Metrolink, Amtrak passenger trains resume full service through San Clemente

• March 25, 2024

Dan Britts gave his daughter a warm embrace and was off for a scenic trek from San Clemente to Oceanside, boarding a Metrolink train that ran the coastal route for the first time in two months.

“We leave the driving to someone else,” said Britts, who was using the train to bounce between his children’s homes for granddad duties. “It’s a great way to get around.”

The Metrolink and Amtrak Pacific Surfliner trains on Monday, March 25, resumed full service through San Clemente for the first time since late January, when for the fifth time in recent years a landslide dumping onto the tracks halted passage.

The latest disruption was caused when parts of hillside above fell onto the Mariposa Bridge along the city’s popular beach path and then onto the tracks. The Orange County Transportation Authority is just completing a 200-foot-long, 15-foot-tall wall to hold back the slope so trains can pass once again.

“We are excited that both Metrolink and Amtrak Pacific Surfliner resumed their full schedules today through San Clemente,” Metrolink spokesman Scott Johnson said in an email.

Metrolink anticipated about 500 customer boardings at stations in San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente and Oceanside throughout the day Monday, with even more of an increase in ridership expected during spring and summer months, he noted.

Last week, a more comprehensive drainage system was integrated with the catchment wall to complement completed grading to the hillside and trenching along the rail right-of-way, Johnson said.

On Monday, trains were able to operate through the area at the regular track speed of 40 mph. Amtrak had already resumed some limited service in morning and evening hours in early March, and freight service has been ongoing most nights, with a few disruptions due to rain and falling debris.

The tracks are part of the 351-mile Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo, or LOSSAN, Rail Corridor.

Britts, a regular user of public transportation at his home near Sacramento, was looking forward to his commute, only $4 using his senior rate.

“You get to look at the ocean most of the way, you don’t have to worry about traffic,” he said. “It’s comfortable, relaxing. I get to read.”

His daughter, Becky Smart, got to save on gas money and spend the time going on a jog instead of sitting in traffic taking him to San Diego.

But her beachfront jog had a detour, with the north end of the beach path still closed by a chain-link fence.

There’s no word yet from the city on when the section between North Beach and the bridge will reopen. A section of the bridge, a critical link along the 2-mile trail, had to be demolished. The city will need to plan a replacement around the newly construction containment wall and also find funding for the millions it will cost to rebuild.

Phoenix residents William and Tammy Adamaitis were hoping to take their favorite beachfront stroll Monday morning from North Beach to south of the pier when they learned the path was still shut down.

William Adamaitis lived in San Clemente in the mid-1970s, and while much has changed in the past 50 or so years, one thing remains the same, he said: the threat of landslides.

“We lived in Shorecliffs; there was a ridiculously large rain one year,” he recalled. “The people who lived down the street, their home just cracked. They had to vacate. It’s not surprising. It’s just part of what’s going to happen. It’s just the nature of the coastline.”

OCTA is trying to figure out how to deal with the coastal threats to the rail line, which is at risk from landslides and also the ocean, with waves battering the tracks and rocks put in place as a barrier from the sea.

The price tag for emergency repairs following landslides and tracks movement  the last few years is nearing $40 million, with a proposal by OCTA to spend another potential $200 million ahead of the next winter for the addition of another longer wall and more rock boulders to secure the tracks; plans that have come under fire from the community and city leaders who are pleading with the transportation authority to use the addition of sand as a buffer instead of hard armoring.

OCTA board members spoke briefly at their Monday meeting about the ongoing challenges along coastal San Clemente, following several public speakers who criticized the proposal for the addition of more boulders to the beach, a method of hard armoring experts say can exacerbate erosion.

Lisa Gant, a member of Save Our Beaches San Clemente, called OCTA’s proposal a “callous, environmentally irresponsible action that will destroy our beaches.”

“We cannot accept prioritizing the railroad at the cost of devastating San Clemente,” she said. “That is too high a cost.”

OCTA staff have said adding sand is not out of the question, but it is a harder process to get through permitting. Katrina Foley, an OCTA board member and also on the OC Board of Supervisors, said she met with Congressman Mike Levin last week to discuss ways to bypass permitting challenges.

Board member Jon Dumitru, who is also on the Orange City Council, said it would be worth staff doing an session dedicated to how armoring impacts erosion so the board could learn about how OCTA’s decisions may or may not be impacting San Clemente’s beaches “so when folks come forward, we can look at it more through their eyes.”

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“If it’s something we’re responsible for, let’s move forward with a plan and do something,” he said. “And if it’s not, let’s communicate it clearly.”

A meeting for the public to discuss OCTA concepts and short- to medium-term plans being studied will be held virtually on April 11 and in person on May 30 at the San Clemente City Hall.

​ Orange County Register 

Home of rapper, music mogul Diddy raided by federal authorities in Los Angeles

• March 25, 2024

Federal authorities searched the lavish Holmby Hills estate of rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs today, but officials did not disclose the nature of the investigation.

Agents from the Department of Homeland Security carried out the raid early Monday afternoon in the area of Mapleton Drive and Sunset Boulevard. Video from the scene showed numerous law enforcement officials, a possible armored vehicle and several people detained outside the home. It was unclear if any actual arrests were made.

It was also unknown of Diddy was home at the time.

“Earlier today, Homeland Security Investigations New York executed law enforcement actions as part of an ongoing investigation, with assistance from HIS Los Angeles, HIS Miami, and our local law enforcement partners. We will provide further information as it becomes available.”

TMZ reported that a home owned by Diddy in Miami was also raided Monday as part of the investigation.

The nature of the probe was unclear, although one report indicated it was part of a federal sex trafficking investigation. Diddy has been targeted in multiple lawsuits in recent months accusing him of sex abuse — allegations the rapper’s attorney has vehemently denied. One of those suits was filed by R&B singer Cassie, a former girlfriend of Diddy. That suit was settled one day after it was filed. Two other women have also filed lawsuits alleging sexual abuse.

Last month, music producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones Jr. filed a lawsuit accusing Diddy of groping him while the pair worked together on Diddy’s album “The Love Album: Off the Grid.” The lawsuit also included allegations that Diddy and his son engaged in a “sex-trafficking venture.”

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Diddy’s attorney, Shawn Holley, issued a statement in response saying, “Lil Rod is nothing more than a liar who filed a $30 million lawsuit shamelessly looking for an undeserved payday. His reckless name-dropping about events that are pure fiction and simply did not happen is nothing more than a transparent attempt to garner headlines.

“We have overwhelming, indisputable proof that his claims are complete lies.”

​ Orange County Register 

Ducks finding defensive stability ahead of 5-game trip

• March 25, 2024

The Ducks migrated north for the final time this season, heading to Seattle for a pair of matches with the Kraken before a three-game swing through Western Canada.

They just wrapped up their schedule against the Eastern Conference with Sunday’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Coupled with a victory over the Chicago Blackhawks, that might have given the Ducks something of a springboard into the trip despite having already been mathematically eliminated from the postseason.

“We’re coming to the rink and we’re working hard trying to dial in all the details. There’s 11 games left,” winger Ross Johnston said. “If we do keep playing like that, we’ll be in a lot of games, so that’s all we can focus on.”

Coach Greg Cronin said that greater continuity in forward lines and defensive pairings engendered defensive consistency. That’s also been the case on the penalty kill, which took a “nosedive,” Cronin said, after a slew of losses to its ranks before implementing new personnel and tactics. It’s gone eight of nine in its past three games, including a flawless three-for-three against Tampa’s ruthlessly efficient power play.

“I thought the last two games, we were way more stable defensively,” Cronin said. “Guys are familiar with each other now. They get some stability and I just think we’re defending better.”

Instilling a shot mentality in his group remained very much a work in progress, Cronin acknowledged, along with creating more frequent and longer forays into the offensive zone.

The Ducks have been further limited recently by feeble production from their power play. It earned Frank Vatrano his 30th goal of the season late against Chicago during a five-on-three situation, but failed to capitalize on a more pivotal two-man advantage moment against Tampa Bay.

Vatrano’s goal was one of just two with the extra man that the Ducks have managed in March, with their 6.3% conversion rate over that span the worst in the NHL. In February, a short month made shorter still by the All-Star break, the Ducks had the fifth-best power-play percentage in the league.

“There’s been players in and out, so I think, in some ways, (assistant) Newell (Brown) has had a mixed bag a lot of times, so some of that is chemistry,” Cronin said. “It goes dry and then it gets hot again, so hopefully in the next 11 games we’ll see a hot streak.”

Jumping off the themes of hot hands and moments to look forward to in the final 11 games, the Ducks’ top prospect, Cutter Gauthier, piled up seven points (three goals, four assists) between the Hockey East semi-final and final over the weekend. His Boston College squad triumphed again over rival Boston University and likely No. 1 overall pick Macklin Celebrini.

Gauthier and associates will next compete in the NCAA Tournament, beginning with a first-round matchup against Michigan Tech on Friday in Providence. When their run wraps up, Gauthier will be expected to join the Ducks, though his Eagles might very well go the distance. If they advance to the April 13 final, Gauthier could only play one game for the Ducks.

Boston College features three other stars who were drafted in the first round under Coach Greg Brown, a former New York Rangers assistant and longtime right-hand man of the NCAA’s all-time winningest coach, Jerry York.

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“I spoke to Jerry York about (Gauthier) and he said he’s a pure goal-scorer that reminded him of [BC alumnus] Chris Kreider,” Cronin said.

Though they’ll be without Gauthier for their sojourn in Seattle and excursions north of the border, the Ducks could get a dynamic offensive force (Trevor Zegras) and a stalwart defender (Radko Gudas) back from injury during the journey.

It will begin with a rare instance in which they will play two consecutive road games against the same team in the same city, the Seattle Kraken. With their 29th-ranked offense placing just ahead of the Ducks’ (Jared McCann and Vince Dunn have been Seattle’s top producers), the Kraken have had to rely on a top-10 defense and goalie Joey Daccord, a journeyman turned emergent force in net.

DUCKS AT KRAKEN

When: Tuesday, 7 p.m.

Where: Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle

TV: Bally Sports SoCal

​ Orange County Register 

As Santiago Canyon College students, mother and son reach their goals together

• March 25, 2024

When circumstances caused Janette Solis Martinez and her son Jakob to be students at Santiago Canyon College at the same time, they took the opportunity to help each other get the most out of their education.

“My last year was his first year,” said Solis Martinez, 41, who currently works at SCC as executive secretary to the vice president of Student Services.

The unusual situation was a result of the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Solis Martinez, a single mom, had been employed at a law firm for 20 years, where she’d worked her way up from file clerk to receptionist, to assistant, to managing the human resources department. When the pandemic hit, she was laid off, which devastated her.

“I had built a career from out of high school,” she said. “I’m a first-generation American. What I learned from my parents was to work hard.”

It didn’t take her long to pivot. “I just picked myself back up, dusted myself off and was like, ‘You know what? There’s nothing to do. It’s the pandemic. I’m going to go back to school.’ ”

She enrolled at SCC as a full-time student while Jakob was in high school.

“I was taking AP calculus,” Jakob Martinez recalled. When he saw how his mother struggled with her class in business calculus, he offered to tutor her, and she gladly accepted. “I was teaching her math concepts.”

This was a lifesaver for his mother, who hadn’t taken a math class for many years. With her son’s help, she became more comfortable with the subject and eventually began thinking about a move into financial management.

Solis Martinez was able to return her son’s favor by directing him to the many resources she discovered at SCC, in particular the Promise grant.

“I encouraged him to sign up because I saw that he was eligible,” she said.

The Promise grant is for California students wishing to attend a community college directly from high school. Jakob Martinez applied for and received the grant. His tuition at SCC was covered for two years and then eventually extended for a third year because he was a STEM student with a high GPA.

“Early on, I was required to meet with a counselor and plan out an educational pathway,” Jakob Martinez said. “I didn’t know what direction I wanted to head.” When his counselor suggested engineering, he responded enthusiastically.

His mother also told him about SCC’s Math Success Center. Again, Jakob Martinez took full advantage of this resource.

“I would go there with friends, and we’d study, study, study, perfecting our math skills,” he said. “There were professors and tutors there to guide you. For three semesters, I really lived there.”

Every night after school, mother and son had long conversations — Jakob as a STEM student and Janette as a business student — comparing their experiences and talking about what they each were learning.

Solis Martinez applied to Cal State Fullerton’s College of Business and Economics in 2022 and received her acceptance letter on her son’s 19th birthday.

“It really touched me because I was a 19-year-old when I was pregnant with him, so it just felt like full circle,” she said. “He just looked at me in the eyes and said ‘Mom, you did it.’ ”

She is a student at Cal State Fullerton but has taken this semester off to work at SCC, an environment she finds exciting, inclusive and supportive.

Now it’s almost her son’s turn to head to a four-year college. While he waits to hear from the last two universities he’s applied to, he’s getting ready for a 10-week Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship in Earth and Environmental Sciences in Stockholm, Sweden, a program sponsored by Chapman University.

At 21, Jakob Martinez is looking forward to his summer in Stockholm. At the same time, he appreciates all the ways SCC helped him along his academic journey. In particular, he praises the SCC Trio program that allowed him to tour university campuses on the East Coast, visit New York City and visit universities in San Diego.

“It’s a really exciting time right now as he’s getting ready to graduate,” Solis Martinez said. She credits SCC for helping her family move ahead with their lives — and this includes her teenage daughter Lilly who, while still in high school, is already taking classes at SCC.

“This experience at SCC has given me the opportunity to help provide navigation for my children,” Solis Martinez said. “It’s allowed me as a parent to take the next step. I had no college experience before (coming to SCC). My parents taught me how to work hard, and that’s where I’ve always found my success.

“At SCC, with all the community that is provided here, there’s so much empowerment, and the teachers are so personable that it just allowed me to take in so much and tap into this new resource in my life that I hadn’t had before.”

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​ Orange County Register 

Questions raised about resume of Shohei Ohtani’s ex-interpreter

• March 25, 2024

UC Riverside officials have denied that Shohei Ohtani‘s former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara attended the university, as Mizuhara claimed in his publicly distributed resume — in one of multiple questions raised about the recently fired Mizuhara’s credentials.

A story published in The Athletic quoted a UCR spokesperson saying the school’s “records do not show a student by the name of Ippei Mizuhara having attended UC Riverside.” In February, UC Riverside spokesperson Sandra Martínez told the Southern California News Group that the university has no record of Mizuhara attending UCR.

The bio of Mizuhara, who graduated from Diamond Bar High School, said he graduated from UCR in 2007.

The Athletic article also questioned whether Mizuhara actually spent spring training in 2012 working for the New York Yankees as an interpreter for Japanese pitcher Hideki Okajima, as claimed in the Angels media guides when Ohtani played for the Angels.

RELATED: Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter gets cheers from his old school, Diamond Bar High

And the Boston Red Sox released a statement insisting that Mizuhara never worked for the team, disputing news reports that Mizuhara was Okajima’s interpreter with Boston in 2010.

Mizuhara, who lives in Diamond Bar, could not be reached for comment.

Major League Baseball on Friday, March 22, opened a formal investigation after Mizuhara was fired by the Los Angeles Dodgers amid allegations he stole millions of dollars from the Japanese slugger to place bets with a purported illegal bookmaker.

The story broke Wednesday, March 20, when the Dodgers fired Mizuhara while the team was in Seoul, South Korea, for a season-opening two-game series against the San Diego Padres.

Meanwhile, a former soccer coach and English teacher of Mizuhara’s at Diamond Bar High School said he was surprised to learn of the allegations.

“He never exhibited gambling behavior,” Kemp Wells, the school’s head soccer coach, wrote Saturday, March 23, in a text message. “But adults are different than high-school-age kids. Being around so much privilege can make a person reach for the same. Gambling offers that.”

Like many, Wells — who spoke for himself and not the high school — said he was thrown off by Mizuhara’s two accounts of what occurred.

“There were two stories,” Wells wrote. “One, Ohtani knew about his gambling and paid his debts. Later, he said Ippei hacked his accounts. The first story seems more plausible.”

Wells said he felt bad for his former student and player, who has been a constant next to baseball’s biggest superstar since he came to the U.S.

“It seemed like they had a genuine friendship,” Wells said.

According to ESPN, MLB is expected to request interviews with all parties, including Ohtani and Mizuhara. But the sports network said MLB cannot compel Mizuhara to cooperate since he no longer is employed by the league. Ohtani can also decline to cooperate as a member of the MLB Players Association, the report said.

#Dodgers announce that Shohei Ohtani’s press conference will be at approximately 2:45. No cameras will be allowed in the interview room but it will be carried on SNLA and MLB Network. Ohtani is not expected to take questions

— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) March 25, 2024

Ohtani is set to speak to the news media Monday afternoon, March 25, in his first public remarks since the scandal arose.

The star player’s attorneys, responding to inquiries from the Los Angeles Times, told the paper in a statement Wednesday, “In the course of responding to recent media inquiries, we discovered that Shohei has been the victim of a massive theft and we are turning the matter over to the authorities.”

According to The Times, the paper made inquiries about the matter after learning that Ohtani’s name had surfaced in a federal investigation of Orange County resident and alleged illegal bookmaker Mathew Bowyer.

Sources told the paper that Mizuhara had allegedly stolen money from the Dodgers star to place bets, and the amount of money involved was in the millions of dollars.

ESPN reported Wednesday there had been at least $4.5 million in wire transfers from Ohtani’s bank account to the bookmaking operation. A spokesman for Ohtani initially told ESPN that Ohtani had transferred the money to cover Mizuhara’s gambling debts.

Bowyer’s attorney, Diane Bass, told The Times and ESPN that he has never met or spoken with Ohtani. A source told ESPN that Bowyer was aware Ohtani’s name was on the wire transfers, but he didn’t ask any questions as long as the money was coming in.

According to ESPN, Mizuhara gave the network a 90-minute interview Tuesday night, March 19, in which he laid out his side of the story — an interview arranged by an Ohtani spokesman. But after the interview, the same spokesman disavowed Mizuhara’s account and said a statement would be made instead by Ohtani’s attorneys, which happened Wednesday alleging the “massive theft.”

During the ESPN interview, Mizuhara, 39, said he asked Ohtani last year to pay off his gambling debts, and Ohtani, while unhappy about it, agreed to do so. Mizuhara told the network that Ohtani had no involvement in any betting, and the interpreter insisted that he didn’t realize his betting activities were illegal in California. He also said he never bet on any baseball games.

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On Wednesday, however, Mizuhara recanted his comments, telling ESPN that Ohtani had no knowledge of his gambling debts and denying that Ohtani had transferred any money to the bookmaking operation.

According to The Times and ESPN, the investigation into Bowyer, who has not been charged with a crime, involves the same prosecutors who investigated an Orange County-based gambling ring led by Wayne Nix, 46, a former minor league baseball player from Newport Coast. Nix pleaded guilty to a federal charge of helping operate an illegal sports gambling business. A sentencing date has not been set.

Nix’s longtime partner in the gambling operation, Edon Kagasoff, 45, of Lake Forest, pleaded guilty in April 2022 to one count of conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business and was sentenced last year to six months of probation and a $1,000 fine. He was also ordered to forfeit $3.1 million he earned through the operation.

Contributing writer David Downey contributed to this report.

​ Orange County Register 

Orange County softball Top 25: Canyon, El Modena, Esperanza rise entering Carew Classic, March 25

• March 25, 2024

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This week’s Orange County softball rankings.

Notable this week: Pacifica remains No. 1 entering the Michelle Carew Classic, which starts Wednesday. … Canyon, El Modena and Esperanza — tied in the Crestview League with 1-1 records — each climb spots. … Esperanza opens the Carew Classic against No. 10 Mission Viejo on Wednesday.

ORANGE COUNTY SOFTBALL TOP 25

(Records through Sunday, March 24)

1. Pacifica (13-0): Freshman leadoff batter Mattea Stern had three hits and four stolen bases last week to raise her average to .472 and stolen base tally to 11.

Previous ranking: 1

2. Orange Lutheran (10-2): Brianne Weiss pitched the fifth no-hitter of her career last week to improve to 8-1 and lowered her ERA to 0.60.

Previous ranking: 2

3. Los Alamitos (13-3): Gabby Terrones and Cari Ferguson starred in a 5-2 win against Huntington Beach last week in a Sunset League showdown.

Previous ranking: 3

4. Huntington Beach (9-2): Senior shortstop Liah Lummus went 7 for 9 with two doubles and a home run in three Sunset League games last week.

Previous ranking: 4

5. Canyon (12-3): The Comanches could face Pacifica on Thursday if they win their Carew Classic opener against Yucaipa on Wednesday.

Previous ranking: 6

6. El Modena (12-4): The Vanguards showed their resolve last week by defeating Esperanza 5-2 after falling to Pacifica.

Previous ranking: 7

7. Capistrano Valley (12-3): The Cougars are in the Gold Bracket this week in Woodbridge’s Dugard tournament.

Previous ranking: 8

8. Marina (11-5-1): Mia Valbuena returned to the circle in a 3-2 win against Fountain Valley in the Sunset League.

Previous ranking: 9

9. Esperanza (8-6): The Aztecs showed progress by going 1-1 against Canyon and El Modena last week.

Previous ranking: 14

10. Mission Viejo (11-2-1): The Diablos travel to South Coast rival Aliso Niguel on Tuesday before playing in the Carew Classic.

Previous ranking: 11

11. Fullerton (8-5)

Previous ranking: 10

12. JSerra (11-10)

Previous ranking: 5

13. Tesoro (9-2-1)

Previous ranking: 12

14. El Toro (10-5)

Previous ranking: 16

15. Santa Margarita (11-5)

Previous ranking: 17

16. Aliso Niguel (8-3-1)

Previous ranking: 15

17. Cypress (8-7)

Previous ranking: 18

18. La Habra (8-6)

Previous ranking: 19

19. El Dorado (12-7)

Previous ranking: 20

20. Villa Park (8-7)

Previous ranking: 21

21. Mater Dei (8-4)

Previous ranking: 13

22. Fountain Valley (7-10)

Previous ranking: 22

23. Rosary (11-2)

Previous ranking: 23

24. Edison (6-9)

Previous ranking: 24

25. Sonora (6-6)

Previous ranking: 25

Also considered: Whittier Christian

Please send feedback to Dan Albano at [email protected] or @ocvarsityguy on X and Instagram

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​ Orange County Register 

Orange County baseball Top 25: Santa Margarita takes over top spot, March 25

• March 25, 2024

This week’s Orange County high school baseball rankings.

Notable this week: Santa Margarita moves into the No. 1 spot, up from No. 3 last week. … The Eagles beat then-No. 1 Orange Lutheran in two of their three Trinity League games last week. … San Juan Hills, winner of 11 games in a row, moves up to No. 5. … El Modena is up to No. 12 this week. … Los Alamitos climbs two places after wins over Newport Harbor and Edison.

ORANGE COUNTY BASEBALL TOP 25

(Records through Sunday, March 24)

1. Santa Margarita 10-4-1: The Eagles defeated Orange Lutheran by scores of 14-4 and 6-3 last week, and lost to the Lancers 4-3 in eight innings. Jake Lavin was 4 for 8 with four RBIs over the three games. Ethan Russell pitched five scoreless innings with six strikeouts in the 14-4 win.

Previous ranking: 3

2. Orange Lutheran 11-3: The Lancers lost twice last week against Santa Margarita. They are 3-3 in league, one game behind league-leading JSerra and Santa Margarita. Orange Lutheran plays Servite this week in a three-game league series.

Previous ranking: 1

3. JSerra 8-5-1: The Lions swept Mater Dei in a three-game league series. Their pitching, including a fine outing by Matt Champion, and hitting was good in their 5-1, 4-3 and 11-4 wins.

Previous ranking: 2

4. Huntington Beach 9-4: The bats came back to life for the Oilers as they beat Corona del Mar 7-3 in a nonleague game and followed with a 7-1 Surf League win over Fountain Valley in which Ethan Porter homered.

Previous ranking: 4

5. San Juan Hills 13-1: The Stallions extended their winning streak to 11 games last week with two Sea View League wins over El Toro. They have outscored teams 58-9 this season.

Previous ranking: 6

6. Mater Dei 7-5: The Monarchs were swept by JSerra in a three-game Trinity League series. They are 2-4 in league.

Previous ranking: 5

7. Cypress 8-5-1: The Centurions scored 43 runs over two one-sided wins over Valencia in the Empire League. Cypress plays in the Desert Classic National Invitational in Nevada this week.

Previous ranking: 7

8. Los Alamitos 11-3: The Griffins beat Newport Harbor 8-3 in a nonleague game and defeated Edison 5-1 in the Surf League. Senior Jack Lorenz struck out seven over 6⅓ innings in the win over Edison.

Previous ranking: 10

9. Servite 7-6: The Friars went 1-2 in a three-game Trinity League series against St. John Bosco. The losses were close ones, 2-1 and 4-3. They won the third game 14-5 as sophomore catcher Jaden Liu hit a bases-loaded triple and an RBI single.

Previous ranking: 9

10. Villa Park 8-6: The Spartans beat Foothill 3-1 and lost to El Dorado 1-0 in the Crestview League.

Previous ranking: 8

11. Aliso Niguel 10-4

Previous ranking: 11

12. El Modena 11-4

Previous ranking: 15

13. Tesoro 8-3

Previous ranking: 12

14. Pacifica 10-4

Previous ranking: 16

15. La Habra 13-4

Previous ranking: 17

16. Foothill 7-5

Previous ranking: 13

17. El Dorado 6-8

Previous ranking: 18

18. Fountain Valley 7-7

Previous ranking: 17

19. Edison 8-8

Previous ranking: 21

20. Fullerton 10-4-1

Previous ranking: Not ranked

21. Canyon 7-7-1

Previous ranking: 19

22. Marina 5-6

Previous ranking: 22

23. Corona del Mar 8-6

Previous ranking: 25

24. San Clemente 7-8

Previous ranking: 23

25. Ocean View 9-5

Previous ranking: 24

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​ Orange County Register 

Iva Lee’s in San Clemente closing — Detroit-style pizza restaurant to take over space

• March 25, 2024

After more than two decades, Iva Lee’s, the San Clemente food and live music destination that specialized in Southern-influenced fare, will close its doors for good on Saturday, March 30.

“After 21 remarkable years of serving the community, Iva Lee’s has come to the conclusion to close our doors on March 30th,” owners Lisa and Eric Wagoner announced on Friday, March 22. “We have had amazing customers, employees, and vendors throughout our journey and we cannot thank our customers enough for all the support we received and all the memories you shared with us.”

Well wishes and bittersweet sentiments poured in following the announcement. “Thank you, Eric, for not only giving 6 Ways 2 Sunday the opportunity to play some great music in front of some fantastic people and outstanding staff, but it was the first place that I was actually able to follow through on my passion of singing on a stage with a band since I was a kid,” wrote Matthew Mitchell. “I’m so sad to hear this news. Iva Lee’s has given me so many fabulous memories,” noted patron Andrew Swingler.

SEE ALSO: In-N-Out Burger’s restaurant closure, called the chain’s first, looms this weekend

The owners went on to quash speculation that an alleged rent increase caused the closure, stating, “The decision to close comes after much contemplation and consideration of various factors. Despite the challenges faced by the restaurant industry, we want to emphasize that the closure is not due to rent increases by our landlords.”

For its final service, Iva Lee’s will host a farewell celebration featuring live music on Sunday, March 31. The owners will host a private dinner the following day for friends and family for one a final hurrah with 50 percent of the evening’s proceeds going to staff. Iva Lee’s stood as one of the few remaining South County venues where people could come for food and dancing while hearing a band hit the floorboards.

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In its stead, neighboring Gibroni’s Detroit Style Pizza, which closed its 215 S. El Camino Real location on Feb. 1, will reopen inside the Iva Lee’s space. “Iva Lee’s sold their business to us,” said Tony Gioutsos, owner of Gibroni’s Detroit Style Pizza. “We assume the lease next week and have a few weeks of renovations.”

Gibroni’s Detroit Style Pizza, which started out as a pop-up in 2020, landed on the Washington Post’s pizzeria feature (“The Best Pizza in America: Region By Region”) in September 2023. The comprehensive article analyzed 7.5 million Yelp reviews of pizzerias to figure out which regional-style restaurants scored the most and highest ratings. Gibroni’s Detroit Style Pizza ranked No. 5 in California. Over the last few years, Detroit-style pizza — noted for its square slices, thick yet pillowy crusts and cheese cooked underneath the sauce and crisped up at the edges – has gained traction as a popular pie.

Gioutsos hopes to open Gibroni’s on April 25.

​ Orange County Register