Today's San Gabriel Valley Tribune reports on the rise of the anonymous Foothill Cities Blog (note new name) and the controversy over its coverage of politics in Pomona. City officials in the San Gabriel Valley claim to ignore the blog, while Instapundit and other big-time bloggers lend moral support. There's also the usual b.s. comparing anony-bloggers to the writers of the Federalist Papers, a specious tie-in the Foothill Cities bloggers don't discourage by writing as Publius and Centinel. Their About page doesn't clarify what they are hiding or disclaim any conflicts of interest, but it does assert motives that are part ideological and part high purpose.

As residents of one (well, two) of the Foothill Cities in Southern California, we are fascinated by the stories, people and interests that make up the often strange and always amusing local political scene. As this area grows, it is vital that our local governments be transparent and accountable to residents. After all, local governments exist for the common good of the individuals and communities they represent, not for the good of government officials. This good is best achieved by limited governments that foster individual freedom and allow the natural ingenuity of our diverse foothill communities to flourish—not through regulation, red tape or the dangerous assumption that only government can solve our problems.

I love the blog's new banner and design.