The Orange County Tribune Feb. 15, 2023

Weather Forecast

MIDWEEK EDITION

63 / 43

Wednesday: 63/43 mostly sunny Thursday: 61/46 partly cloudy Friday: 64/51 partly cloudy

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Volume 3, Number 13 n orangecountytribune.com n Wednesday, Feb.15, 2023 n orangecountytribune@gmail.com

Remodel of Family Center Moves Along Renovation of the Family Resource Center took another step forward Tuesday night as the Stanton City Council awarded a contract for the work.

The council voted 5-0 in favor of the bid of $684,400 submitted by A2Z Construction. That was termed the “lowest responsible bid” and was about 8.7 percent below the engineer’s estimate of $750,000.

Construction could begin in March.

The center is located at 11832 Santa Paul St., north of Chapman Avenue and west of Beach Boulevard.

Among the renovations planned for the center are new LED exterior lighting, improved gate access

n STANTON CITY CITY COUNCIL points, new air conditioning units, replacement of indoor lighting, evaluation and upgrade for ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliance, painting of the interior, new ceiling tiles, new blinds and window tint and new flooring including vinyl and carpeting.

Most of the funding for this project will come from a federal Community Development Block Grant.

Landscape renovation – to include playground equipment, rubberized surfaces, benches and trash receptacles – will be handled in a separate project.

n GARDEN GROVE CITY COUNCIL

Appointments are delayed For the second consecutive meeting, the Garden Grove City Council on Tuesday night postponed action on appointments to city commissions.

Those appointments will be deferred to a future, unspecified meeting.

The delay came at the request of Councilmember Kim Nguyen (District 6), who wanted more diversity in terms of seeing that

ROTARY EXTENDS HANDS ACROSS OCEAN

all districts are represented on the commissions.

Councilmember George Brietigam (District 1) said he supported diversity but noted that “it’s hard to get people to volunteer to work for free.”

How long would Nguyen wait before consenting to the appointments?

“As long as it takes,” she said.

Continued on page 4

THE DEATH TOLL in the two major earthquakes in Turkey and Syria has passed over 35,000 people and left many more homeless. Here’s a way to help (European Commission photo).

G. Grove club joins in helping Turkish, Syrian quake victims The two major earthquakes that hit Turkey and Syria last week have killed an estimated 35,000 people and left at least 100,000 homeless.

Garden Grove Rotary Club is joining other charitable groups in offering assistance to victims of the quakes.

“Our local District is actively involved in supporting a relief effort for Turkey and Syria necessitated by the recent mas-

sive earthquake,” according to Robert Emanuel, president of the Garden Grove Rotary.

The Orange County effort has two major components: clothing and shelter as well as volunteer help in packing those items for shipment to the stricken area.

Needed are new blankets, jackets and Continued on page 2

Seek driver in SB hit-and run crash From a staff writer with wire service reports

The search continues for the driver of a Mercedes sedan that sped through an intersection in Seal Beach, crashed into another vehicle and sent three 17-year-old girls

to the hospital in serious condition.

Police say the driver sprinted away from the scene of the accident that took place Saturday night at Main Street and Pacific Coast Highway. He was reported to have fled into a residential neighborhood

known as “The Hill.”

An immediate identification of the driver was not made. He’s only described as a man “around 20” years old and wearing a maroon shirt.

Five people were injured, and two were later disContinued on page 2

For breaking news and sports all week long, go to www.orangecountytribune.com

2 WEDNESDAY, FEB. 15, 2023/ORANGE COUNTY TRIBUNE

Make a G. Grove “foodie” video The City of Garden Grove and the Garden Grove Unified School District invite local high school students, 10th-12th grades, to participate in the Foods of Garden Grove Social Media Challenge, aimed at supporting local small businesses.

Students are invited to create a 30- to 60-second “foodie” video at a Foods of Garden Grove eatery or café of their choice, and submit their original work online, at ggcity.org/foodsofgardengrove, by Thursday, March 23.

Submissions will be showcased on the Foods of Garden Grove Instagram and TikTok, @foodsofgardengrove.

All participants will be entered into an opportunity drawing to win a $100 gift card. Three win-

ners will be chosen at random.

Videos must be the original work of the student and feature one of the Foods of Garden Grove businesses. Videos must be uploaded without music or voice over. Choice of music and voice over can be indicated in the submission form.

The social challenge is part of the city’s Foods of Garden Grove program showcasing

Quake help Continued from page 1

tents, as well as willing hands for packing. Volunteers can contact Samar Aziz at (714) 614-0435.

The packing will take place at 14712 Bentley Circle, Unit B, Tustin through Thursday morning to get the donations to Turkish Airlines by Thursday night.

Donations of boxes and box tape are also needed.

Seal Beach crash Continued from page 1

charged from the hospital, according to the Associated Press.

All were members of the Los Alamitos Ballet School and reportedly have suffered injuries that included broken bones, concussions and damaged organs.

A GoFundMe page has been created to raise money for the families affected under the name “Los Alamitos Ballet Dancers Hospital Expenses,” created by David Kim, director of the ballet school.

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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 member of The Associated Press, the Garden Grove Downtown Business Association and Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce.

the city’s vibrant food culture through a prominent list of 150 select eateries.

Through the Foods of Garden Grove Social Media Challenge, students can create a unique

“foodie” experience featuring their favorite meals and beverages.

For more information, visit ggcity.org/foodsofgardengrove or email foodies@ggcity.org.

ORANGE COUNTY TRIBUNE/WEDNESDAY, FEB. 15, 2023 3

News&Views $45 Million To Be Paid Over 2021 Oil Spill SANTA ANA (AP) – Shipping companies have agreed to pay $45 million to thousands of Orange County and other Southern California fishermen, tour companies and property owners who sued after an offshore oil spill sent crude washing ashore, attorneys said last week.

A tentative settlement was reached after months of negotiations between the MV Beijing and MSC Danit and their associated companies and the businesses and residents who sued them, the plaintiffs’ lawyers said in a statement.

A federal judge still needs to sign off on the agreement for it to take effect.

“Nobody deserves this more than the citizens of Orange County and the coastal community to have this matter resolved quickly,’’ said Wylie

Aitken, co-lead counsel for the plaintiffs, which include businesses that provide surf lessons and leisure cruises and shops that sell swimwear and fishing bait.

Messages seeking comment were sent via email to attorneys listed for the vessels.

A pipeline owned by Amplify Energy Corp. ruptured and spilled 25,000 gallons (94,600 liters) of crude oil into the Pacific Ocean near Huntington Beach in October 2021.

While less severe than initially feared, the spill shuttered beaches in the area for a week, fisheries for more than a month, oiled birds and threatened area wetlands.

Southern California residents and business owners sued the Houston-based oil company seeking compensation for their losses, as well as the shipContinued on page 6

AARON ECKHART and a handful of Marines saved us from fictional aliens in “Battle Los Angeles” in 2011. Is he still available? (Columbia Pictures).

It’s time for us to stand up Things are feeling a bit strange. After many, many alien invasion, UFO-sighting movies and TV series, we finally have some unidentified flying objects to worry about.

The comforting news is that we can actually shoot these things down. The not-socomforting possibility is these objects (not the Chinese balloon) might just be some DUI spacemen lost on their way to Vulcan, suggesting that

Retorts

Jim Tortolano travel to Earth for some aliens is just one wrong cosmic offramp away.

Another way in which the ground seems to be shifting for us in the West Orange County area is in the departing of local stalwarts. Garden Grove City Manager Scott Stiles is leaving us for a similar job in Palm Springs. Ric Lerma, arguably Garden Grove’s most prominent private citizen, passed away recently after a sudden illness. Ron Roberts, who served as Garden Continued on page 4

Local cities get $1.7 mill for signals, streets, etc.

The West Orange County cities of Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Stanton and Westminster recently received a total of $1.68 million in transportation funds from the Orange County Transportation Authority.

It comes from Measure M, the half-cent sales tax approved by voters in 2006. While much

of the revenue from the tax goes to the operation of OCTA, a portion is devoted to “Local Fair Share Funding” for cities across the county.

The money is distributed every two months and is used for repairing potholes, repaving streets, synchronizing traffic signals, improving safety and other transit issues.

Garden Grove’s latest share is $541,641 with a to-date total of $29 million. Huntington Beach is getting $713,323 for a todate total of $38 million.

Stanton gets $109,631 ($5.8 million to date) and Westminster receives $303,958 ($16.6 million to date).

Continued on page 6

TRAFFIC SIGNALS are among the uses for the Measure M money coming to cities

4 WEDNESDAY, FEB. 15, 2023/ORANGE COUNTY TRIBUNE

NewsUpdate ing a career representing California since 1993.

Feinstein, 89, a Democrat, will finish out her term.

Also in the news … David Rodriguez, 38, pleaded guilty Tuesday to eight charges against him including assault on a law enforcement officer. He used a stun gun on the neck of a police officer struggling to hold back rioters storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Clips beat Warriors STUDENT UNION at Michigan State University

Motive sought in shootings

What was the motive for the man who fatally shot three people and wounded five others at Michigan State University?

According to the Associated Press, Anthony McRae, 43 – who died Monday night from a self-inflicted gunshot – had no apparent connection to the campus in East Lansing.

A note in McRae’s pocket made threats against schools in New Jersey.

President Joe Biden mentioned

the incident in a speech, saying, “We have to do something to stop the gun violence that’s ripping apart our communities.”

All of the persons shot were students at MSU. The five wounded students remained in critical condition.

Feinstein won’t run

Long-serving U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein announced on Tuesday that she would not run for re-election in 2024, conclud-

The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Golden State Warriors 134-124 Tuesday night.

Kawhi Leonard scored 31 points to lead the Clippers (32-28), followed by Paul George with 20 and Terance Mann with 16.

Weather: Slowly warm

The West Orange County area will be experiencing a slow warming period for the next few days. The forecast for Wednesday calls for sunny skies and a daytime high of 63 with an overnight low of 43. Thursday will be partly cloudy with a high of 67 and a low of 45. Friday will be yet warmer with a high of 68 (46) under mostly cloudy skies.

Retorts: Who will save us?

Continued fromm page 3

Grove’s “fire chief” after the city joined the Orange County Fire Authority also recently died.

People come and go out of our lives, both geographically and spiritually, but some departures affect us more than others.

When admired leaders depart, it tends to leave us with a feeling a little like a parent leaving.

What will we do now? Who will provide for us?

The answer is simple, if momentarily unsatisfying. We step up. We try to fill those shoes or find someone that we think can. It’s our job now.

It’s not fair to lose people we rely on, but fairness has never been guaranteed. As the saying goes, “there’s no justice.

There’s just us.”

GG city council Continued fromm page 3

Councilmember Joe DoVinh (District 4) said he wanted the mayor to commit to action soon and not let the matter be continued on an open-ended basis.

In the meanwhile, sitting commission members will remain in their posts.

ORANGE COUNTY TRIBUNE/WEDNESDAY, FEB. 15, 2023 5

Arts&Living

CHANNING TATUM stars in “Magic Mike’s Last Dance” (Warner Bros)

“Magic Mike” More than Beefcake

By Lindsey Bahr AP Film Writer

The words Magic Mike may conjure up images of sweaty, sculpted, undulating men, dancing unthreateningly for hordes of screaming women, but there has always been a backdrop of brutal economic reality looming over the fantasy world.

The unlikely franchise has explored the escalating devaluation of physical laborers, the suffocating effects of the college industrial complex, predatory loan businesses, recession and even COVID-19, which has effectively destroyed poor Mike Lane’s furniture business in this latest film.

When we re-meet Channing Tatum’s gentle hunk in “Magic Mike’s Last Dance,” in theaters Friday, he’s bartending at par-

Movie Review ties for the very rich in Miami.

The gig could be worse, but though he doesn’t quite say it, the implication is that he’s even aged out of dancing now. He has to seriously think about it when his wealthy employer offers him $6,000 for a dance later that evening.

Asking why sequels exist doesn’t usually produce satisfying answers, but “Magic Mike’s Last Dance” is a film that was born backwards, a fit of inspiration from Steven Soderbergh after seeing what Tatum had done with Magic Mike Live.

The Las Vegas stage show, inspired by the first two movies, is described on its website as “an unforgettably fun night of sizzling, 360-degree entertain-

ment,” “hot,” “hilarious,” “the great time you’ve been looking for” and “the ultimate girl’s night out.”

But “Magic Mike’s Last Dance” is not quite any of those things and perhaps might even annoy some of its most enthusiastic fans _ the ones who simply want to holler at the six-packs in front of them. Because this film is that thing that many sequels promise but don’t deliver on: It’s both a true evolution and a conclusion. It’s also part fantasy, part bleak reality, part commentary the fundamental value of dance and what’s lost in a society that has forgotten how. It is not, in other words, simply another striptease.

“Magic Mike” and “XXL” (directed by Gregory Jacobs) both latched on to a kind of pure joy in the spectacle of the male strip-

Fair: HHH per. But that audience, by nature of its venues, is inherently limited and “down market.” In “Last Dance,’”Soderbergh gives Mike a wealthy benefactor, in the form of the operatically named Maxandra Mendoza (Salma Hayek) who is in the midst of a messy divorce from an obscenely successful media mogul and looking to shake things up.

After an acrobatic, but fully clothed, encounter with Mike, she decides to whisk him away to London, dress him up and put him in charge of staging a show that promises to make its audiences feel the way she did the night she met Mike. In the process, she, and Soderbergh, Tatum and screenwriter Reid Continued on page 6

6 WEDNESDAY, FEB. 15, 2023/ORANGE COUNTY TRIBUNE

“Magic Mike” more than beefcake Continued from page 5

Carolin, set a historic London theater, and all of its fussy rules, ablaze (figuratively). If only all scorned socialites could do something so charitable with their rage.

It’s a clever conceit for a filmmaker who never tires of singeing the establishment he continues work in. And like many Soderbergh films, “Magic Mike’s Last Dance,” shaggy, earnest and innocently tawdry, goes down so easy that it’s almost impossible to appreciate it fully on a first watch. I imagine it will only improve with more.

If there is a quibble, it’s that Hayek and Tatum don’t quite inspire the will-they-won’tthey tension that the movie seems to be asking of them.

They work well together when they’re working together, but

the romantic chemistry is a bit lacking. Besides, his great unrequited love isn’t a person but his furniture business, right? It doesn’t help that Maxandra is also an extremely underdeveloped character.

Even so, Mike manages to wrest an inspired dance in the rain out of the idea of them (his co-dancer is Kylie Shea) that pays homages to classic movie musicals with just a bit more skin and writhing.

This story is told like a fairy tale, or a poetically composed school paper from a particularly precocious student, with a silky voiced young narrator telling us about Mike’s woes and the waning significance of dance in the culture. She’s not just a disembodied voice, but an important character the story reveals later.

But it’s a lovely little flourish in

Mike Lane’s journey. He’s a guy who just wants to make furniture but seems destined (or doomed) to continue performing in one way or another. Like his director, he’s just too good at it to say goodbye forever, no matter how much they both keep trying.

“Magic Mike’s Last Dance,” a Warner Bros. release in theaters Friday, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for ``sexual material and language.’’ Running time: 112 minutes.

Oil spill cash Continued from page 3

ping vessels that Amplify said damaged the pipeline when they dragged their anchors across it during a January 2021 storm.

Amplify sued the two vessels and an organization that helps oversee marine traffic. A trial on those allegations is scheduled for April 24.

“We are pleased to see the ships that struck our pipeline take responsibility for the damages their negligence caused the community following this event,” Amy Conway, an Amplify spokesperson, said in a statement.

Amplify last year agreed to pay the plaintiffs $50 million and reached a plea deal with federal authorities for negligently discharging crude.

Measure M Continued from page 3

“This program epitomizes the concept of putting local tax dollars to work,” said OCTA Chairman Gene Hernandez, also the Mayor of Yorba Linda. “Every two months, these locally generated dollars go back to the cities and the county as a stable and flexible source of funding for vital transportation projects.”

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ORANGE COUNTY TRIBUNE/WEDNESDAY, FEB. 15, 2023 7

This NFL championship was a really Super Bowl Continued from page 8

of the failures,” Mahomes said about winning his second championship in four years.

“I mean the failure of losing a Super Bowl and losing the AFC championship game gives you a greater appreciation to be standing here as a champion.”

Brotherhood was on display in

the first Super Bowl matchup involving two brothers playing on different teams. Chiefs All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce caught a touchdown pass to help his team topple All-Pro center Jason Kelce and the Eagles. Mama Kelce was everywhere throughout the week and sat between NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Hamlin in a suite.

“There’s nothing I can say to him other than I love him and he played a hell of a year, a hell of a season,” Travis Kelce said. “To see my family be in all its glory and get all its flowers, my mom be the center of attention on the

Jumbotron before the game on the biggest stage and being able to get closer with my brother throughout the season and to meet him at the mountain top, it’s the best feeling in the world.

I don’t know how many more I got left, but I’ll cherish this one forever.’’

Donna Kelce was the most popular mother in Arizona until Rihanna showed up for a scintillating halftime show.

The superstar singer kicked off and finished her superb performance soaring high above the slippery field surface on a platform that was suspended in the air.

And, she did it while pregnant. Rihanna’s representative confirmed afterward that she’s pregnant with her second child.

“So iconic for Rihanna to let an American football game happen at her pregnancy reveal/ concert,” a fan wrote on Twitter.

Even the commercials had a warm, fuzzy vibe. Advertisers used familiar celebrity faces, light humor and plenty of cute dogs in ads that cost as much as $7 million for 30 seconds.

About the only negative on Super Sunday was a controver-

sial penalty on the final drive of the game that left viewers feeling angry that officiating again impacted a playoff game.

A defensive holding call on Eagles cornerback James Bradberry allowed Kansas City to keep the ball, run down the clock and Harrison Butker kicked the goahead 27-yard field goal with 8 seconds left.

But Bradberry quickly squashed the outrage, saying he held the receiver.

“It was a holding. I tugged his jersey. I was hoping they would let it slide,” Bradberry said.

On a day filled with unifying events, Bradberry’s acknowledgement was a prime example of losing with dignity.

Boys’ v-ball Continued from page 8

• Division 3: Fairmont Prep (Anaheim), Mission Viejo, Northwood. Pacifica Christian (Orange County) and Portola.

• Division 4: Calvary Chapel (Santa Ana), Segerstrom, Troy and Tustin.

• Division 5: Saddleback.

• Division 6: Samueli Academy.

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TheSportsPage

Orangewood, Loara fall in Quarters Aztecs, Sents will go go to D-7 soccer semis The CIF-SS title dreams of boys’ basketball teams from Orangewood Academy and La Quinta High School were both ended with quarterfinal losses Tuesday night.

Orangewood’s Spartans led by nine points at halftime on the road in Camarillo, but a rain of three-point baskets by the Scorpions’ Chase Aronowitz – he had eight in the game – resulted in a 49-45 come-from-behind win by the home team in a Division 3AA game.

In a 5AA contest, Loara lost 61-27 to North High of Torrance.

The Spartans finished 27-3 and the Saxons 18-13.

Title hopes remain with two area girls’ soccer teams. In Division 7 action La Quinta defeated AGBU (Armenian General Benevolent Union) High 3-1 and Magnolia blanked Oakwood 3-0.

They go to the semifinals on Friday.

Sentinels will play St. Mary’s and the Aztecs against a team not yet named.

CIF-SS Playoffs Winter Sports TUESDAY QUARTERFINALS Boys’ basketball 3AA • Camarillo 49, Orangewood 45 Division 5AA • North/Torrance 61, Loara 27 Girls’ soccer D-7 • La Quinta 3, AGBU 1 • Magnolia 3, Oakwood 0 (Semifnals will be played on Friday).

WEDNESDAY QUARTERFINALS

ERICA YANG (30) drives against Edgewood in CIF-SS Division 5AA girls basketball action on Saturday. Mariners (18-14) will host Nordhoff on Wednesday (GGUSD photo).

Was a simple kick but a Super Bowl

By Rob Maaddi AP Pro Football Writer

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) – The Super Bowl had something for everyone.

Long before Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs lifted the Vince Lombardi Trophy, the biggest winner of this NFL season walked onto the field.

Damar Hamlin came out to a rousing ovation during a pregame ceremony honoring the men and women who saved his life.

Hamlin’s third appearance of the week was the best feel-good moment on a day filled with many in-

spirational themes.

Mahomes and Jalen Hurts put on a historic show in the first Super Bowl featuring two Black starting quarterbacks.

Hurts was spectacular but Mahomes played through an ankle injury and rallied the Chiefs from a 10-point deficit for a 3835 comeback win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night.

It was yet another lesson on dealing with adversity and rising to the occasion playing out before hundreds of millions of viewers on the sport’s biggest stage.

“I appreciate it because Continued on page 7

SUPER BOWL LVII

HARRISON BUTKER kicked the 27-yard field goal that won the game for the Chiefs, but he missed an earlier kick that could have cost Kansas City the game (Wikipedia).

Girls’ soccer Division 5AA • South Hills at Pacifica • Marina at Nordhoff

Four area boys’ v-ball teams on watchlist Four area high school boys’ volleyball teams have been named to the CIF-SS pre-season watch list.

In Divisions 1 and 2, Edison and Huntington Beach are recognized.

In Division 3, Garden Grove and La Quinta are noted.

Other Orange County teams on the watch list are: • Divisions 1 and 2: Canyon (Anaheim), Corona del Mar, Los Alamitos, Mater Dei, Newport Harbor, San Clemente, Santa Margarita, Servite and Tesoro.

Continued on page 7