Local Orange County News

Volunteers make like elves for annual Holiday Basket of Miracles

Wed, 13 Dec 2023 02:19:05 +0000

From right, Cathey Curtis, with Laguna Beach Girl Scouts Mia Moss and Lyla Simpson, sample treats during Saturdays Miracles For Kids holiday gift drive.

(Susan Hoffman)

Volunteers make like elves for annual Holiday Basket of Miracles

Dec. 12, 2023

The co-founder and chief executive officer of Miracles for Kids for 19 years, Autumn Strier

washad

once

been

on the receiving side of the charity

where she personally felt the changing impact of helping someone in need.

I decided to dedicate my life to service as a result, said Strier, who obtained a degree in public service in order to do so. Im very hands on, and I love to stay deeply connected to the families as a volunteer as well as do the administrative serving as the the organizations executive.

Miracles for Kids is a non

profit organization serving children who

are

suffer

ing

from life-threatening illnesses and conditions and who also provide programs that assist families financially and emotionally. We serve the Los Angeles and Orange County childrens hospitals, said Strier, who

herself

also

adopted five families as recipients.

In keeping with the

holiday

spirit of the season

the Holiday Basket of Miracles was held Saturday at Miracle for Kids office facility in Irvine. The annual event is intended to brighten the lives of low-income families facing the difficult challenge

of s that they experience

caring for critically ill children by delivering

to them

gifts, food and household necessities.

During the

two and half 2

hour event

300 volunteers gift

wrapped and boxed 3

500 toys, food

items

and essentials that had been both purchased and donated

for deliveryand were to be deliveredand shipped

to over

380 families.

The volunteers who worked like elves were made up of Scout troops, service organizations

such as

the

Chinese American Lions Club

of Orange CountyO.C.

, corporations and individuals, including kids.

Among them was Laguna Beach resident, Cathey Curtis, who invited the Laguna Beach Girl Scout troop, thinking it would be a learning opportunity to enlist children to volunteer. I really believe in all the work that the

Miracles

team does, said Curtis

nd I wanted to share it with our Girl Scouts.

Enthusiasm rubbed of f on T

wo of the

couts, Mia Moss and Lyla Simpson,

shared their enthusiasm andwho

echoed one another saying,

ere here to make kids happy and we want to give back to our community.

Costa Mesa resident Jennifer OKeefe, from LBA Logistics who brought her

ten 10-

year

old niece, Amelie Munoz, said,

hes just learning about volunteering to help other kids. Shes wrapping for

10-

year

old Liam, who is in

Choc [Children's Hospital]

Los Angeles, said Okeefe. My nephew, her cousin, was at Childrens Hospital L.A. because of his heart defects.

Deanna Wright of Santa Ana, who has a personal connection, has been a volunteer for the organization since 2020

also and

helped during Saturdays

the

Baskets of Miracles

eventday

Her son had been a recipient of support from Miracles for Kids for

thirteen 13

years before he died last month at age

sixteen 16

. Alexander was born with a bone marrow defect, said Wright. There is no cure

and when the blood transfusions and steroids didnt work he had to have a bone marrow transplant when he was 18 months old at City of Hope, which his body rejected.

With Alexander in and out of the hospital during most of his life, Wright emphasized that she wanted to give him the best quality of life for as long as he had to live.

Miracles for Kids was right next to us the whole time, giving us backpacks, surf camp, Easter baskets

and gave us a place to live, said Wright. Miracles for Kids is an inclusive group, for siblings, parents

not just for the sick child,

" Wright said. "

I cant even express what their support meant to me.

A Word, Please: Your meaning can hinge on a comma, and that's that

Wed, 13 Dec 2023 00:50:02 +0000

(Jose Luis Magana / Associated Press)

A Word, Please: Your meaning can hinge on a comma, and that's that

June Casagrande

Dec. 12, 2023

You know, I dont think I have the authority to change the outcome. That single line from former Vice President Mike Pences book So Help Me God contains what Pence reportedly told investigators is a serious punctuation error: the comma.

Pence was talking with Donald Trump on Christmas Day 2020 when he told the then-president either You know, I dont think I have the authority or You know I dont think I have the authority. According to ABC News, Pence told investigators looking into the Jan. 6 insurrection that what he really said was the no-comma version: that Trump knew that Pence didnt believe he had the authority to change the outcome of the presidential election. But either Pence or one of his editors stuck a comma in there, changing the meaning of the sentence and offering a perfect example of just how important commas can be.

Commas have a number of jobs. They can separate coordinate nouns, like We have a cat, a dog and a hamster. They can separate coordinate adjectives, like Our cat is cute, cuddly and playful. They can separate whole clauses that are connected with a conjunction, like Our cat is cute, but our dog is cuter. They can set off a direct address, meaning when you call someone by a name, which is why Lets eat, Grandma means something quite different from Lets eat Grandma. They can separate nonrestrictive information, which means clauses that dont influence the meaning of the noun: The man, who was driving, was drunk means there was just one man, but The man who was driving was drunk means youre singling out the guy behind the wheel from some other guys.

In Pences book, the comma is doing yet another job: setting off an introductory clause. Heres an example of how commas do this: Because everyone is usually here on the first Tuesday of every month, we hold our meetings then. The main clause of that sentence is we hold our meetings then. All the stuff that comes before it is just an introduction to the main clause, which is set off with a comma.

Punctuating introductory phrases and clauses isnt an exact science. For some short introductory phrases, the comma is optional: On Tuesday we have a meeting and On Tuesday, we have a meeting are both acceptable.

A Word, Please: Heed this holiday advice on plural names and apostrophes

But Pences sentence isnt one of those the-comma-makes-no-difference situations. Instead, a comma changes the meaning. With a comma, the you know is an aside. The main clause, in that case, would be I dont think I have the authority.

Without a comma, the main clause changes. It becomes you know, and the stuff that follows becomes an object of the main clause. The sentence then means: You know (that) I dont have the authority.

Its both interesting and, in this case, unfortunate that English lets you drop the word that in some cases. For Pence, a simple that in the sentence would have prevented any doubt that his point was that Trump knew Pences position.

Theres a term for this: the zero relative. And its very standard in English.

I know you want more cake means I know

that

you want more cake.

Wanda got the job she wanted means Wanda got the job

that

she wanted.

The movie we saw was great means The movie

that

we saw was great.

In every case, you have the option of dropping the relative pronoun, that, without losing any meaning. But do so with caution, because your sentence might be less clear without it.

The lesson here is to choose your words and your punctuation marks carefully. A comma can change your meaning entirely, and the relative pronoun that can help ensure that your reader understands what you mean.

June Casagrande is the author of The Best Punctuation Book, Period. She can be reached at JuneTCN@aol.com.

Sage Hill girls’ basketball among state’s best, places third at Troy Classic

Wed, 13 Dec 2023 00:05:45 +0000

Sage Hills Annabelle Spotts (15) drives to the basket during Sage Hill High School girls basketball team against Mater Dei High School girls basketball team in the semifinals of the Troy Classic basketball game at Troy High School in Fullerton on Friday, December 8, 2023. (Photo by James Carbone)

(James Carbone)

Sage Hill girls basketball among states best, places third at Troy Classic

Newport Beach Sports

Andrew Turner

Dec. 12, 2023

With each passing season, the Sage Hill School girls basketball program has grown in belief, eying the top of the mountain and taking aim at the obstacles that stand in front of that goal.

A decorated core group has helped bring the school its first CIF Southern Section title as freshmen, a state title as sophomores, and elevated the program to the top division in the sport as juniors.

In this final chance to run it back together, the Lightning continue to embrace the role of the hunter, looking up at just a few teams in the state.

Sage Hill, which is now fifth in California, as ranked by MaxPreps.com, took on top-tier competition in the Troy Classic, where the Lightning placed third last week.

The first litmus test for Sage Hill in its aspirations to be the best came on Friday, when the Lightning dropped their semifinal game to Mater Dei 74-64 in a battle of the top two teams in Orange County.

Jenessa Cotton had 19 points, six rebounds and four steals against the Lightning to lead Mater Dei (9-0), now ranked No. 2 in the state after demolishing Moreno Valley 90-50 in the tournament final.

Amaya Williams added 15 points, five rebounds and four assists. Addie Deal chipped in with 13 points, six assists and six rebounds.

Sage Hill (8-1) certainly will yearn for another look at the Monarchs. Lineups were dictated by foul trouble, and emotions ran high as top contributors exited the contest early.

Kat Righeimers running midcourt buzzer-beater had sent Sage Hill into the halftime locker room with a 40-39 lead.

That last shot, the halftime [buzzer-beater], I feel like that gave us a lot of momentum, Righeimer said. Definitely, the momentum was on our side at halftime, but I feel like we just needed to still carry that momentum into the third quarter.

We cant control all the calls that are made within the game, but we can still control our poise and how we play. Overall, I think that were still working hard. Were going to come back.

Post players Emily Eadie and Annabelle Spotts started the second half on the bench with three fouls, and Mater Dei ripped off an 11-0 run in their absence.

Mater Dei coach Kevin Kiernan said the Monarchs coaching staff was looking for better body language after the Lightning turned a 27-16 deficit after the first quarter into a halftime lead.

We felt we hurt ourselves in the second quarter, Kiernan said. We let them back in the game. We also said, Hey, they never gave up. They were down double digits. They didnt give up. Were only down one. We should never give up. And then we rallied ourselves at half.

Sage Hill coach Kerwin Walters said he was trying to steal minutes to preserve his starters availability late in the contest.

We couldnt get there, Walters said. Immediately, within 30 seconds, I got to sit my girls, and thats just a tough thing for us. Theyre two of our stars. Its just tough. It is what it is.

Before two minutes had elapsed in the fourth quarter, Eadie, Righeimer and Spotts had all fouled out of the contest.

Amalia Holguin filled the stat sheet with a game-high 26 points to go with six assists, five blocked shots, five rebounds and five steals for Sage Hill.

Eadie had 11 points and eight rebounds, Alyssa Cuff provided five points and eight rebounds, and Kamdyn Klamberg added eight points and five rebounds.

Eadie (Princeton), Righeimer (Northwestern) and Spotts (University of Chicago), each four-year contributors, have committed to play in college.

Walters said the Lightning would soon be adding a piece in the form of Riverside Poly transfer Aurora Elder, who averaged 16 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.2 steals and two blocks per game as a junior.

Mater Dei played a hell of a game, and were going to love to see them in the playoffs, Walters added.

Eadie bounced back with 18 points, eight rebounds and three assists to lead the charge for the Lightning in the third-place game, a 63-48 win over Corona Santiago.

Troy Classic

Semifinals

Mater Dei 74, Sage Hill 64

Mater Dei 27 - 12 - 18 - 17 74

Sage Hill 16 - 24 - 9 - 15 64

MD Cotton 19, Williams 15, Deal 13, Shaw 9, D. Kiernan 7, Wynn 7, Rice 4.

3-pt. goals Williams 3, Shaw 3, Wynn 1, Cotton 1.

Fouled out Deal, Wynn, Cotton.

Technicals None.

SH Holguin 26, Eadie 11, Klamberg 8, Spotts 6, Righeimer 6, Cuff 5, Reynolds 2.

3-pt. goals Holguin 3, Righeimer 2.

Fouled out Eadie, Righeimer, Spotts.

Technicals None.

LAX's Russian mystery man: A chatty, chocolate-stealing passenger — with no passport, no ticket

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 22:01:25 +0000

(Kent Nishimura/Kent Nishimura/Kent Nishimura/Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times)

LAX's Russian mystery man: A chatty, chocolate-stealing passenger with no passport, no ticket

Richard Winton

Dec. 12, 2023

Without a passport or even a ticket, a mysterious man with apparent ties to Russia slipped onto a flight from Copenhagen to Los Angeles, hiding in plain sight until he was apprehended after landing in Los Angeles, an extraordinary federal criminal filing reveals.

The man, identified as Sergey Vladimirovich Ochigava, a seemingly gregarious

flyer flier

who constantly shifted seats, spoke to several passengers, asked for two in-flight meals and even tried to snack on a cabin crew member's chocolate bar during the more than 12-hour flight aboard Scandinavian Airlines Flight 931 on Nov. 4, court documents filed by federal prosecutors allege.

But when he

disbarked disembarked

at Los Angeles International Airport at about 1 p.m., officials quickly discovered he was a stowaway without a passport and not listed on the passenger manifest, and was taken into custody, according to a federal court filing. He carried domestic identification for Russia and Israel and that said he was born in 1977.

Following After

an FBI investigation, Ochigava pleaded not guilty earlier this month to violating a federal law that prevents anyone from boarding or secreting themselves on an airplane or vessel without the consent of the owner or person in command.

Aviation experts called the incident unusual and suggested that Ochigava may have relied on inside knowledge of airline operations.

"I have never heard of such a robust effort," said Mark Gerchick, former chief counsel for the Federal Aviation Administration. "I have heard of cases of people sneaking on planes, but this is another level."

He noted that the U.S. certifies the security status of various countries and said the incident will certainly raise some questions about how Ochigava avoided security measures when he boarded the plane in Copenhagen.

Barry Schiff, an aviation consultant and former airline pilot for more than three decades, said Ochigava "knew the way to avoid suspicion" by engaging other passengers and crew members. "The guy had some courage, you could say," said Schiff, adding that it remains a mystery why he did it.

Thom Mrozek, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney in Los Angeles, said the investigation into Ochigava remains ongoing, but authorities believe he is a Russian citizen who, based on documentation, is 46 years of age. Travelers can get a passport quicker. An L.A. post office can help Sunday at passport fair

FBI special agent Caroline A. Walling wrote in a sworn affidavit attached to the criminal complaint that the flight crew noticed Ochigava "because he wandered around the plane and kept changing his seat. In addition, he asked for two meals during each meal service, and at one point attempted to eat the chocolate that belonged to members of the cabin crew."

"The crew members did not see his boarding pass but did note that the seat he initially took during boarding (i.e., seat 36D) was supposed to be an unoccupied seat. Some members of the crew conducted head counts for their specific sections, but only to make sure that the aircraft was balanced for takeoff and landing. They did not tally the numbers up," according to Walling.

Scandinavian Airlines officials would only say they are aware of the investigation in the U.S. and Denmark.

The alleged stowaway, once in custody, told Walling and a colleague during a Nov. 5 interview that he had not slept for three days.

Ochigava did not remember how he got on the plane in Copenhagen. Ochigava also would not explain how or when he got to Copenhagen or what he was doing there, Walling said in the affidavit. She wrote that the man stated he had a doctorate in economics and marketing and claimed to have worked in Russia "long ago," but he denied knowing how he had passed through security checks without a ticket.

Seeking to verify his story, agents convinced Ochigava to let them look through the photos on his cellphone. According to Walling, they found images of television screens displaying flight information for destinations worldwide written in Danish. "The interviewers were allowed to look at five more photographs on the subject device before Ochigava turned off the phone." They also found a screenshot of a map showing the location of a hostel in Kiel, Germany, and a map of an unknown city, Walling wrote.

Arrived super early at LAX? Now you can take a 2-mile walk through the airport. Here's how

Ochigava at the Customs and Border Protection was unable to produce a passport or a visa to enter the United States, Walling wrote in the affidavit. Ochigava allegedly told border officials in English that he had left his passport on the plane. But border officials quickly discovered he was not on the passenger manifest and a plane search yielded nothing. "When asked what documents he had left on the plane, the man allegedly said, "that he left his United States passport on the plane," the FBI agent said.

A search of his bag uncovered Russian and Israeli identity documents, according to Walling. "CBP officers discovered a partial photograph of a passport in images on a device he was carrying," but the device did not show the passport holders photograph, according to Walling. Federal officials, however, said he is not an Israeli.

In a statement, a Danish airport official in a statement, said, "Copenhagen Airport has provided photo and video material to the authorities who are investigating the case." "We take the matter very seriously, and it will be included in the work we continuously do to adjust and tighten our guidelines to improve security.

Ochigava,

since the initial charge, has been indicted on the same criminal violation

of being a stowaway. At the end of November, court minutes noted he did not appear

due to because of

hospitalization. He remains in federal custody in Los Angeles. He is due back in court on Dec. 26,

potentially for a trial

Man pleads guilty to vandalizing Christ Church by the Sea in Newport Beach

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 20:08:53 +0000

(Scott Smeltzer/Los Angeles Times)

Man pleads guilty to vandalizing Christ Church by the Sea in Newport Beach

Newport Beach

City News Service

Dec. 12, 2023

A 27-year-old San Dimas man pleaded guilty Monday and was immediately sentenced to 16 months in jail for vandalizing a Newport Beach church.

Nicolas Alexandro Briones pleaded guilty to one count each of vandalism and vandalism of religious property, both felonies. He vandalized Christ Church by the Sea, 1400 W. Balboa Blvd., days after being released from jail for vandalism in an unrelated case.

Briones was released from jail April 11 after pleading guilty March 29 to a felony count of vandalism, according to court and jail records. He was sentenced to 60 days in jail on March 29 and placed on two years of formal probation in connection with the March 10 crime, according to court records.

At about 2:45 a.m. April 16, police responded to a vandalism call at Christ Church by the Sea, Newport Beach Police Department Sgt. Shawn Dugan said. Stained glass windows were shattered, causing an estimated $100,000 in damages.

6,000 L.A. buildings are not retrofitted for earthquakes. Look up if yours is.

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 14:30:18 +0000

In L.A., at least 6,000 buildings haven't been updated for seismic safety. Here’s what one reporter learned while reporting that story.

Fire guts historic California Yacht Club in Marina del Rey

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 14:13:51 +0000

(Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)

Fire guts historic California Yacht Club in Marina del Rey

Homepage News

Alexandra E. Petri

Dec. 12, 2023

Firefighters worked overnight Monday to extinguish a blaze that erupted at a historic yacht club in Marina

el Rey.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department

said it

received a call around 11:30 p.m. Monday for a structure fire at the California Yacht Club in the 4400 block of Admiralty Way, said Fred Fielding, a Fire Department spokesperson.

Crews arrived to find heavy smoke and fire engulfing the two-story building, fire officials said.

Left homeless by massive L.A. fire, families face a Christmas of uncertainty and pain

Video from news outlets showed large flames consuming the structure as smoke billowed overhead. Multiple firetrucks and firefighters were called in to help contain the blaze.

Two firefighters suffered moderate injuries and were

taken

to a

local

hospital

for treatment

, Fielding said. The extent of their injuries and their status was not immediately known.

The blaze was knocked down just before 1:30 a.m. Tuesday,

said

Jeremy Stafford, supervising fire dispatcher at the L.A. County Fire Department

. , said. Murder-suicide suspected in Sylmar house fire that ignited thousands of rounds of ammo

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, Stafford said.

The California Yacht Club was started in 1922 by yachtsman from the Los Angeles Athletic Club and other yacht clubs, according to the club's website.

Representatives for the club did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Column: I spent a week in Montana coal country. Here's what surprised me

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 14:00:49 +0000

California and its West Coast neighbors can't solve climate change on their own.

Stiiizy’s founder built an L.A. cannabis empire, while being landlord to illegal dispensaries

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 11:00:43 +0000

(Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)

Stiiizys founder built an L.A. cannabis empire, while being landlord to illegal dispensaries

For L.A. Times Subscribers,Cannabis

Matthew Ormseth

Dec. 12, 2023

The sign on the building said Jerrys Liquor, but inside, Compton code enforcement inspectors found a cannabis dispensary called Fly High 20 Collective.

The discovery of the black market dispensary in 2019 wasn't unusual in a city plagued with them. But when authorities looked deeper into the property on Rosecrans Avenue, they found something startling: It was owned by Tony Huang

the man behind one of the cannabis industry's biggest and most successful companies.

After co-founding Stiiizy in 2017, the San Gabriel Valley native and his partners created a vertical enterprise

that grows, distributes and sells marijuana legally throughout California. More than just a company, Stiiizy markets itself as a "lifestyle brand" that sells clothing, hosts live events and donates money to social justice causes.

But in a pending abatement suit, Comptons lawyers claimed Stiiizy's co-founder is also known for his serial operations of various illegal cannabis dispensaries.

The city said in the lawsuit it believes that Huang, as the landlord, controlled the illegal sale of marijuana from the property.

Huang's holding companies owned nine properties that municipal, county or state authorities have identified as sites of illegal dispensaries, according to a Times review of property, court and tax records. The documents, as well as interviews with law enforcement officials and dispensary employees, revealed ties between Huang's properties and a larger web of unlawful cannabis storefronts across the Southland connected through real estate deals, common lenders or shared tenants.

Huang declined to be interviewed. His spokesman, Michael Sitrick, said in a statement that Huang purchased a number of investment properties that tenants used, without his knowledge and in violation of the leases, as illegal dispensaries. He tried his best to evict them, Sitrick said, and when those efforts failed, he sold the properties.

"Mr. Huang did not know in any instance that an unlicensed or illegal dispensary was operating on his properties when he rented them," Sitrick said. "Mr. Huang has been trying his best to disentangle himself from any investments connected to the sale of unlawful commercial cannabis."

Sitrick said Huang wasn't aware of or involved in illegal cannabis sales at his Compton property and "will work cooperatively with the city of Compton to establish that allegation is false."

Black market dispensaries have flourished even after California legalized retail cannabis sales in 2018. These illicit operations undercut the legal market by evading taxes and licensing fees, and they ignore the zoning restrictions and product testing requirements enacted to protect the public. Across the state, the all-cash businesses have become the sites of robberies and other crimes, forcing authorities to devote significant resources in often futile efforts to shut them down.

The only criminal prosecution against Huang tied to a dispensary

was resolved with a sentence of probation. He has settled abatement cases by paying modest fines and without admitting wrongdoing.

No action has been taken against Huang's eight state licenses to grow and sell marijuana under the Stiiizy brand. David Hafner, a spokesman for the state's Department of Cannabis Control, said the agency was "currently investigating this situation to determine the appropriate next steps."

From bud-tender to 'chief visionary officer'

Huang, 41, grew up in Temple City, a San Gabriel Valley suburb, and graduated in 2006 from

Irvine with a bachelors degree in criminology, law and society.

Huang started out as a cultivator, according to an application he submitted for a cannabis retail license in Pasadena. He grew marijuana in his garage and sold it to a medical dispensary in Marina del Rey, where he eventually took a job as a bud-tender.

In 2014, Huang opened a licensed dispensary of his own in Santa Ana but also found himself charged with several felonies. Los Angeles County prosecutors accused Huang of manufacturing hashish and growing marijuana inside a Rowland Heights property, transporting marijuana for sale, vandalism and committing grand theft against

Southern California

Edison, according to a criminal complaint.

Huang's spokesman said the case stemmed from Huang "experimenting" with extracting hash oil. "He tried it once, failed, put everything in a closet and left it there," Sitrick said.

Huang pleaded no contest to manufacturing hashish and vandalism. Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department records say he served 15 weeks in jail, but Sitrick said that

to his client's recollection, he spent 10 days in custody and served the rest of his 180-day term under house arrest.

Seeking to get off probation and expunge his conviction two years later, Huang wrote in a letter to the court that he committed his crimes at a time when my back was against the wall and I saw an easy way out to pay the bills.

A judge granted Huangs motion in 2017. That year, he co-founded Stiiizy with a business partner, James Kim. While Kim has courted the media, taking reporters on a tour of a Stiiizy grow site and sharing his story of using cannabis to cope with

post-traumatic stress disorder

after military service in Iraq, Huang has remained in the background. He has given no public interviews, divulging details of his personal life and business ventures only in licensing applications.

Kim didn't respond to questions from The Times.

Stiiizy boomed. When Huang and his partners applied in 2020 for a license in the Riverside County city of Wildomar, Stiiizy's parent company, the Shryne Group, disclosed its six dispensaries were expected to earn $46 million that year. The flagship Stiiizy store in downtown Los Angeles alone was taking in $4.6 million a month.

Now with 31 dispensaries throughout California, Stiiizy presents itself as deeply committed to helping poor neighborhoods "heal from the devastation done by the war on drugs." The company has issued news releases showing its executives presenting checks to local officials to fund improvements to parks and schools.

Huang's official title is "chief visionary officer" of the Shryne Group, whose portfolio has gone beyond retail. According to the Wildomar document, it encompasses 17 companies that also grow, process, distribute and deliver cannabis.

When Huang applied for the Pasadena license, the Temple City native wrote that the chance to open a dispensary there represented a bit of a homecoming for me. But while his application was pending, Pasadena authorities were investigating an illegal dispensary at a building he owned.

The dispensary had opened in a former dress shop on Green Street. When the city tried to figure out who owned the property, one LLC led to another LLC which led to another LLC, Jon Pollard, a code compliance manager, testified before a city commission.

Its not criminal in and of itself, he said, but its indicative of an intent to possibly obscure true ownership of the properties.

The utilities were paid by another holding company, Pollard testified, but when he dialed the phone number listed on the bill, I was connected to Tony Huang.

Huang purchased the property as an investment, his spokesman said. He had no knowledge it would be used as an illegal dispensary when he rented it out, Sitrick added.

Pasadena authorities first cited and fined Huang. His lawyer promised to evict the tenant, but the dispensary stayed open. Pollard told the commission anyone could file an eviction case, but the property owner must take additional steps to kick out the tenant. The outcome, he said, depends on "the tenacity that you push it through the courts."

Sitrick said after the tenant refused to leave, Huang urged the city to raid his building. Police served a search warrant, seizing cannabis and $1,714 in cash and arresting four people. Eight months later, Pollard sought a warrant to board up the building and confiscate everything inside. Before that could happen, property records show, Huang sold the space to an optometrist.

Pollard testified that Huang's company had been renting out the building for $10,000 a month, about twice the market rate. The tenant, Amy Sahadi Diaz, was 22.

Not that you cant be an enterprising person at 22 years old, Pollard told the commission. You can. [But] in my estimation, its an amalgamation of individual issues that cause me to consider, precisely what is going on here?

'The less questions I asked, the better'

Diaz, Huang's former tenant, is depicted as a phantom-like figure in court records. Attorneys complain they cannot serve her with court papers. Residents of a Downey home she listed as her address say they know no one by that name but get plenty of her mail. After she stopped coming to court this year, Diaz's own lawyer said she had lost contact with her, prompting a judge to issue a warrant for her arrest.

Over a 16-month period, Diaz leased at least eight properties in South Los Angeles, Huntington Park, North Hollywood, Compton and San Bernardino that authorities identified as illegal dispensaries, according to a review of eviction cases. The monthly rents for each building ranged from $2,000 to $10,000.

One was Holmes Collective, a building on Firestone Boulevard that Diaz leased for $7,000 a month. The owners, an elderly couple, believed they were renting to a licensed marijuana business, said their attorney, Hasti Rahsepar.

The unfortunate thing is they pay a lot of money," Rahsepar told The Times. "They pay good money and they pay cash."

Rahsepar has filed a pending eviction case to push out the dispensary operators from the building, which she said was raided by the Sheriffs Department most recently in September 2022. She said she did not know of Huang.

Diaz, Rahsepar said, was simply a proxy, a front." She wasn't even sure a woman she deposed in the eviction case was Diaz. The woman refused to show her ID on the advice of her lawyers, who told her to invoke the 5th Amendment, Rahsepar said.

The Times reached Diaz by phone. In several interviews, Diaz, now 27, acknowledged working for illegal dispensaries but denied leasing them. She said she never knew

whom

she was working for: I felt like the less questions I asked, the better.

Most workers never meet the man behind the curtain, said Lt. Rich White, who leads cannabis enforcement for the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Departments Narcotics Bureau. The owners can monitor their stores through the surveillance cameras and contact these folks without ever setting foot in the shop."

Diaz got her first job at a dispensary in Compton at 19, she said. She made what she considered good money $12 an hour plus tips, tax-free. She and the other bud-tenders, all young women, had the same idea: "This is temporary. Make as much money as you can in a day.

About three months into the job, Diaz said, her bosses asked the bud-tenders for their personal information, explaining it was part of the process to get a license for the shop. She said she handed over her drivers license and birth certificate.

After sheriff's raids shut down the dispensary, she found work at other shops in Compton and downtown Los Angeles.

Asked whether she took money to sign a dispensary lease, Diaz denied it. I wish that were the case, she said. Id be a few thousand dollars richer."

In 2018, Diaz said, she got a call from a lawyer, Cristian Peirano, who asked her to come to his office in Orange County. She learned the owner of a building on Central Avenue was suing to evict her. It was the first time, she said, she heard her name had appeared on a lease for a dispensary.

Someone literally forged my signature and had my ID," she said.

Peirano, she said, told her theyd make the landlord do a forceful eviction, which could take up to a year. At most, she recalled him saying, she was facing municipal code penalties." No felonies, no jail time.

When she asked who hired him, Peirano said he could not disclose that information, she recalled. We just represent the shop, he said, according to Diaz.

Months later, Diaz said, she received an email from an old high school teacher with a link to a Los Angeles Times article.

he headline: In a first, L.A. sues unlicensed cannabis dispensary, seeking millions.

Then-City Atty. Michael Feuer accused the Central Avenue storefront, called Kush Klub 20, of selling marijuana laced with toxic chemicals sprayed on golf courses. Diaz was named as a defendant.

Diaz recalled Peirano assuring her the case was a tactic that L.A. uses to intimidate people, to scare people."

She told him: "OK, well, look. Its working.

A representative of the property owner, Ben Spinner, was deposed in the case. He testified that a broker contacted him about leasing the property and sent him Diazs information. In the deposition, Spinner recalled the broker saying his clients owned this big brand called Stiizy [sic], which I heard of, that they had all these licenses, and that theyre that theyre very legitimate."

Huang's spokesman said the broker "was not being truthful if he said Stiiizy was his client." Neither Huang nor Stiiizy were defendants in the case.

Spinner said he and his client agreed to lease the property to Diaz without running a credit check or verifying her income. The lease called for Diaz to pay $10,000 a month to rent the building, whose stated use was "church and all other legal related issues." A man whom Spinner believed was Diaz's boss handed over the rent and security deposit in cash, he said in the deposition.

In their abatement complaint, city lawyers called the lease a fraudulent scheme that required a judgment-proof individual.

After the city sued, Diaz said, Peirano told her he'd negotiated a resolution: a $20,000 fine that she would not have to pay herself. Records from an eviction case show Peirano's firm represented her in the eviction proceedings tied to the Central Avenue property, but neither Diaz nor any lawyers acting on her behalf ever responded to the city's claims.

The city obtained a default judgment against Diaz for $8.8 million.

Diaz said she wasnt aware of the judgment until a reporter informed her of it. She now wonders about her attorneys: Were they representing me for real or are they just trying to throw me under the bus?

Peirano said he wasn't aware the city secured the $8.8-million judgment against Diaz. Told of her account, Peirano said, I do everything on the up and up, so Im not worried about that.

He declined to discuss his representation of Diaz in the previous eviction case or say who paid his fees.

Peirano represented Huang in a landlord case he had a long time ago and a misdemeanor criminal case, Sitrick said, but the spokesman denied Huang had any involvement in Kush Klub 20. He said Huang has never paid lawyers to represent employees of illegal dispensaries.

Diaz and Huang say they don't know each other. She insisted she never signed the lease in Pasadena. Sitrick said Diaz's "representative" arranged it without Huang ever meeting her.

Diaz also denied knowing the owners of two San Bernardino buildings where authorities say she signed leases for dispensaries. Authorities have filed two tax liens against Diaz claims against any current or future assets seeking $792,300 in back taxes, records show.

She is currently on the states list of top 500 delinquent taxpayers.

A duffel bag of cash, robberies, and real estate

The afternoon of July 18, 2019, a woman called the Azusa

Mother talks about being targeted in anti-Mexican rant at Disneyland

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 03:42:41 +0000

A mother who was the target of a woman's anti-Mexican rant at a Disneyland bathroom recalls the startling confrontation as her toddler was with her.

The bathroom exchange happened on Dec. 5 when Eva Ramirez filmed the woman’s racist remarks after she reportedly heard the mother and son speaking Spanish in the bathroom.

Ramirez was celebrating her 2-year-old son’s birthday at the park when the altercation allegedly started with a disagreement over a bathroom stall.

She and her son were in a Disney parking garage bathroom outside of the park's front entrance when she suddenly became the target of the woman’s racist remarks.

“As we were walking into the restrooms, the stalls were empty and so I went ahead and used the big stall with my child and also with my stroller,” Ramirez said.

She heard two people outside the stall making rude comments but she was preoccupied with her son and didn't realize they were actually directed towards her.

An unidentified woman at Disneyland caught on camera saying, "I hate Mexicans," in an altercation that reportedly started over a dispute with a bathroom stal on Dec. 5, 2023. (Eva Ramirez)
Eva Ramirez and her son at Disneyland park seen in a personal photo.
Eva Ramirez and her son at Disneyland park seen in a personal photo.
An unidentified woman at Disneyland caught on camera saying, "I hate Mexicans," in an altercation that reportedly started over a dispute with a bathroom stall. (Eva Ramirez)

“I’m having a conversation with my baby,” she recalled. “I’m letting him know what I'm doing. He’s learning to speak a lot more words.”

Ramirez was speaking Spanish to her son, part of her efforts to make him bilingual. When she exits the stall, a woman standing nearby suddenly starts yelling at her.

“The woman in the gray t-shirt started screaming at me and she started telling me to speak English in her country and that it was her country and ‘Please get out of her country,’” Ramirez recalled. “What I said to her was, ‘I was born here.’”

Ramirez said the racist tirade went on for about a minute. When her son started to cry, that's when she knew the woman had gone too far. So she pulled out her phone and began recording her.

In the video, Ramirez is heard saying, “I’m at Disneyland and this person just heard me speaking Spanish and she said, ‘Great, you’re a f-----g Mexican, right?’ Repeat what you just said.”

Ramirez asks the woman, “You have a problem with people that speak Spanish in your country, right?”

“Yeah, but it’s America,” the unidentified woman responds. “You don’t speak Spanish in America. It’s an English-speaking country.”

Ramirez responds saying, “Your comment is racist and it has nothing to do with using the restroom.”

“I don’t care,” said the unidentified woman. “I hate Mexicans, it’s true. There it is.”

The woman then comments on Ramirez using a handicapped bathroom stall despite having a baby and a stroller with her. At the time, the unidentified woman was accompanying another woman in a wheelchair.

“Is it a problem for you both that I speak Spanish?” Ramirez asks the duo.

The woman responds, “It’s offensive that you use that bathroom when she’s in a wheelchair,” as she gestures to the other member of her party.

On Sunday, a group of protesters gathered outside of the unidentified woman’s Apple Valley home.

A protester, Alex Enamorado, who is also a well-known street vendor activist in San Bernardino County, was arrested outside the home.

It’s unclear how Enamorado learned of the Disneyland exchange and found the woman's address. Police have not yet said what charges the activist was arrested on.

KTLA’s Shelby Nelson visited the home and attempted to speak with the unidentified woman but no one answered the door.

“You still have the people who think this is okay,” Ramirez said. “And they continue to do this despite being recorded. I don't think anyone should tolerate it and most definitely not around your children because I feel that we can lead by example. If I had ignored her, my son would have felt like that’s okay and so what I'm doing now is teaching him that this is not tolerated wherever you are.”

Ramirez said she filed a complaint with Disneyland employees, asking them to not let the woman inside the park, but security refused the request “because it was only a verbal confrontation.”

KTLA has reached out to Disneyland officials for a comment and was deferred to the Anaheim Police Department.

Neighbor ransacks apartment 'multiple times,' takes items worth $30,000, police say

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 03:14:52 +0000

The luxury Skyloft apartment complex, where an Irvine woman left town for a week during the Thanksgiving holiday and discovered the front door unlocked and her apartment completely ransacked.

(KTLA)

Neighbor ransacks apartment 'multiple times,' takes items worth $30,000, police say

Grace Toohey

Dec. 11, 2023

First, the door was unlocked and some unusual lights were on.

Then, Brittney Heinzman realized her bags weren't hanging in the doorway of her Irvine apartment,

where they normally would.

She tried to brush it off. Maybe she was just jetlagged from her flight home, or perhaps she had been in more of a rush to leave

for Thanksgiving than she remembered.

But then Heinzman noticed the TV was gone from her bedroom dresser. And there was

a stray espresso cup in her shower.

She ran to her closet to see what else might be missing only to find a woman cowering in the corner, clutching

kitchen utensils, including a pizza cutter.

Heinzman remembered screaming.

The woman left, and in less than 48 hours she was behind bars for what police have described as a burglary carried out in multiple trips, and possibly over several days.

Wendy Wilkinson, a resident of the same apartment complex, is accused of stealing at least $30,000 worth of items from Heinzman's apartment while her neighbor was out of town including designer handbags, sunglasses, two TVs, credit cards and her passport, according to Kyle Oldoerp, a spokesperson for the Irvine Police Department.

Wilkinson, who officers found hiding in her own closet, was booked Dec. 3 on suspicion of burglary and possession of stolen items, Oldoerp said.

Pooch poachers take more than $100,000 worth of pets from Gardena store

We are unable to confirm exactly how many times she went into the apartment," Oldoerp said. "Its more than likely she went in multiple times. ... Its possible she was going back and forth between her apartment.

It's that possibility

that has Heinzman most on edge.

Knowing that someone was in my place, multiple times you dont know if they were in your bed," Heinzman said, tearing up.

The 35-year-old continues to find more items gone from her apartment. But what's missing most is her sense of security.

This woman didnt just want handbags, she didn't just want a TV she wanted my identity," Heinzman said. "Thats the part that makes your stomach feel so sick.

Heinzman, who works in software sales, said she knows all those stolen items while valuable are replaceable. But she's struggling with unanswered questions, as well as how to move forward after finding a stranger in her home.

Oldoerp said there were no signs of forced entry, but Heinzman said she knows she locked her apartment door when she left. Police say they

found items stolen from Heinzman's apartment in Wilkinson's apartment, car and an off-site storage unit.

Heinzman said she moved to the Skyloft Apartments on Main Street, touted as a luxury complex, for increased security. But she

said that promise has fallen short.

It was a neighbor's front - door camera that caught footage of the suspect, not building

security cameras, police said.

Theres just no security at this building," Heinzman said. I moved out of L.A. into a safer place ... [but] it's like smoke

and

mirrors."

Representatives from Skyloft and Legacy Partners, the real estate firm that manages the property, did not respond to a request for comment.

'Why here?' Deadly Irvine ambush rattles community that rarely sees violence

Heinzman hasn't felt safe enough to stay in her apartment since she came home from her

weeklong

trip

to visit family over Thanksgiving.

She said she

worries for her neighbors as well.

Wilkinson was arrested and charged in two other burglaries in 2021, court records show. However she was not convicted in either case, as they were were diverted through a mental health pretrial program, according to Orange County court records. Wilkinson remains in jail on $150,000 bail, court records show.

Heinzman said she needs to find a new place to live for her peace of mind. She had only moved in

to Skyloft

seven months ago.

To this day, Im realizing more and more stuff thats gone," Heinzman said. I just invested all this money into this place, I loved my place, and then the mental part of it you dont sleep, you have this image in your mind of this person standing in your closet."

Orange County home ransacked as man escapes with thousands of dollars worth of items

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 01:26:41 +0000

Surveillance video captured a burglar breaking into a home over the weekend and stealing thousands of dollars worth of cash and jewelry in Westminster.

The incident happened on Dec. 9 around 7:30 p.m., when the suspect entered the home through a second-story window.

The family feels shaken after the incident and is hoping police will catch the suspect before he strikes again.

“We’re uncomfortable and we don’t feel safe in our own home at this point,” said victim Sandy Le. “When we got home, everything was in disarray. There were things all over the ground and that’s when my mom said, ‘Oh, someone was in the house.’”

Surveillance video caught the male suspect ransacking the home. He was seen rummaging through closets and drawers before escaping with thousands of dollars in cash, jewelry and religious belongings.

Security video captures the moment a burglar broke into a home and stole thousands of dollars worth of cash and jewelry in Westminster on Dec. 9, 2023. (Le Family)
Security video captures the moment a burglar broke into a home and stole thousands of dollars worth of cash and jewelry in Westminster on Dec. 9, 2023. (Le Family)
Security video captures the moment a burglar broke into a home and stole thousands of dollars worth of cash and jewelry in Westminster on Dec. 9, 2023. (Le Family)
Security video captures the moment a burglar broke into a home and stole thousands of dollars worth of cash and jewelry in Westminster on Dec. 9, 2023. (Le Family)
Security video captures the moment a burglar broke into a home and stole thousands of dollars worth of cash and jewelry in Westminster on Dec. 9, 2023. (Le Family)
Security video captures the moment a burglar broke into a home and stole thousands of dollars worth of cash and jewelry in Westminster on Dec. 9, 2023. (Le Family)

“He also took things that were sentimental to us like a necklace that my grandma gave to my mom,” Le said.

The thief entered the home through Le's second-story bedroom window. He made his way downstairs and took as much as he could before exiting through the garage door on the side of the house.

Le said he spent around 30 minutes inside and left only three minutes before her parents arrived home. The victim said she is terrified of what could’ve happened had they run into him.

“We feel violated, paranoid,” Le said. “He broke in through my bedroom window so it’s personal, you know? Being home alone sometimes, before I would feel comfortable, but now every time I hear a noise, I’m like, ‘Who is it?’”

Westminster police have no information on the suspect, but after seeing Ring video from the neighborhood, Le believes the man may be the same person who tried to break into another home on the same night less than two miles away.

“From the footage that we saw, he went to several places in one day," Le said.

According to the Ring post, the suspect had peered into the home to see if anyone was inside before attempting to break in. As a dog began barking and light could be seen from within, the man ended up leaving.

While the suspect remains at large, Le said there's likely a slim of chance of recovering the stolen items. However, she said her family just wants the man to be arrested before targeting another home.

"Honestly, if we can get our things back that would be great, but at this point, we just see it as doing good karma that no one gets hurt and has to go through this,” she said.

Le said some of the money that was taken was part of her parent's retirement fund. She said her parents hardly take vacations and had been working six to seven days a week for years to save up.

The incident remains under investigation. Anyone who recognizes the suspect can call Westminster police at 714-898-3315.

What are the odds? Two winning tickets for $395-million jackpot sold at same Encino gas station

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 01:21:13 +0000

(Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

What are the odds? Two winning tickets for $395-million jackpot sold at same Encino gas station

Homepage News

Anthony De Leon

Dec. 11, 2023

In a first in California Mega Millions history, two

winning

tickets purchased from the same Chevron station on Ventura

Blvd Boulevard

in Encino hit the $395-million jackpot, potentially creating controversy over the retailer's share of the winnings.

The chances of winning a Mega Millions jackpot stand at an astonishing 1 in 302,575,350. The prospect of two

distinct separate

transactions winning with the

exact same

numbers at

the same one

location can seem implausible, especially considering there are 23,000 lottery retailers across the state.

Whoever owns the two tickets would split the

$395-million

jackpot, but it is still unclear

if whether

the two tickets were purchased by the same person or two

different

players, which could result in controversy over whether the gas station owner is awarded $1 million or more for selling the tickets.

As of Monday, the jackpot has yet to be claimed, according to lottery spokesperson Carolyn Becker.

The identity of the

individual

person or

individuals people

who purchased the tickets remains

undisclosed unknown

. However, Becker said the lottery's gaming system meticulously tracks each transaction statewide, and the law enforcement team investigating the winnings knows whether it was a single transaction or two

distinct separate

ones.

The California Lottery isnt revealing this information to protect the integrity of the security review process once theres a prize claim. Potential jackpot winners coming forward must undergo a vetting process, involving a California Lottery law enforcement officer interview to verify

a legitimate win and declare a that they are legitimate winners

It's a really rigorous vetting process, particularly for these big jackpots, to make sure that the winner is actually the right winner and not some bad actor trying to claim to be the winner, Becker said.

Luxury Playground in the Valley

Becker said it could take weeks or months to release the information regarding the number of transactions. The identities will also be disclosed, adhering to California

disclosure

laws that

mandate require

the lottery to publicize the winner's complete name and location

within a year.While

Although

having

two winning tickets

being sold

in one location is unusual, Becker said it is not impossible.

Perhaps one person wanted to try their luck on two different rows for whatever reason, or maybe a couple of buddies wanted to try their chances with the same exact numbers, Becker said.

When store manager Nitessh Karla arrived at the gas station Saturday morning, a barrage of voice mails greeted him, with one from state lottery officials telling him his store

had

sold the winning tickets.

I got a telephone call [saying] You

store hit the jackpot. Then I checked the machine and found out someone won the lotto, Karla said.

Apart from the occasional Scratcher winner collecting a

lower-amount smaller

jackpot, Karla said he had never witnessed a win like this in his nine years at the store.

Karla is skeptical that two

separate

customers purchased the winning tickets.

Personally, I think it is the same guy. Maybe he forgets he already bought it and buys it again, Karla said.

$1.73-billion Powerball ticket sold in Frazier Park, second-highest jackpot ever

How the tickets were purchased is pivotal to whether Karlas store receives only $1 million or nearly $2 million in lottery bonuses.

A retailer who sells a winning ticket is eligible to receive a bonus of half of 1% of the

price value jackpot

, capped at

a $1

million

dollars

. But if a retailer sells two tickets that both win on the same game, it could be considered two transactions and result in more than $2 million

in bonuses

Becker said this bonus payout is unprecedented in California in terms of a jackpot of this magnitude. The California Lotterys legal team is reviewing the regulations' language, she said.

Our lawyers are looking at it because if it's one person, the retailer will get a million dollars, Becker said. The question is, do they get more than that? Do they get two bonuses that add up to more than a million

tickets dollars

The winning numbers for Friday's game were 21, 26, 53, 66, 70, and the Mega number 13. This

draw

was the 10th Mega Million jackpot won in 2023.

The

jackpot for the

next Mega Millions drawing

Tuesday will be $20 million.

With

the store's

newfound notoriety, Karla said

the store he

has seen an increase in customers buying lotto tickets and Scratchers, hoping the store's luck has

n't

dried out yet.

Shohei Ohtani is just the latest young person to leave O.C. for L.A. Surprise, surprise

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 22:48:18 +0000

Anaheim, CA - July 21: Angels starting pitcher and two-way player Shohei Ohtani is congratulated by teammates after scoring on Angels center fielder Mickey Moniaks RBI double in the fourth inning against the Pirates at Angel Stadium in Anaheim Friday, July 21, 2023. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

Shohei Ohtani is just the latest young person to leave O.C. for L.A. Surprise, surprise

Homepage News

Gustavo Arellano

Dec. 11, 2023

When Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani joined the Angels in 2018, my cousins and I made a bet. How long until he leaves Orange County to join the Los Angeles Dodgers?

We knew it wasnt a matter of if, but when.

Not just because the Blue Crew is one of baseballs marquee franchises, while the Halos are as respected as a soul patch.

Or because Angels owner Arte Moreno makes NFT investors seem as smart with their money as, well, the Dodgers, who just signed Ohtani to the richest contract ever in professional sports, at $700 million for 10 years.Or because Angels owner Arte Moreno makes Ebeneezer Scrooge seem as free-spending as, well, the Dodgers, who just signed Ohtani to the richest contract ever in professional sports,

at $700 million for 10 years

Nah, we knew Ohtani was fated to leave because he's a young, talented person and folks like him usually get the hell out of O.C. the moment they can.

We saw the best minds of my generation flee for Austin,

Texas,

Chicago, New York, the Inland Empire, but especially L.A. the place our elders taught us to fear as full of crime and liberals. Our friends and relatives left to find opportunities that were impossible in staid, conservative, expensive Orange County. They rarely looked back. When their new neighbors asked where they were from, most would demur and say Southern California or near Los Angeles."

City, civic and county leaders didn't care about this exodus, since O.C. was never meant to be cool. We were the spot where people moved after they made it. Orange County was aspirational, and if you couldn't afford to hack it here, good riddance and don't forget to take along other underachievers like you.

This thinking went on, unchecked, for decades. But its finally dawning on the lords of O.C. that losing our young to Los Angeles and elsewhere portends doom.

Orange County has shrunk in population three out of the

p l

ast four years a once-unthinkable development in a region that has always bragged about its growth. O.Cs median age has gone from 33.3 years in the 2000 census to 39.5 years in 2022, a rate of aging that has outpaced the nation. About 17,000 people between the ages of 20 and 35 left in 2016 and 2017 alone, according to the Orange County Business Councils most recent Workforce Housing Scorecard, which called the youthful exodus a troubling trend and a drain on the countys future workforce.

Like Orange County, the Angels have historically preferred established and over-the-hill players and barely blinked when homegrown prospects left for better opportunities. The team rarely invests in its farm system, the way Orange County cities have never really cared about creating affordable housing, good-paying jobs or other necessities that would help to keep young people here. Ohtani, like so many of the smart people who have left O.C. in my lifetime, finally got fed up with his situation and could you blame him?

Even Moreno couldn't resist the siren call of L.A. he renamed his team the Los Angeles Angels shortly after buying it 20 years ago.

This is an apples-to-oranges comparison, of course or rather, Dodgers-to-Angels. The 29-year-old Ohtani, unlike most millennials, is a once-in-an-epoch phenom with enough money to buy a series of homes from Angel Stadium to Dodger Stadium. But his departure means the Angels are now staring at years of irrelevancy if Moreno continues his youth-averse ways.

That's where Orange County finds itself today.

It's sad to say this about a place where I was born and raised and plan to live my entire life, because heaven knows, people outside of the power structure have tried to stop this brain drain. From the late 1990s through the 2010s, I followed and eventually wrote about those who were trying to make O.C. a cool place, one we could proudly proclaim to be as hip as L.A. Homegrown stars shined in clubs, restaurants, galleries, fashion and other culture scenes. Cities like Costa Mesa, Anaheim and Santa Ana became creative hubs that gasp even Angelenos would visit.

No one exemplified this creativity more than Gwen Stefani, Orange Countys most famous musician and someone whom the Board of Supervisors included this month as an inaugural member of the Orange County Hall of Fame. She and her band, No Doubt, became global stars with their breakout album Tragic Kingdom, a title that was a play on Disneylands nickname and meant to reflect how people of Stefanis generation hated boring, old Orange County and were committed to do something about it.

Stefani has always proudly repped Orange County, caring enough to be the headliner when Irvine Meadows Amp h itheatre closed down in 2016 and when Anaheim's Honda Center celebrated its 30th anniversary in September. But Ms. O.C. hasnt lived down here for decades. After spending a few years in Oklahoma with her husband, country superstar Blake Shelton, shes back in Los Angeles.

The scenes that birthed Stefani and others fizzled out, as people aged out and fled their old stamping haunting grounds to the suburban limbo of Ssouth Orange County, or to places like Nashville. Some are still fighting the good fight but more than ever, they look to L.A. for their creative and professional salvation.

Including me.

When I joined

t T

he Times five years ago this month, I had spent my career almost exclusively covering Orange County. I wanted to show the rest of the world that my homeland was worthy of respect and to highlight those battling against the forces that kept driving out too many talented people.

I planned to continue focusing on O.C. in my new job. Once I began to cover Los Angeles, that changed. I quickly discovered an excitement and energy to L.A. that doesn't exist in Orange County and can't be replicated elsewhere, that intoxicates you and makes you wonder what took you so long to get it.

Ohtani will soon experience that for himself. That's why I dont blame him for leaving the Halos, as cool as it would have been to see him in Orange County for the rest of his career. He and too many others before him saw no future down here, especially once they realized there are far more welcoming places out there.

To paraphrase a famous World War I song, how ya gonna keep us down in Anaheim after weve seen the City of Angels?

Hoping to build an ADU? New grants can help low-income Californians get started

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 21:07:00 +0000

Michael Wolff, owner Wolf Contracting, looks over plans for the accessory dwelling unit he is building for his father on Wednesday, September 4, 2019 in Santa Rosa, CA. (Photo By Lea Suzuki / San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)

(Lea Suzuki / San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)

Hoping to build an ADU? New grants can help low-income Californians get started

Homepage News

Jon Healey

Dec. 11, 2023

State officials have revived a popular grant program to help lower-income California homeowners build accessory dwelling units by covering some of the upfront costs. But funding is limited, so demand for aid may soon outstrip the supply of dollars.

The California Housing Finance Agency's ADU Grant Program offers up to $40,000 to qualified homeowners to cover pre-construction costs of an ADU, including planning and permit fees for the structure. The program exhausted its initial $100 million months ago, causing the agency to stop taking applications; now, $25 million more is available for homeowners seeking help.

Obtaining a grant is not as simple as filling out a form online, however. For starters, applicants have to meet the program's new income limits. Household income must be less than 80% of the

area median income

, which translates in Los Angeles County to $84,160. That's down from 150% of the area median income in the initial round of grants.

Applicants also need to work through a state-approved lender or "special financing participant" because the grants aren't paid to homeowners they're paid to lenders. The CalHFA website lists 18 participating lenders as well as 10 governmental or nonprofit agencies, including Neighborhood Housing Services of Los Angeles County, which specializes in affordable housing.

Typically, homeowners must obtain a construction loan for an ADU from a participating lender before seeking an ADU grant. The loan will cover the costs that the grants will reimburse, including architectural designs, permits, soil tests, impact fees, property surveys, energy reports and utility hookups, the agency says. These expenses can make up a sizable portion of the cost of a new ADU, especially one built by converting a garage or other existing structure.

Your guide to ADUs in Southern California

If you haven't started work on an ADU yet, let alone obtained a loan, you can still get in line for a state grant. Neighborhood Housing Services, which provides construction loans for ADUs, says it will try to reserve a potential grant for anyone who emails

itthem

two pieces of information: a current mortgage statement and one month's worth of pay stubs or other proof of income. The information, which should be sent to admin@nhslacounty.org, should also include the person's legal name, address and Social Security number.

A homeowner who meets the income limits but can build an ADU without a loan can still apply for a grant through NHSLA. But the agency's construction team would have to manage the project and the grant funds, said Iris Cruz of Neighborhood Housing Services.

Grant applicants will have to sign and submit an

affidavitaffadavit

to CalHFA attesting to several things about themselves and their plans, including that they are a U.S. citizen or legal resident; they own and have their primary residence on the property where the ADU is being built; they will use the ADU for permanent housing or long-term rentals; and the ADU will conform to local building and zoning codes. If any of those statements prove to be false, the applicant could face a prison term and a fine of up to $10,000.

The lender, meanwhile, will have to attest that the grant applicant meets the program's income limits.

How can we improve campaign coverage? Help us set the citizens agenda for 2024

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 14:30:00 +0000

As campaign season ramps up, we want to look beyond the horse race. To do that, we'll need your help.

Recall of Orange Unified board members will be on March primary ballot

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 12:52:53 +0000

Voters will decide whether to recall two Orange Unified School District board members, Rick Ledesma and Madison Miner, in the March 5 presidential primary election.

The Orange County Registrar of Voters gave notice of the election date on Tuesday, Dec. 5, to voters who live in the OUSD boundary lines. They will be able to cast their vote by mail starting Feb. 5 and in-person vote centers will be open on Feb. 24.

The OUSD district encompasses the cities of Orange and Villa Park and the Anaheim Hills community. Voters who live in those boundary lines may vote even if they do not have a student attending any of the district’s schools.

“It has been the goal of the OUSD Recall Committee to have the recall elections as a wrap-in election to minimize costs to voters and encourage voter participation throughout this process,” said Darshan Smaaladen, one of the leaders of OUSD Recall group. “As parents, teachers and community members of the Orange Unified community, on March 5 we ask voters to choose competence over chaos, corruption and culture wars.”

Neither Ledesma, the board president, nor Miner, a trustee, could be immediately reached for comment Wednesday.

But Miner has previously said: “It’s essential to note that protecting students is my sole purpose, and the radical recall movement has made it clear that their quest for power over the children is nothing more than a strong political maneuver to influence and shape the children of OUSD.”

“This has nothing to do with protecting or educating children,” she said of the recall effort in September.

In an effort to garner support for a “no-recall effort,” Miner and Ledesma, alongside Orange County Board Supervisor Don Wagner and Orange County Board of Education Trustee Ken Williams, held a rally in September to urge community members not to sign the recall petition.

There were 15,016 and 14,736 valid petition signatures submitted to recall Ledesma and Miner, respectively, to the Registrar on Sept. 27 — over a month before they were due to ensure the recall elections would be eligible for the March 5 primary.

The certificate of sufficiency was submitted at the OUSD board meeting on Thursday, Nov. 16. The board was able to decide when the recall election would occur or let the Registrar determine the date of the election.

The OUSD Recall group launched the effort to oust the two members after the school board hastily called a special meeting in January to fire Superintendent Gunn Marie Hansen and place an assistant superintendent on paid leave without explanation and over the objections of many in the school community. The group says there has been an exodus of OUSD staff because of the board members’ actions and spending practices.

“The Orange Unified board majority shattered community trust by scheduling a meeting, during vacation, with only a vague agenda posted to the district website, to fire our award-winning superintendent without cause or any transparency,” said Smaaladen. “A decision, pre-concluded, made without any stakeholder input that threw our district into chaos.”

“They have alienated our teachers and wasted our money.,” Smaaladen said.

In an interview after the impromptu firing, Ledesma defended the board’s actions, saying, “It wasn’t a political move.”

“We are concerned about educational programs and services to the students of OUSD,” Ledesma said. “We think we have drifted away from academics and educating students. We have been focusing too much on the social politics of education.”

More recently, the OUSD board enacted a parental notification policy, which requires a certificated staff member or principal to inform parents if their child, under the age of 12, requests to use different names or pronouns or asks to change sex-segregated programs like athletic teams or changing facilities that differ from the student’s “assigned biological sex at birth.” For older students, it’s up to a school counselor or psychologist to determine if informing family is appropriate.

While many California districts are adopting similar mandates, OUSD was the first in Orange County to implement the controversial policy.

“We have established a parental notification policy that requires our district to inform parents if their child’s mental health care is changed or altered under the delegated duty of the Orange Unified School District,” Miner said at the time.

A $900 ticket for Shohei Ohtani's Dodgers debut? Seat not included

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 11:00:52 +0000

ANAHEIM, CA - JUNE 20, 2023: Los Angeles Angels designate hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) flips his bat after flying out against the Dodgers Tuesday Angel Stadium on June 20, 2023 in Anaheim, California. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

A $900 ticket for Shohei Ohtani's Dodgers debut? Seat not included

Bill Shaikin

Dec. 11, 2023

FOR MONDAY AM WEB

If you click onto the Dodgers' website to buy a ticket to see Shohei Ohtani play at Dodger Stadium, the team kindly advises you to "check back" for "single-game ticket information."

On the team website, the Dodgers have not yet put single-game tickets for the 2024 season on sale. On the resale market, of course, single-game tickets are readily available.

On Sunday, the day after Ohtani announced he would sign with the Dodgers, resale sites offered pricey tickets to the Dodgers' home opener, including assorted "standing room only" tickets with prices comparable to some actual seats on the field level.

On TickPick, available standing room tickets were offered from $638 to $827 apiece, fees included. On StubHub, two standing room tickets on the top deck, behind the actual seats were offered for $889 each, estimated fees included.

"Clear view," read the StubHub description of the location.

The Dodgers, like many teams, work with business analytics and corporate partners to set and adjust prices for tickets at face value and on the resale market.

Jon Weisman, the Dodgers' vice president of communications, said Sunday the team had no comment on whether the single-game tickets on resale sites were not available before Ohtani's announcement or whether prices on available tickets were adjusted in the wake of the announcement.

Prices on the resale market fluctuate, and so a ticket might not be sold at the asking price. On Sunday, the StubHub tickets for the Dodgers' home opener, including estimated fees, started at $431 (standing room, top deck) and ranged as high as $4,024 to $9,893 for seats in the dugout club.

The Angels have put single-game tickets on sale. As of Sunday, prices for the home opener the first without Ohtani since 2017 ranged from $36 to $293.

Daily Pilot e-newspaper: Sunday, Dec. 10, 2023

Sun, 10 Dec 2023 23:06:18 +0000

Front page of the Daily Pilot & TimesOC e-newspaper for Sunday, Dec. 10, 2023.

(Greg Diaz | Staff Designer)

Daily Pilot e-newspaper: Sunday, Dec. 10, 2023

Costa Mesa,Huntington Beach,Laguna Beach,Newport Beach,Fountain Valley,Irvine

Daily Pilot Staff

Dec. 10, 2023

The Daily Pilot's e-newspaper includes all 10 pages of Sunday's newspaper.

Click on the file below for coverage of Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, Laguna Beach, Fountain Valley and other parts of Orange County.

Daily Pilot e-newspaper for Dec. 10, 2023.pdf

Thank you for reading.

Sunday's coverage includes these stories:

Stoked: Local surfing teacher hits the waves again following brain tumor treatment The more the merrier! Twins and triplets descend on South Coast Plaza in holiday tradition Where to hu tieu: Introducing a dish that might become your new favorite

Annual report on O.C. children sees pluses, minuses

Fountain Valley Regional Hospital unveils its new $3-million angiography suite

Pastors Perspective: Churchs trauma from broken stained-glass windows relieved by community support Mailbag: Closure of Equestrian Center would be a big loss A Word, Please: Heed this holiday advice on plural names and apostrophes

Travelers of Gullivers gather new toys for Camp Pendleton Marines

Daily Pilot e-newspaper: Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023

Sun, 10 Dec 2023 23:01:35 +0000

Front page of the Daily Pilot e-newspaper for Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023.

(Greg Diaz | Staff Designer)

Daily Pilot e-newspaper: Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023

Costa Mesa,Huntington Beach,Laguna Beach,Newport Beach,Fountain Valley,Irvine

Daily Pilot Staff

Dec. 10, 2023

The Daily Pilot's e-newspaper includes all 4 pages of Saturday's newspaper.

Click on the file below for coverage of Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, Laguna Beach, Fountain Valley and other parts of Orange County.

Daily Pilot e-newspaper for Dec. 9, 2023.pdf

Thank you for reading.

Saturday's coverage includes these stories:

Fashion Island hosts menorah lighting for Hanukkah Costa Mesa poised to make pandemic-approved outdoor dining permanently legal Petition submitted to state to authorize research and restoration in O.C.'s protected marine areas Rivian reopens renovated South Coast Theater in Laguna Beach

Hamilton's late goal sinks Huntington Beach in All-Turf Tournament Suspect in knife incident in Newport Beach restaurant arrested Around Town: Snoopy House holiday festival returns to Costa Mesa City Hall Dec. 15 through 22

Daily Pilot e-newspaper: Friday, Dec. 8, 2023

Sun, 10 Dec 2023 22:56:34 +0000

Front page of the Daily Pilot e-newspaper for Friday, Dec. 8, 2023.

(Greg Diaz | Staff Designer)

Daily Pilot e-newspaper: Friday, Dec. 8, 2023

Costa Mesa,Huntington Beach,Laguna Beach,Newport Beach,Fountain Valley,Irvine

Daily Pilot Staff

Dec. 10, 2023

The Daily Pilot's e-newspaper includes all 4 pages of Friday's newspaper.

Click on the file below for coverage of Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, Laguna Beach, Fountain Valley and other parts of Orange County.

Daily Pilot e-newspaper for Dec. 8, 2023.pdf

Thank you for reading.

Friday's coverage includes these stories:

Costa Mesa taps out in fight with state over Fairview Center OC Coastkeeper launches program with state to increase beach accessibility Daily Pilot Girls Volleyball Dream Team: Sparks flew for Huntington Beach with Dani running the show

Around Town: Orangewood Children Center sets goal of 1,000 bicycles Marine pleads guilty in Planned Parenthood firebombing

Daily Pilot e-newspaper: Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023

Sun, 10 Dec 2023 22:52:09 +0000

Front page of the Daily Pilot e-newspaper for Thursday, Dec. 07, 2023.

(Greg Diaz | Staff Designer)

Daily Pilot e-newspaper: Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023

Costa Mesa,Huntington Beach,Laguna Beach,Newport Beach,Fountain Valley,Irvine

Daily Pilot Staff

Dec. 10, 2023

The Daily Pilot's e-newspaper includes all 6 pages of Thursday's newspaper.

Click on the file below for coverage of Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, Laguna Beach, Fountain Valley and other parts of Orange County.

Daily Pilot e-newspaper for Dec. 7, 2023.pdf

Thank you for reading.

Thursday's coverage includes these stories:

Balboa Island hosts a tree lighting and 'snow day' Huntington Beach's first Latina mayor, Gracey Van Der Mark, sworn in after 4-3 vote Homegrown Glenn Grandis is new mayor of Fountain Valley Hospitality Night spreads holiday cheer in Laguna Beach Ballet Etudes brings innovative flair to a festive holiday classic

Hoag signs on to sponsor 2024 OC Marathon in run up to its 20th anniversary Driver submerged in wetlands after solo vehicle crash ID'd after dying from injuries

Love Costa Mesa neighboring day decks the halls, homes of locals in need Jamma Jingles Holiday Drive to be held at Balboa Island Museum

Edison beats Sage Hill at CdM Beach Bash to improve to 7-0

Orange County woman discovers burglar inside her closet

Sun, 10 Dec 2023 06:59:34 +0000

An Irvine woman recalled the terrifying moment she found a burglar hiding inside her closet. The victim, Brittney Heinzman, 35, remains frightened after the shocking encounter.

She moved into the luxury Skyloft apartment complex just months ago. She left town for a week during the Thanksgiving holiday and when she returned on Dec. 1, she discovered the front door unlocked and her apartment completely ransacked.

As she investigated her home, she opened the closet door to discover the intruder inside — a woman found crouching down and clutching kitchen utensils.

“She just looked at me like a deer in headlights and I just screamed, ‘Get out! get out!’” Henizman recalled of the terrifying encounter.

Heinzman recalled the intruder saying, “‘Please don’t hurt me,’” but that just threw me off more. I’m like, ‘Are you going to hurt me?’ because she has a pizza cutter in her hand. I didn’t know.”

Heinzman said she composed herself for a moment before the intruder eventually walked out of the apartment.

Video of the suspect, Wendy Wilkinson, 43, who allegedly broke into the victim's apartment on Dec. 1, 2023. (Brittney Heinzman)
The designer handbags found in the suspect's home that was taken from the victim's apartment. (Brittney Heinzman)
An Irvine resident recalled the terrifying moment she caught a serial burglar hiding inside her closet on Dec. 1, 2023. (KTLA)
The Skyloft luxury apartments in Irvine, California. (KTLA)
The suspect, Wendy Wilkinson, 43, being arrested after she allegedly broke into the victim's apartment on Dec. 1, 2023. (Brittney Heinzman)

She immediately called the police. She and a friend followed the suspect through the complex, capturing cell phone video and images of her. A neighbor’s Ring camera also captured the suspect running back and forth in the hallway at one point.

Irvine police identified the suspect as Wendy Wilkinson, 43, a neighbor of Heinzman’s. She was arrested for burglary and possession of stolen property.

During a search of her home, police found more than $30,000 worth of Heinzman’s belongings — including two flatscreen TVs, designer handbags, a passport and credit cards — stashed in the suspect’s home, car and a nearby storage unit.

Investigators believe she had entered Heinzman’s apartment multiple times before. Court records indicate Wilkinson has a history of similar crimes and may be a serial burglar.

The victim is concerned that property managers aren’t doing a thorough enough job on criminal background checks for residents.

"Where was security?" Heinzman asked. "I feel like I’ve been just stripped down to nothing. To have somebody go through your every drawer, your every cabinet, take your passport, take everything personal. You’re just left with so many questions.”

As for how the suspect entered Heinzman’s apartment, that remains under investigation by police.

Top Workplaces 2023: Moffett Plumbing puts team ahead of tough times

Fri, 08 Dec 2023 00:03:30 +0000

Michael Moffett and his family company have been inside people’s homes fixing pipes and ventilation systems since 1969.

It’s safe to say he’s got a pulse on the local economy, and from his perspective, it’s challenging.

“People are hurting,” he says. “Plumbing and HVAC have always been expensive, but with rising costs across the board, it’s becoming more and more challenging to provide a fantastic service, with quality materials, at an affordable price.”

That keeps Moffett on his toes, finding work for his team of 35 in Orange. The company, which is approaching its 55th anniversary next year, was honored for the first time this year in the Register’s 16th annual Top Workplaces program.

Employees commended Moffett for giving them the freedom to express new ideas and further develop the company.

“It’s very rewarding,” wrote one employee in the workplace survey. “We get to be the hero every day.”

“I feel no stress in my position where there should be a lot,” wrote another.”And to be able to do things right and with truth to better our customers’ experience with a great company is a great feeling.”

We asked Michael Moffett to share more of what he’s seeing with his team. His answers have been edited for length.

Michael Moffett, general manager and CEO of Moffett Plumbing, left, talks with an employee at their offices in Orange, CA. Moffett Plumbing was named one of the Orange County Register’s Top Workplaces for 2023. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Q: What are your big takeaways this year with inflation and the general economy?

We continue to throw a ton of value at our clients to differentiate ourselves from the one-truck operators who have no problem installing sub-par products. It really forces our team to focus on understanding our product offerings and consulting our clients on the advantages of these products.

Top that off with the fact that most plumbing or A/C products are usually out-of-sight, out-of-mind, and it makes for a very challenging environment.

Q: Has the company cut back on service work or have you seen an uptick in demand?

Fortunately, service work usually remains fairly constant. There’s not a lot a homeowner can do when a plumbing emergency comes around.

But this has definitely been one of the most challenging years for us. There have been weeks at a time of little to no service work. Thankfully, they’ve never lasted more than a couple of weeks, but it has been a problem.

We’ve certainly seen a decline in home renovations. During COVID, our renovation/remodel division skyrocketed as people realized they were stuck at home. Now that things have returned to somewhat normal, we’ve seen a significant slowdown in that department.

Q: Any significant pivots for the team?

Our install crews have had to team up with our service department. You never know when a client is going to need a completely new HVAC system installed. Keeping the staff on hand is key to being able to service our clients when there is a need. So we’ve definitely had to get creative.

Workers head out of Moffett Plumbing in Orange, CA on Monday, November 6, 2023. Moffett Plumbing was named one of the Orange County Register’s Top Workplaces for 2023. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Q: Running a family-owned business means there’s usually a family approach to management. Is that true at Moffett?

FAMILY is most certainly one of our core values here at Moffett; from our employees down to our client base.

We feel we either win as a team or lose as a team. Nobody is above anyone else. Even when we’re struggling, we try to find the positives; something to celebrate. In fact, we recently purchased an arcade-style claw machine: our Claw-ture machine. When employees go above and beyond, we recognize their efforts with a chance to test their luck.

Q: What makes Moffett Plumbing & Air a top workplace? How do you distinguish company culture from all the others?

We realize Culture is a living, breathing entity. If you’re not deliberate in cultivating it, it will still formulate, just not in the embodiment that you’d like. Profits are important to any business, but we really feel that our most important asset is our people.

Q: Does the company offer perks or training to keep people on board?

Our people are our most important asset. We need to keep them here. Even if it’s slow, we try to look for ways for them to generate hours.

Q: What about staffing? How have things been in 2023?

Staffing has been an industry-wide challenge for the last several years. Something about the trades just has a stigma to it. The younger generation is being groomed to believe that without a college education, you’ll never be a success. I don’t really have an answer on how to overcome it, but it’s definitely the elephant in the room.”

Q: There’s new chatter about a potential recession in 2024: Are you worried?

I honestly try not to buy into it. I’ve been in this industry long enough to remember the recession of the early ’90’s and the mortgage crisis of 2008. We may have to get creative with some of our marketing efforts, but the demand and work will still be there.

Moffett Plumbing & Air

Founded: 1969

Headquarters: Orange

Industry: plumbing

OC employees: 35

Website: moffettplumbing.com/

Quote: “We feel we either win as a team or lose as a team. Nobody is above anyone else.” — Michael Moffett, CEO of Moffett Plumbing & Air

Top Workplaces 2023: Roth Staffing cultivates welcoming, hybrid workspace

Fri, 08 Dec 2023 00:02:50 +0000

Finding and retaining top talent in today’s job market isn’t easy.

As organizations increase their hiring activity, low unemployment means they have to work harder at hiring and keeping quality workers — particularly as employees gain more options and confidence to change employers.

That’s where Roth Staffing Companies. comes in. Founded in 1994, the privately held firm specializes in finding quality candidates in industries such as office and administration, finance and accounting, technology and legal staffing.

The company’s expertise in finding skilled talent for its clients has paid off. Roth earned another win, its third in a row and 11 in 16 years, in the Register’s annual Top Workplace program. Roth also has been honored for its commitment to building a positive workplace culture by Great Place to Work and People Magazine on their list of 2023 People Companies that Care and Great Place to Work’s “Best Companies to Work For,” among others.

“It is such a privilege to work here, and we continue to strive to make life better for the people we serve,” one Roth employee said in the anonymous employee survey.

Another added, “I always feel valued when it comes to my work ethic. This job does amazing in ensuring I utilize my strengths.”

The company in 2022 launched Roth Food for Thought, which has a goal of logging 500 hours across all of its branches in support of local food banks. Coworkers who commit to helping a local nonprofit are given paid time off for the food bank program and the Staci Ingram Doing Good Community Service Days, which honors a beloved coworker who made a significant impact on the company and community.

We asked CEO Adam Roth to share with us how the company and its clients have adapted to a post-COVID-19 workplace.

As one of the Orange County Register’s Top Workplaces, the company has won numerous awards for client talent and coworker satisfaction. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Q: Employers in many industries are still having a tough time filling all of their openings. Are your clients dealing with this?

Absolutely. While the job market has shifted over the past year and unemployment has moved up incrementally, it is still an incredibly challenging market to identify and attract top talent. While the headlines have been dominated by news of layoffs, the impact of inflation and economic uncertainty, many industries and roles have continued to be in high demand. Whether the opening is due to unexpected turnover, growth of their business, or inability to find the right talent over the past several years, employers are still recruiting from a candidate market that has high expectations and, for the most part, many options to choose from.

Q: What are some of the main factors that can help a company attract employees these days?

Base salary and overall earning potential, are important, as well as flexibility of work location and hours, health and wellness benefits and programs committed to learning, diversity, and community giving — those all remain huge sources of attraction for job seekers. Ultimately, with such a high demand for talent in the Orange County market, culture continues to be the greatest source of differentiation. From the first experience that a candidate has in reviewing a job posting or website, to the interview experience, to the onboarding process – all of these touchpoints matter in creating a connection to your company and your brand.

Q: The COVID-19 pandemic really opened the door for many employees to work remotely, or with a hybrid schedule. How has Roth adapted to this?

We have committed to a 100% remote model. Other than a few key roles in our corporate office, we are working remotely in Orange County and across the nation. Pre-pandemic, the majority of our coworkers worked in an office on a full-time basis. The forced change in the early stages of the pandemic gave us a working case study on a remote structure.

As we listened to our coworkers, studied our engagement data and reimagined our sales and recruiting processes, we feel strongly that the virtual/remote platform is best for our organization today and in the future.

Q: What are some of the retention and hiring programs Roth Staffing uses?

Our platforms continue to change and evolve based on the choices and needs of our coworkers. We offer fully remote and hybrid work options and “RAD Days,” where coworkers can choose when to take time off for personal time.

We also celebrate diversity-related holidays and encourage our employees to volunteer in their community. We also support a variety of charitable causes and organizations, including Make-A-Wish, Adopt a Pet and the American Heart Association. We also support local food banks and pantries with our Food for Thought initiative.

Roth Staffing Cos.

Founded: 1994

Headquarters: Orange

Industry: Staffing services

OC employees: 144

Website: rothstaffing.com

Quote: “Our company and leadership team are so grateful for how our coworkers champion our culture and serve the Orange County community. As we look ahead to our milestone 30-year anniversary in 2024, we have so many reasons to be proud and to celebrate.” — Adam Roth, CEO of Roth Staffing

‘It's been a labor of love.' Tustin family keeps late father, Army veteran's tradition alive with Christmas display

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 19:21:48 +0000

The holidays can be hard for people who’ve lost loved ones, but one Tustin family is turning their sorrow into celebration by honoring their late father’s favorite Christmas tradition with a display for the community.

“It is a fraction of what he normally did, and I’m sure he cringed at how I put things up and whether or not I use the right tools,” said Rachel Duff as she referred to her late husband.

Don Duff died at the age of 51 in October following an eight-year battle with ocular melanoma cancer. He was a combat Army veteran and volunteer with the Tustin Police Department, according to his family. He was affectionately known around his neighborhood as “Mr. Christmas” because of the elaborate displays he would put in front of his home every year.

“About 90% of the whole display; you won’t find these on the shelves of any stores out there because he handcrafted them,” son Michael Duff added.

An inflatable Olaf from “Frozen” and a wooden cut out of the grumpy Grinch and his dog Max are among the displays on the lawn at 14431 Heights Dr. in Tustin. Don Duff may have passed on but his family is making sure to keep his memory and tradition alive with the heartwarming decor.

“I started just after Thanksgiving,” Rachel said. “It’s been a labor of love and I’ve had some help from family and neighbors.”

In addition to his career, Don Duff enjoyed helping veterans at the OC Rescue Mission, was part of his local American Legion and served as a soccer coach and mentor for decades.

“In all his spare time, he came and did this for the community and the neighbors,” Duff said as she showed NBC4 the display her husband had won eight awards for from the Tustin Community Foundation’s holiday display contest.

Rachel said she thinks Don would be proud their family is keeping his tradition alive.

“I’ve helped him enough times setting it up,” Michael said. “I hear him in the back of my head … and just feel a little closer to him.”

“We miss him a lot,” Duff added, “Being able to do something like this … makes us feel that he’s here.”

This Christmas, the family is inviting the community to come out Friday through Sunday night to enjoy the lights, the Thomasville train town, and music until Jan. 8.

In lieu of flowers at his funeral, Duff had also asked people to donate to ocular melanoma cancer research and the Tustin American Legion Post 227, something Duff said would be nice for people to also consider this Christmas.

Hanukkah Dec 7

SoCal to mark start of Hanukkah with public menorah lightings. Here's when and where

Christmas Dec 6

‘Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree' hits No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 for first time since 1958 release

Shooter caused over $20,000 worth of damage at Orange County school

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 06:52:25 +0000

Police are searching for a shooter who caused over $20,000 worth of damage to an Orange County high school.

On Monday morning at around 4:21 a.m., a suspect driving from the eastbound lanes of Edinger Avenue from Bristol Street stopped directly outside of Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana.

They fired several shots toward the school, shattering windows, according to Santa Ana police.

The driver sped away from the scene after the shooting.

School staff members discovered 13 windows were shattered with a BB pellet gun, causing over $20,800 worth of damage.

The suspect remains at large. Their vehicle is described as a silver/light-colored four-door sedan. They were last seen driving eastbound on Edinger Avenue.

Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California. (Google Earth)
The suspect’s vehicle seen in a photo from a surveillance camera. The shooter is wanted for causing over $20,000 worth of damage at Mater Dei High School on Dec. 4, 2023. (Santa Ana Police Department)
The suspect’s vehicle seen in a photo from a surveillance camera. The shooter is wanted for causing over $20,000 worth of damage at Mater Dei High School on Dec. 4, 2023. (Santa Ana Police Department)

An image from a nearby security camera was released in hopes the public may recognize the vehicle.

Mater Dei is a private, co-ed Catholic high school known for its athletic programs.

Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact Detective Wilson at 714-245-8551 or RashadWilson@santa-ana.org

Orange County's beaches are washing away. This is what's being done to stop it

Tue, 05 Dec 2023 23:44:12 +0000

The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers is spearheading a major effort to save Orange County's world-famous beaches from a natural threat: erosion.

The problem of disappearing sand is nothing new but has become more alarming in recent years. In March, the U.S. Geological Survey released a report predicting that rising sea levels could erode 25% to 70% of California’s coastline by 2100, The Orange County Register reported.

The erosion isn’t just a threat to the beauty and recreational uses of the beaches. It also threatens infrastructure including roads, rail lines and homes.

Contractors are moving sediment from the Santa Ana River to replenish sand at Newport Beach. Dec. 5, 2023. (KTLA)

Contractors are using backhoes to dig up sand from the Santa Ana River while barges are dredging sediment from the ocean.

While some of the sediment will be spread out in the immediate area of Newport Beach near the river, managers say the more important work will be done further to the north.

"About 1.2 million cubic yards of sand are being dredged off the coast of the Surfside/Sunset Beach area," Newport Beach spokesman John Pope told KTLA. "That’s being deposited on a beach up there and over the next few years through natural tidal flow, through wave action, it flows down to replenish the beaches [to the south]."

The project is intended to cover roughly 17 miles of coastline with 1.8 million cubic yards of additional sand which will be replenished every five years, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers website. Surfside Beach will be extended to 4,500 feet of shoreline and between 350 and 900 feet in width.

The work is expected to be completed by the end of February 2024.

Here are dozens of events in OC for celebrating the holidays

Tue, 05 Dec 2023 16:13:10 +0000

December is full of fun things to do around Orange County. We’ve got events near and far, and many are free or very low cost.

So check out this roundup of many of the community events on the calendar that will be helping spread the holiday cheer.

ALSO SEE: 20 events to get your ho-ho-holiday on in Southern California

NORTH ORANGE COUNTY

Anaheim

Express fun: Muzeo Express, a holiday model train exhibit, will be open Dec. 2 through Jan. 28 at the Muzeo Museum and Cultural Center. The model trains travel through carefully detailed miniature scenes. Get schedules and tickets: muzeo.org

Holiday party: The lighting of a 50-foot Christmas tree will cap a day of free holiday fun Dec. 3 at Center Street Promenade in downtown Anaheim during the annual tree lighting and holiday village community event. Starting at noon, there will be pictures with Santa, shopping, a dog costume contest, entertainment and other activities for families. The tree lighting starts at 6 p.m. DowntownAnaheim.com

Family festival: The Anaheim Hills Festival shopping center is planning a free “holiday spectacular” from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Dec. 16 with fun events for families such as photos with Santa Claus, train rides and face painting. Information: anaheimhillsfestival.com

On stage: The Chance Theater will stage the “Fancy Nancy Splendiferous Christmas” musical Dec. 1-23, with photos and autographs before each performance. For showtimes and box office: ChanceTheater.com

Community brunch: The annual holiday brunch started by K&A Cafe and Catering returns to West Center Street Promenade in downtown Anaheim on Dec. 24. There will be a brunch to feed families and anyone who might need some extra help during the holidays. In addition to food, there will be activities for families, entertainment and a visit from Santa Claus with gifts. The brunch will last from 9 a.m. to noon. There are a variety of ways to help out. Information: Facebook.com/KAdowntowncafe

Brea

Holiday scholars: The Brea Glenbrook Women’s Club will raise money for its high school scholarship fund with its 52nd annual craft bazaar Dec. 2. Crafts and gifts will be sold by numerous vendors from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; a $1 admission is requested at the gate, 1821 E. Greenbriar Lane, for the fundraiser.

Tree lighting: The annual tree lighting at the Civic & Cultural Center will occur at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 7. Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus will stop by to greet folks and take photos. Local schoolchildren will entertain. Admission is free, though photos with Santa will cost $5. Information: ci.brea.ca.us

Christmas with the Alleycats: The Alleycats return to the Curtis Theater with their doo-wop styling of Christmas classics for shows at 8 p.m. Nov. 24 and 25 and 3 p.m. Nov. 25 and 26. General admission is $40. Information: curtistheatre.com

Live theater: The Curtis Theatre and STAGEStheatre are presenting “It’s a Wonderful Life” as a live radio play from Dec. 14 to 17. Tickets are $23-$30. Information and tickets: CurtisTheatre.com

A Tamale Fiesta worker prepares a tamale order for a customer during the annual Tamale Festival in La Habra, which returns again this year. (Michael Ares, Contributing Photographer)

Buena Park

Candy Caneland and Craft Faire: This free, family-friendly winter celebration will run 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 9. Activities include a snow slide, a visit from Santa, entertainment, a petting zoo and more than 100 artisan craft booths at Ehlers Community Center, 8150 Knott Ave. Information: buenapark.com

Christmas tree: Santa will be on hand for the city’s annual Christmas tree-lighting celebration at 6 p.m. Dec. 1 at City Hall, 6650 Beach Blvd. There will be entertainment, activities for kids and a photo area. Information: buenapark.com

Fullerton

Winter Market: The annual festival in Fullerton’s Downtown Plaza, which will take place from 2 to 6 p.m. on Dec. 2, with activities for kids and adults, with an array of artisan and unique vendors and food booths, entertainment and a beer and wine garden. Information: fullertonmuseum.com

Movie night: The city is hosting a winter movie night screening “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” at 5 p.m. on Dec. 1. There will also be games and activities for families, snacks and more at the Fullerton Community Center. Cost is $5, register at FullertonEconnect.com.

“The Nutcracker”: The annual holiday production of “The Nutcracker” by the Nouveau Chamber Ballet, based in Fullerton, will be performed at 2 p.m. Dec. 16 and 17 at the Fullerton College Campus Theatre. The performance is a special one-hour version of the holiday classic. Reserved seating is $20-$30. There is also a Sugar Plum Fairy Party after for an addition cost. Information and tickets: nouveauchamberballet.com

Holiday fun: The Muckenthaler Cultural Center’s annual Holiday Festival, which will take place from noon to 4 p.m. Dec. 17, features family friendly activities, an arts and crafts fair and live performances. Santa will be in attendance. Admission is free. Information: themuck.org

New year: The First Night Fullerton New Year’s Eve Celebration will return this year. Festivities will run from 7 p.m. to midnight Dec. 31. Admission is free. The evening will feature children’s activities, food and live entertainment. A fireworks show caps the night at midnight. Activities will take place along Harbor Boulevard between Chapman and Commonwealth avenues. Information: cityoffullerton.com

La Habra

Tamales and fun: The popular annual Tamale Festival marks its 10th anniversary on Dec. 2. Tamale vendors will be selling their savory and sweet creations; there will also be other food for sale and performers on three different stages – one is dedicated to kids’ entertainment. The event runs 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Euclid Street between La Habra Boulevard and Bridenbecker Avenue. Information: lahabratamalefestival.com.

Hang with Santa: The Children’s Museum at La Habra will again host Breakfast with Santa this year where children can take photos with the big guy and do activities. Sessions are 8:30 a.m., 9:45 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. on Dec. 9 and Dec. 10. Pre-registration required, tickets are $20 adults and $17 for children. Information: lhcm.org

La Palma

Tree lighting: The city’s annual holiday tree-lighting ceremony will be Dec. 6. The festivities begin with Santa’s Village at 4 p.m. and the big guy arrives at 4:30 p.m. to visit with children and families. There will be arts and crafts to do and children can write a letter to Santa. Local school children will perform and the tree lighting ceremony will start at 5:30 p.m. Rain would reschedule the event to Dec. 13. Information: cityoflapalma.org/treelighting

Orange

Christmas village: Irvine Park Railroad’s Santa’s Village and Christmas Train are open daily through Dec. 30, closed Dec. 24 and 25. Children can visit Santa and experience a ride through the Tunnel of Lights. There are other activities, such as carnival games, blizzard ball and a moon bounce. Costs for activities vary, some are free. Information: irvineparkrailroad.com

Tree lighting: The annual tree-lighting ceremony and candlelight choir procession will be Dec. 3, starting at 3:30 p.m. with activities for families in the Old Towne Orange Plaza. At 5:15, the city will light the tree, and the choir candlelight procession will begin. The event is free and open to the public. Information: cityoforange.com

Hanukkah celebration: Temple Beth Sholom will host a Hanukkah menorah lighting at 6 p.m. nightly in the traffic circle of the Orange Plaza from Dec. 7 to 14. Each night of Hanukkah a ceremony to light another candle will be held and there will be jelly donut holes for the community. Temple Beth Sholom serves a large population in Orange. Information: 714-628-4600

Holiday music: Chapman University’s Musco Center is hosting the always popular Holiday Wassail Concert for the 59th year. It will take place at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 8 and 9 and feature Chapman’s orchestra and choirs performing holiday music. General admission is $25.

On Dec. 20-21, Nochebuena: Christmas Eve in Mexico will feature Ballet Folklórico de Los Ángeles and Mariachi Garibaldi de Jaime Cuéllar performing at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $25.

Information and tickets at tickets.chapman.edu.

Library visits: Santa Claus will stop by Orange library branches to visit with children. Parents are encouraged to bring cameras to get photos of their children with Santa during the free event and kids can write Santa a letter. He will visit the Orange Public Library & History Center from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 5; the Taft Branch from 5 to 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 11; and the El Modena Branch from 5 to 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 13. Information: orangepubliclibrary.org

Holiday music: St. John’s Lutheran Church of Orange’s “The Sounds of Christmas” concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 8, and 2 and 5 p.m. Dec. 9. It will feature The Jubilate Choir, Cathedral Bells and the Festival Orchestra. There is no admission, but a freewill offering will be accepted. Child care is available. St. John’s is at 185 S. Center St. Information: stjohnsorange.org

Zoo celebration: Even the animals at the zoo celebrate the holidays. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 9, guests are invited to meet Santa Claus, do holiday activities and watch the zoo animals get delicious holiday treats. Admission is $2 per person; parking is $5 per vehicle. Information: ocparks.com/zoo

Placentia

Tamale Festival: The city will present the always popular Tamale Festival from 4 to 10 p.m. Dec. 7 on the 100-200 block of Santa Fe Street and the 200 block of Bradford Avenue in Old Town Placentia. A variety of tamales may be purchased from downtown restaurants and there will be live entertainment, a visit by Santa Claus and a craft beer garden.

Villa Park

Santa’s tour: Santa Claus is coming to Villa Park for his annual sweep of the city Dec. 2 – and as usual for the city, he won’t be riding a sleigh but a fire engine. Each year for Santa’s tour, the fire engine makes stops all throughout the city so Santa can meet with residents and their children. A tour route and full schedule of stops is available at vpcsfoundation.org.

Boat parade: The beloved Dry Land Boat Parade will return to Villa Park on Dec. 10 this year with a “Jingle Around the Park” theme. Each year, residents decorate their trailered boats – and just about anything else with wheels – to join in a citywide display of holiday cheer. The parade starts at 5 p.m. on Taft Avenue and ends at Villa Park High. A parade route and schedule is available at vpcsfoundation.org.

Yorba Linda

Holiday on Main Street: The community will have a chance to visit with Santa Claus and enjoy festive music throughout the night. The event, which is hosted by local merchants, is set for 4-9 p.m. Dec. 2 along Old Town Yorba Linda’s Main Street, just north of Imperial Highway and Yorba Linda Boulevard. Bring an unwrapped toy for donation.

Boat parade: East Lake Village homes are decorating for the holidays, and the community is having its annual boat parade – with the boats decorated as well – at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 9 and 10. Food trucks will be available from 5 to 7 p.m. at the East Lake Clubhouse. The community can watch from the public streets around the lakefront neighborhood. Information: elvca.com

Nixon holiday: The Nixon Presidential Library & Museum will have a candlelight evening from 6 to 8 p.m. on Dec. 19 with the museum aglow for the holidays. There will be entertainment, photos with Santa Claus in the Oval Office, the chance to feed the reindeer and more. General admission is $35 adults, $20 for children. Find tickets and information at nixonfoundation.org.

CENTRAL ORANGE COUNTY

Corona Del Mark

Christmas Walk: The annual Christmas Walk in the Corona Del Mar Business District will feature entertainment by more than 17 local bands, food, children’s activities, a beer and wine garden, unique vendor gifts and more from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 3. Information: cdmchamber.com

Lots of lights: The Sherman Library & Gardens hosts its annual Nights of 1,000 Lights festival from 6 to 9 p.m. on select nights between Dec. 9 and 22. There are three entry times each night. The gardens will feature a variety of themes and photo opportunities to stroll through along with other holiday activities. Tickets are $35 general admission but must be purchased online and are expected to sell out. Information and tickets: thesherman.org

Costa Mesa’s beloved Snoopy House display returns this year with holiday lights, decorations and Santa Claus. (File photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)

Costa Mesa

Doghouse: The city’s beloved Snoopy House display will be open from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. nightly Dec. 15-22 next to City Hall. Santa will make a special visit and take photographs with families starting at 6 p.m. each night. There will also be train rides and a lights display. On weekends there will be performances and special play areas. Information: costamesaca.gov

Winter Fest OC: Activities include ice tubing down Snowflake Summit, a snow play area, a North Pole Journey and winter wonderland with various entertainment and activities. Winter Fest is open through Jan. 7 at the OC Fair & Event Center. Information and ticket prices: winterfestoc.com

‘A Christmas Carol’: South Coast Repertory will present the Charles Dickens’ classic holiday story with founding member Richard Doyle returning as Ebenezer Scrooge. Various showtimes through Dec. 24. Tickets range from $39 to $94. There is an American Sign Language performance on Dec. 9. Information: scr.org

Global holiday: The Segerstrom Center for the Arts is hosting Holidays Around the World from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Dec. 10 in the Julianne and George Argyros Plaza. There will be festive performances reflecting holiday traditions from around the globe and kids can do crafts. Snow is in the forecast. Entry is free with an RSVP at scfta.org.

Cypress

Holiday sing: The city will host a festive Holiday Sing and Tree Lighting event for the community at 6 p.m. on Dec. 5 at the Civic Center Green Corner, which is at Orange Avenue and Grindlay Street. There will be school performances, crafts and games, treats, train rides and a visit by Santa Claus. Chair and blankets are encouraged.

Fountain Valley

Tree lighting: The city will celebrate the holidays with the lighting of its tree at the Fountain Valley Recreation Center on Dec. 2. The event is 4:30 to 8 p.m. and will feature family activities, pictures with Santa, live entertainment and the Hyundai Snow Zone. Information: fountainvalley.org

Garden Grove

Tree lighting: Winter in the Grove on Dec. 2 will feature snow slides, a holiday boutique, a visit by Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus and the lighting of the city’s holiday tree. It runs from 3 to 7 p.m. at Village Green Park. Information: ggcity.org

Huntington Beach

Light a Light of Love: A family friendly event lighting up the pier with a children’s parade and lighting the giant snowflakes on the pier. The 4-6 p.m. event on Dec. 4 is free at the Huntington Beach Pier Plaza; sponsor a snowflake to benefit the Waymakers Huntington Beach Youth Shelter. Information: waymakersoc.org

‘Nutcracker’ Ballet: Ballet Etudes’ cast of dancers will present the holiday classic at the Huntington Beach High School Theater. Performances are 2 p.m. Dec. 3 and 10 and 7 p.m. Dec. 2, 3 and 10. Tickets start at $35. Information: balletetudes.com

Boat parade: The Huntington Harbour Boat Parade will shine bright for its 61st year on Dec. 9 and 10. Boats line up at 4:30 p.m. and the parade starts at 5:15 p.m. Public viewing from beaches only. This year the theme is “The Power of Music” and the grand marshal is Weikko Wirta. Track the route and get more information at HHBoatParade.org.

Cruise of Lights: The Huntington Harbour Philharmonic Committee presents the Cruise of Lights, a 45-minute narrated harbor boat tour to see the holiday lights. Adults pay $26, children $19. Cruises depart hourly each evening at 5:30, 6:30, 7:30 and 8:30 Dec.16-18 and 21-23. Information: cruiseoflights.org

Seasonal sounds: The Huntington Beach Union High School District’s Academy for the Performing Arts will present “Sounds of the Season” at 7 p.m. Dec. 7-8 and 2 p.m. Dec. 9 in the Huntington Beach High School auditorium. Information/box office: hbapa.org/see.

Irvine

Tree lighting: The city is reimaging its annual tree lighting with Illuminate Irvine from 3 to 7 p.m. on Dec. 2 at the Palm Court Arts Complex at the Great Park. There will be activities and entertainment capped off with the tree lighting. Bring a toy donation. Information: cityofirvine.org

Dash with Santa: The Run for a Claus returns, featuring a 5K and a 1-mile kids run/walk, on Dec. 16 at the UC Irvine campus. Santa Claus is expected to join in the fun. Registration and information: runforaclaus.com

Park holiday: The Great Park will become a winterscape that will celebrate the season from Dec. 2 to Jan. 7. Holidayz at the Park features special decorations from dusk to 9:30 p.m. Stroll the decorated Palm Court and enjoy selfie stations. Information: cityofrivine.org/events

Holiday village: Tanaka Farms’ Hikari – A Festival of Lights will be open most days from 4:30 to 10 p.m. (gates close at 8 p.m.) through Dec. 30 (check online for dates). There is a holiday wagon ride and the farm is festively lit. Visit with the farm animals, get a photo with Santa and experience the 30-acre working farm. The farm also has a Christmas tree lot and holiday market. Tickets start at $15 for children and $25 for adults. Information and reservations: tanakafarms.com

Shelter Christmas: The Irvine Animal Care Center will host its 17th annual Home for the Holidays pet adoption fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 10. It will feature animals available for adoption. There will be pet-related vendors and more. Tickets are $5 for adults. Information: cityofirvine.org

LOS ALAMITOS

Winter fun: Winter Wonderland will be hosted from 4 to 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 2 at 10961 Reagan Street and Pine Street. There will be snow sledding, a Santa’s Village, entertainment and ice skating. There will also be a tree lighting.

Newport Beach

Vintage Christmas: Crystal Cove Conservancy will host its annual holiday bazaar and tree lighting from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 2; it will feature shopping from local artisans and the chance to meet Santa Claus (from 4-5 p.m.) among other activities. The tree lighting is at 5:15 p.m. Information: crystalcove.org

Menorah lighting: The Chabad Center for Jewish Life-Newport Beach and Fashion Island will host a public menorah lighting ceremony Dec. 7. The event will start at 5:30 p.m. and will feature singing and festive traditions. It will be in the Atrium Garden Court. Information: fashionisland.com

3.5 magnitude earthquake rattles northern Orange County

Tue, 05 Dec 2023 04:40:57 +0000

A preliminary 3.5 magnitude earthquake shook the Orange County area Monday evening.

The earthquake was reported around 8:09 p.m., about one mile east of Fullerton, according to the United States Geological Survey.

Preliminary data from the USGS reported that the earthquake had a depth of about 6.6 miles. The estimated intensity of the shaking was considered "light."

An aftershock with a preliminary 2.3 magnitude struck just 20 minutes later in the same area. Additional aftershocks may be likely in the next several hours.

There are currently no reports of any damage or injuries, and there have yet to be any responses on the USGS "Felt Report."

If you experienced shaking in your area, you can fill out the Felt Report online.

To read about other recent earthquakes in our area, click here.

3.5 magnitude earthquake shakes Fullerton area

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 20:25:08 +0000

A 3.5 magnitude earthquake was reported in Orange County Monday evening, USGS said.

The epicenter was reported to be about 1.2 miles east of Fullerton and struck at approximately 8:09 p.m.

The earthquake had a depth of 6.6 miles, according to USGS.

Fullerton is about 27 miles away from downtown Los Angeles.

Orange charter school wants to expand onto neighboring elementary school’s campus

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 08:40:05 +0000

Esplanade Elementary School could become home to neighboring Orange County Classical Academy as the charter school seeks to expand onto its property starting as early as next school year.

Orange Unified School District board members met in a closed-session meeting on Thursday, Nov. 16, to discuss a 10-year expansion proposal from OCCA that would include an initial six classrooms on Esplanade’s campus to be given to the charter school next year for use.

By 2027, OCCA anticipates 24 classrooms and eight office spaces on Esplanade’s campus would be occupied by the academy, housing a total of 420 students across six grades. That would include both exclusive spaces as well as some shared spaces at Esplanade, according to the proposal, and the charter would be able to sublease their spaces to “any affiliate” without needing district approval.

OCCA would pay $85,440 in rent during the 2024-2025 school year, the proposal, submitted in late October, says. That would slowly increase to $226,560 starting the 2027-2028 school year.

Michael Davis, OCCA’s director of school development and culture, said district officials shared in October that there was “a systemic drop in enrollment in OUSD schools for decades and the district needed to find ways to better monetize the resulting excess campus space.”

“The proposal we submitted to OUSD was submitted as, among other things, an opportunity for OUSD to realize that objective,” said Davis, adding that OCCA has a 1,000-person waitlist and needs additional space.

“Facilities continue to be a challenge, even for a school as academically successful and in demand as OCCA,” Davis said.

The proposal was discussed in a closed-session meeting on Nov. 16. The board did not share further details during its public meeting later that day.

The OUSD board could discuss the charter’s proposal at its next meeting, on Wednesday, Dec. 13, said OUSD spokesperson Hana Brake, but the agenda hasn’t been finalized.

OUSD board members did not respond to requests for comment.

A closer look at the schools

This is not the first time OCCA has requested additional space from Esplanade, located just steps away from the charter’s campus in Orange. In February, the charter filed a proposal that included newly built portables on a vacant asphalt lot for classrooms at the charter school’s expense, but it was later rescinded, OUSD officials said then.

Esplanade Elementary, predominantly made up of Latino students from low-income families, has seen its enrollment numbers slowly drop from just over 400 students in 2014 to just under 300 this year, according to data from the California Department of Education. It serves students from transitional kindergarten through sixth grade.

But even with the decline in enrollment, the school continues to offer an array of resources for students in lower-income families, including a food market and a parent internet café on campus. Additionally, some of the campus space is used for occupational and physical education therapy.

Esplanade is also home to a special education program that serves students from around the district.

The school has 17 teaching stations (what the district calls classrooms) and 12 additional classrooms utilized on campus, according to an OUSD Classroom Utilization report given to the board in mid-October. That report said there are no unused spaces on campus.

Per OCCA’s proposal, by 2027, OCCA would have exclusive ownership of 24 classrooms on the Esplanade property, with the other five spaces still being operated by Esplanade.

“Our proposal is designed to ensure Esplanade will continue to be able to serve its community unaffected, and we are willing to pay for and install portables in cases where existing classrooms are an issue,” said Davis. “We see this as an opportunity that serves the benefit of all OUSD students and its constituents, including those in district students that benefit from the education OCCA provides.”

Davis said he “hopes that we could see a partnership with OUSD’s schools and help them achieve what we are achieving at OCCA.”

“We realize that day may not be today, but the invitation continues to be extended, and we hope someday those who see us with reluctance may come around and see our presence in OUSD as an opportunity for all OUSD students,” said Davis.

Lorena Flores’ son attends kindergarten at Esplanade. When she heard that the charter sought to utilize space on its campus, she said she was “upset” and left with “lots of questions.”

“Esplanade has been our home for many years, decades,” said Flores. “They say they want 24 classrooms by the year 2027. Where are our kids supposed to go? What if they don’t have the transportation to go further? Is OUSD going to provide transportation for my child to go somewhere else?”

“What about our kids? What about the teachers? They matter,” said Flores.

Verónica Cisneros has had children and other family members attend Esplanade for the past 30 years. She said that her frustration sprouts from what she sees as a lack of communication from the district.

“I have been very shocked and upset by what they want to do to our school,” said Cisneros. “This school is our family’s second home, and it is not fair that members of OUSD are negotiating agreements with OCCA without taking us parents into account.”

Before the Nov. 16 meeting, Esplanade parents protested outside the district office, holding up signs in Spanish and English that read “Leave our school alone” and “Where is your humanity,” to name a few. Many people also spoke during the open public comment of the meeting.

Darshan Smaaladen, a district parent and one of the people spearheading the recall of OUSD Trustees Rick Ledesma and Madison Miner, said this possible expansion decision is “exactly why the community needs a recall.”

“With the recall petitions for Rick Ledesma and Madison Miner certified and recall elections looming, the board majority is hosting a firesale of OUSD properties before Ledesma and Miner are removed by OUSD voters,” said Smaaladen. “There is zero benefit for OUSD to agree to this proposal or any variation of it.”

“Esplanade provides resources that make it the center of their community and an integral part of the success of both the students and families,” said Smaaladen. “It truly is the heart of this community and that connectedness continues throughout the rest of students’ careers evident in students returning both to help and to seek help for years after graduation.”

OCCA first opened in August 2020 at 4100 E. Walnut Ave. in Orange, the previous site of Eldorado Emerson Private School which shuttered in June 2020. It tried to expand into the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified district earlier this year, but there the board denied admittance.

The charter school serves students from transitional kindergarten through eighth grade and has a goal to expand to 12th grade. But due to a lack of space on its campus, OCCA has had to cap the grade levels, said Davis, the director of school development and culture.

OCCA currently serves 568 students, he said.

The traditional charter school offers a curriculum based on the Barney Charter School Initiative, created by Hillsdale College, a private, conservative, Christian institution in Michigan.

The curriculum, which teaches Western civilization and classic texts, has been said to have cultural and religious bias. Hillsdale’s history program, titled the “1776 Curriculum,” appears to be partly based on former President Donald Trump’s “1776 Commission,” the New York Times reported.

The 1776 Commission was seen by some as a response to the 1619 Project, a series of essays and other works by The New York Times that focused on the consequences of slavery in the U.S. It aimed to emphasize a different perspective of American history, focusing more on the principles of the Declaration of Independence and countering perceived negative views of the nation’s history. It faced criticism, however, for its composition and was disbanded by President Joe Biden just days after he took office.

OUSD is already home to two other charter schools in addition to OCCA: Santiago Charter Middle in Orange and El Rancho Charter in Anaheim.

The OUSD board has come under scrutiny often in the past year, from its hasty firing of the district’s superintendent over winter break to the implementation of what’s been dubbed a parental notification policy. The controversial mandate requires a certificated staff member or principal to inform parents if their child, under the age of 12, requests to use different names or pronouns or asks to change sex-segregated programs like athletic teams or changing facilities that differ from the student’s “assigned biological sex at birth.” For older students, it’s up to the discretion of a school counselor or psychologist to determine if parents should be informed.

While many California districts have adopted similar mandates, OUSD was the first district in Orange County to implement a parental notification policy.

Santa Ana police search for man accused of sexually assaulting 11-year-old girl

Sun, 03 Dec 2023 20:41:33 +0000

Santa Ana police are seeking the public’s help in locating a man accused of sexually assaulting a young girl late last month.

Nicolas Gonzalez, 39, is suspected of sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl in the 500 block of N. Mortimer Street. According to law enforcement, the crime that was reported took place on Nov. 28 and the suspect fled his home after being confronted by the girl’s relatives.

Authorities said the girl “has been victimized several times before” but reported the latest assault to officials. Police do not believe there are more victims.

Gonzalez is described as being 5-foot-3-inches tall, weighs 160 pounds and has black hair and brown eyes. There is a warrant for his arrest for what police described as various child sexual assault charges.

Anyone who knows where the suspect is located is urged to contact Santa Ana Detective Avila at 714-245-8379.

Santa Ana Winter Village returns with outdoor skating rink, free holiday activities

Sun, 03 Dec 2023 05:10:43 +0000

The Santa Ana Winter Village officially opened for the holiday season on Saturday night, bringing free wintry activities.

The winter village marks the return of an outdoor skating rink, holiday light shows, entertainment, food trucks, a large Christmas tree and a special visit with Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus.

From Dec. 2 to Dec. 31, the holiday village is open to the public. It's located in the heart of downtown Santa Ana at the Orange County Civic Center’s “Plaza of the Flags.” The event is celebrating its third consecutive year.

Admission to the village is free with some activities requiring an additional fee. Children can enjoy story time with Mrs. Claus and a variety of free performances.

The first three Saturdays of the event on Dec. 2, 9 and 16, will host “vendor days” that offer shopping from local crafters, unique food offerings and more.

The Santa Ana Winter Village offers holiday activities including an outdoor ice skating rink, visits with Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus, food trucks, free entertainment, shopping and more. (City of Santa Ana)
The Santa Ana Winter Village offers holiday activities including an outdoor ice skating rink, visits with Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus, food trucks, free entertainment, shopping and more. (City of Santa Ana)
The Santa Ana Winter Village offers holiday activities including an outdoor ice skating rink, visits with Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus, food trucks, free entertainment, shopping and more. (City of Santa Ana)
The Santa Ana Winter Village offers holiday activities including an outdoor ice skating rink, visits with Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus, food trucks, free entertainment, shopping and more. (City of Santa Ana)
The Santa Ana Winter Village offers holiday activities including an outdoor ice skating rink, visits with Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus, food trucks, free entertainment, shopping and more. (City of Santa Ana)
The Santa Ana Winter Village offers holiday activities including an outdoor ice skating rink, visits with Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus, food trucks, free entertainment, shopping and more. (City of Santa Ana)
The Santa Ana Winter Village offers holiday activities including an outdoor ice skating rink, visits with Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus, food trucks, free entertainment, shopping and more. (City of Santa Ana)
The Santa Ana Winter Village offers holiday activities including an outdoor ice skating rink, visits with Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus, food trucks, free entertainment, shopping and more. (City of Santa Ana)
The Santa Ana Winter Village offers holiday activities including an outdoor ice skating rink, visits with Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus, food trucks, free entertainment, shopping and more. (City of Santa Ana)
Nicolas Gonzalez, 39, in a photo from the Santa Ana Police Department.

Gonzalez is described as a Hispanic man standing 5 ft 3 inches tall and weighing 160 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes. He remains at large.

Anyone who may have seen Gonzalez or knows of his whereabouts is asked to contact Santa Ana Police Detective Avila at 714-245-8379 or email AAvila@santa-ana.org.

Suspects arrested for armed robberies of luxury goods across Southern California

Sun, 03 Dec 2023 00:46:00 +0000

Two suspects were arrested for a series of armed robberies targeting Southern California residents.

The suspects were identified as Justice Bloodworth, 21, of Los Angeles and Cameron Woods-Harvey, 23, of Long Beach, according to the Beverly Hills Police Department.

From July through October 2023, residents in L.A. and Orange Counties were targeted by the armed suspects. The robbers primarily narrowed in on victims wearing luxury watches and jewelry, police said.

The suspects are wanted for at least six robberies throughout L.A. County and are connected to a home invasion robbery in Brea.

To track down the suspects, Beverly Hills police collaborated with several agencies including the Santa Monica Police Department, L.A. County Sheriff's Department West Hollywood Division, L.A. Police Department Robbery-Homicide Division, LA IMPACT, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The multi-agency investigation resulted in numerous search warrants at locations across Southern California and Flagstaff, Arizona.

Two of the victims' stolen property was recovered which led authorities to a “wealth of evidence linking the suspects to the crimes and provided crucial leads for the ongoing investigation,” police said.

Evidence found from the search warrants includes six guns, including assault weapons, stolen luxury watches, fine jewelry and other valuable items.

Bloodworth was arrested on Oct. 12 and charged with four counts of robbery, one count of conspiracy, and one count of felony reckless evading. Police discovered Bloodworth was released on bail for several other armed robberies when he was arrested again. He is being held on no bail.

Woods-Harvey was arrested on Oct. 27 on three counts of conspiracy and two counts of weapons-related charges. He was located in Arizona and is awaiting extradition back to L.A. County. He is being held in the Coconino County Jail on $235,000 bail.

Anyone with information on these robberies is asked to call Beverly Hills police at 310-285-2125. Anonymous tips can be submitted by texting "BHPDALERT" followed by the tip information to 888777. The public can also call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or submit online tips at lacrimestoppers.org.

Tustin hangar fire declared fully extinguished 24 days later

Fri, 01 Dec 2023 21:56:08 +0000

The Tustin military hangar was declared fully extinguished after 24 days by the Incident Management Team.

After monitoring the piles of debris for the past 48 hours, no detectable hot spots were found within the hangar perimeter.

The Incident Management Team used infrared drone flights to seek out any hot spots that were left over beneath the fire debris.

The hot spots were turned over with excavators and personnel on the ground extinguished any remaining smoldering debris piles.

The fire started on Nov. 7, destroying the historic World War II-era hangar at the former Tustin Air Base that was a significant part of Orange County’s military history.

Two days after it caught fire, the EPA notified city officials that debris tested positive for asbestos and other dangerous chemicals.

Residents expressed concern over the lack of planning for such a historic hangar, built with materials known to have asbestos, as well as the lack of an emergency evacuation.

The flare-ups caused many schools in the county to close throughout the extinguishing process.

The nearly 1,600-acre property was commissioned in 1942 and played a significant role in Navy and Marine aviation for half a century.

Genetic genealogy helps ID OC homicide victim killed 49 years ago

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 22:35:32 +0000

A John Doe homicide victim discovered 49 years ago in unincorporated Laguna Hills has finally been identified through investigative genetic genealogy, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

On Sept. 14, 1974, two individuals off-roading stumbled upon the deceased male, estimated to have died 3 to 5 days prior due to alcohol and diazepam intoxication. Despite efforts to establish his identity, John Doe was interred in an unmarked grave at El Toro Memorial Park.

In 1980, Orange County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Investigators noted a series of deaths in 1978 attributed to alcohol and diazepam intoxication in Southern California. Randy Steven Kraft, later known as the “Scorecard Killer,” was arrested in May 1983, with suspicions that John Doe was an early victim.

In November 2022, investigators submitted tissue samples to Othram Laboratories, a private forensic biotechnology company that specializes in DNA testing and analysis for solving cold cases and unidentified person cases. In February 2023, the DNA profile was received by the sheriff’s department’s Cold Case Team, leading to the use of investigative genetic genealogy.

By October 2023, investigators identified the possible grandparents of John Doe and traced the victim to Michael Ray Schlicht of Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to contact Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS or crimestoppers.org.

405 Freeway's new express lanes are open from Costa Mesa to LA County line

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 22:03:13 +0000

Drivers traveling between Orange and Los Angeles counties can now use two added express toll lanes and the addition of a regular lane on both sides of the 405 Freeway beginning Friday.

The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) said these new lanes have been added from Costa Mesa to the Los Angeles County line and give commuters the option to pay a fee to access the new express lanes. The price for the tolls will be based on traffic, what’s considered peak and non-peak hours, how many occupants are in a vehicle and which direction drivers are traveling in.

Fees for a vehicle containing one or two people range from $2.70 to $9.95, while vehicles with three or more passengers can access the toll roads for free. Peak hours are considered to be from 6 to 10 a.m., and 2 to 7 p.m. weekdays as well as 1 to 7 p.m. weekends.

This map displays the 405 Freeway express lanes. Click for larger version and information about how it works. Credit: OCTA

For the first three years, the express lanes will be free for vehicles with two occupants during non-peak hours. Motorcycles, handicapped license plates, and Veteran license plates are always free.

Those who drive a clean-air vehicle will get a 15% discount on the toll road.

OCTA also added a regular lane to traffic flow and replaced 18 bridges including streets, sidewalks, and bike lanes for a 16-mile stretch along the express lane corridor. Darrel Johnson, OCTA CEO, told NBC4 these changes should help alleviate traffic.

“Using the 91 express lanes as an example, the express lanes, themselves, provide 20% of the lane capacity, but they carry 40% of the traffic in the rush hour,” he explained.

Barragan said he uses the transponder during rush hour, and he said, “if there’s an accident … the value is there to pay that toll.”

If drivers enter the lanes without a transponder, OCTA will mail them a bill with the charges. There will not be a penalty fee the first time a driver enters the new tolls without a transponder.

Transponders are $15 and can be purchased at the OCTA office in Costa Mesa or online. To register for an account for a transponder, click here.

Johnson added that there will be growing pains as people get used to where the lane opens and closes at several locations.

As far as the funds collected from the express lane tolls, OCTA stated in a fact sheet that if there are excess toll revenues beyond operational, maintenance, and financing costs, they will use the funding for additional improvements to the corridor.

“As an example, to date, the 91 Express Lanes has provided more than $22 million for improvements to the freeway and for public transit in the 91 corridor,” the fact sheet stated.

About the toll lanes

There are seven access points in between SR-73 and I-605, giving drivers an opportunity to reach every interchange and business along the corridor, including the Westminster Mall, car dealerships, Bella Terra, Goldenwest College and South Coast Plaza, and any other destination.
These intermediate access locations minimize right of way impacts to the adjacent community.
Additional access points would likely have significant right of way impacts.
The intermediate access points at Magnolia/Warner and Bolsa/Goldenwest were selected largely to serve Beach Boulevard which is roughly midway along the corridor, has the highest arterial volume of any of the arterials crossing the freeway, and has the largest interchange volumes in the corridor.

Marine pleads guilty in OC Planned Parenthood firebombing

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 21:17:55 +0000

A former Camp Pendleton Marine pleaded guilty to federal charges on Thursday for his role in a firebombing attack on a Planned Parenthood clinic in Costa Mesa.

Chance Brannon, 24, of San Juan Capistrano, is scheduled to be sentenced April 15. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy, malicious destruction of property by fire and explosive, possession of an unauthorized destructive device and intentional damage to a reproductive health services facility.

Co-defendants Xavier Batten, 21, of Brooksville, Florida, and Tibet Ergul, 21, of Irvine, are still awaiting trial. Batten is due in court Wednesday for a bond hearing.

Brannon and Ergul pleaded not guilty to federal charges at their arraignment in July. A trial is scheduled in March.

According to Brannon’s plea deal, he admitted that he “considered various targets, including the Anti-Defamation League in San Diego.”

But he settled on Planned Parenthood “because he wanted to make a statement against abortion, scare pregnant women away from obtaining abortions, deter doctors, staff and employees of the clinic from providing abortions, intimidate and interfere with the patients of the clinic, and encourage others to engage in similar acts of protest,” according to the plea deal.

Ergul and Brannon allegedly ignited and threw a Molotov cocktail at the clinic entrance at 1520 Nutmeg Place during the early morning hours of March 13, 2022, according to an affidavit from FBI Special Agent Jennifer Hirsch, who added that the pair returned to the clinic about two hours later. Security video captured the attack.

“This attack was not random,” U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said earlier. “It was a planned and concerted effort to attack the clinic on account of the services it provided — namely reproductive health services. There were repeated discussions prior to the attack and Batten instructed Brannon on how to construct a Molotov cocktail.”

The defendants “boasted about what they had done” in messages to each other after the attack, Estrada said.

All three defendants were charged with one count of conspiracy and one count of malicious destruction of property by fire and explosion.

In May of last year, Batten discussed with Brannon about what it would take to bomb another clinic, prosecutors alleged in Brannon’s plea agreement.

Brannon advised Batten to put his “phone in airplane mode, plan ‘quick escape routes,’ avoid being identified on camera and obscure his face and skin color,” according to the plea agreement’s allegations.

After the Supreme Court’s ruling in June of last year striking down abortion rights, Brannon and Ergul planned another firebombing of a clinic, but they backed out at the last moment when they saw law enforcement, prosecutors said in the plea agreement.

Brannon and Ergul “also discussed starting a race war by attacking an electrical substation with the goal of damaging the substation and disrupting the functioning of the power grid in Orange County,” prosecutors said in the agreement.

Brannon also had a thumb drive that looked like a dog-tag necklace bearing the U.S. Marine Corps motto, “Semper Fidelis,” which contained a file with a “plan and gear list for targeting a Southern California Edison substation,” prosecutors said.

One of the weapons in his possession was a Zastava ZPap M70 rifle “with a handwritten Cyrillic message on the folding stock which roughly translates to `Total (racist epithet for Blacks) Death,” prosecutors said in the plea agreement. It also “contained recordings of the 2019 Christchurch (New Zealand) Mosque Shooting, a mass shooting in which a white supremacist murdered 51 people and injured 40 others,” prosecutors said.

The duo were also accused of discussing and researching “how to attack the parking lot or electrical room of Dodger Stadium on a night celebrating LGBTQ pride,” prosecutors alleged.

Brannon and Ergul were both also charged with one count of possession of an unregistered destructive device and one misdemeanor count of intentional damage to a reproductive health services facility, which is a violation of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, prosecutors said.

The conspiracy and malicious destruction charges each carry a sentence of five to 20 years in federal prison, prosecutors said. The charge of possession of an unregistered destructive device is punishable by up to 10 years in federal prison. The intentional damage to a reproductive health facility charge carries a maximum sentence of one year in federal prison.

Hirsch said the clinic “was forced to close and cancel dozens of appointments,” noting that clinic employees told investigators about 30 appointments had to be rescheduled.

Brannon agreed to pay about $1,000 in restitution for damage to the building.

In January, the FBI offered a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to an arrest of suspects, prompting a call from a witness who called the FBI in April, Hirsch said. The witness, who was a friend of the suspects in high school, said Ergul sent text messages admitting his involvement in the bombing, according to Hirsch.

She said the text message read, “Boom (fire emoji)” at “1500 Blk nutmeg plaza … Costa Mesa health center/Planned Parenthood clinic.”

The FBI agent also said that Ergul was arrested Oct. 21, 2022, in Tempe, Arizona, on suspicion of aggravated assault, unlawful imprisonment and criminal damage after “punching his roommate in the nose and breaking the doorknob so she could not leave their shared apartment.”

Nearly 100K gallons of sewage spills; Orange County beach closed

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 03:05:02 +0000

A stretch of the Orange County coast has been closed after tens of thousands of gallons of sewage was spilled in Laguna Beach.

The Orange County Health Care Agency closed the coastal area from Laguna Avenue to Blue Lagoon in Laguna Beach, officials announced Wednesday morning.

The Orange County Health Care Agency provided this map of beach closures due to a sewage spill on Nov. 29, 2023.

"The spill volume is an estimated total of 94,500 gallons, and was caused by a break in a force main sewer line in Laguna Beach," the agency said in a news release.

The water is closed to swimming and water-contact sports until water monitoring meets "acceptable standards," officials said.

For information regarding Orange County ocean, bay or harbor postings and closures, call 714-433-6400 or visit OCBeachInfo.com. To report a sewage spill, call 714-433-6419.

Orange County creating Hall of Fame: These are the first inductees

Wed, 29 Nov 2023 23:34:55 +0000

Late Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant, golf legend Tiger Woods and No Doubt singer Gwen Stefani will be among the 10 inaugural members of Orange County's new Hall of Fame.

On Tuesday, the county Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to create a Hall of Fame to pay tribute to O.C. residents whose impact has resonated far beyond the region.

Woods, Bryant and Stefani will be joined by Olympic diver Greg Louganis, Olympic swimmer Amanda Beard, Righteous Brothers singer Bill Medley, developer and businessman Frank Jao, Walt Disney, real estate magnate William Lyon and businessman/philanthropist Henry Segerstrom.

“Their names resonate with excellence and embody the very essence of what makes Orange County special and great,” said Supervisor Don Wagner.

Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts before taking on the Utah Jazz at Staples Center on April 13, 2016, in Los Angeles. (Harry How/Getty Images)
BURBANK, CA - MAY 09: Singers Blake Shelton (L) and Gwen Stefani perform on the Honda Stage at the iHeartRadio Theater on May 9, 2016 in Burbank, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for iHeartMedia)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 23: Greg Louganis arrives at the Project Angel Food's 2023 Angel Awards on September 23, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Steve Granitz/FilmMagic)
Amanda Beard competes in the women's 200M Breaststroke final on day six of the 2012 US Olympic Team Trials on June 30, 2012 in Omaha, Nebraska. AFP PHOTO/Frederic J. BROWN (Photo credit should read FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/GettyImages)
Walt Disney (1901-1966), American cartoonist and film maker. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 18: (L-R) Astronaut Buzz Aldrin, wife Lois Aldrin, Elizabeth Segerstrom and Henry Segerstrom attends the 40th Anniversary Gala honoring Placido Domingo presented by the LA Opera held at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on April 18, 2008 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Tran/FilmMagic)
FILE - Tiger Woods, left, and Erica Herman appear on the 18th green during the JP McManus Pro-Am at Adare Manor, Limerick, Ireland, July, 4, 2022. Herman, the ex-girlfriend of golf superstar Woods, has dropped her $30 million lawsuit against the trust that owns his $54 million Florida mansion. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison, File)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - SEPTEMBER 03: Entertainer Anne Martinez (L) and singer Bill Medley of The Righteous Brothers perform during the production "Las Vegas Will You Marry Me" before a wedding vow renewal ceremony for nearly 300 couples as Las Vegas celebrates 70 years as the Wedding Capital of the World at Caesars Palace on September 03, 2023, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Clark County, Nevada, has held more than five million weddings since 1953, when the Daily Herald in London published an article referring to Las Vegas as the "Wedding Capital of the World." (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
BEVERLY HILLS, CA - OCTOBER 1: Honoree Ret. Major Genaral William Lyon poses at Operation Smile's 4th Annual Los Angeles Gala at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel on October 1, 2005 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Each inductee will be honored with a plaque in the lobby of the county’s administration building on West Civic Center Drive in Santa Ana. A date for the induction ceremony and unveiling has not yet been determined.

The inaugural Hall of Fame class was selected by an ad hoc committee which will be convened to vote on nominations on an annual basis. To qualify, nominees must have a minimum of 10 years as a resident or business owner in Orange County, have had one major life experience or won a big award in the county, or be a civic leader, according to The Orange County Register.

“This is a great way to showcase some of the amazing people we have in our community and will be an inspiration for generations to come,” said Supervisor Katrina Foley.

Southern California man convicted of stealing over $10 million in tax fraud scheme

Wed, 29 Nov 2023 04:47:24 +0000

A Southern California man was convicted for stealing over $10 million from the IRS and government through tax fraud schemes.

Stephen Jake McGonigle, 66, a Victorville resident, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to defraud the U.S., one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

McGonigle’s years-long schemes spanned three continents and claimed more than $10 million from the IRS and dozens of state tax authorities, officials said. He worked as a tax preparer for over 10 years.

McGonigle allegedly recruited others, two of whom have since pleaded guilty, to help him carry out the schemes that began in 2013.

He sent an accomplice to Thailand to obtain fake identification documents using stolen information from identity theft victims.

He told his accomplices to use the fake IDs to secure prepaid debit cards and various commercial mailboxes across Orange County and beyond, court documents said.

After sending the prepaid debit cards to the “untraceable mailboxes,” McGonigle and his co-conspirators filed fake tax returns using the stolen Social Security numbers.

Those tax returns sought millions of dollars in refunds which were deposited into the prepaid debit cards and other bank accounts, officials said.

Investigators later tracked the IP addresses McGonigle used to file the returns to several office spaces he leased, along with an office in Costa Rica. McGonigle had hired employees to help file the fraudulent taxes at the Costa Rica office, according to court documents.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 4, 2024, where McGonigle faces up to 22 years in prison. At least two of his accomplices will also be sentenced in the coming months.

Orange OKs new rental assistance program to aid with security and utility deposits

Tue, 28 Nov 2023 09:00:21 +0000

The city of Orange will establish a new rental assistance program to provide help with security and utility deposit funding.

Unanimously OK’d by the City Council on Tuesday, Nov. 14, the Tenant Based Rental Assistance Program will help tenants referred to the city by a local supportive housing service organization. These tenants must adhere to city-made guidelines to have their initial security and/or utility deposit covered at the beginning of their rental process.

Orange residents, families with children under the age of 12, veterans with honorable discharges and the elderly will be given preference, in that order, for the program, according to the staff report.

Those chosen for the program have to provide the city with proof that they can make rent payments for a full year. If the tenant leaves before the one-year mark, they are liable for the deposits.

Security and utility deposits, according to a staff report, would be paid by Orange directly to the landlord or property manager. The deposit, if it’s remaining, will be returned to the city at the end of the residency.

The total expenditure for this program is $150,000 and is included as part of the already approved 2023-24 city budget. The funding comes from federal pandemic relief funds provided to the city for housing projects in September 2021.

Although the program was approved by the City Council, many councilmembers expressed concerns regarding the process and possible setbacks.

“This is an entirely new program that the city would be administering, and that makes me very nervous,” said Councilmember Denis Bilodeau during the Nov. 14 meeting. “We do not have a good track record of administering programs in general, I don’t think, and this is a whole new one. I don’t know if this is the role of the city; I think the money can be better spent.”

Councilmembers John Gyllenhammer and Jon Dumitru also cited concerns, suggesting ways the program or funds could be used differently.

Orange Senior Administrative Analyst Jessica Herrera said the allocated funds could potentially be used for something different, such as affordable housing developments or other rental-based assistance programs. However, she said consultants on the TBRA program decided to go with security and utility deposit assistance because they saw it as a high need within the community.

Mayor Dan Slater said the council could later discuss incentives to ensure the rental assistance program is not abused — either by the tenants or the landlords.

Despite the concerns, Bilodeau voted to approve the program and said he has a desire to see all families in Orange who are experiencing homelessness to be housed.

“I am optimistic that this will be one piece of the puzzle to make sure that people are housed and not on the streets,” said Bilodeau. “We will have to see the outcome of this to see if this is a one-time offering or if it is a continuous program the city will have. I am confident the staff will be judicious with the funds and make sure they are allocated correctly.”

“We want to move these people through the system and get them permanently housed,” said Bilodeau, “and this program will be that component where we can help those people find permanent rental housing as opposed to more of a shelter situation.”

Bilodeau said there are additional housing resources the city offers for its community members, such as food and hygiene programs as well as various job placement services.

Orange was allocated more than $1.65 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds in 2021 to develop a HOME-ARP Allocation Plan to provide families some housing relief after the struggles that the COVID-19 pandemic presented for many people.

As part of its HOME-ARP plan, Orange established the Tenant Based Rental Assistance Program, which utilizes those federal funds.

On May 9, Orange approved $150,000 for the program. No date was given for when the program would begin or how long it will be made available in the city.

Mother arrested at shopping mall for 9-year-old’s slaying

Sat, 25 Nov 2023 22:08:10 +0000

Police in Westminster have arrested the mother of a 9-year-old girl who was found dead inside her home on Friday.

Officers responded to calls for a welfare check at a home on the 14100 Block of Goldenwest Street around 12:04 p.m.

A concerned family member had contacted officers to conduct the welfare check, according to the Westminster Police Department.

Officers eventually forced their way into the home where they discovered the young girl with “obvious signs of trauma,” police said.

There was no one else inside the residence at the time.

Investigators later identified the girl's mother, Khadiyjah Pendergraph, 32, as a person of interest in her murder.

Pendergraph was located at a shopping center in Aliso Viejo where she was taken into custody. She was booked at the Orange County Jail on murder charges.

Authorities said there are no more suspects at this time and the case “appears to be an isolated incident.”

“While police officers are exposed to tragedies on a daily basis, this murder is particularly disturbing, due to the senseless loss of a child allegedly at the hands of her own mother,” said Darin Lenyi, Westminster Chief of Police. “The members of the WPD grieve with the victim’s family and extend our deepest condolences.”

Detectives are still investigating as they search for more evidence and speak to additional witnesses. Police are asking anyone with information to call Detective Marcela Lopez at 714-548-3773.

Anonymous tips can be submitted to Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS or online at occrimestoppers.org.

Westminster is located southwest of Anaheim in Orange County.

Woman arrested at shopping center after officers find 9-year-old daughter dead in home

Sat, 25 Nov 2023 12:25:25 +0000

A 32-year-old woman was arrested in the death of her 9-year-old daughter in Westminster.

Officer’s responded just after noon Friday to the home in the Orange County community for a welfare check after receiving a call from a family member. Officers forced their way into the Goldenwest Street home and found the girl dead, police said.

Details about a cause of death were not immediately available, but police said the child was found with “obvious signs of trauma.”. No one else was in the residence, police said.

The child’s mother was later arrested at a shopping center about 20 miles away in Aliso Viejo. Khadiyjah Pendergraph was arrested on suspicion of murder. Details about why she was at the shopping center were not immediately available.

It was not immediately clear whether she has an attorney who could speak on her behalf.

The grim discovery left neighbors utterly stunned.

“It’s like a nightmare,” said Evelyn Gonzalez. “It’s, it’s a nice neighborhood. This is, you know, all the neighbors play together … I have four boys, and my boys are always playing with all the children around the block and I just cannot believe it… I’m in shock.”

Court documents obtained by NBC4 stated Pendergraph filed for a restraining order from the child’s father in 2016 for “domestic violence with child.” In the document, the mother said the child has cerebral palsy and the girl is “unsafe” with the father and she would “keep her safe at all times.”

Anyone with additional information about the case was asked to call police at 714-548-3773. Anonymous calls can be made to Orange County Crime Stoppers at 855-847-6287 or sent to www.occrimestoppers.org.

2 killed in Orange crash on Thanksgiving Day; driver arrested on suspicion of DUI

Fri, 24 Nov 2023 12:58:48 +0000

A 26-year-old driver was arrested on Thanksgiving Day after police in Orange said while intoxicated he plowed his truck into another truck that was parked, killing two men inside.

Police said the suspect, Humberto Lopez Flores of Orange, fled on foot after the crash, at about 8:15 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 23, in the 700 block of North Shattuck Place.

But officers patrolling the area found him and arrested him near Lincoln Street and Oakmont Avenue a short time later.

Police said he was headed south on Shattuck when his Ford F-250 smashed into the parked Chevy Silverado. They said he was arrested on suspicion of being under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash.

The victims of the crash were identified as Jose Huerta, 51, of Orange and Manuel Ortiz, 59, of Santa Ana.

Orange complex gets massive solar array; affordable senior complex debuts in Lake Forest

Wed, 22 Nov 2023 14:28:11 +0000

An apartment community in Orange is now home to a massive solar array perched atop detached carports.

The array at The Knolls will reportedly generate enough energy to give each of the 260 households a $60 monthly savings on their electricity bills using virtual net metering.

Project partners include the property owner, BLDG Partners, the Foundation for Affordable Housing, the city of Orange and Southern California Edison and Sunrun.

Also see: Fullerton warehouse, a former Kraft building, leased by EV startup Mullen Automotive

“Energy efficiency is a core element of BLDG’s strategy for improving affordable housing,” said Karen Esparza, vice president of Asset Management at BLDG Partners. “An estimated 65% of energy usage at The Knolls will now be offset by local, renewable sources.”

The Knolls is a low-income housing tax credit property under a deed restriction that dedicates the property to households making less than 60% of the area median income. Built in 1963, the complex was renovated in 1997.

Also in Orange: Nohl Plaza in Orange sells for $25.3 million, getting an upgrade

According to Sunrun, 89% percent of the energy produced by the 646-kilowatt solar system, will be credited to the residents’ accounts, free of charge.

The project was paid for through the California Public Utilities Commission’s Solar on Multifamily Affordable Housing program and the Inflation Reduction Act.

State money for the initiative comes from “purchase greenhouse gas allowances through the state’s cap-and-trade program,” according to a statement by Sunrun.

Affordable senior complex debuts, fills in Lake Forest

The 58-unit affordable housing complex Portola Senior Apartments celebrated its grand opening Nov. 13 in Lake Forest.

The four-story building at 931 Portola Oaks Drive was fully leased before the doors opened.

Also see: SoCo furniture hub in Costa Mesa sells for $110 million

Community HousingWorks, which built the complex, says more than 750 people applied to live in Portola, and the one-bedroom apartments were fully occupied less than 30 days after opening. Rent is $1,264 per month, and the waiting list has more than 1,000 applicants, according to the nonprofit.

Residents must be 62 years and older and living on 50% of the area median income (roughly $50,000 per year).

The building, which features ground-floor retail space, also has an on-site laundry facility and ADA-compliant bathrooms and kitchens. Each apartment comes with designated parking.

The public spaces include a multi-purpose room with a kitchen and outdoor seating areas. Residents also get free public transportation passes, freehigh-speed internet in each apartment, and access to on-site classes.

Portola Senior Apartments was paid for with loans and tax-exempt bonds, according to Community HousingWorks. Lenders included Pacific Western Bank; Red Stone Equity Partners as the tax credit equity investor; and SunRanch Capital Partners as the soft lender. Bonds were issued by the California Municipal Finance Authority, the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee, and the California Debt Limit Allocation Committee

The general contractor was Sunrise Pacific Construction; the architectural firm was AVRP Studios and civil engineering was provided by Lundstrom Engineering & Surveying and Hunsaker & Associates. Landscape was designed by Ridge Landscape Architects.

Optima Tax Relief has signed a 40-month lease for 38,090 square feet of office space at Griffin Towers in Santa Ana. (Courtesy of CBRE)

Optima begins its move to new HQ

Optima Tax Relief has signed a 40-month lease for 38,090 square feet of office space at Griffin Towers in Santa Ana.

The firm is moving from its current home at Elevate@Harbor, which is due to meet the wrecking ball next year. Kearny Real Estate Co. and Dune Real Estate Partners are demolishing the office complex at 3130 and 3100 S. Harbor Blvd. and building a distribution facility.

Optima’s new base, owned by Barker Pacific Group, is near the intersection of the 405 and 55 freeways.

Craig Kish and Richard Sung of Newmark are the tenant representatives for Optima. Dean Chandler, Justin Hill, Peter Wells, and Taylor Friend of CBRE are the leasing team for Griffin Towers.

Mariners building renovation complete

A year-long effort to restore and rehabilitate the historic Mariners Medical Arts building on Westcliff Drive in Newport Beach has been completed.

The building originally was designed by master architect Richard Neutra in 1963. Burnham-Ward Properties bought the property in 2021, saying the purchase was made “to ensure the responsible stewardship of the iconic asset.”

The firm said it used historic photographs and construction drawings to restore original architectural elements, including three water features inside the property that were removed by prior ownership in the 1970s.

Hanley Investment Group Real Estate Advisors is raising money for its annual Movember campaign. This year marks 13 years the Corona del Mar firm has raised money for the annual campaign, which raises awareness for men’s health. (Photo courtesy of Hanley Investment Group)

Good works

Hanley Investment Group Real Estate Advisors in Corona del Mar is raising money for its annual Movember campaign.

This year marks the 13th in a row that Hanley has joined the movement to raise awareness and money for prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention.

This year the firm’s theme is “Axe the Stigma.” Channeling their inner lumberjack, the team is donning flannel and growing “Mo,” (mustache) and helping to raise awareness and support for men’s health. Since it started contributing, Hanley Investment Group has raised $334,400.

To donate, go to us.movember.com/team/2234814.

Real estate transactions, leases and new projects, industry hires, new ventures and upcoming events are compiled from press releases by contributing writer Karen Levin. Submit items and high-resolution photos via email to Business Editor Samantha Gowen at sgowen@scng.com. Please allow at least a week for publication. All items are subject to editing for clarity and length.

Garden Grove man charged in deadly shooting of homeless man who threw shoe at him

Tue, 21 Nov 2023 12:38:45 +0000

A Garden Grove man was charged with voluntary manslaughter on Monday in the fatal shooting of a homeless man who was sleeping on a sidewalk, according to the Orange County District Attorney.

Craig Sumer Elliot, 68, is accused of shooting 40-year-old Antonio Garcia Avalos at about 3 p.m. on Sept. 28. Elliot was jogging with his two dogs while pushing a pushcart on a sidewalk in the 10400 block of Katella Avenue in Garden Grove when he encountered Avalos, who was sleeping on the ground.

Elliot nudged Avalos with his pushcart in an effort to wake him up to get around him, after which Avalos awoke and yelled at Elliot to get away from him, prosecutors said. Footage captured by Elliot showed Avalos standing up and throwing a shoe at him. Elliot ducked to avoid the shoe and shot Avalos three times, resulting in fatal injuries, prosecutors said.

Elliot had an active concealed carry permit issued by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department at the time of the shooting, according to the district attorney’s press release.

The Garden Grove Police Department arrested Elliot on a warrant on Friday. He has since been released from custody after posting $100,000 bail.

It was not immediately clear whether he has an attorney who could speak on his behalf.

“This is a tragic set of circumstances that unfolded in the worst possible way over a minor inconvenience of a blocked sidewalk, and a man is dead as a result,” Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said. “This case is a stark reminder that taking the law into your own hands is never the answer and that there are consequences for your actions.”

Elliot is scheduled to be arraigned on Dec. 15 at the Stephen K. Tamura Justice Center in Westminster. He will face a maximum sentence of 21 years in state prison, if convicted on all charges.

Wintry fun will arrive ‘in a flurry' at this cool Costa Mesa festival

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 10:04:24 +0000

What to Know

Winter Fest OC at the OC Fair and Event Center
Nov. 24 through Jan. 7, 2024; prices start at $34.99 adult (plus fee); other ticketing tiers are available
Snow tubing, holiday shows, ice skating, Polar Putt Putt, and themed treats

Ovens will soon be pre-heated and various dishes topped with miniature marshmallows and fried onions will be kept warm, too.

Thus, it is no real surprise that Southern California will be both sunnier and toastier as we head into Thanksgiving 2023, a holiday that can sometimes see temperatures in the low 80s if past years have been a meteorological guide.

But cooler days and nights will again prevail after the feasting holiday concludes, making it the perfect moment for Winter Fest OC to glide into the OC Fair and Event Center in Costa Mesa.

The large-scale event, a whimsical winter-tacular offering a host of snow-centered and snow-adjacent activities, will return for another season starting on Nov. 24.

And it is snow joke that some of the pursuits are of the flake-iest variety: Snow tubing is on the line-up, and ice skating, too, and a variety of shows and sights that draw inspiration from the icier side of life.

Polar Putt Putt puts a glittery spin on golfing, while Blizzard Bumpers offer some midway-style merriment.

After visiting with the festival’s colorful characters, warm-natured figures dressed for the cold, and posing for photos near bright backgrounds, and snacking on the cozy confections, you may want to unwind at a Fireside Igloo.

Winter Fest OC will flurry-flurry on select nights now through Jan. 7, 2024. Sweet: There’s a pre-season sale on now.