Then Himself at Yorba Linda ParkBy iHeartRadioMay 5 2025Photo: gorodenkoff / iStock / Getty Images a shooting at Featherly Regional Park in Yorba Linda left three men hospitalized The Orange County Sheriff’s Department responded to the incident around 2:40 p.m. The altercation reportedly began earlier in the day between the gunman and one of the victims. According to KTLA attempted to run over a victim with his vehicle and then opened fire before turning the gun on himself while a fourth person was treated at the scene for minor injuries caused by the vehicle The park was hosting a family-friendly event for Volkswagen enthusiasts when the shooting occurred recounted hearing gunshots while at a birthday party for a child She quickly took cover with her daughter in their RV NBC Los Angeles reported that the incident is believed to be isolated The identities and conditions of those hospitalized have not been released Authorities continue to investigate the shooting and are asking anyone with information to contact the Orange County Sheriff’s Department or submit anonymous tips through Orange County Crime Stoppers Print If you have always wanted to own a piece of Yorba Linda history The Yorba Linda Street Legacy program is giving local residents the chance to own a piece of the city’s heritage by purchasing a decommissioned street name sign “We do a sign refresh every seven years and the timeline corresponds with our street paving program so when we repave the streets we also replace the signs,” said Geoff Spencer The city replaces the signs by geographic zones completing one zone each year as a part of the seven-year cycle The decommissioned signs have typically been sent to a recycling center from which the city receives roughly five cents per sign But when they were being replaced last year a resident reached out to a city official asking if he could buy one of them Geoff Spencer organizes used Yorba Linda street signs at the city’s maintenance facility on Wednesday (James Carbone) “It was a wake-up call that got us interested in figuring out how we can give back to the community and also let people connect with the history of the streets that they have lived on,” Spencer said The city launched the Yorba Linda Street Legacy pilot program last October and continued it through December “In the very first round of the program we wound up selling 326 signs out of a total of 433 signs,” Spencer said Since the pilot program was so successful the city decided to continue selling the signs with the current program underway expect to run until April 28 be used help offset the cost of replacing the older signs “The Yorba Linda Street Legacy sign program is just another example of the city’s commitment to providing exceptional services and programs to our community,” said Janice Lim During the pilot program, the city received 713 applications, more than staffers could fulfill. “The biggest streets are the most popular ones,” said Salvado, “Yorba Linda Boulevard, Imperial Highway, Fairmont Boulevard and Lakeview Avenue. With the pilot program and the current round, I would say we received the most applications for Yorba Linda Boulevard.” Like most city signs, those for sale are made of aluminum and coated with reflective material on both sides. The green and brown street name signs are about 9 inches tall, with different lengths determined by the number of characters in a given street’s name. They also have varying degrees of weathering, depending on where they were positioned and how much sunlight they received. None of the signs are “like new.” Buyers will have the chance to inspect the sign when they pick it up from Yorba Linda City Hall, but even when the fixtures are weather-worn, not very many customers have been deterred from plunking down their $30. “We have people from outside of the city of Yorba Linda buying signs, they want to buy the sign from the street they grew up on,” said Spencer. Other residents are looking to buy the signs for the street they currently live on, or maybe a street carries the same first or last name that they do. Decommissioned Yorba Linda street name signs at the city of Yorba Linda maintenance facility on Wednesday. (James Carbone) The next round of the decommissioned signs won’t be available until 2026, when the next street repaving is expected to get underway. Mayor Lim said the demand for a piece of Yorba Linda memorabilia speaks to the sense of community found in the city. “I love that these signs once helped people find their way around town and now they’re helping people connect deeper with our shared history,” the mayor said. Sarah Mosqueda covers Orange County food, art and culture for TimesOC. She most recently worked as a staff writer in Food for the Los Angeles Times. She also has several years of experience in the restaurant industry, including as a proprietor. Mosqueda earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from Cal State Fullerton. TimesOC Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map Martens shot rounds of 72-70 in the 36-hole tournament to force a playoff at 2-under with Blake Barens of Costa Mesa Martens made a par on the second playoff hole to secure the win over Barens Barens also carded rounds of 72-70 to get to 2-under and force the playoff Martens is no stranger to the winners' podium having won the 2022 and 2023 San Diego City Amateur and the 2024 Southern California Golf Association Public Links This is also his third top-eight finish in the last four years at the Yorba Linda City Championship He graduated from Cal Poly University in 2013 finished 3-over to secure the four-shot win finished 11-over to secure the three-shot win.  Home  |  Tournaments  |  Courses  |  Equipment  |  Players  |  Rankings  |  About Us  |  Contact 2025-05-05T07:41:43-07:00May 5 2025-05-02T09:39:58-07:00May 2 2025-05-02T08:40:53-07:00May 2 2025-05-04T09:32:06-07:00April 30 2025-04-30T17:06:48-07:00April 30 714.993.5075[email protected] Jan 14, 2025 | News 2024 National Civics Bee Champion Emily Brubaker with Nixon Foundation’s Trish O’Donnell Director of Education Chris Lowe in Washington the first regional competition of The National Civics Bee® in California will take place at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in Yorba Linda sponsored by partnership between The Yorba Linda Chamber of Commerce and the Richard Nixon Foundation 7th and 8th grade students to flex their civics knowledge for a chance to win recognition and cash prizes The top three winners of the local competition will advance to the California State Finals at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library to compete for a trip to Washington to participate in the National Championship for the chance to win the grand prize of $100,000 The National Civics Bee is an initiative of The U.S Chamber of Commerce Foundation whose mission is to inspire young Americans to engage in civics and contribute to their communities To enter the competition middle school students are invited to submit a response to a 3-question essay prompt proposing ideas to improve their communities The goal for this inaugural local competition is to receive applications from at least one hundred students The top twenty applicants will be selected to compete at the Nixon Library on March 12 Trish O’Donnell Director of Education at the Richard Nixon Foundation “All of us at the Nixon Foundation are excited to be the very first in California to host this special event that highlights the importance of civics education in our schools and encourages young teenagers to be active citizens in their community.” Students in 6th, 7th and 8th grades are invited to apply before the deadline of February 4, 2025. There is no fee to enter and the National Civics Bee is open to students from public, private, charter and homeschools. For more information and application instructions, please visit: https://civics.uschamberfoundation.org/national-civics-bee/ For press credentials, please contact Joe Lopez at [email protected] About the Yorba Linda Chamber of CommerceThe Yorba Linda Chamber of Commerce is a not-for-profit organization designed to improve the business climate and quality of life for both our members and the businesses they represent Our services are aimed at bringing together members of the community on the platform of education Learn more at https://www.yorbalindachamber.us/national-civics-beereg.html The Richard Nixon Foundation is a privately-supported nonpartisan institution that advances President Nixon’s legacy of visionary leadership The Foundation is based at the Nixon Library in Yorba Linda and works throughout the country and online by actively encouraging and supporting scholarship sponsoring programs that engage the public with American civics creating and promoting educational exhibits rooted in American history and fostering discussion and debate about America’s 37th president View Governing Documents 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 2014 cartoon by Rob Tornoe, Education Opportunity Network nor even someone with an administrative credential in education.  I am a retired high school history teacher deeply concerned with the attack on the foundational institution of our democracy: free and secular public schools.  Vested interests with deep pockets are funding this attack on public education at the national scale.  What is happening in the PYLUSD is merely a local manifestation of our current national crisis and at the bottom of the article.]  Some things need to be seen to be believed!)  In the absence of journalists working professionally on this story volunteers like me must fill a big gap in its coverage and make whatever associations seem appropriate.  I have not run this article past people with more expertise on the legal dimensions of charter schools.  This is an invitation to a conversation.  I am very aware of the limitations of what follows and appreciate constructive input from anyone and everyone That having been said, the best introduction to the larger issue was the outstanding series published by Kathryn Joyce three years ago in Slate.  If you have not read it it remains a definitive piece documenting the interface between Orange County and Hillsdale College in the extremists’ effort to destroy public education the PYLUSD Board of Trustees returned from the winter holidays and the star of the show was the new legal counsel Sukhi Ahluwalia (right).  The main decisions from this seven-hour meeting were that the OC School of Computer Science (OCSCS) will not be operating as an independent charter school any time soon.  In addition Renee Grey will continue as interim superintendent.  On a 3-2 vote Marilyn Anderson and Carrie Buck voted in opposition to her maintaining this post The 4-1 vote in opposition to establishing the OCSCS as a private charter school determined that the facility will remain under the control of the elected board and will likely stop receiving the preferential treatment it has had from the previous board majority of extremists (Leandra Blades was the only vote in opposition to keeping the OCSCS as a “DEPENDENT charter school” under the jurisdiction of the elected school board It will almost certainly remain a charter school in some configuration and Beth Fisher might even remain its principal despite some very disturbing behaviors that will be noted in what follows Frazier likely came to realize that the revised charter would not only expose the district to new liabilities but it might also expose those who supported it to personal liability.    At about the three hour mark on the district video of the session the new counsel advised against voting for the charter proposal with this statement:  “You don’t really know what the board is voting on because there are so many different documents and so many different representations.”  Confusion.  Contradiction.  Massive waste of time and money.  This charter proposal denoted the legacy of former Superintendent Alex Cherniss that will continue to damage our schools in the PYLUSD for many years to come The new district counsel defined the evening.  Sukhi K Ruud & Romo (AALRR).  She has worked for decades in educational law and specializes in charter school authorizations.  Not only did her presentation illustrate her remarkable mastery of law as it pertains to charter schools but it also shed disturbing light on the district’s previous legal representation by Orbach Despite hysterical protestations to the contrary no one on the board opposes retaining OCSCS as a district charter school dedicated to developing skills and knowledge generally associated with computers.  The new board majority will now do what Trustee Anderson suggested months ago:  engage a study session involving ALL stakeholders to consider how best to proceed with the further operation of OCSCS.  Had then-Board President Blades heeded the reasonable recommendation of current Board President Anderson last fall the torrent of fear and misinformation that characterized this meeting could have been averted.  The teachers and children of OCSCS could have been home preparing the next generation of technology innovators rather than embarrassing themselves by regurgitating the misinformation fed them by its principal Principal Fisher (right) colluded with Trustee Blades to have an array of OCSCS students and often insulting information to the Board   These public speakers comprised the vast majority of the 31 speakers who presented before the closed session at 3:30 and the 60ish who presented prior to the 6 p.m general meeting.  All agreed that the OCSCS represented a unique and innovative educational opportunity for which the district provided no comparable opportunity.  All agreed that Principal Fisher provided inspirational leadership that motivated teachers and students to unprecedented heights of performance.  They all agreed that the success of the OCSCS depended on its being a charter school.   Charters are not the only way of producing innovative programs in a public school district especially one where there is already an exemplary model for educational innovation in the area of computer technology: two recent graduates from Valencia High School (VHS) spoke.  Both had completed the requirements for the International Baccalaureate diploma as well as the ValTech Academy certificate at VHS.  Alyssa Wong is currently a Computer Science major at UCLA.  Ryan Lin majors in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research at UC Berkeley.  They indicated their concern that by providing OCSCS an independent charter status As the brief biographies of Ryan and Alyssa above show the district has already successfully created a technology academy at VHS that encompasses a wide array of computer applications from mechatronics to cybersecurity are also graduates of Kraemer Middle School.  Administrators created these highly successful programs at Valencia and Kraemer through full coordination and cooperation between the district and the two schools.  To create this outstanding academy A few additional words about the specific success of VHS are appropriate.  It is by far the largest high school in the district mainly because of the excellence of its programs.  It is also the most academically successful school in the district.  Graduates of the ValTech Academy have proceeded from high school into outstanding careers in the field of technology and have studied at the world’s most advanced universities and technology institutes.  For years students at Valencia have received the most IB diplomas of any high school in Orange County.  It should be noted as well that it is not just the two definitive programs in the Valencia Academy (ValTech and IB) that define its success.  It also boasts outstanding programs for students who traditionally have had difficulty accessing and succeeding in post-secondary education.  Specifically the AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program at VHS has been phenomenal The Academy has been part of the reason that VHS has over the years drawn students from over 100 different middle schools from throughout southern California and beyond.  This ability to attract students from outside the district and return hundreds of students to the district who had been matriculating outside of it brings millions of dollars of ADA money into the district each year.  Moreover these VHS programs have never operated with a budget deficit.  Compare that to the two “innovations” currently operating in the district.  USI is costing the district around $1million above ADA for its 85 enrollees and the OCSCS is operating at approximately a $1.5 million annual deficit.  The Valencia Academy thus provided a model of both curricular innovation and fiscal responsibility worked with the previous extremist board to create the OCSCS he did not have much interest in coordinating it with the already established success of the Valencia Academy Program.  The main architect of the Valencia Academy is retired principal Jim Bell.  Cherniss never reached out to Mr Bell for advice on how to build a successful technology academy and integrate it into the district.  Every superintendent who worked in the district after Bell retired in 2014 reached out to him for guidance except Cherniss.  One would think that a superintendent would want insight on how to build a successful computer science academy from someone in the district who has already done it.  It was not just Cherniss who felt himself above guidance from someone who had worked in the district for nearly forty years.  The board extremists (Blades and Frazier) showed comparable disregard for the legacy programs in the district.    Blades did not even know who Mr Bell was not the only major contributor to the creation of the successful academy programs at VHS.  Other major builders of the successful Academy included Rick Lopez Sue Sawyer and others whom former Superintendent  Cherniss and board extremists did not see as “good fits” to continue their work as leaders in the district.  Cherniss and the previous board majority instead invested everything into the charter concept and the purported leadership of Beth Fisher and hatred began before the meeting.  A widely distributed flier rallying supporters of OCSCS stated: If your child loves to attend OCSCS please make your voice heard or there may not be an OCSCS next year.  Trustees Anderson and Buck are doing everything in ther (sic) power Attend and speak your mind at tomorrow’s school board meeting to show your support of the school and show Anderson and Buck their dirty It is not petty to point out the elementary grammar and spelling mistakes of someone writing in support of a school program especially when something as elementary as a spellcheck and grammar software program is involved in relation to supporting a computer science academy.  Because this flier was widely distributed at OCSCS in the days leading up to the board meeting Principal Fisher was either complicit in its dissemination or negligent in her duty to monitor the kinds of materials allowed on her campus.  It is not unreasonable to demand that the superintendent investigate this matter and the source of this attack on two democratically elected members of the board.  If Principal Fisher supported this attack on the two board members in any way she deserves the strongest possible censure.  If any staff member distributed or allowed the distribution of these fliers they should be reprimanded by the district and have this noted on their permanent records.  The bottom line in this entire fiasco is that the OCSCS is a product of the entire district and its supporters should not whine when other parents and students demand that the district operate in a way that fairly and equitably distributes the district’s resources.  As such the issues involved here are issues related to that most fundamental and historic sources of our constitutional republic: the local school board The November election presented a referendum on the tenure of Superintendent Cherniss in the district, and it was one that he lost.  Cherniss’ purge of district leadership, the Universal Sports Institute (USI) fiasco and the openly preferential treatment accorded to his two pet projects are among the main factors that led voters to demand a change in direction for the district.  In a behavior never before seen in the PYLUSD by a superintendent Cherniss openly supported the campaigns of the opponents of Trustee Anderson who was seeking to take the seat held by Blades.  Elections have consequences disrespect for the legacy of this district and poorly conceived “innovations” is over.  While it is possible that the former superintendent might return to his position what little is known about existing litigation makes that seem unlikely.  For this reason statements made by a few OCSCS advocates who supported the immediate return of Cherniss to his position need a response we can be sure that there were good reasons why seven district managers including the Superintendent and Deputy Superintendent were put on paid administrative leave on 5-0 votes by the district board.  Those who spoke at the January 14 meeting demanding the return of Cherniss on the assertion that he has the presumption of innocence reveal an infantile understanding of the issues at hand.  The district would be held liable for any corrupting of evidence or any instances or even hints of instances of witness tampering that might occur in relation to pending litigation involving the seven on leave.  Paid administrative leave in this instance is a precautionary measure a district is forced to take when sufficient evidence exists to place it and its employees in jeopardy.  It has nothing whatsoever to do with the guilt or innocence of those put on leave.  Even Trustee Blades understands this and that is why she joined in the unanimous vote.  She lacks the integrity to admit this to her followers.  The horrifying fact is that Superintendent Cherniss has driven the district into a morass of litigation that will likely cost it tens of millions of dollars in the years to come OCSCS Principal Beth Fisher squandered the ten minutes provided for her to make her final bid in support of the charter revision to the board.  She began her statement by sycophantically stating how greatly the new interim superintendent had supported OCSCS from the beginning.  She also noted the greatest expert on charter schools in her opinion should have been there to guide the discussion on this complex matter.  Fisher then proceeded to show how little she knew and how little she supposedly had learned from her master teacher about charter schools In what appears to have been a pre-arranged moment Fisher turned her attention to the audience in a failed attempt to explain the charter revision that she was proposing.  She argued that the charter revision would not render the OCSCS an independent charter but rather retain it as a dependent charter within the PYLUSD.  In the time allotted to her she made no effort to explain to the audience and the board what the difference might be between a dependent and an independent charter.  Nor did she clarify how OCSCS would affiliate with the large USI investment the district had made at that site by installing so much of its equipment there.  Instead, she turned to the flock of people who had been coaxed to come in support of OCSCS and asked them to discuss for fifteen seconds whether they believed the charter school would be dependent or independent.  With phenomenal perspicacity the vast bulk of the audience discerned that it would be a dependent charter without ever been having told what one was.  The discussion took only five seconds even less than the fifteen seconds Fisher had allotted!  The whole evening might lead one to believe that the proper acronym for the charter school should be the Orange County School of Cheap Stunts there is no pedestal too high for Fisher to place herself upon.  Her entire presentation insulted pretty much everyone in the district not directly affiliated with OCSCS When her ten minutes mercifully came to an end she had still not clarified any of the real issues involved in the charter revision to anyone who might have real questions about it Fisher had made a comparably awful hour-long presentation at a board meeting in December.  Cherniss and the board extremists have given Fisher ample opportunity to make her case to the board and the public,  She has failed on every occasion to be compelling At the risk of drifting off topic as Fisher so frequently did it is worth making a quick observation in response to the allegation that the district was falling into disarray before Cherniss arrived.  One could go into detail about all the successful programs in the district that were established prior to Cherniss.  The most telling point in response to Fisher’s allegations is the fact that almost every manager driven out of the district by Cherniss has found immediate offers from excellent school districts outside of PYLUSD.  In fact Cherniss has written letters attempting to undermine the employment quests of former PYLUSD managers elsewhere.  Those efforts have universally failed because Cherniss holds little respect anywhere in Southern California.  Moreover these efforts to undermine the employment quests of former district employees may well be the basis for some of the litigation that the district will have to bear in the future.  The main point is that for most of the districts in Southern California PYLUSD is a good place to be from because the entire education community in Orange County sees Cherniss for the fraud he is.  In opposition to what had just been presented Ahluwalia explained that Principal Fisher’s proposal was for an independent charter that would have to establish itself as a 501c3 corporation to operate legally.  So it must be said at the start that Fisher either did not understand what she was proposing or she was lying about it.  The attorney went on to explain in disturbing detail how the arrangements being proposed by the proponents of the OCSCS revision would put the district at risk for various liabilities while depriving the district of operational authority over the independent charter the OCSCS would be run by a board selected not by the district but by the founders of the 501c3 corporation and operate with autonomy from the district.  The taxpayers of the district would have no say over curriculum or staffing.  The employees at the charter would no longer operate under the collective bargaining agreements for either classified or certificated staff.  OCSCS would be a private school constructed and subsidized in various ways by the entire district but whose benefits and authority accrue only to those affiliated with the OCSCS.  Most importantly the charter would have complete control over the Average Daily Attendance money for every student enrolled.  In short but it is largely funded by the public.  The PYLUSD would remain responsible for the Special Education Local Plan Areas (SELPA) requirements because these operate on a regional basis outside the purview of any specific institution.  Again all taxpayers would contribute to the SELPA mandates for OCSCS but those taxpayers would not have control over how they would be used there.  The district would also be required to provide several other “back office” services to the OCSCS involving costs to the district that may or may not impose an additional fiscal burden on the taxpayers of PYL District insurance liability represents one of the most disturbing of many disturbing aspects of the charter proposal.  According to Ms the charter proposal would require the district to cover the insurance for any physical or personal injury that might happen at OCSCS even though the district would not have control over any aspect of its operation.  The district’s insurance provider would not have to pay because the charter school would not be part of its contract with the district.  Instead the district would have to pay for any claims against OCSCS from its general fund.  This is one of the many astonishing examples provided by Ms and their legal counsel conceived this charter proposal.  In their scheme liability flows in the opposite direction of benefits Fisher and their legal team intentionally or inadvertently structured this charter in a way that consistently favored the interests of OCSCS over those of the district.  The preponderance of the evidence that is emerging is that the charter revision is part of a conspiracy involving deception and fraud perpetrated by not just Cherniss and the former board majority but by a host of vested interests aligned with the charter school racket and its sponsors on the Orange County Board of Education.  Among those interests defrauding the taxpayers of the PYL are the proprietors of the USI (Universal Sports Institute.) It is difficult to see the trajectory of the USI story as anything other than a grift sponsored by Cherniss and the proprietors of the Treigning Lab.  This company has been contracted to oversee the implementation of the USI.  Attorney Ahluwalia made it abundantly clear that whatever assets from USI that have been relocated to the OCSCS would have to be removed from that site under the charter revision because location of those district properties at an independent charter school would violate provisions of the Ed Code that prohibit such transfers.  It is impossible to believe that Superintendent Cherniss a self-proclaimed expert in charter schools was not aware that he was violating the law as he moved the vast bulk of USI assets to the OCSCS site.  It is also extremely difficult to believe that the district’s previous legal counsel were also not complicit in this scheme.  The entirety of the USI story over the past year has been a study in deception and dishonesty apart from the material investments the taxpayers of PYL have made in OCSCS and USI we continue to subsidize their daily operations at an appalling rate.  There is one more piece of evidence indicating a fraudulent scheme that emerged from Ahluwalia’s presentation on January 14.  It may be the single most disturbing element of her presentation: The provisions of the proposed charter revision for the OCSCS would have opened the floodgates for the extremist OC Board of Education (OCBE) to IMPOSE other charter schools onto district sites at bargain basement rates.  According to the tenets of the Proposition 39 (Education Code 47614) authorization for charter schools county boards of education can impose charter schools even on school districts that have clearly indicated that such charter schools are not in the interest of the district.  This is clearly happening in the PYLUSD and was an agenda item in the closed session of the January 14 meeting.  At this closed session the district was informed of the application of both the Magnolia and California Republic Leadership Academy (CRLA) for access to sites in PYL.  On a 5-0 vote in 2023, the district had expressed its rejection of the CRLA application.  The CRLA program had been thoroughly panned in a July, 2023 Staff Report in the same way as it had been lambasted in other districts and at the Orange County Department of Education.  Even the three extremist board members – Blades and Frazier – voted against the authorization of this charter school even though their positions on the board had been sponsored by the county’s biggest CRLA backers.  They knew full well that their vote was meaningless.  Their vote was a ruse to give them political cover in a circumstance that they knew would have no bearing on the ability of the OCBE and the CRLA to later impose its will.  Based on provisions in Proposition 39 the OCBE was going to impose charters in the district regardless of the interests and concerns of the local school board.  The extremists’ transparent conspiracy became even clearer in the most damning element of Ms The revised charter proposal for the OCSCS contained an item reducing what that site would pay the district for use of this public asset that would also by provisions of Proposition 39 necessarily be extended to any other charter that came into the district.  Specifically Trustee Blades pretended not to be aware of this Proposition 39 loophole that would have further drained the district of its resources.  It is impossible to believe that she Cherniss (who was still Superintendent when this revision was being drawn up) and OHH were unaware.  The evidence that the PYLUSD board extremists and their superintendent are engaged in a networked conspiracy linked directly to the California Policy Center and the broader charter and homeschool rackets is becoming more compelling by the day.  The only question is whether there is enough evidence at this point for a group of taxpayers in PYL to organize a civil suit and prove to a jury with a preponderance of evidence that the board extremists and their network of institutional supporters intentionally defrauded the PYLUSD for personal gain.  It is also time to take a hard look at the previous law firm representing the district.  OHH would appear to have either engaged in professional malpractice or have been part of a criminal scheme to defraud the taxpayers of PYL.  Esperanza High School (EHS) is apparently being set up as a site that the OCBE might use to authorize another charter school and there is evidence that Cherniss and the board extremists are complicit in this.  A few years ago the PYLUSD  brought Beth Fisher into the district from the Garden Grove Unified School District.  She has subsequently asserted herself as a major spokesperson for charter schools in the PYLUSD.  Last year to become principal at EHS.  As with the OCSCS over the last year EHS has received a disproportionate amount of material and staff aligned with the USI.  The OCBE and its benefactors surely view EHS as a particularly seductive property in the PYLUSD.  By the provision of the proposed OCSCS charter revision EHS could be leased for pennies on the dollar In one of the most incisive moments toward the end of Ms Trustee Blades demanded that the attorney answer publicly a question that Blades knew could not be answered in the public session.  This is one of Blades’ most contemptible tactics: using public forums to show her minions that things are going on behind closed doors that are depriving them of their right to know.  (The Deep State is everywhere!) When the attorney indicated to the trustee that it would not be appropriate for her to respond to the trustee’s question in this public forum Blades indicated that she needed answers now.   “We’re voting tonight,” she said.  The attorney calmly responded:  “But we really don’t know what we’re voting on.”  With that Ahluwalia concluded her revelations for the evening It is time for the PYLUSD to begin calculating the cost of the extremist takeover of the district over the last four years.  That cost is growing rapidly by the day.  A calculation of costs should include not just the amount of money spent and wasted on the boondoggle of USI and the diversion of nondiscretionary money toward the OCSCS but also the massive amounts of money forfeited over the last four years to people on paid administrative leave as well the torrents of taxpayer money being diverted into the coffers of law firms representing both sides in adversarial litigation.  The district should also provide an estimate of reputational damage to this once stable district that will now find it increasingly difficult to attract quality educators considering both the fiscal and political chaos generated by the extremists The current losses to the district resulting from the intentional mismanagement by Superintendent Cherniss are staggering.  The district should demand a strict accounting for the total amount of money paid out in salaries and benefits to managers on paid administrative leave.   There were many such instances of this prior to last month’s unanimous and necessary board decision to place Cherniss and six others on paid leave   PYL taxpayers are presently paying over $3000 EACH DAY for a superintendent because we are paying one to do the job and another to sit at home no one is questioning the necessity of placing Dr pending investigations of what are likely various instances of his malfeasance.   PYL taxpayers are also paying in the vicinity of $2,000 EACH DAY for someone to manage Human Resources.  (It appears that Yolanda Mendoza is being compensated at the same rate as an Assistant Superintendent rather than the higher pay rendered former Deputy Superintendent Dr who received his promotion and substantial raise without a performance review required in the district by-laws.  Gates is making much more than the $884.62 per day pay that Mendoza is getting for doing the same job as he did.)  PYL taxpayers are also paying around $1800 EACH DAY in redundant compensation to have an Assistant Superintendent in charge of Administrative Services these are not the first instances over the last four years in which multiple managers have been put on paid administrative leave.  PYL taxpayers also have a right to an estimate of the qualitative and reputational damage to the district foisted upon it by the extremist takeover of the board.  The extremists have not merely damaged the outstanding pipeline of California State University Fullerton teachers into the district the reputation of our district has also declined in the education departments at other universities as well.  It will be very difficult to find a superintendent willing to confront both the fiscal and political mess in the PYLUSD after witnessing the absurdity of meetings such as the one that occurred on January 14 or any of the previous ones that have taken place over the last four years.  The January 14 meeting was a giant step forward for the district.  The road to recovery begins with accountability Ahluwalia provided the parameters within which that accountability will transpire in the legal realm.  More than anything this meeting further testified to the courage and dedication of Trustees Anderson and Quintero.  They will continue to need our unwavering support in the weeks to come The challenges are formidable.  The extremists on the OCBE and their attorneys just returned from a trip to Washington where they sought further funding to promote their ability to impose charter schools in local districts that do not want them.  They have already authorized 28 charter schools in the county.  In the process the OCBE undermines that most foundational institution of constitutional republicanism: the local school board.  Their coalition of support includes various grifters including those seeking higher political office and the enhanced power that comes from being pastor of a megachurch The fundamental problem is that these grifters view litigation as a means of further diverting general fund money in a district from the classroom where it belongs because their goal is to destroy public education.  Narcissistic nihilism is their core ideology and demolition is their operational tactic It would seem long past time for our state legislature and our governor to reexamine the provisions of Proposition 39.  In the meantime is there enough evidence yet to document the conspiracy between the PYLUSD board extremists and the CPC that might persuade a jury that they have engaged an attempt to defraud the taxpayers of PYL Isn’t the reason Cal State Fullerton stopped funneling student teachers to PYLUSD because the district wouldn’t teach critical race theory Underage children do not need to learn a flawed theory that pushes a hateful agenda disguised as inclusion Nobody teaches Critical Race Theory before college (Although like a lot of stupid-ass extremist boards Leandra’s PYLUSD made a point of saying they wouldn’t teach it.) Does teaching about the Holocaust count as CRT then why does teaching about the Middle Passage Do some people just not have a legitimate place in history classes might want a more “balanced” view of Nazi Germany.) None of this requires condemnation of white people (and even semi-white people like Eric and me) as a whole there’s a hell of a lot to be taught about whites who did and did not support these things That’s where history gets really interesting: I could make a positive case for any of those atrocities for students to contend with thus learning about the present-day implications of those positions But some people do not want educated students I won’t expect anything more in return than anonymous attacks from people who use anonymity as a way to facilitate character attacks I agree, it doesn’t make sense. Here is one of the articles that explains the CSUF and PYLUSD schism. Imagine this is why Leandra referenced. https://www.ocregister.com/2022/10/19/csuf-pulls-student-teachers-from-placentia-yorba-linda-after-critical-race-theory-ban/ Anything Leandra says should be discounted as a lie What they’ve been taught is their mommy will bail them out when they get in trouble at school you call CRT a hateful agenda disguised as inclusion which shows you don’t know what it is either it has never been taught in any elementary or secondary school They banned something that wasn’t being taught we might as well start crafting bans on witchcraft or alchemy because those aren’t taught in school either Vern and the PYLUSD for Truth’s claims that CRT is not taught in high school is not correct The PYLUSD’s ban exempted the AP and IB programs from it proving that it IS taught in our classrooms While it is true that prior to the release of Nikole Hannah-Jones’ landmark 1619 Project CRT was a topic confined to higher-level courses in universities Hannah-Jones made CRT a matter of public discourse with which every decently educated person should be familiar and not just the ones aspiring to go to university many of our police officers need better training in cultural diversity as we witness frequently in our PYLUSD board meetings as I attempted to argue in the piece linked above is that people do not understand what the discipline of history entails The study of history involves an examination of the past through the filters of various sources The cumulation of these varied perspectives on the past are what is known as historiography The idea that there is one thread of analysis that embodies absolute truth is absurd and undermines serious engagement with the complexities of the past I would expect all my students – not just the IB and AP elite – to have the ability to summarize and evaluate CRT as a way of understanding race relations in the past What the extremists who seek to ban ideas from the classroom are really attempting to accomplish is to impose a single version of history on our young people Such has been the aspiration of every totalitarian regime in the era of mass politics The extremist goal today is to impose the pseudo-classical and crypto-Christian variant of history on everyone in the form of the tedious and pitiful Hillsdale College curriculum for history Does it surprise anyone that the astute scholarship of a Black woman has become the specific target of the far right in this country The extremist response to this charge will be to tell you to read Thomas Sowell I’ve been saying for years that CRT isn’t taught in high school cuz that’s what I kept hearing but now I know it can be taught in advanced courses – I assume That makes Leandra’s ban extra lame – it’s banned everywhere in the district except for where it’s actually taught While I appreciate the depth of your analysis I can’t help but detect a bit of biased slant in there I think you would agree with many of the educational philosophies held by Dr The direction we wanted to move as a school would never be approved under PYLUSD regardless of the boards political leanings “For the master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house.” the idea that politics would not play into this vote sounds a bit naive Fisher was either ignorant or lying about the proposed revisions That’s why they tried to rush these revisions through after the school had been open only 3+ months Revisions that would have violated ed code her behavior during the board meeting was completely unprofessional The fact that she hand picked a staff is also a red flag It makes the staff even easier to manipulate the other takeaway from that meeting was not that kids at OCSCS deserve to be educated it was the sense that they are somehow entitled to MORE than other kids Maybe you would be willing to address that I understand your concerns but I believe the conclusions you have drawn are rooted in assumptions you have made but I can assure you that 1) we all want more for all kids than what our current education system has to offer Fisher has worked tirelessly to create a path for us to build it it seems as if you want to assert your claims (without evidence) while questioning others then retreating to the safety of your position as a teacher at the school Fisher (or you for that matter) cannot use the fact the she works so hard as some sort of crutch that does not necessarily mean those tasks are inherently good her pair-share demonstration was a paradigm of getting out over your skis She was so confident that the charter was going to remain dependent Anyone with a modicum of humility would have apologized just as publicly as she made a fool of herself The fact that USI was going to be included had nothing to do with what you are trying to achieve at OCSCS We know this because it was never going to be at OCSCS and was never part of the original charter USI has been a boondoggle from its inception Add to it that it would have been illegal to transfer it over an independent charter shows that for all her hard work As an inclusion specialist working with Special Education students you should be concerned that the independent charter was going to rely on PYLUSD to fund special education (yes because it’s expensive) but that shows that OCSCS wanted it fake and to eat it too Fisher has made it very clear how close she is to Dr a serial liar (we have published videos using evidence from PUBLIC board meetings that show he lied about having a relationship with the vendor for USI and needing DSA approval which put board members in legal jeopardy) the board is the boss of everyone in the district from classified staff to the superintendent Fisher speak to their bosses is completely unprofessional You would not accept that behavior from your students Somehow neither he nor she were aware of the dependent/independent status I find this incredibly hard to believe from people who rarely hesitate to toot their own horns While I am sure there were plenty of parents who spoke at the meeting who genuinely believe in the school several were sandbaggers and known liars (Jess Battaglia is a local politician and advisory board member She also claimed that becoming independent (let’s face it she was wrong) was the only way to obtain funds and even mentioned El Rancho in OUSD That school is not independent and borrowed money from the district it had to pay back Fisher wants it to buy a Ferrari on a Toyota budget and have someone else foot the bill (namely taxpayers) let’s not forget the attorney pointed out there are other sources of funds You just have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps and work for it just like Teddy Roosevelt would have suggested I also know that the staff at OCSCS trends on the younger side She has created a siege mentality and maybe you all as staff feel like it’s you against the world Plenty of teachers do their jobs every day with far less under worse conditions and they will continue to do so without having to resort to public tantrums a la Beth Fisher Here’s the thing: even bad people can do good things A good leader would not brag about how much work she has done only to be shown how ignorant she is on the matter on which she claims to know so much She wants to do what she wants and not be beholden to anyone People throughout history have hidden behind the issue of doing what’s best for kids to pull off all kinds of shady things From Tipper Gore with song lyrics to today’s manufactured panic about transgender people it must be above board.” If you are smart enough to pull up the Roosevelt allusion to attempt an argument you should be just as smart to see the glaring inconsistencies in Dr all valid concerns and if we were communicating face to face I would be happy to engage the internet and the anonymity it provides has made it It far too easy for messages to be misinterpreted So I will leave you with one additional quote: “All I know is that my life is better when I assume that people are doing their best It keeps me out of judgment and lets me focus on what is and not what should or could be.“ – Brene Brown That is all I care to share in the critics comments section https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/Learn-About-TR/TR-Encyclopedia/Culture-and-Society/Man-in-the-Arena.aspx The comment (albeit cryptic) was meant as an invitation But I don’t want to detract from PYLUSD for Truth’s challenge to you below All valid concerns but none I am willing to address in the present context You write that the conclusions drawn in the article I wrote “are rooted in assumptions you have made.” You do not Nor do you engage any false conclusions based on those assumptions you offer your own set of false assumptions that I will identify and refute here One of your assumptions is that our “current education system” is incapable of offering what our kids need and general assumption that has little relevance to the problems created in the PYLUSD by the former board majority and former superintendent Prior to their destructive takeover of the district the PYLUSD offered many and various outstanding programs throughout the schools in the district the PYLUSD has been one of the best performing districts in the state and Your obscure comment reinforces points made by the three extremist board members (and their extremism is something assumed here but will be explained a bit in a moment) and the former superintendent Fisher’s awful presentations at board meetings echo the disparaging comments made by Superintendent Cherniss and the three board extremists over the past four years the former superintendent asserted that the district was failing because teachers were not teaching critical thinking skills and analytical writing The three board extremists have reiterated such claims in various ways over the past four years These assertions are factually incorrect and deeply insulting to the many dedicated teachers in the district It is one of the main reasons why the staff received the former superintendent and three board members so frostily at the teacher assemblies that kicked off this school year While admittedly there are teachers in the district who supported the former superintendent most teachers are angry and disgusted with him As were the majority of voters in November’s election You also make the curious assertion that OCSCS needed a charter status (you strangely avoided the key questions related to the issue of dependent and independent charter status) that would allow the school to operate autonomously from the PYLUSD Board You then add insult to injury by claiming that the direction OCSCS is taking “would never be approved under PYLUSD regardless of the boards (sic) political leanings.” The fact is that the board has been exceedingly generous in its support of OCSCS to the point where other schools have begun raising fundamental questions of fairness to other schools in the district The OCSCS has received a disproportionate amount of non-discretionary funding in the district And perhaps you are too young and lack the knowledge to appreciate the outrageous privilege Fisher has been given in being allowed to “hand pick” her own staff No other principal in the district is given that privilege the monthly board meetings have been little other than promotional ads for the OCSCS and USI sponsored by the former superintendent and board president Your arrogant assertion that the PYLUSD board is incapable of supporting a program as allegedly dynamic and innovative as OCSCS is also a standing insult to the elected board members her family has lived in the district over four generations and her children and grandchildren have attended our schools she has been an active member of numerous PTAs in addition to all the other community services she has provided Tricia Quintero is an educator with advanced degrees in that field There are few people in the county who can measure up to her education To claim that this board is incapable of engaging innovative educational programs is to fuel the spiral of arrogance and ignorance that Principal Fisher has persistently generated The current board majority contrasts distinctly with the former board majority Frazier) are neither educated nor educators would they even want to run for the school board The simple and accurate answer is that their pastors colluded with powerful forces in the charter school movement and the Republican Party to argue that the public schools are disastrous hotbeds of “woke” ideology under the pernicious control of the teachers union The OCSCS is the local manifestation of the Project 2025 quest to destroy public education as it has emerged from the inception of the republic and as has been articulated from Horace Mann (1796-1859) through John Dewey (1859-1952) to the present Another false assumption that you implicitly posit is that the current crisis in education operates outside of the broader crisis in our political culture Education has always been nothing more and nothing less than a reflection of the broader culture It is neither the singular cause nor the singular solution to broader problems in society And the broader crisis in our political culture should be obvious to any thinking person There is no greater condemnation of our education system than the fact that voters in this country just elected a pathological liar and obvious grifter whose entire campaign centered on emotional appeal Here is a brief overview of the broader political crisis The citizens of this country elected a man who tried to overturn the results of a free and fair election four years ago and was not held to account because our institutions have been fundamentally corrupted The citizens of this country elected a man whose refusal to follow elementary science-based protocols during a pandemic resulted in around 400,000 needless deaths of the 1.2 million that occurred The public elected a man who bizarrely argued during the campaign that tariffs are a panacea to our trade deficit and national debt The public elected a man who made the racist and ignorant claim that Haitians in Ohio were stealing and eating people’s pets the previous board majority and superintendent in the PYLUSD all supported the re-election of Donald J It is important to note this because this is the context in which the imposition of OCSCS and USI transpired Neither program was either well-conceived or explained to the broader public Both programs intended to divert taxpayer money from publicly accountable institutions such as the elected board of the PYLUSD into the private interests of the governing bodies that were to control OCSCS and USI Ahliwalia provided strong evidence showing that this was by design It is often the case that people engaging in deliberate dishonesty will cite evidence in support of their arguments that confuse scales of analysis one will repeatedly hear how California’s public schools rank 46th out of 50 states as a way to condemn liberalism in general and the California Teachers Association in particular What these same people never mention is that states like Texas and Florida are right there at the bottom with us What do these three states have in common Large populations of recent immigrants for whom English is a second language rural areas whose counties are very Republican red Many of the poorest performing schools are in the red counties of California all three states have large cities with enormous levels of wealth are the best predictors of academic performance as measured by standardized testing I appreciate your perspective but I am not comfortable continuing the conversation in a comments section My comments and assertions were intentionally vague because of the broader political climate I have never known socio-economic privilege and I have my own family to consider I will not risk my ability to provide for them by engaging in digital discourse which inherently lacks all the critical components of productive interpersonal communication Aside from the veiled attacks on my character I appreciate your thoughts and perspectives as well as your ability (and willingness) to communicate them I am not arguing that you are incorrect in your analysis of the information available to you I am simply suggesting that you may be missing some important puzzle pieces Having a vested interest in all this “Charter Madness,” I am hoping for an opportunity to share them with you thanks at least for including your e-mail this time But members of the public don’t get much out of the private conversations you want to have with your questioners and critics The Arena is the antiquated US education system While the critics spend their time discussing what should or should not be done to fix it the credit belongs to the men/women who sacrifice their time to enact evidence-based initiatives designed to bring about actual change What is most disturbing is your suggestion that you have privileged access to some of the puzzle pieces that other members of the public do not There is an abundance of evidence suggesting that the three extremist board members have regularly funneled closed session information to select individuals supporting their agenda who then reveal this illegally obtained information selectively to the public to promote their agenda Are these the pieces of the puzzle that you are willing to share with me privately but not publicly your former Garden Grove colleague and current principal conveyed closed session information to you illegally provided to her by Blades or Frazier of Cherniss or Gates it is your duty as a citizen to report these Brown Act violations to the proper authorities There are people who follow this blog site who would be more than happy to help you make such a report These same people could help you navigate the challenges of the Orange County District Attorney’s office which seems consistently reluctant to investigate certain groups of people We all have a vested interest in a transparent engagement of facts as we know them This blog is one of the few places where in depth analysis of the systemic effort to undermine public schools in Orange County occurs People are either willing to have an open and honest public discussion of this issue or they are not I wish we lived in a world where we could have open and honest discourse on digital platforms without fear of repercussions If I have learned anything about communicating with others over the internet it is that people rarely assume best intentions or seek a common understanding they seek validation of preconceived ideas and reasons to discredit anyone who may challenge those ideas You demonstrated both of these in your previous comment by insinuating we are a group of untrustworthy individuals conducting nefarious back-room meetings You have also clearly spent some time looking into my background suggesting you are more interested in finding reasons to discredit me than having an open and honest conversation I don’t fault you for this as the human brain is wired to distrust anything it can’t categorize neatly Which is why digital dialogue can never truly be open and honest and in conjunction with “the broader political climate,” I am not comfortable sharing any information that could potentially be used as political cannon fodder against me or the people I care about We have much more in common than you probably believe and I truly appreciate your perspectives I simply wanted to reach out and offer you an opportunity to broaden those perspectives with the hope that I may mitigate the damage inflicted on my friend If you are not interested in engaging in any sort of genuine human interaction and will have to just wait for the right opportunity to write my own blog I will leave you with a quote my father shared with me and echoes in my head every day “What we know builds walls around what may be.” and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. when Janet Nguyen really pissed off a lot of the Little Saigon community by politicizing Black… The Register article had some good stuff from Mike but I got more from talking to him and his sister… But Danny Hughes said those who spoke of a Culture of Corruption were misinformed or lying Lou was back in Washington voting with Republicans to overturn one of California's Clean Air Act… Doing well Ca needs elected auditors of our powerful assessors Next time… About Arras WordPress Theme prompting the closure of several eastbound lanes Wednesday morning.YORBA LINDA (KABC) -- Two people were killed in a multi-car crash on the 91 Freeway in Yorba Linda prompting the temporary closure of several eastbound lanes Wednesday morning The deadly collision happened around 1 a.m according to the California Highway Patrol At least three cars were involved in the crash one of which burst into flames in the middle lanes of the freeway only the far right and far left lanes were open for drivers All lanes were cleared a short time after that Additional details about what led up to the crash were not available The Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District hosted an open house and parent information session at the Universal Sports Institute — also known as USI — site at Parkview School on Sept This event marked the official launch of the district’s new diploma-bound program for elite student-athletes in grades three through 12 designed to support those in both middle and high school through concurrent enrollment According to the district, USI was established to support student-athletes by integrating athletics and academics through a flexible independent study model The program allows students to complete core academic courses and participate in up to two courses and athletics at one of the district’s comprehensive high schools.  This hybrid approach enables students to attend classes and lunch at traditional schools while benefiting from specialized athletic training in strength and conditioning The institute aims to become a district-wide sports performance hub, offering personalized sports performance programs recovery programs and sports science pathway courses USI will extend its strength and conditioning and recovery services to high school athletes after their school day Alex Cherniss and other district officials welcomed families students and community members to tour the state-of-the-art facility and learn about the resources available It used to be kids coming to you and you as a student you have to conform to the school you go to “Now our school conforms to our kids and what they need USI is an academic and athletic institute where we take kids and provide them with skills and technology that otherwise nobody else could afford and we do it for every kid that wants to be part of this program.” The district’s conversion charter campus — Orange County School of Computer Science in Yorba Linda — will serve as the primary training hub for USI with each of the district’s comprehensive high schools hosting its own USI training sites The program has already installed a range of state-of-the-art equipment from leading vendors Additional sports performance and recovery tools are expected to be added in the coming months to further enhance the program’s offerings “We’re really excited to be working with the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District to see what’s happening with their students in sports and academics,” said Dennis Cole “The work here at the Universal Sports Institute perfectly blends those academics and athletic achievements.” For more information about the Universal Sports Institute, visit https://usi.pylusd.org Official Instagram for the Orange County Department of Education | View the OCDE web policy at ocde.us/webpolicy Orange County Department of Education  Website publishing policyNon-discrimination policySocial media policy Thanks for visiting the OCDE Newsroom. Questions and story suggestions should be sent to communications@ocde.us If you’re a member of the media in need of information about the Orange County Department of Education, please email communications@ocde.us or call 714-966-4475 Crean Lutheran relief pitcher Griffin Theetge (right) celebrates Wednesday’s win with third baseman Jayce DeJong (Photos courtesy Crean Lutheran Shutterbugs Crean Lutheran High School’s baseball team survived a comeback by Yorba Linda to capture a 4-3 Freeway League victory Wednesday on a hot afternoon at Crean Lutheran 4-1) led 4-0 going into the sixth inning before Yorba Linda (6-13 1-3) scored three runs to get back into the game Yorba Linda also threatened in the seventh inning off reliever Griffin Theetge Nathan Schneider was hit by a pitch leading off and Joshua Garza singled but Thomas Knutson walked to load the bases with one out Theetge struck out the next two hitters to preserve the win for starting pitcher Blake Armstrong who allowed a run and two hits while striking out two through five innings to earn the win “I just tried to keep a slow heart rate and try to throw strikes,” said Theetge “I struggled a little bit at the beginning but ended up toward the end being able to we started off hot and then we slowed down a little but toward the end we were able to fire it back up It’s a big win definitely to get the win over Yorba Linda we’re 4-1 in league now we’re just trying to get all the wins we can.” Crean Lutheran had six hits off Yorba Linda starter Pierce Werner Jayce DeJong led the way offensively for Crean Lutheran with two RBI including a sacrifice fly in the first inning driving in Brady McKay “I thought we were really good in the box today,” said Crean Lutheran Coach Jake Haney “We’re not putting up a ton of runs today I thought our swings were really good he’s a really good high school pitcher he can change speeds and attacks with the fastball that’s kind of the baseball we have to play so us getting guys on early in the innings really allowed our offense to move.” Haney was pleased with how the Saints executed had two sacrifice bunts to move over runners who scored “And Jayce DeJong came up twice and in drove in runs in both of those at bats … both times with two strikes he had some really good at bats and was really clutch for us DeJong had an RBI single and Ian McDermott drove in a run on a bunt single Knutson drove home two runs with a double and Logan Roehl drove in another when he was bit by a pitch with the bases loaded got Owen Smith to fly out to end the inning then Theetge preserved the win in the seventh “I never assume it’s over but credit to Yorba Linda they came back in the sixth inning and had some incredible at bats of their own but fortunately for us we were able to make enough pitches at the end,” Haney said It was the Saints second straight league win Crean Lutheran defeated Pacifica 3-2 on Saturday but the league is so tough and so tight,” Haney said “It kind of reminds me of what our boys basketball team was going through the way I think about it is there are all these games on the table and we’re just trying to get any win that we can and get enough wins to get us in the playoffs and once you get into the playoffs 2024A heart-stopping moment was caught on camera in Yorba Linda as a garbage truck burst into flames and crashed into a parked car.YORBA LINDA (KABC) -- A heart-stopping moment was caught on camera in Yorba Linda as a garbage truck burst into flames and crashed into a parked car The driver managed to jump back into the burning truck and steer it away from a home The couple who sent the video of the incident said they just moved back into their newly remodeled house and thought they were going to lose everything but they did lose a few cars and all of the gifts that were inside of them In the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District Venture Academy students are blending fresh cups of coffee with real-world skills as part of the adult transition program’s student cafe The Venture Coffee Cats officially opened to the school community on Tuesday welcoming district leadership and board members as student employees served up fresh batches of coffee tea and pumpkin-flavored hot chocolate to customers From the garden of the George Key School campus students age 18 to 22 manage every aspect of the business from crafting the shop’s name and logo to preparing drink orders and handling the operations Venture Academy serves young adults with special needs offering hands-on work experiences while helping students gain essential skills for independent living our Coffee Cats program showcases the incredible capabilities of our adult transition students,” said Rebecca Allan “Whether they’re taking orders or handling the financial side of the business these students do it all — building independence and confidence with every cup.” Students plan to use the profits they make from sales to help supply and run the business as needed Venture Academy will bring its shop districtwide and serve up warm beverages to educators throughout the Placentia-Yorba Linda community The Venture Coffee Cats is open to district staff every Tuesday and Thursday from 8 to 9 a.m Here are the other stories we’re following this week: please take note that I’ll be taking next week off so there will not be a TimesOC newsletter on Wednesday Two local school boards took divergent action after election results trending in their respective districts made it apparent who would be serving on the panels come mid-December One board felt it necessary to ensure its current superintendent’s job would be protected from firing by the soon-to-be seated members announced its superintendent’s job would be terminated by the end of December The conservative majority on the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District Board of Trustees voted Nov. 19 to shield Supt. Alex Cherniss (with whom they are politically aligned) and other top-level administrators, according to this article by TimesOC reporter Gabriel San Román “As voters appear poised to flip conservative control of the board current trustees approved changes to Cherniss’ contract … that would make it more difficult for him to be fired,” the reporter writes “Trustees can now only terminate his employment by way of a supermajority vote of the five-member board a threshold that sunsets at the end of 2026.” This did not sit well with members of the public attending the meeting who is leading by a wide margin to take the seat currently occupied by another member “These changes are being proposed with the guise of bettering school community,” Quintero said that night the impression I have of these changes is not what is best for the community but sending a cease and desist letter on behalf of the Assn of Placentia-Linda Educators arguing the proposed contract changes would violate education law and invite lawsuits “This is a naked attempt to shield the outgoing board’s preferred administrators from termination once the newly elected board is installed,” the letter read “The proposed amendments conflict with the law and therefore would not be enforceable.” The newly constituted board will be installed Dec The story behind that story is far too complex to go into here I encourage you to read San Román’s entire article to get a clearer picture Three days after the Placentia-Yorba Linda vote was taken and the motion passed, the Laguna Beach Unified school board announced the district was terminating its contract with Supt. Jason Viloria effective Dec. 31 Jason Viloria is the Laguna Beach Unified School District’s superintendent of schools until Dec (Don Leach / Daily Pilot) That panel will reorganize Dec following this month’s election of two newcomers to the board stated the move was not related to Viloria’s performance but rather due to “anticipated changes in the governing board that may influence the direction and priorities of the district moving forward.” who boasts a long list of achievements since stepping into the role in 2016 stated in a letter to district families the decision was a mutual one “The current Board of Education and I mutually decided that my stepping aside at this time would provide the incoming board with the opportunity to shape the leadership that best aligns with its vision for the district’s future,” Viloria wrote in the letter reviewed by the Daily Pilot “While agreeing to the separation agreement was one of the most difficult decisions of my career I believe it is the right choice to honor the progress we have made together and to ensure the district continues to thrive.” One of the reasons proponents of the change cited in their request was that since 2018 Santa Ana has had a higher sales tax rate This means affected North Tustin residents who use their home addresses while buying a car or shopping online for big ticket purchases are sometimes assessed Santa Ana’s tax rate Rivian halted work on the Atlanta plant this year after losing $5.4 billion in 2023 The marque’s best-selling R1S carries a price tag north of $70,000 • Backyard beekeepers in Costa Mesa are closer to being allowed to practice their hobby without being considered scofflaws. The City Council last week approved the first reading of an ordinance to legalize and regulate the practice Those currently tending hives will be given 90 days to comply with the specifics of the ordinance following its second reading • The Balboa Peninsula Trolleys, although serviceable, are no better looking than “airport shuttles,” according to a Newport Beach councilman who voted with his colleagues to spend $1.6 million to replace them with some that evoke the sense of being on one of the electric cars of the early 20th century police said they found a stolen purple McLaren worth hundreds of thousands of dollars • Orange resident Joel Navarro Hernandez, 55, was identified as the sole motorist killed in a series of collisions on the 405 Freeway in Costa Mesa on the evening of Tuesday in the multiple crashes that led to a full-freeway six-hour closure while California Highway Patrol investigators began the task of sorting out exactly what had occurred • An SUV crashed into the center divider of the Santa Ana (5) Freeway near Tustin Ranch Road shortly after 3 a.m killing one person inside and sending debris flying across both sides of the freeway Times reporter Bill Shaikin notes that yes the Angels are signing free agents (to the tune of $107 million this month) but wonders aloud what team officials should expect of injury-plagued hasn’t played in even 120 games of a 162-game season “No one really knows how many games Trout might play next season,” Shaikin writes The “rain” consists of whole rolls of toilet paper which fans throw on the court after Pacifica Christian makes its first three-pointer Pacifica’s junior guard Vivian Villagrana scored 22 points to lead the Tritons to a 57-31 victory over Lake Elsinore No official tally of the TP rolls lobbed Friday was reported a Texas native who underwent vocal cord surgery at the age of 16 and wondered if she’d ever be able to perform in a musical again she’s capably handling the role of Tzeitel who urges her younger sisters not to be in a rush to be married off with one of the musical’s signature songs Artist Nancy “Laguna Sunshine” with one of her stuffed animal monsters at the 2023 Sawdust Art Festival Winter Fantasy in Laguna Beach. (Don Leach / Staff Photographer) • Sawdust Art Festival’s Winter Fantasy opened Friday and will run from 10 a.m More than 180 artists are selling original artworks and handmade gifts General admission is $12; $10 for seniors 65 and older; $5 for youth ages 6 to 12 and free for children 5 and under 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 Print A majority of Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District trustees voted to shield top-level administrators from any possible headwinds following local elections As voters appear poised to flip conservative control of the board current trustees approved changes to Cherniss’ contract during Tuesday’s school board meeting that would make it more difficult for him to be fired Trustees can now only terminate his employment a threshold that sunsets at the end of 2026 which was also approved for two assistant superintendents and one deputy superintendent drew much protest during the packed school board meeting She is set to be elected to the school board by a commanding margin in winning the Area 1 seat Trustee Shawn Youngblood is vacating “These changes are being proposed with the guise of bettering school community,” Quintero said Board President Leandra Blades framed the contract changes as legal and not a departure from past contracts with supermajority vote clauses “The problem that we have here is what appears to be some retaliatory acts from our teachers’ union,” she said “Is that because we have people on our executive cabinet our superintendent holding people accountable for these things?” the school board has become a stalwart in right-wing culture war issues The board became the first in Orange County to pass a ban on critical race theory instruction in 2022. The following year, a conservative majority voted to hire Cherniss as superintendent, and he has been seen as closely aligned with them since. At his request, trustees also passed a parental notification policy by a 3-2 vote that sidestepped terms like “gender identity” and “transgender” but raised concerns that it was purposefully vague to target LGBTQ+ students. A vote by conservative trustees to require a supermajority to terminate Supt. Alex Cherniss led to a packed school board meeting. (Screenshot by Gabriel San Roman) Before Tuesday’s meeting, the California Teachers Assn. addressed a cease and desist letter to Blades and Cherniss on behalf of the Assn. of Placentia-Linda Educators. The union’s staff attorney argued the proposed contract changes would violate education law and invite lawsuits. “This is a naked attempt to shield the outgoing board’s preferred administrators from termination once the newly elected board is installed,” the letter read. “The proposed amendments conflict with the law and therefore would not be enforceable.” Trustee Marilyn Anderson questioned Blades’ favorable interpretation of the legal opinion offered by the district’s counsel. She wanted to make the legal opinion public, a move that did not find majority support. “My opinion and President Blades’ opinions of this opinion do not match up,” Anderson said. “It’s a really poor comparison to compare the two contracts of prior superintendents because they had a simple majority for cause to get fired. It just breeds corruption.” On Tuesday, a judge denied Placentia resident David Radlauer’s filing to enjoin the school board from making the contractual changes, which argued that the amendments “are specifically designed to target only the incoming board, as they expire automatically approximately 30 days after the next election.” Youngblood framed the previous school board meeting as one where teachers openly displayed a clamor for Cherniss’ termination — a move that he would readily safeguard against in his remaining time on the board. “This is about the kids and their education,” Youngblood said. “If I, myself, want to insulate Dr. Cherniss and this amazing staff that he’s got around him then I will do so.” Trustee Todd Frazier, who rounds out the board’s conservative majority alongside Blades and Youngblood, claimed he would have no problem voting to change directions with top-level administrators should the need arise. But Trustee Carrie Buck countered that the change to Cherniss’ contract would effectively tie the hands of board members against that. “By making decisions now, you’re actually legislating for the future board, which is against the law,” she said. The current board voted 3-2 to add the supermajority clauses. A new board will be seated on Dec. 17. Gabriel San Román is a feature writer for TimesOC. He previously worked at OC Weekly – as a reporter, podcast producer and columnist – until the newspaper’s closing in late 2019. In 2023, San Román was part of the breaking news reporting team that was a Pulitzer finalist for its coverage of the Lunar New Year mass shooting in Monterey Park. He may or may not be the tallest Mexican in O.C. overcoming major setbacks to build a thriving business that serves nearly 100 students *This brand is a paid partner of 1851 Franchise. For more information on paid partnerships please click here. The Crafts’ Successful Journey from New Parents to Children’s Lighthouse Franchisees How Robert Trujillo Expanded His Construction Business With UWRG Health Care Professional in the Non-Profit Space Brings TruBlue to North Pittsburgh Texas-Sized Ambition: How a Shared Dream Turned Into Three Crust Pizza Co. Locations Yum Brands Reports Strong Q1 Results with Big Boost from Taco Bell QSR: McDonald’s Gains Momentum With Chicken Innovation, Value Deals and Franchisee Support The Future of Franchising: Trends and Predictions for 2025 and Beyond Restaurant Business: Crumbl Cools Its Expansion, Refocuses on Profitability Pool Scouts Expands Hope Floats Fundraising Efforts for 2025, Aiming to Surpass $100,000 in Total Donations Why Rochester, New York, Is a Great Market To Open a Filta Environmental Kitchen Solutions Franchise Fresh Coat Cares: Painting a Brighter Future for Communities Nationwide Franchise Broker Turned Owner Opens Kid’s Ninja Gym in Kansas City the following states regulate the offer and sale of franchises: California If you are a resident of one of these states we will not offer you a franchise unless and until we have complied with applicable pre-sale registration and disclosure requirements in your jurisdiction Franchise offerings are made by Franchise Disclosure Document only LAist is part of Southern California Public Radio The conservative Placentia-Yorba Linda School District board majority voted Tuesday to make it more difficult for the incoming the outgoing majority wants to lock in some of its controversial changes It’s a scenario that’s likely playing out across the country in the lame duck weeks after Election Day But the battles have become heightened in our polarized political environment where hot-button issues have captured headlines voters returned one conservative candidate to the board and rejected another in favor of a more moderate candidate The upshot is that the once-powerful conservative majority has lost its firm grip on the board they made a move that could lock in district leaders Some parents and community members say it’s an effort to thwart the will of voters “This block is just grabbing power that they can wield in the minority to frustrate the will of the community,” said resident Dave Radlauer Radlauer had filed a legal complaint seeking to block the vote He told LAist he's still deciding whether to continue to fight the action in court The district leaders and their supporters said the outcry over the contracts was overblown Quintero is an elementary school teacher who campaigned on a platform of fiscal transparency and eliminating “divisiveness and partisan politics.” who has repeatedly clashed with the board majority and Superintendent Alex Cherniss in recent years That leaves the once-powerful majority potentially in the minority though Quintero has said she'll make her own decisions and has not indicated publicly whether she wants to replace district leaders the board discussed amendments to the contracts for Cherniss and three other top administrators that would require a supermajority vote to dismiss them — four out of five board members — rather than a simple majority (or three votes) That means at least one of the two remaining members of the outgoing conservative faction would have to side with the new majority on any leadership changes the local teachers’ union sent a cease and desist letter to Cherniss and school board president Leandra Blades saying the supermajority requirement would violate the state’s education code they called the proposed contract change “a naked attempt to shield the outgoing Board’s preferred administrators from termination once the newly-elected board is installed.” Blades called the union’s effort to block the contract changes “extremely hypocritical.” She said prior lame duck school boards had made similar supermajority requirements to oust former superintendents “I guess a supermajority vote is OK for the superintendents they like but not for the ones they don’t like,” Blades said said there’s a difference: The contract changes require a supermajority to oust the superintendent even if there’s misconduct “I’m concerned about the power grab,” Anderson said requiring supermajority votes to dismiss superintendents — with and without cause — is not unusual Cherniss shared with LAist numerous contracts in school districts throughout the state that require supermajority board votes for dismissal It's unclear whether any were tied to the election cycle A few other things on tonight’s agenda have caught the attention of critics: LAist is covering Southern California like never before But we cannot do this essential work without your help We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you At a time when the need for local journalism has never been greater Member support – your support – is what will sustain a free press in Southern California so please be here for us now with a donation to power our trusted local reporting Step up right now and make the choice to give Because that’s exactly what it is - a choice But it is not a choice without consequences If readers do not choose to step up and donate the future of fact-based news in Southern California will not be as strong LAist will remain a voice you know and trust Print Is there an cinematic instrumental song more iconic — or more unsettling — than the theme to John Carpenter’s 1978 horror classic “Halloween?” The synthesizers pulse in five-quarter time rather than the more common three-quarter time letting the listener know that something is amiss The piercing notes of the theme from “Psycho” are similarly unnerving the sharp string sounds calling to mind the plunging knife in the 1960 Alfred Hitchcock film The haunting “Danse Macabre,” by French composer Camille Saint-Saëns inspired by a poem from Henri Cazalis about an ancient superstition involving Death playing a fiddle to inspire the dead to dance up from their graves Those recognizable horror anthems are part of the program macabre music lovers will hear at “Candlelight Yorba Linda: A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics.” Hosted at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in Yorba Linda the event from global entertainment company Fever will present a live musical performance of Halloween-themed music in a candlelit setting on Oct The show is part of a series of Candlelight Concerts Fever is bringing Orange County “Candlelight reimagines the orchestral concert experience to attract a broader audience including those new to classical music,” said Wyatt McNeil Fever will bring a “Tribute to Metallica,” a “Tribute to Coldplay” and ”the Best of the Beatles” to the same venue The concerts are designed to make orchestral music more accessible to wider audiences which McNeil said the company achieves with a few accommodations “We shorten performances to a more accessible 60 minutes host them in unique venues beyond traditional concert halls and offer a diverse repertoire from classical masterpieces to themed shows like Halloween and tributes to contemporary artists,” McNeil said A Halloween-themed classical music performance at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum will feature songs like “Funeral March of a Marionette” and Danny Elfman’s theme from “Beetlejuice.” (Courtesy of Fever) The added element of candlelight isn’t just for the spooky season The soft lighting makes the cinematic music even more moving and sets the mood for a variety of music types A show planned for early November at the Neighborhood Congregational Church in Laguna Beach will highlight the compositions of German film score composer and music producer Hans Zimmer coupled with our talented local musicians who engage directly with the audience and share insights about the music creates an intimate and immersive experience,” said McNeil The performance will include the aforementioned tunes as well as “Funeral March of a Marionette” by Charles Gounod the theme from Netflix’s “Stranger Things” and a medley from “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” The Oct. 30 performance of the show is already sold out, but tickets for two Oct. 31 performances, one at 6:30 p.m. and another at 9 p.m., are still available. Attendees must be 8 years old or older, and anyone under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Tickets are priced between $42 and $76 and can be found at feverup.com. They fell at the finish, just like up in Fresno, falling in a 22-21 thriller when Mustangs quarterback Holden Nagin found Troy Roberts in the end zone on fourth down with 5.5 seconds on the clock. The score completed a remarkable comeback, with Yorba Linda (2-0) marching 94 yards on 17 plays to pull within six points on the fourth quarter’s first play, then driving 82 yards on 19 plays in the final two and a half minutes to prevail. That’s a lot like last week, when Clovis West rallied from a two-touchdown deficit to pull out a 29-28 triumph on a touchdown pass and two-point conversion with three seconds to go. And like that loss, questionable calls played a major role. “It sure feels [like everything is against us], just the perspective right in front of us,” said Chargers senior quarterback Savelio Niumata, who threw for 161 yards and two touchdowns. “But I feel like God has a plan for everything. Things are not going to work out in our favor every time. We’ve just got to build and learn from it. … “We can’t control the little stuff the refs do, but it is what it is, at the end of the day. Next time we’ve just got to work a little harder.” The Chargers’ effort can’t be faulted. They were in command after touchdowns in the final minute of the first half and on the opening drive of the second. The first came on Ayden Degiacomo’s 36-yard, leaping-into-the-end-zone catch between two defenders. The next on Jake Minter’s 13-yard third-and-goal grab provided a 21-7 advantage. It was built primarily on defensive work that had effectively shut down Nagin, who with a quarter and a half to go had completed just four of six throws for 10 yards. The All-CIF Southern Section selection soon found his form, completing 10 of his next 11 passes to forge a methodical drive — fueled by three third-down conversions — and position Yorba Linda for a thrilling finish. Vaughn Sharp followed his 5-yard touchdown run to start the final quarter with, after Edison was offside on the extra-point try, a two-point run to make it 21-15. The Chargers struggled to move the ball (and stop their foe) the rest of the way, going three-and-out by a yard on their next possession, then breaking down on the next after Niumata’s 11-yard sprint to the Yorba Linda 30 was killed by a holding flag. Penalties were costly all night. Edison had 14 for 108 yards, including a defensive-holding call that kept alive the Mustangs’ first scoring drive late in the first half that answered Julius Gillick’s 9-yard scoring run on the first play of the second quarter. The penalties were never more consequential than at the finish. Three major infractions aided the Mustangs’ final march, the most damaging being a holding call on a fourth-down incompletion that put the ball on Edison’s 25 with 66 seconds left. Another holding call brought it to the 7 with 25 seconds to go. Nagin, working from the 12 after a false-start penalty, threw incomplete to Roberts on the right side of the end zone three times, thanks to defensive back Carson Schmidt’s deft coverage, but Roberts stayed central on fourth down, and it was 21-21. Cayden Eilers’ kick made the difference, Niumata’s last-ditch pass after kickoff was dropped near midfield, and Edison was 0-2 for the first time in six years. “It is [heartbreaking],” Edison head coach Jeff Grady said. “We’re in position to win both games; just came up short. … We just didn’t execute when we needed to execute. We could have finished the game on offense, or at least run some more clock off, and we didn’t get the first down that we needed. … It’s just tough.” Said Niumata: “There’s nothing you can do controlling what the refs do for [Yorba Linda], whether it seems like they’re favoring them or not — which it did — but we’ve just got to keep playing until that clock hits zero. I feel like our boys played their hearts out, and that’s all I could really ask for.” The late penalties and clock operations irked the Chargers, who also were denied a first-half safety when Jake Lopez was brought down after retreating into the end zone upon picking up a kickoff that had died on the front of the goal line. Yorba Linda instead got the ball on the 1, and Edison went without two vital, potentially decisive points. If that seems unfair, consider last week, when Clovis West’s winning touchdown was ruled down on the 1 by the line judge and overturned by the crew chief, standing 25 yards away. Video confirmed the initial call. Now it’s back-to-back, last-seconds defeats, and there is frustration. “Gives me the biggest chip on my shoulder,” Niumata said. “I feel like I have everything to prove now. We’re starting off 0-2, and we have everything to prove. But I feel like we’re only going to get better from here, and we’re going to keep learning.” E — Degiacomo 36 pass from Niumata (kick failed), 0:39. E — Minter 13 pass from Niumata (Carr pass from Niumata), 7:49. YL — Roberts 12 pass from Nagin (Eilers kick), 0:05. YL — Roberts, 5-22, 1 TD; Brazelton, 3-39. Sports News