#joanne brown

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From our new bonus episode - The victims of New Jersey's latest serial killer; Sarah Butler, Robin West, and Joanne Brown. Suspect Khalil Wheeler-Weaver has pleaded not guilty to all three murders. Rest In Peace, Ladies. Justice will be served.

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Guest Blog: Is this the end of Wisconsin's civil service?

Guest Blog: Is this the end of Wisconsin’s civil service?

What follows is a guest blog by Joanne Brown.

Is this the end of Wisconsin’s civil service?

Yet another surprise tucked away into the Walker budget bill could mean the end of Wisconsin’s civil service system as we know it.

The budget calls for the Office of State Employee Relations to be moved into the Department of Administration; currently, OSER is attached administratively to DOA. Ordinarily,…

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Port Bomb: Millions sunk?

The Committee is abuzz over several issues at the Port of Guam that the Calvo/Tenorio administration is having a hard time keeping a lid on. Not least of which is a memo being circulated indicating the Feds have finally made a move and cut the Port off from millions and millions of dollars in federal funding, while Adelup remains focused on political payback against non-supporters at PAG.

Following the erupting scandal of excessive and fraudulent legal billings permitted, and even facilitated by GTA executive Dan Tydingco, another scandal with an attempt to sole source a contract worth more than a million dollars to board member Ed Ilao, slandering and smearing the good name and character of former Port GM Mary Torres, and illegally terminating as many as eight other Port workers, the news of the Port being cut off from accessing federal funds is explosive news.

It could be the stress of trying to keep a lid on the tidal wave of corruption and scandal that has created fractures in the facade of falsehoods at the Port of Guam.

Whispers of the growing rift have more than a few people speculating loudly about the demise of the combative Port General Manager Joanne Brown in a matter of days, if not a few weeks. Some Front Office wags are so keen on seeing Brown out, they are keen to sprinkle conversations with liberal suggestions that the forceful GM is as sprung as a 24-hour clock at atty. Mike Phillips' law offices.

Meanwhile, other Committee sources express their anger over Brown's targeting of longtime employees in an ongoing purge to make room for the political hiring agenda launched by Adelup under the scandalous former deputy general manager Anisia Terlaje.

Terlaje herself, Guamblog followers will recall, was put at the Port by Calvo in order to replace probationary employees with Calvo/Tenorio supporters who had grown tired of waiting for the promise of jobs made in the 2010 election, in exchange for their votes.

Deputy port general manager Anisia Terlaje claimed - ineffectively - that Calvo/Tenorio hired her at the Port of Guam to investigate the issue of nepotism - which didn't seem to stop her from re-hiring her nephew in a position that required a federal clearance which he failed to get because of a criminal record. Her nephew was previously forced to resign from the Port after twice failing drug tests. 

In addition to the coordinated displacement of longterm Port workers, extra, highpaying, “essential” positions, which hadn't existed prior to the Calvo/Tenorio administration, were created at the agency - specifically to payout certain individuals.

One example, the position of Program Coordinator 4; that was specifically designated for major Calvo-Tenorio supporter Rudy Matanane.

Matanane, who spent more than $80,000 on a successful race for mayor of Yigo, which many speculated was subsidized by Calvo sources, didn't even show up for the first round of interviews for the Port job, so confident he had the no-show job in the pocket.

Yigo mayor Rudy Matanane, was recently interviewed by a television reporter about gang-sponsored dogfighting activity in his village. Matanane, who readers allege has two criminal drug convictions pardoned by former Paul Calvo Sr., refused to believe the wellknown presence of the Yigo Blood gang in is his village was more than a rumor. He also told the reporter that, "Gangs are okay."

Terlaje, was allowed to quietly slip away from the agency after creating a legal mess by forcing the hire of unqualified, but "connected" workers, and other scandalous actions including her role in the illegal firing of seven Port workers. She, along with Calvo's niece, has recently popped up in a fatcheck, do-nothing job at GEDA where few ever see her, sources say. At least the Calvo niece shows up for work.

But, back to the Port....Committee reports Calvo/Tenorio plan to bring airport board member Frank Santos over to PAG to assume a spot at the scandal-plagued Port board.

Santos was one of the airport board members embroiled in controversy for accepting gifts and from the Calvo-associated Lotte Group, which took the concessionaire contract from DFS in a particularly shady airport bid process.

Santos' return to the Port, comes amid disgruntled, but muted protests by those who write to Gb to say:

"Frank has an even shadier history here than at the airport. His sexual harassment matters still leave a foul odor in the air at Cabras Island."

Others have written to express their opinion about Santos' return to the Port, after being alerted by what one blog follower described as "his bragging he is going to the board to keep an eye on Shelly (Gibson)."

"Never mind his bumbling work as the Harbor Master, Frank has a history at the Port for ALSO having his hand in the cookie jar any time he could. Everyone knows the scandal that erupted over money being given to the top dogs by Guam YTK some years ago. Guam YTK delivered three envelopes full of cold hard cash to three people during the holiday season, including Frank who was the Board Chairman at the time."

Comments also related to the Port:

"Ed Ilao has never changed his ways since he was forced to resign from GPA for the same tricks there he is doing at the Port now. Now he is bragging that he will be confirmed by the 6 Republicans, with Speaker Won Pat and Dennis Rodriquez signing up to do Calvo's bidding. Won Pat and Dennis both are bought and sold. Dennis for millions in tax waiver and Won Pat with a job for her daughter. Ed Ilao has to be kept away from our government "

"Port worker leader David Teixeira asked about FRAUD and FORGERY committed by management by falsifing timesheets in July. They were charging a ship time and a half for employees not even working on the ship. The employees supposedly working on the ship were at the liberation parade instead. You know what happened, David was PHYSICALLY ASSAULTED."

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Appetite for Destruction, Pt. 1

BUOYED by their "success" getting rid of PAG General Manager Mary Torres, who refused to play political games and fire port marketing administrator Bernadette Meno - who Adelup considered "Public Enemy #1" - Calvo sent a letter to Port board chair Dan Tydingco last month.

That letter, transmitted to board members by Tydingco a few days before the end of the year would ignite a firestorm between family and friends that threatens to further destabilize this critical agency - only days ahead of a visit by Federal officials to the Port Authority.

The governor wants to reward current port GM Joanne Brown for doing what Torres -sister of former governor Felix Camacho and wife of Supreme Court Justice Robert Torres - refused to do: illegally fire Meno and anyone else who would not comply with that objective.

For successfully axing Meno, Vivian Castro Leon (routinely lauded by lawmakers, federal and local officials as a key person with an enormous wealth of critical institutional knowledge) and four others, Calvo wants to give Brown a huge bump in pay.

         More than 35 years of service and Calvo/Tenorio bumped off this key port staffer - as mere collateral - in their criminal quest to wrongfully terminate and persecute the former spokesperson of the former governor, Bernadette Meno. Castro Leon has worked as Corporate Services Manager, overseeing critical divisions at PAG, and has even spearheaded the Port’s Master Plan Update & Modernization Program. She is a  stellar port asset and longtrusted by Federal officials for her integrity, work ethic and institutional knowledge. She has been called,  "important" to getting anything done at the traditional dumping grounds for political hacks with little competency. The shady termination of this vital port employee is of “serious concern” to federal officials heading this way in a few days and could very well jeopardize several grant funding programs, according to blog sources.

In response to Tydingco's Dec. 28 email, board member Mike Benito - married to Marie Calvo, Eddie's sister - concurred that Joanne Brown should get a huge raise. Benito then went on to urge that the board bring back former deputy port manager Anisia Terlaje.

      "Replying to an email from PAG Boardchair Dan Tydingco urging a significant pay raise for port GM Joanne Brown, port board member Mike Benito replied: 'I absolutely agree. I would also like to recommend bringing Anisia back as Deputy GM. She was the only one who did not have any dirt on her hands.'"

Guamblog readers will recall Terlaje, who had been named acting-GM when the port scandal erupted, resigned shortly thereafter. She "resigned" and flew off to Las Vegas with a small retinue until things settled down, ostensibly to avoid any attention being drawn to her role and conduct at PAG, and her effort to execute Calvo's plan to "get Bernadette."

Terlaje was appointed deputy manager at the port by Calvo as payback to congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo for her support of the Republican ticket in the 2010 contest against Democrat rivals Carl Gutierrez and Frank Aguon Jr. She had openly flaunted her intention to see Meno fired.

       From left, Port Authority of Guam Board of Directors Eduardo Ilao, Christine Baleto, board chair Dan Tydingco and cousins, Shelly Gibson and Mike Benito are all smiles, but the desperate effort of the Eddie Calvo to "take down" the marketing administrator for the PAG, Bernadette Meno, threatens to turn family members and friends into enemies.

The Committee informs Guamblog that Gibson, sister of the island's most popular radio talk show host, K57's Ray Gibson, feels betrayed by the leak of her reply to a private discussion of Port matters. Committee reports claim she is livid at the attempt to besmirch her family name and may resign her position on the board after the visit by Federal officials.

Gibson's resignation would come as a double whammy to the prominent Underwood/Gibson clan following Calvo/Tenorio's complicity in a scheme to sabotage former senator Mana Silva Taijeron's bid for a second term in November.

Mana is the baby sister of Shelly and Ray Gibson, and the granddaughter of Raymond D. Underwood who co-founded with Paul Calvo Sr. the Guam Republican Party. Benito's grandfather Pedro Martinez is Gibson's great-great uncle.

Guamblog has been told the cousins are quite close, however, Calvo's petty vindictiveness threatens to not only risk the bonds of this family, but also the livelihood and wellbeing of the children and households of all the affected employees at the port currently without a job - but not actually fired (except Mary Torres; she is most definitely fired) and unable to accept work with any other government agency.

And let's face it, with Adelup focused on petty political vendettas, and no time for initiatives to create jobs or boost the local economy, government jobs are the only jobs out there these days.

Benito's suggestion to bring Terlaje back to the port struck a raw nerve with another board member, his close cousin, Shelly Gibson. Her confidential email response - and obvious fury over the notion that the incompetent Terlaje would come back to the port - was leaked to Guamblog, and has made the rounds of several legislative offices.

Gibson wrote to her cousin and the port board, detailing her disagreement with bringing the political hack back on board and the assessment by an oblivious Benito that Terlaje "did not have any dirt on her hands."

"Anisia threw plenty of falsehoods, subversion, threats, defamatory fabrications and name-dropping dirt in many directions and at many people, including me and my family," Gibson began. "Her signature and finger prints are all over this starting with the Frank Roberto documentation FROM THE START!! They're friends!" the scathing rebuke pointed out.

Gibson continues, "She was forcing the hire of Roberto's son despite his ineligibility and lack of qualifications! In fact, she insisted on sitting in on his interview - extremely and highly unusual!" Gibson reminded board members.

Frank Roberto is the Safety Administrator at the Port. He, along with Terlaje, would have had responsibility for processing Meno's medical claim and documentation - documentation that was oddly missing from Meno's files according to The Committee.

Furthermore, Calvo's Chief of Staff Frank Arriola, in a desperate pitch to wall Calvo off from public knowledge of his criminal harassment of Meno, tried to say the "unusal amount" of the claim filed by Meno is what launched their investigation and hollow cries of corruption at the Port of Guam.

Roberto, has the sole authority, as granted to him by the Workman's Comp Commission to approve claims as he deemed fit, in his capacity as Safety Administrator. A glaring fumble for the administration's false accusations of corruption on the part of Meno, was the fact that at least one prior claim by another port worker, for a similar situation and nearly same diagnosis only weeks BEFORE Meno's travel authorization did not raise any concerns by Arriola.

And Roberto, remains employed thought clearly implicated through incompetence or collusion in a scheme to harass, wrongfully terminate and defame Meno.

                 Bernadette Meno, top left, was the prime target for the hit squad organized by Calvo/Tenorio, who had been itching for 2 years to "get her." In order to get at her, the Calvo administration was ultimately forced to impugn and defame the personal and professional integrity of PAG GM Mary Torres, in addition to five other respected port employees. Adelup Chief of Staff Frank Arriola - who Committee reports claim Paul Calvo Sr. wants out - is alleged to have explained to Torres that she and the others were mere "collateral damage" on their way to torpedo Meno's career.

In the leaked email exchange, Gibson further tells Benito and the board members Terlaje's, "so-called, 'gracious' resignation was a patently transparent gimmick."

"She escaped accountability for her actions and participation," Gibson admonished the board. "Bringing her back would be the true definition of corruption. No way will I support her return," Gibson wrote, concluding with the advice that the board should, "Let the AG do what they are supposed to do."

In addition to her outburst of righteous indignation, Gibson cuspidated for Benito, that the port's legal counsel "had already enumerated Terlaje's involvement in the WCC process," and further advised them to remember the controversial deputy manager had sanctioned and approved port hires that were knowingly without credentials or qualifications.

Gibson questioned rhetorically, "Nepotism cases? The CSC post audit," she recalled for her colleagues, "was all directly on her (Terlaje's) influence in hires.

She goes on to recall for the members the numerous other "dirty" tricks performed by Terlaje, including the controversial leak to media of a list of family hires at the port, changing the fishing permit validity and the deputy manager's egregious mishandling of grant applications.

"Her clear agenda to fire Bernadette (Meno) and the assertion she made from her desk, 'I was put here to get rid of you and Vivian,' I heard that," Gibson told the email recipients, "while sitting in Pedro's office!"

Terlaje's campaign work against GOP congressional candidate Frank Blas Jr. and Republican legislative hopefuls infuriated party loyalists and port workers who noted Terlaje's routine habit of "holding court" at Bordallo's HQ location, the grounds of the Lemai Cafe in Maite.

Gibson, along with Eddie Calvo's sister, the gorgeous Kathy Sgro and friends founded the Guam Young Republicans not long after Kathy' father and Gibson's grandfather forged the Guam Republican party....a party Eddie Calvo seems hellbent on destroying for personal vendettas and millions in profits for his family.

Next, Appetite for Destruction, Pt. 2 follows up on this breaking turmoil at the port and a possible reason why Calvo wants Tony Lamorena and the Civil Service Commission to wait until November to hear any cases involving the illegal port terminations...or at least until after October 2, 2013.

And we finally take a look at GHURA - finally answering your questions about "what happened to Ray Topasna?" Here's a taste of what Chef Eddie had simmering on the back burner....maybe I'll let my friends at Marianas Variety dish the full story to you later....my plate is getting full.

In 2011, GHURA Board of Directors awarded a tax credit program worth millions of dollars to the lowest ranked bidders, Great Homes and Tower 70. Calvo Finance Corporation is a major shareholder of Great Homes. After the award, then-executive director Marcel Camacho had the temerity to publicly state his concerns about the questionable handling of the process by the Board. He was summarily fired. The board then named Ray Topasna as acting Executive Director. And what do you know - amid another request by Great Homes and Tower 70 for even more tax credits, Topasna was fired, too. That was on Nov. 8, last year. He publicly stated his shock over the abrupt termination. A couple of weeks later the Board approved the additional tax credits. Ray Tenorio summoned Topasna to Adelup where he tried to explain to him that the termination was “beyond the control” of both Tenorio and Eddie Calvo. The Committee tells guamblog, however, that the direction to terminate Topasna came directly from Eddie's daddy - former one-term governor Paul Sr. and was delivered by the super shady board chair David Sablan. Topasna was told he had to go because he was not "being cooperative" extending certain deadlines regarding the low income housing tax credit program that would further enrich the Calvos.

Stay tuned to Guamblog for a full-sized serving of more dish on Eddie Calvo's "Appetite for Destruction."

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