Numbers

COMMENT PIQUED MY INTEREST
In a recent post another Costa Mesa-based blogger made mention that a site he follows is ranked high on scale provided by Alexa, so that got me thinking about my site and others around the area.

DECIDED TO TAKE A LOOK
Alexa, HERE, is a site that analyzes web sites - blogs and the like - and does a calculation to "rank" them both from a global standpoint and when comparing them to the countries in which they originate.

INTERESTING RESULTS
So, I did some research, slammed it into a little spread sheet and now present it for your viewing pleasure.  The information surprised me.  I listed these sites by "Global Rank" since some didn't have enough data to produce a number in the "United States Rank" column. The calculations were taken from the site today. 

(click on the image to enlarge it)

HAVE FUN WITH IT...
You'll see some familiar names on the list.  The top three shouldn't surprise you.  I was interested in how those of us further down the list compared - not that it means anything.  Enjoy...

Fire Rings Meeting Tomorrow

FIRE RING OUTREACH TOMROROW

A reminder to all you fire ring fans... the South Coast Air Quality Management District is holding an informational meeting - seeking input and providing facts - on the Great Fire Ring discussion tomorrow, Thursday, June 13, 2013 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on Jamboree Road in Newport Beach beginning at 5:30 p.m.  You can read all about it HERE.

DAIGLE NOW SUPPORTS THE FIRE RINGS!
In a related story, Amy Senk at the Corona del Mar Today blog reported this morning that my old pal,  Newport Beach City Councilwoman Leslie Daigle,  has come out in support of the fire rings in Newport Beach.  You can read Senk's report HERE.  It seems like this issue has polarized that community... it's kind of fun to watch from over here in Costa Mesa!

Fashion Island Gunman Apprehended

GUNFIRE AT FASHION ISLAND
As many know by now, a lone gunman fired a reported 50 shots from a handgun late in the afternoon Saturday in the Macy's parking lot at Fashion Island.  He was apprehended, apparently without incident, by the Newport Beach Police.  Several stores in the mall were reported to have been locked-down.
 

BEST COVERAGE BY AMY SENK
Perhaps the best coverage of this event by local media was provided by Amy Senk on her Corona del Mar Today site.  That really doesn't surprise me, since she covers Corona del Mar like a blanket.  She had an early report, HERE, almost immediately after the event occurred.  She followed up with a very comprehensive entry, HERE, later in the evening and wrapped it up with yet another entry, HERE, much later in the evening which quoted the Newport Beach police press release.

RUMORS...
Rumors continue to swirl around this event.  One report, unconfirmed, was that a person was found shot and stabbed at Macy's.  One would assume this is a false report since no official word has been released to that effect.

NO REASON GIVEN

No word on why the alleged gunman, identified in several reports as Marcos Sarinana Gurrola, 42, of Garden Grove, decided to shoot up the place yesterday.

Youth Reunited With His Mother

LOOKING FOR HIM
You will recall that we wrote about young Hunter Ashcraft earlier this month, HERE. He had run away from his grandmother's home in Brea on February 4th and has been on his own since then.

HE'S BACK WITH HIS MOM
I'm pleased to report that Hunter has been located - in Costa Mesa, on his skateboard, and has been re-united with his mother. Amy Senk at the Corona del Mar Today blog has the story HERE.

THANKS
Thanks to all of you who took the time to be alert for young Hunter. Your efforts are much appreciated.

Looking For Hunter Ashcraft

CORONA DEL MAR TODAY TAKES THE LEAD
Amy Senk, my friend who publishes the excellent Corona Del Mar Today blog, has a painful story today about a runaway boy who may be in the Newport-Mesa area. You can read Amy's story HERE.

KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN

Here is the flier published by the Brea Police Department after 13-year-old Hunter Ashcraft ran away from grandmother's home early in February. Since Hunter is a local kid from Corona Del Mar who also went to Ensign Middle School, there's a good chance that he's found his way back down here from Brea.

(click on photo to enlarge)

IF YOU HAVE INFORMATION ABOUT HIM, OR IF YOU SEE HIM....
If you have information on the whereabouts of Hunter Ashcraft, please call 714-990-7638. If you see him please immediately call the local police. Thanks for your help.

Parks & Rec. Leadership, Fair Board Lack Thereof & Journalism

BRUMBAUGH, SHAW LEAD PARKS & REC. COMMISSION
Last night the Costa Mesa Parks and Recreation Commission elected new leaders. Vice Chair Mike Brumbaugh was elected Chairman and long time resident and activist, Terry Shaw, was elected Vice Chairman. Commissioner Jeff Mathews was nominated for Vice Chairman by Kurt Galitski but no second was put forth. It will be very interesting to see what impact this new leadership has on the activities of the commission, which meets only every other month now.

FAIR BOARD OK's BEAZLEY SECURITY SYSTEM
At it's meeting today the 32 Agriculture District Board (Fair Board) the five members in attendance voted unanimously to spend $3,000 for a security system at CEO Steve Beazley's Costa Mesa residence. According to Mona Shadia's Daily Pilot report on the meeting, HERE, the expenditure was authorized even though no testimony either in the staff report or otherwise, made a link to the vandalism and harassment experienced by Beazley and his family to his position at the Fairgrounds.

DODGE AND ELLIS ABSENT
An interesting sidebar to this story - neither Board Chairwoman Kristina Dodge nor the Vice Chair, Dave Ellis, attended the meeting today. That's more than a little curious, since Dodge was scheduled to pitch the need for Beazley's security to the Board. I guess they didn't want to be personally associated with this controversial subject. That's "leadership" for you.

OPEN MEETING RULES WILL NOW APPLY
According to Shadia's article, some good news finally came out of a Fair Board meeting. Today, on a vote of 4-1, the board agreed that sub-committees should be at least three members, which requires them to be subject to open meeting laws. Previously only two members were required in sub-committees. Hopefully, this will lead to more open discussion of important issues before the Fair Board.

ANOTHER JAW-DROPPING ADMISSION! (10:20 p.m.)
Well, now, this issue got much more interesting with the publication of Tom Johnson's column in the Daily Voice, HERE. Seems that, during the meeting at which the Fair Board agreed to follow the open meeting laws, several of them admitted to a major violation in the case of the Beazley Security System issue! According to Johnson, one Board member, Gary Hayakawa, sent an email to ALL the other Board members about this subject - a clear violation of the Bagley-Keene act. Even more astounding is the quotation by Johnson of a comment attributed to Dale Dykema, who acted as moderator of the meeting due to the absence of the Chair and Vice Chair. Once he finally admitted it was a violation of the "Brown Act" (it's really the Bagley-Keene Act), Dykema said, "but, in this case, this is different - this is a human thing." Good grief! These people really are clueless! I sure did get it right with the title of this post! Just put that on the list with all the other reasons this Fair Board should go - regardless what happens to the Fairgrounds!

CORONA DEL MAR TODAY ON THE JOB
An observation: It's hard to understand how some local stories simply don't seem to reach publication by the "real" media until well after the date of occurrence - if ever. For example, Amy Senk over at the Corona del Mar Today blog reported the failure of a structural beam above the council chambers at Newport Beach City Hall, including photos of the failure that will deem the chambers unusable for some time while it is repaired. You can read Amy's report HERE. I have yet to see any mention of this situation mentioned by the Daily Pilot nor the Orange County Register.

THE CAULDRON WILL BE ON SIMMER
I'm turning the old cauldron down to simmer for a few days while I take a little breather. Comments might be delayed as I try to find my way to a computer to approve them, but they will eventually be posted. We'll be back at full steam before the next council meeting, returning with our heads full of March Madness. In the meantime, you might wish to re-visit a little piece I wrote on March 22, 2006 to keep your juices flowing. Just click HERE and fasten your seat belt.

There's A New Blog In Town

WELCOME, CORONA DEL MAR TODAY
Today, as a little counterpoint to those little squirts of venom, I'd like to point out a new link over there on the right side of this page. Recently I discovered a new blog in our area - Corona del Mar Today - published by CdM resident Amy Senk. The blog, about six months old now, seems to be nicely filling an important niche by covering news and newsworthy items in and around the section of Newport Beach known as the Village of Corona del Mar - land of Sherman Gardens, The Five Crowns and sandcastles in the fall and much, much more.

IT'S A GOOD READ
Senk has the chops for this gig - she's a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism and worked as a reporter for years before putting her career on pause to raise her family. When you read the blog it will be clear that it's written with a reporter's perspective, and done very well.

PISTOL-PACKIN' PERPS AT NEWPORT CENTER!
Yesterday she reported a story that appeared nowhere else in local media outlets - that the Newport Beach police snatched up two guys in Newport Center toting a bag with loaded automatic handguns, apparently with the intent of robbing people on the street! You can read her piece HERE.

WAKE UP CALL
Most of us living in this region tend to think of Newport Beach as a relatively safe haven from crime. The guy mentioned in the first paragraph certainly does. It's this kind of event that is like a splash of cold water on your face and makes you realize that nowhere - not even Newport Beach - is immune from violent crime.

VISIT CORONA DEL MAR TODAY OFTEN
So, I invite you to click on the link to Corona del Mar Today from time to time to see what's happening in that little slice of heaven.