The Orange County Tribune Jan. 25, 2023

Wednesday : 72/53

Thursday: 71/43 sunny Friday: 67/44 sunny

Public Safety Building Plan Moves Ahead

Remake for Civic Center envisioned

By Jim Tortolano Orange County Tribune

The proposed new Public Safety building took a step forward on Tuesday night as the Garden Grove City Council heard a report on the status of the project and approved $1.2 million to planners and consultants for the facility.

“I’m really excited about this,” said Mayor Pro Tem George Brietigam (District 1). “It is long overdue.”

n GARDEN GROVE CITY COUNCIL

Proposed is not just construction of a new police department facility, but also a parking structure and a new public park as the entire Civic Center –bordered by Euclid Street, Acacia Parkway, Stanford Avenue and 8th Street –would undergo a remake.

The entire project is estimated to cost $108 million, and will replace most of an aging Public Safety building that opened in the early 1970s and which is considered too cramped, without sprinklers or proper Americans with Disability access.

While no final decision

Flowers bloom on Main; Tet parade draws crowd

Two events celebrating “The Year of the Cat” were mostly purr-fect in Garden Grove and Westminster this weekend.

A new celebration for the lunar new year is “Flower Street on Historic Main Street” in downtown Garden Grove on Saturday and Sunday. Based on the “flower streets” that are popular in many Asian cities, it featured displays

of flowers, giant petaldecorated figures including two dragons and a towering cat, and a variety of entertainment.

The event was held on one block of Main Street, the heart of the city’s original central business district.

On Bolsa Avenue in Westminster on Sunday the annual Tet Festival

NEW TOP COP GETS PINNED

Inside The Trib

n STANTON CITY COUNCIL

Extension OK’d for Tina-Pacific project

An 180-day time extension was approved Tuesday night by the Stanton City Council on an agreement with a group seeking to build a 161-unit multifamily project.

The council voted 5-0 to extend an exclusive negotiating agreement with Brandywine Acquisitions Group, C&C Development Company and National Community Renaissance of California which are partnering to build apartment homes in the

area of Magnolia Avenue and Pacific Avenue.

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

The 180-day extension is intended to give the the partners time to negotiate a disposition and development agreement which would help clear the way for the project to proceed.

ON MONDAY NIGHT, hundreds filled the Garden Grove Community Meeting Center to celebrate the official swearing in of Garden Grove’s 14th police chief Amir El-Farra. Chief El-Farra took his official oath and was pinned his badge before members of the Garden Grove City Council, other elected officials, fam

It’s “The Year of the Cat”

Continued from page 1

returned, this time organized by the City of Westminster. It was well-attended as crowds watched the procession of organizations, dignitaries, bands and more, celebrating the Vietnamese heritage

that’s a big part of the Little Saigon areas of both cities. The only somber note of the day was the news of the mass shooting in Monterey Park, which has a large Asian American population.

Public Safety bldg. plans advanced by GG council

Continued from page 1 has been made, it’s likely that the new structures would be located west of the GGPD’s current site, at the corner of Euclid and Acacia.

The existing fire facility will remain where it is with the new park to its east and affordable housing at 8th Street.

Also Tuesday night, a public hearing was held on a proposal to build a 13-unit two-story single-family home project at 9071, 9081 and 9091 Lampson Ave. (near Magnolia Avenue) and the council gave its approval of a request for a site plan and other approvals on the project.

Additionally, an update on the status of the Central Cities (Garden Grove, Westminster and Fountain Valley) Navigation

The truth is usually somewhere in between

Center for the unsheltered was given to the council.

Underway now is the process of selecting a service provider to operate the facility, which is planned to open by the end of 2023.

The next meeting of the city council is set for Feb. 14.

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.

FORMER WESTMINSTER Mayor Tri Ta, now a state legislator, in traditonal Vietnamese dress at Tet Parade (Photo by Terry Rains).

Seven minutes to knock down fire in G. Grove

A garage fire in Garden Grove late Saturday night was knocked down by Orange County Fire Authority crews in seven minutes.

According to the OCFA, the alarm was sounded at 11:15 p.m. for a blaze in the 13300 block of Deanann Place (northeast of Trask Avenue and Brookhurst Street).

Bravo! To new Estrada’s

By Jim and Marilyn Tortolano Orange County Tribune

Considering what’s happening in the restaurant industry with the rise of fast-and-casual eateries and fast-food drivethroughs, it takes some guts and a better product to open a traditional sitdown restaurant.

Which brings us to Estrada’s Cafe, located in West Garden Grove on Valley View Street at Cerulean Avenue.

Located in what used to be a Coco’s Restaurant and Bakery, this fullservice restaurant is filling a need in an area with almost every fast food place you can think of, but without many in the more relaxing traditional format.

A spin-off from the nearby Estrada’s Grill (Chapman Avenue west of Knott Avenue), this is a restaurant that specializes in Mexican food, but – as its motto proclaims – this is “where the borders get connected.” In

Chow Lines

addition to having a wide offering of food choices from our neighbor to the south, there is also a good selection of more Americano” choices from breakfast to dinner.

In addition to the expected fajitas, tacos, burritos, etc, there are also salads, burgers, sandwiches, steak, fish and more.

We’ve tried the fajitas (excellent and big … best be hungry), chicken salad sandwich (refreshing combination with

walnuts and cranberries), pastrami (still a work in progress) and tacos (very good).

Service is good and prices are appropriate to the quality of the food.

With Azteca downtown and Estrada’s on the west side, Garden Grove now has at least two destination sit-down choices for Mexican food … and more.

Estrada’s Cafe is at 12582 Valley View St. in Garden Grove. Hours are from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, with some exceptions for holidays.

A rapid attack was launched against the fire, which was prevented from spreading into the rest of the house. All six family members were able to make it out safely. Fire instigators responded and the cause was not immediately determined. The Red Cross was summoned to assist family members.

Woman dead in the Haster Street basin

A woman is dead after being found in a storm drain at Haster Park in Garden Grove on Sunday night.

According to the Orange County Fire Authority, firefighters were called to the park at Haster Street and Lampson Avenue regarding a report of a person needing medical help there.

Firefighter paramedics found the woman outside the storm drain opening in cardiac arrest and started treatment without success.

The cause of death is under investigation by Garden Grove police. A search was made into the storm drain for possible other persons, but none were found

FAJITA PLATE and chicken salad sandwich at Estrada’s Cafe in West Garden Grove on Valley View Street (OC Tribune photos by Jim Tortolano).

ESTRADA’S CAFE at Cerulean Avenue and Valley View Street in West Garden Grove.

THE FIRE SCENE on Deanann Place in Garden Grove late Saturday night (OCFA photo).

NewsUpdate

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).

AMERICAN M1 ABRAMS TANK (Wikipedia)

Abrams tanks to Ukraine?

The modern M1 Abrams – considered by some to be the best in the world – are on the list of military assistance to be provided to Ukraine in its struggle against Russian invaders.

According to the Associated Press, the Biden administration has moved from its initial reluctance to send tanks in the battlefield because of concern of Russian reaction.

This change is expected to be done in cooperation with Germany, which manufactures the Leopard 2 tank. Poland has offered to send some of its Leopards to Ukraine with Germany’s approval.

There’s been no official announcement or time-line, but the Ukrainian government has asked for main battle tanks to help drive Russian invaders out.

Classfied documents at Pence’s house

Former vice president Mike Pence’s name has been added to the list of public officials who have been found to have classified government documents in their home or office.

According to The New York Times, aides to the former veep found “a small number of documents which had been “inadvertently boxed and transported to his home.”

Former president Donald Trump and President Joe Biden have been found to have classified documents at their homes or offices.

Sports: Rolen is going to Hall of Fame

Scott Rolen, a seven-time All Star and winner of the Golden Glove awards for defensive skill, has been voted to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

In his career with five teams – all in the National League – he had a batting average of .281 with 316 homers and 1,287 RBIs.

He was the 1997 National League Rookie of the Year and hit .421 in the 2006 World Series.

Weather: Sunny, sunny and sunny

The sun will continue to warm the West Orange County area headed toward the weekend.

The forecast for Wednesday is for sunny skies and a daytime high of 72 and a nighttime low of 53.

Thursday is also sunny, with a high of 71 and a low of 43. Friday will be sunny but will also be a bit cooler at 67 (44).

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

Arts&Living

Madcap Marriage Bliss in “Wife”

How many wives does one man want or need?

By Thom deMartino Orange County Tribune

It’s all fun and games until your presumed dead first wife shows up.

Along with ringing in the new year, the Westminister Community Playhouse is coming out swinging with a brand-new comedy, the Jim Katapodisdirected “One Wife Too Many”.

Television actor James Holden (Jeremy Krasovic) has returned home with his newest wife,

Stage Review Great: HHHH

Alicia (L. Ariana Rubio), but besides trying to celebrate his honeymoon with his new bride, secretly he’s trying to get the newest show put together with the help of his friend Hank (Dante Velez), including casting the actress who will play his TV wife.

Unfortunately, it seems that his newest beloved has had ulterior motives for marriage in the first place ... as she’s more enthusiastic about trying to land the role on the show then she is about being his wife in reality.

But as Alicia and her best friend Mitzi (a wonderfully goofy Stacy Castiglione) are

fumbling with their own plans, they could never suspect that their newest obstacle is James’s presumed-dead first wife, the actress Velvet Taylor (Adriana Catanzarite), whose friend and agent Sally Fox (Spenser Woolard) has accompanied her to speak with her unknowing husband.

To add fuel to the fire, his assertive second wife Phoebe (Miki Gonzales) has shown up with her own befuddled husband Lance (Ervin Bolisay): it seems the paperwork was never properly finalized on their divorce, so therefore her current marriage is arguably fraudulent.

Compounding all of this, there’s Holden’s agent Lane Lawson (Eduardo Mora) trying to run

the auditions in the adjacent apartment next door, without the knowledge of his current wife (or of her intentions.)

And as if this wasn’t all enough, there’s his forgotten third marriage, resulting from a crazy night in Vegas: and his ex Rita (Lisa Caperton) has arrived to add to the honeymoon festivities. This, coupled with her hot headed Vegas mobster boyfriend Max Malone (Leo Avila) is a recipe for disaster once he shows up with his two goons to ... eliminate the competition, shall we say?

It’s a potential powder keg

JEREMY KRASOVIC and L. Ariana Rubio in “One Wife Too Many” (WCP photo by Laura Lejuwaan).

Madcap marriage bliss at the WCP

Continued from page 5

ready to blow, with four potential fuses to light it up...

After the last few weeks of dreary rain and cold, WCP’s “One Wife Too Many” is the perfect excuse to come out from your winter hibernation. There’s even a number of new faces in the WCP company, introducing a number of new talents to the troupe.

While Krasovic’s Holden may seem a bit too aloof with his new bride, all becomes clear as the audience discovers the deep love he had – even still has– for the lost Velvet (even so far as to keep a special photo of her on his phone): and that despite the passing of years, has never been able to let her go.

Catanzarite’s Velvet is a woman looking for some kind of closure – having only recently returned from abroad (as well as from the

dead), she’s only just learned of her husband’s new marriage, but though eager explain to Holden what really happened, she is equally terrified as to reveal herself (and her disguised turn as the psychic “Lady Scarlet” to throw Holden and newest wife Alicia off her trail is one of the most fun bits in an already lively show.)

There are a number of standout performances throughout the play: wives #2 and #3, Phoebe and Rita are hysterical in their own right, and some of the best moments come with the under-the-radar auditions that Holden’s agent Lane and the illhumored director Sidney Hightower (Michael Corcoran) hold in the adjacent apartment, and they are ones for the books.

First is the rough-around-theedges, aggressive but amiable Pepper (Aria Patterson), man-

handling Holden as they run lines; the wonderfully over-thetop, chewing the scenery actress Ebony (Jaylee McClain); as well as the nerve-wracked and bashful Angel (Rachel Salamonca).

Avila’s stylish Vegas mobster Malone is a man driven by his passion (albeit misdirected), and even his thugs (played by Frank McCay and Russell Malang) are unusually charming, with McCay’s Monster being strangely sweet and Malang’s Weasel delightfully salty.

“One Wife Too Many” is a funfilled show with colorful and diverse characters, as well as some outstanding performances, and well worth braving the elements for, rain or shine.

“One Wife Too Many.” Jeremy Krasovic, Adriana Catanzarite and L. Ariana Rubio star in this madcap tale of one man’s Gordian Knot of relationships, and if he can extricate himself intact. Now playing through Jan. 29 at the Westminister Community Playhouse, 7272 Maple St, Westminster, CA 92683. Ticketing information available online at http://www.wcpstage.com, or call 714-893-8626.

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

Stretch run for prep hoops

Continued from page 8

0) leads by a game over Crean Lutheran (4-1). Pacifica (1-4) is tied for fifth.

Garden Grove League boys: Santiago and La Quinta (both 5-1) are tied for the lead; they’ll meet in a crucial contest Wednesday afternoon in the Cavalier gym.

Garden Grove League girls: Santiago (5-0) has a lead over La Quinta (4-2). They’ll play tonight (Wednesday). Los Amigos and Loara are each 3-3.

Golden West League boys: Segerstrom (5-1) has a onegame lead over Godinez (4-2) with three other teams tied for third – Katella, Westminster and Ocean View (3-3) – and Garden

Grove (0-6) in sixth.

Golden West League girls: Godinez (6-0) is in first, trailed by Ocean View (4-1) and Segerstrom (4-2). Westminster is 2-4, followed by Katella (14) and Garden Grove (0-6).

Orange League boys: Western (6-0) leads Anaheim (5-1) by a game. Savanna is third at 4-2; Magnolia fifth at 1-5.

Orange League girls: Anaheim (6-0) leads the race by two games over Magnolia and Western (each 4-2).

Orange Coast League boys: St. Margaret’s and Calvary Chapel/Santa Ana are in a deadlock at 8-1 and will clash Wednesday at the Calvary home gym. Orange (2-7) is in sixth.

Orange Coast League girls: Calvary Chapel/Santa Ana leads with a 9-0 mark with St. Margaret’s close behind at 7-1.

They’ll meet on Wednesday. Orange is third at 5-4.

San Joaquin League boys: In a very tough league in which three of the teams have 17 or more wins, Fairmont Prep leads with a 4-0 mark, followed by Pacific Christian/Orange County (5-1) and Orangewood (2-3).

San Joaquin League girls: Orangewood is in first at 4-0 followed by Fairmont Prep (2-1).

Surf League boys: Edison (30) is in first, leading Los Alamitos (2-1), Fountain Valley (1-2) and Marina (0-3).

Wave League boys: Newport Harbor has the edge at 3-0, followed by Corona del Mar (2-1), Laguna Beach (1-2) and Huntington Beach (0-3).

Wave League girls: Edison (4-0) has the edge, followed by Laguna Beach (2-1), Marina (12) and Huntington Beach (0-3).

Moreno won’t sell Angels

Continued from page 8

Rob Manfred said he is “very pleased” Moreno is staying in the game.

“Despite strong buyer interest in the Angels, Arte Moreno’s love of the game is most important to him,” Manfred said.

Moreno is an outdoor advertising mogul from Arizona who originally bought the Angels from the Walt Disney Company in 2003, shortly after the franchise won its only championship.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said he is “very pleased” Moreno is staying in the game. “Despite strong buyer interest

in the Angels, Arte Moreno’s love of the game is most important to him,” Manfred said.

Moreno is an outdoor advertising mogul from Arizona who originally bought the Angels from the Walt Disney Company in 2003, shortly after the franchise won its only championship.

Moreno immediately showed a willingness to spend money to attract big-name free agents to Orange County, and the Angels won five AL West titles during his first seven seasons of ownership. But Moreno also angered fans early in his tenure by dropping Anaheim from the franchise’s name.

CIF-SS winter sports polls

Continued from page 8

• Division 5AA: Orange is 12th and Loara is 15th Girls’ basketball

• Division 4AA: Edison is 11th

• Division 5AA: Pacifica is seventh

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• Division 5A: Orange is seventh Girls’ soccer

• Divisions 1 and 2: Huntington Beach is third; Pacifica received some votes.

• Division 3: Marina received some votes

• Division 7: Magnolia is eighth Girls’ water polo

• Division 1: Huntington Beach and Edison received some votes.

Going pro

Continued from page 8

“She is a player who we feel will adapt quickly to the NWSL, has enormous potential and fits well into what we are building,”

TheSportsPage

CAVALIERS CONTINUE TO CRUISE

By Greg Beacham AP Sports Writer

ANAHEIM (AP) — Los Angeles Angels owner Arte Moreno has decided not to sell the team.

Moreno took his franchise off the market Monday after announcing his plan to explore a sale of the team last August. The 76-year-old owner met with prospective buyers during the winter.

“During this process, it became clear that we have unfinished business and feel we can make a positive impact on the future of the team and the fan experience,” Moreno said in a statement. “This offseason, we committed to a franchise record player payroll, and still want to accomplish our goal of bringing a World Series championship back to our fans.”

MLB Commissioner

Continued on page 7

Arte Moreno Takes Angels Off Market League races speeding up

The races for high school league basketball championships – and CIF-SS playoff spots – are entering the stretch run this week and next.

Most teams have played half or more of their league schedules. Here’s an updated look at the races involving teams serving the communities of Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Stanton

Prep Hoops Scores

HBHS grad turns pro with the NWSL

Jenna Nighswonger, a 2018 graduate of Huntington Beach High School, was drafted fourth overall by the NJ/ NY Gotham FC team of the National Women’s Soccer League. She was graduated from

HBHS in December 2018 and played Division 1 soccer at Florida State University, where her team won three Atlantic Coast Conference titles and the 2021 national championship.

Tuesday, Jan. 24 (boys) Pacifica 40, Katella 39

Tuesday, Jan. 24 (girls) Pacifica 40, Kennedy 30 Edison 41, Corona del Mar 38 Los Alamitos 60, Huntington Beach 38 Newport Harbor 46, Marina 28 King Drew 45, Orangewood 36

Monday, Jan. 23 (boys) Western 48, Magnolia 46 Segerstrom 62, Westminster 58 Ocean View 65, Garden Grove 45 Monday, Jan 23 (girls) Western 48, Magnolia 45 Ocean View 49, Garden Grove 21

and Westminster. All records here are league only.

Empire League boys: Crean Lutheran (5-0) has a one-game lead over Cypress (4-1). Pacifica (1-4) is in a three-way tie for fourth.

Empire League girls: Cypress (5-

13 teams in CIF-SS polls for this week

Thirteen area high school winter sports teams were recognized in this week’s CIF-SS polls.

Boys’ basketball

• Division 2AA: Edison is 13th

• Division 4AA: Huntington Beach is 14th

SANTIAGO HIGH SCHOOL’S girls’ basketball team is atop the Garden Grove League race, having won its first five GGL games. Above, Jaelin Tabaniag of Rancho Alamitos (0) is defended by Santiago’s Neryah Lokeni (15). Cavaliers won that game 60-18 and improved their overall record to 12-7 (GGUSD photo).

JENNA NIGHSWONGER with national championship trophy here Florida Stae University won. She’s an HBHS alum (Photo courtesy of HBUHSD)