O.C. Now » Tom Ragan

To speak for his peers

Tom Ragan — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 01:45:46 +0000

Nicolas Jaber is now a member of the jet set.

The junior at Newport Harbor High School will serve on the California School Board Assn. as a student representative for its legislative committee.

Translation: At 16, Jaber will occasionally fly to Sacramento to review legislation that affects school districts across the Golden State, including his own district, the Newport-Mesa Unified School District.

…Continue reading To speak for his peers

Memorial set for victim

Tom Ragan — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 19:00:44 +0000

COSTA MESA — A memorial for a Mission Viejo resident who was fatally stabbed in Costa Mesa on New Year’s Day, has been set for Saturday afternoon.

Robert Sickles’ ashes will be buried in the cemetery at the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, family members said Tuesday.

“It’s senseless,” his father, Jim Sickles, 49, said in a phone interview from his Mission Viejo home. “These guys don’t go looking for fights.”

He was referring to his son, Robert, 27, and Robert’s brother, David Sickles, 21, whom Robert had been apparently trying to protect just moments before Robert was stabbed in the chest.

…Continue reading Memorial set for victim

Hubbard’s preliminary hearing set for Jan. 18

Tom Ragan — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 16:45:47 +0000

LOS ANGELES — Jeffrey Hubbard pleaded not guilty Monday to two felony counts of misappropriation of funds while serving previously as superintendent of the Beverly Hills Unified School District.

Judge Keith L. Schwartz set a preliminary hearing for Jan. 18 in Department 142 at the Los Angeles County Superior Court’s Airport branch near Los Angeles International Airport. The judge released Hubbard on his own recognizance but told the superintendent that he had until Jan. 14 to turn himself in for fingerprinting and booking.

Hubbard’s arraignment started Monday morning in the Beverly Hills courthouse but was moved to the courthouse near LAX after Judge Elden S. Fox recused himself, saying that he knew Hubbard.

…Continue reading Hubbard’s preliminary hearing set for Jan. 18

Baby born with a 1-1-11 birthday

Tom Ragan — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 01:00:41 +0000

Tori Elizabeth Freed, weighing in at 6 pounds, 6 ounces, was the first baby of the year to be born at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian.

She was born two minutes after midnight and two weeks ahead of schedule, father Dan Freed, 40, said at the hospital.

“We weren’t prepared. We figured we had at least a couple of weeks,” said Freed, whose wife, Kari, 38, wasn’t expecting to give birth until Jan. 15. “We were just relaxing at home, watching the ball drop at Times Square and watching everybody celebrate New Year’s in New York.”

Then, about a half hour later, Freed said, “the water broke.”

…Continue reading Baby born with a 1-1-11 birthday

Judge recuses himself from Hubbard’s case

Tom Ragan — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 18:52:25 +0000

The judge recused himself Monday morning from Supt. Jeffrey Hubbard’s case, saying he knew the former Beverly Hills school district superintendent, according to the attorney for Hubbard’s co-defendant.

Additionally, one of Beverly Hills Superior Court Judge Elden Fox’s children attended Beverly Hills High School so there is a conflict of interest as well, Karen Anne Christiansen’s attorney Philip Kaufler said.

Hubbard was not at the courtroom as of 10:45 a.m. Monday. The court is trying to find another judge.

Man killed at Hilton

Tom Ragan — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 18:15:21 +0000

A Mission Viejo resident was fatally stabbed in the chest early Saturday morning outside the Hilton Orange County/Costa Mesa Hotel in what was the city’s and Orange County’s first homicide of the year, police said.

The suspect is being treated for his injuries at Mission Hospital and is in police custody, said Lt. Bryan Glass, a public information officer with the Costa Mesa police department.

The victim was identified by police as Robert Sickles, who was allegedly stabbed by Adam Baker, 23, of Dana Point. The report came in at 1:57 a.m.

…Continue reading Man killed at Hilton

Homicide reported at Hilton

Tom Ragan — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 18:19:05 +0000

A homicide was reported early Saturday at the Hilton Orange County/Costa Mesa Hotel, police Sgt. Jerry Hildeman said.

He said detectives are still piecing together the murder, which was reported at 1:57 a.m. at the hotel, 3050 Bristol St.

Foley lets go of council seat

Tom Ragan — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 23:45:31 +0000

Katrina Foley, who has sat on the Costa Mesa City Council and the Newport-Mesa school board for almost three weeks, officially resigned her council seat Thursday.

The resignation, which Foley e-mailed to City Manager Allan Roeder and City Atty. Kimberly Hall Barlow, will take effect Friday.

“I had some unfinished council business to attend to, including weighing in on the appointment of Tom Hatch as the new city manager,” she wrote in an e-mail to the Daily Pilot. “I’m ready to move on in my new role as school board trustee. ”

…Continue reading Foley lets go of council seat

Palm fronds blamed for power outage

Tom Ragan — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 21:30:46 +0000

NEWPORT BEACH — High winds generated by Wednesday’s storms blew palm fronds into power lines, knocking out electricity for about 4,500 customers in Costa Mesa and Newport Beach for almost four hours, according to Southern California Edison officials.

Paul Klein, a spokesman from the electrical company headquarters in Rosemead, said the power went out at 4:12 p.m. and wasn’t fully restored until 8:11 p.m. In all, 4,468 customers lost power.

…Continue reading Palm fronds blamed for power outage

Hubbard charges delayed

Tom Ragan — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 20:30:38 +0000

Jeffrey Hubbard, left, the superintendent of the Newport-Mesa Unified School District, and an unidentified acquaintance arrive at the Santa Monica court house. (SCOTT SMELTZER, Daily Pilot / December 26, 2010)

LOS ANGELES — Newport-Mesa Supt. Jeffrey Hubbard’s arraignment was postponed a week after 4 1/2 hours of court proceedings at three different courthouses Monday.

Hubbard and co-defendant Karen Anne Christiansen are to appear in a Beverly Hills court Monday to face felony charges of misusing funds when they worked together in the Beverly Hills School District.

The defendants began proceedings 9 a.m. in Beverly Hills, were sent to a Santa Monica courthouse and then to the Airport Courthouse as attorneys determined which judge should hear the case.

Hubbard left court freely in his charcoal-gray suit, but Christiansen wasn’t as fortunate.

…Continue reading Hubbard charges delayed