The Orange County Tribune Jan. 14, 2023

Saturday : 59/53 rain Sunday: 60/50 cloudy Monday: 61/43 rain Tuesday: 62/41 sunny

Freeway Heist of Jewels Nets $560,000

Thieves in daytime robbery

Jewelry valued at over a half-million dollars was taken in a daring freeway robbery Thursday afternoon in Garden Grove.

According to Detective Sgt. Mark Lord of the GGPD, the incident took place on the eastbound offramp of the Garden Grove Freeway at Magnolia Street.

Police were called at around 12:41 p.m. regarding the incident. A vehicle transporting $560,000 in jewelry had exited the freeway lanes and was stopped at the red light at the end of the ramp. A silver van stopped directly in front of the vic-

tim’s vehicle, and three male suspects jumped out of the van. They smashed the rear windows, reached into the rear seat of the victim’s vehicle and grabbed a bag containing the jewelry.

The three suspects ran back into the van and the victim gave chase in his automobile, colliding with the van at the intersection of Magnolia Street and Trask Avenue. The victim’s vehicle was disabled and the suspects fled the scene.

According to GGPD, the suspects were described as males of an unknown

90-day plan to address homelessness on agenda

A proposed 90-day plan to deal with the homelessness problem goes before the Huntington Beach City Council when it meets on Tuesday. Among the key points of the plan – as proposed by the police department –are increasing awareness about community resourc-

es on private property rights, increasing staffing of the HBPD Homeless Task Force, adding dedicated patrols to key areas (downtown, city beach and Sunset Beach areas), amending regulations for parks and the Main Promenade parking struc-

COMING TO A STREET NEAR YOU

Inside The Trib

Coronavirus cases dip

New cases of coronavirus in Orange County have declined for the fourth consecutive week, according to the latest report from the county health agency.

The number of confirmed new cases for the week of Jan. 5 to 11 was 2,246,

down from 3,195 last week, and from 4,449 on Dec. 8.

Deaths, however, are up from 32 last week to 36 this week. A month ago, the tally was 17.

Hospitalizations declined to 278 from 352 last

n WESTMINSTER CITY COUNCIL

Three minutes to speak

By Jim Tortolano Orange County Tribune

Chargers vs. the Jaguars

In what might be considered a bit of irony, the Westminster City Council took an hour to decide on how to go about shortening the length of its meeting that started on

Wednesday evening and concluded six hours later on Thursday morning. After a half-dozen different proposals were floated, the council finally voted 3-2 in favor of reducing the time allotted to speakers during public

THE TET PARADE will be returning to the streets of Westminster on Saturday, Jan 21. On Main Street in Garden Grove, a Flower Street event will be held on Jan. 21 and 22, both for Tet, the lunar new year (Shutterstock)

This “Plane” flies all right

GG Freeway jewelry heist

any information about it is asked to call Detective Dennis Wardle at (714) 741-5837 or GGPD investigations at (714) 741-5800.

Continued from page 1

ture and purchasing three police trucks.

Also on the agenda is a request by Mayor Pro Tem Gracey Van DerMark to end expanded outdoor dining and retail on Main Street – and other downtown areas.

The proposal is to give such operators 30 days to remove their operations from the right-of-way until the city council makes a

decision on a downtown revitalization program. Also proposed is to return the parking meter program to how it was before the coronavirus pandemic led to the dramatic growth of outdoor dining.

The council will meet in closed session in its chambers at 3:30 p.m., study session at 5 p.m., with the open session commencing at 6 p.m. at 2000 Main St. (at Yorktown Avenue).

Continued from page 1

comments from five minutes to three, as proposed by Councilmember Amy Phan West (District 1).

“It’s the most clear-cut” proposal said West in arguing for it over other plans that would have assigned different time periods for comments to different parts of the agenda, sought to limit the number of speakers, or have two separate segments for public comments.

In favor were West, Mayor Chi Charlie Nguyen and Councilmember NamQuan Nguyen (Vice Mayor and District 4). Opposed were Councilmembers Carlos Manzo (District 2) and Kimberly Ho (District 3).

A related proposal to change the start of council meeting times from 7 p.m. to 6 p.m. with

COVID-19 Continued from page 1

week. A month ago, the number was 377.

The use of intensive care units to treat COVID-19 patients in intensive care rose to 34 this week from 32 last week. A month ago, the number was 49.

To date, Orange County has had 702,870 confirmed reported cases and 7,742 deaths.

an ending time of 10 p.m. was approved 5-0, with the proviso that a majority of the council could vote to extend the meeting.

Also Wednesday night, the council approved on a 4-1 vote (Manzo dissenting) an ordinance moving the mayor’s office into a former conference room in the City Hall.

The council also voted to require to increase the number of council members needed to place an item on the agenda from one to two.

Public comments took up most of the early part of the meeting as dozens of people turned up in support of granting a permit to a local billboard operator.

JIm Tortolano Editor and Publisher Marilyn Lewis Tortolano General Manager

The Orange County Tribune is published on Wednesdays and Saturdays with some exceptions. Address is 9402 Luders Ave., Garden Grove, 92844.

E-mail : orangecountytribune@gmail.com. Website: www.orangecountytribune.com.

Phone: (714) 458-1860.

Established Aug. 6, 2016. All opinions expressed in The Tribune, unless otherwise stated, are those of the individual writer or artist and not necessarily those of The Tribune.

a free subscription, e-mail orangecountytribune@gmail.com Continued from page 1

The Tribune’s electronic paper is published on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

2 hurt in mobile home fire

Two residents of a mobile home in Westminster were treated for smoke inhalation when a fire broke out Wednesday morning.

According to the Orange County Fire Authority, firefighters received a call around 9:15 a.m. about a a blaze in the 9200 block of Westminster Boulevard, between Bushard Street and Magnolia Street.

Arriving crews searched for residents and found it difficult to get to the seat of the fire due to “an excessive amount of storage in the home.”

Firefighters located a person inside the mobile home and physically rescued a disabled person. Two residents sustained smoke inhalation and were treated by OCFA firefighter paramedics.

Both patients were transported to a hospital with follow-up care by OCFA and Care ambulance personnel.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. Assistance was provided by Westminster police and the Fountain Valley Fire Department.

GG leader Charles Mitchell, 82

Charles Mitchell, a longtime community leader in Garden Grove, has passed away at the age of 82.

Mitchell, who moved to Garden Grove in 1973, was active is nearly every aspect of life in the city and county, donating thousands of hours of his time to a wide variety of causes.

He served in the U.S. Army for two years and was a superintendent at Fedco Stores for 33

Obituary

years, retiring in 1995. He and his wife Dianne raised two sons.

Among his many activities were as a member of the Orange County Grand Jury, a mediator in small claims courts and family/neighbor disputes, a member of the American Legion, the Garden Grove Downtown Business Association, the Garden Grove Chamber

of Commerce and many other organizations.

He ran for Garden Grove City Council twice and served as chair of the Garden Grove Sanitary District five years. Since 1995 and until recently he attended city council meetings regularly to speak on community issues.

A celebration of life is scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 22 at 1 p.m. at the American Legion Post 555 in Midway City at 14582 Beach Blvd.

HB woman held on financial elder abuse charge

Sally Nava Kanarek, 76, of Huntington Beach, was arrested Thursday on multiple felony counts of financial elder abuse, grand theft of an elder, and forgery after a Department of Insurance investigation found she allegedly defrauded an elderly client, who did not have the capacity to consent to her actions, out of $90,995.

Kanarek worked as a licensed life insurance agent between 2018 and 2021. She moved into the victim’s home in 2020 as an alleged roommate.

After learning of the victim’s medical condition, she gained control of their finances, while posing as their “health care manager.”

Kanarek received more than $90,000 from the victim, including some checks which appear to have been forged.

Kanarek sold the elderly victim two annuities totaling more than $580,000. The sold annuities were allegedly against the victim’s financial interest and al-

Pay raises on the agenda

Pay increases for several categories of employees are on the agenda of the Garden Grove Unified School District Board of Education when it meets on Tuesday.

The board will consider: • an agreement with the local unit of the California School Employees Association calling for a 9 percent salary increase effective July 1, 2022;

• an agreement with the GGUSD Supervisory Unit calling for a 9 percent salary increase effective July 1, 2022;

• a proposal to approve a 5 percent salary increase for members of the board of education;

• arecommendation for a 9 percent salary increase for classified substitutes, temporary employees, tutors and college workers effective Jan. 16, 2023;

• a recommendation for a 9 percent increase for confidential employees and student supervision

CHARLES MITCHELL

ORANGE COUNTY FIRE AUTHORITY firefighters at the scene of a mobile home fire in Westminster on Wednesday morning (OCFA photo).

n GARDEN GROVE SCHOOL BOARD

U.S. govt. will hit its debt limit this Thursday

The United States government will hit its debt limit on Thursday, and “extraordinary measures’ should be taken to keep paying the bills.

According to The New York Times, that’s what Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen said on Friday in a letter to Congress. “Failure to meet the govern-

NewsUpdate

ment’s obligations would cause irreparable harm to the U.S. economy, the livelihoods of all Americans and global financial stability,” she wrote.

Republicans now control the House of Representatives and have said that they would agree to raise the debt limit only if there were reductions in the national debt.

House will make inquiry into Biden’s documents

An investigation into the classified documents found at President Joe Biden’s home and former office will be launched by the House of Representatives, which now has a Republican majority.

United Press International reports that Jim Jordan, chair of the House Judiciary Committee, has requested from the Justice Department all relevant documents.

The Justice Department has chosen a special counsel to conduct its own investigation.

Also in the news … School officials in Richmond, Virginia had received a tip that the 6-yearold boy who shot his teacher had a gun before the incident took place. His backpack was searched before he went to class, but no gun was found there..

Sports: Sean McVay to return as Rams coach

Sean McVay, the Los Angeles Rams’ coach who led the team to two trips to the Super Bowl, and won it last year, will return as head coach for the team for the 2023 season, the organization has announced.

See related story on pages 6 and 7.

Weather: More rain

The forecast for the West Orange County area for the next several days is for rain. Saturday has a 100 percent chance of rain, with a daytime high of 58 and an overnight low of 52. Afternoon and evening showers are expected – 39 percent chance – on Sunday with a daytime high of 60 and an overnight low of 49. On Monday, there’s an 80 percent chance of the wet stuff with a high of 61 and a low of 42. But here’s the good news: there’s no more rain foreseen for the rest of January.

Arts&Living

This “Plane” Is Mostly Airworthy

Gerald Butler still the master of the action movie

By Jake Coyle AP Film Writer

After “Airplane!” “Airport,” “Up in the Air,” “Flight,” “Snakes on a Plane,” “NonStop” and “The Terminal,” we have finally arrived, like weary passengers reaching an unexotic destination, at “Plane.”

The Gerard Butler thriller, straight and to the point, has dispensed with anything too complicated in its title. We can, no doubt, look forward to future installments like “Bus,” “Automobile” and, if we’re lucky, “Boat.”

But if “Plane,” which opened

Movie Review

in theaters Friday, seems, well, kind of plain, it effectively reflects the ethos of Jean-Francois Richet’s straightforward and serviceable action flick. Man fly plane. Plane go down. Man (maybe) fly plane again.

And Butler has gotten quite good at keeping these kinds of movies grounded. He plays Brodie Torrance, a pilot for Trailblazer Airlines whose next flight is a New Year’s run from Singapore to Tokyo. Despite a worrisome storm system in between, he’s ordered by the airline to fly directly through it, to economize fuel.

“Plane” doesn’t have much to say about anything. But this critical touch – and the subsequent scenes within the Trailblazer corporate offices, with Tony

Goldwyn and Paul Ben-Victor – will surely strike a chord. Americans are today bonded by nothing as much as their common loathing for the capriciousness of commercial airlines. The well-timed “Plane” flies into theaters just as system failures have sparked widespread delays and cancellations. These are problems, surely, that Gerard Butler could also fix.

But Brodie’s real problem is that weather system. A lightning strike knocks out the plane’s controls, forcing an emergency landing on a remote jungle island in a separatist-controlled corner of the Philippines. Brodie, a former Royal Air Force pilot who once put a belligerent passenger in a chokehold, relies on his know-how to captain the survivors and defend them from local rebels.

Evan Dane Taylor appealingly

Fair: HHH

plays their alert leader, Junmar. There were only a handful of passengers on the flight to begin with – one way to keep the extras to a minimum and put more budget toward airplane maneuvers. Most notable among them is a convicted murderer (Mike Colter) being extradited back to the U.S. He and Brodie team up to rescue the passengers, taken as hostages, and make an escape.

There isn’t anything particularly specific about any of this. “Plane” is as broadly sketched as its title. Puerto Rico doubles here for Philippines, and most of the story elements, too, feel like they’re stand-ins for basic plot conventions. But there’s plenty of texture just in the ac-

GERALD BUTLER stars in the action movie “Plane,” about passengers captured by terrorists (Lionsgate).

Women held for financial elder abuse

Continued from page 3

lowed Kanarek to collect more than $7,800 in commission.

Kanarek also is allaged to have attempted to withdraw more than $110,000 from the victim’s IRA and to sell the victim’s home.

Orange County Adult Protective Services and the Orange County Public Guardian assisted in representing the victim’s interests and petitioned for a conservatorship of the victim and their estate in Orange County Superior Court.

A conservator has been appointed by the court to better care for the victim.

Kanarek was arrested by the Newport Beach Police Department and booked into the Orange County Jail. Bail was set at $50,000. This case is being

prosecuted by the Major Fraud Unit of the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.

The Department revoked Kanarek’s license on Dec. 29, 2022. The Department also imposed an industry ban against Kanarek.

Review of “Plane” movie

Continued from page 5

tors and in Butler’s taut, sweaty performance.

Sometimes a film without any baggage can – if not quite soar – at least make it to the gate on time.

“Plane,” a Lionsgate release, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for violence and language. Running time: 107 minutes.

For a free subscription via e-mail, please send us a request to: orangecountytribune@ gmail.com.

No experience needed in NFL playoffs?

Continued from page 8

rusher Joey Bosa, safety Derwin James and cornerback Michael Davis.

“We’re such a different team since then, but we’re hungry every year,” Ekeler said. “That’s why we play the entire game, to get to the playoffs and continue to build on what we’re doing.

Finally getting back, I feel like we have a lot of guys that have made a lot of leaps in their career. Justin is coming along, and we brought in veterans that can help us get there, and we finally put a product together.’’

Other Chargers have playoff experience with other teams, but Van Noy doesn’t have to look

far for an illustration of his belief in the unimportance of playoff experience.

“He’s told us, `Just look at Cincinnati last year,’” Chargers linebacker Drue Tranquill said. Indeed, the Bengals ended their franchise’s five-year postseason drought and rolled all the way to the Super Bowl last season thanks to a gifted young quarterback, an impressive collection of playmakers around him, and an opportunistic defense. The Chargers have all of those things, and Tranquill is among the young leaders eager to show they can handle their first taste of playoff pressure.

Tranquill, now a four-year NFL veteran, will be playing in his first postseason game since his 12-0 Fighting Irish were thrashed 30-3 by Lawrence’s Clemson Tigers in a College Football Playoff semifinal at the Cotton Bowl in December 2018.

“You know you’re always going to hear about playoff experience, but good things will happen for this team if we play our game,” Tranquill said. ``Just got to play our brand of football.’’

Defensive coordinator Renaldo Hill is telling his players all about the importance of seizing playoff opportunities. He made it to just one postseason game in his 10 years as an NFL player, and his sole playoff experience in 11 years as an assistant coach came during his three-year stint as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defensive backs coach. “We know it’s a different temperature during the playoffs,” Hill said. “I know our guys are

up for the challenge. I told them that it’s going to be a different feel.’’

SLATER RETURNS

Left tackle Rashawn Slater is grateful to be back in practice this week. The Pro Bowl selection as a rookie hasn’t played since rupturing his biceps in Los Angeles’ loss to Jacksonville in late September.

“I always had the mindset that I would work hard and come back when I can come back this season, or I would get a good jump on the offseason,” Slater said. “Haven’t had a chance to go full-speed yet, but I’m working in the weight room, and I’m getting close.”

Coach Brandon Staley has already said Slater won’t play Saturday against the Jaguars, and Slater is uncertain whether he has a shot to play the following week if the Chargers win. Slater, the 13th overall pick in the 2021 draft, has been capably replaced by rookie Jamaree Salyer.

“I’m just kind of slowly working my way back into it,’’ Slater said.

McVay’s

back

Continued from page 8

condition? Will the Rams find a reliable bunch of tackles and guards? Will Cam play like he did in the first 12 games or the last five?

Who knows? But at least we know who the head coach will be … for one more season, at least.

Board considers pay hikes

Continued from page 3

assistants effective July 1, 2022; • a recommendation for a 9 percent salary increase for management employees (classified and certificated, including assistant superintendents and the superintendent) effective July 1, 2022.

Our e-paper comes out on Wednesdays, and Saturdays. For a free subscription via e-mail, please send us a request to: orangecountytribune@gmail.

Because of state increases in the minimum wage, the hourly rate for the high school student workers job classification is recommended to be increased to $15.50 per hour.

The board will meet at 7 p.m. at the district Education Center, 10331 Stanford Ave., Garden Grove, following a 5 p.m. study session. The GGUSD is a K-12 system serving most of Garden Grove and parts of Anaheim, Cypress, Fountain Valley, Santa Ana, Stanton and Westminster.

Announcement made Friday

By Pete Zarustica Orange County Tribune

Sean McVay, who’s been playing the role of Hamlet at the end of each of the last two Rams’ seasons, has answered the question of “to be or not to be” the team’s head coach for another season.

ESPN reported Friday that the Rams organization confirmed that, yes, McVay would return for the 2023 campaign.

McVay has a contract to coach the Rams through the 2026 season, but after the team’s 5-12 stumble, it’s possible that both parties might decide to break off the relationship. In the past, McVay has

spoken of a desire to become a sports broadcaster as well as to have a family “and the time to enjoy them.”

However, he can hardly be blamed for the team’s collapse after a 3-3 start when quarterback Mathew Stafford, all-pro receiver Cooper Kupp and all-pro defensive lineman Aaron Donald all went down with injuries.

Additionally, the offensive line was porous and until the last few games – with the return of Cam Akers – the team’s rushing game was next to non-existent.

McVay will return as Rams coach Playoff inexperience? Don’t worry about it, say players

Will all those injuries heal back to Super Bowl

Continued on page 7

Prep Hoops Scores

Friday, Jan. 13 (boys)

Loara 70, Rancho Alamitos 34

Edison 42, Los Alamitos 33

Crean Lutheran 62, Pacifica 45 Santiago 72, Los Amigos 41

Friday, Jan. 13 (girls)

Godinez, 37, Ocean View 26 Santiago 45, Los Amigos 36

Segerstrom 46, Garden Grove 29

Crean Lutheran 54, Pacifica 17

Thursday, Jan. 12 (boys)

Western 59, Century 19

Savanna 67, Magnolia 49

La Quinta 39, Bolsa Grande 37

Thursday, Jan. 12 (girls)

Magnolia 40, Savanna 36

Orange 30, Saddleback 17

Laguna Beach 44, Huntington Beach 42

Edison 59, Marina 46

Orangewood 66, Fairmont Prep 60

Wednesday Jan. 11 (boys)

La Quinta 59, Rancho Alamitos 50

Loara 70, Santiago 62

By Greg Beacham AP Sports Writer

COSTA MESA (AP) –Kyle Van Noy already has been everywhere the Los Angeles Chargers are trying to go on their franchise’s first playoff trip in four years, and the veteran linebacker wants his new teammates to know their postseason inexperience means absolutely nothing on this journey.

“It’s just about who comes out there and plays better,” the twotime Super Bowl champion said Wednesday. “All the rest of it doesn’t matter. I’ve told these guys that it’s not about experience, and homefield advantage is a myth, too. Confidence matters,

This Week in Area Football

• Los Angeles Chargers (10-7) at Jacksonville Jaguars (8-8) Saturday at 5:15 p.m. Ch. 4

and that comes back to the preparation you’ve done.”

Van Noy earned his two rings with the New England Patriots and racked up 12 games of playoff experience – more than a good chunk of his Chargers teammates combined – during his first eight years in the NFL.

Los Angeles (10-7) will play Jacksonville on Saturday for the Bolts’ first

playoff appearance since a two-game run after the 2018 season, which stands as the Chargers’ only playoff appearance since the 2013 season back in San Diego.

Justin Herbert’s showdown with Trevor Lawrence in both touted young quarterbacks’ playoff debuts will get most of the attention heading into the game in Jacksonville, but many players on both teams will be getting their first tastes of postseason pressure.

Just six Chargers remain from the 2018 playoff team, yet they comprise much of the current team’s core: receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, running back Austin Ekeler, pass-

CHARGER FANS ARE KEEN ON KEENAN

Keenan Allen has been a major force in the Los Angeles Chargers drive into the NFL playoffs. The Bolts open their post-season on Saturday with a wild card game against the Jacksonville Jaguars (Ty Novell/Chargers photo).