The O.C.

OC Watchdog: Your Tax Dollars at Work (blog) OC trio star on mtv's reality series 'Styl'd' OC Watchdog: Your Tax Dollars at Work (blog) At the end of the eight episode run later this month, one of the young fashionistas will win a job with the agency. The OC trio all have different amounts ...

Total Buzz (blog) OC woman on Bravo's new 'Chef Academy' Total Buzz (blog) “Chef Academy,” the new cooking show from Bravo, features a Mission Viejo mom with a passion for food – but maybe even more for being on TV – as one of its ...

OC earthquake damage could hit $10 billion ScienceDude (blog) DANGEROUS GROUND: A major quake on the Newport-Inglewood fault could cause $10.4 billion in building damage in Orange County. Image courtesy of California ... and more »

By Mathew Padilla On April 8, 2008, Brown filed 78 criminal counts of grand theft, embezzlement, and mishandling consumer funds against Rendon in Orange County Superior Court. He allegedly stole more than $160,000 from consumers who paid him for trips to Cuba that he never booked. In other news…

By Peggy Lowe SANTA ANA — An Orange County judge has thrown out claims of sexual harassment and retaliation made by the former personal assistant of billionare Henry T. Nicholas III, but let stand two alleged labor violations. Post from: OC Business News

By Jon Lansner Pimco founder Bill Gross — the bond guru from Newport Beach who is also a major stamp collector — has given $8 million to the National Postal Museum in DC to create a new gallery. The new 12,000-square-foot William H. Gross Stamp Gallery, a nod to his mother’s respect for stamps, will … Open in 2...

By Peggy Lowe Newport Beach Police Sgt. Evan Sailor said Friday evening that investigators believe it was a suicide, but that they would wait to officially classify it as such pending results of the Orange County Coroner’s toxicology report, which they don’t expect for another two- to three months.

By Peggy Lowe Los Angeles attorney David Schindler told the Wall Street Journal on Thursday that a hospital in Newport Beach told Danny Pang’s family that he died of a heart attack. Authorities say Pang ran a Ponzi scheme and bilked international investors out of millions of dollars. He pleaded not guil...

By Jeff Collins Related news … UCLA: Hard times to last another yearCSUF says SoCal slowdown worse than the ’90sRecession to take bigger toll on O.C.Chapman sees O.C. losing 9,000 jobs in 2009PIMCO director: Economic recovery still far off Post from: OC Business News

By Ronald Campbell UPDATE: See Emulex response below. Moving the battle of Orange County tech titans to a new venue, Broadcom sued Emulex for patent infringement today. Broadcom alleged that Emulex violated 10 Broadcom patents related to networking and communications technology. Broadcom is seeking bot...

By Peggy Lowe A group of Orange County Democratic and liberal leaders will soon launch a non-profit online news site dedicated to “real-time investigative coverage” in three languages. Spearheaded by former state Sen. Joe Dunn, a Democrat from central Orange County, the site will be called “Voice of...

By Peggy Lowe Charles Sipkins, a spokesman for the Pang family, confirmed the death Saturday evening. A cause of death was unknown, but Pang was rushed from his home early today at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, Newport Beach Police said. Post from: OC Business News

By Ronald Campbell The Securities and Exchange Commission sued MedCap and its top officers, Sidney M. Field and Joseph “Joey” Lampariello for fraud in July. A court-appointed receiver took over in August. U.S. District Judge David O. Carter barred other lawsuits against MedCap and its officers while the SEC ...

By Ronald Campbell Meanwhile, Integrated Healthcare Holdings Inc. wants to sue Seaman, as MedCap’s receiver, and Lampariello for fraud. Integrated operates Western Medical Center-Santa Ana and three other central Orange County hospitals. IHHI alleges:

By Mathew Padilla A federal judge has approved motions allowing the parent of the Orange County Register to operate while restructuring under Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Freedom Communications can pay vendors, maintain bank accounts and cash management programs, and use cash collateral for operating cos...

By Mary Ann Milbourn Freedom Communications Inc. in Irvine, parent of the Orange County Register, reached agreement with the company’s lenders on the restructuring of its debt and will complete the process through a voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization filed in a Delaware court today, company...

By Mathew Padilla Insurers are paying $118 million to Broadcom, which will pay $11.5 million to plaintiffs’ attorneys. If the court approves the deal, a settlement fund will be created. Read more on Broadcom: Post from: OC Business News

By Gary Warner The Auto Club, citing a report by IHS Global Insight, said another reason for the decline in holiday travel was record gas prices in spring and early summer of 2008 that caused travelers to skip Memorial Day and Fourth of July trips. Las Vegas San DiegoSan FranciscoCentral CoastYosemite P...

By Jon Lansner Orange County Register owner Freedom Communications Inc. is expected to declare bankruptcy this week, according to people familiar with the situation, the latest in a string of Chapter 11 filings in the battered newspaper business. News on Freedom: Post from: OC Business News

By Staff Writer, the Orange County Register The Register entered into an agreement with the Seal Beach Daily, a community news site that editors say offers a microscopic look into the community. The Register regularly features Seal Beach Daily stories on its Seal Beach, Los Alamitos, Rossmoor page and runs a daily feed of SBD headl...

By Peggy Lowe CashCall is owned by Paul Reddam (photo, above), the former owner of DiTech mortgage company who lives in Orange County.  In a 2004 story in The San Francisco Chronicle, Reddam defended his company’s high interest rates and terms, saying people are told what the rates are before signing...

By Ronald Campbell Receiver: ‘Significant losses’ for Medical Capital investorsHospital chain tells workers: Have faithLender crisis puts four O.C. hospitals at riskJudge again blocks Tustin medical lenderJudge lifts order against Tustin medical lenderSEC sues Tustin medical lender for fraudFour...

By Ronald Campbell An unreleased movie, The Perfect Game, about a sandlot baseball team from Mexico that went to the 1957 Little League World Series. Medical Capital poured at least $20 million into that venture.Vivavision Inc., a maker of cell phone applications. Its sole product, the receiver wrote, “was a...

By Mary Ann Milbourn Orange County could soon get a television program featuring stories on local chief executives and companies, according to an announcement by the company that will produce the show. Newport Beach-based McKinley Reserve Media Group, a video communications and public relations agency...

By Mathew Padilla Foreclosure wave gathers momentum Big FHA lender shuts down Ditech.com parent may be ‘put out of its misery’ Chew on this: free tacos, free coffee & more‘Clunkers’ likely to get $2 billion more — is it worth the cost?No bottom seen until 2010 for commercial landlordsHow hard has reces...

By Ronald Campbell Three Orange County residents — two of them attorneys — have settled charges that they participated in a scheme to “pump and dump” stock on unsuspecting investors. Costa Mesa attorney Albert J. Rasch Jr.,  Kathleen R. Novinger and Sandra Masino, owner of Newport Beach-based 144 Opinions In...

By Ronald Campbell The SEC sued Rizvi, Bellwether and a second Rizvi company, Strategy Partners LLC of Newport Beach, in Plano, Texas, last week. The SEC announced the action today. Read the administrative action against Ryan Smith HERE. Post from: OC Business News

By Ronald Campbell The order covers Medical Capital, two affiliates, Chief Executive Sidney M. Field, 63,  of Villa Park, and President Joseph J. Lapariello, 55,  of Newport Beach and Huntington Station, N.Y.  The order remains in effect until a hearing on Aug. 17.

By Mary Ann Milbourn Orange County Register subscribers should see little change when the Los Angeles Times takes over delivery of the Register in September, says Larry Riley, the Register’s vice president of circulation and distribution.  He answered some of the questions surrounding the changeover:

By Jan Norman, small-business columnist Times Publisher Eddy Hartenstein said, “The Los Angeles Times Media Group has the leading distributor network of any metropolitan newspaper in the country. Contracting with the Orange County Register, which will be our largest commercial delivery customer, allows us to maximize the...

By PEGGY LOWE Later today we will post a video of our tour…so stay tuned. Other recent business news: Post from: OC Business News

By Ronald Campbell Broadcom billionaire charged with distributing ‘ecstasy’ to prostitutes, othersFeds portray Broadcom founder as active in fraud Broadcom chairman steps down Broadcom settles SEC backdating case for $12 million Broadcom plea deal made Broadcom options restatement hits $2.3 b...

By PEGGY LOWE Pang, 42, of Newport Beach, is accused of structuring cash withdrawls to avoid reporting them. When he is arraigned Monday he faces two counts of evading a federal law that requires reporting cash withdrawls of $10,000 or more, Bloomberg reported, quoting the U.S. Attorney’s office.

By Mary Ann Milbourn “July 12, 2007 was the last date the state of California was operating in the black,” he said. “But it may not sell for $1 billion and it may not sell this year,” Chiang said. Did you miss these recent business stories … Post from: OC Business News

By PEGGY LOWE Unemployment in Orange County hit 9.2% in June, a modern-day record. Job fairs since the mortgage meltdown have attracted hundreds of applicants and some people were running into familiar faces. People traded war stories and tips while waiting in line, wondered aloud if they were wearing...

By Mary Ann Milbourn Orange County Register publisher Terry Horne has been with the paper just under two years. He started just as the recession began picking up steam in Orange County while the newspaper industry as a whole faced a loss of advertising, declining circulation and new competitive challenges f...

By Mary Ann Milbourn The Orange County Register and the Los Angeles Times Media Group will launch a new advertising insert that will go to Orange County households, the two companies announced Tuesday. More stories on Orange County media … Post from: OC Business News

By Ronald Campbell SEC sues Tustin medical lender for fraudFour O.C. hospitals on trackDoctors sue hospital firmHospital dispute spills into courthouseHospital owner could get new managementHospital exec framed doctor on gun charge, lawsuit says Post from: OC Business News

By Ronald Campbell In 2007 Medical Capital played a role in the turmoil at Integrated Healthcare Holdings Inc., which owns four central Orange County hospitals.  Medical Capital had loaned $50 million to IHHI at rates ranging from 14 percent to 37 percent.

By PEGGY LOWE An Orange County Superior Court Judge today denied a request for a larger settlement payout in a class-action lawsuit against the Orange County Register. Judge  David C. Velasquez turned away Daniel Callahan’s plea for an extra $9 million and sided with  Register lawyers who argued th...

By Mathew Padilla The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission charged Patrick Dailey of Dana Point and his company Strongbow Investments with operating a multi-million dollar fraud and failing to maintain appropriate records, according to a July 7 release.

By Gary Warner Business people interested in entering the competition may visit www.ba.com/facetoface to complete the entry form including a 500-word explanation of why their business merits a trip overseas. Entries will be reviewed by a group of British Airways executives and its communications an...

By Mary Ann Milbourn Burl Osborne became interim chief executive of Irvine-based Freedom Communications Inc., parent of The Orange County Register, after former CEO Scott Flanders left to head Playboy Enterprises June 30. Osborne steps in at a difficult time for the company, which is laboring under a $700 m...

By Mathew Padilla O.C. snubbed by Fortune’s fastest-growing firms listForeclosure backlog grows in O.C.No new manufacturing jobs soon in O.C.Catholic group helps members find jobsStraw Hat Pizza: 50-cent anniversay dealsO.C. manufacturers see 3rd quarter turnaroundSome institutions will not take Cal IO...

By Ronald Campbell Dykstra listed $50,000 in assets against between $10 million and $50 million in debts, according to Reuters.  Among his larger creditors was Laguna Beach-based Index Investors, which holds a $900,000 second mortgage on Dykstra’s Lake Sherwood (Ventura County) home. Dkystra bought th...

By Mary Ann Milbourn Orange County manufacturers are expecting business to begin to stabilize in the third quarter, according to the new Chapman University survey of local purchasing managers. If the purchasing managers are right, it will be the first time since the fourth quarter of 2007 that local manuf...

By Ronald Campbell At his peak in mid-2008 Gantes owned a hotel and 110 franchised restaurants stretching from Las Vegas to Washington State, including more than a dozen Burger Kings, Arby’s and Coco’s in Orange County. He closed several restaurants but is trying to reorganize most of them through more tha...

By Mary Ann Milbourn Workers at the Orange County Register will get a 5% cut in pay effective July 13 as part of an across-the-board reduction being implemented by its parent company, Irvine-based Freedom Communications Inc. More stories on Orange County media … Post from: OC Business News

By Mathew Padilla Madoff got what public demanded Receiver: Financier kept $37 million from fund Investors with O.C. financier Pang could lose up to $654 million Another firm opposes O.C. tech merger Frenzied bidding on discounted foreclosures FDIC seizes Irvine bank Is paying off a mortgage the best optio...

By Mathew Padilla Banks reject toxic-asset plan Frenzied bidding on discounted foreclosuresFashion Island lands 3 O.C. exclusive storesBob’s Big Boy sees steady stream of job applicantsToyota shows off way of steering via brain wavesO.C. house price declines getting smallerDip into variety of no-cost...

By John Gittelsohn Orange County investment adviser Danny Pang and his family siphoned $52 million from investors who poured $823 million into a partnership that is now hundreds of millions of dollars in the red, says a court-appointed receiver in a newly disclosed report. Pang, 42, of Newport Beach, pers...

By Mary Ann Milbourn A memo from the company’s then-general counsel saying he was “seriously concerned” about the practice of loaning investor funds to Pang and PEMGroup affiliates. An agreement signed by Pang April 9 pledging some of his personal properties to a PEMGroup affiliate as security for $9.6 mill...

By John Gittelsohn Emulex’s board has rejected the Broadcom offer as “opportunistic,” because it was made when the Costa Mesa company’s shares were trading at a low price. Emulex has filed suits in Orange County Superior Court and U.S. District Court in Santa Ana to block to takeover.

By John Gittelsohn The prosecution painted a different picture. To read a previous story about Atoafa, CLICK HERE. To read the prosecution sentencing memo, CLICK HERE. To read the defense sentencing memo, CLICK HERE, More stories about Orange County business legal problems … Post from: OC Business News

By John Gittelsohn “I have no idea why he keeps getting caught,” said Andrew Stolper, the assistant U.S. attorney who prosecuted Goldstein. “It’s disappointing to find Mr. Goldstein up to his old tricks.” More stories on Orange County business legal problems … Post from: OC Business News

By John Gittelsohn To read more on how the merger has roiled Orange County, see Tech tycoons’ battle is a personal one. More stories on Orange County tech companies… Broadcom Post from: OC Business News

By John Gittelsohn “With our nearly 60-year leadership and research investment in eye care, we are pleased to enter the retina market and provide physicians and their patients with the first FDA-approved drug treatment for macular edema following retinal vein occlusion,” said Dr. Scott Whitcup, Allerg...

By Jan Norman, small-business columnist Las Vegas, July 7 –  9 at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and ResortSan Diego, July 14 – 16 at the Town and Country Hotel in Mission ValleyOrlando, Aug. 4 – 6 at the Caribe Royale All Suites Hotel and Convention CenterNew York, Aug 25. – 27 at the Hilton New York in New York CityDallas, Sept. 8 – 10 at the Hilto...

By John Gittelsohn The board of Freedom Communications Inc., parent of the Orange County Register, named Burl Osborne as interim chief executive on Tuesday, replacing the outgoing CEO who is leaving for a similar post at Playboy Enterprises Inc. More stories on Orange County media … Post from: OC Business N...

By Jan Norman, small-business columnist The Orange County Register has joined Yahoo’s Newspaper Consortium to distribute online content more widely on the Internet and give readers more relevant results when searching for local advertising. In addition to the ad search functions, Yahoo will index ocregister.com content so...

By Jeff Collins While the report doesn’t specifically mention Orange County, recovery rates here should be similar to the rest of the state, said Jerry Nickelsburg, co-author of the forecast. But Orange County’s economy remains hampered by the 2007 meltdown of the subprime mortgage industry, which w...

By John Gittelsohn Freedom Communications Inc., parent of the Orange County Register, is prepared to name Burl Osborne as chief executive when the board meets later this week, four inside sources said on Monday. More stories on Orange County media … Post from: OC Business News

By John Gittelsohn Santa Ana attorney Daniel Callahan wants $23.5 million for waging a class-action lawsuit against the Orange County Register,  a sum equal to 160% of the money awarded to his clients — a group of 5,000 newspaper carriers. Orange County Superior Court Judge David C. Velasquez has scheduled a...

By John Gittelsohn Henry Nicholas, a Newport Coast tech tycoon whose fortune was an estimated $1.3 billion by Forbes magazine, has pleaded not guilty to 25 criminal counts that he distributed illegal drugs and conspired to illegally backdate $2.2 billion in employee stock options as head of Broadcom Corp.,...

By John Gittelsohn Emulex has resisted the takeover in public statements and court filings, including a lawsuit in Orange County Superior Court that accused Broadcom of being a “sin-based business,” citing federal criminal and SEC civil charges against the company’s co-founders, Henry Samueli and He...

By John Gittelsohn More Orange County biomedical stories … Post from: OC Business News

By John Gittelsohn Broadcom Corp. called on shareholders of Emulex Corp. to accept its “highly attractive” offer and reject Emulex’s “track record of underperformance” Wednesday in its first detailed proposal for a hostile takeover bid of the rival Orange County tech company.

By Mary Ann Milbourn The next chief executive of Freedom Communications Inc., the Irvine-based parent of the Orange County Register, immediately will be thrust into tough negotiations to restructure the company’s $700 million debt. Burl Osborne James Spanfeller Post from: OC Business News

By John Gittelsohn “Fundamentally, it is material for Emulex stockholders and employees to understand that they are not dealing with an honest enterprise,” Emulex’s lawsuit in Orange County Superior Court says. “It is material for the stockholders and employees of Emulex to understand the breadth and d...

By Mary Ann Milbourn Despite expectations of GM’s bankruptcy filing, Orange County buyers this weekend were still interested. GM’s Chevrolet brand has been the favorite among Orange County car buyers in the past. See a map of GM’s Orange County dealerships HERE. More on GM … Post from: OC Business News

By Jon Lansner/ocregister.com lt;p><img class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-12289" style="border: 1px solid black;margin: 8px" src="http://ocbiz.freedomblogging.com/files/2009/05/scottflanders-150x150.jpg" alt="scottflanders" width="123" height="123" />The Wall Street Journ...

By John Gittelsohn The other members of the Board are: McGregor; Chairman John E. Major; George L. Farinsky; Nancy H. Handel; Eddy W. Hartenstein; William T. Morrow; and Robert E. Switz. More stories about Orange County tech companies … Post from: OC Business News

 CA For the past five months, roughly one out of every four home buyers in Orange County used a federally run loan insurance program that was practically nonexistent here two years ago. Now home buyers are taking advantage of loans insured by the Federal ...