Secret menu hacks: In-N-Out Burger fan favorites

• October 26, 2023

Long-time fans of the In-N-Out Burger are likely familiar with the “not so secret menu.” According to the Southern California-based fast food chain’s website, these unofficial items include Double Meat, 3×3 or “Triple Triple”, 4×4 or “Quad Quad”: all options for how many patties you can get added to your burger. Additionally, it includes a Grilled Cheese: a vegetarian friendly option of a cheeseburger and toppings but without the burger, Protein Style: a lettuce wrapped burger without the buns, and an Animal Style burger: a cheeseburger with a mustard grilled patty, pickles, grilled onions and extra sauce.

In-N-Out owner Lynsi Snyder says the popular term “animal style” is named after rowdy customers. In her new book, “The Ins-N-Outs of In-N-Out Burger: The Inside Story of California’s First Drive-Through and How it Became a Beloved Cultural Icon,” she talks about how one night in 1961, a customer spotted Theo Roberts, a then third manager at Store Number 1, prepping a burger with a mustard fried patty, pickles, grilled onions and extra spread.

The customer asked Roberts if he could make him one. After wolfing it down the customer said it was the best burger he ever had. He continued ordering it but didn’t know what to call it, so Roberts told him to order it “animal style.” Snyder says it’s the first known instance of an In-N-Out Burger secret menu item.

While the burger chain has since acknowledged a six of these unofficial items on their website, many who frequent In-N-Out know there’s more to the secret menu. Snyder includes a more expansive breakdown in her book of the different hacks customers have popularized over the years.

In addition to getting your burger animal style, a fan favorite is to get Animal Style Fries: fries topped with melted cheese, grilled onions and their famous secret sauce. The secret sauce recipe has remained unchanged since 1948 and is similar to a Thousand Island dressing.

As far as the burger chain knows, Animal Style Fries were first requested in West Covina in 2002. Customers can also order cheese fries or request for their fries light or if they want them extra crispy they can ask for them to be well done.

When it comes to beverage hacks, a favorite is the Neopolitan Milkshake, a combination of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry milkshakes. If a customer wants to nix the strawberry, they can order a Black-and-White, which is a chocolate and vanilla shake. Additionally, customers can order a rootbeer float, or any float for that matter, which will combine a soda and vanilla ice cream in a cup.

For those wanting to add a little more flavor to their burger, they can ask for it to be mustard-grilled. Customers can also request pickles or chopped chilies for their burgers. In-N-Out provides their yellow chili peppers whole as well, which provides an extra kick to their menu.

The Flying Dutchman, two slices of cheese and two patties melted between each other, is a secret menu item with a special history to In-N-Out Burger. According to Snyder, the item is named after her father Guy Snyder. Guy’s signature order was two cooked cheese patties so associates began referring to it by his racing nickname “the Flying Dutchman,” a nod to his Dutch heritage.

Customers can also request the Flying Dutchman to be Animal Style where they’ll add a scoop of diced onions to the cheese. Some customers will put a Flying Dutchman on top of their fries and refer to it as “Roadkill Fries.”

Another popular adjustment is the variety of ways customers get their onions cooked. Many know they can get them grilled, but customers can also ask for a whole onion, a circular slice of onion, or a whole grilled onion, that slice of onion but grilled.

Non-food items new customers might not know about is that you can request one of the iconic paper hats that employees are known to wear. Additionally, people can ask for stickers, which provides a fun activity for kids in lieu of a Happy Meal toy.

With a secret menu almost as famous as the fast-food chain itself, we asked a handful of the 23,000 people who attended In-N-Out’s 75th Anniversary Festival to share what their favorite non-official menu items are.

Alan, Gunner and Melissa Mangan from Lakewood, California attend In-N-Out Burger’s 75th Anniversary Festival on Sun., Oct. 22, 2023 in Pomona, California. (Carolyn Burt, SCNG)

Alan Mangan: Flying Dutchman

Gunner Mangan: Animal Style

Melissa Mangan: Grilled Cheese

Christos Sellis (right) poses with an In-N-Out Burger sign at the burger chain’s 75th Anniversary Festival in Pomona, Calif. on Sun., Oct. 22, 2023. (Carolyn Burt, SCNG)

Christos Sellis: Double-Single, Animal Style

Patrick and Emily Tyska, Ari Berkowitz and Will Lentz at In-N-Out Burger’s 75th Anniversary Festival on Sun., Oct. 22, 2023 in Pomona, California. (Carolyn Burt, SCNG)

Patrick Tyska: Animal Style Fries

Emily Tyska: Grilled Cheese

Ari Berkowitz: Neopolitan Milkshake

Will Lentz: Fries Well Done

Ryan Echegaray: Flying Dutchman

Becky Howard: Animal Style Fries

Hailie Encisco: Mustard-Grilled

Tyler Herdenez: Animal Style Fries

​ Orange County Register 

Has Russell Westbrook solved Clippers’ search for the right point guard?

• October 26, 2023

Maybe all the Clippers needed was the right point guard.

Over the years, the team has tried out All-Stars, future stars, a multiple-time Sixth Man of the Year Award winner, veteran leaders and a future Hall of Famer at the point. All fearless ball handlers with innate abilities to pass and score but none who created much of a stir.

Then there is Russell Westbrook, the latest to take on the team’s point guard job, a task he can still perform as evidenced by his inspired play in the Clippers’ season opener on Wednesday night. The 2017 league MVP had 11 points, 13 assists and five rebounds in a 123-111 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers that was far more lopsided than the final score indicated. His assist total was the most in a Clippers season opener since Andre Miller in 2002.

“I’m still as fast as anybody, jump as high as anybody. I can play at an elite level. I still see myself as an elite basketball player in this league. I can do pretty much anything, can guard the best,” Westbrook, 34, said.

Few would argue with him after watching his four high-flying dunks, each punctuated with a roar, and the sure-fire passes that alleviate the pressure of creating shots for teammates, such as All-Stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.

“He knows how he plays the game. He’s attacking the rim and that makes our life easier if we could just catch and shoot rather than dribbling in the basketball. Those are the hardest shots in the game,” said Leonard, who scored 23 points on the strength of a 5-for-5 night from 3-point range.

“With him able to get in the paint, not be selfish and pass us the ball along when we’re open, that’s making our life easier.”

Paul George lobbied hard to get Westbrook into a Clippers jersey last season before the team signed him after he was traded from the Lakers to Utah and then waived by the Jazz. The two played together for two seasons in Oklahoma City, where George previously said he played some of his best basketball, thanks to Westbrook.

“In Oklahoma with him and playing alongside him, I just know how good of a communicator he is, how good of a connector he is, and I said this from the moment that I got in Oklahoma,” George said after scoring a game-high 27 points in the opener.

“One of the things that I noticed right away is that he just had a relationship with every person on the team, which is rare, especially the superstar that he was in Oklahoma. It was just like he was best friends with everyone on the team and he just had a special connection with all the guys. That was the first thing that I noticed.

“It’s the reason why guys play hard around him. When you got a guy that connects with you on that level, it’s easy to come in and be prepared and be ready to play.”

One game – and the 21 he played last season – doesn’t make Westbrook a savior but his ability to connect with his teammates on and off the court could bring the Clippers closer to the promised land of an NBA championship.

“He gets the chemistry and everything down pat,” forward Robert Covington said. “That’s what it’s all about. Like, he came to us at a time when we’re feeling each other out. But, like you said, now guys are building that chemistry, that camaraderie, it’s been key for us.”

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George said when Westbrook gets on the court, the production level rises along with the energy he brings. The players feel it. The fans see it.

“I think him just being around us, him being here, the fans embracing the Clippers embracing him, teammates, coaches, everybody’s just embracing him and rallying around him,” George said. “You’re going to see the Westbrook everybody loved two years ago. For whatever fans that fell off, I don’t know how you do it when the guy brings it and plays so hard on the floor every night.”

How long will this last? Westbrook was clear on that.

“Until I can’t do that no more, then I guess that’s what it’ll be,” he said. “But I don’t know when that is. I’m super grateful and blessed to be able to play, and like I’ve always said, I don’t take this game for granted by any means.

“I’ll play as long as I can, and obviously where God takes me.”

​ Orange County Register 

Dodgers’ Mookie Betts ties record with his 6th Fielding Bible Award

• October 26, 2023

LOS ANGELES — Mookie Betts is being recognized for his defensive versatility.

Betts has been named the multi-position winner of a Fielding Bible Award for the 2023 season. It is Betts’ sixth Fielding Bible Award, tying him with longtime St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina and former Angels shortstop Andrelton Simmons for the most. Betts’ first five were for his play in right field.

Betts is also a finalist for the Gold Glove at two positions this year – right field and utility player.

Betts started 77 games in right field, 62 at second base and 12 at shortstop this season. He finished with a 1.000 fielding percentage in right field, where he had eight assists.

Betts has already won a Gold Glove for his defense in right field six times in the past seven seasons (four with the Boston Red Sox and two with the Dodgers). The utility player award was added to the Gold Gloves for the first time last year in order to recognize multi-position players.

The Dodgers also have Gold Glove finalists at first base (Freddie Freeman) and left field (David Peralta). Both Freeman (2018) and Peralta (2019) have won Gold Gloves in the past.

Betts is one of three finalists in right field along with the Washington Nationals’ Lane Thomas and the San Diego Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr. The three finalists for the utility position honor are Betts, the St. Louis Cardinals’ Tommy Edman and the Padres’ Ha-Seong Kim.

Freeman is a finalist at first base along with the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Christian Walker and the Milwaukee Brewers’ Carlos Santana. Peralta is a finalist in left field along with the Chicago Cubs’ Ian Happ and the Atlanta Braves’ Eddie Rosario.

The Gold Glove winners will be announced on ESPN on Nov. 5 at 4:30 p.m. PT.

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The Fielding Bible Award winners are determined by a 16-member panel.

Additionally, Betts is a finalist for Players Choice Awards as the MLB Player of the Year (along with the Angels’ Shohei Ohtani and Atlanta’s Ronald Acuña Jr.) and the National League’s Outstanding Player (along with Acuña and Atlanta’s Matt Olson).

Winners will be announced on Nov. 2 during the 3 p.m. PT edition of SportsCenter on ESPN.

​ Orange County Register 

Candlelight Processional returns to Disneyland for the holidays

• October 26, 2023

The annual Candlelight Ceremony with a 600-member choir that fills Disneyland with seasonal songs and draws thousands of holiday fans anxious to get into the Christmas spirit will return to the Anaheim theme park during the first weekend in December.

Invited guests will be able to enjoy the Candlelight Processional at Disneyland on Dec. 2 and 3 at 5:30 p.m. and 7:45 p.m. each evening, according to Disneyland officials.

SEE ALSO: ‘Drones are the next thing’ for Disney nighttime spectaculars

While the Candlelight Processional can be viewed by Disneyland visitors, the park does very little to promote the event, which creates traffic problems near the front entrance.

Expect general admission and annual passholder reservations to disappear quickly for Saturday, Dec. 2 and Sunday, Dec. 3 as Candlelight fans make plans to attend the annual event.

SEE ALSO: Disneyland sets reopening date for Adventureland Treehouse

The Candlelight Processional features dozens of choir groups who gather on a stage in front of Disneyland’s train station to bring the story of Christmas to life. The annual event is attended by hundreds of community members who fill a seating area set up each holiday season in Disneyland’s Town Square.

The crowded and busy special event tends to jam foot traffic near the main entrance to the park. Backstage passageways behind the Main Street U.S.A. shops are typically opened during the Candlelight performances to ease congestion in the high-traffic area.

The Herald Trumpeters play during Disneyland’s Candlelight Ceremony from atop the Main Street U.S.A. station of the Disneyland Railroad. (Photo by Mark Eades, Contributing Photographer)

SEE ALSO: Disneyland sets opening date for Pixar Place Hotel makeover

The Disneyland Candlelight Ceremony tradition began in 1958 as a way for Walt Disney to show his gratitude to the Orange County community that was home to his first theme park.

Each year, the singers include Disney employees and members of local community choirs performing along with a live orchestra, handbell players and fanfare trumpeters.

Chris Hemsworth, known on-screen as the character of “Thor” in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, narrates the story of the first Christmas during Disneyland’s Candlelight Ceremony, Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017. (Photo by Mark Eades, Contributing Photographer)

A celebrity narrator, kept a surprise until the first show, tells the story of the first Christmas between songs.

Past narrators have included Cary Grant, John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart, Gregory Peck, Charlton Heston, Henry Fonda, Dick Van Dyke, Chris Hemsworth and James Earl Jones.

Reserved seating is limited to a few hundred invited guests that include community members, civic leaders, media representatives and VIPs.

Nancy Sulahian conducts the 50-piece orchestra, and a choir of nearly 600 voices during Disneyland’s Candlelight Ceremony, an annual tradition at the theme park during the holiday season since the 1950s. (Photo by Mark Eades, Contributing Photographer)

Holding a private event in the middle of a theme park during operating hours presents a number of logistical challenges for Disneyland — from attraction operations to show scheduling to crowd management.

Crews set up the Candlelight stage beneath the Main Street train station and arrange hundreds of folding chairs in Town Square between Disneyland City Hall and the Opera House.

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In years past, the Candlelight ceremony has limited the attraction hours of the Disneyland Railroad, Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, Jungle Cruise and the Main Street vehicles. Similarly, shop hours around Town Square, including the Mad Hatter and Disney Gallery, have been affected by the ceremony.

Disneyland does little to promote the Candlelight Processional to uninvited guests, but it is possible to catch the shows if you don’t have reserved tickets.

Candlelight fans have been known to wait all day for the limited standing room-only spots behind the seating area. For those not willing to wait, it’s possible to hear the ceremony along Main Street USA and see the choir arranged on risers in the shape of a Christmas tree.

​ Orange County Register 

The Compost: Are tax credits for going green scary 🎃 or necessary 👏?

• October 26, 2023

Welcome to The Compost, a weekly newsletter on key environmental news impacting Southern California. Subscribe now to get it in your inbox! In today’s edition…

Fellow work-from-home types can attest: When it’s time for an important call or Zoom, that’s inevitably when either the dog starts to bark, the doorbell rings or the neighbor’s gardener fires up the leaf blower.

That last one does more than disrupt work meetings and napping babies, though. Operating a commercial, gas-powered leaf blower for one hour puts out the same level of smog-forming pollution as driving a car from Los Angeles to Denver, per the California Air Resources Board.

That’s why there are more than 300 restrictions on gas-powered lawn equipment across the country, according to data collected by the National Association of Landscape Professionals. Grist reporter Kate Yoder dug in on which cities, counties and states have passed limits on leaf blowers around the nation and what impact those bans are having.

Since talk of limits on gas-powered gardening equipment first emerged in California years ago, professional landscapers have raised concerns about how such bans might impact their businesses. Most are small. Many are run by non-White and immigrant entrepreneurs. And switching their fleet of gas-powered leaf blowers, mowers, weed trimmers, chainsaws, power washers and portable generators out for electric models won’t come cheap.

A newly proposed tax credit could help.

Under a bill recently introduced by Rep. Lou Correa, D-Santa Ana, landscape businesses could write off up to 40% of what they spent the prior year to buy emission-free gear, including plug-in or cordless tools plus any batteries or chargers that power those tools.

The goal, Correa told me, is to make sure that “good intentions” to clean up the air don’t disproportionately impact some of our most vulnerable neighbors.

“We should strive to make sure that since the benefits are for everyone equally, the cost should be shared by everyone in society, and do everything we can to make sure we don’t unduly burden any specific group or individuals,” Correa said.

Both landscape trade groups and environmental groups praised the bill. Britt Wood, CEO of the National Association of Landscape Professionals, called it “an important model for legislation supporting the business community while also protecting the environment.” And Athena Motavvef with Earthjustice said, “This bill will help businesses quickly and affordably transition to zero-emission equipment that will protect both workers and community members from dangerous contaminants.”

The tax credit does raise interesting questions. As our economy shifts from fossil fuels to renewable energy, what responsibility does the government have to smooth that transition? Can we, or should we, offer financial incentives for individuals and businesses alike to pivot? How much taxpayer money should be used to help make the jump? Should business size or profits, or personal income, be a factor when it comes to such rebates or tax credits?

If you have thoughts on these questions or other related ones, I’d love to hear them. Reach out at [email protected] or ping me on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.

— By Brooke Staggs, environment reporter

 REGULATE

Boeing must step up water monitoring: Water quality officials voted to require Boeing to better monitor water discharged from the Santa Susana Field Lab, which is one of the nation’s most polluted areas due to rocket testing and a partial nuclear meltdown in the late 1950s. Our Olga Grigoryants reports two highly toxic chemicals have not been monitored at the site and potentially could leak into the Los Angeles River. …READ MORE…

Transparency coming: Among the many climate and environment bills Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law before this month’s deadline, the most high profile was a first-in-the-nation requirement for large corporations to publicly disclose their airborne pollutants on an annual basis. Our Jeff Horseman dug in on possible repercussions of the bill, including making public emissions such as diesel exhaust from trucks ferrying goods from the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to Inland Empire warehouses. …READ MORE…

Newsom talks climate in China: Climate change was the first topic of discussion during Newsom’s week-long visit to China. While relations between the United States and China have grown increasingly contentious, Kanis Leung with the Associated Press reports that “climate remains one area where collaboration is seen as possible and necessary.”  …READ MORE…

Leaded aviation fuel a threat: The Biden administration recently declared emissions from airplanes running on leaded aviation fuel a threat to public health. It’s a first step, Jennifer A. Dlouhy | with Bloomberg reports, toward stamping out a major source of metal pollution linked to developmental delays, kidney disease and other health concerns. …READ MORE…

The local picture: Lead spews from some Southern California airports, but cleaner fuel is coming.

 PROTECT

AAPI group convenes on climate: Climate change is “an urgent issue” for Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities, though advocates say these groups often are left out of discussions about solutions. So our Allyson Vergara reports that the AAPI Victory Alliance recently hosted its inaugural “Climate Justice Convening” in Koreatown to talk about ways to close those gaps. …READ MORE…

Roundup debate in O.C. city: A group of Laguna Beach residents have banded together to push their city to stop using Roundup on trails and neighborhood streets. Debate over the safety of a key ingredient in the weedkiller has raged for years, but Erika Ritchie reports that city officials say Roundup is part of a fire safety plan to keep vegetation at bay. …READ MORE…

Aliso Canyon questions linger: Eight years after the disastrous Aliso Canyon gas leak, Olga Grigoryants reports that residents are still questioning why government agencies and elected officials didn’t do more to protect their families during and after the devastating event. …READ MORE…

Scoop the poop: One Los Angeles equestrian facility is leading the charge in trying to convince other stable owners to help keep horse manure out of rivers and other water systems, while avoiding massive fines and potential closures along the way. Grigoryants is back with the scoop on the solution and the problems horse poop can cause. …READ MORE…

3 million honey bees dead: Over two days, co-owners of the San Diego Bee Sanctuary saw roughly 80 percent of their 64 hives — each with a single queen protected by 50,000 to 100,000 bees — get decimated by a mysterious plague. Now they’re waiting on answers as to what caused the die off, which are happening more frequently with bee colonies each year. ...READ MORE…

Get prepared: October is National Preparedness Month. With disasters such as wildfires and big storm events becoming more frequent and severe due to climate change, our visual journalist Kurt Snibbe mapped out disaster trends across California and how to be prepared when one comes. …READ MORE…

Get a roundup of the best climate and environment news delivered to your inbox each week by signing up for The Compost.

 TRANSPORT

Making public transportation more user friendly: A lack of public toilets at LA Metro train and bus stations has long been among the many problems plaguing public transportation in the greater Los Angeles area. But Steve Scauzillo reports that a new pilot program with a “newfangled portable potty system” aims to help and is going well so far. …READ MORE…

 ENERGIZE

The great underground power line debate: Riverside wants state regulators to decide if Southern California Edison must bury power lines for a long-awaited project to reduce wildfire risks. Given the need to rapidly boost the statewide grid to meet clean energy goals, one insider told me “all eyes” are on this decision. ...READ MORE…

 HYDRATE

Water bank opens for business: After three years of construction, water officials just announced completion of the first stage of a high desert groundwater storage project that they say will “significantly increase” Southern California’s water supply in the face of a “rapidly changing climate.” …READ MORE…

Colorado River situation improves: Disaster has been averted on the Colorado River for now, federal officials say, thanks to a wet winter and a multi-state plan to conserve water. The news from Denver Post colleague Elise Schmelzer comes after the river was on the verge of seeing failing hydroelectric systems and places like Southern California that depend on the river for water facing severe mandatory cuts. …READ MORE…

Quote: “We’ll take the breather, but we recognize it’s just that — a breather.”

 REMEMBER

Honoring a climate hero: Cindy Montañez was a trailblazing San Fernando leader and environmental advocate who had a local elementary school named in her honor. She recently died at just 49, and our Linh Tat has the obituary. …READ MORE…

 CELEBRATE

Warehouse shot down: Climate, public health and social justice advocates are celebrating after a judge blocked a 396,000-square-foot warehouse project in Moreno Valley. Our Jeff Horseman has the tale. …READ MORE…

Quote: “Our lungs are not for sale.”
Context: In the past 20 years, the Inland Empire became ground zero for a logistics boom that’s transformed the region.

Rare sight: Whale watchers off Dana Point got a special treat on a recent trip, when a rare northern right whale dolphin without a dorsal fin stopped by. Erika Ritchie has the story and photos. …READ MORE…

 PITCH IN

Go green this Halloween: For this week’s tip on how Southern Californians can help the environment… One frightening topic that isn’t inspiring any horror movies or haunted mazes this Spooky Season is climate change. The good news is that there are lots of ways to make Halloween more sustainable without sacrificing the traditions that make this season so fun. So I rounded up some ideas for how to go green this Halloween, from pumpkins to costumes to trick or treating.

Thanks for reading, Composters! And don’t forget to sign up to get The Compost delivered to your inbox.

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​ Orange County Register 

Drummond: School district has plans for charter and fighting fentanyl

• October 26, 2023

Several noteworthy actions by officials in the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District regarding charter school proposals and fentanyl crisis awareness merit attention this week.

Superintendent Alex Cherniss and school board Trustee Leandra Blades spoke in opposition to the charter school petition by the California Republic Leadership Academy Yorba Linda at a public hearing before the Orange County Board of Education on Oct.4.

The county board is considering an appeal of the Placentia-Yorba Linda district’s denial of a petition to operate a kindergarten through eighth grade charter school in the district on a 5-0 vote at a meeting in August.

According to the county board’s 20-page policy on charter schools, the five county trustees have 30 days from the public hearing to grant or deny the petition, unless trustees and petitioner agree to extend the time period for another 30 days.

The next two county board meetings are Nov. 1 and Dec. 6 at the education department office in Costa Mesa. If the county’s board does not grant or deny the petition during that time period, the petitioner can appeal to the state board of education.

Speaking in support of the appeal were the charter’s Executive Director Gary Davis and several parents who hope to send their children to the charter school, which plans to provide a “classical leadership education.”

Previously, county trustees approved a California Republic Leadership Academy charter in the Capistrano Unified School District for kindergarten through eighth grade students that planned a “curriculum, culture and purpose based on the classical liberal arts tradition.”

Cherniss and Blades told county trustees the California Republic charter plan was “not right” for district students and the district plans a “better option” charter with an Orange County School of Computer Science.

The Placentia-Yorba Linda district’s “better option” is expected to be approved soon, perhaps at a Nov. 14 meeting. A public hearing to gauge support for the charter was held Oct. 10, with the presentation of an 83-page petition by Bernardo Yorba Middle School Principal Beth Fisher.

The petition proposes an in-depth computer science program for up to 1,000 seventh- and eighth-grade students that will start on Aug. 27 for the 2024-25 school year for an initial five-year period.

Cherniss addressed the fentanyl crisis in a recent online message saying that the district is taking “immediate proactive measures to make sure our kids do not fall victim to this dangerous drug that has infested our communities.”

In addition to “red ribbon” assemblies for high school students, the district plans presentations to parents and families through the Parent University program, led by Placentia police officers and county sheriff’s deputies.

And doses of Narcan, which can reverse opioid overdoses, are available at all school sites, with more than 250 employees trained in administration.

Jim Drummond is a longtime Yorba Linda resident. He gives his opinion on local issues weekly. Send e-mail to [email protected].

​ Orange County Register 

Horizon Air cockpit scare revives pilot mental health concerns

• October 26, 2023

An off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot’s alleged midair sabotage attempt of a Horizon Air flight from Seattle to San Francisco on Sunday — and the pilot’s later admission that he had been depressed — highlights the major concerns that pilot mental health poses to the airline industry.

It was an issue that came to international attention when a Germanwings copilot in 2015 locked the captain out of the cockpit midflight and deliberately dove their Airbus into the French Alps, killing all 150 aboard. At that time, the FAA reviewed and revised its mental health policies for flight crews. But experts say that seeking treatment can cost pilots their wings.

“If you’re crazy enough to admit you have a mental problem, that’s basically the end of your career at an airline,” said Ross “Rusty” Aimer, a retired airline pilot and CEO of Aero Consulting Experts. “We as pilots hide anything that has to do with mental illness. It’s sad. We need to at the airlines do a better job of addressing mental health and not make it a taboo subject.”

The pilot involved in Sunday’s incident, Joseph David Emerson, 44, of Pleasant Hill, remained in custody Wednesday in Portland, Oregon, where the flight he was taking was diverted after he allegedly attempted to shut down the jet’s engines. He had been riding as a guest in a cockpit jump-seat when he suddenly threw off his headset, announced “he was not OK,” and grabbed shut-off handles before being wrestled away by the pilots. Authorities said Emerson reported having suicidal thoughts while in custody and was being closely monitored.

State authorities have charged Emerson with 83 counts each of attempted murder and reckless endangerment of others — one for each of the other people on the plane, including 11 children under age 14 — as well as endangering an aircraft. His next court hearing on those charges is Nov. 1. Federal authorities have charged Emerson with interference with a flight crew, for which he is scheduled for arraignment Thursday.

Affidavits filed in support of the state and federal charges said Emerson told police that he’d struggled with depression for as long as six years and had just lost his best friend. He told investigators that he’d taken “magic mushrooms” 48 hours earlier, was dehydrated, hadn’t slept in more than 40 hours and was in mental crisis. He told police that he seized the controls “because I thought I was dreaming, and I just wanna wake up.”

Mental health crises linked to deadly air crashes are rare. But given the nature of the airline industry, the potential for disaster is high if anything’s mentally amiss with the folks in the cockpit — their hands on the yoke sticks at 30,000 feet in the sky.

The Federal Aviation Administration did not respond to questions about pilot mental health screening Wednesday. But its website says FAA regulations require airline pilots to undergo a medical exam every six months to five years, depending on the type of flying they do and their age. Aviation Medical Examiners are trained to determine the pilot’s mental health and fitness to fly.

The regulations require pilots to report any medical visits during the previous three years, all medications they are taking and other medical history, and pilots must disclose all existing physical and psychological conditions and medications. The examiner may ask further questions and can request additional psychological testing.

But the FAA also says it is “reducing the stigma of mental health to help pilots receive care.” The FAA said it “encourages pilots to seek help if they have a mental health condition since most, if treated, do not disqualify a pilot from flying.”

The regulations specify that certain medical conditions such as a psychosis, bipolar disorder and some types of personality disorder automatically disqualify a pilot from obtaining an FAA medical certificate. The FAA’s posted mental health policy doesn’t say how it handles depression in pilots, and the linked regulations don’t mention it.

But William R. Hoffman, a physician and FAA aeromedical examiner, wrote in a November 2022 Scientific American article that, in practice, the regulations bar pilots from the cockpit for months and sometimes years for mild anxiety or depression. He argued in the article that “We must rethink the system that drives pilots from attending to their mental health and change what seeking mental health care services means in aviation.”

The Air Line Pilots Association International, which represents pilots at many large carriers including Alaska Airlines, said in a statement that “it is important to remember that the airline pilot profession in North America is one of the most highly vetted and scrutinized careers, and for good reason.”

“U.S. pilots are continuously evaluated throughout their careers through training, medical exams, crew resource management, and programs such as the Line Operations Safety Audit, as well as by the airline and during random flight checks by the Federal Aviation Administration.”

Susan J. Lewis, a licensed psychologist and lawyer in Denver who has worked with several pilots, said the FAA rules allow for a more nuanced approach to treating depression and that it’s not necessarily a career-ender for them.

“It’s on a case-by-case basis. It would depend on if the clinician believed the pilot could fly safely,” Lewis said. “The FAA is trying to be sensitive to mental health and the stress pilots go through. But with any governmental organization, the wheels turn slowly. I always think more things can be done in terms of mental health.”

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Lewis said she wasn’t a fan of one change implemented since the Germanwings crash: The FAA’s encouragement of pilot peer support programs organized by airlines and unions.

“Pilots are pilots, not mental health practitioners,” Lewis said. “There’s a difference between needing support and needing mental health care.”

But Lewis said the FAA has eased its policy toward antidepressants, allowing their use in some cases. And Aimer noted that the FAA recently changed the way it views transgender pilots, so it’s no longer treated as a disorder requiring additional medical scrutiny.

Aimer said the FAA has done better at dealing with substance abuse among pilots, but that mental health remains a challenge. There have been several pilot suicides following stressful airline mergers, but “it’s a taboo subject, and everybody wants it to go away.”

“I wish I knew all the answers — I don’t, I’m not a psychiatrist,” Aimer said. “We need some really serious minds and professionals to address this properly.”

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​ Orange County Register 

Richmond, Calif., becomes first U.S. city to declare support for Palestinians amid Israel-Hamas war

• October 26, 2023

RICHMOND, Calif. — When officials in this city of only 115,000 people announced they would be voting on a resolution to support Palestinians living in Gaza amid the worst outbreak of violence between Israel and Hamas in decades, it drew hundreds of people to Tuesday’s city council meeting.

The Richmond City Council cleared its entire Tuesday night schedule to discuss the controversial stance, which protests what the resolution characterizes as an ongoing campaign of ethnic cleansing, collective punishment and war crimes by the state of Israel. A vote approving the lengthy resolution wasn’t tallied until just after 1 a.m. Wednesday — establishing what appears to be the first of its kind in the nation.

Nearly five hours of public testimony was delivered by scores of community leaders and local residents on all sides of the conflict, which has already claimed the lives of more than 6,500 Palestinians and 1,400 Israelis.

Richmond’s elected officials patiently listened to the hundreds of people who packed City Hall’s chambers to capacity, overflowed to the auditorium lobby next door and tuned into one of the meeting’s livestreams. At one point, the Zoom room maxed out its limit of 500 participants and more than 300 people were following along on YouTube, while at least an additional 150 written public comments were submitted virtually.

Attendees — who were given only 60 seconds to speak — collectively represented a cacophony of anger, grief, fear, hope and solidarity that overwhelmingly pleaded for a shared future of peace and the sanctity of innocent lives. More than half of the comments supported the resolution.

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Numerous people described accounts of personal family members being caught in the crossfire in both Gaza and Israel. Others focused on death tolls of the most recent attacks, or recounted historic milestones of the decades-long conflict. Some Jewish speakers said the resolution made them fear for their safety living in Richmond.

But despite a handful of impassioned speeches that boiled over into divisive, accusatory attacks against city leaders, the meeting never devolved into utter chaos or more than a few minutes of delay.

“That is the beauty of Richmond,” said Councilmember Doria Robinson, “that we can hold that kind of space, and we can actually hear each other, even if we don’t agree. I think it is important — as we lean into justice, as we lean into being courageous — that we make sure not to forget any part of our humanity and remember that people are hurting.”

People filled the overflow space outside the the Richmond City Council chambers on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023 showing up to express their opinion on the Gaza Resolution to be voted on by the city council in Richmond, Calif. Nearly five hours of public testimony was recorded from scores of community leaders and local residents representing all sides of the war that has already claimed more than 6,500 Palestinians and 1,400 Israelis.(Photo by Don Gosney)

An amended version of the resolution was approved in a 5-1 vote. Councilmember Cesar Zepeda voted no after his short list of additional amendments and clarifications was rejected, and Councilmember Claudia Jimenez was absent on medical leave.

Last-minute amendments that were approved included condemnation of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack and called for the release of Israeli hostages; they were added following an immense outcry from largely Jewish community organizations and other residents leading up to Tuesday’s meeting.

The final approved resolution proclaimed, in part, that Palestinians in Gaza “are currently facing a campaign of ethnic cleansing and collective punishment by the state of Israel; and whereas, collective punishment is considered a war crime under international law.”

Additionally, the final resolution criticized Palestinians’ lack of access to electricity, food, water, medical care and aid — calling for an immediate ceasefire and substantial humanitarian aid to Gaza, in addition to “an end to Israeli apartheid in the occupation and blockade of Palestinian land.”

Elected officials said that with the resolution, they aimed to amplify Palestinian narratives that they felt were being excluded from mainstream news.

While Robinson said that the last-minute changes were made possible through dialogue and understanding, she criticized the hateful rhetoric that targeted the city’s resolution, comparing it to a history of pushback against similar efforts during the civil rights, South African apartheid and the U.S. abolitionist movement.

“It was not popular, it was not comfortable, there were wars fought to stop those things, and it was divisive, but at some point, somebody has to say, ‘I love you, and what you’re doing is wrong,’” Robinson said. “I think we’re at that point in Richmond. I hope we’re at that point in Richmond.”

People filled the overflow space outside the the Richmond City Council chambers on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023 showing up to express their opinion on the Gaza Resolution to be voted on by the city council in Richmond, Calif. Nearly five hours of public testimony was recorded from scores of community leaders and local residents representing all sides of the war that has already claimed more than 6,500 Palestinians and 1,400 Israelis. (Photo by Don Gosney)

Yet, dozens of people at the meeting called for rejection or even a delay of the vote — arguing that it would only sow more division.

“It appears to me like the city councilmembers that wrote the resolution are using the tragic situation in Palestine and Israel, both of which are thousands of miles away from Richmond, to gain politically from it,” said Richmond resident Theresa Russell. “That doesn’t sit well with me.”

Others felt the resolution was antisemitic, including Beth Seidman, a 37-year Richmond resident who said it was full of “half-truths, inaccuracies and distortions.” She said it was a “resolution to create hatred toward Jews and divisiveness in our community.”

Meanwhile, Mayor Eduardo Martinez, who co-sponsored the resolution, said society has historically been slow to openly recognize issues like apartheid and war crimes. Rather than avoid controversy or divisiveness, he said he can simultaneously denounce burgeoning antisemitic rhetoric, while uplifting decades of Palestinian oppression.

“If (the resolution) sounds one-sided, it’s because it voices a narrative that has been ignored,” Martinez said, later doubling down on the notion that none of the approved language was hostile against Jewish people. “How many times when we read history have we asked, ‘Why didn’t anyone do something sooner?’ Do we say something when the bloodshed is over? This proclamation chooses human lives over politics.”

​ Orange County Register