The Orange County Tribune June 15, 2022

Non-partisan News Opinion Arts & Living Sports

Covering Garden Grove Huntington Beach Stanton Westminster

Printed in Garden Grove, California n orangecountytribune.com n Wednesday, June 15, 2022 n orangecountytribune@gmail.com

n Election 2022

n Garden Grove City Council

A Shelter For The Homeless Is Advancing

Partners with Westminster, Fountain Vly.

By Jim Tortolano Orange County Tribune

A first step toward establishing a “navigation center” for the homeless was taken Tuesday night by the Garden Grove City Council.

On a 6-0 vote – with Councilmember Phat Bui (District 4) absent – the council approved a memorandum of understanding with the cities of Fountain Valley and Westminster to “explore advancement of”

of a center to provide temporary housing and services to the unsheltered.

“It’s just the beginning,” said Lisa Kim, assistant city manager and community and economic development director.

The agreement does not identify a specific location for the center, but efforts to find a suitable place include an industrial area northwest of Westminster Avenue and Harbor Boulevard.

A navigation center typically provides temporary housing for the unsheltered but also includes physical and mental health services and employment assistance.

Also on Tuesday night, the council approved a

Pot shop tax can’t do, new results show

HOMELESSNESS IS AN OC PROBLEM Garden Grove, Westminster and Fountain Valley will team up to create a “navigation center” (File photo)

declaration of a Stage 2 Under the alert, lawn Mandatory Conservation watering and landscape -Water Alert aimed at re- irrigation will be permitducing statewide water ted only on Tuesdays and use by 20 percent.

Continued on page 2

Coronavirus cases and deaths showing declines The count of new confirmed cases of coronavirus in Orange County – which had been climbing for a month – moderated a bit in Tuesday’s report from the county health care agency.

According to the OCHCA, the latest tallies (covering June 10 to 13) showed 3,613 new cases,

an average of 903.25. That compares to the most previous count on Friday of 3,215 (1,072).

Deaths dropped from 23 to eight and hospitalizations rose from 188 to 194.

The number of people being treated for COVID-19 in intensive care units slipped from 20 to 19.

To date, Orange County

With the latest unofficial results out from the Orange County Registrar of Voters, a proposal to allow the City of Huntington Beach to levy a sales tax on cannabis products is going down to defeat.

The early returns on Measure A from the June 7 balloting showed proponents of the tax to be close to winning, trailing opponents by a few votes.

But as more votes were counted – including those who submitted their completed paper ballots in “drop boxes” – the measure is failing to achieve the two-thirds majority required for a special tax in California.

According to the Registrar’s office, “yes’ drew 27,066 votes, or 64.93 percent. “No” votes totaled 14,621, or 35.07 percent. Two-thirds would be Continued on page 2

n Stanton City Council

Council OKs 2023 budget

has had 586,120 cases of coronavirus, of which 556,320 are considered recovered. The total of deaths is 7,076.

Nationally, The New York Times reports that new cases – over a 14-day period – declined by 2 per-

The budget for the 202223 fiscal year was approved by the Stanton City Council on Tuesday night.

The vote was 4-0 with Councilmember Rigoberto Ramirez absent (excused). The proposed plan calls for increasing

Continued on page 2

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2 WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 2022/ORANGE COUNTY TRIBUNE

Which city is best well-read?

Reading is often associated with comprehension, critical thinking and even being an interesting conversationalist.

The online reading platform Preply has made an attempt to identify the cities in the United States considered to be the “most well-read,” and two Orange County cities have made

Stanton Continued from page 1

the cost-of-living adjustment to the city’s salary schedule from 7 percent to 8 percent.

Eliminated are one-time expenditures for the Bell Street parking lot project, an economic development study related to properties at 10692 and 10712 Beach Blvd. (the former Bauman’s Market) and a citywide classification and compensation study.

Revenues are projected to exceed expected expenses by $687,235.

The next city council meeting is set for Tuesday, June 28.

Coronavirus Continued from page 1

cent. Hospitalizations rose by 9 percent, but deaths decreased by 12 percent.

In California, Los Angeles Times reports new cases are down 1 percent and deaths by 7 percent over a similar period.

JIm Tortolano Editor and Publisher Marilyn Lewis Tortolano General Manager The Orange County Tribune is published on Wednesdays. Address is 9402 Luders Ave., Garden Grove, 92844.

E-mail is orangecountytribune@gmail. com.

Our 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 Pres, Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce and the Online News Association.

the top 10.

Preply has based its ratings on a variety of factors including education, reading spots (including libraries and bookshops), resources, events and awards.

The top score in the nation and state among the 200 largest cities in the U.S. went to Orange.

In sixth is Huntington Beach, with Irvine in 34th, Fullerton in 39th, Anaheim 69th and Garden Grove 126th.

Five of the seven local cities named were homes to universities and/or community colleges.

Orange, for example, has Chapman University and Santiago Canyon College.

Huntington Beach has Golden West College and Fullerton has a California State University campus and Fullerton College.

Irvine has a UC campus and Irvine Valley College.

Cannabis Continued from page 1

66.667 percent.

Measure C would not have legalized the sale of cannabis-related products in “Surf City” but would have been a first step in that direction. While California has legalized the sale of “pot,” cities retain the right to accept or prohibit such businesses.

Money from the sale of marijuana-based goods has been touted as a way to raise funds for city treasuries. Officials in Stanton and Westminster have expressed an interest in such efforts.

Measure A would have allowed the city to impose a tax of 6 percent on gross receipts of cannabis retailers and up to 1 percent on gross receipts on “all other cannabis business.”

GG council Continued from page 1

Saturdays, and none between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Additionally, restaurants are prohibited from serving water to customers unless they make a request, as is the operation of ornamental fountains.

The next meeting of the council is Tuesday, June 28.

The OCTribune’s electronic newspaper comes out on Wednesdays.

The best in local news The Orange County TRIBUNE

ORANGE COUNTY TRIBUNE/WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 2022 3

News&Views The saga of ‘Little Orphan Alley’ in GG Usually Reliable Sources

One of the most influential law enforcement theories advanced in recent years is the “broken windows” concept.

In 1982 an Atlantic Monthly article indicated that broken windows, graffiti, trash and other signs of neglect and “rot” encourages more of the same.

It drives out responsible homeowners and business operators and accelerates all kinds of problems.

This concept has been widely embraced and it has invigorated anti-graffiti efforts. But some things always “fall through the cracks,” and our nominee for the most egregious example is the pedestrian tunnel that runs under the Garden Grove Freeway from Trask Avenue to Garden Grove Park and Bolsa Grande High School.

“The Tunnel” has been an eyesore for over half a century. Narrow and dark, it is the perfect place for the homeless, vandals and taggers to hide out of public site. Except that it is a principal path for people – including students – to walk to Bolsa or the park.

The walls are perpetually sprayed with gang graffiti, vulgar personal messages and NSFW drawings.

It collects trash, including broken glass, rotting food and abandoned bits of paper and plastic. From time to time you’ll find people dwelling in there, dirty and hunched over either in existential despair or intoxication.

Why has this disgrace been allowed to go on for so long? Because no one seems to take responsibility for it. Who owns it? The City of Garden Grove has said it belong to the California Department of TransContinued on page 4

THE TUNNEL UNDER THE FREEWAY It’s long been an eyesore of trash, graffiti

MIDWAY CITY IS AN unincorporated area mostly surrounded by Westminster, and is located generally around Beach Boulevard and Bolsa Avenue. It has a small fire station operated by the Orange County Fire Authority (Orange County Tribune photo).

Annexation of nearby Midway City is mulled

By Jim Tortolano Orange County Tribune

Could the solution to Westminster’s dire financial situation lie outside city limits?

At last Wednesday’s city council meeting city staff presented several ways to generate more revenue to the municipal coffers in face of possible bankruptcy as Measure SS – a one-cent sales tax – expires at the end of this year.

First on the list of proposals was annexation of unincorporated county “islands’’ adjacent to Westminster including the community of Midway City.

According to the staff report, there are four such islands with a total acreage of about 390 acres, the largest of which is the Midway City/ Bolsa Island, almost 300 acres.

All told, annexation could add as many as nearly 9,000 new residents, bringing Westminster’s population to

close to 100,000. In a recent year, those areas generated $365,324 in sales tax and $66,137 in property tax.

Westminster would have to provide the usual municipal services, including police protection, so there would be some expense as well.

The smaller island could

be annexed without approval of those residents, but incorporation of the Midway City/Bolsa area would have to go to a vote of the affected residents.

Other possibilities for more revenue include developing a city-owned gas station, which could Continued on page 4

n News Briefs

Power outage and crash A power outage may have contributed to a two-car injury accident last week in Garden Grove.

According to reports, the crash took place around 10:25 p.m. last Wednesday in the area of Euclid Street and Chapman Avenue. Police believe that the vehicles collided head-on at an intersection where a power outage shorty before had knocked out street lights and – possibly – traffic signals.

Two people suffered injuries in the crash. They were treated at the scene and taken to a local hospital with unspecified injuries.

The cause of the crash is under investigation.

No “threat” at Dwyer School: A text message described as “concerning” relating to Dwyer Middle School in Huntington Beach this week led to a “shelter in place” order at the school on Friday.

Continued on page 4

4 WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 2022/ORANGE COUNTY TRIBUNE

The saga of GG’s ‘Little Orphan Alley’ Continued from page 3

portation (CalTrans). CalTrans has said it’s the city’s job. The school district – obviously – doesn’t own the property, but you’d think it would have an interest in keeping that popular route to school clean, safe and at least minimally attractive.

Several months ago, while walking through The Tunnel we found two worker bees painting the walls. They told us they were from Cal Trans, and now they would be painting the tunnel twice a month.

At last! Someone stepping up?

But … they haven’t been back.

Why can’t the “stakeholders” get together, climb down from their “silos” and solve a problem together rather than say, “it’s not my job.”

Until they do, Garden Grove will continue to have one of the biggest “broken windows” in all of Orange County.

For those municipalities interested in nurturing cannabis

Was pot shot down in Huntington? businesses as a way of raising revenue, a cautionary note from Huntington Beach.

Voters in that city voted on whether to create a special tax on marijuana-related businesses, as a preliminary to perhaps authorizing them within city limits.

(While California has legalized the sale of cannabis products statewide, cities may choose to allow or not allow it locally).

A special tax requires a twothirds approval, and it appears that the “yes” vote fell just short. According to the Orange County Registrar of Voters, Measure A drew 66.13 percent in favor and 33.87 opposed.

The target missed was 66.67 percent.

That may not be the final word.

Votes are still being counted

News Briefs Continued from page 3

According to the HBPD, students and staff were directed to stay in their classrooms while officers could investigate. “The concerning text message was not substantiated and there is no associated public safety threat,” said the HBPD in a statement.

The “shelter in place” order lasted about two hours.

Dwyer is located at 1502 Palm Ave. in Huntington Beach. It’s part of the Huntington Beach City School District and serves grades six through eight.

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and it’s so close. But for now, the march of legal “tea” in HB appears to have “gone up in smoke,” so to speak.

“Usually Reliable Sources” alternates with Jim Tortolano’s “Retorts” column.

Annexation of Midway City?

Continued from page 3

bring in $250,000 to $300,000 annually, allowing electronic message boards along the Garden Grove (22) and San Diego (405) freeways, and stricter compliance of the business license tax.

An estimated $200,000 to $250,000 per year could be realized if effective, according to Debbie Kurita, interim community development director.

“It is just good government” to consolidate those islands with adjacent cities, she said.

“Maybe it’s a revenue generator and maybe it’s a benefit in other ways.”

Another idea raised was allowing vendor kiosks in the Civic Center.

Ultimately, the council decided on a 5-0 vote to “move forward with everything.” but prioritized which projects should be pursued initially, and business tax enforcement was named the first.

City Manager Christine Cordon noted that while annexation – perhaps a 12-to-18 month task – would not bring immediate benefits, “it’s a conversation we need to be having.”

Also on Wednesday night, the council approved an employment agreement with Cordon as the new city manager on a 5-0 vote.

Her promotion from “interim” city manager was effective immediately.

Her annual salary will be $240,890 and she will receive a monthly auto allowance of $300.

ORANGE COUNTY TRIBUNE/WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 2022 5

Arts&Living ‘Artifice’: A funny and revealing play It’s on stage at the Westminster Community Playhouse

By Thom deMartino Orange County Tribune

It’s not about the art, it’s about moving on.

And money. Definitely about the money, In the Westminister Community Playhouse’s hysterical new offering “Artifice”, directed by Jim Katapodis, Maggie La Rue (Jennifer Marks) and her friend and art gallery manager Richard (a marvelously charming and neurotic Steve Vogel) are in a tizzy, rushing to make the finishing touches for their viewing – and attempted sale – of the collection of paintings by her late husband. While his work in life was ignored by the critics, it seems his paintings have accrued considerable value with his passing: hopefully enough to pay off the considerable debts the artist left behind.

But nothing is going quite as planned. With a near-blinding snowstorm saetting in on the remote New York farm as they await their high-profile guests, the struggling friends discover that the bartender for the shin-

ERIC SCHIFFER (right) and Joshua Quarles in “Artifice” at the Westminster Community

Stage Review dig is a no-show, instead sending in his place the talkative, unabashedly candid Graciela (Adriana Catanzarite)... and her risque maid outfit.

Maggie is struggling to come to terms with her complicated feelings about her marriage and deceased husband, as well as her budding relationship with handsome, charming (and clueless) soap opera star Trent (Joshua

Quarles)... but the looming debts and her desperation overshadow.

The stature of their arriving guests is only adding to Maggie and Richard’s jangling nerves.

Welcoming Judith Fontaine (Laura Lejuwaan), the popular gossip columnist who’s doing an inside piece on the collection’s sale, buyer Mick Fitzgerald (Michael Corcoran) -- a man with certain Irish “family” connections – and Mick’s own handpicked art critic Ella – er, Emma

Great: HHHH (Jessica Watson), the pair are already struggling to keep their guests entertained and their stories straight... barring any other unexpected intrusions.

That is, until the presumed deceased artist himself, Payne Showers (Eric Schiffer) spontaneously arrives to a not-sowelcome homecoming...

With “Artifice”, Katapodis Continued on page 6

Latest ‘Jurassic’ movie is lots of effects and bad guys

By Lindsey Bahr AP Film Writer

The enduring, collective love for ``Jurassic Park’’ is immensely hard to explain. Steven Spielberg’s 1993 film implanted itself into our cultural consciousness as a kind of platonic ideal of a blockbuster.

And it wasn’t just the 10-yearolds having a formative experi-

ence at the movie theater. Most everyone, it seems, including those who were adults at the time and those who wouldn’t be born for another decade or more, has a story about just how much that movie means to them.

It doesn’t even matter how many times you watch it, or how much better special effects get: ``Jurassic Park’’ never tarContinued on page 6

“JURASSIC: DOMINION” Back and bigger than ever (Universal Pictures)

6 WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 2022/ORANGE COUNTY TRIBUNE

‘Artifice’ at Westminster Community Playhouse Continued from page 5

and WCP have struck upon what could initially be described as the portrait of a classic screwball comedy, but which in reality has a deep, revealing emotional context between the players. It’s a colorful collage of characters, each bringing their own special hue to the piece.

Catanzarite’s Graciela is a firecracker, lighting up the room with her snappy dialog and brash style; Quarles’ Trent is a lovable buffoon, as well-intentioned as he is oblivious; Lejuwaan’s Judith is playful and sly, eager to get the inside scoop but vindictive when lied to; Watson’s long-suffering Emma is a curiously mousey creature, in turns seemingly the smartest person in the room, or the most awkward; and Corcoran’s Mick shines in every scene, taking a folksy Irish brogue and adding both an old-world charm and a not-so-subtle note of menace.

Truly though, despite all the comedy and hi-jinx of the piece,

the interplay between Marks’ Maggie and Schiffer’s Payne ring the most emotionally true: seeing these two people, one suddenly shocked out of grieving and thrust back into the quagmire of what relationship remains between her and her suddenly resurrected husband, and the other casually returning to a changed household and

emotional landscape, and realizing his own personal changes mean nothing without being able to truly hear and communicate with your loved ones.

A sharp, fast-paced comedy of both wit and heart, “Artifice” is a beautiful artwork unto itself, and a brilliant find for the local theater scene; check it out at WCP before this gallery closes.

‘Jurassic: Dominion’ Continued from page 5

nishes, it just remains perfectly preserved in amber.

It’s hard to fault anyone for trying to recapture that magic _ a filmmaker, a studio, or an audience looking for a fun time at the movies. Even Spielberg himself had trouble. But now, somehow, we’re six movies and three decades in and about as far as one could get from the spark that made that first one so special as

we supposedly bid farewell to the ``Jurassic World’’ era with `` Jurassic World: Dominion.`` I can’t say I didn’t have some real fun with ``Dominion.’’

There is an exceedingly welldone motorcycle chase through the streets of Taos, immense pleasure in watching Sam Neill, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum together again and the fun addition of a hotshot pilot played

by DeWanda Wise. And there is

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OCT: Every Wednesday

“Artifice.” Jennifer Marks, Eric Schiffer and Steve Vogel star in this tale of money, masterpieces and marriage. Written

by Anne Flannagan. Playing through June 19 at the Westminister Community Playhouse, 7272 Maple St, Westminster, CA 92683. Ticketing information online at http://www.wcpstage. com, or call 714-893-8626. wall-to-wall action that makes the almost two and a half hour runtime go by swiftly. But I also can’t say that I didn’t burst out laughing several times at parts that were not designed to be funny. ``Jurassic World: Dominion’’ is a chaotic mishmash on an epic scale and, believe it or not, the dinosaurs (who look great) are almost beside the point. After the events of ``Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom,’’ dinosaurs are just...around. about the dinosaurs. It’s about locusts and tech giants.

ORANGE COUNTY TRIBUNE/WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 2022 7

June: a rough month for locals Continued from page 8

has gone so far.

••••

No dog in this hunt, but …

Without the Los Angeles Lakers or Clippers in the NBA Finals, it’s a little difficult to get too excited about who wins, but there is at least a bit of EastWest rivalry about this one.

The Golden State Warriors now lead the series three games to two after beating the Boston Celtic the Boston Celtics in the

fifth game on Tuesday. As Californians we might have a little bias for the Warriors, and certainly have to admire Friday’s Game Four performance as Stephen Curry scored 43 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.

Game Five is on Thursday in Boston and Game Six –if needed – would be back in the Bay Area.

••••

The Final Out

Former Angel manager Joe Maddon reportedly got a “Mohawk” haircut in a last ditch effort to put them life into his team.

“I’m doing really well,” he said, after he was canned. “I mean, that sincerely. Don’t feel sorry for me.” Except, maybe, about the haircut.

“Sports Week” is written by Pete Zarustica.

Oilers and

Mariners win Times’ honors Continued from page 8

On the softball side, Pacifica (26-5) was rated seventh in Southern California by The Times, and Huntington Beach 18th.

According to MaxPreps.com, the M’s were 29th in the state and the Oilers (21-8) were 33rd in California.

8 WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 2022/ORANGE COUNTY TRIBUNE

TheSportsPage

It’s Been June Gloom For LAA, LAD Locals slumping but there’s still time to rally It’s often been said that “misery enjoys company.” If so the Los Angeles Angels and Los Angeles Dodgers have a lot in common.

Not trying to make a precise comparison between the Blue Crew and the Halos; the latter are still far ahead of the latter in many ways. But it’s been a gloomy June for both of them, beset by injuries and a “nowyou-see-it-now-you don’t” offense.

As everyone knows, the Angels lost 12 in a row, fired manager Joe Maddon, and then lost three of five. Sunday’s defeat dropped them into third place in the American League West and just one game ahead of the fourth place Seattle Mariners.

The boys from Chavez Ravine are doing better, but June is proving to be a tough month for them, too. They’ve lost nine times in their last 13 games, including a three-game sweep in San Francisco. Their lead over the San Diego Padres in the National League West is a paperthin half game.

Dodger manager Dave Roberts tried to explain it all. “People

NOAH SYNDERGAARD PITCHED WELL AGAINST THE DODGERS, BUT ... the Angels could only muster a few hits and no runs on Tuesday is losing 2-0 to the Dodgers. The two teams will meet again on Wednesday evening (Associated Press photo)

SportsWeek get caught up in their own individual paths,” he said. “But the whole focusing on just winning the game, and whatever it takes to win that day, we got to get

M’s, Oilers are honored Four local sports teams have won high honors from the Los Angeles Times.

Huntington Beach High’s Oiler baseball team was ranked the number two team in Southern California behind JSerra in the top slot.

That’s a little ironic because the Oilers were Southern California Division 1 champs, defeating – who else?– the JSerra Lions.

HBHS finished the season with a 25-9 mark and was ranked sixth in the state and 21st in the nation by MaxPreps.com.

The Pacifica High (21-9) team was ranked 23rd by The Times.

The Mariners were rated 43rd in the state by MaxPreps.com.

Continued on page 7

back to that mindset.”

Better situational hitting would help, too. The Dodgers went 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position on Sunday. Over the three-game series, the team was two for 24. That – in previous seasons – has been the Angels’ bit.

The loss of Walker Buehler for six to eight weeks with a ligament strain in his right elbow doesn’t help.

What might help either of the two teams is a chance to prosper at the others’ expense. They’ll clash in a two-game series in LA Tuesday and Wednesday.

We can determine, perhaps, which team might be ready to end its slump.

UPDATE: Neither team hit very well on Tuesday, but that could be because of great pitching by Tony Consolin of the Dodgers and Noah Syndergaard of the Angels. The Dodgers won

that game 2-0.

Disheartening for Halo fans was that with one out in the ninth, the Orange County team loaded the bases. A single would have tied the game, but two batters struck out, a sort of metaphor for how the season Continued on page 7