HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. – After a tense and often heated public comment and debate segment the City Council Tuesday night approved an ordinance/policy to restrict display of flags on city-owned property to only flying the city, state and national flags, along with occasionally flying the county flag and flags supporting prisoners of war and each branch of the military.

The council voted 4-3 approving the ordinance/policy along party lines with Democratic council members Dan Kalmick, Natalie Moser and Rhonda Bolton voting against it. 

Republican Councilman Pat Burns, a former Long Beach Police Department Lieutenant, and a publicly proclaimed proponent of “family values” said “Special flags or recognition flags of some sort that aren’t governmental or representative of the community, as one, I don’t believe has a space on our government flag poles.”

Burns stated in a staff report explaining his reasoning for the ordinance. “The City of Huntington Beach should avoid actions that could easily or mistakenly be perceived as divisive. [We] are one community with many different cultures and people. All are equally valued members of our community, and none are to be treated differently or discriminated against.”

“People have asked if we can fly other flags, whatever they may be, and I don’t believe that we should fly any other flags but equal flags that represent us all,” Burns added.

During the public comments session several individuals who spoke in favor of banning the flag echoed Burns telling city council members along with LGBTQ people and supporters in the audience that display of the Pride flag should not be given preferential treatment.

Former Huntington Beach Mayor and City Councilmember Connie Boardman argued that the proposed ordinance/policy item would prevent the city from flying the Olympic flag, which she pointed out as the City is hoping to host the Olympic surfing competition for the Los Angeles games in 2028 would look bad.

“The Olympics stress diversity and inclusion,” Boardman said. “This item is the opposite of that.”

Councilmember Moser told the council and the audience removal of the Pride flag sends out a negative message and would reinforce the city’s reputation as the “Florida of California.” 

“It makes us look like the city everybody expects us to be. I don’t believe we are that city, I believe we’re better than that,” Moser said.

Last year far-right media outlet OAN contributor Alison Steinberg had ranted on social media attacking the display of the Pride Flag after returning home to Huntington Beach to find the city flying it.

OAN Contributor Alison Steinberg is raging after returning home to Huntington Beach to find the city flying a Pride flag. (Language) pic.twitter.com/fk5rTg88hF

— Ron Filipkowski 🇺🇦 (@RonFilipkowski) June 26, 2022

In their report to the council the city staff noted that over 275 plus people had sent letters to on the issue of the flag, with 228 in support of the Pride flag remaining up while 46 endorsed the shift in the flag ordinance/policy.

Voice of OC reporter Noah Biesiada noted Councilmember Kalmick pointed out how the city already had a flag policy, and that if the concern was over the Pride flag then the council members should just vote against flying that flag but leave the overall policy unchanged. 

“Creating this as an ordinance removes our ability as council members to make decisions,” Kalmick said. “We already have the ability to fly these flags. If you don’t want to fly the Pride flag, just make a motion…to eliminate the previous resolution to fly the Pride flag.”

“The Greater Los Angeles area is for everyone and yet Huntington Beach officials landed on a cliche and reductive approach to making headlines: marginalizing queer Californians (and potentially, millions of tourists) in one fell swoop. It’s alarming and embarrassing that in 2023, on the heels of 150+ anti-LGBTQ legislations ravaging the country, this is what municipal employees are focusing on– not the unhoused, gun safety or the care of our seniors,” said Joe Hollendoner, CEO of the Los Angeles LGBT Center. “For a city that prides itself on exercising its rights, it’s abhorrently inexcusable to infringe upon the First Amendment rights of the LGBTQ tax-payers; they’re sending us a clear message of hate and shamelessly putting young, queer lives at stake. Huntington Beach’s officials are taking a cue from the political playbooks of extremist politicians across the country—using their hatred of queer and trans people as launching pads for their careers. We will not be relegated to a closeted existence as those days are long behind us, and our people will always find a way to fly our flag loud and proud. I hope the elected officials who voted in favor of the flag ban remember that representation matters, and that the LGBTQ+ community will work tirelessly to elect representatives who champion our rights.

Last night, Huntington Beach voted to remove the Pride Flag from city grounds. While I am disappointed in this decision, know that I will always fight for LGBTQ+ equality. Proud to have my staff give remarks in support of equality and inclusion. 🏳️‍🌈 pic.twitter.com/5CXORAQVNM

— Senator Dave Min (@SenDaveMin) February 8, 2023

The new rules for display of flags on city property are set to come back at the council’s February 21 meeting for official adoption.

Huntington Beach City Council Meeting February 06, 2023:

COSTA MESA, Calif. – On Oct. 31, 2022 Costa Mesa Police Department (CMPD) officers were dispatched to the 3000 block of Killybrooke and upon arrival officers found that the Poderosas mural, a local landmark that commemorates Latina heritage, was vandalized with white supremacy language.

The mural is well known in the community and spans over 70 feet of a block wall and honors immigrant Latina women. The mural was created in October 2020 by an all women crew and was led by artist Alicia Rojas.

Individuals in the area observed the suspect vandalizing the mural by spray painting a hate crime message on it. Witnesses reported the crime and also provided video of the incident to CMPD investgators.

During the investigation, Daniel Alec Hotte, 27, of Dana Point was identified as the vandalism suspect. Shortly thereafter, CMPD Gang Investigators checked numerous locations in Orange County and Riverside County but Hotte could not be located. Investigators then learned Hotte had a pending court date on Monday, Jan. 30, 2023.

On Monday morning, Hotte was located at the Harbor Justice Center and arrested. Hotte was then booked at CMPD Jail on an outstanding warrant, vandalism, and hate crime. CMPD will file the case with the Orange County District Attorney’s Office for charges.

“Costa Mesa is a great city known for its inclusivity. We celebrate our diversity and are proud of our various backgrounds,” said Mayor John Stephens. “This type of crime flies in the face of what we have achieved as a multi-cultural community. I’m grateful for the witnesses who came forward to help identify him and thankful the police stayed on the case and captured the suspect.”

“I represent a community rich in culture,” said Councilmember Loren Gameros. “This suspect came from another city into Costa Mesa to commit this crime and hurt the identity of some of our neighbors. That is unacceptable and now he will have to face justice.”

“Vandalism crimes like this can often go unsolved,” said Police Chief Ron Lawrence. “I commend the quick action of the witnesses to capture evidence of the incident and the great police work of the Costa Mesa Police Department that solved this case.”

Anyone who may have been a witness in this incident and has not spoken to CMPD is asked to contact Investigator Eric Molina at 714-754-5694, or Sergeant Matt Selinske at 714-754-5093.

SANTA ANA – The accused killer of Blaze Bernstein, 19, a gay Jewish University of Pennsylvania student brutally stabbed to death four years ago has been found competent to stand trial Assistant Orange County Public Defender Ken Morrison told a Superior Court judge on Friday morning.

Samuel Lincoln Woodward of Newport Beach, who was 21 at the time of the murder, had the criminal court proceedings first procedurally delayed and then again after his previous defense lawyer raised the issue over his mental competency.

On Nov. 9, 2018, Woodward had entered a plea of not guilty to murder  in Orange County Superior Court. Judge Kimberly Menninger denied bail, saying she thought Woodward posed a danger to the community after seeing troves of evidence linking Woodward to anti-gay, anti-Semitic messages and propaganda from the neo-Nazi group Atomwaffen Division, which apparently reveled in Bernstein’s brutal murder.

“I love this,” one member wrote of the killing, according to copies of the online chats obtained by ProPublica, which exposed Woodward’s involvement with Atomwaffen on Jan. 26. “Sam did something stupid,” wrote one member. “Not that the faggot kike didn’t deserve to die. Just simply not worth a life in prison for.”

Many of Bernstein and Woodward’s classmates from their former Orange County high school thought it was odd that the two were together because, Bernstein’s best friend Raiah Rofsky told CBS News “48 Hours,” Woodward “was literally known as being a crazy, homophobic, racist guy.”

The Orange County Register reported Friday two mental health experts who evaluated Woodward — one chosen by the defense, the other by the prosecution — determined that Woodward is competent to stand trial. 

The Register noted that the reports from the mental health experts who evaluated Woodward were filed under seal, and their contents were not discussed during the brief hearing on Friday morning. For a defendant to be considered competent to stand trial, they must be capable of understanding the proceedings and able to assist with their own defense.

A previous defense attorney in mid-July raised unspecified concerns about Woodward’s mental competency. The competency decision was delayed in early-September after Woodward refused to meet with one of the experts assigned to evaluate him. It isn’t clear whether such a meeting ultimately took place before the experts submitted their reports to the court.

Bernstein, 19, a brilliant gay Jewish University of Pennsylvania student was home for the holidays and disappeared January 2, 2018. His body, with 20 stab wounds to the face and neck, was discovered in a shallow Borrego Park grave a week later. DNA evidence led authorities to Woodward, Bernstein’s Orange County high school classmate, who was arrested on Jan. 12. Bernstein’s blood found was in Woodward’s car.

When Orange County investigators first went to meet with him, Woodward was apparently cooperative, telling them and Blaze’s parents “that he and Blaze went to Borrego Park to hang out.” According to Woodward, after awhile Blaze walked down a path alone and disappeared into the brush. Later OC investigators say that Woodward claimed Bernstein tried to kiss him while they both sat in a car at Borrego Park and then he told investigators that he pushed Bernstein away.

Prosecutors allege that Woodward actually stabbed Bernstein to death and buried him in the dirt at the edge of of the park, where the body was discovered six days later.

A pretrial hearing was set for Jan. 27 , 2023 and a date for the jury trial has not yet been scheduled.

After their son’s murder, Gideon and Jeanne Pepper Bernstein established a scholarship fund for foster care and at risk kids at Blaze’s former Orange County high school.

Additional Los Angeles Blade archival reporting from Karen Ocamb

LAKE FOREST, Ca. – An openly gay senior at El Toro High School in this wealthy conservative enclave of Orange County has had it with homophobia, especially when it appears at his front door, literally. Earlier this month 18-year-old Landon Jones posted video captured from his family’s ring.com surveillance camera that displayed the homophobic abuse that occurred, which has now gone viral.

In the TikTok post Jones says “I have been called ‘faggot’ countless times at school, and it literally doesn’t bother me at all,” but he adds, “The fact that they came to my house does.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Landon Jones (@landonnjoness)

In his Instagram post, Jones noted; “a group of boys from @eltorohs most of them being on the @eltoro_football team have repeatedly harassed me and called me slurs. i usually don’t let these things bother me, in fact i laugh because they say they hate me yet continue to go out of their way to give me their attention. but last night i was visited by one of these kids at my house. my family and i are angry. we are done.”

An Orange County sheriff’s spokesperson told NBC News that a school resource officer at El Toro High School was able to speak to “individuals that may or may not have been involved in this incident” or “possibly have knowledge of the incident.” The officer said the person who walked up to the Jones home hasn’t been identified, adding that the “investigation remains ongoing.” 

While Jones still attends El Toro High School, he transitioned to virtual schooling at the start of the school year because of “bullying and a rough experience with the school,” he told NBC News.

In addition to the incident at his home, Jones in the same TikTok post also shared a homophobic bullying incident at a Starbucks near his home. Jones told NBC News that he decided to share both incidents on TikTok, where he has nearly 700,000 followers, because “I’m sick of being silent about it. So I finally spoke up.”

A spokesperson for the school district said the “unconscionable acts committed against Landon Jones do not reflect the feelings or values of Saddleback Valley Unified School District (SVUSD) and El Toro High School (ETHS).”

“ETHS and SVUSD administration, together with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD), immediately launched a comprehensive investigation to uncover the facts of the incidents,” Wendie Hauschild, the director of communications and administrative services for the school district, said in an email to NBC.

“We can confirm that the person seen in the surveillance video of the incident that took place at a private home is not a student in SVUSD. Due to the confidentiality that we are required by law to uphold for our students, as well as other minors, SVUSD is unable to share further information regarding the results of the investigation. SVUSD remains steadfast in its commitment to create inclusive, supportive, and safe environments for all students on our campuses.”

The TikTok video has generated more than 1.3 million views and over 11,000 comments including some celebrities and social media influencers. Jones, reflecting on the outpouring of positivity said, “One of the last things that I had expected was the amount of support from the community that I would have gotten.”

@allclearforlandon #lgbt #fyp #hatecrime ♬ original sound – Landon Jones

His parents, Lauren and Nathan told NBC they hope their son’s story will give more people voices and show “that no one should ever have to go through this alone.”

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Ca. – The summer between year 11 and year 12 is often marked by a flurry of activities many in anticipation of the final year of high school for most young people. But for 17-year-old Cruz Melendez, his senior summer was spent recovering from at least 16 operations including amputation of his right foot after a horrific accident.

KTLA 5’s John Fenoglio reported Saturday that after the 88 days spent in CHOC Children’s Hospital in Mission Viejo as a result of being seriously injured when he was hit head-on by another vehicle at the intersection of Antonio Parkway at Tijeras Creek Road in Rancho Santa Margarita, the teenager was discharged to go home.

According to KTLA, the driver of the other vehicle was killed in the crash. Their passenger, as well as Cruz, were hospitalized with serious injuries.

Cruz’s mom, Rahnee Melendez, described the moment she realized something was wrong on that May night.

“When I got a call at 2 a.m., I just knew, I knew something was wrong,” she said. “I didn’t even answer the phone. I just went straight to his room and he was not there.”

Speaking with KTLA, the 17-year-old Trabuco Hills High School senior said that his focus is to get up and walk, run and be active again as soon as possible expressing thanks for all of the support he’s received while in hospital.

“I am just so grateful for my friends and family. Everyone else who has reached out and giving me donations and stuff. It’s just amazing.”

The family has set up a GoFundMe account to help with the costs of Cruz’s medical treatment and rehabilitation. To read more, click here.

KTLA 5’s John Fenoglio reports:

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Ca. – Alison Steinberg, an anchor and contributor for right-wing extremist media outlet One America News, launched into an obscenity-laden rant captured in a now viral video over an LGBTQ+ Pride flag flying in the beachfront business district of Huntington Beach commemorating Pride Month.

Steinberg had originally posted her video to her Instagram account but it was later removed.

In the rant Steinberg is heard saying: “And guess what I came home to be greeted with? This fucking bullshit. [points to Rainbow Pride flag] What the hell is that? Huntington Beach is the town of good old-fashioned hard-working American people, much less human. People who worked all through the COVID lockdown. Yes, that’s right. Huntington Beach never shut down through any of the COVID nonsense fuckery. And now we’re peddling this garbage?”

“What the hell is this? The only flag that should be up there is that American flag. This is a disgrace to our city and it should be taken down immediately. Whoever the hell is running this town needs to be fired. Make America great again. Make Huntington Beach great.”

Ron Filipkowski, a defense lawyer and former Assistant United States Attorney had captured the video and uploaded it to his Twitter account where many of his 402.9K followers retweeted it:

OAN Contributor Alison Steinberg is raging after returning home to Huntington Beach to find the city flying a Pride flag. (Language) pic.twitter.com/fk5rTg88hF

— Ron Filipkowski 🇺🇦 (@RonFilipkowski) June 26, 2022

LAGUNA WOOD – Orange County Sheriff’s Department deputies were dispatched to a scene of shooting at 1:26 p.m. at the Geneva Presbyterian Church in the 24000 block of El Toro Road Sunday afternoon.

The Orange County officials on scene confirmed that one person was killed and four others were critically wounded during the incident, one other individual also suffered minor injuries.

UPDATED SUNDAY: Churchgoers stopped and hogtied the shooter, described as an Asian male in his 60s, preventing further carnage. “That group of churchgoers displayed what we believe is exceptional heroism … and bravery,” Orange County Undersheriff Jeff Hallock told reporters.

UPDATED MONDAY: Orange County sheriff’s officials have identified David Wenwei Chou, 68, of Las Vegas as the suspect in Sunday’s shooting at the Geneva Presbyterian Church. Chou was arrested Sunday and is being held in lieu of $1-million, jail records show.

Sheriff’s spokeswoman Carrie Braun said he was booked on one count of murder and five counts attempted murder. But authorities are still trying to determine the motive for the shooting, which left one churchgoer dead and five others injured.

The Los Angeles Times reported Monday that Chou appeared to be motivated by political hatred of the Taiwanese community, Orange County sheriff’s officials said. While investigators provided few details, they said their investigation suggests the deadly attack was a “politically motivated hate crime” carried out by David Wenwei Chou, 68, of Las Vegas.

“Based on preliminary information in the investigation, it is believed the suspect involved was upset about political tensions between China and Taiwan,” Sheriff Don Barnes said.

Another man who saw the attack Sunday at Geneva Presbyterian Church told the Los Angeles Times and other media outlets that a pastor struck the gunman with a chair while he was reloading, giving others a chance to tackle and hogtie the suspect. The shooting marred what was meant to be a special occasion: The pastor had just returned from two years in Taiwan

According to the OCSD on Twitter: “Deputies are responding to reports of a shooting at a church on the 24000 block of El Toro Road in Laguna Woods. Multiple victims have been shot. More details to follow, PIO en route. We have detained one person and have recovered a weapon that may be involved.

The Orange County Fire Department tweeted “Our FF/PM’s are on scene and treating and transporting multiple patients. Updates will follow.”

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office released a statement Sunday afternoon that said it was monitoring the shooting and working closely with local law enforcement.

“No one should have to fear going to their place of worship. Our thoughts are with the victims, community, and all those impacted by this tragic event,” the statement read.

#OCSDPIO Deputies are responding to reports of a shooting at a church on the 24000 block of El Toro Road in Laguna Woods. Multiple victims have been shot. More details to follow, PIO en route.

— OC Sheriff, CA (@OCSheriff) May 15, 2022

We are working to get information out as quickly as possible. We ask for patience as this event unfolds.

— OC Sheriff, CA (@OCSheriff) May 15, 2022

Our FF/PM’s are on scene and treating and transporting multiple patients. Updates will follow. https://t.co/guCEiA2ANc

— OCFA PIO (@OCFireAuthority) May 15, 2022

SANTA ANA – Details in the alleged sexual assault of a teen football player at Mater Dei High School were published Monday by the Los Angeles Times. According to the paper, the incident occurred two weeks after the student started attending the private school in Santa Ana.

The Times reported that last August in a locker room at Mater Dei, several football players forced a teammate to the floor and exposed their genitals, according to a Santa Ana Police Department document. They held him down as one player “began humping” him from behind, through his pants.

The incident allegedly happened in late August, two weeks after the student started school at Mater Dei, home to one of the country’s most celebrated high school football programs. He wasn’t physically hurt, but the episode left him suffering from anxiety, police said in the document. He left Mater Dei shortly afterward.

The allegation follows months of controversy over an alleged hazing scandal involving the football program at the elite private high school.

Read the full LA Times story here.

From KTLA:

GARDEN GROVE – An Anaheim man has been charged with attempted murder after shooting his boyfriend and then leading multiple Southern California police agencies in a multi-county high-speed pursuit in a U-Haul truck that ended with a SWAT team removing the suspect from the vehicle.

According to the Garden Grove Police Department, Ali Samoodi, 51, shot the unidentified male victim that he was in a relationship with at about 2:45 a.m and then fled the scene in the 5300 block of Santa Barbara Avenue, Garden Grove, in a U-Haul truck.

The victim was taken to hospital suffering from a gunshot wound to his head and remains in critical condition.

In the press release, the Garden Grove Police Department (GGPD) noted that the vehicle was tracked to Menifee where officers from Menifee Police Department attempted a traffic stop.

“The suspect failed to stop and led Menifee Police Department, Riverside County Sheriffs and the California Highway Patrol on a high speed pursuit for approximately 33 miles,” the GGPD release said.

Police say that after “multiple traffic collisions” that left the U-Haul “no longer operable,” Samoodi stopped his vehicle near the 10 Freeway and Cedar Avenue in Bloomington, where he refused to get out creating a stand-off situation.

“SWAT from the Riverside County Sheriffs responded and took the suspect into custody a short time later. The suspect did not sustain any injuries and was transported back to the Garden Grove Police Department,” the press statement continued.

He was transported to the Orange County Jail and booked for attempted murder and other charges related to the pursuit.

The investigation is ongoing and any witnesses are asked to contact Garden Grove Police Detective Terra Ramirez at 714-741-5839

COSTA MESA – The Costa Mesa Police Department is seeking information on the whereabouts of a wanted suspect, Johnny Young.

Young, a self-described involuntary celibate (incel), is wanted in connection to several hate crimes. Young has confronted several females outside of bars in Costa Mesa using vulgar and explicit language. These confrontations have led to him assaulting several people. He is known to drive a Chevy cargo van with a green stripe.

Anyone with information is asked to contact [email protected] or 714-754-4908

Incel is commonly defined as:
A person who regards himself or herself as being involuntarily celibate and typically expresses extreme resentment and hostility towards those who are sexually active.

From KCBS Los Angeles: Costa Mesa police searching for man who pepper sprayed 2 women: