Email Author MATT COKER

Awards

• 2011 - Southern California Journalism Awards/LA Press Club, published February 4, 2010

  "Douchebag Does Sundance"

More

2013 Stories by MATT COKER

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  John Campbell and Loretta Sanchez Confronted Over High Rents Paid to Campaign Contributors

  published May 21, 2013

  Lisa Guerrero, the centerfold-worthy "hardest-working sports reporter" per the Los Angeles Times who now does ambush reporting for the syndicated Inside Edition program, recently confronted representa... More >>

• 

  Babak "Bobby" Azadgilani, Rape Suspect, Turns Himself In; Past Harassment Alleged: Update

  published May 21, 2013

  See the update at the end of this post about Baback "Bobby" Azadgilani turning himself in to police and allegations of past harassment.ORIGINAL POST, MAY 17, 11:56 A.M.: Have you seen this fellow to t... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Kwang Choi "K.C." Joy Murdered Maribel Manriquez Ramos Over Rent Dispute: DA

  published May 21, 2013

  See Update No. 2 at the end of this post about the charges against Kwang Choi "K.C." Joy and the motive offered by the district attorney. Update No. 1 on the next page concerns allegations of past vio... More >>

• 70 UCI Medical Center Surgeries Rescheduled, Patients Transferred Due to Strike: Update

  published May 21, 2013

  See the update at the end of this post about a UC official claiming the two-day strike of patient care workers will cost $20 million, the union countering with examples of UC waste and deficiencies, a... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Richard Vanecko, Richard Daley's Nephew and Costa Mesa Resident, Faces Manslaughter Rap

  published May 21, 2013

  A Costa Mesa man who is the nephew of former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley faces trial in the Windy City for manslaughter. Richard Vanecko, 38, allegedly punched a Mount Prospect man in the face outs... More >>

• Saif Mohamed Moussa Held for Allegedly Trying to Snatch and Marry 17 y.o. Girl Shopper

  published May 20, 2013

  A man who allegedly wrapped a 17-year-old Barnes & Noble shopper in a bear hug and began carrying her out the front door of the Aliso Viejo bookstore saying he wanted to marry her was arrested Saturda... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Daniel Cortes Held in 3-Man Crew's Theft of Santa Ana Church Safe with $15,000 Inside

  published May 20, 2013

  A 29-year-old man suspected of breaking into a Santa Ana church with two others to pilfer a safe containing about $15,000 was taken into custody Friday. Daniel Cortes, who is believed to be the burgla... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Maribel Manriquez Ramos Confirmed to be Dead Body; Roommate Held in Murder: Update

  published May 17, 2013

  See Update No. 2 at the bottom of page 2 on the recovered body being identified as Maribel Ramos' and her roommate being arrested for her murder. Update No. 1 on page 2 was about a woman's body being ... More >>

• Christine Daniel, Who Hawked Phony Cancer Cure on TBN, Gets 14 Years, $1.2 Million Fine

  published May 17, 2013

  An ex-doctor and minister who hawked a miracle cancer cure via a program on the Costa Mesa-based Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) was sentenced today to 14 years in federal prison because her "brown... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Leticia and Noel Carrasco, Mother and Son Robber-Murderers, Draw Life Sentences

  published May 17, 2013

  Mother and son tag-teamers Leticia and Noel Carrasco received life sentences today for robbing and murdering a man in a Buena Park motel room after momma picked the fellow up in a Stanton bar with pro... More >>

• Sequestration Hits Santa Ana HUD Office with Friday Furlough Days Through End of August

  published May 17, 2013

  Due to the sequestration cuts, the U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) office in Santa Ana will close next Friday, May 24, and unless funding relief comes it will be closed select Fridays through... More >>

• Safieh Fard, Mortgage Scammer, Gets 5 Years After Guilty Plea, Withdrawal and Conviction

  published May 17, 2013

  A Newport Beach jewelry store owner, who withdrew her guilty plea in a family mortgage scam case just before sentencing only to be found guilty in Santa Ana federal court anyway, has learned her fate.... More >>

• Amali Dissanayake, Former Kaiser Urgent Care Nurse, Sues Over Poor Training and Placement

  published May 16, 2013

  A former Kaiser nurse is complaining in Orange County Superior Court that she was tasked with duties beyond her experience and training, and that when she complained and asked for more training, she w... More >>

• Newport Beach and Huntington Beach React Differently to Fire Pit Pollution Findings

  published May 16, 2013

  Call it "A Tale of Two City Takeaways:" Newport Beach and Huntington Beach's mayors, at opposite ends on whether to remove fire rings along their beaches, heard--and reacted differently to--state data... More >>

• Richard Newton Has More of His Short Films Rolling in Laguna Art Museum Tonight

  published May 16, 2013

  Richard Newton, an artist who would embed himself in various locations to find odd, ordinary images (moving and otherwise) that a wide spectrum of people could relate to, has a collection of his short... More >>

• Jennifer Larsen, Formerly of Hustler and Porn Site Digital Playground, Commits Suicide

  published May 16, 2013

  A former public relations and marketing executive with porn star site Digital Underground took her own life Sunday via a gunshot wound to the head, the Orange County Coroner has confirmed. That means ... More >>

• FEATURED STORY

  Lindsay Lohan Won't Have Newport Rehab to Kick Around Much Longer if City Gets Its Way

  published May 16, 2013

  It's a good thing Lindsay Lohan blew off Morningside Recovery for the Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage because the Newport Beach rehab may have closed with her in it!Following an Orange County Super... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Dita Von Teese Offers a Piece of Herself: Photos

  published May 16, 2013

  You have a day left to bid on a piece of Dita Von Teese, the burlesque superstar who went by Heather Renee Sweet when she knocked around University High School in Irvine. It's not a smooth, milky whit... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Nicolas Cendoya, Kyndall Jack Again Off the Hook for $160k Trabuco Canyon Rescue Tab

  published May 16, 2013

  See Update No. 2 on page 2 about the Orange County Board of Supervisors deciding behind closed doors not to charge the rescued hikers for the $160,000 in various government costs.See Update No. 1 on t... More >>

• Rare Boards (and an Even Rarer Book) Auction Raises $680k for Surfing Heritage Spot: Update

  published May 15, 2013

  See the update at the end of page 2 on last weekend's Surfing Heritage Vintage Surf Auction raising $680,000 and other event details.ORIGINAL POST, MAY 9, 2 P.M.: The Surfing Heritage & Cultural C... More >>

• German Bravo DeJesus, Healthcare Creeper, Guilty of Fondling Little Girls at Work and Park

  published May 15, 2013

  A 34-year-old Lake Forest man was convicted today of touching the vaginal areas of a 7-year-old visiting a family member at the Laguna Woods healthcare facility the creeper worked at and a 6-year-old ... More >>

• FEATURED STORY

  Sign the Petition to Bring Bluth's Original Frozen Banana Stand "Home:" Update

  published May 15, 2013

  Click here to find out where you can sign a Change.org petition to bring Bluth's Original Frozen Banana stand to Newport Beach!ORIGINAL POST, MAY 8, 1:30 P.M.: To promote the 15 new episodes being rel... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Petition Drive Launched to Bring Bluth's Original Frozen Banana Stand to Newport Beach

  published May 15, 2013

  As a guest food blogger brilliantly reported on the Weekly's Stick a Fork In It, NetFlix is promoting new Arrested Development episodes by taking Bluth's Original Frozen Banana stand to London, New Yo... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Could Costa Mesa Teen Turn into Bat Boyr

  published May 15, 2013

  You never know what you'll find tucked in a corner of your garage: a shattered holiday bulb, an unstrung wooden tennis racket, a rabid bat ... A 15-year-old Costa Mesa boy was recently treated for exp... More >>

• 

  Angel Rojas, School Janitor, Gets 9 mos. in Jail for Hiding Camera in Girls Restroom: Update

  published May 15, 2013

  See Update No. 2 at the end of this post on Angel Rojas Jr. being sentenced to 270 days in jail and the other punishment he received. See Update No. 1 on the next page on the Corona man being convicte... More >>