Covering Garden Grove Huntington Beach Stanton Westminster
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Printed in Garden Grove, California n orangecountytribune.com n Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022 n orangecountytribune@gmail.com
DEADLY END TO GARDEN GROVE DOMESTIC FIGHT Brother-in-law is accused in the shooting death of sister’s husband An investigation is underway in the case of a Garden Grove man who allegedly fatally shot his sister’s husband in a domestic altercation Friday afternoon. According to Detective Sgt. Evan Bereford of the GGPD, the incident took place at an apartment in the 12000 block of Trask Avenue (near Harbor Boulevard) around 3:45 p.m. Officers were dispatched there in response to report of a shooting. Upon arrival, they found a 26-year-old man inside the apartment suffering from a single gunshot wound to his upper torso. Paramedics from the Orange County
Fire Authority arrived and transported the man to a local hospital, where he was ARTIST’S CONCEPTION OF PROPOSED MONUMENT declared dead. Would honor victory in 1972 battle in South Vietnam In the investigation that followed, detectives determined that the suspect – Heriberto Martinez, 24, of Garden Grove – had “intervened in a domestic dispute between his sister and her husband.” The suspect allegedly shot the victim in the chest. Martinez was interviewed at the GGPD headquarters and released pending further A special meeting of recapturing in 1972 of a on the top of the wall. investigation. the Westminster City key citadel. The action was The committee has The victim’s identity is Council will be held on considered key to repelling recommended that the not being released, pending Wednesday to consider the an offensive by the North council give its approval “depiction and design” for Vietnamese Army. so that fund-raising and Continued on page 2 the proposed Quang Tri Some controversy has construction could be Monument. surrounded the proposed completed in time for the The meeting will be held monument, including 50th anniversary of the at 3 p.m. in person at 8200 the issue of location battle in September 2022. Westminster Blvd. and via of the monument and webconference. the appropriateness of A final recommended memorializing combat design has been approved in a war lost by South by the committee and Vietnamese forces in 1975. now goes to the council The proposal calls for a for approval. The location depiction of Vietnamese will be considered by the marines standing on Community Services and the battlefield ruins and Recreation Commission holding the national flag. What will 2022 hold if the council gives its The base would be 20 feet for the communities of approval. Garden Grove, Huntingwide. Behind that would ton Beach, Stanton and The monument would be a section depicting the Westminster? depict the success of the citadel wall, 25 to 30 feet Predicting the future is Deaths, however, remained Army of the Republic of wide, five-feet thick, and 10 tricky, but on page 2 we historically low, down from (South) Vietnam – along to 12 feet high. have some “informed five to two. with assistance from A 10 foot by 10 foot speculation.” Continued on page 2 American forces – in pagoda would be located
Westminster council to consider Quang Tri plan
Monument would honor 1972 S. Vietnam victory
Case count continues on steep rise for Orange Co. The number of confirmed new coronavirus cases continued to climb to record heights in Orange County in Tuesday’s report. According to the county health care agency, the latest daily count is 5,930 cases, up from Monday’s four-day average of 3,857. Hospitalizations increased from 545 to 614 and the use of intensive care units to treat COVID-19 patients is up from 104 to 110.
A roadmap for a new year?
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THE ROAD AHEAD FOR WEST ORANGE COUNTY? WE’LL SEE The outlook for Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Stanton and Westminster
Which turns in the road are ahead? By Jim Tortolano To paraphrase a line from a movie, looking at the future is a little like looking at a cake. Until you taste it, what do you really know? It’s good advice, but the desire to look down the road is so common, we could not resist the temptation to give it a try. Based on our coverage of the communities of Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Stanton and Westminster since 2016, we feel we are in position to offer some “informed speculation.” One thing that’s universal among the cities we cover and all of Orange County is deciding how to spend the millions of dollars allocated from the federal government under an infrastructure bill and the American Rescue Plan Act. Some of those millions have an expiration date, so 2022 should be a year in which some projects – new buildings, water and sewage rehabilitation, modernization, etc. – will be earmarked, if not spent. Here’s our city-by-city outlook in
Brother-in-law in shooting death Continued from page 1
notification of the next of kin. Any witnesses to the incident are asked to call Det. Steve Heine at (714) 741-5422.
general. GARDEN GROVE: Development of the 102-acre Willowick Golf Course site – owned by the City of Garden Grove but located in Santa Ana – is expected to progress in 2022. No sticks will be in the ground but a developer or developers will be chosen. What will the project be? Some at City Hall speculate it will be some kind of mixed-use development with commercial, residential and open space. Not within the decision-making power of the city but very much potentially significant is the OCStreetcar project connecting Santa Ana with Garden Grove. Construction won’t be finished
Steep rise in cases of COVID-19 in OC
until 2023, but the Orange County Transit Authority is expected to get $1 billion from Uncle Sam, and some OCTA officials are already talking up the possibility of extending the line north along Harbor Boulevard to the Disneyland/Convention Center area, or northeast along the old Pacific Electric right-of-way. Several major hotel projects on Harbor are expected to move along with construction in 2022, but are not expected to open for business this year. Finally, will the coronavirus situation allow for the return of the annual Strawberry Festival, suspended the last two years? Fingers crossed … HUNTINGTON BEACH: The selection of a new city manager could be a big deal for Surf City. Continued on page 4
Continued from page 1
To date, Orange County has had 357,520 cases, of which 310,736 are considered recovered. The death total is at 5,897. Nationally, The New York Times is reporting that cases – fuelled primarily by the Omicron variant – have risen 239 percent in the past 14 days while deaths are down 3 percent. In California, new cases have risen 525 percent over a similar period, according to Los Angeles Times. Deaths, however, are down 21 percent.
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.
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ORANGE COUNTY TRIBUNE/WEDNESDAY, JAN. 5, 2022 3
News&Views News Briefs
Sewage spill closes three beaches in Orange County HUNTINGTON BEACH – A sewage spill from Los Angeles County has resulted in the closure of the shorelines of Seal Beach and Surfside and Sunset Beach in Huntington Beach. The overflow from a damaged pipeline into the Dominguez Channel in Carson – which drains to the Pacific Ocean near Warner Avenue – has been estimated at between 6 and 7 million gallons of wastewater. At 6 p.m. Saturday, the Orange County Health Care Agency issued an ocean water closure for those OC beaches; Los Angeles County public health officials have issued similar orders for the Long Beach area. According to the OCHCA, Seal Beach’s main beach will be closed to swimming, surfing and other water activities until water quality testing shows “acceptable standards.” More guidance for the Huntington Beach area is expected.
Mater Dei president leaving post
SANTA ANA – Just six months after taking the job of president of Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, Father Walter E. Jenkins has resigned. According to published reports, Jenkins will leave to take a new assignment in South Bend, Indiana. Jenkins’ resignation came after a scandal erupted at the perennial football powerhouse when newspapers reported a lawsuit alleging hazing by members of the team in which one student suffered injuries including brain damage. The Diocese of Orange issued a statement that said, “There is no connection between the litigation and departure from the school and to make such a suggestion is deeply unfair.” An independent investigation into the allegations has been commissioned by the school and diocese.
Deputy DA dies of coronavirus
HUNTINGTON BEACH – Orange County Deputy District Attorney Kelly Enrby has died at the age of 46. According to the OCDA’s office, Ernby was a resident of Huntington Beach. She was a past candidate for state Assembly and active in local politics. According to published reports she passed away after contracting COVID-19,
COVID rise closes HB City Hall Effective Tuesday, Jan. 4, Huntington Beach joined other coastal cities in temporarily closing City Hall due to the substantial increase of COVID-19 cases in Huntington Beach and Orange County. Orange County is reporting a 400 percent increase in COVID-19 cases since mid-December, primarily due to the highly transmissible Omicron variant. With the exponential growth of new cases, this closure is intended to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 among city staff and to en-
sure adequate staffing levels across all departments, including police and fire. Most city services will remain in place, but in-person City Hall services will be temporarily unavailable beginning Tuesday. Residents and businesses are encouraged to make use of the City’s online services and tools during this period. The city will continue to monitor the number of COVID-19 cases in Huntington Beach and Orange County over the next 10-14 days Comtinued on page 4
DONT FEED THE CROCODILES Or the Russian dictators, either
Gorillas, movie heroes, Vlad, mistakes, success and more It’s only a short time into the new year, so it’s time for a short column with some short quotes about the issues of the day. Coronavirus “When you wrestle a gorilla, the fight’s not over when you give up. It’s only over when the gorilla gives up.” - Anonymous Joe Biden’s (un)popularity “ What have you done for me lately?” – Janet Jackson Afghanistan “You will kill 10 of our men and we will kill one of yours, and in the end it will be you who tire of it.” – Ho Chi Minh On movie heroes “I have never seen a brave man. All men are frightened. The more intelligent they are, the more they are frightened.” – George S. Patton Political fanaticism “Those who speak do not know. Those who know do not speak.” – Lao Tsu Advice to the Class of 2022 “The less I say, the more my work gets done.” – Elton John On Vladimir Putin “Appeasement is the policy of feeding your friends to a crocodile, one at a time, in hopes that the crocodile will eat you last.” – Winston Churchill On success “Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.” – Kerry Goyette On making mistakes • “Take chances. Make mistakes. That’s how you grow” – Mary Tyler Moore • “The person who never makes a mistake probably doesn’t accomplish very much.” – Jim Tortolano
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Coronavirus surge closes HB City Hall Continued from page 3
and determine whether reopening City Hall is appropriate at that time. Anticipated impacts to City services are as follows: • Permit Center: The in-person permit center will be temporarily closed. Residents and businesses can utilize the online Permit Center available 24 hours a day, seven days a week or call (714) 536-5241. • Passports: Passport services will
be temporarily unavailable until City Hall reopens. • Payment Center: In-person payments will not be accepted during the closure. Please utilize the online payment center or payment drop box located near the Police Department temporary parking lot. For questions or additional information relating to payments, please call (714) 536-5630. • Huntington Beach Police Sta-
tion Lobby: The Huntington Beach Police Department (HBPD) will continue to provide critical public safety services (patrol, custody, and investigations) at normal staffing levels. The HBPD will be closing its front lobby and stations to the public to help limit the spread of COVID-19 among first responders and maintain current staffing levels. Many police services are available online. Reports may be taken over the phone at (714) 960-8811. • Beach Parking Pass Sales: The sale and distribution of beach parking passes will be temporarily unavailable. • Public Meetings: All in-person board and commission meetings will be conducted via Zoom. The city’s parks and beaches remain open, but physical distancing and face masks are encouraged. The city’s community centers, libraries and other community facilities remain open for contract classes, but face masks are required indoors. The city will be releasing more details relating to the closure and service impacts on www.SurfCityBreak.com and through tsocial media.
Wanted: info on a Jeep Cherokee Westminster police are seeking the public’s help in finding a vehicle believed to be involved in a possible fatal hit and run traffic collision early Monday morning. According to Commander Kevin McCormack of the WPD, detectives are looking for an older model gray or black Jeep Grand Cherokee with custom chrome wheels and a roof rack. The driver’s side headlight housing was recovered at the scene of the accident. There could be extensive damage to the front and rear passenger side and a broken taillight. The crash occurred at around 5:20 a.m. in the 6500 block of Walt Street, southeast of Westminster Boulevard and Edwards Street. Arriving officers found a dead man in the driveway of a home. The vehicle that struck him left the area, and detectives believe the man had been intentionally struck.. Anyone with information is urged to call the WPD Detective Bureau at (714) 548-3759.
ORANGE COUNTY TRIBUNE/WEDNESDAY, JAN. 5, 2022 5
Arts&Living
Alternate history invading books, TV What might have been and what still is possible By Arthur Allen One of the fastest-rising categories of fiction today is “alternate history,” which explores the possibilities of “what might have been,” usually in a dystopian way in which things get a lot worse for all of us. That category fills up bookshelves and Amazon. com web pages and has also made significant inroads into television, adapting – and usually expanding – on a novel. Although alternate history is often lumped in with science fiction, it needn’t be. One early example is Mark Twain’s “Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’ Court” in which the protagonist is magically – or perhaps just mentally – transported from the days of steam and electricity to the days of old when knights were bold but not especially bright. (Spoiler alert: what follows is going to reveal some details which may reveal the endings of some works. You were warned.) What makes alternate history interesting to millions of viewers and readers are the comments often made about our present circumstances. For example, in “Yankee,” our hero tries somewhat arrogantly to impose a 19th century democracy on a 10th century monarchy ruled with an iron fist and cloaked in ignorance and superstition. It’s an early form of what today is called “nationbuilding.” The most popular version of alt-hist (as some nerds call it) is the novel. “The Man in the High Castle,” an early example, was written by Philip K. Dick. It depicts a future in which Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan
“THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE” ... Mixes dystopia with Eastern philosophy and physics
“THE PLOT AGAINST AMERICA” Posits a fascist takeover if FDR isn’t re-elected
win World Two and divide up America under their steel boots. How did this happen? Franklin Roosevelt is assassinated before he can take office and the isolationism that follows results in a U.S. military too weak to prevail against the Axis. (FDR being the linchpin of these stories is a common theme. It seems that he was all that stood between us and disaster in these stories; maybe most althist writers are Democrats.) The Amazon Prime TV series is very different from the book. The writers fill in a lot of detail the Dick didn’t include and create the character of John Smith (played well by Rufus Sewell), a U.S. Army officer who turns his coat and becomes a Nazi in order to save his family. It raises the question: faced with death, what would you do to stay alive and protect your loved ones? Philip Roth’s “The Plot Against America” also got the TV treatment, and it hews pretty close to the original. The most interesting character is – oddly enough – Rabbi Lionel Bengelsdorf, portrayed by John Turturro. Feeling sincerely that his fellow co-religionists have isolated themselves too much from the general American population, he allies himself with a profascist Charles Lindbergh. Little by little, he begins to realize he had made a bad decision. The issue here is that sometimes people with good intentions can be as dangerous as those with evil intent. Haven’t you ever wondered how your life would have been different if you had made some change in your life? A different career? A different spouse? Good alternate history helps us understand how easily things could have gone “the other way.” The fates of nations, as with people, are determined by the decisions they make.
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What the road into 2022 might end up looking like Continued from page 2
Oliver Chi left after serving for two years as the city’s top appointed official for the manager job in Irvine. The interim city manager is Sean Joyce, who – ironically – retired from the Irvine city manager post in 2018. Environmental issues may top the agenda in 2021. Huntington Beach has been hit by two oil spills – one fairly big and one small – in the last year as well as a sewage discharge, the oil and the sewage each resulting in beach closures. The city council’s public friction with elected City Attorney Michael Gates is down to a simmer, but considering the personalities involved, a little boilage is possible. A cooler topic might be the proposed Trails to the Sea project, which could involve repurposing unused space along the Talbert and Huntington Beach flood control channels for use as a corridor for “family-friendly outdoor spaces” and connections to schools, parks and the beach. There is a recall movement aimed at most members of the city council, but the expense and burden of getting enough signatures to force an election make that prospect “a heavy lift.” STANTON: This community is on a roll. Considerable development along Beach Boulevard has added much in the way of retail and residential uses, and there’s more building on the way, including some large housing projects in the Tina-Pacific area. Issues facing Stanton in 2022 include further progress in addressing homelessness – as do all our cities – and the prospect of cannabis production, processing and sales as a key revenue source. WESTMINSTER: Every city has elections scheduled in 2022, but ballot box decisions in this All American City will have a biggerthan-usual impact. In June, voters will be asked whether to change the position of mayor from being
directly elected, or revert to the former custom of the city council choosing a mayor from amongst its number. Another key election issue is the city’s 1-cent sales tax, slated to expire in 2022. If not renewed by voters, finance officials have predicted deep cuts and potential bankruptcy. So far, the council has not decided to place the matter on the November 2022 ballot. Even if it is and voters agree to renew the tax, the city could lose millions of dollars in revenue because a renewal could only take effect on April 1, 2023.
Overdoses kill 4 in Anaheim
Anaheim police issued a warning to the public Tuesday about four persons who are believed to have died from overdoses of fentanyl or fentanyl-tainted drugs. At 11:40 a.m., officers responded to a report of deceased woman in a motel room in the 800 block of S. Beach Boulevard. At 12:05 p.m., officers were sent to the 1700 block of S. State College Boulevard regarding a deceased man. At 12:48 p.m., they were summoned to the 500 block of S. Anaheim Boulevard regarding a report of three men in physical distress. Two were pronounced dead at the scene and a third was revived through the use of Narcan. He was taken to a local hospital in critical condition. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid similar to morphine but which is considered to be 50 to 100 times more potent. According to the federal Drug Enforcement Agency, it’s intended to be used to treat people with severe or chronic pain. Narcan is a nasal spray used to treat opioid overdose victims.
HAPPY NEW YEAR! HAVE A GREAT 2022
ORANGE COUNTY TRIBUNE/WEDNESDAY, JAN. 5, 2022 7
Area high school basketball teams opened league play League play is opening for area high school basketball teams. Here are some results from Tuesday night games. GIRLS Golden West League Segerstrom 58, Ocean View 26 Orange League Savanna 47, Western 31 Orange Coast League Orange 41, Estancia 38 BOYS Orange League Western 69, Savanna 56 Empire League Valencia 48, Pacifica 39
CIF-SS ranks 20 local teams Twenty area high school sports teams are recognized in the CIF-SS winter sports polls released late Monday. • Boys’ basketball: Division 2AA: Marina (11th). Division 2A: Edison (third). Division 3A: Orangewood Academy (fourth). Division 4AA: Pacifica (16th). Division 5AA: Bolsa Grande (12th). Division 5A: La Quinta (third). • Girls’ basketball: Division 1: Orangewood Academy (tied for seventh). Division 4A: Ocean View (15th). Division 5A: Orange (third), Magnolia (12th). • Boys’ soccer: Division 1: Huntington Beach (sixth). Division 3: Garden Grove (sixth). • Girls’ soccer: Division 1: Edison, Huntington Beach (received votes). • Girls’ water polo: Division 1: Huntington Beach (17th). Division 2: Edison (sixth). Division 6: La Quinta (third). • Boys’ dual meet wrestling: Division 5: Westminster (second). Division 6: Western (first). • Girls’ dual meet wrestling: Division 1: Marina (second).
Bolts need win for a future in the postseason Continued from page 8
Clippers (19-18) in sixth. The top six teams in each conference make the playoffs. On Saturday the Clips defeated the Brooklyn Nets 120116. • With a 4-2 setback against the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday, the Anaheim Ducks posted their fourth loss in a row. They are now 17-11-7 with 41 points and in second place in the NHL Pacific Division. The Los Angeles Kings improved to 16-2-5 with a 6-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday. The Kings are fifth in the Pacific, but just one point out of fourth and four points (two wins) back of the Ducks.
Sports Calendar
• Los Angeles Rams (12-4) at San Francisco 49ers (9-7) on Sunday at 1:25 p.m. • Los Angeles Chargers (9-7) at the Las Vegas Raiders (9-7) on Sunday at 5:20 p.m. • Anaheim Ducks host the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday at Honda Center, then the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday and the New York Rangers on Saturday. • Los Angeles Kings host the Nashville Predators on Thursday, then the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday. “Sports Monday” is written by Pete Zarustica.
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TheSportsPage
Battles for the title and the postseason The Rams want the NFC West crown; Bolts want to play Playoffs. That one word defines the agenda for the two Los Angeles-area NFL teams. With their wins on Sunday, the Rams and Chargers can each make their own destiny with a victory this coming weekend. The Rams fell behind early and were only able barely to pull out a 20-19 win over the Ravens in Baltimore on Sunday. Now 12-4 and in first place in the NFC West, all that stands between them and the division title is a win next Sunday over the San Francisco 49ers at SoFi Stadium or a loss by Arizona (11-5), Much of this anticipation would not have been possible if Matthew Stafford hadn’t recovered from his early stumbles and led LAR to a stirring comeback. He shook off two interceptions and a fumble to drive his team to the win with a touchdown throw to Odell Beckham, Jr. in the closing seconds of the game. “Matthew Stafford doesn’t flinch, he doesn’t blink,” said Coach Sean
MATT STAFFORD’S IN-GAME COMEBACK Two interceptions and a fumble? No problem for him (LA Rams/Bleven Townsell)
SportsWeek McVay. “I think we’ve seen that in each of the last two weeks,” he added, according to Los Angeles Times. The Rams have already locked
ALL THE WAY IN ONE PLAY Andre Roberts’ 101-yard punt return (LA Chargers/Ty Nowell)
up a spot in the post-season. A division championship would guarantee them a home game for their first playoff game. They’re 5-2 in Inglewood but an even better 7-2 on the road.
Chargers facing win-or-stay home
Over their long mutual history – whether they represented San Diego or Oakland or their current host cities – the Chargers and Raiders have played many a crucial contest. Add this one to the list. When the Chargers and Raiders (each 9-7) meet in Las Vegas on Sunday, the winner will advance as a wild card playoff team. The loser … does not. “Gotta win,” said Charger wide received Keenan Allen. “Playoff mindset. Everything’s on the line.” The Bolts set up the key contest with a 34-13 win over the Broncos on Sunday at SoFi Stadium. Now perhaps they can take a bit of comfort from their 28-14 win over the Raiders at SoFi earlier in the season. However, where the game is played might not be that big of a
deal. The Chargers are 5-4 at home and 4-3 on the road, while the Raiders are 4-4 at home and 5-3 away.
Around the Socal sports scene …
• The Los Angeles Lakers squared their season record at 1919 with Sunday’s 108-103 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. They remain in seventh place in the NBA Western Conference, onehalf game behind the Los Angeles Continued on page 7