Latest news with #CarolCormaci
Los Angeles Times
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
What porn? Huntington Beach library advocates decry City Councilman Williams' Measures A&B signs
Good morning. It's Wednesday, April 23. 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. Please note that for the next two Wednesday's editions, my colleague Gabriel San Román will be substituting for me as I'll be out of town. I expect to be back here with you on May 14. The fight's getting dirty between the proponents and opponents to a couple of ballot measures that will be decided by Huntington Beach voters in a special election on June 10. If approved at the ballot box, the first, Measure A, would repeal a planned City Council-appointed children's book review board of up to 21 members whose duties would include having final approval of children's library books brought into circulation rather than trust the choices made by librarians educated to do that very job. The second initiative, Measure B, would require voter approval for any future efforts by the city to outsource operations of the public library. At an April 8 press conference in favor of both measures, parents decried the City Council's stance against them. 'My role as a parent is to review what [my daughter's] reading, and make sure I answer appropriate questions,' said one mother in favor of Measure A, according to the Daily Pilot report on that event. 'No one should take that right away from me. These council members should not be able to do that.' Librarians were first instructed to start moving books that featured 'sexual content' early last year, after the City Council passed a resolution requiring it. The librarians took them from the children's section to an adult area on the fourth floor of the Central Library. According to The Pilot reporting then, the grand total of books deemed necessary to be moved was just eight, the majority of them dealing with puberty, like the two copies of 'It's Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, and Sexual Health,' as well as two copies of 'Will Puberty Last My Whole Life: Real Answers to Real Questions from Preteens About Body Changes, Sex, and Other Growing-Up Stuff.' Of course there are parents on both sides of this ongoing national disagreement over what materials are appropriate for a library's children's section. But action undertaken this week by Huntington Beach Councilman Chad Williams, who formed his own political action committee to do it, disturbed even some who might be planning to vote with him, against Measure A. Parents driving their little kids to school on Monday found large campaign signs declaring in bright red letters 'Protect our Kids FROM PORN,' underneath which was the message 'No on A&B.' The signs were posted near several elementary school campuses. A sample of the reaction from parents can be found in my colleague Matt Szabo's reporting on this latest volley between the sides. 'We haven't even had the sex talk yet,' one mother said, after dropping her young daughter off at school. 'I was waiting until like 10 or 11. How can I explain 'porn' without having to go through all of that? ...I feel like that's my responsibility to inform my child. But she's 9 years old. She's a very innocent child to share this information with, but now the council, Chad Williams, has blatantly put these signs in her face.' Another mom said, 'Conversation is healthy, but this is just nothing that was on a parent's bingo card this morning. The most important part of a parent's job is to keep their children safe, and I think that with this short-sighted stunt, Chad Williams put our kids' safety at risk.' A man who voted for Williams and said he shares the councilman's conservative values, also took issue with the signs. Jason Teter, said in a video posted to social media he was responsible for cutting the word 'porn' out of 12 of the signs, returning that part of the signs to City Hall. He also wrote an email to Williams that he shared with the Daily Pilot, stating that the election signs may be legal but he didn't believe it was right to put the word 'porn' in clear sight of children. He also told the councilman the signs read 'more like a tactic to provoke than a message grounded in conservative values, and that's something I believe we should rise above.' School board member Gina Clayton-Tarvin, an outspoken proponent of the two measures who has long been a thorn in the side of the current City Council, has thrown a new twist into the debate, according to The Pilot's story, and seems to be calling the city's bluff about pornographic materials being on any shelves in the city's library. She said she's asked Orange County Dist. Atty. Todd Spitzer to investigate to determine once and for all if that's really the case. 'They're the governing board of the city,' Clayton-Tarvin said of the members of the City Council. 'If the books in the library are pornography, as they say, then they are purveyors of pornography. It's as simple as that. It doesn't matter what their opinions are. Is it pornography? This is what the D.A. is going to look into, are these pornographic materials? And if it comes back that it's not pornographic materials, then I guess we have our answers, don't we?' Williams, a former U.S. Navy SEAL who's a youth pastor and public speaker, defended the signs and use of the word 'porn' in an interview Monday. 'I'm shedding light on the darkness that's happening,' he told The Pilot. 'It's been said, 'All that's required for evil to triumph is for good men to stand back and do nothing.' There are those that would like to put their heads in the sand and look the other way, pretend it's not there and not deal with it. Then there are those that are willing to take that stand and address it. I'm asking all of the responsible adults in the room, as it were, to take a stand and expose these works of darkness with the truth, with light.' And so, the countdown to the special election begins. We have just eight more weeks, at least when it comes to this particular Huntington Beach battle. Few would be surprised if there are more are on the horizon. • Santa Ana's city attorney is poised to take legal action against the trio of East 1st Street businesses they have described as 'drug dens,' according to this TimesOC story. Specifically, the city will seek to board up and shut down for up to a year Royal Grand Inn, Royal Roman Motel and El Tapatio restaurant. The properties, which are near each other and are owned by Kyong Su Kim and Myong Kim, have been the subject of more than 1,400 calls for service to the Santa Ana Police Department over the past three years. • After a 'summer of discontent' for Laguna Beach residents last year, the city held a town hall last week to talk about a new plan of action, measures that have been taken to mitigate the negative affects of tourism. 'We were probably not as prepared as we would have liked to have been for the visitors last year,' the city manager told the crowd that gathered for the meeting. • Although he's a resident of Atherton in NorCal, conservative commentator Steve Hilton and his campaign managers chose to make an announcement Tuesday of his run for governor at Pier Plaza in Huntington Beach, a day after he made the same announcement online. Why H.B.? He said it's because he admires the work of its city council. • In September 2015 as many as 1,000 Orange County Catholics were reportedly among the throng of Californians who traveled to the East Coast to catch a glimpse of Pope Francis, who was making his historic visit to our country. Many faithful waited for seven months to get tickets to one of the pope's U.S. appearances, one of which was for the canonization Mass of missionary Junipero Serra at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., the first time a canonization had been held on U.S. soil. The pope died of a stroke Monday at the age of 88. • The 45-year-old motorcyclist fatally shot by Newport Beach police in a traffic stop at 9:15 p.m. last Thursday was the brother of 'Real Housewives of Orange County' alum Lydia McLaughlin, who acknowledged she was mourning the loss of her brother, Geoffrey Stirling. Police said Stirling assaulted the officer who pulled him over and managed to take a taser from their belt. The motorcyclist tried to use the taser before police shot him. Police and the California Department of Justice are investigating the incident. • Jurors yesterday found veteran Orange County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Ferguson, 74, guilty of second-degree murder in the fatal shooting of his wife on Aug. 3, 2023 in their Anaheim Hills home. It was a retrial of the case after his first trial ended last month with a jury deadlocked, 11-1. 'Ferguson, who presided over a courtroom in Fullerton before his arrest, had been free on $2-million bail and drawing his annual salary of more than $220,000 during his legal proceedings but not hearing cases,' the L.A. Times reported. In custody now, he faces a sentence of up to 40 years in prison. • A man accused of killing his 25-year-old girlfriend in Huntington Beach after she had him evicted from the apartment they'd briefly shared in the summer of 2020 is standing trial this week. Craig Charron's defense attorneys told jurors the woman's death by stabbing — while she was on a conference call with her mother and her best friend, who both heard the victim screaming for him to stop — occurred in the heat of passion and in self defense. • A man faces charges of pouring lighter fluid on a relative and attempting to set her on fire, as well as threatening another woman with a screwdriver, in an Anaheim motel room late Saturday afternoon. No one was injured, police said. • KTLA reported that Orange County authorities were searching for three suspects who tried to burglarize the Louis Vuitton store at Fashion Island mall before 4 a.m. Monday. • Two people died in separate Huntington Beach incidents last Wednesday morning, a fatal collision involving a pedestrian near Beach Boulevard at Talbert Avenue and an apparent suicide north of the pier. • A recent sting operation found and cited two Newport Beach businesses for selling alcohol to decoy minors, out of eight businesses targeted in the operation. Those who sell alcoholic beverages to minors may face a fine up to $1,000 and/or 24 to 32 hours of community service for the first violation. • The weather forecast is looking good for the 77th annual Newport-to-Ensenada International Yacht Race, according to Pete Bretschger, spokesman for the event's organizer, the Newport Ocean Sailing Assn. Winds should be favorable when the competition kicks off on Friday, the Daily Pilot reported. If all goes smoothly for them, the quickest yachts should cross the finish line in Mexico at around 9 or 10 a.m. Saturday. • The Ducks fired coach Greg Cronin Saturday. General manager Pat Verbeek said 'his team needs a new voice to achieve significant results from its lengthy rebuilding process,' the Associated Press reported in a story picked up by The Times. Instead of confirming the team's 35-37-10 record in their seventh consecutive non-playoff season that caused the firing, Verbeek did not give any concrete reason, according to the report. 'There was other reasons, and I shared those with Greg, and they were private conversations that I want to remain private as to why,' Verbeek told the press. • Marina High student athletes Trevor Nguyen and David Tran earned the top seed in the CIF doubles division at the 123rd annual Ojai Tennis Tournament, which begins tomorrow. Other local high school doubles teams slated to compete at Ojai include Roger Geng and Brody Jao of Corona del Mar, Dylan Trinh and Kai Stolaruk of Edison, Caleb Goodman and Andrew Beasley of Huntington Beach, Jasper Hine and Matthew Leonard of Newport Harbor and Alex Croitoru and Alexander Park of Sage Hill. Local singles participants include Ivan Pflueger (CdM), Tane Rice (Laguna Beach), Alejandro Hill (Marina) and Ryan Honary (Newport Harbor). • Heidi Zuckerman — who oversaw the transition of the Orange County Museum of Art from a regional exhibition space to a capstone institution in Costa Mesa — announced last week she will step down as its chief executive in December. Daily Pilot reporter Sara Cardine interviewed the Laguna Beach resident and learned of her future plans. • Fans of Porto's Cuban bakery will be glad to know it will be opening a store in Downtown Disney in a new building to be constructed where the Earl of Sandwich now stands, Hannah Fry with The Times reported. The site is near the entrance to Disney California Adventure and Disneyland, where, according to a study cited by Fry, at least 27 million visitors passed through in 2023. • Segerstrom Center for the Arts announced it will offer by subscription a six-night series that provides patrons a specially created dinner at a local restaurant, followed by a show. Dubbed Taste of the Arts, the series beings on July 24 and concludes in April 2026 The subscription series is on sale now, with tickets priced at $1,350. Visit for show and menu details. • Fountain Valley, which since 2021 has encouraged artists to create art for vinyl wraps to be installed on drab utility boxes, recently decided to also allow hand-painted art installations on them. The Daily Pilot interviewed Katy Wright, who is the only participant to date in the Art-on-a-Box program run by the Fountain Valley Community Foundation. 'I have gotten up at several meetings, and I have talked about that I'm the inaugural artist, and I want to see more art out there by more people, more variety,' Wright said. 'The sky's the limit as far as what could be on those boxes.' Priority is given to artists who live and work in Fountain Valley, but it is also open to those who support or have an affiliation with the city. The Foundation will work with selected artists to find sponsors to pay for the installation. • South County Pet Expo returns for its eighth year on Saturday, April 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Lake Forest Sports Park & Recreation Center, 28000 Rancho Pkwy. It's free to enter and has a 'hippie' theme this year of 'All They Need is Love.' Parking is also free, but is limited at the park, so guests can park across the street in the Saddleback Church parking lot. Event highlights include animals for adoption, vendors, and HEART 4 Pets' low-cost mobile vet clinic for dogs and cats needing vaccinations or microchips. Dogs, cats, birds, rodents and other small animals will be available to adopt. There will be a carnival area, an Earth Day section with crafts, live music and more. • The 52nd Newport Beach International Boat Show at the Lido Marina Village begins Thursday, May 1 and runs through Sunday, May 4. Guests can take a look at more than 200 vessels and visit the booths of 150 exhibitors showing off the latest and greatest boating gear. General admission is $30 each day, or $80 for a weekend pass. That includes access to the Mercury Racing Garden, a pop-up space where visitors can find snacks, beers and a soft turf play area for kids. • Heroes Hall Speaker Series at the OC Fair & Event Center: From 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, April 30, Marine Corps veterans and married couple Norman and Alice Marshall will speak on their careers during the Vietnam War, from flights of terror to rescuing Vietnamese following the fall of Saigon. Admission and parking are free; wine and hors d'oeuvres will be served. RSVPs can be made here, or call (714) 708-1613. I'll check in with you again on Wednesday, May 14. Until then, be well! Carol I 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
Los Angeles Times
16-04-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
Build, baby, build! Huntington Beach oil, gas facility could give way to 800 homes and a hotel
Good morning. It's Wednesday, April 16. 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. The rich oil pools lying beneath Huntington Beach have, since the first oil well began operating on its shores in May 1920, produced billions of barrels of oil as well as many more billions of cubic feet of natural gas. While over the decades homes sprouted around the drilling operations, not all of the oceanfront land from which liquid gold has been extracted for our seemingly insatiable use has been developed. Formerly known as Occidental Petroleum's California operations, the California Resources Corporation, which operates a 92-acre energy facility on the inland side of Pacific Coast Highway in Huntington Beach, is seeking to create a residential development on slightly more than half of it, according to this Daily Pilot news item. For that reason, the corporation is applying to the city to rezone its property, which stretches 1.9 miles from Goldwest Street to Seapoint Street, unquestionably a prime location for housing and hotels. To me, the news is an intriguing counterpoint to 'Drill, baby, drill,' the frequent refrain of our current president while he was on the campaign trail last year. The proposal in Huntington Beach is to build up to 800 residential units on 53 acres — a mixture of single-family detached homes, townhouses and condominiums — and up to 350 hotel rooms on about 16 acres where there would also be some retail and dining options, according to the story. The remaining 23 acres would be reserved as open space. 'The goal of this project is to shape the future of the property with the evolving needs of the local community,' said Bob Grundstrom, C.R.C.'s senior vice president of business development, in a statement. 'We recognize the importance of thoughtful growth and understand the community's concerns about high-density housing — and that's not what this is. By transitioning the property from an industrial site to a mixed-use community, we're not only creating housing and economic opportunities but also ensuring that this coastal asset serves residents and visitors for generations to come.' The news that C.R.C. applied for the zoning change on March 28 comes months after the Huntington Beach City Council unanimously approved the Magnolia Tank Farm Project, which would also be on the site of a former oil pumping and storage facility in southeast Huntington Beach. This proposed rezoning for the C.R.C. land will have the same hurdles all of our state's seaside developments face. Not only will the City Council and Planning Commission have to give their blessings to it, but the California Coastal Commission would have to approve any change of the local coastal program. It could be several years before the project is shovel ready, as the land which has for so long been used for its commercial purposes would have to be restored to make it suitable for homes. In the meantime, according to a C.R.C. spokesperson, it would continue to be operated as it is today. 'Following the required approvals, existing oil and gas facilities would be removed and the site would be restored for future development,' the spokesperson, Nital Patel, said in an email to the Daily Pilot. 'We will work closely with the city of Huntington Beach and other relevant agencies to ensure that all environmental and regulatory standards are met throughout the remediation and redevelopment process.' • A dead, young female 50-foot gray whale washed ashore in Huntington Beach on Friday, according to officials with the Pacific Marine Mammal Center. Employees of the center performed a necropsy of the body on Saturday morning, the results of which could be made public within a couple of weeks. The Los Angeles Times reported on the incident and noted that gray whales have been dying in large numbers up and down the Pacific Coast this year and scientists can't explain the uptick. • This tidbit is not exclusive to Orange County, but because all of our region felt Monday's 5.2 earthquake, I'm calling it fair game for this week's TimesOC newsletter: A couple of hours after the 10:10 a.m. shaker, the San Diego Zoo released to media a video of African elephants in its care at the Safari Park in Escondido setting up a defensive stance known as an 'alert circle' to protect the herd's younger, most vulnerable members. If you haven't already seen it, take a look; it's very interesting. The video is embedded in this Times' article. • Beach Boulevard in Anaheim is poised to welcome three popular chains, including In-N-Out, Dutch Bros and Dave's Hot Chicken, which will occupy the corner where Beach meets Lincoln Avenue. These additions are just part of the city's efforts to revamap a 1.5-mile stretch of the thoroughfare, TimesOC reports. • Following a protest last month to protect diversity, equity and inclusion programs at Chapman University, several student activists are scheduled to appear at administrative hearings over alleged campus conduct code violations. Apparently their use of megaphones and microphones during their demonstrations ran afoul of the university's conduct codes regarding amplified sound and left them open to disciplinary action. • Complaints from residents of a nearby senior living facility about the loud noises emanating from the pickleball courts at Lang Park in Laguna Beach convinced the City Council something had to be done. To that end, an ordinance went into effect last week requiring pickleball players to invest about $100 more for 'quiet' paddles or face citations. Via the L.A. Times' report on the ordinance, I learned there is a grassroots Pickleball Noise Relief Foundation that maintains the volleying of the sport's unique balls is 'a racket like no other!' • We've learned of another Orange County church that's taking steps toward subdividing some of its property to allow for housing. Officials with Grace Baptist Church in Garden Grove, which has dwindled to a membership of about 30 people, want to continue its ministry and realized that giving up a nearly 2-acre back lot for a 26-unit townhouse development as the best path forward. • Disneyland guests visiting New Orleans Square were evacuated briefly Saturday evening after a naked man exposed himself to others there and, according to a report on Reddit, climbed a tree. Anahiem police took the 38-year-old unclothed visitor from Canada into custody on suspicion of trespassing, public nudity and being under the influence of narcotics. • In Laguna Beach, also on Saturday and also involving a 38-year-old man, Laguna Beach Fire Department and the Orange County Fire Authority were called to rescue a hapless hiker who fell from a 20-foot shoreline cliff, lifeguards reported in a video shared on Instagram. • The transient found guilty in the June 30, 2022 murder of a homeless woman and burying her in the yard of his parents' Huntington Beach mobile home was sentenced Friday to 30 years to life in prison. Antonio Padilla, 37 was convicted Feb. 18 of second-degree murder in the slaying of 60-year-old Regina 'Gina' Marie Lockhart. • When all was said and done in the trial of the Newport Beach doctor accused of dealing drugs, the partially deadlocked jury pondering his fate could agree on finding him guilty of only a single charge out of the 35 they considered. The split verdict came Thursday, after two weeks of testimony and four days of deliberation. The criminal case against Dr. Jeffrey Olsen was initially filed almost eight years ago. • A Tesla speeding eastbound on Orangethorpe Avenue in Fullerton at 6:45 a.m. Saturday crashed into a pickup truck and then a bus, police said. The two occupants of the Tesla died of injuries sustained during the collision while five other people suffered minor injuries. • LA28 announced Tuesday the lineup of venues for the 2028 Summer Olympics is nearly complete. In O.C., Anaheim's Honda Center will host indoor volleyball and Trestles Beach in San Clemente will host surfing competition. • Students attending Edison High School in Huntington Beach can participate in a unique four-year program called CIBACS (Center for International Business and Communication Studies). The Daily Pilot caught up last week with a 2024 graduate of the program, teenager Matthew Hunein, who managed to transform his CIBACS senior project into a dessert shop, Crzookie Cookies and Ice Cream, which recently opened near his former campus. • On the hunt for a place to take the family out for a special meal this Easter Sunday? Here's a look at a few Orange County eateries that are offering up some mouthwatering brunches for the holiday. • A unique tour was given at Fairlawn Memorial Park & Cemetery in honor of Women's History Month that featured the resting places of some of O.C.s most prominent women. Accomplished early landowner Gail Moulton, who lived from 1878 to 1972, was one of them. But there are many others — a total of 14 trailblazing women were featured in the 45-minute tour. • Fullerton Museum Center's latest exhibit is 'Punk OC: From the Streets of Suburbia. On view through Aug. 10, the exhibit focuses on Fullerton's influential punk scene, the evolution of punk in Orange County and how the local scene influenced national and global punk culture. Ephemera from the county's punk scene is on display from bands like the Offspring, Social Distortion, Manic Hispanic, Circle Jerks, the Middle Class and the Adolescents. Guitars and drum kits used by the bands are set up and photos, news clippings and sets lists also line the walls. • Cities throughout O.C. are offering special events related to Easter this weekend, according to many of them including egg hunts and other fun geared toward families. One such example is the free Spring Eggstravaganza at Boisseranc Park, 7520 Dale St., Buena Park, on Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Activities will include a petting zoo, bounce houses, games, crafts, entertainment and photo opportunities. • For backyard gardening enthusiasts: VeggiePalooza Plant Sale will take place at the Arboretum and Botanical Garden at Cal State Fullerton this Thursday and Friday, from noon to 4 p.m. and on Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Until next week,Carol I 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
Los Angeles Times
09-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
From tats to tees, this artist knows how to show his hometown some love
Good morning. It's Wednesday, April 9. 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. With anxieties rising and the markets sliding again late yesterday, hours before high tariffs on China and other countries were set to be imposed at midnight, it seemed there's no time like the present to distract ourselves from nervously checking our 401(k)s. So, this morning, let's turn our attention from Wall Street to a very specific local market: people who love Anaheim, its pro hockey team and T-shirts. I know it's hardly breaking news, but this item is for readers who prefer a sweet treat with their morning coffee. I'm referring to a feature story by my colleague Sarah Mosqueda, who interviewed Anaheim native Gustavo 'Gus' Jaimes for Sunday's Daily Pilot & TimesOC. Jaimes is the artist behind the 10,000 T-shirts given away to the first 10,000 fans arriving at Honda Center on March 28 to watch the Ducks come from behind to beat the New York Rangers in a game that went into overtime. Jaimes is a graphic illustrator and tattoo artist. Longtime Anaheim residents may be familiar with his family's business, La Herradura Western Wear on South Euclid Street. 'I feel very connected to Anaheim,' Jaimes told the paper. 'As a kid, I got to know different parts of Anaheim very well from my whole family living in the area.' His passions, Mosqueda writes, are hockey, coffee, music and his Mexican heritage; they are all found in his works of art. The exclusive T-shirt design, which he produced in collaboration with Visit Anaheim, reflects his 'homegrown pride, retro tattoo style and Anaheim Duck fandom.' The 'Welcome to Anaheim' T-shirt he designed for Ducks fans 'reads like a vintage postcard, with the Anaheim Packing House, the Ferris wheel at Disney's California Adventure and other landmarks visible in the thick block letters. A ripe orange sits at the top, the lettering is below it, and Ducks mascot Wild Wing waves an orange pennant cheering 'Let's go Ducks!!!'' 'There are a lot of historical buildings in Anaheim and I am a very nostalgic person, in general,' said Jaimes. 'I always love to pay tribute to the past with eyes on the future. The Ducks are taking the team and the city in an incredible direction and I feel lucky to be part of it.' His affection for his community runs deep. 'I have met almost everyone that is important in my life here — whether they are people in bands or they play hockey or work for the city or they have opened up records stores — I have had the chance to be a part of it or help in some way, especially if they needed artwork,' Jaimes said. 'I have been fortunate that people ask me to help them design stuff, so this community means a lot to me. 'I just want people to see what I see,' he said. • Here's a trio of news stories related to the national political divide that involve Orange County and have been published over the past several days: — Former Vice President Kamala Harris was in Dana Point last Thursday to address the Leading Women Defined summit held at the Ritz-Carlton. During her eight-minute speech, according to this Los Angeles Times story, Harris 'decried the rollback of fundamental rights under President Trump, urged people to prioritize self-care and pledged to remain active in the fight to safeguard constitutional protection.' Her appearance was a surprise to many of the 100 attendees, who 'leaped to their feet, whooped, cheered and waved napkins in the air' when she entered the room. — Two days after Harris' visit to O.C., about 1,400 peaceful protests against a wide range of actions by the Trump administration and Elon Musk were held across the nation, including at Huntington Beach and Sasscer Park in Santa Ana. — L.A. Times reporter Hannah Fry last week ventured into Trump-friendly Huntington Beach and spoke to some of the president's supporters as well as some who voted against him. She was curious what they thought about Trump's 'Liberation Day,' the announcement of his global tariffs. 'Trump supporters generally want to give the tariffs a chance even though it might mean some short-term pain for the economy,' Fry wrote of the Huntington Beach voters she spoke to. 'But people who didn't vote for him were more concerned about the effects on their pocketbooks and the long-term economic outlook.' • A demonstration of a different sort took place last Wednesday when registered nurses represented by SEIU Local 121RN at Anaheim Regional Medical Center picketed to draw the public's attention to safety issues and understaffing at the hospital. • An SUV caught fire just before 10 a.m. Friday in a parking structure that serves the Disneyland resort in Anaheim and spread to at least two more vehicles before the flames were put out. • The names of three of the five victims who lost their lives due to a single-car crash late Saturday night in Santa Ana were released by authorities on Tuesday. The Lexus sedan they were in when it hit a tree had six occupants, two of whom were adults; four were teens. The accident took place on Segerstrom Avenue, a few blocks west of Carl Thornton Park, according to police. • Anthony J. Tremayne, 58, of Rosarito, Mexico, pleaded guilty Monday in a Santa Ana federal courtroom to selling hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of fake celebrity autographs. Tremayne is expected to be sentenced for the mail fraud on Aug. 11. • Jeffrey Ferguson, the 74-year-old Orange County Superior Court judge accused of fatally shooting his wife in 2023, is back in court this week for a retrial after a jury last month deadlocked, 11-1, on a second-degree murder charge and a mistrial was called. • The trial of Newport Beach doctor Jeffrey Olsen, who is charged with prescribing and distributing large amounts of unnecessary drugs, was handed to the jury this week. Olsen maintains that he believed his patients when he prescribed them opiates that were later sold on the street. No verdict had been reached as of Tuesday afternoon. • The Angels' home season opener Friday ended in a 6-8 loss to the Cleveland Guardians but, on Saturday and Sunday, the Halos beat the Guardians, 10-4 and 6-2, respectively. Logan O'Hoppe on Sunday became the first catcher in Angels history to homer in four straight games when he connected leading off the second inning. • Orange County resident Sophie Stava, after 15 years writing fiction without much luck in selling it to publishers, became known across the country when her first published novel, 'Count My Lies,' was recently featured as the book of the month by 'Good Morning America.' Released March 4 by Scout Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, the domestic thriller is about a compulsive liar who becomes a nanny for a family with secrets of their own. • Does your city boast a poet laureate? Costa Mesa just named its first ever to the post, Danielle Hanson, whose tasks for the city over the coming two years will be to compose poems for special events and occasions. Hansen, who will receive a $2,500 annual stipend for her work, is a poetry instructor at UC Irvine. 'At its best, a poet laureate position is like a cheerleader for poetry out in the community,' she told the Daily Pilot. 'That's how I approach it.' • A North Orange County woman whose husband was established as an automotive reviewer, chucked her job as an elementary school teacher to do the same, but with a twist: she especially tailors her words of vehicle wisdom to an audience of women. 'Mobile Mama' (AKA Christina Branman) now has 1.1 million followers on TikTok, and nearly 400,000 on Instagram who enjoy her videos and advice on the right cars for moms everywhere. Branman quickly learned she could earn more through payments she received from TikTok than she could at her teaching job. • The sound lab at the Newport Beach Public Library welcomes, by reservation, people who might be there to dance, sing, record voice-overs for audiobooks or create music, the Daily Pilot reported in this feature story last week. More recently, there's been an uptick in patrons hoping to use the soundproof room to produce podcasts, so the library's foundation is hoping to raise $4,000 to buy the equipment needed for that purpose. The sound lab is just one of many multimedia resources available; the pubic is invited to Digital Saturday this weekend. If you want to check it out, the library is located at 1000 Avocado Ave., Newport Beach. • The Theatre Arts program at Vanguard University on Thursday debuted an original, ultra-campy stage adaptation of 'Journey to the Center of the Earth,' the French science fiction novel by Jules Verne. The multi-media show runs through this Sunday. Curtain time is 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, and there will be 2 p.m. matinees on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets cost $17, or $15 for seniors 60+, children under 12, college students and groups and can be purchased at or by calling the box office at (714) 668-6145. • Boots & Brews Country Music Festival comes to Great Park Live in Irvine at 5 p.m. Friday, for one night only. Tickets start at $59.99 for general admission and $149.99 for the VIP Lounge. There are also party packs that offer tickets at a discounted price when you purchase four or more, and private cabana experiences. For details on tickets visit • Fun educational activities for kids can be found this Saturday and Sunday at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, which will present its annual STEAM-themed event, Imaginology. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free and parking is $12. Until next week,Carol I 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
Los Angeles Times
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Laguna's ‘alternative sleeping location' for homeless championed by all, but officials would welcome help
Good morning. It's Wednesday, April 2. 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. One of the stories filed last week that caught my eye was written by my Daily Pilot colleague Andrew Turner, whose beat includes the city of Laguna Beach. I've become accustomed to reading stories about city councils who have had their fill of complaints about homeless individuals on the streets and passing laws in hopes of clearing them out of view. But Turner's report about last week's meeting of the Laguna Beach City Council gave me the impression the small community has not only been taking a more compassionate approach, but is willing to continue on that path, at least for the time being. They'd just appreciate some help from some neighboring cities who seem to be shooing homeless people in the direction of Laguna Canyon where the city-funded and supported 'alternative sleeping location' that is referred to by its acronym, ASL, is set up. According to the article, community members crowded into Laguna Beach City Hall and waited for three hours until a discussion about whether or not to keep operating the ASL past June 30, the end of the city's fiscal year, came up on the City Council's agenda. Residents urged the City Council to continue the services offered at the site. The staff report for the discussion offered a handful of options. City Manager Dave Kiff received a round of applause from a relieved audience when he said he would not recommend the closing of the ASL. But Kiff tempered his remarks that night by acknowledging hard decisions have to be made when budgeting for each year, and it was apparent that shelter and services the city offers to the homeless (a place people can sleep at night, eat and take showers during the daytime, among those offerings) was drawing more unhoused individuals to Laguna., 'I don't think our shelter resources need to be the region's resources,' Kiff said. 'We've already stepped up well, as Laguna knows. We're home to a youth shelter, the Friendship Shelter and the ASL, which is over 70 beds, if my count is correct, and I worry that we genuinely can't afford to be anything but Laguna-focused in the long term. 'Why have this discussion now? I think part of our approach today is to be prepared for something we think is likely going to happen, and that is an increase of arrivals of unhoused residents from other areas that are heavier on enforcement [of anti-camping ordinances] than we are, and who don't have a shelter or day program services.' Punctuating Kiff's assertion, Police Chief Jeff Calvert said the city's park rangers have documented over 50 new homeless individuals in the community since October. And, he told the council, his department had learned through interviews that neighboring cities, 'rehabilitation centers, social service agencies and organizations like City Net and Telecare,' were sending homeless to Laguna Beach. 'Word of our ASL services is clearly spreading, leading to an influx of homeless individuals from surrounding surge is placing a strain on our resources.' Jeremy Frimond, an assistant to the city manager, noted that running the ASL could more than double. 'Funding is uncertain, so we were not planning on federal funding coming through in the ways that it has the past several years,' he said. As the discussion continued, it became clear that the City Council would extend the ASL past June 30. An ad hoc committee will work with staff to refine homeless services. But it was clear the council wants other communities to step up and share the burden. 'Nobody else is carrying any water on this in south [Orange] County,' Councilman Bob Whalen said. 'They haven't for years, for decades it's been all us, but the fact that it's all us and the fact that others aren't doing their fair share shouldn't change the outcome on what we should continue to do.' For readers who'd like more information, Turner's full report on the meeting can be found here. The city staff report for the agenda item is available at the city's website. • In case you hadn't heard, someone bought the winning Powerball ticket in Saturday's drawing at the 7-Eleven at 763 N. Euclid St. in Anaheim. The prize is estimated at approximately $515 million. • In recognition of the fact Anaheim is home to more than 20,000 people who identify as Middle Eastern or North African, the City Council approved a resolution at its March 25 meeting endorsing a bill working its way through the state Legislature, the the MENA Inclusion Act. Also known as Assembly Bill 91, it would require state and local agencies, beginning in 2027, to include separate categories for major Middle Eastern and North African groups currently categorized as 'white' in data reports. • A show called Symphony of Flowers that's expected to soon bathe a portion of Huntington Beach Central Park East with more than 500,000 low-emitting LED lights and 100,000 luminous flowers to be viewed by ticket-holding guests, has raised the ire of community members and conservationists. Concerned citizens banded together as Protect Huntingon Beach last week sued the city, saying it violated the California Environmental Quality Act when the City Council approved a license for Flowers of the Sky, LLC to produce the show on Thursdays through Sundays for about six months. • A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held March 20 for the $32.9-million Pelican Harbor senior apartments complex in Huntington Beach for low-income and formerly homeless seniors who are at least 62 years old. It's a joint venture of Irvine-based Jamboree Housing Corporation and USA Properties Fund, in partnership with the city of Huntington Beach and County of Orange. • Several municipalities have been grappling in recent years on how to best to regulate group and sober-living homes in residential neighborhoods seen by community members as public nuisances. Last week, the Mission Viejo City Council gave its approval to a new ordinance to significantly help city officials regulate the homes. • FEMA and state grant funding to the tune of $334,000 has been secured by the city of Laguna Beach that will be used to mitigate wildfire hazards in Hobo and Diamond canyons, where combustible vegetation abounds. • Twice in less than a week, Huntington Beach city-owned vehicles were involved in crashes. In the first case, a police officer behind the wheel of a marked patrol car was struck by a black Kia sedan while driving near Beach Boulevard and Yorktown Avenue March 23 at around 10:15 p.m. In the other incident, a city employee was hospitalized with minor injuries last Wednesday after a public works truck was struck by a vehicle that reportedly ran a red light at Goldenwest Street and Slater Avenue. • Tragedy struck in Irvine last Thursday afternoon when a middle-schooler died at the home of an acquaintance of a self-inflicted gunshot. By Friday, Irvine resident Christian Douglas Yeager, 56, had been booked on suspicion of criminal storage of a firearm and child endangerment in connection with the 13-year-old's death. A police spokesperson said the gun used in the shooting belonged to Yeager, who had not properly secured it. He was not home at the time of the incident, but an adult female family member was there. • After discovering his home surveillance camera had stills someone stealing his keys from his house, a man whose wallet and cellphone had been taken from his car while he surfed in Newport Beach one day last August recently helped police bust a ring of criminals who had been preying on surfers up and down the coast, knowing they would be out in the water. • A Fullerton-based contractor who handled taxpayer-funded construction projects in Newport Beach, Anaheim, San Clemente and other cities in multiple counties is facing wage theft allegations. The owner of the company has also been charged with 14 additional felony counts, including intent to evade taxes and falsifying official documents. • A look at some of the local public safety briefs reported by City News Service over the past few days: — The trial of Jeffrey Olsen, a Newport Beach doctor charged with prescribing and distributing large amounts of unnecessary drugs, is underway. This has been a long saga; in 2020, during the pandemic, U.S. District Judge Cormac Carney dismissed Olsen 's 34-count indictment, a ruling that was overturned in April 2021 by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. — Police this week asked for the public's help tracking down a gunman who on Sunday night killed a 30-year-old transient on the 14000 block of Goldenwest Street, Westminster. Anyone with information was asked to call police at (714) 548-3767. — A 23-year-old pedestrian was struck by two vehicles and killed at around 2 a.m. Monday on southbound side of the Santa Ana (5) Freeway in Anaheim, just north of Lincoln Avenue. A witness reported that a white truck hit the pedestrian in middle lanes, the CHP said. It was learned later that a black Honda Civic also hit the pedestrian. — Two teenage boys on an electric scooter were critically injured yesterday afternoon when they were struck by a car on Hewes Street in Orange. They were reportedly riding southbound in the northbound lanes when they collided with a northbound Tesla. The boys are in critical condition at a hospital but expected to survive. • Paul Anderson, a reporter with City News Service, reported Monday the retirement of Scott Sanders, the attorney with the O.C. public defender's office who brought to light the O.C. Sheriff's Department's illegal use of jailhouse informants in criminal cases. • Opening Day did not go well for the Angels last Thursday, when they fell 1-8 to the White Sox. It was their 11th season-opening loss in 12 years. But by the weekend things started looking up for the Halos, as they beat the White Sox on Saturday and Sunday. Then, on Monday night they enjoyed a 5-4 win over the St. Louis Cardinals. Last night (after this newsletter's deadline) former Chicago Cub Kyle Hendricks, a graduate of Capistrano Valley High, was scheduled to make his Angels debut. • Following a longtime tradition, the sports reporters at the Daily Pilot voted last week on their post-season Girls' Water Polo Dream Team. Gabby Alexson, who played center for Newport Harbor High, took top honors as Player of the Year while Katie Teets was named Coach of the Year for her work with the Laguna Beach High team. Their stories, plus a list of every other member of the Dream Team can be found here. • Ben McCullough's family worried they would soon lose him because one of the 75-year-old's heart valves didn't close tightly enough and he had been in failing health for months. But, two doctors who constructed a new-to-the-market EVOQUE replacement heart valve devised by Edwards Lifesciences Corp. in Irvine saved his life in December. The Huntington Beach resident was invited to take a tour of the corporation's building last week, where he was thrilled to be surprised by a visit from the two heart surgeons who operated on him, Brian Kolski and Jeffrey Taylor. The complete story on the reunion can be found here. • The Mesa Water Education Center opened in January, offering more than 20 hands-on stops and stations specially tailored for fifth-graders learning about the earth's climate, weather systems and the water cycle. Mesa Water Board President Marice H. DePasquale told the Daily Pilot for this interesting feature story that more needs to be done to recruit young people by conveying the breadth of water industry jobs. •. The Yorba Linda Street Legacy program is giving local residents the chance to own a piece of the city's heritage, or their own personal history in town, by purchasing a decommissioned street name sign for $30. To apply for one, visit Yorba Linda's website. • Knott's Berry Farm's Boysenberry Festival is marking its 10th year celebrating the fruit that launched Knott's in 1920. It opened Friday and will run daily through April 27. Visitors will find food, merchandise entertainment an arts and crafts show and more, reports TimesOC in this feature about the event. • Those who appreciate the works of California Impressionist artists may want to schedule a trip this spring to the art gallery at San Clemente's Casa Romantica, where masterworks from the James Irvine Swinden Family Collection are on display. On the exhibit's first day, Swinden noted the collection is a testimony to the taste of his mother, Joan Irvine Smith, who began collecting California Impressionist art in the early 1990s. 'Gems of California Impressionism' is on view through June 15. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday through Sunday. General admission is $8; free on the first Sunday of every month. Until next week,Carol I 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
Los Angeles Times
26-03-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
Funds shrouded from an O.C. community college district board — is it illegal use of taxpayers' money?
Good morning. It's Wednesday, March 26. I'm Carol Cormaci, bringing you this week's TimesOC newsletter with a look at some of the latest local news and events. Rancho Santiago Community College District, which oversees Santa Ana and Santiago Canyon colleges, has been at the center of recent reporting by my colleague Sara Cardine, who for just over two years has been unraveling some eyebrow-raising actions — and relationships— between a vendor and a couple of former district administrators. When I say two years, it's a bit misleading. It is true she started digging into this complex story in January 2023, but, given the modest size of our staff, we could not spare her more than one day a week to devote to it. So she's plugged away quietly every Monday, interviewing stakeholders and availing herself of the California Public Records Act to request internal documents from host of a entities so she could put all the pieces of the puzzle together. What she has reported so far is roughly a third of that jigsaw; more pieces are awaiting at the side, tantalizingly so, until the time is right to put them into place. Readers might remember the first stories that materialized from Cardine's findings and were published in September, 'How one Orange County community college district found $8M of its own money,' and '2 retired Rancho Santiago CCD employees have deep moorings in ASCIP risk pool,' both of which (we heard through the grapevine) were sniffed at by at least one embarrassed (or perhaps nervous) insider as not worth worrying about because the Daily Pilot is 'just an insert' in the Los Angeles Times. The online readership stats for those stories belie that sentiment. Sometimes it's a true pleasure to be underestimated. Around the time those stories broke, a member of the district's board of trustees, Phil Yarbrough, pressed for an audit to get to the bottom of how it could be possible that $8 million had been essentially (maybe even intentionally?) hidden from the board. Those dollars might have been used to meet urgent needs over the years, yet they remained the knowledge of just a few people who, for whatever reasons, kept the info to themselves. On a recent Monday, the forensic audit was presented to the district's board. It confirmed every detail Cardine had discovered during her own investigation into the problematic relationship between RSCCD and the entity that held funds belonging to it without clear accounting for them, the Alliance of Schools for Cooperative Insurance Programs, or ASCIP, the unaccredited joint powers authority that provides districts with various types of insurance. Which led to our most recent articles, published in Sunday's paper: 'Community college district's audit of secret $8M insurance rebate fund exposes violations' in which Cardine reported, 'Accountants found that current and former district employees violated California's education code, state budgetary guidelines and the board's own policies by failing to publicly disclose the fund's balance, including in annual district audits.' The sidebar to that story was a not entirely unexpected reaction to that audit's findings, inasmuch as breaking ed code is unlawful: 'Rancho Santiago stakeholders take forensic audit findings to O.C., L.A. investigators.' Yes, the matter was sent to the district attorneys of both counties. Not only were there violations at the district level, but there still remain, as Cardine reports, 'the wider implications of ASCIP's practices involving the 140 public school district members it serves, from San Francisco to San Diego counties.' How many of those districts remain unaware ASCIP is holding funds back from them at a time when they could use the funds, wonders Barry Resnick, a source for Cardine's reporting. 'This is not the way taxpayer funds should be handled,' he said. • As had been predicted by many, celebrity chef Andrew Gruel was appointed from among three earlier mentioned candidates and immediately sworn in as the newest member of the Huntington Beach City Council last week. It also might not come as a surprise that the audience — representing both sides of the political divide — would became so loud in their bipartisan disagreement over the appointment that the police would be forced to clear the chambers of everyone except the council. Note the sign on the dais indicating Gruel's appointment to replace Tony Strickland (recently elected to the state Senate) had apparently been decided ahead of the meeting. • On a 4-1 vote last week and over the objections of some residents, the La Habra City Council gave the green light to the Diocese of Orange to build 21 market-rate apartments on a 1.6-acre grassy field at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church. According to TimesOC, a consultant for the Diocese told the council, 'It's just like any other apartment complex, it just happens to be owned by the Diocese.' Here's a lukewarm endorsement from one of the council members, Daren Nigsarian: 'I favor the project because I don't think we have a choice,' he said. • The three adult daughters of undocumented immigrants Nelson and Gladys Gonzalez, longtime residents of Laguna Niguel, were stunned to learn that when their parents showed up Feb. 21 for a routine annual check-in with Immigration and Customs Enforcement as part of an agreement to remain in the country, they were detained and sent back to Colombia. The L.A Times reports that, according to a statement from ICE, the married couple entered the country illegally in 1989 near San Ysidro. Their daughters, who are all U.S. citizens, wrote on a fundraising website, 'They have never broken the law, never missed an appointment [with ICE] and this sudden occurrence has left us in shock.' • College Hospital Costa Mesa announced earlier this month it had discovered that more patient information had been exposed during a data breach last year than had earlier been reported. Those impacted were notified that a 'threat actor' had accessed certain files within the hospital sometime between Aug. 14 and Sept. 17, 2024. • Orange County Dist. Atty. Todd Spitzer announced Friday his office is charging 48-year-old Irvine resident Saritha Ramaraju with one felony count of murder and one felony enhancement of personal use of a weapon. Ramaraju was arrested for allegedly slitting her 11-year-old son's throat with a kitchen knife after after they spent three days exploring Disneyland. • California Highway Patrol is investigating a multi-car crash involving a Huntington Beach police officer that sent six people to the hospital Sunday night. The crash occurred at about 10:15 p.m. near where Beach Boulevard meets Yorktown Avenue. • A round-up of some of the local public safety briefs reported by City News Service over the past several days: — A 35-year-old man was charged Friday with stabbing an O.C. Sheriff's Department deputy in San Clemente on March 18. Moses Paulisin was charged with attempted murder, willful resisting a peace office resulting in injury, assault with a weapon on a peace officer and obstructing an officer, all felonies. The deputy was treated for a neck wound and released from a hospital — Michael Carl Hallgreen, 70, was sentenced Friday to 16 years to life in prison for fatally stabbing a fellow resident in a care home in Anaheim on Nov. 20, 2018. — The man who was charged with molesting two girls over a seven-year period while living in a crowded Cosa Mesa home with their mother was found guilty Monday. Nelson Anibal Saavedra is scheduled to be sentenced May 9. · The Angels acquired right-handed starter Ian Anderson from the Atlanta Braves on Sunday in a trade for left-hander José Suárez, according to this Associated Press story in the Los Angeles Times. Bill Shaikin's lasted column on their team, also for the The Times, will no doubt resonate with die-hard Angels fans. Shaikin wonders out loud what, exactly, the plan is for this season, inasmuch as the team has the longest playoff drought in Major League Baseball. • Golfing legend Jack Nicklaus was the featured guest last week when the Hoag Classic, the annual tournament for pro golfers 50 years old and up, held its pre-tournament Breakfast with a Champion at the Balboa Bay Resort. The three-day tournament got underway Friday, with Brendan Jones leading at the end of the day, Fred Couples tying for lead with Spain's Miguel Angel Jiménez at 11 under par on Saturday and Jiménez finishing the tournament at 15 under par to win by a stroke. • One of the senior players on Newport Harbor's baseball team was crushed in February to learn that his 47-year-old father had died unexpectedly while on vacation in Cabo San Lucas. This story by Daily Pilot writer Matt Szabo about the way the team and coach have been rallying behind him is inspirational. 'It's definitely one of the coolest brotherhoods I've ever witnessed,' the player's mother said of her son's teammates, some of whom had been coached by her late husband when they were younger. • In honor of Holi — the Hindu festival of colors — the Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel is hosting an afternoon tea service reimagined for the holiday. This special service, which is being offered on Saturdays, is dubbed Chit, Chat, Chai. Priced at $138 per person, it is being served up in the resort's restaurant Kahani, helmed by New Delhi native chef Sanjay Rawat. Reservations for Kahani are available on OpenTable. • In partnership with Charitable Ventures and UCI, the Samueli Foundation and Orange County Community Foundation recently surveyed more than 600 county nonprofit leaders for a needs assessment report, which revealed obstacles they typically encounter in their field. The main challenges uncovered included investing in staff and leadership, infrastructure and financial sustainability, collaboration and restrictive funding models. It was announced last week the Corona del Mar-based Samueli Foundation has committed $15 million to three initiatives to help meet that those needs. Segerstrom Center for the Arts presents American Ballet Theatre's premiere of 'The Winter's Tale,' inspired by Shakespeare's play, from Thursday, April 3 through Sunday, April 6. Tickets start at $44.07. Visit for more information. • WonderCon returns to the Anaheim Convention Center this Friday through Sunday and will feature more than 900 exhibitors, cosplay, panels and entertainment. The San Diego Comic Convention (Comic-Con International), which also organizes Comic-Con in July at the San Diego Convention Center, puts on the Anaheim event. • The OC Japan Fair is set for Friday, April 4 through Sunday, April 6 at the Orange County Fair & Event Center. General admission is $15 if purchased in advance and increases to $18 beginning April 4. Free admission for ages 6 and younger or 66 and older. Parking is $12. Hours Friday are 4 to 10 p.m., Saturday, noon to 10 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more details visit OC Japan Fair. • Green thumb alert: The San Clemente Garden Club is hosting its 2025 GardenFest on Saturday, April 12, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The club's website touts it as the city's 'Biggest, Best Plant Sale and Garden/Household Goods Flea Market.' From free garden tool sharpening to children's activities,it looks like there will be a lot going on during the event in addition to the plant sale and flea market. San Clemente Community Center, 100 N Calle Seville. Until next week,Carol I 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
