Sheriff’s deputies responded to the shooting just before 2 p.m. Saturday in the 11000 block of Court Street, between Beach Boulevard and Rancho Alamitos High School, according to Sgt. Gerard McCann.

Deputies found 15-year-old Samuel Louie Vidal of San Bernardino and another boy about 13 to 14 years old and authorities rushed them both to a hospital, McCann said. Vidal was pronounced dead and the other boy was in critical condition, he added.

Investigators were not sure what led to the shooting but it is an area plagued with gang activity, McCann said.

Anyone with helpful information for investigators was asked to call 714-647-7000. Orange County Crime Stoppers will accept anonymous tips at 855-TIP-OCCS or at ocsheriff.gov/occrimestoppers

At around 8:30 p.m. on June 22, deputies with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department responded to a call regarding a vehicle versus pedestrian collision near the intersection of Katella Avenue and Date Street, according to a sheriff’s news release. The 66-year-old man who was hit has been identified as Jeffrey DeLaRosa. He later died.

The driver who hit and killed DeLaRosa fled the scene and is still at large. Authorities described his vehicle as a white 2007 Nissan Rogue with damage on the front end. The car was last seen headed eastbound on Katella Avenue nearing Beach Boulevard.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department is asking the public for help locating the suspect vehicle and the driver. Information can be directed to MAIT at (949) 425-1860 or anonymous tips can be submitted to Orange County Crime Stoppers at (855) TIP-OCCS or www.ocsheriff.gov/occrimestoppers

The branch is back in circulation, reopening on Tuesday morning, June 3, ready to serve members of the Stanton community and anyone with an OC Public Libraries card.

In addition to new lighting, enhanced automation and fresh ventilation systems, the library — which is part of the OC Public Libraries System — was reorganized to include more shelving space for books and expanded areas for children. It had been closed since October.

“We really want to encourage parents to come bring their kids,” county librarian Julie Quillman said. “We work really hard to promote early literacy, but in a super fun way.”

In addition to bringing in more books and improving the children’s area, the Stanton branch now features a “Library of Things,” where patrons can check out games, puzzles, sewing machines, craft supplies and even a mini projector.

“Libraries are the heart of a community,” said Caitlin Fouratt, a frequent visitor to the Stanton Library. “They are a place where people can come and get not just books anymore, but things, activities and games.”

Fouratt moved to Stanton two years ago with her children, Magda and Arlo.

With the busyness of their move and the lack of air conditioning in their new home, the three often visited the library to escape the heat and spend some time reading. When the library closed, Fouratt and her children relied on school libraries to get their books.

“We used to come every couple of weeks to swap out our books,” Fouratt said. “And then it closed, and we’ve been sort of library-less since, so we’re really excited that it’s open again.”

The library held a reopening ceremony on Tuesday, right outside its doors facing Cedar Street and Stanton City Hall.

County Supervisor Doug Chaffee presented a book, “How to Hug a Porcupine” by Dr. Debbie Joffe Ellis, to be donated to the library’s shelves. He also highlighted the importance of community libraries in a digital world.

“A library is more than just a building; it’s a central community resource that provides equitable access to information, technology, education and a safe place for all,” Chaffee said.

Other city officials were present at the ceremony, including Library Advisory Board delegate John Warren and Stanton Councilmember Gary Taylor. Their remarks were followed by a ribbon cutting, and attendees were then welcomed into the library.

The Stanton branch is one of five undergoing renovations in the OC Public Library system, alongside the Aliso Viejo, Dana Point, Garden Grove and La Habra branches. Their renovations will be similar to Stanton’s, including more energy-efficient systems and similar color schemes.

Improvements are partly funded by the California State Library Building Forward Grant, a state-funded grant aimed at addressing maintenance needs and improving energy efficiency amongst California’s public libraries. Stanton was awarded funding from the grant in its first round in 2022 to update its building systems.

And while the recent round of renovations focused on critical maintenance, the branch also took the opportunity to address patrons’ feedback, including improving its layout and giving the library a fresh coat of paint.

“We would never have chosen to have this many closed at once because we know how important they are to the community,” Quillman said. “But because we got that grant, we did have to close them all at once to make that deadline.”

The Stanton branch was able to open sooner than the others due to the previous work that had been done in 2020.

Dana Point is expected to reopen at the end of this summer, and Aliso Viejo is expected next in the early fall.

The Stanton branch is open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Joel Brandon Martinez was convicted Feb. 15, 2024, of second-degree murder and conspiracy to commit a crime and possession of a gun by a felon, all felonies. Jurors also found true a sentencing enhancement for discharge of a gun causing death.

Co-defendant Amy Lynn Black was sentenced in April to 15 years to life in prison for her part in the killing.

Co-defendants Gilbert Timothy Ramirez and Brandon Garet Iseminger accepted plea deals. Ramirez was sentenced in March 2023 to 10 years and four months in prison while Iseminger was sentenced to six years, or time served in jail awaiting trial.

Martinez was convicted of fatally shooting 35-year-old Carlos Beltran Aguilar on the afternoon of Aug. 26, 2019, in the Villa Motel, 11672 Beach Blvd.

In the days leading up to the shooting, Black sent multiple angry text messages to two friends complaining about Aguilar. She also sent messages that pointed to her desire to have the victim killed, Senior Deputy District Attorney Alexa Elliott said in her opening statement of the trial.

Black was suspicious that Aguilar, who would stay with her whenever he wasn’t in jail on drug charges in 2018 and 2019 while they were dating, was cheating with an ex-girlfriend, Elliott said.

Martinez supplied heroin and methamphetamine to Black to sell out of a motel room where she had been staying, Elliott said.

Black sent a message to Martinez seeking help, but Martinez and his friends had been out late the night before partying and did not see the messages right away, Elliott said.

When Martinez finally woke up around noon, he allegedly told Black he would be right over. Martinez, Iseminger and Ramirez at the time were staying at the Stanton home of a friend, Elliott said.

Aguilar’s cousin, who was trying to help get the victim to sober up, dropped him off at Black’s room to gather some belongings before the relative could take him to a rehab facility, Elliott said.

Martinez, Iseminger and Ramirez got to the motel at about 1:11 p.m. and Martinez went in, Elliott said. Ramirez and Iseminger went in and out for the first few minutes, but then left the three alone in the room, where a gunshot can be heard, Elliott said.

Black told police Martinez jumped on the bed, pointed the gun at the victim and shot him once, killing him, the prosecutor said.

At Black’s sentencing, one of Aguilar’s daughters, Adriana, told Orange County Superior Court Judge Gary Paer how she recalled learning her father died.

“My dad’s death affected me a lot,” Adriana said. “One, for me to think I finally found a person who took me as one of their own and treated me like his own and loved as his own and never thought about it twice. Also, for me to turn the big 15 and I cannot even spend my big special day with him there, and for him to see me become the young caring woman he told me to be.”

Another daughter, Jennifer, recalled how her heart sank “with disbelief” when learning of his death, especially given that “Two days prior to his death, my oldest sister had told us that he was trying to turn his life around and get his own place, so we can finally stay nights with him.”

She said Aguilar was “always my biggest support along with my mom, but my dad always told me, `mija, you are strong, just keep on pushing.’ Those words always play in my head when I need it the most. He always told me I’d be the fighter and protector out of my sisters and I believe in that because I do see it.”

She said her father “cracked jokes” and was “just a person you can be yourself around.” She described him as “gentle and sensitive but strong-minded.”

Aguilar enjoyed taking the girls out to a “favorite restaurant” or the park to “play for hours,” Jennifer said.

Another daughter, Layloni, said she still finds it hard to believe her father is gone.

“Till this day it is still hard to believe,” she said. “It still hurts me on the inside that he is not here with us anymore.”

She said she struggled with depression and that she was a “daddy’s girl.” She said she still feels “so lost without him. I missed a lot of school because of it.”

Layloni recalled how two nights before he died he called her and said he had gotten a job lined up and was working on “getting an apartment for me and my sisters to start spending the night with him. I was so excited because my dad was starting to change his life. Then, two days later — he was no longer with us.”

SANTA ANA — A 41-year-old woman was sentenced Friday to 15 years to life in prison for her part in killing her on-again, off-again boyfriend in her Stanton motel room.

Amy Lynn Black was convicted in October of second-degree murder and two counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, all felonies. Jurors acquitted her of conspiracy to commit the killing.

She was convicted in connection with the killing of 35-year-old Carlos Beltran Aguilar on the afternoon of Aug. 26, 2019, in the Villa Motel, 11672 Beach Blvd.

Co-defendant Joel Brandon Martinez was convicted last year of second-degree murder and conspiracy to commit a crime as well as possession of a gun by a felon, all felonies, with a sentencing enhancement for discharge of a gun causing death. Martinez is awaiting sentencing.

Co-defendants Gilbert Timothy Ramirez and Brandon Garet Iseminger both accepted plea deals, with Ramirez sentenced in 2023 to 10 years and four months in prison as Iseminger awaits sentencing.

One of Aguilar’s daughters, Adriana, told Orange County Superior Court Judge Gary Paer how she recalled learning her father died.

“My dad’s death affected me a lot,” Adriana said. “One, for me to think I finally found a person who took me as one of their own and treated me like his own and loved as his own and never thought about it twice. Also, for me to turn the big 15 and I cannot even spend my big special day with him there, and for him to see me become the young caring woman he told me to be.”

Another daughter, Jennifer, recalled how her heart sank “with disbelief” when learning of his death, especially given that “Two days prior to his death, my oldest sister had told us that he was trying to turn his life around and get his own place, so we can finally stay nights with him.”

She said Aguilar was “always my biggest supper along with my mom, but my dad always told me, ‘mija, you are strong, just keep on pushing.’ Those words always play in my head when I need it the most. He always told me I’d be the fighter and protector out of my sisters and I believe in that because I do see it.”

She said her father “cracked jokes” and was “just a person you can be yourself around.” She described him as “gentle and sensitive but strong-minded.”

Aguilar enjoyed taking the girls out to a “favorite restaurant” or the park to “play for hours,” Jennifer said.

Another daughter, Layloni, said she still finds it hard to believe her father is gone.

“Till this day it is still hard to believe,” she said. “It still hurts me on the inside that he is not here with us anymore.”

She said she struggled with depression and that she was a “daddy’s girl.” She said she still feels “so lost without him. I missed a lot of school because of it.”

Layloni recalled how two nights before he died he called her and said he had gotten a job lined up and was working on “getting an apartment for me and my sisters to start spending the night with him. I was so excited because my dad was starting to change his life. Then, two days later — he was no longer with us.”

The defendant was selling drugs out of her motel room, Senior Deputy District Attorney Alexa Elliott told jurors in her opening statement of the trial. “Her room was a revolving door.”

Martinez, who was known as “Capone,” was one of her main suppliers, Elliott said.

The prosecutor said Black and Aguilar “had a very volatile relationship.”

Aguilar would sometimes stay with Black, but also lived with a cousin, Elliott said. Black was angered when she found he would at times sleep in her car without permission, the prosecutor said.

“They fought a lot,” Elliott said. “Carlos was a heroin user and Amy preferred methamphetamine.”

In the days before the killing, the two battled over drug use and “cheating,” Elliott said.

Black was also feuding with Martinez over the quality of the methamphetamine he was supplying, Elliott said.

The prosecutor showed jurors multiple text message exchanges she had with friends leading up to the killing, complaining about Aguilar.

In one of the text messages, she said Aguilar “chose hookers and dope” over her, Elliott said.

Black was also asking friends to help her track down her boyfriend, Elliott said. Those messages, she added, “very much goes to her intent and motive.”

She said Black was embarrassed and felt disrespected.

The defendant sent a “text storm” to the victim about 2 a.m. on the day of the killing, Elliott said. When the two met up about 9 a.m. at the motel, they got into a conflict that led him to break her door. As he was riding his bike away, she chased him down intent on wanting him dead, a witness told investigators, according to Elliott.

Black tried to call Martinez, but he had been out late the night before at a gambling house doing drugs and was sleeping, so he didn’t immediately respond, Elliott said.

“I’m not paying to be ignored,” she said in one text to Martinez, according to the prosecutor.

“She tells Capone, `I need your help,”‘ Elliott said.

When Martinez woke up to the messages, he asked the friend he was staying with if he could borrow his car and drive over to the motel, which was about 10 minutes away, Elliott said.

Meanwhile, Aguilar was dropped off by his cousin at the motel to pick up some things while they were on the way to take the victim to a drug rehabilitation facility, Elliott said.

Martinez showed up a short time later with Ramirez and Iseminger, and he kicked in the door when there was no answer to his knocking, Elliott said.

Martinez was standing on the bed in the motel room when he shot down once at Aguilar, killing him, Elliott said. Martinez had ordered him out of the room, but when Aguilar went to hug Black, Martinez shot him, the prosecutor said.

“It’s a one-shot execution,” Elliott said.

As Aguilar was groaning in the doorway, “Amy is calling for her dog” that ran away following the gunshot, Elliott said.

Black also grabbed several items from her room, put them in bags and handed them off to others before police arrived, Elliott said. One of the bags, which was recovered from a trash bin, contained drug paraphernalia, Elliott said.

Iseminger and Ramirez were unaware of the plan to shoot Aguilar, so they received plea deals, Elliott said.

Barker Pacific Group and Kingsbarn Realty Capital bought the property from the investment firm Barings in El Segundo. The complex was 55% leased at the time of the transaction, according to CBRE.

Mission Ridge has 232,000 square feet of leasable space in two, four-story office buildings at 27101 and 27201 Puerta Real. Completed in 2000, it was renovated inside and out in 2021.

Tenants include Partners Bank of California, Wells Fargo Advisors, Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Fidelity, Maguire Insurance, US Investment Corp, and Charles Schwab.

“We are acquiring the highest quality office asset in the submarket for an extremely compelling basis, which will allow us to compete favorably in the marketplace,” said Mark Handin, managing principal at BPG.

BPG said the Mission Ridge acquisition brings its office portfolio to more than 1 million square feet in Orange County.

This deal marked the third joint venture in Orange County for the firm and Kingsbarn.

In 2021, the venture bought Fullerton Towers, and then in 2023 the venture scored a deal for the 13-story twin Griffin Towers, which it bought for $82 million. Blackstone bought the Santa Ana property at 5 and 6 Hutton Centre Drive for $129 million in 2014, according to CommercialObservor.com.

Even though the office market faces post-pandemic vacancy woes,  the Mission Viejo campus will remain an office space.

“We believe in the future of high-quality office environments with great locations and robust amenities … regardless of the current market challenges for owners of office building,” said Will Dickinson, vice president at BPG.

As in Mission Viejo, investors are still finding deals in Orange County office spaces.

According to a 2024 fourth-quarter office market report by NAI Capital, sales were down 33.2% compared with year-end 2023. Sale prices also were down 23.4% quarter over quarter to $212 per square foot.

The good news for landlords: Occupied office space increased 353,370 square feet, tightening vacancy to 12.3%, a 100-basis-point decline year-over-year, NAI’s J.C. Casillas wrote. That brings total occupied space to more than 110 million square feet.

Costa Mesa’s Victoria Plaza sells for $7.2M

Newport Victoria Plaza, a 43,249-square-foot office complex at 2183 Fairview Road in Costa Mesa, traded hands March 12 for $7.2 million, according to CBRE.

The brokerage represented the seller, which it did not identify. The buyer was identified in public documents as Royal Tulip Investments, according to PropertyShark.

“The opportunity to purchase a low-rise office property in a fundamentally strong market like Costa Mesa is rare,” said Anthony DeLorenzo at CBRE.

Placentia office plaza sells for $5.75 million

The Cobblestone professional office building in Placentia sold in recent weeks for $5.75 million.

Marcus & Millichap did not identify the seller of the two-story, 23,500-square-foot property at 201-261 Lakeview Ave.

“The seller had owned and managed the property for over 28 years and our team was able to show them how they can sell this asset to exchange into a less management-intensive product type and increase their cash flow by at least three times,” said Alex Mobin, at Marcus & Millichap.

The buyer, also not identified, was an owner/user who use it for medical use once the building is renovated, Mobin said.

The buyer was represented by Keller Williams.

Stanton storage site adding freight service

A 2.59-acre parcel with two buildings in Stanton sold March 6 for $9.8 million, according to DAUM Commercial Real Estate Services.

Dynamic Export LLC will use an existing conditional use permit to add trucking and freight to the site, DAUM said.

“This was a rare opportunity for our client to acquire a site with low building coverage of approximately 20%, for use as a truck terminal,” said Michael Chase at DAUM.

The brokerage’s Capital Markets Group represented the buyer, and its Newport Beach office team repped the seller. Brokers declined to identify either of them.

The industrial outdoor storage site at 11121 Dale St. includes 112,820 square-foot parcel that is fenced and paved. The larger freestanding building is 19,375 square feet while the smaller building is 4,000 square feet.

On the move

Ayda Kach recently joined Hanley Investment Group Real Estate Advisors as a vice president. She specializes in investment sales, leasing and repositioning assets and most was a managing director at PacWest Management.

The real estate roundup is compiled from news releases and written by Business Editor Samantha Gowen. Submit items and high-resolution photos via email to  sgowen@scng.com . Please allow at least a week for publication. All items are subject to editing for clarity and length.

Van, 40, entered the plea at a courthouse in Santa Ana on Thursday, March 13. Prosecutors have accused Van of allegedly not living in the district she represented, lying on her candidate paperwork when she filed for reelection last year, and not being entitled to vote at an election. She’s facing four felony charges.

After the hearing, Scott Simmons, Van’s attorney, said that she is looking forward to her day in court and will deal with the facts of the case then. Simmons said they are in the process of negotiating with prosecutors.

Van does not have a prior criminal record.

The hearing was before Orange County Superior Court Judge Michael Murray, who scheduled a pre-trial hearing before a different judge in late April because he has a friendship with Simmons.

The Orange County District Attorney’s Office on Jan. 17 announced it had charged her with perjury; offering a false or forged document to be filed, registered; filing false nomination papers; and not being entitled to vote at an election.

The DA’s office alleged that Van moved from her home in District 2 to another one she purchased in District 4 less than a year after being elected in November 2020.

She kept her previous home and allowed other family members to live in it, according to the DA’s office. Van, on the day of council meetings, would drive from her District 4 home to her old home in District 2 before walking to City Hall, according to prosecutors.

Van should have resigned after moving, prosecutors said. She also used her old address to file her candidate paperwork and to vote in the November election, prosecutors said.

Van joined the City Council in 2019 after being appointed to a vacancy. She lost her race for reelection to Victor Barrios for the District 2 council seat.

While the popularity of food halls is often attributed to the 2010 opening of Eataly in New York City or the 2003 culinary re-imagining of San Francisco’s Ferry Building, the concept has a longer history. Look no further than Los Angeles’ Grand Central Market, established in 1917, demonstrating that these communal dining spaces go back decades before the advent of the modern food hall or the chain-stricken food court found at your nearest mall. In addition to good grub, these proverbial halls provide valuable and exceedingly rare third spaces — i.e., places outside of home and work where people can gather, connect and relax. A hot commodity in an age where social interaction is increasingly replaced by the pull of screen time.

Although Orange County has a collection of budding food halls, including the recently opened one in Downtown Disney District and the upcoming Miramar Food Hall in San Clemente, here are the best ones to put on your radar.

4th Street Market

201 E. Fourth St., Santa Ana; 714-486-0700, 4thstreetmarket.com

Opening in 2015, this roughly 30,000-square foot marketplace at Fourth and Bush streets plays host to more than a dozen eateries, ranging from Thai street food and hot pot to smash burgers and takeaway omakase. In addition to its sundry food vendors, this food hall also doubles as a kitchen space for budding entrepreneurs (hourly rents available with flexible scheduling) and a culinary school. Stadium seating, plenty of table seating and occasional live music (ranging from acoustic guitar to DJs) adds to the convivial community vibe happening at 4th Street Market.

Eats: Alta Baja Market (market and cafe with vegan, vegetarian and Mexican option), And Broth (hot pot), Baked Banhs (pastries, baked desserts), the Chicken Rice, Daily Kombucha, Deli Station (sandwiches), Faka’s Island Grill (Hawaiian), Gina’s Crepes and Waffles, the Golden Eatery (burgers), Loose Leaf Boba Co., Recess by Playground (craft cocktail), Sushi Wabi-Sabi (omakase-style sushi) and Tuk Tuk Thai Street Food

Must try: Pho Brisket Sandwich at And Broth.

Anaheim Packing District

440 S. Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim; 714-533-7225, anaheimpackingdistrict.com

One of Orange County’s largest food halls, this sprawling, two-floor space features a central wraparound seating area, ideal for solo diners, inside an open and airy industrial-chic space. With more than 30 vendors, guests can mill about as they enjoy aguas frescas, barbecue and gelato on a stick while perusing some of its retail offerings. Truly a stunner of a space. Bonus points for being within walking distance from Poppy & Seed.

Eats: 206 BCE (Cajun Fusion), ADYA (Indian), Black Sheep GCB (grilled cheese bar), BXCR Underground Spirits, Chippy Fish and Grill, El Chamango (aguas frescas and antojitos), En Cultura (Ahumadero barbecue and bar), Georgia’s Restaurant (soul food), Hammer Bar (craft cocktails), Hans’ Homemade (ice cream), Le Parfait Paris (pastries and desserts), Mangal (Syrian), Mini Monster (boba teas), Pique-Nique (cheese and charcuterie), Popbar (gelato on a stick), Randy’s Donuts, Rolling Boil (hot pot), The Blind Rabbit (speakeasy-gastropub), The Iron Press (beer and pub fare), The Kroft (sandwiches and poutine), The Stuffed Potato (entertainment venue, food and cocktails), Urbana (Mexican gastronomy), White Elephant (Thai), Zabon Ramen and Rolls (Japanese) and ZeroZero39 Pizzeria

Must try: The Hot Mess grilled cheese with fontina, bacon and jalapeños at Black Sheep GCB.

ALSO SEE: Fill your belly at some of Los Angeles County’s best food halls

Mercado González

2300 Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa; 949-238-6470, northgatemarket.com/mercado

A momentous achievement care of the family-owned Northgate Markets empire, Mercado González, named in honor Don Miguel González and Dona Teresa Reynoso de Gonzalez, the husband-wife duo who founded Northgate Markets, features more than two dozen puestos that serve up both dine-in and carry-out options. The approximately 70,000-square foot food hall and market which opened in 2023, draws inspiration from the labyrinthine bazaars of Mexico. Highlights include vibrant murals, colorful tilework, handmade crafts and, of course, food; Sinaloa-style sushi, lengua verde, cinnamon-dusted churros from Mexico City’s most popular churro maker, birria and even a full-fledged Mexican grocery store await.

Eats: Prospera González, Pastelería La González, El Moro Churrería (chorros), Florería Nayel, Cremería (ice cream), La Nena Paletería, Aguas Frescas Las Delicias, Salsas El Molcajete, Frutería El Puesto, Chiles Y Especias, Hacienda La Cofradía — Licorería Y Cevercería, Marisquería El Puerto, Mariscos El Pariente, Carnicería La Preferida, Chorizería, Las Cazuelas Guisados, Los Mesquites Asados, Birriería Y Menudería — La Tapatía, Tacos Los Guichos, Chiva Torta, La Tamalería, Carnitas Don Miguel, Tortillería La González, Sushi El Sinaloense and Entre Nos Bar & Lounge.

Must try: Chicharron con carne at Carnitas Don Miguel.

Rodeo 39 Public Market

12885 Beach Blvd., Stanton; rodeopublicmarket.com/rodeo39

With a setup similar to a smaller Grand Central Market in Downtown L.A., Stanton’s food hall features a bevy of Asian fare, in addition to several retail and hangout spots. Glass windows let you see your food being prepared. And for the daring who want to gussy up their bod after filling their belly, head to Skin Design Tattoo for some fresh ink.

Eats: Bearded Tang Brewery (beer), Bestea (teas, sweet treats), Capas Taco, Chic Now Hainan Chicken Rice, Crawfish Hut (soft opening Mar. 6), Crepes Avenue, My Blue Bowl (super food bowl), Kare (Japanese curry), Karai Handroll X Ramen (handroll bar), Oi Asian Fusion (Filipino fusion rice bowls), Phoholic (pho), Primal Cuts (steakhouse eats, meats), Remicone (ice cream), Rodeo Bar (full bar), Shootz (Hawaiian), Sweet G’s (cookies) and Tenori (musubi)

Must try: Pork Belly Bun at Oi Asian Fusion.

ALSO SEE: Inland Empire food halls provide unique dining in memorable settings

Rodeo River Street

31856 Paseo Adelanto, San Juan Capistrano; rodeopublicmarket.com/rodeo-river-street

Downright delightful mini food hall inside the new River Street Marketplace, Rodeo River Street is the youngest food hall in Orange County featuring 10 tasty vendors from which to select. Particularly noteworthy is its design of soaring ceilings and floor-to- ceiling windows on two of its entrances, as well neon signage above each eatery giving the barn-like food hall a downtown cosmopolitan vibe. An added benefit is its location inside the epic new marketplace, which, should you yearn for something less casual, comes with a handful of new fine-dining restaurants, including Finca, La Vaquera and the Market by the Meat Cellar.

Eats: Bred Hot Chicken (hot chicken sandwiches and more), Hudson’s Cookies, Capas Tacos, Kebab Craft, Nom (Asian-inspired bowls), Kozan (specialty tea drinks), Paranas Empanadas, Pastalia (pasta), Shootz (Hawaiian) and the Sushi Stand.

Must try: Kimchi butter katsu chicken plate at Shootz.

SteelCraft

12900 S. Euclid St., Garden Grove; 714-482-6298, steelcraftlb.com/steelcraft-garden-grove

This  food hall, which opened in 2019, comprises 22 repurposed shipping containers, making it a treat for gastronomes and design geeks alike. The containers surround a large common space under a structure akin to a barn bearing a corrugated metal roof, a nod to Garden Grove’s agricultural history. In addition to a handful of food vendors, guests can also enjoy the vintage video arcade.

Eats: Aldente (pasta, flatbreads), Barrio (Filipino and Korean), Beachwood Brewing (craft beer), Bird Talk, La Taqueria Brand, OniGuru (onigiri), Swagyu Burger and Tea Otter.

Must try: A triple cheese wagyu burger at Swagyu Burger.

At least 93 people could lose their jobs in the closures, according to a notification sent to California’s Employment Development Department.

Marty Maloney, Walgreens’ director of media relations, said via email on Friday that “increased regulatory and reimbursement pressures” were weighing on costs associated with rent, staffing, and supply needs.

“It is never an easy decision to close a store,” he wrote. “We know that our stores are important to the communities that we serve, and therefore do everything possible to improve the store performance. When closures are necessary, like those here in California, we will work in partnership with community stakeholders to minimize customer disruptions.”

Maloney said the company intends to redeploy the majority of its affected associates to other stores.

The stores closing include:

• Orange: Closing March 25 with 8 potential layoffs at 3237 E. Chapman Ave.
• Placentia: Closing March 24 with 19 potential layoffs at 1201 E. Yorba Linda Blvd.
• Stanton: Closing March 26 with 13 potential layoffs at 11900 Beach Blvd.
• Whittier: Closing March 20 with 26 potential layoffs at 11604 Whittier Blvd.
• Los Angeles: Closing March 27 with 27 potential layoffs 617 W. 7th St.

Walgreens noted in its notice to the state that the closures are permanent. A list of affected jobs includes pharmacy technicians, pharmacists, cashiers, customer service associates, store managers and inventory specialists.

Drugstore operators have struggled since the pandemic, with hundreds of stores closing nationwide as consumer habits shift. Opioid settlements also have laden chains with debt. Last spring Rite Aid marked 31 stores in California for closure in a bankruptcy restructuring plan. At the time, the pharmacy chain was facing slumping sales and several opioid-related lawsuits.

Blizzard campaign raises $2M for CureDuchenne

A fundraising campaign launched by CureDuchenne and Blizzard Entertainment in Irvine raised $2 million for the nonprofit, which supports families and research to find a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

The campaign was inspired by the late Mats Steen, a World of Warcraft player who went by the avatar Ibelin. The online role-playing video game was created and released by Blizzard in 2004.

Steen suffered from Duchenne muscular dystrophy and died at age 25. Netflix made a documentary about his life called “The Remarkable Life of Ibelin.”

WoW players adopted (bought) a limited edition pet named Reven (the Norwegian word for fox). Reven followed players during their gaming adventures, with proceeds going to CureDuchene.

The nonprofit said the fundraiser was “the most significant contribution that CureDuchenne has received from a corporation to date.”

“The World of Warcraft community has shown that gaming can be a powerful force for good, and we are deeply grateful to Blizzard, the Steen family, and to every player who joined us in honoring Mats Steen and making a real difference in the lives of those affected by Duchenne,” said Debra Miller, the founder and CEO of CureDuchenne.

The money raised will go toward research and care programs for individuals affected by the rare neuromuscular disease.

Wine gala fundraiser is March 1

Napa in Newport returns March 1 at Pendry Newport Beach.

The fundraising event features Napa Valley vintners serving their finest wines, with proceeds benefiting CureDuchenne. The nonprofit raises money to fund research to cure Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Napa in Newport includes a grand tasting, dining tables, dinner with wine pairings and an auction. This year’s Vintner Chair is Morlet Family Vineyards, a family-owned winery with the food curated by Michelin-starred chef and author Philip Tessier of Press Restaurant in Napa Valley.

For more information and tickets, go to napainnewport.org

Birthday party at Michael’s

Michael’s Sports Pub & Grill in Westminster is celebrating its 25th anniversary the weekend of March 29-30. During the Sunday festivities, the pub will feature a car show, wing-eating contest and a commemorating plaque from the city for its years of business.

Address: 15192 Goldenwest St. in the Goldenwest Plaza.

New ventures

Stretto, a law firm with offices in Irvine, Denver and New York, recently launched a legal claims administration services division. The team specializes in mass tort, regulatory remediation, and consumer and securities class action cases. For more information about the firm, go to stretto.com.

Danielle Tolentino Tuason last week opened Seniors Helping Seniors in Orange. The company offers franchise opportunities to caregivers who provide in-home help, errands, light housekeeping and companionship for seniors. Tolentino Tuason’s office is at the City Tower in Orange. Address: 333 City Blvd. 17th Floor. Her office services clients in Orange, North Tustin, Yorba Linda, Placentia, Brea and Fullerton. For more information, call 657-608-2273 or email seniorcare@shsorange.com.

On the move

Jennifer Mower is the new director of the GWC Foundation at Golden West College in Huntington Beach. She started Jan. 29, replacing longtime foundation director Bruce Berman, who retired last June. Mower comes to GWC from the Orange County Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, where she served as director of development since 2016.

News from last week

Surfwear stores closing: Beach reporter Laylan Connelly had the latest on Liberated Brand, the retail operator behind surfwear heavyweights Quiksilver, Billabong on Volcom. Liberated filed for bankruptcy last week and is now getting ready to close 100 retail stores nationwide. The actual brands will live on as Authentic looks to new operators to resume sales through other retailers and e-commerce sites.

Costco strike averted: The Teamsters union and the warehouse retailer reached a tentative agreement on a new contract, avoiding a strike last week. Details of the agreement, which must be approved by members, weren’t immediately available.

Status Update is compiled and written 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 DA’s Office on Friday, Jan. 17, announced Van, 40, who represented District 2 on the Stanton City Council from 2020 to 2024, had been charged with four felony charges: perjury; offering a false or forged document to be filed, registered; filing false nomination papers; and not being entitled to vote at an election.

Van could not be immediately reached for comment.

Prosecutors allege Van, less than a year after being elected in November 2020 to the City Council, purchased a home in District 4 in Stanton with her husband and son, according to the DA’s Office. Van did not sell her previous home in District 2 and allowed other family members to live in her former home, according to the DA’s Office.

On days of council meetings, Van would leave her home in District 4 and drive to her previous home in District 2 before walking to City Hall to attend meetings, according to the DA’s Office.

Van, after moving away from her District 2 home, should have resigned, the DA’s Office press release said, but she continued to serve on the council.

Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer described the alleged violations as “deliberate decisions to interfere with our democratic process.”

In July, Van submitted an Affidavit of Nominee under penalty of perjury to run for re-election in District 2, when she was ineligible to run for the seat, the DA’s Office said in its announcement. She later used her former District 2 address for her voter registration to vote in November’s election, according to the DA’s Office.

Van lost her race to Victor Barrios in the November election for the District 2 council seat.

Van was born in a refugee camp in Hong Kong and is the daughter of Vietnamese immigrants, according to a biography published on the Stanton city website. She has lived in the city since she was 2 and was appointed to the City Council in 2019, it said.

Van is scheduled for arraignment on Jan. 29, the DA’s Office press release said.