Wild Rivers hosts 200 swimmers as part of World’s Largest Swimming Lesson - Anaheim news - NewsLocker (2024)

Lifeguard Kingston Lawrence keeps an eye on a swimmer during the World’s Largest Swimming Lesson event at Wild Rivers Waterpark in Irvine, CA, on Thursday, June 20, 2024. About 200 people took part in the lessons held in the park’s wave pool. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
About 200 people take part in the World’s Largest Swimming Lesson event at Wild Rivers Waterpark in Irvine, CA, on Thursday, June 20, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Regist

Giving the incarcerated a shot at an education and a brighter future

Years ago 23 men committed offenses that resulted in their eventually being committed to R. J. Donovan Correctional Facility, which is a state prison for men in San Diego near the Mexican border. But now those men have received a bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Irvine. Amazingly, they have graduated from a major university while incarcerated.
How did this happen?
Through the inspirational leadership of UCI’s Chancellor Howard Gillman and program director

OC Fair equestrians receive 30-day notices after refusing to sign new rental agreement

Half of the boarders with horses at the OC Fair and Event Center’s equestrian facility received a 30-day notice this week to sign a new rental agreement or vacate the property after months of pushing back against recent rent hikes and a new contract approved by the fair board.
The board approved phasing in stall rental price increases during a March public meeting, saying the cost to maintain the 100 horse stalls was greater than revenue coming in and rent increases were needed to keep the

Early College Academy gives Orange High School students a boost toward college

When Orange High School senior Adolfo Bello received his diploma earlier this month, he was one of 22 classmates to also complete more than 45 units of college courses through the school’s Early College Academy, credits he will take with him as he heads to the University of Notre Dame in the fall.
A four-year program partnership between Orange Unified School District, Orange High School and Santiago Canyon College, the Early College Academy provides students the opportunity to graduate fro

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John Force alert after fiery crash at Virginia Motorsports Park

DINWIDDIE, Va. (AP) — NHRA great John Force was alert and talking to safety workers immediately after afiery, 300-mph crashSunday in the Virginia Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park.
John Force Racing said the 75-year-old Force was examined at the track by the NHRA Medical Team before being transported by medical helicopter to a facility for further evaluation.
During the first round of Funny Car eliminations, the engine exploded Force’s car at the finish line, with th

‘Seinfeld’ star Jason Alexander and radio’s Peter Tilden team up on podcast

Peter Tilden arrived on the Los Angeles radio airwaves in the late 1980s, first at KLSX (now KNX-FM 97.1) for the morning show back when the station played classic rock. Other stations on his local resume include KABC (790 AM) multiple times, a stint on the short-lived 710 Talk (KMPC, now KSPN 710 AM), and even KZLA (now KLLI, 93.9 FM) where he mixed comedy with country music in the morning.
But it was definitely KABC where he spent most of his time on the air, changing with the times as needed

Dog attacks on mail carriers rose in California, nation

(Photo by Getty Images/iStockphoto)
My dog, Roark, stood sentinel at the screen door. Our mailbox was affixed to the house, right beside the door.
Then, as the mail guy strode up the driveway, shuffling through a beefy stack of envelopes, I saw it:
The little hook, meant to secure the screen door, hung loose and limp.
Right then, everything switched to slow motion. Me, trying to race across the room. Roark, bounding out the screen door. The mailman, grimacing as Roark’s teeth made contact.

California’s climate sinkhole accelerates its decline

My eyes went westward knowingThat’s the place that I love best of all…
That’s why I can hardly wait
Open up that golden gateCalifornia, Here I Come!
These familiar lyrics from the song, “California Here I Come,” were first sung in the 1921 Broadway musical, Bombo. My first connection to the song was watching reruns of I Love Lucy when the Ricardos and Mertzes embarked on a long road trip to Hollywood from their tv series home in New York City during season four, wh

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Orange County rises to No. 1 home-price gains in US on high-end rush

“How expensive?” tracks measurements of California’s totally unaffordable housing market.
The pain: Orange County home prices are rising at the fastest pace in the nation, and you can blame the high-end buyer for that.
The source: My trusty spreadsheet reviewed home price indexes from First American Data & Anaytics for 30 US cities as of May, including five in California. The yardsticks have a curious twist – tracking appreciation by breaking the markets into three pr

Summer break: Political Cartoons

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Check out our regular cartoon gallery featuring some of the best cartoonists from around the world, and across the political spectrum, covering current issues and figures.

Biden-backed policy that let union deceive California farmworkers could soon go nationwide

Roughly 15 years ago, then-Vice President Joe Biden twisted Capitol Hill arms as the Obama Administration strove to secure the 60 Senate votes it needed to break an inevitable pro-Right to Work filibuster and pass into law S.560, sponsored by Democrats Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts and Tom Harkin of Iowa. This special-interest legislation would have cemented Big Labor’s power to corral workers into unions solely by collecting so-called “authorization” cards workers typically sig

Kendall Ellis wins the Olympic Trials 400

EUGENE — They were tears of joy, for sure.
Kendall Ellis, the former USC standout, had just won the Olympic Trials 400 meter final Sunday night at Hayward Field in a personal best 49.46 seconds.
But it was something more than the victory that shook her uncontrollably to her core, the gasps for breath not just the result of her effort. This was a tranformative moment, 49 seconds that forever changed the way Ellis viewed herself.
Through the tears, Ellis finally saw the person the rest of he

Sam Kendricks wins Trials vault, still angry about Tokyo controversy

EUGENE — On second thought Sam Kendricks has decided to go to the Paris Olympics after all.Kendricks won the Olympic Trials pole vault at Hayward Field Sunday with a meet record 19-foot, 5 inch leap, and then said he would compete in Paris next month after threatening to boycott the Games a day earlier.
Noah Lyles capped the night with a 9.83 victory in the 100 meter final, the first step toward his goal of winning four gold medals in Paris.
Kendall Ellis, the former USC standout now runni

Germany gets late goal to draw with Switzerland and finish top of Euro 2024 group

By GRAHAM DUNBAR (AP Sports Writer)
FRANKFURT, Germany — They all jumped for the ball in a frantic late push for the goal that would save Germany from its first loss at the European Championship, against an impressive Switzerland team.
Defender Nico Schlotterbeck leaped up, next to the even more imposing center-back Antonio Rüdiger, who reached highest of all. In front of them both was substitute Niclas Füllkrug.
The German trio was circled by three Swiss opponents trying to prot

Pulisic scores, assists on Balogun goal to lead U.S. over Bolivia in Copa America opener

By SCHUYLER DIXON (AP Sports Writer)
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Christian Pulisic spread his arms wide with a big smile, then wanted to find the coach in the stands who drew up the fastest goal for the U.S. against a South American team.
Plenty of emotion against an overmatched opponent, in a tournament the Americans call their biggest test ahead of co-hosting the 2026 World Cup.
Pulisic scoredin the third minute and assisted onFolarin Balogun’s goalin the 44th as the

Stanley Cup Final: Connor McDavid, Oilers can make history in Game 7 against Panthers

By STEPHEN WHYNO (AP Hockey Writer)
SUNRISE, Fla. — Connor McDavid admired and looked up to Sidney Crosby as the kind of player he wanted to become one day.
But when McDavid was pretending as a kid to score the goal to win the Stanley Cup, he always imagined himself being in that position.
“You’re not sure you’re ever going to get that opportunity,”McDavidsaid. “Here we are with that opportunity.”
That opportunity is only possible after McDav

Connor McDavid and the Oilers can make history in Stanley Cup Final Game 7 against the Panthers

By STEPHEN WHYNO (AP Hockey Writer)
SUNRISE, Fla. — Connor McDavid admired and looked up to Sidney Crosby as the kind of player he wanted to become one day.
But when McDavid was pretending as a kid to score the goal to win the Stanley Cup, he always imagined himself being in that position.
“You’re not sure you’re ever going to get that opportunity,”McDavidsaid. “Here we are with that opportunity.”
That opportunity is only possible after McDav

Simone Manuel channels her winning side, touches first in 50 free to claim individual Olympic race

By PAUL NEWBERRY (AP National Writer)
INDIANAPOLIS — Simone Manuel was feeling a bit down as she prepared for her final shot to swim an individual event at the Paris Olympics.
So she pulled out some video of her greatest hits.
Talk about a confidence boost.
The first Black female swimmer to win an individual gold medal at the Olympics, Manuel earned an individual spot on the final night of the U.S. swimming trials with a victory in the 50-meter freestyle Sunday.
Coming back from overtraini

Long, twisting road led Michael Petersen to his Dodgers debut

LOS ANGELES – Like hundreds of professional players, Michael Petersen was looking for something to do, some way to keep in touch with baseball after Covid caused the minor-league season to be canceled in 2020.
So he went and terrorized some unsuspecting guys in an adult rec league in San Jose.
“A buddy of mine knew a guy who had an adult team and he was, ‘Hey, if you want to get innings, my buddy will hook you up.’ I said, ‘Yeah, sure,’” Petersen recalle

LA Olympic track trials unlikely in 2028

Eugene — LA 28 chairman Casey Wasserman said Sunday it is unlikely that Los Angeles will host the 2028 Olympic Trials in track and field, a move that creates the likelihood of the Trials returning to Eugene for an unprecedented sixth consecutive time.
USA Track & Field CEO Max Siegel said his organization has already had discussions with Tracktown USA officials about a 2028 Trials at Hayward Field, the host site of every track and field Trials since 2008.
Ever since Los Angeles was awa

Just a year after coming out of USC undrafted, Drew Peterson is an NBA champ

LOS ANGELES — Eventually, Drew Peterson heard it so much he just got used to it.
He was close. Close. But never good enough. He was always the older prospect, the kid who floated between the fringes, working out for 16 different ballclubs before the draft a year ago in the hopes of catching a late-round nod. He flew between five cities in six days. The Boston Celtics worked him out two separate times. He battled. He came up empty. Again.
This is how it always was. Peterson came out of Libe

By ERIC OLSON (AP Sports Writer)
OMAHA, Neb. — Tennessee’s prodigious home run prowess arrived too late in Game 1 of the College World Series finals.
It showed up right on time in Game 2.
Tennessee’s Dylan Dreiling hit the go-ahead homer in the seventh inning, Cal Stark went deep in the eighth and after Nate Snead turned back a scoring threat by Texas A&M in the bottom of the ninth, the Volunteers had forced a deciding third game with a 4-1 victory Sunday.
One of the teams

Amy Yang wins the Women’s PGA Championship for her 1st major title

By TIM BOOTH
SAMAMMISH, Wash. (AP) — Amy Yang built a huge lead and survived a couple of late mistakes to win her long-awaited first major title on Sunday, a three-shot victory in the KMPG Women’s PGA Championship.
Yang closed with an even-par 72 at Sahalee to finish at 7-under 281. She was nearly flawless for the first 15 holes and reached 10 under for the tournament for a seven-shot lead before running into a little bit of trouble. But none of her pursuers was able to mount a signi

Angel Reese leads Sky over Fever despite Caitlin Clark’s franchise-record 13 assists

CHICAGO (AP) — Angel Reese scored a career-high 25 points and grabbed 16 rebounds to help the Chicago Sky beat Indiana 88-87 despite 17 points and a franchise-record 13 assists for the Fever’s Caitlin Clark on Sunday.
Reese has posted a double-double in eight consecutive games, extending her WNBA rookie record. She is the first rookie since A’ja Wilson with 25-plus points and 15-plus rebounds in a single game. She joins Wilson as the only players in the WNBA this season with mu

Brush fire breaks out at regional park in Costa Mesa, with winds carrying heavy smoke for miles

Heavy smoke and ashes descended on parts of Orange County on Sunday, June 23, as crews worked to contain a brush fire that broke out at Talbert Regional Park in Costa Mesa.
The blaze was burning at the north end of the park along the 1200 block of Victoria Street, near the Santa Ana River, according to the Costa Mesa Fire Department. Orange County Fire was assisting with battling the flames. The brusher had reached 4 acres by 3:45 p.m.
City residents said on social media that ashes could be seen

Brush fire at regional park in Costa Mesa leads to evacuations

Several homes were evacuated and heavy smoke and ashes descended on parts of Orange County on Sunday, June 23, as crews worked to contain a brush fire that broke out at Talbert Regional Park in Costa Mesa.
The blaze was burning at the north end of the park along the 1200 block of Victoria Street, near the Santa Ana River, according to the Costa Mesa Fire Department. The Orange County Fire Authority was assisting with battling the flames.
The brusher had reached 4 acres by 3:45 p.m.
Homes along S

9-acre brush fire at regional park in Costa Mesa leads to temporary evacuations

Several homes were temporarily evacuated and heavy smoke and ashes descended on parts of Orange County on Sunday, June 23, as crews worked to contain a 9-acre brush fire that broke out at Talbert Regional Park in Costa Mesa.
The blaze burned at the north end of the park along the 1200 block of Victoria Street, near the Santa Ana River, according to the Costa Mesa Fire Department. The Orange County Fire Authority assisted in battling the flames.
By 5:30 p.m., the brusher reached 9 acres, and crew

9-acre brush fire at regional park in Costa Mesa leads to evacuations

Several homes were evacuated and heavy smoke and ashes descended on parts of Orange County on Sunday, June 23, as crews worked to contain a 9-acre brush fire that broke out at Talbert Regional Park in Costa Mesa.
The blaze burned at the north end of the park along the 1200 block of Victoria Street, near the Santa Ana River, according to the Costa Mesa Fire Department. The Orange County Fire Authority assisted in battling the flames.
By 5:30 p.m., the brusher reached 9 acres, with the potential t

Here’s a look at Trump’s VP shortlist and why each contender may get picked or fall short

NEW YORK — Donald Trump has narrowed his vice presidential shortlist to a handful of contenders as he prepares to announce his pick in the days before — or perhaps even at — next month’s Republican National Convention.
He told reporters Saturday that he already has made his decision and that the person will be in attendance Thursday night in Atlanta at the first debate of the general election campaign against Democratic President Joe Biden.
Trump’s choice would like

Angels’ Carlos Estévez turns around his season with a turn of the wrist

ANAHEIM — As Carlos Estévez endured a rough start to his season, he knew something was wrong, but he couldn’t figure out what.
“Something doesn’t feel the same,” the Angels closer said he told pitching coaches Barry Enright and Steve Karsay in early May. “What I see is not the same.”
As the three of them analyzed video and watched him throw, it was Karsay, the bullpen coach, who Estévez said provided the key.
Karsay suggested that Est&eacut