California to audit its regulation of addiction treatment facilities 

• July 6, 2023

California’s low-level regulation of addiction treatment and rehabilitation facilities that make it almost impossible to properly track them is under scrutiny as the state auditor’s office embarks on an audit of the Department of Health Care Services.

The audit, requested by Assemblymember Diane Dixon, R-Newport Beach, will “determine if DHCS is properly licensing, regulating and enforcing state laws” regarding residential facilities that provide nonmedical recovery, treatment and detoxification service.

“It is regrettable how much these facilities are taking advantage of vulnerable people — people who actually need help,” Dixon said. “Unfortunately, these facilities advertise treatment for alcohol or drug abuse recovery or treatment services and more often than not provide limited care. We need more accountability on who is licensed and if the treatment programs provided are effective.”

The audit requests information on how DHCS is licensing and enforcing laws on facilities that provide “24-hour nonmedical, residential, alcoholism or drug abuse recovery or treatment services to adults,” according to Dixon’s office.

In 2021, a man from Gratitude Lodge, a detox house in Newport Beach, forced his way into a house in the corner of Santa Ana Heights where he was shot and killed by an occupant of the home. The man, 23-year-old Henry Richard Lehr, had been exhibiting signs of paranoid delirium — screaming about wanting to leave, being chased and wanting to go home.

The Southern California News Group has spent years probing deaths, sexual assaults, drug use and illegal paying-for-patients in California’s loosely regulated problem-prone addiction treatment industry, dubbed the Rehab Riviera. More than half of California’s state-licensed and/or certified addiction treatment facilities are in just four counties — Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino — and these are expressly non-medical facilities that are often poorly equipped to address serious medical issues, such as the one that led to Lehr’s death.

They are also most often located in tract homes in residential neighborhoods, where neighbors have long complained they are too densely concentrated and institutionalize neighborhoods.

Beyond licensed facilities, the Rehab Riviera is home to many more sober living homes, which is where recovering users go after formal treatment. Sober homes are unlicensed and unregulated groups of people just trying to live substance-free lives together but have led to major legal battles in Newport Beach and Costa Mesa.

After wrestling with conflict from sober homes and addiction recovery facilities in residential neighborhoods for more than a decade, Orange County cities have failed to work together and adopt local laws setting standards for these facilities, a new grand jury report says. The county is host to the highest concentration of rehabs per capita in the entire state.

The grand jury also found that most sober living homes are not required by law to be licensed by the state and there are no widely adopted methods to track or monitor any aspect of these facilities, including their location, number of residents, on-site management and ownership.

“Many of the homes in question are privately owned, unlicensed, unsupervised and a challenge to monitor and regulate,” the report states.

Several cities, including Costa Mesa, Newport Beach and Anaheim, have in place ordinances that regulate sober living homes. In Costa Mesa, no convicted sex offenders, violent felons or drug dealers can run sober homes. Supervision of clients 24/7 is required, sober homes must be at least 650 feet apart, residents must be actively participating in “legitimate” recovery programs and transportation must be provided when residents leave.

This audit, however, seeks DHCS records, which are only for licensed addiction treatment facilities. Dixon said the Joint Legislative Audit Committee expects data from the state auditor’s office in about six months.

The bipartisan request was signed by Orange County legislators, including Assemblymembers Laurie Davies, R-Laguna Niguel; Cottie Petrie-Norris, D-Irvine; Kate Sanchez, R-Rancho Santa Margarita; and Tri Ta, R-Westminster, as well as Sens. Dave Min, D-Irvine; Josh Newman, D-Fullerton; and Janet Nguyen, R-Huntington Beach.

“The requested audit, when completed, will ensure that California’s Department of Health Care Services is properly regulating facilities and fully complying with all relevant laws and regulations in order to fully and effectively protect not only the residents of these facilities but the community at large,” said Newman.

The request was unanimously approved by the Joint Legislative Audit Committee, which includes Sen. Kelly Seyarto, R-Murrieta; Assemblymember Avelino Valencia, D-Anaheim; and Sen. Catherine Blakespear, D-Encinitas, who serves as the committee’s vice chair.

“These licensed recovery and treatment facilities, while necessary, change the fabric of our neighborhoods. My district is saturated with them,” said Valencia, who represents Anaheim, Orange and Santa Ana in north Orange County. “The audit will bring much-needed transparency on the Department of Health Care Services’ licensing and regulatory processes of these facilities.”

Dixon said: “The report from the audit will help provide direction for the legislature on how to address these problems and close any loopholes in regulation and enforcement. People need to be rehabilitated.”

Separately, in Orange County, the grand jury has recommended cities and the County of Orange “collaborate in their efforts to create ordinances for the regulation of group homes, including the development of model ordinances.”

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​ Orange County Register 

Take a look inside The Bellwether, a new music venue opening in L.A. next week

• July 6, 2023

In the weeks leading up to the official opening of a new Downtown Los Angeles concert venue, things are starting to take shape inside.

The plush green couches have been delivered, the individually made crystal chandeliers are lit and the eye-catching wallpaper is neatly hung. There are just a few final touches to be done before The Bellwether hosts its debut performance with synth-pop duo Phantogram on Tuesday, July 11.

“I still can’t believe we finally have the couches and decor, it’s been a long process, but it finally feels real,” co-founder Michael Swier said while plopping into a corner booth upstairs of what will soon be a VIP room for guests. “Still can’t believe we’re almost at the finish line.”

Located just off the 110 Freeway at 4th and South Boylston streets, The Bellwether will serve as a 1,600-capacity concert hall with a massive roundabout bar in the foyer, a custom-built sound system and a restaurant lounge. There’s also a private event space that Swier hopes will be an addition to future music festivals at the venue, which also features a stunning view of Downtown Los Angeles in the open-air seated lounge.

Co-founded by Swier, the man behind independent Los Angeles music spots The Teragram Ballroom and Moroccan Lounge, and Gregg Perloff, who operates Another Planet Entertainment and the Outside Lands Festival in the Bay Area, the partnership happened organically and “clicked right from the start,” Swier shared.

“It was important for me, when looking at spaces, that we could grow an event space from The Moroccan or The Teragram, we wanted to have the foundations of independent music promotion still and when Another Planet came into the picture, everything came together so naturally,” Swier added. “Knowing their history of independent promotions up in the Bay Area and what they are still doing up there, it just made sense.”

In the mid-’90s, Swier opened what would become iconic independent venues, beginning with the Mercury Lounge and Bowery Ballroom in New York, both similar in size and stature to their sister venues in Los Angeles. With The Bellwether, the space is capable of supporting acts of multiple genres as they transition from playing the 275-capacity Moroccan and the 600-capacity Teragram. The new addition is a crucial part to the booming ecosystem of local venues, he insists.

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“Right now, for me in this market, there’s a preconceived notion of growing bands through The Bellwether,” Swier said. “Because if you start at The Moroccan, you know there’s this place to look forward to. So there’s this pathway for people and the industry knows that. We will see what happens beyond us, but we know it’s all a stepping stone for not just rising artists but well-known artists as well.”

As for demolition, design and construction on The Bellwether began in December 2021 after the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions were eased. Nick Barrie, talent buyer of the venue, pointed excitedly to the new light fixtures that were recently installed.

“Every time I was coming in, which was about once a month or now once a week, there was always something to look forward to,” Barrie said with a grin.

Having announced the venue’s initial lineup of talent, Barrie’s been pleased with the feedback. There’s already more than 30 acts booked, including Tyhcho (July 13), Mild High Club (July 26), Porter Robinson’s three-day takeover (July 27-29), Lany (Aug. 1), Isaiah Rashad (Aug. 17-18) and Silversun Pickups (Sept. 27). Tickets for acts like Haim (July 17-18), Drama (July 22), The Midnight (July 30), Carly Rae Jepsen (Aug. 11-13), Wilco (Oct. 11), Slowdive (Oct. 14-15) and others have already sold out.

The Bellwether feels like a homecoming of sorts for Phantogram, as Los Angeles has been a prominent hub for the New York-based duo’s ever-growing audience.

“We’ve been coming to Los Angeles since day one on our first tour and have been able to create such an important fanbase out here that are just absolute music heads,” Sarah Barthel of Phantogram shared during a phone interview. “For us, playing in the city here is so much fun — we’ve played here so many times we can’t even count — but this time is extra special.”

Opening night will be the band’s first show back in the area in more than three years. They’re excited, too, since they recently reissued their 2010 debut album “Eyelid Movies” and a previously unreleased outtake from the album, “Suzie,” which will undoubtedly end up in the setlist. Though they’re used to headlining shows worldwide, Phantogram’s Josh Carter acknowledges that it’s a big deal to part of The Bellwether’s history.

“Over the years, it’s pretty easy to become a little jaded after playing so many shows, but thinking of the actual importance of opening a venue like this and what it means to fans is so cool,” he said. “It’s an honor.”

For Barrie, getting such a positive response from not only the fans buying tickets, but the artists themselves ahead of the venue opening has been encouraging.

“It lets me know that people want to see a new venue and they want to experience something new,” he said. “The fans are elated to be somewhere different, especially hardcore fans of the acts we book, they also understand the history of The Teragram and what (Another Planet Entertainment) does up north. I’ve noticed people online saying, ‘If the Teragram dudes are behind this, the sound and atmosphere is going to be great.’ Being able to reach those fans is important to not only me but the whole team.”

Swier and Barrie agreed that they haven’t had the proper time to digest all that’s happening in the moment, but expect to fully savor it on opening night when lights dim, fans scream and music plays. For Swier and everyone on the team, The Bellwether symbolizes a new beginning for music lovers in Los Angeles to feel a part of something that’s made specifically for them.

“This is special to me, I don’t just identify with the need for a larger capacity (venue), it all comes down to how you fulfill the needs of fans and everyone that walks through the door,” Swier said. “It’s doing the best with what you can and every time we grow or build something, we learn something new. This is our pinnacle right now, and I think we’ve touched all bases here.”

The Bellwether

Where: 333 S. Boylston Street, Los Angeles

More infromation: thebellweatherla.com

​ Orange County Register 

How to test the air quality in your home; what to know about getting professional help

• July 6, 2023

With climate change and pollution continuing to impact weather and atmospheric conditions around the globe and the pandemic highlighting just how vulnerable humans are to invisible pathogens, many people are thinking harder about the air they breathe and how it could affect their health. Unfortunately, almost 36% of Americans – or 119.6 million people – are living in areas with unhealthy air, according to the American Lung Association’s State of the Air report for 2023.

While you can’t do much about the environment around you, one way to breathe easier is by measuring your home’s air quality — and improving it if needed. Here’s how you can test on your own, and what to know about getting professional help.

How is air quality measured?

You may be familiar with air quality warnings if you follow the local news or weather reports. The standard measurement for air quality is known as Air Quality Index, or AQI. On a large scale, ground and satellite instruments measure particles in the air, which are then scored from 0 (safest) to 500 (most dangerous). AQI primarily measures:

Airborne particles
Carbon monoxide
Ground level ozone
Nitrogen dioxide
Sulfur dioxide

Ozone and airborne particles are the most common culprits, found as smoke from wildfires or smog. Air quality is color-coded depending on how concentrated the particles are. Air quality reports are often issued for a metropolitan area or region.

The higher the pollutant level, the less safe it is for people to be outside. If the results fall into the hazardous range, it is best to stay indoors, especially if you suffer from allergies or have respiratory or other health issues that make you sensitive to what you breathe. All the more reason to make sure your home’s interiors are safe to breathe in.

Why is it important to test the air quality in my home?

Breathing in polluted air can lead to many serious health problems, including respiratory issues, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Evaluating your home’s interior air and air flow is often the only way to know if there are pollutants present that could harm your health. While you may be able to spot mold and mildew in your home, some potentially deadly hazards (like radon and carbon monoxide) are colorless and odorless, so you likely wouldn’t even know that they’re even present — unless you test for them.

“Testing the air quality in our homes is an important step toward sleeping better, feeling better, and being healthier,” says Travis Blackburn, director, control systems marketing at AprilAire, a manufacturer of HVAC products. “From invisible allergens and VOC gasses to humidity levels that are out of balance and a lack of fresh air, our homes have the potential to negatively impact our health and how we feel.”

What are the symptoms of poor air quality in a house?

There are a number of symptoms associated with poor air quality in your home, including:

Visible mold or mildew
Leaks or water-damaged ceilings
Warped or buckled floors
Dampness and humidity levels above 50%
Strange or unexplainable odors

“If you find yourself dealing with things like sneezing, runny noses, headaches, static shock, an itchy throat, or dry skin and eyes – all of these can be symptoms of poor indoor air quality,” says Blackburn. “Poor air quality can also exacerbate allergy and asthma symptoms.”

How can you test air quality in your home?

There are several different kinds of air quality testing kits, typically designed to look for common toxins like radon, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), formaldehyde and carbon monoxide.

Knowing what to check for and how to test air quality in your home could save you time and money.

Digital air monitors

An air quality monitor can identify and alert you to an issue in its early stages. These devices use sensors to track the levels of specific pollutants and hazards, like radon, VOCs and formaldehyde.

There are many indoor air monitors available on the market, including the Airthings Wave Plus and the uHoo Smart Air Monitor. Alternatively, you can buy another type of smart device that has air quality monitoring functionality, such as a tech-enabled air purifier, smart thermostat or indoor home security camera.

“When it comes to knowing what to buy, make sure that your air quality monitor has precision, resolution, and calibration features,” suggests Sarah Jameson of Green Building Elements, an online information hub for construction projects. “Research the technology you are eyeing and check for its overall performance, including the range. Apart from your sensor being able to measure carbon monoxide, particulate matter, VOCs, humidity, formaldehyde, and radon, check reviews for how fast the response time for readings to come in, how well the sensor can be connected with smart technologies, and whether there is minimal noise.”

Mold tests

There are multiple kinds of mold tests, but only certain ones – including air pumps and petri dish tests – are designed to detect mold in the air. They work by taking samples of the air in your home, either through a collection cassette or a petri dish. After the collection period ends, you’ll need to send the samples to a lab to be analyzed.

Radon tests

Radon tests also come in different forms, from battery-powered test kits to single-use charcoal canisters to app-enabled plug-in devices. Some are designed for short-term use (between two days and three months), so you can identify issues quickly. Long-term tests are used for at least three months and can help you understand your home’s year-round radon levels.

Electronic radon tests continuously monitor radon levels in your home and notify you through an app or on-screen display, while one-time collection kits need to be sent into a lab.

Carbon monoxide detectors

Like smoke alarms, these devices track the amount of carbon monoxide in your home and make a loud noise if the levels get dangerously high. They’re available in hardwired, battery and plug-in models, either as standalone devices or with the ability to detect smoke or natural gas.

When should you hire a professional air quality service?

Although there are plenty of DIY options for air testing, they can be limited, particularly when it comes to one of the largest threats to a home’s air quality — mold.

“Homeowners who are not mold assessors cannot accurately test air quality,” Mike Powell, a Tampa, Fla.-based professional mold assessor at Red Flag Home Inspections explains. “DIY kits sold at big box stores confirm what any mold professional already knows: There’s mold everywhere.”

Mold often hides behind walls and under floors, making it more time-consuming (and expensive) to diagnose. It often starts in hard-to-spot places like basements — it loves the damp and the dark — and spreads through the home’s HVAC system. Not all molds are harmful, making it hard to pinpoint the presence of those causing real air-quality and health problems like lethargy, headaches or respiratory issues. A pro can make a more precise evaluation, identifying the types of mold in your home and your air — and to assess the degree of danger it represents.

“When collecting air samples, or testing that gets mold spores from the air in some way other than vacuum collection, an exterior/baseline sample should be collected,” notes Powell. “The mold spores you see in these results are not global and are not ‘known’ values. The way to assess an environment is to compare the indoor levels versus the outdoor levels in your area, which will vary wildly based on location. To take one without the other will leave them, and anyone thereafter, unable to make much use of the data.”

According to Angi, the average cost of a professional, whole-home air quality test is $436. The cost can vary based on home size. Such a test can diagnose allergens, asbestos, radon, carbon monoxide, harmful mold and VOCs. More detailed testing can be performed once the air-quality test results are in. Detailed testing is more expensive, costing an average of $500 for asbestos or radon and $300 to $1,000 for mold.

FAQs about testing air quality of your home

How frequently should I test the air quality in my home? AprilAire’s Blackburn recommends that homeowners check their air quality at least once per year. For extra peace of mind, you can invest in an air quality monitor or smart device that continually tracks your air quality and alerts you if something isn’t right.
How much does a professional air quality test typically cost? According to Angi, a professional air quality test usually costs between $291 and $585, depending on the size of your home. The average cost is $436.
Does having an air purifier in your home actually help? It can. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), certain air purifiers can filter harmful gasses and particles from the air and possibly have a positive impact on health.

The bottom line on testing your home’s air quality

Your home should be your sanctuary — especially in these climate-challenged times — and maintaining pristine air quality can reduce your risk of health problems. Fortunately, there are plenty of tools to help. Start with an air-quality monitor which can continuously check your home’s air quality and alert you if carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, radon and VOCs are present. If something in particular is concerning you, you can test further using a DIY kit for the indoor pollutant or call in a professional to help identify the issue — and fix it, before it gets worse.

©2023 Bankrate online. Visit Bankrate online at bankrate.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

​ Orange County Register 

Over the July 4th holiday, dozens of stray dogs were brought to OC Animal Care

• July 6, 2023

So far, nearly five dozen stray dogs were brought to OC Animal Care over the Fourth of July holiday, the animal shelter has reported.

Fifty-seven dogs have been brought to the shelter since July 1, OC Animal Care reported on Wednesday, noting that more are still arriving. The loud noises that come with Independence Day celebrations cause dogs to escape, the shelter said.

Those who have recently lost a pet can visit several different websites to hopefully find their loved one. Petadoption.ocpetinfo.com can be used to check if the lost pet has wound up at the OC Animal Care Shelter or if it has been found by community members and is not at the shelter.

Pet owners are also encouraged to explore other avenues, such as thoroughly searching their neighborhood — including neighborhood Facebook groups and Nextdoor — reaching out to local veterinarian offices and posting photos with a detailed description of the pet in prominent locations.

When Independence Day rolls around, lost pets are common: OC Animal Care said one in three pets will go missing during their lifetime so a pet license is a good way for pet owners to stay connected with their furry friends.

More pets go missing on the Fourth of July than any other day of the year. Across California, calls reporting missing pets spiked more than 300% on July 5, according to 24Pet, a microchip registry and lost pet database.

Pet owners’ first instinct is to go out and search for their pet, however, this could confuse animal because it spreads their smell. It’s recommended that owners get help from friends and family who can go out to look in bushes and small areas the dogs could find refuge in.

Pets licensed with OC Animal Care also qualify for its Take Me Home Program. This pet redemption program is offered to pet owners who have had their licensed pets impounded for the first time and requires pet owners to redeem their pet within the first 24 hours. More information on how to license one’s pet can be found at ocpetinfo.com/license.

Staff writer Laylan Connelly contributed to this report.

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​ Orange County Register 

SVB Financial approved to sell investment bank back to founder for $100 million

• July 6, 2023

By Steven Church | Bloomberg

SVB Financial Group, the bankrupt former owner of Silicon Valley Bank, won court permission to sell its investment banking arm for $100 million, four years after it paid $280 million for the unit.

The buyers include Jeff Leerink and his management team. Leerink founded the investment advisory and continued running the unit after the bank holding company bought it. The sale is also backed by Baupost Group.

US Bankruptcy Judge Martin Glenn had initially refused to approve the sale because it released too many SVB Financial executives from any potential lawsuits related to the collapse of the Silicon Valley Bank, which was taken over by regulators earlier this year.

But after company officials added some restrictions to the legal releases, Glenn signed an order on Wednesday approving the sale.

After regulators took over its bank, SVB Financial filed bankruptcy with plans to sell its non-banking assets, including the investment bank, in order to repay bondholders.

The bank-holding company has since been fighting the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. over $2 billion in cash SVB Financial had on deposit with the bank.

The bankruptcy is SVB Financial Group, 23-10367, US Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com

©2023 Bloomberg L.P.

​ Orange County Register 

Invisibility of children experiencing homelessness in OC highlighted in new report

• July 6, 2023

It’s difficult to count and track the number of homeless people in Orange County, especially children. These children have higher rates of absenteeism and face several challenges in obtaining a well-rounded education.

The 2022 Point In Time Count tallied 721 children under the age of 18 in Orange County who were experiencing homelessness. But a recent OC Grand Jury report notes that number differs greatly from the 23,246 children identified by the county’s school districts based on the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development requires all jurisdictions to complete the Point In Time count every two years; in 2022, Orange County sent teams out over three days to canvas communities to count those living in cars and on the streets as well as calculate the number of individuals and families in emergency shelters and transitional housing programs.

HUD categorizes homelessness as either sheltered or unsheltered. Sheltered homelessness refers to people found in emergency shelters, transitional housing or other temporary arrangements.

“That does not count people who are experiencing homelessness who lack a fixed nightly abode, who fit into potentially staying with another family member, in a motel, in a variety of other settings,” Doug Becht, director of OC Health Care Coordination, said. That’s where McKinney-Vento comes in.

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act is a federal law created to support the enrollment and education of homeless students. In contrast to HUD, various other living arrangements meet the McKinney-Vento definition of homeless, such as youth who are living in motels, recreational vehicles or sharing housing with multiple families.

While there are efforts from the county and school districts to address homelessness and ensure that no student is left behind, homeless children are failing to receive enough support from either to address their unique needs and challenges in getting an education. The OC Grand Jury report says that because the county and schools use different definitions to identify homeless students, children are being undercounted, leading to a negative impact on their education.

“What has happened is the invisibility continues to be persistent because we fail to operate under the national definition of students experiencing homelessness,” Jennifer Friend, CEO at Project Hope Alliance, said. “It is the broader definition. Our greatest challenge has been in lifting the invisibility of how many kids there really are in our county experiencing homelessness.”

Schools are not designed to meet every need of students experiencing food or housing insecurity, transportation barriers or mental health crises, Friend said. As a solution, school districts have worked with organizations like Project Hope Alliance to bring resources directly to students.

Project Hope Alliance is an organization that places case managers at school sites for children and youth experiencing homelessness. Case managers identify homeless students and address their basic needs, such as food, clothing or transportation. They also conduct regular check-ins, provide educational support and connect children and families to other resources.

“In the state of California, 21% of all students experiencing homelessness are chronically absent versus only 9.8% of their housed peers being absent. Yet, only 8.3% of all school districts receive any type of money to support students experiencing homelessness,” Friend said. “The invisibility perpetuates the lack of resources, which then results in us failing our kids.”

The organization works with several Orange County districts, including Newport-Mesa Unified School District. Socorro Shiel, an assistant superintendent with the district, said much of what students need is outside of schools’ control, and they rely on strong partnerships with resources such as Project Hope Alliance, which offer ongoing support for homeless students.

“It really is about being a conduit for other community-based organizations, for other city and county services to help families,” Shiel said. “The goal for schools is just to have the strongest families possible because the stronger the family, the stronger the student is and the less adult issues a student has to be worrying about.”

An Tran, director of the OC Social Services Agency, said the goals of McKinney-Vento are different from the goals and programs operated within the county. The County of Orange doesn’t have a specific department that targets homeless children because they are picked up with the care for families, Tran said.

“The reason why is many times, individuals, especially children, come with families,” Tran said. “We have programs that we operate on behalf of the state and federal government that provide services to homeless families as a whole. Many of these children come within family units and the entire family unit needs care and needs supportive services.”

The county also works with the Orange County Department of Education and school districts to help with transportation and other resources for children in the foster care system, Tran said. Liaisons are in place to help the county coordinate the care and educational needs of the foster children.

Each school district is responsible for helping fulfill the needs of homeless students, OC Department of Education homeless education coordinator Jeanna Awrey said, noting schools provide the resources they can to best support homeless students, but “if there’s not a house, there’s nothing we can do.”

“That’s the biggest challenge because we can help them get to school, we can help them get school supplies, help them to a tutor,” Awrey said. “But, if they don’t have a permanent house that they’re going to on a daily basis, that will make it very difficult for a parent and the child.”

The OC Grand Jury concluded that “public schools are failing far too often in their efforts to educate children experiencing homelessness.”

The jury recommends the OC Department of Education form a joint task force made up of district-level administrators from each school district and leadership from nonprofit organizations that serve homeless families to address absenteeism, low test scores and low graduation rates of children experiencing homelessness.

It is also recommended that local school districts develop a plan that includes yearly mandatory McKinney-Vento Act training for all district and school administrators, teachers, office staff and counselors.

As for the county, the Grand Jury wants to see it develop a plan to increase the number of family shelters, permanent supportive housing and low-cost/long-term housing for families. The jury said the County Board of Supervisors should find financial funding to support all Orange County school districts with enrolled children experiencing homelessness to meet the mandate to equitably educate these students.

Friend believes the solution is for every government agency at every level and community members to join together to build a system that works for homeless children.

“It’s time to build a strategy to meet the needs that students are experiencing outside of the classroom that are preventing them from accessing their education. That’s going to require our community to come together at every level,” Friend said.

“It’s going to take all of us,” said Friend.

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​ Orange County Register 

OC Fair 2023: 9 outrageous foods available this year

• July 6, 2023

When it comes to fair food, more is more. At the 2023 OC Fair, concessioners are piling on the toppings and coming up with unexpected ingredients to make their offerings as outrageous as possible.

We sampled these nine items in a preview for OC Fair staff members at the San Diego County Fair.

All will be new to the OC Fair, and most are exclusive to the fair as well.

Egg Roll Turkey Dog

What: Pink’s Hot Dogs, the iconic Hollywood brand, will be grilling turkey dogs, encasing them in egg roll wrappers with red and green lettuce before deep-frying. They are then topped with spicy Sriracha mayonnaise and sweet chili sauce. It’s an exclusive.

Find it: Centennial Farm.

Hot Cheetos Chicken on a Stick

What: This exclusive handheld item from Biggy’s is a bunless version of the Flamin’ Hot Cheetos Chicken Sandwich with the other ingredients stabbed onto a skewer. “You get it with pickles and the whole nine yards,” said owner Dominick Palmieri, who has several other concessions at the fair.

Find it: Fair Square, near the Blue Gate.

Mediterranean Bowl

What: This dish is not so much outrageous as unexpected. It’s an exclusive for the OC Fair by Charlie Boghosian, better known for the deep-fried creations he sells at his Chicken Charlie’s stands. It features half an avocado and hummus with pickles on a bed of lettuce,

Find it: Main Mall, Park Plaza.

Tasti Papas Locas

What: This new item from Tasti Chips features freshly fried chili lime potato chips with more than a half dozen toppings. They include jicama, cucumber, nacho cheese, Tapatio Chamoy Sauce, crema, cilantro, a lime wedge and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos dust. “It looks heavy but it’s very refreshing,” said Lori Sutherland.

Find it: Main Mall, Family Fair Way.

Candied Bacon-Wrapped Pork Belly Bites

What: Nate Janousek, owner of Bacon-a-Fair, emptied a bag of brown sugar over bacon-wrapped pork belly slices as he prepared them for the OC Fair preview, joking that he wasn’t ready to go the Flamin’ Hot Cheetos route.

Find it: Family Fairway.

Deep Fried S’mores on a Stick

What: This dessert from Charlie Boghosian is more traditionally Chicken Charlie’s than his Mediterranean Bowl. It’s a deep-fried, batter-covered s’more filled with molten marshmallows, chocolate sauce and crushed graham crackers.

Find it: Main Mall, Park Plaza.

Pineapple Whip Dumplings with Fruit Roll-ups

What: Swirl is serving this exclusive. It features Fruit Roll-ups wrapped around pineapple-flavored frozen dessert. The soft serve freezes the Fruit Roll-ups, making them like a hard candy that adds a sour note to the pineapple, according to Palmieri.

Find it: Family Fairway.

Mazapán Funnel Cake

What: Dutchmen’s Funnel Cakes will be serving a dessert made with De La Rosa peanut candy.

Find it: Carnival.

Maple Bacon Smoothie

What: This exclusive concoction from Bacon-A-Fair is frozen yogurt, whipped cream, a little bit of milk and “several iterations of bacon,” said Janousek. “There’s crumbled bacon on top. There’s a bacon garish and then there’s bacon blended into it with maple syrup. Cheers.”

Find it: Family Fairway.

OC Fair

Where: OC Fair & Event Center, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa.

When: July 14-Aug. 13.

Hours: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday; 11 a.m.-midnight Friday and Saturday.

Admission: $13 Wednesday and Thursday; $15 Friday-Sunday; $9 for people 60 and older and children 6-12 years old. Tickets need to be purchased in advance online at ocfair.com/oc-fair/buy-tickets

Parking: $12

Information: ocfair.com/oc-fair

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​ Orange County Register 

Cooking with Judy: Making use of the fresh produce at Fullerton’s downtown market

• July 6, 2023

It’s more than a market – it’s a happening!

The Downtown Fullerton Market will continue weekly from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursdays at the Downtown Plaza, 125 E. Wilshire Ave., until Aug. 31.

Visit for the live entertainment as well as family and children’s activities. Bands change weekly and begin at 6:30 p.m. at the beer-wine garden hosted by the adjoining Fullerton Museum Center, which remains open for the evening.

Mediterranean is my favorite cuisine, so my first stop during a recent visit was Baba Foods, which boasts an amazing variety of pita chips, including cinnamon-sugar, lemon pepper, garlic and herbs de Provence, za’atar and sea salt. It sells falafel, hummus in a dizzying array of flavors, including classic, roasted garlic and roasted sweet bell pepper, as well as handmade baklava.

At Elisa Marie Baking a sign boasts “third-place brownies” – at the OC Fair, I learn. The previous year her cherry-lavender jam took first place, Elisa tells me.

“I’ve been baking since I was 3,” she said. “There are pictures of me baking biscuits with my mom.”

Elisa worked as a corporate pastry chef in Chicago. “When the pandemic hit, I couldn’t get work, so my husband encouraged me to start baking for myself.  Now we’re in five retail locations, including the Anaheim Marriott and The Butchery, besides the markets.”

Galaxy Toffee next door sells cookies, but the toffee must be popular because it was sold out by the time I arrived at 5:30.

I can’t help noticing a crystals and chakra balancing booth next to one for the Fullerton Library. This is quite the eclectic market!

The busiest stand was Sunny Cal Farms from Fresno with a wide variety of stone fruits, including white and yellow peaches and at least five varieties of plums and pluots (plum-apricot hybrids), my favorite being Red Beauty.

This low-fat breakfast pancake makes use of zucchini and blueberries. (Courtesy of Judy Bart Kancigor)

Their most popular summer fruit, they said, is their cherrums, a cherry-plum combination that tastes sweet with a tang of plum. The tangelos, a pomelo-tangerine cross, are equally delicious.

I grabbed a basket of large, perfect black mission figs, the best I’ve ever had. Prominently displayed are useful instructions for ripening fruit.

“1. Remove fruit from reusable or plastic bags. 2. Place your unwashed fruit on a cutting board, platter, or flat surface slightly spaced apart. 3. Check fruit 2x daily in the morning and evening. 4. When ripe, place fruit in the fridge to prevent from going bad or bruising. Once ripe, flavor will hold in the fridge until enjoyed.”

I stopped at Berumen Farms for zucchini and its many-colored heirloom tomatoes whose weird, other-worldly shapes belie their luscious texture and taste.

For most of my purchases this day, my recipe is simple: 1. Eat 2. Enjoy. Or if you want to get complicated: 1. Ripen, 2. Slice. 3. Eat. 4. Enjoy.

As for the zucchini, there’s zucchini bread and zucchini cake – why not zucchini pancakes? Zucchini’s flavor is mild, adding texture and moistness without the funk of, say, broccoli or Brussels sprouts, yielding a generous, satisfying portion.

Fullerton’s Judy Bart Kancigor is the author of “Cooking Jewish” and “The Perfect Passover Cookbook.” Her website is cookingjewish.com.

LOW-FAT HEALTHY ZUCCHINI BREAKFAST PANCAKE

Shred zucchini with a food processor and spread it out on a tea towel 12 hours to dry. Then place it in a sealable bowl, cover with paper towel, seal and refrigerate upside down.

Change the paper towel daily and it will keep a week.

Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients:

1 large egg plus 1 white
1/4 cup plain yogurt (not Greek)
3 tablespoons gluten-free pancake mix (I use Arrowhead Mills, available at Sprouts)
1 tablespoon ground flax or chia seeds or combination
Pinch fine kosher or sea salt
Sweetener of your choice, to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup shredded zucchini
1/4 cup blueberries
Vegetable spray
Low calorie or pure maple syrup

Method:

1. Beat egg plus white and yogurt with a fork in a bowl. Add pancake mix, ground seeds, salt, sweetener, cinnamon and vanilla and beat until no lumps remain. Mix in zucchini and blueberries.

2. Heat medium frying pan over medium heat. Spray with vegetable spray. When beginning to brown, add pancake mixture and spread.  Cook until brown on one side, then flip pancake and cook the other side.

3. Remove pancake to a plate, pour on syrup and serve.

​ Orange County Register