Orange County

Three of the four teens who allegedly beat a man nearly to death with skateboards were charged Thursday with assault with a deadly weapon with great bodily injury, said Huntington Beach Police Lt. Mitch O'Brien. One suspect was released without being charged, O'Brien said. Viktor Silcock , 25, of Huntington Beach, was allegedly beaten by a group of skateboarders Friday in Murdy Park. Silcock is expected to survive, but he remains in critical condition in UC I rvine Medical Center's trauma unit after sustaining blunt-force trauma to his head when a group of teenagers allegedly attacked him inside a laundromat, police said.  According to public records, Silcock is a member of a Huntington Beach family that includes more than 40 adopted boys with special needs.

For some, living near the beach in Orange County is a priceless luxury. But actually going to the beach — by car, anyway — is about to get a little pricier. The California Dept. of Parks and Recreation announced this month that annual vehicle passes at state parks will increase from $125 to $195. Among the locations affected are six in Orange County: Crystal Cove State Park and Bolsa Chica, Huntington, Corona del Mar, San Clemente and Doheny state beaches. The department announced April 12 that it would raise the price of several annual passes, including those for vehicle use, on May 1. The cost for single-day use and camping fees will remain the same in most areas, although some regional superintendents may adjust fees for specific parks, spokesman Roy Stearns said.

You can go to the islands of the Caribbean for the pirates, the islands of Hawaii for the waves, or even the islands of the South Pacific for the sushi - or you can make the wise decision and go to Islands Restaurants in Orange County for their new limited-time happy hour. Known for their specialty burgers, exotic drinks, and hand-cut fries, the Islands Restaurants are now offering great happy hour deals on their signature beers, cocktails, and delicious bites for under $5, from 4 to 7 p.m. on weekdays.

Bryce Alderton Huntington Beach has joined forces with 10 Orange County cities to search for ways to ease the traffic congestion clogging Southern California freeways. Options being thrown around include the construction of a mass transit system such as monorails, traditional light-rails such as the Metro Blue Line used in Los Angeles and Long Beach and a new bus rapid transit system. Heading up this coalition of cities is the Orange County Transportation Authority, which has spent a year and about $1 million on a study to find ways to improve road and travel condition.

Less than a week remains before California’s decisive Feb. 5 primary — a day that will likely decide the respective nominees of the Republican and Democratic parties — and Orange County is abuzz with grassroots political activity. It’s the first election in many decades that sees no obvious heir apparent for either party. While momentum from New Hampshire and Iowa has thinned each party’s pool of candidates, the parties and their advocates nevertheless remain engaged in serious races for control of their party, and ultimately, the country.

When typical Orange County residents are asked what they like the most about living in Orange County, I can almost guarantee you that the answer will be that it's because of the beautiful beaches, public parks, recreational opportunities, low crime rates, good schools and excellent job opportunities. When you roll all of that up into a package and put a name on it, there is nothing else to call it but "quality of life." We have to constantly work at preserving and protecting this quality of life that all of us hold so dear.

NATURAL PERSPECTIVES We were sick last week, and we don't mean our sense of humor. We both came down with a cold-type virus that is making its way around town. Vic came home from a meeting and reported that everyone there, including him, was coughing. Friends say that many of their co-workers have a sore throat, a cough and no voice. Some people are jokingly speculating that we coughers have severe acute respiratory syndrome -- the new worldwide virus know as SARS.

Holiday decorations might be the main draw for the annual "Cruise of Lights," but for the event's sponsors the main attraction is raising money for music education programs. Last year, the Huntington Harbour Philharmonic Committee raised about $100,000 with the cruises through Huntington Harbour. This year, committee members hope to collect more than that for music education in public and private schools throughout Orange County. The proceeds help finance programs like field trips to the Orange County Performing Arts Center, lessons about orchestra make-up and playing with different instruments, said Kay Nelson, a long-time committee member.

Hoag Health Center Huntington Beach, one of seven health centers overseen by Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, celebrated its 20th anniversary with an outdoor reception May 25. The center at 19582 Beach Blvd., which broke ground in May 1990, maintains a staff of 45 physicians in 16 specialties, including family practice, ophthalmology, orthopedic surgery and internal medicine. "We have always been a part of this community, and we're grateful to the city of Huntington Beach for being our partner for the past 20 years," said Richard Afable, the president and chief executive of Hoag Hospital, in a release.

She does not look like a sex slave. Pretty, with coffee-colored skin, looking perhaps 17 years old, she could be a cheerleader, or volleyball player, or a dancer - anything but what is seems she is. But we found her photo online, someone in our group spoke to her on the phone numerous times to try to make an appointment with her, and so here we are. She dips her feet in the hotel Jacuzzi, which is adjacent to the outdoor swimming pool. Three young kids frolic in the water just inches from her. They are on vacation.

Alisha Gomez has been named managing editor of Los Angeles Times Community News (TCN) in Orange County, Editor John Canalis announced Wednesday. Gomez will help oversee the staff of 24 that produces the Huntington Beach Independent, Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot and the Daily Pilot, which have a combined print circulation of 137,000. She previously served as managing editor of the Independent and Coastline but on June 3 will add the Daily Pilot to her duties as part of a planned newsroom reorganization.

Richard Robitaille feels gratified when the twins race to him, waving greetings. They're not his children; they're not even related. They are 5-year-old boys who he has nurtured for more than a year with his wife Patricia. Although this responsibility befell the Huntington Beach residents as part of their work with Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), they doled out the same care that they would have given to their own grandchildren, who are about the same age. "Watching their personalities change, although it's nothing drastic, gives me a warm teddy bear feeling," said Richard, 73. The siblings were 2 years old when they were taken away from their mother and placed in a group home.

The last regular season contest for the National Scholastic Skateboarding League will be April 19 at Etnies Skatepark in Lake Forest. Participating middle schools will be: Corona Del Mar, Dwyer, Ensign, Bernice Ayer and Shorecliffs. Participating high schools will be: Corona del Mar, Estancia, Edison, Huntington Beach, Newport Harbor, San Clemente and Trabuco Hills. The contest starts at 5:30 p.m. Etnies Skatepark is at 20028 Lake Forest Drive, Lake Forest. Orange County skateboarders who qualified for the finals will be announced April 22. NSSL finals will be held April 24 at Vans Skatepark in Orange.

The Orange County Rescue Mission Chili Van Mobile Ministry has been in operation for almost five years, helping the homeless communities in Dana Point and Santa Ana. But Michael Murphy, a volunteer with the Tustin-based organization had a hard time finding traction in Huntington Beach. "It started off slow. You would have been shocked," he said. "We drove around parks looking for homeless people our first Monday. We couldn't find one soul. " But slowly, the Chili Van found some grip and the amount of people they help has begun to increase, Murphy said.

Gus Ayer, the former mayor of Fountain Valley and an avid environmentalist, died Wednesday night. He was 63. According to his oldest son, Ethan, the cause of his death is still pending, but he was found at his Fountain Valley home by his youngest son, Eliot. Ayer's recent endeavors included helping the residents of Fullerton save Coyote Hills, striking down Measure Z in Huntington Beach and campaigning for numerous council members for the cities of Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach and Westminster.

The Bolsa Chica Conservancy's mission is to teach and inspire people from Huntington Beach, along with the rest of Southern California, to care for the environment, specifically wetlands and other coastal resources. The 22-year-old, Huntington Beach-based nonprofit organization will take a moment to recognize an organization that's done its part to protect the environment when it bestows its annual "Conservator of the Year" award to the Orange County Water District. "Obviously, [OCWD's]

Lake Forest leaders on Tuesday will consider repealing an ordinance that bans registered sex offenders from city parks, becoming the first Orange County city to overturn a controversial law that prosecutors have pushed local governments to adopt. Nearly half the 34 cities in Orange County have adopted the law, which bars registered sex offenders - even those not convicted of a crime against children - from municipal parks and local beaches. It is considered one of the most restrictive bans in the state.

A Santa Ana man was convicted Friday of the attempted murder of a resident outside a Fountain Valley home. Antonio Cinco Ortega, 26, was found guilty of one felony count of attempted murder with premeditation and deliberation, one felony count of conspiracy to commit murder and one felony count of mayhem, plus sentencing enhancements for great bodily injury and personal use of a deadly weapon, according to a release from the Orange County district...

She does not look like a sex slave. Pretty, with coffee-colored skin, looking perhaps 17 years old, she could be a cheerleader, or volleyball player, or a dancer - anything but what is seems she is. But we found her photo online, someone in our group spoke to her on the phone numerous times to try to make an appointment with her, and so here we are. She dips her feet in the hotel Jacuzzi, which is adjacent to the outdoor swimming pool. Three young kids frolic in the water just inches from her. They are on vacation.

The Orange County district attorney's office has ruled that two Huntington Beach officers who shot and killed two men last year acted in self-defense and will not have charges filed against them. "Simply stated, the law allows police officers to use deadly force when they reasonably believe that someone is trying to shoot them," according to the report, issued Thursday. The Orange County Sheriff's Department conducted an investigation after Officer Kenton Ferrin and Sgt. Tom Weizoerick shot and killed two suspects during a traffic stop Nov. 1. The officers stopped a green four-door Lexus, driven by a woman with two passengers, as part of an investigation into John Andrew Torres, a parolee who was believed to be armed and dangerous, according to the district attorney's report.