Bella Terra

Police have arrested a Costa Mesa couple in connection with the strong-arm robbery of a 70-year-old woman at the Bella Terra shopping mall the morning of May 22. The victim went to the vacant Mervyn?s store at Bella Terra on Edinger Avenue because she was unaware that the chain had gone out of business, authorities said. A suspect approached her at 11:31 a.m. and assaulted her, striking her in the left shoulder, before ripping her purse from her arm and fleeing on foot, authorities said.

The Huntington Beach Children’s Needs Task Force will announce the winners of the 2009 Youth Character Awards at 10 a.m. Saturday at Bella Terra. The program honors young people whose lives and achievements demonstrate an enduring commitment to qualities associated with good character. The awards program has honored local students for the past nine years. A select number of nominees will be inducted into the Huntington Beach Youth Character Hall of Fame at Bella Terra.

Three men robbed the Kohl’s at Bella Terra on Monday night while the store was open for business, Huntington Beach police said. The robbery occurred about 8:25 p.m. Monday. One suspect held the door open, while two others with a crowbar and hammer smashed glass display cases and stole jewelry. All three men wore jackets that concealed their faces. No employees or customers were injured during the quick smash-and-grab, police said. The men escaped in a dark green, older-style, small vehicle.

1. Jeffrey Woods was accused of what activity or activities at the time of the crash that killed 14-year-old Danny Oates? A. Texting B. Speeding C. Being under the influence of drugs D. All of the above Answer: D. All of the above The case of Jeffrey Woods, 21, who prosecutors say crashed into and killed a boy who was bicycling to school to pick up his class schedule in the summer of 2007, has begun to move forward....

Vic got the ball rolling on the issue of world population growth last week, with a concluding shot at how increasing population is affecting us here in Huntington Beach. We don’t have to look any further than the newly approved Ripcurl project that will be built at the southeast corner of Gothard Street and Center Avenue to see some of the downside to population growth. First, let’s review the population issue. We don’t think a world population increase of 1% a year is acceptable.

Huntington Beach stores reported mixed results from Black Friday, traditionally the biggest shopping day of the year. Two major retailers at Bella Terra had successful store closing sales over the weekend; Mervyn’s is now shuttered, and Shoe Pavilion expects to close Sunday — or as soon as Friday, if inventory runs out. Discounts at the off-price shoe retailer are currently 70% off for most shoes, and 90% off sandals. Huntington Surf & Sport Manager Charlotte Morrow said clothing racks that were placed outside the store were a big draw for shoppers at the Bella Terra location.

The Fullerton Police Department has announced that a group of criminals has been committing credit card fraud in Huntington Beach and Fullerton through the use of “card skimmers.” When the illegal device is slipped into the card slot on an ATM, it can capture personal identification numbers (or PINs) when a customer uses the machine. The skimmer records the data on a microchip. It is later used to make false debit cards, and the perpetrators begin to withdraw funds from the victim’s account.

After a six-hour meeting in front of a packed room that had dozens of members of the public speaking their mind, the Huntington Beach City Council has approved a controversial development next to Bella Terra that would put 385 luxury apartments above 10,000 square feet of retail. Council members compromised on the number of units allowed in the Ripcurl, picking a staff recommendation of 385 rather than the 440 requested by the developer or the 330 required by the Planning Commission in recent months.

We oppose the construction of Ripcurl and the Village. The original codes regarding height and density should apply to all projects in this area (and to all of Huntington Beach). We live in a neighborhood near Bella Terra. This mall itself affected the quality of our lives. Since its opening, our air quality has deteriorated. Bella Terra is an urban heat island. Traffic is already heavy on Edinger Avenue and on Gothard Street north of Edinger. Additional vehicles used by the proposed projects’ tenants, proprietors of the shops, their employees, delivery and service vehicles equal gridlock.

The future of Huntington Beach should include higher-density “city centers” connected by rebuilt streets more friendly for walking, biking and public transportation, consultants told city officials this week. City Council and Planning Commission members met together this week for the unveiling of plans that could shape parts of Huntington Beach for decades to come. After nearly two years of planning and studying, along with numerous hearings to gauge public opinion, consultants presented a draft of the Beach/Edinger Corridor Specific Plan on Monday to a joint session of planning commissioners.