bauer - November 08, 1997

      Howard Dachslager was among the “other end of campus” faculty who viewed themselves as opposed to the Humanities (and Bio) faculty. The latter tended to have positions of authority at IVC—i.e., they actually participated in shared governance—Peter Morrison, Terry Burgess [then a VPI], Rebecca Welch, et al. The circumstance that some groups of faculty did not step up to fill these leadership positions (Senate, etc.) inspired the fallacy that a conspiracy "by Humanities" was afoot. Nope, it's just that the Hum folks were willing to do their part in shared governance while others seemed to have better things to do (e.g., make shitloads of money teaching overload, large-lecture classes, etc.). —RB, 12/21/20

From the ‘Vine, 11/8/97 [“The ‘VINE: the School of Humanities and Languages’ Unofficial Newsletter November 8, 1997”] 

Howard’s End 

     Shelly, an IVC student government officer, told me on Thursday (the 6th [of November, 1997]) that math instructor Howard Dachslager visited IVC student government and gave a fine address. Students wanted to know how the recent reorganization would affect them. Howard was reassuring; he told students that, for years, the college was run by a “cult”—one like, said Howard, “the Branch Davidians.” He seemed to equate this cult with the faculty of the School of Humanities and Languages. According to Howie (said Shel), the cultists hold math in very low esteem, and they have managed to advance the interests of “the Humanities” while thwarting the interests of math, the sciences, and Voc Ed. [Howard was expressing a view that had often been expressed by Raghu.]

     Inexplicably, Howard apparently cited the relative dearth of Math full-timers at IVC as evidence of the cult’s connivery. But wait! Haven’t math instructors themselves perennially blocked full-time math hires—contrary to the judgment of, among others, Humanities and Languages faculty? At any rate, such was the case when I was a senator for many years. I have often heard it suggested by reliable sorts that some math faculty have repeatedly blocked new full-time hires in order to maintain their stunningly lucrative teaching assignments. 

     Howard, it seems, is convinced that the elimination of the chairs in favor of deans will end the era of abuses at “north campus,” his term for IVC. “Power corrupts,” he said, and it has tended to corrupt chairs, especially those pesky H & L chairs on the grassy knoll. [Howard expressed similar views to me when we participated in an orientation for new Chairs in May or June of ’97.] 

     He did not explain why the same power, put instead in others’ hands, ceases to be corruptive.  

See also 

Textbooks at IVC

The "Reorg"

* * *

Dachslager, at age 88, is still teaching! He'll be using his own text for his 

Computer Science course in the Spring. Check out the price just for a rental!:

TODAY'S OC COVID NUMBERS:

Doc D (aka David Bugay) has written a new musical comedy—Zombie Dearest—and, natch, it's being produced here at IVC!?

     You remember David Bugay! Despite what his Linked in page says below, Bugay was Vice Chancellor (not President) of Human Resources at SOCCCD. 

     —Until, that is, he was fired about a year ago. (See Poof: Bugay bugs out)

     Bugay certainly had his detractors. HR had a pretty bad reputation while he was in charge of it. 

     It didn't help that Teddi Lorch was the "Director" of HR. She's an idiot. 

* * *

     You'll recall that, way back in 2011, district denizens were informed:

Colleagues and Friends,

You are invited to attend the premiere of

The Naked Turtle Dances

Poem by David Bugay

Music by Daniel Luzko

Choreography by Marie de la Palme

     This poetry/music/dance thang was presented at IVC (Luzko teaches and de la Palme taught at IVC). 

     His poetry is pretty bad. So, what gives?

     I guess Bugay had pull up here at the northern college. 

     Those with knowledge of poetry at the college took a dim view of Bugay's efforts. (See The pious and the poetic, November, 2011.) Not for the first time, we asked: Why all the sub-collegiate bullshit at IVC? 

     Remember the time our "multiculturalism" event was a showing of 20th-Century-Fox's The King and I?

     Our college is best known, of course, for holding that idiotic "Astounding Inventions" competition for kiddies. You know: hats that drop sandwiches into your face.

     Remember when the Foundations director wanted to put on a "book burning" to publicize the college? A year or so later, he wanted to present a collection of famous shoes.

     Typically, when High Schoolers are invited to the college, Team IVC sets up bouncy-houses. And there're hundreds of blue and white balloons.

     WTF?

     It's a question we often ask here at Dumbshit College.

* * *

     It turns out that Bugay has long pursued a writing career. As writer, he now goes by the pen name "Doc D" (see below). Aside from The Naked Turtle Dances, Doc D has written such works as Backbonology: Tough Decisions at Work, Zombie Dearest: Poems for Young Zombies, and Zombie Dearest: a Two-Act Musical Comedy:

From the "Doc the Writer" homepage.
"He has found two major obstacles in the skillsets of emerging leaders."
Obstacles in their skillsets?

     —And guess what?! TODAY, Irvine Valley College's "IVC Happenings" sports the following page:

* * *

     Just who is this La Grand Barr? —Actually, his name is LeGrand (or Le Grand) Barr, and he lives in Aliso Viejo. (IVC publications seems to think his name is "La Grand".)

     He's a local musician (piano). Here's his Facebook Page.
     He tells us that he has "played for different ministries here in South Orange County...."
     Uh-oh.

Disastrous administrators: an SOCCCD tradition

Stevens

     Just a reminder: this district and its colleges have a striking record of hiring disastrous administrators despite serious red flags.
     I’ll mention two obvious examples.
     The infamous case of Dean Rodney Poindexter. (See also Mathur: reference checks for Poindexter)
     The notorious case of Chancellor Larry Stevens. (See especially The Larry Stevens years, 1982-1986, Part 2: a hatchet man "heavy on the decisive action and light on the open, free exchange”)
     Just sayin’.

TIMES 6-29-02

The SOCCCD saga: an update

     Perhaps you're aware that DtB offers an account of our district's history called the "SOCCCD saga." It's an interesting history.
     You can find it HERE. (It is among our "pages," some of which are indicated on the "tabs" above.)

     Recently, I appended an UPDATE, covering events of the last two or so years. Check it out.
     Feel free to critique it. I would be happy to add others' verbiage and ideas, subtract my bad verbiage and ideas. Anything to improve it.
     The update is, of course, at the end of the POST. Way down there. It's dated June 17, 2016.

I'm not a big fan of the bombastic and unsubtle Mr. Maher, but this rant is pretty funny.


Love this guy. He's a sort of contemporary Texas bluesman. His real name is Alejandro Rose-Garcia.

The June meeting of the SOCCCD BOT: "jackass free"

     [Please see Tere's Board Meeting Highlights.]
     I just entered the "Ronald Reagan" room here at Saddleback College—at pretty close to 6:00—and the meeting seems to have just begun. Evidently, no actions were taken by the board during closed session.
     Bill Jay lays on the religion pretty thick for his invocation. Dave Lang asks the audience to join him in "paying respects" to the flag. Really? To the flag? (Sorry, I'm a philosopher.)

Commendations:

     Right away, Nancy tears into the meeting. "Commendations" commence. Martin Carbone, Saddleback College Emeritus volunteer, comes up to receive recognition.
     Burnett explains that two commendation recipients couldn't attend. The SC chapter of Phi Theta Kappa wasn't present somehow. Also, Andrew Craven isn't present for some reason. I think he's in charge of parking or something. Lots of applause. You know how this goes.
     IVC's Glenn Roquemore comes up, asking that Diane Oaks and her "team" come up. They got some sort of recognition from CC Pro. So this is a case of giving a prize to people for getting a prize. (I don't understand why they stop there; why not give 'em another prize for the prize they just gave em'?) They seem like deserving people, though. They're pretty smiley and happy.
     Glenn asks Officer Tony Mancini to step up. He got an award from the CCUPCA for identifying a suspect, etc.
   
     Public comments: 

     Bob Cosgrove comes up, praises some people re SC's accreditation effort. (It sounds as though there's a dying squirrel in Bob's mike.) Mentions a Saddleback College retreat. Commends various people. Bob's old-fashioned that way. "An excellent presentation" by Todd B, evidently.
     A person named Mark Goodleaf also wants to address the board--re "IVC's ATEP," the purported layoff (an instructor in a particular program) coming up to a vote tonight. If you were to understand the contribution of this program (whatever it is), you wouldn't consider doing this, he says. I don't need to teach there, but I have for years, he says. "That's not why I'm here." Talks about the contribution of the school (program?). And "the youth." I was a little bit afraid of the youth, but...blah, blah, blah. These students are now contributing to the community. They're "positive citizens," fully employed. This wouldn't have happened were it not for ATEP and this particular program!

Board reports:

     Bill Jay: no report

     Tim Jemal: it was a pleasure last month to participate in commencement at IVC. Commends everyone involved. Went off "pretty well," he says. Had an opportunity to be interviewed on TV. A legislative action, TV show--something about Emeritus. Legislation that would throw older folks "under the bus," and he doesn't support it. The budget seems to be stabilizing. FTES equivalent of 1200 elderly students at Saddleback, evidently. Etc.
     Marcia Milchiker: agrees with Tim about the Emeritus Institute (should support it, protect it). Have always fought for these courses, these students. Last meeting, I read a list of the "60 things" I did. This time, commencements. "Can't thank enough" the people responsible. Went to Human Services certificate award ceremony. Marcia says she got a certificate from those people for having always attended.
     Mentions Bob Cosgrove's remark about me (yes me) at the last board meeting (Bob noted my efforts reporting on board meetings). A "Cumbaya" moment, says Marcia: in his report about the last board meeting, Roy Bauer wrote (she reads this):

     Yes folks, here we are yet again for another meeting of the SOCCCD BOT. This is, as I’ve suggested previously, the best BOT the district likely has ever had, which ain’t saying much, I know [big laugh], but it’s a damned good thing nonetheless. Essentially, the board is now jackass-free. [More laughter.] Plus we've got a Chancellor we can work with and trust.

     High praise from Roy Bauer, says Marcia. [Much laughter-like noise. Mostly, I keep my eyes closed, hoping for the moment to pass.] Nancy says something positive. I give her a thumbs up. What did that mean? I don't know. Everybody seems to be in a good mood about this. Well, OK, me too.
     TJ Prendergast: discusses the problem of addiction to prescription drugs. Attended an event about that, wants to spread the word. A disturbing trend.
     Nancy Padberg: she offers a helpful household tip: if you go to your pharmacist, they've got some method to dispose of your old drugs, she says. (You mail 'em somewhere.) Attended this and that. Won some prize somewhere. Mentions retirements: Don B, someone else.
     James Wright: also attended graduation ceremonies, both "wonderful events." Went to retirement dinner for Carl Abrams. Gravely mentions recent tragedy at Santa Monica College.
     [I see that the latest board innovation is a timer, a countdown from 3 minutes or 2 minutes while the person speaks. Nancy is like the Library Cop on Seinfeld.]
     Dave Lang: I also enjoyed both commencement ceremonies. Dave thanks the two Presidents. Participated in the SC golf tournament. "Not a skilled foursome..."
     Student trustee David Robinson: thanked board members for "warm welcome." Condolences and prayers re Santa Monica College tragedy. (Prayers? These kids today!)
     Chancellor's (Gary Poertner's) report: "I have no report this evening."
     IVC President Glenn Roquemore: blah, blah, blah.
     Saddleback College Prez Tod Burnett: introduces Kathy Werle. (Do you suppose she's getting tired of all this attention?) She stands; receives applause. Tod appreciated strong faculty turnout for commencement. Thanked people who helped with the event. Thanked the Ac. Senate for bestowing honorary degree on UCI Chancellor Drake, the keynote speaker. Mentions a successful governance retreat.

Reports requested: 

     TJ Prendergast requests a report of impact on employees (cadillac tax, etc.) of federal health care bill implementation. They vote (to pursue report): unanimous approval. Nancy opines that it seems like a good idea (asking for the report)

Item 4.1 — discussion item — Basic aid allocation recommendation for FY 2013-4

     Deb Fitzsimmons presents.
     Discusses BAARC (Basic Aid Allocation Recommendation Council), "the district wide participatory committee responsible for making recommendations to the Chancellor."
     Outlines BAAARC's activities, timeline. BP3110 was strictly followed. [This concerns an accred recommendation to do budgeting in a less top-down fashion.]
     Net amount available for BAAAARC. Allocation: $52,853,446
     Capital projects: $26 mil. Various others.
     District wide tech projects: $10.8 mil
     Small renovation projects: $ 5.75 mil
     etc.
     ANY QUESTIONS?:

     Prendergast: this is a lot of work; nice to see so many groups involved, making sure that it's not top-down. I hope the groups agree with that. This is a really good thing. (Response to accreditation recommendation.)
     Jemal: echoes Prendergast's comment. Happy about techno investment. There's a lot in here. Asks Bramucci to summarize....
     B: Student Success Dashboard. Everything will be on one page per student. Mostly we're just keeping the lights on, getting things refreshed. Replacing desktops. This dashboard thing is a culmination of lots that we've done.
     Jemal: when will the dashboard be operable? B: was supposed to be a year project. Contingent on ....
     Padberg instructs trustees on how to use the new buttons on their desktop. Lang asks, "Which button?" Confusion. Nancy gives up: "just raise your hand." [Laughter.]
     Lang: congrats to the BAAAAARC. Getting lots of imput from the entire community [as per accred rec]. Also pleased we're making investment in tech. It seems to me that we once had discussion about some of this generating a revenue stream? Any news on that front?
     B: there's some work that needs to take place for that.

Consent calendar. There's a correction. Lang pulls 5.8. Vote: unanimous

     5.8: confused about this item — Brandye comes up to explain about demolishing classroom cluster "building project." She's her usual clear and competent self, it seems.

     6.1: tentative budget. 

     Again, Deb Fitz presents. Shows the usual stats, slides. Again, there seems to be a dying squirrel in her mike. [Meanwhile, the meeting has been plagued with minor problems with the overhead or "computer" system. Nancy is slightly peeved about that.]
     Sorry for my disinclination to follow this presentation. I'm just in no mood to think about numbers, fiscal. Evidently, nothing alarming or surprising is being said. The board exhibits mild interest, perhaps boredom.
     Fitz is talking "liability" and "estimates," etc. Prop 30. Etc.
     Fitz gives her usual evidently clear and competent presentation. On it goes. I always get the feeling that she does a good job with this stuff, but that's an odd coming from someone who neither understands nor seeks to understand fiscal matters. Whatever.
     She continues..... She looks pretty earnest, but everything's OK, I guess. The board seems reasonably pleased. She said something about funds for "scheduled maintenance." The factoid is pleasing, evidently.
     Nancy: we're sticking to our rule about basic aid funds are we? (a reference to the idea that basic aid funds are never for ongoing expenses)? F: yep.
     Student trustee Robinson asks: do you anticipate keeping fee [?] to $40? F: state fees are set by state.
     Prendergast: we're waiting for the Governor to sign the current budget, are we? Good news mostly about amount budgeted? F: very positive for Cal CC system as a whole; very positive for our district in particular. Governor has veto power on certain sections. It'll be interesting to see "which bills pass." P: something about 1.63% growth. Someone comes up to explain some seeming discrepancy, I know not what. Everything is cool, though. Sorry, I don't know what this is about. Half of my brain is on summer holiday.
     Lang: back to comment about deferred maintenance money available at state. What sort of allocation for us? F: It's project based. "About 2% of the total." She gets into the weeds, I'm not following. Blah blah blah. Lang: several of our capital improvement projects involve state monies. How will that be affected by state budget? F: shouldn't be.
     Voting on the item: unanimous approval.

     Tentative student government budget(s).
     SC student Prez (didn't catch his name) presents. (Nice suit, dude.) Goes through process, etc. Pretty halting, awkward. Luckily, everything is projected on screen. His presentation is brief, thank God.
     Lang: I think you did a wonderful job. We're starting the year with pretty healthy beginning fund balance. You're using all of the funds available except for emerg. reserve for the categories you've indicated. So why do you have an ending balance?
     Student: we have a rollover every year. The figure is an estimate based on last year. Lang seems satisfied.
     Next, IVC student gov budget. This time, Jee Chung(?) speaks. Says he wants to be quick and clear. Formal, a bit awkward. Goes through process. Halting, but again, the slides lay out the data. Yadda Yadda. Painful. But no more than usual.
     Jemal: IVC revenue seems higher than Saddleback's, which is odd (Saddleback is much bigger.) To what may this be attributed? Nancy points to Saddleback kid: ASC receives 40% contract revenue, he says. The other 60 not in alignment with "our mission."
     Burnett: the college determined that ASG was being asked to make decisions on ongoing academic matters. Inappropriate. So a change was made, and now ASG sticks to its mission.
     Prendergast: great presentations. In past, we've gotten comparisons of last year with this year. Fitz: yes, that makes sense. That comparison will be included in the final budget.
     Student Trustee Robinson: do you anticipate increase in scholarship allotment? ASG kid says something about $20,000.
     Lang: since we don't have the comparative info now—can you give us idea on what you have emphasized in this budget vs. last year? Answer: our co-curricular programs, he says.
     Wright: do you talk with your colleague at SC? I noticed discrepancies between the two colleges re ASG budget items. (I didn't follow the resolution of this. Too weary.)
     Unanimous approving vote (with Jay out of the room on a bathroom break).

Oscar

6.3: Authorizing design-build procurement for the SC site improvements project
     Brandye D presents.
     Prendergast: do we know when we use this approach--do we have criteria about which (approach) to use when? (Reference to previously customary approach—Lease/leaseback—vs. newer design-build approach)
     B: we have a preference for "design-build." Etc. I didn't follow this, but P seemed satisfied.
     Lang: unfortunate publicity recently surrounding (cc college construction?, overruns?), how still competitively bid? Give us some comfort in this area, says Dave.
     B: some of the controversies you've heard about—these districts use a less stringent approach in bidding. We understand the conservative nature of our board, so we are very conservative in our approach. Current approach mirrors competitive bid process, etc.
     Jemal: follow-up to Lang. Is there a dollar amount minimum (I didn't get this). The answer involved the figure $15,000--that is, the approach in question applies to all projects over that amount (I think). Don't expect that to change, says B. [This issue--the advantages to moving to design-build--was discussed at length previously. As I recall, B and Co. have been very positive about our use of design-build vs. Lease/leaseback. The latter seems inevitably to lead to big problems with sub-contractors, thus contractors. They get locked into prices and then things change, they go belly-up. This new method avoids all that.)
     Jemal: Projects over $15k will be competitively bid then? (The answer seemed to be "sort of" or "yes" but I didn't follow the details.)
     Milchiker: why prefer design-build? Blah blah blah. The board seemed satisfied.

6.4: Board policy revisions. Unanimous approval.

6.5: BPs for review and study.
     Lang: BP164, the first one. This item involves increase in trustee stipend from $400 to $700 per month. There's good justification for that. Has been through shared governance process. Public should be aware of this increase. Nancy: we've been authorized to do this for years, but held back because of budget. Accept for review and study? Unanimous. (This issue last came up four years ago: Trustees to delay 67% pay increase for themselves, Jan 16, 2009; Trustees set to nearly double their monthly stipend, Dec 2, 2008)

6.6: request, rescind sabbatical leave. Unanimously approved
6.7: Academic Personal actions. Unanimous
6.8: Classified Personal actions. Unanimous.
6.9: resolution re classified employee layoff. Revenue not there to continue. Thus lay off recommended.
Prendergast: is the position related to the program the public speaker referred to earlier?
     Bugay: yes. It's categorically funded.
     Roquemore: we've lost the (something). Grants involved. Coming to an end without any replacement funds. The funds are drying up. Unanimous approval of rec. layoff.
7.1: info item about speakers.
. . .

8.0: reports from shared governance groups. 

     I'll just mention highlights here, if any occur.
     SC academic senate guy (unfamiliar to me). Echoed Bob's comments. Mentions retreat. "Collegial and informative experience." A "palpable sense of comaraderie in the room." 1st Senate meeting: new degrees approved. (Boy does this guy have lots to say. But he does a good job.)
     There is now a site for "History of Saddleback College." Professor Cobos' website. 1967-68, oral histories. "Making history, the first years of Saddleback College."
     Faculty union: negotiation team.
     No rep for IVC Ac. Senate.
     Peebles: no report beyond written.
     Bramucci: blah blah blah about technology
     Bugay: something about training deans, coming from ACCA. Local personages involved.
     Fitzsimmons: [The timer's working!] Blah blah blah. Awesome fiscal team, etc.
     IVC classified ac senate, Dennis Gordon: conference, etc. End of year celebration. My last meeting: appreciate this opportunity. Board meetings: "A refreshing change from how it's been in the past."
. . .
    Wright: Adjourned meeting in memory of Steve Sworder, who recently passed away.
    The meeting ends before 8:00 p.m. Pretty dang efficient.