Join the AVP Family & get 15% off in the AVP Shop The AVP Huntington Beach Open Heritage Event is just around the corner and this year’s competition promises to be an electrifying showcase of professional beach volleyball this prestigious event is the last opportunity for aspiring teams to claim a coveted spot in the 2025 AVP League With only two of eight AVP League qualification spots remaining this event will make or break teams’ seasons Taryn Brasher / Kristen Nuss • Brandie Wilkerson / Melissa Humana-Paredes • Phil Dalhausser / Trevor Crabb here’s the pecking order heading into the bracket: What this means: If/when front-runners stumble the door cracks open for the next wave of title-hungry duos In the event of a tie between two or more teams in the standings of the 2025 League Qualification Series for the final spot(s) in the League the following tiebreak procedures will be applied in order: To give fans a clear “line in the sand,” we’ve calculated the minimum finish each contender needs—based on where the Men’s and Women’s Frontrunners land—to surpass their total points and grab one of the last two leaderboard spots Note: This isn’t a perfect predictor—matchups and upsets all matter—but it gives a useful reference for what “deep” really means on the sand Use these thresholds to track the action: every match for the chasing pack is more than a victory—it’s a ticket closer to the AVP League Tickets: This event is open to the public but STADIUM COURT is ticketed and selling fast! Live-Stream: Watch every play on Stadium and Court 1 live on BallyLIVE (May 10–11) you won't want to miss a single story or update Print The Stagecoach Festival may be done but Orange County country music lovers can now celebrate all summer long in a venue that’s considerably closer to home SeaSalt Honky Tonk at the Beach opens Saturday at Bolsa Chica State Beach for those who may find their toes in the sand but their hearts in Texas Saloon doors will welcome visitors at the main entrance with a giant horseshoe near the multi-use beach trail on the venue’s west side denoting that SeaSalt is the world’s only honky tonk at the beach Chris Corona tests the offset barbecue smoker at the reimagined SeaSalt Honky Tonk at the Beach on Wednesday (James Carbone) Country music lyrics adorn the walls along with large murals that say “Orange Country” and “Wild Wild West.” “What I’m doing at all the concessions is I’m trying to make great art installations that become photo moments like Tulum does,” said Alicia Cox, a Huntington Beach resident and the founder and chief executive of Prjkt Restaurant Group “I go and visit all these beach cities everywhere and try to bring back cool things I find from them into our community.” who is contracted through the California State Park system to operate several concessions at Bolsa Chica and Huntington state beaches is excited to get the reimagined SeaSalt launched It will feature live country music from up-and-coming and established artists all summer long SeaSalt Honky Tonk at the Beach is located just off the strand at Bolsa Chica State Beach (James Carbone) There will be a bluegrass brunch with bottomless pancakes and mimosas from 9 a.m Food at SeaSalt Honky Tonk at the Beach will be handled by Heritage Barbecue a Michelin Bib Gourmand winner based in San Juan Capistrano Heritage co-founder Daniel Castillo said his team will be serving up tri-tip more California barbecue than Texas barbecue offset smoker and Santa Maria barbecue grill can handle copious amounts of meat Daniel Castillo from Heritage BBQ tests chicken in a rotisserie oven at Sea Salt Honky Tonk at the Beach on Wednesday (James Carbone) “When we first got started I was kind of against anything like this,” Castillo said of the rotisserie smoker adding that it can smoke 100 chickens at a time “But in this particular setting and the type of service that we’re doing and they’re the kitchen operations,” she said It’s a really cool dining offering on the beach and another enhancement to how we’re recreating recreation on state beaches by inviting this higher-echelon culinary partner to be a part of this.” Alicia Cox is the founder and CEO of PRJKT Restaurant Group (James Carbone) Additional touches include a Sunday residency by Redneck Rodeo and Western Family Nights every other Friday by Raul Esperanza Promotions at SeaSalt Honky Tonk at the Beach are curated in partnership with country artist J.T. Harker. For more information, follow on Instagram at @seasaltatthebeach which will open in three weeks at Pacific Kitchen south of SeaSalt will try to create a Puerto Vallarta or Cabo San Lucas experience at Bolsa Chica State Beach with the partnership with California State Parks that we’re creating a cultural epicenter out here that is diverse and unique and defines who we are as Southern Californians,” she said Country music lyrics on the walls at the reimagined SeaSalt Honky Tonk at the Beach. (James Carbone) NewsHuntington Beach Matt Szabo Follow Us Matt Szabo covers the city of Huntington Beach and sports for the Daily Pilot. A Southern California native and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo graduate, he has been working for L.A. Times Community News since 2006 and still loves talking to people about their hopes and dreams. News Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map Rafael Emmanuel Garcia was accused of attacking the man about 11 p.m. Monday at Pacific Coast Highway and First Street, police said. The victim sustained significant facial and head injuries and was rushed to a hospital, police said. Garcia was charged with attempted murder, mayhem and robbery, all felonies, with sentencing enhancements for inflicting great bodily injury on the victim. Garcia did not enter a plea at his arraignment in the jail courtroom in Santa Ana Thursday. His arraignment was rescheduled for May 16 in the West Justice Center in Westminster. City News Service is the nation’s largest regional wire service and is headquartered in Los Angeles. TimesOC The cause of death of the young adult female is not yet known, said Glenn Gray, chief executive of the Laguna Beach-based nonprofit. Employees of the center performed a necropsy of the body on Saturday morning. The whale had no signs of physical injury, Gray said. Such marks are typically seen if a whale is struck by a boat, bitten by a shark or entangled in fishing gear. Science & Medicine Samples from the body have been sent to a lab for testing “We’ll share with the public what we know.” Scientists say gray whales have been dying in large numbers this year At least 70 whales have died since the beginning of the year in the lagoons of Baja California in Mexico, where they go in the winter, according to Steven Swartz, a marine scientist who studies gray whales. The whales are now headed north to their summer feeding grounds in the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions. California Despite recent efforts by marine wildlife experts to reroute the animal to deeper waters three gray whales have died in San Francisco Bay Researchers aren’t sure why higher numbers of whales are dying The bodies of some of the dead whales have appeared depleted and malnourished leading some scientists to believe the problem could be a lack of food who has led the Los Angeles chapter of the American Cetacean Society’s gray whale census at Rancho Palos Verdes since 1979 said the number of whales she and her volunteers have observed migrating north this spring and swimming south this past winter is the lowest on record Earlier this month, a minke whale that spent days swimming in Long Beach Harbor died, despite efforts by marine wildlife experts to reroute it back to deeper waters. Investigators with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration were trying to determine what caused the minke whale’s death. Melody Petersen is an investigative reporter covering healthcare and business for the Los Angeles Times. Send her tips securely on Signal at (213) 327-8634. World & Nation The views expressed here are the author's own Under 21 must be accompanied by a parent.*** STEVEN BEJARANO plays at Old World Biergarten Restaurant in Huntington Beach Restaurant Reservation is highly recommendedSTEVEN BEJARANO plays 6pm – 9pm (Restaurant stage)At: Biergarten Old World California has a passionate love for music that cannot be described through words Steven has played in numerous bands ranging from 80’s to Cumbia’s https://www.youtube.com/c/stevenbejaranomusic Huntington Beach police spokeswoman Jessica Cuchilla confirmed a male pedestrian was declared dead at the scene of the vehicle collision, which happened shortly after midnight. He was identified only as a 45-year-old resident of the city of Stanton. A green Honda CRV driven by a 73-year-old Santa Ana man was traveling north on Beach when it struck the pedestrian in a traffic lane just north of the road’s intersection with Talbert Avenue, according to police. The driver’s name was not made public. The body of an unidentified woman was discovered near Huntington Beach’s Lifeguard Tower No, 8, north of the city pier. Police believe the death was a suicide. (Google Maps) The pedestrian was rendered unconscious from the collision and died by the time paramedics arrived on scene, Cuchilla said. The driver of the vehicle sustained no injuries and remained at the scene to cooperate with investigating officers. It does not appear impairment played a role in the crash, the spokeswoman said. Later Wednesday morning, just before 7:30 a.m., police received another call about a woman’s body discovered on the beach near Lifeguard Tower No. 8, just north of the Huntington Beach Pier, off Pacific Coast Highway, between 8th and 9th streets, according to Cuchilla. No other identifying information was available in the hours immediately following the discovery. Responding officers called the fire department to the scene but canceled the call when the individual was determined to be dead, she said. While no further details about the condition of the body were available Wednesday, police believe the unidentified woman might have taken her own life, Cuchilla reported. “Preliminary investigation indicates it is a suicide — we’re not investigating a crime, we’re not looking for anybody and there is no public safety threat,” she added. As of Wednesday afternoon, the county coroner’s office was not identifying either of the two individuals, pending notification of their next of kin, according to a sheriff’s department spokesman. Sara Cardine covers the city of Costa Mesa for the Daily Pilot. She comes from the La Cañada Valley Sun, where she spent six years as the news reporter covering La Cañada Flintridge and recently received a first-place Public Service Journalism award from the California News Publishers Assn. She’s also worked at the Pasadena Weekly, Stockton Record and Lodi-News Sentinel, which instilled in her a love for community news. (714) 966-4627 LAist is part of Southern California Public Radio, a member-supported public media network. Who is Andrew Gruel? He was a judge on the Food Network's Food Truck Face Off and founder of the fast casual seafood chain Slapfish. He currently owns several restaurants in Orange County. Why it matters: Surf City has positioned itself as the antithesis of California’s liberal state government. The once laid-back beach town is battling with Sacramento over housing, gender identity rules and library censorship, among other fronts. Read on ... for more about Gruel's political vibe. He was a judge on the Food Network's Food Truck Face Off and founder of the fast casual seafood chain Slapfish. He currently owns several restaurants in Orange County. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Chef Andrew Gruel (@andrewgruel) Gruel was a vocal critic of COVID-19 lock downs He says the state opened a labor investigation into his restaurants in retaliation LAist is part of Southern California Public Radio World Subscribers only In Zurich the leaf blower war or the anti-'woke' backlash World Subscribers only Germany's Friedrich Merz is embracing pragmatism World Subscribers only Trump-Carney meeting: Canada seeks reconciliation World Subscribers only Founder of Sant'Egidio community fears next pope could undo Francis's legacy Opinion Subscribers only 'Russian gas and Europe is an old story that ended badly Economy Subscribers only Europe's steel industry flattened by crisis World Subscribers only How European countries plan to fund defense efforts France Subscribers only Macron announces citizens' convention on school schedules France Subscribers only 21 charged over French prison attacks as investigation narrows in on drug 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are revealed Magazine Subscribers only For Jewish cartoonist Joann Sfar 2025."> Pixels Subscribers only Golden Owl solution is revealed but leaves players of 31-year hunt disappointed Pixels Subscribers only Secrets of decades-long Golden Owl treasure hunt to be revealed Lifestyle Inside Chanel's French leather workshops Culture Subscribers only The marvelous bronzes of Angkor on display at the Musée Guimet in Paris FeatureThe Southern California seaside city has become a kind of laboratory for triumphant Trumpism have issued a flurry of decisions touching more on subjects of national controversy than on local issues Anyone wondering where Donald Trump's America is headed could visit Huntington Beach a Southern California city whose council is 100% MAGA "Surf City" – the nickname of this seaside resort town renowned for its waves – has become a kind of laboratory for triumphant Trumpism Members of the Make America Great Again movement have swept all the elected offices but it would be naïve to believe that the culture wars have been buried "We are a microcosm of what's going on in this country a member of the board of the Friends of the Public Library It was happening here even before Trump was elected is an exception in California's primarily Democratic landscape Named after the railroad magnate Henry Huntington the city has always leaned to the right – and even to the far right when the John Birch Society supremacists came to parade here in the 1960s issued a "Declaration of Human Dignity" affirming the city's commitment to tolerance Main Street was given a Hollywood-style makeover with the names of the world's surfing legends engraved on plaques embedded in the sidewalks The pandemic made the city "implode," said Daus "HB" was the center of California's anti-lockdown revolt and the county sheriff refused to enforce state orders an April 2021 demonstration by White Lives Matter nationalists the iconic jetty that juts 563 meters into the Pacific Ocean At the forefront of the anti-mask rebellion was the evangelical Calvary Chapel of the Harbour Church and its pastor who was also seen at the "Stop the Steal" rally against Joe Biden's win in the 2020 election And who now comes to the City Council to congratulate Republican elected officials as if they were his protégés You have 80.67% of this article left to read Lecture du Monde en cours sur un autre appareil Vous pouvez lire Le Monde sur un seul appareil à la fois Ce message s’affichera sur l’autre appareil Parce qu’une autre personne (ou vous) est en train de lire Le Monde avec ce compte sur un autre appareil Vous ne pouvez lire Le Monde que sur un seul appareil à la fois (ordinateur En cliquant sur « Continuer à lire ici » et en vous assurant que vous êtes la seule personne à consulter Le Monde avec ce compte Que se passera-t-il si vous continuez à lire ici Ce dernier restera connecté avec ce compte Vous pouvez vous connecter avec votre compte sur autant d’appareils que vous le souhaitez mais en les utilisant à des moments différents Nous vous conseillons de modifier votre mot de passe Votre abonnement n’autorise pas la lecture de cet article merci de contacter notre service commercial The AVP Huntington Beach Open returns to the main stage as the first Heritage Event of 2025 Huntington Beach has been a mainstay on the AVP schedule and a hotbed for beach volleyball talent Who will take home the hardware this year down in OC Print The monster in the new Huntington Beach Academy for the Performing Arts production of “A Monster Calls” continually bothers young Conor O’Malley if they convey the truth,” the monster tries to reason with Conor at one point the story showcased in the play is one of loss and grief Conor has to cope with the fact that his mom is getting more and more sick and time just goes,” director Jenny McClintock said “A Monster Calls,” based on the 2011 novel by Patrick Ness debuts Thursday night for four shows this weekend at the historic Huntington Beach Union High School District auditorium It will likely be deeply personal for some patrons Lead character Conor (Antonio Lopez) has a conversation with his grandma (Ellison Renton) during a rehearsal scene from the Huntington Beach Academy for the Performing Arts production of “A Monster Calls” on Tuesday (Don Leach / Staff Photographer) Huntington Beach High School sophomore Antonio Lopez who was double-cast as Conor along with Izzy Vosper feels the connection with the character he is portraying before he even knew anything about this production with the things that have happened in my life with this show,” he said “But it’s also been pretty difficult … Throughout the play and he has to deal with the fact that he’s losing her but she’s the one who’s giving him his pain It’s this emotional journey of him trying to let go but also trying so hard to desperately hold onto the things that make him happy.” The two-hour play, presented by the Huntington Beach Academy for the Performing Arts is set in contemporary times then a modern play and now this year’s show The Monster (Benjamin Marshall) talks with Conor (Antonio Lopez) during a rehearsal dream scene from the Huntington Beach Academy for the Performing Arts production of “A Monster Calls” on Tuesday (Don Leach / Staff Photographer) The cycle will repeat again starting next year so that they have that experience going into college,” she said I might be a pupil at your school in one scene and now I’m actually acting out your anger in kind of an abstract ready to be put in formation depending on what the scene calls for who lost her own father to cancer when she was an adult That symbolizes the grief the character Conor is going through as the condition of his mother played by Robin McClure and Bianca Stratta The theme extends to the costume color choices of muted beige and also red Conor is visited each night by a large yew tree that transforms into a monster Cast members rehearse a scene from the Huntington Beach Academy for the Performing Arts production of “A Monster Calls” on Tuesday (Don Leach / Staff Photographer) “For the makeup we tied in a lot of the beige,” said Huntington Beach High senior Alessandra Pham “We usually don’t use such heavy eye shadow on the men Even the boys have all of this gold glitter so it kind of just flows throughout the cast.” aided by her daughter and HBAPA alumna Tara said six professional-grade bald caps were purchased to put on the mother after she undergoes chemotherapy reserved for the show itself rather than rehearsals take 45 minutes to an hour to put on properly a Huntington Beach High junior who was double-cast as the monster along with Benjamin Marshall said she sees the monster as representative of not only Conor’s grief “I like to think of it as Conor in the future trying to tell past Conor that it’s OK to be ashamed with how you feel,” Mullin said you just need to be able to tell the truth Lead character Conor (Antonio Lopez) embraces his mother during a scene from the Huntington Beach Academy for the Performing Arts production of “A Monster Calls” on Wednesday (Don Leach / Staff Photographer) Audrey Cone said the show may be a bit scary but it’s important to see “Not a lot of teens get to see us dealing with grief and just being so open about it,” she said McClintock cast her own twin children as “young Conor.” Part of the show proceeds are going to Fran’s Place Center for Cancer Counseling For tickets to “A Monster Calls,” visit hbapa.org/see. Print Huntington Beach showcased its depth at multiple positions in its postseason opener on Wednesday as the Oilers were largely on the mark no matter who hit from the pins Ben Arguello and Colin Choi combined for 47 kills as Huntington Beach fended off Newport Harbor 25-14 25-21 in the first of three pool-play matches in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 boys’ volleyball playoffs “I think the way we started this match is exactly what we needed to do,” said Hutnick a sophomore outside hitter who had a match-leading 17 kills but I’m really happy with how we did today.” The Huntington Beach boys’ volleyball team celebrates after scoring a point against Newport Harbor on Wednesday (James Carbone) Hutnick bounced a kill to clinch the first set then had a service ace to claim the second set will host the remainder of its matches in pool play The Oilers will face seventh-seeded Redondo Union (27-8) on Tuesday before taking on third-seeded Los Angeles Loyola (27-5) on Saturday Redondo swept Loyola in an upset on Wednesday night Top-seeded Manhattan Beach Mira Costa (29-2) beat Beckman (28-6) in straight sets and Corona del Mar (22-5) swept San Clemente (19-9) as the Mustangs and Sea Kings defended their home courts to begin play in the other group Huntington Beach’s Logan Hutnick (11) spikes the ball against Newport Harbor in a CIF Southern Section Division 1 opener starting for the first time this season as a junior opposite Junior outside hitter Colin Choi added 15 kills Senior libero Aiden Atencio also had 10 digs The Oilers did not feature the middle much on offense although seniors Justin Bulsombut and Nick Ganier each had two block assists Newport Harbor’s Henry Clemo (13) taps the ball over the net against Huntington Beach in a CIF Division 1 playoff game (James Carbone) “We had to take into consideration that their opposite staying consistent and making sure they don’t get runs on us That’s kind of what happened in the third set I just think we didn’t really have the opportunity to run them as much as we’d like I think definitely that’s one of our key strengths.” Huntington Beach coach Craig Pazanti said the Oilers became “pin-centric” on offense largely because of matchups The middle still made an impact with multiple triple-block efforts Newport Harbor’s JP Wardy (11) spikes the ball against the block of Huntington Beach’s Nick Ganier (32) and Kai Gan (7) (James Carbone) “It’s got to be right place or we got to attack good enough to get the ball off the net Definitely saw a few more [triple-block attempts] The percentages of scoring for a high ball they drop tremendously when that third blocker comes up and it allows us to play even that much better defense.” Junior outside hitter JP Wardy had a team-leading 13 kills for Newport Harbor (24-11) Junior setter Charlie Von Der Ahe distributed 42 assists Junior Zachary DeMaio provided eight kills and two block assists and senior Jack Berry produced seven kills and four block assists at middle blocker Senior outside hitter Wyatt Nichols added five kills and two block assists Newport Harbor’s Zachary DeMaio (21) spikes past the block of Huntington Beach’s Justin Bulsombut (2) on Wednesday. (James Carbone) After Huntington Beach clinched the Sunset League title on Newport Harbor’s home floor on April 11 the Sailors rebounded with a strong showing in the Redondo Tournament to earn a spot in the eight-team Division 1 competition The Sailors won seven of their last eight games “The big thing the past couple weeks is we’ve played pretty clean,” Newport Harbor coach Matt Johnson said “I think that’s just the big difference tonight and that’s been the difference of our previous matches and the tournament win The beauty of the pool play is we can still make it Huntington Beach’s Colin Choi (10) tries to spike the ball past Newport Harbor’s Jack Berry (15) and Charlie Von Der Ahe (5) (James Carbone) Also in the CIF Southern Section boys’ volleyball playoffs: San Clemente 0: Junior outside hitter Ben Brown had 13 kills as the Sea Kings swept the visiting Tritons 26-24 25-21 on Wednesday in a pool-play opener of the Division 1 playoffs Junior outside hitter Hunter Hannemann added seven kills and three aces for fourth-seeded CdM Junior middle blocker Jack Robinson had six kills and junior setter Drake Foley handed out 32 assists San Juan Hills 1: Senior opposite Connor McNally had 14 kills 25-21 road win to begin the Division 2 playoffs on Wednesday Junior middle blocker Brent Benson had 13 kills on a 0.684 hitting percentage Senior outside hitter Nathan King added 11 kills Sophomore setter Shane Nguyen tallied 29 assists for Edison (14-16) which plays at home against Mater Dei (23-12-2) on Wednesday May 7 in the quarterfinals of the 16-team bracket Senior libero Nathan Jackson finished with 15 digs and an ace Fountain Valley 0: The visiting Barons fell to the Pacific Coast League-champion Tartans 26-24 25-19 in the first round of the Division 2 playoffs on Wednesday Fountain Valley (21-11) was an at-large selection out of the Sunset League Sage Hill 3, Riverside Hillcrest 0: Senior outside hitter Jackson Cryst had 18 kills and five aces, as the Lightning earned a 25-18, 25-20, 25-16 win at home on Wednesday in the first round of the Division 4 bracket. Sage Hill (15-11) will go on the road to face Pasadena Poly (15-3) on Saturday at 4 p.m. Pacifica Christian Orange County 3, Cerritos 0: Senior Hudson Reynolds had 19 kills, three aces and two blocks to lead the host Tritons to a 25-15, 25-14, 25-21 win on Wednesday in the first round of the Division 6 playoffs. Junior Atticus Graham pounded out 12 kills to go with three aces and three blocks for Pacifica Christian (13-15), which will be at home to face Rancho Cucamonga (19-13) on Saturday. Junior Joaquin Rigdon contributed 28 assists and four blocks. Ocean View 3, Palmdale Aerospace Academy 1: Junior outside hitter Alex McCarrick had 15 kills to pace the top-seeded Seahawks in a 25-21, 18-25, 25-16, 25-13 win to open the Division 7 playoffs at home on Tuesday. Senior opposite An Nguyen produced a dozen kills for Ocean View (16-8), which placed second in the Orange Coast League behind Westminster. Ocean View remains home to face Lakewood (11-10) in the second round on Friday. The Lancers were straight-set winners over Camarillo Beacon Hill in the opening round. Carpinteria 3, Los Amigos 0: Senior Devin Lee had 15 kills and four aces, but the visiting Lobos lost 25-20, 26-24, 25-21 on Wednesday in a Division 8 playoff opener. Junior Andy Phan had nine blocks, and junior Gerardo Espinoza also had four aces for Los Amigos (6-12), which was the third-place finisher in the Grove League. Pasadena Marshall 3, Liberty Christian 0: Sophomore opposite Justin Morgan had six kills and nine digs, but the visiting Minutemen were swept 25-11, 25-16, 26-24 on Tuesday in the first round of the Division 9 bracket. Junior setter Caleb Santa dished out 23 assists for Liberty Christian (12-13), which finished in a tie for second place with Anaheim Acaciawood Academy in the Express League this season. Andrew Turner is a sports reporter for the Daily Pilot. Before joining the Pilot in October 2016, he covered prep sports as a freelancer for the Orange County Register for four years. His work also has been used by the Associated Press and California Rubber Hockey Magazine. While attending Long Beach State, he wrote for the college newspaper, The Daily 49er. He graduated with bachelor’s degrees in journalism and history. (714) 966-4611 Sports The first incident happened shortly after midnight April 16, near Beach Boulevard and Talbert Avenue, when a vehicle traveling northbound on Beach struck a pedestrian who was standing in a traffic lane just north of the intersection, a police spokeswoman reported last week. Todd Anthony Wilkins, 45, was crossing Beach Boulevard, just north of Talbert Avenue, Wednesday when he was struck by a northbound vehicle, police said. (Google Maps) The driver, a 73-year-old Santa Ana man, remained on scene and cooperated with police, who determined impairment did not appear to be a factor in the crash. The pedestrian was identified by coroner’s officials as 45-year-old Todd Anthony Wilkins, according to Sgt. Gerard McCann of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. Although Wilkins had initially been thought to have connections to the city of Stanton, McCann said Tuesday he did not have a fixed residence at the time of the incident. Several hours after the collision, Huntington Beach police received a call about a woman’s body discovered lying on the beach near Lifeguard Tower No. 8 in what appeared to have been a suicide, HBPD spokeswoman Jessica Cuchilla confirmed. The body of an unidentified woman was discovered near Huntington Beach’s Lifeguard Tower No, 8, north of the city pier. Police believe the death was a suicide. (Google Maps) McCann confirmed Friday that coroner’s officials had identified the decedent as a 45-year-old Whittier resident. The cause of death was not yet determined. A second suicide was discovered Monday afternoon in Huntington Beach’s Wieder Park, located on Lynn Lane, where someone heard a gunshot and called police shortly before 4 p.m., according to Cuchilla. “An adult female was located with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, and the gun was located at the scene,” she said Tuesday. The spokeswoman was unable to provide further details about where in the park the incident took place. McCann confirmed the woman had been identified by the coroner’s office as a 56-year-old Huntington Beach resident. Print Huntington Beach will pay out up to $1.15 million to complete an oil well abandonment project but not every member of the conservative City Council is on board with the expenditure The panel voted 6-1 on Tuesday night to approve the additional funds for contractor Excalibur Well Services which has been tasked with abandoning the three oil wells located at the Huntington Beach Civic Center which could bring the project total to about $4 million will allow for the complete abandonment of the third well on the property and will come from the city’s infrastructure fund Excalibur will cover any project costs that exceed the $1.15 million approved this week; the city and Excalibur will split the difference if it comes in under that amount Councilman Don Kennedy was the dissenting vote a rarity with the current makeup of the council that typically votes in lockstep “We started with a $1.1 million not to exceed contract,” Kennedy said we’re about to finish out north of $4 million and I cannot in good conscience support the additional revenue.” Huntington Beach City Council member Don Kennedy shown at a council candidates forum last year (Don Leach / Staff Photographer) During the meeting Kennedy went as far as suggesting the city should look into filing a lawsuit rather than approving the funds requested “I’d be looking for a legal battle,” Kennedy said City Attorney Mike Vigliotta responded that an open session meeting was not the proper venue to discuss litigation Mayor Pat Burns said he believed that mistakes were made but lessons were learned Mayor Pro Tem Casey McKeon said it was a tough situation adding that his agenda item was approved at the previous council meeting to initiate a milestone payment policy and would remove similar issues in contracts going forward remodeling a home or doing construction and opening walls it’s especially challenging when you’re going down 3,000 feet in an old oil well without consistent plans to know what you’re dealing with.” One of the oil wells in the City Hall parking lot has been there since 1924 The city took over the property and operation of the wells in 1971 but eventually decided to plug and abandon them due to increased costs and decreased production Huntington Beach is seeking to complete abandonment of oil wells at City Hall. (Matt Szabo) Huntington Beach seeks alignment with other charter citiesHuntington Beach has often invoked its charter city status in lawsuits about issues including housing and voter identification in recent years have not respected the city’s status as a charter city Burns and McKeon brought forward an item Tuesday night to try to unite Surf City and other charter cities The item directs City Manager Travis Hopkins to implement steps to create a collaborative program “There are several cities that are [charter cities] but they can’t fight the fight,” Burns said Burns said Huntington Beach leaders were approached by the city of Porterville in Tulare County about a possible alliance There are more than 120 charter cities in California. The 10 charter cities in Orange County also include Newport Beach and Seal Beach. Please note that for the next two Wednesday’s editions my colleague Gabriel San Román will be substituting for me as I’ll be out of town I expect to be back here with you on May 14 would require voter approval for any future efforts by the city to outsource operations of the public library At an April 8 press conference in favor of both measures parents decried the City Council’s stance against them “No one should take that right away from me These council members should not be able to do that.” Librarians were first instructed to start moving books that featured “sexual content” early last year after the City Council passed a resolution requiring it The librarians took them from the children’s section to an adult area on the fourth floor of the Central Library the grand total of books deemed necessary to be moved was just eight like the two copies of “It’s Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies and Sexual Health,” as well as two copies of “Will Puberty Last My Whole Life: Real Answers to Real Questions from Preteens About Body Changes Of course there are parents on both sides of this ongoing national disagreement over what materials are appropriate for a library’s children’s section But action undertaken this week by Huntington Beach Councilman Chad Williams who formed his own political action committee to do it disturbed even some who might be planning to vote with him Parents driving their little kids to school on Monday found large campaign signs declaring in bright red letters “Protect our Kids FROM PORN,” underneath which was the message “No on A&B.” The signs were posted near several elementary school campuses “Protect our kids from porn” political sign posted on Pacific Coast Highway and 17th street in Huntington Beach (Don Leach / Daily Pilot) A sample of the reaction from parents can be found in my colleague Matt Szabo’s reporting on this latest volley between the sides “We haven’t even had the sex talk yet,” one mother said after dropping her young daughter off at school How can I explain ‘porn’ without having to go through all of that ...I feel like that’s my responsibility to inform my child She’s a very innocent child to share this information with has blatantly put these signs in her face.” but this is just nothing that was on a parent’s bingo card this morning The most important part of a parent’s job is to keep their children safe and I think that with this short-sighted stunt Chad Williams put our kids’ safety at risk.” A man who voted for Williams and said he shares the councilman’s conservative values, also took issue with the signs. Jason Teter, said in a video posted to social media he was responsible for cutting the word “porn” out of 12 of the signs returning that part of the signs to City Hall He also wrote an email to Williams that he shared with the Daily Pilot stating that the election signs may be legal but he didn’t believe it was right to put the word “porn” in clear sight of children He also told the councilman the signs read “more like a tactic to provoke than a message grounded in conservative values and that’s something I believe we should rise above.” an outspoken proponent of the two measures who has long been a thorn in the side of the current City Council and seems to be calling the city’s bluff about pornographic materials being on any shelves in the city’s library Todd Spitzer to investigate to determine once and for all if that’s really the case “They’re the governing board of the city,” Clayton-Tarvin said of the members of the City Council “If the books in the library are pornography And if it comes back that it’s not pornographic materials Navy SEAL who’s a youth pastor and public speaker defended the signs and use of the word “porn” in an interview Monday “I’m shedding light on the darkness that’s happening,” he told The Pilot ‘All that’s required for evil to triumph is for good men to stand back and do nothing.’ There are those that would like to put their heads in the sand and look the other way pretend it’s not there and not deal with it Then there are those that are willing to take that stand and address it I’m asking all of the responsible adults in the room to take a stand and expose these works of darkness with the truth the countdown to the special election begins at least when it comes to this particular Huntington Beach battle Few would be surprised if there are more are on the horizon the city will seek to board up and shut down for up to a year Royal Grand Inn Royal Roman Motel and El Tapatio restaurant which are near each other and are owned by Kyong Su Kim and Myong Kim have been the subject of more than 1,400 calls for service to the Santa Ana Police Department over the past three years • After a “summer of discontent” for Laguna Beach residents last year, the city held a town hall last week to talk about a new plan of action measures that have been taken to mitigate the negative affects of tourism “We were probably not as prepared as we would have liked to have been for the visitors last year,” the city manager told the crowd that gathered for the meeting • Although he’s a resident of Atherton in NorCal, conservative commentator Steve Hilton and his campaign managers chose to make an announcement Tuesday of his run for governor at Pier Plaza in Huntington Beach, a day after he made the same announcement online He said it’s because he admires the work of its city council who acknowledged she was mourning the loss of her brother Police said Stirling assaulted the officer who pulled him over and managed to take a taser from their belt The motorcyclist tried to use the taser before police shot him Police and the California Department of Justice are investigating the incident who presided over a courtroom in Fullerton before his arrest had been free on $2-million bail and drawing his annual salary of more than $220,000 during his legal proceedings but not hearing cases,” the L.A he faces a sentence of up to 40 years in prison • A man accused of killing his 25-year-old girlfriend in Huntington Beach after she had him evicted from the apartment they’d briefly shared in the summer of 2020 is standing trial this week Craig Charron’s defense attorneys told jurors the woman’s death by stabbing — while she was on a conference call with her mother and her best friend who both heard the victim screaming for him to stop — occurred in the heat of passion and in self defense • A man faces charges of pouring lighter fluid on a relative and attempting to set her on fire as well as threatening another woman with a screwdriver in an Anaheim motel room late Saturday afternoon • KTLA reported that Orange County authorities were searching for three suspects who tried to burglarize the Louis Vuitton store at Fashion Island mall before 4 a.m • Two people died in separate Huntington Beach incidents last Wednesday morning a fatal collision involving a pedestrian near Beach Boulevard at Talbert Avenue and an apparent suicide north of the pier • A recent sting operation found and cited two Newport Beach businesses for selling alcohol to decoy minors, out of eight businesses targeted in the operation Those who sell alcoholic beverages to minors may face a fine up to $1,000 and/or 24 to 32 hours of community service for the first violation the quickest yachts should cross the finish line in Mexico at around 9 or 10 a.m • The Ducks fired coach Greg Cronin Saturday General manager Pat Verbeek said “his team needs a new voice to achieve significant results from its lengthy rebuilding process,” the Associated Press reported in a story picked up by The Times Instead of confirming the team’s 35-37-10 record in their seventh consecutive non-playoff season that caused the firing and they were private conversations that I want to remain private as to why,” Verbeek told the press Other local high school doubles teams slated to compete at Ojai include Roger Geng and Brody Jao of Corona del Mar Caleb Goodman and Andrew Beasley of Huntington Beach Jasper Hine and Matthew Leonard of Newport Harbor and Alex Croitoru and Alexander Park of Sage Hill Local singles participants include Ivan Pflueger (CdM) Alejandro Hill (Marina) and Ryan Honary (Newport Harbor) The site is near the entrance to Disney California Adventure and Disneyland at least 27 million visitors passed through in 2023 who is the only participant to date in the Art-on-a-Box program run by the Fountain Valley Community Foundation and I have talked about that I’m the inaugural artist and I want to see more art out there by more people “The sky’s the limit as far as what could be on those boxes.” Priority is given to artists who live and work in Fountain Valley but it is also open to those who support or have an affiliation with the city The Foundation will work with selected artists to find sponsors to pay for the installation Animals are center stage at South County Pet Expo in Lake Forest (Kevin Fernandez) • South County Pet Expo returns for its eighth year on Saturday at the Lake Forest Sports Park & Recreation Center It’s free to enter and has a “hippie” theme this year of “All They Need is Love.” Parking is also free so guests can park across the street in the Saddleback Church parking lot Event highlights include animals for adoption and HEART 4 Pets’ low-cost mobile vet clinic for dogs and cats needing vaccinations or microchips rodents and other small animals will be available to adopt • The 52nd Newport Beach International Boat Show at the Lido Marina Village begins Thursday, May 1 and runs through Sunday, May 4. Guests can take a look at more than 200 vessels and visit the booths of 150 exhibitors showing off the latest and greatest boating gear. General admission is $30 each day That includes access to the Mercury Racing Garden a pop-up space where visitors can find snacks I appreciate your help in making this the best newsletter it can be. Please send news tips, your memory of life in O.C. (photos welcome!) or comments to carol.cormaci@latimes.com Carol Cormaci is executive editor of Times Community News’ Daily Pilot in Orange County and pens the TimesOC newsletter She is a native Southern Californian and a proud UCLA Bruin She previously served as managing editor of three former Times Community News publications: the Glendale News-Press After a week of testimony, it took the jury roughly two hours to unanimously find 39-year-old Craig Charron guilty of killing Laura Sardinha on Sept. 2, 2020. Her mother, Marie Sardinha, broke into tears as the verdict was announced at the Orange County Superior Courthouse in Santa Ana, before embracing other friends and relatives who were present throughout the trial. The defendant was scheduled to appear for sentencing July 25. He and his attorney, Michael Guisti, had requested a continuance to allow Charron to sort out unrelated business with the Veteran’s Affair’s office, which Senior Deputy Dist. Atty. Janine Madera objected to. “Next of kin and loved ones have waited long enough,” she said. Charron said Sardinha, snuck up behind him and tried to cut his throat with a knife, resulting in a struggle. But prosecutors say the defendant ambushed the victim, then injured himself and manipulated evidence in an effort to gaslight investigators. Guisti, acknowledged his client had been violent and manipulative with Sardinha in the weeks leading up to her killing. He hit her hard enough to perforate one of her ear drums according to a medical exam performed Aug. 16, 2020. The defendant is heard threatening to end their relationship as the victim repeatedly tells him she is in pain in a cellphone video recorded that morning. Later Charron begs Sardinha not to report the incident to authorities in texts sent while she was at the hospital. “Would you be willing to talk to me without calling me names or hitting me?” she wrote in a reply. “... I’m so scared you won’t stop.” But the abuse didn’t end, according to footage recorded in the hours leading up to Sardinha’s killing. She is heard asking Charron to leave her alone over 50 times as he harasses her at 4 a.m. Charron is seen continuing to berate her in videos shot on their patio later that morning. Charron is also heard saying “don’t hurt me” when Sardinha picks up her laptop and walks away from him to go inside. Madera claimed that was an attempt to manipulate potential viewers into believing the defendant was afraid of being harmed by her. The prosecutor also noted Sardinha was 10 inches shorter and over 100 pounds lighter than the defendant. After that exchange Sardinha went to their building’s leasing office to have Charron evicted and the locks to their apartment replaced. When he texted to ask if he could come over to gather his belongings, she referred him to property management. By that afternoon the victim was at home celebrating her freedom from Charron in a conference call with her mother and best friend. That conversation was interrupted at around 1:15 p.m. when Sardinha’s relatives heard her exclaim “Oh my [expletive] God, he’s here,” followed by her screams and the sound of her phone falling to the ground. It’s unclear how Charron got back into the residence. “She fought like hell to her last dying breath,” Madera told jurors. “... Laura was the most powerful witness you heard in this trial.” Blood streaked the walls and floors of their apartment in photos presented during trial. Sardinha was slumped facedown against the jamb of their bathroom door with two fatal stab wounds to the chest as well as numerous cuts to her head and hands. In police body-worn camera footage, Charron was seen lying on the ground in the hallway just around the corner with wounds to his throat and chest. The defendant’s injuries featured several shallow slashes next to a two deeper cuts, one on his neck and another at his heart. His attorney, Michael L. Guisti, claimed those were made by the victim. However, Dr. Nicole Ellis of the Orange County Coroner’s Office testified that the surface lacerations were consistent with what are known as hesitation wounds, suggesting those as well as his most serious injuries were self-inflicted. Guisti challenged Madera’s theory, noting Charron nearly bled out as a result of his injuries. Guisti said it was unreasonable to believe his client could have precisely orchestrated events “just in time to lose his vital signs and die on the floor” before first responders resuscitated him. “They need you to believe my client is a faker,” Guisti said. Madera challenged Charron’s credibility, noting that in previous interviews with police he claimed to have been arguing with Sardinha for about an hour before their violent confrontation. However her mother and best friend testified they heard no such argument while they were on the phone with her immediately prior to the attack. Other witnesses brought to the stand included three women who all filed restraining orders against the defendant after dating him between 2013 and 2017. One of them testified being strangled and struck with a wine bottle in the predawn hours after her birthday in Oct., 2015. At some point during that confrontation, the defendant recorded himself saying the words “Rachel stop hitting me,” Madera said. Guisti pointed out that one of thsoe women admitted hitting his client. Charron testified during trial, and said what past lovers had characterized as violent episodes were rough sex or otherwise misunderstandings. Madera noted that he claimed to have no recollection of critical events and refused to review transcripts provided to refresh his memory when questioned during cross examination about inconsistencies he presented in his interviews with police. Guisti said Charron was in a hospital, intubated, taking medication for pain and recovering from injuries, all of which would have impacted his memory. Marie Sardinha recalled confusion and asking her daughter “who’s here?” followed by horror as violence unfolded on the other end of the line. The victim’s mother called police then immediately drove from her home in Long Beach to her daughter’s apartment in Huntington Beach. But by the time she arrived, Laura Sardinha had already been killed. At some point during the attack two calls were sent from the victim’s phone. One resulted in a voicemail in which she is heard “narrating a portion of her own murder.” About a week later the recording appeared in Shaina Smith’s inbox. Smith is Laura Sardinha’s best friend of 21 years. Loved ones said Laura Sardinha loved to cook, but had trouble using a knife following a motorcycle crash in 2019. Smith described her as a typically outgoing and happy person. But she stopped hearing from her friend as much and noticed a change in her demeanor shortly after she started dating the defendant about two months before she was killed. Eric Licas covers Newport Beach for the Daily Pilot. He previously was a crime and public safety reporter and, before that, spent four years as a staff writer with the Orange County Register and the Southern California News Group. He has been on the ground to cover active wildfires, civil unrest and mass shootings. He was born in the Philippines, raised in the San Fernando Valley and is a Cal State Northridge alumnus. Debbie McGuire, executive director, told LAist they haven’t seen this many animal patients dealing with domoic acid toxicity in nearly 20 years. “ Our staff is very tired because they're working overtime and extra hours. ... We’re just overwhelmed,” she said. The center has taken in at least 125 pelicans over the past month, and some have been incredibly sick. They’re being treated with IV fluids, blood tests and anti-seizure medication, if needed, but not all recover. Staffers are “doing as much as they can, and the animal still might pass away,” McGuire said. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center (@wetlandswildlifecarecenter) then these chicks were left there to fend for themselves and probably leaving the nest a little early not learning the art of the hunt from the adults,” she said “They're coming in by the dozens right now.” The Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center is waiting on test results to see if those birds are also dealing with domoic acid toxicity The center needs both volunteers and donations to help keep up with the influx of animals They’re also seeking veterinary students and people with wildlife rehabilitation experience who can come give the staff a much-needed break “We have to raise a lot of money every year to keep the operation going we wouldn't be able to keep doing what we're doing,” she said “I want to make sure everybody knows how grateful and thankful we are for that." Print A day after its bats carried it to a critical win at Los Alamitos the Huntington Beach softball team hosted Marina in a battle for Sunset League title aspirations The Oilers’ victory over the Griffins had forged a three-way tie in the loss column at the top of the league a trio that also included the Vikings each having two losses to their league ledger Huntington Beach continued to take control of its own destiny three-run home run by Morgan Drotter in the sixth inning turning Tuesday’s game on its head in a 3-2 win over the visiting Vikings Huntington Beach pitcher Juliette Foultz (7) delivers a pitch against Marina in a Sunset League softball game on Tuesday (James Carbone) “There’s something special with this group here,” Huntington Beach coach Jeff Forsberg said a 9-4 final at Los Alamitos in which the Oilers had 16 hits appeared to be stymied by Marina right-hander Mia Valbuena 5-2 in the Sunset League) left the bases loaded in the second inning Valbuena escaping the jam with a strikeout of Willow Kellen The Oilers had just two hits through five innings Then their power hitters — third baseman Tea Gutierrez and first baseman Bree Carlson — bounced ground balls through the infield with one out Marina pitcher Mia Valbuena (34) struck out seven batters against Huntington Beach in a Sunset League game on Tuesday (James Carbone) Valbuena struck out the next batter the Vikings ace quickly got two strikes on the Oilers’ shortstop Drotter then got an inner-half offering and lifted it to left field the ball landed on the solar panels in the parking lot beyond the fence The Oilers ran out of the dugout to celebrate with their teammates as they crossed home plate when I got my second strike and I swung and missed I don’t even know if I can do this,’ but I know that they have my back and that means the whole world to me,” said Drotter Huntington Beach third baseman Tea Gutierrez (45) throws out Marina’s Courtney Hames (3) as first baseman Bree Carlson (86) catches the ball (James Carbone) Valbuena was dominant outside of that moment The Michigan commit allowed six hits and a walk “She’s definitely the best pitcher we face in league “I have a lot of respect for Mia and Marina and I think just coming out and being together was the most important thing 6-3) had the leadoff batter reach base in the fifth Eva Mazzotti singled to right field with the runner in scoring position Marina’s Ava Kim (2) scores the first run of the game in a Sunset League softball game at Huntington Beach on Tuesday (James Carbone) Gutierrez charged a weak ground ball at third for the second out and left fielder Sienna Shortle plucked a line drive off the bat of Liz Byer out of the air to save at least one run it was Maryland-bound catcher Gabby DiBenedetto’s turn to advance the runner with a sacrifice bunt in the top of the sixth run-scoring single; Halle Piramo followed with a double to score another run “That’s all we can do is ask for the kids to do their best and battle and compete Marina’s Halle Piramo (23) makes a play in left field against Huntington Beach in a Sunset League softball game on Tuesday needing to get just six more outs with its ace twirling a gem in the circle “When a pitcher is dominating a team like Mia was dominating this team their job in the later innings is just get the ball in play,” Hay said “Those balls that went in the 3-4 hole and up the middle they could have been 6 feet to the right or left They just happened to have eyeballs on them.” Marina third baseman Kimmie McDonnell (5) drops a pop-up but does get the out at second base against Huntington Beach (James Carbone) In a most important of weeks in the Sunset League softball standings Huntington Beach has earned two signature wins that have given it the inside track to the title The Oilers have a doubleheader remaining against Newport Harbor (10-14 closing the regular season at Edison (11-13 before finishing with back-to-back games against Newport Harbor next week Huntington Beach’s Bree Carlson (86) connects for a hit in the sixth inning against Marina in a Sunset League softball game. (James Carbone) SportsHuntington Beach Sports Andrew Turner Follow Us Print Steve Hilton made it clear early in his comments Tuesday morning why he chose Huntington Beach to launch his California gubernatorial bid for 2026 The 55-year-old Republican podcaster and former Fox News host said he admired the way current city leaders flipped the City Council from majority Democrat to all Republican in a matter of a few of years “Here’s why we’re here,” he said during a rally at Pier Plaza “The spirit of Huntington Beach is going to be the spirit that saves our beautiful state of California and makes this state truly golden again “Don’t let anyone tell you that we can’t change California,” he added, referring to the current council as the “MAGA-nificent Seven.” “This city shows us how we can.” Huntington Beach City Councilman Andrew Gruel introduces Steve Hilton during Tuesday’s rally who had announced he was running on Monday The commentator hopes to be making Sacramento home by 2027 throwing his hat into the ring of a crowded governor race alongside fellow Republican Chad Bianco a Riverside County sheriff known for defying state mandates during the coronavirus pandemic Democrats who have declared for the race include Toni Atkins Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa state Democratic Party vice-chair Betty Yee and Michael Younger Republicans have not been elected to a statewide office since Arnold Schwarzenegger won a second term in 2006 Steve Hilton waves the California state flag after announcing he will be running in the 2026 California governor race like the marine layer threatening to come in and blot out the sun that we have here today,” Hilton said before mentioning the former vice president’s name to a chorus of boos from the crowd “It’s always about her … She says she is ‘intrigued’ by the prospect of being the first Black woman governor in America leading the greatest state in the greatest nation on earth is not some consolation prize to be handed out to a failed and rejected machine politician from Washington who can barely string a coherent sentence together and who thinks she should get this job because of her identity Hilton also held a video call at the rally with Vivek Ramaswamy a 2024 presidential candidate currently running for governor of Ohio Steve Hilton announces he will be running for the 2026 California governor race during a rally Tuesday in Huntington Beach. (James Carbone) The rally had a decidedly Huntington Beach feel. Newly appointed Council member and celebrity chef Andrew Gruel served as the emcee while Council members Gracey Van Der Mark and Chad Williams also gave remarks Tony Strickland, the former member of the City Council who was elected to state Senate District 36 via a special election in February also appeared via a prerecorded video message and said he was a co-chair of Hilton’s campaign “Let’s turn California around and make it the golden state it once was Supporters listen as Republican podcaster and former Fox News host Steve Hilton announces Tuesday that he will be running for California governor. (James Carbone) NewsHuntington Beach Matt Szabo Follow Us Print Surf City USA will not be hosting surfing as the Olympic Games return to Southern California in 2028 despite its aspirations to be on the world’s stage during the event LA28 announced Tuesday the surf competition will be held at Lower Trestles Beach south of San Clemente Long Beach has been awarded beach volleyball at Alamitos Beach, with Huntington Beach again bypassed after LA28 failed to reach an agreement with Santa Monica is seen as offering a more consistent wave The World Surf League Finals have been held there each of the last four years Huntington Beach’s Kanoa Igarashi celebrates winning the ISA World Surfing Games individual men’s final at Huntington Beach Pier in 2022 Despite hosting several international competitions in recent years Surf City was not selected to host surfing at the LA28 Olympics (File photo) ISA President Fernando Aguerre said in a statement that he believed Lower Trestles was the right choice to host Olympic surfing “Following the amazing success of surfing in Teahupo’o [Tahiti in the 2024 Summer Olympics] and in talking to many of the world’s athletes had to feature the best performance waves,” Aguerre said “There is no doubt that location is Trestles We would like to thank the LA28 leadership team and the International Olympic Committee for their understanding and support of the best conditions for the athletes.” Beach volleyball went to Long Beach, becoming the city’s 11th sport it will host for LA28. Long Beach is the closest venue to Huntington Beach for LA28. That city will also host coastal rowing, sport climbing, target shooting, handball, rowing, canoe sprint, sailing, marathon swimming, water polo and artistic swimming. Miller added that his organization will be working closely with officials to provide training opportunities for thousands of athletes preparing for LA28. Anaheim is the only other Orange County venue location selected by LA28, as indoor volleyball will be held at Honda Center. Print Local grassroots organization Protect Huntington Beach has sued the city over the approval of an extravagant months-long multimedia light show in Central Park A petition for writ of mandate filed Thursday in Orange County Superior Court alleges the city violated the California Environmental Quality Act when it approved a license for Flowers of the Sky, LLC to operate the Symphony of Flowers. The show would be on more than six acres of land in the northeastern corner of Central Park East on Thursdays through Sundays for about six months of the year It would be expected to draw 900 visitors per show though up to 2,000 could be accommodated in the bleachers Huntington Beach would be guaranteed to receive at least $150,000 a year from the operator over a three-year period The Protect HB suit notes the project relies on a master environmental impact report for Central Park from 1999. The City Council unanimously approved it on an addendum to that report in February However, a letter to the city from the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, sent March 7, raises questions over whether that addendum is sufficient and disputes its findings that the Symphony of Flowers would have either no impact or a less than significant impact in several environmental areas the letter states the Department of Fish and Wildlife disagrees that lighting generated from the project will be insignificant since the addendum doesn’t conduct a quantitative lighting analysis to support that determination “The addendum states that lighting will be directed away from sensitive habitat but does not incorporate a study of illumination levels light spill or spectral composition,” reads the letter environmental program manager of the South Coast Region The letter also expresses concerns about several birds that could be impacted Protect HB co-founder Cathey Ryder said Thursday it was not her intent to be engaged in litigation against the city, but many residents have reached out asking how they could stop the light show or make changes. “When you finally hear from enough citizens, we felt like this was just an action we had to take,” Ryder said. “It’s not that I’m opposed to them looking for ways to raise funds, but this is not a good use of our park land ... If they don’t want to listen to us, then this is how we get their attention, I guess.” Huntington Beach Deputy City Manager Jennifer Carey said the city had not received the lawsuit as of Thursday afternoon. Mayor Pat Burns, reached via phone, declined to comment until he was more familiar with the lawsuit’s contents. Ryder said the council ignored a public outcry and did not take steps like offering town hall meetings to discuss the light show. “Our main claim is that they violated CEQA, and that became obvious to us when we saw that letter from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife,” Ryder said. “If this is something they’re determined to have, let’s pick another location or truly make sure that they can mitigate all of the things that need to be mitigated.” Protect HB member Gina Clayton-Tarvin, the Ocean View School District Board of Trustees clerk, said she successfully sued the city twice in the past as board president over CEQA issues. “This should have been a full blown, brand new EIR,” she said. “When you look at the impacts [the show] could have on the bald eagle, specifically, it’s very, very concerning.” Print Spencer Parker has never seen so many dolphin strandings in his more than 20 years as an L.A only twice had he seen them come ashore before this year County lifeguards have begun taking mental health days off to cope with the devastation as an algae bloom is poisoning and killing marine life from San Diego to Santa Barbara “We’re human beings and we have feelings and we care about marine life — that’s one of the reasons we chose this profession,” said Parker a captain in the county Fire Department’s lifeguard division “When these dolphins and sea lions come to shore and they’re still alive we do our best to make them comfortable and sometimes it doesn’t work out and that takes a toll.” The worst of the algae bloom’s damage appears to be in Los Angeles and Ventura counties where some experts wonder if runoff from January’s firestorms has made the bloom worse According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration the first effects of the bloom began to show up off the coast of Malibu around Feb the bloom’s impact on wildlife including sea lions and dolphins has been “the worst thing we’ve ever seen and had to respond to .. and there’s no end in sight,” said John Warner chief executive of the Marine Mammal Care Center in San Pedro A member of a team from the West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network examines a minke whale found dead in Long Beach Harbor recently The responders are covered by a NOAA Fisheries permit to approach marine mammals (NOAA Fisheries / West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network) Algal blooms can form due to low water circulation or after weather events like droughts floods or hurricanes and can quickly proliferate in warm particularly if it’s loaded with phosphorus and nitrogen killing marine life and harming commercial fisheries and poison the food chain for animals such as sea lions The bloom currently wreaking havoc off the coast produces a neurotoxin called domoic acid which accumulates in small fish like sardines and anchovies The small fish are then eaten in large quantities by marine life Ingesting domoic acid from harmful algal blooms can cause animals to have seizures, crane their heads in a motion known as “stargazing,” or become comatose. Without warning, they can also become aggressive and lunge and bite According to the California Ocean Protection Council Animals are arriving in “horrendous shape” and with a high mortality rate compared with years past There, along the county’s coastline, lifeguards may be the first ones to spot the bloom’s latest victim. Warner said those discoveries, sometimes multiple ones in a day, take a toll. “Lifeguards are breaking down crying on the beach,” he said. “This isn’t something they signed up for. They simply don’t have the resources to respond to this in a manner that would be humane and at the readiness levels that we all want to do and the public expects.” Mary Blake gives a brown pelican fluids. The bird had been found ailing at a residence in Huntington Beach. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) Experts say it’s difficult to know when the bloom, which occurs every three to seven years, will subside. Across Southern California, tens of thousands of marine animals, including marine birds, have been affected. In Warner’s view, the severity of the bloom is a warning sign about the effects of human-caused climate change. “This is the end of the debate about whether climate change is real,” Warner said. “There is nothing else that can explain this and I hope that is sinking in.” In the coming weeks, rescuers are waiting to see if a group of humpback whales feeding in an algae bloom hotspot near the Channel Islands will become sick and come to shore. The strip of land along Pacific Coast Highway between Goldenwest Street and Seapoint Street has been dedicated to oil and gas production for close to 100 years the company that owns the land wants to redevelop it Don’t expect to see homes there anytime soon A spokesperson for the landowner estimated the City Council could consider the proposed amendment in mid-2026 If they get approval from the council and the Coastal Commission there are dozens of active oil wells and other oil production facilities on the land that would have to be phased out and cleaned up Print Patricia Singer is the president of the Ocean View School District school board but she doesn’t believe the fight over Huntington Beach Public Library issues is about politics at all Singer was one of the speakers Tuesday afternoon at a press conference outside the Central Library organized by advocates from Our Library Matters a political action committee urging Surf City residents to vote “yes” on two ballot measures that will be decided in a special election on June 10 Measure B would require voter approval for any future efforts to outsource operations of the public library Ocean View School District President Patricia Singer OVSD Trustee Gina Clayton-Tarvin and Huntington Beach City School District President Diana Marks make comments during a press conference at Huntington Beach Central Library on Tuesday (Don Leach / Staff Photographer) Singer said the conservative City Council approved the plan for the review board from a place of political retaliation “The reality is this — I am a mom,” she said “I don’t want anyone selecting the books my children read [The council members] keep saying they’re protecting parents’ rights “My role as a parent is to review what she’s reading and make sure I answer appropriate questions No one should take that right away from me Singer’s school board colleague Gina Clayton-Tarvin was also among the speakers president of the Huntington Beach City School District Board of Trustees and children’s librarian Lindsay Klick The press conference was held three days after the 50th anniversary of the Central Library’s dedication ceremony Supporters of Our Library Matters take a group picture during a press conference at Huntington Beach Central Library on Tuesday (Don Leach / Staff Photographer) Klick who said she has worked in Orange County libraries for more than 15 years selects the children’s and teen materials for her branch knowledge of my collection and through interaction with my community,” she said I know that while my values may differ from my neighbors the library should still provide us both with the same level of service.” after the conservative council passed a resolution demanding it an Ocean View School District board member makes a point backed by supporters on Tuesday (Don Leach / Staff Photographer) A review of that restricted area on Tuesday found eight books There were two copies of “It’s Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies and Sexual Health,” as well as two copies of another title “Will Puberty Last My Whole Life: Real Answers to Real Questions from Preteens About Body Changes these books were very relevant to her family and should not be in a restricted area this is shaming of girls for going through natural things like puberty,” she said and for parents that feel like they’re going to have to make a trek up there just to deal with their [childrens’] own bodies.” Mayor Pro Tem Casey McKeon and Councilwoman Gracey Van Der Mark crafted the written argument against Measure A which calls the review board a “transparent Lindsay Klick makes comments backed by supporters during a press conference at Huntington Beach Central Library on Tuesday (Don Leach / Staff Photographer) “This is about choice,” their argument reads “The community deserves a voice in shaping their children’s education and maintaining the right to instill values that align with their community values especially in public libraries paid for by the Huntington Beach residents and taxpayers.” But Singer noted that Ordinance No. 4318 doesn’t require any qualifications for members of the review board including a master’s degree or any sort of educational background She added that her district’s families should be able to dictate what comes into their homes Measure B advocates have said there’s nothing stopping LSS or another for-profit company from coming forward again. But council members have continued to say that they were simply looking for operational efficiency in every department, in the face of looming budget deficits. “The City Council must retain the ability to pursue all options to manage our libraries in order to slow or prevent budget crisis,” the argument against Measure B reads. “The council is elected by the residents of Huntington Beach to make these financial decisions that are in the best interest of the community.” This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page in a legal challenge to the city’s new voter ID law Huntington Beach Mayor Pat Burns issued a statement calling the ruling “a huge victory not only for our City but charter cities throughout the State … We will not back down in our efforts to secure local control over our local issues and will continue to fight for the City.” Both Secretary of State Shirley Weber and Attorney General Rob Bonta issued statements blasting the decision “Access to the ballot box is a key component of our democracy.” Bonta added that “we look forward to moving on and appealing the decision We remain confident that Measure A will ultimately be struck down.” Huntington Beach’s voter ID rule is set to go into effect in 2026 but the city has yet to specify whether or how it would implement it Print In less than one month Huntington Beach voters will receive ballots in the mail for a critical citywide special election on June 10 The outcome of this election will determine how our city’s popular five-branch library system will operate going forward It is vital that Huntington Beach residents vote YES for Measures A and B to protect our public library from hare-brained and dangerous MAGA policies the Huntington Beach City Council has tried to seize control of our public library by creating a polarizing MAGA commemorative sign for our Central Library’s 50th anniversary establishing a committee with political appointees who determine what books are in our library and flirting with privatization of the library’s efficiently run operations These policies mimic what President Trump is doing on a national level President Trump defunded the Institute of Museum and Library Services which provides essential grants to libraries throughout the country The state of California has lost millions in previously approved funding for the 2024-2025 fiscal year that would have supported children reading programs for veterans and work-readiness programs Huntington Beach residents do not agree with MAGA anti-library policies They view our library as a community anchor that not only maintains an extensive collection but also provides a wide range of services such as free WiFi and a computer lab To safeguard the integrity of our award-winning public library and preserve access to vital community resources for citizens and their families I eagerly await voting YES for both these measures This special election is exactly what the MAGA Huntington Beach City Council wanted so they could continue their drive to privatize the library and ban all books they consider obscene even those books dealing with potty training because of the subject matter Trump placed his sidekick Elon Musk in charge of reducing the federal work force supposedly to eliminate fraud and corruption although there has been no proof of such fraud and corruption From essential library services for people with disabilities to summer reading programs for families workforce readiness and opportunities to earn online high school diplomas — our city council will not object to any of this and welcomes the library budget cuts Showing support for NMUSD school board candidate I am writing to express my support for Andrea McElroy’s candidacy for the Newport-Mesa School Board. As the candidate endorsed by the Newport Beach Police and Fire Associations, Andrea brings a unique perspective with a commitment to our community’s values and the importance of school safety. Andrea’s focus on academic excellence is exactly what our schools need. She understands that our children deserve a top-notch education centered on core subjects. Her dedication to parental rights ensures that families will have a voice in their children’s education, and a commitment to the partnership between schools and the community. Importantly, Andrea is committed to keeping the culture wars out of our classrooms. Our schools should be places of learning, not battlegrounds for ideological debates. With Andrea on the school board, we can trust that the focus will remain on preparing our students for success. I urge voters to support Andrea McElroy for NMUSD school board. Her priorities align with the needs of our students and families, and her endorsements reflect her strong ties to our community. As a grandmother of two Area 5 students in the Newport-Mesa Unified School District, I am voting for Andrea McElroy in the upcoming special election. I trust her to make policy decisions that prioritize student achievement and well-being. Andrea believes schools should never withhold information from parents. She is determined to safeguard the vital parent-child relationship and maximize transparency between parents and schools about their children. Additionally, Andrea stands out as the only candidate endorsed by both the Newport Beach Police and Fire associations. A school district’s primary responsibility is to provide a safe learning environment for our children, and Andrea’s public safety endorsements demonstrate she is the most qualified to fulfill this duty. Their partnership with our schools is critical and Newport Beach Police and Fire trust Andrea’s dedication to public safety. In the end, a school board trustee’s responsibility is setting and maintaining sound policies — not attending school events or knowing lots of school employees. I trust Andrea McElroy with my vote because she will enhance educational quality, keep our kids safe and maximize parental access to information about their children. Opinion Print A 37-year-old transient was sentenced Friday to 30 years to life in prison by an Orange County Superior Court judge who said if he could he would have punished the defendant even more for killing a homeless woman and then decapitating her and burying her in the backyard of his family’s Huntington Beach home Antonio Padilla was convicted Feb. 18 of second-degree murder in the June 30, 2022, killing of 60-year-old Regina “Gina” Marie Lockhart. Lockhart was a “well-known transient” in the city, Senior Deputy Dist. Atty. Janine Madera told jurors in her opening statement of Padilla’s trial. “She frequented Beach Boulevard and Slater Avenue,” Madera added. “She was a veritable fixture.” Orange County Superior Court Judge Gary Paer declined a request from defense attorney Daniel Kim of the Orange County Public Defender’s Office to not consider a prior strike for Padilla in sentencing. Paer noted the defendant was convicted of a violent felony and that the prior conviction was 11 years ago, so it was not “extremely remote. ... And that prior strike was one of violence.” The prior strike conviction was a felony assault, but Madera said he also “split the head open of his mother,” but it wasn’t reported. Padilla’s crime showed a “high degree of cruelty” and it was done while he was on probation, Paer said. Paer said he would not consider probation for Padilla, whom he described as a “frequent flier in the criminal justice system” and who had been imprisoned three times before. “I view Mr. Padilla as a threat to public safety,’’ Paer said. “If I had more time to give him, I would give him more time. I view him as dangerous. Hopefully, he’ll be off the streets for a very long time and we won’t have to worry about him killing someone again, cutting off their heads and burying them.” Padilla has 1,000 days of credit behind bars awaiting sentencing. Paer even wrestled with how to handle Padilla’s probation terms for “shooting up” the Huntington Beach police station with a pellet gun. Paer wanted to handle the probation violation so that he would still be liable for restitution to the police. “There’s no good reason to let him slide on that,” Paer said. Paer also noted how “vulnerable” the victim was given her difference in size with the defendant. She was 5-foot-4 and weighed only 70 pounds, according to Madera. She was also an alcoholic who visited the local emergency room multiple times before her death, Madera said. She sought treatment for alcohol poisoning and injuries from falls, she added. Lockhart was in “regular phone contact” with her mother, Donna Ashbaugh, Madera said in the trial. She had a boyfriend, Rick Bernhardt, who was also homeless, the prosecutor added. Lockhart was last seen on surveillance video about 9 a.m. the day of her death at Primo Liquor, at a Walgreens and a Chevron station, Madera said. Emilia Martinez Jaramillo, who worked in a taco food truck, saw Lockhart about 4:30 p.m. that day, Madera said. Lockhart appeared to be in distress, so Jaramillo “asked her if she needed any help and the victim kept walking” away, Madera said. Padilla was also a transient and would sometimes flop at his parents’ backyard shed for their double-wide trailer home at 7850 Slater Ave., near Beach Boulevard, Madera said. Padilla’s mother, Rosario Cendejas, began noticing a fetid odor around the shed on the July Fourth weekend, according to Madera. The defendant’s sister, Lolita Guevara, who also lived in the family’s mobile home, started sniffing the foul odor around July 7 or July 8. She also noticed about that time that her brother had shaved his head, Madera said. In her closing argument, Madera said the body had to have been hidden before it was buried. It was probably hidden for about 10 to 11 days before he buried it, according to Madera. “It might have been that he hid her in that trash can, possibly behind the dryer,” Madera said. “And only the defendant was strong enough to move the dryer.” The large dryer would have obscured the trash can from his family, Madera argued. The victim was hog-tied to fit her in the trash can, Madera said. On July 10, the defendant’s mother saw him digging a hole in the backyard and also heard “loud noises” in the metal shed, Madera said. The defendant was attempting to fill the hole with concrete and the smell worsened. When Padilla’s mother questioned him about maggot-infested bloody blankets he was holding, he “threatened her,” prompting Cendejas to call 911, Madera said. When officers responded and checked the backyard, they told Padilla’s mother and sister the source of the foul smell was probably a dead animal and advised them to clean the shed. Cendejas went to work on cleaning the shed, using bleach on the ground that wiped out some forensic evidence, but investigators were later able to recover the victim’s DNA on it, Madera said. The defendant’s mother also found a patch of scalp with hair that was from the victim. Cendejas also found some old Vans shoes missing laces, the prosecutor said. She again called police on July 16 and when she told officers about her son’s digging, they began investigating and “unearthed the body,” Madera said. Lockhart was hog-tied with the shoelaces “and she had been decapitated,” Madera said. “Her head was found underneath her body.’” Investigators found a knife in the shed that had the DNA of the defendant and the victim, Madera said. The decapitation was a “clean cut,” meaning the head was slashed off without “hesitation,” Madera said. Investigators believe the victim was decapitated and hog-tied after she had died, Madera said. The pathologist who examined the body ruled out natural causes for the death such as liver disease and other maladies associated with alcoholism, Madera said. The pathologist could not rule out suffocation or strangulation as possible causes of death. The beheading made it difficult for the experts to determine if the victim had been choked to death, Madera said. When police questioned Padilla, he was dishonest and “tried to distance himself from the shed,” and “denied smelling any odor” and “denied talking to his mother about the odor,” Madera said. The defendant’s sister, Lolita Guevara, last year told investigators she recalled hearing “screaming” from someone with a “raspy voice” before the awful smell surfaced, Madera said. “The sound was quickly muffled,” Madera said. “She was so upset, she circled the date on her calendar and told her husband about it.” But she didn’t tell investigators about it when the body was found, Madera said. On March 12, 2024, the defendant posted crime scene photos of the victim’s head and decapitated body on his jail cell “as a trophy,” Madera said. Dr. Aruna Singhania of the Orange County coroner’s office listed the cause of death as “undetermined,” Kim said during the trial. “She noted no signs of struggle, no signs of external trauma” on the body, Kim said. Lockhart’s “health was deteriorating,” Kim said. In one of her hospital visits prior to her death, she suffered seizures for two minutes and had to be stabilized with medication before her release, Kim said. She sought aid for alcohol poisoning and overdose on June 24, 2022, Kim said. Lockhart was back in an emergency room again on June 25 and June 26, 2022, Kim said. In the last surveillance video to capture footage of the victim, she was seen toting two liters of vodka, Kim said. When the food truck employee saw her, she was clutching her stomach in pain. Print A desirable stretch of oceanfront land in Huntington Beach could switch from an oil and gas production complex to housing Energy company California Resources Corp. (formerly Occidental Petroleum’s California operations) has announced it has applied to rezone its 92-acre property which runs from Goldenwest Street to Seapoint Street on the inland side of Pacific Coast Highway C.R.C.’s proposal seeks to transform the 1.2-mile long site from industrial use into space featuring up to 800 residential units “The goal of this project is to shape the future of the property with the evolving needs of the local community,” said Bob Grundstrom C.R.C.’s senior vice president of business development “We recognize the importance of thoughtful growth and understand the community’s concerns about high-density housing — and that’s not what this is By transitioning the property from an industrial site to a mixed-use community we’re not only creating housing and economic opportunities but also ensuring that this coastal asset serves residents and visitors for generations to come.” said the company wants to build up to 800 residential units on about 53 acres of the property They would be a mixture of single-family detached homes with 10% complying with affordable housing policies The space would also include up to 350 hotel rooms on approximately 16 acres which would also feature retail and dining options The remaining 23 acres would be open space proposes to amend the city’s Palm/Goldenwest specific plan which currently designates 94% of the property for commercial uses The Long Beach-based company’s application also includes updates to Huntington Beach’s general plan and local coastal program The California Coastal Commission would have to approve any change of the local coastal program The Huntington Beach Planning Commission and City Council also need to sign off on the rezoning existing oil and gas facilities would be removed and the site would be restored for future development,” Patel said in an email “We will work closely with the city of Huntington Beach and other relevant agencies to ensure that all environmental and regulatory standards are met throughout the remediation and redevelopment process.” Patel added that development is not expected to begin for several years will continue to provide energy resources at the site in the meantime The development news comes months after the previous council unanimously approved the Magnolia Tank Farm Project, which would also be on the site of a former oil pumping and storage facility in southeast Huntington Beach. Print Donald Shipley and Shirley Dettloff may have served as mayors of Huntington Beach about three decades apart but each played key roles in preserving the space now known as the Shipley Nature Center wanted a place to reflect on what California was like 100 years ago when he served on the Huntington Beach City Council in the 1960s and ‘70s Shipley Nature Center opened in 1974, but closed in 2002 due to budget cuts. That’s when Dettloff, fresh off serving on City Council, summoned others interested in preserving the nature center. The group, which became the nonprofit Friends of Shipley Nature Center helped reopen the 18-acre space to the public Pictures of former Huntington Beach Mayor Shirley Dettloff on display at the Interpretive Center at the Shipley Nature Center on Wednesday. (Don Leach / Staff Photographer) Dettloff, who died in April 2024 at the age of 89 was honored Wednesday at the very space she fought so hard to preserve the city held a ceremony to name the interpretive center there as the Shirley Dettloff Interpretive Center “She has received a lot of honors … but this one would be special to her,” said Dettloff’s husband I’ve got to go down and open up Shipley.’ Or ‘I’ve got to go down and close Shipley.’ That was how deep she was involved.” Dettloff’s work at the Shipley Nature Center was just part of her environmental legacy. She was a founding member and executive director of the Amigos de Bolsa Chica conservation group staying on that board of directors until she died She also served on the California Coastal Commission Leipzig and Dettloff raced down to the beach becoming the coordinators for the volunteer response program “We were not allowed to clean the beaches,” Leipzig said “But we were allowed to gather bird life that was injured by the oil spill and bring it to the fledgling rehab center that later became the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center of Huntington Beach one of the most important wildlife response centers in Southern California.” receives a certificate of recognition from Huntington Beach Mayor Pat Burns during a renaming ceremony for the Shipley Nature Center Interpretive Center to the Shirley Dettloff Interpretive Center on Wednesday (Don Leach / Staff Photographer) Leipzig said Dettloff touched the lives of every Surf City resident with her contributions to preserving the environment Friends of Shipley Nature Center President John Scandura and past president Kay Goddard also gave remarks at Wednesday’s ceremony as did former Huntington Beach director of community and library services Chris Slama former council member Natalie Moser and Mayor Pat Burns started tearing up when saying she missed Dettloff’s voice in her ear shown addressing the Huntington Beach City Council in 2023 alongside Elaine Keeley daughter of former Councilmember Ralph Bauer (James Carbone) “It wasn’t about her it was always about community,” Moser said Dettloff and fellow former Mayor Ralph Bauer helped form the city’s Declaration of Policy on Human Dignity in 1996 The policy was created after the 1994 murder of a Black man and the 1996 attempted murder of a Native American both crimes committed in Huntington Beach by white supremacists Two years ago, Dettloff spoke out during public comments before the conservative City Council majority, including Burns, which voted to significantly shorten and alter the policy. The new policy took out any references to hate incidents and hate crimes and added language about genetic differences between males and females. An educational sign at the Shipley Nature Center on Wednesday. (Don Leach / Staff Photographer) Burns said at Wednesday’s ceremony that he and his kids spent a lot of time at the nature center. “We agreed on some things,” he said of his relationship with Dettloff. “Probably disagreed on much more, but we always got along, I felt. I respected the difference of opinions … [but the center] is one area we agreed [on] profoundly.” Scandura said the center hopes to replace the 50-year-old interpretive center building some day with a state-of-the-art facility including educational areas, interactive exhibits, meeting rooms and a small theater. However, the new building would still bear Dettloff’s name. Shipley Nature Center will hold a “Community in Bloom” 50th anniversary event on May 16, from 4 to 7 p.m. Charron was found guilty for the fatal stabbing of Laura Sardinha Media Contact: ACLU SoCal Communications and Media Advocacy, communications@aclusocal.org Restrictive library measures violate CA Freedom to Read Act  along with the non-profit Alianza Translatinx The suit challenges a censorship scheme within the Huntington Beach Library System that directly violates the California Freedom to Read Act and the California Constitution and be spaces where young people can discover who they are,” said Khloe Rios-Wyatt founding member & CEO of Alianza Translatinx are trying to erase stories and identities -- but we refuse to be erased."  the Huntington Beach City Council passed a resolution that called for “review of library materials containing sexual content” and restricted minors’ access to these materials the city established a 21-member community review board with unappealable power to impose a censorial process over the library collection These measures impede access to a wide range of topics including educational materials on gender identity and expression the city moved the following literature to a restricted area of the library: freedom of thought begins with the freedom to read To read is to explore and learn—to see one’s experience reflected by others or to imagine oneself in the shoes of another,” said David Loy legal director of the First Amendment Coalition “The government has no business standing in the way of young people as they grow into adulthood by reading about the diverse experiences of the world around them.”    Filed in Orange County Superior Court by the ACLU Foundation of Southern California the lawsuit seeks to compel Huntington Beach to comply with the requirements of the 2024 California Freedom to Read Act and the California Constitution and to prohibit the city from implementing and enforcing its censorship scheme “Public libraries are a vital resource providing access to information and free or low-cost services that improve people’s lives,” said Ryan M attorney at Community Legal Aid SoCal representing plaintiff Alianza Translatinx “California law protects the important role libraries play in our communities This lawsuit seeks to keep the Huntington Beach Public Library and its services free from censorship and accessible to all so that everyone—from individuals to community organizations—can continue to rely on the knowledge and empowerment the library provides.” Read the complaint: https://www.aclusocal.org/en/cases/alianza-translatinx-v-city-huntington-beach/complaint The Olympic committee cited deficiencies in HB waves and sand, so Burns, Van der Mark and McKeon need not take much credit. Their stage-managing HB’s marginalization of “the other,” demonization of librarians, backroom sweetheart air show deals and their slandering of former council members as “liars” and “pedophiles” during council sessions is strictly part of “running the city like a business.” Losing the Olympics is maybe just a side dividend for them. Still, I’m kinda sad. I support Gavin Newsom’s lawsuit against the Trump administration. It’s not because I am a native Californian or a lifelong Democrat; rather, it’s based on my assessment that Donald Trump’s “tariffpalooza” will wreak havoc on the Golden State’s — and by extension, Orange County’s — economy. My hope is local business owners in O.C. will end up agreeing with me. Locals sound off on school board special election In January, the NMUSD Board of Trustees filled a vacant seat. The candidate they selected, in a very transparent and legal process, was Kirstin Walsh, who is registered “NPP — no party preference” and one of the most active, concerned and in-touch parents in the district. The process followed all applicable laws. Then, in March, a handful of disgruntled political operatives ousted Ms. Walsh by forcing a special election. Newport-Mesa Unified is on the hook for this bill, and our children pay the price. No one who would pick the pockets of our kids to advance their narrow and extreme political and religious interests ought to be rewarded with a position of public trust. Never has the appointment to a vacant NMUSD seat led to an election. Meanwhile, those orchestrating this special election are clear that their goal is to install a Republican ideologue, arguing that Ms. Walsh isn’t cut from the same political cloth as her predecessor. They conveniently ignore the fact that voters elected that predecessor as a rejection of MAGA-style extremism. They dishonor the nonpartisan tradition our local school board elections by villainizing Ms. Walsh, who has been nothing but good for our kids, schools and community. To waste half a million taxpayer dollars on a nakedly partisan power play is both inefficient and wasteful. That money could be used to renovate the Newport Harbor culinary kitchen. It would fund 250 elementary field trips. It’s enough to outfit an entire school with new furniture or cover the classroom supply budget of every teacher in the district for three years. With that kind of money, we could make our children safer by installing state-of-the-art security cameras on two campuses. This is why partisanship has no place on our local school board. Our best and most dedicated NMUSD school board members have all run nonpartisan campaigns. Candidates touting their political, religious and extremely intolerant allegiance have been routinely rejected by voters. Those who have bulldozed their way to this special election know that their only path to victory is low turnout, which is why a special election is part of their scheme. Do not reward this politically motivated end-run around the voters. Vote for Kirstin Walsh. We must send a strong message to those who are reckless with our tax dollars and restore Ms. Walsh to her rightful seat on the NMUSD Board of Trustees. NMUSD teachersKirby Piazza, Betsy Fisher, Jane Hartley, Matt Armstrong, Gwen Gaylord, Torree Soelberg, Alex Goodman, Ross Sinclair, Jerry Murray, Lissa Slay, Carlos Alcazar, Annabelle King, Kelly Bourgeois, Tony Zeddies, Sarah Pilon, Quinn Corbett, Cori Ciok Our students here in NMUSD all learn at an early age the importance of facts when completing writing assignments. Some community members may need such schooling as well. FACT: School board races are non-partisan. FACT: When Michelle Barto ran for reelection to NMUSD District Area 5 as the incumbent she was not endorsed by the Lincoln Club of Orange County, California Parents United, Greater Costa Mesa Republicans, California Patriots, Assembly members Diane Dixon, Steven Choi and Kevin Kiley or the entire O.C. Board of Education. They endorsed her opponent Reina Shebesta — the Parents Rights candidate. FACT: Michelle Barto won the election. Shortly after she was sworn in she announced she was running for Newport Beach City Council. She won that election as well, leaving an open seat on the school board. FACT: The trustees followed NMUSD Board “Bylaws 9223: Filing Vacancies” as they have in the past. They chose to make a provisional appointment per California Educational Code 5091, 5093. FACT: The NMUSD posted the opening and solicited candidates to apply. On Jan. 27, 2025 the school board held a special meeting where they publicly interviewed the candidates and selected the provisional appointee, Kirstin Walsh. FACT: The trustees of the NMUSD represent all our students and are elected by area. FACT: The next scheduled election for this seat is in November 2026. FACT: Petitioners collected signatures of 1.75% of the registered voters of District Area 5 to force a special election on June 10, 2025. FACT: The special election for District Area 5 will cost NMUSD between $400,000 and $500,000! Given all the facts, it appears that this special election is an illogical waste of valuable district funds. Our trustees appointed the best candidate in Kirstin Walsh. But it’s too late to do anything now because a person who was not appointed pulled the trigger on this expensive special election, thereby depriving our students of much needed funds. I encourage all voters in District Area 5 to vote for Kirstin Walsh! Andrea McElroy is the clear choice for our school board. As a conservative, she champions values that strengthen our community: public safety and parental transparency. Andrea believes parents should have a direct say in their children’s education, with open access to curriculum and school policies. Her commitment to safety ensures our schools remain secure environments where students can thrive. With years of community involvement, Andrea understands the challenges our schools face. She’s dedicated to fostering accountability, prioritizing student success, and protecting parental rights. Her practical approach avoids divisive politics, focusing instead on solutions that benefit all families. This election, we need a school board member who listens to parents and prioritizes safety. Andrea McElroy will deliver both. I urge voters to support her to ensure our schools reflect our community’s values and provide a safe, transparent education system for our children. Many, many HB residents have spoken out against these divisive and unnecessary changes to beloved city institutions and facilities. But, instead of listening to city residents, the right-wing City Council is taking a page from its MAGA leader in Washington and targeting the nonprofit organizations that are trying so hard to save our library and Central Park. The City Council has admitted that the city of Huntington Beach is facing serious budget deficits over the next 10 years, a deficit entirely of their own making. And yet, they want to target volunteer organizations, such as Friends of the Library, who pour thousands of volunteer hours and hundreds of thousands of dollars into keeping the HB library system the jewel of our city. Their time would be better spent looking inward to identify the devastation they are wreaking on our city! A California judge reversed his dismissal of a challenge to Huntington Beach’s voter ID law Thursday after a state appeals court said he had to change his ruling Last March, Huntington Beach voters approved an initiative that would give city officials the power to enact a voter ID requirement for local elections The measure is set to take effect ahead of the 2026 midterm elections California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) and Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber (D) quickly filed a lawsuit in Orange County challenging the measure arguing it conflicted with state election law.  In September, while litigation was ongoing, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed a law banning local governments from enacting voter ID requirements This gave the state officials another argument to add to their legal arsenal Orange County Judge Nico Dourbetas dismissed the lawsuit in November without issuing a final order stating it was not “ripe for adjudication,” meaning that the issue was not yet ready for a court to decide finding that because the officials can’t enact a voter ID requirement until 2026 it would be impossible to know now whether the policy would conflict with state law.  The state officials appealed this dismissal, and last week, the California Court of Appeal said this was not a valid reason to decline to hear the case on its merits telling Dourbetas to issue a new decision or provide formal justification as to why he wouldn’t do so vacating his previous dismissal and scheduling a hearing in the case for April 3.  He said that because Newsom signed a new law in September regarding voter ID mandates “there is a ripe justiciable controversy,” and the case can continue to be litigated Bonta said in a statement that it was “a good day” and that “[a]ll along Secretary of State Weber and I have asserted that it is not too early to bring our lawsuit.” “we are one step closer in our effort to protect each eligible Californian’s right to vote.” Voter ID laws could disenfranchise numerous groups who are significantly less likely to have a valid non-expired driver’s license than their white counterparts.  These requirements also affect married and divorced women whose last name on their ID may not match the name on their voter registration form people with disabilities and elderly voters The City of Huntington Beach didn’t respond to a request for comment Monday afternoon Read the order here. 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From Over-Excitement to Medical Issues, Experts Break Down the Reasons Dogs Tremble BirdsAll BirdsCockatooChickenParrotThe 150 Best Bird Names Best Pet Chicken Breeds for Beginners (& Those to Avoid) Home/DogsHuntington Beach California: A Dog-Friendly Oasis for Pups and Pet ParentsHuntington Beach California is the ultimate travel destination for people who travel with pups in tow Any devoted pet parent will tell you that the biggest downfall of going on vacation is leaving behind our beloved furry friends Even if they're in the care of a family member it's still so tough to go on adventures without them That's the main reason why dog-friendly travel destinations are growing in popularity with more and more people choosing to take their pup along for the ride And if you happen to be planning a trip to Southern California with a four-legged friend in tow, don't miss out on making a stop in picturesque Huntington Beach which is about an hour south of Los Angeles I just returned from a quick 2-night trip to this town, also known as Surf City USA, and let me just tell you, this place is dog heaven! From luxurious pet-friendly accommodations to plenty of fun spots that cater to canines it's clear that pups are just as welcome here as humans After flying into LAX and arriving in Huntington Beach, I checked into the Pasea Hotel and Spa which is directly across the Pacific Coast Highway from the beach The vibe at this place is what I would describe as upscale yet relaxed And while my pride-and-joy Shih-Tzu, Tito, stayed with his grandparents in Florida for this trip, I spotted quite a few other pups and their parents around the property who were no doubt enjoying their stay. This hotel even has a private dog park complete with its own lifeguard station where pups can make some furry friends The rooms at Pasea have all of the high-end creature comforts everyone loves Did I mention that the room keys are little surfboards the highlight of the room for me was the plush This is definitely the most comfortable hotel bed I've ever slept in (I wanted to stay an extra night or two just to sleep After getting settled, I headed downstairs to have dinner at the Pasea's on-site restaurant, Lorea It has a beautiful indoor dining room and also an expansive patio overlooking the Pacific for dining on warmer days The menu is creative yet friendly for all types of palates We kicked off the meal with in-house based Parker House rolls which are a can't miss for anyone dining there I ordered the black cod and a side of whipped potatoes with roasted garlic Lorea has fun libations if you fancy a boozy treat but they also offer tasty mocktails to choose from After dinner and flying all day from the east coast I couldn't wait to crawl into the heavenly bed in my room After a much-needed restful night's sleep in the dream bed, I kicked off the day by taking a short, 10-minute walk down to 602 Coffee House on 6th street open-air coffee shop where you can sit and enjoy your morning cup-o-joe on the patio with your pup before starting the day's activities they also have a great selection of acai bowls and breakfast sandwiches But the Northeasterner in me couldn't resist sticking to a classic toasted bagel with cream cheese After fueling up for the day, I ventured across the street to the beach for a yoga class with Yoga on the Beach Huntington Beach These donation-based classes are held at different times of the day If you've never done beach yoga before There's something about the feel of the fresh sea air and the droning sound of the waves that really helps you tune out all of the pressing day-to-day things you can't stop thinking about and just focus on being in the present moment I took a break after yoga to get some work done back at the hotel and next up for the afternoon was one of the things I was most excited about: visiting the Huntington Beach Dog Beach To get there, I rented an e-bike from Wind Horse so I was a bit nervous as to whether or not I'd be able to control it The man at the shop was super knowledgable and assured me that riding an e-bike really isn't all that different than riding a regular bike You just have to get used to the sensation of the “pedal assist.” It took me about 10 minutes to get the hang of it and then I was off and running for the 25-minute ride down to the dog beach I saw plenty of pups along my route walking with their humans and then I was so delighted to see more dogs running We’re unable to load this content right now View directly on Instagram It's a little tough to see in the video but the Husky walking down the path had on sunglasses And the two little white dogs at the end staying close to “their baby” had me all sorts of in love the dog beach most definitely would've been the highlight Between yoga and biking, I worked up quite an appetite, so I headed over to Bear Flag Fish Co. for a late lunch/early dinner let me preface this by saying I'm a New Englander so I'm no stranger to fresh seafood — but this was definitely some of the freshest fish I've ever had The restaurant prides itself on serving top-of-the-line catches where I could choose from a selection of fresh fish plus broccoli and brown rice for my two side dishes I walked back into town to check out the local farmer's market Main Street was totally blocked off to cars and there were tents everywhere with vendors selling fresh produce and I'll think of this trip every time I wear them The farmer's market was another great opportunity to check out more cute pups on an evening stroll with their humans There was even live music as I ventured a bit farther down Main Street with plenty of little kids dancing in the streets without a care in the world the whole vibe of this town couldn't be more laid-back View directly on Instagram I had every intention of hitting up one or two of the dog-friendly breweries Huntington Beach has to offer But given that I was still on east coast time I was fading fast and wound up heading back to get as many hours out of the heavenly bed as I could before flying out the next day pop in for a pint at one of these hot spots where pups are welcome Green Cheek Beer Co: This local brewery is run by two friends you can only find their beer at their locations Flashpoint Brewing Co: With an expansive patio perfect for pups View directly on Instagram Riip Beer & Pizzeria: If you're a pizza fanatic They have both California and Detroit-style pizza made in a hearth bake brick oven Before heading back to LAX, I grabbed a quick bagel breakfast from IYKYK! Coffee Lab, which is located in the Pacific City Mall, directly next door to the Pasea. I must admit, it was tough to leave, as I'd just scratched the surface as far as exploring Huntington Beach goes! I'm definitely planning a return trip to take in more of the sun, sand, sights, and adventures. Trust me, you'll want to add this one to your dog-friendly bucket list as soon as you can. Surf City USA is where it's at! *Disclaimer: I was provided with complimentary flights, hotel accommodations, and other travel-related expenses courtesy of Visit Huntington Beach. I was not compensated monetarily for this article, and all opinions expressed are my own and were not influenced by Visit Huntington Beach. LLC and respective content providers on this website Other product and company names shown may be trademarks of their respective owners LLC and respective content providers to this website may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website Print An Orange County Superior Court judge ruled Monday in favor of Huntington Beach in its continued battle with the state of California over voter identification an amendment to the city charter that states Huntington Beach may implement voter ID beginning with the municipal elections in 2026 was approved by more than 53% of the voters who cast ballots in March 2024 Its passage and the City Council’s subsequent adoption of the amendment led to a lawsuit by state Atty General Rob Bonta and Secretary of State Shirley Weber as well as by Huntington Beach resident Mark Bixby They asked the court to strike down the provisions of the amendment because “the Huntington Beach City Charter is preempted by and violates California law.” a three-judge panel ordered Dourbetas to issue an ruling on the merits of the case or the appellate court would take it over Dourbetas heard arguments from both sides on Thursday “There is no showing that a voter identification requirement compromises the integrity of a municipal election,” Dourbetas wrote in his ruling “Municipal election results do not lack integrity because only residents of a municipality who are eligible to vote participated in the election.” Huntington Beach Mayor Pat Burns called Monday’s ruling a victory both said Monday that they will appeal the decision “While we are disappointed in the trial court’s ruling all parties knew that the case would ultimately be decided at the appellate level,” Fink said in an email “Aside from ignoring the Court of Appeal’s clear statement on the elections code the trial court never addressed the constitutional issues involved or even addressed the proper standard of review We are confident that the appellate courts will reverse the trial court and stop the city’s unconstitutional and ideologically-driven voter ID requirements.” Huntington Beach City Atty. Mike Vigliotta, appointed in February after Michael Gates took a job with the U.S. Dept. of Justice said Monday he believed the court came to the correct conclusion that the state Constitution gives charter cities the authority “to make and enforce all ordinances and regulations in respect to municipal affairs.” Marion County Election Board that a photo ID requirement in Indiana was legitimate to help the state prevent voter fraud a decision that Dourbetas referenced in his ruling Supreme Court has already determined that voter ID does not violate the right to vote,” Vigliotta said in a statement “While we anticipate this fight isn’t over we are pleased with the court’s fair and just evaluation of the weakness of the state and Bixby’s legal case I am honored that the [City] Council chose me to continue to fight for Huntington Beach for the integrity of our elections systems Voters cast their ballots in Huntington Beach in 2020 (Raul Roa) Bonta noted Monday that no evidence of voter fraud has been presented in Huntington Beach also arguing that state law overrides Measure A we believe the Orange County Superior Court got it wrong,” Bonta said in a statement the California Fourth District Court of Appeal wrote that Huntington Beach’s argument that ‘it had a constitutional right to regulate its own municipal elections free from state interference .. Now that we have a final order from the Orange County Superior Court we look forward to moving on and appealing the decision Weber added that she believes that Huntington Beach’s charter amendment is against state law and that voter ID will result in the disenfranchising of voters California is one of 13 states nationwide that doesn’t require identification when voting in-person. However, a grassroots conservative group called Reform California is seeking to pass a statewide voter ID initiative in next year’s election. The California Court of Appeal ordered the Superior Court of Orange County to issue an appealable ruling in a challenge to the Huntington Beach voter ID measure after a trial judge said the case wasn’t ready to be decided then the appeals court will take over the case Huntington Beach voters approved an initiative in March to amend the city charter to allow officials to enact a voter ID requirement for local elections California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) and Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber (D) sued the city in April arguing the policy conflicted with state election law They asked an Orange County court to block city officials from enforcing it ahead of the 2026 midterm elections they argued that “California maintains a uniform and robust legal scheme for protecting the rights of eligible voters.” In September, while litigation was ongoing, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed a law banning local governments from enacting voter ID requirements.  In mid-November, Orange County Judge Nico Dourbetas dismissed the state’s case without a final order stating it was not “ripe for adjudication,” which means that the issue was not yet ready for a court to decide He sided with the city’s argument that because the officials hadn’t actually enacted a voter ID requirement yet it would be impossible to know whether the policy would conflict with state law Bonta and Weber asked Dourbetas to issue a final order which is necessary for a party to appeal the case The state officials then asked the California Court of Appeals to order Dourbetas to vacate his decision dismissing the lawsuit and asked the appeals court to take over the case The state officials argued the lower court’s decision “casts doubt on the rules applicable to the upcoming elections threatening to substantially disrupt fast-approaching election administration deadlines.” A three-judge panel on the appeals court sided with Bonta and Weber stating that the lower court’s “conclusion that this matter is not ripe for jurisdiction is problematic.”  The panel said that even though the city hasn’t established a voter ID requirement yet the new provision in the city charter allows them to establish policies beyond what state and federal law requires and replaced a “pre-existing provision requiring the City’s municipal elections to comply with the state’s Election code.” the panel ordered Dourbetas to inform the appeals court by Feb 28 about whether he will vacate his dismissal of the lawsuit and issue a ruling on the merits of the case then they can appeal the decision in the typical appeals process if Dourbetas doesn’t change his decision to dismiss the case without a final order Read the order here. Learn more about the case here. Tuesday extended a block on President Donald Trump’s blanket freeze on all governmental grants and loans Print The Newport Harbor High baseball team did more than just add some intrigue into the Sunset League race with its three-game series with Huntington Beach this week The Sailors nearly swept one of the top-ranked teams in the state of California Newport Harbor punctuated its series win Friday with a 6-3 score in the rubber match at the Oilers’ field Senior pitcher Lucas Perez threw his glove toward his dugout in celebration after earning the complete-game victory for the Sailors, who knocked off the top-ranked team in Southern California for the second straight time Newport Harbor’s Ryan Williams (6) reacts to stretching a hit into a double during Sunset League game at Huntington Beach on Friday (Don Leach / Staff Photographer) Second-place Newport Harbor (19-6 11-4 in league) plays three games with Marina next week to wrap up its league schedule which is attempting to win its ninth straight league title plays against Edison next week before closing out with a home game against Fountain Valley on May 6 “We were excited to prove people wrong,” said Perez who improved to 4-1 on the mound Friday and also cranked his third home run of the campaign winning two out of three was a surprise to everybody We were going into that week expecting to beat them but we know the brand of baseball we can play that pitch was the only point that we felt like we weren’t ahead of them and we weren’t better than those guys.” Trevor Goldenetz (27) of Huntington Beach makes solid contact for a sacrifice fly during a Sunset League game against Newport Harbor on Friday (Don Leach / Staff Photographer) Huntington Beach had indeed earned a come from behind walk-off win in the series opener as Jared Grindlinger’s two-run home run capped a 4-2 win But Newport Harbor came back with a 5-2 win on Tuesday behind stellar pitching from Tyler Clark and Elijah Haseth a team captain along with Perez and junior leadoff hitter Ryan Williams also launched a solo homer for the winners they were pissed because it meant that we couldn’t sweep Huntington,” Sailors coach Josh Lee said with a smile “You think to yourself how delusional that is as a coach I should probably think about it the way you do.’” as Trevor Goldenetz singled in the first inning stole second and scored on successive throwing errors The Sailors came back for two runs in both the third and fourth innings off Oilers starting pitcher Tyler Bellerose Newport Harbor’s Lucas Perez (34) throws in the first inning against Huntington Beach on Friday (Don Leach / Staff Photographer) The Oilers’ Jayton Greer launched his fifth home run of the season in the bottom of the fourth inning and Goldenetz’ bases-loaded sacrifice fly scored Grindlinger to draw the Oilers closer at 4-3 But Perez got CJ Weinstein to pop out to get out of the jam He then retired Huntington Beach in order in each of the last three innings Eight of the nine outs were recorded via fly balls to the outfield Huntington Beach coach Benji Medure’s team has 14 college baseball commits, and he’s called it his most talented But he expressed disappointment after the game about the team’s batting approach Friday Newport Harbor’s Ryan Williams (6) dives into home plate as Huntington Beach catcher Trent Grindlinger reaches for the tag on Friday (Don Leach / Staff Photographer) “We see a ball go out of the park and then everybody wants to do it,” Medure said “Nobody’s willing to humble themselves and just stay simple but they’re not willing to drive somebody in when they get to second base because they want to hit the ball out of the park That’s where my disappointment lies in our team no one really wants to humble themselves and pass the baton Perez and Gahm — the Sailors’ first five hitters in the order — each had one run batted in Williams and Martin were both two for three with Williams hustling for a one-out double in the sixth inning before Martin singled him in Newport Harbor may or may not rally for the league title, but what is clear is that the Sailors are strong on and off the field. The program has been there for senior Parker Chavez, who lost his father before the season began Lee said that junior varsity player Luke Mitchell lost his father “Both of those deaths were very hard on the program,” Gahm said but I feel like we grew from that as a team It helped us get a lot closer … this is just a very tight group.”