How Dense Should The City Become?

Pushback vs. Sacramento

From a staff writer

The new majority of the Huntington Beach City Council will consider another effort to push back on what it sees as efforts to force more crowded housing on Surf City.

City Councilmember Pat Burns, one of the four elected in November on a conservative “Save Huntington Beach” slate is proposing that city staff analyze two recent state laws – Senate Bills 9 and 10 – for their impact on Huntington Beach and direct City Attorney Michael Gates to “take any legal action necessary to challenge SB 9 and 10.” Senate Bill 9 calls for subdividing an existing single-family zoned lot into two new parcels. Senate Bill 10 allows cities

New coronavirus cases and deaths show rises

Confirmed new cases and deaths from coronavirus in Orange County rose this week for the first time in 2023.

The county health care agency reported that new cases hit 1,400, up from 1,223 last week. However, it’s still the second best total in a month.

Deaths increased sharply to 57 from 26 and that’s the highest total of the new year.

Hospitalizations declined to 170 from 178 last week, representing the fifth consecutive week of decrease.

The use of intensive care units to treat COVID-19 patients remained steady at 28 for the third straight week.

To date, Orange County has had 707,008 cases and 7,848 deaths.

Nationally, The New York Times reports that – over a 14-day period – new coronavirus cases are down 14 percent and deaths by 8 percent.

Worldwide, the new cas- to permit construction of up to 10 units on a single parcel without requiring an environmental review. Backers of these bills call them necessary to help ease the state’s housing shortage; opponents claim the state is taking away local control on land use and forcing urbanization on suburban communities.

“The city has a duty to protect the quality and lifestyle of the neighborhoods that current owners have already bought into,” said Burns in a report to the council.

The council has already voted to challenge in court the state’s regional housing needs assessment that Huntington Beach must zone for – but not necessarily allow – over 13,000 new housing units.

The council will meet at 3:30 in closed session and 6 p.m. for the regular session in the council chambers at 2000 Main St.

“Not guilty” plea in fatal stabbing of a bicyclist

A 39-year-old Long Beach man has been charged with murder for hitting a cyclist in Dana Point Wednesday afternoon and then stabbing him to death while bystanders tried to help the injured man. There is no known prior relationship between the victim and his accused killer.

Vanroy Evan Smith. 39, of Long Beach, has been charged with one felony count of murder and one felony enhancement of the personal use of a knife. He faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life plus one year if convicted on all charges.

He pleaded not guilty Friday. Smith is currently being held at the Orange County Jail in lieu of $1 million bail and is scheduled to be back in court on February 14, 2023 for a pretrial hearing.

On Wednesday, February 1, 2023, Dr. Michael Mammone, 58, was riding his bicycle northbound on Pacific Coast Highway

n GARDEN GROVE SCHOOL BOARD

Honors for students, staff

Recognition of outstanding students and staff will highlight Tuesday’s meeting of the Garden Grove Unified School District Board of Education.

“Coaches and Athletes of Character” will be presented by Stephanie Heflin, assistant superintendent of secondary education, while “Employees of the Month” will be presented by Jason Bevacqua, assistant superintendent for personnel services.

The board will have a study session on solar energy at 5:30

Not guilty plea in cyclist’s death

Continued from page 1 near the intersection of Crown Valley Parkway in Dana Point at approximately 3 p.m. when he was rammed by the driver of a white Lexus, later identified as Vanroy Evan Smith.

While Mammone was laying injured in the street, Smith is accused of using a knife to repeatedly stab Mammone. Smith was detained by bystanders who rushed to help the injured cyclist. Mammone was transported to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead. Smith was arrested by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

Coronavirus stats in Orange County

Continued from page 1 es – over the same period – have fallen 40 percent and deaths by 58 percent.

In California, Los Angeles Times is reporting a drop of 19 percent in new cases over 14 days, and a decline of 33 percent p.m., followed by the regular board meeting at 7 p.m., both at 10331 Stanford Ave..

When weighing differing accounts about an issue or an event, the truth is probably somewhere in between.

The GGUSD serves most of Garden Grove as well as parts of Anaheim, Cypress, Fountain Valley, Santa Ana, Stanton and Westminster.

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, and Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce.