Daily Pilot/TimesOC writers win several Orange County Press Club awards
Daily Pilot writer Sara Cardine won first place in the Best Public Affairs Story category for her look at an apartment complex on the west side of Costa Mesa that was due to be demolished after years of housing low-income tenants.
'I was thrilled to see my story on a topic local to the city of Costa Mesa considered alongside the coverage of wider reaching issues, handled by seasoned reporters who bring every resource to bear in telling important stories,' Cardine said. 'It's heartening to see this level of attention being paid to what's happening in Orange County.'
Cardine also earned third place in the Best Investigative Story or Series category, after examining how the Rancho Santiago Community College District found $8 million of its own money that had been quietly held back by a third-party insurance vendor. That detailed look was part of a project she has been working on for more than two years.
Gabriel San Román, who writes for TimesOC, earned a second-place award in Best Environmental News with his story on San Clemente's eroding beaches. He also earned a honorable mention nod in Best Beat Reporting for stories on a Disney labor dispute.
Daily Pilot reporter Andrew Turner earned third place in Best Sports Story for his game story on Edison football winning its first state championship, capturing the CIF State Division 1-A title on a late touchdown pass from Sam Thomson to Jake Minter. Turner also earned honorable mention in Best Environmental News, as he wrote about a program in which Laguna Beach used grazing goats as part of its mitigation effort against wildfires.
Sarah Mosqueda, who writes primarily for TimesOC, was working for the Los Angeles Times when she wrote about 10 of the best Caesar salads in Los Angeles. That article earned second place in the Best Round-Up or Best Of category.
'I'm incredibly proud of our team,' said Executive Editor Carol Cormaci. 'Their passion for storytelling, commitment to accuracy and deep sense of purpose come through in every article they write. The O.C. Press Club awards are a wonderful recognition of their work.'
A full list of award winners is available on the organization's website.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Los Angeles Times
a day ago
- Los Angeles Times
Air show cleared for takeoff for next 5 years — with 21 strings attached
Good morning. It's Wednesday, Aug 20. I'm Carol Cormaci, bringing you this week's TimesOC newsletter with a look at some of the latest local news and events from around the county. Although the California Coastal Commission's relationship with the operator of the Pacific Airshow has been noticeably turbulent at times, it looks like clear skies are ahead — at least for the next five years — for the spectacular production that draws huge crowds to Huntington Beach one weekend each fall. But the Coastal Commission's approval last Friday of the show's required coastal development permit did not come without lengthy strings attached to mitigate impacts on natural resources and public access to the beach, according to the Daily Pilot's reporting on the commission's deliberations. Here's one that hits the show operator's wallet, in the form of a fine: Huntington Beach resident Kevin Elliott's Pacific Airshow, LLC 'must pay $274,758 to the California State Lands Commission for public access and habitat enhancement projects at the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, to resolve unpermitted development,' according to the article. Another condition, also related to Bolsa Chica, which lies within the pilots' flight plan from its staging point at the Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos to Huntington Beach: Pacific Airshow will have to hire a biologist to study the impact of the noise generated by all the planes on the wildlife in the ecological reserve. It will also have to order the pilots to fly at higher altitudes when passing over that land. Just a few of the remaining conditions are that show operators will have to submit a plan for potential fuel dumps in the Pacific, ensure public access to the shoreline and pier, plus provide 1,500 free tickets to students who attend Title 1 schools and their parents. City officials are thrilled about the news that the show can go on. 'The patriotism it brings to the whole area, all of the cities surrounding us and all of our guests ... it is one of the best things in the whole Southern California area,' Huntington Beach Mayor Pat Burns told the commissioners. • Recreational tennis players who use the city-owned Costa Mesa Tennis Center became agitated after signs began showing up around the facility this summer advising rates would go up significantly for court use, the Daily Pilot reported. Instead of paying $8 for one-hour of court time as they have been doing regardless of whether it was for two people or four people playing together, Costa Mesa residents were told they'd have to pay starting costs of $8 per hour, per person, effective Sept. 1 and non-residents would be charged $10. 'The notices posted by the center's operator, Calabasas-based Top Seed Academy, further conveyed that players would be expected to pay annual memberships, ranging from $900 for a junior player from Costa Mesa, to $1,650 for a non-resident couple,' the Pilot reported. Beyond the unexpectedly big hit to players' wallets, here's another problem with the fee increases: the proposed hikes were neither reviewed nor approved by the city, as required by the contract it has with Top Seed to operate the public facility. • The city of Anaheim, following a weekend of immigration raids it called 'the most significant and disruptive enforcement' in weeks, issued Monday on its website this warning to citizens. As the L.A. Times reports, the raids apparently targeting Latinos have not abated in Anaheim since the middle of July, when a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order blocking federal agents from using racial profiling to carry out random immigration arrests in the region. 'I think everybody in the community feels targeted,' Anaheim City Councilmember Carlos Leon told The Times. 'There's just a lot of fear and uncertainty, and it's really a very destabilizing thing to go through as a city.' • The Orange City Council, mindful of a consultant's recent forecast of bankruptcy within the next three years, last week brainstormed on steps that could be taken to reverse the downward trend, among them making the city more business-friendly to attract more income. • A $40-million donation by a person whose name will not be revealed until the project is complete, is allowing Laguna College of Art and Design to move ahead with the first phase of a major development designed to bring all of the college's academic offerings to one location instead of being spread out over several spots along Laguna Canyon Road. To that end, a groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled to be held Sept. 21 for the Innovation Center, a two-story, 22,000-square-foot building that is expected to become the centerpiece of the main campus. • The Huntington Beach Police Department held a news conference and demonstration last week to announce it was preparing to launch its Drone as First Responder program on Sept. 13. Three Skydio X10 drones will be docked on rooftops at strategic locations around the city and are expected to dramatically cut police response time. • Officials and volunteers with the Orange County Fire Watch program conducted a mock deployment for the media Wednesday morning at Pacific Ridge Trailhead in Newport Beach ahead of the time of year when high Santa Ana winds are most likely to be experienced. 'We want to get information out before the real windy season and raise awareness ahead of the wildfire season when conditions are really dry,' said Scott Graves, communications manager for the Irvine Ranch Conservancy. • Three confirmed Mexican nationals and four suspected Mexican nationals were turned over to the Department of Homeland Security over the weekend after a U.S. Coast Guard crew came across a 20-foot boat that was taking on water off of Newport Beach Saturday night. 'During the boarding, the crew identified seven suspected aliens aboard and discovered water intrusion in the bilge,' according to a statement issued after the incident by the Coast Guard. 'They secured the flooding source and initiated a tow.' • A man was shot at around 7:15 a.m. Monday at the California Closets location in Huntington Beach and the woman suspected of pulling the trigger was killed by police two hours later during a traffic stop in South Gate. • This case took a long time to get to trial, but Vincent Alcaraz, 53, and Dorsa Pourhajir, 28, both of whom had previous felony convictions, were found guilty Monday in the shooting death of a rival gang member on Nov. 5, 2018 in Santa Ana. • It was anything but a heavenly experience to be seated in one section of the Angel Stadium stands last Wednesday night when a dispute over a cap triggered a violent brawl during a Freeway Series game between the Angels and Dodgers. 'A portion of the brawl was recorded on video and posted on social media. A fan wearing a Mike Trout jersey and sitting in a seat was punched and kicked in the head from one row above him by a man wearing a Dodgers jersey,' the L.A. Times reported. Two Tustin residents, both 26, were arrested, with the primary attacker being charged with felony assault and the other man with misdemeanor assault. • Tanner Pulice lost his older brother, Toby, to suicide in 2018. Tanner was a junior playing water polo for Corona del Mar High at the time of his brother's death at their Newport Beach home. Tanner, who continued his water polo career from CdM, to UCLA and now Stanford, recently created the nonprofit Save TOBY Project to honor his brother's legacy and transform mental health care. A fundraiser for the cause, the inaugural 'Swim for Suicide,' was held Saturday at Big Corona. • Within a five-day period, an Orange County mother, Jeannette Reding and her adult daughter, Kristina Walters, were diagnosed with breast cancer. 'It wasn't like, 'Oh my God, poor us.' It was more like, 'Thank God we have each other.' Kind of crazy,' Walters told the Daily Pilot last week, when the duo were at Hoag Family Cancer Institute in Newport Beach to ring the bell that signifies their treatment journey as successfully completed. • L.A. Times features columnist Todd Martens has compiled a list of 17 'splendid' things to do when you visit Laguna Beach, complete with a map. Check it out here to see if one of your favorite activities in the scenic town made the cut. • Luke's Lobster is poised to open its first Orange County location this Friday, Aug. 22, and it will be on Balboa Island, according to this Daily Pilot report. The Luke's Lobster website announced that the first 100 patrons who order a select six-ounce lobster roll will get a free promotional beach towel. • Someone who bought a SuperLotto ticket at Orange Hill Liquor in Orange for the Aug. 13 drawing came this close to bringing home the $33-million jackpot. The ticket sold in O.C. had five of the six numbers, so its owner won $37,069, according to the California Lottery. No one won the top prize. • Brea has for decades welcomed the installation of sculptures on its streets under a special program. The Brea Gallery at 1 Civic Center Circle is showcasing the works and the artists behind them in 'Mapping the Landscape: A 50 Year Dialogue with Art + the Community.' On view now through Sept. 19 the exhibition features 11 artists, all living, who have contributed to city's open air gallery. On Aug. 30 and 31, visitors can watch artists at work during the Fresh(AIR) artist-in-residence program, from noon to 5 p.m. both dates. Admission to the gallery will be free. In case you haven't visited it yet, Great Park Gallery in Irvine since late May has been marking the 45th anniversary of the release of the PAC-MAN game with a special exhibit called 'Journey Through the Maze: 45 Years of PAC-MAN,' featuring artwork and memorabilia from Bandai Namco as well as more than 50 professional artists from all over the world The celebration continues through Sept. 28. • John Wayne Movie Week will be held at the recently restored Lido Theater in Newport Beach Aug. 26 through Aug. 29. Hours are 7 to 10 p.m. each date. On Aug. 26, 'The Searchers' will be screened, followed by 'The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance' on Aug. 27, 'True Grit' on Aug. 28 and 'Big Jake' on Aug. 29. The John Wayne Cancer Foundation will be the beneficiary of a special fundraising event held in conjunction with the week. The Lido Theater is located at 3459 Via Lido. Tickets can be purchased at Until next week,Carol We appreciate your help in making this the best newsletter it can be. Please send news tips, your memory of life in O.C. (photos welcome!) or comments to
Eater
3 days ago
- Eater
Dan Tana, Founder of Legendary West Hollywood Restaurant Dan Tana's, Dies at 90
Dan Tana, the founder of legendary West Hollywood restaurant Dan Tana's, died on August 16 at 90 years old in Belgrade, Serbia. One of his daughters, commenting for an obituary in the New York Times, revealed he died from cancer. The staff of Dan Tana's announced his passing on the restaurant's Facebook page, writing, 'Our beloved little yellow house will forever feel his presence.' Tana was born as Dobrivoje Tanasijević in 1935 to Serbian parents in Čibutkovica, a town outside of Belgrade in then Yugoslavia. He spent his youth playing soccer with teams like Red Star Belgrade, going on to play professionally across Belgium and Canada. In 1956, Tana moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting and appeared in movies like The Enemy Below and The Untouchables. While pursuing acting work, he picked up jobs on the side as a tuna canner at Starkist, a dishwasher at Villa Capri restaurant and Miceli's, and maitre d' and manager at Peppermint West. In the early 1960s, he worked as a maitre d' at Beverly Hills restaurant La Scala before breaking out on his own and opening Dan Tana's in 1964. Longtime server Vladimir Bezak at Dan Tana's in 2009. Ricardo DeAratanha/Los Angeles Times Dan Tana's opened as a 17-table red-sauce joint in the home of a former hamburger restaurant, serving distinctly classic dishes like veal Parmesan, chicken marsala, and New York steak. For the first two years open, the restaurant only served a handful of guests every night, until a 1966 review from the Los Angeles Times put it on Los Angeles's radar. Suddenly, Dan Tana's filled to the brim with more than 200 covers every evening. From then on, the restaurant became a celebrity hot spot, welcoming stars like Harry Dean Stanton, Richard Burton, and Jack Nicholson into its hallowed red leather booths. As West Hollywood's music scene bloomed with bigger acts playing the neighboring Troubador, Dan Tana's adapted, keeping its kitchen open until 1 a.m. for years for late-night martinis and pasta. Dan Tana with customers at Dan Tana's. Richard Hartog/Los Angeles Times In 2009, Tana sold the restaurant to Sonja Perencevic and moved back to Belgrade. Perencevic kept everything the same — down to the checkered tablecloths — continuing Tana's legacy. The restaurant eschews modernity in most forms: Reservations, to this day, are only taken over the phone and penciled into an encyclopedia-thick date book. Servers all wear tuxedo-style suits, often outdressing the patrons themselves, but it's all part of the charm. Jonathan Gold reviewed the restaurant for the Los Angeles Times in 2016, writing of the restaurant's status as an institution, the table-side Caesar salad, and a bad date he had there years prior. Today, Dan Tana's stands steadfast along Santa Monica Boulevard, harkening back to the neighborhood's past as an Old Hollywood hangout and rock-and-roll haven. The menu has remained largely unchanged, though prices have risen, and the chicken Parmesan is still one of the best in the city. Although not all the food is memorable for the right reasons, it doesn't really matter. The outside world doesn't exist after crossing the threshold of the yellow bungalow, which remains full every night. With Los Angeles in a constant state of change and numerous old-school restaurants shuttering, Dan Tana's remains an unyielding reminder of hospitality and the transportive nature of a great restaurant. Tana is survived by his wife Biljana and daughters Gabrielle and Katerina. Exterior of Dan Tana's. FG/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images Eater LA All your essential food and restaurant intel delivered to you Email (required) Sign Up By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Dan Tana's Location 9071 Santa Monica Blvd (at Doheny Dr), West Hollywood, CA 90069 External Link Phone (310) 275-9444 Link Come for the vibes, stay for the cocktails, and maybe share one of the best chicken parmesans in town. Dan Tana's, which opened in 1964, has plenty of detractors for its celebrity-riddled booths and sometimes lackluster dishes. But fans interpret the old-school food as timeless Italian American food, with numerous plates named after the West Hollywood restaurant's famous regulars. Stick to martinis and the chicken parm, and the rest will solve itself through the restaurant's timeless conviviality.
Business Insider
3 days ago
- Business Insider
I had dinner for 2 at Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill. For $160, we thought it was a great value.
I recently dined with a friend at Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The British-themed atmosphere was fun, and the appetizers blew us away. However, I'd skip the burger and go for a more classic entrée next time. I grew up in the United Kingdom, so I know my way around a classic British pub. When I learned that Gordon Ramsay has his own pub in the heart of Atlantic City, New Jersey, I'll admit I was a bit skeptical about how authentic the experience could be. Could it truly capture the smell of cheap beer, rustic interiors, and classic pub grub I'm used to? Still, I was eager to see for myself on a recent girls' trip. Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill has two locations, one in Las Vegas and one in Atlantic City. With a big celebrity name and reputation as one of Britain's most famous chef exports, we had high expectations leading up to our meal. We left feeling satisfied and downright charmed by the British-themed atmosphere and jolly-good appetizers, but I left royally disappointed in my burger entrée. Here's what our experience was like dining at Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill in Atlantic City. Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill is located right in the heart of Caesars Atlantic City. I took an escalator up from the street level to the main floor of the casino and found that the restaurant was impossible to miss. Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill is located directly across from Caesar's coin fountain and is framed by large Grecian pillars, giving it more of a Parthenon vibe than that of a traditional British pub. We could see the hotel's giant statue of Caesar and the coin fountain from our table. Ramsay has three restaurants in Atlantic City: Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill, Gordon Ramsay Steak, and Hell's Kitchen. Hell's Kitchen and the pub are both located inside Caesars Atlantic City, meaning it would be easy to dine at both during your trip if you were staying at the resort. There are different dining areas inside Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill. The restaurant is split into three main sections: a dining area with booths and tables overlooking the Caesars lobby, a lively bar, and a quieter side room with more secluded booths. The bar was by far the busiest when we visited at 7 p.m. on a Thursday — it was buzzing with conversation and clinking glasses. Many of the guests didn't seem to be eating dinner, but rather just grabbing a drink. The pillars out front might have given off a Grecian vibe, but inside, the decor was packed with British touches. In the main dining area, I was immersed in British flair, from a sweeping Buckingham Palace mural to silhouettes of stoic royal guards flanking the red booths. Of all the Gordon Ramsay restaurants I visited in Atlantic City — including Gordon Ramsay Steak and Hell's Kitchen — this one leaned the hardest into its British theme. The menu also reflected the British theme, with classic dishes like beef Wellington, fish and chips, and shepherd's pie. There was a mix of luxe red booths and tables with chairs. The booths had an upscale pub vibe and looked invitingly comfortable. We were seated at a two-top in the back, with a view of Caesars' main lobby. The chatter of fellow diners and the flow of people passing through the lobby gave the restaurant a lively, energetic atmosphere. The restaurant had a large selection of signature cocktails. Many of the signature cocktails embraced the British theme, sporting names like "Mind the Gap" ($17.99) and "Lost in Great Britain" ($17.99). I ordered the Lost in Great Britain, a blackberry spritz with tequila and lemon-honey syrup. My friend ordered the Mind the Gap, which was made with vodka, St-Germain elderflower liqueur, lime, ginger beer, and passion fruit. We liked the presentation of both cocktails and felt they were decently priced for the quality of the ingredients and liquor used. My cocktail was light and refreshing, but with a slight tartness from the blackberry syrup. The tartness of the blackberry cut through the sweetness of the lemon-honey syrup, and it paired well with all of the dishes we tried. We ordered the Buffalo cauliflower as our appetizer. The Buffalo cauliflower ($17.99) came in a large portion with a side of blue cheese dressing for dipping. It was a fun play on the classic bar food Buffalo wings, but felt slightly more elevated. We couldn't stop eating this appetizer. The cauliflower was fried to golden perfection in a light, airy tempura batter. The Buffalo sauce brought just the right amount of heat, which was mellowed by the creamy richness of blue cheese crumbles. A tangy extra side of blue cheese sauce added another layer of flavor, tying everything together into a dish that was bold, balanced, and seriously addictive. It was more than enough to satisfy two people, yet we were still disappointed when we finally cleaned the plate. I ordered the most classic burger on the menu. The pub's dinner menu offers three burger choices. The burger menu includes the Idiot Burger ($21.99), topped with white cheddar, gruyere, cremini mushrooms, spicy tomato chutney, and braised short ribs; the Blue Cheese Burger ($21.99), with spicy aioli, Bibb lettuce, frisée, onions, and blue cheese dressing; and the Pub Burger ($21.99) — my pick for the evening. The Pub Burger came topped with lettuce, tomato, cheddar cheese, pickles, and bacon. It was the most traditional burger on the menu, though it featured a few elevated touches like a prime sirloin patty and a red wine glaze. The burger wasn't anything to cross the pond for. A crisp lettuce leaf and two thick tomato slices topped the burger, while Farmhouse English cheddar blanketed the patty. A few strips of bacon struck the perfect balance between crispy and chewy. It was a solid, classic burger with a juicy patty and fresh toppings, though I found myself wishing for an extra flourish — maybe a savory special sauce or a sharper cheese. For what it was, it delivered, but it reminded me of burgers I've had at chain restaurants like Chili's or Applebee's, which usually come at a slightly lower price. In the end, this burger left me feeling like I'd had a jolly decent meal, but not one worth crossing the pond (or the casino floor) for. I was really impressed by the fries that came with my burger. Crispy and perfectly seasoned, the fries arrived wrapped in newspaper-printed paper. I loved the presentation, which really captured the charm of a classic British chip shop. We also ordered a side of baked mac and cheese to share. The baked mac and cheese ($15.99) came in a red ramekin dish, in keeping with the pub's British theme. The mac and cheese is made with cellentani pasta and English Farmhouse cheddar, the same cheese used on my burger. The mac and cheese was rich and flavorful. The smattering of breadcrumbs and chives on top of the mac and cheese enhanced the cheese's flavor, coating every noodle. We also thought it was a generous portion, but we felt the price was a little steep for a side dish. It was enough for a shared side, but we wouldn't recommend ordering it as an entrée — it might not be big enough to truly satisfy. My friend ordered the chicken Milanese as her entrée. The chicken Milanese ($34.99) was served with Dijon cream sauce, gruyère cheese, arugula, and a grain mustard vinaigrette. My friend said that although the dish was simple, it was "phenomenal" and one of the best chicken dishes she's ever had at a chain restaurant. She said the mustard vinaigrette added a delicious tart flavor to the juicy chicken breast, and the arugula was well-dressed without being too soggy. The cheese was sharp without being overbearing, and the chicken was well-fried with an airy panko breading that gave the dish a lighter feel. Overall, she said she'd definitely order this dish again. I would go back to Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill, but I'd order a different entrée. With tip and tax, the total cost of our meal came to $162.43 for two entrées, one appetizer, a side dish, and two cocktails. While I was impressed by the refreshing cocktails, mouthwatering Buffalo cauliflower, and creamy mac-and-cheese side dish, I was left feeling underwhelmed by my burger. If I were to return, I'd probably opt for a more decadent burger with more interesting toppings, or one of the restaurant's signature British dishes like fish and chips or the beef Wellington. Overall, if you're looking for a crowd-pleasing restaurant at a relatively affordable price in Atlantic City, Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill fits the bill.
