Foothills Sentry Page 4 JANUARY 2026 JOHNSON MOTORCARS 34 Years of Specializing in the Service and Repair of Mercedes-Benz Gary Johnson 714-997-2567 982 N. Batavia # B13, Orange, CA 92867 gary@johnsonmotorcars.com @ramblingroseoc Circulation … 39,000 Published on the last Tuesday of each month and distributed to residences, businesses, libraries and civic centers. Printing by Advantage, Inc. 714-532-4406 foothillssentry.com 1107 E. Chapman Ave., #207 Orange, CA 92866 ©Foothills Sentry 2026 Publisher/Editor Anita Bennyhoff 1969-2013 Editor Tina Richards editor@foothillssentry.com Sports Editor Cliff Robbins sportseditor@att.net Graphic Designer Jef Maddock graphics@foothillssentry.com Advertising Sales Andie Mills advertising@foothillssentry.com 714-926-9299 Office Manager officemanager@foothillssentry.com The best of the life of the canyons Canyon Station 16 volunteer firefighters Vicki and Bob Scheibel received their 35-year service awards on Nov. 19. Just another Wednesday night for two stalwarts who’ve gone out on countless rescues, patrols and fire calls. The reliably modest couple thanked 100 assembled community members for, no kidding, “their opportunity to serve,” as did Senior Reserve Officer Bruce Newell. Firefighter Ron Smith was introduced by Newell as the evening’s “opening act.” This bit of civic deadpan from the reliably sincere, polite and stoic Newell cracked up the grateful crowd. Smith, no slacker himself, received his 15-year service award, with both Silverado and Modjeska neighbors acknowledging volunteerism and goodwill in this secular community assembly of spirit. Carry on Faithful meeting-attender, note-taker and regular canyon walker Scott Breeden reports new speed limits posted and, presumably, potentially or only theoretically enforced in Silverado Canyon now: 45 mph from Santiago Canyon Road to the Polo Club, then 35 mph until Ladd Canyon Road, where it’s 25 mph. At the December Inter-Canyon League (ICL) meeting, Trabuco Canyon resident Elizabeth Ogden reminded attendees of the Canyon Wildlife Initiative, an Instagram site she founded to promote road safety for animals. She recommends the California Roadkill Observation System (CROS) which features live data feeds and a Real-time Deer Incidents & Wildlife-Vehicle Conflict (WVC) Hotspots map. Create an account on the UC Davis Website and report a dead animal before it becomes unidentifiable carrion. The website is dedicated to help wildlife experts identify vehicle vs. animal incident hotspots. Use your cell phone to document the death and upload to CROS, adding written observations and location at wildlifecrossing.net Here, kitty At the same meeting, Silverado's Julie Williamson reported that two more collared mountain lions, Toro and Honey, were found dead, not by automobile but disease. Two kittens in the wild seem to be thriving. Reflective tape is now affixed to radio collars used to track cougars so drivers, perhaps now driving slower, will see them better at night. Live lions On Wednesday, Jan. 7 at 5 p.m., the Book Group of the Canyons discusses Lisa Wingate’s "Shelterwood," a novel confronting the theft of both Native American land rights and indigenous children. ICL's Friends of the Library committee funded dancers for this year's traditional – untraditional, meaning early! – Lunar New Year celebration, preparing us for the actual start of the Year of the Fire Horse. See Lion Dancers perform Saturday, Jan. 17, 11 a.m. – 12:20 p.m., followed by a crafts activity. Chúc mừng năm mới! If I were an eagle We leave history reports to Breeden and the ICL History Committee, but as a relative newbie (only 22 years and just paid off our mortgage!), I’d never heard local singer-songwriter Jason Richards’ tribute to our region until a recent community gathering. Richards, a much-recorded and versatile performer, allowed me to share his song’s lyrics. Do sing along. (Maybe leave yodeling to the professionals!) “Madame Modjeska” If I were an eagle on Saddleback Mountain, I’d fly to the heavens and call out your name: Silverado, Trabuco, Black Star, Modjeska, are just a few canyons this old mountain claims. And if I were a grizzly on Saddleback Mountain, I’d run with the holy away from the gun. No wonder they named it old Holy Jim Canyon, the last grizzly died there when my grandad was young. (Chorus) Madame Modjeska, yeah, you lived the best of the life of the canyons that we love today. Nestled in the mountains of oranges and blossoms, “The Forest of Arden” she called it those days. And if I were an outlaw on Saddleback Mountain that stole lots of gold near the Mission San Juan, I’d ride up the canyon of Madame Modjeska, the legend of Juan Flores still livin’ on. And if I were the spirit of Madame Modjeska, a pioneering woman of superstar fame, I’d sing through the canyons of the Forest of Arden, my heart and my soul would sing out her name. Her destiny tested us, punished and blessed us, “The Forest of Arden” she called it those days. In memoriam OC Parks noted the late Beth Newell’s contributions to celebrating Madame Mo: “For nearly 30 years, she dedicated close to 2,000 hours as a historic docent at Arden.” Helena Modjeska Foundation resident Victor Scherr announced addition of Newell’s name to a commemorative plaque. Donations in her name fund a future project. Cultural commentary Vermiculture: the cultivation of worms. Vermicomposting: using worms to convert organic waste into nutrient-rich compost. Not sure which a Modjeska local was talking about when he accepted his recent copy of the Foothills Sentry with this unlikely endorsement: “I use it for my worms.” High praise, I guess. “But you read the paper first, right?” asked Your Humble Scribe. “Sometimes,” he said. Perhaps the worms dug it. Small-scale housing summit convened to combat OC housing crisis By Vicente Sarmiento, 2nd District Supervisor Our office recently welcomed more than 150 housing advocates to our Small-Scale Housing Summit, a gathering focused on developing innovative, practical solutions to Orange County’s housing crisis. The summit brought together funders, landowners, nonprofit organizations, developers, and manufacturers to explore how small-scale housing can offer fast, cost-effective and flexible options that have already been proven successful in other California counties. While small-scale housing is not new across the state, it remains an emerging and underutilized approach here in Orange County. With a growing shortage of available homes, rising housing costs, and increasing numbers of residents pushed to the brink of homelessness, it’s clear we must expand our toolbox. Small-scale housing can complement the traditional affordable housing developments already underway and help us respond more quickly to urgent community needs. Modular small-scale construction pushes the boundaries of what is possible. It delivers flexibility and speed, whether used for interim or permanent housing, small projects or scalable sites. Models typically range from $75,000 to $100,000 per unit and can be delivered in as little as six months, making them one of the most cost-effective options available. These solutions can also be tailored to meet the needs of a wide range of residents, from individuals and families experiencing homelessness to working families priced out of the market. To give attendees a firsthand look, manufacturers showcased small-scale housing models at the event, highlighting just how adaptable these units can be in both design and construction. Orange Elk Marilyn Dinger lays a wreath at the gravesite of a vet at Fairhaven Memorial Park. This is the sixth year the Orange Lodge has partnered with the Wreaths Across America Program that aims to place a wreath on every veteran’s grave Bob and Vicki Scheibel (center) were recognized for 35 years of service with the volunteer fire department. A small house displayed at the Small-scale Housing summit
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjA1MjUy