THE GARDEN GROVE
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Diocese moves forward with Christ Cathedral, names two architects for renovation work.
UNDERTAKING’ BY DOUGLAS MORINO ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
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Catholic life is viewed through the lens of history. And as responsible stewards, we’re very mindful of the history that has been here.” BISHOP KEVIN VA N N
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n August 2012, Bishop Kevin Vann was on a walking tour of the Crystal Cathedral property while on a break from a Knights of Columbus convention in Anaheim. The iconic church had been purchased out of bankruptcy proceedings by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange. Vann, then a bishop in Fort Worth, Texas, looked at the massive glass and steel cathedral. “This is incredible. This will be a huge undertaking,” Vann, now the bishop of the Orange diocese, remembered thinking. “A month later, I was here.” Vann was appointed bishop of Orange County in September 2012, after the retirement of Tod D. Brown and about seven months after the purchase of the Garden Grove property by the diocese. The Crystal Cathedral, completed in 1981 for its well-known Protestant congregation led for years by the Rev. Robert H. Schuller, and towering well above Garden Grove, has been reFor full covchristened the Christ Cathedral by the diocese. erage on the On Wednesday, Vann announced two architects who will denew architects sign renovations to the cathedral and sprawling campus. The and what they cathedral seats nearly 3,000 people and will become the spiritumight bring to al home of the county’s more than 1.2 million Catholics. the cathedral, The diocese is spending a projected $29 million to renovate see Friday’s the cathedral, which could take up to three years. Register. Vann said the past will not be forgotten. Crystal Cathedral donors have spoken out about plans by the diocese to eventually remove nearly 1,800 Walk of Faith stones, many of them already cracked and broken. The stones, the diocese said, need to be removed for construction and have been photographed and archived on a diocese Web page. Donors can choose to retrieve them. Vann said the architects and church officials will take careful steps to ensure the legacy of the Crystal Cathedral remains a part of the Christ Cathedral’s future. “Catholic life is viewed through the lens of history,” Vann said. “And as responsible stewards, we’re very mindful of the history that has been here.”
PHOTOS: ANA VENEGAS, THE REGISTER
Above: Bishop Kevin Vann talks about Christ Cathedral, which the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange is spending a projected $29 million to renovate. Top right: A statue of Jesus walking on water will be left intact. Middle and bottom: The cathedral will become the spiritual home of the county’s more than 1.2 million Catholics.
Veteran schools chief leading Westminster Interim superintendent replaces Richard Tauer, who retired after being placed on administrative leave. BY DOUGLAS MORINO ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
A former superintendent for the Cypress School District has been tapped to lead Westminster schools on an interim basis. Sheri Loewenstein retired as chief of Cypress schools in 2011 and is coming home, in a way, to the district in which she spent 16 years of her career. She is a former superintendent, assistant superintendent and elementary school principal in the kindergarten through eighth grade
Westminster School District. She has also worked as a coordinator for the West Orange County Consortium for Special Loewenstein Education. She replaces Richard Tauer, who retired in August after being placed on administrative leave in July for reasons that have never been explained publicly.
Tauer became superintendent in May 2010. Loewenstein will lead the district until a permanent replacement is selected by the board of trustees. The Westminster School District has two intermediate schools and 14 elementary schools in Westminster and parts of Garden Grove, Huntington Beach and Midway City. Meanwhile, Leisa Winston, superintendent of human resources, has taken a job with the Laguna Beach Unified School District. She will be the district’s director of human resources and public communication. Her last day is Sept. 30, said Westminster schools spokeswoman Trish Montgomery. A replacement has not yet been selected.
Westminster officials again oppose toll lanes on I-405 Plan would place economic burden on city, residents, leaders say. BY DOUGLAS MORINO ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
WESTMINSTER A proposal to create toll lanes along the I-405 has caught fire again from Westminster officials. The proposed toll lanes, part of a project overseen by the Orange County Transportation Authority aimed at reducing congestion, will be considered in October by the agency. But, city officials said, the toll lanes would create ●
an unneeded economic burden on the city, its businesses and residents by making it more difficult for motorists to exit I-405 and slide into Westminster and shop. Further, the city officials point out, the toll-lane proposal was taken off the table last October, when the OCTA board chose to add one general-purpose lane in each direction along the stretch of freeway through Westminster. But the board in April reopened the possibility of converting the existing carpool lanes into toll lanes; a lane in each direction would still be constructed. Last week, the council
unanimously approved sending a letter to OCTA officials detailing their opposition. “We keep voicing concerns, but I don’t see any solution for my city,” said Mayor Tri Ta. “I’m really disappointed.” The city supports a proposal that adds two general-purpose lanes in each direction, with only one additional northbound lane between I-605 and the 22. Gary Slater, a transportation engineer for the California Department of Transportation, had urged the council not to submit S E E TO L L ● PA G E 3