🌱 Buy Ortiz’ $6 Million Davenport Island Home + Omicron In OC

Happy Tuesday, people of Huntington Beach! Here's everything you need to know going on today.

Tito Ortiz put his house on the market. Also, Omicron made it to Orange County. Finally, a local man entered a plea in the addiction treatment kickback case.

First, today's weather:

Mostly cloudy. High: 63 Low: 46.

Here are the top stories in Huntington Beach today:

1. Tito Ortiz, the MMA fighter, mask protestor, and former HB City Council member, listed his Davenport Island home for $6 million on Saturday. It’s a 3,887-square-foot waterfront house that was built in 2006. Ortiz bought it in 2008 for $3.25 million. (OC Register/paywall)
2. As of Sunday, Omicron is in the OC. Even so, the number of hospitalizations for COVID-19 has fallen from 198 to 193. The Omicron patient is a fully vaccinated adult male. The county's deputy health officer had already warned residents to be careful because the variant had been detected in neighboring counties. "If you already bought your tickets to `The Nutcracker,' I guess you can consider going ... but I would strongly advise your child, who is vaccinated, to wear a very snug N95 mask," she said. (Patch)
3. The addiction treatment kickback cases involving OC facilities and individuals are continuing. We learned on Monday that the Department of Justice has identified and filed criminal charges against 10 defendants. One, a 29-year-old man from HB, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks for referrals to clinical treatment facilities. His sentencing date is May 6; he faces 15 years in prison. (Random Length News)
4. Kim Bernice Nguyen is the mayor pro tem for Garden Grove. We learned Sunday that she’s throwing her hat in the ring for the OC Board of Supervisors District 2 seat, which includes HB. It is currently held by Katrina Foley. HB City Council member Rhonda Bolton tweeted her support and described Nguyen as “the type of visionary leader OC needs as we seek solutions to issues like climate change, income inequality, and ensuring that all voices are heard in the public square.” (@RhondaMBolton)
5. A suspected drunk driver in a stolen vehicle went on the run from the HBPD on Sunday. The chase ended up at a fence in Hawaiian Gardens. Before getting there, they drove through a variety of cities and endangered pedestrians and drivers there. (CBS)

Today's Huntington Beach Daily is brought to you in part by our friends at Ring, the home security company. Ring does a lot more than doorbells: check out their full suite of smart home products at Ring.com. And thank you, Ring, for helping to make local news happen in Huntington Beach!

Today in Huntington Beach:

• Christmas at Irvine Park's Christmas Train (4 PM to 9 PM)
• "Cozy Winter Love" Painting at Pinot’s Palette (6:30 PM)
• Trivia Tuesday at Triple Crown Tavern (7:30 PM)
• Pub Quiz at 2nd Floor (8 PM)
• Comedy Night At Gallagher's Pub (8 PM & 10 PM)

From my notebook:

• Our Yorktown neighbor lost their dog on Shangri-La and Independence on 12/12/21. He's all black with white on his chest and tips of paws. He's about 70lbs, was wearing a harness, is friendly, and only 8 months old. (Nextdoor)
• Can you give our Robinwood Park neighbor some input about going solar? Did you go through the SCE program or on your own? Who? How much? Good experience or bad? (Nextdoor)
• There's a new Huntington Harbour group for House Plant Addicts! Everyone who is interested is welcome to join. Here's the link: https://nextdoor.com/g/ub83eyi... (Nextdoor)
• There's been a COYOTE sighting near Dutch Haven America! It was trotting down Fantasia Ln toward Edinger on the sidewalk at 12:09 am Sunday night/Monday AM. (Nextdoor)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Tuesday off right! I'll be in your inbox tomorrow with a new update.

— Sylvia Cochran

About me: Sylvia Cochran works out of sunny Southern California and has been freelance writing full-time since 2005. She loves dogs, cats, books, plays Best Fiends (don't judge), embraces social justice, and tries to live out Micah 6:8.