Email Author MATT COKER

Awards

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

  "Douchebag Does Sundance"

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2013 Stories by MATT COKER

• Tatsuya Suda, Famous Computer Engineer, Accused of Criminal Conflicts from Japanese Telcom Firm's Secret Cash for UCI Research

  published Apr 23, 2013

  An internationally renowned computer engineer has reportedly been criminally charged for conflicts of interest involving secret payments from a major Japanese telecommunications firm funding his UC Ir... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  [UPDATED with Toothy Praise:] Will the Graphic 2013 Newport Beach Film Festival Trailer Mandible Be a Floss Leaderr

  published Apr 23, 2013

  See the update at the end of this post about the positive public, critical and dental reception to the NBFF trailer.ORIGINAL POST, APRIL 12, 1:43 P.M.: I--swear to God--have a teeth cleaning appointme... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  How to Stop Worrying and Love Lexus Lanes

  published Apr 23, 2013

  Remember that dust-up several years ago when it was discovered Caltrans was not filling potholes or performing other routine maintenance on the 91 freeway linking Orange and Riverside countiesr Seems ... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  David Rose Scammed Doctors and Dentists to Pay for Coto de Caza Rents, Luxury Cars, Powerboat, Green Bay Packers Stock: Feds

  published Apr 23, 2013

  A federal grand jury in Santa Ana has indicted a Coto de Caza businessman for allegedly defrauding dozens of doctors and dentists out of money to fund a luxury lifestyle that included powerboats, expe... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Arrested Development Fans Can Rejoice "I Just Blue Myself" at Santa Ana Art Gallery Exhibit

  published Apr 23, 2013

  You know it takes mucho to tickle us cynical bastards at the Weekly, but we see late May as Christmas with the Netflix release of new Arrested Development episodes.See, to us, Arrested Development is ... More >>

• Christopher Glen Phernambucq, Paroled Sex Offender, Guilty of Porn Shoot with Teen Boy

  published Apr 22, 2013

  A registered sex offender already on parole for making kiddie porn when he invited more underage boys to meet him and his camera in an abandoned Anaheim house was convicted and sentenced today to six ... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  [UPDATED with Substance is Sand:] Suspicious Package to Huntington Beach Fire Department Closes City Hall

  published Apr 22, 2013

  See Update Nos. 1 and 2 at the end of this post about the weird substance found in a mysterious envelope turning out to be sand.ORIGINAL POST, APRIL 22, 10:15 A.M.: Huntington Beach City Hall is curre... More >>

• Martha Socorro Marin Dies from BB Gunshot

  published Apr 22, 2013

  A Santa Ana man claims he accidentally shot and killed his girlfriend of 14 years, the same woman who bore him two children.The weapon: a BB gun.Daisy Rifle makers are on the way to lobby pols to stop... More >>

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  [UPDATED with Space Mountain Still Closed, Contractor Fined:] Disney Resort's Soarin' Over Cali, Cali Screaming and Matterhorn Reopen

  published Apr 22, 2013

  See the update at the end of this post on Disneyland's Space Mountain remaining closed, a contractor being fined and other rides reopening.ORIGINAL POST, APRIL 15, 9:13 A.M.: M-I-C . . .. . . See you ... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  [MOVED UP in Case You Missed It:] Arman Sadeghi Spreads Earth Day All Green Message: Recycle Electronics the Right Way

  published Apr 22, 2013

  This post that published Friday morning has been moved up for Earth Day and in case you missed it while our site was down.ORIGINAL POST, APRIL 19, 8:16 A.M.: Earth Day is Monday for you and I, but eve... More >>

• UCI Medical Center Workers Prepare for Strike Vote; UC Says Union Ducking Pension Reform

  published Apr 22, 2013

  Thirteen thousand patient care technical workers from the University of California's $6.9 billion medical system, which includes UC Irvine and UCI Medical Center in Orange, will start taking strike vo... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  5 Reasons You Missed Navel Gazing, Starring Chris Dorner, Mike Carona and Meth Lovers

  published Apr 22, 2013

  As Gustavo revealed, it was impossible for us Navel Gazers to gaze at our navels since Thursday afternoon . . .Gremlins Attack OC Weekly Website!But that did not stop the more hopeful among us from wr... More >>

• Rafael Lopez Convicted of Double Murder for Drunk-Driving Crash That Killed Father and Son

  published Apr 18, 2013

  An Anaheim 20-year-old who as a teen was charged with murdering a father and son in an early-morning 2010 high-speed, drunken-driving crash, was convicted by a jury today. Rafael Lopez was found gui... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Zachary Joshua Reeder, Teacher-Coach Alleged to Pose as Girl to Lure Boys, to be Arraigned

  published Apr 18, 2013

  After Zachary Joshua Reeder, a 30-year-old teacher at the all-boys Catholic Servite High School who'd also taught or coached baseball at Irvine's Beckman and Mission Viejo's Capistrano Valley high sch... More >>

• 6 OC Parents Arrested for Allegedly Ignoring Warnings of Children's Chronic Truancies

  published Apr 18, 2013

  Earlier today, I posted on Frank Cabada of Santa Ana's Hector Godinez Fundamental High School being among six Latino high school seniors from around the country honored this morning by the Hispanic... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Louis Richard Wood, Heroin Dealer, to be Arraigned for Murder in Woman's O.D. Death

  published Apr 18, 2013

  An drug dealer is scheduled to be arraigned Friday on charges of murdering a 21-year-old user by providing her with lethal doses of heroin and methadone and refusing to take her to the hospital when... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Huge Decline in LA County Porn Shoots is Not Orange County's Gain ... Yet

  published Apr 18, 2013

  A Los Angeles County law requiring the use of condoms in porn shoots is being blamed/credited for a migration of adult productions elsewhere--although not, apparently, to adjacent Orange County.Ventur... More >>

• Frank Cabada, Godinez High Senior, Honored by National Foundation for Engineering Studies

  published Apr 18, 2013

  A student at Santa Ana's Hector Godinez Fundamental High School will receive a national award this morning for the lengths he has gone to pursuing a career in engineering.Frank Cabada is one of six L... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Max Page, "Little Vader" of VW Commercial, Uses Force for Good at Saddleback Hospital

  published Apr 18, 2013

  Max Page, the 8-year-old actor who in 2011 starred as "Little Vader" for Volkswagen in one of the most memorable Super Bowl ads ever, is using the force for good.He's scheduled to appear at a Saturda... More >>

• Dwight Howard Visits Kobe Bryant in Newport Coast; Let's Hope Victory Magic Rubbed Off

  published Apr 17, 2013

  Dwight Howard recently went to Newport Coast to cheer up Kobe Bryant, according to a photo the Los Angeles Lakers' ailing captain posted on his new Instagram page.Let's hope a little Black Mamba magic... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Cheech & Chong's Animated Movie Rolls in Anaheim Thursday Night and at 4:20 on 4/20

  published Apr 17, 2013

  Anaheim is one of eight California cities where Cheech & Chong's Animated Movie screens at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 18.Of course, the crowds may really show up to UltraStar's UtraLuxe theater in Ana... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Did Bobby Hatfield Lose That Livin' Feelin' from Plot in Costa Mesa Suicide Bomber's Essayr

  published Apr 17, 2013

  Confession time: Like many in the media, I looked at Kevin E. Harris blowing himself up, having covered his Costa Mesa house in foil to prevent the government from reading his mind and writing the gub... More >>

• Local Films Get Their Due at NBFF

  published April 18, 2013

  I haven't seen any of the locally made or -tinged Newport Beach Film Festival (NBFF) entries I'm about to throw down, but don't let that stop... More >>

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  COVER STORY

  NBFF: Smaller, Shorter & Uncut

  published April 18, 2013

  The first—or close to the first—filmmakers I ever interviewed were these two guys who had made a couple of short films and were... More >>

• Atalie Mitchell Loses State Nursing License for Stealing Drugs from Patients, Using Post-Rehab

  published Apr 17, 2013

  The state's nursing board has revoked the license of a Mission Viejo woman who admitted stealing pain medications from Hoag Hospital patients. Atalie Mitchell's undoing began on April 4, 2009, when a ... More >>