Pasadena craftsman-style home with early 1900s elevator seeks $4.8 million

• October 28, 2024

A craftsman-style home in Pasadena, with an original, early 20th-century elevator, is on the market for $4.75 million.

Completed in 1912, the 5,007-square-foot residence has four bedrooms and six bathrooms between the main house and the separate guest house. It sits on a half-acre lot with a pool.

A century-old wisteria surrounds the grounds, which feature different types of gardens. There’s an expansive lawn area, a rose garden, a large wood-framed greenhouse and a variety of fruit trees.

Noted craftsman architect Frank M. Tyler designed the house, which now combines period craftsmanship and modern updates.

The 3,843-square-foot main house has a front porch. It opens into a foyer with a staircase and architectural details, including hardwood floors, crown moldings and intricate door surrounds that get repeated throughout the interior.

A fireplace anchors the living room, which connects to a cozy library. The kitchen has been remodeled and boasts subway tile backsplashes, stainless steel appliances and a large built-in banquet.

For formal meals, there’s a dining room.

The primary bedroom with an en suite bathroom upstairs includes a sitting area, a large walk-in closet and a front balcony.

There are two more bedrooms with en suite bathrooms. A den can also double as a bedroom.

The one-bedroom, 1,164-square-foot guest house has a bathroom, living room, dining room and kitchen. Downstairs, there’s a wine cellar and a bathroom.

A two-car garage completes the listing.

Ted Clark and Heather Lillard of Compass share the listing.

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​ Orange County Register 

Autonomous tech is coming to farming. What will it mean for crops and workers who harvest them?

• October 28, 2024

By MELINA WALLING, Associated Press and AYURELLA HORN-MULLER, Grist

HOMESTEAD, Fla. (AP) — Jeremy Ford hates wasting water.

As a mist of rain sprinkled the fields around him in Homestead, Florida, Ford bemoaned how expensive it had been running a fossil fuel-powered irrigation system on his five-acre farm — and how bad it was for the planet.

Earlier this month, Ford installed an automated underground system that uses a solar-powered pump to periodically saturate the roots of his crops, saving “thousands of gallons of water.” Although they may be more costly up front, he sees such climate-friendly investments as a necessary expense — and more affordable than expanding his workforce of two.

It’s “much more efficient,” said Ford. “We’ve tried to figure out ‘How do we do it?’ with the least amount of adding labor.”

A growing number of companies are bringing automation to agriculture. It could ease the sector’s deepening labor shortage, help farmers manage costs, and protect workers from extreme heat. Automation could also improve yields by bringing greater accuracy to planting, harvesting, and farm management, potentially mitigating some of the challenges of growing food in an ever-warmer world.

But many small farmers and producers across the country aren’t convinced. Barriers to adoption go beyond steep price tags to questions about whether the tools can do the jobs nearly as well as the workers they’d replace. Some of those same workers wonder what this trend might mean for them, and whether machines will lead to exploitation.

How autonomous is farm automation? Not completely – yet

On some farms, driverless tractors churn through acres of corn, soybeans, lettuce and more. Such equipment is expensive, and requires mastering new tools, but row crops are fairly easy to automate. Harvesting small, non-uniform and easily damaged fruits like blackberries, or big citruses that take a bit of strength and dexterity to pull off a tree, would be much harder.

That doesn’t deter scientists like Xin Zhang, a biological and agricultural engineer at Mississippi State University. Working with a team at Georgia Institute of Technology, she wants to apply some of the automation techniques surgeons use, and the object recognition power of advanced cameras and computers, to create robotic berry-picking arms that can pluck the fruits without creating a sticky, purple mess.

The scientists have collaborated with farmers for field trials, but Zhang isn’t sure when the machine might be ready for consumers. Although robotic harvesting is not widespread, a smattering of products have hit the market, and can be seen working from Washington’s orchards to Florida’s produce farms.

“I feel like this is the future,” Zhang said.

But where she sees promise, others see problems.

Frank James, executive director of grassroots agriculture group Dakota Rural Action, grew up on a cattle and crop farm in northeastern South Dakota. His family once employed a handful of farmhands, but has had to cut back due, in part, to the lack of available labor. Much of the work is now done by his brother and sister-in-law, while his 80-year-old father occasionally pitches in.

They swear by tractor autosteer, an automated system that communicates with a satellite to help keep the machine on track. But it can’t identify the moisture levels in the fields which can hamstring tools or cause the tractor to get stuck, and requires human oversight to work as it should. The technology also complicates maintenance. For these reasons, he doubts automation will become the “absolute” future of farm work.

“You build a relationship with the land, with the animals, with the place that you’re producing it. And we’re moving away from that,” said James.

Some farmers say automation answers labor woes

Tim Bucher grew up on a farm in Northern California and has worked in agriculture since he was 16. Dealing with weather issues like drought has always been a fact of life for him, but climate change has brought new challenges as temperatures regularly hit triple digits and blankets of smoke ruin entire vineyards.

The toll of climate change compounded by labor challenges inspired him to combine his farming experience with his Silicon Valley engineering and startup background to found AgTonomy in 2021. It works with equipment manufacturers like Doosan Bobcat to make automated tractors and other tools.

Since pilot programs started in 2022, Bucher says the company has been “inundated” with customers, mainly vineyard and orchard growers in California and Washington.

Those who follow the sector say farmers, often skeptical of new technology, will consider automation if it will make their business more profitable and their lives easier. Will Brigham, a dairy and maple farmer in Vermont, sees such tools as solutions to the nation’s agricultural workforce shortage.

“A lot of farmers are struggling with labor,” he said, citing the “high competition” with jobs where “you don’t have to deal with weather.”

Since 2021, Brigham’s family farm has been using Farmblox, an AI-powered farm monitoring and management system that helps them get ahead of issues like leaks in tubing used in maple production. Six months ago, he joined the company as a senior sales engineer to help other farmers embrace technology like it.

Workers worry about losing jobs, or their rights, to automation

Detasseling corn used to be a rite of passage for some young people in the Midwest. Teenagers would wade through seas of corn removing tassels – the bit that looks like a yellow feather duster at the top of each stalk – to prevent unwanted pollination.

Extreme heat, drought and intense rainfall have made this labor-intensive task even harder. And it’s now more often done by migrant farmworkers who sometimes put in 20-hour days to keep up. That’s why Jason Cope, co-founder of farm tech company PowerPollen, thinks it’s essential to mechanize arduous tasks like detasseling. His team created a tool a tractor can use to collect the pollen from male plants without having to remove the tassel. It can then be saved for future crops.

“We can account for climate change by timing pollen perfectly as it’s delivered,” he said. “And it takes a lot of that labor that’s hard to come by out of the equation.”

Erik Nicholson, who previously worked as a farm labor organizer and now runs Semillero de Ideas, a nonprofit focused on farmworkers and technology, said he has heard from farm workers concerned about losing work to automation. Some have also expressed worry about the safety of working alongside autonomous machines but are hesitant to raise issues because they fear losing their jobs. He’d like to see the companies building these machines, and the farm owners using them, put people first.

Luis Jimenez, a New York dairy worker, agrees. He described one farm using technology to monitor cows for sicknesses. Those kinds of tools can sometimes identify infections sooner than a dairy worker or veterinarian.

They also help workers know how the cows are doing, Jimenez said, speaking in Spanish. But they can reduce the number of people needed on farms and put extra pressure on the workers who remain, he said. That pressure is heightened by increasingly automated technology like video cameras used to monitor workers’ productivity.

Automation can be “a tactic, like a strategy, for bosses, so people are afraid and won’t demand their rights,” said Jimenez, who advocates for immigrant farmworkers with the grassroots organization Alianza Agrícola. Robots, after all, “are machines that don’t ask for anything,” he added. “We don’t want to be replaced by machines.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story is a collaboration between The Associated Press and Grist.

Associated Press reporters Amy Taxin in Santa Ana, California, and Dorany Pineda in Los Angeles contributed. Walling reported from Chicago.

Follow Melina Walling on X at @MelinaWalling.

​ Orange County Register 

High school football: Orange County schedule for Week 10, Oct. 31-Nov. 1

• October 28, 2024

This week’s schedule for the Orange County high school football teams.

FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

THURSDAY

Delta League

Cypress at El Modena

Trabuco Hills at Western

Epsilon League

El Dorado at Huntington Beach

Iota League

Santa Ana vs. Canyon at Santa Ana Stadium

Sonora vs. Irvine at La Habra

Omicron League

Portola vs. Pacifica at Bolsa Grande

Tango League

Loara vs. Costa Mesa at Glover Stadium, 6:30 p.m.

Santiago vs. Bolsa Grande at Garden Grove HS

FRIDAY

Alpha League

Edison at San Clemente

Los Alamitos at Mission Viejo

Bravo League

Corona del Mar vs. Yorba Linda at Newport Harbor HS

Newport Harbor vs. Villa Park at El Modena HS

San Juan Hills at Tesoro

Delta League

Capistrano Valley at Tustin

Epsilon League

Foothill at La Habra

Laguna Hills at Crean Lutheran

Foxtrot League

Fountain Valley vs. Aliso Niguel at Huntington Beach HS

Northwood at Dana Hills

Orange at Laguna Beach

Iota League

Troy at El Toro

Ironwood League

Capistrano Valley Christian at Heritage Christian

Kappa League

Esperanza at Brea Olinda

Segerstrom at Garden Grove

Westminster at St. Margaret’s

Lambda League

Beckman vs. Marina at Westminster HS

Fullerton at Valencia

Sunny Hills vs. Kennedy at Western HS

Mesquite League

Whittier Christian vs. Maranatha at Whittier College

Omicron League

Katella vs. University at Glover Stadium

Woodbridge at Buena Park

Sigma League

Calvary Chapel vs. Los Amigos at Segerstrom HS

Rancho Alamitos at Ocean View

Santa Ana Valley at Estancia

Tango League

La Quinta vs. Anaheim at Bolsa Grande HS

Trinity League

JSerra at St. John Bosco

Orange Lutheran vs. Mater Dei at Santa Ana Stadium

Santa Margarita vs. Servite at Trabuco Hills HS

Zeta League

Godinez vs. Century at Valley

Magnolia at Saddleback

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​ Orange County Register 

What is the best adjustable bed base?

• October 28, 2024

How to choose the best adjustable bed base

Sleeping well throughout the night allows you to feel well-rested and healthy for the day to come, and that starts with the proper bed. However, your sleeping position can affect your sleep quality, especially if you don’t have the right mattress. Moreover, muscle aches and congestion can also lead to a poor night’s sleep.

Adjustable bed bases work to alleviate these issues. They help you obtain a comfortable position for sleeping that lessens strain on your joints and muscles and improves your breathing. Our buying guide can help you find the right adjustable bed base to give you a deeper sleep. At the end, you’ll find our recommendations, including our top pick from Lucid, which is simple to set up and adjust to your needs.

What to know before you buy an adjustable bed base

How an adjustable bed base works

Adjustable bed bases operate on a mechanism that inclines and declines based on the user’s needs. They allow for at least a few positions, but more advanced models provide more variations. There’s often an incline for both the head and shoulders and the feet.

Benefits

Adjustable beds are therapeutic, helping to prevent and alleviate several issues:

Breathing: The slightly inclined position helps to keep a clear passageway through your mouth and nose to the lungs, lessening or eliminating snoring. This also helps those suffering from sleep apnea as well as older individuals, whose throat muscles are typically more relaxed when they sleep, which increases the likelihood of snoring.
Blood flow: An adjustable bed can help with blood flow, alleviating high blood pressure and acid reflux. By elevating your legs and head, circulation can improve.
Personalized comfort: While mattresses allow you to find the balance of support and softness you desire, you’re still sleeping on a relatively flat surface. This position simply isn’t comfortable for some individuals, and an adjustable bed allows you to fall asleep in the position of your choice.

Lifting capacity

Most beds feature a generous weight capacity, anywhere from 300 to 800 pounds. In most cases, you don’t need to worry about this allowance, but if the bed is for two people, you may want to double-check the capacity. Excess weight can stress and potentially damage the lifting mechanism.

What to look for in a quality adjustable bed base

Incline

While all adjustable bed bases incline, the degree to which they do can vary. Head inclines generally reach at least 60 degrees, but some brands offer a sharper increase at a 70- or 75-degree angle. Concerning the foot incline, they may range from 30 to 55 degrees.

Retention bars

Adjustable bed bases boast retention bars so the mattress doesn’t slip off the bed when on an incline. How many retention bars and where they are positioned varies. While most feature them at the head and feet, some may also have bars on the side to prevent the mattress from moving laterally, allowing increased security.

Massage

More advanced adjustable bed models include a worthwhile massage feature. These beds may pulsate and vibrate, providing a comfortable and soothing massage. Sometimes, the bed massages the shoulders, head, legs and feet.

Remote control

Adjustable bed bases are controlled by a remote; newer models feature a wireless option for added convenience. They should include memory settings for various positions and timers that cater to your needs as you fall asleep.

How much you can expect to spend on an adjustable bed base

Quality adjustable bed bases typically cost anywhere from $300 to $800. These have a generous weight capacity and typically include massage features and a programmable remote.

Adjustable bed base FAQ

What mattress do I need for my adjustable bed base?

A. Innerspring mattresses are incompatible with adjustable bed bases as they do not fold appropriately. As such, a memory foam mattress is necessary. These vary in softness, support, and breathability, allowing you to find the right mattress. Note that some adjustable bed bases have a limit on how thick the mattress can be.

What size adjustable bed bases are available?

A. Adjustable bed bases are available in various sizes, from twin to California king. Just as if you were purchasing a traditional bed, consider the space available, your size and sleeping habits, and whether you’ll be sharing the bed with another person. Note that prices increase for both the bed and the mattress.

What’s the best adjustable bed base to buy?

Top adjustable bed base

Fashion Bed Group S-Cape 2.0 Adjustable Bed Base

What you need to know: This high-end adjustable bed base blends comfort and style with its impressive features.

What you’ll love: It has a generous weight capacity and a powerful motor. It includes full body massage, a backlit wireless remote, an under-bed light and programmable settings.

What you should consider: It’s heavy and expensive.

Top adjustable bed base for the money

Classic Brands Comfort Upholstered Adjustable Bed Base

What you need to know: This versatile, budget-friendly option has high-end features and convenient perks.

What you’ll love: It allows for steep inclines for both the head and feet. Includes massage options, a wireless remote and a USB port.

What you should consider: The massage feature and motor are relatively weak.

Worth checking out

Lucid L300 Adjustable Bed Base

What you need to know: This comprehensive, adjustable bed caters easily to users of all needs for healthy sleep.

What you’ll love: It features independent head and foot inclines and includes a USB charger port and wireless remote for presets. It’s also easy to assemble.

What you should consider: It’s a little pricey. Some people also had concerns about its durability.

Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.

Check out our Daily Deals for the best products at the best prices and sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter full of shopping inspo and sales.

BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.

​ Orange County Register 

The best wine totes for safe, easy carrying

• October 28, 2024

What are the best wine totes?

Something as fragile as a bottle of wine should not be carried in any old paper sack. Wine totes provide safe and convenient transport for your wine bottles while also keeping them at the desired temperature.

When purchasing a wine tote, it is important to consider insulation, capacity and material. If you are looking for a temperature-controlled wine tote with a sleek design, the OPUX Insulated Wine Carrier is the top choice.

What to know before you buy a wine tote

Size

Wine totes will hold anywhere from one to six bottles of wine. Midsize wine totes will carry two to four bottles and will secure them with elastic straps or dividers.

Design

Wine tote designs can range from casual to elegant. Typically you cannot see through wine totes, as most are designed to hide the contents. A few wine totes are designed so that you can also store food with them at the correct temperature.

Material

Most wine totes are made of canvas and polyester, while some expensive models are made of leather. Wine totes with sturdier bases are able to stand up on their own, while others will need to lean against another object for support.

Insulation

If you’re simply looking to transport wine safely from the store to your home, then don’t be too concerned about insulation. But if you plan to take your wine on a day trip or to an event, added insulation will ensure that the wine will remain at its proper temperature when you arrive at your destination. Insulation is also a useful feature if you plan to carry food in your wine tote.

What to look for in a quality wine tote

Compartments

Wine totes that are well insulated and also allow for food storage will feature multiple compartments. These are typically made with mesh fabric so you can see what you have packed more clearly. Generally, these compartments will feature button or Velcro closures.

Straps

Wine totes will feature handles, shoulder straps or both. In most cases, shoulder straps are adjustable for length.

How much you can expect to spend on a wine tote

Simple one- or two-bottle wine totes cost $15-$20. For a larger-capacity tote with accessories, expect to spend between $20-$30, while higher-end totes will range from $35-$100.

Wine tote FAQ

Which types of wine do I need to chill?

A. Most wines should be served at least slightly chilled. Recommendations vary about ideal serving temperatures, but generally, champagnes and light wines should be the coldest, at about 45 degrees Fahrenheit; full-bodied whites and rosé are best enjoyed between 45 and 55 degrees, while lighter reds should be only a bit cool. Bold red wine does not need to be chilled and is best served just below room temperature.

What happens if my wine gets too hot?

A. Storing wine above 90 degrees for a prolonged period will cause substantial damage, and the wine will lose its intended taste. After many hours at this temperature, the wine will lose its brightness, turn brown, and its sulfur dioxide levels will fall.

What’s the best wine tote to buy?

Top wine tote for the money

OPUX Insulated Wine Carrier

What you need to know: This wine carrier comes with a corkscrew bottle opener and features padded lining for efficient temperature control.

What you’ll love: This tote features an adjustable and detachable shoulder strap along with padded hand straps. Its interior flap ensures that the wine bottles will fit regardless of size and offers padded divider protection.

What you should consider: This product is not waterproof and has been known to leak.

Worth checking out

Picnic at Ascot Travel 2 Bottle Wine Tote

What you need to know: This wine tote features a top zip closure for added security.

What you’ll love: This product comes with a corkscrew and features an adjustable shoulder strap.

What you should consider: If carrying two bottles of wine, there is no room to pack food or other items.

Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.

Check out our Daily Deals for the best products at the best prices and sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter full of shopping inspo and sales.

BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.

​ Orange County Register 

Status Update: Lucky Strike coming to Ladera Ranch; Crumbl opens in Anaheim

• October 28, 2024

Lucky Strike is bringing its bowling mecca to a shuttered retail space in Ladera Ranch.

The entertainment venue is taking shape at the shopping center complex at 27612 Antonio Pkwy.

The company has not announced an opening day, but it is hiring for the location.

Find management positions here: bit.ly/4dK9wAl

Hourly positions here: bit.ly/3BH5I5m

Anyone interested in pre-booking events can call 1-866-211-3369 between 9:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. Eastern time.

Crumbl, a popular fresh cookie dessert franchise, opened last week in Anaheim Plaza. The cookie shop features an array of super-size and mini cookies baked fresh for customers.(File photo by Carlos Guerrero/Daily Democrat)

Cookie shop Crumbl opens in Anaheim

Crumbl, a popular fresh cookie dessert franchise, opened last week in Anaheim Plaza.

The cookie shop features an array of super-size cookies baked fresh for customers. Flavors include the classic chocolate chip, banana upside down cake, pink velvet, confetti milkshake, Kentucky butter cake, sticky bun and more.

The original size cookie costs $4.99. A four-pack runs $19 while a 12-pack is $49. The chain now offers a selection of “mini” cookies that range in price from $9 for three cookies to $30 for 12.

The store manager in Anaheim is Thomas Williams.

Address: at 510 N Euclid St., in the Anaheim Plaza near Walmart and Burlington. For more details online, go to crumblcookies.com/caanaheimplaza

San Diego’s Better Buzz lands in Costa Mesa

Better Buzz, a San Diego-based coffee roaster and café, recently opened in a former CVS in Costa Mesa.

The coffee shop sells coffee, espresso and tea drinks, smoothies, energy drinks and made-to-order food. The Costa Mesa location also will serve fresh pastries from Bakers Kneaded.

Address: 2701 Harbor Blvd.

OCPA grant applications open

Orange County Power Authority is accepting applications for its first Community Benefits grant.

The grants, made possible through a partnership with Calpine Community Energy, will range from $5,000 to $30,000 and be awarded to local nonprofits in Buena Park, Fullerton and Irvine. The nonprofits will have to show they have a plan “advance clean energy usage and generation, green job training, environmental education and stewardship.”

The deadline to submit applications is Nov. 15; recipients will be notified by January.

Read more about the grant requirements and apply at ocpower.org/energy-programs.

Visual Arts Complex complete at CSUF

Work is complete on the $59.8 million renovation and new construction project at Cal State Fullerton’s Visual Arts Complex.

The work on the 85,400-square-foot project was done by C.W. Driver Cos., and included the renovation and seismic upgrade of existing buildings, a new education building, a new gallery building with gallery space and a research library. The outdoor spaces also were revamped.

The Visual Arts Complex was designed with sleek sharp and curved lines in white. Positioned along State College Boulevard, the remodeled and new buildings were configured “to create an open, flexible environment to support engagement and visibility to the greater community.”

Airport traffic dips as school restarts

Passenger traffic at John Wayne Airport sunk 9.3% in September compared with September 2023.

The airport last week reported it served 879,703 passengers in Septmber versus 969,619 the same month a year ago.

The decrease typically comes after summer travel peaks as children, students and teachers head back to school.

Here are more September highlights reported by JWA:

Commercial aircraft operations (7,477) decreased 6.1%

Commuter aircraft operations (459) increased 24.4%

Total aircraft operations increased (30,124 takeoffs and landings) were up 23.6%

The top three airlines based on passenger count were Southwest Airlines (255,408), American Airlines (151,974), and United Airlines (139,879).

On the move

Kamia Kinchlow is the new vice president of Global Luxury Leisure at Visit Newport Beach, the marketing agency for the city of Newport Beach. Kinchlow most recently was as director of Sales, Transient at the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club in Dana Point. (Photo courtesy of Visit Newport Beach)

Kamia Kinchlow is the new vice president of Global Luxury Leisure at Visit Newport Beach, a marketing agency for the city of Newport Beach. Kinchlow most recently was as director of Sales, Transient at the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club in Dana Point.

Dan Chin, left and Han Chin were the first place winners in the inaugural Pickleball Bash fundraiser tournament hosted by Meals on Wheels Orange County. The event raised $29,000 for Meals on Wheels programs. (Photo courtesy of Meals on Wheels Orange County)

Fundraisers

Meals on Wheels Orange County raised $29,000 at its inaugural Pickleball Bash tournament held at The Tennis and Pickleball Club at Newport Beach on Sept. 28. The money raised will go toward programs that help to improve the lives of older adults in the OC community. Meals on Wheels OC for 57 years has offered a range of services designed to reduce the health risks caused by isolation and food insecurity for older adults.

Pacific Symphony raised $325,000 at its Opening Night Celebration in support of the symphony’s programs including arts-X-press, Class Act and Heartstrings.

Grants

Community Roots Academy, a K-8 public charter school, recently was awarded a $10,000 Sprouting School Garden grant from the Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation and the Sprouts on La Paz Road in Laguna Niguel. The money will support new or existing school-based gardening programs that provide students with hands-on learning opportunities. Sprouts said the grants are funded in part by donations collected from customers during the checkout process.

On board

Salman Alam recently was appointed board chair at Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County. The nonprofit also tapped five more board members: Guy Lowery, council president at Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Orange County; Heather Sanchez, head of business banking at Farmers & Merchants Bank; Yassmin Sarmadi, restaurateur and co-owner of Knife Pleat; Dana Rose Stauffer, vice president of human resources and communications of Albertsons Cos. Southern California Division; and Stephen Wetterau, corporate senior vice president of strategy, technology and innovation at Golden State Foods. Each board member will serve a three-year term. Alam will serve two years as chair.

Status Update is compiled and written 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.

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​ Orange County Register 

Irvine contracts more design, work for Great Park, including painting new walking timeline entries

• October 28, 2024

The Irvine City Council has approved several more significant contracts that ensure progress on the Great Park continues.

For one, the council recently approved a $6 million deal with construction firm Resource Environmental Inc. to demolish and remove abandoned infrastructure, building foundations, underground utilities and other antiquated infrastructure from the El Toro Marine Base.

The city has already removed 77 base-era buildings and structures, Irvine staffers told the council in a report. Phase II of the demolition will begin in December and continue through January 2026, the city expects, clearing the way for developing the park’s northern sector.

The council approved two additional $2 million contracts with firms for engineering support services and construction management. The first firm, DMc Engineering, will assume responsibility for Great Park master planning, surveying and engineering. The second, Griffin Structures Inc., will tackle projects including lake design and construction, amphitheater and parking structure construction and historic building renovations.

The city also approved a $1.7 million deal with Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects to transform Hangar 369 into a “state-of-the-art event center.”

The proposed facility at the center of the Great Park Cultural Terrace with an approximate footprint of 30,000 gross square feet, will “not only serve as a central hub for cultural events, but also position itself as one of the largest indoor event venues in Orange County,” city officials describe.

The surrounding Great Park Cultural Terrace is approximately 117 acres and will be the future home of the Pretend City Children’s Museum, Orange County Music & Dance, Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum, Asian American History Museum, and other amenities including parks, open spaces, lawns and bike and pedestrian pathways.

Councilmembers also recently approved a directive for city staff to negotiate with the Chuck Jones Center for Creativity for inclusion in the Great Park framework. The center, named for the Looney Tunes animator, offers children’s art lessons and programming.

And, last but not least on the slate of Great Park items, the council has approved a $200,000 budget for painting updated entries on the “Walkable Historic Timeline” that runs through the center of the park and traces historical events from 13,000 BCE to 1990.

The timeline has been well maintained since its unveiling over a decade ago, but it’s time for an update, city staff say.

The city partnered with Historical Research Associates Inc. to curate 44 new entries that reflect history since 1990, including major events, technological advancements and cultural shifts, that will be painted onto the timeline, continuing east through the park.

Proposed new entries approved by the council will range from hyperlocal, such as “2017: Great Park Expands Sports Facilities,” to global with “2010: Arab Awakening Begins in Tunisia.”

The final new entry on the timeline will read: “2019: COVID-19 Becomes a Global Pandemic.”

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​ Orange County Register 

Rancho Santiago Community College District provides critical support for student veterans

• October 28, 2024

Serving as a vital hub of support, the Veterans Resource Centers on the campuses of Santa Ana College and Santiago Canyon College provide veterans with the resources and community they need to thrive both academically and personally. Across the two community colleges, more than 1,000 veteran students, spouses and dependents are served each year.

About 10 years ago, Santa Ana College’s Veterans Resource Center began with a simple table outside the student center, led by financial aid specialist Dorothy Swayne and counselors John Acuña and Jane Mathis. Today, SAC’s VRC supports nearly 600 students each year in transitioning from the military to college and civilian life.

At the time, SAC was the only California community college with Veterans Upward Bound, funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s TRiO Grant. Today, the VUB program helps 125 new student veterans annually at SAC, providing academic skills for postsecondary success through counseling, mentoring and tutoring.

To support more veteran students, SAC was approved for TRiO’s Veterans Student Support Services, now serving 120 veterans annually with academic counseling, career exploration and financial aid guidance, including GI Bill benefits.

Additionally, SAC receives grant support from the Santa Ana College Foundation, as well as community partners, such as U.S. Bank, the Stanley W. Ekstrom Foundation, Tierney Center for Veterans Services and Working Wardrobes. These resources translate into assistance for veteran students and their dependents, providing support in academics, basic needs and career readiness.

“We do a lot of work to ensure that all of our students have what they need to remove the barriers,” said Brenda Estrada, SAC Director of Special Programs who has served as the Veterans Resource Center inaugural director since 2016. “We’ve been able to identify those needs and start closing those gaps, allowing students the opportunity to continue their studies. We’re not just helping one student. We’re impacting an entire family.”

Peer support is an integral part of the assistance the veteran students receive while at SAC, and through the VRC’s Peer Advisors for Veteran Education program, current student veterans become peer advisors to new student veterans coming to campus. These same students go on to impact the SAC community in other ways, such as veteran student Jessica Velez, who is the current Associated Student Government President.

“Transitioning from the military to higher education is difficult,” Estrada said. “Giving them that power of self-advocacy and the power to be able to empower their peers is critical. It keeps them engaged.”

Top 10 ranking

At Santiago Canyon College, nearly 450 veteran students and their spouses and dependents are served each year through the school’s Veterans Resource Center. After a number of years of sharing space, SCC’s center is in its third year as its own entity and provides a one-stop shop for the school’s veteran students with resources in counseling, tutoring and career assistance.

Since many of the veteran students arrive on campus with prior learning experience and distinct skill sets from their time in the military, SCC has several shorter-term programs that get the students career-ready. Whether it’s the Real Estate Program or the school’s nationally ranked Water Utility Science Program, the students can enter the workforce earning a livable wage in a brief period of time.

“I think what makes us unique is we have hands-on trade opportunities for veterans,” said LaKyshia Perez, SCC associate dean of Student Services. “Our students are able to take a couple of classes within one semester and start to get jobs making livable wages. They want to use their skill set from the military out in the real world, and I think that’s one of the areas where we’re striving to help our veterans.”

For the past seven years, SCC’s Veterans Resource Center has received a Military Friendly designation by Viqtory, Inc., the trademarked standard that measures an organization’s commitment to creating opportunities for the military community. SCC earned a Top 10 Gold / Spouse Friendly distinction for the 2024-2025 academic year in metrics such as graduation rate, GPA, retention rate and emergency funding, placing the school’s veterans support program among the top 10 nationally and one of only two community college programs of its kind in California.

“We’re really passionate about helping our veterans and dependents, and it shows by (receiving) this award,” said Elizabeth Bergara, student services coordinator at SCC’s Veterans Office. “It validates our commitment to our students in helping them transition into higher education.”

Earlier this month, Santa Ana College hosted a Veterans Day Resource Fair to recognize those who have served in the community and raise awareness about student veterans on campus.

At 12:30 p.m. on Nov, 4, Santiago Canyon College will kick off a weeklong celebration of veterans with a Recognition Ceremony on campus.

“They served our country,” said Perez, who is also a veteran dependent. “The least we can do is ensure they have the support to continue their lives beyond their service in the military. They contribute to our society in so many ways.”

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