The Orange County Tribune Nov. 16, 2022

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Printed in Garden Grove, California n orangecountytribune.com n Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022 n orangecountytribune@gmail.com

n HUNTINGTON BEACH CITY COUNCIL

Cannabis Sales Approved by Split Council

But may not end up being the final word

By Huw Pickering Orange County Tribune A LUCKY SEVEN FOR GARDEN GROVE City Manager Scott Stiles has been lauded for his leadership through pandemic, protests and a lot more (Orange County Tribune photo by Jim Tortolano).

The happy western movement of GG City Mgr. Scott Stiles

By Jim Tortolano Orange County Tribune

His dream was to become a sports writer for The Minneapolis Tribune. But he took another path that led him out of the snowy upper Midwest to the sunny Pacific Coast, from watching football games to watching over a city of 175,000 people.

Scott Stiles, 64, has for the last seven years been the city manager of Garden Grove, through a pandemic that sparked a severe economic slump, a surge in political protest and a return to relative normality.

“Can you imagine loading up your covered wagon and heading out west to relocate your family,” said Mayor Steve Jones, tongue in cheek. “Well, that’s exactly what Scott Stiles did about seven years ago and within a very short period of time, he built relationships and gained the trust of the entire community.”

Once Stiles set aside his ambition to be an ink-stained wretch, he began study-

“Within a very short period of time, he built relationships and gained the trust of the entire community.” ing city planning and embarked on a career than led him to become the assistant city manager of Cincinnati and – for a time – the interim city manager of that metropolis of over 300,000 people.

His 2,168.8-mile sojourn to the City of Youth and Ambition started as a surprise. “A guy called me out of the blue about the job in Garden Grove,” he recalled. “I wanted to be a city manager. Our two daughters were 11 and 9 at the time, and my wife Kelly said, ‘If this is what you want to do, let’s go on an adventure.’”

The city council here, he found, Continued on page 2

A zoning text amendment that would allow for taxing the sale and delivery of cannabis products was approved Tuesday night by the Huntington Beach City Council, but that may not be the last word on the matter.

Although the council voted in favor – four to two, with one absence – the ballot Measure O, which would permit the retail marketing of cannabis at certain locations, was

still short of the required number of votes from the public.

According to the city clerk’s office, to be enacted, the amendment would have to receive 55 percent of the vote, plus one. At the latest update from the Orange County Registrar of Voters, Measure O had received 37,986 votes in favor (54.11 percent) with 32,210 (45.89 percent) opposed.

However, the Registar’s office still has 116,760 votes to process, countywide.

If Measure O eventually is enacted, a number of restrictions would be placed on where cannabis retail can occur. Such items could not be sold Continued on page 2

n GARDEN GROVE CITY COUNCIL

$11.55 million OKd for new Navigation Center An agreement with the County of Orange that will bring $11.55 million in funding for the Central Cities Navigation Center for the unsheltered was approved by the Garden Grove City Council Tuesday night.

The council voted 7-0 for

the pact to help fund the establishment and operation of the facility, to be located in Garden Grove and jointly operated with Fountain Valley and Westminster.

In addition to providing shelter for homeless perContinued on page 2

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2 WEDNESDAY, NOV. 16, 2022/ORANGE COUNTY TRIBUNE

Scott Stiles went west Continued from page 1

was looking for someone “from the outside,” and Stiles was chosen, covered wagon and all.

Upon arriving he said, “I knew we needed to stabilize things first. There was a lot of nervousness about me. Was I going to come in and fire a bunch of people?”

There was much about Garden Grove that impressed him, but some eyesores stuck out, such as the hated “rusty skeleton” on Garden Grove Boulevard.

“I told people that if I didn’t get anything else done, I would get that done,” he said. Now the eight-story Garden Brook Senior Village is welcoming its first occupants and looks to be an attractive anchor for the booming Brookhurst Triangle area.

Without taking credit for all the improvements – he always gives kudos to staff and the city council – he is able to point to some significant progress over the last seven years including a one-cent sales tax that stabilized the city treasury and funded a major expansion of the police department, the SteelCraft urban eatery, progress in the hotel corridor with three new major hotels soon to break ground, the prospect of the unique Cottage Industries project near the Civic Center and the planned Navigation Center to address homelessness.

The pandemic was a trial for everyone, and especially for city workers. “We have just a

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 is orangecountytribune@gmail. com. Website is: 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 member of The Associated Press, and Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce.

fantastic group of employees.

They will run though a brick wall for this community,” Stiles said.

There are still challenges to meet and he has no plans to retire any time soon. “I’ve got to work for a while,” he said. “I’ve got a lot of bills to pay.” Spoken like a dad with two daughters to put through college.

Like all wise city managers, he likes to call the city council members his “boss.” But Jones – whose tenure as mayor mostly matches Stiles term – has a different outlook.

“It has been a blessing and an honor serving together under Scott’s leadership as our city manager.”

And how many sports writers get called a blessing?

Cannabis

Continued from page 1

within 1000 feet of any school, within 600 feet of parks, day care centers, or youth centers, nor in the downtown and Sunset Beach areas. Retail of cannabis would be permitted in storefronts, while retailers in industrial zones would have the ability to deliver cannabis to customers.

Councilmember Natalie Moser affirmed her support to permit regulated sales of cannabis, beyond the incentive given by tax revenue.

“A higher-quality, non-illicit location,” Moser offered at Tuesday’s meeting, “would be important for those who need it medicinally.”

However, support from the council was not unanimous.

Mayor Pro Tem Mike Posey Continued on page 6

Navigation Continued from page 1

sons, the center will also provide drug counseling, mental health and employment services.

Also Tuesday night, the council approved a final tract map for the second phase of a residential development at the northwest corner of Garden Grove Boulevard and Brookhurst Street.

Visit us at: Orangecountytribune.com for latest news every day

The best in local news The Orange County TRIBUNE

ORANGE COUNTY TRIBUNE/WEDNESDAY, NOV. 16, 2022 3

News&Views

Traffic stop leads to drug arrest in Westminster

CAR VS. TREE IN SEAL BEACH Crash was at Seal Beach Boulevard and Pacific Coast Highway early Sunday morning. Two people were hurt, one critically (SBPD photo)

Car hits tree; two are hurt One person was critically injured and another person also hurt when their vehicle struck a tree early Sunday morning in Seal Beach.

According to the Orange County Fire Authority, the automobile hit the tree in the area of Seal Beach Boulevard and

Pacific Coast Highway around 4 a.m.

The critically injured party was extracted from the wreck by firefighter paramedics. The second occupant was able to get out of the vehicle on his own.

They were taken to an area trauma center.

Interim superintendent has been hired for WSD Charles Hinman, who served as superintendent at two school districts, has been hired as interim superintendent for the Westminster School District.

The WSD Board of Trustees approved his contract at its meeting on Thursday night.

Hinman has served as the top educator for the Newport-Mesa Unified School District and West Covina Unified School District. Earlier this year, he was interim superintendent for the Fountain Valley School District while a search was made

to fill the superintendent job on a permanent basis.

“His references were fantastic,” said Trustee David Johnson. “He’s very experienced. Trustees in other districts say that he was able to take them to another level.

He’s very competent: a leader who’s knowledgable, wise and understanding.”

Hinman is expected to serve for about three months while the search is conducted to fill the superintendent post vacated by Cynthia Paik, who resigned early this month “due to personal

CHARLES HINMAN

reasons.”

Hinman has a B.A. degree in history from Montana State University, a M.A. in education from United States International University in San Diego and a doctorate in education from the University of Southern California.

A Westminster police officer on patrol stopped a “suspicious” vehicle over the weekend and made two drug arrests.

According to the WPD, the officer was in the area of Moran Street and Bolsa Avenue when he came upon the vehicle.

He noticed that the female passenger had several drug paraphernalia items on her lap “in plain view.”

The male driver consented to a vehicle search during which the officer found a digital scale, about $1000 in cash, 33 grams of methamphetamine, 9 grams of wax

DRUGS, MONEY seized by police (WPD) (used to conceal drugs) and one gram of fentanyl.

Both occupants of the vehicle was taken into custody without incident.

Holiday changes for Garden Grove In observance of the Thanksgiving holiday, Garden Grove City Hall and the H. Louis Lake Senior Center will be closed on Thursday, Nov. 24, and on Friday, Nov. 25.

No street sweeping services will be provided on Thursday, Nov. 24.

Street sweeping services will resume on Friday, Nov. 25. Thursday trash pick-ups will be delayed by one day on Thursday, Nov. 24.

The regular Garden Grove City Council, Successor Agency, Sanitary District, and Housing Authority meetings scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 22, are canceled.

The next scheduled Gar-

den Grove City Council meeting will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 13, in the City Council Chamber, at the Garden Grove Community Meeting Center, 11300 Stanford Ave.

Free press is free now Want a free subscription to the e-paper version of The Orange County Tribune, send us an e-mail at: orangecountytribune@gmail.com.

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4 WEDNESDAY, NOV. 16, 2022/ORANGE COUNTY TRIBUNE

Water shutoff moratorium is ending in GG On Dec. 31, 2021, the State of California ended the water shutoff moratorium. Despite the state ending the moratorium, the City of Garden Grove continued providing water service to customers with delinquent accounts and waiving late fees, which will now end on Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022.

Beginning Monday, Jan. 9, 2023, the City of Garden Grove will reinstate water shutoffs, as well as late fees, on accounts that are delinquent for sixty (60) days or more, in accordance with the Garden Grove Water Services Discontinuation Policy.

A copy of the discontinuation policy can be found on the City of Garden Grove’s SB 998 Information webpage at: ggcity. org/finance/sb-998-information.

On March 17, 2020, the City of Garden Grove proclaimed a local emergency due to COVID-19, undertaking various relief actions that included the

suspension of water shut-offs for non-payments, in keeping with the State of California’s executive order N-42-20.

Water bill payments can be made in-person at Garden Grove City Hall, at 11222 Acacia Parkway, Garden Grove 92840, or mailed; online at ggcity.org/water; over the phone at (888) 867-

2992; or non-cash payments may be placed in the drop-off box located in front of Garden Grove City Hall.

Customers who are unable to pay a past due account balance in full should contact the city’s Water Billing Division at (714) 741-5078 to make alternative payment arrangements.

Visit the City of Garden Grove’s SB 998 Information webpage at ggcity.org/finance/sb-998-information for help/ For info on the California LowIncome Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP), go to www.csd.ca.gov/waterbill or call (866) 675-6623.

Ice skating at the beach? It’s back The City of Huntington Beach has announced the return of Surf City Winter Wonderland, a temporary ice skating experience located at Pier Plaza. The City is continuing its partnership with Ice-America to transform downtown Huntington Beach into a holiday attraction.

The multi-week event will include ice skating for ages 3 and older, along with programming and partnerships with local busi-

nesses.

The holiday ice rink opens Friday, Nov. 18 and will remain open daily through Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023.

Nov. 18-20; Nov. 25-Dec. 21: • Monday through Thursday from 2 p.m.–10 p.m.

• Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m.–11 p.m.

• Sunday from 10 a.m.–10 p.m.

Nov. 21-24; Dec. 22-Jan. 8: • Monday through Thursday

from 10 a.m.–10 p.m.

• Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m.–11 p.m.

• Sunday from 10 a.m.–10 p.m.

Ice rink admission is $22 per skater. Tickets can be purchased at the door or online. Gloves and socks will be available to purchase, and “Bobby the Seal” and “Tommy the Reindeer” skate-aids will be available to rent.

ORANGE COUNTY TRIBUNE/WEDNESDAY, NOV. 16, 2022 5

Arts&Living

“Fabelmans” is a vanity trip back Spielberg’s semiautobiographical film misses the mark

By Mark Kennedy AP Entertainment Writer

A movie by one of Hollywood’s most successful directors that’s based on his early life begins, appropriately enough, at a movie theater and ends in a movie back lot.

“The Fabelmans” is clearly a very personal film for Steven Spielberg and it’s as much a coming-of-age journey as a form of expensive therapy with John Williams offering lovely mood music.

The script – Spielberg reteams with playwright Tony Kushner – charts both fledgling director Sammy Fabelman’s first 20 years as well as the cracks appearing in his parents’ agonizing marriage. The focus sometimes gets a bit blurry, to be honest and the whole thing often doesn’t add up to much.

For a film by a director about a director, the main character is surprisingly callow. We first meet a frightened little Sammy Fabelman outside a New Jersey movie theater that is playing Cecil B. DeMille’s 1952 classic “The Greatest Show on Earth.” He’s suddenly too scared to see his first motion picture.

“Movies are dreams you never forget,” says his mother, a frustrated concert pianist played by Michelle Williams, trying to coax him in. “Dreams are scary,” he replies.

That film – with a horrific train crash which traumatizes the boy – changes Fabelman forever. Over the next decades, filmmaking is his passion, despite his engineer father’s pooh-poohing it as a mere hobby. Why Sammy must direct, we are told, may have something to do with his wanting to be in control. But that’s as far as we get with him on the couch.

We then jump in time to a teenage Sammy, who moves with his family to Arizona and casts all his Boy Scout pals in a makeshift Western inspired by John Ford’s “The Man Who Shot Liberty Va-

GABRIEL LABELLE as the budding film-maker Sam Fabelman Steven Spielberg’s life story is revealed as a love-letter to movie-making. lance.” This Sam is played with real honesty by Gabriel LaBelle and he’s turned it into a sweet, star-making vehicle.

Meanwhile, an overacting Williams has come into focus _ a mom who is a little batty, sometimes goofy and sometimes downright dangerous, as when she drives all four of her kids into a tornado. You may leave the theater knowing as much of what’s going on with her as when you arrived. “You really see me,” she says to her son at one point, but the rest of us really don’t.

We learn not all is honky-dory at home and there’s maybe something going on between mom, dad (a superbly stiff Paul Dano) and dad’s best friend (really good Seth Rogen). Audiences will not be surprised when this is revealed.

And the way our hero figures it out is pure cinematic – he sees clues in his own home movies.

And he confronts the offending party as only an auteur would – instead of talking, he shows an edited film.

“The Fabelmans” gets a needed jolt of energy when Judd Hirsch arrives as an estranged uncle who once was in the circus. He immediately sees in his nephew a fellow artistic spirit who will have to pick between family and his art, just as his mother has done. “It will tear out your heart and leave you lonely. Art is no game. Art is as dangerous as a lion’s mouth,” his uncle tells him. “We’re junkies and art is our drug.”

A big wet valentine to filmmaking, “The Fabelmans” fits into the latest wave of directors looking backward, including Alejandro Inarritu’s “Bardo,” Charlotte Wells’ “Aftersun,`` Kenneth Branagh’s “Belfast” and James Gray’s “Armageddon Time” And Cameron Crowe’s semi-autobiographical,

coming-of-age “Almost Famous” just landed on Broadway in musical form.

Many of these projects seem to passionately argue for the healing and communal power of art by preaching to the converted. And they often do it with such fondness and reverence that it gets way too heady. They’re getting high on their own supply.

In the third act of “The Fabelmans,” the Spielberg family – sorry Fabelman family – moves again, this time to California and the movie angles in another direction, with an unlikely romance amid the reality of antisemitism, culminating in a lesson about the power of film to create an image.

But it shares the rest of the film’s heightened mannerisms, the artificiality of its supposed madcap humor and its tendency to create little arias of theatrical speech.

Continued on page 6

6 WEDNESDAY, NOV. 16, 2022/ORANGE COUNTY TRIBUNE

“The Fabelmans” review Continued from page 5

The movie ends with a warning to the young filmmaker from no less than the great director John Ford (a hysterical cameo from David Lynch). “This business will rip you apart,” he snarls. And yet Fabelman is overjoyed to connect with his hero and doesn’t listen. He’s a junkie, after all. But those of us not successful Hollywood directors might like it when he turns his camera at things other than himself.

“The Fabelmans,” a Universal Pictures release that opens in limited release on Friday and wide Nov. 23, is rated PG-13 for some strong language, thematic elements, brief violence and drug use. Running time: 151 minutes. MPAA Definition of PG-13: Parents strongly cautioned.

Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

H. Beach and cannabis sales Continued from page 2

voted against the zoning amendment, citing a philosophical and not a practical disagreement.

“I’m not convinced that the revenue we’ll generate will exceed the social costs,” Posey said.

“And we don’t know what the social costs are yet.”

Posey’s comment echoed a number of public comments that the council had received via e-

mail over the past year, when a special subcommittee was formed to gauge the opinion of Surf City residents towards cannabis retail.

“Some say it will generate tax revenue,” wrote resident Russ Talbot on Oct. 4, “but at what price? The price will be the further diminishing of public safety in our family friendly community.”

Just as many people, according to public comments received, are happy to allow cannabis retailers to set up shop if they maintain a distance from schools and parks, and see the benefit of added tax revenue that regulated sales will provide to the city.

ORANGE COUNTY TRIBUNE/WEDNESDAY, NOV.16, 2022 7

Cards’ Colt McCoy outgunned John Wolford Continued from page 8

wall, in a division game on the road, I dug deep and was proud to go out there and play as hard as I can.”

In the 34th start of his 13-year career, McCoy went 26 of 37 while patiently running a disciplined offensive game plan for the Cardinals (4-6), who grinded

out a much-needed victory for coach Kliff Kingsbury after losing four of their past five.

“It’s been a struggle, there’s no doubt, this season,” Kingsbury said. “We haven’t played up to our standards yet, or coached. ... But against another team that was struggling and trying to find an identity, to come here our-

selves and find a way to get it done is a good step in the right direction.”

Rondale Moore had nine catches for 94 yards, including a jawdropping grab on a long pass on fourth-and-3 in the fourth quarter to set up Arizona’s clinching TD run by Conner two plays later with 7:41 to play.

Wolford passed for 212 yards in an inconsistent performance for the defending champion Rams (3-6), who lost for the fifth time in six games. They also lost Kupp in the fourth quarter when he went down awkwardly while being hit by Marco Wilson after failing to catch a poorly thrown pass from Wolford.

“I just know it didn’t look good, it didn’t sound good,” coach Sean McVay said.

Kupp, the AP’s Offensive Player of the Year while winning the triple crown of receiving last season, made only three catches

for minus-1 yard before incurring an injury that had him visibly unhappy as he limped to the locker room.

“I was upset with myself a little bit,” Wolford said. “It was kind of a weird play, but I hate to see him getting hurt. He works real hard, and it’s sad to see.”

Darrell Henderson rushed for a TD for the Rams, who are in last place in the NFC West just nine games after they won the Super Bowl. Los Angeles is three games under .500 for the first time in McVay’s career.

“We’ve got to continue to have some resolve about ourselves, and then have some better execution,” McVay said. “By no means am I saying that there’s no better positions that (the players) could be put in, but I do want to see us be able to capitalize and make some of those critical plays when they’re there to be had.”

49er defense deters Chargers Continued from page 8

hind by 10 points in the second quarter before rallying. Jimmy Garoppolo scored on a 1-yard sneak in the second quarter and then made the biggest play when he hit Brandon Aiyuk on a 24-yard pass on third-and-10 from the Chargers 26 midway through the fourth quarter.

McCaffrey ran it in on the next play and has now accounted for four touchdowns in three games since arriving from Carolina in a midseason trade.

Garoppolo went 19 for 28 for

CIF-SS football Continued from page 8

Faulkner rushed for 22 scores.

The Hawks feature senior Troy Leigber, who has run for 1,988 yards and 34 touchdowns.

He had five scores last week against Ontario Christian.

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240 yards while San Francisco relied heavily on the ground game, rushing 41 times for 157 yards, and defense.

“There’s different ways to win this league,” Garoppolo said.

“We definitely made it hard on ourselves, that’s for sure. But a lot of resilient guys, a lot of mature guys ... It wasn’t pretty early on and they were doing some things that gave us trouble, but we stuck with it.”

Justin Herbert went 21 for 35 for 196 yards with a touchdown pass for the Chargers, who were playing without both starting tackles and receivers.

After scoring a touchdown on their opening possession, the Chargers managed just three field goals – two on drives that started in Niners territory – the rest of the way against a stout San Francisco defense.

“They did a good job against the run in the second half,” coach Brandon Staley said. “We couldn’t get anything going in the run game, and in the passing game it was tight.

“The rush was coming, and there wasn’t a lot of air in the second and third level to take advantage of.”

8 WEDNESDAY, NOV. 16, 2022/ORANGE COUNTY TRIBUNE

TheSportsPage

Panthers, Pioneers in Semis Orange and Western will host opponents Friday in CIF-SS football

Two area high school football teams have advanced to the semi-final round CIF-SS playoffs Friday. The Orange Panthers (10-2), champs of the Orange Coast League, will host Loyola (7-5), the Angelus League’s trichamp in Division 6 action.

Western (10-1), champions in the Orange League, will host Laguna Hills (11-1) in Division 7 action. The Hawks finished second in the Pacific Hills League.

For Orange, sophomore quarterback Hype Grand has passed for 1,229 yards per game, and a total of 19 touchdowns. On defense, Jaelen Lightfoot is averaging 6.8 tackles per game and has intercepted five passes.

Kobe Boykin averaged 89.3 rushing yards per game and 25.5 yards receiving. He led the Panthers with 13 touchdowns.

Loyola will counter with Xavier Rice, who has thrown for 1,206 yard and nine scores. But he has been intercepted seven times. Zachary Bolwes is a rock on defense with 12.4 tackles per game. He also intercepted a pass and recovered a fumble.

Western has the potent duo of quarterback Anthony Luna (2,800 yards passing, 33 TDs) and receiver Drew Faulkner (124.1 yards receiving per game and eight touchdowns).

The Panthers can also run the ball, as Joshua Continued on page 7

Rams lost the battle of the backup QBs

By Greg Beacham AP Sports Writer

INGLEWOOD (AP) – Colt McCoy realizes every time he steps on an NFL field these days might be his last chance to play, so the Cardinals’ 36-year-old backup quarterback got some friends and relatives out to Los Angeles this weekend when he became pretty sure he would have to fill in for Kyler Murray.

McCoy then had a game to remember, while the Los Angeles Rams had another day to forget in a season that’s turning into a nightmare.

McCoy passed for 238 yards in his first start of the season, James Conner rushed for two touchdowns and Arizona hung on for a 27-17 victory Sunday over the Rams, who lost Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp to a possibly serious ankle injury.

Both teams played their backup quarterbacks with starters Matthew Stafford (concussion protocol) and Murray (hamstring) sidelined by injury. McCoy soundly outplayed Los Angeles’ John Wolford, notably throwing a TD pass to A.J. Green and hitting

KOBE BOYKIN IS THE PANTHERS’ TOUCHDOWN LEADER Orange High will host Loyola High in Division 6 CIF-SS semifinal action on Friday (Orange County Tribune photo).

This Week in Area Football • USC Trojans (9-1) Saturday at UCLA Bruins (8-2).

• Los Angeles Rams (3-6) Sunday at New Orleans (3-7).

• Los Angeles Chargers (5-4) on Sunday host Kansas City (7-2).

DeAndre Hopkins for 98 yards on 10 catches.

“As a backup, you just never know when your opportunity is going to strike,” McCoy said.

“Quite honestly, I want K-1 (Murray) to be healthy. He’s a phenomenal player. But in this situation, with linemen out, our backs against the Continued on page 7

49er defense finessed the Chargers all day

By Josh Dubow AP Pro Football Writer

SANTA CLARA (AP) – For all the talk of how dynamic San Francisco’s offense could look with Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel, it was the 49ers defense that once again led the way.

McCaffrey ran for the go-ahead touchdown with 7:54 to play, and the Niners pitched a secondhalf shutout to beat the Los Angeles Chargers 22-16 Sunday night in their first game back from a bye week.

“I was proud of our team today,” coach Kyle

Shanahan said. “I want to play better. I want to blow people out. I want to score every time we go. ...

Those guys are tough to get in the end zone against and they did that to us today. But we still found a way to win.”

The Niners (5-4) returned from the midseason break as healthy as they’ve been all season on offense and with hopes of making a second-half run. Their performance against the short-handed Chargers (54) was a slog at times but proved to be just enough to come out on top.

San Francisco fell beContinued on page 7