Bodyboarders tumble down the face of a wave at the Wedge in Newport Beach on Wednesday morning September 15, 2021, with a high surf advisory in effect bringing large waves onshore. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)Glenn Fedonick, right center, holds a small American flag up as he is overcome with emotion during the candlelight vigil for Staff Sgt. Taylor Hoover at Grand Park at the Aliso Viejo Town Center in Aliso Viejo on Sunday, September 12, 2021. Staff Sgt. Hoover, a Camp Pendleton Marine, died in the Kabul airport bombing on Aug. 26. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)The Orange cheer squad practices prior to the football game against La Habra at Fred Kelly Stadium in Orange on Thursday, September 9, 2021. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)President Abraham Lincoln, aka, Robert Broski of Covina, speaks at the 28th annual Civil War Days Living History Event held at the Huntington Beach Central Park in Huntington Beach on Saturday, September 4, 2021. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)Children and adults gather near the stage to dance along with members of Believe Dance Studio during the annual Moon Festival Mile Square Park in Fountain Valley on Sunday, September 19, 2021. The family friendly event included live entertainment, moon cakes, and lanterns for children. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)A young boy dressed in traditional clothing watches the entertainment on stage at the annual Moon Festival Mile Square Park in Fountain Valley on Sunday, September 19, 2021. The family friendly event included live entertainment, moon cakes, and lanterns for children. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)Kanoa Igarashi of Huntington Beach surfs in a heat at the U.S. Open of Surfing on Tuesday, September 21, 2021 in Huntington Beach. The event runs through September 26th. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)Justin Smith of San Juan Capistrano rides an E-skateboard with his son, Franklin, 5, as they attend the Electrify Expo held at the Great Park in Irvine on Saturday, September 18, 2021. Attendees were able to experience the best in electric vehicles, E-motorcycles, E-bikes, E-scooters and E-skateboards at the dozens of booths. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)The Anaheim Ducks Nikolas Brouillard, #88, Trevor Carrick, #54, and Troy Terry, #19, all smile as they stand over Ryan Getzlaf, #15, after he fell to the ice while trying to score, as the Ducks kick off their training camp for the 2021-22 season on Thursday, September 23, 202, at Great Park Ice & FivePoint Arena in Irvine. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)Kellie Avakian of Costa Mesa reacts after seeing election results on the television at the Larry Elder election night gathering at the Hilton Orange County in Costa Mesa on Tuesday,September 14, 2021. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)Long Nguyen, 75, of Garden Grove rolls his home-made traditional lantern down the sidewalk during the annual Moon Festival Mile Square Park in Fountain Valley on Sunday, September 19, 2021. The lantern is made from a chicken broth can which serves as a wheel, and a split beer can with a candle as the lantern. As Nguyen pushes it with a long wire the lantern spins. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)Edgard Groggia of Brazil surfs in a heat at the U.S. Open of Surfing on Tuesday, September 21, 2021 in Huntington Beach. The event runs through September 26th. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)Voters stand in line in the lobby of the Irvine Civic Center in Irvine to cast their ballots in the California gubernatorial recall election on Tuesday afternoon, September 14, 2021. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)Gabriel Medina is congratulated by fans after winning the Rip Curl World Surf League Finals at Lower Trestles in San Clemente, CA on Tuesday, September 14, 2021. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)Carissa Moore celebrates after winning the Rip Curl World Surf League Finals at Lower Trestles in San Clemente, CA on Tuesday, September 14, 2021. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)Errol Webber of Costa Mesa carries a large photo of Larry Elder as he walks among supporters for the Republican candidate for the gubernatorial recall election, inside the Pacific Ballroom at the Hilton Orange County in Costa Mesa on Tuesday, September 14, 2021, to watch election returns. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)Nicole Weiss, left, fiancé of Staff Sgt. Taylor Hoover, is embraced at a candlelight vigil at Grand Park at the Aliso Viejo Town Center in Aliso Viejo on Sunday, September 12, 2021. Staff Sgt. Hoover, a Camp Pendleton Marine, died in the Kabul airport bombing on Aug. 26. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)A Marine plays taps at the candlelight vigil for Staff Sgt. Taylor Hoover in Grand Park at the Aliso Viejo Town Center in Aliso Viejo on Sunday, September 12, 2021. Staff Sgt. Hoover, a Camp Pendleton Marine, died in the Kabul airport bombing on Aug. 26. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)A surfer heads into the water after the World Surf League finals were called on, and then off, at Lower Trestles in San Clemente, CA on Monday, September 13, 2021. The event window is Sept. 9-17. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)Shadows from press photographers are cast over the tarmac as President Biden arrives on Air Force One at Long Beach Airport in Long Beach on Monday, September 13, 2021. President Biden is in Southern California to support Gov. Gavin Newsom in the final campaign push against the recall. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)A dog lays on the cool tile at the Orange County Registrar of Voters in Santa Ana on Tuesday afternoon, September 14, 2021, as voters cast their ballot in the California gubernatorial recall election. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)Remi Martinez, 4, plays under voting booths as his father, Brandon Martinez, votes in the California Gubernatorial Recall Election at the Huntington Beach Central Library in Huntington Beach, CA, on Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2021.(Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Lights and projections dress up Villains Grove, at the site of Redwood Creek Challenge Trail, during Oogie Boogie Bash, A Disney Halloween Party, in California Adventure at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, September 9, 2021. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Some of the 550 students at Madison Elementary School in Santa Ana make their way into the multipurpose room at the school to be tested for Covid-19 on Friday, September 9, 2021. They are just part of the 44,000 students and 6,000 staff members of the Santa Ana Unified School District that will be tested each week for Covid-19. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)Army veteran Bob Kohler, 90, of Irvine salutes a honking passing motorist traveling southbound on the 5 freeway as he stands next to the American flag he put on the fence of the Yale Avenue overpass in Irvine before sunrise on Saturday, September 11, 2021. Kohler has brought his flag to the overpass every September 11 for the past 20 years and salutes passing motorists that honk their horns. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)Gov. Gavin Newsom rides away with President Biden in the presidential limousine after Air Force One lands at Long Beach Airport in Long Beach on Monday, September 13, 2021. President Biden is in Southern California to support Gov. Gavin Newsom in the final campaign push against the recall. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)Filipe Toledo surfs in the Rip Curl WSL Finals at Lower Trestles in San Clemente, CA on Tuesday, September 14, 2021. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)Ghosts from The Haunted Mansion perform during the Frightfully Fun Parade at Oogie Boogie Bash, A Disney Halloween Party, in California Adventure at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, September 9, 2021. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Visitors to The Museum of Pinball check out some of the 1,600 pinball and arcade games that are being auctioned in Banning, CA, on Friday, September 10, 2021. The Museum of Pinball is a non-profit museum dedicated to the preservation and advocacy of pinball machines and other arcade games. The museum is shutting down and selling all its games. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Bagpiper Timothy Burke of San Dimas plays Amazing Grace as he walks through A Field of Honor by the Anaheim Hills Rotary Club following a 9/11 ceremony held at Eucalyptus Park on Saturday, September 11, 2021 in Anaheim. The flags honored those who lost their lives on September 11th and those who have died protecting U.S. freedom. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)Lori Warner of Huntington Beach attends the 28th annual Civil War Days Living History Event held at the Huntington Beach Central Park in Huntington Beach on Saturday, September 4, 2021. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)Lucas Chang, 9, right, of Irvine, gets the final adjustments to his foil hat by Trisha Morgan at the Tin Foil Marvin the Martian Hats table during the Chuck Jone’s Big Draw event held at the Palm Court Arts Complex at the Great Park in Irvine on Sunday, September 5, 2021. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)Stephanie Gilmore, Johanne Defay and Filipe Toledo, from left, pose for a camera before a World Surf League press conference on the pier in San Clemente, CA on Tuesday, September 7, 2021. Five women and five men will be competing in the WSL Finals at Lower Trestles during a one-day event. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)Jack Sheeran is dressed as the Magic Mirror from Snow White as he and visits Oogie Boogie Bash, A Disney Halloween Party, with his family in California Adventure at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, September 9, 2021. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Early morning motorists traveling southbound on the 5 freeway pass by the American flag set up by Army veteran Bob Kohler, 90, of Irvine, hanging on the fence of the Yale Avenue overpass in Irvine on Saturday, September 11, 2021. Kohler has brought his flag to the overpass every September 11 for the past 20 years and salutes passing motorists that honk their horns. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)A truck drives through the Saia LTL Freight facility on Santa Ana Avenue in Fontana, CA, on Thursday, September 2, 2021. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Dexter Rodriguez, 7, of Westminster, has his photo taken in period costume at the 28th annual Civil War Days Living History Event held at the Huntington Beach Central Park in Huntington Beach on Saturday, September 4, 2021. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)Fountain Valley resident Margie Johnson, 77, in Fountain Valley on Thursday, September 30, 2021 will lead the Women’s March in Fountain Valley on Saturday. Johnson was motivated by the legislation recently passed in Texas that limits opportunities for women to end a pregnancy. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)Aircraft flying in the Pacific Airshow to be held on October 1-3, 2021, in Huntington Beach fly over ships parked off the coast of Huntington Beach on Thursday, September 30, 2021. They are from left: Gregory Colyer flying a T-33, the U.S. Air Force’s first operational jet; Mike Goulian, flying the EXTRA 330SC aerobatic airplane; Lyon Air Museum’s North American B-25 Mitchell Bomber; Mike Wiskus, flying the Lucas Oil Pitts S-111B; and Rob Holland flying an MXS-RH, an all-carbon-fiber aerobatic airplane. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)Aircraft flying in the Pacific Airshow to be held on October 1-3, 2021 in Huntington Beach, fly over the Huntington Beach Pier on Thursday, September 30, 2021. They are: Mike Goulian, front, flying the EXTRA 330SC aerobatic airplane; Mike Wiskus, middle, flying the Lucas Oil Pitts S-111B; and Rob Holland, back, flying the MXS-RH, an all-carbon-fiber aerobatic airplane. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds perform during the Pacific Airshow in Huntington Beach, CA, on Friday, October 1, 2021. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds perform during the Pacific Airshow in Huntington Beach, CA, on Friday, October 1, 2021. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Spectators watch and take photos as the U.S. Navy Blue Angels fly over Huntington Beach Pier in Huntington Beach on Thursday, September 30, 2021 in preparation for the Pacific Airshow to be held Friday through Sunday in Huntington Beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)The U.S. Army Golden Knights parachute in to the Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base during a media event for the Pacific Airshow in Los Alamitos, CA, on Thursday, September 30, 2021. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Tears run down the face of Jordan Lopez, son of Brandon Lopez, during a vigil for his father at the intersection of Santa Ana Boulevard and Bristol Street in Santa Ana on Thursday, September 30, 2021. Anaheim police fatally shot Brandon Lopez at the intersection after a long standoff. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)A grieving Tony and Johanna Lopez, center, parents of Brandon Lopez, are joined by Brandon’s children Bella, left, and Jordan Lopez, right, during a vigil for Brandon Lopez at the intersection of Santa Ana Boulevard and Bristol Street in Santa Ana on Thursday, September 30, 2021. Anaheim police fatally shot Brandon Lopez at the intersection after a long standoff. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)Santa Ana Councilman Johnathan Ryan Hernandez, left, looks on as his distraught cousin, Jordan Lopez, bottom, son of Brandon Lopez, cries while his grandfather Tony Lopez, right, speaks over a megaphone during a vigil at the intersection of Santa Ana Boulevard and Bristol Street in Santa Ana on Thursday, September 30, 2021. Tony Lopez recounted how on the night his son was fatally killed by Anaheim police he went to the scene, crossing the police tape, and tried to convince police that the man involved in a standoff was his son, “They didn’t believe me!”, Lopez cried out. Tony Lopez said he was then detained and put in the back of a patrol car. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)Mark Isenberg watches the 2021 Surfing Walk of Fame Induction Day ceremony on Main Street in Huntington Beach, CA, on Thursday, September 23, 2021. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Pete Hardin, candidate for Orange County District Attorney in Anaheim on Thursday, September 23, 2021. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)Mary Lynn Bergman-Rallis of Newport Beach stands at the bridge and steers a ship in a storm in the Full Mission Bridge Simulator at the new Orange Coast College Professional Mariner Training Center on Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach during an open house on Friday, September 24, 2021. The center will be the home for the college’s Professional Mariner program which includes: classrooms, laboratory space, a radar training room, and a Full Mission Bridge Simulator for students looking to have careers in boating and the maritime industry. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)Shohei Ohtani fan Erika Mizuno, 3, watches Ohtani warm up in the outfield before he pitches in the last home game of the season against the Mariners at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Sunday, September 26, 2021. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)Shohei Ohtani (17) of the Angels tips his hat to the crowd after striking out Mitch Haniger (17) the Mariners for the third out in the 4th inning in during a game at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Sunday, September 26, 2021. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)With a photographer just under the surface, a surfer rides in the tube of a wave at the Wedge in Newport Beach on Wednesday morning September 15, 2021, with a high surf advisory in effect. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)Fullerton Mayor Bruce Whitaker smiles as the city council holds a video meeting with the mayor of Tollo, Italy, at Fullerton City Hall in which the city leaders took part in a signing ceremony with its new sister city, Tollo, Italy, home of the parents of Tommy Lasorda, on Wednesday, September 22, 2021. The city of Fullerton announced that September 22, 2021, is Tommy Lasorda Day, and planed all-day festivities to honor Lasorda who managed the Los Angeles Dodgers for 20 years and came to be revered worldwide as an ambassador for baseball. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)Nolan Rapoza of Long Beach, CA celebrates after riding a wave in the U.S. Open of Surfing at the pier in Huntington Beach, CA on Monday, September 22, 2021. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)The U.S. Navy Blue Angels, flying new F/A-18 Super Hornets, fly over Huntington Beach Pier in Huntington Beach on Thursday, September 30, 2021, in preparation for the Pacific Airshow to be held Friday through Sunday in Huntington Beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)The U.S. Navy Blue Angels, flying new F/A-18 Super Hornets, fly over Huntington Beach on Thursday, September 30, 2021 in preparation for the Pacific Airshow to be held Friday through Sunday in Huntington Beach, CA on Thursday, September 30, 2021. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)Families help some of the approximately 16,600 students living on campus move into their rooms at UC Irvine’s Mesa Court housing complex on Friday, September 17, 202, in Irvine. Coronavirus safety measures were in place, including testing and the wearing of masks. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
We asked our photographers to choose their favorite photos from September 2021, and here are some of the great moments they selected.
From elections to surfing to Civil War reenactments to jets, it was a busy month in Orange County.
Among the remembrances of the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorists attacks was 90-year-old Bob Kohler, who woke up before dawn to post a U.S. flag on the Yale Avenue overpass in Irvine. The Army veteran has brought his flag to the overpass every September 11 for the past 20 years to salute passing motorists who honk their horns.
In the middle of the month, voters across the county chose to keep California Governor Gavin Newsom in office, however, the margin was slim. Fifty-two percent of voters in Orange County opposed the recall compared to 48 percent in favor, though the results will not be official until Oct. 22. The leading Republican, Larry Elder, hung out with supporters at the Pacific Ballroom in Costa Mesa as he waited for results on election night.
After the recall election, we got back to the fun stuff – Surfing. There were a few days of high surf at the Wedge in Newport, then Rip Curl World Surf League Finals came to town at Lower Trestles in San Clemente. The next week was the return of the COVID-delayed U.S. Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach.
The event was smaller, no BMX event, no skating event – just surfing. Typically, the U.S. Open of Surfing is one of the world’s largest action-sports festivals, with the city on the sand drawing tens of thousands of beachgoers. This year, with coronavirus pandemic concerns still lingering, the event is focusing on more than 150 surfers from around the world – though many hail from Southern California.
It wasn’t all fun, a grieving Tony and Johanna Lopez, parents of Brandon Lopez, were joined by Brandon’s children Bella and Jordan Lopez during a vigil for Brandon Lopez at the intersection of Santa Ana Boulevard and Bristol Street in Santa Ana. Anaheim police fatally shot Brandon Lopez at the intersection after a long standoff.
The month ended with us looking to the sky. An estimated 1.5 million people were at Huntington Beach to watch the Pacific Airshow light up the sky. The annual event was a victim of the pandemic last year but returned with a larger than ever lineup. Besides the civilian aerial acrobatics teams, there were performers representing every branch of the military, including the Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, Marines and Navy. The show was cut short because of a massive oil spill off the coast.
