Jim Tortolano

Garden Grove

Editor and Publisher at Orange County Tribune

Retired professor, journalist, novelist, historian

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Articles

Relief is coming to a tangle of two very busy boulevards

1 week ago | orangecountytribune.com | Jim Tortolano

By Jim TortolanoOrange County TribuneThe good news is relief is coming to the often-jammed intersection of Garden Grove and Harbor boulevards. On Tuesday night the City Council on an 7-0 vote approved a contract worth $6,678,330 to PALP Inc. for street widening and other improvements at that key intersection. The not-quite-as good news is that the extensive construction and demolition work will complicate traffic in that area for a while.
Now, it’s HBCC vs. the OVSD

2 weeks ago | orangecountytribune.com | Jim Tortolano

Huntington Beach By Jim Tortolano/Orange County TribuneThe political struggle over the future of the Huntington Beach Library System continued on Tuesday when the city council took aim at the Ocean View School District Board of Trustees.
‘Thanks’ to fallen officers and all the police at ‘Call to Duty’

3 weeks ago | orangecountytribune.com | Jim Tortolano

By Jim TortolanoOrange County TribuneFor the 38th time, the Garden Grove community gathered to commemorate the sacrifices of its police officers at the “Call to Duty” Memorial observance on Thursday in front of the police headquarters building. Honored for sacrificing their lives in public service were Sgt. Myron Trapp (1959), Officer Andy Reese (1979), Officer Donald Reed (1980), Officer Michael Rainford (1980), Master Officer Howard E. Dalles Jr. (1993) and Lt. John Reynolds (2021).
GG suspect is arrested on Riverside lewd conduct’ charge

3 weeks ago | orangecountytribune.com | Jim Tortolano

Garden Grove By Jim TortolanoOrange County TribuneA Garden Grove man has been arrested for allegedly “engaging in lewd behavior” near a high school in Riverside. According to the Riverside Police Department, Francis Ledesma Castillo, 37, is charged with multiple offenses of annoying or molesting children and indecent exposure. Additionally, a search of his home resulted in finding several unregistered firearms, an illegally-manufactured AR-style rifle and armor-piercing ammunition.
89 townhomes for mall?

4 weeks ago | orangecountytribune.com | Jim Tortolano

By Jim TortolanoOrange County TribuneA public hearing on a proposal to build 89 three-story for-sale townhouses on the grounds of the Westminster Mall will be held by the Westminster City Council when it meets on Wednesday.
Another setback for HB on housing federal lawsuit

1 month ago | orangecountytribune.com | Jim Tortolano

By Jim TortolanoOrange County TribuneSurf City continues to be appealing, but the result isn’t pretty. A request for a new hearing on an appeal from an earlier federal district court ruling regarding California’s housing laws was rejected this week. At issue is a state law that would require that Huntington Beach zone for – but not necessarily build – over 13,000 new housing units.
Social host ordinance approved

1 month ago | orangecountytribune.com | Jim Tortolano

By Jim TortolanoOrange County TribuneNeighbors shooting off illegal fireworks and saying to police,”it’s not me, it’s my uncle”? There’s a new law coming to Stanton, a “social host” ordinance which makes the property owner legally responsible for fines and other punishments for igniting unlawful pyrotechnics, whether it be on the Fourth of July or any other time. The council approved the ordinance 5-0 at its meeting on Tuesday.
Yes to eatery, no to smoke shops

1 month ago | orangecountytribune.com | Jim Tortolano

By Jim Tortolano/Orange County TribuneAnother place to eat and perhaps fewer places to buy tobacco. That’s what the Huntington Beach City Council voted for Tuesday. The council approved and authorized a lease agreement with the State Lands Commission and an agreement with the California Coastal Commission that clears the way for a new restaurant to be called “Huntington’s” on the municipal pier. Approvals at the city level have already been secured.
Good budget numbers found

2 months ago | orangecountytribune.com | Jim Tortolano

By Jim Tortolano/Orange County TribuneIt’s not often that a city council gets to readjust the budget because there’s more money in the municipal treasury than expected, but it happened on March 25. The Stanton City Council voted 5-0 to make the changes. Income for the 2024-25 fiscal year is up by $1.1 million over the planned total and expenses are down by $815,562.
How you’ll use credit with city

2 months ago | orangecountytribune.com | Jim Tortolano

By Jim Tortolano/Orange County TribuneIn a move to save the city over $400,000 annually, the Garden Grove City Council on Tuesday night voted to approve a new way to process the charging of customers who use electronic payments. On a 7-0 vote, the council approved the second of two options submitted by city staff. Under the current system, the city spends about $450,000 in costs associated with that processing.