Fresh Air

We asked local business owners on Old Newport Boulevard if they thought Sid Soffer--who has been living in Las Vegas for five years as a fugitive--would actually come back to town. Soffer owns Sid's Steakhouse and other properties. -- Compiled by Amy R. Spurgeon; photos by Don Leach I think he will. I hope he does. I like Sid. He's the local gadfly. We've been business neighbors for 23 years now. He is one of the few people who will challenge the city.

Right-hand man could make city traffic right With regard to Wednesday's Pilot story, "City hires new right-hand man," an important safety issue that new Assistant City Manager Steve Hayman can handle is to find out what our city officials are doing to quell speeding on our residential streets. The device that displays the speed of traffic on our streets is not very effective. My observation is that traffic slows to the legal speed only while these devices are in position.

After more than four decades with the Newport Beach Fire Department, Capt. Jerry Strom said that he feels it’s time to close the curtain on his accomplished career. “In this job you go from a standstill to 110% in a second...so the stand still part is going to be great,” he said. “It’s time to get out and get some fresh air.” There will be plenty of fresh air where Strom, 66, and his wife, Cindy, are headed. The couple married for 18 years is planning to head up to Mammoth after Strom retires Friday.

After more than four decades with the Newport Beach Fire Department, Capt. Jerry Strom said that he feels it’s time to close the curtain on his accomplished career. “In this job you go from a standstill to 110% in a second ... so the stand still part is going to be great,” he said. “It’s time to get out and get some fresh air.” There will be plenty of fresh air where Strom, 66, and his wife, Cindy, are headed. The couple, married for 18 years, are planning to head up to Mammoth after Strom retires Friday.

Submitted by Allison Olmstead Susan Tobiessen, the founder of Body Design, OrangeCounty’s wellness and fitness center, has over 25 years of experience and education in weight training, Pilates and sports medicine.  She offers these easy tips to get focused and stay energized at the office: 1.      Feel the sunshine: Go outside. Even if you go out for lunch, take at least five minutes to get some fresh air in the afternoon if you are feeling drained.  A simple walk around the building may be all that you need.

To patients for whom the simple act of breathing has become a life-or-death struggle, Larry Cherrison can revive the spirits like a wave of fresh air. As operations manager for pulmonary diagnostics and procedures at UCI Medical Center in Orange, Cherrison acts as guide, confidante and counselor to patients being treated for breathing problems. A respiratory therapist since 1969, he understands that a small courtesy, or a few extra minutes of his time, can ease patients' anxiety.

Having just read "Gift of the Heart" [Feb. 11] regarding the wonderful nurses at Hoag Hospital, I felt I must write what that story means to me. I had open heart bypass surgery at Hoag way back in 1974 and have had five granddaughters and six great-grandchildren born there. I am familiar with the wonderful care offered by the nursing and support staff. Over New Year's and again from Feb. 5 to 9, I was a patient in the Cardiac Care Unit. I was having severe problems with my heart and kidneys.

-- Story by Alex Coolman HE IS A crossing connoisseur. A BRIGHT IDEA Anthony Nguyen is wearing a florescent green vest over his security guard's uniform. Even from halfway down Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa, where Nguyen works as a crossing guard, he glows like something out of a comic book, sort of like a radiated superhero. The 21-year-old Garden Grove resident works the evening shift in front of the Imperial Bank Tower, making sure that pedestrians and construction workers don't get squashed by motorists while the building is undergoing extensive renovations.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department on Monday released the findings of its five-week probe into the March 8 shooting death of Shaun Adam Vilan by off-duty Costa Mesa Police Officer Scott Dibble, a nine-year veteran of the city’s law enforcement squad, outside of a Mexican restaurant in Old Town Temecula. The investigation concluded that Dibble acted in self-defense when he drew his gun and fired five shots, killing Vilan and wounding Taylor Willis, reportedly a friend of Vilan’s.

Rick Devereux Sage Hill School has 17 returning athletes participating in spring football, an eight-week program that ends in July. While that isn't enough for Coach Tom Monarch to practice a full 11-man offense against a full 11-man defense, the third-year coach is happy with the level of experience coming back. "We finally get to see a good group of 17 kids that have football experience," he said. "Plus we will have incoming freshman that have a football interest and background.

Q : About three weeks ago, stray dogs attacked our cat. We took our cat to the animal ER. They indicated his kidneys were failing. He also had broken ribs, a badly cut tongue and his lungs were filled with blood. He's been home for a week and half, and he's barely eating or drinking. The doctor said it's possible that if he begins to eat and drink normally, his kidneys could come back. But the way it looks now, he may starve to death. What do you think? — M.M., via e-mail A: I implore you: Get your cat to your veterinarian today!

After more than four decades with the Newport Beach Fire Department, Capt. Jerry Strom said that he feels it’s time to close the curtain on his accomplished career. “In this job you go from a standstill to 110% in a second...so the stand still part is going to be great,” he said. “It’s time to get out and get some fresh air.” There will be plenty of fresh air where Strom, 66, and his wife, Cindy, are headed. The couple married for 18 years is planning to head up to Mammoth after Strom retires Friday.

After more than four decades with the Newport Beach Fire Department, Capt. Jerry Strom said that he feels it’s time to close the curtain on his accomplished career. “In this job you go from a standstill to 110% in a second ... so the stand still part is going to be great,” he said. “It’s time to get out and get some fresh air.” There will be plenty of fresh air where Strom, 66, and his wife, Cindy, are headed. The couple, married for 18 years, are planning to head up to Mammoth after Strom retires Friday.

Submitted by Allison Olmstead Susan Tobiessen, the founder of Body Design, OrangeCounty’s wellness and fitness center, has over 25 years of experience and education in weight training, Pilates and sports medicine.  She offers these easy tips to get focused and stay energized at the office: 1.      Feel the sunshine: Go outside. Even if you go out for lunch, take at least five minutes to get some fresh air in the afternoon if you are feeling drained.  A simple walk around the building may be all that you need.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department on Monday released the findings of its five-week probe into the March 8 shooting death of Shaun Adam Vilan by off-duty Costa Mesa Police Officer Scott Dibble, a nine-year veteran of the city’s law enforcement squad, outside of a Mexican restaurant in Old Town Temecula. The investigation concluded that Dibble acted in self-defense when he drew his gun and fired five shots, killing Vilan and wounding Taylor Willis, reportedly a friend of Vilan’s.

To patients for whom the simple act of breathing has become a life-or-death struggle, Larry Cherrison can revive the spirits like a wave of fresh air. As operations manager for pulmonary diagnostics and procedures at UCI Medical Center in Orange, Cherrison acts as guide, confidante and counselor to patients being treated for breathing problems. A respiratory therapist since 1969, he understands that a small courtesy, or a few extra minutes of his time, can ease patients' anxiety.

To those who regularly read legal opinions, Judge Robert Gardner's writings were a breath of fresh air. That's because a Gardner decision was light on legalese and often garnished with a heavy helping of descriptive language. "He had a unique writing style and was clever with metaphors," said William Rylaarsdam, an appellate court justice familiar with Gardner's work. "He was very to-the-point. His appellate opinions I consider a model to emulate."

Right-hand man could make city traffic right With regard to Wednesday's Pilot story, "City hires new right-hand man," an important safety issue that new Assistant City Manager Steve Hayman can handle is to find out what our city officials are doing to quell speeding on our residential streets. The device that displays the speed of traffic on our streets is not very effective. My observation is that traffic slows to the legal speed only while these devices are in position.

Rick Devereux Sage Hill School has 17 returning athletes participating in spring football, an eight-week program that ends in July. While that isn't enough for Coach Tom Monarch to practice a full 11-man offense against a full 11-man defense, the third-year coach is happy with the level of experience coming back. "We finally get to see a good group of 17 kids that have football experience," he said. "Plus we will have incoming freshman that have a football interest and background.

Barry Faulkner One might suspect surprise was a factor in the reserved post-goal behavior exhibited by Corona del Mar High boys soccer standout Chris Ringstrom last week. But, after scoring three times and collecting assists on two more of the Sea Kings' six goals in two nonleague triumphs, Ringstrom said the celebration silliness that has become the norm for most goal scorers merely isn't his style. "I don't do cartwheels down the sideline or anything like that," said the third-year varsity starter, converted from midfield to the front line by Coach Pat Callaghan this, his junior season.