The Orange County Tribune Feb. 2, 2022

Covering Garden Grove Huntington Beach Stanton Westminster

Non-partisan News Opinion Arts & Living Sports

Printed in Garden Grove, California n orangecountytribune.com n Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022 n orangecountytribune@gmail.com

HB is moving toward renewable energy usage

By Zia Zografos Orange County Tribune

Huntington Beach may now run on 100 percent renewable energy for its residential and commercial customers, as part of the Orange County Power Authority’s

community choice energy plan options. The city council voted 6-1 with Councilmember Erik Peterson voting against the renewable energy plan.

However, residents and commercial users are able to choose a different energy plan for

what works in their best interest.

Customers can also choose to opt out and remain with Southern California Edison.

The majority of the council agreed that proceeding with this choice will help to solidify Huntington Beach as an

environmentally-conscious city.

“As we look at doing the community choice energy, it was always with the intention of giving our residents a choice and giving them that local control, and having the profits be returned Continued on page 2

COVID-19 Stats Descending From The Peak Levels In step with trends across the state and nation, confirmed new cases of coronavirus continue to decline in Orange County.

Tuesday’s report from the county health care agency showed a decline to 1,229 from Monday’s three-day average of 3,122 and Friday’s peak of 4,751.

Deaths dropped from Friday’s 29 and Monday’s threeday average of 11.33 cases to 10 on Tuesday.

Hospitalizations also showed reductions to 872 from 934 on Monday and 1,022 on Friday. The number of patients being treated for COVID-19 in intensive care units fell to 164 today from 174 on Monday and 178 on Friday.

To date, Orange County has had 518,638 cases, of Continued on page 2

Motorcyclist killed in crash Speed does indeed kill, as a motorcyclist lost control of his machine and was killed when struck by a passing car Tuesday night in Garden Grove.

According to the Master Officer Dan Mihalik of the GGPD, the incident took place around 7:20 p.m. at the intersection of Chapman Avenue and Loraleen Avenue (between Gilbert Street and Magnolia Avenue).

Arriving officers found a male motorcycle rider thrown from his vehicle in an “unresponsive” condition.

Paramedics from the Orange County Fire Authority Continued on page 2

THAT’S A LION, NOT A TIGER ...

But still a traditional part of lunar new year celebrations (File photo)

Tet Arrives Like a Tiger Tuesday was the start of the lunar new year, also known as “Chinese New Year.” It’s the Year of the Tiger and will be widely celebrated today and this week by the large Vietnamese American populations in West Orange County.

The annual Tet Parade is back after COVID-19 interruptions. It will be held on Saturday, Feb. 5 from 9 a.m. to noon along Bolsa Avenue in Westminster from Magnolia Avenue to Bushard Street.

Organizations involved with the parade include the Vietnamese American Federation of Southern

California, the Assembly of ARVN Overseas, the Coalition of South Vietnam Veteran Associations and others.

There are two Tet Festivals this year, one in Mile Square Park in Fountain Valley, and another at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa.

The Mile Square event, 16801 Euclid St. (between Edinger and Brookhurst streets) is sponsored by the County of Orange and CalOptima. Andrew Do is the county supervisor for District 1.

Admission is free and the festival will Continued on page 2

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2 WEDNESDAY, FEB. 2, 2022/ORANGE COUNTY TRIBUNE

Huntington Beach moves to renewable power Continued from page 1

to the community rather than going to the investor-owned utility,” said Councilmember Kim Carr.

“And here in Huntington Beach, we do have a tradition of being environmental stewards.”

Peterson dissented, and instead advocated for the Basic Choice.

“The fact that you are saying we have 100 percent renewable energy, they just spent hundreds of millions of dollars building a new power plant in Huntington Beach … basically all you›re doing is subsidizing green energy somewhere else. It is not coming here,” said council member Peterson.

The two remaining plans offered by Orange County Power Authority include the Basic Choice plan, which includes 38 percent renewable energy content that will increase

Speeding cyclist killed in G. Grove Continued from page 1

attempted life-saving measures, but the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

The investigation that followed indicated that cyclist was riding at “a speed which was unsafe for prevailing conditions” and lost control of the vehicle. It struck the roadway and the rider was thrown off into oncoming traffic where he was struck by a passing automobile.

An autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death. Drugs or alcohol are not believed to be a factor in the collision.

Coronavirus stats Continued from page 1

which 390,012 are considered recovered, and 6,110 deaths.

Nationally, The New York Times is reporting that – over a two-week period – new cases are down by 42 percent, while deaths are up by 30 percent.

In California, Los Angeles Times is reporting that new cases have fallen by 46 percent and deaths risen 64 percent over the same time.

over time, and the Smart Choice plan which includes 69 percent renewable energy content that will also increase over time, according to the city staff report.

The Basic Choice is the least expensive at approximately $114 per month, and the Smart Choice at approximately $120 per month.

The 100% Renewable Energy plan is the most expensive, costing approximately $123 per month, and will cost the city approximately $212,000 annually.

According to Councilmember Dan Kalmick, greater than 4 percent and less than 50 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions in Huntington Beach come from energy consumption. The majority of public commenters also pushed for the 100% Renewable Energy option.

“The more renewables we

Tet events 2022 Continued from page 1

run from Friday evening to Sunday night.

There will be carnival rides, cultural performances, lion dances, food vendors and more.

The location is the Freedom Hall Lawn. Hours are 5-10 p.m. on Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday.

At the Fairgrounds, the Union of Vietnamese Student Associations is hosting another Tet Festival on Saturday and Sunday (Feb. 5-6).

Admission is $8, except that there’s free entrance to those who wear traditional outfits (no religious garb), military and Scouting uniforms on Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon. Infants 2 years old and younger are free and must be accompanied by a paying adult.

The schedule of events on Saturday begins at 10:30 a.m.; the last event concludes at 10 p.m. On Sunday, it starts at 10 a.m. and concludes at 8 p.m.

use, the more innovation will occur, which will reduce the cost and increase the benefits to our community. The quality of our lives and the quality of our environment are directly related,” said resident Danny Gray.

Commercial users will have 60 days leading up to, and 60 days after, the launch date in April to change their energy plan.

Residential customers will not be notified until the Fall, and will also have 60 days before and after their launch date to adjust their energy plan.

The council also voted to have a thorough outreach program to customers who will be notified via mail and on social media.

The Orange County Tribune is published on Wednesdays. Address is 9402 Luders Ave., Garden Grove, 92844.

E-mail is orangecountytribune@gmail. com.

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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.

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ORANGE COUNTY TRIBUNE/WEDNESDAY, FEB. 2, 2022 3

News&Views

n GARDEN GROVE SCHOOL BOARD

Trustee district maps won’t change in 2022

By Tatum Foulger Orange County Tribune

GOT JUNK? WELL, HERE”S WHAT YOU DO ...

Target of recall election drive

Community cleanup day is set for Saturday in G. Grove On Saturday, Feb. 5, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., the City of Garden Grove, in partnership with Republic Services, will host a community cleanup day, offering residents the opportunity to properly dispose of bulky items for free. The drop-off location will be in the parking lot of the Garden Grove Main Library, located at 11200 Stanford Ave. The event is open to Garden Grove residents only.

Residents may bring unwanted household items, including bulky items and electronic waste, such as appliances, furniture, mattresses, televisions, printers, and computers. This will be a self-service event in which

residents will be unloading their own items. The Garden Grove Public Works Department will be onsite to help elderly and disabled individuals who may need assistance.

Items not accepted include hazardous waste, including paint and oil; and green waste, such as grass clippings and leaves.

The community cleanup initiative is part of the city’s continued effort to keep public areas clean and clear of clutter, while providing residents with free access to disposal services.

The next community cleanup day is Saturday, February 19, 2022, at Magnolia Park, located at 11402 Magnolia Street.

GG City Hall lobby is now closed

Garden Grove City Hall lobby, at 11222 Acacia Parkway, will be closed during an 8-month construction project, beginning today, Monday, Jan. 31, through October 2022.

Front counter services will be available at the building west of City Hall at 12860 Euclid St., which include business license, cashiering, and water payment services. For recreation classes, day camp, and park reservations, call the Community Services Department at (714) 741-5200.

Services available by appointment are building services, code enforcement, engineering, and planning services. For the city’s modified counter services contact information, visit ggcity.org/ modified-services.

Trustee district boundaries will remain the same for the 2022 election, the Garden Grove Unified School District Board of Education decided on Tuesday night.

The school board came to a unanimous decision to keep the current boundaries given no significant change in population distribution in the GGUSD has occurred since they were last revised in 2014.

By law, area boundaries must be adjusted, if necessary, following each decennial federal census to

create roughly equal districts.

The district has reviewed the adopted trustee area plan and has determined that based on the results of the 2020 census, adjustment of the trustee area boundaries is not necessary.

Bob Harden, GGUSD board president, said the board had met with consultants and given their recommendations, are “looking at keeping the current boundaries in place for the foreseeable future.”

As a result, the current trustee area boundary plan will be adopted for use in the 2022 election and elections thereafter.

News Briefs

H. Beach man was fatally shot A man died from a gunshot wound in Huntington Beach on Sunday afternoon.

According to the HBPD, officers were sent to an apartment in the 17000 block of Koledo Lane (southwest of Warner Avenue and Beach Boulevard) around 10 p.m. on Saturday regarding a report of an incident. The man was treated at a local hospital and died from his injuries at around 3:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Police are withholding identification of the victim pending notification of his family. The incident remains under investigation.

Westminster police make gun, drug stop

A Westminster police officer making a traffic stop in the area of Goldenwest Street and Garden Grove Boulevard on Saturday night netted a convicted felon in possession of a loaded gun and drug paraphernalia.

According to the WPD, the driver was on probation and a documented gang member. The firearm was found in the glove box and a passenger had the paraphernalia.

The driver was arrested on numerous charges including being a felon in possession of a firearm and was taken to Orange County Jail. The passenger was arrested, cited and released.

Nine minutes to knock down SA fire

It took firefighters from the Orange County Fire Authority just nine minutes to knock down a fire at a boarded-up house in the 600 block of South Broadway in Santa Ana at 6 p.m. Sunday.

According to the OCFA, the quick knockdown kept the flames from spreading to adjacent homes. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

4 WEDNESDAY, FEB 2, 2022/ORANGE COUNTY TRIBUNE

Formal censure of Mayor Tri Ta OK’d After an hour of bitter recriminations, the Westminster City Council voted early Thursday morning (Jan. 27) to pass a formal resolution censuring Mayor Tri Ta. Right at midnight, the council majority of Vice Mayor Carlos Manzo and Councilmembers Tai Do and Kimberly Ho voted in favor, with Ta and

n WESTMINSTER CITY COUNCIL Councilmember Chi Charlie Nguyen opposed.

Thursday’s action formalized an action by the council majority at its Jan. 13 meeting to prepare a resolution censuring Ta for “unacceptable conduct.”

Do read the six-page resolution

aloud, which alleged that Ta had made false statements in the Vietnamese language media about his being “kicked out of his office,” and sought to mislead voters by driving around the city in a white SUV that he described as his “mobile office.”

Ta responded that Do’s comments and the resolution he promoted were “irrational and irresponsible” and said he felt “sorry for the voters who elected you.”

Each city council member weighed in on the matter, at times attacking his or her colleagues. Manzo called the censure resolution the cause of “unnecessary drama, but it has to happen.” Ho called on Ta to not “continue in your lies,” while Nguyen defended the mayor, calling the accusations against him “fake news.”

The censure resolution has no legal effect, but puts on record the council’s position on an issue.

Also Wednesday night, the council rejected a proposal by Nguyen to limit discussion by members on any one agenda item. Citing the length both of council meetings – which sometimes run from five to seven hours long – and councilmember remarks, Nguyen suggested that an initial round of comments would be limited to five minutes each, followed – if necessary – by a similar second round.

After that, a council majority could vote to extend discussion.

The vote on the time limit had Ta and Nguyen in favor and the others opposed.

In another action, the council voted 5-0 in favor of the development and operation of a residential care facility on a vacant lot at 8251 Heil Ave. The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 9.

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ORANGE COUNTY TRIBUNE/WEDNESDAY, FEB 2, 2022 5

Arts&Living

BUCK HAS A PIRATE’S HEART AND AN EYEPATCH TO MATCH But this retread of the long-running “Ice Age” series, even with some new characters, is just too familiar

“Ice Age: Buck Wild” recycles the originals

By Mark Kennedy AP Entertainment Writer

Movie Review

At one point in “The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild,’’ the twin heroes find themselves in a familiar place and voice what many in the audience are quietly thinking.

“Have we been here before?’’ asks the slightly dim possum named Eddie. Replies his equally dim brother, Crash: ``It does kinda look familiar.’’

Yes, we’ve been here before.

This is the sixth “Ice Age’’ feature – not counting two TV specials – and it’s all alarmingly familiar even as it tries to refocus away from the original stars: Sid the sloth, Mannie and Ellie the mammoths, and Diego the saber-toothed tiger, none of whom are voiced by celebrities this time.

Screenplay writers Jim Hecht,

Ray DeLaurentis and Will Schifrin have reached back to recruit many old friends for this spin-off. Crash and Eddie first appeared in “Ice Age: The Meltdown,’’ the one-eyed, dinosaur-hunting weasel of the title has been around for a few films now and the whole thing is set in the same underground world that was introduced in “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs.’’ Even Momma Dino makes a cameo.

There are two welcome new characters: Justina Machado voices a cool, striped polecat named Zee and Utkarsh Ambudkar is the bad guy, a bigbrained dinosaur named Orson.

They add a critical freshness or else the film would seem to last as long as a real ice age.

The plot is a possum-comingof-age tale. Crash and Eddie (now voiced by Aaron Harris and Vincent Tong) feel stifled by their motley crew of a herd and sneak off. “It’s time for us to make our own destiny,’’ one says. “And maybe even make our own lunch,’’ says the other.

The two accidentally discover (again) the Lost World and are protected by Buck, a confirmed bachelor with a pirate’s heart voiced by Simon Pegg.

The possums will need his help because Orson hopes to destroy the underground peace with an army of raptors. “Dinos rule, mammals drool!’’ he says.

Buck and Zee are yin and yang here. He’s the rush-in-withouta-plan guy and she’s more practical. “We’ll never defeat Orson if you keep going all “buck wild’ without thinking first,’’ she tells him. He’s got nice

Fair: H H advice for the twin possums: “It’s not powers that make you a superhero. It’s courage and resourcefulness.’’

Making Eddie and Crash the heroes this time is a bit of a gamble since they’ve always been just humorous sidekicks.

But it mostly pays off since little viewers will see a pair of kids standing up for themselves and learning to be courageous.

Or as one creature notes: “What they lack in intelligence, they make up for with bumbling ineptitude.’’

“The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild,’’ is rated PG for “some action and mild language.”

6 WEDNESDAY, FEB. 2, 2022/ORANGE COUNTY TRIBUNE

Baseball’s sleepy decline Continued from page 8

its past would be lucky to make it. Yet it might help explain how we got here.

Bonds and a few of his juiced fellow travelers – notably Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa, whose eligibility on the writers’ ballot for the Hall of Fame ran out this year as well – put on a fireworks show that pulled the game out of a rut dug when owners canceled the remainder of the 1994 season after players went on strike.

People on both sides of the labor-management divide got rich, which is why nobody bothered to ask where all the pyrotechnics came from.

In case you haven’t heard, we’re already eight weeks into another lockout and there are precious few signs it will be settled before the scheduled start of spring training on Feb. 16. Even if camps open by then, there isn’t nearly enough time – let alone will – to make improvements to the product on the field.

And the game desperately needs overhauling.

Most pitchers only know how to throw two pitches anymore, fast and faster. Hitters have become a procession of strikeouts, interrupted by the occasional solo home run. No one bothers to run the bases anymore.

If it looks as though players are simply standing around, that’s because most of them are. “This is a game designed to be played by nine men, not two,” is how Theo Epstein, the boy-wonder former general manager who ended World Series championship droughts in both Boston and Chicago, said last summer.

Epstein is currently leading MLB’s latest effort to examine how and where the game could be tweaked to help lure back longtime fans and attract a new generation. The plan is to avoid the kind of short-term fix that steroids provided last time.

“No one is looking to reinvent the wheel here,” Epstein said in the same interview. “This is the greatest game in the world and

we want to preserve the essence.

A lot of this is restoring the game to the way it’s historically been played.”

Tradition was baseball’s strong suit for a century or so – until suddenly it wasn’t. Fans alienated by the truncated 1994 season and lost World Series that year stubbornly stayed away from ballparks upon baseball’s return.

At least at first.

But then, in short order, Bonds and Sosa and Mark McGwire began routinely launching baseballs where none had gone before and people flocked back to watch.

Now, of course, we know what fueled that rocket ship. There’s still no reliable number for how many players used performanceenhancing drugs, but Bonds and the rest of the inflatable sluggers so dominated the screen that nobody thought to look at the players in the background.

Drug testing with penalties for positive tests began in 2004 and though Bonds always beat them, three years later not a single team offered the 43-year-old slugger a contract even though he was still one of the best hitters in the game.

Around the same time, Michael Lewis’ book “Moneyball” detailed the growing analytics movement that ultimately made defensive shifts commonplace, and more strikeouts meant more pitches and longer games with even less action in between..

“There’s a lot more consensus on the direction of where the game should go,” Epstein said about the results of a fan survey.

“A lot more balls in play, a lot more athleticism, a lot more action.”

If MLB is serious, that effort will require a ton of investment and abandoning the kind of short-term thinking that got baseball in this mess in the first place. The game’s power brokers should know by now that guys like Bonds, who turned the ship around, don’t come along very often.

ORANGE COUNTY TRIBUNE/WEDNESDAY, FEB 2, 2022 7

Cooper Kupp’s super season for the Rams Continued from page 8

pounds, he’s sometimes bigger than the poor safeties that have to try to bring him down.

“I can’t believe we’re not talking about … Cooper Kupp being more highly regarded as [a) MVP candidate,” said Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris.

Remember the previous week when Kupp made a gorgeous 70-yard TD catch against Tampa Bay early in the game?

And how about the two crucial

catches in the last minute that set up the game-winning field goal?

On Sunday against the 49ers when Kupp actually dropped a pass, it was as big a surprise as if Frank Sinatra had suddenly forgot the words to “My Way.” Kupp was not a big name in college, playing for a relatively obscure college – Eastern Washington – but the Rams drafted him in the third round of the 2017 NFL draft and been reaping the rewards ever since.

Not since Gary Cooper has a Cooper been such a hero in Hollywoodland. In those old Westerns, when trouble loomed, they called in the cavalry. If the Rams get in trouble against the Bengals, just call on Mr. Kupp.

At All-Star Break, our teams aren’t broken The National Hockey League will hold its annual All-Star Game on Saturday, Feb. 5 at the home of the Las Vegas Golden Knights. Once again, the format has been changed. The league’s best players will be playing in a three-on-three, three-game tournament.

Included will be Troy Terry (Anaheim Ducks, forward), John Gibson (Ducks, goalie)

and Adrian Kempke (Los Angeles Kings, forward).

As we near the break, the locals are doing well. In the Pacific Division, the Ducks (2316-8) are in second place, just one point behind the first place Golden Knights. And just one point behind the Ducks are the Los Angeles Kings (23-16-7).

Going up, falling down On Thursday, the Lakers and Clippers will meet in another revival of their long-running “Battle for Los Angeles.” At the moment, the advantage is to the Clips.

With their 115-90 victory Sunday over the Charlotte Hornets, they squared their record at 2626, good for third place in the NBA Pacific Division.

However, the senior partner at Staples Center is staggering a bit. On Sunday, the Lakers lost their third straight, falling 129-121 to the Atlanta Hawks. They’re now 23-27 and in fourth. They should send a thank-you card to the Sacramento Kings for keeping them out of last place by losing six in a row.

“Sports Week” is written by Pete Zarustica.

Argos win Golden West crown Continued from page 8

game of the regular season.

Edison’s 62-57 win over Newport Harbor kept the Chargers (5-0) one game ahead in the Wave League race over Los Alamitos (4-1), which defeated Laguna Beach 63-41.

The Griffins can get a share of

the title if they can knock off the Bolts when they meet Thursday in the Edison gym.

After Marina and Fountain Valley each won, those teams are tied with 4-1 marks and will finish as co-champs if they each win their games on Thursday.

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8 WEDNESDAY, FEB. 2. 2022/ORANGE COUNTY TRIBUNE

TheSportsPage

Argos are alone atop Golden West

On the strength of yet another nail-biting victory, the Garden Grove High boys’ basketball team won the Golden West League title Tuesday night.

The Argonauts edged Westminster 41-39 to improve to 9-0 in league (17-7 overall).

That puts Grove 2.5 games ahead of second place Ocean View (6-2) with one game left to play.

In the Garden Grove League, Santiago clinched no worse than a tie for the title by defeating Rancho Alamitos 78-37.

The Cavaliers are 8-1 in GGL play, one game ahead of Bolsa Grande (7-2). The Matadors kept pace in second with a 4238 win over Loara.

Santiago and Bolsa will face off on Thursday in the final Continued on page 7

Latest hoops scores HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL SCORES TUESDAY Boys Empire League • Crean Lutheran 80, Pacifica 42 Garden Grove League • La Quinta 56, Los Amigos 38 • Bolsa Grande 42, Loara 38 • Santiago 78, Rancho Alamitos 37 Golden West League • Garden Grove 41, Westminster 39 • Ocean View 57, Katella 45 • Segerstrom 57, Godinez 50 Surf League • Marina 76, Huntington Beach 65 • Fountain Valley 70, Corona del Mar 61 Wave League • Edison 62, Newport Harbor 57 • Los Alamitos 63, Laguna Beach 41 Orange League • Western 70, Century 36 • Savanna 84, Magnolia 35

COOPER KUPP EXCELLED AGAINST THE NINERS But he was great all season long for the Rams as a versatile receiver, blocker, etc.

Cooper was Super All Season He’s one of the main reasons the Rams have been so good so often Credit for the Los Angeles Rams’ ascent to the Super Bowl this year has been heaped on Matthew Stafford, Sean McVay, Aaron Donald and even Stan Kroenke.

But we would give the honor instead to Cooper Kupp, whose first name conveniently rhymes with “Super.”

In fact, if this outstanding wide receiver plays on Feb. 13

SportsWeek against the Cincinnati Bengals as well as he has all season, it could be the “Cooper Bowl.”

In further fact, he may be the most valuable player on the Rams, at least, if not in the whole league.

Kupp not only caught two touchdown passes in the Rams’

30-27 win over the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship game on Sunday, he also blocked and returned kicks.

Kupp merely led the league in catches, receiving yardage and all-purpose yards this season.

He was not only dangerous running deep routes but often explosive after making the catch.

At 6-foot, 2-inches, and 208 Continued on page 7

Why has baseball gotten so boring?

By Jim Litke AP Sports Columnist Whatever harm Barry Bonds did to baseball pales in comparison to the damage baseball inflicted on itself both at the time and since. So say what you will about the steroids era, at least the games were still worth watching.

You can’t say that about baseball today, assuming it’s even available on a TV set where you live. The sport’s popularity is buckling faster than the knees of a hitter fooled by Clayton Kershaw’s curveball.

The national audience for last season’s World Series — roughly 12 million viewers —was less than half what it was barely two

decades ago. A friend tried to put the best face on that vanishing act by saying baseball has become a “regional” game; that’s just another way of saying it’s on the road to becoming a niche sport.

If you drew up a list of things that would make baseball better tomorrow, reckoning with Continued on page 6