Greater Orange News Service

COMMUNITY UPDATE     
Destination Orange for the Annual Orange International Street Fair this Labor Day

The Orange International Street Fair (Greater Orange’s goodbye to summer bash) returns this Labor Day Weekend  with the theme Destination Orange.

Since being the centerpiece of the City of Orange centennial celebration in 1972 as a re-creation of a 1910 Orange International Fair, the celebration literally makes Orange the destination for the world bringing hundreds of thousands to the center of Greater Orange as world famous Orange Traffic Circle becomes the center of  international themed food streets.

Over 1200 volunteers have been preparing to make the expected half million visitors feel welcome. More than 80 community organizations dedicated to serving the Greater Orange Communities rely on the Orange International Street Fair as one of their biggest fundraisers of the year.

As always, the fun is all about the food, music, more food, drinks…and don’t forget the FOOD…from around the world. Craftsmen will be selling handmade items around the Plaza and present and past Orange Street Fair commemorative s will be on sale to complete your Orange Street Fair collection. 

As always no pets are allowed at the Orange Street Fair and wristbands for public alcohol consumption are required. 

The free entertainment includes bands that will perform thought the four block downtown Old Towne Orange Plaza traffic circle center representing music from around the globe on the numerous stages all around the Plaza.

For the Entertainment Schedule Click on: ENTERTAINMENT

The Children’s Street family oriented activities will again be offered on North Orange Street just off East Chapman Ave. No alcohol is allowed in the Children’s Street area. 

The event draws half a million visitors over its three days. Visitors from out-of- town are encouraged to avoid the parking crunch by taking the Metrolink (at reduced weekend rates-see below) to the historic Orange Santa Fe (Metrolink/Amtrak) Depot conveniently located adjacent to the street fair. OCTA will sell you a $10 weekend Metrolink trains will allow you to ride anywhere in the regional system from 7 p.m. Friday to Sunday midnight. Weekend passes are only sold at the vending machines located at Metrolink stations (no web sales). Those wishing to brave the parking drama may try the Chapman University lots or parking on the surrounding streets. Expect to walk several blocks from where you park just to get to the Traffic Circle area where the Street Fair takes place.

LINK to Metrolink Pass Information  Click on: WEEKEND PASS

LINK to Orange Old Town Metrolink Station Information Click On: Orange Station

The Orange Street Fair is in Orange Old Towne at the Orange Plaza the Traffic Circle intersection of Chapman and Glassell Streets in Orange. The fair runs Friday- Sunday (yes Sunday is the last day…Monday Labor Day is clean-up). Entering the street fair as always is free.

Alcohol Sales on the street are over at 9:00 p.m. and a wrist band to purchase and drink at the fair must be purchased each day.

Friday August 29: 5 pm – 10:00 pm

Saturday August 30: 10 am – 10:00pm

Sunday August 31: 10 am – 10:00 pm

 See the Official Orange Street Fair website-Click on:
 Orange International Street Fair

3 OUSD Incumbents face challengers

Orange Unified Trustees Rick Ledesma, Kathy Moffat and Timothy Surridge will all face challengers in their bids for re-election in November.  Trustee Diane Singer filed for re-election, but faces no challenger.

The November election will determine the control of the OUSD Board by keeping  the Surridge majority of pro-developer self-identified "alternative spenders" or returning the majority to the education centered "prudent progressives" led for years by Kathy Moffat.

In OUSD's unique election system,  trustee candidates must live in the Trustee Area they run to represent, but are elected by all the voters in the district.

In Trustee Area 4, Kathy Moffat will face Larry Cohen and Brian G. Harrington.  In 2006, Cohen  challenged OUSD Trustee Rick Ledesma in Trustee Area 7. In that race, Cohen lost with 41.8% of the vote to Ledesma's 58.2%. This is Harrington's first attempt at an OUSD seat.

Rick Ledesma

In the Trustee Area 7 election this year, Rick Ledesma will also face two challengers. Once again former OUSD Trustee Steve Rocco will be on the ballot to face Ledesma.  The two last faced off in  2010 after Rocco was re-districted (the Nichols' Redistricting) out of his trustee area into Ledesma's area. Rocco lost that election 27.8% to Ledesma's 72.2%. Since leaving the OUSD Board, Rocco has continued to run for various offices and stayed controversial. In  2009 Rocco was convicted of a misdemeanor theft of a half a bottle of ketchup (the Ketchup Caper) from Chapman University.  Last year Rocco qualified a recall petition against Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido. As a one-man-recall committee,  Rocco did not get  anywhere near the over 13,000 signatures needed to be submitted.

Dr. Tim Perez

In his first run for public office,  college professor Dr. Tim Perez will also challenge Ledesma.

Florice Hoffman

In Trustee Area 5,  Trustee Timothy Surridge is being challenged by Orange Attorney Florice Hoffman. In 2008 Hoffman came in third in a three way race for the OUSD Trustee Area 3 seat with 31.5 % of the vote. 

Surridge and Ledesma along with OUSD Trustee Dr. Alexia Deligianni (who is not up for re-election) present themselves as the fiscal conservative alternative spenders of the OUSD Board. Deligianni was the only OUSD Board member not to vote to place the OUSD 2014 Facilities Bond on the ballot and has signed the ballot argument against the OUSD Bond.  However, according to the conservative Transparent California site, Surridge and Deligianni are the highest compensated OUSD trustees because they are the only two trustees taking almost $5,000 a year in taxpayer provided "employee benefits" of educational tax dollars for their typical once a month meetings.

Surridge takes OUSD employee benefits

Records show Surridge and Deligianni  in 2013, for the 16 meetings (12 regular once a month meetings plus 4 called special meetings) both far exceeded the other trustees compensation by also taking OUSD "employee benefits". Surridge's meeting stipend and "employee benefits" totaled  $13,353 or $835 per meeting and Deligianni's total yearly compensation with the "employee benefits" totaled $13,212 or $826 per meeting.

In contrast Moffat and Singer, OUSD's minority "prudent progressives" were far more fiscally conservative with taxpayer's money- not taking the taxpayer provided "employee benefits" of educational tax dollars. The two prudent progressives collected only the monthly meeting stipend. For 2013 Moffat collected only $8,475 or $530 per meeting and Singer $8,443 or $528 per meeting.

To view OUSD Trustee compensation CLICK ON: 
OUSD TRUSTEE COMPENSATION 2013

OU$D Bond WATCH 2014

OUSD Bond Measure K

The Orange County Registrar of Voters has assigned the Orange Unified High School Facilities Bond as Measure K.  The Bond will raise about $74 million for each of the four OUSD high schools costing only about $39 a year  for every $100,000 of assessed property value.

OUSD voters in 2004 rejected two OUSD Bond measures by narrow amounts.

OPTA battles to save historic Killerfer Site as the OUSD Agenda lists sale negotiations to developer

The newest controversy to engulf the selling off of OUSD property is the attempt of OUSD to sell the Killerfer site to a housing developer. As part of the Surridge majority's plan to sell OUSD surplus property to developers, a split Orange Unified Board  voted in April 2013 to sell the Killerfer site to Olsen Urban Housing for a housing development.  

The Old Towne Preservation Association (OPTA) is trying to save the former Killerfer School site buildings from being torn down.  The OPTA is trying to get the site's buildings placed on the National Register of Historic Places as one of the first schools in California to voluntarily desegregate before the landmark 1947 California desegregation case Mendez vs. Westminster. That case included the El Modena School District plaintiff Lorenzo Ramirez as one of the five families that successfully helped end segregated schools in California.  After the case won in California and in a federal appeal, based on thr rulings then California Governor Earl Warren signed the law ending segregated schools in California. Warren then went on to be the U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice and it was his court that issued the landmark 1954 U.S. Supreme Court case of Brown vs Topeka Board of Education that ended the "separate by equal" doctrine in public education across the United States, thus ending legal segregated schools.

The Killerfer School was racially integrated in 1943 when the school for the Hispanic population, the Cypress Street School (located a block away), closed.

This month, OPTA notified OUSD that they were in the process of getting the Killerfer historic school site placed on the National Register of Historic Places. OPTA has hired a consultant to work on the designation that has included filing documents to nominate the site as historic to the California's State Historical Resources Commission. 

If the site does get placed on the National Register of Historic Places the buildings could be adapted for re-use, but not destroyed.

The purchase negotiations are currently on-going and are listed  in the August 14th Agenda as Closed Session Agenda Item 4 C. comments on the Closed Session Agenda items can be made before the OUSD Board adjourns to Closed Session at 6:00 pm.

Recap: Inside the OUSD July 24, 2014 Agenda

At the July 24, 2014 OUSD Meeting the OUSD Board voted to:

·        Extend negotiations with Olsen Urban Housing for selling the Killerfer site

·        Reschedule an action of the Riverdale site pending the outcome of negotiations with the City of Anaheim

·        Deny the application for the Nopilhuan Charter School because of numerous faults in the application

·        Prepare to address disabled access problems with Fred Kelly Stadium due to a complaint to the federal Office of Civil Rights

At the July meeting, the OUSD Board also had the first reading of numerous changes in Board Policies.

Peralta Lease returns to OUSD Board on 8-14

The Peralta Golf Partners lease of the Peralta School site will again be on the OUSD Agenda.  Action Item 12 D extends the current lease that will expire in October 2015 for one year-until October 2016. The Peralta lease extension was placed on the February 20, 2014 agenda, but at the beginning of the meeting it was announced that it was pulled from the agenda for further negotiations.  

This week's agenda item's staff recommendation states that during  the lease period the district will not solicit the site for sale.

Inside the OUSD August 24 Board Agenda

Closed Session

Item 4C- discussions of sales of Killerfer and Riverdale sites

Open Session

Item 12 A- Approval of $300,000 for first phase project development for the 4 high schools if Measure K were to be passed by the voters in November

Item 12 C- Trustee Singer has asked for OUSD Trustees to attend a training on Bond transparency

Item 12 D-Peralta 1 year lease extension

Information Items

Items 13 B- E- Numerous Board Policy changes

NEXT OUSD BOARD MEETING Thursday August 14, 2014

CLOSED SESSION- 6:00 pm

OUSD Regular Session: 7:00 pm

For the AGENDA-CLICK ON: AGENDA 

For more information call the OUSD Superintendent’s office at 714-628-4040

For budgeting questions call Business Services at 714-628-4015

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ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE

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Greater Orange News Service

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Orange Net News

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SPECIAL REPORT
Greater Orange Complete list of November candidates -

Friday's filing deadline produces surprises...

with two last minute OUSD candidates

Two last minute candidates pulled and filed in two Orange Unified races today, Friday August 8, the last day of filing.

Orange Attorney Florice Hoffman pulled and filed to run in OUSD Trustee Area 5 against Trustee Timothy Surridge.  Hoffman had run in 2008 (CLICK HERE: HOFFMAN) in Trustee Area 3 in a three person race against Dr. Alexia Deligianni and Jerry Winant. Hoffman came in third with 31.5%. Her vote, together with Winant's 33.5%,  meant 65% of the voters cast ballots for someone other than the winner Deligianni who won with 35% of the vote.

  

Pulling papers and filing in Trustee Area 7 to face Trustee Rick Ledesma and controversial former OUSD Trustee Steve Rocco is Dr. Tim Perez, an Assistant  Professor of Information Management Systems at Brandam University- part of the Chapman University System. 

Perez is clearly Orange Unified's first 21st Century Trustee candidate.

A highly regarded renown IT specialist, Perez has an impressive resume that includes: graduating from Santiago Canyon College with an Associate in Science Degree in Computer Information Systems; a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Information Systems from Chapman University; a Master of Science Degree in Information Systems from National University; and a Doctor of Science Degree in Information Systems with a specialization in Information Assurance and Computer Security from Dakota State University. 

Also filing last minute, and also an educator at Brandam University, was OUSD Area 1 Trustee Diane Singer.  No other candidates filed in her race, so Singer will be automatically considered elected and will not have to mount a campaign.  

Pulling papers and filing on the last day requires an enormous amount of planning and organization.  With the control of the OUSD Board majority at stake after four years of controversy, the introduction of the two highly educated and qualified candidates on the last day is sure to create a major buzz and appears to have been highly coordinated. 

Surridge who worked hard in two years as Board President to develop the Peralta Site property caused wide-spread push back from across the Greater Orange Communities. Surridge's announced second term agenda that included exploring eliminating two trustee seats was widely panned and got nowhere. In addition, his Board Presidencies have been widely characterized  as condescending to the women  trustees and numerous community leaders. Now, having a well connected women as an opponent could prove to be a big problem for someone who often appeared as a bully toward women during Board meetings.

Meanwhile, Ledesma, one of two Hispanic males and the longest serving Trustee currently on the Board, now has a young, smart, handsome, high tech 21st Century opponent with more education than most of the current top OUSD  Administrators-who also happens to be Hispanic. In an election widely expected to have a large number of women voters, this could be the Hispanic version of the Kennedy-Nixon election.

The potential problems of both Ledesma and Surridge can be seen in this video:

In other races, Eugene Fields did file for a run for Orange Mayor against popular Mayor Tita Smith.  Two of the five candidates running for Orange City Council are women.

In Villa Park, incumbent Councilwomen Diana Fascenelli is running for reelection with five men competing for 3 seats.

Finale summary

Orange Mayor's Race

Tita Smith- Filed Papers

Eugene Fields-Filed Papers

Orange City Council Seats (2)

Jon Dumitru -Filed Papers

Kimberlee "Kim"Nichols -Filed Papers

Fred Whitaker-Filed Papers

Gayle Merino-Filed Papers

Ray Grangoff- Filed Papers

Villa Park City Council Seats (3)

Diana Fascenelli-Filed Papers

Robert "Bob" Collacott- Filed Papers

Bill Nelson-Filed Papers

Sanjay Khetani- Pulled Papers

Stephen Miller- Pulled Papers

Karl Kreutziger-Pulled Papers            

Tony Murray-Pulled Papers

Orange Unified School District

Trustee Area 1

Diane Singer- Filed Papers

Trustee Area 4

Kathy Moffat- Filed Papers

Brian G. Harrington-Filed Papers

Larry Cohn- Filed Papers

Zachary Collins-Pulled Papers

Trustee Area 5

Timothy Surridge- Filed Papers

Florence Hoffman- Filed Papers

Trustee Area 7

Rick Ledesma -Filed Papers

Steve Rocco- Filed Papers

Tim Perez-Filed Papers

Rancho Santiago College District Seat 4

Robert Douglas - Filed Papers

Lawrence R "Larry" Labrado- Filed Papers

Trung Quang Nguyen- Filed Papers

Serrano Water Dist, Div. 1 Seat

RICHARD A. "RICH" FRESCHI- Filed Papers

BRAD REESE- Filed Papers

Silverado-Modjeska, Recreation and Park Dist  Seats (3)

GREG BATES - Filed Papers

JOANNE HUBBLE - Filed Papers

DEBORAH JOHNSON - Filed Papers

LINDA KEARNS - Filed Papers

PHIL MCWILLIAMS - Filed Papers

RON SHEPSTON - Filed Papers

KEVIN W. TOPP - Filed Papers

Silverado-Modjeska, Rec/Pk Dist, Short Term  Seat

LISA COLLINS- Filed Papers

JOHN OLSON- Filed Papers

Trabuco Canyon Water, Dist 3 - Seats (3)

ED MANDICH- Filed Papers

MIKE SAFRANSKI- Filed Papers

GLEN ACOSTA-Filed Papers

Today's summary

Orange Mayor's Race

Tita Smith- Pulled Papers

Eugene Fields-Pulled Papers

Orange City Council Seats (2)

Jon Dumitru -Filed Papers

Kimberlee "Kim"Nichols -Filed Papers

Fred Whitaker-Filed Papers

Gayle Merino-Filed Papers

Ray Grangoff- Filed Papers

Villa Park City Council Seats (3)

Diana Fascenelli-Filed Papers

Robert "Bob" Collacott- Filed Papers

Bill Nelson-Filed Papers

Sanjay Khetani- Pulled Papers

Stephen Miller- Pulled Papers

Karl Kreutziger-Pulled Papers            

Tony Murray-Pulled Papers

Orange Unified School District

Trustee Area 1

Diane Singer- Pulled Papers

Trustee Area 4

Kathy Moffat- Filed Papers

Zachary Collins-Pulled Papers

Brian G. Harrington-Pulled Papers

Larry D. Cohen -Pulled Papers

Trustee Area 5

Timothy Surridge- Filed Papers

Trustee Area 7

Rick Ledesma -Filed Papers

Steve Rocco- Filed Papers

Rancho Santiago College District Seat 4

Robert Douglas - Filed Papers

Lawrence R "Larry" Labrado- Filed Papers

Trung Quang Nguyen- Pulled Papers

Orange County Registrar of Voters computers crash and...

Incumbents file in two more races

Orange Mayor Tita Smith and Villa Park Councilwomen Diana Fascenelli filed for re-election making Friday August 8th the deadline for those two races. If an incumbent does not file by the deadline, a week of filing is added to that race.

With only two days left to pull and file, the races are beginning to  shape-up. 

While it is plausible that a candidate could pull and file on the same day, it leaves a margin of error that few who are serious about running are willing to risk.

The Villa Park council race with three seats up for election has garnered the most potential candidates with a possible seven contenders.  Likewise in Orange, four candidates have filed for the two council seats up for election.

As far as the Orange Unified races go, an unexpected crash of the Orange County Registrar of Voters computer system has caused a delay in reporting today's activity. Orange Net News will post any changes in the Orange Unified races candidate positions and send out an email blast if candidate information becomes available in a timely manner tonight, or if any extreme events warrant.

Check back throughout the evening for UPDATES.

Friday's deadline approaches with lots pulling papers, but few filing...

"Mr. Orange" pulls papers for Orange Mayor

Eugene Fields, former Orange County Register writer known as the first "Mr. Orange" in the paper's local Orange City News edition, pulled papers for the Orange City Mayor's race today.

Fields, who had moved to Arizona to complete his masters degree in Public Administration returned to California this year after completing his degree. Just this month, Field's moved back to Orange.

Fields is known also as a die-hard Angels fan often tweets about the Angles, often live from home games.  In his blog, Greedo Shot First: and other Urban Legends,  Fields' opens up about his long climb towards achieving his college degrees.  

He also writes about getting his degrees and his goal of public service:

"That desire was to have a positive impact on the world around me. To change the world - one person at a time. So I went back to get my master's degree. Instead of majoring in Marriage and Family Therapy to become a Sports Psychology, I decided to major in Public Administration to understand how governments worked from the inside. My goal was/is to run for public office to fight for people like myself who needed a helping hand in order to pursue a degree later in life. I was fortunate enough to work for an elected official.

The experience only lasted a couple of months, but I gained months worth of material for my coursework. I didn't have to work two jobs anymore, but I still had to do homework. I took a final in a hotel room while watching the Presidential debates. I wrote a paper and took a final in an apartment standing up because I didn't have a desk"

For the  post Click on: Change your Stars

For the blog Click on: Greedo Shot First

Bill Nelson

Bill Nelson pulls papers for Villa Park Council

Realtor Bill Nelson has joined six other Villa Park residents in pulling papers for one of the three council seats up for election.  Nelson, a thirty year Villa Park resident has held numerous elected, appointed and volunteer community positions.

Nelson has served as a trustee of the Orange County Cemetery District, on the Villa Park Investment Advisory Committee and on the Orange County Grand Jury. He has been active in scouting, serving in numerous capacities for  Villa Park's Troop 850 Cub and Boy Scouts as well as Vice President of Operations and Manager for a Villa Park's Little League\ team.

In addition to real estate, Nelson was a senior financial manager for ARCO and Southern California Gas Company.

In OUSD Moffat files as Harrington explains run

Orange Unified Trustee Kathy Moffat made her run official with her filing for re-election as two potential opponents have pulled papers.

One of those opponents,  Brian G. Harrington explained why to Orange Net News  why he is running:

"I decided to run mainly for the opportunity to serve my community. Like many other OUSD constituents, I've followed the debates and discussion over new high schools, surplus properties, revenue, and so on. What's striking are the voices unheard. What's also striking are the dollars involved.

$250 million is a lot of money. To see this as a starting point simply does not match with the economic reality of this community.

Cutting the number of public meetings also does not match the mandate of the community. Representatives of the people must be accessable [sic] and accountable to the voters.

I intend to be a voice for taxpayers, parents, teachers, students, alumni, and administrators. Tough decisions need to be made over the next four years. All voices must be heard with honesty and respect throughout the process."

Today's summary

Orange Mayor's Race

Tita Smith- Pulled Papers

Eugene Fields-Pulled Papers

Orange City Council Seats (2)

Jon Dumitru -Filed Papers

Kimberlee "Kim"Nichols -Filed Papers

Fred Whitaker-Filed Papers

Ray Grangoff- Pulled Papers

Gayle Merino-Pulling Papers

Villa Park City Council Seats (3)

Diana Fascenelli-Pulled Papers

Sanjay Khetani- Pulled Papers

Stephen Miller- Pulled Papers

Karl Kreutziger-Pulled Papers            

Robert "Bob" Collacott- Pulled Papers

Tony Murray-Pulled Papers

Bill Nelson-Pulled Papers

Orange Unified School District

Trustee Area 1

Diane Singer- Pulled Papers

Trustee Area 4

Kathy Moffat- Filed Papers

Zachary Collins-Pulled Papers

Brian G. Harrington-Pulled Papers

Trustee Area 5

Timothy Surridge- Filed Papers

Trustee Area 7

Rick Ledesma -Filed Papers

Steve Rocco- Filed Papers

Rancho Santiago College District Seat 4

Robert Douglas - Filed Papers

Lawrence R "Larry" Labrado- Filed Papers