GARDEN GROVE — Police are investigating the suspicious death of a man whose body was found Tuesday, Dec. 12, at an abandoned construction site.

When officers responded to the site at 10080 Garden Grove Blvd. around 4:50 p.m. they discovered the man, who appeared to be 18 to 25 years of age, had sustained trauma to most of his body, said Lt. Carl Whitney, declining to elaborate. The man was not carrying any identification. He remained unidentified as of late Tuesday night.

The construction site has a multi-story unfinished steel framed structure on the premises and is in a busy retail district.

Garden Grove detectives interviewed witnesses who found the body and are continuing to investigate the incident, Whitney said.

Anyone with information regarding the investigation is asked to contact Garden Grove police Homicide Detective Steve Heine at 714-741-5422.

Anonymous tips can be left at Orange County Crime Stoppers, CALL 1-855-TIP-OCCS (1-855-847-6227).

Here are Costa Mesa highlights of ReportsOnHousing house-hunting data for resales of existing detached and attached residences in the community.

This analysis includes October trends based on closed sales: sale counts; average price vs. average list price; highest and lowest price paid in the month; average cost per square foot and average size; plus, based on broker listing networks stats on Nov. 30, the “market time” metric comparing supply of listings to new escrows opened in past 30 days.

Trends we saw in Costa Mesa …

1. Sales: 72 sold vs. 64 a year ago.

2. Average sales price: $834,083 that ranked No. 18 out of 46 Orange County markets tracked and was up 5.7 percent in a year.

3. Compared to list: Sellers got 98.6 percent of what they typically asked for, ranking 22nd of the 46 markets.

4. Range: High sale of $2,049,000 vs. the $370,000 low.

5. Sizing: On average, buyers paid $509 per square foot — up 12.1 percent in a year and 6th highest out of the 46 tracked.

6. Market speed, as of Nov. 30: 67 days, listing to escrow opened vs. 62 days a year ago and 68 days two years ago.

Compare these patterns to five October trends we saw in all of Orange County …

1. Sales: 2,553 sold vs. 2,575 a year ago.

2. Average sales price: $868,090, up 10.4 percent in a year.

3. Compared to list: 98.4 percent.

4. Sizing: On average, buyers paid $464 per square foot — up 11.3 percent in a year — on a 1,870 square-foot residence.

5. Market speed, as of Nov 30: 62 days vs. 73 days a year ago and 75 days two years ago.

DID YOU SEE …

Southern California housing takes nation’s largest bite of local paychecks

Southern California homes overvalued? Appraisers suggest yes

What bums out employees at Orange County’s top workplaces

ANAHEIM >> Anaheim Elementary School District Superintendent Linda Kimble announced Tuesday she has accepted a similar position with the Vista Unified School District in San Diego County.

The Vista school board voted unanimously tonight to appoint Kimble. She will begin the job in early January.

Kimble became superintendent of the Anaheim district in 2012 after serving as superintendent for the Monrovia Unified School District.

During her tenure, the district implemented a district-wide music curriculum and passed a $318 million bond measure intended to improve school buildings and facilities across the district, according to Keith Sterling, the district’s director of communications & public information.

“I am truly grateful for the wonderful opportunities and experiences afforded to me during my tenure in Anaheim,” Kimble said. “Together, we have made a tremendous and positive difference for the children and families we serve.”

The district’s board is expected to discuss the search process for a new superintendent at its Wednesday meeting.

Exceptional watches are a delicate expression of practicality melded with artististic craftsmanship. The second hands mark blocks of time while evoking the constant feeling that life does not stop. No matter what we build, what we accomplish, it’s time that keeps us grounded. Steady movements married with technical expertise remind us to seize the moment and savor each minute.

SANTA ANA >> Santa Ana Tuesday began enforcing a new ordinance in a popular homeless encampment next to the Orange County Superior Courthouse, pushing many of the transients out.

For the past few years, a growing number of area homeless started residing in the Plaza of the Flags next to the Central Justice Center.
City officials in recent months began putting together a plan to clean up the plaza, spurred by concerns raised when a homeless encampment in San Diego led to a hepatitis outbreak.

For the past month, city officials have been advising the transients that they could no longer pitch a tent at the plaza. Also, the city has been periodically clearing them out to wash down the concrete during the day, forcing them to pick up their belongings and move toward nearby public property where the Orange County law library and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement offices are located.

Transients can stay in the plaza and sleep there overnight if they wish, but cannot pitch a tent or keep any number of other items there such as shopping carts, gas tanks, generators, batteries or weapons.

“There were safety issues and that’s what we’ve tried to mitigate,” said Santa Ana City Councilman Sal Tinajero.

One of the prime security concerns with tents was that it also offered some privacy for criminals, Tinajero said.

“There were assaults you couldn’t see — the officers were blocked from view,” Tinajero said.

Tinajero has visited the plaza and concluded there are many who want the city’s help finding shelter and some who do not want assistance.

“You have a large segment of homeless people looking for a place to be,” Tinajero said. “Those are the ones easy to get off the street because we have services for them.

“However, there is another group of individuals who prefer not to receive any of the help and some of those individuals are mentally ill and require treatment. Others are self-medicating and still require treatment and there’s a very small segment that chooses the lifestyle (of living on the streets).”

The old bus terminal, which is nearby, has been transformed into a shelter, but the transients are not allowed to use drugs there, Tinajero said.

“It’s a pretty well controlled environment, but when you go out to the plaza that’s where you have quite a few people self-medicating and when they run out of money to buy the drug they’re using that’s when crimes start to happen.”

Bicycle thefts jumped in the area, Tinajero said.

Many transients said their bicycles or skateboards — their main means of transportation — were being stolen, he said.

“They said it was hard to sleep because someone would take their bike or skateboard,” he said.

Deputy City Manager Robert Cortez said the city has tried to address the homeless issue at the plaza as gingerly as possible.

“Our staff is really working hard,” he said. “They’re really working diligently to implement the ordinance in a humane and successful way.”

LOS ANGELES — Among USC’s players, little suspense surrounded the unveiling of the final College Football Playoff rankings last week.

The selection committee had placed the Trojans at No. 8, well short of the top-four berth needed to make the semifinals. It was a clear tell.

“They weren’t really considering us, if we wanna be honest,” safety Chris Hawkins said. “I don’t know how they weren’t, but they weren’t.”

It ultimately felt like a formality.

So when the Trojans were instead pitted against fifth-ranked Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl, there was no disappointment. They had come to terms with their postseason fate.

“We’re not really tripping,” Hawkins said.

As USC started bowl practices this week, most players raved about the upcoming matchup without hinting at any lingering frustration over a playoff snub.

“Ohio State has for many years been one of the top-echelon teams,” cornerback Iman Marshall said, “and having the opportunity to compete against them, and see where we’re at, and where we place ourselves, is a great opportunity.”

Since Urban Meyer was hired as their head coach in 2012, the Buckeyes have won 72 of 80 games. Only Alabama has more victories during that span.

“They’re a great program, USC’s a great program,” defensive lineman Rasheem Green said.

“I would rather play them than anybody in the country,” Hawkins added.

The Trojans finished 11-2 overall and won the Pac-12 championship, their first conference title since 2008, but Ohio State, which won the Big Ten Conference title and finished 11-2 overall, also presents a clear measuring stick for how they stack up in the national landscape.

Coach Clay Helton described the Buckeyes as “probably the best team we’ve played all year from a talent standpoint.”

USC has not previously faced a top-five team this season.

“It’s basically a playoff game in our mindset,” running back Ronald Jones said. “We’re going to treat it like it.”

ON AND OFF THE ROAD

The new early signing period in college football begins a week from Wednesday, a 72-hour period lasting from Dec. 20 through Dec. 22 that allows recruits to ink their letters of intent with schools rather than waiting until the traditional signing day in February.

As a result of the earlier date, USC’s coaches spent most of last week on the road recruiting, part of a series of final pitches that continues even while the team is prepping for the Cotton Bowl.

Helton said he took a flight to visit a prospect for an in-home visit on Monday night, then returned Tuesday.

“It’s made it a little hectic for coaches, but players win games,” Helton said. “You better get your butt on the road and go.”

WHO’S HURT?

Outside linebacker Porter Gustin continued to watch practice from the sideline at Howard Jones Field on Wednesday, but he was no longer walking around in a boot, a sign he could return for the Cotton Bowl.

“He’s really pleased with where he is,” Helton said. “He does not feel any pain and it’s good to see that progression.”

Gustin, who underwent toe surgery in September, has not played nor practiced since October. He had been in a walking boot as recently as Tuesday’s practice.

Wide receiver Tyler Vaughns was also held out of contact drills Wednesday after he suffered a shoulder sprain during a 7-on-7 drill the previous day.

Cornerback Jack Jones (ankle) and wide receiver/kick returner Velus Jones (ankle) remained out.

QUICK HIT

USC was holding its annual awards banquet after practice on Wednesday night.

On April 3, 2013, nearly one year after I arrived at California State University, Fullerton as its fifth CSU board-appointed president, I welcomed Orange County Register readers to the inaugural section of the weekly column you’re reading now. Since penning that first “Titan Voices,” I’ve had the honor of publishing more than 50 others, and it is with mixed emotions (and a box of Kleenex) that I now write my final column as the university’s president.

Indeed, the weeks since I announced my decision to leave Cal State Fullerton on Jan. 22, 2018, to accept the presidency of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, have been emotional, and as I look back at all the archived Titan Voices, I am reminded why: The amazing people with whom I’ve shared this journey have become family. That may sound hyperbolic, and I must admit, when I received a chorus of greetings that began with “Welcome to the Titan family” upon my arrival in 2012, I did not fully grasp the depth of that phrase despite the earnest energy put forth by the people exclaiming it.

Rest assured, I do now.

Like “Titans Reach Higher,” there is emotional power to those words that speak to our belief that everyone at Cal State Fullerton — faculty, staff, administrators, alumni, and external partners — are educators. And when you witness firsthand the transformational power your collaborative efforts have on the most important members of the community — the more than 40,000 diverse students we serve — you can’t help but feel a deep connection to and appreciation of those with whom you stand shoulder to shoulder, day in and day out.

You can’t help but feel like family.

And as a family, over the past five and a half years, we came together and flourished in ways that not only honored our now 60-year legacy, but also created a foundation for even greater success over the next 60 years and beyond. Together, we embarked on the University’s first-ever five-year (2013-2018) strategic plan, which has broadened and enhanced the excellent academic programs for which Cal State Fullerton has always been known. As that plan comes to completion in May 2018, we can proudly point to a 30 percent improvement in six-year graduation rates and a 64 percent improvement in four-year graduation rates for first-time freshmen — both university records. We also succeeded in cutting a historically stubborn achievement gap in half for first-time freshmen (from 12 percent to 6 percent) and completely eliminating it for transfer students (from 6 percent to 0). Annual philanthropic gift commitments nearly tripled, and U.S. News & World Report recently heralded the institution as a top “national university,” rather than a “top regional university,” the far narrower category in which we had been previously ranked.

While it is with mixed emotions that I leave the wonderful and dedicated family who made these and so many other achievements possible, my decision to accept the AASCU presidency stems from my belief that our collaborative work should be shared, implemented and enhanced at state colleges and universities around the nation. I leave knowing I will now be representing hundreds of thousands of students from all walks of life at more than 400 outstanding state colleges and universities who will benefit from our success — a journey I would not have had the opportunity or courage to take without all that I’ve learned from my Titan family and the love and guidance they now give me as I take this leap. In this way and so many others, Cal State Fullerton is far more than the preeminent path to upward mobility in Orange County; it is the model public comprehensive university of the nation.

Between now and my departure, we will continue to work collaboratively to position the university for even greater success, and I look forward to sharing that success with the hundreds of institutions that look to Cal State Fullerton to see what is possible. With the Titan family, anything is possible, and I am so proud and honored to call myself part of this one, now and forever.

And therein lies yet another popular Cal State Fullerton saying that ranks up there with “Welcome to the Titan family” and “Titans Reach Higher.” I say it every year at commencement, prompting our more than 10,000 graduates to join me in finishing the phrase to the delight of the crowd. It is, of course, “Once a Titan…Always a Titan,” and as I dab my eyes with tissue, I take comfort in understanding its depth and truth.

Abrazos, and keep Reaching Higher!

Sam Darnold and Uchenna Nwosu shared USC’s team MVP honors at its awards banquet on Wednesday night.

Darnold, the Trojans’ star quarterback, threw for 3,787 yards, 26 touchdowns and 12 interceptions this season, completing 64 percent of his passes. The redshirt sophomore also ran for five touchdowns.

Nwosu, a senior outside linebacker and one of the team’s most disruptive pass rushers, compiled 71 tackles, including 9½ behind the line of scrimmage, plus 7½ sacks, 13 pass break-ups and an interception.

They were the Trojans’ first co-MVPs since tight end Fred Davis and defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis in 2007. Quarterback Paul McDonald and tailback Charles White were the only other players to share the MVP award, doing so as seniors in 1979.

Players voted for the team awards.

Blind long snapper Jake Olson was named Most Inspirational. Olson, a redshirt sophomore, appeared in two games this season on PATs, making his college debut in the season-opening win over Western Michigan. Both extra points were good.

Here’s a full list of the award winners from USC:

Most Valuable Player: quarterback Sam Darnold, outside linebacker Uchenna Nwosu

Most Inspirational Player: snapper Jake Olson

Trojan Way Leadership Award: safety Chris Hawkins

Trojan Commitment Award: center Nico Falah, offensive guard Viane Talamaivao

Linemen of the Year: offensive guard Chris Brown (offense), defensive lineman Rasheem Green (defense)

Perimeter Players of the Year: tailback Ronald Jones II (offense), inside linebacker Cameron Smith (defense)

Special Teams Player of the Year: safety Matt Lopes, wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr.

Service Team Players of the Year: center Richie Wenzel (offense), defensive linemen Jacob Lichtenstein and Jay Tufele (defense)

Player of the Game Vs. UCLA: safety Chris Hawkins

Howard Jones/Football Alumni Club Academic Award (overall academic achievement):  cornerback Yoofi Quansah

Bob Chandler Award (underclassman with outstanding athletic ability, academic achievement and character): wide receiver Deontay Burnett

John McKay Award (player with the most competitive spirit): defensive tackle Josh Fatu

Joe Collins Walk-on Award: punter Reid Budrovich, placekicker Chase McGrath

Chris Carlisle Courage Award: offensive tackle Toa Lobendahn, wide receiver Steven Mitchell Jr.

Community Service Award: offensive guard Jordan Austin

Lifters Award: quarterback Sam Darnold, center Nico Falah, offensive tackle Toa Lobendahn (offense), outside linebacker Uchenna Nwosu, inside linebacker Cameron Smith, safety Marvell Tell III (defense)

Captains: quarterback Sam Darnold, safety Chris Hawkins, outside linebacker Uchenna Nwosu, inside linebacker Cameron Smith

The Northwood High boys basketball team notched its second straight victory in the So Cal Elite Gary Raya Basketball Classic Wednesday evening with a 62-51 win over Tustin at El Dorado High.

Devin Owens scored a game-high 22 points and Seth Locke added 15 points and 12 rebounds as the Timberwolves (5-3) snapped the Tillers three-game winning streak and moved into Friday’s championship semifinals against El Toro.

“Our defense was the difference,” said Owens. “We talked better and communicated and we didn’t get too loose. We knew what we had to do and we did it.”

Brian Ramirez scored 19 points and Isaiah Gonzalez poured in 17 for Tustin (4-2).

After trailing by double digits in the opening quarter, Ramirez and Gonzalez got hot and rallied the Tillers in the final five minutes of the half to cut the lead to 33-25 at the break.

Northwood’s combination of Jacob Huynh, Owens, Locke and Trent Harper extended the Timberwolves lead to 51-32 late in the third quarter, but the Tillers Donald McKinney and Ramirez countered with a late rally that trimmed the lead to 51-37 after three periods.

Northwood suffered a double blow when Harper and Huynh both fouled out early in the final quarter. Tustin took advantage and went on an 11-2, surge. Gonzalez’s basket reduced the lead to 53-48 with 3:31 to play.

But Tustin wasn’t able to draw any closer.

Owens converted four crucial free throws and a bucket in the final two minutes and Locke added three free throws down the stretch to halt the Tillers’ rally.

“It was tough when we lost Jacob (Huynh) and Trent (Harper) at the beginning of the fourth quarter, but Seth and Devin stepped it up and took over,” Timberwolves coach Tim O’Brien said.

Although disappointed, Tustin coach Ringo Bossenmeyer took away positive from the setback.

“We didn’t play with the same energy that we had on Tuesday night,” Bossenmeyer added. “We gave up too many second chance layups, but it was a positive sign to see us comeback. We could have mailed it in, but we didn’t and that’s a testament to the character of this team.”

Huynh scored 14 points for Northwood.

University’s boys basketball team had a rough first half, but still trailed by only two points against crosstown rival Woodbridge in the second round of the So Cal Elite Gary Raya Classic at University.

Uni doesn’t slow the ball down often, but was protecting the lead late against Woodbridge. Guard Alex Bray brings the ball up and Jackson Muniz sinks a 3 in a 75-58 win over the Warriors in the So Cal Elite Gary Raya Classic. Woodbridge’s Max Montplasir also scores a basket. pic.twitter.com/ipNn3MOVqX

— Tim Burt (@TimBurtIrvine) December 14, 2017

A 9-0 run by the Trojans at the start of the third quarter helped University (6-1) turn the tide. Alex Bray scored 22 points and Sam Dharod scored 15 points and grabbed 8 rebounds for the Trojans, who outscored the Warriors, 27-12, in the third quarter.

Woodbridge, coming off a big 69-66 victory over previously undefeated Esperanza on Tuesday, surged to a 14-point lead in the first half. Daniel Thatcher led the Warriors (3-6) with 14 points in the game.

But the Warriors could only hold off the Trojans for so long.

“We’ve won six of the seven games but we’ve been behind six of the seven first quarters,” said University Coach Mike Dinneen. “Once we caught them at halftime, I thought we played very well in the third quarter and we took it to them. But we were getting out-worked, we shot poorly and we got beat in every phase of the game.

“John (Woodbridge Coach Halagan) had his kids ready to play. And we were not ready to play and that’s my fault. We’re still searching, but basketball is  a 32-minute game and we’re surviving with wins, but we’re not playing 32 minutes as well as we can. But in parts of the game, we’re a very, very good team.”

Dharod, a senior, stepped up seven points in the third quarter while Bray had 10 points.

“After the first quarter, we came out with a lot of energy and executed really well,” Dharod said. “We started forcing turnovers. I think we did well down the stretch. Our team in general plays our best basketball in the third quarter. We come out with a lot of energy, but we need to do that from the start.”

University defeated Woodbridge 75-58 tonight in the So Cal Elite Gary Raya Classic. Here’s one of the Trojans 3-pointers by Kevin Yahampath. pic.twitter.com/TLXtJKOEtq

— Tim Burt (@TimBurtIrvine) December 14, 2017

Woodbridge’s Halagan liked the start for his team, but wasn’t happy with the second half performance.

“I thought our kids did a nice job in the first half,” Halagan said. “When you play Uni, you have to control tempo. We don’t mind running, but you have to run for layups, which we did in the first half for the most part.

“Defensively, we were not good tonight. We did not do a good job tonight in containing the bounce and that’s when Bray had a huge third quarter. We individually did not do a good job on the ball tonight. It was a bad third quarter for us. Any time you give up 27 in the third quarter, there is not a lot going right on both sides of the ball.”

Chris Cooper added 8 points for Woodbridge. Will Stenta had 10 points and Kevin Yahampath 7 points and 11 assists for University.

LA PALMA — Two teens were arrested Wednesday, Dec. 13 on suspicion of robbing a man at gunpoint.

Around 2:35 p.m. the victim reported he was in the parking lot of a business complex at 6 Centerpointe Dr.  when two males brandished handguns and demanded his cell phone, wallet and watch, La Palma police Sgt.  Luke Carlson said.

The males ran through several parking lots along Orangethorpe Avenue, he added.

La Palma and Buena Park officers used surveillance video from businesses to track the suspects to a nearby Motel 6.

The suspects, both 17, were arrested around 7:30 p.m. after they attempted to leave the motel in a vehicle, Carlson said.

The victim’s cell phone and watch along with one of the guns suspected to have been used in the robbery were recovered, he added.

The suspects were booked into Orange County Juvenile Hall on suspicion of armed robbery.

Police are investigating whether they may be involved in other similar street robberies in the area, Carlson said.

By KATHLEEN KIRKWOOD

OAKLAND — The Oakland Zoo is caring for two orphaned mountain lion cubs that were found in Orange County two weeks apart and veterinarians will test to determine if they are siblings, zoo officials said Wednesday.

The cubs, both males about 3 to 4 months old, weigh close to 30 pounds. Officials believe they may have been orphaned after an adult female mountain lion was struck and killed by a motorist in the area where they were found, officials said.

They were found about 15 miles apart in Orange County’s Silverado Canyon and Rancho Santa Margarita. The first was discovered in a resident’s backyard and the second, approximately two weeks later, on a roadside.

The second male cub arrived at Oakland Zoo on Monday and is “feisty” and doing very well, officials said. His counterpart is more shy and cautious. Mountain lions are new to Oakland Zoo, and officials said the two cubs will serve as educational ambassadors at Oakland Zoo’s upcoming 56-acre California Trail expansion, opening in June 2018.

“It is an honor to provide a forever home for these young mountain lions, and honor their lives further by working to help conserve their wild counterparts,” said Amy Gotliffe, Director of Conservation at Oakland Zoo. “We have a lot of work to do to better protect and conserve pumas, from proper education to establishing wildlife crossings and proper enclosures for pets and livestock.”

The cubs were initially cared for by the Feline Conservation Center in Lake Forest before being brought to Oakland Zoo, where they are currently under quarantine and being cared for by the zoo’s veterinarians.

The Oakland Zoo helped found BACAT (Bay Area Cougar Action Team) in 2013, in partnership with the Bay Area Puma Project and the Mountain Lion Foundation, to help save mountain lions caught in the human-wildlife conflict with the CDFW.

The mountain lion habitat in the Zoo’s expansion site is intended to mimic California habitat, educate visitors about wildlife in California and inspire people to take action for the future of the state’s wildlife and resources. The habitat is currently under construction and is expected to be complete and ready for the cubs by February or March.

Fountain Valley homebuying in October saw local buyers pay the most above list price in Orange County.

That’s from highlights of ReportsOnHousing house-hunting data for resales of existing detached and attached residences in the community.

This analysis includes October trends based on closed sales: sale counts; average price vs. average list price; highest and lowest price paid in the month; average cost per square foot and average size; plus, based on broker listing networks stats on Nov. 30, the “market time” metric comparing supply of listings to new escrows opened in past 30 days.

Trends we saw in Fountain Valley …

1. Sales: 27 sold vs. 28 a year ago.

2. Average sales price: $753,848 that ranked No. 22 out of 46 Orange County markets tracked and was up 9 percent in a year.

3. Compared to list: Sellers got 100.4 percent of what they typically asked for, ranking 1st of the 46 markets.

4. Range: High sale of $1,300,000 vs. the $310,000 low.

5. Sizing: On average, buyers paid $412 per square foot — up 13.2 percent in a year and 13th highest out of the 46 tracked.

6. Market speed, as of Nov. 30: 33 days, listing to escrow opened vs. 41 days a year ago and 39 days two years ago.

Compare these patterns to five October trends we saw in all of Orange County …

1. Sales: 2,553 sold vs. 2,575 a year ago, off 1 percent.

2. Average sales price: $868,090, up 10.4 percent in a year.

3. Compared to list: 98.4 percent.

4. Sizing: On average, buyers paid $464 per square foot — up 11.3 percent in a year — on a 1,870 square-foot residence.

5. Market speed, as of Nov 30: 62 days vs. 73 days a year ago and 75 days two years ago.

DID YOU SEE …

Southern California housing takes nation’s largest bite of local paychecks

Southern California homes overvalued? Appraisers suggest yes

What bums out employees at Orange County’s top workplaces

I always wanted a boy. From the moment my husband and I saw that tiny cluster of cells on the sonogram screen, I knew I was staring at my son. His tiny heart pounded like a tribal drum mixed with the sound of waves.

My son was born a sensitive soul. Part of me hates that his feelings are hurt so easily, and when he cries I have to remember to be patient, even though it’s in my nature to tell him, “Toughen up!” In some ways, he’s not the boy I imagined.

Now, here he stands – a pint-size version of my husband and me – laughing and splashing in the crystal blue waters off the Four Seasons Resort O’ahu at Ko Olina. Hawai’i, especially O’ahu, always held a special place in my heart. In my youth, I danced in the moonlight on the sands of Waikiki, swam underneath waterfalls and stuffed my belly with plate lunches on the North Shore. But the island’s west side had remained a mystery to me. Our visit also marked my son’s inaugural trip to Hawai’i.

From my lounge chair, I zoned out, staring into the horizon. A warm breeze wafted in scents of sweet plumeria mixed with the salty ocean air. A wave of serenity washed over me as the condensation from my icy guava cocktail dripped onto my lap. Tick. Tick. Tick. The drips counted away the seconds as a purple orchid floated on top of my drink. My thoughts wandered back to that morning’s meeting with Auntie Nettie.

As guardian to the Lanikuhonua oceanfront estate that abuts the Four Seasons Resort, Auntie Nettie is the spiritual kahu for this protected sacred space “where heaven meets the earth.” Ages ago, the rock formations created natural ponds that gathered spring water, which ran down from the mountains and mixed with the free-flowing ocean. Lanikuhonua’s pristine 10-acre property melds the oceanfront beach with lush jungle. It’s a private space the Four Seasons deeply respects and shares with a few select guests.

The resort’s relationship with the locals, specifically those who grew up on the west side of O’ahu, is further nourished with the Four Seasons Wayfinders program.

Cultural artisans such as Niihau shell jewelers, flower lei craftswomen, Makau Nui artisans, organic farmers and hula dancers gather on-site on different days to share their knowledge with hotel guests.

On most Tuesday mornings, a few visitors will learn how to dance hula from the award-winning all-male troupe called Ke Kai O Kahiki. To these men, hula is more than a mere dance. Multiple times a week, they train like warriors on Auntie Nettie’s land. They harness their strength and fortify their muscles with ancient exercises, using natural materials found on the island. They grab boulders from the ocean and run for miles in the sand before plunging into the sea. Their muscles quiver with each step as the sweat drips like tropical rain across their faces.

“In ancient times, warriors would be selected from the best hula dancers,” says La’akea Perry, the group’s leader. He describes another exercise, which requires each man to scale a coconut tree with his bare hands and feet. To emphasize the gravity of the situation, they never use a safety harness. They may move their hips to the motion of the ocean, but there is no questioning the manliness of the Ke Kai O Kahiki.

Hawaiians long believed in the coexisting energies of man and woman. Everything has a counterpart. Hula dancing seems so feminine until you see the Ke Kai O Kahiki troupe’s movements. The ground trembles from the power of their steps. Yet their movements are so graceful, so fluid and so elegant.

On another morning, I joined Perry and one of his dancers on a hike to Ka’ena Point. “When someone passes away, this is the journey that their soul takes before they leap from the earth,” he said. “At the end of the hike there’s a point where the souls leave for all of eternity. When we visit here, we know this is a sacred place, and we must have permission for us to be here.”

The island’s west side looks and feels completely different than any other part of the island. “This side is noted for being dry,” said Perry. “The sun on this side is unlike any other place on the island. You feel it coming from the top and the bottom. But, the west side has a lot of stories and history. This is the most northwestern point on the island. It’s very secluded and untouched. The state of Hawai’i constructed a few walking paths, but the ocean here has been deemed pristine water.“

On our way back, we climbed down a rocky precipice. At the bottom, a natural tide pool had formed over the millennia. We swam like mermaids in the cool water as the waves lapped at my face. When we emerged from sea, I thought of Auntie Nettie.

Before we left O’ahu, Auntie Nettie blessed me at Lanikuhonua. “The pond here is called the Looking Glass,” she said. “Meditate here before you go.” She guided me to the water’s edge, where she chanted in Hawaiian, her deep voice echoing in my ears. Then she took my palms into her warm hands and pulled me close. She huffed warm breaths into my ears and my skin pebbled with goosebumps. Then, she whispered, “Call home.”

Her deep voice flooded every ounce of my being and tears filled my eyes. I thought of my mother back home, then of my son napping in our suite upstairs at the Four Seasons. I pride myself on never crying, but in this moment I couldn’t stop. I waded into the ocean and let my salty tears mix with the estuary waters. As I emerged, I felt rejuvenated. Auntie Nettie handed me a large ti leaf that carried a sacred prayer. “Take this back to the mainland,” she instructed me. “One day, promise you will return with this leaf. Release it here, back into our waters.”

In Hawai’i, the feeling of ohana is everywhere, past and future, this generation and the next. Before I left, I asked Auntie Nettie: How do you feel about the luxury developments surrounding Lanikuhonua?

“I see it as a way for our children to stay home. The developments bring jobs,” she says. “Our children can stay on the island. They can work on the west side where they grew up. Rather than leave for the mainland, they will have real opportunities here.” As we embrace each other one last time, I envision my son’s smiling face. A surge of confidence hits me. He has his own strengths. He’s kind and a trail of laughter always follows behind him. In the end, it all comes back to the children.

By TALI ARBEL
AP Technology Writer

NEW YORK — Disney is buying a large part of the Murdoch family’s 21st Century Fox for about $52.4 billion in stock, including film and television studios and cable and international TV businesses, as it tries to meet competition from technology companies in the entertainment business.

The deal gives Disney film businesses including Twentieth Century Fox, Fox Searchlight Pictures and Fox 2000, which together are the homes of Avatar, X-Men, Fantastic Four and Deadpool. On the television side, Disney will get Twentieth Century Fox Television, FX Productions and Fox21, with shows including “The Simpsons” and “Modern Family.”

21st Century Fox shareholders will receive 0.2745 Disney shares for each share they own. The transaction also includes approximately $13.7 billion in debt.

Robert Iger will continue as chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Co. through the end of 2021.

Before the buyout, 21st Century Fox will separate the Fox Broadcasting network and stations, Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network, FS1, FS2 and Big Ten Network into a newly listed company that will be spun off to its shareholders. That Rupert Murdoch and his sons were willing to sell off much of the business that has been built up over decades came as a shock to the entertainment industry.

The entertainment business is going through big changes. TV doesn’t have a monopoly on home entertainment anymore. There’s Netflix, which is spending up to $8 billion on programming next year. Amazon is building its own library, having splashed out on global TV rights to “Lord of the Rings.” Facebook, Google and Apple are also investing in video.

As consumers spend more time online, TV’s share of U.S. ad spending is shrinking. Advertisers are following consumer attention to the internet, where Google and Facebook win the vast majority of advertisers’ dollars.

“We’ve been talking about cord cutting for the better part of a decade. But now it’s real,” USC Annenberg communications professor Chris Smith said. The media companies have to compete with the internet giants for consumers’ attention — and the younger generations pay more attention to YouTube, Facebook and other “platforms” than traditional TV, Smith said.

To combat this trend, Disney is launching new ESPN- and Disney-branded streaming services over the next couple of years. It could beef them up with some of the assets it’s acquiring from Fox, making them exclusive to its services and sharpening its ability to compete with Netflix for consumer dollars.

“The core underlying driver for this deal in our opinion is the impending battle royale for content and streaming services vs. the Netflix machine,” GBH analyst Daniel Ives wrote.

Not everyone thinks this is a good bet by Disney, though. Rich Greenfield, a longtime Disney critic, thinks the deal is a bad idea that ties Disney to older TV-distribution systems — cable and satellite TV — rather than helping it look toward the future.

He also notes that regulators may not like the idea of combining two major movie studios. The Justice Department surprised many in the industry and on Wall Street when it sued to block another media megamerger, AT&T’s acquisition of Time Warner, in November.

MURDOCH FAMILY TAKES A BOW

Rupert Murdoch built 21st Century Fox and News Corp. out of an inheritance from his father in Australia. He bought a string of papers there, in the U.K. and the U.S., building an influential platform for his views. He expanded into TV and movies, launching the Fox network and Fox News and changing the face of American news and entertainment.

“Rupert has spent many, many years assembling the components of his empire,” said NYU business professor Samuel Craig, who specializes in the entertainment industry.

Rupert Murdoch has ostensibly already handed the reins over to a new generation at Fox. His son James is CEO, while his other son, Lachlan, like Rupert, has the title of executive chairman.

The Murdoch empire has already been divided. After a phone-hacking newspaper scandal in the U.K., News Corp. was split off into a separate company for the publishing and newspaper businesses, which include the New York Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Sun and The Times in the U.K., and book publisher HarperCollins. Now Fox is also being split up as the company sets itself up to deal with the growing power of the tech industry.

“The Murdochs realize they don’t have the same kind of leverage Disney has, the same kind of brand power,” Smith said.

It would be harder to launch a Fox-branded streaming service that attracts lots of the new generation of consumers, for example. Smith said that makes it a great time to sell off the entertainment business.

Fox is also selling to Disney its substantial overseas operations. It is offloading its 39 percent stake in European satellite-TV and broadcaster Sky after running into regulatory roadblocks in the U.K. trying to take over the rest of the company, in part because of how Fox handled the sexual harassment scandal at Fox News. Disney is also acquiring Star India, a major media company with dozens of sports and entertainment channels.

Fox will be left with the live events, news and sports, that are key parts of the traditional TV bundle. There is speculation that the Murdochs would want to recombine what’s the slimmed-down Fox with News Corp.

MIGHTIER MOUSE

It’s not clear what Disney will want or be able to include from Fox in its own upcoming services. But it’s possible to make some educated guesses.

The Disney-branded service, expected in 2019, will have classic and upcoming movies from the studio, shows from Disney Channel, and the “Star Wars” and Marvel movies.

Disney will also win majority control of Hulu, both its live-TV service and the older service with a big library of TV shows.

Disney could continue to add movies and TV shows from Fox’s library to its services, making them more attractive compared with Netflix’s offerings. The combined libraries of the Disney and Fox movie and TV studios could have more titles than Netflix, Barclays analyst Kannan Venkateshwar said. Buying Fox’s FX networks will add edgy TV shows that complement Disney’s long list of kid-friendly series and films, he said.

Greenfield, however, notes that a lot of programming wouldn’t be immediately available to Disney. Fox movies are exclusive to HBO through 2022, for example.

Disney also plans an ESPN Plus service for next year. It isn’t a duplicate of the ESPN TV network, but it will stream tennis matches along with major-league baseball, hockey and soccer games, as well as college sports. It might be able to add more sports if Disney buys Fox’s 22 local sports networks — cable channels that show popular sports in the viewer’s region.

Disney also owns Marvel, but not all the Marvel characters. It’s made movies starring Thor, Doctor Strange and Captain America and the Avengers crew. But the X-Men are at Fox. Bringing them home under one roof could mean movies with more of the characters together.

___

Michelle Chapman in New York contributed to this report.

SANTA ANA — A Dec. 6 fire in a building where a 67-year-old man was found dead may have started when strong Santa Ana winds pushed embers from an earlier, nearby blaze on to the structure, authorities said.

The victim of the 9 p.m. fire in the 1500 block of East Edinger Avenue near Grand Avenue has been identified as Aslan Astankhou of Santa Ana, according to the Orange County Coroner’s Office. The cause of Astankhou’s death is being investigated.

Earlier on Dec. 6, a fire broke out at OC Recycling, 1601 E. Edinger Ave., Santa Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said.

Investigators believe that blaze was still smoldering when Santa Ana winds pushed embers onto the building where Astankhou may have been sleeping, he said, adding foul play is not suspected.

Firefighters initially reported no one was injured in the  blaze.

However, they later discovered his body in one of the building’s 15 units after they were able to make entry, Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Larry Kurtz said.

Astankhou stored clothing, mannequins and other assorted items that he sold at swap meets along with personal belongings inside the unit where he occasionally slept, his sister Ziba Estankhou Gibson, 68, of Seal Beach, said Thursday.

Gibson questioned whether her brother could have been rescued, adding she went to the building about an hour after the blaze broke out and told firefighters he might be inside.

“Maybe they could have saved him,” she said. “Maybe he would still be alive.”

OCFA personnel always attempt to search buildings for victims immediately after arriving on scene, but couldn’t during the fire that  claimed Astankhou’s life because flames were too intense, Kurtz said.

“The building was so heavily involved that a thorough search was not possible at the time,” he said. “Incident commanders must consider risk versus reward. Sometimes the risk is too great to firefighters to attempt a search as much as we would want to.”

The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation.

LA HABRA – Dawson Baker scored 28 points and grabbed eight rebounds for Capistrano Valley in a 61-50 win over Crean Lutheran in the North Orange County Championships on Thursday at Sonora High.

The Cougars will play Saddleback Valley Christian on Friday in the semifinals of the tournament’s championship bracket.

Baker was the offensive leader on the Cougars’ CIF championship team last season and will likely be a top scorer in Orange County this season.

“Dawson is a machine when it comes to scoring,” Capo Valley coach Brian Mulligan said. “He’s been reliable for three years now and he never lets us down.” 

“I felt good,” Baker said. “I thought we played better as a team than we had the past couple nights.”

Capo Valley (7-1) has five seniors in its starting lineup and four players who have started over two years. The experienced Cougars were able to keep their lead when Crean Lutheran tried to pick up the pace of the game and force Capo into bad shots.

“You tell your team that it’s OK to take some time off the clock and wait for a better shot and we did that the last five or six minutes,” Mulligan said. “But earlier we were turning the ball over and that shouldn’t happen when you have the experience we have. But we will get through it and we are still winning games.”

Daniel Ramsey also had a good offensive performance for the Cougars, scoring 18 points and making three 3-pointers. Nick Draper had 11 rebounds and three steals for Capo.

Crean Lutheran (5-5) was competitive with Capo early but the Saints’ top scorers were playing in foul trouble during the second half. Isaiah Johnson had 11 points and three blocks for Crean and Drew Yesbak had 11 points with two 3-pointers in the fourth quarter.

The Saints often play four sophomores and have no seniors on the roster. Crean Lutheran finished 1-2 in pool play with the win against Brea Olinda.

Also in the North OC Championships:

Saddleback Valley Christian 48, Foothill 45: SVC improved to 3-0 in the North Orange County Championships and will play Capo Valley in the semifinals. The Warriors beat Mountain View of El Monte, Troy and Foothill in pool play. JSerra transfer Jonah Tolmarie scored a team-high 15 points and Jon Scherer had 12 points.

Canyon 82, Los Alamitos 53: Canyon is off to an 8-0 start this season and will play Mayfair in the semifinals of the North Orange County Championships on Friday. The Comanches won their games in the tournament by an average of 23 points. Lucas Holden had 17 points for Canyon and AJ Perry had 14. Jacob Eyman had seven points and six blocks for Los Alamitos.

LOS ANGELES — Twenty-two days and three games passed without a win for the USC men’s basketball team.

That changed Thursday night.

The Trojans handled Santa Clara 82-59, ending an extended three-game losing streak that might have felt longer because of the gaps between games.

Their last win was against Lehigh on the day before Thanksgiving.

USC had little trouble against the Broncos in front of 2,712 at the Galen Center, as the Trojans (5-3) led throughout and by more than 20 points for much of the second half.

“Losing three in a row is kinda tough,” forward Nick Rakocevic said. “Hopefully now we get on a little bit of a streak, and guys who were on slumps have kind of figured it out.”

USC opened the game on a 10-0 run, while Santa Clara (3-7) was scoreless for the first four minutes, missing its first five shots, until a drive to the basket by freshman guard Shaquille Walters ended with a layup over Rakocevic, plus a free throw.

For much of the game, the Trojans relied on their size advantage, and they added more of it to their starting lineup, swapping in the 6-foot-11 Rakocevic for Elijah Stewart, a 6-5 wing. It left them with a frontcourt that paired Rakocevic with 6-10 forward Bennie Boatwright and 6-11 forward Chimezie Metu.

The swap was prompted, Coach Andy Enfield said, because of a minor team rules violation by Stewart, who was late for team functions earlier in the week.

It worked, too.

The frontcourt trio combined for 57 of USC’s 82 points and also grabbed 32 rebounds. All three players finished with double-doubles.

“It’s hard to guard three 7-footers,” Rakocevic said.

“Very true,” Metu said.

Boatwright snapped a recent cold spell with a game-high 21 points and 11 rebounds. Against Santa Clara, Boatwright made 7 of 14 shots, including 3 of 5 from 3-point range. During the three-game losing streak, he shot below 26 percent.

Metu finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds, scoring on a flurry of dunks, including an early alley-oop finish on a Jordan McLaughlin pass from beyond midcourt.

“Chimezie was dominant at times,” Enfield said.

Rakocevic added 16 points and 10 rebounds for his first career double-double.

The Trojans shot 49 percent against Santa Clara, their best mark since an overtime victory over Vanderbilt in early November. They scored 36 points in the paint.

“We tried to be aggressive and take advantage of their bigs,” Metu said.

The Trojans, who led 37-22 by halftime, held the Broncos to 31 percent shooting and blocked 10 of their shots. Metu had three blocks, while Boatwright and Rakocevic added two each.

USC’s victory followed a difficult stretch of the schedule. Its three straight losses had come against Texas A&M, SMU and Oklahoma, with two of the three losses by double-digits. All three teams are considered likely NCAA Tournament participants, and the Aggies are currently ranked in the the top 10. The three-game losing streak was also the longest during nonconference play under Enfield.

Throughout the week, the Trojans were eager to end the slide.

“Our coaches preached to us in practice this week it’s ‘us versus them,’” Metu said.

But the victory also came as versatile sophomore guard De’Anthony Melton was again withheld for an eighth consecutive game as the school investigates his eligibility amid the FBI probe into bribery and corruption into college basketball.

There is no timetable for Melton’s return, and he has not played this season, increasingly a point of frustration for the team.

After the win, Metu arrived at a news conference wearing a white t-shirt. Black letters were printed across the front. They read, “#FREEDMELT,” in reference to Melton’s continued absence.

Late in the second half, one fan yelled “Free Melton!” during a pair of free-throw attempts by Rakocevic

Backup point guard Derryck Thornton, a Duke transfer, also remained out with a shoulder injury, leaving McLaughlin with more responsibility. He had nine points, along with 10 assists, while playing a team-high 33 minutes.

“A lot of our decision-making, ball-handling and play-making relies on one person: McLaughlin,” Enfield said.

USC, which is playing six games in 12 days through Christmas, next hosts UC Santa Barbara on Sunday.

A firefighter from San Diego has died while battling the Thomas fire in the Fillmore area of Ventura County, officials said Thursday, Dec. 14.

The firefighter, identified as Cory Iverson, was an engineer for Cal Fire based in San Diego, officials said. Authorities have not yet released details on how the accident occurred.

Here are Irvine highlights of ReportsOnHousing house-hunting data for resales of existing detached and attached residences in the community.

This analysis includes October trends based on closed sales: sale counts; average price vs. average list price; highest and lowest price paid in the month; average cost per square foot and average size; plus, based on broker listing networks stats on Nov. 30, the “market time” metric comparing supply of listings to new escrows opened in past 30 days.

Six trends we saw in Irvine …

1. Sales: 219 sold vs. 216 a year ago.

2. Average sales price: $913,123 that ranked No. 13 out of 46 Orange County markets tracked and was up 6 percent in a year.

3. Compared to list: Sellers got 98.1 percent of what they typically asked for, ranking 31st of the 46 markets.

4. Range: High sale of $7,900,000 vs. the $280,000 low.

5. Sizing: On average, buyers paid $478 per square foot — up 7.9 percent in a year and 9th highest out of the 46 tracked.

6. Market speed, as of Nov. 30: 61 days, listing to escrow opened vs. 83 days a year ago and 83 days two years ago.

Compare these patterns to five October trends we saw in all of Orange County …

1. Sales: 2,553 sold vs. 2,575 a year ago, off 1 percent.

2. Average sales price: $868,090, up 10.4 percent in a year.

3. Compared to list: 98.4 percent.

4. Sizing: On average, buyers paid $464 per square foot — up 11.3 percent in a year — on a 1,870 square-foot residence.

5. Market speed, as of Nov 30: 62 days vs. 73 days a year ago and 75 days two years ago.

DID YOU SEE …

Southern California housing takes nation’s largest bite of local paychecks

Southern California homes overvalued? Appraisers suggest yes

What bums out employees at Orange County’s top workplaces