Email Author MATT COKER

Awards

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

  "Douchebag Does Sundance"

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2010 Stories by MATT COKER

• UltraStar Cinemas Puts the Motion in Motion Pictures

  published Dec 14, 2010

  As the screen flashes images of the runaway train in The Polar Express, my theater seat dips, sways and lunges in sync with the action on screen. A car chase from Terminator: Salvation provides simila... More >>

• The Orange County Interwebs Horror Show Gets Sporty

  published Dec 14, 2010

  The Anaheim Angels of Los Angeles, the Santa Ana Drags, Huntington Beach surfers, Santa Cruz surfers and OC-bred quarterbacks Matt Leinart, Colt Brennan and Mark Sanchez wind up in this week's especia... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Lynette Rojas Arraigned for Allegedly Stealing $134,000 From the Boys & Girls Club of La Habra

  published Dec 13, 2010

  Lynette Rojas in is scheduled to sashay into an arraignment hearing in about five minutes to answer to charges that she stole $134,000 from the Boys & Girls Club of La Habra. The Orange County Dis... More >>

• Pirates of the Caribbean 4: On Stranger Tides Official Trailer Debuted, But You Can Still See It

  published Dec 13, 2010

  Time was, the premiere of a movie would be a big deal. Now, the huzzahs surround the premiere of the official trailer of a movie--or, at least, the trailer for a cash-cow picture like Pirates of the C... More >>

• Long Beach Cops Hold DUI Checkpoint Tonight, Costa Mesa Kicks Off the First of 2 This Month on Saturday

  published Dec 10, 2010

  There will be a DUI checkpoint from 6 tonight to 2 a.m. Saturday within Long Beach's South Patrol Division, which includes Anaheim Street to the ocean and from Cherry Avenue to the western edge of t... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Maggie Gallagher: Prop 8 Reversal Would End Human Species

  published Dec 10, 2010

  Folks are passionate on both sides of the gay-marriage debate, but at the end of the day, however the courts ultimately rule on California's Prop 8, it's not the like the world is going to end the nex... More >>

• [UPDATE:] Jeffrey David Kirby Convicted of Killing TapouT Co-Founder Charles "Mask" David Lewis, Jr.

  published Dec 10, 2010

  Update, December 10, 1:39 p.m.: Earlier this week, second-time drunken driver Jeffrey David Kirby, 53, of Costa Mesa was convicted of killing Charles "Mask" David Lewis, Jr., the co-founder of the Hu... More >>

• Gary Gruber is Accused of Molesting Buddy's Daughters, Ages 5, 8 and 13

  published Dec 10, 2010

  When do you know your friend isn't really your friendr Santa Ana police investigators would point to the case of Gary Gruber. The 48-year-old befriended a fellow he met while both were serving sentenc... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  [UPDATE:] 19 UC Irvine Students and Supporters Face Criminal Charges for Protesting

  published Dec 10, 2010

  rUpdate, December 10, 12:41 p.m.: Occupy UCI!--"an autonomous body in Orange County attempting to subvert hegemonic, state-supporting/ed protest by promoting radical discourse and militant action"--... More >>

• Dr. Mark A. Knight, Anaheim Hills Plastic Surgeon Accused of Sexy Time With Patients and Botched Surgeries, Surrenders His Medical License

  published Dec 10, 2010

  We pointed you earlier this month to the excellent reporting of the Los Angeles Times' Molly Hennessy-Fiske, who has exposed the non-regulation of California cosmetic surgery centers, including some i... More >>

• Grateful Groper Grabs Girls

  published Dec 10, 2010

  You know, if you're going to be a disgusting groper of girls on the street, you don't have to lose your manners.Take the brazen and perverted chap who was walking with a limp near South Street and Par... More >>

• Ugly Police Mug of the Week Goes to Man Wanted in '92 Slaying, Rojelio Reyes Calvillo

  published Dec 10, 2010

  This week's ugly police mug "honors" go to Rojelio Reyes Calvillo, who is accused of fatally shooting Santa Ana 22-year-old Antonio Cisneros, who was murdered as he was sitting in a car in the 7-Elev... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  [UPDATE:] DREAM Act Passes in the House, Stalls in the Senate

  published Dec 09, 2010

  rUpdate, December 9, 6:11 p.m.: The esteemed Surf City GOP Congressdude, Dana Rohrabacher, said on the House floor that the DREAM Act is unfair to "non-minorities."Oh no he diiiiiiiin'tr!rOh, yes.... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  [UPDATED:] Mark Gerard Petrash, Music Teacher Who Twice Exposed Skin Flute, Gets 90 Days in Jail

  published Dec 09, 2010

  Update, December 9, 4:04 p.m.: Junior high school music teacher Mark Gerard Petrash, who was convicted in September of two misdemeanor counts of indecent exposure and one misdemeanor count of f... More >>

• [UPDATED:] Alejandro David Sanchez, OC Homicide No. 50: Gunned Down in Bakery

  published Dec 09, 2010

  Update, December 9, 3:36 p.m.: A second man has been arrested in the murder of a Santa Ana man who was pouring himself a coffee in a local bakery.After Santa Ana police detectives served a search warr... More >>

• [UPDATED:] Caryl Baar, OC Homicide No. 61: Allegedly Shot by Husband, Who Then Turned Gun on Self

  published Dec 09, 2010

  rUpdate, December 9, 1:42 p.m.: The daughter of Arthur Baar, the 77-year-old Orange County sheriff's investigators believe shot and killed his wife of 50 years before turning the gun on hims... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  [BREAKING:] Sorry, Lt. Dan Choi: "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Repeal Fails

  published Dec 09, 2010

  rRepeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy that would have allowed gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military just failed in a 57-40 procedural vote in the U.S. Senate. Despite two-... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Charles Manson, Cell Phone Pitch Man

  published Dec 09, 2010

  rThe news that Charles Manson had a cell phone under the mattress of his Corcoran State prison cell probably doesn't surprise the mother of a young Anaheim woman who, as a teen, donned a "Free Man... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Owner Reunited With '73 Chevy Camaro Stolen in Santa Ana ... 27 Years Ago

  published Dec 09, 2010

  Robert Andrews reported his 1973 Chevrolet Camaro stolen in his hometown of Santa Ana on July 31, 1983.On Tuesday, the Nevada transplant was reunited with his sweet ride . . .. . . in West Los Angele... More >>

• [UPDATED:] Minh Anh Nguyen, Girls Volleyball Coach No Longer Facing Charges of Exposing Player's Vagina and Breasts

  published Dec 08, 2010

  Update, December 8, tk p.m.: Charges have been dismissed against 36-year-old Sacramento volleyball coach Minh Anh Nguyen, who had been accused of sexually touching a player while giving the teen girl ... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  The Other Bong Drops as Supervisors Formally Ban Medical Marijuana Shops in Unincorporated OC

  published Dec 08, 2010

  As expected, the Orange County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to formally ban medical marijuana dispensaries, pot-delivery services and any sale or distribution of cannabis within unincorporated ... More >>

• [UPDATED:] Dean Patrick Maldonado, OC Homicide No. 32: Bail Bondsman Shot in Quiet Neighborhood

  published Dec 08, 2010

  Update, December 8, 3:15 p.m.: After a five-month investigation into the midnight hour shooting July 17 that claimed the life of 49-year-old Dean Patrick Maldonado, the Orange County District Attorney... More >>

• Victor Villasenor and Libreria Martinez Go Together Like Roosters and Front Yards

  published Dec 08, 2010

  Victor Villasenor was born in Carlsbad and lives on the ranch where he grew up in Oceanside, but he returns to his Santa Ana roots tonight. That's where his parents, Juan Salvador Villasenor and Lupe ... More >>

• Need a Jobr Orange County Career Fair's Got 'Em

  published Dec 08, 2010

  Aflac, Wells Fargo, Farmers Insurance, Kaiser Permanente, National University, The Art Institutes, the University of Phoenix, Forest Lawn Memorial Parks, the Automobile Club of Southern California a... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Robert Rizzo, Who Helped Create the Mess in Bell, Now Cleaning Messes at Local Thrift Store

  published Dec 07, 2010

  rIf you walk into the Huntington Beach Goodwill Store, turn a corner and are confronted by a big tub of goo with a bad dye job on top, don't assume that's a big tub of goo with a bad dye job on to... More >>