Email Author MATT COKER
Awards
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2011 - Southern California Journalism Awards/LA Press Club, published February 4, 2010
"Douchebag Does Sundance"
2013 Stories by MATT COKER
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Jason Leffler's Fatal Crash at Southern New Jersey Speedway Sparks Investigation
published Jun 14, 2013
New Jersey State Police say an investigation has been launched into the Bridgeport Speedway dirt track crash that killed NASCAR driver Jason Leffler of Long Beach Wednesday night.Leffler was in second... More >>
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FEATURED STORY
Mark Wesley Anderson, Who Forced Woman to Turn Tricks, is OC's First Prop. 35 Convictee
published Jun 14, 2013
Orange County prosecutors have notched their first human-trafficking conviction under California's Proposition 35, the initiative voters overwhelmingly supported last November to increase the penalty ... More >>
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FEATURED STORY
Robert Ruben Ornelas, Former Santa Ana Teacher Accused of Molesting Girl Relative, Was Outed by Brother: Update
published Jun 14, 2013
See Update No. 3 at the bottom of Page 2 on Ross Ornelas, the brother of the suspect, identifying himself as the one who turned Robert Ornelas in to authorities. Update No. 2 on page 2 has more detail... More >>
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Border Patrol Plucks 24 Off Panga in Laguna
published Jun 13, 2013
Panga, not to be confused with the Hasbro game Jenga, is a boat used to ferry undocumented immigrants from south of the border into the U.S. illegally. But the crafts are being used in a game of sorts... More >>
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Edwin Alan Wikstrom, Katella High Baseball Coach, Faces Nearly 4 Years for Sexting Teens
published Jun 13, 2013
See the update at the end of this post about the charges prosecutors have leveled against Wikstrom and the punishment the veteran local baseball coach faces with a conviction.ORIGINAL POST, JUNE 13, 9... More >>
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FEATURED STORY
Mayors of Newport Beach and Santa Ana Devise Plan to Keep Some Fire Pits in Newps: Update
published Jun 13, 2013
See Update No. 2 on page 2 about a proposal from the mayors of Santa Ana and Newport Beach to reduce the number of fire rings in the beach city and convert some remaining into cleaner-burning pits. Up... More >>
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Entrepreneur Media Firm of Irvine Targets Another "Entrepreneur," Who Swings Back!
published Jun 13, 2013
Give me a T for Texas, give me an L for Tennessee.That's L as in lawsuit, which is what Entrepreneur Media Inc. has brought in federal court against a Nashville nonprofit in the Irvine-based magazine ... More >>
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FEATURED STORY
Corinthian Colleges Stock Stung by SEC Probe
published Jun 13, 2013
Corinthian Colleges, a for-profit education company based in Santa Ana, made gains this year that shot its stock price up 12.1 percent as of the close of trading Monday. But those gains were gone by T... More >>
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What Do Moose, Erik Estrada and Buena Park Cops Have in Commonr (No Cheating!)
published Jun 12, 2013
Just to be clear, "Cop-in-a-Box" is not an Ice-T fantasy song. It's a nationally recognized computer system that allows investigators to break through firewalls to get to those who prey on children on... More >>
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Jennifer Renee Colwell, Accused of Torching Dana Point Lingerie Store in Fit Over Ex-Boyfriend, is Finally Wanted by Someone
published Jun 12, 2013
Lingerie is supposed to create sparks in the bedroom, but Jennifer Renee Colwell allegedly went straight to the source.A judge issued an arrest warrant for the 42-year-old woman who failed to show up ... More >>
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Cause of Valley High School's Boiler-Room Blast Remains a Mystery: Update
published Jun 12, 2013
See Update No. 2 at the end of this post about the cause of Valley High's boiler-room blast remaining a mystery. Update No. 1 is about students who sought treatment and were hospitalized.ORIGINAL POST... More >>
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Ron Martin, Corona del Mar High School Drama Teacher, on Leave Due to Report of Battery Involving Student, District Confirms: Update
published Jun 12, 2013
See the update at the end of this post about the Newport-Mesa Unified School District confirming Ron Martin is on paid leave because of a report of battery involving a student.ORIGINAL POST, JUNE 11, ... More >>
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FEATURED STORY
Police Seek Creeper Who Grabbed at Brea Olinda High Girls Cross-Country Runners
published Jun 12, 2013
A white man about 30 years old and 5-foot-9 with an average build, light brown hair and brown eyes is probably a pretty common sight in Brea. This particular fellow was even wearing the usual OC yuppi... More >>
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FEATURED STORY
Lauren Conrad Says Moving From Laguna Beach to Los Angeles Killed Her Voice
published Jun 12, 2013
Lauren Conrad, who went from Laguna Beach High School cast member in a MTV reality show to a branded commodity with her own clothing line and bestselling tween novels, claims Los Angeles nightspots ki... More >>
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Brandon Andreen, Costa Mesan with Bomb Threat in Past, Eliminated on The Bachelorette
published Jun 11, 2013
Brandon Andreen, the Costa Mesa painting contractor who was vying for the heart of Desiree Hartsock, was one of three contestants eliminated on The Bachelorette last night. "I'm blown away. I'm f-[BLE... More >>
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PBS SoCal: Based in OC But Soooooo LA
published Jun 11, 2013
Here's an idea: Orange County should gets its own public television station. What's that, you sayr PBS SoCal is headquartered in Costa Mesar True, but check out the headlines of the last three press r... More >>
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FEATURED STORY
Carlos and Roxanne Hernandez, Billed in April as Big-Time Illegal Steroid Distributors, Cut Deal That Could Have Them Out of Jail by July
published Jun 11, 2013
A guy who looks as if he could have been sampling his product and his wife (not so much) were arrested in April by Irvine Police and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents for allegedly makin... More >>
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FEATURED STORY
OCTA $1.26 Billion Budget is Up From Last Year and So is the Anticipated Service
published Jun 11, 2013
The Orange County Transportation Authority board on Monday approved a $1.26 billion budget that was up from $1 billion last year due to an anticipated increase in service.Funding for more buses on rou... More >>
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Resolution Honoring Beaches, Beach Access and Fire Rings Sparks Unanimous Capital Consent
published Jun 10, 2013
A joint resolution to honor California beaches and protect access to them as well as their fire rings was adopted today by the California Legislature with unanimous consent.Assembly Concurrent Resolut... More >>
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Ron Calderon, State Senator, Had His Offices Raided After the FBI Searched Newport Beach and Long Beach Properties of Campaign Donor
published Jun 10, 2013
When a breaking news event sucks up every amount of Los Angeles teevee news attention--take Friday's nightmare at Santa Monica College, for instance--I find myself hoping for an Orange County angle so... More >>
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Kobe Bryant and His Parents Settle Over Auction of NBA Superstar's Memorabilia
published Jun 10, 2013
A settlement has been reached that has Joe and Pamela Bryant issuing an apology to their son Kobe Bryant, and the Lakers' captain agreeing to drop his lawsuit and allow his parents to sell 10 percent ... More >>
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Peggy Tanous, Latest Real Housewife Going Belly Up, Has a Curious Bankruptcy Filing
published Jun 10, 2013
Peggy Tanous has reportedly gone where fellow Real Housewives of Orange County cast members Alexis and Jim Bellino, Lynne and Frank Curtain, and Simon Barney have gone before her: into bankruptcy.It's... More >>
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FEATURED STORY
Were Loiter Squad's Tyler, The Creator and Alleged Pimp Lebrette Winn Separated at Birthr
published Jun 10, 2013
Inquiring minds want to know: Were Tyler, the Creator and Lebrette Winn separated at birthr Both are 22 and, through my blurry eyes, have similar looks. Both hail from Los Angeles County, Tyler Gregor... More >>
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FEATURED STORY
Henry Bouldin Barred from Wearing Bag Over His Head at Big A
published Jun 10, 2013
All Henry Bouldin wanted to do was watch an Angel game with a paper bag over his head, is that so wrongrIt is at the Big A."Security just showed up out of nowhere," Bouldin reportedly said after Tuesd... More >>
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5 New No-Nuke Uses for San Onofre Plant
published Jun 07, 2013
The San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station is closing, it will take years to decommission, but it's never too soon to think about what should become of the all-new SONGS.After the jump, five potential ... More >>
