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IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR OUR 2016 ELECTION ENDORSEMENTS POST, CLICK THIS LINK! THANKS — AND HAPPY READING!
Our general election feature chronicling who’s running for what, “A Day at the Races,” is appearing so late this cycle that we’re not even going to use the name, because there as so few days left to cover new developments. (Sorry, your author has been busy.)
This year’s will be in two parts: one (this one) for those races handled by the Registrar of Voters office, and another (still to be written) on the 34 City Council races (and sundry other city races.)
Top row: Art Montez and Ed Lopez square off for NOCCCD Board; Two HB women, Gina Clayton-Tarvin and Cathy Green, want to return respectively to save kids on Ocean View School Board and to serve Poseidon on the OC Water Board. Bottom: Cecilia Iglesias (here with Lou Correa) and Gloria Alvarado (with Tefere Gebre) and their friends will face off in the Santa Ana School District race.
Filing for most races will end on Friday, August 12. A few, tagged at the end with a magenta”&” symbol, will go on until Wednesday, August 17, unless an eligible incumbent still files. As usual, I’m going to do some color coding — but this year I think that it may be more useful than usual. Here’s the color code for the races below, which represent the end of filing processed on Saturday, August 6.
RED — at least two more people are running in this race than there are available positions
ORANGE — exactly one more person is running in this race than there are available positions
GREEN — exactly as many people are running as there are available positions, not all incumbents
BLUE — exactly as many people are running as there are available positions, all being incumbents
PURPLE — fewer people are running in this race than there are available positions
If the race’s title is in BLACK, that means that different races under that title have different statuses; look beneath
If a seat on a given board is still vacant, the vacancy is marked in AMBER
Three other things:
- Incumbents are underlined. This does not imply endorsement. Endorsements are for later. Many incumbents won’t get them.
- Few of the people described as “running” have completed the process and are actually ON THE BALLOT. Some will drop out.
- Editorial commentary on each race — often not much of it, though, and we need your help on your local races to build our knowledge base! — is in maroon.
♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ HERE WE GO! ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣
Coast Community College District Governing Board Member
Coast Comm College Dist, Trustee Area 2: Jerry Patterson, Vong Xavier Nguyen
Coast Comm College Dist, Trustee Area 3: Lorraine Prinsky
Coast Comm College Dist, Trustee Area 4: Mary Hornbuckle
Patterson’s been in OC politics forever, but how far does the long arm of Little Saigon extend?
North Orange County Community College District Governing Board Member
North Oc College Dist, Trustee Area 2: Art Montez, Ed Lopez &
North Oc College Dist, Trustee Area 4: Molly McClanahan
North Oc College Dist, Trustee Area 5: Steve White, Jacqueline Rodarte
North Oc College Dist, Trustee Area 7: Barry J. Wishart &
Lopez teaches Political Science at a Community College in South County; Montez has been a big Building Trades booster. McClanahan has been elected to one or another position from Fullerton forever and is hoping to last through another NOCCCD Board turnover.
Rancho Santiago Community College District Governing Board Member
Rcho Santiago Coll Dist, Trustee Area 1: Zeke Hernandez, Frank “Tito” Alaniz Jr. & (?)
Rcho Santiago Coll Dist, Trustee Area 3: Nelida Mendoza Yanez
Rcho Santiago Coll Dist, Trustee Area 5: Claudia C. Alvarez, Albert Garcia
Rcho Santiago Coll Dist, Trustee Area 7: Rudy Diaz, Arianna Barrios
Rancho Santiago has come under withering criticism over the past few years. Jose Solorio bailed out of Area 1 to position himself to run for Santa Ana Mayor, leaving his political acolyte Hernandez in place. Barrios is the PR Professional and paid aide behind Kris Murray. Alvarez was the last really good ally Miguel Pulido has had on Santa Ana’s City Council. Yanez is considered relatively benign. (Not hard in this company!)
South Orange County Community College District Governing Board Member
South OC College Dist, Trustee Area 1: David B. Lang
South OC College Dist, Trustee Area 3: Gary V. Miller, Peter J. Espinosa, Barbara “Bobbe” Jay
South OC College Dist, Trustee Area 6: James “Jim” R. Wright
South OC College Dist, Trustee Area 7: Timothy “Tim” Jemal
South OC College, Dist, Trustee Area 4: John Alpay, Jim Leach &
OJB has liked Alpay in the past. Probably still does. As for the rest, feel welcome to “school” us!
Brea Olinda Unified School District Governing Board Member
Brea-Olinda Unified S.D.: Rodney “Rod” Todd, Kevin J. Hobby, Gail Lyons, Paul Ruiz
This has proven a hard line-up to crack. The only one who really needs removing isn’t up this year.
Capistrano Unified School District Governing Board Member
Governing Board Member, Capistrano Unified Sch, Dist, Trustee Area 2: Gould Workman, Jim Reardon
Governing Board Member, Capistrano Unified Sch, Dist, Trustee Area 5: Jorge R. Velastegui, Monica Maddox, Gary Pritchard
This was so massively controversial four years ago; now it seems mostly at peace. Pritchard should win in a walk.
Garden Grove Unified School District Governing Board Member
Garden Grove Unified School, Dist, Trustee Area 1: Teri Rocco
Garden Grove Unified School, Dist, Trustee Area 3: Walter Muneton &
Garden Grove Unified School, Dist, Trustee Area 5: Dina Nguyen, Linda Paulsen-Reed & (2 incumbents?)
Apparently GGUSD has two incumbents in Area 5, which can happen when one first imposes districts. Water Board Member Nguyen wants to add to her haul!
Irvine Unified School District Governing Board Member
Irvine Unified School District: Betty Carroll, Mark Newgent, Paul Bokota, Lauren Brooks, Naz Hamid &
After losing the Ken Williams when a third candidate couldn’t stay out of the race, Michael Parham has left the building.
Laguna Beach Unified School District Governing Board Member
Laguna Beach Unified Sch, Dist: Howard Hills, Jan Vickers, Peggy Wolff &
We could use a native informant here.
Los Alamitos Unified School District Governing Board Member
Los Alamitos Unified School District: Karen Russell, Meg Cutuli, Robert J. Aguilar, Jr., Dave Boyer, Cathy Larson & (?)
We’re one candidate away from what looks like it could be two full slates!
Newport-Mesa Unified School District Governing Board Member
Newport-Mesa Unified Sch, Dist, Trustee Area 1: Vicki Snell & (?)
Newport-Mesa Unified Sch, Dist, Trustee Area 3: Martha Fluor
Newport-Mesa Unified Sch, Dist, Trustee Area 6: Leslie Bubb, Dana Black
Lots of women taking charge here, though we’re not entirely sure about District 6.
Orange Unified School District Governing Board Member
Orange Unified Sch Dist, Trustee Area 2: Daniel Correa, John H. Ortega
Orange Unified Sch Dist, Trustee Area 3: Alexia Deligianni-Brydges
Orange Unified Sch Dist, Trustee Area 6: Nicole Baitx-Kennedy, Jeremy Wayland, Danielle Jacobs
No one’s taking on Alexia Deligianni-Brydges? OK, then!
Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District:
Governing Board Member, Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District: Judi Carmona, Carol Downey, Eric Padget
Either y’all really love how your schools are run or y’all are chicken!
Saddleback Valley Unified School District Governing Board Member
Saddleback Valley Unified Sch Dist: Suzie R. Swartz, Edward Wong, Bill Yarrington, Mark Tettemer, Amanda Morrell, David Johnson, Theodore Patrick Hunt &
Sadly, this many candidates has a good chance of meaning that something terrible is happening here, like banning chemistry from the schoolbooks. No real idea, though.
Santa Ana Unified School District Governing Board Member
Santa Ana Unified School District: Cecilia “Ceci” Iglesias, Gloria Alvarado, Bruce T. Bauer, Rigo Rodriguez, Alfonso Alvarez, Beatriz “Bea” Mendoza, Mark McLoughlin, Angie Cano &
This will be a marquee race. Iglesias and Alvarado will presumably head two teams of three, but aside from putting Cano with Iglesias we’re not sure who goes where. And why are there more than six people. And is that the Rancho Santiago Mark McLoughlin? Why not a rematch against Claudia Alvarez, sir?
Tustin Unified School District Governing Board Member
Tustin Unified School Dist: Francine Pace Scinto, Elias Teferi, Tammie Bullard, James H. Laird, Karen G. Twaddell &
Native informants, step up!
Anaheim Union High School District Governing Board Member
Anaheim Union High School District Trustee Area 3: Katherine H. Smith
Anaheim Union High Sch, Dist. Trustee Area 4: Brian O’Neal
It’s nice to see Smith still running here.
Fullerton Joint Union High School District Governing Board Member
Fullerton Joint Union Hs District Trustee Area 2: Barbara R. Kilponen, Joanne Fawley
Fullerton Joint Union Hs District Trustee Area 3: Andy Montoya
Joanne Fawley was quite impressive last time around, but this is a hard board to crack.
Huntington Beach Union High School District Governing Board Member
Governing Board Member, Huntington Beach Union High School District: Michael H. Simons, Trung Ta, Susan Henry
If this is the “Vietnamese for Obama” Trung Ta, that could be interesting.
Anaheim Elementary School District Governing Board Member
Anaheim Elementary School Dist, Trustee Area 1: Jackie Filbeck, Billie Joe Wright
Anaheim Elementary School District Trustee Area 3: Jose Magcalas &
Surprisingly quiet. City Council taking up all of the interest?
Buena Park School District Governing Board Member
Buena Park School District Trustee Area 3: Barbara Michel, Marvin “Ace” Aceves
Buena Park School District Trustee Area 4: L. Carole Jensen, Irene Castaneda
Native informants?
Centralia School District Governing Board Member
Centralia School Dist, Trustee Area 3: Elizabeth “Liz” Gonzalez, Irv Trinkle &
Centralia School District Trustee Area 4: Steve Harris & (2 incumbents?)
Trinkle was the guy who bowed out to give Connor Traut a seat on this board, right? Thought he was an incumbent, but no. Another “two incumbents” situation that should seemingly extend filing. We’ll ask the ROV!
Cypress School District Governing Board Member
Cypress School Dist, Full Term: Brian Nakamura, Candi Kern
Cypress School Dist, Short Term: Donna McDougall &
Native informants?
Fountain Valley School District Governing Board Member
Trustee, Fountain Valley School District: Jeanne Galindo, Ian Collins, Jennifer Weimer
If those two incumbents are allied in this race for two seats — no idea here — this is a good example of why the challenger should want to be part of a two-person slate.
Fullerton School District Governing Board Member
Fullerton School Dist, Trustee Area 2: Hilda Sugarman
Fullerton School Dist, Trustee Area 5: Jeanette Vazquez, Leonel Talavera &
So if the Fullerton School District can come up with district lines, why can’t….
Huntington Beach City School District Governing Board Member
Governing Board Member, Huntington Beach City School Dist: Ann P. Sullivan, Bridget Kaub, Rob Fishel &
Anyone know if either challenger is allied with the incumbent?
La Habra City School District Governing Board Member
La Habra City School District: John A. Dobson, Elvira Moreno De Guzman &
Not seeing an additional name in this race is surprising.
Lowell Joint School District Governing Board Member
Lowell Joint School District (Or. Co. Portion): Brandon R. Jones, One Vacancy &
Hey, reader! Two questions! #2: Ever wanted to serve on a School District? #1: Are you totally nuts!
School Magnolia School District Governing Board Member
Magnolia School District Trustee Area 3: Barbara J. Clendineng
Magnolia School District Trustee Area 4: Nathan Zug
With all of the political activity sprouting in West Anaheim, it’s surprising that these races are uncontested. Hmm, maybe that’s in part because to find the map of Trustee Districts, you don’t go to “District Boundaries, but instead have to search “Trustee Areas” and find the three articles linked and from there find a link to the district maps. You know, it seems a bit late for this information to be reaching the public, but here is the map of the individual trustee areas:
Did all of you people living in the Magnolia School District already know about this? Because arguably it’s SORT OF IMPORTANT!
Ocean View School District Governing Board Member
Ocean View School District: Gina Clayton-Tarvin, One Vacancy &
Oh, come on, people!
Savanna School District Governing Board Member
Governing Board Member, Savanna School District: Christina “Tina” Karanick, Chris Brown, Tony Cousimano
Perhaps someone can campaign on including the named and contact information of the Board members on the website.
Westminster School District Governing Board Member
Governing Board Member, Westminster School District: Jamison Power, Karl D. Truong, Frances Nguyen &
Power seems to have a good reputation — but might have have trouble because of the natural tendency to vote for two people for two seats, boosting his opponents even among his supporters. Maybe he’s allied with one of his opponents. If not, and if he runs unaccompanied, this could be an upset.
Emerald Bay Service District Director
Emerald Bay Service District: John Marconi, One Vacancy &
Yoo-hoo! Environmentalist Communists? Here’s your shot!
Rossmoor Community Services District Director
Rossmoor Community Services District: Ron Casey, Shaz Umer, Tony Demarco, Michael Maynard, Paul Kalish
There must be some sort of story behind this.
Three Arch Bay Community Services District Director
Three Arch Bay Community, Services Dist: Alan H. Anderson, Gary Rubel, One Vacancy &
Yoo hoo! Green Party? Yours for the taking!
Serrano Water District Director
Serrano Water District Div. 2: C L (Larry) Pharris
Serrano Water Dist, Div. 3: Phillip L. Bonina, Greg Mills &
Serrano Water Dist, Div. 5: Jerry L. Haight
Wasn’t this district in the news over rationing? Hope you’re happy with your representation!
Silverado-Modjeska Recreation and Park Dist. Director
Silverado-Modjeska Recreation And Park District: Steven Duff, Tara Saraye &
A rare case of 100% turnover on this class for a multi-seat board.
Costa Mesa Sanitary District Director
Costa Mesa Sanitary District: Art Perry, James Ferryman, Jim Fitzpatrick
We see you there, Jim Fitzpatrick.
Midway City Sanitary District Director
Midway City Sanitary District: Anita A. Rice, Al P. Krippner, Joy L. Neugebauer, Chi Charlie Nguyen, Samantha Bao Anh Nguyen
Something’s going on in and around Midway City. (Wait, does Midway City still exist? Isn’t it being absorbed?)
Sunset Beach Sanitary District Director
Sunset Beach Sanitary District: John H. Woods, Jon Regnier, Graham Hoad
Surfriders and such — do you already control this baby?
Surfside Colony Storm Water Protection District Trustee
Surfside Colony Storm Water Protection District: Stephen C. Rowe, One Vacancy &
Again, anyone else remember this being somehow a significant player environmentally — like with Poseidon?
El Toro Water District Director
El Toro Water District: Kathryn Freshley, Jose Vergara, Mark Monin, Scott Goldman
OJB’s position on all Water District races will largely be determined by one’s opposition to Poseidon. Do these guys oppose Poseidon?
Irvine Ranch Water District Director
Irvine Ranch Water District: John Withers, Mary Aileen Matheis, Margaret Brown
We’re going to have to call Peer Swan on this one.
Moulton Niguel Water District Director
Moulton-Niguel Water District Division 1: Richard S. Fiore, William “Bill” Moorhead
Moulton-Niguel Water District Division 6: Duane D. Cave
Moulton-Niguel Water District Division 7: Gary R. Kurtz
Where do they stand on Poseidon?
Santa Margarita Water District Director
Santa Margarita Water District: Stanislaw Dziecielski, Charles “Chuck” Gibson, Betty H. Olson, Charley Wilson & (?)
Where do they stand on Poseidon?
East Orange County Water District Director
Director, East Orange County Water District: John Sears, Douglass S. Davert
Anyone in this district oppose Poseidon?
Rossmoor/Los Alamitos Area Sewer District Director
Rossmoor/Los Alamitos Area Sewer District: Van M. Jew, Jim Bell One Vacancy &
Looks like a good spot for someone who opposes Poseidon!
Mesa Water District Director
Mesa Water District Division 1: Fred Bockmiller
Mesa Water District Division 2: James R. Fisler, Bob Ooten, Alex Reich
Mesa Water District Division 3: Ethan Temianka
Bob Ooten and Alex Reich, please contact OJB, because one of you may have to drop to avoid splitting the critical anti-Fisler vote.
Orange County Water District Director
Director, Orange County Water District, Division 4: Philip L. Anthony
Orange County Water District Division 6: Clem Dominguez, Cathy Green
Anthony, we recall, was good on Poseidon. Cathy Green has been very bad. Very, very bad. (Call us, Clem!)
South Coast Water District Director
South Coast Water Dist: Rick Erkeneff, Robert W. (Bob) Moore, Bob Oakley, Douglas A. Erdman &
Are these the guys who will be getting the water piped down from Poseidon for South County developers?
Trabuco Canyon Water District Director
Trabuco Canyon Water District: Stephen Dopudja, Don Chadd &
What about these guys? Will Poseidon water be used to open up more development in the canyons?
Yorba Linda Water District Director
Yorba Linda Water Dist: Richard “Ric” Collett, Al Nederhood &
There are many unhappy burblings about this Board.
Municipal Water District of Orange County Director
Municipal Water District of Orange County Div 3: Wayne Osborne
Municipal Water District of Orange County Div 4: Joan Finnegan, Tim Beaman, Kelly Rowe
Municipal Water District of Orange County Div 6: Jeff Thomas, Frank Ury, Michael Dunbar
Municipal Water District of Orange County Div 7: Donald R. Froelich, Evan P. Chaffee &
Who will promise to cancel out Brett Barbre’s vote — always? And, oh yeah: who is not Frank Ury?
Buena Park Library District Trustee
Buena Park Library Dist: Dennis Salts, Irene Castaneda, Patricia M. Ganer
Presumably they lack competition they are making the books run on time.
Placentia Library District Trustee
Placentia Library District Trustee: Gayle Carline, Richard Devecchio, One Vacancy &
C’mon, folks — when Placentia goes belly-up this may be all that’s left of its government!
[Redacted. Author uses too many names.]
Mr. Diamond, Regarding Centralia School District Area 3 race with 2 candidates for 1 seat. “Trinkle” did not bow out to let Traut have a seat in 2014. “Trinkle” and Sequeria were defeated by Traut fair and square as he spent a huge sum to get his name out. Two others got elected and neither were incumbents. “Trinkle” spent 13 years busting his butt along with some other special folks to make Centralia a great district. Only now with Traut, Montez, and Charoen doing their political stuff do we see over spending and a lack of concern for anyone other than themselves and their political aspirations. Liz Gonzales was recruited heavily by Traut and Montez to run and attempt to defeat “Trinkle” so they can have another puppet working with them. “Trinkle” is running for the right reasons with no political agenda or aspirations other than doing what is right for the kids and employees of Centralia and the community. I know all this to be fact and am willing to discuss it if you so desire. My website:www.irvtrinkle4education.org
Mr. Trinkle,
We’re not the New York Times, prepending everyone’s name with “Mr.”, “Ms.”, “Dr.” et al. No offense is intended by reference to you by your last name, which henceforth will be hard for me to think of without “scare quotes.”
I’d have to go back and read my articles from 2014; my recollection was that someone — I’d thought it was you — was edged out of the race to suit Connor’s seemingly limitless ambition. Did you edge out of the race tentatively for a time and then edge back in? I apologize if my memory was faulty — or perhaps it is not faulty but the people informing me about you were wrong (perhaps intentionally.)
Tell us more about the foibles of Centralia!
Connor Traut spent about $30k in the 2014 election to win. The average winning candidate spends between $5k and $8k. Look at the records of who supported him and most had nothing to do with our school district. Do the math. Being a 20 year old at the time, he also had plenty of time to walk the neighborhoods. None of this was illegal or unfair, but it should have made people question his motives. What he did do that was a calculated dishonest move was to place his campaign signs out two weeks before it was allowed per the rules, probably knowing that the cities would do nothing about it and that people would get the impression that he was more organized than the rest of us who had the integrity to follow the rules. He is a clever politician, no doubt about it, but that does not equate with honor. I have zero respect for Connor Traut as a man of integrity and to be associated with him in any way should raise questions in people’s minds.