TimesOC: 75 years ago this week, O.C. played role in desegregation
Good morning and welcome to the TimesOC newsletter.
It’s Friday, April 15. I’m Ben Brazil, bringing you the latest roundup of Orange County news and events.
This week marked the 75th anniversary of the famed decision in Mendez v. Westminster that desegregated schools in California.
In honor of that landmark decision, my colleague Gabriel San Román wrote about the years before that case, when the Orange County school system was still plagued by segregation. Specifically, San Román wrote about how the Santa Ana Board of Education chose to build a school for only Mexican students during the 1918 influenza pandemic.
The issue started when trustees went back on a promise to build a Mexican school before the fall 1918 classes began. That resulted in a large amount of Mexican students attending Lincoln School. Segregationists were not happy with that.
But as the second wave of the influenza outbreak reared its head and PTA groups called for Mexican students to be segregated due to the outbreak, a site was chosen on Church Street for a makeshift Mexican school.
San Román wrote that segregation continued in Santa Ana until the Mendez v. Westminster decision prohibited separate schools for Mexican students.
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Also this week, reporter Paloma Esquivel wrote about the Mendez case, highlighting the work of Sylvia Mendez, whose parents joined four other families all those years ago to challenge segregation in the courts so that their children could attend schools that were not neglected.
Sylvia Mendez has continued to educate the community about the history of the case. Esquivel detailed how Mendez is still determined to ensure that people remember her parents and what they fought for.
Mendez is also aware that the fight for equity in schools is not over. “Latino students are still being left behind,” Esquivel wrote.
Mendez hopes that her story will fuel the youth to continue fighting for educational equality. “Never get distracted,” she told the students in front of her during a recent speech to a Santa Ana class. “You have to fight for what you want.”
MORE NEWS
Bookish residents who like to frequent the Laguna Beach Public Library can be at ease after the city this week purchased the land the library sits on and promised to keep the library at its current location. The $4.29-million purchase of the land brought the library under local control, allowing the city to decide the fate of the beloved library. Reporter Andrew Turner wrote that residents had expressed concern that the lot could be converted into a parking structure or some other development project.
Anaheim officials are clamping down on motels that reportedly bring drug dealing and prostitution into the community. This week, officials specifically tightened restrictions on two motels on Beach Boulevard that authorities claim have seen increased crime in the past few months. The move is part of the city’s efforts to revitalize the once iconic thoroughfare that has become dilapidated since it opened in 1934. Buena Park and Stanton are also taking aim at problematic motels to help clean up Beach Boulevard.
UC Irvine has appointed its third law school dean since 2009. Austen Parrish will helm the school after serving as the longtime dean of the Indiana University Maurer School of Law. “With his clear vision, proven leadership and stellar accomplishments, Austen Parrish is the right person to guide UCI Law to greater heights, and we are excited he will be joining UCI,” said university Chancellor Howard Gillman.
Orange County officials are concerned that they won’t be able to find housing for hundreds of housing voucher holders before they expire later this year. This week, officials met and discussed how to get landlords involved with the program. It has been difficult to get property owners to accept the vouchers due to the competitive housing market in the county. O.C. Supervisor Katrina Foley and others are hoping incentives will help attract more property owners to the program.
A predominately Latino neighborhood in Huntington Beach has had parking problems for many years. Now, the city is working to alleviate that headache for residents. A pilot parking program will offer 50 assigned parking spaces in a structure at Warner and Ash Lane to Oak View residents at a cost of $10 per month, wrote my colleague Matt Szabo. The neighborhood is possibly the densest in the city, with about 10,000 residents, the vast majority of whom live in crowded apartments.
After more than a decade on the job, Newport Beach’s recreation and senior services director is retiring later this month. The City Council this week presented a commemorative plaque to Laura Detweiler to honor her hard work. Detweiler said she’s proudest of the parks that have been updated and built during her tenure and the programs she’s overseen that benefit the community. “I like to think we have a little of something for everybody,” she said. “That has evolved over the years. I’m really proud of our role that we play in bringing the community together.”
A man was sentenced to five years in state prison this week for the nonfatal shooting of a man in Costa Mesa. The man pleaded guilty last month to attempted murder after shooting the alleged victim in his neck last year. My colleague Lilly Nguyen has the story.
After crashing into a tree in Costa Mesa, fire crews used the jaws of life to extract two people from the vehicle. It took about 15 minutes before the passengers could be removed from the mangled vehicle. It’s unclear what caused the crash.
LIFE AND LEISURE
The California Restaurant Foundation is offering grants to small and independent restaurants in Orange County. During the pandemic, these restaurants have suffered from a poor economy and myriad other issues. In response, the foundation is offering $3,000 grants to the restaurants in Orange County and other parts of the state. My colleague Sarah Mosqueda wrote that the grants were made possible through a partnership with California’s utilities companies and Wells Fargo Bank. “We want to make it possible for small restaurant owners to thank and recognize their staff that has stuck with them,” said Alycia Harshfield, executive director of the foundation.
The California Wine Festival is returning to Dana Point next week with samples of California wines. The festivities include tastings, food from local eateries and a silent auction. Proceeds from the festival will go toward the Surfrider Foundation of South Orange County.
A new documentary about the legendary surfer Duke Paoa Kahanamoku will play in select theaters in Orange County. The film, “Waterman,” honors the trailblazing native Hawaiian who starred in numerous Hollywood films. Kahanamoku has always meant a lot to the local surfing culture. In Huntington Beach, a statue depicts the icon, and a nearby restaurant on the pier is named after him. The film tells the life story of the man dubbed the “Ambassador of Aloha.” Reporter Sara Cardine has the story.
SPORTS
Reporter Mike Digiovanna broke down why there’s reason to be concerned and optimistic about the Angels’ 3-3 start to the season. He was encouraged by the performance from the team’s starting pitchers. In particular, two of the big signings from the offseason showed some effectiveness. Digiovanna also provided analysis on the rest of the roster.
Costa Mesa baseball defeated Estancia this week in a Battle for the Bell matchup. The game was a close one, with Estancia battling to the very end before losing 5-4. “That’s how you win a one-run game,” Mustangs coach Jim Kiefer said. “I’m proud of the kids. It was a much-needed win after a couple weeks of struggle, and they showed a lot of heart today.”
Stay in Touch
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