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Los Angeles Times
5 days ago
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
‘Either there will be safer streets in Newport Beach or I'll be dead,' says father of young DUI victim
Good morning. It's Wednesday, June 4. 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. On the last Sunday of May there was a somber assemblage near the Balboa Fun Zone to mark the first anniversary of the death of a 14-year-old girl mowed down in a DUI crash on the evening of Saturday, May 25, 2024. Rosenda Elizabeth Smiley, 'Rose' to all who knew her, had been enjoying a day in Newport Beach with friends after making the trip there that Memorial Day weekend from her dad's home, about 20 miles away from Big Bear Lake. They were in a crosswalk about a block from the Fun Zone when a dark sedan knocked Rose down. By the time first responders made it to her side she had succumbed to her injuries. Joseph Alcazar, 30, of Fontana, the man behind the wheel of the car, remained at the scene, where he was interviewed by police officers and arrested. Four days later he was charged with second-degree murder and two counts of driving under the influence and causing injuries, along with a misdemeanor count of child abuse and endangerment, the latter charge filed because Alcazar's own 8-year-old daughter was in his car that night, the Daily Pilot reported. His blood-alcohol level at the time of the crash was .16, prosecutors alleged in the complaint, twice the legal limit. In no time, a makeshift memorial filled with flowers took shape on a curb near where Rose's death occurred, and a vigil was organized to mourn yet another innocent victim of a DUI crash. The teen's mother and father — Glori Smiley and Fillmore Smiley — though divorced, were united not only in their grief, but also in their determination to stop such accidents from ever happening again in Newport Beach. With the support of Glori and his partner Lori, Fillmore Smiley has been lobbying city officials to install elevated and blinking crosswalks at some of Newport's heavily trafficked intersections and possibly implementing portions of a 'Vision Zero' policy adopted in Sweden 30 years ago that cut traffic-related deaths in half, reporters Sara Cardine and Eric Licas related in this Daily Pilot story about the anniversary vigil. He's not yet been successful with those pleas, he said. Smiley, a recovering addict himself with 21 years of sobriety who earned his doctorate and counsels others battling addition, is also asking Southland pols to introduce into the state Legislature 'Rosenda's Law.' It's a proposed bill that would impose tougher penalties for repeat DUI offenders and even passengers who knowingly get in a car with a drunk driver. According to The Pilot, Rosenda's Law 'suggests treatment for initial offenders and mandatory drug court for a second DUI. A third conviction would incur a 16-month minimum sentence and a fourth offense would call for five to 10 years. Anything after that would come with a life sentence.' The passengers who willingly climbed into a vehicle driven by someone under the influence could be charged with a misdemeanor reckless endangerment charge that would be erased after a series of educational classes, Smiley explained. Few legislators he's spoken to have wanted to take on introducing the proposed law, except for Assemblyman Tom Lackey (R-Palmdale). On May 27, the state Assembly declared May 25, 2025 'Rosenda's Day,' via a resolution introduced by Lackey. Smiley traveled to Sacramento for the occasion. 'In the past year, Rose's family members and friends, clad in pink T-shirts, bearing a rose and a picture of the teen with the words 'JusticeForRose,' have packed every courtroom hearing ahead of Alcazar's impending trial for murder, felony DUI and child endangerment,' according to the story. Smiley has also formed the group 'Rosenda's Gift' to help the families of other victims secure remembrances such as memorial plaques and benches, tributes he considers 'cathartic.' As to striking out — so far, anyway — with Newport Beach officials in his lobbying efforts for pedestrians to be made safer from the threat of DUI drivers, Smiley is determined to keep going. 'If I can't get Newport Beach to work with me and do the right thing, maybe I can do something at the state level and get some things implemented,' Smiley told The Pilot. 'I'm going to keep at it — either there will be safer streets in Newport Beach or I'll be dead.' • Much to the surprise of Mayor Pat Burns and others in the know about Huntington Beach's stand with President Trump against illegal immigration, Surf City was the only Orange County municipality on this list of sanctuary cities that was released Thursday by the Department of Homeland Security, accusing them of 'defying federal immigration law.' Curiously Santa Ana, an actual sanctuary city, did not. The list was taken down sometime Sunday, the Daily Pilot reports. Burns called the city's inclusion on it either a misprint or a serious mistake and notified the DHS of its error. National Sheriffs' Assn. President Sheriff Kieran Donahue called the list 'arbitrary' and created without any input, criteria of compliance or method of objecting to the designation, The Pilot reported. Before the list was removed from the DHS website, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem defended it Sunday morning on a Fox News program. 'Some of the cities have pushed back,' she said. 'They think because they don't have one law or another on the books that they don't qualify, but they do qualify. They are giving sanctuary to criminals.' • The coastal rail linking Orange and San Diego counties is expected to resume service next month after closing in April when the California Coastal Commission approved emergency construction because sections of the rail were reported to be unstable. Service from Dana Point in south Orange County to Oceanside in San Diego County — is set to resume June 7, the Los Angeles Times reports. • Civic leaders turned out last week to cheer the wrecking ball when Anaheim demolished yet another seedy motel along Beach Boulevard, the former Rainbow Inn, to make way for much-needed town homes and affordable housing units. 'We want to clean up this area in west Anaheim,' Rep. Lou Correa said at a press conference in front of the motel, according to this TimesOC story on the demolition. 'This is what good government is all about. It's about listening to our locals, to our constituents, responding to their needs and moving forward.' • Some 4,000 people attended the California Democratic Party annual conclave at the Anaheim Convention Center over the weekend. Speakers on Saturday included possible 2028 presidential hopefuls Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker. • Dismayed that his fellow state legislators are not taking up his battle to allow licensed manicurists to work as self-employed contractors without taking a rigorous test now required by law — even though licensed barbers, cosmetologists, estheticians and electrologists can continue the practice without it — Republican Assemblyman Tri Ta announced Monday he was filing a federal discrimination lawsuit. Ta noted that 82% of manicurists in California are Vietnamese, with 85% of those being women. 'This lawsuit seeks only one thing — to make sure that all professionals in the beauty industry are treated equally and to eliminate the obvious discrimination against the Vietnamese community,' the complaint reads. • The Mission Viejo City Council last week moved forward with the adoption of an updated state map that identifies homes in 'very high' or 'high' wildfire hazard zones. The approval was made with some reluctance, according to TimesOC, as residents raised the specter of how much their already-high homeowners insurance would be raised as a result. 'Mission Viejo is one of 16 Orange County cities with very high wildfire hazard areas,' reporter Gabriel San Román explains. 'Adoption of the Cal Fire map is mandatory and cities do not have the authority to change the risk designations, though they can offer feedback to scale an area's hazards upward.' • A 657-unit mixed-use development to be built on the former site of a Boomers family amusement center in Fountain Valley is on the table. If it gains all the necessary approvals, the Magnolia street project will help the city meet its state-mandated Regional Housing Needs Assessment, under which Fountain Valley must add 4,839 residential units by 2029. • Orange Coast College students in the aquarium science program on Friday released 200 tagged white seabass into the ocean at Bayside Beach, near the Orange County Sheriff's Harbor Patrol Division office. The college coordinated with the nonprofit Get Inspired, which works with O.C. schools to nurture white seabass, green abalone, Pismo clams and other species before releasing them into the ocean. Before Friday's release, students spent a few months caring for the fish on campus, said Mary Blasius, instructor and aquarium coordinator for the Orange Coast College Dennis Kelly Aquarium. • In hopes of reducing air pollution, the Buena Park City Council plans to hold a study session where it will learn about the possibility of banning delivery trucks from idling while making their rounds. The session was proposed by Councilmember Susan Sonne, according to this TimesOC article. 'Pollution is certainly a big concern here, because in my district, there's a number of commercial areas that back up against homes,' she said. 'There's also a noise consideration, and I've had residents who've reported large commercial trucks that have idled, not just for a few minutes, but for hours in the middle of the night.' • Costa Mesa police on Tuesday were searching for leads in a homicide case, with the suspect still at large, after a 20-year-old woman who was found shot on a Lukup Lane sidewalk Monday night died from her injuries. The victim was identified as Monserrat Colorado, of Huntington Beach. • Four male suspects from Riverside, including one juvenile, were arrested Sunday night after a man was shot during an altercation near a bar at Oceanfront and 23rd Street on the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach. • Orange County Superior Court Judge Judge Gary Paer began hearing the case early this week of 45-year-old Nolan Pascal Pillay, who was charged with two counts of murder with special circumstances in the deaths of his mother and brother on Jan. 31, 2017 at their Irvine home. On Tuesday, Pillay, who on Monday waived the right to a jury, was ruled insane when the crime occurred by Paer and is facing an indefinite commitment to a state mental hospital. • A 14-year-old armed with flare gun who allegedly shot and killed a 29-year-old man in Huntington Beach on the night May 23 was taken into custody, according to police. The victim, who died later at a hospital, was identified by the Orange County Coroner Division as Jose Manuel Nares of Huntington Beach. Police are seeking security camera footage and additional information. • The trial started last week in the murder case against Antonio Calizto Navarrete, a 45-year-old convicted drunk driver accused of killing Isadora Stabel, 20, on Aug. 22, 2020 in Irvine. Calitzto Navareete is charged with second-degree murder, hit-and-run with permanent and serious injury and driving under the influence of alcohol in excess of the legal limit of .08% causing injury, all felonies. • Having put in a lot of work after losing 15-3 its first game of the season to Woodbridge, the Estancia High School baseball team on Saturday captured its second CIF championship. Senior Jake Humphries, the only remaining player from the program's first CIF title team in 2022, hit a bases-loaded triple to deep right field in the bottom of the seventh inning to score three and help Estancia earn a 4-3 victory over Pasadena Marshall. • For the first time in three long decades, the Marina High School softball team is basking in the glow of having won the CIF title. Avi Valbuena and Eva Mazzotti each drove in four runs, as Marina beat Westlake 8-1 on Friday at Deanna Manning Stadium. • Four Newport Harbor High School Sailors made a splash when they helped Team USA Cadet win women's water polo gold at the recent Pan Am Aquatics Championship in Medellin, Colombia. • Someone who purchased a Powerball lottery ticket at a supermarket in Orange for the May 28 drawing is $1.23-million richer, according to California Lottery officials, having picked five of the six winning numbers. The entire jackpot in the very next Powerball draw, held Saturday night, is worth $204.5 million and is going to someone who purchased the lucky ticket at a 7-Eleven in Arleta, a San Fernando Valley neighborhood. • Watermark Laguna Niguel senior living community recently debuted a unique exhibit titled 'Feeling Our Age,' featuring portraits of older women 60 years or older painted by artist Kathleen Cosgrove. What makes the project especially compelling is that each one of those artworks is accompanied by a personal essay written by the portrait's subject sharing her own experience while aging. • Byblos Cafe served Mediterranean cuisine and was a favorite in the Orange Circle for 36 years when its owners, Adel and Zalfa Mahshi, decided they were ready to retire and hand the business over to their son, Tim. There was one obstacle: Tim Mahshi fell ill. So the couple spoke to a regular customer and the owner of a neighboring restaurant, JT Reed of Bosscat Kitchen and he offered to become a partner, to collaborate and mentor Tim Mahshi so the family could keep it. The two new partners transformed Byblos Cafe into the quick service Baba G, which recently opened its doors. My colleague Sarah Mosqueda tells the whole story in this feature article. • Bowers Museum has opened its latest exhibit, 'World of the Terracotta Warriors: New Archaeological Discoveries in Shaanxi in the 21st Century.' The museum is the first in North America to host the new traveling exhibit, which features more than 110 recently unearthed treasures, according to this TimesOC story. It will be on view through Oct. 16. Bowers Museum is located at 2002 N. Main St. Santa Ana. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. For tickets visit • 'Feed me!' The annual announcement of this event always brings to my mind the musical 'Little Shop of Horrors' and its man-eating plant, Audrey II: The day of the Carnivorous Plant Show and Sale at Sherman Library & Gardens is almost upon us. Presented by the Southern California Carnivorous Plant Enthusiasts, the judged show will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 14. The Sherman is located at 2647 East Coast Highway, Corona del Mar. Admission is $5. • Orange County Museum of Art on June 21 will open 'California Biennial 2025: Desperate, Scared, But Social,' a new exhibit featuring artworks that span generations, from early works from established California artists to contemporary collaborations between artists and their children. The exhibit took its title from the 1995 album by Orange County riot grrrl band Emily's Sassy Lime. OCMA is located at 3333 Avenue of the Arts, Costa Mesa. Hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Admission is free. Until next Wednesday,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
Los Angeles Times
28-05-2025
- Los Angeles Times
Case of mistaken identity leads to a unique way to raise funds in support of O.C. homeless families, individuals
Good morning. It's Wednesday, May 28. 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. If there's one thing we've learned over the years, it's that everyone we meet has an interesting story to tell. News outlets do their best to identify — often via tips — willing subjects who have found themselves in the middle of a unique situation and don't mind sharing the details publicly. In Sunday's Daily Pilot & TimesOC edition, my colleague Matt Szabo reported on an incident he came across, about an artist carrying his baby in a sling while out on a walk and was mistaken for a homeless man by someone in his own Huntington Beach neighborhood. This neighbor called the police on him. To my mind, it's a gem of a tale, because it led to a more positive outcome than one might have expected. Also because it seems this 32-year-old dad, Chapman Hamborg, has a heart as toasty as they come. His appearance that day was decidedly casual — and wearing a Patagonia jacket. His long hair was pulled back in a bun, the clothes he'd put on were worn and one of his slippers had a hole in it. The babe in his arms is the youngest of four, so he has a busy household. The neighbor actually followed him as he strolled back to his home that April day so she could tell law enforcement where he could be found. Perhaps if you use Instagram you saw Hamborg's viral reel of the policeman coming to his door and his surprised response. 'When he explained what happened, that someone had called the cops on me thinking I was a homeless person then had followed me back to my house, I was shocked,' Hamborg told Szabo. 'I couldn't believe it at first. I was trying to laugh it off, I guess, and then he asked for my ID. I came inside, and that's when I started recording the video, when I was looking for my ID and telling my wife what was going on.' As of last Friday, that video had received nearly two million views and more than 32,000 comments. Surely some of those views were generated by an article on the incident by People magazine, who beat us to this story. But hey, it's one worth repeating. Hamborg holds no ill will against the neighbor who called the cops, but he's looking to turn the experience into something positive. 'He wants to talk to her, not to scold her but partially to thank her for her vigilance,' Szabo writes. 'She's a neighbor concerned for the safety of the baby and the neighborhood, but also, it's crazy for people who are dealing with homelessness to have to deal with this kind of stuff,' he said. 'What if it was a great parent who is trying to get their baby to sleep but they happen to be unhoused? Why should the cops be called on them? Just because they're experiencing homelessness doesn't mean that the baby is in danger, or that the mom is a bad mom or the dad is a bad dad.' So, it occurred to Hamborg that a self-portrait he had completed before the incident, in which he is depicted dressed similarly and with a child on his back, might be used to raise funds to help support people experiencing homelessness. 'It looks like this beautiful scene, but there's kind of this darker undertone to it, at least to me personally,' he said. 'When this whole experience happened, I thought that painting and those aspects about it are even more true for unhoused families, which I was mistaken for being. The imagery and the meaning behind the painting already lined up, and I wanted to connect it to the story and the conversation that was already happening from the video around people experiencing homelessness.' To that end, he's selling limited edition prints of his original painting, 'Unseen Paths,' with 20% of the proceeds going to Orange County United Way's United to End Homelessness initiative. 'Chapman's curiosity around homelessness has been something so wonderful to engage with,' said Becks Heyhoe-Khalil, executive director of the program. 'Getting to know Chapman and just the beautiful heart that he has and the compassion that he has, the desire to use this for the greater good, it fit beautifully with the mission we have at United to End Homelessness at United Way. It's been a really natural way to collaborate.' Hamborg and Heyhoe-Khalil will be guests at an Orange County Museum of Art 'Conversations with Artists' event on June 4 at 4 p.m., hosted by Heidi Zuckerman, OCMA's chief executive and director. No registration is needed. They'll also host a livestream event titled 'Art and Advocacy: A Studio Conversation with Chapman Hamborg,' on June 21 at 9 a.m., from his Hamborg Academy of Art studio in Huntington Beach. 'One of the things I love about what Chapman is doing is helping open people's eyes, ask questions and challenging assumptions,' Heyhoe-Khalil said. 'Many of the people who have watched the video online have said, 'You do look like you're homeless.' The flip side of that is that they're walking past people, driving past people every day who don't look like they're experiencing homelessness but who are, and they have no idea.' The prints of 'Unseen Paths' are available at Hamborg's website, • As reported for some time now, Huntington Beach voters will be asked to decide two ballot measures, A and B, during a special election set for June 10. Both measures are related to the public library and are opposed by the Huntington Beach City Council (perhaps you'll remember the flap caused by a council member forming his own political action committee and posting signs around town telling people to vote no and alleging there is porn in the library). Well, the Ocean View School District Board of Trustees unanimously endorsed both measures on May 13. One week later, the City Council voted (also unanimously) to investigate the legality of the school board passing such a resolution. We're waiting to find out what the next volley will be in this battle. • It's been almost 30 years since conservationists began looking into how they might transform the former Banning Ranch oil field at the border of Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach and Newport Beach into one of the largest protected green spaces in O.C. The initial plans describing what Randall Preserve will eventually look like have been made public and more input is welcome. Those interested in helping shape the future of preserve have until July 14 to formally submit questions, comments and suggestions. More information can be found here. • Dr. Mark Linskey, a board-certified neurosurgeon and former chair of the Department of Neurological Surgery at UC Irvine, this month was awarded $5.8 million in damages by an Orange County jury, bringing a close to a whistleblower lawsuit that maintained university officials retaliated against him for filing a grievance regarding risks to patient safety, abuse of power and economic waste. 'The May 9 verdict covers retaliatory acts from November 2015 to the present date, a second phase of litigation,' my Daily Pilot colleague Sara Cardine wrote in her article about the jury's decision. 'Linskey was previously awarded $2 million in 2019 for actions that occurred prior to the conclusion of a university-level investigation.' • A civil lawsuit that got underway last week against the county, filed by former senior assistant Dist. Atty. Tracy Miller, accuses Dist. Atty. Todd Spitzer and others of retaliation and trying to force Miller out of her job after she questioned Spitzer's actions as D.A. Among her allegations is that she was retaliated against for protecting female subordinates who had reported sexual misconduct by a male superior, Gary LoGalbo, who is since deceased. LoGalbo was once Spitzer's roommate and had served as best man at his wedding. The county is also facing eight sexual harassment lawsuits involving allegations against the late LoGalbo. • Looking at a $154-million budget deficit and declining enrollment, which is tied to funding, the Santa Ana Unified School District Board of Trustees voted 4-1 to lay off 262 employees. 'We are no longer a school district of over 50,000 students,' Board President Hector Bustos said. 'We are a school district of 34,000 students. We are no longer the second largest school district in Orange County. We are now the fourth [largest].' • The San Clemente City Council is considering the merits of forming a local committee to work on logistics, economic opportunity and host city duties ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games, when the the surfing competition will be held at Lower Trestles Beach. • Continuing a long tradition, several Laguna Beach Police Department leaders earlier this month traveled to Washington, D.C. for Police Week, during which they remembered one of their own with a wreath-laying ceremony for a fallen officer at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This year the Laguna Beach wreath was a memorial tribute to motor officer Jon Coutchie, whose end of watch was on Sept. 21, 2013. • Tragedy struck Laguna Beach Monday afternoon when a local father took his 15-year-old daughter to a parking lot in town to practice driving under her learner's permit. Police are still investigating the cause, according to a spokesperson, but one theory is that the teen stepped on the accelerator when she wanted to hit the brakes, sending their convertible Volkswagen over a 40-foot cliff and landing upside down on Coast Highway. The father, 64-year-old James Politoski, did not survive the crash. • While responding police investigated a traffic fatality in Fountain Valley Sunday night that involved a pedestrian who was struck down by a vehicle near the intersection of Warner Avenue and Los Jardines Street, a different motorist, who was allegedly driving under the influence, crashed into that same scene, hit a police car and was arrested. The 17-year-old driver who hit the pedestrian remained at the scene and cooperated with officers. The person he fatally hit was 35-year-old Alexandra Payerli of Santa Ana. Anyone with information regarding the fatal collision is encouraged to contact the FVPD Traffic Bureau at (714) 593-4481 and reference incident No. 25-16166. • Bikes, e-bikes, motorized scooters and pedicabs were recently banned from the sands at Newport Beach by a unanimous vote of the City Council, according to this Daily Pilot story. Those cited for riding on the sand may face a fine of up to $100 on their first offense, and up to $200 if they are caught doing it again. Subsequent violations of the new ordinance after that will come with a $500 fine. • Jonathan Reyes, 28, who was convicted Feb. 19 of fracturing the skull of his 2-week-old son in Santa Ana more than four years ago, has been sentenced to nine years in prison. • Following up on an item that appeared in this section last week, Santa Ana resident Alejandro Oliveros Acosta, 46, the alleged cat killer who was charged May 19 with two felony counts of cruelty to animals, one felony count of grand theft of a companion animal and one misdemeanor count of possession of a controlled substance, did not show up for his arraignment on Wednesday and an arrest warrant was put out on him. • Tammy Kim, Irvine's former vice mayor, has been charged by the Orange County district attorney's office with 10 felonies related to allegedly lying about her residency during her City Council tenure and while campaigning for mayor last fall. If convicted on all counts, Kim could spend up to 11 years and two months in state prison and county jail, according to the TimesOC report on the charges. • Barbara 'Corki' Rawlings has announced that at the end of next month she will close her Newport Beach shop, Corki's Embroidery, where she and two other seamstresses personalize all types of items. Yacht clubs have remained some of the shop's most loyal customers over Rawlings' 59 years in business, as have local fire and police departments, rowing teams and other aquatics programs at practically every high school in coastal Orange County. She told the Daily Pilot for this feature story on her shop's closure that when she settles into retirement (she's 90), she'll take her favorite vintage Singer 401A Slant-O-Matic from the store workshop to her desk at home. It sounds like she plans to keep her sewing skill sharp. • Wild Rivers at 1000 Great Park Blvd. in Irvine is open for the season, and TimesOC reporter Sarah Mosqueda was there for opening day, taking note of its attractions for this feature story. General admission starts at $79.99 and junior admission (under 48″ tall) starts at $54.99. Children age 2 and under are admitted free. Private cabanas, discounted tickets and season passes are available at • Fullerton's Airport Day is this Saturday, May 31, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. It's a free, open house designed to let families and individuals see the workings of the municipal airport and possibly inspire future careers in aviation, along with educating about other city departments. Food will be available for purchase, as will airplane and helicopter rides. The airport is located at 4011 W. Commonwealth Ave. • Also this Saturday, the Orange County fairgrounds' Heroes Hall Museum invites the public to attend a free Speaker Series talk, from 2 to 4 p.m., titled 'Beyond the Battlefield: Navigating the Journey of Veterans with PTSD.' The event begins with a viewing of the documentary film 'The Volunteer,' which documents the journey of veteran Bruce Nakashima as he searches for and reconnects with a fellow Army Ranger and friend who saved his life in Vietnam. • Four of Edgar Allan Poe's macabre works, 'The Cask of Amontillado,' 'Annabel Lee,' 'The Pit and the Pendulum' and 'The Fall of the House of Usher,' will be served up with cocktails themed to match them during the Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy set for June 5-7 at Fairhaven Memorial Park & Mortuary in Santa Ana. 'As a lifelong Poe enthusiast, I've always wanted to create a unique experience that combines libations with literature. These are two of my favorite things. I've felt for a long time that there is a void for an event like this,' TimesOC learned from Julia Tirinnanzi, who came up with the idea for the unique experience. The Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy is for guests 21 years and up. For more information, including tickets, visit this site. Until next Wednesday,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
Los Angeles Times
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Cypress deadlocks on seeking info related to allegations against its city manager
The Cypress City Council held a special meeting on Monday in the wake of misconduct allegations that have hounded City Manager Peter Grant for the past month. The panel discussed whether to direct City Atty. Fred Galante to turn over any documents related to possible complaints made by Doug Dancs, a former Public Works director who called for Grant's firing during an April 28 council meeting after he accused him of unspecified 'unlawful acts.' Galante interrupted Dancs when he spoke out on April 28 and called his brief comments 'inappropriate' while cautioning that they should not be made in a public setting. The agenda item Monday also called for the full report of any investigation and other related documents. 'We've got a very simple choice today,' said Mayor David Burke, who called the special meeting. 'We can choose to bury our heads in the sand, engage in willful ignorance about alleged misconduct and put even more of our residents' tax dollars at risk. Or we can take the other path, and choose to be responsible leaders who handle accusations and misconduct appropriately.' After less than 30 minutes of deliberation, the council deadlocked on a 2-2 vote. Mayor Pro Tem Leo Medrano was not in attendance. Several people TimesOC spoke with saw Medrano attend a Hubert H. Humphrey Democratic Club meeting at a Cerritos IHOP at the same time as the special meeting. Medrano did not return a TimesOC request for comment by press time. Burke considered continuing the discussion to a future meeting when Medrano could participate, but his council colleagues Bonnie Peat and Scott Minikus wanted to press forward. Questions surrounding Dancs' allegations, separation agreement and what may have preceded his departure continued to be made by concerned residents at the special meeting. Peat asked speakers addressing the City Council to identify whether they lived in Cypress or not, a request Burke did not endorse. Most of the speakers, like Paul Kokkinos, noted themselves as Cypress residents anyway. 'Our city is a wonderful place to live, and, overall, the city operates in a solid way,' said Kokkinos, who is a Republican supporter of the mayor. 'Mr. Grant has a significant amount of supporters. But none of this matters. What matters is a previously secret $183,000 separation agreement with Doug Dancs that has now been surrounded by a serious — and let's call it for what it is — cover up.' Minikus, when serving as mayor, signed Dancs' separation agreement in October. The document, which is a public record, included a confidentiality and non-disparagement agreement but also allowed Dancs to discuss 'information about unlawful acts in the workplace.' David Loy, executive director of the First Amendment Coalition, reviewed a copy of the agreement provided to him by TimesOC. 'Nothing prevents Dancs from talking about allegedly unlawful acts in the workplace in any form that he wishes, be it at a city council meeting, on social media, in a newspaper or to law enforcement,' he said. 'If it turned out that he was wrong and the facts that he shared were absolutely false, the city could potentially say that he breached the contract, but that's not grounds, as I see it, for prior restraint.' During the special meeting, Minikus claimed that Burke, like others on council last year, was privy to the circumstances surrounding Dancs' agreement and criticized his fact-finding push as political theater. 'Your only intention here is to get the information and then leak it out to your friends at the L.A. Times,' Minikus told Burke. 'You're so incredibly unethical in pulling this forward when it's already been settled and done.' Despite the fact she was serving on the panel at the same time as the separation agreement with Dancs was made, Frances Marquez, who left the City Council in December, stated after Dancs' made the allegations on April 28 that she had no knowledge of his separation agreement. That Minikus and others apparently did, she argued, only serves to bolster her legal claims against the city for being singled out and retaliated against during her term of office. 'As I stated in my pending lawsuit in federal court, I have been very clear that I have been unlawfully treated differently than my colleagues,' she said in a statement to TimesOC. Prior to the special meeting, TimesOC filed a public records request for any documents related to misconduct or harassment claims involving Dancs and Grant. Cypress had not formally acknowledged receiving the request as of press deadline. Dancs could not be reached for comment. Peat spoke against directing Galante to provide the council with any documents related to the matter. 'If you feel that everything that's been done was appropriate and handled the right way, why wouldn't you want the council and our residents to have proof of that?' Burke asked Peat. Peat acknowledged that Cypress should have put out a public statement at the time the agreement was signed, but that was as far as she was willing to go. 'I think our attorneys, I'll just say, gave us the information that we need to understand the issue and to move forward,' Peat said. 'Do I think [these documents] hould go out to the public? Absolutely not.' Burke quipped that the vote would resemble the satirical headline of an Onion article. 'City Council votes to keep information hidden from itself,' he said. Peat disagreed with that framing of the discussion before voting with Minikus against directing Galante to disclose documents. Burke and Councilmember Kyle Chang voted to do so in the deadlock. If they want to continue the discussion they will have to put it on a future council meeting agenda.
Los Angeles Times
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
The voters will get the board they deserve in NMUSD special election
Good morning. It's Wednesday, May 21. 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. Mail-in ballots for the June 10 special election to seat one person on the Newport-Mesa Unified School District Board of Trustees have been sent to voters. They are being asked to weigh in on who should replace Michelle Barto on the school board, as she stepped down from that board after being elected in November to serve on the Newport Beach City Council. It appeared the matter of filling the remaining two years on Barto's term as a trustee was settled with the 4-2 vote taken in January by the school board that gave the seat to Kirstin Walsh, a PTA president and longtime active supporter of the schools. But trustees on the losing end of the vote wanted someone more compatible with their political point of view (and Barto's), and although Walsh took her new seat in late January, some persons disgruntled with that state of affairs began circulating a petition seeking to force a special election rather than allow Walsh to keep the job through the end of Barto's original term. The petition drive yielded the requisite signatures (they collected 391, according to the reporting) and forced the special election that's coming up. There was an oddly short window of time — just three days — for any potential candidate to assess the situation and prepare the required paperwork between the time the special election was announced, March 11, and the end of the filing period, March 14. But it appears that didn't matter to the people behind the petition drive, because they already knew who they wanted in that seat, Republican Andrea McElroy (one of the people considered and turned away by the majority of the school board who supported Walsh). Walsh, a licensed occupational therapist with children attending Newport Harbor High, did apply, however, and so the campaigns got underway. There was a May surprise, if you will, when a retired judge reported that after looking into the backgrounds of the candidates through court records it came to light that McElroy, an entrepreneur who previously went by the last name of her former husband, Young, had been embroiled in numerous lawsuits under that last name over nonpayment of bills and rent. This information made its way to media outlets, including the Daily Pilot, and poked the bear: the head of the Orange County Republican Party, Will O'Neill. I can't say what missives he may have sent to other media, but in an email O'Neill warned Daily Pilot reporter Eric Licas off the story after Licas reached out to McElroy for her comments, so it appears the two communicated about the pending article. Also, McElroy had her attorneys write a letter on her behalf that was distributed to the Daily Pilot. Licas is a serious reporter. He was not deterred, but instead determined to fairly and accurately report the legal woes McElroy/Young has seen over the past several years, including a large claim against her that had not been settled as of the day the story was published. Toward the end of his story, which you can find here, Licas takes a look at what brought us to school boards becoming deeply divided and explains why the O.C. GOP want their candidate seated on the NMUSD board. 'Cultural issues associated with the perception of vulgar materials in classrooms and opposition to policies either meant to accommodate the needs and concerns of LGBTQ youth or include ethnic studies in curricula have been rallying cries for conservative politicians,' he writes. 'As a result, school boards are repeatedly becoming battlegrounds in a broader conflict of ideologies and, according to the nonprofit CalMatters newsroom, California GOP officials have been actively recruiting and training Republican candidates to run for seats.' Licas spoke to McElroy so he could portray her point of view in his article. She described concerns raised by Walsh's supporters as a 'non story,' much as O'Neill had characterized it to the reporter. She explains that she was 'dragged into litigation' by her ex. In one email to the reporter, she lamented having been married to Mr. Young. 'She went on to say political opponents and 'far-left blogs are now running around with half-truths and full lies about that history to demonize me,'' Licas writes. She also shrugged off some of the lawsuits as just a part of doing business in this state. 'As an entrepreneur, I can tell you that business owners in California are often targets of frivolous litigation,' McElroy said. 'Business owners are often a target of false and malicious accusations, like those being leveled against me.' The only reason the lawsuits against her became public, McElroy told the Daily Pilot, was because the Walsh campaign was behind them. Walsh said 'she and her campaign were not involved in researching McElroy's legal history or the distribution of that information to the media or public,' Licas writes. He learned the retired judge who uncovered the lawsuits and contacted media has donated to the Walsh campaign, but not acted as a member of it. This civic exercise is costing between $444,695 and $493,802 in public funds, a figure Licas got from the Orange County Registrar's Office. Whatever the outcome may be, the voters will have the board they deserve. • Regular newsletter readers may recall the story last summer about the area pediatrician who founded and established several Coastal Kids offices around O.C., only to be ousted by the hedge fund he had partnered with to get a cash infusion. Although Dr. Steve Abelowitz is still involved in litigation over that situation, he has moved forward and, since August, has opened three new sites in the county under the name Ocean Pediatrics. According to the most recent Daily Pilot story on Abelowitz, state Business and Professions Code 2052 bans corporations from practicing medicine in the state, but the Medical Board of California doesn't have any system in place or the resources to investigate or enforce potential violations of the code. So a legislator, Chris Cabaldon (D-District 03), proposed SB 351, a measure that would bolster existing law and give the California attorney general's office oversight over the matter. • The Santa Ana Unified School District Board of Trustees voted Monday to shed 262 jobs amid declining enrollment and a $154-million budget deficit. According to the TimesOC article by Gabriel San Roman, Sonta Garner-Marcelo, president of the Santa Ana Educators Assn., asked the board to rescind the layoffs and argued that the district has $70 million in unrestricted funds it could use to save jobs. • Alejandro Oliveros Acosta, accused of killing dozens of cats in Santa Ana and stealing an expensive Bengal Lynx cat from Westminster, was charged Monday with two counts of animal cruelty and a count of grand theft of a pet, all felonies, as well as a misdemeanor count of possession of methamphetamine, according to the criminal complaint. Arraignment for the 45-year-old Santa Ana man was scheduled for today. • Four men have been arrested by Huntington Beach police on suspicion of murder in the death of a 29-year-old Anaheim man in September outside a restaurant in the city's downtown area. All four suspects are residents of Huntington Beach and are each being held on $1-million bail. • More than $8.4 million in illegal marijuana, plus 643 pounds of psychedelic mushrooms, were seized at an unlicensed cannabis delivery service, leading to the arrest of Kung Chau, 49, of Westminster, authorities announced Thursday. Chau was booked at the Orange County Jail. • Three Fountain Valley 6th-graders took a handgun and ammunition to a Vista View Middle School a week ago Monday, according to the Fountain Valley Police Department. Officers discovered a 'handgun and ammunition,' while searching the students' backpacks, officials said. Two of the students were arrested and booked at the Orange County juvenile hall. The third was taken to a hospital for a mental health evaluation. • Body-worn camera footage from a police officer who shot and killed a suspect on Jan. 24 was released last Wednesday by the Fountain Valley Police Department. The video shows contentious moments leading up to the officer's fatal use of force. • Richard David Lavalle of Long Beach was convicted Thurday of second-degree murder in the Dec. 6, 2020 fatal collision with Noel Bascon at Junipero and Arlington drives in Costa Mesa. Noel was just 12 at the time he was struck down by the truck Lavalle was driving; he'd been out riding his bike with his father when Lavalle, who was driving under the influence of meth, sped through the neighborhood and crashed into the boy. • A Newport Beach man pleaded guilty last week to conspiring to steal more than $2.5 million from DoorDash. Sayee Chaitanya Reddy Devagiri, 30, admitted he worked with several others in a scheme to cause the company to pay for deliveries that never occurred. • Tustin resident Hoang Xuan Le, 43, who led a drug-trafficking ring from July 2020 to October 2021 that exported hundreds of pounds of meth to Australia and Papua New Guinea has been sentenced to more than 17 years in federal prison, according to authorities. Le's co-defendant, Tri Buinguyen, 40, of Garden Grove, was sentenced on Feb. 24 to 15 years in prison. Both men pleaded guilty and both were ordered to pay $50,000 fines. • Five people suspected of being part of a burglary crew targeting homes in Irvine were charged Monday. The defendants were identified as Jesus Antonio Hernandez Chavez, 42; John Fredy Sanabria, 42; Duber Salarte, 48; and Jhon Marlon Osorio Arias, 24, all of Fontana; along with Isneidy Ortiz Valencia, 29, of Colton. • A unique program called Dear Hospital that was spearheaded by three employees at Children's Hospital of Orange County is encouraging connection, camaraderie and mental health awareness among hospital workers. One element of the program includes new employees having phrases chosen by them written on their body with a skin-safe marker for photo sessions during new employee orientations. They're called 'brain tattoos,' according to this TimesOC story, and can be easily wiped off after the photos are taken. The framed photographs are then put on display. Contributing writer Jessica Peralta describes a recent pop-up exhibit at CHOC's Orange location where messages like 'Invisible, I See You,' 'It's OK to be Different' and 'Here to Serve' were featured on participants' arms and hands in the large black-and-white photos. • Portillo's in Buena Park is celebrating Robert Prevost's elevation to Pope Leo XIV by paying homage to his Chicago roots: although well-known for its hot dogs, Portillo's has rechristened its gravy-splashed Italian beef sandwich the 'Leo.' My colleague Gabriel San Román felt duty-bound to give it the taste test for our readers. 'Coming in at $8.99 a pop, the Leo is just as good as any would-be 'holy' hot dog,' he writes. • The Boot Campaign, which offers wellness support to veterans and military families, was on the receiving end of a loca fundraiser Saturday. In honor of National Military Appreciation Month, Recoup Personal Training in Costa Mesa sponsored its 14th annual Push Ups for Charity event Saturday to raise funds for the nonprofit. To date, Recoup has raised more than $250,000 for the Boot Campaign. • A landmark Costa Mesa retail center enjoyed five minutes of national fame last Friday when the iconic Triangle Square was featured in a segment aired hosted by local resident Holly McDonald on the Travel Channel. • Disneyland turns 70 this summer and the celebration got an early start on Friday, when hot pink, royal purple and cyan blue decorations chosen especially for the anniversary by a veteran Imagineer were unveiled throughout Disneyland, Disney California Adventure and Downtown Disney. Among the anniversary offerings to guests is 'A Story of Celebration' guided tour. • The Laguna Beach Chamber Singers has announced it is accepting audition submissions for its 2025-2026 season. The group rehearses on Tuesday evenings in Laguna Beach. Those with an interest in joining the it are asked to submit a short video recording by May 31. This can be of a recent solo performance or a simple melody like 'Happy Birthday.' Videos must be uploaded and the audition form completed at by the deadline. • The historic Fox Theatre in Fullerton will officially turn 100 years old next week. To mark the occasion there will be a Roaring Twenties-style celebration this Saturday, May 24, when guests can see the restoration work that has so far taken place at the building. This event is free to the public, appropriate for all ages and will be held from noon to 6:30 p.m. in the theater's parking lot at 510 N. Harbor Blvd. After the daytime celebration there will be a Speakeasy Party from 7 to 10 p.m. To learn more, read the TimesOC story on the celebration and visit the Fox Theatre website. • Feeling charitable? Visitors to Newport Beach's Fashion Island on Saturday, May 31 will have the chance to sponsor a child in Orange County's foster care system during the annual 'Pinwheel Project' at the Neiman Marcus/Bloomingdale's Lawn, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nearly 3,000 pinwheels will be 'planted' across the lawn, each one representing a child in the foster care system. Guests can donate $10 to sponsor a pinwheel, funding advocacy and support efforts on behalf of foster children. For details and to sponsor a pinwheel, visit • The professional American Coast Theater Company will take the stage at Vanguard University's Lyceum Theater in Costa Mesa with two upcoming productions. 'The Importance of Being Earnest — a Wilde New Musical!' and Performances run through June 8 with shows at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and weekend matinees at 2 p.m. Arthur Miller's classic drama 'Death of a Salesman' will open June 19 and continue through June 29, with 7:30 p.m. shows Thursday through Saturday, plus 2 p.m. shows on Saturday and Sunday with a special two-for-one ticket offer Wednesday, June 25. Admission costs $20-$30. For more info or to purchase tickets, visit Until next Wednesday,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
Los Angeles Times
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
The legendary Coach House Concert Hall in San Juan Capistrano turns 45!
Good morning. It's Wednesday, May 7. I'm Gabriel San Román, happily lurching over my laptop and bringing you this week's TimesOC newsletter with a look at some of the latest local news and events from around the county. A hidden office strip off the 5 Freeway in San Juan Capistrano seems like an unlikely home for the Coach House Concert Hall, a legendary music venue celebrating its 45th anniversary this year. But through the doors, a transformation occurs as the Coach House immerses music lovers in its quirky, saloon-style quarters, an homage to its origins in 1980 as a country music steakhouse. It's where owner Gary Folgner, 84, has entertained Orange County with an array of musical acts — from Grammy-winning to up-and-coming artists — for decades. In marking the milestone, TimesOC feature writer Sarah Mosqueda toured the Coach House, a venue she tells me she frequented in her younger days to see bands like The Lemonheads and Bullets and Octane. Folgner first boasted to Mosqueda about the Coach House kitchen, which serves 300 dinners a night, before delving into the storied venue's history. As he retold it, Folgner bought the Coach House for $52,000 and ran it as a country music bar. When the legendary Golden Bear rock 'n' roll club in Huntington Beach closed six years later, Folgner absorbed their concert schedule and the rest, as they say, is history. The walls of the Coach House attest to that and are adorned with photographs of famous acts that have graced its stage over the decades. Miles Davis, Pat Benetar, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Norah Jones, Joan Baez and BB King round out a list of legends too long to republish here. For Folgner, hospitality is everything while hosting the greats. 'When national acts are on the road, this is their home for the day,' Folgner told Mosqueda. 'If you don't treat them well, they are going to have bad day.' Folgner looks at a picture of himself with Willie Nelson, one of many artist portraits hanging from the Coach House's walls. Glancing at the portraits unlocks the wealth of stories the venue has collected within its walls. Folgner recalled Debbie Reynolds' performance at the venue in 2016 two days before Carrie Fisher, her daughter, passed away. Reynolds died one day after. When Chris Isaak first played the Coach House, he made $1,500. Many more memories are on the way as Folgner celebrates 45 years in the business with a Coach House Concert Hall Celebratory Concert Series that began last month and carries through to the end of the year. Don McLean of 'American Pie' fame is scheduled to perform June 14. On Oct. 3, Wayne Newton takes a break from his Las Vegas residency at Bugsy's Cabaret at Flamingo to grace the stage in San Juan Capistrano. The series is set to culminate in a main event that remains unannounced for now. Whatever show patrons decide to celebrate with, Folgner prides himself on the Coach House's intimate setting where the furthest seat from the stage is still only 40-feet away. As the anniversary festivities take place, expect more of the same excellence that has helped the Coach House define Orange County's music scene for decades. 'We are not going to change a whole lot. We are going to try to keep the big name entertainment here,' Folgner said. 'That's what we do.' Cypress City Manager Peter Grant during the April 28 Cypress City Council meeting. • Not long after Cypress City Council honored its City Manager Peter Grant for his service did a former department head beg to differ. Doug Dancs, Cypress' onetime Public Works Director, surfaced at the April 28 city council meeting and called for Grant to be fired during public comments. He accused his former boss of 'unlawful acts of misconduct' before City Atty. Fred Galante stepped in and cautioned against any further comment. Dancs left the meeting without detailing his accusations. Since then, TimesOC obtained a $183,000 separation agreement between Cypress and Dancs, which has a confidentiality clause but also doesn't prevent Dancs from talking about unlawful acts in the workplace. • A subscriber exclusive in the Los Angeles Times details the Orange County origins of the white supremacist Public Enemy No. 1 gang and how the Aryan Brotherhood used O.C. neo-Nazi punks to grow their influence. Dominic Rizzo and Donald Mazza came up with the PEN1 name while, ironically, listening to Rudimentary Peni, an anarcho-punk band, one day in 1982. An attempted murder in Stanton in 1999 sent the pair to the California Institute for Men in Chino. From there, Aryan Brotherhood leaders recognized PEN1's reputation and recruited the pair, which testimony and court documents detailed after a string of crimes. • It's safe to go into the water again! After a weekend of closures, the Daily Pilot's Sara Cardine reports that a half-mile stretch of beach between Huntington Beach and Newport Beach got the OK from Orange County Health Care Agency officials to reopen on Monday. Nearly 4,000 gallons of sewage spilled from a line in Costa Mesa causing bacteria levels in the ocean to rise to unsafe levels. But quick work vacuuming the spill and testing ocean waters allowed swimmers and surfers to return. A Hawaii man pleaded guilty to a count of wire fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. • John Tamahere McCabe of Hawaii pleaded guilty to scamming an elderly Irvine man out of $1.8 million, according to City News Service. McCabe offered to help the 78-year-old man sell off his yacht but falsified documents to transfer ownership to himself, instead. From there, he pocketed the money from the sale and spent it on himself. McCabe also convinced the elderly man to transfer ownership of his $1-million Irvine home to a company he controlled. Drained of its equity, McCabe defaulted on loans and foreclosed on the house, which left his victim homeless. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 16. • An RV park in Anaheim turned violent on Sunday when a man struck people with his vehicle, opened fire on them and turned the gun on himself. Paramedics transferred three people, including the gunman, to a nearby hospital with gunshot wounds. An Orange County Sheriff's Department spokesperson said investigators believed the incident stemmed from people who knew each other. The conditions of the three hospitalized people are unknown at this time. • Orange County Superior Court Judge Patrick Donahue removed a defense attorney from a murder case last week. Facing misdemeanor charges of his own and unable to come to court due to a head injury, Jeffrey Schaffer pleaded for six more weeks to resolve his legal and health issues. But Donahue decided to substitute public defender Adam Vining to represent Zachary Pickrell in the murder trial. Pickrell is accused of murdering Danilo Ashton Arauz, 17, of Anaheim in 2021. Athletes compete in the OC Marathon on Sunday. • May Gray made for ideal weather conditions as a record 15,000 athletes competed in the OC Marathon on Sunday. As the Daily Pilot's Eric Licas reported, Xavier Smith of Lake Forest finished in first place in the men's full marathon, completing 26.2 miles through Costa Mesa, Santa Ana and Newport Beach in 2:23:41. Stephanie Mundt of Tempe, Arizona, led the women's race with a 2:52:08 finish. Placentia's Christine Mayfield completed her 58th marathon, a feat dedicated to the 58 victims of the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival mass shooting that she survived in Las Vegas. • Newport Harbor High School's swimmer Connor Ohl nearly topped the all-time Orange County record in the boys 50-yard freestyle on Friday. Ohl clocked in at 19.79 seconds at the Sunset League swim finals held at Golden West College. As the Daily Pilot's Matt Szabo reported, Olympian Michael Cavic set the record at 19.69 seconds in 2002 when he swam for Tustin High School. Los Alamitos High School won the boys' Sunset League swimming championship while Newport Harbor's girls' took home a third straight title. • Paul Salata, a former NFL wide receiver who passed away in Newport Beach four years ago, started a tradition of 'roasting and toasting' the last NFL draft pick as 'Mr. Irrelevant' back in 1976. Daily Pilot reporter Andrew Turner penned a lengthy feature of 'Irrelevant Week' in Newport Beach, as it continues Salata's legacy and marks 50 years in June. Cornerback Kobee Minor, this year's last pick in the draft, is set to receive the Lowman's Trophy, which playfully depicts a fumbling football player. Other Irrelevant Week honorifics typically include a banquet, surf lesson and a key to the city. Two kids paint happy faces on the community art wall at the Laguna Art Museum fundraiser on Saturday. • The Laguna Art Museum celebrated the end of its 'Every Single One' fundraising campaign with — what else? — an art project! Supporters who donated at least $250 got the chance to paint their names onto a community art wall. The display attracted curious onlookers on Saturday. With all the funds raised, the art museum is looking to make auditory and accessibility improvements while giving the nearly-century-old building a fresh coat a paint. The community art wall will stay up for another month. Pit Master Chris Corona tests the 'off-set BBQ smoker' for the SeaSalt Honky Tonk before its grand opening last weekend. • A concession stand at Bolsa Chica State Beach is taking a two-step twist for the summer. SeaSalt Honky Tonk at the Beach opened on Saturday with enough meat on the grill to make beach goers forget all about seafood. Prjkt Restaurant Group's Alicia Cox teamed with Heritage Barbecue's Daniel Castillo in reimagining the SeaSalt concession stand. The menu serves up a hearty offering of tri-tip, chicken, ribs, brisket and pulled pork. Bluegrass brunches, line dance lessons and country music round out the rest of the best at SeaSalt Honky Tonk at the Beach. • The future of the Costa Mesa Playhouse is uncertain as the Newport-Mesa Unified School District decided to terminate the lease on the 73-seat theater it has called home since 1984. The theater company planned an upcoming season with a series of plays at Rea Elementary School to mark its 60th anniversary when board members received the notice by mail. Costa Mesa Playhouse President Mike Brown pleaded with the trustees at a recent meeting to work in good faith with the nonprofit before the lease expires on June 29 to accommodate a grade reconfiguration at Rea Elementary. Is a civic deus ex machina on its way before then? Time will tell. The Our Lady of La Vang shrine at Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove. • A new documentary about Our Lady of La Vang is set to have its world premiere on Sunday at the Christ Cathedral's Freed Theater in Garden Grove. 'Our Lady at the Center' explores how the Catholic faithful believe the Virgin Mary appeared to a group of persecuted Catholics in a Vietnamese rainforest in 1798, an apparition that has since become a symbol of hope and faith. The documentary also tells the story behind the 12-foot, $12.6 million Our Lady of La Vang shrine at Christ Cathedral before it was unveiled to thousands of Catholics four years ago. The film premieres Sunday at 5 p.m. General admission for the special event is $75. • Critically-acclaimed rapper Talib Kweli is readying to rock the mic on Saturday at the Wayfarer in Costa Mesa. The Brooklyn-bred emcee is best known for his solo work with producer Hi-Tek on 'Reflection Eternal' and as one-half of the legendary hip-hop duo Black Star with Mos Def. With a body of work spanning more than a quarter century, including last year's 'The Confidence of Knowing,' expect a set list culling from Kweli's catalog of classics. The show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $42.10. • This year's Be Kind Fest at the Great Park in Irvine is all about honoring mothers on Mother's Day weekend. The free fest celebrating kindness, gratitude and connection is, of course, family-friendly. Event goers can enjoy food trucks, bounce houses, music and workshops all in the name of a little more kindness in our world. Be Kind Fest runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday at the Great Park Palm Court in Irvine. Event organizers ask that people register online before attending for free. 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 It's been my pleasure penning this newsletter these past two weeks. Our regularly scheduled host Carol Cormaci returns next Wednesday. Until then: stay classy, O.C.! Gabriel.
