The college conversation: Her daughter is headed off to school

LISA McLAUGHLIN, Daily Pilot columnist

My 5-year-old heads off to kindergarten this week, and even though she’s been in preschool and pre-K for three years, I’m a mess.

This transition is the real deal, and I’m beside myself wondering if I’ll have enough tissues the first day.

She, on the other hand, is ecstatic. The thought of new friends. New clothes. What her new teacher will be like.

And, more than that, she can’t wait to get back to school and learn. The Montessori school that she attended for three years called the time when students were focusing on academics “work,” so she’s really excited for new “work.”
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Letters to the editor: Hoag Irvine, JWA issues

Hoag Hospital, Irvine

This is one of those reports that is very uplifting (“Care catered to Asian Americans,” Aug. 29). At first, it makes you feel proud of your fellow citizens. Just how far as citizens we will go to accommodate all cultures and traditions of the known world while paying little attention to our own. We print government documents in various languages for all those to exercise their rights as citizens or permanent residents. Major corporations have several languages you can choose to carry on business, as the common language is splintered into many parts.

Over catering to Mexicans in the public school system and through law enforcement or lack of law enforcement has been costly. We have gone from a time when Californians were just the average citizen. With the same problems and joys as the rest of the citizens in California. Fast forward to today and we are almost completely segregated from Mexicans by location, language, culture and flag.

This all started with the poor nurse that thought she was bringing a refreshing dessert — a popsicle — to a new mother. The nurse didn’t expect anyone to be ’shocked’ for such a simple kindness. Instead the nurse was lectured on how and what she should know before being a nurse. When in reality it was the patient and family who should learn the customs, language and traditions of this nation. Which now seems like a distant dream as to immigrants actually adopting their new nation state as their own.

Does E Pluribus Unum, ‘out of many, one’ have any importance or important meaning in today’s culture? If it does we need to work on it a little more. Or, we will continue to become ‘out of many, the tower of babel of many more’ that will not hold us together as a nation state or the several states. A vast waste land, of different areas, where we have nothing in common except the wars between us.

August Lightfoot

Newport Beach

ps: The website is now available with sections in Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Korean. Calif. Senator’s website.
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UC Irvine shortens but won’t lift campus ban on Muslim group, students say

Forget the U.S. Open. These guys play with wooden rackets

COSTA MESA — It all started in 1999, when friends Clay Peterson and Johnny McCray bought neighboring homes.

While unpacking, Peterson came upon a wooden tennis racquet and they started to hit balls in Peterson’s tennis court.

Then they had an idea.

“Why don’t we have a tournament and have people dress up?” Peterson thought.

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Man found dead on street in Santa Ana

Dozens of $20 bills lay like confetti on a Santa Ana street Friday after a 55-year-old man was killed during a robbery just hours after winning several thousand dollars at a casino in Hawaiian Gardens.

Santa Ana police were alerted to the South Andres Place killing about 5:30 a.m. by a woman screaming for help.

Arriving officers discovered a man laying in the street, having apparently been run over by an assailant.

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The Crowd: Event raises $104K for charity

By B.W. Cook, Daily Pilot columnist

The final fundraising tally for the 2010 O.C. Baron’s Speakeasy summer party has topped $140,500. Chaired by the super dedicated Carol Wilken and Kay Burra, the 12th annual event, to raise money for the fight against cancer in Orange County, unfolded at the Crevier Classic Car Barn adjacent to John Wayne Airport. More than 200 guests, many in 1920sattire, in keeping with the party theme, enjoyed catering by Soiree amidst the magnificent automobiles housed in the warehouse. Auctioneer Charles Dreyer pushed the live auction merchandise while the crowd checked out a massive silent auction to boot. Enjoying the sounds of Bobby Mustos and the Sidecar Jazz were party organizers Margo Ferris, Connie Cruz, Nancy and Bob Johnston, Anne Moore, Barbara Steinberg, Paul Kamholz, David and Betty Comegys and Susan Ballou.
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City Life: Spend time with your kids — now

By Steve Smith, Daily Pilot columnist

My father was not a wealthy man. Not even close. But he now has something in common with Donald Bren, the billionaire chairman of the Irvine Co.

A few days before my father passed away 10 years ago, he told me he wished he’d spent more time with his four boys.

During Bren’s testimony in the trial to determine whether he owed more money to two children born out of wedlock 18 and 22 years ago, Bren was asked by one of his lawyers whether he regretted not having spent more time with them.

“I do,” he replied.
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Christian Dior opens at South Coast Plaza

Christian Dior lovers now have a new reason to adore Dior.

The Christian Dior store at South Coast Plaza celebrated its grand reopening Wednesday night complete with flowing Champagne, models in the designer’s latest dresses and an appearance by actress Eva Mendes, who’s been photographed on several occasions with a camel colored Dior Libertine Hobo bag slung over her shoulder.

The store location may be the same, cater-cornered from Hermes in the Costa Mesa uber-mall, but the interior has undergone a complete facelift. The space was gutted and then remodeled for three months to create separate salons for ready-to-wear shoes, fine jewelry and watches.

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Angels’ Jordan Walden steps in as surprise setup man

The first two names made sense. Jepsen has been one of the Angels’ primary setup men since 2009, and Rodriguez, though a rookie, has emerged this season as a fairly reliable right-hander.

But Walden? The 22-year-old right-hander had been in the big leagues for all of six days at the time, and he was being tabbed as one of the team’s top short relievers?

Hall is the man for JSerra

Newport Beach resident Jake Hall, a junior at JSerra High, is the Lions’ starting quarterback this year.

Hall got a chance for a reunion of sorts Thursday night, as his Lions played host to Newport Harbor in a scrimmage. Hall grew up with several of the current Sailors in the Newport-Mesa Junior All-American Football program. He was on the 2006 Pee-Wee level team that made it to the Super Bowl.

Hall, who threw one touchdown pass against Newport Harbor in the scrimmage, will lead the rising Lions, who won their first Trinity League game in four years last season.