OC Blog

Woman Who Killed Orange Councilman Steve Ambriz Gets 10 Years In Prison

From yesterday's OC Register online:

Ward Sentenced In Councilman's Death

SANTA ANA -- A Walnut woman responsible for the crash that left Orange Councilman Steve Ambriz dead received the maximum sentence today.

A judge sentenced Sara Lyn Ward, 31, to 10 years in prison for gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and in possession of marijuana.

This comes a year after Ward got in her truck while under the influence of methamphetamines. As she traveled west on Santiago Canyon Road, she swerved into oncoming traffic hitting Ambriz's sedan head-on.

AD71 Watch: Blais Raises Almost $240,000

Time to clear out the transom. This came over it yesterday from the Neil Blais for Assembly campaign:

Neil Blais Assembles Strong Finance Effort for First Half of Year

(Rancho Santa Margarita) - Republican Rancho Santa Margarita Councilman Neil Blais raised close to $240,000 for the first half of this year in his campaign for the Republican nomination in the open 71st Assembly District. 

Red County/OC Blog News Roundup -- July 28, 2007

Today's top stories from behind the Orange Curtain:

Tribe Proposes Vegas-Style Casino In Garden Grove -- LAT
The offer promises jobs, $5.1 billion to the city over 30 years, and college scholarships. Critics point out a host of problems and obstacles.

Supervisors to meet on court outsourcing contract -- OCR
Hundreds of people complained to the Superior Court Friday about the court's decision to contract with a company that outsources traffic ticket data to Nogales, Mexico.

261 fire knocked down -- OCR
Firefighters beat back the flames. Sections of the 261 and 241 toll roads closed until midnight.

Military photos stolen from Arches restaurant -- OCR
The Newport Beach dining room reports burglary of a valuable framed collage, taken shortly before move to new location.

Biggest gold coin going on sale -- OCR
Irvine company gets ready to auction the world's biggest coin -- minted from 220 pounds of gold -- that flips some other records, too.

Update: Woman passes bar exam on 14th try -- OCR
Paulina Bandy passed the state bar exam on her 14th try.

Gang-related crime down in Anaheim neighborhood -- OCR
Police say review of Ponderosa Park area shows stolen vehicle activity and calls for service have decreased.

Cattle drive closes Costa Mesa streets -- OCR
Police to block cross streets to let cows through on their way to the O.C.

Fair A quilt held together by a mother's love -- OCR
Garden Grove woman displays an 86-by-64-inch quilt of about 4,000 leftover scraps stitched together with devotion from Vietnam.

Man arrested for stabbing sea lion -- OCR and LAT and DP
Newport Beach police arrested a man today for suspicion of stabbing sea lion with a steak knife.

New-home building permits plummet in O.C. -- LAT
The new-construction figure for June is 85% less than a year earlier.

Truck is located in hunt for O.C. teen -- LAT
The pickup is found in Florida, where its owner, a man sought for questioning in the woman's disappearance, was arrested earlier.

O.C. reports first human West Nile case this year -- LAT
A 44-year-old south Orange County man has tested positive for West Nile, becoming the county's first reported human case of the disease in 2007, health officials said Friday.

Bureaucratic arrogance at its worst'-- DP
Rohrabacher says U.S. attorney who prosecuted border patrol agents lied to get a conviction.

Historical collage stolen -- DP
World War II era art piece with great sentimental value taken from wall near restrooms in Arches restaurant.

Sheriff's deputy taken to hospital after brawl -- DP
An Orange County sheriff's deputy was taken, unconscious, to Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian early Friday after being involved in a fight at the Chronic Cantina in Costa Mesa, police said.

Former choir director charged with molestation -- OCR and LAT
Man accused of sexually assaulting one of his teenager singers more than a decade ago. Diocese of Orange sued over alleged abuse.

Norby On John & Ken Again Today

I saw Supervisor Chris Norby a little while ago, and the media feedin frenzy over the OC Courts' out-sourcing to Mexico is continuing unabated.

Norby will be on KFI-AM's "John & Ken Show" again today at 3:00 p.m. to discuss the matter.

I love the Fair! (see Fair Top Ten below)

Every summer I look forward to two things, hot weather and the Orange County Fair.

The fair spans a few weeks every year.  Its everything the rest of Orange County is not and yet it is representative of Orange County.  What do I mean?  Well you walk around and see people, most of whom live in Orange County, although for some reason they don't really look like they live here.  Maybe because we dress differently at the fair--much more casually, yet I can't picture most fair goers in a suit.

There is really crappy food and we are somehow compelled to try the oddest food product-deep
fired.  I had deep fried avocado last week-not good, but glad I tried it.

There are incredible concerts.  We are very luck to have the Pacific Amphitheater and a Fair Board that books world-class acts.

Speaking of the Fair Board they are a cool bunch.  Appointed by the governor they run the fair grounds year-round including overseeing the OC Market Place and the children's programs and events like the bridal expo and the gun show.

I have been to about six concerts so far this season and they were all a blast.  I didn't even realize Toad the Wet Sprocket was playing on Wednesday night until that morning.  Luckily I was able to buy tickets on-line, great seats by the way, and enjoy the show that night.

Now for my OC Fair Top Ten List:

10) Kenny Loggins - Best concert so far

9) The guy that draws detailed pictures in sand - projected on a big screen on one of the stages - Most mesmerizing act

8) Tom Tucker - Coolest spouse of a fair board member - seen rocking out to the likes of Willie Nelson and Dylan

7) Grilled corn - Best fair food.  I know it sounds simple but its that good.

6) Lynard Skynard - The only concert where the audience didn't sit down once, they were on fire

5) Heart & The Bangles - Best concert yet to come, it's tonight!

4) Ron Young - Best dressed spouse of a Fair Board member, I am pretty sure Mary dresses him

3) All rides - Scariest experience of the year, how is it possible that they at all safe to ride or even to stand near?

2) The Glass Blower - Most dangerous vendor.  He actually blows glass and people actually stand near him. 

1) The fair isn't over, I don't know what #1 is yet...more soon

Gustavo's Theory On The "Why?" Behind the Harald Martin Appointment

Gustavo Arellano reaches back into the mists of the time -- actually, just seven years ago -- to trace to eery parellel between Anahiem Union High School District Trustee Thomas Holguin support for appointing twice-defeated AUHSD candidate Harald Martin to the AUHSD Board, and Holguin's own elevation to Trustee in 2000 (H/T to Mike Lawson at TheLiberalOC.com):

And for the political conspiracists wondering why a Latino like AUHSD trustee Thomas "Hoagy" Holguin would support Martin's return, never mind that self-hating Latinos are as Orange County as oranges? Holguin is merely repaying his political papi. In late 2000, Holguin was appointed by the AUHSD board to replace a trustee who resigned. That fall, Holguin had placed fifth out of six candidates in the general election. On the board at the time of Holguin's appointment? None other Harald Martin himself, who placed seventh out of eighth in last year's election. What goes around comes around, eh?

Red County/OC Blog News Roundup -- July 27, 2007

Today's top stories from behind the Orange Curtain:

Counties' Routes To Commute Fixing Diverge -- LAT
Los Angeles and Orange counties have long taken different paths when it comes to how to deal with traffic.

OC Court Defends Outsourcing -- OCR
Public reacts to use of company that sends DMV data to Mexico.

Irvine Agency Sues Over Housing Mandate -- OCR and LAT
City calls requirements 'unfair, unreasonable, unattainable and inequitable.'

Cows Hit The Beach In Surf City -- OCR, LAT and DP
The stunt promoted the Orange County Fair with its theme 'Cowabunga! The year of Herefords, surfers and sand.'

Chapman's Newest Hire Was Tempted By Ideal Post -- OCR
Nobel winner says he was a little skeptical at first.

Fountain Valley Panel Denies Hospital Expansion -- OCR
Traffic, noise and height concerns from residents prompt commissioners to table Orange Coast Memorial's plan for an 80-foot-tall building.

Parents Sue Police Over Woman's Death -- OCR and LAT
Ashley MacDonald, 18, was carrying a knife when she was shot and killed by Huntington Beach police last summer.

UCI Settles Liver Transplant Suits For $7.5 Million -- LAT (7/26/07)
The 35 claims resulted from problems from UC Irvine's management of its medical center.

Library Past Due Date? -- DP
With a bigger, newer library only a mile away, it's not surprising that use of the Corona del Mar branch library has declined.

Dana Point Lot Going For $9 Million -- OCR
That's a lotta money.

Extracurricular Activities Lead Anaheim Woman To PTA Presidency -- OCR
Like the headline says.

Harald Martin And Me -- OC Weekly
Gustavo Arellano explains his connection with Anaheim’s most infamous high school trustee

RFK Jr. Rants In OC

Pat Brennan over at Total Buzz posted this exhaustive account of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. ranting about the apocalyptic consequences of completing the 241 tollroad and his environmentalism uber alles philosophy in general. I hope he arrived at the event via bicycle -- or at least drove an electric car.

Judging from the extremist rhetoric, I think ole' Bobby Jr. has seen Soylent Green one too many times -- talked with his cousin Bobby Shriver one too many times. Or both.

I'm surprised Kennedy didn't predict completing the 241 would lead to the destruction of human civilization and our domination by talking apes.

Then again, he might think that's a good thing.

Special OC Invitation: "Truth About Trucks" by Ford F150

(Full disclosure, and I hope Jubal enjoys this...Ford Motor Company is a client of my firm.  Nonetheless, this is a cool event that Ford is doing next week and we've been authorized to invite some friends, and heck, all my fellow OC Blog readers are friends, right?)

Ford Motor Company and the F-150 Present...

DA clears Deborah Pauley

After Deborah Pauley won election to the Villa Park City Council last November, her opponents leveled a politically motivated charge of campaigning within 100' of a polling location. They filed a complaint against her with the D.A. and then repeatedly used that she was "currently under investigation by the District Attorney for her illegal Election Day actions" as a reason she should be recalled.

On July 13, the DA closed its investigation, finding that "there is no reliable evidence [Pauley] was soliciting votes within 100' of any polling place." The DA's findings simply confirm what most people already know - the recall is nothing more than a misguided effort by a few malcontents to get a "do-over" of an election that did not turn out the way they wanted.