Tag: Southern California

Man Gets 6 Years in Attack on Former ‘RHOC’ Cast Member

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.—An ex-boyfriend of Elizabeth Lyn Vargas pleaded guilty May 9 to attacking the former “The Real Housewives of Orange County” cast member and was immediately sentenced to six years in prison. Ryan Matthew Geraghty, 34, was arrested in February 2022 following a roughly two-hour standoff with Newport Beach police at Vargas’s home in…


California Reparations Report Should Disappoint Black Residents and Everybody Else

Commentary What a missed opportunity. On Saturday, the California Reparations Task Force issued its final recommendations (pdf) for “any form of compensation to African Americans, with a special consideration for African Americans who are descendants of persons enslaved in the United States.” Those are the words from Assembly Bill 3121, the 2020 law establishing the…


Embattled Orange County Green Energy Agency Replaces CEO

The board of the Orange County Power Authority (OCPA) selected an interim CEO on May 8 to replace the recently fired Brian Probolsky, whose last day is May 31. Joe Mosca, the agency’s director of communications and external affairs, was unanimously chosen for the role during a closed session meeting. His new position is effective June…


Orange County Schools Recognized for Music Education Excellence

Seven Orange County school districts were recognized in April for their excellence in music education by the National Association of Music Merchants Foundation, a nonprofit that advances the art of music through research, philanthropy, and public service programs. The recognized districts in Orange County were Anaheim Elementary, Anaheim Union, Capistrano Unified, Garden Grove Unified, Irvine…


‘Romeo and Juliet’ at City Ballet of San Diego

Commentary “Romeo and Juliet” seems to be the most popular story in Southern California this season. Both of San Diego’s major ballet companies, plus two regional SoCal opera companies, performed a version of this famous romance. I had the pleasure of seeing all of these productions, at least partially. The final of these was from…


Body of a California Tech CEO Found Over a Year After He Vanished on Uber Ride

The body of a California tech CEO was found in the suburbs of Los Angeles more than a year after he went missing after taking an Uber ride, police announced on Monday. Beau Mann, 39, took an Uber ride in Santa Monica and was never seen alive again. Beau Mann’s remains were identified by his dental…


San Francisco Unsafe, Dirty, Going to Get Worse: Former Board of Supervisors President

Once sought out by millions as a premier destination for travel and business, San Francisco is no longer safe, and a combination of corruption and lack of desire to solve the predicament are plaguing the city, according to Angela Alioto—former president of the Board of Supervisors. “We need a district attorney that’s going to enforce…


Gascón Critic Suit Winner Seeks $1.3 Million in Attorneys’ Fees, County Wants Retrial

LOS ANGELES—A veteran Los Angeles County prosecutor who was awarded $1.5 million after she was denied important jobs in retaliation for complaining about directives set forth after the 2020 election of District Attorney George Gascón is now seeking $1.3 million in attorneys’ fees, but the county wants a new trial. The March 6 Los Angeles…


Newsom Tongue-Tied Over His Reparations Task Force’s $800 Billion Proposal

Commentary It is here! From the time Governor Gavin Newsom signed a law implementing a task force on reparations in 2020, it was inevitable that this day would come. The task force has proposed that the state pay an estimated $800 billion to the state’s black residents. Newsom has had a long time to plan…


Port of Long Beach Plans Installation of Offshore Wind Turbines as Tall as Eiffel Tower

LONG BEACH, Calif.—The Port of Long Beach offered more details on May 9 on its plans for a floating offshore wind facility to help California and the nation reach renewable energy targets in the coming decades. The facility, known as Pier Wind, would support the manufacture and assembly of offshore wind turbines standing as tall…