The Orange County Tribune June 3, 2023

Changes To City Charter On the Way?

City budget for 2023-24 also on the agenda

Does Huntington Beach’s charter need a facelift?

At Tuesday’s meeting of the city council, one of the items on the agenda will be a request from Councilmember Pat Burns to form a charter review ad hoc committee to recommend proposed charter amendments. What’s recommended is

Corona stats hold steady

The rate of confirmed new cases of coronavirus in Orange County appears to have settled into a relatively low level.

According to the county health care agency, this week’s number of new cases is 437, a slight increase from 436 last week and drop from 548 the week before.

Deaths are down slightly to 11 from 12 last week and 25 the week before.

that Mayor Tony Strickland lead the committee of himself and two other council members of his choice to work with the city attorney’s office. The committee would return to the full city council in July with recommendations.

Several proposed charter amendments on the November 2022 ballot – some aimed at curbing the authority of the city attorney’s office – failed, but Burns stated, “There are areas in the charter

Continued on page 2

n GARDEN GROVE SCHOOL BOARD

Hearing on budget set for Tuesday

Money matters top the agenda for Tuesday’s meeting of the Garden Grove Unified School District Board of Education.

The board will hold a public hearing on the proposed annual budget for the district for 20232024. Additionally, it will hold a public hearing on

Continued

Commencing the next stage in life

For students graduating from local high schools, it’s really a new beginning. In the Garden Grove Unified School District, high schools held commencement exercises to mark a turning point in the lives of teenagers on the cusp of adulthood. The Class of ‘23 is unique in many respects, but especially because of the effects of the coronavirus.

Above, a La Quinta High student waves to family members, but could just as well be waving goodbye to the ever-influential high school years. Teachers were a big part of that influence; at right La Quinta choral director Darlene Machacon leads the Aztec choir in song. Not every grad is headed toward college or career. Some, like this Garden Grove High student (right). are going from the classroom into the United States Army.

Whatever their path, the families, friends and community wish them well, and can’t wait to see what kind of mark they’ll make in the future.

Charter changes in H. Beach?

Continued from page 1

that could use meaningful updates.”

Also on the agenda for Tuesday’s meeting are:

• an update from City Attorney Michael Gates on the lawsuit between the city and the State Department of Finance;

• adoption of a budget for 20232024;

• consideration of a proposed memorandum of understanding between the city and the Hun-

Orange County

tington Beach Police Officers Association for July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2025.

A special meeting of the council will be held on Thursday, June 8 in the Central Library (Talbert Avenue at Goldenwest Street) at 9 a.m. in rooms C&D.

Tuesday’s meeting will be held in the council chambers, 2000 Main St. with a study session/ closed session at 2 p.m. and the regular business meeting at 6 p.m

GGUSD school board meeting

Continued from page 1

the initial contract proposals for the Garden Grove Pupil Personnel Services Association (counselors, etc.) and the Supervisory Unit (campus facilities operation and maintenance).

Also, CSEA (California School Employees Association) will present its initial contract proposal.

Employees of the Year will be presented by Jesus Vasquez, director of personnel services. Matt Thomas, director of transportation services will recognize GGUSD Bus Roadeo participants.

Because of construction work being done in the main district offices, meetings will be held in the adjacent annex office building.

The regular meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at 10331 Stanford Ave., Garden Grove. The GGUSD is a K-12 district serving most of Garden Grove and 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, the Garden Grove Downtown Business Association and Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce.

Hanks, boards and good press for Stanton

A little of this, a little of that … Highly recommend the new novel by Tom Hanks, “The Making of a Major Motion Picture.” Not only is it an entertaining story with major insights into the film industry, it makes several references to Orange County, including Orange and Huntington Beach.

The film

Retorts

Jim Tortolano

“That Thing You Do,” written and directed by Hanks (he also had a supporting role) used Old Town Orange (Glassell and Chapman) for many of its scenes on the basis that it resembled Erie, Pennsylvania, where the story is set.

One of the more remarkable exchanges at a city council meeting took place in Westminster last week. After several city council members – the majority in fact – pushed back against a proposal to raise money for the city by renting space on city property for electronic billboards, City Manager Christine Cordon snapped, “This is insulting,” and suggested that if said council members felt they knew better, they should apply for jobs in planning.

Ouch. But Cordon, who came to the city hall as city clerk and rose to the top job, is not easily intimidated.

Westminster, sad to say, goes through city managers like I go through Cheez-Its.

If the present council majority doesn’t show a bit more professional respect for her very good performance in a very tough situation, perhaps she will find greener – and more appreciative – pastures elsewhere.

MARCHING bands will be only part of the entertainment in the Huntington Beach 4th of July celebration June 30 to July 4 (Orange County Tribune photo)

Strike

up the band for 4th of July in HB

It was 118 years ago that the first celebration of the Fourth of July in Huntington Beach was held and the tradition continues next month with five days of events with an expected 500,000 attendees.

The weekend’s events will begin on Friday, June 30 with the Main Street Block Party including an open-air concert featuring The Ramsey Brothers, followed by the Redneck Rodeo band.

Starting on Saturday and continuing through Tuesday (July 4), there will be over 70 vendors including craft and retail booths, food trucks, carnival rides, live

music, games and more. The Carnival and Pier Festival runs all weekend from 12-10 p.m. and all ages are welcome.

The first annual Huntington Beach Cornhole Tournament of Champions will take place July 1-2 (Saturday and Sunday) with cash prizes.

On Tuesday, July 4, the annual Surf City Run 5k will be held in the downtown area.

The Fourth of July Parade is on Tuesday, starting at 10 a.m. at Main Street and Pacific Coast Highway. The 2.5-mile route goes north up Main and features over 200 registered participating groups and thousands of view-

Local students honored by colleges

Kaitlin

n NAMES IN THE NEWS

also Westminster, has been named to the dean’s list at Benedictine.

ers.

Finally, local residents and businesses can decorate for the Annual Home and Business Decorating Content with prizes awarded for best theme decor along the Main Street parade route and businesses in the downtown area.

For more details, go to www. hb4thofjuly.org or facebook. com/HB4thofJuly.

Utah Tech is in St. George, Utah.

Anselm Friesen of Westminster has been named to the president’s list at Benedictine College in Kansas. Steven Nguyen,

Sarah Bielicki of Huntington Beach received the Michelle Chartier Memorial Award for academic excellence from The Millikan University in Decatur, Illinois.

Tsukamoto of Huntington Beach has been named to the presidents list at Utah Tech University for the spring 2023 semester.

200+ Killed In Two Indian Train Wrecks

As many as 900 people are injured; rescues continue

The derailment of two passenger trains in India on Friday have killed more than 200 people and others – perhaps hundreds more – are trapped in other railroad cars.

According to the Associated Press, the crash took place about 137 miles southwest of the Indian city of Kolkata. One estimate indicated that over 800 people were injured.

The New York Times put the wounded count at 900. News reports coming from India say that rescue teams are using dogs and cutting equip-

ment to locate and rescue survivors.

A spokesman for the railway administration said that 10 to 12 cars on one track derailed and that some of the wreckage struck an adjacent track where it was hit by a second train.

India, which has a poor road network, has relied on its railroads for much of its transportation needs.

Trains are often overloaded and some stretches of track are old and have needed replacement for years, if not decades.

Librarians to sue over restrictions on books

Can a librarian be sent to jail for a year for giving a child a book banned as being “harmful to minors?”

Great Thoughts

That’s the law in Arkansas and a several public libraries in that state filed a lawsuit challenging its constitutionality.

According to United Press International, the law doesn’t go into effect until Aug. 1, but some libraries have already reacted by removing some books.

Affected books could include those about people with disabilities, puberty, religion and LGBTQ characters, says UPI.

Further, the law allows local officials to remove books from public libraries.

Wildfires

are raging across Canada; thousands fleeing

Wildfires are spreading through eastern Canada, forcing about 10,000 residents in coastal areas of the province of Quebec to flee.

According to reuters. com, the fires have also spread to Nova Scotia. Canadian armed forces have been employed to fight fires and assistance

1st GOP debate Aug. 23

It’s still the summer of 2023, but the first presidential candidate debate for the 2024 election has been scheduled for Aug. 23, and possibly another on Aug. 24.

USA Today reports that the Republican National Committee has announced the debate(s), to be held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. To qualify for the debate, a candidate must have a polling average of 1 percent and pledge to support whoever is eventually the GOP nominee. Additionally, the candidate must demonstrate having 40,000 unique donors.

is being offered by the U.S, and other nations. An estimated 30,000 people have been displaced across the nation and the area scorched is the equivalent of over five million football fields, according to the Canadian emergency preparedness ministry.

Cooler days on the way

The West Orange County area can look forward to a cooling trend this weekend. Saturday should be partly cloudy with an afternoon high of 72 and an overnight low of 58. Sunday will be very similar at 71 (59).

But on Monday the thermometer should drop to 65 (58) with morning clouds and afternoon sun. Tuesday will be similar at 66 (59).

POLLING shows Donald Trump GOP favorite

SMOKE FROM WILDFIRES rise over the landscape of Nova Scotia, Canada. Such fires have affected every Canadian province and tens of thousands of people have been forced to flee (Nova Scotia govt. photo).

“The indispensible requirement for a good newspaperman – as eager to tell a lie as the truth.”

– Norman Mailer

Fly Across Thrilling ‘Spider-Verse’

The conventions of superhero tales are smashed here

By Jake Coyle AP Film Writer

Let’s get this upfront: ‘’SpiderMan: Into the Spider-Verse” was the best comic-book film of the last decade.

With an animation blizzard blown straight in from the pages of comics, “Into the Spider-Verse” took a supercollider to all the conventions of the superhero movie. Solemnity was out. Gone, too, was the idea of a chosen one. SpiderMan could be anyone, including a graffiti-tagging kid from Brooklyn, including a pig named Spider-Ham. The possibilities of the comic book movie were suddenly limitless. With Post Malone and Swae Lee’s “Sunflower” thumping, the vibes were, as they say, immaculate.

So a lot to live up to. Yet five years later, the Spider-verse is still expanding in thrilling ways.

“Spider-Man: Across the SpiderVerse” is the rare sequel that dazzles as much as the original did. It’s something to behold. Colors drip, invert and splatter in a shimmering pop-art swirl.

If “Into the Spider-Verse” reveled in the head-spinning collision of universes, “Across the SpiderVerse” turns the multiverse blender up a notch, or 10. Worlds bump into each other like shoppers in a crowded bodega. Spider-Men and Spider- Women tumble forth like unloaded clown cars. In this frenetic, freewheeling thing that dares you keep up with its webslinging pace, the sheer muchness of what’s in the frame can be almost overwhelming.

But despite all that’s going on, “Across the Spider-Verse” is remarkably grounded as a comingof-age tale. The masterful flair of writers-producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who penned the script with David Callaham,

Movie Review

lies in how they detonate convention and then assemble the leftover, splintered shards to build something deceptively sweet and simple.

The directing team has been entirely swapped out. Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers and Justin K. Thompson take the reins in this second chapter, which finds Miles Morales (voiced by Shameik Moore) now a 15-year-old with a better handle on his crimefighting powers. He’s less adept, though, at communicating with his parents, Jefferson (Brian Tyree Henry) and Rio (Luna Lauren Vélez), who still don’t know their son’s secret identity and are growing increasingly concerned about his strange behavior.

Similar issues bedevil Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld), who by revealing to her police captain father (Shea Whigham) that she’s Spider-Woman has caused a huge rift in their relationship.

(He blames her for Peter Parker’s death.)

When Miles and Gwen, stuck in worlds apart, meet again and swing in tandem through New York, they’re less a romantically linked Spidey pair than they are a couple of teenagers whose parents just don’t understand. When they sit together, on the underside of a ledge on the Williamsburg Savings Bank Tower, gazing at an upside down Manhattan, hazy and blue in the distance, the lingering image perfectly encapsulates an electrifyingly downside-up movie franchise.

In its chaotic and jumbled way, “Across the Spider-Verse” keeps playing with these notions. Miles and Gwen, rightly, feel exceptional - that their problems are unique to being enormously gifted kids. But the movie again and again reinforced that, yes, they’re supremely talented, but, no, they’re far from alone. “I’m Spider-Woman,’’ Gwen says when a pregnant superhero (Issa Rae) peels in on a motorbike. “Me, too,” she replies.

Great: HHHH

This being a “Spider-Verse” movie, though, there more than just a few Spider-Men lurking about. There are actually gobs of them, each from some parallel world. (Among those here are a Mumbai-like New York, a Lego land and a nightmarish alternate reality.) The portals start opening thanks to The Spot (Jason Schwartzman), a supervillain-intraining who looks like a splotchy blank page with ink drops on him. But Spot’s powers grow, bringing the attention of the SpiderSociety, a gaggle of Spider-People who guard over order in the multiverse. Some of them are pretty cool - most notably Daniel Kaluuya’s Spider-Punk, a British rocker who looks like he dropped out of The Clash. Others, like the leader Miguel O’Hara (Oscar Isaac), are more serious and haunted.

When worlds start colliding,

“ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE” is a thrilling variation on a theme (Sony Pictures)

‘Across the Spider-Verse’ is thrilling

Continued from page 5

prescribed storylines get upset. Seemingly anything goes in these multiverse realms, but, Miguel informs us, there is Canon that needs to be obeyed. Certain foundational narrative beats must occur, in some form, for every Spider-Man, including the sacrifice of a loved one.

When Miles tests these tenets, he brings about a cataclysmic battle across the Spider-Verse, and a movie series hellbent on deconstruction faces-off against formula.

For Lord and Miller, the postmodern makers of “The Lego Movie” and “The Mitchells vs. The Machines,” it’s a battle they’ve been girding for their whole lives.

The danger in all these crisscrossing dimensions is that no reality seems to mean all that much.

By exponentially multiplying worlds and Spider-Men, “Across the Spider-Verse” risks making itself dizzy. Yet it surprisingly, even movingly, stays true to the teenage emotions at its core and the parent-kid relationships driving all these multiverse convulsions.

It’s the first Marvel movie that I felt in the theater a palpable disappointment that it was over.

(‘’Across the Spider-Verse’’ is a sequel in two parts, and ends here in full-on cliffhanger fashion.)

That “Across the Spider-Verse” earned that response is surely partly due to its giddy design just as it is to its conviction that we all contain multitudes. As Rachel Dratch’s principal says in the film: “Every person is a universe.”

“Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse,” a Sony Pictures Animation release, is rated PG by the Motion Picture Association for sequences of animated action violence, some language and thematic elements. Running time: 117 minutes.

Retorts: Tom Hanks in Orange

Continued from page 3

The Los Angeles Times recently published a feature about Beach Boulevard in north Orange County, giving particular attention to the sketchy motels

along that street and efforts to turn eyesores into eye-catching. Rodeo 39, a hip foodie hall in Stanton on Beach drew much favorable comment, as an example of how that city was improving its image.

While it didn’t replace a flophouse-motel, it is a big boon to the almost-abandoned shopping center that was re-invented imaginatively. It’s always nice to be recognized.

Jim Tortolano’s Retorts is posted Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Can Steve Garvey be a star in politics as well?

Continued from page 8

The growing field of candidates already includes Democratic Reps. Katie Porter, Adam Schiff and Barbara Lee. The seat is held by Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who has announced she is not seeking another term.

Still, even with his celebrity sparkle, Garvey would enter the race as an underdog. Democrats hold every statewide office and dominate the legislative and congressional delegations. Republicans – who are outnumbered about 2-to-1 by Democratic voters in the state –have struggled for years to find

credible candidates for statewide offices.

In the state’s last two U.S. Senate races, GOP candidates performed so poorly in the primary elections that only two Democrats advanced to the November ballot. Garvey’s candidacy could give the GOP a chance to make the November election, potentially lifting party turnout and also helping down-ballot GOP candidates.

The power of celebrity can produce surprises at the ballot box, noted veteran Democratic consultant Roger Salazar, referring to the political rise of former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and former President Donald Trump, among others.

While a Democrat would be favored given the state’s political tilt, a fractured Democratic primary vote could provide an opening for Garvey to slip into the November match-up.

“I’ve learned to never say never when it comes to celebrities in politics,” Salazar added.

Political scientist Thad Kousser, who teaches at the University of California, San Diego, said part of Garvey’s challenge will be changing the perception of the GOP brand in liberal-tilting California, where Trump lost in the 2020 election in a landslide. He noted that Schwarzenegger, the state’s last Republican governor, was a moderate who supported abortion rights and environmental protection.

Although unlikely to win in a state that favors Democrats, Garvey would scramble the dynamics of the race with a large and growing field.

If he becomes a candidate “he’s not going to win the game but he is going to change the game,’’ Kousser added. In recent election cycles, California Republicans have targeted criticism at the state’s Democratic-dominated government, faulting the rival party for notoriously high taxes, a homeless crisis, rising urban crime rates housing prices that are

out of reach for many workingclass families.

“I think Steve Garvey would be one of the most interesting and dynamic candidates for a statewide office Republicans have had in decades,” said Republican National Committeeman Shawn Steel, who is married to the congresswoman.

“He’s good on the stump ... and he reminds me of a Reagan-esque approach,” Steel added, referring to former Republican President Ronald Reagan, another Californian. Republican attorney Eric Early – an unsuccessful candidate for state attorney general in 2022 and 2018 and for Congress in 2020 – entered the Senate contest in April.

In a statement, he said Garvey “has more personal baggage than Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner,” an apparent reference to 1980s sex scandals that sullied Garvey’s reputation as “Mr. Clean,” a moniker that referred to his buttoned-down image from his Dodger days.

Do clothes make the man?

Continued from page 8

The Dodgers, on the other hand have worn almost exactly the same style for as long as anyone can remember. When they left Brooklyn all they seemed to change was the “B” on the cap to an interlinked “L” and “A.”

Other consistent winners like the New York Yankees, Green Bay Packers, St. Louis (baseball) Cardinals and Los Angeles Lakers have stayed the course – fashion-wise – and reaped the rewards. Sure, some people may say, you’ve got to keep up with the times. But a baseball uniform is a symbol, like the American flag or the Oscar statuette. It stands for something.

Of course, Angel fans have learned to stand for quite a bit. And Dodger fans, wearing their cooler replica jerseys, are standing and applauding their winning team, year after year.

Angels lose, 6-2

Continued from page 8

The Astros are 34-23 and in second, 2.5 games back of the first place Texas Rangers.

Ohtani went six innings, giving up nine hits. He struck out six and walked two.

The Angel offense was quiet again, being shutout until they scored twice in the ninth. Taylor Ward did well, going 3-for-4.

The teams will meet again Saturday at 1:10 p.m. with Patrick Sandoval (3-4) starting for the Halos.

Dodgers win

Continued from page 8 first inning to start the parade. LAD scored once each in the third and sixth and led 8-2 going into the ninth when the Yankees pushed across two runs.

The Dodgers had 13 hits and three home runs – Betts, Muncy and J.D. Martinez. Betts went 4-for-4 with three RBIs, and two runs .

Clayton Kershaw (7-4) got the win, lasting seven innings and yielding four hits and two earned runs.

Do the clothes he wears make the sportsman?

As a long-time, long-suffering fan of the Los Angeles-Anaheim-Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, etc. I frequently wonder why my Halos, who reside just a few miles from my home (our homes, right?) spend so much time living in the bottom half of the baseball world.

The Los Angeles Angels matched their best pitcher against the Houston Astros Friday night but it wasn’t enough to stop the surging home team.

Shohei Ohtani (5-2) yielded two home runs worth five runs as the Astros beat the Angels 6-2. The loss drops the Orange County team to 30-29 and is their sixth loss in eight games.

They’re in fourth place in the American League West.

Continued on page 7

Sports Retorts

Jim

Tortolano

It’s not tht the Angels are a hard-luck franchise located in a decaying town where the crowds can be counted in the hundreds. The Seraphs – as some headline writers used to call them – have pulled in 3 million fans annually until last

year, and are often the number three team in Major League Baseball in attendance behind the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees.

They’ve got two future Hallof-Famers on the field almost every day, and would probably draw four million fans if they could win a championship.

What’s the difference between the champs and the also-ran?

Then it hit me, looking at a photo of a Dodgers game. I thought to myself, self: “That is one fine-looking uniform. Classic, elegant and understated. Red, white and blue with the players’ number on the front, too. Heck, I’d look good in that. That would give me confidence.”

Now, I’m not saying that the Angels’ uniforms are bad. They’re OK. They’re not as awful as the periwinkle atrocities they had when Disney first bought the team. But the Halos have changed uniforms so often you’d think they were being repossessed by a clothing manufacturer.

Continued on page 7

Will He Be A Hit With the Voters?

By Michael R. Blood AP Political Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) – You’d have to go back a generation – to 1988 – to find the last time a Republican candidate won a U.S. Senate race in heavily Democratic California. This time, the party might get an MVP on the ballot.

Baseball legend Steve Garvey, who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres, is meeting with voters and senior GOP officials as he weighs a potential 2024 Senate bid in a race that already has several prominent Democratic contenders. He appeared at a recent fundraiser for Republican Rep. Michelle Steel in Orange County, where he signed baseballs and talked about his potential candidacy.

“He is seriously considering entering the race,” said veteran consultant Andy Gharakhani, who is advising Garvey.

Garvey has flirted with the possibility of entering politics before, including after his retirement from baseball, when he teased a possible U.S. Senate run but never became a candidate.

“I have been approached to run for office and am exploring that. No announcement is imminent,’’ Garvey said in a statement released by a Dodgers team spokesperson.

The 74-year-old Garvey had an 18-year major league career, and he was National League MVP in 1974. He retired from baseball in 1987.

Continued on page 7

Dodgers’ fast start helps to beat the Yanks

Any game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees sounds exciting and it was … for Dodgers fans. The Blue Crew jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first inning and a ninth inning rally by the Bronx Bombers fell short. The result?

The Dodgers won 8-4 and remained tied with the Arizona Diamondbacks for first in the National League West at 35-23.

Mookie Betts and Max Muncy each hit round-trippers in the

Continued on page 7

FORMER DODGER AND PADRES STAR STEVE GARVEY with Pete Rose at a celebrity softball game (Shutterstock)