Mission Viejo Does Memorial Day Right

If you're anywhere in South Orange County I'd encourage you to drive by Mission Viejo City Hall (southwest corner of La Paz Road and Marguerite Parkway) to see the Memorial Day display on the lawn between the City Hall and the Library. Very moving:

It's one thing to see the name of a fallen serviceperson on a piece of paper, but another thing altogether to see their picture and information about their life on the big banners outside City Hall. Go see it.

Mission Viejo Tea Party Rally

For the fourth year the Mission Viejo Tea Party rally will take place at the corner of La Paz and Marguerite Parkway on Monday, April 16th, from 5-7 pm.  I'm hoping we won't see a repeat of some things I saw at this event last year.

I've attended the three previous rallies, and certainly none of them have had the energy of the first one in 2009 when more than 600 people showed up carrying all kinds of creative signs.  Like any movement, Tea Parties have lost some of the enthusiasm they had in '09 and '10, but with a huge election coming, I'm hoping people will once again become involved.

The San Francisco Bay Tea Party groups got together on Saturday, and I like their style (from CalNews.com):

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (4/14)- In a move that is certain to cause controversy, members of the Bay Area Tea Party movement took over Justin Hermann Plaza, an area which had formerly been an encampment for Occupy San Francisco.

Heh, there's nothing like poking the opposition right in the eye.

If I get a chance I'll check out the Mission Viejo event and post some photos.

Mission Viejo Christmas Lights

Last night we took the Holly Trolley Tour of the Christmas lights contest winners' homes.  These are people who clearly enjoy paying more for electricity than I do.  We have some lights out, but nothing like this.

The tour left from City Hall, which is very nicely decorated and includes Santa's House where a long line of families and their kids were waiting to see the old guy:

Many moons ago (1992) the Santa House was located at Four Corners (La Paz & Chrisanta) and we went over there one night when Santa wasn't home and took our family Christmas photo.
She's now 23 and he's 20.  Yikes.

Back to last night.  This was our ride:

And here are some shots from the various places we stopped. At some of these homes you could probably use their electric meter as a fan. Clark Griswold would be proud:

Memo To Mission Viejo Planning Commissioners: Approve the Five Guys

We pause for a message to the local Mission Viejo political leadership:  Please approve this:

Five Guys Burgers & Fries, one of the fastest growing restaurant chains in the country, wants to open in a former bank site on the corner of Alicia Parkway and Charlinda Drive, under a plan the Planning and Transportation Commission will consider on Monday.

The proposed restaurant would be housed in the former La Jolla Bank building at 24391 Alicia Parkway in the Alicia Towne Plaza, which recently underwent an extensive makeover.

Although this will provide significant temptation for my wife and I, for the good of the community we need a Five Guys less than a mile from my home.

For the children....

A Little Burger Heaven is Coming to Mission Viejo

From the Mission Viejo Dispatch:

Five Guys Burgers & Fries has filed a petition with the City to locate in the former La Jolla Bank at the corner of Alicia and Charlinda in the L.A. Fitness Center.

Five Guys is a franchise chain of award-winning restaurants featuring a simplified menu similar to In and Out restaurants. Customers can order “all the way” which means with ketchup, mustard, mayo, lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, grilled onions, and grilled mushrooms. Also available without charge are jalapeno peppers, green peppers, relish, steak sauce, Bar-B-Q sauce, and hot sauce.

There's not much better in the whole world than a Bacon Cheeseburger "all the way".  Plus, you get free peanuts to eat while you're waiting for your food to be ready.

And this story from five days ago:

More than 6,000 people took part in Zagat’s annual fast food survey, with McDonald’s taking home the title of Best Fries, Best Breakfast Sandwich and several others, but a smaller chain took home the title of Best Burger.

According to the survey, Five Guys Burgers and Fries was rated the Best Burger, with McDonald’s coming in at the No. 5 spot. In-N-Out Burger, Wendy’s and Burger King also placed higher than McDonald’s in the category.

For many years my wife's favorite burger was In-N-Out. That was true until during a trip to Northern California last year we tried our first Five Guys burger. There was no comparison.

Back in February we were on our way to Las Vegas and stopped at an In-N-Out for lunch. Both of us took a couple of bites and said how disappointed we were after eating at Five Guys several times. We've never been back to In-N-Out since.

Once we heard Five Guys was in Orange County we started going there from time-to-time. It was a 20 mile drive to the store in Orange, but worth every bit of it. We've also eaten in Huntington Beach and Tustin. Having a store right down the street from us is going to be dangerous to my waistline.

Fireworks Again After 20 Years

I lived in Westminster from 1965 to 1977 and fireworks were a regular part of our July 4th celebrations.  In 1990 they were banned at a time when many cities were doing the same thanks in no small part to lots of roof fires caused by illegal skyrockets landing on shake shingle roofs.

Today most roofs are composites so the fire danger is a lot less and there are lots of people who would like to enjoy their July 4ths the way we used to.  Westminster is one such city:

After 20 years, the city will once again be illuminated with fireworks this Fourth of July.

On Thursday, local nonprofits began setting up their stands in a long-awaited effort to fundraise for their pet projects over the holiday weekend.

Thanh Nguyen of San Diego window shops at the Rose Center Foundation fireworks booth at the Asian Garden Mall. Volunteers expect sales to be big this year after a ban that lasted 20 years.

Shaun Miller, who grew up in Westminster, says she will now be able to share what she experienced with her children, who are 11 and 13. She was setting up a fireworks stand to benefit the Greater Grace Church, the Springdale Baptist Church and Iglesia de Communidad.

"We're not just earning money here, but we're getting to meet the community and share the spirit of patriotism," Miller said.

A performance by the Greater Grace Gospel Choir was planned Thursday night at their fireworks stand.

In November, 63 percent of the city's residents voted in favor of allowing Westminster to join five other Orange County cities in permitting the sale and use of safe and sane fireworks. The other cities that allow fireworks are Garden Grove, Santa Ana, Stanton, Costa Mesa and Buena Park.

The Westminster fireworks ban, originally introduced in 1990, was addressed again in 1998, when a similar measure allowed voters to consider repealing the fireworks prohibition. But even then, voters struck down any possibility of lifting the ban.

Last November, voters seemed ready to celebrate Independence Day with a bang – again.
Vicki Morgan, the city's code enforcement manager, said the city has issued permits to 15 fireworks stands.

"This is an exciting opportunity for residents to celebrate this patriotic holiday with the inclusion of fireworks," she said.

As I was driving home last night I encountered one of those big flashing highway signs that declared "Mission Viejo is a Fireworks-Free City".

That's just sad. It doesn't stop the people on my street who have had a fireworks party every year since I can remember, but they're always keeping an eye out for the Sheriff's helicopter or a patrol car. And nobody's gotten hurt and nothing has burned down.

Let my people have fireworks!

Three Schools in Mission Viejo in Lockdown

Mission Viejo High, La Paz Jr. High, and Esperanza Elementary are all in lockdown as Sheriff's search for a burglary suspect.  The incident is taking place at Pradera Dr. and La Paz Road.  Both Esperanza and La Paz Intermediate are on Pradera, and Mission Viejo High is at the intersection of Pradera and Chrisanta.  Pradera is usually choked with traffic as the schools get out and parents come to pick up their kids.

I saw several Sheriff's units heading that way with lights and sirens on, and the Sheriff's helicopter is currently circling overhead.  School is due to get out for another hour or so, and things will get really crazy if the lockdown continues until then.

UPDATE:  2:10 - the helicopter is no longer circling overhead, but no word yet on whether the lockdown has been lifted.

UPDATE:  2:17 - this is purely anecdotal, but I just saw one of the neighbor kids who goes to Mission Viejo High come home, so I'm assuming the lockdown has been lifted.  The usual news sources for Mission Viejo are a little slow getting any information out.

UPDATE:  2:25 - OC Register confirms the lockdown has been lifted.

Deputies locked down Mission Viejo High and other nearby schools for about an hour Tuesday while they searched the area for a man who tried to make his way into a house, authorities said.

The house appeared to be vacant, said Lt. Mike Peters of the Orange County Sheriff's Department, but the suspect ran away when he saw that someone else was already inside the house.

Deputies were called and began canvassing the area, searching for the suspect, Peters said. Because of the number of students, and because students were expected to be dismissed shortly, deputies asked that the nearby campuses be locked down.

"It was done for precautionary reasons," Peters said.

Students at La Paz Junior High School, La Paz Intermediate, and Esperanza Special Education School were also placed on lockdown.

The lockdown was lifted at about 1:45 p.m., Peters said.

UPDATE: 4:30 - Mission Viejo Patch has more info.

Another Train Fatality in Mission Viejo

This explains all the noise last night.  We were awakened in the early morning hours by trains blasting their horns as they moved slowly along the track that runs in the ravine by our house.

A 23-year-old man was killed when he was hit by an Amtrak train Thursday night, authorities said.

Sheriff's officials received reports that the man ran in front of the train as it was traveling south between Alicia Parkway and La Paz Road, said Lt. Stu Geenberg of the Orange County Sheriff's Department.

Deputies are still investigating the incident, but they received reports the man ran toward the train before being hit, officials said. The incident is being investigated as a possible suicide.

The train was headed toward the Laguna Niguel stop and carrying 85 passengers, according to Amtrak officials.

The person has been identified as Sean Barrientes of Laguna Niguel.  This is close to the area where two people decided to sleep on the tracks last September.

We have trains that pass in the middle of the night (usually freights) but we don't normally notice them because they stay off the horn in this area since there are no grade crossings. Last night we had train horns blasting for the better part of an hour and we could hear them moving very slowly as they passed. I'm sure they had to slow down for the investigators who were literally out picking up the pieces.

Weak Tea

I almost hate to write this report on the Mission Viejo Tea Party because I've attended all three years and the past two were pretty darn successful, with crowds estimated at 600 in 2009 and 700 last year.  All four corners of the La Paz/Marguerite Parkway intersection were crowded with people both of those years.  You can compare the pictures from 2009 and 2010 with  what you'll see below.

I arrived on scene about 15 minutes after the scheduled start and shot some photos from across the street:

At that point I had a hard time counting even 100 people on all four corners. Within 30 minutes the crowd had picked up a bit:

There were a couple of good signs that had been pre-made by the organizers:

Frankly, I got bored pretty quickly.  There were some political speeches, some music, some enthusiastic honking from cars going by, but certainly not the excitement and passion of the last two years.  Will there be a 2012 event?  Maybe.  The presidential election might motivate people to get out and march again, especially if the country is still headed down the tank economically.

Now, on to a tricky subject that's probably going to make some people mad.  As I was pulling up to the intersection (before I got out and walked around) the first thing that caught my eye and raised concerns was this:

And it wasn't just me. When my wife arrived awhile later to meet me for dinner the first thing she said was "what's with the Confederate flag?" It was the biggest flag flying at the event and you couldn't miss it.  My first thought was it was an anti-Tea Party plant trying to discredit the event.  Sadly, it wasn't.

The Tea Party at a national level has been fighting the "racism" label since it starting in 2009. It's been very convenient for the liberals to tar the Tea Party with the "racism" label even though there was no evidence that it was true.  The left has tried to make it a given that opposition to Obama has to be based on racism and not policy.

I understand the whole Southern pride thing with the Stars and Bars, but waving that flag, even with the "In God We Trust" message on it, is just asking to fire up the "racism" issue again. Mission Viejo is nowhere near the Deep South where that flag is revered, so I'm having a hard time understanding why it was thought appropriate today.

Had I been one of the organizers I would have asked the individual to put it away. Among independents and even some Republicans who were driving by, that flag could easily have given them the wrong impression of what the Tea Party is all about. And for Democrats, it just confirmed the biases they already had.  It was a major strategic error on the part of the rally organizers and you can pretty much be sure that any pictures of this event in the mainstream press will include that flag.

All in all, a very disappointing event.

UPDATE:  OCRegister covers the same event but the Confederate flag doesn't show up anywhere in the photo essay.  Don't know how they could have missed that.

Other coverage from the Mission Viejo Patch (which includes an angry comment about the flag) and Mission Viejo Dispatch which doesn't mention it.

Tax Day Tea Party in Mission Viejo Today

This afternoon, for the third consecutive year, the local Tea Party organization will gather the troops at the corner of La Paz and Marguerite Parkway from 4:30 - 6:30 pm.  I attended the past two events and took some photos and video (2009 and 2010).  I'm going to stop by again today to check things out.  If you're there, look me up.  I'll be running around with a camera.

Local politicians Chuck DeVore and Todd Spitzer will be there, and I understand that Pulitzer Prize winning cartoonist Michael Ramirez, whose work has often appeared on HolyCoast.com, will also be there.  I'd like to meet that guy.

It will be interesting to see how big the crowd is this year.  In 2009 they had about 600 when the whole Tea Party movement was just getting started.  Last year, with the passing of Obamacare having just occurred and a big election on the horizon, the crowd was about 700.  Are people still motivated to get out and support an event like this?  We'll see.  I'll have photos later.

UPDATE:  Disappointing. Photos here.

Tax Day Tea Party in Mission Viejo Tomorrow

Although Tax Day is April 18th this year, the third consecutive Tea Party Rally will gather the troops at the corner of La Paz and Marguerite Parkway from 4:30 - 6:30 pm Friday April 15.  I attended the past two events and took some photos and video (2009 and 2010).  I'm going to stop by to check things out.  If you're there, look me up.  I'll be running around with a camera.

Local politicians Chuck DeVore and Todd Spitzer will be there, and I understand that Pulitzer Prize winning cartoonist Michael Ramirez, whose work has often appeared on HolyCoast.com, will also be there.  I'd like to meet that guy.

It will be interesting to see how big the crowd is this year.  In 2009 they had about 600 when the whole Tea Party movement was just getting started.  Last year, with the passing of Obamacare having just occurred and a big election on the horizon, the crowd was about 700.  Are people still motivated to get out and support an event like this?  We'll see.

UPDATE:  Disappointing. Photos here.

Family of Girl Who Laid Down on Railroad Tracks Wants $5 Million From the City of Mission Viejo

Let me give you some backstory on this.  Back on September 9th I heard the Orange County Fire Authority dispatch for a train versus pedestrian accident near my home.  I grabbed my camera and went to the scene.  The photos and information about the incident can be found here.

Bottom line, three people decided early that morning, for reasons that are either unknown or haven't been released, to lie down in-between or right next to the very busy train tracks that run through Mission Viejo where they cross under Alicia Parkway.  All three were struck by a northbound Metrolink train and two were killed.  These tracks are in use day and night by Amtrak, Metrolink and BNSF freight trains.  It's not exactly a secret that high-speed trains go through that area and can do so at any time.

There is still a shrine to the dead along Alicia Parkway, and things have leaped to new heights of ridiculousness with this story from the Mission Viejo Patch:

Will the family of train crash victim Anastasia Bolton receive $5 million from the city?

City staffers are recommending the city not pay the damages requested from Stephanie Bolton, whose relationship to Bolton was unclear based on city documents.

On Sept. 9 2010, former Mission Viejo High School student Bolton, 17, was struck and killed by a commuter train traveling beneath the Alicia Parkway overpass. Her friend Daniel Akins, 22, of Mission Viejo, was also killed.

The City Council will vote on the settlement Monday night at its 6 p.m. meeting.

Under what possible basis is the city liable for this? And under what basis is this person's life worth $5 million? This is nothing more than deep pockets ambulance chasing litigation at its best, hoping for some sort of settlement from the city to pay for this girl's poor choices..

Just say no, City Council.  Just say no.

This Teacher Has Been Watching Too Much GLEE

When substitute teachers go bad:

Most elementary school students are thrilled when a substitute teacher stands in for their real instructor because they’ll have fewer assignments and more time to goof off. That seemed to be the case at Carl Hankey K-8 School in Mission Viejo, Calif., where a female substitute reportedly showed up to a music class drunk and initiated a dance off with her students Friday, reports MSNBC.

A school employee said she peaked into the substitute’s classroom and saw students dancing on tables and chairs. Some of the boys reported that the substitute had been acting weird that afternoon, said Jim Amormino, spokesman for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

The substitute left her class at some point and was seen stumbling around. Like an ill-behaved student, she was called into the principal’s office. She smelled like alcohol, Amormino said.

“[The principal's] concern was she didn’t want her to leave the school and drive like that,” Amormino said.

But when authorities arrived, the substitute had already fled the scene. Later that day, deputies learned that the substitute had “engaged in misconduct” with three sixth-grade boys. KABC 7 reported that the substitute had allegedly engaged in the “inappropriate touching” of more than two of the male students.

I wonder if she looked anything like Gwyneth Paltrow?

Kelley, Leckness and Reardon Prevail in Mission Viejo

Based on the results shown in the OC Register, it looks like the three open Mission Viejo City Council seats will be filled by incumbents Trish Kelley, Dave Leckness, and newbie Rhonda Reardon.  Despite the anti-incumbent fever of the opposition, both incumbents survived, though the candidate who was trying to tag along with them, Rick Sandzimier, fell short and finished fourth.

Essentially the balance of power in the council will be unchanged, with two conservatives and three wild cards.  Whether the conservatives will be able to influence any of the other three to stop developers from building more high density housing is yet to be seen.  Mission Viejo doesn't need more apartment complexes.  All you have to do is look around at neighboring cities to see how well high density housing has worked out for them.  We have a very safe city now and I want to keep it that way.

Dave Leckness is a long-time friend of mine and a local business owner.  I'm hoping as he begins a full term in office (he won a special election in February to replace the recalled mayor) he'll show a little more independence from Kelley and Frank Ury, the other member of the pro-developer caucus.

Good luck to all of them.

Mission Viejo City Council Candidate Dies on Election Eve

Some local political news:

One of 12 candidates vying for three open seats in the city council was found dead in his home the night before the election, the city's clerk's office confirmed.

William Barker, 72, died at his home Monday night before polls opened for the contentious local election.

Barker had been a politically active resident in Mission Viejo, and entered his name as a candidate for the city's council race this year. According to the latest reporting statements, the engineer raised about $12,614 for his campaign and spent $9,357.

Barker is believed to have died of cardiac arrest, said Karen Hamman, city clerk for Mission Viejo.

"I spoke to him yesterday," Hamman said.

Barker's death is believed to have been caused by natural causes and no autopsy is planned, said Jim Amormino, spokesman for the Orange County Sheriff's Department.

I didn't know Mr. Barker and didn't endorse him in today's election, but I saw something in this piece that would have made me like him a lot:

He praised police services in Mission Viejo – which he described as a "hill country community" – but said he disagreed with some "enforcement methods being used, especially downhill speed measurement controls."

Mission Viejo is one big speed trap with cops sitting at the bottom of steep hills snagging speeders. I've written before that I think that kind of enforcement is unfair.  I hope whoever wins tonight takes up his call to question that kind of enforcement.

My sympathies to the Barker family.

California Ballot Recommendations

With a little less than a month to go before the November 2nd elections it's time to release my ballot recommendations for the voters of California.  First, the major state offices:

U.S. SENATOR:  CARLY FIORINA
It's hard to imagine that Californians could be so utterly stupid as to send Barbara "Dumb-as-a-Box-of-Rocks" Boxer back to D.C. for a fourth term.    The woman's an arrogant moonbat lefty who couldn't even win an endorsement from her moonbat hometown paper, the San Francisco Chronicle.


GOVERNOR:  MEG WHITMAN
Jerry "Moonbeam Brown has been a disaster everywhere he's gone and bringing him back to Sacramento and joining him with a liberal legislature will be the death knell for California business.  Meg knows a thing or two about running a large organization, and coming from a world where you have to make a profit, knows about budget management.

LT. GOVERNOR: None of the Above
Gavin Newsom is a liberal Democrat who flaunted the law in his job as San Francisco mayor.  Abel Maldonado sold out California and agreed to the largest tax increase in state history in order to get his appointment to Lt. Governor and a chance through the open primary to get the nomination for governor someday.  Both are detestable and frankly the job of Lt. Gov. is meaningless anyway.

SECRETARY OF STATE:  DAMON DUNN


CONTROLLER:  TONY STRICKLAND


TREASURER:  MIMI WALTERS


ATTORNEY GENERAL:  STEVE COOLEY


INSURANCE COMMISSIONER:  None of the Above


U.S. CONGRESS 42ND DISTRICT:  GARY MILLER


MISSION VIEJO CITY COUNCIL (vote for 3):  I'm going to vote for DAVE LECKNESS because he's been a long time friend of mine, and although he's a registered Democrat he's run a small business in town for over 25 years and I think he knows what businesses need to survive and thrive in this town.  My other two choices will be RHONDA REARDON and NEIL LONSINGER.


BALLOT PROPOSITIONS

PROP 19 - LEGALIZING MARIJUANA:  NO, DUDE.
Possession and use of marijuana is still a federal crime and no ballot initiative is going to change that.  If you think second hand tobacco smoke is a problem, wait until you're smelling this crap everywhere.  And who wants to hit the highway with a bunch of potheads killing their brain cells as they drive.

PROP 20 - REDISTRICTING OF CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS:  NO
This seems to be one man's pipedream of an initiative that will simply cost taxpayer's money, and given it's supported by the NAACP, AARP, Common Cause and the California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, you know here's something fishy going on here.

PROP 21 - VEHICLE LICENSE SURCHARGE TO FUND STATE PARKS:  NO
Although my son is looking at a career in the State or Federal parks systems, this is not the way to fund it.  For one thing it raises the already very expensive costs of owning a car in California.  Secondly, this is likely to do for State parks what the lottery did for education - nothing.  Although these funds will be specifically earmarked for State parks, it will not prevent the legislature from using these funds to replace other funds that will be removed from the State parks budget.  The same thing happened with lottery funds and education.

PROP 22 - PREVENTING THE STATE FROM RAIDING LOCAL FUNDS:  YES
This is one of those initiatives where it's instructive to see who favors it and who opposes it.  It's favored by fire chiefs, police chiefs and the library association.  It's opposed by the California Teacher's Association, a firefighter's union and a nurse's union.  Enough said?

PROP 23 - SUSPENDS AB32 UNTIL UNEMPLOYMENT DROPS TO 5.5% OR LESS:  BIG YES
AB32 is Al Gore's wet dream, a global warming law that would destroy business in California and raise the cost of just about everything we produce.  With unemployment at 12.4% the State cannot bear the impact of something as stupid as AB32.

PROP 24 - RAISES TAXES ON BUSINESS:  NO
Anytime someone calls something the "Tax Fairness Act" you have to be suspicious.  There's nothing "fair" about this.  It's just another money grab by state unions and special interest groups.

PROP 25 - MAKES IT EASIER FOR THE LEGISLATURE TO RAISE TAXES:  NO
This proposition has one of the most deceptive campaigns I've ever seen.  They're marketing it as a way to hold the legislature accountable by stopping their paychecks if the budget is late, but what it really does is erode the protections built into our constitution that make it difficult to pass new taxes.  The main reason our budgets are late is because of the 2/3rds majority required to pass new taxes, and that protection has saved California billions of dollars by forcing the legislature to make cuts instead of ramming new taxes down our throats.

PROP 26 - REQUIRES CERTAIN STATE AND LOCAL FEES BE APPROVED BY 2/3RDS VOTE:  YES
I'm all for a 2/3rds requirement for any new state and local fees regardless of the motivation of the people behind the initiative.

PROP 27 - ELIMINATES STATE COMMISSION ON REDISTRICTING:  YES
Any chance we have to eliminate State commissions should be warmly welcomed.

Fatal Freeway Accident in Mission Viejo

While triple-tasking last night (blogging, watching TV, and listening to the Orange County Fire broadcasts) I heard the call for this accident which occurred just a short distance from my house:

The driver of a Toyota Corolla was killed Monday night when an SUV crashed into his disabled car on the I-5, authorities said.

Francisco Cinto, 40, had stopped on the southbound lanes of the freeway just south of Alicia Parkway at about 9:35 p.m., according to a collision report from the California Highway Patrol. The driver, who has not yet been identified, turned the car's hazard lights on when the vehicle became disabled.

The Corolla had stopped on the southbound lanes of the freeway just south of Alicia Parkway at about 9:35 p.m., according to a collision report from the California Highway Patrol. The driver, who has not yet been identified, turned the car's hazard lights on when the vehicle became disabled.

Shortly afterward, a 21-year-old driver in a 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe crashed into the back of the Corolla, the report stated.

The 21-year-old man, who has not been identified, was driving behind another vehicle before the crash occurred. The vehicle in front of the SUV swerved suddenly in front of the Corolla to avoid hitting it.

The driver of the SUV was unable to avoid hitting the Corolla, crashing into the back of the vehicle at about 70 mph, the report stated.

The impact sent the SUV across all lanes of the freeway until it hit a concrete wall on the right shoulder of the southbound lanes.

The driver of the Corolla was found dead at the scene as firefighters tried to pull him out of the car, said Capt. Greg McKeown of the Orange County Fire Authority.

I knew it was going to be bad when I heard the CHP had completely closed the freeway and one of the first firemen on scene commented that he wasn't sure the patient was going to be "workable".  It took quite awhile for the extrication, and then shortly thereafter the incident commander informed dispatch the patient was "914c", code for deceased.

I get on the freeway at La Paz all the time and we forget that even a routine trip could be dangerous. This is the fourth fatal accident at or near that location in the last few years, including the crash in 2007 that took the lives of three small children.

Partisan Politics in a Non-Partisan Race

Living in Mission Viejo is sometimes like living in the political version of Peyton Place - it's all drama:

Mission Viejo Mayor Trish Kelley, a registered Republican, could lose an endorsement from the Republican Party of Orange County for supporting Mayor Pro Tem Dave Leckness, a registered Democrat.

Kelley is running on an unofficial slate with Leckness and Rick Sandzimier, a Republican serving as a planning commissioner in the city. Kelley attended a nomination meeting in late August seeking the endorsement, but was told she would not be recommended by the Endorsement Committee to the O.C. GOP.

Mark Bucher, chairman of the Endorsements Committee, said the decision not to endorse Kelley is only a recommendation; final decisions will be made public Monday night at the Hyatt Regency in Irvine, when Kelley will be at a Mission Viejo City Council meeting.
Though city council elections are nonpartisan races, Bucher said personal politics are important when giving endorsements.

“Our viewpoint is there are no nonpartisan races. Our perspective is we’re Republicans, and we’re looking at Republican office holders,” he said. “When someone’s supporting a Democrat, that goes against that deeply held value by ourselves, and I think most members of the Central Committee.”

Kelley said she did not get the endorsement because of city politics. She said Orange Juice blogger Larry Gilbert, a Mission Viejo resident who managed campaigns for council candidates including Kelley, and two other men came to block the endorsement.

You'll have a hard time finding anyone less bipartisan than me, but I supported Dave Leckness in the special election and will probably support him in November. Why? Because Dave has been a friend of mine for better than 20 years.  I know him to be an ethical businessman who has run a successful printing business in town for something like 25 years.  He printed a heckuva lot of stuff for me when I was in banking and later for the quartet.  He may be a registered Democrat and we may not agree on every issue, but I trust that he has the best interests of the city and small business owners at heart.

I'm not sure I can say the same for the Republicans on the city council.

This Lawsuit Was a Bad Idea From the Start

One of the most viewed threads on this blog involved the tragic crash that occurred a short distance from my house that took the lives of three small children.  It was a heartbreaking tragedy, and following the accident the family filed a lawsuit against Caltrans, essentially giving the truck drive who caused the wreck a pass and trying to pin the blame on the condition of the road.  It was a bad idea and I opposed it from the start.

Now, after losing the lawsuit the family is being saddled with a huge bill to pay for Caltrans' legal fees:

Lori and Chris Coble, the parents of three young children killed in a fiery crash on the I-5 three years ago, have been ordered to pay Caltrans almost $292,000 in fees and costs after losing a wrongful death lawsuit against the state agency on July 14.

An amendment to the Orange County Superior Court jury verdict was filed on Thursday, stating the Cobles and Lori Coble's mother Cindy Maestri must pay Caltrans "costs and disbursements in the amount of $291,534.04."

"We just found out last night from our attorney," Chris Coble said on Friday. "Our attorney will appeal the decision. The fact that we lost impacted us greatly. Everyone who drives that road knows how dangerous it is. Caltrans is unwilling to take any credit for what happened."

Because Caltrans wasn't at fault. And neither were the taxpayers that would have to pay for any judgment against Caltrans. The inattentive truck driver who crashed into their car was at fault, but their legal team apparently didn't want to go after him because he didn't have deep pockets. It was either a strategic error or legal malpractice from the start, and now will be a very costly mistake.  And it didn't have to happen.

Related posts:

Sometimes It's Hard to Live Near the Freeway - 5/4/07

Update on a Family Tragedy in Orange County - 5/11/07

After the Funeral Comes the Lawyers  - 5/12/07

Three New Blessings for a Local Family Hit by Tragedy  - 5/2/08

Truck Driver Who Killed Three Kids Convicted  - 8/22/08

Truck Driver Who Killed Three Kids Sentenced to Prison  - 1/23/09

Caltrans Not Responsible For Deadly Mission Viejo Crash  - 7/14/10

This Lawsuit Was a Bad Idea From the Start  - 9/18/10

Burglary at Mission Viejo Mall Leads to High Speed Pursuit

As I write this a high speed pursuit is heading through the Culver City area.  The suspect is wanted for multiple burglaries at a jewelry store at Mission Viejo Mall.  The pursuit covered a lot of ground in various Orange County cities before the suspect headed west on the 91 into L.A. County.  More info to follow.

Our local mall has been a popular spot for jewelry store heists as I've written about before here and here.

UPDATE 1:53 pm - Pursuit is heading down the hill into Sherman Oaks and the suspect is really flying.  However, it's a pretty sure bet the guys in the CHP cars are better drivers than this yahoo.

1:56 pm - Suspect abruptly pulls over on the 101 in Sherman Oaks and appears to be ready to surrender.  It going to be a tough afternoon on the 101.

1:59 pm - Now reported as a female suspect who shoplifted from several Mission Viejo Mall stores.  Is refusing to exit her car.  CHP is talking to her through the closed window.

2:02 pm - CHP cars block the suspect in, she opens her door and is taken into custody.  Looks like a black female in her 30's.  Nobody hurt and everybody gets to go home tonight...except the suspect.  Good news.

Very unusual ending.  I don't think I've ever seen CHP officers walk up to a car like that and negotiate within inches of the suspect.  The pursuit went on for about an hour.

UPDATE from The OC Register:

An hour-long high-speed pursuit that started in a South County mall has led deputies from freeways and surface streets in Orange County to Los Angeles, authorities said.


Deputies with the Orange County Sheriff's Department and officers with the California Highway Patrol began pursuing the suspect in Irvine at about 12:40 p.m., said Sheriff's Lt. Jim England.


Deputies responded to a series of commercial burglaries at The Shops at Mission Viejo and were directed to a silver Pontiac Grand Prix by a witness, England said.


When deputies tried to pull over the female driver, she sped away, England said.


Deputies are currently investigating at least two burglaries in the shopping center, England said. Investigators are still looking into the loss.

I listened to about half the pursuit on the Orange County "Red" Channel, the countywide emergency channel monitored by all the agencies here, and watched the last 10 minutes or so on TV. If the bad guys could hear what I heard they'd quit running and just pull over. The coordination between agencies was very smooth, with several different helicopters taking turns on the pursuit, and units from various agencies joining in and leaving. The CHP used units from a number of their divisions, thus ensuring the suspect was not going to get away.  Once they're on you it's pretty much over.  You're not going to outrun a radio.