The main goal of RMHC is to keep families close to each other and to help them get the care they need by providing a place for families with sick children to stay just steps from the hospitals where they are receiving critical medical care.

Officers, shown here, helped pass out gifts and made sure their visit with Santa went smoothly

The John C. Stennis is underway conducting routine operations in support of Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic.

Almost a week after Stanton was blamed for a large sewage spill that resulted in the closure of Huntington Harbor and waters around Anaheim Bay, Sunset Aquatic Marina, Portofino Cove, Anderson Street Marina and Mother’s Beach, Orange County locals are still confused.

They shouldn’t be.

Those waters were never contaminated.

The sewage spill at Dale and Monroe Avenue in Stanton never made it past Katella Avenue.

“The sewage never left Stanton,” said Mayor David Shawver. “The bottom line is we stopped the flow.”

Orange County Health Care Agency officials reopened the beaches, acknowledged that the spill, in fact, never left Stanton, and stated that they were merely taking precautionary measures.

“Precautionary” might be an understatement.

The sewage spill, which occurred at about 10 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 28 owing to a blocked sewer main,  flowed down Monroe and went into an open channel, heading south. The flow, estimated to be tens of thousands of gallons, traveled about 400 yards down the channel and  petered out about 20 miles from any ocean water.

“The next morning we were out pumping it. We cleaned it all out,” Shawver said.

Meanwhile, county health officials had closed beaches.

They reopened them on Friday, Aug. 30 after results of water quality tests conducted in the Huntington Harbour showed the water was not contaminated.

“I am grateful for the hard work of the agencies involved, and happy that Huntington Harbor waters will be open for Labor Day weekend,” Michelle Steel, vice chairwoman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, said in a statement. “The closure yesterday was a precautionary measure, but testing has shown the waters were not contaminated.”

Locals flocked to beaches and waterfronts over a blistering Labor Day weekend, during which temperatures were in the 90s.

The spill did not affect water for home-use in Stanton, nor did it damage any infrasture along Dale and Monroe.

A new day has dawned in Garden Grove.

Actually, it dawned at 8 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 16.

Starting last Friday, the Orange County Fire Authority is responsible for fire and emergency medical services in the city. The Garden Grove Fire Department has been disbanded. Important note to locals: The 911 system will remain the same for residents. For emergencies, they should call 911 or text 911 if they are unable to speak.

Under the provisions of the contract, the OCFA will provide for all personnel and administration, emergency response units and equipment, including vehicle depreciation and replacement, routine station maintenance, fire prevention (plan check reviews, fire inspections and permits), and community fire education. Most of the firefighters of the city fire department will become firefighters of the OCFA.

“We welcome all Garden Grove firefighters to our family!” the OCFA wrote in a prepared statement.

Garden Grove will fall under Division 1 of the OCFA as Battalion 11. To reach battalion headquarters, the public can call 714-573-6000.

Residents and businesses of the city can find fire department services and programs at www.ocfa.org.

For information on social media, follow the OCFA on Facebook and Instagram @orangecountyfireauthority and Twitter @ocfa_pio.

PulsePoint users should follow OCFA Division 1 to receive notification of incidents in Garden Grove.

By Brady Rhoades

Four victims were killed and two injured in a savage stabbing spree that started in Garden Grove on Wednesday (Aug. 7).

Suspect Zachary Castaneda, 33, of Garden Grove, was arrested by Garden Grove and Santa Ana police on Aug. 7after a bloody two hours in which he robbed several of his stabbing victims. The crime spree started in Garden Grove; Castenada was arrested in Santa Ana.

His primary motive has not been determined.

The victims are:

Hauprich, Helmuth, 62, of Garden Grove (homicide);

A 63-year-old Garden Grove man whose identity has not been released (deceased);

Rioja, Pasqual, 39 (deceased). Pasqual worked at a Subway in Santa Ana;

Robert Ray, 58, a security guard in Santa Ana (deceased);

A female Hispanic, 54, who worked at an insurance business in Santa Ana (injured);

A 44-years-old man who worked at a Chevron in Santa Ana (injured).

Castaneda was scheduled for arraignment today (Friday, Aug. 9).

The City Council did not come to a consensus on the issue at a contentious May 28 City Council meeting, which effectively ends the issue.

About 30 speakers aired their views. The majority supported flying a rainbow or gay pride flag during the month of June.

“I’m here to voice support for flying the pride and rainbow flag,” said resident Bob Tucker.

Tucker cited an oft-used Muslim quote to drive home his point: “A lot of different flowers make up a bouquet.”

Councilwoman Kim Nguyen has brought the proposal to the City Council, sparking a city-wide debate.

Council members John O’Neill, Phat Bui and George Brietigam, who all supported a proclamation recognizing June as Gay Pride Month, did not support flying a flag.

O’Neill said the city has a policy in place, and he chooses to follow it.

“We do have a flag policy and our flag policy for the last 60 years is we only fly governmental flags.”

Brietigam criticized some supporters of the gay pride flag.

“We have various folks come here and if you have a difference of opinion… you become homophobic, racist, uncompassionate,” he said. “We can’t just have a logical difference of opinion. I’m offended by that.”

Locals in favor of flying the flag said doing so would send a message that Garden Grove supports LGBTQ+ people who have long been marginalized.

“It’s important to recognize people for who they are,” said Ethan Wynn.

Chuck Jones implored the city to display the flag, saying it’s not only the right thing to do socially, but it’s the right thing to do economically, and he concluded with this:

“Homosexuality exists in over 450 species. Homophobia exists in one. So, what are you afraid of?”

Councilwoman Kim Nguyen, Mayor Steve Jones and Councilwoman Thu-Ha Nguyen have supported flying the flag. Councilwoman Stephanie Klopfenstein was absent because of illness during the May 14, 3-3 vote on the issue. There was no vote at the May 28 meeting, but Klopfenstein seconded Councilwoman Nguyen’s motion to take a second look at the city’s flag policy.

A handful of locals urged the council to vote no on flying the flag.

“I believe we already have a flag that represents every American,” said James Webb.

Webb said if the gay pride flag is allowed to be displayed at City Hall, it will open the door for other non-governmental groups to demand that their flags be flown.

“Why not the Rebel flag?” he asked. “The Jewish flag? The Christian flag?”

One resident offered a compromise: Post all proclamations — including the proclamation recognizing Gay Pride Month — in the City Hall lobby.

Mi Nguyen and several others said LGBTQ youth are looking for affirmation; many are in despair and have attempted suicide because they are ashamed or feel unaccepted in their communities.

“This flag not only represents the LGBTQ community, it represents our story,” Nguyen said. “I’m asking you to send a message to our youth.”

At the end of the discussion, the council agreed to consider a new policy allowing commemorative flags to be displayed at City Hall. That meeting will take place June 11.

“The GGPD’s School Resource Officers’ passion and drive come from knowing that children are truly innocent victims of circumstances beyond their control,” said Garden Grove Police Chief Todd Elgin.

The SROs honored with the Raise Foundation’s Shining Light Award were: Captain Ed Leiva; Lieutenant William Allison; Sergeant Jon Wainwright; Officers Gary Elkins, Andy Flaws, Jason Fulton, Robert Kivler; and Detective David Young.

Four full-time SROs assigned to Garden Grove Unified School District intermediate and high schools help provide campus safety and create a positive connection between the community and the police department. The SROs also work closely with the Boys and Girls Club of Garden Grove and several other non-profit groups that support children’s needs.

In addition, the City of Garden Grove actively places efforts in raising awareness and preventing child abuse through family support services and events offered by the Magnolia Park Family Resource Center and the Buena Clinton Youth and Family Center.  One example is Family Fun Day, at Magnolia Park, on Thursday, April 25, where families can enjoy activities geared towards quality family time.

Other activities observing the Blue Ribbon month include a proclamation designating April 2019 as Child Abuse Prevention Month in Garden Grove to be placed on the Tuesday, April 9 regular Garden Grove City Council meeting agenda; and a pinwheel garden “planted” at the Garden Grove Chapman Library to raise awareness and memorialize children who died last year from abuse and neglect.

The Raise Foundation is officially designated as Orange County’s Child Abuse Prevention Council. For more information about the Raise Foundation’s Blue Ribbon awareness campaign, visit www.theraisefoundation.org.

By Brady Rhoades: Lenny “Nails” Dykstra, who starred in baseball at Garden Grove High and later for the Mets and Phillies, continues to get in legal trouble.

Last week, the 56-year-old former all-star pleaded guilty to misdemeanor disorderly conduct.

The conviction came after a 2019 run-in with an Uber driver. The Uber driver claimed Dykstra threatened him with a gun. Police did not find a weapon, but did find cocain, meth and Ecstasy. Dykstra was charged with drug possession and making terroristic threats.

A New Jersey judge, however, dropped the drug and terror charges.

Dykstra will pay a fine of an undisclosed amount.

Dykstra’s past troubles include prison time for grand theft auto. He has been charged multiple time with drug possession, indecent exposure and sexual assault.

Gary Taylor won Stanton’s District 3 City Council seat with 49.5 percent of the vote. Ramona M. Macias came in second with 18.6 percent of the vote, Loreen Berlin in third with 18 percent, and James Michael Scott in fourth with 13.8 percent.

BY BRADY RHOADES: Stanton Mayor David Shawver handily held onto his seat in Tuesday’s election, garnering 65.8 percent of the vote against challengers Brian Donahue (20.5 parent) and Israel Hilario-Perez (13.7 percent).

Gary Taylor won Stanton’s District 3 City Council seat with 49.5 percent of the vote. Ramona M. Macias came in second with 18.6 percent of the vote, Loreen Berlin in third with 18 percent, and James Michael Scott in fourth with 13.8 percent.

Stanton’s District 1 incumbent City Councilman Rigoberto Ramirez ran unopposed, thus holding his seat.

Votes still need to be certified in all elections, so results are still considered unofficial.

Shawver said his biggest priority moving forward is business development.

“The one thing I want to do is continue the economic development and growth of the city of Stanton,” he said.

He also thanked the more than 2,500 residents who voted for him.

“What an honor and a privilege it is to continue my work in serving the people of Stanton.”

In other races that affect Stanton, 65th District Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva, a Democrat, appeared to beat Republican challenger Alex Coronado. Quirk-Silva took 52.8 percent of the vote to Coronado’s 47.2 percent. About 4,000 votes separate them.

In the United States House of Representatives 47th District, which includes Stanton, Democrat Alan Lowenthal appeared to be victorious over Republican John Briscoe. Lowenthal garnered 50.8 percent of the votes to Briscoe’s 49.2 percent. Fewer than 1,000 votes separate them.

Following are results from Garden Grove.

MAYOR

Incumbent Steve Jones beat challenger Donald Taylor. Jones won 84.7 percent of the vote to Taylor’s 15.3 percent.

CITY COUNCIL

George S. Brietigam III appears to have won the District 1 seat. Incumbent Thu-Ha Nguyen took the District 3 seat with 70 percent of the vote. Incumbent Phat Bui won the District 4 seat.

GG SCHOOL DISTRICT

Incumbent Bob Harden held onto his seat against several challengers with 58.3 percent of the vote.

In the County Supervisor, 4th District race, Tim Shaw beat Doug Chaffee, with 44,507 votes to 42,897.

For updates on local election results, visit www.localocn.com. For full results on all California-related races, visit www.ocvote.com.

Garden Grove Fire Chief Tom Schultz will retire, effective Friday, Sept. 14.

Schultz has notified City Manager Scott Stiles of his decision. He will serve as temporary chief until the end of the year, when a City Council decision is expected on whether to retain current city fire services or eliminate the department and contract with the Orange County Fire Authority.

“It’s been my deepest privilege to serve and protect Orange County for 34 years,” Schultz said. “This is an amazing community that has shown me their care and support since Day 1… I feel this is a good decision and the right time to retire. I believe that together, we’ve made things better and made many great accomplishments, such as improving firefighter safety, service delivery to our citizens, and adoption of best industry practices. My family has been instrumental in helping me make this important decision.”

“I have the highest of commendations for the quality leadership Chief Schultz has provided for the Garden Grove Fire Department,” said Stiles.

The announcement comes as the city grapples with budget problems that have led to Measure O, a proposed 1 percent sales tax increase that will appear on the Nov. 6 ballot. City officials have said raising the local sales tax from 7.75 percent to 8.75 percent will generate enough revenue to continue funding public safety services at levels residents are accustomed to.

Under a proposal to contract fire services with the Fire Authority, the city would save money, a high level of fire services would be maintained, and most of the current fire personnel would retain their jobs with the authority, officials have said.

According to Garden Grove Human Resources Director Laura Stover, Schultz will continue to perform his fire chief duties as a retired annuitant, at the same hourly rate he currently receives, and will not receive pension or non-hourly rate benefits. Under CalPERS requirements, he cannot serve for more than 960 hours in the fiscal year (July through June).

Schultz joined the City of Garden Grove on April 29, 2015, following a 30-year career with the Fullerton Fire Department.