Rest in peace, F390. We barely knew you

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Good morning. It's Wednesday, Sept. 24. I'm Carol Cormaci, bringing you this week's TimesOC newsletter with a look at some of the latest local news and events from around the county.

Two mountain lion cubs were orphaned earlier this month when their small, shy mother, dubbed F390 by her trackers, died after being struck down by a vehicle traveling on the Ortega Highway in San Juan Capistrano, it was reported the other day in the Los Angeles Times.

Details of the 3-year-old puma's violent end were related to The Times by the UC Davis California Carnivores Program. It's the kind of news that easily gets overlooked when the world has far more worrisome matters to deal with right now. So, as a fan of felines of all shapes, sizes and living circumstances, I feel compelled to at least help get the word out that the lamented F390 didn't stand a chance.

This kind of accident is nothing new, of course. In fact, it's the reason behind the $92.6 -million Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing that's being constructed over the 10-lane 101 Freeway in Agoura Hills. That crossing is an enormous undertaking. In fact, according to The Times, it's "the world's largest and most ambitious crossing designed to give wildlife a safe and nature-mimicking passage." It entered its second phase of construction over the summer, with a hoped-for completion date sometime in 2026.

The state has provided $58.1 million for the project, with philanthropists picking up the rest of the tab. Once complete, critters of all kinds who live in that section of the Southland can traverse the area without being hit by a semi barreling down the freeway, or by a car with a bunch of kids in it who could be injured in such a crash.

The Times interviewed Fernando Nájera, director of the California Carnivores Program for its story about F390's untimely death here in Orange County. He said the two kittens she left behind are 14 months old, young enough to still be looked after and taught how to navigate their world. Najera reckoned they would have stayed with her for a few more months before taking off on their individual adventures.

"It's a critical time in their lives. They have a lot to learn in a short period of time and now they are doing it without a mama," Nájera said.

"Nájera said traffic is the primary threat to Southern California mountain lions, whose habitat has been fragmented and bisected by roads and highways," writes Times staff writer Deborah Netburn. "An estimated 100 mountain lions are killed by cars and trucks each year, according to the 2024 Roadkill Report conducted by scientists at UC Davis."

According to the article, the California Carnivores Program is currently tracking four males and one female mountain lion. The latter, one of the two cubs who lost their mom this month, was fitted with a collared tracking device after the accident and is now known to the program as F426.

Nájera noted that, according to data on her GPS tracking device, F390 had successfully crossed Ortega Highway several times before her death. Her loss, he said, just amplifies the need for safe crossings over well-traveled roads in the wildlife-urban interface.

Rest in peace, F390.

* More than 51,000 past and present Disneyland employees will receive their shares of a $233-million class-action settlement approved last week by Orange County Superior Court Judge William Claster, according to a report by TimesOC's Gabriel San Román. "The settlement is absolutely historic," Randy Renick, an attorney representing the workers, told the reporter. The judge, in his ruling, called the settlement "exceptional."

* It appears a months-long multimedia light show in Huntington Beach's Central Park called the Symphony of Flowers, an installation unanimously approved by the City Council in February, will not go forward after all, following another unanimous vote taken at last week's council meeting that put a halt to it. In March, the city was sued by Protect Huntington Beach, which claimed the council's approval of the show violated the California Environmental Quality Act. That suit was still in settlement negotiations as of last week. The state Department of Fish and Wildlife also raised its own concerns, and then there was another issue -- show promoter Cavalia filed for bankruptcy earlier this year.

* A 15-acre section of Costa Mesa's Fairview Park Mesa will be restored to improve the habitat, following the city's decision to move forward with a seven-year, $1.3-million contract with consultant Endemic Environmental Services, Inc. to preserve native vegetation.

* Peter Grant, who less than a month ago resigned as the city manager of Cypress after having been publicly accused of unspecified "unlawful acts of misconduct" by a former city employee, has quickly landed a new job. He'll now helm Yorba Linda City Hall as its new city manager. His contract with Yorba Linda is for a five-year term and guarantees a $315,000 annual salary.

* Jeffrey Ferguson, the 74-year-old Orange County Superior Court judge who was found guilty of fatally shooting his wife in their Anaheim Hills home in 2023 was sentenced last Wednesday to 35 years to life in prison, The Times reports.

* Attorneys for the Angels will be limited in their attempts to blame anyone other than a former public relations director for the 2019 death of pitcher Tyler Skaggs, an O.C. Superior Court judge ruled Monday. Eric Kay

has been sentenced to 22 years in prison for providing drugs to the pitcher that were attributed to his death. Skaggs' parents and widow Carli filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the club. The trial is expected to begin in early October and last about two months, City News Service reports.

* A Placentia woman was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of involuntary manslaughter after her 2-year-old son drowned during a bath at home, CNS reports. Investigators determined the mother was giving the child a bath Monday when she stepped away, then returned to find the toddler face down in the water, according to the Placentia Police Department. Then, police said, the woman stayed in the bathroom with the toddler for about six hours before a family member found her and called authorities.

* A man suspected of fatally shooting a woman in Carlsbad Friday was himself fatally wounded in Laguna Hills early Saturday following a police chase. "The suspect stopped his vehicle in the lanes of traffic, just south of Avenida De La Carlota, exited his vehicle and immediately began firing at the approaching police vehicles,'' the Orange County Sheriff's Department reported. "Multiple officers returned gunfire.'' The suspect then ran east toward an In-N-Out, continuing to fire at officers, authorities said. "After being struck by gunfire, [the suspect] fell to the ground in the restaurant's parking lot and continued to fire at officers."

* A 79-year-old Santa Ana man died after a motorist alleged to have been driving under the influence struck him down just before 8 p.m. Sunday while he was crossing a street on foot, CNS reported Monday. Brian Reyes, 26, also of Santa Ana, was booked on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, according to Lt. Phil McMullin of the Orange Police Department. His victim was identified Oscar Garcia Soto.

* The Colorado Rockies beat the Angels 3-1 in Denver on Sunday in the final road trip of the Halos' season. Mike Trout doubled leading off Sunday's game after hitting his 400th career home run Saturday night.

* Fans of beach volleyball take note: The Beach Pro Tour Elite 16 runs Oct. 7-11 for five days of international competition in Newport Beach with top professional American players as well as international stars. Two-player teams will compete for a $300,000 prize and world-ranking points. Then, on Oct.12, the third-annual Newport Beach Volleyball Invitational returns with U.S. Olympians Phil Dalhausser, Kelly Cheng and Nuss headlining, and four-player beach volleyball teams competing for a $250,000 prize.

* Estancia High School's football team blanked Whittier Pioneer 15-0 Friday night to remain unbeaten through its first four games. It was Estancia's second shutout during a three-game homestand at Jim Scott Stadium.

* Irvine-headquartered Taco Bell just opened its new concept, a Live Más Café, in its hometown. According to my colleague Sarah Mosqueda, nearly 700 people lined up as early as 9:30 a.m. Sept. 16 for the afternoon opening of Live Más Café, which was installed within an existing Taco Bell at the University Town Center near UC Irvine. They weren't there for chalupas, Mosqueda notes. "They wanted to be among the first to sip specialty iced coffees and 'Refrescas,'" she writes. The new hangout spot boasts a menu of more than 20 coffee and agua fresca beverages made to order by "Bellristas."

* Laguna Playhouse recently welcomed Adele Adkins as its managing director. Adkins, who most recently served as managing director at the Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope, Penn., told Daily Pilot reporter Andrew Turner that she's looking to bring more popular fare to the theater, including musicals.

* Libromobile, Santa Ana's independent bookstore, has taken on an active role archiving community history and is looking to teach residents of the city how to do the same, starting with people of color. Necessary tools and support are provided to create participants' virtual timelines, story maps, video recordings and 3D scans. "The fact that these marginalized voices are finally getting documented and are going to be of the historical record is so important," said Charla DelaCuadra, archives and manuscripts processor at UC Irvine.

* The Irvine Barclay Theatre is celebrating its 35th anniversary this Sunday with a free street fair followed by a free concert. The Barclay Block Party will take place from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the theater's plaza and will include activities for all ages, including face painting, a caricature artist, a marionette show, live music and dance performances. A concert by Phat Cat Swinger, an 11-piece jazz, swing and rock ensemble, will follow at 3 p.m. inside the theater. Free general admission tickets can be reserved online at thebarclay.org

* The lineup for this year's Newport Beach Film Festival, set for Oct. 16 to Oct. 23, has been announced. The festival, themed "Reel It In," will put the spotlight on 100 films and 250 shorts during its run. It begins at Regal Edwards Big Newport on Oct. 16 with a screening of "Blue Moon," a drama about lyricist Lorenz Hart on the eve of his former Broadway songwriting partner Richard Rodgers' success with the musical "Oklahoma!" Tickets are now available online.

* Also launching at Regal Edwards Big Newport theater next month is the 2025-26 Speaker Series, put on by the nonprofit Decorative Arts Society (known by its acronym, DARTS). The series, which gets underway Oct. 14, offers five lectures from nationally and internationally known experts in design. Funds raised from ticket sales and membership subscriptions benefit O.C. charities. Doors open at 9:15 a.m. for all of the lectures and admission is included with DARTS membership; tickets are $75 for non-members. For more information, visit decorativeartssociety.net.

* The Rotary Club of Huntington Beach and Golden West College are partnering to present a free Science Nite from 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 3. The family-friendly event features interactive exhibits and demonstrations focused on DNA collection, marine life, robotics, biology and more. Kids can also make slime, create exploding gummy bears, see their own cells in a microscope and visit live animals in the school's zoology lab. It all takes place at the Math & Science Building at Goldenwest College, 15744 Goldenwest St., Huntington Beach. Free parking is in Lot C, with registration located between the Math & Science and Public Safety buildings.

* The National Menopause Show is coming to the Anaheim Convention Center on the weekend of Oct. 4-5. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both dates. There will be speakers, exhibitors and live comedy shows. For more details and to purchase tickets, visit the expo's website, nationalmenopauseshow.com and use the code MENOPAUSE20 for discounted tickets.

We appreciate your help in making this the best newsletter it can be. Please send news tips, your memory of life in O.C. (photos welcome!) or comments to carol.cormaci@latimes.com.