Anaheim Signs
18571 E. Tango Ave.
Anaheim California 92807
(714) 270-0322
Email:
rick@anaheimsigns.com
https://www.anaheimsigns.com
Providing custom business signs to local business's. Quick turnaround on Lighted Channel Letters, 3D Letters, Business Signs.
We manufacture all our own sign products. In a Rush? We can Help you. We can produce your business sign in one or two days in some cases.
In a few months, people may be lining up at the OC Fair and Event Center for live music, corn dogs and the giant Ferris wheel. But first they are lining up there for COVID-19 vaccinations – which could help make the in-person fair planned this summer a reality.
The county on Wednesday, March 31, opened its latest mass vaccination site at the Costa Mesa fairgrounds, adding a fourth option to the Soka University site in Aliso Viejo and twin sites in Anaheim (a walk-up clinic at the Convention Center and drive-thru site at Disneyland).
OC Supervisor Katrina Foley, whose Board of Supervisors District 2 includes the fairgrounds, called it “the beginning of what is to be the future for fun in Orange County.”
But she also shared a sobering reminder of the past year: at this time in 2020, the county had seen roughly 500 cases of COVID-19; today more than 250,000 positive tests have been logged. About a dozen OC residents had been killed by the virus then, a figure that has now grown to more than 4,700 people.
Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley speaks during the announcement of a newly opened drive through COVID-19 vaccination site at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, CA on Wednesday, March 31, 2021. Listening is Orange County Health Care Agency Director Dr. Clayton Chau. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Car of people wait in line at a newly opened COVID-19 drive through vaccination site at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, CA on Wednesday, March 31, 2021. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
OC Fair & Events Center Board of Directors Chair Natalie Rubalcava-Garcia speaks during the announcement of a newly opened drive through COVID-19 vaccination site at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, CA on Wednesday, March 31, 2021. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Car of people wait in line at a newly opened COVID-19 drive through vaccination site at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, CA on Wednesday, March 31, 2021. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
People wait in line at the walk-up section of a newly opened COVID-19 vaccination site at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, CA on Wednesday, March 31, 2021. People can also stay in their cars to get the vaccinated. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Orange County Health Care Agency Director Dr. Clayton Chau speaks during the announcement of a newly opened drive through COVID-19 vaccination site at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, CA on Wednesday, March 31, 2021. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A worker gives a COVID-19 vaccination at a newly opened drive through site at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, CA on Wednesday, March 31, 2021. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
But county officials pointed to hopeful news too: more than 527,000 people have been inoculated at the county’s mobile clinics and “super PODs” (points of dispensing), and more than 1.5 million doses have been given to OC residents (the two main vaccines in use are two-shot regimens) through local health care providers, pharmacies, the county and other sources.
About 2,000 vaccinations a day are expected at the fairgrounds site.
Expanding vaccine eligibility
Starting Thursday, April 1, the state is opening vaccinations to anyone 50 and older, after bringing the eligible age down from 75 to 65 in mid-January. Other specific categories, including people with certain disabilities or health conditions and workers in education, food industries and health care, also are eligible regardless of age.
Here’s what to know:
If you already registered through Orange County’s Othena app or website (www.othena.com), you don’t have to do it again. Othena will send notifications inviting people in the order they registered to schedule an appointment once they’re eligible and a vaccine dose is available for them.
Othena schedules appointments for county-run sites in Anaheim, Aliso Viejo and Costa Mesa and some smaller or mobile sites. You can also use the state’s My Turn website (www.myturn.ca.gov), check with your medical provider, or try a local pharmacy (CVS, Rite Aid and Walgreens are among those with federal contracts to give shots).
There’s no out-of-pocket cost for vaccination, though you may be asked for health insurance information if you have coverage.
Not 50 or older yet? Wait two weeks. The state is expanding eligibility to everyone 16 and older on April 15.
Need proof of vaccination? It will be available through Othena sometime in April, in the form of a QR code you can display on your smartphone. If you didn’t make your vaccine appointment through Othena, you can still register there and get your QR code when the option rolls out – the county has access to state data on who’s gotten their shots.
The size of the gift Lennar Foundation just awarded City of Hope Orange County is eye-popping: $50 million.
Made public on Wednesday, March 31, the money represents the biggest gift yet in the three-year-old effort by City of Hope to bring its expertise in fighting cancer to Orange County.
It’s also the second-largest donation in City of Hope’s 108-year history. The organization has been known for its hospital and research center in Duarte, but the move into Orange County is part of an expansion that will include a specialty hospital, two outpatient treatment centers and a planned network of services that will be closer to home for Orange County patients.
Annette M. Walker, president of City of Hope Orange County, called Lennar Foundation’s donation a “gift to our children” because of the future possibilities it unlocks. Walker spoke on a conference call that included Jon Jaffe, co-chief executive officer and co-president of Miami-based homebuilder Lennar Corp., and City of Hope’s chief philanthropy officer, Kristin J. Bertell.
“The impact of this gift is going to be felt for generations,” Walker said.
The 4th Floor Infusion area of the future Lennar Foundation Cancer Center at City of Hope Orange County. (Rendering courtesy of City of Hope Orange County)
The patient and family arrivals area for the future Lennar Foundation Cancer Center at City of Hope Orange County. (Rendering courtesy of City of Hope Orange County)
The future Lennar Foundation Cancer Center at City of Hope Orange County. (Rendering courtesy of City of Hope Orange County)
The lobby of the future Lennar Foundation Cancer Center at City of Hope Orange County. (Rendering courtesy of City of Hope Orange County)
The reception area of the future Lennar Foundation Cancer Center at City of Hope Orange County. (Rendering courtesy of City of Hope Orange County)
The patient care room of the future Lennar Foundation Cancer Center at City of Hope Orange County. (Rendering courtesy of City of Hope Orange County)
The exam room of the future Lennar Foundation Cancer Center at City of Hope Orange County. (Rendering courtesy of City of Hope Orange County)
The future 190,000-square-foot Lennar Foundation Cancer Center at City of Hope Orange County will be located on 11 acres at Five Point’s Great Park in the heart of Irvine. (Rendering courtesy of City of Hope Orange County)
The Porte Cochere shown at night for the future Lennar Foundation Cancer Center at City of Hope Orange County. (Rendering courtesy of City of Hope Orange County)
Bertell said Lennar Foundation’s philanthropy follows a $100 million award to City of Hope made six weeks ago by its own research director, Dr. Arthur Riggs. Riggs has earned his wealth through pioneering work at City of Hope that includes development of the technology to create synthetic human insulin for diabetics. The research center in Duarte has been renamed the Arthur Riggs Diabetes & Metabolism Research Institute after the researcher, who has contributed more than $310 million over his three-decade tenure at City of Hope.
Walker and Bertell said the gift from Lennar will enhance the care provided to patients at the Orange County facilities and possibly spur other local donors to make their own stake in the Irvine project. Naming rights are in play: the 190,000-square-foot outpatient center set to open next year is now known as the Lennar Foundation Cancer Center.
City of Hope’s outpatient center in Newport Beach, which opened in January 2020, was the first piece in the cancer care provider’s planned $1 billion investment in Orange County.
Though Walker said it is too soon to say what specific cancer-related services will be supported by the $50 million donation, she termed it “transformational.”
“A gift of this magnitude is going to touch all parts of that cancer center.”
An unspecified portion of the money will go toward research and development of precision medicine to prevent, treat and cure cancer. Lennar is helping to launch a new partnership between City of Hope Orange County and Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami in Florida.
City of Hope officials believe the relationship with Miami-based Sylvester Center, which serves an economically and racially diverse population, will help researchers get a better understanding of the health care inequities in Orange County, including some that have been exposed by the pandemic.
“We’re excited to help bring about equality in health care,” said Jaffe, who lives in Orange County and was a 2004 recipient of City of Hope’s “Spirit of Life” award.
Jaffe suggested his company’s gift was made possible by its ongoing relationship with City of Hope and the partnership with Sylvester. He said Lennar made similar financial support to the University of Miami health care system.
“It was only a natural extension of our partnership for Lennar to step up,” said Jaffe, whose Lennar Corp. office in Irvine is in a building next to the cancer treatment center, all part of the FivePoint Gateway campus near the Great Park.
City of Hope Orange County has set a goal of raising $300 million by 2025, when the hospital is expected to open. Bertell declined to disclose how much of that money is in hand, but said contributions so far have come from about 12,000 donors and that overall fundraising will beat the stated goal.
“We’re very confident we are going to blow that $300 million away,” Bertell said.
Another gift in the range of the amount contributed by Lennar Foundation could include naming rights for the cancer-centric hospital that will be adjacent to the Irvine outpatient center. Walker said conversations with potential donors have turned more “serious and significant” as construction in Irvine has advanced enough for City of Hope Orange County to show what’s underway.
“We believe the gift from Lennar will inspire all the people we’ve been talking to.”
LOS ANGELES — A Mexican man was charged Tuesday with coordinating a smuggling effort that left 13 people dead when their overloaded SUV was struck by a big-rig after crossing the border into California.
Jose Cruz Noguez, 47, of Mexicali, was arrested Monday night as he crossed into the United States at the Calexico Port of Entry. He appeared Tuesday in federal court in El Centro and faces conspiracy and smuggling charges involving serious injury or placing lives in danger, according to a statement from the U.S. attorney’s office.
He was assigned federal public defenders and ordered held in custody, the statement said.
Prosecutors say Cruz organized a smuggling run in which 25 people were crammed into a 1997 Ford Expedition that drove through a hole cut in a border fence on March 2.
The vehicle was driving through California’s agricultural Imperial Valley when it was broadsided at an intersection near Holtville by a tractor-trailer hauling two empty trailers, authorities said.
The crash site was about 125 miles (200 kilometers) east of San Diego.
Seventeen occupants were Mexican — 10 who died, including the driver, and seven who were injured. Nine had major injuries, including two Guatemalans, authorities said.
The youngest victim was a 15-year-old girl who was treated for major injuries.
The Border Patrol has said surveillance video taken about 90 minutes before the accident showed the Expedition and a Chevrolet Suburban drive through an opening in the border wall about 30 miles (48 kilometers) east of the crash site. The Suburban carried 19 people, and it caught fire for unknown reasons on a nearby interstate after entering the U.S. All escaped the vehicle and were taken into custody by the Border Patrol, which said it was not pursuing either SUV.
Cruz was taken into custody after another suspected smuggler was arrested at a California border station two weeks after the crash. That man said Cruz had offered him $1,000 per passenger to drive the sport utility vehicle that crashed, but he declined, according to the criminal complaint.
The alleged smuggler claimed he had known Cruz for several years, had crossed the border illegally six months ago, was living in El Centro and had started working for Cruz by driving immigrants from El Centro to Los Angeles, according to the criminal complaint cited in the U.S. attorney’s office statement.
“According to the associate, Cruz oversees the transportation of individuals who are in the United States illegally to stash houses; collects smuggling payments from family members or sponsors; recruits drivers; and scouts for the presence of law enforcement,” the statement said.
Last Friday, the suspected smuggler made a phone call to Cruz that was secretly recorded by law enforcement agents during which Cruz confirmed he was involved in the March 2 smuggling operation and had collected money, according to the criminal complaint.
“Further, Cruz stated there were 60 ‘Pollos’ – his term for customers – in the two vehicles and the driver was going to make $28,000,” the statement said, citing the complaint.
“These smuggling networks seek maximum profit by moving as many people as possible across the border with zero regard for their safety and well-being,” acting U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman said in the statement. “Cramming dozens of people into eight-passenger vehicles and driving recklessly to avoid detection shows an utter disregard for human life. We will find and prosecute smugglers who use these methods and cause such tragic and avoidable deaths.”
Cruz didn’t enter a plea at Tuesday’s hearing. His arraignment is scheduled for April 27. He could face 20 years or more in federal prison if convicted.
LOS ANGELES — Spirit Airlines on Wednesday announced its expansion into international service, with daily flights between Los Angeles International Airport and Los Cabos International Airport starting May 5, and nonstop flights to Puerto Vallarta’s Licenciado Gustavo Diaz Ordaz International Airport starting July 1.
Spirit will also offer the only nonstop flights from LAX to Columbus, Milwaukee, LaGuardia and Louisville, as well as a new nonstop flight to St. Louis, substantially expanding the airline’s flight offerings in Southern California.
“Our new nonstop routes to Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta mark our first-ever international service out of LAX and are great complements to our beyond continental 48 route map which now serves 30 destinations in Latin American and the Caribbean,” said John Kirby, vice president of network planning at Spirit Airlines. “In addition, our convenient new nonstop domestic flights, along with our low competitive fares, create even more great getaway options for our guests in the L.A. Basin.”
Justin Erbacci, CEO of Los Angeles World Airports, welcomed the news.
“With travel beginning to rebound, we are excited that Spirit Airlines is adding international service to Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta, as well as expanding domestic service from Los Angeles International Airport,” he said. “LAX is the West Coast gateway to the world and these new nonstop destinations will provide new options for travelers who are ready to fly again.”
In 1999, Spirit launched its service in California with flights out of LAX, and later grew to serve Sacramento, Oakland and San Diego. Recently, the low-fare carrier added service to Burbank and Orange County.
The pace of pending home sales nationwide fell in February by the most since April as rising home prices, pricier loans, and a shortage of available properties deterred buyers.
The National Association of Realtors’ index of pending home sales decreased 10.6% from the prior month to 110.3, the lowest reading since May, according to data released Wednesday. Contract signings were down 2.7% from the same period in 2020 on an unadjusted basis.
Surging home prices and low inventory are slowing the pandemic-era housing boom, evidenced by declines in contract signings in all four U.S. regions. In addition, severe winter weather limited purchases during February. At the same time the average rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage has been increasing, which may affect buyer demand in the coming months.
“The demand for a home purchase is widespread, multiple offers are prevalent, and days-on-market are swift but contracts are not clicking due to record-low inventory,” Lawrence Yun, chief economist at the NAR, said in a statement.
By region, contract signings fell the most in the South, where winter storms curtailed business activity and led to a 13% slump in pending home sales. In the Midwest, sales declined 9.5% and in the Northeast they fell 9.2%. In the West, they decreased 7.4%.
It’s not just slim choices. Prices are soaring. The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller house price index, released Tuesday, showed a 11.2% jump in January from a year ago — the fastest in 15 years, after rising 10.4% in December.
Financing is costlier, too. After falling to an all-time low of 2.65% in January, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage hit 3.17% on March 25, the highest level in more than nine months. While borrowing costs are expected to continue to rise, NAR’s Yun said he doesn’t expect rates to exceed 3.5% this year.
Contract signings are considered a barometer of purchases that will take place in the next two months. Previously, the Commerce Department reported that home construction fell sharply, slipping 10.3% in February due to severe winter weather in much of the country. Applications for new building permits, considered a good indication of future activity, fell for the first time since October.
Economists have been optimistic that housing will bounce back in coming months. Rising demand has been fueled by Americans who have been cooped up as the coronavirus pandemic drags on past the one-year mark.
Bloomberg news and Associated Press contributed to this report.
When Rod’s Liquor closed on Jan. 31, 2020, Old Towne Orange lost a beloved landmark, a community treasure since 1949. So its owners, the Fraser family, reached out to Bosscat Kitchen & Libations to strike a deal in hopes it would help preserve the neighborhood.
Bosscat Kitchen & Libations Orange has opened in the former location of Rod’s Liquor on Chapman Avenue in Old Towne. The popular restaurant/bar was a pioneer in the forefront of the craft cocktail movement in Orange County and already has locations in Newport Beach and Houston. Dining tables have been fitted with period piece plumbing fixtures. (Photos by Greg Andersen, Contributing Photographer)
Bosscat Kitchen & Libations Orange has opened in the former location of Rod’s Liquor on Chapman Avenue in Old Towne. The popular restaurant/bar was a pioneer in the forefront of the craft cocktail movement in Orange County and already has locations in Newport Beach and Houston. A sitting area just outside of the whiskey room offers retro seating to customers. (Photos by Greg Andersen, Contributing Photographer)
Bosscat Kitchen & Libations Orange has opened in the former location of Rod’s Liquor on Chapman Avenue in Old Towne. The popular restaurant/bar was a pioneer in the forefront of the craft cocktail movement in Orange County and already has locations in Newport Beach and Houston. Bird cages hold liquor bottles in the window of the whiskey room. (Photos by Greg Andersen, Contributing Photographer)
Bosscat Kitchen & Libations Orange has opened in the former location of Rod’s Liquor on Chapman Avenue in Old Towne. The popular restaurant/bar was a pioneer in the forefront of the craft cocktail movement in Orange County and already has locations in Newport Beach and Houston. Retro fan/light fixtures give a bespoke look to the whiskey room. (Photos by Greg Andersen, Contributing Photographer)
Bosscat Kitchen & Libations Orange has opened in the former location of Rod’s Liquor on Chapman Avenue in Old Towne. The popular restaurant/bar was a pioneer in the forefront of the craft cocktail movement in Orange County and already has locations in Newport Beach and Houston. Horse and buggy style upholstery are used for seating in the main dining room.(Photos by Greg Andersen, Contributing Photographer)
Bosscat Kitchen & Libations Orange has opened in the former location of Rod’s Liquor on Chapman Avenue in Old Towne. The popular restaurant/bar was a pioneer in the forefront of the craft cocktail movement in Orange County and already has locations in Newport Beach and Houston. The whiskey room includes a table using oak that used to be the original floor of Rod’s Liquor. (Photos by Greg Andersen, Contributing Photographer)
Bosscat Kitchen & Libations Orange has opened in the former location of Rod’s Liquor on Chapman Avenue in Old Towne. The popular restaurant/bar was a pioneer in the forefront of the craft cocktail movement in Orange County and already has locations in Newport Beach and Houston. (Photos by Greg Andersen, Contributing Photographer)
Bosscat Kitchen & Libations Orange has opened in the former location of Rod’s Liquor on Chapman Avenue in Old Towne. The popular restaurant/bar was a pioneer in the forefront of the craft cocktail movement in Orange County and already has locations in Newport Beach and Houston. The dining area contains the ice machine door that was a part of Rod’s Liquor. (Photos by Greg Andersen, Contributing Photographer)
Bosscat Kitchen & Libations Orange has opened in the former location of Rod’s Liquor on Chapman Avenue in Old Towne. The popular restaurant/bar was a pioneer in the forefront of the craft cocktail movement in Orange County and already has locations in Newport Beach and Houston. (Photos by Greg Andersen, Contributing Photographer)
Bosscat Kitchen & Libations Orange has opened in the former location of Rod’s Liquor on Chapman Avenue in Old Towne. The popular restaurant/bar was a pioneer in the forefront of the craft cocktail movement in Orange County and already has locations in Newport Beach and Houston. An original neon sign commemorating Rod’s Liquor was used in the whiskey room. (Photos by Greg Andersen, Contributing Photographer)
Bosscat Kitchen & Libations Orange has opened in the former location of Rod’s Liquor on Chapman Avenue in Old Towne. The popular restaurant/bar was a pioneer in the forefront of the craft cocktail movement in Orange County and already has locations in Newport Beach and Houston. A photo of how the front of Rod’s Liquor back in the day hangs on one of the walls near the bar. (Photos by Greg Andersen, Contributing Photographer)
Bosscat Kitchen & Libations Orange has opened in the former location of Rod’s Liquor on Chapman Avenue in Old Towne. The popular restaurant/bar was a pioneer in the forefront of the craft cocktail movement in Orange County and already has locations in Newport Beach and Houston. The dining area contains the ice machine door that was a part of Rod’s Liquor. (Photos by Greg Andersen, Contributing Photographer)
Bosscat Kitchen & Libations Orange has opened in the former location of Rod’s Liquor on Chapman Avenue in Old Towne. The popular restaurant/bar was a pioneer in the forefront of the craft cocktail movement in Orange County and already has locations in Newport Beach and Houston. New signage outside shows Bosscat’s branding. (Photos by Greg Andersen, Contributing Photographer)
Bosscat Kitchen & Libations Orange has opened in the former location of Rod’s Liquor on Chapman Avenue in Old Towne. The popular restaurant/bar was a pioneer in the forefront of the craft cocktail movement in Orange County and already has locations in Newport Beach and Houston. The front entrance area offers an open-air style experience for diners complete with gas-pump replicas as part of the decor.
(Photos by Greg Andersen, Contributing Photographer)
Bosscat Kitchen & Libations Orange has opened in the former Rod’s Liquor on Chapman Avenue in Old Towne. Owners John “JT” Reed and Leslie Nguyen, pose at the restaurant, Bosscat already has locations in Newport Beach and Houston.
(Courtesy of Wales Communications)
Bosscat proprietor John “JT” Reed said his wife, co-owner Leslie Nguyen, fell in love with Rod’s at first sight, grabbing his arm so hard she made a bruise. “Her first thing was, ‘We want to keep it all. I don’t want to change any of it,’” said Reed of her immediate attraction to the place.
She told him they should “gently layer the Bosscat brand on top of” what was already there. “As soon as she said that it made so much sense to me,” Reed said.
Bosscat opened Tuesday, March 30 and for those who have not yet gotten a chance to check it out, here’s a sneak peek at its new look and info on what to expect from the menu and the atmosphere.
Background: Initially, Nguyen and Reed were a bit hesitant to make a move because they were concerned locals might think outsiders were trying to change Rod’s too much. But the Fraser family encouraged them to dig right in. The Frasers had previously turned down other buyers who they felt weren’t a good fit.
“We’re really happy we teamed up with Bosscat and I think they’ve done a fantastic job,” said Rick Fraser, former Rod’s Liquor owner.
“The liquor store has meant so much to the community,” said Rick’s son, Rod Fraser. “To have that in here and kept in place, I think it’s going to go over really well with everybody.”
The look: How do you remodel a place that was once a horse-drawn buggy repair, a gas station/auto shop and then an ice house/liquor store? Nguyen, a style whiz, worked with a local firm, AO Architects, and Platinum X Construction to preserve as much as possible. Luckily Bosscat’s brand is rustic and industrial in a retro, almost steampunk, way that meshed with Rod’s.
She repurposed part of the original floor into a big common table. She took spigots and conveyor devices from the building’s auto shop days and transformed them into stands for high-top tables. She added special touches, like an antique pedal sewing machine and gold hanging bird cages that display premium whiskey bottles.
Faux gas pumps are still out front. The ice machine door dominates the dining room. Two of Rod’s neon signs have been set in places of honor. Photos of the Fraser family are mixed in with photos of Reed’s family, who were also restaurant owners in New York state.
The layout will be much more comfortable. Architects took a 1,000-square-foot liquor store and expanded out to the walls, creating a 5,000-square footprint by removing the storeroom and pulling out the loft to reveal high ceilings with skylights.
Now there’s an open kitchen, a 1,300 square-foot patio created from the drive-through, a dining room, a bar, a whiskey room for private dining (seats 14) and a “library” for private dining (seats 4-6). Full capacity is 150 seats but Bosscat will go slow and remain at 25% capacity inside through the end of April.
You’ll still know you’re in a Bosscat if you’ve ever been to the Newport Beach or Houston locations. Blue leather banquettes, steel, dark wood and copper cocktail shakers at the bar all give it that cozy, lived-in feel.
The new owners spent more than $1 million for the reno but they’re keeping the actual number close to the vest. Rest assured they didn’t overspend on velvet curtains and formal furniture. Still, there are tasteful bespoke touches like a lovely Victorian-style couch and a few Persian rugs.
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The vibe: Authentically retro. The brick walls are real and the recycled wood comes from the building itself. There is even a woody scent that comes with age and cannot be replicated. Could it be that the walls are infused with small whiffs of 1920s cigarettes and cologne? A perfect setting for sipping gin and whiskey.
A few nights before opening, passersby could not stop gazing into the windows. Their presence and all the pedestrian traffic of Old Towne should keep the scene lively.
Food: Chef Charlene Doan will work under the tutelage of Executive Chef Peter Petro. Corey Muir is the brand’s regional chef. The comfort food menu will be identical to Newport’s with the same pricing, $38-$42 per person, with a drink included. But new items will be added. Owners will be gathering feedback from locals and adding dishes and drinks accordingly. A cocktail named after Rod’s was already in R&D before the opening.
Drinks: Bosscat has been a pioneer in the craft cocktail movement in Orange County. But its drinks aren’t fussy. “Our cocktail program was never meant to be mixolology,” Reed said. “Matt Sharp, our bar director, always had a very clean and very clear vision with a lot of pre-Prohibition style cocktails: pretty simple, very neat, very approachable. That makes a lot of sense when you look at the history of this property.” Of course there’s wine, and taps will always be local so look for Chapman Crafted and other favorite brews.
What to wear: Casual but cool. Anything you would wear on date night.
Family friendly brunch: Bosscat is known for its craft cocktails and the crowd is typically 25-45, but since Orange is home to lots of families, the restaurant will start brunch early on the weekends. That’s the best time to go with the kids and order favorites like the “Donut Burger” and Fruity Pebbles French Toast. Fresh treats from Miss Mini Donuts, Nguyen’s delicious side hustle, will be sold.
Info: 118 W. Chapman Ave., Orange, 714-716-1599, bosscatkitchen.com. Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Wednesday; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Thursday-Friday; 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday for brunch, 3-11 p.m. for dinner; 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday for brunch, 3-9 p.m. for dinner.
The last word: Reed, who grew up in a small town in upstate New York, was inspired by Old Towne. “One of the first times that we looked at the space, it gave me a lot of pride because my hometown had a hometown America feel, and this was the one of the first locations I really felt that,” he said. “I felt the community support. And at first it wasn’t necessarily a positive thing, like ‘Why are you here? Why are you putting Rod’s out?’ But, you know, they just really wanted to make sure that we were coming here to be authentic and to help the community.”
The size of the gift Lennar Foundation just awarded City of Hope Orange County is eye-popping: $50 million.
Made public on Wednesday, March 31, the money represents the biggest gift yet in the three-year-old effort by City of Hope to bring its expertise in fighting cancer to Orange County.
It’s also the second-largest donation in City of Hope’s 108-year history. The organization has been known for its hospital and research center in Duarte, but the move into Orange County is part of an expansion that will include a specialty hospital, two outpatient treatment centers and a planned network of services that will be closer to home for Orange County patients.
Annette M. Walker, president of City of Hope Orange County, called Lennar Foundation’s donation a “gift to our children” because of the future possibilities it unlocks. Walker spoke on a conference call that included Jon Jaffe, co-chief executive officer and co-president of Miami-based homebuilder Lennar Corp., and City of Hope’s chief philanthropy officer, Kristin J. Bertell.
“The impact of this gift is going to be felt for generations,” Walker said.
The 4th Floor Infusion area of the future Lennar Foundation Cancer Center at City of Hope Orange County. (Rendering courtesy of City of Hope Orange County)
The patient and family arrivals area for the future Lennar Foundation Cancer Center at City of Hope Orange County. (Rendering courtesy of City of Hope Orange County)
The future Lennar Foundation Cancer Center at City of Hope Orange County. (Rendering courtesy of City of Hope Orange County)
The lobby of the future Lennar Foundation Cancer Center at City of Hope Orange County. (Rendering courtesy of City of Hope Orange County)
The reception area of the future Lennar Foundation Cancer Center at City of Hope Orange County. (Rendering courtesy of City of Hope Orange County)
The patient care room of the future Lennar Foundation Cancer Center at City of Hope Orange County. (Rendering courtesy of City of Hope Orange County)
The exam room of the future Lennar Foundation Cancer Center at City of Hope Orange County. (Rendering courtesy of City of Hope Orange County)
The future 190,000-square-foot Lennar Foundation Cancer Center at City of Hope Orange County will be located on 11 acres at Five Point’s Great Park in the heart of Irvine. (Rendering courtesy of City of Hope Orange County)
The Porte Cochere shown at night for the future Lennar Foundation Cancer Center at City of Hope Orange County. (Rendering courtesy of City of Hope Orange County)
Bertell said Lennar Foundation’s philanthropy follows a $100 million award to City of Hope made six weeks ago by its own research director, Dr. Arthur Riggs. Riggs has earned his wealth through pioneering work at City of Hope that includes development of the technology to create synthetic human insulin for diabetics. The research center in Duarte has been renamed the Arthur Riggs Diabetes & Metabolism Research Institute after the researcher, who has contributed more than $310 million over his three-decade tenure at City of Hope.
Walker and Bertell said the gift from Lennar will enhance the care provided to patients at the Orange County facilities and possibly spur other local donors to make their own stake in the Irvine project. Naming rights are in play: the 190,000-square-foot outpatient center set to open next year is now known as the Lennar Foundation Cancer Center.
City of Hope’s outpatient center in Newport Beach, which opened in January 2020, was the first piece in the cancer care provider’s planned $1 billion investment in Orange County.
Though Walker said it is too soon to say what specific cancer-related services will be supported by the $50 million donation, she termed it “transformational.”
“A gift of this magnitude is going to touch all parts of that cancer center.”
An unspecified portion of the money will go toward research and development of precision medicine to prevent, treat and cure cancer. Lennar is helping to launch a new partnership between City of Hope Orange County and Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami in Florida.
City of Hope officials believe the relationship with Miami-based Sylvester Center, which serves an economically and racially diverse population, will help researchers get a better understanding of the health care inequities in Orange County, including some that have been exposed by the pandemic.
“We’re excited to help bring about equality in health care,” said Jaffe, who lives in Orange County and was a 2004 recipient of City of Hope’s “Spirit of Life” award.
Jaffe suggested his company’s gift was made possible by its ongoing relationship with City of Hope and the partnership with Sylvester. He said Lennar made similar financial support to the University of Miami health care system.
“It was only a natural extension of our partnership for Lennar to step up,” said Jaffe, whose Lennar Corp. office in Irvine is in a building next to the cancer treatment center, all part of the FivePoint Gateway campus near the Great Park.
City of Hope Orange County has set a goal of raising $300 million by 2025, when the hospital is expected to open. Bertell declined to disclose how much of that money is in hand, but said contributions so far have come from about 12,000 donors and that overall fundraising will beat the stated goal.
“We’re very confident we are going to blow that $300 million away,” Bertell said.
Another gift in the range of the amount contributed by Lennar Foundation could include naming rights for the cancer-centric hospital that will be adjacent to the Irvine outpatient center. Walker said conversations with potential donors have turned more “serious and significant” as construction in Irvine has advanced enough for City of Hope Orange County to show what’s underway.
“We believe the gift from Lennar will inspire all the people we’ve been talking to.”
Ride enthusiasts who show up to Six Flags Magic Mountain on reopening weekend can expect their favorite coasters to be running with longer-than-usual socially distanced lines and half-full ride vehicles as employees adjust to the new normal of running a theme park.
The message here is simple: Be patient. Most of us haven’t been in a theme park in over a year. Enjoy it. And remember many Magic Mountain employees haven’t been to work in a year either and they have a ton of new procedures to master. Be kind. Don’t complain. And have fun. No matter how long it takes to get on Tatsu, Twisted Colossus or X2.
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The Valencia amusement park will reopen for season passholders and members today, April 1 and Friday, April 2 before swinging open the gates to the general public on Saturday, April 3.
California theme parks have been closed since March 2020 under COVID-19 health and safety reopening guidelines issued by the state. Magic Mountain held a series of drive-thru events without coasters or rides during the pandemic closure.
California theme parks can reopen on April 1 with rides and attractions provided the counties they reside in reach the red/substantial tier 2 risk status of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s updated Blueprint for a Safer Economy.
Magic Mountain’s advance reservations for April 1 and 2 had reached capacity and April 3 was mostly booked before Los Angeles County was cleared to move from the red to the orange tier. Magic Mountain could release additional reservations under the increased capacity limits.
California theme parks can reopen at 15% attendance capacity in the red/substantial tier 2, 25% capacity in the orange/moderate tier 3 and 35% capacity in the least-restrictive yellow/minimal tier 4.
What is Magic Mountain’s maximum attendance capacity? Park officials won’t say, but Magic Mountain would run out of parking long before the park hit capacity. And Magic Mountain has a lot of parking.
Magic Mountain drew about 3.6 million visitors in 2019, according to Themed Entertainment Association/AECOM. The Mountain moved to 365-day year-round operations in 2018 — meaning the park attracts just under 10,000 visitors on an average day.
Magic Mountain’s maximum capacity is approximately 65,000 visitors, according to the Park Database, which collects data on the attractions industry. Magic Mountain could allow in just under 10,000 visitors at 15% capacity and just over 15,000 at 25% capacity, based on the Park Database estimates.
Regardless of the capacity levels, expect Magic Mountain to feel a little empty by design when the 260-acre park first reopens. The goal is make visitors feel safe and comfortable as they adjust to the new normal.
Single-day visitors, passholders and members will be required to make advance online reservations.
Advance reservation — limited only to California residents — will only be available online at the Magic Mountain website. Zip codes will be verified online and IDs will be checked at the park entrance. No tickets will be available at the front gate due to the state’s COVID-19 mandates. Reservations will have staggered arrival times designed to reduce crowding at the front gate.
Regular visitors will be greeted by a new arrival procedure. Visitors will walk through a tunnel where temperatures are automatically checked without any need to slow down or stop. A walk-thru security screening area will employ blade-like metal detectors that don’t require visitors to remove their belongings from their pockets. Any visitors who trigger concerns at the temperature and security checkpoints will be directed to secondary screening areas.
Once inside the park, visitors will find COVID-19 health and safety reminders everywhere they look.
Do the Six signs will remind visitors to follow the now-familiar COVID-19 health and safety protocols with required masks, social distancing, enhanced sanitization, hand washing and cough covering. The sixth reminder: Have fun.
Ground markers will keep parties socially distanced in ride queues. Plexiglass dividers have been added to front gate turnstiles, cash registers, food pickup areas and anywhere visitors and employees might come in close contact.
Most of Magic Mountain’s major rides will be running, though six attractions won’t reopen as soon as the park returns. The Batman coaster is getting painted while the Crazanity pendulum swing and Whistlestop Train kiddie ride are undergoing maintenance. The Looney Tunes Lodge play structure and Jammin’ Bumpers bumper cars don’t lend themselves very well to COVID-19 restrictions. The Tidal Wave water ride will remain closed.
A few attractions with indoor queues — Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom drop tower, Justice League: Battle for Metropolis dark ride and the Apocalypse, Superman: Escape from Krypton and West Coast Racers coasters — will employ outdoor queues.
Most rides will load every other row or limit one group per ride vehicle to maintain social distancing. Families and groups will be seated together in consecutive rows.
Riders who lose their masks will be provided new ones. Plus the park will sell themed masks.
Despite the capacity limited crowds, expect socially distanced ride queues to look a lot longer than normal. Magic Mountain’s operations team plans to run as many ride vehicles as possible to offset the lower ride capacity levels due to social distancing. Ride operators will be watching loading issues closely during the opening weekend and will make adjustments to improve load and wait times.
Rides will be sanitized frequently — which will likely slow load and lengthen wait times.
Front-of-line Flash passes won’t be sold when the park returns, but will be available soon.
Additional tables have been set up throughout the park to facilitate increased outdoor dining. Eateries with indoor tables have moved the seating outdoors. The Full Throttle Sports Bar will not reopen immediately.
Capacity will be limited in shops and not all retail locations will be open based on the limited daily attendance.
No character meet-and-greet opportunities will be available when the park first reopens.
LOS ANGELES — A Mexican man was charged Tuesday with coordinating a smuggling effort that left 13 people dead when their overloaded SUV was struck by a big-rig after crossing the border into California.
Jose Cruz Noguez, 47, of Mexicali, was arrested Monday night as he crossed into the United States at the Calexico Port of Entry. He appeared Tuesday in federal court in El Centro and faces conspiracy and smuggling charges involving serious injury or placing lives in danger, according to a statement from the U.S. attorney’s office.
He was assigned federal public defenders and ordered held in custody, the statement said.
Prosecutors say Cruz organized a smuggling run in which 25 people were crammed into a 1997 Ford Expedition that drove through a hole cut in a border fence on March 2.
The vehicle was driving through California’s agricultural Imperial Valley when it was broadsided at an intersection near Holtville by a tractor-trailer hauling two empty trailers, authorities said.
The crash site was about 125 miles (200 kilometers) east of San Diego.
Seventeen occupants were Mexican — 10 who died, including the driver, and seven who were injured. Nine had major injuries, including two Guatemalans, authorities said.
The youngest victim was a 15-year-old girl who was treated for major injuries.
The Border Patrol has said surveillance video taken about 90 minutes before the accident showed the Expedition and a Chevrolet Suburban drive through an opening in the border wall about 30 miles (48 kilometers) east of the crash site. The Suburban carried 19 people, and it caught fire for unknown reasons on a nearby interstate after entering the U.S. All escaped the vehicle and were taken into custody by the Border Patrol, which said it was not pursuing either SUV.
Cruz was taken into custody after another suspected smuggler was arrested at a California border station two weeks after the crash. That man said Cruz had offered him $1,000 per passenger to drive the sport utility vehicle that crashed, but he declined, according to the criminal complaint.
The alleged smuggler claimed he had known Cruz for several years, had crossed the border illegally six months ago, was living in El Centro and had started working for Cruz by driving immigrants from El Centro to Los Angeles, according to the criminal complaint cited in the U.S. attorney’s office statement.
“According to the associate, Cruz oversees the transportation of individuals who are in the United States illegally to stash houses; collects smuggling payments from family members or sponsors; recruits drivers; and scouts for the presence of law enforcement,” the statement said.
Last Friday, the suspected smuggler made a phone call to Cruz that was secretly recorded by law enforcement agents during which Cruz confirmed he was involved in the March 2 smuggling operation and had collected money, according to the criminal complaint.
“Further, Cruz stated there were 60 ‘Pollos’ – his term for customers – in the two vehicles and the driver was going to make $28,000,” the statement said, citing the complaint.
“These smuggling networks seek maximum profit by moving as many people as possible across the border with zero regard for their safety and well-being,” acting U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman said in the statement. “Cramming dozens of people into eight-passenger vehicles and driving recklessly to avoid detection shows an utter disregard for human life. We will find and prosecute smugglers who use these methods and cause such tragic and avoidable deaths.”
Cruz didn’t enter a plea at Tuesday’s hearing. His arraignment is scheduled for April 27. He could face 20 years or more in federal prison if convicted.
