Remembering Yorba Linda in 2016

Let's remember Yorba Linda in 2016:

Most promising political future: Tara Campbell, 23-year-old USC grad and youngest-ever City Council member, tallied 15,253 votes, fourth-highest in city history. Allen Castellano still leads with 16,879 in 2004, with Mike Duvall at 16,400 in 2004 and Mark Schwing at 15,380 in 2012.

Strangest political twist: Craig Young topped the voting for a county GOP Central Committee post in June, with Tara Campbell running seventh for six positions. Campbell led the count in November for City Council, with Young placing fourth for three positions.

Most consequential City Council election: While women have held a majority of seats on the local school board for several decades, this year produced the first female-majority council in city history, with Tara Campbell, Beth Haney and Peggy Huang making up the historic trio.

Best look into the future: A third General Plan, following 1971 and 1993 documents, lays out a 20-year guide for development that envisions a 16 percent increase in population from 67,637 to 78,389 and an 18 percent jump in housing units from 21,958 to 25,871.

Best vote by a lame-duck water board member: Recalled director Gary Melton cast the only vote against a $25,225 raise to $216,900 yearly for General Manager Marc Marcantonio in a Nov. 21 meeting, the last before four new directors took office Dec. 8.

Most stunning election result: Republican Ling Ling Chang's loss by 2,498 votes overall and 3,185 in Orange County's portion of District 29 to Josh Newman, first Democrat to represent this city in the state Senate since Harry Westover served the entire county, 1937-1941.

Best example of an effective community action group: Leaders of Protect Our Homes and Hills maintain a laser-like focus on issues related to the 480-home Esperanza Hills and Cielo Vista projects, achieving impressive results without resorting to name-calling.

Best continuing trend: Again this year a record number of Placentia-Yorba Linda school district students took Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate exams with pass rates (AP 83 percent, IB 96 percent) well above state, national and global averages.

Most dramatic vote increase: This city's support for Donald Trump jumped from 45 votes in the 2000 primary for the Reform Party presidential nomination that was open to all voters to 20,611 he won as the Republican nominee this year. Hillary Clinton's total was 12,232.

Best remake: The new Nixon library galleries are drawing more visitors to the city's most historic site, but the update didn't include an outhouse the former president told past director and city resident John Taylor the family used before adding indoor plumbing.

Most vexing problem: Finance Director Scott Catlett has noted the city's $14.9 million unfunded pension and $15.3 million unfunded post-employment benefits liabilities, as he develops options to target the obligations.    

Yorba Linda: A look at Christmases past

Let's look at some Christmases past, as described in news articles from the Yorba Linda Star:

--Citrus farming, along with oil production, topped the economy in early Yorba Linda, with dozens of page one stories charting the ups and downs of the citrus industry for decades.

One interesting story from the Dec. 26, 1924, issue combined the constant worry about a freezing crop due to winter-time climate with a holiday weather report about strong winds.

The front-page article was headlined “High winds spoil pretty Christmas day but saves citrus from frost.” Later articles stated “Citrus fruits have biggest Christmas week in history” (Dec. 31, 1943) and “Good Christmas...enjoyed by California navels and lemons” (Dec. 24, 1948).

--Another report, from Dec. 28, 1928, brings to mind the current problem of holiday thefts, with criminals stealing packages from front porches.

A “Christmas burglar,” as labeled by the reporter, only took a few cartons of cigarettes, while overlooking $235 in cash from the home of a resident. A prior July 4, 1924, article had noted the Chamber of Commerce offered a $50 reward for home burglary arrests.

--Christmas seals sales, which began in this country in 1907 to outfit sanitariums for tuberculosis treatment, were the subject of many articles in the 1930s and 1940s, with civic-minded residents heading each year's local fundraising activities.

One early leader in the effort was Mabel Paine, chief of the 1932 charity drive and a local school district principal from 1915 until retiring in 1947.

--A Chamber of Commerce recommendation was reported on Dec. 12, 1941, five days after the Pearl Harbor attack. The group “discouraged” the use of outdoor Christmas lighting, an idea supported by a jittery population.

A photograph in the Dec. 22, 1944, edition showed some of the 15,000 boxes of oranges that were gathered from the local area and sent to servicemen for Christmas.

By Nov. 22, 1946, the story was “Christmas lights already beginning to radiate Yule spirit,” and on Dec. 26, 1947, the topic was “beautiful displays” that “radiate Christmas spirit of our town.” Citizens were “urged to compete in Christmas decorating contest” on Dec. 16, 1949.

--After World War II, Main Street merchants spread Christmas cheer with dramatic appearances of Santa Claus: “Big crowd greets Santa as he steps from helicopter” noted a Dec. 26, 1947, article, and “Main Street thronged as copter brings Santa Claus to Yorba Linda” headlined a Dec. 24, 1948, story.

Later, Santa's arrival was a bit less spectacular, as noted in a Dec. 30, 1949, story: “Kiddies welcome Santa Claus who arrives on a fire truck.”

--The currently popular Christmas celebrations are developing a long history: Eastlake Village boat parade started in 1987, Christmas on Main Street in 1989, Handel's Messiah sing-a-long in 2004 and Hometown Heroes Christmas Tree at the Nixon library in 2010.

City-owned Black Gold Golf Club: Revenues down, but expenses decline more in fiscal year-end report

An upbeat annual report on the city-owned Black Gold Golf Club, compiled by Yorba Linda's Parks and Recreation Director Mike Kudron and reviewed by City Council members at a recent meeting, labeled the club's most recently completed fiscal year “very successful.”

While club revenues fell short of projections made for the beginning of the 2015-16 fiscal year by $284,769 and actual income from the prior year by $198,281, expenses also declined – by $540,825 from budget estimates and $247,610 from the past year.

So the club's net income before capital expenditures was $815,197 from revenue close to $5.7 million. After investing $106,880 in improvements – closed-circuit TV security system, parking lot sealing, a new modular dance floor and other items – net income was $708,317.

Green fees brought in a bit more than $2.7 million, nearly $70,000 more than last year and just $5,550 behind projections. A total 55,544 rounds were played, 58 fewer than last year. Tournament rounds totaled 9,158, about 17.2 percent of paid rounds.

Income from the golf shop, food and beverage sales and facility use were down from beginning-of-the-year projections and prior year results, ranging from 3 to 18 percent. Revenue from the catering operation totaled $184,184, up $50,297 from the past year.

One reason for the course's “excellent playing condition,” Kudron stated, is the seven-year, 112-acre transition from rye grass to kikuyugrass, with fairways up to 97 percent completed. Wall-to-wall coverage, including roughs and turf slopes, should be finished within two years.

“The warm season kikuyugrass' drought-tolerant nature enabled the elimination of daytime watering of established areas without jeopardizing turf health,” Kudron noted.

Other highlights from Kudron's report:

--Exposure for the next generation of golf enthusiasts is aided by acting as the host facility for the men's and women's golf teams at Cal-State Fullerton and Yorba Linda, Esperanza and El Dorado high schools and hosting parks and recreation classes and many junior-level events.

--Food and beverage “continues to be a strong profit center,” Kudron noted. Taco Tuesdays averaged more than 50 guests weekly during summer and early fall. Also, a Fall Wine Faire, holiday buffets, Breakfast with Santa and Sunday brunch “all draw families from Yorba Linda.”

--In addition to the 55,544 individuals playing golf rounds, the club drew 14,823 to meetings and banquets; 14,354 to restaurant a la carte dining; 12,738 to the practice facility; 9,373 to events and tournaments; and 8,700 to weddings.

--The club has an increased presence on social media: a Facebook page with more than 12,000 “likes,” higher than any other stand-alone Southern California golf club; a 26 percent increase to 31,833 for website views; and a 43 percent jump in Instagram followers. A return of 2,084 customer surveys showed an average 9.3 out of 10 service rating.

Trump wins in Yorba Linda, but gets fewer votes than McCain, Romney; Campbell wins across-the-board in City Council contest; other results tallied

As expected, Donald Trump handily won Yorba Linda's presidential vote with a 56.6 percent majority, but the count was below the percentages won by the GOP candidates in 2008 and 2012.

Fewer Yorba Lindans were registered to vote this year and more who cast ballots chose not to vote for the listed candidates for president than in the previous two presidential elections.

Although Hillary Clinton won a majority county-wide – the first Democratic win since 1936 – and took the tally in 21 of the county's 34 cities, she only mustered 33.6 percent in this city (better than Barack Obama's 29.7 percent in 2012 and about even with his 33.7 percent in 2008).

Trump's 56.6 percent was lower than John McCain's 64.3 percent in 2008 and Mitt Romney's 68.1 percent in 2012 in city voting.

This year's registered voters totaled 42,534, less than 43,010 in 2008 and 45,494 in 2012, but 2016's 85.6 percent turnout topped 2008's 81.6 percent and 2012's 77.3 percent.

In 2008, 352 Yorba Linda voters didn't mark a ballot-listed choice for president, a number that dropped to only 282 in 2012. This year, 1,783 didn't vote for one of the five listed candidates.

GOP Rep. Ed Royce continued his dominance in the Yorba Linda vote, winning 66.7 percent here, better than his 55.3 percent county-wide, 51.8 percent in Los Angeles County and 60.4 percent in San Bernardino County, for a 13^th two-year term, over Democrat Brett Murdock.

Despite losing for state Senate to Democrat Josh Newman, Republican Ling Ling Chang won 62 percent of this city's vote. She took just 45.5 percent county-wide and only 48.4 percent in Los Angeles County, but she won in San Bernardino County with 54.1 percent.

Republican state Assembly candidate Phillip Chen won over Democrat Gregg Fritchle by winning in Yorba Linda (65.9 percent), county-wide (56.8 percent) and in San Bernardino County (56.9 percent). He barely lost in Los Angeles County (49.7 percent).

Tara Campbell's big win as the top vote-getter for one of three City Council positions was across-the-board. She won the early vote, vote-by-mail ballots and the total precinct vote.

She took 34 precincts, as Gene Hernandez, Beth Haney and Cristy Parker won one each.

(Ties were recorded in two precincts with a total 22 voters.)

One interesting factor in the water board contests was Bob Wren's 48 percent of the vote to Al Nederhood's 52 percent to replace recalled director Gary Melton, even though Wren, the city's former chief of police services, opposed the recall. Melton and Bob Kiley were recalled by more than 70 percent of the vote, and Brooke Jones, Kiley's replacement, won by 72 percent.

Yorba Linda voters approved five of 17 state propositions, although 12 passed statewide.

The differences: the city said no to school bonds, high-income tax extension, sentencing changes, political spending advisory, gun and ammo sales restrictions, legalizing pot and banning plastic bags.  

Yorba Linda High School students to attend Trump inauguration; other trips scheduled

Sixteen junior and senior students from Yorba Linda High School will be among a history-making crowd of two to three million people expected to view the inauguration of Donald Trump as the country's 45^th president next month.

The students, chaperoned by a teacher and two parents, will spend five days in Washington, D.C., and tour a number of historic sites, including Arlington National Cemetery, the National Archives, the Smithsonian museums, several monuments and the National Mall.

The Jan. 18-22 field trip will view the inauguration ceremony and parade Jan. 20 and join other students in the evening to discuss experiences, as organized by World Stride Tours.

“The students will remember this event the rest of their lives,” Principal Dave Flynn told Placentia-Yorba Linda school trustees in a memo seeking approval for the trip, planned before the outcome of the election was known.

The group will stay at the Marriot Hotel in Arlington, Virginia, and miss three school days. The only cost to the district will be $414 for a substitute teacher. Coincidentally, trustees approved the trip at a meeting the night of the election, Nov. 8.

Three other interesting history-related field trips have been approved for students:

--All 180 eighth-grade students in the magnet Gifted and Talented Education program at Kraemer Middle School will participate in a day-long living history event on the Civil War, scheduled for May 11 at Riley's Farm in Oak Glen.

Students will participate in a state rights debate; vote on whether to secede, join the union or stay neutral; and visit workshops with topics on school of the soldier, general mercantile, camp life, the agricultural south, the surgeon, etiquette, the war at home and marching.

After experiencing a soldier's food ration – and their own sack lunches – students will witness a mock battle and gather for closing discussions.

Principal Keith Carmona reported to trustees that field experiences have been one of the strengths of the district's magnet GATE program. This year, they opted “to stay in the local area” to reduce costs “so that more students might participate in a truly unique and exciting educational program,” he noted.

--Fifth grade students at Fairmont Elementary School will participate in a one-day event at Colonial Chesterfield, also at Riley's Farm, June 13 on “the personal impact and economic hardships of the American Revolution.”

The 144 students “will participate in the living exploration of the American Revolutionary War with six to eight dramatic and cultural workshops,” Principal Cindy Fox reported. They'll also view two mock battle scenarios.

--Also traveling to Colonial Chesterfield will be 62 fourth-grade students from Mabel Paine Elementary School Jan. 19 for a one-day California gold rush event, with recreations of gold mining, panning, sluice box operation, assaying and camp life, Principal Tamara Beeuwsaert reported.