That’s a 32% increase, Mission Viejo leaders said, as the estimated cost of the project is now at more than $67.8 million for the project that involves updates and additions to the existing Village Shopping Center off of Marguerite Parkway and La Paz Road.

That updated projected cost includes the $12 million purchase of the Stein Mart building in December 2021.

The city’s original estimate for this project in September 2021 was $46 million. The price increased, said Assistant City Manager Keith Rattay, because real estate and construction costs have risen over the past two years.

“This is the natural progression for a project like this,” Rattay said.

The City Council unanimously agreed during its Oct. 24 meeting to move forward on the initial phase of the project, called the “Go Forward” plan. The project is planned out in five phases over several years.

Since 2017, the city has been working at Oso Creek to expand the area to include a one-of-a-kind shopping, entertainment and event plaza called the Los Osos Core Area. This project will take over the older shopping center and connect to the greater project on Oso Creek.

This first phase of the project will construct a connection from the Mission Viejo Civic Center and library to the North Paseo area by a pedestrian walkway. Additionally, a park and gathering space will be built at the end of the walkway toward Oso Creek for community members to congregate.

“I think in the next 30 years, we’re going to look back and go, ‘What a brilliant idea this was,’” said Mayor Brian Goodell. “And we’re going to add another jewel to the beautiful crown of Mission Viejo.”

According to the approved site plan, the Los Osos Core Area project will encompass 22,736 square feet.

Once the shopping and entertainment centers are completed, the city can anticipate a sales tax generation of $3.57 per square foot, roughly equating to between $50,000 and $65,000 of additional sales tax per year to Mission Viejo, according to Rattay.

Councilmember Cynthia Vasquez said she was concerned by the potential lack of interest of developers in the project. Of the 17 firms contacted for involvement, only one conveyed interest, councilmembers were told.

“I have to admit, it is very concerning to me,” Vasquez said. “It makes me wonder if there are aspects we’re overlooking. It makes me curious to know if there are insights that the developers have that we’re missing.”

“I support this,” said Vasquez, “I just want to make sure we are doing all of the due diligence we can.”

Rattay shared feedback given from a recent walking tour event as well as other comments received from residents in recent months.

Aside from positive comments, residents expressed concerns about whether the project would include an efficient parking area. Residents said they wanted to allow vehicular traffic through the middle of the project. Others said they wanted a bike park or bike access through the center of the Los Osos Core Area, a bridge to be constructed over Marguerite Parkway that would connect to the Civic Center and a veterans memorial.

Rattay said a veterans memorial would be included, but he did not specify where it is planned.

“I think what we are doing is a good thing,” said Mayor Pro Tem Trish Kelley. “What I am seeing is a lot of excitement about the project.”

Mission Viejo will now hire an environmental consultant to develop the submittals required for the various state and federal regulatory agencies, and the design team that has already been working on the project will develop working drawings for the Los Osos Core Area.

The environmental consultations are expected to take place between December 2023 and the beginning of 2025, when construction would then begin for the first phase.

The performance company has been in collaboration with the city since May, said Tiffney Beckloff, executive director of Bravo Players Guild. And in September, the City Council unanimously voted in favor of allowing the Guild to have a home in the Los Osos Core Area for 15 months.

“Our new rehearsal space for our Players is amazing and will allow us the flexibility to rehearse and elevate our productions and performances in a way that we had previously only dreamed of,” said Beckloff.

During the Sept. 26 meeting, Mayor Pro Tem Trish Kelley said: “I think that this is a fantastic idea. I really love this idea. I think it would be wonderful to see this venue utilized for the performing arts.”

This occupancy is temporary, according to the agreement, and once the lease is up, the building will be given back to the city. Details on what the property will become then were not specified.

But after those 15 months are up, said Beckloff, the company is hoping to stay in the area, ideally in Mission Viejo, in order to stay central to a lot of the families who are in the company.

“I think this is fabulous,” said Councilmember Wendy Buckman. “Being married to someone who performed in high school, it means a lot.”

“This is a great enhancement to the area,” she said. “Anything that supports our youth and where they are in good, healthy groups where they belong is a great interest that I will support.”

The company is already using the building as it rehearses for its Nov. 15-18 performance of “The Lion King Jr.” With its productions, Beckloff said, the Bravo Players Guild is committed to bringing a unique level of “show” to the performing community.

“What these kids go through in terms of the audition process, the rehearsals and how the shows are run is exactly what professionals in Broadway shows go through,” said Beckloff. “It is to give them the whole taste of the world. And they just thrive and love it.”

With the new space, Beckloff said she hopes to start offering more acting, dance and vocal classes for the community in addition to more summer-intensive acting camps.

“We want to bring more of the arts to the kids in the community,” said Beckloff. “If we are able to offer more shows, after-school programs, that is a good niche area to grow our talent in the city.”

Since 2017, Mission Viejo has been working at Oso Creek to expand the area to include a one-of-a-kind shopping, entertainment and event plaza called the Los Osos Core Area. Located at the Village Center off of Marguerite Parkway and La Paz Road, the 22,736 square-foot plan has been taking over the older shopping center and connects to the greater project on Oso Creek.

Recently, Mission Viejo conducted an in-field walking tour for the Los Osos Core Area project, giving residents a chance to see the budding project and provide feedback.

The tour allowed community members to view the entire site, including the areas where Mission Viejo will eventually expand later in the project.

The next phase of the project includes connecting the North Paseo area, which includes the shopping center, to the north bridge that expands over Oso Creek. This will be the central point for the portion of the Oso Creek Trail that runs on the eastern side of Oso Creek back to the shopping center.

Notable this week: Undefeated Tustin breaks into the Top 10 for the first time this season after shutting out Pacifica 49-0. … San Clemente advances from No. 5 last week to No. 3. … Servite moves up to No. 4 after a 50-42 win over Santa Margarita. … Los Alamitos climbs to No. 7 and will face No. 9 Edison this week for the Sunset League championship.

1. Mater Dei 8-1 (75 points)

The Monarchs shook off a shutout loss to St. John Bocsco with an impressive 55-13 win over Orange Lutheran in Trinity League play. Senior running back Ajon Bryant rushed for 155 yards and two touchdowns and junior linebacker Nasir Wyatt had three sacks. Mater Dei is likely to be the No. 2 seed in Division 1 of the CIF-SS playoffs.

Previous ranking: 1

2. Orange Lutheran 5-4 (72)

The Lancers had the misfortune of being the team in Mater Dei’s way after the Monarchs lost to St. John Bosco. The Lancers, who play Bosco this week, are in third place in the Trinity League with a 2-2 league record.

Previous ranking: 2

3. San Clemente 8-1 (69)

The Tritons are 2-0 in the four-team South Coast League after last week’s 35-18 win over Capistrano Valley. Senior quarterback Dylan Mills turned in one of his better games, completing 16 of 19 passes for 194 yards and two touchdowns, both to junior Cole Herlean.

Previous ranking: 5

4. Servite 5-4 (66)

Junior quarterback Leo Hannan threw for 343 yards and four touchdowns in a 50-42 win over Santa Margarita. Sophomore cornerback Tristin Ordaz had eight solo tackles and broke up two passes. Servite finishes the regular season facing JSerra at Cerritos College on Friday.

Previous ranking: 6

5. Santa Margarita 5-4 (62)

Sophomore Trent Mosley had 351 all-purpose yards, including 221 receiving yards, and made three solo tackles for the Eagles in their 50-42 loss to Servite. They play Mater Dei this week.

Previous ranking: 3

6. JSerra 4-5 (59)

The Lions lost to the No. 1 team in Calpreps’ state rankings, St. John Bosco, 42-20. JSerra is 1-3 in the Trinity League, with the victory against Orange Lutheran. The Lions probably need to beat Servite this week to get into the playoffs.

Previous ranking: 4

7. Los Alamitos 7-2 (57)

The Griffins scored 60 points for a school-record fourth time and for the third week in a row in a 63-13 league win over Huntington Beach. Los Alamitos plays Edison this week at Veterans Stadium in Long Beach to decide the Sunset League title. Both teams are 4-0 in the Sunset League.

Previous ranking: 8

8. Mission Viejo 6-3 (56)

Junior Dijon Lee Jr. scored a touchdown on an interception return and another TD on a pass reception in the Diablos’ 36-0 win over Tesoro in the South Coast League. Zachary Foeldi had two of Mission Viejo’s five interceptions.

Previous ranking: 7

9. Edison 6-3 (50)

The Chargers beat Fountain Valley 56-7 for their 19th consecutive win over the Barons. Junior Julius Gillick rushed for 158 yards and a touchdown on only eight carries, and freshman quarterback Sam Thomson threw three touchdown passes for the Chargers.

Previous ranking: 10

10. Tustin 9-0 (49)

The Tillers are the only undefeated team in Orange County. They beat Pacifica 49-0 last week to improve to 4-0 in the Empire League. Tustin rushed for 331 yards, led by Eimesse Essis, who ran for 112 yards and two touchdowns on six carries. The Tillers are home Friday against Cypress in a game for the Empire League title.

Previous ranking: 11

11. San Juan Hills 8-1 (45)

Previous ranking: 9

12. Newport Harbor 4-5 (41)

Previous ranking: 12

13. Tesoro 5-4 (38)

Previous ranking: 13

14. Villa Park 8-1 (37)

Previous ranking: 16

15. Corona del Mar 4-5 (32)

Previous ranking: 14

16. Yorba Linda 6-3 (30)

Previous ranking: 15

17. Trabuco Hills 6-3 (29)

Previous ranking: 21

18. Cypress 6-3 (22)

Previous ranking: 17

19. Capistrano Valley 7-2 (20)

Previous ranking: 17

20. Western 8-1 (18)

Previous ranking: 19

21. Foothill 6-3 (14)

Previous ranking: 22

22. El Modena 5-4 (14)

Previous ranking: 20

23. El Dorado 4-5 (9)

Previous ranking: 22

24. La Habra 5-4 (6)

Previous ranking: 24

25. Laguna Beach 8-1 (4)

Previous ranking: 25

Also receiving votes: Crean Lutheran 6-3 (1)

About the poll: There are three voters in the weekly poll. Points are awarded for each spot in the poll. Starting with 25 points for a No. 1 ranking.

The donation, celebrated Friday, Oct. 20, is the largest gift in UNI history and will go toward creating the David W. Wilson College of Business.

Locals are probably familiar with Wilson’s catchy tune that promises “You won’t get a lemon at Toyota of Orange.” The Orange County dealership marked the Iowa native’s first foray into ownership back in the early 1980s. From there, Wilson grew his company to 18 dealerships in the Southwest and Mexico with annual sales that top $3 billion. The group has at least 2,500 employees.

For Wilson, who grew up on a farm in Traer, Iowa, the gift to UNI is personal. The 1970 graduate learned as a child that when something was outside the family budget, he could work and pay for it himself.

The eldest of five children, he recounted for the Register in a 2012 interview how he mowed lawns as a fourth-grader to pay for his own baseball mitt. As a college student, he worked at a car dealership to pay his tuition. That strong work ethic has followed Wilson his entire life.

His business motto also is simple: “The truth is, you can only lead by example. If you’re having trouble in your company, look in the mirror.”

While his gift to UNI will stand out for its size, the 75-year-old is not new to giving back. He’s donated equipment to Orangewood Children’s Home in Orange and even paid off $16,000 in layaways at a department store back in 2011.

His pledge to UNI carries a few firsts for the university, beyond its sheer size. The school said once the donation is approved by its regents, the David W. Wilson College of Business will be the first “named” school at UNI. His contribution also will establish two endowments, including the Wilson Endowment for Integrity and Excellence.

Rescue Mission urgently needs food

The Orange County Rescue Mission has an “urgent need” for food donations through the end of the year.

Items the mission needs include canned tuna, meat, fruit, vegetables, spaghetti or marinara sauce, beans and soup. Packaged items include peanut butter, rice, cereal, snack bars, pasta and instant noodles.

Donations can be dropped at the Orange County Rescue Mission’s Village of Hope at 1 Hope Drive in Tustin. Donations can also be ordered online and delivered to the nonprofit.

The donation warehouse is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, go to rescuemission.org/urgent-thanksgiving-food-needs.

Senior Expo is Nov. 2 in Mission Viejo

Providence Mission Hospital is sponsoring a free Medicare Senior Expo on Nov. 2 in Mission Viejo.

The event from 1-4 p.m. will include a variety of health talks including ways to lower drug costs, navigating healthcare and managing diabetes and other chronic conditions. Speakers will include Providence Mission Hospital doctors, specialists and care teams.

The expo is being held at the Norman P. Murray Community Center. Address: 24932 Veterans Way

For more information, go to providence.org/OCmedicareclasses.

On the move

Ronald Wolf is the new medical director of hepatobiliary and pancreas surgery at Hoag Family Cancer Institute. The board-certified surgical oncologist specializes in treating liver, bile duct and pancreatic cancers. Wolf comes to Hoag from concurrent posts at UC Irvine School of Medicine, where he served as professor of clinical surgery in the hepatobiliary and pancreas surgery/islet cell transplantation division.

Elizabeth Weldon has joined Haynes and Boone LLP as a litigation partner in the firm’s Costa Mesa office. She joins from Snell & Wilmer LLP where she spent 20 years in commercial and business litigation with a specialty in franchising. Weldon is a certified specialist in franchise and distribution law.

Ashley Rankin has joined the nonprofit Radiant Futures, formerly Women’s Transitional Living Center, as the development manager. Previously, she was the engagement and event coordinator at Habitat for Humanity of Orange County.

Appointments

Gov. Gavin Newsom reappointed Gloria Alvarado of Santa Ana to the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board, where she has served since 2021. Alvarado has been executive director at the Orange County Labor Federation since 2019, where she has served in several positions since 2011, including organizing director and community organizer. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $250 per diem. Alvarado is a Democrat.

Newsom also appointed Joe Kalmick of Seal Beach to the San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy. Kalmick has served as a Seal Beach City Council Member since 2019. Kalmick was the owner of Main St. Art & Framing from 1978 to 2014. There is no compensation for this position, which did not require Senate confirmation. Kalmick is registered as a Democrat.

Ronald Eguchi of La Palma was appointed to the Wildfire Technology Research and Development Review Advisory Board. Eguchi is the chief executive officer of ImageCat Inc., which he co-founded in 2000. He was vice president at EQE International from 1991 to 2000.

Good works

Roland DGA Corp. held an open house at its Irvine campus for students from Laguna Beach High School as part of National Manufacturing Day and ISA (International Sign Association) Sign Manufacturing Day. The group of 34 Visual Arts students was accompanied by their teachers and toured Roland DGA’s corporate headquarters.

Vital Link’s first Empowering Futures Benefit partnered with University Lab Partners to host the benefit at Edwards Lifesciences, raising $45,000 to be used to foster STEM education in Orange. Vital Link is a nonprofit dedicated to preparing students for careers.

Status Update is compiled from press releases by contributing writer Karen Levin and edited by Business Editor Samantha Gowen. Submit items and high-resolution photos to sgowen@scng.com. Allow at least one week for publication. Items are edited for length and clarity.

The Diablos improved to 6-3 overall and 1-1 in league. They lost to San Clemente 20-10 last week in their league opener.

Mission Viejo, No. 7 in the Orange County Top 25, will play at No. 17 Capistrano Valley next Friday, the final week of the regular season and the league finale.

Tesoro (5-4, 1-1), No. 13 in the county rankings, will play at No. 5 San Clemente on Friday, Oct. 27.

CIF Southern Section football playoff brackets will be released Oct. 29.

Mission Viejo would likely play in CIF-SS Division 2. Tesoro, also still in the running for a playoff berth, might be in Division 4 if the Titans get in.

Teams will be placed in playoff divisions at the end of the regular season according to the Calpreps ratings.

It is Mission Viejo’s third shutout of the season. The Diablos blanked Highland 58-0 and Hawaii’s Kamehameha 34-0 in nonleague games last month.

Mission Viejo junior quarterback Draiden Trudeau threw two touchdown passes. Sophomore quarterback Luke Fahey, who shared equal time at the position with Trudeau as they have all season, also threw two touchdown passes.

Diablos junior receiver/cornerback Dijon Lee had a touchdown reception and returned an interception 19 yards for a touchdown. Lee (6-3, 180) has scholarship offers from many schools including Oklahoma, Oregon, UCLA and USC.

Mission Viejo sophomore receiver Vance Spafford caught two touchdown passes to give him 11 touchdown receptions this season.

Lee said the Diablos needed Friday’s win after the previous week’s loss to San Clemente.

“We played real hard today,” said Lee who returned an interception for a touchdown against Tesoro last season. “Started off slow but when we came out after halftime and sped it up and scored three touchdowns.”

Diablos sophomore safety Zachary Foeldi had two interceptions in the first half. One was erased by a Mission Viejo penalty. The one that counted led to Michael Salgado-Medina’s 42-yard field goal halfway through the first quarter to give the Diablos a 3-0 lead.

Tesoro had a chance to tie the game four minutes into the second quarter. Titans kicker Lance Guerrero’s 43-yard field goal attempt had the distance but was slightly wide to the right.

On the next play at the Mission Viejo 20-yard line Fahey launched a perfectly-place pass to Spafford who made the catch at the Tesoro 39-yard line. Spafford tried to outrun the Tesoro defender, figured he would not do so, and stopped at the 10-yard line before cutting inside to angle his way into the end zone. The point-after kick attempt was no good, leaving Mission Viejo with the 9-0 lead that the Diablos would take into the second half.

Trudeau connected with Cash Semonza for a 13-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter. The point-after kick attempt missed, so the Diablos lead was 15-0. Lee scored on his 19-yard interception return – he cut in front of the receiver to snag the ball and a few strides later was in the end zone – early in the fourth quarter for a 22-0 lead.

Lee scored on a 6-yard pass from Trudeau a few minutes later Fahey threw a short pass to Spafford who flashed into the end zone for a touchdown and a 36-0 lead with 1:41 to go.

Mission Viejo’s Jeron Jones and Trey Tolmaire also had interceptions.

Enjoy them now, because most of these league rivalries are very unlikely to be around next season.

They could continue as nonleague games, but it’s more fun when a playoff berth or a league championship is at stake.

Orange County high schools agreed this past spring to reassemble its football leagues and conferences after this season. With the exception of the Trinity League teams, all of the Orange County 11-player football teams will placed into one basket. CalPreps’ ratings will be used to place teams into leagues. This is a football-only plan. League and conference memberships will be different for other sports.

If the 2023 football season was over, what would the leagues look like in 2024?

Let’s do this … but first a couple of items to know …

Again, the Trinity League is excluded. The four football teams with the top ratings by CalPreps will be in one league, then there will be 10 six-team leagues, and the bottom five teams in one league.

The league names have not been finalized, so the working titles are Orange County Football Conference A (OCFC A) and Orange County Football Conference B (OCFC B),etc. For this exercise, we’re going with “leagues.”

The previous two years of ratings will be used to place teams into leagues, weighted at 65 percent for the 2023 season and 35 percent weighted for the 2022 season.

Going into this week’s games, with rounded-off ratings totals, here are what the leagues would look like in 2024 (league members listed in alphabetical order):

League A: Edison, Los Alamitos, Mission Viejo, San Clemente.

League B: Corona del Mar, Newport Harbor, San Juan Hills, Tesoro, Villa Park, Yorba Linda.

League C: Capistrano Valley, Cypress, El Modena, Trabuco Hills, Tustin, Western.

League D: El Dorado, Foothill, Huntington Beach, La Habra, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills.

League E: Crean Lutheran, Dana Hills, Fountain Valley, Irvine, Northwood, Orange.

League F: Aliso Niguel, Canyon, El Toro, Santa Ana, St. Margaret’s, Troy.

League G: Brea Olinda, Esperanza, Kennedy, Segerstrom, Sonora, Sunny Hills.

League H: Beckman, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Marina, Valencia, Westminster.

League I: Buena Park, Calvary Chapel, Pacifica, Portola, University, Woodbridge.

League J: Estancia; Katella, Los Amigos, Ocean View, Rancho Alamitos, Santa Ana Valley.

League K: Anaheim, Bolsa Grande, Costa Mesa, La Quinta, Loara, Santiago.

League L: Century, Godinez Magnolia, Saddleback, Savanna.

The margins could be tight when teams are placed into football leagues for the 2024 season. Through eight games of this season, using the Calpreps ratings, Irvine’s rating is 4.79 and Aliso Niguel’s is 4.78. So if the 2023 season was over now, Irvine would be the bottom team in League E and Aliso Niguel would be the top team in League F.

NOTES

CIF-SS football playoff brackets will be released Oct. 29 at 10 a.m. The 8-man football playoff brackets will be released Oct. 29 at 1 p.m. …

Yes, Orange County has 8-man football. Sage Hill, in Newport Beach, is in the Prep League and is 4-2 overall and 0-1 in league and averages 48 points a game. Vista Meridian, in Santa Ana, plays a freelance schedule and is 1-4. …

The CIF-SS Division 1 football championship game will be played at the Coliseum on Nov. 24. The first CIF championship football game played at the Coliseum was in 1923 when Long Beach Poly defeated Glendale 15-8. The most recent CIF final at the Coliseum was in 1997 when Long Beach Poly beat Mater Dei 28-25. …

It looks like the Pacific Coast Conference schools will present a proposal at Monday’s releaguing meeting that would exclude Rosary from its group. This past spring Orange County schools included Rosary in the Pacific Coast group in the approved releaguing plan for all sports outside of football. The Freeway League, which would be broken up in the passed proposal, has indicated that it would present a proposal that would keep its membership intact. …

Holly Barker of Trabuco Hills and Evan Noonan of Dana Hills, so far, are making it easy to select the Orange County boys and girls cross country athletes of the year by winning or finishing high in just about every race they enter. Barker won last weekend’s Orange County Championships and earlier finished first in the Central Park Invitational. Noonan finished first in the Orange County Championships, the Woodbridge Classic and was third in the Clovis Invitational. …

The CIF-SS Division 1 girls volleyball playoffs started Wednesday. Mater Dei swept Palos Verdes in three sets (the first was a tough one, 27-25), Los Alamitos lost to Mira Costa in three sets and Huntington Beach swept Alemany (and another tough first set there, with the Oilers winning 28-26). Division 1 pool play resumes Tuesday with Los Alamitos at Huntington Beach. Huntington Beach beat Los Alamitos in their two Surf League matches. …

Newport Harbor’s girls flag football team had its closest win of the season Wednesday, a 14-12 victory over Edison. Newport Harbor is 21-1, with the loss to Woodbridge, which Newport Harbor defeated a couple of weeks later.

As it was written, the Capistrano Unified parental notification policy focused on mental health, saying a designated school counselor would notify a student’s family “when they have reasonable cause to believe that doing so will avert a clear and present danger to the health, safety or welfare” of students.

But after being asked for clarification during the discussion on Wednesday, Oct. 18, Trustee Lisa Davis, who proposed the policy, said students’ gender identity would also result in parental notification.

The board voted 4-2 to reject the policy, with Davis and Judy Bullockus the two yes votes.

“We are all doing what we think is best for our own children,” said Trustee Michael Parham. “Because we are so engaged, we are rarely caught off-guard when it comes to our own children. I haven’t heard any anecdotes tonight where teachers are not deliberately telling you something about your child here in the district. So that to me suggests our system in place is working.”

Superintendent Chris Brown, when asked, said anecdotal data showed “zero complaints about not letting parents know about gender identity in students.”

But Bullockus, citing an article written by a local psychologist who said there is a need for more discussions between parents and children since the pandemic, said: “I believe that this policy is collectively caring for students in this world of many health issues that they are facing.”

“Empathy is what parents need most in their relationships with their children,” she said. “I don’t believe you should kick parents out of the door. I think parents could use some coaching, so let’s work and teach with parents.”

Trustee Gila Jones, who voted against the policy, was not in favor of using the word “notification” to describe the policy but suggested using “engagement” instead.

“Engagement suggests that it is a partnership,” said Jones. “I do not think that parents are the enemy, not for a minute. I also do not think that there is anyone in the district who thinks that as well.”

Although he could not vote, student board member Tyler Pearce said he was against the proposal and wanted to “stand in favor of the students who would be directly affected.”

“I do believe that this is an outing policy,” said Pearce, a student at San Clemente High. “This parental notification policy is unnecessary, divisive and deep-rooted in political and personal agendas. We need to stop creating this umbrella of mental illness to refer to certain communities. Is it actually a mental health crisis? Or is it our generation who are so compelled to express their own identity and parents born in a different generation?”

“Times are changing; so should opinions,” said Pearce.

The Capistrano Unified board chose to restrict public comment to just over an hour — and gave students the opportunity to speak first.

Student speakers were at times emotional and passionate, with many walking away in tears or turning to the crowd to hype people up. The majority of those who spoke were students — a change from what has been seen at other local school board meetings where parental notification policies have been discussed.

“I am proud of the students who spoke today who were able to see through … the misinformation,” said Parham, a trustee who voted against the policy. “I think we are doing a great job of teaching these students critical thinking skills because they came well prepared and taught us grown-ups a little bit more about the next generation and what they are capable of.”

Assemblymember Bill Essayli, R-Corona, who pushed for parental notification policies in the legislature, was one of the few adult speakers who had a chance to voice his opinions during public comment.

“Parents have the constitutional right to raise their children,” said Essayli. “They are not spectators. I think that it is so disrespectful that you took a whole hour to listen to children than the parents who took the time off to be here tonight. They are the taxpayers, the voters, the people that you answer to. You spent time listening to children who are being used as political pawns from the left to emotionally manipulate and advance an ideology.”

Capistrano Unified’s proposed policy was first presented by Davis during the board’s September board meeting. Then, Davis said, “This policy brings parents into the conversation regarding some of the most important aspects of a child’s life.”

The proposed policy was written with verbatim language that was used in the approved parental notification policy at Placentia-Yorba Linda School District.

It said: “Due to the current nationwide mental health crisis exacerbated by the global pandemic, the Capistrano Unified School District recognizes the need for frequent, ongoing and oftentimes immediate communication between school administration, staff, and parents/guardians. Furthermore, with reports of depression, anxiety and suicide rates at an all-time high among public school students, action is needed to address this emerging crisis and support the health and welfare of district students.”

Andrew Fredriksz, a previous school counselor at Capistrano Unified, said that he is against the policy in a letter sent to Board President Krista Castellanos earlier this week.

“While parent rights are extremely important and they should always be contacted regarding life-changing decisions regarding their children, reporting to parents how a student identifies does not fall under life-changing decision-making,” said Fredriksz, now a counselor at Laguna Beach Unified. “The risk of outing a student in a household where they will not be accepted and may have a negative impact on their mental health is a greater concern in this discussion.”

“I have a lot of respect for the board,” said Fredriksz. “They are unfortunately caught in divisive culture politics as are the students.”

Fredriksz said he does not believe a parental notification policy will be enacted at Laguna Beach Unified.

“Laguna Beach Unified does a great job of cultivating a community where everyone is heard — families, students and staff,” said Fredriksz. “There seems to be a foundation of respect between everyone which helps promote productive conversations.”

Orange Unified was the first Orange County school district to adopt the policy in early September, and Placentia Yorba-Linda soon followed suit, becoming the second district to approve the policy last week. Many parental rights activist groups say they will attend Tustin Unified’s next meeting on Nov. 13 to encourage the policy to be addressed there.

In districts that have adopted these policies, situations that would warrant parent notification include requests to use different names or pronouns or requests to change sex-segregated programs (like athletic teams or changing facilities) that differ from the student’s “assigned biological sex at birth.”

The policies also include notification guidelines if a student reports self-harm, suicidal ideation or injury to others.

Capistrano Unified has 63 campuses, making it the largest district in Orange County. The district includes the cities of San Clemente, Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano, Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo, Mission Viejo and Rancho Santa Margarita.

This story has been updated.

Keith Frederick Prante, 36, had pleaded guilty on July 20 at Southwest Justice Center in French Valley to shooting at a vehicle and being a prohibited person in possession of a loaded firearm. A charge of assault with a semiautomatic firearm was dismissed, Superior Court records show.

The crime happened around 7:45 p.m. on Feb. 20, 2021, as the officer headed east on Ortega Highway, also known as Highway 74. He was being tailed by a motorist who was honking his horn, flashing his headlights and “driving dangerously,” the California Highway Patrol said.

The motorist crossed into oncoming lanes to pull ahead of the officer and stopped abruptly in front of his car west of Decker Canyon Road, and then fired at him. The suspect fled east. The officer caught up to him while he was stopped on the shoulder of the highway and pulled up behind him. The man held a handgun out of his driver-side window and backed up toward the officer, who then fired at the suspect.

No one was injured in the shootings.

The officer noted the gunman’s license plate, and Prante was arrested the next day.

The CHP said the officers and Prante did not know each other.

Notable this week: Mater Dei holds on to the top position after its loss to St. John Bosco. … Orange Lutheran rises after a win over Servite. … Santa Margarita leapfrogs JSerra. … Edison gets back into the Top 10 after a win over Newport Harbor. … Villa Park drops out of top 10 after its loss to Foothill.

1. Mater Dei 7-1 (75 points)

The Monarchs got beat by a team that played a near-perfect game in a 28-0 loss to St. John Bosco. The Monarchs are 2-1 in the Trinity League with shutout wins over JSerra and Servite.

Previous ranking: 1

2. Orange Lutheran 5-3 (72)

The Lancers withstood a late charge by Servite to beat the Friars 36-33 in a Trinity League game. Steve Chavez rushed for more than 100 yards for the fifth time this season.

Previous ranking: 4

3. Santa Margarita 5-3 (69)

Ryan Gass made a game-winning field goal for the Eagles with one second remaining in a 34-31 win over JSerra in a Trinity League game. Santa Margarita sophomore receiver Trent Mosley had 10 receptions for 230 yards and two touchdowns.

Previous ranking: 6

4. JSerra 4-4 (64)

The Lions lost a close one to Santa Margarita 34-31 in the Trinity League. The Lions have a home game this week against St. John Bosco.

Previous ranking: 2

5. San Clemente 7-1 (63)

The Tritons took a huge step toward winning the South Coast League championship with a 20-10 win over Mission Viejo. Running back Aiden Rubin had another huge game with 238 yards rushing on 29 carries.

Previous ranking: 8

6. Servite 4-4 (61)

The Friars had late chances but could not get the ball into the end zone in a 36-33 loss to Orange Lutheran. Quaid Carr rushed for 156 yards and scored four of Servite’s five touchdowns.

Previous ranking: 5

7. Mission Viejo 5-3 (56)

The Diablos defense had difficulty against San Clemente’s running game and could not crank up their own offense in a 20-10 loss to the Tritons in the South Coast League.

Previous ranking: 3

8. Los Alamitos 6-2 (55)

Quarterback Alonzo Esparza passed for 346 yards and four touchdowns and ran for two touchdowns as the Griffins defeated Corona del Mar 69-14 in the Sunset League.

Previous ranking: 7

9. San Juan Hills 8-0 (51)

The Stallions remained undefeated with a 57-7 win over El Toro in the Sea View League. It is the second time this season San Juan Hills has scored 50 or more points in a game.

Previous ranking: 9

10. Edison 5-3 (47)

Chargers junior Jake Minter blocked a Newport Harbor field-goal attempt on the final play of the Sunset League game won by Edison 31-28. The Chargers are 3-0 in league and tied with Los Alamitos for first place.

Previous ranking: 10

11. Tustin 8-0 (46)

Previous ranking: 11

12. Newport Harbor 3-5 (42)

Previous ranking: 13

13. Tesoro 5-3 (38)

Previous ranking: 13

14. Corona del Mar 4-4 (35)

Previous ranking: 14

15. Yorba Linda 6-2 (34)

Previous ranking: 16

16. Villa Park 7-1 (31)

Previous ranking: 10

17T. Capistrano Valley 7-1 (23)

Previous ranking: 17

17T. Cypress 5-3 (23)

Previous ranking: 19

19. Western 7-1 (22)

Previous ranking: 18

20. El Modena 4-4 (15)

Previous ranking: 20

21. Trabuco Hills 5-3 (12)

Previous ranking: 21

22T. Foothill 5-2 (11)

Previous ranking: Not ranked

22T. El Dorado 4-4 (11

Previous ranking: 25

24. La Habra 4-4 (7)

Previous ranking: 23

25. Laguna Beach 7-1 (3)

Previous ranking: Not ranked

Also receiving votes: Crean Lutheran 6-2 (2)

About the poll: There are three voters in the weekly poll. Points are awarded for each spot in the poll. Starting with 25 points for a No. 1 ranking.

The CIF-SS office announced Friday that Rollinson and Orange County high school sports figures Jim Brumm, Rocky Ciarelli, Tony Ciarelli, Dan Glenn, Jeff Gordon, Gary Meek and Bill Seckington are the Orange County high school sports figures who are among the latest inductees who will be honored at a luncheon at The Grand Convention Center in Long Beach on Oct. 18.

Rollinson coached Mater Dei football to eight CIF-SS championships, four state championships and five national titles. He coached two players, Matt Leinart (USC) and Bryce Young (Alabama), who went on to win the Heisman Trophy.

Brumm coached water polo and swimming at Foothill and Huntington Beach. His teams won seven boys water polo CIF-SS championships and eight CIF-SS boys swimming championships. Brumm led his water polo teams to 600 wins in his 40 years of coaching.

Rocky Ciarelli’s 37 years coaching boys and girls volleyball at Edison, Huntington Beach and Newport Harbor produced more than 600 wins and 18 league championships, three CIF-SS boys championships and one girls CIF-SS title, one boys CIF Southern California Regional boys volleyball championship and one CIF State girls volleyball championship.

Tony Ciarelli coached six CIF State champions and 18 CIF-SS champions in the throwing events (shot put and discus) at Edison, Huntington Beach and Newport Harbor. He also was an outstanding assistant coach at Newport Harbor football.

Glenn coached boys and girls volleyball for 35 years at Edison, Newport Harbor and University. His Newport Harbor girls teams won seven CIF-SS championships and five CIF State titles. He also coached three CIF-SS boys volleyball championship teams at Newport Harbor.

Gordon coached soccer at Sunny Hills to 19 Freeway League championships and three CIF-SS championships. He was the National High School Coaches Association Coach of the Year in 2007.

Meek coached Esperanza football to three CIF-SS champions during his 17 seasons there. His record with the Aztecs is 144-50-4.

Seckington coached Huntington Beach golf teams to 404 wins and 19 Sunset League championships in his 26 seasons. His teams won three CIF Southern California Regional titles.

Among the CIF-SS Distinguished Service honorees are Bill Prichard, who played water polo at Newport Harbor and wrote “The History of CIF-SS Water Polo 1912-2020,” former CIF-SS commissioner Rob Wigod who was the baseball coach and athletic director at Los Alamitos and former CIF-SS assistant commissioner Rainer Wulf, who coached the Trabuco Hill boys basketball team to a CIF-SS championship.