UPDATE October 25, 2026, at 9:05 a.m.

Letter: After Wednesday’s City Council, I still vote No on Ron Strand

• By Scott O’Neil
• Oct 23, 2026

In short, the Mayor’s statement said the Council’s actions were taken with the knowledge and consensus of the City Council, followed all applicable laws and legal requirements, and reflected the Council’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and the best interests of Ridgecrest residents.

My conclusion is that the Council is not acting with transparency, accountability or our best interest. It seems it is only trying to confuse the issue and cover its tracks. I stand by my position from last week:

• Vote NO on Ron Strand
• Kyle Blades needs to resign from the City Council
• Aleshire & Wynder, LLP has contributed significantly to this situation and should be replaced with more competent legal counsel.

Scott O’Neil, Ridgecrest

UPDATE October 23, 2026 at 12:30 p.m.

There is now a new title for this Post and link to the BREAKING NEWS from The Daily Independent. The AFTEREFFECTS of this meeting will be posted here. One Kaboom Leads to another.

Council not out of hot water after mayor’s statement on bill support

• By Aaron Crutchfield acrutchfield@ridgecrestca.com
• Oct 23, 2026 Updated 13 hrs ago

A statement read by Mayor Travis Endicott at Wednesday’s Ridgecrest City Council meeting regarding the council’s support of two groundwater bills last year that contradicted previous statements made in public and, seemingly, to investigators with the Kern County District Attorney did little to achieve its apparent goal of assuring the public.

Instead, it raised more questions, immediately with several members of the audience during the public comment period, and also in Bakersfield, as the Daily Independent has confirmed that the DA’s Public Integrity Unit is looking into recent statements by the parties involved in its recent investigation into potential violations of the Ralph M. Brown Act open meetings law.

UPDATE October 23, 2026: Statement by Councilman Skip Gorman on Facebook

Emphasis Added (Ours)

I found the proposed statement to be inaccurate and unworthy of the occasion so I edited it to one which he really should have offered instead.  As you now know, Mayer Endicott chose to read a different statement.  Mine was not considered.  Here is mine:

“On behalf of the entire city council, I offer the following statement:

Much has been said, written and claimed regarding the City of Ridgecrest’s support of AB 1413 and AB 1466, including the actions undertaken by City staff and individual Council members in advancing that support.

Though these efforts were undertaken without the prior knowledge nor the full expressed support of the entire City Council, they were intended to be accomplished in accordance with all applicable laws and legal requirements.

While the full council may hold differing opinions regarding these two legislative measures, and we deeply regret the appearance of impropriety born of the process of supporting them, the City Council now stands fully united in its commitment to representing the interests of Ridgecrest and its residents.” See less Skip Gorman via Facebook

Publisher’s Note: Please retire Skip.

Dear Councilman Gorman, it was NOT an “appearance of impropriety”, it was an admission of GUILT, and the Council’s actions were all in service to the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority, which has committed the same crimes and more! See below for more details.

Dear Ridgecrest City Council, What are you waiting for? FIRE THE CITY ATTORNEY then report them to the State Bar of California.

Unfortunately, Mayor Travis Endicott was duped into reading a message prepared by the attorneys where he admitted that a “consensus” of members of the city council agreed to support the legislation AB 1413 and AB 1466 in a closed session. What a bunch of idiots! Admitting that there was a consensus to their illegal behavior while in a closed session? Really??

End of October 23, 2026, UPDATE.

Publisher’s Note: Who wasn’t at last night’s meeting? You’d think “leaders” such as Brenda Licitra, Debilyn Kinzler and Jeremy “JV” Vaughan would be there. Council Candidates Lawrence Gaceta and Tammy Charlon-Bouyer were there, and candidate for mayor Megan Washington was there, but Lyin’ Ron Strand wasn’t there, and Councilman Lyin’ Scott Hayman got his ass handed to him by yours truly.

A fun night was had by all, except for Kyle smiley face, who should resign from the council, and Lyin’ Scott, who needs to learn how to wash his hands and go back to chiropractoring.

Unfortunately, Mayor Travis Endicott was duped into reading a message prepared by the attorneys where he admitted that a “consensus” of members of the city council agreed to support the legislation AB 1413 and AB 1466 in a closed session. What a bunch of idiots! Admitting that there was a consensus to their illegal behavior while in a closed session? Really??

What a clown show! We’ll be pulling clips of the meeting and posting them here. Highlights include me, me and me, Tom Wiknich, and a deep dive into chickens! CHICKENS!! Are you kidding me? How appropriate! The only chickens we’re worried about are the candidate chickens that didn’t attend the meeting; Ron (Lyin’ lawbreaker), Brenda (50501 No Kings), Debilyn (she/her loves Strand) and JV (Navy). Hey Ron and Debilyn, can we say p-u-s-s-i-e-s? Hiding behind the attorneys is so manly. Flock, flock, flock, flock …

Megan Washington is correct, if you’d only come out, Ron and Scott and Kyle, and admitted your guilt a year ago all of this might have been avoided. (Sorry, Megan’s not correct but we’ll give her credit. They/them have much more to answer for.)

P.S. After having to excuse himself in two prior meetings, Lyin’ Scott Hayman didn’t need to take a pee during tonight’s meeting, and he continues to blow smoke up everyone’s ass about the AVEK pipeline, the federal grant money (WRDA) that will never be appropriated, and the Army Corps of Engineers estimate of how much the project will cost. None of that is going to happen Lyin’ Scott. Can you say Conspiracy to Defraud the U.S. Government?

Publisher’s Note: Fire all of the attorneys!

P.P.S. Don’t forget to complain the California State Bar people! See the Popcorn Post above for more details.

October 21, 2026

Ridgecrest, California

Who is attorney Kyle Brouchard?

Was it attorney Phillip Hall, or attorney Keith Lemieux, or Kyle Brouchard? Who is Kyle Brouchard? He’s the lead litigation attorney in the Comprehensive Adjudication lawsuit called Mojave Pistachios. The video of Kyle Brouchard and Scott Hayman at the AB 1466 hearing by the Water, Natural Resources and Parks committee in Sacramento is below.

Was their failed “legal strategy”, which was sponsoring and writing AB 1413 and AB 1466, an Obstruction of Justice? Was the entire legal strategy a Conspiracy to Commit Fraud? Did the GA’s Board of Directors violate the Brown Act? The answers to all questions are arguably yes, and that’s why we have judges and courtrooms. The Brown Act violation is a prima facie case. They did violate the law and they haven’t been held accountable yet, but they will be held accountable.

Tonight’s Ridgecrest City Council meeting should be very interesting. Ron Strand and Scott Hayman should be censured. Kyle Blades should not only resign as Mayor Pro Tem, he should resign from the city council all together. Hayman and Stand should withdraw their respective candidacies, go home and hire their own attorneys.

The three attorneys above should be the subject of a complaint to the California State Bar.

The Kern County District Attorney should continue their investigation of the City and the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority.

The Attorney General’s office should take over the case for prosecution.

Until that happens, and none of above is likely in the next 12 days, the top priority is to vote down Strand and Hayman and send them packing. Ridgecrest doesn’t need them, there are at least 4 candidates that can restore integrity, honesty, trust and transparency to the city council.

Stan Rajtora and David Saint-Amand, incumbent candidates for the IWV Water District board, are good friends of mine. Both of them are willing to spend four more years working for you on Indian Wells Valley Water District board, where they’ve served honorably and been vilified along with the rest of the board for far too long. They deserve better and everyone knows it.

The residents of Ridgecrest should all be mailing in their ballots or showing up at the polling places on Tuesday November 3rd, and please do not vote for either the liars Strand and Hayman. Demand that Kyle Blades resign and hold a special election in January or February to replace him.

Just do it. Put an end to this clown show and do it now. It’s time for the division and lies to stop. That isn’t going to happen unless you send Strand and Hayman to their shameful destinations so they can prepare for their prosecutions, which will be justice for the people of Ridgecrest.

The Mystery Deepens

Video Below is of the April 8, 2025, meeting of the Water, Parks and Wildlife meeting in Sacramento. Who paid for the attorney, Kyle Brouchard, to be there and why was he there?

The GA’s “Legal Strategy” in Action

Kyle Blades regularly enjoys trips out of town on the taxpayer’s dime and goes to Las Vegas every year on City business for the economic development convention.

Watch the video below as Councilmen Scott Hayman and Kyle Blades are introduced and how giddy Kyle Brouchard (seated at table on the left) looks when he smiles at Kyle Blades during his introduction, who’s sitting in the second row of chairs on the aisle. They look like they’re really good friends, but how would Kyle Blades know the lead litigation attorney for the GA and why does he need to be there? Who’s paying him to be there? This attorney should certainly know they’ve violated the Brown Act at the GA merely by sponsoring AB 1466, and he’s there while Blades and Hayman are in the middle of a crime trying to sidetrack the comprehensive adjudication lawsuit without you, the people of the Indian Wells Valley, knowing anything about it

This is their “legal strategy” in action and it’s a criminal act.

Councilman Skip Gorman’s failed attempt to have a public agenda discussion

Kyle Blades “feels pretty good” about it.

Remember Lyin’ Kyle’s comment to Councilman Skip Gorman when he made the motion to hold an agenda discussion on AB 1413 and AB 1466 like the Kern County Board of Supervisors did on May 2, 2025, and Mayor Travis Endicott seconded the motion? City Clerk Ricca Charlon chimed in and said that a “consensus” (there’s that word again) of the council was necessary to approve the agenda discussion. This wasn’t true. Nobody else on the council would raise their hands, including Councilman Rajaratnam, and the motion died. Lyin’ Kyle said he felt “pretty good” while creepily grinning in Councilman Skip Gorman’s face. What a creepy punk Kyle has been.

Constitutionality and Constitutional Issues with SGMA

Is the GA’s legal strategy an Obstruction of Justice?

AB 1413 would have side-tracted an ongoing adjudication trial in which Kyle Brouchard was the lead litigation attorney. Judge Claster should be informed of this action by the GA’s attorneys to deny due process rights inherent in SGMA.

Legal Malpractice: Let’s add numerous instances of “attorney client privilege” which was invoked by the city attorney on the members of the city council in order to silence them.

constitutionality /kŏn″stĭ-too͞″shə-năl′ĭ-tē, -tyoo͞″-/ noun

1. 1. Accordance with the provisions or principles of a constitution.”The high court will rule on the constitutionality of the new law.”
2. 2. The quality or state of being constitutional, or inherent in the natural frame.
3. 3. The state of being consistent with the constitution or frame of government, or of being authorized by its provisions.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition • More at Wordnik

Isn’t the First Amendment to the Constitution a fundamental right anymore Mr. Mayor Endicott, PhD in Political Science?

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” – First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

Seriously? How about the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution U.S. Navy?

“No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury…; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation. – Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

Federal reserve water rights or no federally reserved water rights. (7,650 vs. 2,008 acre feet per year)