The Orange County Tribune Jan. 21, 2023

Is the Quang Tri saga coming to an end?

A proposal to abandon efforts to build the controversial Quang Tri Monument goes before the Westminster City Council when it meets on Wednesday.

The council will consid-

er requests by Vice Mayor NamQuan Nguyen (District 4) and Councilmember Amy Phan West (District 1) to disband and dissolve the Quang Tri Monument Commit-

Things take time.

When the Stanton City Council meets on Tuesday, it will consider extension of an exclusive negotiating agreement with several entities regarding the Tina-Pacific

Development affordable housing project.

Brandywine Acquisitions Group, C&C Development Company and National Community Renaissance of California

Saturday : 66/40 sunny Sunday: 63/43 mostly sunny Monday: 64/38 sunny Tuesday: 65/40 sunny

Scott Stiles to Be City Mgr. in Palm Springs

Led GG through era of change and challenge

By Jim Tortolano Orange County Tribune

Scott Stiles, Garden Grove’s city manager for the last seven and-a-half years, may soon be trading his Strawberry Festival small-town fun for the cutting-edge rock funk of Coachella Valley. He has been tapped to be the next city manager of the resort mecca of Palm Springs. The announcement was made today (Friday) by that city, and a final employment agreement goes before the Palm Springs City Council on Jan. 26.

If the deal is approved there, he would start in his new job on March 6.

In a statement released by Palm Springs, Stiles said, “I am humbled and honored to be selected to lead this dynamic city and resort destination as it

Good news for OC on the coronavirus

All the news about coronavirus in Orange County this week was good.

Numbers declined in all four major metrics used by the county health care agency to track COVID-19.

For the period of Jan. 12 to 18, confirmed new cases fell to 1,515 from 2, 246. It was the fifth con-

secutive decrease.

New deaths dropped to 23 from 36 and hospitalizations tumbled to 248 from 278.

The use of intensive care units to treat COVID-19 patients went to 28 from 34.

To date, Orange County has had 704,385 cases and 7,765 deaths.

SCOTT STILES Garden Grove City Mgr.

ORANGE COUNTY FIRE AUTHORITY crews knocked down a fire Thursday afternoon on Bixby Avenue in Garden Grove and rescued the family dog. Neighbors spotted the smoke and called 911. Firefighters also cleaned up the water and protected items they had pulled from the house (OCFA photo).

Stiles off to Palm Springs

Continued from page 1 moves forward.”

Contacted by The Tribune, Stiles said he would have no more comment until after his deal with Palm Springs is approved by the council there.

Palm Springs is both smaller and bigger than Garden Grove. Its population is around 44,000, one fourth of the Big Strawberry. But it’s 94 square miles, compared to 18 for Garden Grove.

An affluent retirement and recreation community, it’s home to 130 resorts. In recent years, it’s arrived on the calendar of rock

fans for its annual Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, held each April.

Stiles, 64, is credited with leading the city from financial woes to stability, for guiding it through the COVID-pandemic, expanding the police force and energizing the city’s efforts to cope with homelessness.

He’s also one of the few Garden Grove city managers to live in the city.

Before coming to Garden Grove, Stiles was the assistant city manager in Cincinnati, as well as that city’s interim city manager.

Quang Tri monument

Continued from page 1

tee and possibly end the project altogether.

It’s been the source of contention for years, with controversies emerging over which persons should be recognized on the monument, which military units should be mentioned, where to locate the structure and whether the proposed project was attractive or the right size.

The second Battle of Quang Tri in 1972 involved the success of South Vietnamese forces, along with American troops, in defeating North Vietnamese forces

Tina-Pacific deal extension asked

during the Vietnam War.

Disagreement over many details – especially design and location – have been key in raising fears that the monument, rather than being a unifying force was actually having a divisive effect.

Also on the agenda will be consideration of an ordinance terminating the cultural arts commission, as well as second reading and adoption of ordinances on locating the mayor’s office into city hall and changing the time for the start of council meetings (from 7 to 6 p.m.) as well as the amount of time allowed to speakers during oral communications at council meetings from five minutes to three.

The council will meet in closed session at 5:30 p.m. and open session at 7 p.m. at 8200 Westminster Blvd. are partnering to build apartment homes in the area of Magnolia Avenue and Pacific Avenue.

Continued from page 1

The environmental impact report indicates that a 161-unit multi-family project would be constructed.

The City of Stanton has been purchasing properties in the area which would be demolished and replaced with newer housing.

At issue is whether to grant a 180-day extension to the partners to negotiate a disposition and development agreement which would clear the way for the project to proceed.

The council will meet at City Hall at 6:30 p.m. at 7800 Katella Ave.

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.

A man was shot early Wednesday morning at Murdy Park in Huntington Beach, but is expected to survive.

According to the HBPD, the shooting was reported after 12:20 a.m. at the park and community center located at 7000 Norma Drive, northeast of Warner Avenue and Goldenwest Street.

Arriving officers found a male suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital where his wound

was not considered likely to be fatal.

Officers quickly set up a containment perimeter and a drone was deployed. A suspect was found hiding in the area and arrested without incident.

Police believe the incident stemmed from a confrontation between the victim and suspect.

Anyone with further information about the incident is asked to call the HBPD at (714) 375-5066.

A man is shot at Murdy Park in Huntington Bch. Say less, get more across

Norwalk man is held for assault

A 30-year-old Norwalk man was arrested Tuesday by Huntington Beach police on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon with a firearm.

According to Jessica Cuchilla, public informa-

Get the Trib for free now

Want a free subscription to the e-paper version of The Orange County Tribune, the best local news operation around?

Send an e-mail at orangecountytribune@ gmail.com.

We’re published on Wednesday and Saturday (with some exceptions).

It’s that easy, and that free.

tion officer for the HBPD, the arrestee was identified as Scott Catalano.

At around noon, officers responded to reports of a shooting in the 15000 block of Huntington Village Lane, near McFadden Avenue.

Arriving officers located a man with injuries. He was taken to a local hospital, where he was treated for gunshot wounds.

Detectives located the suspect’s vehicle in Bellflower, which was occupied by the suspect and another man. At 7 p.m., they were both arrested on a variety of charges and booked at Huntington Beach Jail.

The investigation is continuing. Anyone with information related to the incident is asked to call the HBPD at (714) 3755066.

There’s an old saying that goes, “Justice delayed is justice denied.”

To that I wish to add this corollary: “Democracy delayed is democracy denied.”

At the most recent meeting of the Westminster City Council, a decision was made to trim the time allotted for speakers in public comments from five to three minutes in the interests of keeping the notoriously long meetings from dragging on for hours and hours.

Although I am a strong believer in letting the members of the public inform its leaders about their concerns and opinions, I also believe that the process, when not subject to reasonable limits becomes counterproductive.

First off, as Muriel Humphrey told her notoriously long-winded husband, former vice president Hubert Humphrey, “Hubert, a speech doesn’t have to be eternal to be immortal.”

The shorter and more to the point the comment, the more impact it will have and the longer it will be remembered. Speakers who want to be effective – and let’s hope they all want to be, rather than just have a few minutes in the spotlight – should be mindful of seeking to express themselves clearly, respectfully and without repetition.

I refer to two of the greatest speeches ever made. Abraham Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address” takes about two minutes to recite. The key part of Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount” – commonly known

as the “Beatitudes” – can be spoken in a little over a half minute.

Retorts

Jim Tortolano

It’s not just a matter of being a clever speaker. The longer folks keep talking – and the time consumed by them goes on, the fewer council members and members of the public listen carefully to them.

As meetings drag on, the less interest people have in speaking, or even listening.

At Tuesday’s meeting for the Huntington Beach City Council, public comments took up three hours and the whole affair lasted for six hours, not counting the time burned up in closed session and study session.

If you had to wait six hours to vote – and some folks in Georgia had to last November – you might give up and go home. If you had to wait two hours to talk or hear what’s said, you might want to watch Netflix instead.

There’s more to this issue, of course. Some council members have little to no knowledge of parliamentary procedure and don’t organize their

THE ART OF PUBLIC SPEAKING is to communicate more by saying less. There is such a thing as giving too many details (Shutterstock).

NewsUpdate

GERMAN LEOPARD 2 TANKS (Wikipedia)

Who will send tanks first?

Who goes first? On Friday defense officials representing Western nations were unable to agree on when or whether to send advanced tanks to Ukraine in its struggle against Russian invaders.

According to The New York Times, the Leopard 2 tank is made in Germany and used widely in Europe.

But no one wants to be the first one to send such a vehicle for fear of how Russia would react.

It was reported that Germany might send the tanks if the United States agreed to send its M1 Abrams main battle tank at the same time.

A lot of that rain water went out to sea

Did drought-stricken California capture that water that tuned the Golden State soggy recently? Apparently not.

The Los Angeles Times is reporting that because of environmental regulations intended to protect fresh water fish, much of it washed out to sea instead of being taken for a non-rainy day … or months … or year.

Also in the news … Tim Kaine, a Democratic senator from Virginia, announced Friday he would seek another term in the 2024 elections. His announcement is good news for Democrats hoping to hold on to their Senate majority, according to the Associated Press.

Sports: Clippers win, Lakers get an upset

The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the San Antonio Spurs Friday night 131-126 to improve their record to 24-24. Kawhi Leonard scored a season-high 36 points.

The Los Angeles Lakers played the Memphis Grizzlies and came up with a stirring come-from behind 122-121 win to go to 21-25. Russell Westbrook came off the bench to score 29 points for the Lakers.

Weather: Tet ushers in nice weather

This weekend brings us “The Year of the Cat,” the lunar new year that will be observed with events in Garden Grove, Westminster and elsewhere in Orange County.

The forecast for Saturday is for sunny skies with a daytime high of 66 and an overnight low of 40. Sunday will be mostly sunny with a high of 63 and a low of 43.

ADVERTISEMENT FOR DESIGN ASSIST SUBCONTRACTOR PREQUALIFICATION

Subject to conditions prescribed by the County of Orange, responses to prequalification documents are sought for Design Assist contracts for the following scopes: Fire Protection, Plumbing, HVAC/Controls, Electrical/Low Voltage/Fire Alarm for the following project:

PROJECT: Orange County Health Care Campus at El Toro, Irvine CA:

General project scope includes the following: This project is a public works project. The project is being developed as the new center for the operation of the Orange County Emergency Medical Services (OCEMS) and Orange County Public Health Laboratory (OCPHL). The site will also house the Orange County Health Care Agency Administration (OCHCA). The objective is to meet the long-term operational best practice requirements of OCEMS, OCPHL and OCHCA and the integration of administration and operational functions into a single campus. This project does not fall under California’s Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD).

The project site is located in the City of Irvine within the vicinity of Orange County Great Park and consists of two parcels: Parcel 3 (4.38 +/- Acres) and Parcel 4 (5.23 +/- Acres). Within Parcel 4, there is an existing warehouse – Building 360, approximately 120,000 SF which is Not in Contract (NIC). The new building(s) will consist of EMS (Emergency Medical Services) at approximately 14,900 SF, Multipurpose AOC (Agency Operation Center) at approximately 7,500 SF, PHL (Public Health Laboratory) at approximately 23,400 SF, HCA (Health Care Agency) Administration at approximately 12,500 SF and shared spaces of approximately 9,300 SF.

The EMS shall accommodate the workplace for EMS staff along with Pharmacy Lab and the support spaces for the AOC. The Multipurpose AOC serves as the connection area between EMS & PHL and serves as the main entry point for visitors. The build out of the PHL consists of laboratory spaces and support spaces of the lab and will include a Bio-Safety Level 3 lab facility. Construction is scheduled to commence July 2023 thru January 2025.

PRE-QUALIFICATION OF PROSPECTIVE SUBCONTRACTORS: The County of Orange has determined that subcontractors who submit bids to PCL Construction on this Project must be pre-qualified within PCL’s system. Only those subcontractors who pre-qualify will be allowed to bid on the project.

LICENSE: C16, C36, C42, C43, C20, C7, C10 See Description of Classifications (www.cslb.ca.gov)

Interested firms may obtain Prequalification Documents beginning on January 23, 2023 by contacting: Chantel Marcq – cmarcq@pcl.com

Reference “Orange County Health Care Campus at El Toro Prequalification” in your email:

Submittal of the required Prequalification Forms will be received at the same location on or before February 03, 2023, by 2:00 p.m. Please submit all necessary forms and information in sufficient time in advance of this date.

No Prequalification Submittals will be received after 2:00 p.m., February 03, 2023.

Confidentiality of the information provided will be respected to the extent permitted by law.

QUESTIONS: Only written inquiries will be permitted. Questions must be submitted in writing by January 27, 2023 and will be acceptable by email:

Same Contact as above

All information requested must be completed and returned in order to be considered “responsive” to the requirements of prequalification.

Our e-paper comes out on Wednesdays, and Saturdays. For a free subscription via e-mail, please send us a request to: orangecountytribune@gmail.com.

Arts&Living

Who’s bad guy in “Alice, Darling?”

Anna Kendrick impresses in this dramatic role

By Jake Coyle AP Film Writer

Emotional abuse rarely gets the subtle, sensitive treatment on screen as it does in Mary Nighy’s thoughtful if uneven drama “Alice, Darling,” starring Anna Kendrick.

At first, we don’t know the source of unease that grips Alice (Kendrick), a young professional living in an unnamed city. When she meets her longtime friends Sophia (Wunmi Mosaku) and Tess (Kaniehtiio Horn), she arrives burdened by preoccupation.

In the bathroom, she anxiously

Movie Review

twirls her hair, pulling tufts out. Later, meeting her artist boyfriend Simon (Charlie Carrick), she nervously mouths words to herself as practice before saying them aloud to him.

What we begin to grasp is that Alice’s mind is occupied, unsettlingly, by Simon, whether she’s with him or not. “Alice, Darling,” which opens in theaters Friday, is a kind of psychological home invasion film, movingly played with twitchy nerves from head to toe by Kendrick in a performance starkly more dramatically intense than her usually more comic screen roles.

Movies about romance-turnednightmare often slide closer to slasher territory – and the heavyhanded score by Owen Pallett seems to think “Alice, Darling” is one of those, too.

But the movie, penned by Alanna Francis, isn’t built around an increasingly disturbing series of encounters. Although it has the shape of a thriller, it isn’t really one. Outside of a few flashbacks, Simon is hardly in the movie, at all.

Instead, Nighy’s film is grounded in the psychology of Alice and the support she gleans from her friends. “Alice, Darling” unravels during the trio’s weeklong getaway to a lakeside cottage, a vacation that Alice – sensing her boyfriend’s likely disapproval –has told him is a business trip. Their interactions are prickly at first, at least between Alice and Tess (Horn). In her feature debut, Nighy (daughter of Bill Nighy) succeeds most in capturing these complicated relationships. The three women have known each other so long that their interactions are filled with sisterly tension. But it’s Tess and

Good: HHH

Sophie (a very good Mosaku) who recognize the pain Alice is hiding even from herself. Simon isn’t a horror film monster, it turns out – but he is a cruel, controlling jerk whose manipulation of Alice has shaken and confused her.

“Alice, Darling” is a little thinly sketched and lacks a strong sense of directorial perspective. But, in shirking genre contrivance, Nighy gets the most essential thing right, authentically capturing a not-uncommon real-life experience with rare nuance. Kendrick gives one of her best and most wrenching performances as a woman riddled with self-doubt clawing her way out of a destructive codependency. That it comes from an actor of such witty confidence

ANNA KENDRICK (center) stars in “Alice, Darling,” a story of emotional abuse (Lionsgate)

Employees are getting raises

Salary increases for seven categories of employees were approved by the Garden Grove Unified School District Board of Education at its meeting on Tuesday night.

On a 4-0 vote – with Trustee Dina Nguyen absent – the board gave its approval to:

• an agreement with the local unit of the California School Employees Association calling for a 9 percent salary increase effective July 1, 2022;

• an agreement with the GGUSD Supervisory Unit calling for a 9 percent salary increase effective July 1, 2022;

• a proposal to approve a 5 percent salary increase for members of the board of education;

• recommendation for a 9 percent salary increase for classified substitutes, temporary employees, tutors and college workers effective Jan. 16, 2023;

• a recommendation for a 9 percent increase for confidential employees and student supervision assistants effective July 1, 2022;

• a recommendation for a 9 percent salary increase for management employees (classified and certificated, including assistant superintendents and the superintendent) effective July 1, 2022.

Speak better by saying a lot less

Continued from page 3

thoughts any better than the most tongue-tied members of the public.

And the longer the public comments – or verbal grandstanding by elected officials – drag on, the less time is available to seriously conduct the people’s business.

So here’s some trimmed-down guidance for those who want to have an impact and be taken seriously: “Be brief. Be brilliant. Be gone.”

Jim Tortolano has covered government meetings since the Jimmy Carter administration. Some of them seem like they’re still going on.

“Alice, Darling”

Continued from page 5 makes Kendrick’s performance only more affecting.

“Alice, Darling,” a Lionsgate release, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for language and some sexual content. Running time: 90 minutes.

For a free subscription via e-mail, please send us a request to: orangecountytribune@ gmail.com.

n GARDEN GROVE SCHOOL BOARD

How the Rams plan to remodel for 2023

Continued from page 8

to add depth however he can –starting with the upcoming draft in which he expects to have 10 picks, although most will be on Day 3.

That’s the price of repeatedly trading high-round picks for proven veteran players in a strategy that produced five winning

seasons, four playoff berths, three NFC West titles and two Super Bowl appearances over an outstanding half-decade.

“We’re probably going to have to not press the gas as much, pay a little bit of the debt that we’ve accumulated,” Snead said.

“As you do some of the things

that we’ve done, you’re going to push some of that down the road. But we’ve been able to be competitive paying some of that debt as well. ... There are ways – not necessarily easy, but this league is not easy – and it’s up to us to be creative, innovative and to try to figure that out.”

The Rams made seven of their eight picks last year on Day 3, and they got very little out of the group: Only fourth-round defensive back Cobie Durant made a sustained impact on the field.

The Rams haven’t made a firstround pick since 2016, and they don’t have another until 2024, with their sixth overall choice this April belonging to the Detroit Lions.

Snead admits the Rams need a modest rebuild, although he’s calling it a “remodel.”

The foreman on that remodeling job is already in place: Sean McVay decided last week to return for a seventh season in charge, although the Rams will have yet another year of heavy turnover in their coaching staff with the departure of offensive coordinator Liam Coen and the dismissals of several assistants.

Snead confirmed McVay was seriously thinking about leaving the team to deal with burnout, and the Rams made a contingency plan in case the youngest coach in NFL history to win a Super Bowl walked away.

Snead said the Rams also had talks about how “to make this a more sustainable outfit,” although McVay has near-complete autonomy in his job.

“When (McVay) got the job at age 30, the guy has been basically running an 800-meter sprint every week since he got our job,” Snead said. “Over time, at some point, a hamstring is going to get pulled, and you’re not going to be able to do it. I don’t know how to determine whether it’s to delegate more, but somehow take his weekly rhythm and make it more sustainable.”

The top part of the Rams’ topheavy roster should be back next season. Snead said the Rams haven’t formally confirmed Stafford and Donald are returning in 2023, but he tacitly indicated the Rams will have both stars.

Stafford already said he’s returning after missing eight of Los Angeles’ final nine games because of injury. Donald tweeted Tuesday that he’s playing in 2023 – three days after somebody sent Rams fans into a panic by briefly putting “former NFL D linemen” in Donald’s Twitter bio.

“I guess you could follow Aaron Donald on Twitter, maybe,” Snead said with a laugh. “My kids did tell me he retired Saturday for a little bit.”

New football coach at Marina

Continued from page 8

things have declined since then, and Marina posted a 1-9 record overall and finished last in the Big 4 League in 2022.

“Charlie brings a fresh new outlook to Marina football with a strong ability to get immediate buy-in from players, staff,

and community members,” said MHS Athletic Director Nick Racklin.

“I am very excited and humbled at the opportunity to lead the Marina Viking football program,” said TeGantvoort. “I can’t wait to get working for all that success and more.”

Our e-paper comes out on Wednesdays, and Saturdays. For a free subscription via e-mail, please send us a request to: orangecountytribune@gmail.

Thanks, Scott Stiles Good luck in Palm Springs

JEREMIAH

TheSportsPage

IT WAS CLOSE BUT NO “W”

Rams Plan “Remodeled” Team in 2023

More depth is the goal

By Greg Beacham AP Sports Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP)

– Les Snead says the Los Angeles Rams need to replenish their organizational depth, and he is looking forward to doing it by making a bunch of draft picks in the next few years.

Win lifts Aztecs into GGL lead

La Quinta’s boys’ basketball team moved into the lead in the Garden Grove League race Friday night with a 59-52 win over Loara in the Saxons’ gym. With the win, the Aztecs are 5-1 in GGL play and

12-12 overall. They lead Santiago (4-1) by a halfgame. Loara (3-3, 12-12) fell into third place.

Friday’s win set up a battle with second place Santiago (4-1 in league and 14-9 overall) next Wednesday at the Aztec

Prep Hoops Scores

Friday, Jan. 20 (boys)

La Quinta 59, Loara 52

Estancia 76, Orange 43

Edison 59, Newport Harbor 29

Friday, Jan. 20 (girls)

Loara 47, La Quinta 35

Westminster 72, Garden Grove 36

Rancho Alamitos 42, Los Amigos 39

Thursday, Jan. 19 (boys)

Anaheim 75, Magnolia 54

Western 51, Savanna 43

Cypress 60, Pacifica 47

Pacific Christian 51, Orangewood 47

Thursday, Jan 19 (girls)

Cypress 60, Pacifica 43

Orange 37, Estancia 29

Orangewood 53, Pacific Christian 27

Corona del Mar 40, Huntington Beach 35

Fountain Valley 47, Marina 39

gymnasium.

On Thursday, Orangewood Academy’s girls’ team completed the first round of play in San Joaquin League action by defeating Pacific Christian of Orange County by the score of 53-27.

The Spartans are 4-0 in league play – good for first place – and 18-3 overall. Emalynn Vong scored 17 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in the win.

The boys’ team didn’t do quite so well, losing 51-47 to Pac Christian. The team is 17-6 overall, but now 2-3 in the San Joaquin League.

In Empire League boys’ play Cypress defeated Pacifica on Thursday by the score of 60-47.

The Mariners are 11-11 overall but 1-3 in EL action.

Ethan Lee scored 14 points to lead the M’s, including three threepoint shots.

That’s not a change in philosophy for the general manager who humorously wore a T-shirt to the Rams’ Super Bowl parade featuring the profane meme claiming that he, well, doesn’t much care for draft choices.

Instead, it’s the logical next step in the evolution of the franchise that won a championship a year ago and then finished the current campaign at 5-12. The Rams’ worst injury luck since their return to Los Angeles exposed the depth lacking on a ros-

ter that has added only six players from the top two rounds since coming home to California seven years ago.

The Rams’ next step in “Chapter 3 of the Sean McVay Era,” as Snead called it Thursday, is to put better depth behind Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, Aaron Donald, Bobby Wagner and Jalen Ramsey.

“When you get in a situation where you’re now relying more on players on their rookie contracts to actually be key contributors, key starters, (then) getting back to having some first-rounders, getting back to having second- and third-rounders will be advantageous,” Snead said.

Snead admitted the 2022 Rams simply weren’t as deep as his previous teams, and he’s eager

New football coach hired at Marina HS

Hoping to turn the football program around, Marina High School’s athletic department has hired Charlie TeGantvoort as head coach.

He has a reputation as a “turnaround artist” from his performance at Santa Ana High. He took over a program that had lost 49 of 50 games

and transformed it into a powerhouse, winning 75 games and making the CIF-SS playoffs nine times.

The Vikings had some glory recently, winning the CIF-SS Division 11 title in 2019 for the school’s first football title at that level. But

SCOTT (23) goes up for a shot for Garden Grove High Tuesday night in a Golden West League game against Godinez. The Argonauts were edged 45-44 (GGUSD photo)