Foothills Sentry - January 2025

Foothills Sentry Page 6 JANUARY 2025 6410 EAST CHAPMAN AVE. | 714.997.2910 | THEORANGEHILLRESTAURANT.COM ORANGEHILLRESTAURANT ORANGEHILLEATS BRUNCH | LUNCH | DINNER HAPPY HOUR | SPECIAL EVENTS FOR LUNCH WEDNESDAY - FRIDAY FROM 11:30AM - 2:00PM Now Open Government bumbles? When the increasingly rare Crotch’s bumblebee was found near Jamboree and Santiago Can- yon Road where The Irvine Com- pany (TIC) wants to build over 1,000 houses, opponents of the proposed Orange Heights devel- opment reiterated their demand that the project’s 2008 Environ- mental Impact Report (EIR) be reassessed. TIC, though, applied for an “incidental take” permit from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). CDFW requires permittees to “fully miti- gate the impacts of the project.” Xerces Society experts called TIC’s proposed mitigation inad- equate. On Dec. 16, naturalist Joel Robinson was shocked to discov- er workers “grubbing” TIC’s land after CDFW, apparently with no public notice, approved the per- mit the previous Friday. Robinson and others are con- sidering next steps. He said that more information and a Go- FundMe link for donations are at naturalist-for-you.org/noorange- heights. Dean Brown The longtime Modjeska resi- dent and driving force behind the creation of the Silverado Chil- dren’s Center died suddenly in December. A January memorial service is planned. See Obituary, page 10. Sportsball Transcription of December 3 radio broadcast: “Good evening, sports fans! Biff Bruiser here along with Max Manly in the Wally Ballou Memo- rial Press Box at Silverado Sta- dium.” “Biff, what makes tonight so special?” “Max, as you know, both the park district, SMRPD, and the Inter-Canyon League (ICL) hold their monthly board meetings here, but until now, always on separate days. So that’s why to- night’s faceoff was christened Su- per World Monthly Board Meet- ing Series Bowl I.” “Sounds epic, Biff. But aren’t Government League and Charity League rules slightly different?” “You bet, Max. In fact, that’s why they decided to have only one team on the field at a time. SMRPD elected to go first. Speaking of which, here they come now.” “I see, Biff ... Martz and Kuhn now in position around the table. Martz in for Wright as meeting chair, flanked by rookie Melissa Malpass and GM Dixson-Griggs. Wright and Tamara Beauchamp on Zoom … First down, none away, and …Martz reads the oath of office to Malpass and Beau- champ, who successfully repeat it with right hands raised! And the new SMRPD board members are officially sworn in!” “Terrific, Max. What’s next on the agenda?” “Not a lot, Biff. Approve this, file that. Question $43.62 weed abatement bill in Modjeska. Oh, Silverado was restriped for two pickleball courts.” “Hmm. I guess we have some time on our hands. How are you doing with that new oboe?” “OK. But you wouldn’t believe some of the ‘student’models these days. No low B flat key—just two little holes in the bell that you’re supposed to cover with your knees while playing low B. Is this a joke? Marigaux’s ‘stu- dent’ model has low B flat PLUS RESONANCE KEY, PLUS LEFT HAND F, PLUS THIRD OCTAVE KEY!” “The world has changed, Max. I saw a guy on YouTube playing Goosens’s oboe from 1911. It sounded fine, though it looked like just one of those ordinary ring system instruments you used to see all the time. Oh, SMRPD has adjourned and ICL is warm- ing up now.” “Half the ICL board is getting seated now, Biff. Starting quar- terback Sarkissian, with Breeden at shortstop, taking minutes … Duff and Veerkamp in deep Zoom … general announcements … And now, nominations for ICL Board.” “Max, someone just nominated Breeden for another term! And someone else nominated Sarkis- sian! And … that’s all! So, no vote needed next month, and the score is all tied up. What’s next?” “Let’s see … approve the usual stuff … another $10,000 grant from Edison International for gold spotted oak borer aware- ness. Good. Say, Biff, what do you use to keep the inside of your oboe from cracking?” “Sweet almond oil, applied with a turkey feather. But there’s a guy on the internet saying there’s something better now. By the way, I can’t seem to find my French reed knife.” “You can borrow one of my Marine Corps shoe knives. Want to get together tomorrow for some Telemann duets?” “I dunno, Max. Sounds dan- gerous. You know what they say.” “What do they say, Biff?” “How do you get two oboists to play in tune?” “I give up. How?” “Shoot one of them.” Lunar New Year Year of the Snake. Lion danc- ers at the library Jan. 25. Sorry, snakes suck at dancing—no left feet. Weedology 101A Arundo donax, also called giant reed, cane, or (locally) “bamboo,” is a nasty invasive weed that's 20-foot-tall creekside clumps crowd out native plants. It spreads when a small bit breaks off, washes downstream, and takes root. Arundo’s one redeeming fea- ture is that it is used to make oboe reeds. The best stuff comes from France, but extreme oboists here grow their own. It sounds illegal, but if those reed farmers keep their crop from escaping, they are allowed to raise cane. Arundo donax Orange Chamber events on tap Tickets are now on sale for the Miss Orange Scholarship Pag- eant, to be held Saturday, Jan. 18 at 6 p.m. The pageant is a scholar- ship program for women 17 to 24 who live, work full-time, or attend school in the City of Orange or OUSD. Tickets are $25 for general ad- mission, $15 for students with ID at the door. The event will be held at Chapman University Memorial Hall. Tickets, sponsorships and ap- plications for contestants are avail- able for the 2025 Duke of Orange competition, slated for Saturday, Feb. 15. Any male, 21 or older, who lives, works, or attends school in Orange or the OUSD area is eli- gible to be a contestant. Contestant sponsorship fees are $500; contes- tant and table sponsors are $950; table sponsors are $650; general admission is $65; admission for Chamber members is $50. For information on these and all other Chamber events, see orange- chamber.com