Yorba Linda News: The Orange County Register

Drummond: Yorba Linda, neighbors to sync up lights for better traffic flow

Jim Drummond — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 16:44:14 +0000

Traffic along Yorba Linda Boulevard through the cities of Fullerton, Placentia, Yorba Linda and Anaheim is expected to flow more smoothly after a seven-month traffic signal synchronization project is completed next year.

Yorba Linda is the lead agency on the project because the city has 23 of the 47 traffic signals on the 12-mile stretch of the thoroughfare that runs from State College Boulevard in Fullerton to Oak Canyon Drive in Anaheim.

Councilmembers in Yorba Linda recently approved a nearly $2.4 million contract for the work scheduled to begin this month, with completion anticipated in February. A 15% contingency of $357,119 can be added to the bid for “potential additional services and unforeseen work that may arise during construction,” stated a council report.

Project funding comes from a Comprehensive Transportation Funding Program grant that’s administered by the Orange County Transportation Agency. A 20% local match is required that’s expected to total $461,257. Winning bidder was Irwindale-based Crosstown Electrical & Data, Inc.

Traffic impacts during construction will be minimal and limited to temporary lane closures during approved working hours. Lane closures are typically between 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. daily, reported Tony Wang, city traffic engineering manager.

The project “will implement optimized traffic signal timing and synchronization along the corridor. Work will consist of performing traffic counts at key intersections, updating field equipment, performing signal timing analysis and installing/updating timing plans,” noted Wang in a report to county officials.

Yorba Linda’s portion of the project runs from Van Buren Street to New River Road. Existing closed-circuit television cameras are located at the Yorba Linda Boulevard intersections with Imperial Highway and Lakeview Avenue.

Nine cameras are proposed to be added at the following intersections, from west to east: Valley View Avenue, Richfield Road, Eureka Avenue, Fairmont Boulevard, Village Center Drive, San Antonio Road, Via De La Escuela, Stonehaven Drive and New River Road.

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Yorba Linda’s councilmembers have approved a facility use agreement with the American Red Cross to allow using the Tommy Lasorda Jr. Field House on Casa Loma Avenue for a temporary emergency shelter.

Under the agreement, the Red Cross can conduct emergency shelter operations in the event of a disaster, including storage of supplies, parking of vehicles and service center operations.

The Red Cross doesn’t pay to use the facility as a shelter, but the city can be reimbursed for food services, custodial support and utility expenses incurred from shelter operations.

“This agreement provides a proactive, no-cost preparedness measure for the city, while ensuring adequate coordination and liability protection during emergencies,” Chris Pena, the city’s emergency management coordinator, told the council.

Jim Drummond is a longtime Yorba Linda resident. He gives his opinion on local issues weekly. Send e-mail to jimdrummond@hotmail.com.

Drummond: School district and city of Yorba Linda have budget plans for next fiscal year

Jim Drummond — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 16:28:19 +0000

According to general fund budget adoptions for the fiscal year that began July 1, the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District will finish the year with more expenses than revenue, while Yorba Linda’s city government will end up with a modest surplus on June 30, 2026.

The school district expects a deficit of close to $43 million, based on total expenditures of some $399 million, while the city anticipates a surplus of $114,256, based on expenses of $49 million. And since the city adopts a two-year budget, another $34,362 surplus is expected in June 2027.

School officials project that the district deficit will drop for each of the next two fiscal years, to a bit more than $20.2 million by June 30, 2027, and to about $15.6 million by June 30, 2028.

Most revenue comes from state funding, but an estimated $10 million is from federal sources.

Another “budget stabilization plan” will be presented to school trustees before they adopt a budget for the next fiscal year. The plan is expected to include established timelines for ongoing budget planning and actions.

According to the plan, “Reductions presented may include tighter staffing at school sites, position reductions and non-personnel cost reductions. Under these assumptions, the board projects the need for $15.6 million in budget reductions in 2026-27 in order to maintain fiscal solvency.”

Enrollment on the district’s 34 campuses is expected to be 21,777, a drop of 175 students from last year. Administrators expect the number to dip to 21,608 next year and 21,438 the year after.

The district’s Orange County School of Computer Science charter at the Bernardo Yorba Middle School campus on Fairmont Boulevard estimates an enrollment of 747 sixth- through eighth-grade students. The budget is expected to show an $848,645 deficit, based on expenditures of about $10 million.

Most of the city’s income will come from property and sales taxes: some $27 million is expected in property taxes and $8.53 million in sales taxes this year and $28 million in property taxes and $8.75 million in sales taxes next year.

Interestingly, both the school district and the city are involved in a search for a top manager, with both the school superintendent and city manager positions expected to be filled before the end of September.

School superintendent Alex Cherniss resigned while he was on leave from his Placentia-Yorba Linda position for a similar post in the 3,100-student Beverly Hills Unified School District.

Mark Pulone is retiring as Yorba Linda’s city manager after 12 years in the position. The application deadline is July 14 for the city manager job.

Update: Opening date for students who will attend the Magnolia Science Academy charter school on the west campus of Esperanza High School is Aug. 26. Trustees approved an agreement for transitional kindergarten through second-grade students to occupy seven portable classrooms on the west Aztec campus.

Jim Drummond is a longtime Yorba Linda resident. He gives his opinion on local issues weekly. Send e-mail to jimdrummond@hotmail.com.

2 men accused of violently stalking Yorba Linda family

Sydney Barragan — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 20:59:25 +0000

Two San Bernardino County men have been arrested in connection with a months-long stalking and intimidation campaign that targeted a family in Yorba Linda, federal authorities announced.

Xiang Li, also known as “Lilinbo,” 42, of Chino Hills, and Bowen Zhou, also known as “Roger Zhou,” 33, of Upland, were taken into custody last week after a federal criminal complaint was filed June 17 in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, the FBI said.

Beginning in March 2024, a woman identified in court documents as “Victim 1” and her family member, “Victim 2,” began receiving threatening phone calls and text messages demanding $150,000 and warning they were not safe, prosecutors said. On March 15, a knife and threatening letter were left on their doorstep, according to court records.

One caller reportedly said, “You should know I know where your family lives, and we have a lot of gangsters in the L.A. area.”

The threats escalated on April 4, when six gunshots were fired at the victims’ home while one of them was inside, the complaint states.

FBI agents executed search warrants on June 3, 2025. At Li’s home, investigators recovered ammunition matching the caliber used in the shooting, a phone used to send threatening texts, and another device that had communicated with Zhou during the stalking incidents. At Zhou’s residence, agents seized a firearm consistent with the suspected weapon and a phone used to make threatening calls and contact Li, records show.

The FBI did not disclose a possible motive for the alleged stalking and threats; nor have investigators indicated whether there is any known relationship between the suspects and the victims.

Li and Zhou made initial appearances before a federal magistrate judge and were ordered held in custody. If convicted, each faces up to five years in federal prison.

Yorba Linda High Graduation 2025: Our best photos of the ceremony

Heather McRea — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 15:37:43 +0000

Yorba Linda High School handed diplomas to the members of its graduating Class of 2025 on Wednesday, June 11.

Amanda Aymani is all smiles after receiving her diploma during Yorba Linda High School graduation Wednesday June 11, 2025 in Yorba Linda (Photo by Greg Andersen, Contributing Photographer)

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Amanda Aymani is all smiles after receiving her diploma during Yorba Linda High School graduation Wednesday June 11, 2025 in Yorba Linda (Photo by Greg Andersen, Contributing Photographer)

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In a commencement ceremony at the campus, families and friends cheered as the graduates walked across the stage, marking the end of their high school careers and the beginning of their bright futures.

OC EidFest draws crowds for celebration

Heather McRea — Sun, 25 May 2025 16:37:12 +0000

Fida Mohamed, from Afghan Kabob 2 Go Catering, barbeques chicken and beef kabobs during OC EidFest at Oak Canyon Park in Silverado Canyon on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)

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The Islamic Center of Yorba Linda hosted a festival celebrating Eid on Saturday that drew large crowds from throughout the community.

The OC EidFest was held in Silverado’s Oak Canyon Park, with carnival rides and games, shopping areas, boating on the lake and more to entertain.

There were also performances and concerts throughout the day, plenty of food and more to help mark the end of the Ramadan season.

In the LA fires aftermath, photography exhibit showcases hope

Allyson Vergara — Sat, 24 May 2025 14:30:28 +0000

A new, limited photo exhibition opening this weekend showcases resiliency after the devastation of the Eaton and Palisades fires.

Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Ringo Chiu’s exhibit, “Hope out of Fire,” opens this weekend at the Shops at Santa Anita in Arcadia, and next week in Yorba Linda.

The installation, opened during Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month in partnership with the L.A. Chinese Culture Development Center, is part of an “AAPI: Living Heritages” exhibit and the first in Chiu’s “Ringo & Friends” series. It showcases 40 images from 10 award-winning local photographers, many of them from the Press Photographers Association of Greater Los Angeles.

Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Ringo Chiu’s exhibit, “Hope out of Fire,” opens this weekend at the Shops at Santa Anita in Arcadia, and next week in Yorba Linda. Visitors view the exhibit on Friday, May 23, 2025. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

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The exhibit includes compelling shots from the Southern California News Group’s Keith Birmingham and Sarah Reingewirtz, photojournalists who covered the aftermath of the L.A. wildfires in January.

“I believe in the power of images to connect us — to share pain and to heal. I hope these photographs do just that,” Chiu said on social media. “Through stories of loss, resilience and compassion, the exhibited pictures capture both the devastation of the flames and the strength and unity of those affected, raising awareness and support to bring people together in times of healing and rebuilding. Every image in this collection tells how people came together in the face of crisis, how community bonding spreads faster than the flames, and how strength is found in solidarity.”

Arcadia Councilmember Paul Cheng said the “Hope out of Fire” photo exhibition “isn’t just about art — it’s about memory, resilience, and human connection.”

It highlights “the courage of our local firefighters and the strength of the communities impacted,” Cheng said. “I believe stories like these help remind us of who we are — and what we can overcome together.”

The exhibit runs in conjunction with Chiu’s “Taste China” showcase, featuring food and culture photography from China’s Sichuan and Guangdong provinces.

Both exhibits located at the Santa Anita mall’s center court, on the first floor, are open through Monday, May 26. Address: 400 S. Baldwin Ave. in Arcadia.

The joint displays will move to the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, 18001 Yorba Linda Blvd. in Yorba Linda, on May 27 and 28.

Orange County to remember its fallen heroes on Memorial Day

Heather McRea — Thu, 22 May 2025 21:31:38 +0000

Commemorations are planned in all corners of Orange County on Memorial Day to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

Here is a list of several of the ceremonies and events planned to honor the service members who have died; events are on Monday, May 26, unless otherwise indicated.

Anaheim: There will be a flag presentation, a wreath-laying ceremony and speakers at 11 a.m. at the Anaheim Cemetery, 1400 E. Sycamore St. The ceremony will be held in front of the community mausoleum. Arrive early or bring a lawn chair. Information: occemeterydistrict.com

Brea: More than 1,100 American flags are displayed each year in an Avenue of the Flags at Memory Garden Memorial Park & Mortuary, 455 W. Central Ave. The grave of each veteran in the park will also be decorated with a white cross and a miniature flag starting on Saturday. The Avenue of the Flags, open from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., was started in 1958 with six flags. Information: memorygarden.com

Buena Park: This annual event honors men and women who sacrificed for our country, as well as the families who have lost loved ones. There will be a service beginning at 10 a.m. at the Ehlers Event Center, 8150 Knott Ave. There will be a wreath laying, speakers and patriotic performances. Information: buenapark.com

Corona del Mar: There will be a remembrance service beginning at 11 a.m. at the Pacific View Memorial Park & Mortuary, with guest speaker Maj. Gen. James B. Wellons, commanding general of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. The cemetery is at 3500 Pacific View Drive.

Costa Mesa: This ceremony, now in its 71st year, will honor the fallen at 11 a.m. at Harbor Lawn-Mt. Olive Memorial Park & Mortuary, 1625 Gisler Ave., and is set to include a missing man flyover, as well as a WWII transport flyover, speakers, musical presentations and a wreath laying ceremony.

Cypress: The 10 a.m. remembrance at Forest Lawn-Cypress, 4471 Lincoln Ave., will feature a ceremony paying tribute with a wreath laying ceremony, patriotic music, speakers and more. The event will be family friendly with arts and crafts. Information: ForestLawn.com

Dana Point: VFW Post 9934 and the city will host a ceremony at 10 a.m. in Pines Park, 34941 Camino Capistrano. There will be an Empty Boots ceremony and the placing of flowers on the memorial. Information: danapoint.org

Fountain Valley: The city, Fountain Valley Community Foundation and the West Orange County Veterans of Foreign Wars Post and Auxiliary No. 9557 will host a flag raising ceremony at 10 a.m. at Veterans Park, 17635 Los Alamos St. Information: FountainValley.gov

Fullerton: The community’s Memorial Day observance starts at 10 a.m. at Loma Vista Memorial Park, 701 E. Bastanchury Road. In a tradition started in 1939, volunteers will place a cross and a flag at the graves of thousands of veterans leading up to the ceremony, which will feature speaker Col. Robert W. Davis of the United States Space Force, as well as patriotic music, a gun salute, a roll call of those who have died in the last year, recognition of veterans and more. Information: avmafullerton.org

American flags are placed on gravesites for the Memorial Day at Fairhaven Memorial Park & Mortuary in Santa Ana on Sunday, May 30, 2021. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Huntington Beach: The community’s 120th Memorial Day ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. and will feature the Huntington Beach High School Band, an address from H. Delano Roosevelt, grandson of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and various tributes to those who died in service. It will be held at Pier Plaza. Information: huntingtonbeachca.gov

Irvine: The city’s annual ceremony is 10 a.m. at Col. Bill Barber Marine Corps Memorial Park, 4 Civic Center Plaza. Write a card to be sent to the city’s adopted 211/Marine Battalion. Information: cityofirvine.org/specialevents

Also, on Sunday, May 25, there will be a candle-lighting ceremony held at 4 p.m. at the Northwood Gratitude and Honor Memorial at Northwood Community Park. Lawn chairs or blankets for sitting are encouraged. The park is at 4531 Bryan Ave.

Laguna Beach: A community ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. in Heisler Park, 375 Cliff Drive, to pay tribute to all military personnel who have died in wars and conflicts. There will be patriotic music, speakers and a wreath presentation. Also, a pancake breakfast by the local firefighters starts at 7 a.m. The Laguna Community Concert Band will perform at 11 a.m. at Main Beach.

Laguna Hills: The city will host its annual Memorial Day Half Marathon. The event includes the half marathon, a 5K run/walk, a 10K run and a kids run. The city will donate $10,000 in race proceeds to Team Darkhorse, the city’s 3/5 Marine Support Committee. Information: lagunahillshalfmarathon.com

Lake Forest: The El Toro Memorial Park tribute will include a keynote speech from U.S. Army veteran Frans VandenBroek, who served as a helicopter crew chief during the Vietnam War, along with a color guard flag ceremony, a wreath presentation, musical performances and a gun salute, beginning at 11 a.m. The park is at 25751 Trabuco Road. Information: occemeterydistrict.com

Laguna Niguel: At noon, the city and the American Legion Post 281 will hold a ceremony that includes a color guard, dignitaries, guest speaker Dan Heller, author of “Across the Wing,” and the placing of a wreath. The ceremony will be held at the Sea Country Senior and Community Center, 24602 Aliso Creek Road.

La Palma: The city’s Community Activities & Beautification Commission will host the annual ceremony starting at 9 a.m. at the Civic Center, 7822 Walker St. The John F. Kennedy High School and Walker Junior High School bands will perform. Information: lapalmaca.gov/memorialday

Mission Viejo: The community observance will begin at 8:30 a.m. at the Kershaw Garden at Mission Viejo Civic Center, 200 Civic Center. The ceremony will include guest speakers Col. Charles “Clay” Readinger, commanding officer of Headquarters Battalion, 1st Marine Division, and Kathryn Morrison, retired U.S. Army, and musical performances. Tribute banners honoring those who lost their lives in service will be displayed and remain up through May 30. Information: cityofmissionviejo.org

Newport Beach: The 16th annual Field of Honor is on display at Castaways Park, 700 Dover Drive. To honor those who have served, there are 1,776 large American flags flying in the park. The display is up through Memorial Day, when there will be a noon celebration of Memorial Day, including keynote speaker retired Capt. Nick Saifan, who is president of IEGS Corp, a disabled veterans business enterprise. Information: nhexchange.net

San Clemente: At 11 a.m., an observance will be held at the San Clemente Community Center lawn, 100 N. Calle Seville. The city has been gathering the names of those who died in the last year to honor and there will be a presentation of wreaths. The public is invited. Information: san-clemente.org

Also, a ceremony at 2 p.m. at the Marine Monument at Park Semper Fi, 106 W. Alameda Lane, overlooking the pier, will feature Lt. Col. Kevin Nicholson, commander of the 3rd Battalion/5th Marines, various honors and musical presentations. Information: marinemonument.com

San Juan Capistrano: The city and American Legion Post 721 will host an 11 a.m. ceremony at Veterans Park, 31872 Camino Capistrano. Councilmember Howard Hart will give the keynote address.

A visitor to Castaways Park walks among 1,776 flags posted along the trials in Newport Beach, CA, on Wednesday, May 26, 2021. The flags, set up by the Exchange Club of Newport Harbor were set up on May 15 for Armed Forces Day and will remain until Memorial Day on May 31. This is the 12th year the club has posted flags in the park. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Also, the Mission San Juan Capistrano and the nonprofit Homefront America are presenting the Field of Honor, with nearly 500 of the 7-foot-tall, community-sponsored flags on display to honor active military, veterans and first responders. The flags will be up through Memorial Day. The mission will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily and on Memorial Day.

Santa Ana: The annual service at Fairhaven Memorial Park will begin at 10:30 a.m. and will feature patriotic performances, special remarks, a missing man flyover, rifle salute and more. There will also be an exhibit, “America’s Wars,” on display. The cemetery is at 1702 E. Fairhaven Ave. Information: 714-633-1442 or fairhavenmemorial.com

Also, the observance at 10 a.m. at the Santa Ana Cemetery, 1919 E. Santa Clara Ave., will include speakers, a parade of flags, wreath presentations, cannon salutes by Cooper’s Battery and more. The ceremony will be at the Soldiers’ Monument to the Unknown Dead of the Civil War, a community tradition since 1881. Information: occemeterydistrict.com

Seal Beach: The Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach will host a ceremony at 11 a.m. at its United States National Submarine Memorial West. The memorial is at 800 Seal Beach Blvd., and open to the public. There will be guest speakers and the traditional “tolling the boats” ceremony for the 52 submarines lost during WWII.

Also, the Seal Beach Lions Club will host a community ceremony at 1 p.m. at Eisenhower Park, north of the pier.

Tustin: The city will host a 9 a.m. remembrance event at the Veterans Monument at Veterans Sports Park, 1645 Valencia Ave. Information: tustinca.org

Westminster: Westminster Memorial Park, 14801 Beach Blvd., will hold a Memorial Day service starting at 11 a.m. near its mausoleum. There will also be family friendly activities.

Yorba Linda: At the Yorba Linda Veterans Memorial, the annual Memorial Day observance will be held at 2 p.m. The afternoon will feature speakers, including a keynote address by retired United States Navy Captain Tom Weaver, color guard and musical performances. A traditional Gold Star roll call will be conducted. The memorial is in Veterans Park, 4756 Valley View Ave. Information: yorbalindaveteransmemorial.com

Also, the Nixon Presidential Library & Museum will commemorate Memorial Day with a formal presentation of colors and remarks starting at 10:30 a.m. The Huntington Beach Concert Band will perform at 11 a.m. in the library’s replica of the White House East Room. The library is at 18001 Yorba Linda Blvd. Information: nixonfoundation.org

Drummond: PYLUSD council divided on resolution for playing sports

Jim Drummond — Thu, 22 May 2025 17:22:16 +0000

A resolution that the “Placentia-Yorba Linda Board of Education supports policies that restrict participation in women’s sports to athletes who are biological females” was discarded on a 3-2 vote by the district’s trustees at the board’s regular May meeting.

The resolution was presented by Trustee Leandra Blades and supported by Trustee Todd Frazier. Opposition votes were cast by board President Marilyn Anderson and trustees Carrie Buck and Tricia Quintero.

According to the resolution, the restriction was proposed “in order to promote competitive fairness, athlete safety and the integrity of women’s athletics.” The restriction would be “advanced within the scope of the board’s authority and in compliance with Title IX and federal law.”

Title IX became federal law in 1972 to ensure that male and female students and employees in educational settings that receive federal financial support are treated equally and fairly. The law also protects transgender students and students who don’t conform to gender stereotypes.

The failed Placentia-Yorba Linda resolution said participation by biological males in women’s sports “raised concerns about maintaining competitive balance, ensuring athlete safety and preserving opportunities for female athletes.”

The resolution also said, “Title IX was hard fought 50 years ago and put in place to protect women and provide fair opportunities,” and further stated the board “affirms its commitment to supporting and promoting opportunities for female athletes in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.”

Blades said that females were “losing scholarships and rankings” and that it “is time we take a stand for the girls.” Frazier said he agreed and the resolution was “common sense” and “the right thing to do.”

Buck said the resolution “violates the law” and cited various state education code sections. She presented an alternate resolution, but her wording never came to a vote. Quintero said that the district has no transgirls in sports and agreed with Buck to deny the Blades resolution.

Anderson said the resolution would “open the door to litigation” and that proponents should “go to legislators and advocate” their positions. She noted that trustees “do not make the law.”

Jim Drummond is a longtime Yorba Linda resident. He gives his opinion on local issues weekly. Send e-mail to jimdrummond@hotmail.com.

Man accused of shooting 2 people, then himself, at Yorba Linda park dies, as victims face long recoveries

Ryanne Mena — Fri, 16 May 2025 18:47:07 +0000

The man who shot two people at a Yorba Linda park before turning the gun on himself died at a hospital two days later, authorities said this week.

Interviews and GoFundMe pages set up to help the men who were shot, meanwhile, portray the challenging ordeals they and their families are facing following the attack.

The suspect was identified as 52-year-old Saead Ettefagh of Wildomar. On Sunday afternoon, May 4, Ettefagh was involved in an altercation with someone at Featherly Regional Park and Canyon RV Park before he returned and tried to hit the person with a pickup, Orange County sheriff’s Sgt. Gerard McCann said.

The suspect also fired several shots, striking two people, before turning the gun on himself. Another person was struck by Ettefagh’s truck and had minor injuries. The person was treated on scene.

McCann said Ettefagh and the two shooting victims were acquaintances. A motive for the shooting has not been given.

Leon Zoltzman, 42, a fiancé and father to two children, was one of the men struck by gunfire. He said he had only met Ettefagh a handful of times. He’s been in the hospital since the shooting and does not know when he’ll be discharged.

In a brief phone call on Friday, Zoltzman was up and walking, “like a miracle, like Jesus” he said half jokingly.

He said he stood up for the first time since the shooting on Wednesday and was able to walk 50 feet on Thursday.

Zoltzman said he has to take pain medication 30 minutes before his physical therapy sessions so he can withstand the pain, and, he added, to “impress” the practitioners.

GoFundMe campaigns were created to support the recoveries of Zoltzman and Jamie Benn, who also was shot. Benn’s condition was not immediately available on Friday.

Zoltzman’s recovery will be “long, painful, and uncertain,” says the GoFundMe his brother Erick Zoltzman set up to help him.

It gives the following account of what happened:

Leon Zoltzman was first struck by the truck, suffering serious spine injuries. He then was shot on the right side of his chest, the bullet missing his heart but lodging into his left armpit. His right forearm was shattered because he blocked a gunshot that was directed towards his head.

“If he hadn’t, he would have been dead,” Erick Zoltzman said in a text. A third bullet grazed Leon Zoltzman’s left calf.

The shooter was targeting someone else, according to Zoltzman’s family members; They said Zoltzman simply happened to be standing in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Jamie Benn also was hit by the truck before being shot, the GoFundMe set up for him by his family states.

“Jamie had known the attacker for over 30 years, and two years prior to this attack, Jamie had severed all communication with the perpetrator, because of mental health issues and threats,” the GoFundMe text says.

“Jamie suffered full body extensive trauma and injuries, four broken ribs, two gunshot wounds to his right leg and suffered from a heart attack as a result from the attack,” it states. “Thanks to the quick thinking of a friend who applied a makeshift tourniquet, Jamie survived long enough to reach emergency care. Upon hospital arrival, his heart briefly stopped, and he required an emergency blood transfusion before undergoing life-saving surgery.”

Benn, too, has severe injuries, with no feeling in his right foot, and is facing additional surgeries.

His family declined to be interviewed.

Ettefagh, after shooting himself, was transported to a hospital and placed in an intensive care unit, in custody of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

The cause of his death was not provided.

The Orange County District Attorney’s office will be investigating the case as an in-custody death.

PYLUSD trustees start process for finding new superintendent

Jim Drummond — Thu, 08 May 2025 17:18:04 +0000

A first step in the process to hire a new superintendent has been taken by trustees of the 22,700-student, 34-campus Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District: Trustees voted 5-0 to send executive search firms requests for bids to aid the district in hiring procedures.

The vote was taken at an April 22 board meeting after the trustees’ unanimous decision to accept a request by former superintendent Alex Cherniss to waive the 45-day resignation notice in his employment contract and approve his departure effective April 30.

The request for proposal will be developed by Acting Superintendent Allan Mucerino. He told trustees that now is “beyond” the best time to begin a search to have someone on board July 1. He said the “next best time” for a new superintendent to start is Jan. 1.

Mucerino said most superintendents would say that Jan. 1 would be the best time to start because they would have the chance to “listen and learn,” make observations, see district processes and build relationships instead of preparing for the start of a new school year.

During discussion, trustees indicated they wanted a search firm that would conduct surveys and hold focus groups to gather input for making a decision. Mucerino noted that input from students would be “critical” in the information-gathering process.

Cherniss, who was placed on paid leave by a 5-0 vote of the Placentia-Yorba Linda trustees at a Dec. 19 meeting, submitted his resignation after he was hired as superintendent for the Beverly Hills Unified School District on a 3-2 trustee vote.

Cherniss’ three-year contract with that 3,300-student, four-campus district was approved on a 5-0 vote April 15. He started his career in the district teaching middle school math, serving as an elementary school principal and later as an assistant superintendent of business services.

Among the speakers at the Beverly Hills district’s April 15 session were Placentia-Yorba Linda district trustee Leandra Blades and the former principal of the district’s Orange County School of Computer Science charter Beth Fisher.

They praised Cherniss’ contributions to the Placentia-Yorba Linda district, specifically citing his role in creating the district’s computer science charter and the Universal Sports Institute.

If the Placentia-Yorba Linda district hires a superintendent before the end of 2025, he or she will be the eighth person to helm the district in the past 10 years, starting with Doug Domene (2012-16), followed by Greg Plutko (2016-20) and James Elsasser (2021-June 2022).

Also: Michael Matthews (acting July 2022-April 2023), Cherniss (May 2023-December 2024), Renee Gray (acting December 2024-February 2025) and Mucerino (acting February 2025-present).

The most recent longest-serving superintendents were Dennis Smith (from 2000 to 2012) and James Fleming (from 1987 to 2000).

Current superintendent pay is $1,518 per day for a 247-day year.

Jim Drummond is a longtime Yorba Linda resident. He gives his opinion on local issues weekly. Send e-mail to jimdrummond@hotmail.com.