The culinary highlight of South Coast Plaza’s year-long 50th anniversary celebration was a multi-course dinner and fundraiser at Vaca, one of the retail center’s most successful restaurants. Executive chef and owner Amar Santana and business partner Ahmed Labbate hosted the Friends of James Beard Benefit Dinner on Aug. 10.

The $30,000 raised supports Beard scholarships for college-age students seeking culinary careers. Santana, a guest chef in 2013 at New York’s James Beard House and Season 13 runner-up on Bravo’s “Top Chef,” said he’s proud to cook for a cause that’s close to his heart.  “The money is helping kids like me,” said Santana, who emigrated from the Dominican Republic as a teenager.

In high school, Santana excelled in Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) and earned a full ride to the Culinary Institute of America. He’s now one of Southern California’s most sought-after chefs. Santana has hosted a James Beard dinner twice – a career milestone which many chefs are never asked to do once. “He’s a real talent,” said Diane Harris Brown, scholarships director for the Beard Foundation.

The evening started al fresco with sparkling wine and tapas followed by a family-style dinner that included decadent specialties from Vaca’s Spanish-influenced menu. “It tastes like home. The food is perfect,” said Andrés Olcina of the Spanish winery Bodegas Torres, which donated wine for the dinner.

This was the third James Beard benefit held in Orange County at South Coast Plaza restaurants in the last four years. “It speaks to the commitment of South Coast Plaza’s fine dining chefs to support meaningful culinary programs, such as those offered by the Beard Foundation,” said Debra Gunn Downing, the retail center’s executive director of marketing.

The 10th annual SeaChange Summer Party in Laguna Beach raised more than $1.2 million to support Oceana, the world’s largest ocean conservation organization. The gala fundraiser brings celebrities including Ted Danson, Sam Waterston and Lily Tomlin to the Cahill villa, where they meet and mingle with 400 guests for the crucial cause of saving the seas. The event was co-chaired by Valarie Van Cleave and Elizabeth Wahler, and speakers included Danson, Waterston and Tomlin, along with Oceana CEO Andrew Sharpless and local environmentalist and philanthropist Anne Earhart. She was honored as an Ocean Champion, along with her Laguna Beach-based Marisla Foundation and its executive director Herbert M. Bedolfe, III. “SeaChange has helped Oceana become a real force for good in California and around the globe by winning victories that make our oceans healthier, more biodiverse and abundant,” Danson said. The actor is the charming MC of the event, and takes the time to visit each table to chat and pose for selfies with guests. Coast is the media sponsor of the SeaChange Summer Party.

Pat Boone picks up the phone and almost immediately starts to marvel that Elvis Presley had died 40 years ago that day, and how their careers began almost at the same point in the mid-’50s, though Boone notes with not just a small note of pride that he got the jump on Elvis at the outset of their recording careers.

“I was six months older but I had an 11-month head start,” the 83-year-old performer says. “And in that 11-month period — I didn’t realize this had happened until years later, and I didn’t believe until I looked at the stats in Billboard and Cashbox – I had six million-selling singles, two of them No. 1.”

And from there, he’s off, riffing on the success his pop covers of R&B songs had – his first chart-topping hit was a remake of Fats Domino’s “Ain’t That A Shame” – how he kept up with Presley on the singles charts for a few years after the young rock icon made his debut, how this year is the 60th anniversary of his first two starring roles in the movies “Bernardine” and “April Love,” and on and on for an hour without pause.

Boone told me the first time we talked seven years ago that he and his wife Shirley were talking about how he might slow down the pace of his business and entertainment activities, but clearly he’s never figured that out or been able to do so, though he insists this time that his show at Coach House in San Juan Capistrano on Saturday, Sept. 23, really and truly might be one of the last times you’ll be able to catch him.

“I laid out a plan for our group,” Boone says, referencing the Pat Boone Enterprises team meeting he’d called a day earlier. “I said, ‘Look, guys, I’m hereby letting you know that I am now commencing my last go-round. It’s not a tour, but I am doing performances here and there.”

He typically does one of two kinds of shows, Boone says, either a traditional concert with his band or the one he’s bringing this time, a production he calls Music & Memories, in which he sings songs from throughout his career, shows video clips and photos, and shares stories like those with which he opened our conversation.

The memories are strong and come easily to him, and he defaults to a self-deprecating sense of humor when he hears himself starting to dip deeper into the nostalgia of his past.

“I was known as Mr. State Fair for many years because of the movie,” he says, a nod to his starring role in the 1962 remake of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s musical “State Fair.” “I headlined the Indiana State Fair, I think in 2007 or 2008, and they used the same picture to promote it that they’d used when I headlined in 1957.

“I asked, ‘Anybody here 50 years ago?'” Boone says. “And there were some hands that went up. When I say I have die-hard fans, yeah, they had a hard time dying.

“I said, ‘Look, this is such a milestone in my career I want you to promise to have me back in 50 years. You’ll have to take me out of the box and prop me up.’

“We had fun with that,” Boone says.

He’ll probably share stories about some of the many other celebrities he’s known and worked with over the years, whether it’s Harry Belafonte or Ella Fitzgerald or any of the other African-American performers he championed on his various television projects early in his career when many color barriers had yet to fall to the civil rights movement of the ’60s, or a star like Bob Hope, who because of a scheduling conflict Boone once unfortunately had to follow on stage at a golf tournament and benefit show in Ohio.

“I said, ‘Are you crazy? Nobody wants to follow Bob Hope?'” Boone says. “As the old joke goes, I wouldn’t give that spot to a leopard.

“So he went out and sang and danced and told jokes,” he says. “He did everything he knew how to do. When he came off I said, ‘Bob, you got a standing ovation when you went on, and you got one when you came off — how does that feel?’

“He looked at me with that kind of lopsided grin and said, ‘You’ll never know,'” Boone says, laughing at the memory. “And we hugged and I had to go out and haplessly follow Bob Hope.”

Beyond the upcoming show, Boone’s got what he says will be his final trip to Israel planned for May – his 22nd time travelling there, with plans to lead a large tour group of fellow evangelical Christians and perform two concerts while he’s there. He also remains active in politics, supporting Republican candidates and organizations such as the Faith & Freedom Coalition, for whom he recently wrote and performed a new anthem.

He plays tennis for a few hours every Friday – “with a younger kid, he’s only 80” – and earlier this summer competed as he has for years in 3-on-3 basketball at the National Senior Games. He’s got a stake in a company that seeks to produce small cars that run on compressed-air – for which he and a partner got a $5 million pledge on “Shark Tank” a few years ago.

And there are movie roles, too, with three faith-based film parts in the last year including “Boonville Redemption” with Ed Asner and Dianne Ladd which recently screened at the Long Beach Indie International Film, Media, and Music Festival.

“Almost everywhere I appear I say, ‘I know I probably won’t come back,'” Boone says. And yet at many of those places, some of which he first played five or six decades ago, there invariably are a few people in the crowd who saw him then.

“Years later they say, ‘I saw you in Peoria, I saw you in Tokyo, I saw you in Durban, South Africa,'” he says. “I was woven into their lives and memories. And now I tell them, ‘You are woven in my life, too.'”

Pat Boone

When: 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23

Where: The Coach House, 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano

Tickets: $49.50

Information: Patboone.com or Thecoachhouse.com

A visit to Christine Richens’ classroom at Corona Ranch Elementary School feels like a trip to Starbucks.

Neat rows of desks, plastic chairs and fluorescent lights have been replaced by couches, coffee tables, faux leather chairs, bar stools, rugs and lamps. Students put their belongings in lockers and storage compartments near the wallpaper that looks like wood paneling.

“It’s warm and inviting,” Richens said. “It’s like you’re in your own living room.”

Richens transformed her fifth-grade classroom over the summer, spending hours painting and sanding furniture she got from friends, Goodwill, online shopping, garage sales and her home.

The change shocked administrators, colleagues, parents and students.

“I was speechless,” Principal Jeane Trevino said. “I couldn’t believe it. It’s almost like a café feel.”

Richens is among a growing number of teachers in the Corona-Norco Unified School District and across the region who are using alternative or flexible seating. Kids can sit where they feel most comfortable, whether it be a rug on the floor, a soft chair, futon, table or somewhere else.

More than half the students at Corona Ranch qualify for free and discounted meals, Trevino said, and many don’t have a quiet place at home to study.

“One kid said, I don’t have a room like this, so when I come here, that’s what matters the most,” Trevino said.

While they don’t have an exact number, Corona-Norco school officials estimate one to three classrooms at each of the district’s 48 schools have such a seating arrangement. Richens is the only Corona Ranch teacher who has made the move, but others have expressed interest based on her positive results, Trevino said.

“The kids are engaged even at a higher level,” Trevino said of Richens’ class. “They know her rules and expectations. They’re calm and relaxed. It’s changed the whole atmosphere of the classroom.”

Comfort catching on

Teachers in other parts of Riverside County are taking a similar approach.

Fred Aspan-Martin, who teaches at Ortega High School in Lake Elsinore, said his classroom is like the “most state-of-the-art office” that can easily be rearranged from lecture mode to small groups to individual meetings. Swiveling chairs let students quickly shift their attention from one area to another.

“What’s really cool is that in one second, they can move anywhere they want,” he said.

Aspan-Martin said some students didn’t know what to do at first.

“They’re used to being in rows and told what to do,” he said. “Now they have 100 percent freedom and five areas they can learn in.”

Besides the chairs, there are 12 high stools students can use. And white boards are on all four walls.

There are downsides.

Aspan-Martin said he must keep a watchful eye so students don’t mark up desks. Also, it’s hard for a substitute teacher to keep track of students since they have the freedom to roam, he added.

Elsewhere, desks in the rebuilt Hemet Elementary School look like jigsaw pieces that can be moved for large or small gatherings. Each desk has a hook on which students can keep their backpacks.

At least 15 classrooms in the Moreno Valley Unified School District use flexible seating, spokesman Christopher Weddle wrote in an email.

Luanne Palmatier, who teaches a second- and third-grade combination class at Ridge Crest Elementary School in Moreno Valley, eliminated desks this year. Instead, she has a large rug for whole group lessons and a round table with stools, reclining chairs, bean bags, yoga mats and a low table with mats on which students can sit.

At first, she faced resistance from parents who worried their kids wouldn’t get the same level of academic rigor as they would if they sat in desks, she said. Palmatier sent home letters on the first day and explained the concept again at back to school night.

“I used the example of us as adults,” she said. “Would you work the best sitting at one table for seven hours? How would you feel if you had to sit at that table every day for 180 days?”

‘Just beautiful’

Palmatier has rules that if students are not choosing to sit where they can learn best, they can be moved at any time.

Thomas Smith, dean of the Graduate School of Education at UC Riverside, said there is considerable research showing the benefits of getting up and moving around during the school day. Students are healthier, more motivated and have improved attention spans, he said.

The flexible seating concept may not work for teachers who are comfortable being in charge all the time and doing most of the talking, he said.

“Many teachers have difficulty moving toward a student-focused classroom because they’re not always sure how to manage behavior in that kind of environment,” Smith said. “It needs to be the kind of change that will fit in with the type of instruction a teacher wants to put in place and how they want to organize work in the classroom.”

Kathryn Byars, who teaches world history at Roosevelt High School in Eastvale, said it was hard for her students to work together in a traditional classroom because seats were connected to desks and couldn’t be moved easily.

Her set up includes a couch, soft rocking chairs, bean bag chairs and a table that sits low to the ground as well as about 12 desks. Spending about $600 to overhaul her classroom this summer was a productive investment, she said.

“It adds to their ability to collaborate more freely and communicate in a more comfortable environment,” Byars said. “The freedom they have to move around has allowed them to let out the energy they couldn’t let out before. I have a lot less behavioral issues in my class.”

In Richens’ fifth-grade class, students worked quietly in groups on a recent morning creating math lessons in Microsoft PowerPoint. They sat on plush couches, a low table on the floor and at pub tables. Café-style lights illuminated the room, which featured recorded New Orleans jazz in the background. The smell of apple cinnamon vanilla melting wax drifted through the air.

Several students said they think the change from hard plastic chairs and desks will translate to better grades.

Rhea Singh, 10, said her favorite spot is a couch that’s “so soft and squishy, it feels like a bed.” When she sits under the dim lights with the soft music playing, she said she’s focused and inspired to do her best.

“It’s amazing,” Singh said. “It’s just beautiful. It’s better than any other class I’ve been in.”

Staff writer Craig Shultz contributed to this story.

Many associations struggle with a poor manager relationship, resulting in a frustrated board or a terminated manager. However, such struggles can sometimes arise from the board’s actions and likewise can be resolved by a change in board practices.

Truly, some managers are simply not cut out for the job. The need for excellent HOA managers increases along with the growing number of community associations. But some are poorly qualified, overloaded with too many associations, disorganized, poor at customer relations, or even unethical and dishonest. No excuses can be made for such managers, and they should not be accepted.

There also are managers who are not allowed to succeed in their roles, as boards set them up for failure. Before an association gives up on its manager, ask if any of the following factors are present.

You don’t, so I will. Often, a director who performs managerial tasks will explain that “somebody has to do it.”  This will insulate a poor manager from responsibility from their performance and will discourage a good manager who wants to do their job.

What we have here is a failure to communicate: Many boards never establish expectations regarding communication flow, including the designated points of contact, and what type of response time is reasonable.  Set mutually agreed expectations and make sure both management and board honor that agreement. Remember, not everything needs to be handled now. Your manager probably receives over a hundred emails a day from homeowners, so allow them to triage the critical from the lesser.

The handcuffed manager: If a board does not trust the manager, then the association may need another manager. If the manager is trusted, why should they not be given a reasonable amount of spending authority, so long as they report monthly to the board? Requiring the board approve in advance every sprinkler head or window replacement bogs the manager down, and also involves the board in minutiae.

Who’s the boss? Managers work for the corporation, which acts through its board, but some HOA presidents do not understand their role as president of a nonprofit is less powerful than the for-profit president. A president who orders the manager around short-circuits the association governance and forces the manager to choose between proper governance and good client relations.

Managers should be seen and not heard: Many a fine manager’s morale is damaged by boards that refuse to accept their expertise, treating the manager as clerks instead of trusted professionals. Association boards should insist their manager be experienced and knowledgeable, and should benefit from that experience and knowledge.

Civility deficiency: If a manager is treated rudely, why is it fair to expect a great attitude in return? It is not – the Golden Rule applies to managers, too.

Trading a manager in for a new model: When a new board begins service, particularly after a contentious election, it often replaces the manager, wanting their “own.” This is often simply a knee-jerk and unfair assumption as to the manager, who must be loyal to the association, not who runs` it at any point in time.

If a manager has been given every opportunity to succeed and still fails, ask their employer to assign another manager to the account, before assuming the company should be terminated.

Kelly G. Richardson, Esq. is a Fellow of the College of Community Association Lawyers and Managing Partner of Richardson Harman Ober PC, a California law firm known for community association expertise. Submit questions to KRichardson@RHOpc.com.

Most people enjoy shopping for homes. Even people who aren’t looking for a home enjoy shopping for homes.

They’re called Looky Loo’s and Looky Louises, and I meet them every weekend at my open houses.

Suffice it to say that shopping for a home is about the only fun part of the home buying process. Because once you make the decision to submit an offer to purchase a house, you’re now dealing with a contract, and there’s really nothing fun about contracts.

Take for instance the first page of the 10 page Residential Purchase Agreement. On this page alone you are committing to some very specific terms – the price you are offering, when you want to close escrow, the amount of your initial deposit, the amount of your down payment, and the amount of your loan being the most significant.

In addition to the close of escrow date, you are also committing to getting your initial deposit into escrow within three days of acceptance. The date of acceptance – that is, the date the buyer or seller accepts the other’s offer without making a counter offer — is a big deal in a real estate transaction, as it is the date that determines all of the other dates in the contract.

The contract also stipulates the initial deposit shall be wire transferred to escrow within three business days after acceptance. So if the date of acceptance falls on a Tuesday, you have until Friday to get your deposit wired into escrow.

Failure to do so gives the seller the right to cancel the contract. Unless one of the days between Tuesday and Friday is a legal holiday, then you get an extra day. But if that were the case, your deposit would then be due on Saturday, and since you get a pass for weekend days as well, your deposit would not legally be due until the following Monday.
Your best bet is to get to your bank the minute you receive the wiring instruction from escrow and get ’er done.

And just because you’ve reconsidered and no longer want to hand over the huge deposit you wrote in the space provided on page one of the purchase agreement, and you’d now prefer to wire in a lesser amount, you technically cannot, without running the risk of the seller cancelling the contract.

You should submit an Addendum to the Purchase Contract to reduce the deposit amount, if that is your desire and you want to avoid having the seller cancel your contract at all costs.
Now, that’s not to suggest that the seller will agree to a reduction in the initial deposit. It’s a contract after all, and as such, cannot be changed unilaterally.

Contributing columnist Leslie Sargent Eskildsen is an agent with Realty One Group. She can be reached at 949-678-3373 or @leslieeskildsen.

By GREGORY KATZ

LONDON  — British police made a “significant” arrest Saturday in the manhunt for suspects a day after the London subway was hit by a partially-exploded bomb and launched a heavily armed search of a home southwest of London.

The fast-moving inquiry into the subway blast that wounded 29 people has shifted to Sunbury, on the outskirts of the British capital, where neighbors were evacuated amid the police operation as a precaution.

A no-fly zone was established over the area to keep out small planes and drones as police moved in and police cordons were put in place to keep the public well away.

No details about the police search were released, but it came after the arrest of an 18-year-old man who is being held under the Terrorism Act. The man was arrested Saturday morning by Kent police in the port of Dover on the English Channel.

Dover is a major ferry port for travel between Britain and France — and it was not clear if the suspect was trying to board a ferry for France when he was taken into custody.

“We have made a significant arrest in our investigation this morning,” Deputy Assistant Police Commissioner Neil Basu said. But he warned that the investigation was ongoing and the terrorist threat level remains at “critical,” meaning that top British security services believe that another attack is imminent.

Basu’s comments suggested that other dangerous suspects may still be at large.

Police Commissioner Cressida Dick called the arrest “very significant” but said the public should still be vigilant.

The 18-year-old suspect hasn’t been charged or identified. Police say he was being brought to a south London police station for more questioning. Police haven’t said if he is suspected of planting the bomb or of playing a supporting role in a possible plot.

Authorities had increased Britain’s terrorism threat level to “critical” late Friday — the highest possible level — after a bomb partially exploded on a subway train during the morning rush hour.

Police are combing through closed-circuit TV images and have extensively studied the remains of the explosive device. Images from inside the subway car showed that it was contained in a bucket with wires hanging out of it and concealed in a plastic shopping bag.

The train hit by the bomber at Parsons Green station in southwest London had video cameras in each car, and the London Underground network has thousands of cameras at the entrances to stations and along its labyrinth of subterranean and aboveground passageways.

Officials have hinted there may be more than one person involved, but haven’t released details in what is termed an ongoing and covert inquiry.

Prime Minister Theresa May said raising the threat level to its highest point was a “proportionate and sensible step.” Police called on the public to be vigilant.

The soldiers will add to the armed police presence Saturday at public places to deter further attacks.

The bomb went off around 8:20 a.m. Friday as the District Line train, carrying commuters from the suburbs — including many school children — was at the Parsons Green station. In all, 29 people were wounded, some with burns, but none of the injuries were believed to be life-threatening.

The station was reopened Saturday, officials said, restoring some normalcy to London’s transport network after a day of severe disruption. There was no sign of panic among Londoners and the weekend life of the multicultural city continued undeterred by the raised threat level.

Officials said the bomb was intended to do grave harm to commuters. Analysts said the carnage would have been far worse had the entire device exploded.

“They were really lucky with this one. It could have really become much worse,” said terrorism specialist Magnus Ranstorp of the Swedish Defense University.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack, which it said was carried out by an affiliated unit.

Britain has endured four other attacks this year, which have killed a total of 36 people. The other attacks in London — near Parliament, on London Bridge and near a mosque in Finsbury Park in north London — used vehicles and knives.

In addition, a suicide bomber struck a packed concert hall in Manchester in northern England, killing 22 people. That attack in May also briefly caused the threat level to be set at “critical.”

A Lake Forest man wants to build a 500-square-foot cottage in his backyard so his parents can live with him when they retire.

A Newport Beach woman with an eight-car garage wants to convert part of it into living space for a relative.

And a Costa Mesa woman wants to build a 420-square-foot unit atop her garage for her daughter to use while she attends medical school.

Granny flats are not new, and Orange County municipal codes long have allowed them. But they’ve mostly been restricted to homes on larger lots with single-family zoning.

Now, cities throughout the region are reforming their laws to make it even easier for homeowners to build second units on their property, allowing them on smaller lots with fewer parking restrictions.

Additionally, new laws — adopted or under review from Laguna Beach to Pasadena — could make thousands of illegal guest houses across the Southland eligible for proper permitting.

The activity is the result of a new state law that took effect at the beginning of the year designed to increase housing and perhaps help ease the housing crisis.

The legislation signed by Gov. Jerry Brown last year encourages construction of mother-in-law units by making it easier and cheaper while increasing affordable housing options.

“California is in a housing crisis, and allowing people to modify their existing home or build a small cottage in their backyard will increase the rental supply at no cost to taxpayers,” state Sen. Bob Wieckowski, D-Fremont, author of one of two bills that’s easing regulation of granny flats. “It will also enable people of all ages to stay in the community they like without having to move away from their family, friends, work or school,” Wieckowski said.

Mike Balsamo, chief executive of the Building Industry Association of Southern California, said granny flats will be “a drop in the bucket” in terms of solving the housing crisis. But, he said, “we’ll take it.”

If just 10 percent of California’s 6.8 million single-family homeowners added granny flats, that would contribute 600,000 new units to the state’s housing supply, according to USModular Inc., a company that specializes in the construction of secondary housing units.

What the new law does

The legislation prohibits cities from requiring additional parking spaces for units located within a half-mile of public transit. It also eliminates sprinkler requirements if the primary home doesn’t have them. And it gets rid of municipal fees charged to connect local water and sewer systems for existing structures and reduces them for newly constructed units.

The newly relaxed regulations are contributing to an already booming construction industry and increased demand for craft workers, said Guy Hazen, who owns Construction Owl, an Encino business that specializes in home remodeling services.

“Before, you could not convert your garage into a second dwelling unit and rent it out, but now you can and that’s impacted things big time,” Hazen said.

Orange County reforms

At least a dozen Orange County cities either have revised their granny flat laws or are in the process of reviewing them.

Costa Mesa’s Planning Commission reviewed a plan Monday, Sept. 11 that could make an estimated 13,000 homes eligible to have secondary housing units on their property, a city planner said. The Santa Ana City Council committee reviewed a draft ordinance Tuesday.

The Laguna Beach Planning Commission will review proposed changes to its second-unit ordinance Wednesday, Sept. 20.

If adopted as proposed, Costa Mesa’s law will reduce the minimum lot size qualified to build granny flats to 6,000 square feet from a minimum of 8,500 square feet. Granny flats also will be allowed on lots with multi-family zoning so long as they still have a single unit on them, representing perhaps 200 to 300 additional properties, a city planner said.

Almost 32,000 homeowners became eligible to repurpose existing space into a dwelling unit under Newport Beach’s new ordinance, and just over 13,000 of those owners can build new units on their property.

Yorba Linda, Tustin, Anaheim, Garden Grove and Lake Forest also are among the cities that have revised their laws to allow more granny flats.

In Lake Forest, the maximum size of a granny flat was increased to 1,200 square feet, up from 640 square feet. Fullerton also voted to allow “tandem” parking, meaning one car can be parked behind another.

“This was just an attempt by the state to reduce costs to put in an ADU (additional dwelling unit) … to make it more feasible for more people to do ADUs,” said Joan Wolff, a Fullerton senior planner.

Granny flats across SoCal

There are about 50,000 unpermitted granny flats in Los Angeles, according to L.A. resident Ira Belgrade, who runs yimbyla.com (Yes In My Back Yard Los Angeles), which helps homeowners who want to build a granny flat — or legitimize an illegal unit — through the city’s planning process.

The Greater Pasadena Affordable Housing Group reported in June that city has about 740 nonconforming accessory dwelling units, although some may now conform to California’s new law.

Joanne Hwang, a planner with Pasadena, said existing secondary living units in Pasadena are considered legal and won’t need to be retrofitted.

Have residents been rushing to build granny flats since the new state law took effect in January?

“We’ve had a lot of inquiries, but in terms of the actual number of permits, we’ve only had four or five applications,” Hwang said. “I think more people will consider doing this … but it’s not cheap.”

Monrovia Mayor Tom Adams said his city has allowed homeowners to have a guest house on their property for family members, although the units couldn’t include a full kitchen and couldn’t be rented out. That has changed under the state’s new law.

“Over the years, there have been multitudes of garages that were illegally converted and rented out, and when the city became aware of them, they had to be converted back,” he said. “With this new law, they’re trying to help alleviate the lack of supply for housing.”

Kolleen Palmer, 36, who rents a granny flat in Pasadena along with her husband, Sean, said she wouldn’t trade her living situation for an apartment.

“It’s very quiet on this block and we have one bedroom, a living room, a dining room, a laundry room and a two-car garage,” she said. “We’ve also got a nice yard in the back.”

More housing needed

One fact is indisputable: Housing is in short supply — and it’s expensive.

A report released earlier this year from the California Department of Housing and Community Development found the Golden State is woefully behind on home production. An average of 80,000 new homes have been built each year over the past decade, the study said, but that falls well below the 180,000 needed to keep pace with the state’s ever-growing population.

National Association of Realtors figures also show California has some of the highest home prices in the nation.

At $1.2 million, the median price of an existing Silicon Valley house was the highest among the nation’s top 178 metro areas in the second quarter and was almost five times the national average, Realtor figures show. The Bay Area ranked second with a median price of $950,000, and Orange County ranked third with a median house price of $788,000, three times the U.S. average.

San Diego County ranked fifth at $605,000, and Los Angeles County ranked seventh at $514,200. The Inland Empire ranked 20th out of 178 U.S. metro areas at $342,100.

Overall homeownership rates are at their lowest since the 1940s.

The Housing and Community Development report notes further that most California renters — more than 3 million households — pay more than 30 percent of their income in rent. And nearly one-third — more than 1.5 million households — pay more than half of their income in rent.

Increased property values

Nick Angelopoulos, who owns Nicholas Construction & Development Co. in La Puente, thinks secondary housing units are a great idea.

“I recommended this to a client in Altadena who has a makeshift kind of unit behind his garage that someone built years ago that wasn’t permitted,” he said. “I told him that the value of his home would go up if he converted that into a granny flat, so we’ll be redoing it.”

Bruce Tolbert, who owns the Altadena home, said he’s not planning on renting out his unit.

“I did it more to increase my property value,” he said. “Things needed upgrading, so I figured I might as well put that in now.”

Belgrade said a homeowner could conservatively retrofit an existing 400-square-foot garage or other structure into a granny flat for as little as $30,000, although some contractors will quote prices as high as $80,000 to $100,000.

“It could easily get to $50,000 or $75,000, but that’s money you’ll recoup over time,” he said. “You have to look at the value you’re adding to your home.”

Staff writer Louis Casiano contributed to this report.

Provisions of the state’s new “accessory dwelling unit” or granny flat law include:

• Prohibits sprinkler requirements if they are not required in the primary residence.
• Eliminates parking restrictions when the home is located within a half mile of public transit, within one block of a car-share area, is within a historic district or is part of an existing residence or structure. Tandem parking — or one car parked behind another — is permitted.
• Requires city staff approval without discretionary review by a governing body like, for example, a city council, for remodeling existing homes. The new or converted unit must meet building and safety codes.
• Connection fees for such utilities as sewer or water can’t be charged when the new unit is within an existing residence or structure, and new or separate connections can’t be required for new structures. Any connection fee must be reasonable and proportionate to the burden of the unit on the water or sewer system.
• Increased floor area of an attached accessory dwelling unit shall not exceed 50 percent of the existing living area, with a maximum increase in floor area to 1,200 square feet.

Some of the changes by local cities include:

Unit size:

• Lake Forest’s maximum unit size increased to 1,200 square feet, up from 640.
• Garden Grove’s maximum unit size increased to 800 square feet, up from 700.
• Anaheim’s maximum unit size was set at 900 square feet, with a maximum of 1,200 square feet in “estate density zones.”
• Costa Mesa’s proposed new maximum unit size would decrease to 800 square feet, down from 1,200 because of reduced parking requirements.

Lot size:

• Lake Forest limited units to lots with detached houses on them. The minimum lot size is 4,000 square feet.
• Garden Grove’s minimum lot size decreased to 7,200 square feet, down from 9,000.
• Tustin’s minimum lot size decreased to 10,000 square feet, down from 12,000 square feet.
• Costa Mesa’s proposed new minimum lot size would decrease to 6,000 square feet, down from 8,500.

— Jeff Collins, jeffcollins@scng.com

At the opening of this year’s academic year, I had the honor of presenting this year’s Aims of Education address, a tradition we started in 1992 at Chapman University to welcome each year our newest class of freshman students to the campus. I gave that first Aims of Education address 25 years ago, and here I was on the podium being given a second chance to get it right.

That first address was titled “Welcome to the Fish Pond” and used a fish pond as a metaphor for what a college should be. It was based on my experience throwing small goldfish into a backyard pond and watching them grow prodigiously in size as I fed them every day. The behemoths, at least for goldfish, reached lengths of 10 inches.

The metaphor I used in that speech 25 years ago should be pretty obvious: Just as goldfish grow as the size of their environment expands, so too college students will grow as their environment expands.

So what is it that I’ve learned in 25 years — serving almost all of those years as president of Chapman University — that might have given me a different perspective on the aims of education?

What I’ve learned is that Chapman is anything but a fish pond. When you conjure up images in your mind of a fish pond, it’s a peaceful, quiet and restful place, a place to kick back and lie down. It’s a place not unlike Henry David Thoreau’s Walden Pond where one can escape from the pressures of real life to be engaged with the life of the mind.

But that’s not what a university’s aims should be, not even close! Universities aren’t quiet places far removed from the rigors of the real world. Quite the contrary, they are more like battlefields or at least they should be. They are battlegrounds for winning wars whose combatants are fighting not over turf but rather fighting vigorously over ideas about life, beauty and truth.

Cultural battles are now being fought in the halls of academe where speakers have been booted off campuses because of strong objections to their highly controversial political and social views. It’s as if the people doing the objecting feel that others need to be protected from dangerous views. That way, I guess, we can all preserve the peaceful equanimity of our campuses. But it’s exactly those views — the ones that may be the most biased, hateful and prejudiced — that should be tested on the battlefield of ideas. We shouldn’t be giving trigger warnings to students where we warn them that the ideas we raise may offend one’s sensibilities. Rather, we should create learning communities that value the sometimes tough clash of ideas. It’s that clash, in fact, that makes a campus environment vibrant and conducive to engaged learning.

Near the end of my Aims of Education Address, I referred to the violence that wracked our nation about a month ago in Charlottesville. I told our students that they may already have strong opinions about what happened. But I also told them that I hope those views may be changed, may be reinforced or may be given a different perspective as a result of their time at Chapman. Perhaps it will be a course in Holocaust Education that provides important historical perspective or maybe it will be a debate on campus about free speech and the significance of that freedom to our fundamental liberties. Whatever it is, their views regarding what took place in Charlottesville will rest on a stronger intellectual foundation as a result of a broader and deeper perspective gained on the battlefield of ideas.

When one is willing to engage in that battle rather than shy away from it, then and only then will the aims of education be fulfilled.

Twenty-five years ago, I concluded my Aims of Education address by welcoming the Class of 1996 to the fish pond we call Chapman.

Twenty-five years later, I welcomed our newest generation of Chapman students, the Class of 2021, to the battleground we call Chapman.

Jim Doti is president emeritus and the Donald Bren Distinguished Chair of Business and Economics at Chapman University.

Why sit home because you don’t want to spend any money? Here are five things to do this week that cost nothing at all:

SUNDAY, SEPT. 17

Woo woo. Ride the rails of the miniature Goat Hill Junction Railroad on a five-mile track through Costa Mesa’s Fairview Park, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on the third weekend of each month. Kids must be old enough to walk. Free, but donations and volunteers are welcome. 2525 Placentia Ave., Costa Mesa. ocmetrains.org

TUESDAY, SEPT. 19

If you have a little one it’s Toddler Tuesday in the Giant Wheel Court at the Irvine Spectrum. From 10 a.m. to noon, find live entertainment, crafts, kids activities and more. Location: 670 Spectrum Center Drive, Irvine. Learn more: 949-753-5180 or shopirvinespectrumcenter.com

THURSDAY, SEPT. 21

Enjoy a free Concert Hour at Saddleback College from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. in Fine Arts Room 101 and the McKinney Theatre. Adjunct faculty member Joshua Ranz will perform a clarinet recital that will include pieces by Bernstein, Brahms, and a collection of famous arias. Ranz is principal clarinet of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. He has also served as principal clarinet of the New West Symphony since September 2013 and acting principal clarinet of the Pacific Symphony since June, 2014. 28000 Marguerite Pkwy. Mission Viejo. Free parking in Lot 12, off Theatre Circle and the Marguerite entrance. Learn more: saddleback.edu/arts

FRIDAY, SEPT. 22

See “Best in Show” at Eisenhower Park in Seal Beach, next to the pier. Movie starts at sunset. Bring your chair and blanket. Learn more: moviesintheparksb.com

SATURDAY, SEPT. 23

Join the Irvine Global Village Festival from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for live music, dance, cultural displays, demonstrations and fun things in a huge Kids Village with puppet shows and bouncers. Parking and admission free. Food available for purchase. Location: Bill Barber Park, 4 Civic Center Plaza, Irvine. Learn more: legacy.cityofirvine.org/globalvillage/

CBRE has brokered the sale of an industrial property leased by Chefmaster in Fullerton to real estate investment firm Industrial Income Trust for $7.3 million. CBRE’s Gary Stache, Anthony DeLorenzo, Doug Mack and Shin Kim represented both the seller, Chefmaster, and the buyer. The property at 501 Airpark Drive is 100 percent leased to Chefmaster, a division of Byrnes & Kiefer Company, a manufacturer of food color and edible decorating products. Chefmaster, according to a statement, spent more than $1.6 million in capital to build out the USDA-approved manufacturing facility.

The Pasadena and Irvine offices of Lee & Associates have negotiated the sale and purchase of a 54,219-square-foot office building in Commerce for $7 million. Christopher Larimore, principal of Lee & Associates Pasadena, represented the buyer, Quest Realty Group, and Dave Smith, senior vice president of Lee & Associates Irvine, represented the seller, Quadrangle-CP. Built in 1974 and remodeled in 1987, the office sits on 3.5 acres of land. The property is 85 percent leased.

Irvine-based CapRock Partners, a private industrial real estate investment firm, has acquired a distribution/manufacturing facility in the Sky Harbor submarket of Phoenix in an off-market transaction. The asset, a distribution/manufacturing building is near Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. Principals Stein Koss, Tom Louer and associate Nick Nudo of The Koss | Louer Team at Lee & Associates in Arizona represented both CapRock Partners and the seller. This is CapRock Partners’ first acquisition in the Phoenix market. In a statement, the company said it will reposition the building with upgrades to the interior and exterior in order to convert the asset to a Class-A facility. CapRock Partners will create new offices, an expansive window-line and glass storefront, and complete other extensive improvements to enhance the efficiency and function of the facility.

Arrimus Capital of Newport Beach has acquired the Forum at Tallahassee, a student housing property in Tallahassee, Fla., from Parkland Development Corp. for an undisclosed price. Led by partners Ray Wirta, Chris Lee and Ryan Gahagan, Arrimus has closed more than $160 million in student housing properties so far this year. About 1 mile from Florida State University, the Forum at Tallahassee includes 264 units (785 beds) in eight, four-story residential buildings. The property is 99 percent leased. Arrimus also acquired the Forum at Denton near the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas, from Parkland in February.

Leases

CBRE represented James Campbell Co. in the lease renewal of 1520 E. Valencia Drive in Fullerton. Veg-Land Sales leased the 100,664-square-foot property for five years. Terms of the lease were not disclosed.

New venture

Craig Tokarski, a licensed general contractor who lives in Laguna Niguel, has launched CT Construction after spending nearly two decades as a general superintendent at an Irvine-based construction company. Tokarski, 49, has been in the construction industry since he was a kid and is following in the footsteps of his late father, who owned a drywall construction company in the 1980s and 90s. CT Construction specializes in commercial tenant improvements, construction management and commercial restoration.

This October, CODARUS, a multi-line showroom and national sales organization, will open a nearly 10,000-square-foot trade showroom in the Laguna Design Center in Laguna Niguel.  The showroom will offer furniture, bedding, lighting, accessories, art and more. The Laguna Design Centers is owned by the estate group Dunhill Partners. The design center address: 23811 Aliso Creek Road Suite 105.

Good works

The Irvine-based nonprofit Families Forward held its sixth annual Housing Partner Appreciation event in August. During the event, housing partners were recognized for their efforts to get housing to families in need. Cornerstone Village Apartments, an Orange Housing Development Corp. and C&C Development community, received the “No Place Like Home” award, and Santa Margarita, an AvalonBay community, received the “Opening Doors, Changing Lives” award.

Coming up

The Rancho Santa Margarita Solar Education Series will help educate homeowners on solar energy, battery storage and integration, policy changes, available incentives, financing options, how to choose a solar provider, energy saving programs for residents, new solar rules and more. A free lunch and refreshments will be provided. The session will take place from noon to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23 at Bell Tower Regional Community Center, 22232 El Paseo. A similar session will be held in Irvine from noon to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21 at Irvine City Hall. The event is hosted by the Center for Sustainable Energy, a nonprofit that works on developing clean energy options, Climate Action Campaign, and sponsor Sullivan Solar Power of Irvine. For more information, or to RSVP for this seminar, visit solarseminar.info.

The real estate briefs are compiled by contributing writer Karen Levin and edited by Business Editor Samantha Gowen. Submit items to sgowen@scng.com. High-resolution images also can be submitted. Allow at least one week for publication. Items are edited for length and clarity.

Politicians often look for the next opportunity to serve their community. It is normal to see elected officials seek a higher office to continue their public service and fight to make changes on behalf of their constituents. However, it’s highly unusual for high-ranking elected officials to use their current power in Sacramento to ensure job security and remove local control by forcing other agencies to make changes to allow for an extra position for themselves. This appears to be what state Sen. Tony Mendoza, D-Artesia, is trying to accomplish with State Constitutional Amendment 12.

SCA12 would expand the number of county supervisors and create an elected chief executive for those counties with 5 million or more residents. Today, Los Angeles is the only county that would meet the resident threshold, but Orange County and others that continue to grow every year could soon find themselves subjected to this proposed law as well.

One of Sen. Mendoza’s arguments is that SCA12 would produce a more diverse board. This is a strange argument, considering that, in Los Angeles, the board is made up of members of different backgrounds, including African Americans and Hispanics, in addition to a historic four out of five members who are women. Orange County isn’t much different, with three out of the five members being ethnic minorities, and two of those three being women.

There is absolutely no need for a constitutional amendment. Regulating the number of local representatives is in the hands of local residents. Should residents feel they are in need of additional representation at the local level, they already have the right to expand the current number of county supervisors. It should be up to residents alone to decide how their government should operate — not outsiders who know nothing about the way another county is run.

Sen. Mendoza and the other authors of the bill have tried to argue that such an expansion would have no additional cost, but when has government expansion (and overreach) not found its way into taxpayers’ wallets?

In order to add an additional supervisor without an increased cost to taxpayers, other district offices would have to reduce their own budgets. However, SCA12 allows expenditures for the governing body and its staff to be adjusted for inflation and “contingencies that were unaccounted for that could not have been anticipated in the fiscal year.” Due to these allowances, it seems highly likely that taxpayers would be shelling out more dollars to pay for those “contingencies.”

Besides that cost, the amendment’s authors seem to have forgotten that adding any extra supervisors to the current board, not to mention their additional staff members, will still cost taxpayers in the long run when these individuals retire and taxpayers are saddled with the requisite pensions costs.

Aside from the extra board members, SCA12 would also create an elected CEO position. Currently, Orange County, like others, has a board-appointed CEO.  However, after falling short of votes earlier in the week, Senator Mendoza gained the remaining votes to pass through the Senate by saying he would remove this controversial proposal from the original amendment before it returns to the assembly for approval to be put on the 2018 ballot.

Sen. Mendoza and his co-authors can continue to make excuse after excuse in support of this bill, but it won’t disguise their gross abuse of power to solidify their future employment opportunities, to the detriment of taxpayers. This is another perfect example of elected officials in Sacramento misusing their power and allowing the state to extend its reach into matters which local residents are, and should be, empowered to deal with themselves.

Michelle Steel is chairwoman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors.

LAS VEGAS — What fight was Adalaide Byrd watching?

Nobody in T-Mobile Arena really knew.

“Terrible, unbelievable,” Gennady Golovkin said, after Byrd gave Canelo Alvarez a 118-110 edge in a fight that turned into a dead heat.

“She can’t be that bad,” said Abel Sanchez, Golovkin’s trainer.

“I think everybody knows that 118-110 was off base,” said Oscar De La Hoya, who promotes Canelo and spent several nights in the ring himself, squinting in disbelief over the rulings from the bench.

“Everyone has a bad day,” said Bob Bennett, executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission and the man who assigns the judges. “Her card was a little wide tonight.”

Byrd wasn’t necessarily wrong to think Canelo won. That case can be made. . It was the margin of victory that was so dislocated, but that really doesn’t matter. It is not cumulative points, not medal play. Golovkin was favored by two points on Dave Moretti’s card, and Don Trella scored it even.

This was Golovkin’s first appearance in Las Vegas and it might be the only. There is no holy writ that dictates the rematch returns to Vegas. Dodger Stadium made a bid for this fight. New York was interested and so was AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Tex.

If the conversation ever bypasses Byrd and  focuses on how sensational this fight really was, it will outgrow T-Mobile Arena, where the crowd was 22,358. Besides, this buddy movie needs to go on the road.

Bennett only threw Byrd under one wheel of the bus. He cited her 115 championship and eliminator fights. Eric Gomez, De La Hoya’s right-hand man at Golden Boy, said that both sides approved a list of Nevada judges that included Byrd.

Bennett said Byrd’s judging history “usually puts her in line” with the judges she works with. That’s true. She does skew toward the eventual winner, and toward the biggest margin, but most fights are one-sided.. Last year she had Jessie Magdaleno beating Nonito Donaire by eight points, and both her peers had Magdaleno winning by four.

In 2012 Brandon Rios beat Richar Abril on two cards, but Byrd had Abril winning by six points.

And note that Byrd was not in the building when Tim Bradley was judged to have beaten Manny Pacquiao.

Nor did she give Canelo an inexplicable 114-114 judgment with Floyd Mayweather in 2013, turning a shutout into a majority decision. That was C.J. Ross.

Judging a fight is not hard when done from the couch or from three rows back. ESPN’s Teddy Atlas shaped the opinion of a whole continent when he said Pacquiao got jobbed in Australia against Jeff Horn, even though some people inside the Pacquiao camp agreed with the call.

The judges have the best seat in the house. They can distinguish between the glancing blows and the solid shots. The crowd may scream over clean shots it thinks it sees, but the judge knows that a flying sweat-shower doesn’t really mean anything.

They also are asked to make a decision on rounds with little to no action. You can squeak out seven rounds, lose five rounds decisively while you’re bleeding, and still win the fight.

Meanwhile, Canelo and Golovkin not only rose to this occasion, they expanded into it.

Canelo was as unmarked as anybody ever has been against Golovkin. He was hit with only 32 percent of Golovkin’s power shots. The percentage in his past 13 fights was 48.

But Golovkin rarely loaded the rocket launcher. Instead, he spent as much time as possible in Golovkin’s air space, muffling his uppercuts and throwing incessant jabs. He delivered 200 more punches than Canelo, but Canelo connected on 41 percent of his power shots and rocked Golovkin in the 8th and 10th rounds.

Both men reversed their roles several times. It was tactical and passionate at once, a graphic demonstration of what boxing can be.

“He was powerful, of course, and his power was different,” Canelo said. “But I was never in trouble. I thought I won the fight. I followed the plan.”

Golovkin said he did, too.

“We wanted to get to the end of the fight and tire him out,” Sanchez said. “Canelo was resilient, but I had us winning eight rounds.”

“It was the type of fight that boxing fans needed,” Canelo said. “And no matter what happens, this will be known as the era of Canelo.”

That will be up to those who watch and judge, even with a Byrd’s-eye view.

Hi, it’s me, Marla Jo, your columnist and deals maven. Check out my Cheapo Travel column in the Sunday Travel section. If you know a great deal, let me know at mfisher@scng.com. You can also find me at Deals Diva on Facebook and Twitter. And don’t forget to read my humor columns on Wednesdays in the Register.

FREE BAGEL

Sign up for the Bruegger’s Bagels email club and you’ll get a coupon for a free bagel and cream cheese! You’ll also get other discounts and offers. Learn more here: brueggers.com/eclub/

FREE PARKS

Want to visit a national park, monument or national forest without paying to get in? Then go on Saturday, Sept. 30, an annual day of service to our public lands. I’d get there super early, these days are very popular. My choice would be Joshua Tree, get there at dawn before the thundering hordes arrive. Note:You still have to pay camping and other fees. Learn more at Nps.gov/findapark/feefreeparks.htm

PEP BOYS

Want to see the monthly coupons that Pep Boys is offering for your car? Go to this link online: Pepboys.com/sale_specials/coupons and you can see what’s on offer. These change every month, but the link stays the same. At this writing, coupons included 50 percent off installation of shocks and struts, $50 off premium brake service and $10-30 off wheel alignments. You can also get special deals if you join their loyalty club.

SKI DEAL

I know it’s still hot outside, but I want you to see this pass before it sells out. You can ski or board 16 different ski resorts for 2017-18 with the extremely cool Mountain Collective pass. For $469, this pass offers you two free lift days at each resort, including Mammoth, Squaw Valley, Sun Valley, Aspen Snowmass, Banff Sunshine, Jackson Hole, Snowbird, Taos Ski Valley, Telluride, Alta, Lake Louise and more. So ski in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the USA for one price, until April 30. In addition to the two free days per resort, you also get 50 percent off deals on additional lift tickets and discounted lodging offers. Pretty cool, right? But, wait – there’s more. It also includes resorts in Chile, Japan and France. Sounds like a dream, right? Sounds to me like a great gift. Learn more:  mountaincollective.com

FREE APP OF THE WEEK

If you shop at Irvine Company properties (and who doesn’t here?) it’s worth checking out the new Retail Therapy app, that includes deals and discounts to all its properties. Here’s an example at this writing: 50 percent off yogurt at Yogurtland at The Market Place, a free Big Gulp if you buy a sandwich at the  7-Eleven at the Irvine Spectrum, buy one bowl, get one 50 percent off at Bowl of Heaven in the Newport North Shopping Center, a free drink if you get a car wash at the Cypress Village Shopping Center on Jeffrey Road and more. Learn more: shopirvinecompany.com.

FREE CLASS

Want to learn more about day hiking in Orange County? Have fun, get healthy, make new friends, enjoy being outdoors. Head over to the Tustin REI store on Thursday, Sept. 28, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. for a free class sponsored by the Sierra Club Wilderness Travel Course.  You need to sign up in advance. Location: 2962 El Camino Real, Tustin Learn more: REI.com

FREE ZOO

If you live in Santa Ana, stop by the Santa Ana Zoo today, Sept. 17, for free admission. Visit the “Home of 50 monkeys” and see all the animals. As many as four people get free admission per household. Show proof of address such as a utility bill or your drivers license (residents only, it can’t be your business address). The zoo is free every third Sunday for all city residents. Learn more: santaanazoo.org

FREE SPANISH LESSONS

Want to learn to speak Spanish? Stop by the Los Alamitos-Rossmoor library Wednesday, Sept. 20 to start learning the basics of reading, writing and speaking, using the Español Lengua Extranjera (ELE) curricula. Free and open to the public. Ages 18 and up only. 5:45 to 6:40 p.m.  This is a recurring class. Call 562-430-1048 to learn more. Location: 12700 Montecito Rd,Los Alamitos

More free and cheap deals from the Deals Diva:

12 ways to save on restaurant meals 

12 ways to save in San Diego

10 ways to save on foreign travel

5 free things you can get for your birthday 

5 more free things you can get for your birthday

Get your broken eyeglass frames fixed for less

BY PHILIPPE SOTTO

PARIS — Four young American women were attacked with acid Sunday in the French city of Marseille by a woman who has been arrested, the Marseille prosecutor’s office said.

Two of the tourists were injured in the face in the attack in the city’s main Saint Charles train station and one of them has a possible eye injury, a spokeswoman for the Marseille prosecutor’s office told The Associated Press in a phone call.

She said all four of the women, who are in their 20s, have been hospitalized, two of them for shock.

The spokeswoman said the 41-year-old female suspect did not make any extremist threats or declarations during the attack. She said there were no obvious indications that the woman’s actions were terror-related, but added that officials could not be 100 percent sure about ruling out terror links at such an early stage of the investigation.

The spokeswoman spoke on condition of anonymity, per the custom of the French judicial system.

She did not release any further details about the suspects or the victims, including where in the United States the tourists were from.

The Marseille fire department was alerted just after 11 a.m. and dispatched four vehicles and 14 firefighters to the train station, a department spokeswoman said.

Two of the Americans were “slightly injured” with acid but did not require emergency medical treatment from medics at the scene, the spokeswoman said. She requested anonymity in keeping with fire department protocol.

A spokesman for the United States embassy in Paris said the U.S. consulate in Marseille was in contact with French authorities about the attack investigation and the condition of the American women.

U.S. authorities in France are not immediately commenting further on what happened to protect the privacy of the American tourists, embassy spokesman Alex Daniels said.

Marseille is a port city in southern France that is closer to Barcelona than Paris.

In previous incidents in Marseille, a driver deliberately rammed into two bus stops last month, killing a woman, but officials said it wasn’t terror-related.

In April, French police say they thwarted an imminent “terror attack” and arrested two suspected radicals in Marseille just days before the first round of France’s presidential election. Paris prosecutor Francois Molins told reporters the two suspects “were getting ready to carry out an imminent, violent action” on French territory.

In January 2016, a 15-year-old Turkish Kurd was arrested after attacking a Jewish teacher on a Marseille street. He told police he acted in the name of the Islamic State group.

SACRAMENTO – During a July speech to police in Long Island, Donald Trump joked that when officers “put somebody in the car and you’re protecting their head” that “you can take the hand away, OK?”

Many of the cops laughed approvingly, but civil liberties groups – and even some law-enforcement officials – were upset that the president made light of police brutality, especially given some troubling nationally publicized incidents.

Trump’s defenders argued that he was only joking about the treatment of killers, and that the rest of us need to lighten up. Didn’t Ronald Reagan joke about bombing Russia as he prepared for a radio address? Well, yes. But those arguments aren’t persuasive given that the administration’s actual policing policies seem likely to encourage abusive police behavior in a variety of ways.

Even the Republican-controlled House of Representatives seems to understand that point. On Tuesday, the House overwhelmingly approved amendments to a spending bill that try to limit the U.S. Justice Department’s efforts to let police officers expand the use of a policy known as “civil asset forfeiture.” Some forms of forfeiture have been around for centuries, but it really ramped up in the early days of the drug war, with policies designed to let police grab property and proceeds from major drug enterprises.

Like most government programs, it expanded beyond recognition. It’s turned into an astoundingly abusive process by which police seize the property of people who have never been convicted – or even accused – of a crime. In 2012 in Anaheim, federal authorities tried to seize a $1.5 million commercial building from its owner after one of his tenants, a medical-marijuana clinic, was accused of selling $37 in marijuana to an undercover cop. The feds eventually dropped the case amid blistering media coverage, but it shows how seriously this power can be abused.

Many states, including California, have passed laws requiring police agencies to gain a conviction (in most cases) before taking a person’s property. To get around those laws, local cops would “partner” with federal agencies and then operate under looser federal standards. After the property was taken, the local and federal folks would divvy up the proceeds – and then use the money to bolster their departmental budgets.

Two Justice Department officials who helped start the program in the 1980s later argued that the process “has turned into an evil itself, with the corruption it engendered among government and law enforcement coming to clearly outweigh any benefits.” The recent House vote seeks to block Attorney General Jeff Sessions from overturning Obama administration rules that put a few limits on these local-federal partnerships.

In another example of the administration’s lax attitude toward abusive government practices, Sessions last month decided to restore a federal program that provided rocket launchers, tank-like vehicles and other military gear to local cops. Police departments are supposed to protect and serve the community, not behave like an occupying army.

Before the last administration reined it in, the military acquisition program had gotten out of hand. A San Diego school district received a $730,000 mine-resistant ambush-protected (MRAP) surplus vehicle from the military. Before they were pressured to return it, school officials said, “There will be medical supplies in the vehicle. There will be teddy bears in the vehicle.” Oh please. What kind of uprising are these police departments and school security offices trying to subdue?

Years ago, one official told me that his department eschewed high-powered equipment. That’s because once the agencies have new toys, they want to use them – even in situations where community policing operations are more appropriate. The equipment encourages police-state tactics. Yet the Trump administration thinks this is a good idea.

Newsweek reported that Sessions in June “submitted a letter asking certain members of Congress to remove federal protections that prevent the Department of Justice from cracking down on medical marijuana patients, cultivators and dispensaries that are in line with state law.”

Conservatives often talk about their fealty to the U.S. Constitution. But the 10th Amendment says, “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” States clearly have the right to set marijuana policy, yet the feds want to crack down on clinics anyway. Like it or not, California’s voters legalized medical marijuana in 1996.

Don’t bother arguing that these “law and order” policies are only about the “rule of law.” The president last month pardoned Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who had been convicted of criminal contempt, a misdemeanor, for defying a judge’s order that his department stop “detaining persons for further investigation without reasonable suspicion that a crime has been or is being committed,” according to the verdict.

There’s a clear message from the pardon and from the president’s actions regarding asset forfeiture, police militarization and the drug war: Law enforcement has more latitude now to bend and break the rules. That certainly is no laughing matter.

Steven Greenhut is Western region director for the R Street Institute. He was a Register editorial writer from 1998-2009. Write to him at sgreenhut@rstreet.org.

Burger Boss coming to Tustin

Corona-based Burger Boss is set to open another Orange County location Wednesday, Sept. 20 at The Village at Tustin Legacy.

Burger Boss, a regional chain that puts customers in control through kiosk ordering stations, is among several tenants opening this fall at the new retail center.

The chain was founded in Riverside by Mo Fahra in 2011 who made a name for himself in the hospitality industry while at the University of Michigan. He opened a restaurant on campus called, Club Café that was later named one of the best college restaurants by Sports Illustrated.

Burger Boss builds on Fahra’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions. Burgers are made with grass-fed beef; customers dine on plate ware and utensils made of recycled materials. More than 30 toppings offered on the menu are locally sourced.

Customers customize their burgers by ordering from electronic kiosks. The restaurant also offers sandwiches made with cage-free chicken or turkey or a black bean patty.

Besides Riverside, Burger Boss operates other locations in Cypress, Mission Viejo and Lake Forest. The mini-chain is planning to open more locations next year in Newport Beach (January 2018) and Los Angeles.

Union Market Update

Bear Cheese Tart , a popular dessert chain in Japan, opened its first U.S. outlet this month at Union Market Tustin at The District. The chain has stores in Japan, Malaysia and Australia. Flavors include plain, strawberry, blueberry, chocolate and mango. Cost: $3.50.

Bake Cheese Shop, a Hokkaido, Japan-based bakery, is credited for launching the cheese tart craze. Bear Cheese Tart’s parent company is U.S. Asia Capital. The Tustin shop is the first of several Bear Cheese Tarts planned for the U.S.

Grocery Outlet Update

Extreme discount market Grocery Outlet has delayed its late September opening in Irvine. The Bay Area discounter — often called the T.J. Maxx of supermarkets — is scheduled to open Oct. 5 at Woodbridge Village Center. The store is a key retail anchor at the newly renovated retail center, first built in 1979.

Apparel line lands in Orange

Irvine-based Z Supply, a women’s apparel company with collections that target different styles, has opened a “shop-in-shop” store at Sunny Days in Orange.

Its first shop opened in late May at Sunny Days’ Balboa Island location.

Z Supply, founded in 2011, makes curated collections targeting various lifestyles. The six brands include Z Supply (basics), Black Swan (feminine and romantic clothing), White Crow (offbeat threads), Others Follow (carefree coastal), Rag Poets (timeless pieces)  and Icons of Culture (vintage revival).

Heidi Muther, chief operating officer of Z Supply, said Sunny Days has been a retail partner of its brand from the start.

“It only made sense to test our first shop-in-shop concepts stores with Deanna Frieze and her Sunny Days stores. We are excited to see what transpires and how the Z Supply story resonates in these curated spaces,” Muther said in a statement.

Earlier this summer Z Supply launched Zoo Supply — a collection of outfits for dogs.

The pet clothes line came about by accident. The company created a few dog clothes for a photo shoot. But after seeing how “adorable the pups” looked, Muther said the company decided to create the Zoo Supply pet line.

Sunny Days in Old Towne Orange, at 109 N. Glassell Street, sells some dog outfits.

Sephora reopens at SCP

Sephora is expected to reopen soon in a larger space at South Coast Plaza. The bigger location is moving to Level 1 from Level 2 in the Bloomingdale’s Wing.

The new shop will expand lines to include Burberry, Huda Beauty, Pat McGrath and Fenty Beauty by Rihanna. The store also will have a workshop station where shoppers can learn about the latest beauty tips. South Coast Plaza said this new store will be “the biggest Sephora store in Orange County and one of two at South Coast Plaza.”

2 new gyms

24 Hour Fitness: The gym opened Saturday, Sept. 16 in Santa Ana at 1400 W. Edinger Ave., the 39th fitness center for the company in Orange County. Recently, a 24 Hour Fitness opened in Fullerton. “The largest percentage of our clubs are located in Southern California, where there is continued demand for fitness options that 24 Hour Fitness can provide,” General Manager Yatrik Bhatt said in a statement.   The 24 Hour Fitness is 40,000 square feet and has group exercise classes and cycle studios.

Total Training: The fitness studio opened its second location Sept. 9 in Costa Mesa. The gym offers a high-intensity interval training  (H.I.I.T)  workout which burns 500-1,000 calories in a night club atmosphere. Total Training also offers nutritional counseling. The group’s first studio opened in Laguna Hills. Gregg Niemann, co-founder of Total Training, this expansion is “hopefully the first of many.” Total Training has a variety of membership offers. A single class costs $25. Address: 1941 Newport Blvd.

Urban Outfitter weddings

BHLDN, pronounced beholden, has opened a shop-in-shop at Anthropologie & Co. at Fashion Island.

It is Orange County’s first BHLDN. a bridal boutique that sells wedding and reception dresses, jewelry and accessories. The brand is owned by Urban Outfitters, which operates the retail concepts Anthropologie, Free People, Terrain and Urban Outfitters.

BHLDN has four fitting rooms for bridal appointments, which are required to try on wedding dresses. Shoppers must go online to reserve a fitting time.

The BHLDN section of Anthropologie is permanent. The group has two standalone stores and 14 shop-in-shops. Dresses range from $260 to $3,600.

Other Food News

Oggi’s: The sports bar in Mission Viejo opened last week. This is the Orange County chain’s 16th full-service franchised restaurant.  The Mission Viejo features 10 Oggi’s craft beers on tap, as well as one seasonal and one barrel-aged brew. The bar also has 20 guest taps. Address: 24042 Alicia Pkwy.

The driver of a car traveling at high speeds had to be cut out of the vehicle after crashing it into a water control valve, electrical vault, city sign and block fence in Costa Mesa Sunday night.

Officers responded to Placentia Avenue and Swan Circle just before 9:45 p.m. and found the damaged sedan, said Costa Mesa police Sgt. Matt Selinsky.

The driver had lost control of the car before coming to rest behind a home.

“(Firefighters) found the victim, the only one in the car, trapped inside and he had to be extricated with the jaws of life,” Selinsky said. He was taken to a hospital with a head injury that did not appear to be life-threatening. No others were injured.

It appears that speed was the contributing factor for the crash, not drugs or alcohol, said Selinsky.

Some customers in the surrounding area lost power but it was immediately unknown how many of them or for how long.

DANICA COTO

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Hurricane Maria grew into a Category 3 storm on Monday as it barreled toward a potentially devastating collision with islands in the eastern Caribbean. Forecasters warned it was likely to grow even stronger.

The storm was on a path that would take it near many of the islands already wrecked by Hurricane Irma and then on toward Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Maria could hit Puerto Rico on Wednesday as a Category 3 or 4 hurricane, said Ernesto Morales with the U.S. National Weather Service in San Juan.

“This storm promises to be catastrophic for our island,” he said. “All of Puerto Rico will experience hurricane force winds.”

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Maria had maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (195 kph) late Monday morning. It was centered about 95 miles (150 kilometers) east-southeast of Dominica — or 60 miles (95 kilometers) east of Martinique — and heading west-northwest at 10 mph (17 kph).

Hurricane warnings were posted for the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, Guadeloupe, Dominica, St. Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat, Martinique and St. Lucia. A tropical storm warning was issued for Antigua and Barbuda, Saba, St. Eustatius, St. Maarten and Anguilla.

Forecasters said hurricane conditions should begin to affect parts of the Leeward Islands by Monday afternoon or evening, with storm surge raising water levels by 4 to 6 feet (1.2 to 1.8 meters) near the storm’s center. The storm was predicted to bring 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 centimeters) of rain across the islands, with more in isolated areas.

Officials in Dominica closed schools and government offices on Monday and urged people to evacuate and seek shelters.

“We should not take this storm lightly,” said Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit. “Let us continue to pray for our safety.”

Officials in Guadeloupe said the French Caribbean island of would experience extremely heavy flooding starting Monday afternoon, and they warned that many communities would be submerged overnight.

On Wednesday, Maria was expected to be near or over Puerto Rico, which was spared the full brunt of Irma, although much of the island had its power knocked out. Nearly 70,000 people remain without power, and Gov. Ricardo Rossello on Monday warned of another widespread outage.

“We have an extremely weak infrastructure that has already been hit by one storm,” he said. “This is going to be a catastrophic event.”

Forecasters said the storm would dump up to 18 inches (46 centimeters) of rain across Puerto Rico and whip the U.S. territory with heavy winds for 12 to 24 hours.

Officials said the Federal Emergency Management Agency was ready to bring drinking water and help restore power in Puerto Rico immediately after the storm.

Rossello said officials had prepared about 450 shelters with a capacity for nearly 68,000 people — or even 125,000 in an emergency. Schools were cancelled for Monday and government employees would work only a half day.

Officials in the Dominican Republic urged people to leave areas prone to flooding and said fishermen should remain in port.

Farther north, long-lived Hurricane Jose continued to head northward off the U.S. East Coast, causing dangerous surf and rip currents. It wasn’t expected to make landfall but tropical storm watches were posted along the coast from Delaware to Massachusetts’ Cape Cod.

Jose was centered about 265 miles (430 kilometers) east-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and was moving north at 9 mph (15 kph). It had maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 kph).

The ocean washed over parts of North Carolina’s Outer Banks as Hurricane Jose passed well to the east, and five people were knocked off a coastal jetty in Rhode Island by high surf caused by the storm. Officials said rescuers had to fight through rough surf to load the injured onto stretchers and get them to shore. All five were taken to a hospital with minor and major injuries.

In the Pacific, Tropical Storm Norma’s threat to Mexico’s Los Cabos resort area at the southern end of the Baja California Peninsula seemed to ease as forecasters said the storm’s center was likely to remain offshore.

Norma had winds of about 50 mph (85 kph) and it was centered about 175 miles (280 kilometers) southwest of Cabo San Lucas. The Baja California Sur state government prepared storm shelters and canceled classes for Monday.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Lee weakened into a tropical depression far out in the Atlantic while Hurricane Otis weakened far out in the Pacific. Neither threatened land.