Huntington Beach, CA-What a positive and historic night in the Ocean View School District! For the first time since OVSD was established in 1874, we have an all-female Board of Trustees, with women serving in every Board leadership position. I’m incredibly proud to be part of this historic moment alongside these dedicated women as we work together on behalf of our students, employees, and community.  At last night’s meeting, we were especially proud that we voted to approve our teachers’ contract, providing well-deserved increases in salary and benefits for the outstanding educators who work so hard for our students every day. Supporting and retaining exceptional teachers is one of the best investments we can make in our schools. We also welcomed a team from Circle View Elementary, including the principal, teacher, student and an officer from HBPD who shared their wonderful program raising money for charity and giving back to our community. The Board also received updates on district summer enrichment programs, construction and modernization projects, and OVSD’s budget. So many positive things are happening across OVSD, and I’m proud of the work we’re doing together!

Huntington Beach, CA-Big news on another loss for Butch Twining and his failed $25M lawsuit against me. He lost the original defamation case and now he’s about to lose the motion on fees as well. As you know, I exposed Twining for marching and chanting “while amongst” white supremacists at the September 10, 2025 Charlie Kirk rally at the Huntington Beach pier.  Video of the rally, widely available online, show that Twining was at the rally while white supremacists including Ryan Sanchez and Nick Taurus led numerous chants, including “white lives matter,” “fight, fight, fight,” and “white men fight back.” He denied his actions and the judge ruled that what I said was “substantially true.” I prevailed and he was exposed. The self-styled MAGA City Councilman, who is retired and was selected last December to serve as Mayor Pro Tem over his council running mate Chad Williams, claimed damages from lost business and political advancement.  If the ruling has confirmed, that he is required under the anti-SLAPP statute to pay my attorneys’ fees and costs. Butch Twining’s attempt to intimidate and silence me is now backfiring with his frivolous lawsuit. The fact is that he was at the rally while amongst known white supremacists and doesn’t like that he was exposed. He should be ashamed of himself for abusing the Court system, and now he knows he can’t use his high-priced LA lawyers to bully his constituents. The ruling was made by Judge Craig Griffin, who was appointed to the Superior Court in May 2009 by Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. My legal team, led by Lee Fink has given a very expensive lesson to Butch Twining in the First Amendment, but apparently one he needed to learn. Let’s hope Mr. Twining does the right thing and pays his debt on time. If not, California law allows for me, as the plaintiff, to file a lien against his home and other property, levy his bank accounts, and garnish his Huntington Beach City Council wages if he does not pay as ordered.

Huntington Beach, CA-At last night’s meeting, I announced that the Ocean View School District Board of Trustees has not taken any action regarding development of the Glen View property. Claims that the Board has approved high-density apartments or plans that would result in the loss of green space at Glen View are simply not accurate. At this time, our property development efforts are focused only on the Sun View and Pleasant View sites. We understand and respect that residents care deeply about their neighborhoods, our schools, and District property. These are important community assets, and we welcome public participation and thoughtful input whenever discussions about their future take place. At the same time, we ask our community to distinguish between understandable concerns based on rumors or speculation and decisions the Board has actually considered or made. Sharing accurate information is important, particularly when discussing issues that can significantly affect our neighborhoods and schools. If and when any underutilized District property comes before the Board for consideration, that process will take place publicly and transparently, with opportunities for the community to hear the facts, follow the discussion, and make its voice heard. We encourage residents to continue following our Board meetings, particularly the ongoing discussions regarding Sun View and Pleasant View, to see that public process in action. We value your engagement and look forward to working together as these conversations continue. Good things are coming for OVSD community and we are excited to get started. More news to come!

Bologna, Italy-Even from Italy, I wasn’t about to miss one of the Ocean View School District’s most important meetings. Last week, I attended our special board meeting remotely via Zoom to help interview candidates for the vacant trustee seat following Jack Souders’ resignation. Unfortunately, during the meeting, former 2024 school board candidate (and 2022 Huntington Beach City Council candidate) David Clifford used his public comment time to make a series of false and misleading claims about Ocean View School District finances, employee compensation, and board actions. Among his inaccurate statements, he falsely claimed that the district used one-time funds to provide ongoing salary increases. That is simply not true. He also misrepresented the 2022 compensation agreement, ignoring the fact that when California provided districts with approximately a 16% COLA, Ocean View approved a 10% salary increase, well below the state’s funding increase, not the exaggerated version he presented. Facts matter. Public trust matters. Anyone seeking public office has a responsibility to do their homework before speaking at the microphone. Spreading misinformation doesn’t serve our employees, our taxpayers, or our students. Voters deserve leaders who are informed, honest, and committed to the truth. That’s why I’ll be supporting Jennifer Rank for Ocean View School District Trustee this November 2026. I encourage you to do the same.

Huntington Beach, CA-Great news! Our board and district staff are exploring innovative ways to address two major challenges facing our community: declining student enrollment and the increasing difficulty for working families and public employees to afford housing in the outrageously expensive City of Huntington Beach. After receiving 25 proposals from developers through the RFP process, OVSD is evaluating workforce housing opportunities at the former Pleasant View and Sun View school sites. These properties are no longer needed for school operations, and we believe they can be reimagined to serve our community while remaining public assets. The school sites will NOT be sold. Our vision is not simply to build housing. We are committed to preserving significant open green space, protecting opportunities for youth sports, reducing blight and vandalism at vacant properties, and generating revenue that will help support public education. The proposed housing would prioritize school employees, teachers, police officers, firefighters, and other public servants who struggle to live in the communities they serve. Developers, not taxpayers or the school district, would bear the cost of construction. With enrollment declining by nearly 2,000 students over the past decade and only 13 of our 25 properties currently operating as school sites, it is our responsibility to thoughtfully steward public land for the benefit of current and future generations. Our board remains committed to preserving community open space while creating opportunities that strengthen our schools, support our workforce, and help keep Huntington Beach a place where working families can continue to call home. Thank you to board subcommittee members Vice President Patricia Singer and former board clerk Jack Souders for doing all the heavy lifting on this process to bring these ideas to the entire board as a whole. Thank you to Los Times, Daily Pilot, reporter Matt Szabo for summarizing our last Tuesday’s board item so well. The entire article can be read online at the ‪@Thedailypilot‬ or ‪@latimes‬ .