The Ostrich Feeder — A South Pasadena Blog » Athens Services

Athens Services roundup

Cheyne Gateley — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 22:00:05 +0000

This will kick off a few posts that pull together some stories based on themes I’ve been negligent in covering. Today’s topic: Athens Services. It might sound like a boring topic, but it’s really good stuff. Let’s talk some trash after the jump.

Garbage and politics are not mutually exclusive. Take, for example, the Montebello City Council race. Frank Gomez is choosing to run, in part, because of the exclusive trash contract the city awarded to Athens. There’s also a spirited recall campaign against council members who voted for the 15-year pact. The recall effort is funded largely by competing haulers. The opposition is getting a big chunk of funding from Athens.
You know those really big metal bins they pull up to construction sites to take care of large loads? The West Covina City Council passed an ordinance last week that makes them illegal, even on private property … unless they’re provided by Athens. Oh, and it’s worth mentioning that three of the sitting council members have received a combined total of $12,000 toward their re-election campaigns from Athens-related donors.
Somewhat unrelated, but interesting. An outdated, but current South Pas Municipal Code states that “Every owner, tenant or occupant of any premises where garbage is created shall provide upon such premises one or more galvanized metal garbage receptacles, provided with outside handles and with tight-fitting galvanized metal covers for receiving and holding all garbage created upon such premises between the times of collection. Each receptacle at places other than an industrial establishment shall have a capacity of not less than five nor more than fifteen gallons.” The city’s trash page, meanwhile, is illustrated with a big-ol’ plastic bin.
Temple City officials are re-examining their 30-year contract with Athens after allegations surfaced in late July that a former council member’s election campaign was secretly run by the trash hauler.
It was announced last week that Athens has been fined $270,000 by the California Air Resources Board for diesel-emission violations.

Catching Up 03.20.09

Cheyne Gateley — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 16:42:24 +0000

An extended stint of jury duty is my excuse for the lapses in posting. It’s incredibly interesting but, after a month, it’ll be nice to get back to a normal schedule.

South Pas tree roots are to blame for the sewage spill that closed Long Beach beaches (they’re back open now). The Star-News says it could happen again if the city doesn’t repair the sewer-line infrastructure, at a cost of more than $100 million.
SPMS student Glenda Chen followed up last year’s win of the Los Angeles County Spelling Bee with a respectable third-place finish this year.
Los Angeles Metblogs maps out the area unemployment rates. We’re at 5.4%.
UC Riverside is touting a two-year contract with Athens Services. From the press release: “Using Athens-supplied containers, workers from each of UCR’s dining facilities will separate out compostable materials at the food court in the Highlander Union Building (formerly called the Commons), the residence hall dining areas, the Barn and kiosk-style food service locations on campus. Athens Services will collect and transport that waste to the company’s composting facility in Victorville. At no additional charge, Athens will return some of that food waste to campus in the form of nutrient-rich compost, which will be used for landscaping and agricultural purposes.”

Athens Services Gets No Love

Cheyne Gateley — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 06:39:59 +0000

Athens Services, which provides trash services for South Pas, is proposing a big old trash-sorting facility in Irwindale. The idea isn’t sitting well with Baldwin Park residents, who are worried about the smell. They might have a point, since the AQMD is trying to get $18 million from the company because of odor problems at their recycling facility in the City of Industry.

Big Ol’ Catching Up

Cheyne Gateley — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 17:22:33 +0000

A lot of this will be outdated, but …

City Water Manager Marcelino Aguilar says of the Wilson Reservoir: “It’s about 100 years old. The life expectancy is supposed to be about 50 years.”
Trader Joe’s is suing a New York store that’s decided to reopen as Trader John’s.
Drilling began, in a testing phase, for the 710 tunnel. Right now it’s in Alhambra, where the freeway ends, and at Westmont Drive and Sherwood Avenue (just south of Main Street).
Athens Services is making a move for exclusive trash rights in Montebello, and some residents are unhappy to the point of threatening a recall campaign.
Jonathan Gold drinks our milkshakes.
The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services fined South Pasadena-based RJJ Pasadena Securities Inc. $4,000 after discovering the company had at least four Oregon clients but wasn’t licensed in Oregon.
Alhambra has some great Chinese restaurants, but you might want to stay away from the turtle soup.
Forbes Traveler names The Dinosaur Farm one of 10 Amazing Toy Stores in America.
Charles Phoenix is the Doo Dah parade grand marshal.