Suspect dead after shooting at Nashville private school

• March 27, 2023

The suspect in a shooting at a private Christian school in Nashville on Monday is dead, officials said.

The Nashville Fire Department said on Twitter there are “multiple patients” but their conditions were not immediately clear. The shooting occurred at The Covenant School, where students walked to safety holding hands to a nearby church to reunited with their parents.

The shooter died after being “engaged by” officers, Metro Nashville Police said in a Twitter post. It was not immediately clear whether the shooter died by suicide or was shot by police.

The fire department said they responded to an “active aggressor” but did not give any specifics. Other details about the shooting were not immediately available.

The Covenant School has had an enrollment of about 200 students from preschool to sixth grade in recent years and was founded as a ministry of Covenant Presbyterian Church in 2001, according to the school’s website.

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​ Orange County Register 

Status Update: North Orange County job fair touts hundreds of available positions

• March 27, 2023

The North Orange County Job Fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, April 6 at Saddleback High School in Santa Ana.

Saddleback Church is partnering with the Santa Ana Unified School District, the city of Santa Ana and the Santa Ana Task Force.

The same job fair last year hosted 85 local employers offering more than 5,000 positions from entry-level to highly skilled.

Organizers said the job fair is open to anyone looking for work in Orange County.

Address: 2802 S Flower St, Santa Ana, CA 29707.

Ingrid Valenzuela has been sworn in as the postmaster of the Anaheim U.S. Post Office. (Courtesy of the US Postal Service)

Anaheim welcomes new USPS postmaster

Ingrid Valenzuela has been sworn in as the postmaster of the Anaheim U.S. Post Office.

The tradition dates back 162 years to 1861 when John Fischer became the location’s first postmaster.

Valenzuela took the oath of office at 701 N. Loara on Friday, March 24.

She has been with the USPS for 17 years, beginning as a carrier in Huntington Beach in 2006.

“I aspire to uplift my city and make it shine and make people wish they work here too,” Valenzuela said in a statement.

Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley stands with the nominees and awardees of her Second Annual Women Making A Difference Awards. (Courtesy of Katrina Foley’s office)

Women honored for their stories, contribution

Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley hosted her second annual Women Making A Difference Awards, honoring National Women’s History Month and female storytellers. Honorees and their categories are:

Arts: Erin Angelo of Ladera Ranch is a professional ballroom dancer, educator and founder/executive director of Rx Ballroom Dance, a nonprofit that provides free ballroom dance instruction for people with degenerative neurological conditions.

Blogs: Jeanette Knutti of Irvine is the CEO and founder of Moxie Marketing Agency. She runs a blog that focuses on inspiration and themes of kindness, love and self-care.

Books & Publications: Allison Deming of Laguna Beach is the vice president of Conservation Medicine and Science at Pacific Marine Mammal Center. She will publish a book this spring on marine mammal research and her findings.

Radio: Patti Compton of Laguna Beach is the host of “Play Something Sweet” on KXFM, a music history show that puts songs in a historical context.

Stage: Jocelyn Brown of Ladera Ranch has directed plays primarily at Chance Theater and Chapman University, helping develop new material by women playwrights while serving as Chance Theater’s associate artistic director.

Podcasts: Mary-Christine Sungaila of Newport Beach works as a full-time appellate lawyer and is the creator and host of The Portia Project podcast, which aims to inspire women to join the legal sector.

Social Media: Esther Park and Mijin Park of Laguna Hills are the co-founders of Fully Health Clinic and create content promoting mental health.

Film: Mauren “Mo” Langley of San Clemente for five years has managed the San Clemente Women’s Surf Film Festival.

Public Information: Roxi Fyad of Costa Mesa serves as public affairs manager for the Costa Mesa Police Department. The first civilian public affairs manager in the department’s history, she works with the media and oversees crime prevention, community programs and events and the volunteer program.

News – Print: Lana Johnson of Newport Beach is the editor of Stu News Newport and Stu News Laguna, writing, processing and editing stories for both cities.

News – Television: Michele Gile of Corona Del Mar works at KCAL-CBS LA News and has been in the news business for 30 years.

O’Connor Mortuary in Laguna Hills is commemorating 125 years in business. At left is Patrick O’Connor with the mortuary’s first company hearse, and at right are the current owners, Jeff, Joseph and Charles. The business is one of the oldest family-owned mortuaries in California. (Courtesy of O’Connor Mortuary)

Mortuary honors its 125th anniversary

O’Connor Mortuary in Laguna Hills is commemorating 125 years in business as one of the oldest, continually family-owned mortuaries in California.

The company will host an open house from 4-7 p.m. Wednesday, April 19 at 25301 Alicia Pkwy.

Patrick Joseph O’Connor, the founder, partnered with Thomas Cunningham, opening the first Cunningham & O’Connor Mortuary in 1898 on Fifth and Main Streets in downtown Los Angeles. Patrick’s son, Joseph Alan O’Connor Sr., expanded the business to Hollywood in 1950. His son, Joseph O’Connor Jr., then expanded it to the San Gabriel Valley in 1965.

O’Connor Jr. would go on to open his own location, O’Connor Mortuary, in Orange County in 1976. The business was constructed on land where cattle and sheep once grazed. The family called it “the little house on the prairie” on Alicia Parkway near Paseo de Valencia.

The mortuary continues to operate from that very spot today with Joseph O’Connor Jr.’s sons-in-law, Joe Fitzgerald and Chuck Ricciardi at the helm.

On the move

The nonprofit Radiant Futures, formerly Women’s Transitional Living Center, has made two key hires in recent weeks. Adriana De La Torre is the new housing services manager, overseeing the organization’s emergency shelter, transitional housing program and key housing program. Tatiana Restrepo is the new contracts and compliance manager. She has worked in the nonprofit sector for five years in various administrative roles.

Working Wardrobes recently received a donation from Women Helping Women, which is dissolving its chapter. WHW opted to give its last donation of $100,000 to Working Wardrobes. (Courtesy of Working Wardrobes)

Women Helping Women offers one last gift

Working Wardrobes recently received a donation from Women Helping Women, which is dissolving its chapter.

After years of helping the local community, WHW opted to give its last donation of $100,000 to Working Wardrobes in Irvine.

WHW Board members presented the donation of their remaining funds to help Working Wardrobes provide job seekers with workforce preparedness services.

Grants

Unlimited Possibilities, a Santa Ana-based nonprofit that helps children and families with disabilities, received a $25,000 grant from the S. Mark Taper Foundation. This money will greatly help the organization with its critical “Access to Care” program, providing early intervention and pediatric therapy to 450 underinsured, low-income children and families in the county.

Status Update is compiled from press releases by contributing writer Karen Levin and edited by Business Editor Samantha Gowen. Submit items and high-resolution photos to [email protected]. Allow at least one week for publication. Items are edited for length and clarity.

​ Orange County Register 

Angels banking on deeper lineup to correct offensive issues of 2022

• March 27, 2023

The Angels took an unfamiliar path to a familiar destination last year.

They finished with a losing record, and out of the playoffs for the eighth consecutive season.

Instead of crumbling because of poor pitching, as had been their pattern, the 2022 Angels fell apart because of an anemic offense.

As they open the 2023 season desperate to end their postseason drought, they are hanging their hopes on a deeper lineup, one with the usual star power at the top but newly added reliable major leaguers surrounding them.

“It’s a lot of what we categorize as professional hitters,” General Manager Perry Minasian said. “They are going to give quality at-bats, night in and night out. You aren’t always going to get results. Nobody hits 1.000. But they are professional hitters. You have a lineup that understands the scoreboard, the counts, fouls off tough pitches, moves runners, hits the ball over the fence. All those things.”

Last season the Angels started off with a productive offense. Through May 24 – when they were 27-17 – the Angels ranked second in the majors in OPS.

Right around that time, though, two of the key hitters on either side of Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani began to crack.

Leadoff man Taylor Ward, who had been one of baseball’s best stories, crashed into the fence on May 20 and suffered a shoulder injury that sapped his power for three months.

Third baseman Anthony Rendon suffered a wrist injury on May 8, tried to play through it for a couple of weeks, tried to rest it on the injured list for another couple of weeks, and finally succumbed to surgery.

Infielders David Fletcher and Jared Walsh also saw their production shrivel because of injuries that required surgery.

The replacements the Angels tried were a cast of misfits, many of whom simply were not major league-caliber hitters. The Angels had 11 players last season who produced an OPS below .600 while getting at least 50 plate appearances. Only the 102-loss Oakland A’s had more, with 12.

By the time it was over, the Angels ranked 25th in the majors in runs.

Over the winter, Minasian knew he still had the core of a good offensive team – led by Trout, Ohtani, Ward, Rendon and Walsh – but he needed better complementary players.

The Angels added infielders Gio Urshela and Brandon Drury and outfielder Hunter Renfroe. While those names aren’t as sexy as some of the stars on the free agent market, they combined for a .794 OPS over 1,638 plate appearances last season. The major league average OPS was .706, and the Angels ranked 23rd with a .687 OPS.

Even more promising, there will be days when all three of those above-average hitters will be in the bottom half of the Angels’ lineup.

“That puts pressure on pitchers,” Renfroe said. “We’re going to have our struggles. Everybody does, but when you have a group like this and the pitcher somehow has to navigate all the guys we have, it’s going to be tough.”

Ward recalled the start of last season and thinks this team is deep enough to keep doing that all year.

“It’s really fun being a part of this, continually flipping that lineup,” Ward said. “It’s awesome to be a part of.”

Ward said he’s not just excited because of the hitters, but because of the new hitting coaches. The Angels fired Jeremy Reed and John Mallee and replaced them with Marcus Thames and Phil Plantier.

“Marcus and Phil are great,” Ward said. “They are perfect for our club and what we need. They are more approach-based, and I think at this level, that’s what we need. Everyone got here for a reason. Now it’s just getting between-the-ears right.”

One of the issues with the Angels’ approach last season was apparently that players too often weren’t ready for fastballs.

The Angels hit .242 against fastballs last season, which was the worst in the majors. Their .393 slugging percentage against fastballs was 26th. The Angels also whiffed on 10.9% of their swings at fastballs, tied for the second-worst rate in the majors. That contributed to a major league-worst 1,539 strikeouts.

In spring training, Manager Phil Nevin said he could already see a difference.

“Marcus and Phil really stressed hunting the fastball, not getting off the fastball,” Nevin said. “We’ve certainly been aggressive early in counts. … It’s a mindset that’s bleeding into everybody.”

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If the Angels can have a more robust offense, it could also help the other problem area from last year’s team. The bullpen struggled, at least in part because they had to rely on the same pitchers too often to protect too many narrow leads.

“Part of having a deep offense is you have the ability to score every inning, no matter who is up,” Minasian said. “Those add-on runs might not be something that’s magnified over the course of a game, but it changes the next day and the day after that. … Good teams are good at the add-on runs, so you don’t have to use the high-leverage relievers night in and night out. That’s something we hope to accomplish this year.”

If the Angels can stay even remotely healthy and their hitters produce at a level in line with their recent seasons, they should produce enough offense to support a pitching staff that ranked ninth in the majors in ERA last season.

“This lineup is just so deep,” Walsh said. “Wardo and (Luis) Rengifo had great years last year. Renfroe seems like he hits 30 (homers) every year. Shohei’s a stud. Drury had a great year last year. I think it’s going to be a tough lineup, one through nine.”

​ Orange County Register 

The 2023 Angels, position by position

• March 27, 2023

STARTING ROTATION

The Angels’ starters were a pleasant surprise last season, with right-hander Shohei Ohtani and left-handers Patrick Sandoval and José Suarez all repeating strong performances from 2021. Left-hander Reid Detmers also had a breakout rookie season, including a no-hitter. It added up to a 3.67 ERA, which ranked sixth in the majors among starting pitchers. The Angels bring back those four, and now they’ve also added left-hander Tyler Anderson, who was an All-Star last season with the Dodgers. The Angels plan to use those five starters as much as possible, with a sixth starter inserted whenever they don’t have an off day. Their options for the No. 6 starter and rotation depth are better than they have been in recent years, with left-hander Tucker Davidson and right-hander Griffin Canning. Canning was one of the Angels’ top starters at times before missing a season and a half with back trouble.

BULLPEN

Bullpens are always unpredictable, and this year’s bullpen could definitely have a wide range of outcomes. Newcomer Carlos Estévez is in line to be the closer, with righties Ryan Tepera and Jimmy Herget and lefties Aaron Loup, Matt Moore and José Quijada working as the bridges between the starters and the closer. Everyone in that group has been an above-average major league reliever at some point in the past few years, so there is a best-case scenario out there in which the Angels actually have a good bullpen. Like most relievers, though, there are also questions about all of them. Estévez will be getting his first extended opportunity at closing. He had a 3.47 ERA last season and the Angels are banking that he’ll be even better out of the hitter-friendly environment of Colorado’s Coors Field. The wild card of the group is Ben Joyce, a 22-year-old who routinely hits 100 mph. He was just drafted last year, so he likely needs some more seasoning in the minors, but he could be an impact reliever by the end of the season.

INFIELD

The Angels built their infield to be full of players who could play different positions, so they can have a competent group on the field even if one or two are injured. They ended up with six players they view as everyday infielders. The only fixture is third baseman Anthony Rendon. Rendon has been hurt for most of the past two seasons, though, so the Angels now believe they’re covered if they need to replace him, with newcomers Gio Urshela and Brandon Drury. Both can play all four infield positions. Urshela is the first option to replace Rendon at third, and he also might see some time at shortstop. Drury figures to get most of his action at second base. Either of those players might also play first against left-handers if the Angels want to platoon Jared Walsh, who has been much better against righties. That leaves David Fletcher and Luis Rengifo, who can both play both middle infield spots. Rengifo is a switch-hitter who has been better against lefties, so he is expected to start whenever the Angels face a lefty. The biggest issue is that none of those players is a true shortstop defensively, although Fletcher is the best of the group. The best defensive shortstop with major league experience is Andrew Velazquez, who might not be in the majors.

DESIGNATED HITTER

The Angels are the only MLB team that has a single player essentially locked into the DH spot. Although Ohtani is one of the best designated hitters in the majors, the fact that the Angels don’t use him at all on defense sometimes complicates their lineup choices. They don’t have the option of giving one of their other regular players a half-day off at the DH spot. However, the Angels have a deeper lineup this season, so perhaps they’d be willing to give Ohtani more days off, allowing other players to DH.

OUTFIELD

Mike Trout, Hunter Renfroe and Taylor Ward form one of the best outfield trios in the majors. Trout obviously is one of the best players in the majors, a three-time American League MVP and a lock for the Hall of Fame as soon as he’s eligible. Even though he missed more than a month with a back injury last season, he still hit 40 home runs and produced a .999 OPS. Ward enjoyed a breakout season last year, posting an .833 OPS with 23 homers. The Angels traded for Renfroe, who has hit at least 25 homers in each of his five full seasons in the majors, with a career .790 OPS.

CATCHER

Max Stassi, who will likely start the season on the injured list with a hip issue, was above average behind the plate and at the plate in 2020 and 2021, but he regressed in both areas last season. He reworked his catching style, going to a one-knee setup, in hopes of improving his defense. The Angels still love the way he handles the pitchers, though, so he will get some leeway if he struggles in other areas. Logan O’Hoppe, the organization’s top prospect, is waiting in wings to take over as soon as his performance or Stassi’s indicate it’s time for a move.

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BENCH

The point of the Angels building such a deep roster was so they wouldn’t even have a real “bench.” Each day they will have a few players on the bench who also start regularly, like Urshela, Drury, Walsh, Fletcher or O’Hoppe. Not only does this make for a quality roster, but it also means that the player coming up to pinch-hit late in a game won’t be someone who hasn’t seen a pitch in four days. Perhaps the only true bench player will be outfielder Brett Phillips, who will get most of his action as a defensive replacement and pinch-runner.

MANAGER

Phil Nevin took over in June last year, so this is his first opportunity to manage a major league team from the start of the season. One of the challenges he might face is keeping players happy when many of them will be bouncing around different positions and sitting the bench more than usual. Of course, if they all stay healthy enough for that to be a problem, it will be a good problem.

​ Orange County Register 

Campaign will enrich Cal State Fullerton for generations to come

• March 27, 2023

In what was Cal State Fullerton’s first-ever comprehensive philanthropic campaign, “It Takes a Titan” saw the campus and community come together to raise more than $270 million for the university.

Publicly launched in March 2020, right before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the effort became a true Titan success story, as the seven-year initiative raised funds far exceeding the campaign’s original $175 million goal. These donations will continue to be applied toward projects that “enhance academic innovation, empower students, transform campus structures and enrich the greater community.”

With nearly 75,000 individual donors, including almost 45,000 alumni donors, a 150% increase in endowment funds and more than $21 million distributed in scholarships, the impact on the students of CSUF is where this endeavor will be felt the most.

“Behind every one of those gifts and all those really impressive numbers is a student who actually was able to go to college, did not have to worry necessarily about the finances … or was able to have a certain level of support structure,” said CSUF Vice President for University Advancement Greg Saks.

An example of that support structure was the $600,000 raised to support basic needs and emergency grants for students who experienced hardships due to pandemic-related shutdowns.

“So many of our students work in the service industry, in the retail industry, and in many other areas that they were out of work just like that,” Saks said. “This is just one example of how our greater Titan community and donor community came together at a really difficult time to support our students.”

For the 60% of Titans who are first-generation college students, CSUF’s “I Am First” program provides a path for mentor relationships, leadership development and career skills through a cohort system. The program experienced more demand than it could satisfy. After receiving a $250,000 gift from Donnie Crevier, “I Am First” will be able to expand its reach.

“This is a program that came to fruition during this campaign, and I think it has developed a pretty awesome ripple effect that will continue even more down the road,” Saks said.

From the campus improvement side, philanthropy efforts have served as a catalyst for many areas of physical change that will continue to upgrade the spaces where students gather and engage on a daily basis.

Renovations, additions and new equipment for the Nicholas and Lee Begovich Center for Gravitational-Wave Physics and Astronomy were made possible by a $10 million planned gift from the couple to advance research opportunities for students in these areas of science.

Greg Saks, vice president for University Advancement, talks about the fundraising campaign to a group of potential donors. (Courtesy of CSUF News Media Services)

Many of the construction projects that happened over the past few years, including new baseball and softball complexes and a new visual arts complex in progress, have included a philanthropic component to outfit the facilities with the latest equipment and accessories. And the Center for Leadership in CSUF’s College of Business and Economics is constructing a building that will be 100% funded by philanthropy.

Saks said that in addition to the dollars, the campaign had an intentional focus on a series of auxiliary goals, including the concept of planned giving and helping people understand the value of including the university in their estate.

“We spent a lot of time and energy making sure that people understood how they could support our students long term … and how to create a legacy at an institution that you care about for all time, while at the same time making sure your family is well cared for, too,” Saks said.

This can be seen in the 160 new planned giving commitments, which was 114% of the original goal of 140 new planned gifts, and the $87 million raised, which was 124% of the campaign’s original goal of $70 million.

“Just about all of that is endowment gifts, so gifts that will last in perpetuity, gifts that will always be able to provide funding to support our students for years and years into the future,” Saks said.

As the third-largest campaign of its kind in CSU history comes to a close, Saks pointed to two rewarding takeaways — that CSUF is an investment-worthy institution and, as the campus thinks about what’s next, philanthropy will be part of that discussion.

“I believe we’ve created a culture of philanthropy on campus,” Saks said. “We’ve created a process and an initiative that really was Titan communitywide. There were staff, faculty, administrators, students, parents and community members that were part of this process and were all doing everything they could to help make sure we were able to be successful.

“People think about the value and the impact that giving can have on being able to achieve the goals of the institution,” Saks said. “It was really inspiring as we came together to make this happen, and it gives great hope for what comes next.”

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​ Orange County Register 

Sacramento Snapshot: Bill expanding contraceptive access gets early bipartisan support

• March 27, 2023

Editor’s note: Sacramento Snapshot is a weekly series during the legislative session detailing what Orange County’s representatives in the Assembly and Senate are working on — from committee work to bill passages and more.

Even in California, where voters recently enshrined access to abortion and contraceptives in the state constitution, reproductive health care can be difficult for some to obtain.

But a bill that would expand coverage of long-acting reversible contraceptives for lower-income women got bipartisan support in the Assembly Health Committee last week.

California’s Family Planning, Access, Care and Treatment program, otherwise called Family PACT, provides free services like some forms of birth control, HIV testing, cervical cancer screening, sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment and more for people with family incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.

Under the bill spearheaded by Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris, D-Irvine, Family PACT would provide coverage for long-acting reversible contraceptives, like IUDs, during inpatient visits.

Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris, D-Irvine, is behind legislation that would expand access to long-acting contraceptives for lower-income women. The bill recently cleared a committee hurdle, with bipartisan support. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The idea is to expand access to these types of contraceptives while women are already receiving pregnancy or abortion health care — especially since as many as 40% of women do not attend postpartum visits, according to research from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and that rate is even higher among those with “limited resources.”

“Even in California, we see women who can’t get the birth control they want when they need it because they lack certain coverage,” Petrie-Norris said.

Petrie-Norris’ bill was included in the reproductive health care package unveiled by the Legislative Women’s Caucus earlier this month.

Her AB 90, supported by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists District IX, is related to contraceptive access, not abortion: IUDs, or intrauterine devices, are reversible options to prevent pregnancy and do not cause abortions. Still, after the U.S. Supreme Court dismantled Roe v. Wade, some state legislatures have attempted to ban some contraceptives, like IUDs.

“Right now, the topic of reproductive health care, reproductive freedom, is so politicized, and we have seen many on the opposite side of this fight denying a woman’s right to bodily autonomy, which is shocking and horrifying in 2023 in the state of California, and we’re seeing women’s reproductive freedom under assault all across the country,” said Petrie-Norris.

“Given that context, it is gratifying when we are able to see bipartisan support for a common sense bill that ensures low-income women get the birth control they need when they need it.”

The bill now heads to the Appropriations Committee.

Incentives for drug treatment

Another bill that saw early bipartisan support this week was legislation from Assemblymember Laurie Davies, R-Laguna Niguel, creating a pilot program to allow judges in three counties (Sacramento, San Diego and Solano) to offer incentives for certain defendants to participate in and complete drug court. Those incentives could range from gift cards for negative drug tests to travel and housing subsidies to participate in the drug treatment program.

The idea is to help those who are addicted to drugs stay clean. If the initial pilot program is successful, the aim would be to expand it eventually to other counties, like Orange.

“The status quo is simply not working. Sending convicted addicts to jail and hoping they recover on their own is failing our communities,” Davies said. “Addiction is a lifelong disease and with pilot programs to assist with things like transportation or housing assistance, like what AB 697 is offering, we can help incentive them to not only go to drug treatment counseling but develop ways to stay clean in the future.”

This bill unanimously passed out of the Assembly Public Safety Committee last week.

In other news

• Gov. Gavin Newsom saw his plan to punish big oil companies from profiting while gas prices skyrocket clear the Senate last week. As it stands now, it would be up to the California Energy Commission to determine if civil penalties should be levied on these companies for price gouging.

As the bill made its way through the upper chamber last week, multiple OC senators weighed in.

During a committee hearing, Sen. Dave Min, D-Irvine, said he doesn’t believe there’s “actual proof of collusion” that oil companies are attempting to gouge customers, but “what’s become clear as we’ve looked into this is that this is a fundamentally broken market, and the primary beneficiaries of this broken market have been the oil refiners.”

Min acknowledged that he doesn’t believe the legislation is “a perfect proposal,” but it addresses his concerns, and he was a yes vote on the Senate floor last week.

Sen. Kelly Seyarto, however, voted against it. From the Senate floor, Seyarto questioned why the proposal was being “rushed” through the legislature and argued it could have the unintended consequence of actually raising gas prices.

“We are not helping our consumers,” said Seyarto, a Republican whose district includes Yorba Linda.

• Assemblymember Tri Ta, R-Westminster, authored a resolution to commemorate May 11 as Vietnam Human Rights Day in California.

“I came to the United States from Vietnam at the age of 19 to experience true freedom,” Ta said. “Hundreds of thousands of my fellow Vietnamese also fled to our great state of California. We are now proud Americans and are deeply appreciative of the liberty and dignity that is afforded to everyone under our democratic ideals. Our hearts break for the people still living under tyranny.”

• A Senate committee unanimously OK’d legislation from Sen. Tom Umberg, D-Santa Ana, that creates a statewide court notification system to notify defendants of scheduled appearances via text message. Many missed appearances are unintentional, a fact sheet about the bill from Umberg’s office says, and while several counties already have such as system in place, a statewide program is needed. Next up for the bill: Appropriations Committee.

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​ Orange County Register 

Ken Levine, formerly radio’s Beaver Cleaver, tells stories from an incredible career

• March 27, 2023

The Pacific Pioneer Broadcasters/Hollywood Media Professionals played host to a special “Coffee With …” interview as Master of Ceremonies and interviewer Chuck Street spent two hours talking with Ken Levine.

You may not know the name Ken Levine when it comes to radio, though he did use his real name on KFI (640 AM) in the 1980s. But he was a young, up-and-coming top-40 radio star known as Beaver Cleaver on Ten Q (KTNQ, 1020 AM) here in Los Angeles and on the great B-100 (KFMB-FM — now KFBG, 100.7 FM) in San Diego, among other stations.

Why Beaver Cleaver, the name of the character on the old “Leave It to Beaver” TV series? It was catchy and helped him stand out much more than the name he used previously, Ken Stevens.

Outside of radio, Levine is a highly-respected writer, producer, and director in the television and film industries, an accomplished playwright, and even a play-by-play announcer for Major League Baseball. His numerous credits include television programs “M*A*S*H,” “Cheers,” “Frasier,” “Wings,” “The Simpsons,” “Almost Perfect,” “Everybody Loves Raymond” and more; he has co-written feature films, and more recently has written and produced short plays acted live over Zoom.

His baseball work includes stints with the Baltimore Orioles, the Seattle Mariners, and the San Diego Padres, and he spent a few years as co-host of Dodger Talk, the call-in program that followed every Dodger Game on the radio.

And just to show that he can do just about anything, he is also an accomplished cartoonist, with his work appearing in the prestigious New Yorker magazine. In his spare time(?), he writes a blog and produces a thoroughly entertaining podcast … go to kenlevine.blogspot.com and hollywoodandlevine.libsyn.com/

Honestly, I have no idea how he manages to find time for all of his interests, let alone all the differing careers all the while being a loyal husband and family man. But the two-hour coffee interview just wasn’t enough … as many in the audience could attest, it was among the fastest two hours on record.

Levine tends to downplay his accomplishments in radio, stating that his voice is “too squeaky” compared to his many heroes and contemporaries. I disagree, but regardless, he more than made up for any perceived personal deficiency with a quick wit, biting sarcasm, creative double entendres, and much more.

This all came out anew during his interview, with such radio-related stories as:

• Trying to get fired at KMEN/San Bernardino (now KKDD, 1290 AM).

Management wanted him back in the overnight shift; he asked to be fired instead. They refused, so he stopped by the record store to buy a special album to play.

“Radio stations were getting hip and playing album cuts more and more, so this idea was perfect.” The album he purchased to play in its entirety? “Fiddler on the Roof,” he said. “In Yiddish … I was fired before ‘Anatevka’ finished playing.”

• Convincing the General Manager of WLS/Chicago — at the time one of the most popular radio stations in the country — to put him on the air during the overnight shift leading into Thanksgiving Day.

Who was the GM? His father. “My Dad,” Levine explains, “left a memo stating that ‘My son will be doing the all-night show.’ No word on who I was or my experience on the air.”

The guy on the air immediately before Levine’s shift had no idea who he was, so Levine pretended to be entirely clueless. “Wow, what are all these buttons,” he remembers asking the other DJ. By the time his shift was up, the other DJ was convinced this was going to be bad and was scared to leave the station in the hands of an amateur. “He was just freaking out,” Levine says.

Finally, when the time came, the DJ watched as Levine leaned into the microphone, played the top-of-the-hour jingle, and opened his show with “This is Ken Levine; I’ve been on the air in Los Angeles, New York, San Diego, Bakersfield, San Bernardino … but never at the same time! This is W-L-S!”

When Levine shut off the microphone, he remembers, “The DJ says, ‘You’ve done this before!’ I said, ‘Yes, of course; my father’s not going to put someone on the air at a 50,000-watt clear channel station in Chicago who’s never done it before!’”

• The time that a program director at K-100 (now KKLQ, 100.3 FM) worried they might get sued over his on-air name.

Levine told the program director not to worry: “If we get sued, we’ll get a ton of free publicity, and the worst that will happen is they’ll make me change my name.”

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The program director called the station co-owner for direction, and Levine describes the response this way: “What’s the problem?” Levine says was the response. “The worst that would happen is that we’d get some free publicity and they’d make him change his name.”

You can hear recordings of some of Levine’s on-air work by searching YouTube.Com using the keywords Beaver Cleaver, Ken Levine, Ten-Q and B-100. Mike Stark and I did a full career-spanning interview with Levine, which can be found at http://la-radiowaves.blogspot.com/2020/08/radio-waves-extra-ken-levine.html

Richard Wagoner is a San Pedro freelance columnist. Email [email protected]

​ Orange County Register 

Senior living: How seniors can maintain a healthy gut

• March 27, 2023

By Dr. Babak Firoozi,

Contributing writer

As we age, our bodies naturally begin slowing down — including our digestive system.

Nearly 40% of older adults, in fact, have one or more age-related digestive symptoms each year, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Around age 60, there is a significant drop in the number of probiotic-beneficial bacteria in the gut that helps digest food and absorb the nutrients you eat. Some signs of gut instability in older adults are gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea and heartburn.

Dr. Babak Firoozi. (Photo courtesy of MemorialCare)

Causes of common digestive issues

The digestive system is important because every organ relies on it to receive its share of nutrients. With age, the stomach starts to produce less “good acid” that helps digest food, making it harder for older adults to absorb the necessary nutrients.

Some significant physical and social factors affect the balance of older adults’ gastrointestinal systems, including:

Diet: As people age, it is harder for the body to absorb nutrients because of the decrease in “good” stomach acid. In addition, illness or injury could limit a person’s ability to cook. A loss of a spouse or family may make it harder to cook just for one person, or perhaps a spouse did all the cooking. An unbalanced diet can cause iron, B12, and other vitamin deficiencies, resulting in digestive problems.
Medication: As people age, they tend to take more medications to help manage joint pain and diabetes. A commonly prescribed antidiabetic medicine like Metformin can have lasting effects on the gut by causing diarrhea, dyspepsia and vomiting. Older adults managing pain through nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories, such as aspirin and ibuprofen, are at an increased risk of developing severe gastritis because aspirin and ibuprofen tend to erode the stomach lining, which protects the stomach from the acid present to aid in digestion.
Inactivity: It is common for older adults to become less active with age. But remaining inactive may cause issues such as constipation.
Environment: The gut microbiota of older adults has shown that environmental change correlates with a change in the intestinal tract. Older adults living in community living situations are managed better than those in long-term facilities. This is likely due to factors such as food served, stress and the compromised health of those in long-term care.

Disorders, diseases for seniors to be aware of

Some digestive diseases and conditions are acute, lasting briefly, while others are chronic or long-lasting. Most gastrointestinal diseases can be prevented or treated. Some of the more common digestive disorders among seniors include:

Constipation.
Diverticular disease, also known as diverticulitis.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease, also known as GERD.
Hemorrhoids.

Several indications of a decline in gut health include occasional gas, bloating, abdominal discomfort, fatigue, headache and temporary fatty stool, indicating that you are not absorbing nutrients when you eat. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, contact your physician; they can help provide you with the care you need based on your concerns.

How seniors can maintain a healthy gut

Trillions of microbes work in your gut to help you digest food, fight harmful pathogens and make vitamin K, which helps strengthen bones. They also affect how medications work, and may influence your immune system, heart health and cancer risk.

Gut microbes may also play a role in healthy aging and longevity. The genes of all your gut microbes are collectively called the gut microbiome. Here are several ways to ensure you are keeping a healthy gut:

A healthy diet is vital in keeping a healthy gut. Some of the best foods to include in your diet are fruits, vegetables, legumes (beans, peas) and whole grains (quinoa, whole wheat, brown rice). Avoid processed, fatty and sugary foods that will exacerbate digestive symptoms.
Avoid smoking cigarettes as they are harmful to the gut. Cigarettes contain many chemicals and toxins that are harmful to the body and can cause an imbalance in the gut microbiome.
Consider taking probiotics. Ingesting “good” bacteria through foods such as yogurt and sauerkraut can help re-establish a diverse microbiome. You can also take probiotics through dietary supplements; but talk to your doctor if you’re considering taking probiotic supplements to ensure you’re taking the right ones.
Staying hydrated is good for your digestive health. Fiber pulls water into the colon to create softer stools, allowing them to pass through easier. To help ensure you are staying hydrated, you can include foods in your diet that have a high-water content, such as watermelon, strawberries, cucumbers and tomatoes. Also keep a refillable water bottle with you wherever you go and reduce your alcohol intake. There are also some rehydration supplements out there that can help you if you are feeling dehydrated; but, again, always speak to your physician before taking those repeatedly.
Getting regular, moderate exercise can be beneficial for digestion-related issues. While seniors may have issues with mobility, low-impact exercises such as taking a walk around the block or even stretching at home can help. Physical activity promotes gut microbiome diversity and increases the frequency of bowel movements.

When to seek help

If you are still experiencing symptoms such as bloating, constipation, diarrhea and GERD, contact your physician to discuss treatment options.

You and your physician can create a plan to help improve your gut health, from probiotic supplements to adopting a healthier lifestyle that best fits your needs and mobility.

Dr. Babak Firoozi is a board-certified gastroenterologist at MemorialCare Medical Group – Irvine, who sees a broad range of patients with gastrointestinal and liver conditions. Firoozi’s practice includes general gastroenterology with interests in GERD, peptic ulcer disease, colorectal cancer screening, IBS, IBD, viral hepatitis and fatty liver disease.

​ Orange County Register