Water to fight wildfires in ‘ample supply,’ one O.C. city assures its residents
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Good morning. It’s Wednesday, Jan. 15, and I’m Carol Cormaci bringing you this week’s TimesOC newsletter with a look at some of the latest local news and events.
Much of the Southland is on edge. Some say Mother Nature has turned on us. Others take a more scientific view and say global warming is clearly behind our historically parched January and spates of hurricane-force winds that collaborated to destroy an unthinkable amount of property over the past several days after fires were ignited.
At least two dozen people have perished in L.A. County’s devastating fires that, as I write this Tuesday evening, have consumed about 40,000 acres and obliterated thousands upon thousands of structures, from homes to churches to businesses that have been in their respective paths. I feel deep sorrow not only for what has been physically wiped from the face of the earth but for the survivors who have lost everything they own. The depth of their pain, not to mention the challenges they face in the months ahead, is hard to grasp by those of us who have not personally faced a similar scenario.
Orange County has seen its share of tragedy borne by wildfires over the years, so residents must stay watchful; a red flag warning is still in effect in the inland areas of the county until later today. As of yesterday morning, the National Weather Service was predicting northeast winds of 20 to 30 mph with gusts of up to 50 mph.
After hearing about the lack of enough water to battle the conflagration in the early stages of the Palisades fire, Laguna Beach officials held a Zoom meeting with the media Monday to address the city’s own preparedness. The coastal enclave is no stranger to unpredictable blazes, so, like cities further inland, it has a keen interest in being prepared for the worst.
In the aftermath of the 1993 Laguna Canyon fire, it was clear that systems needed to be in place to ensure firefighters had access to enough water to do their jobs. That disaster scorched 16,684 acres and destroyed 366 homes. Six of the reservoirs supplying Laguna Beach went dry during the battle.
Here’s a bright bit of news for people living in and near Laguna Beach that was gleaned from Monday’s news conference, as reported by staff writer Eric Licas in the Daily Pilot:
“Since [1993], the Laguna Beach County Water District has added two reservoirs, bringing its total number up to 21 with a combined storage capacity of 33.5 million gallons. In addition, numerous pumps with generators to power them have been incorporated into the system to ensure water gets to where it needs to be in an emergency. Two heli-hydrants, facilities set up in remote areas so water-dropping aircraft can resupply faster, have also been created near Laguna Canyon.”
By comparison, Los Angeles’ fire hydrants are supplied by three water tanks that each hold about one million gallons, Licas reports, substantially less than that of Laguna Beach’s supply.
Laguna officials also reported that progress has been made on the Doheny desalination project, and there are plans in place to drill a new well in partnership with Newport Beach and Fountain Valley. So, overall, they believe Laguna Beach is in good shape to take on wildfires.
But they’re not overconfident as climate change brings ever-increasing disasters.
“We plan [the city’s water supply] based on modeling,” Laguna Beach County Water District General Manager Keith Van Der Maaten said during the meeting. “We have modeling that shows our system’s in good shape. It’s based on certain criteria. But I think the question coming out of this is do we need to increase that planning to more extreme situations?”
NEWS
• Former state legislator Chris Norby has pitched the idea of changing the Fullerton Union High School’s “Indians” nickname to the “Fenders,” a nod to Leo Fender, an alumnus of the school who invented the Stratocaster electric guitar, according to a TimesOC report. Gov. Gavin Newsom in September approved the California Racial Mascots Act which means that as of July 2026 public schools will be banned from using an expanded list of “derogatory” Native American terms. It isn’t the first time a suggestion to move away from Fullerton High’s current mascot has been made by people who consider it offensive to Native Americans.
• Perhaps sensing that the political tide has turned since its first attempt with the same goal seven years ago, Huntington Beach has again filed a lawsuit against the state over its sanctuary law. In it, city officials argue that the law, which limits local police from working with federal immigration officials, is unconstitutional and should not apply, as it violates the Supremacy and Naturalization clauses of the U.S. Constitution.
• A 25-page Orange County Grand Jury report issued this month concluded that O.C.’s voting system displayed the “highest level of integrity,” with no fraud or interference, according to a TimesOC article.
• In a related story, the county is seeking applicants to serve on the upcoming fiscal year’s 19-member grand jury. The deadline to apply is this Friday, Jan. 17. Those interested in exploring a jury position, which pays a meager $1,000 per month, can apply at this site or print out a physical application and submit it to the court’s executive officer, David H. Yamasaki, at 700 Civic Center Drive West, P. O. Box 1970, Santa Ana 92701.
CRIME
• Vanroy Evan Smith, the man accused of the Feb. 1, 2023, fatal stabbing of a doctor who had been riding his bike in Dana Point was in court this week, where a judge agreed with the prosecutor that his $1-million bail should be revoked. Smith was found competent last month to stand trial; his next scheduled court date is in March.
• The head coach of the Santa Ana High School girls’ junior varsity basketball team, 23-year-old Edward Baxter, was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault for allegedly having a dating relationship with 16-year-old girl at the school, authorities said Monday. Baxter was taken into custody Saturday at his Westminster home and was booked at the Santa Ana Jail, according to the City News Service report.
SPORTS
• The Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions saw three O.C. high school girls’ water polo teams rule the pool. Top-seeded Mater Dei had a 10-7 win over Orange Lutheran in the TOC championship match. It’s the first TOC title for Mater Dei, which had junior attacker Kirra Pantaleon as tournament most valuable player. Newport Harbor’s team showcased its depth in a third-place finish.
• Edison High senior running back Julius Gillick was named Daily Pilot Player of the Year in football last week. Garnering the Coach of the Year title was Edison’s Jeff Grady. A look at the newspaper’s complete gridiron Dream Team, comprised of players from schools in coastal Orange County can be found here.
LIFE & LEISURE
• The Bay Theatre on Main Street in Seal Beach’s Old Town has come back to life and will reopen Jan. 25 after having been closed for restoration work for the past eight years. Daily Pilot reporter Eric Licas interviewed the man behind the project, developer Paul Dunlap, for this feature story. Dunlap, a Fullerton resident who purchased the dilapidated 80-year-old structure in 2016, pored over historical accounts and photos in order to faithfully recapture its former glory. “It’s very exciting for the community,” Esther Kenyon, founder of the Seal Beach Community Performing Arts Assn., told the reporter. “The arts are an essential part of the community’s identity.”
CALENDAR THIS
• Unveil Gallery in Irvine on Friday opened its latest group exhibition, “A Clover and One Bee.” The showcase includes the works of six artists: Alex Paik, Lauren Goldenberg Longoria, Mimi Ding, Greg Eberhardt, Jiang Xiaohan and Sebastian Loo. The exhibition runs through Feb. 1 at the gallery, 200 Technology Drive, Suite F.
• Sherman Library & Gardens is gearing up for the return of its Camellia Week, from Jan. 20 to 24, featuring tours and demonstrations centered around the camellia, its care, varieties and cultural traditions associated with the flowering plant. Activities include a “Tea 101” talk with tea sommelier Lan Pham Zentil, founder of Jadetiger Tea, on Jan. 22, from 11 a.m., a discussion and demonstration on how to incorporate camellia blooms into beautiful flower arrangements on Jan. 23, from 11 a.m. to noon, and a Camellia Collection tour on Jan. 24 at 11 a.m. The Sherman is located at 2647 East Coast Hwy, Corona del Mar.
• A funny lineup will be in store Jan. 28 at 7:30 p.m., when Laguna Playhouse presents “Comedy Night at the Playhouse,” hosted by producer/actor/comedian Mark Christopher Lawrence and featuring Trenton Davis, the SHOW with Adam & Sean and Alex Duong. Tickets range from $44 to $54 and can be purchased online at lagunaplayhouse.com or by calling (949) 497-2787. The box office is open Tuesdays through Saturdays, from noon to 4 p.m. and until showtime on performance days. Laguna Playhouse is located at 606 Laguna Canyon Drive, Laguna Beach.
Until next Wednesday,
Carol
KEEP IN TOUCH
I appreciate your help in making this the best newsletter it can be. Please send news tips, your memory of life in O.C. (photos welcome!) or comments to [email protected].
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