Voice of OC
Free Things To Do This Weekend Across OC
Consider starting your weekend this Saturday by attending an early celebration of Earth Day at Laguna Beach Library with the kids, or by taking a yoga class at the Placentia Library. Weather permitting, consider starting Sunday with a 7-mile geocaching hike, or by attending the open hours at Heritage House...
The Making of a Mural That ‘Means Something’ to Santa Ana’s Sullivan Neighborhood
Santa Ana’s Sullivan neighborhood leaders are in search of a mural that fits. Neighbors got together this week inside the community room at the Country Club Mobile Park along S. Sullivan St. to talk about ideas, challenges. The cost of the mural. Fundraising ideas. How much labor goes into...
OCTA Offers Free OC Bus Rides for Earth Day
ORANGE – If you’re looking to do your part on Earth Day to honor our planet, consider riding the bus – and it won’t cost a thing. The Orange County Transportation Authority, on Earth Day (Monday, April 22), will offer free rides on OC Bus. No...
Olin and Palumbo: Democracy is Key to an Equitable OC — That’s Why We Need to Get Out the Vote
There are 1.8 million registered voters in Orange County. Yet in March 2024, only 37.7 percent of individuals exercised this fundamental civil right. People aren’t voting. And what’s more concerning as it pertains to our democracy: Those who do cast their ballot in California are not representative of the broader population — especially in Orange County, where the county’s majority are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC).
Huntington Beach Approves Smaller Water Rate Hike After Resident Outcry
Huntington Beach residents are in for a 55% increase on their water and sewer bill over the next five years, a smaller jump than city leaders initially pitched after hundreds of residents sent in complaint letters about price hikes. The new rate approved by city council members on a 5-2...
Huntington Beach Vows To Fight Sacramento Over Voter ID Lawsuit
Surf City leaders said they’re ready to fight the Attorney General in their third lawsuit with the state after the state’s top elections official said the city’s plans to implement new voter ID requirements is illegal. Huntington Beach’s new measure requiring voter ID in local elections was...
Santa Ana Continues Battling Needle Exchange Program
After a nearly year-long fight against the reopening of a needle exchange program in Orange County, Santa Ana City Council solidified their stance on Tuesday in opposition to a local substance abuse clinic’s pending application. Following public outcry from residents, local law enforcement and a consistent push from city...
Anaheim Approves $2 Billion Disneyland Forward Expansion
Anaheim officials approved Disneyland Forward – a proposal to expand the iconic theme park – and sell off three public streets, including Magic Way, to the entertainment juggernaut. City council members – a majority of whom had their campaigns heavily supported by Disney – voted unanimously early Wednesday...
Santa Ana’s Sullivan Neighborhood Wants Your Take on a Mural For This Wall
Santa Ana’s Sullivan neighborhood is calling on local students, artists, residents and city officials to join a dialogue about their latest neighborhood project, a new mural. The conversation is scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Country Club Mobile Home Park and hosted by the resident-led organization Sullivan en Accion,...
Huntington Beach to Consider Water Rate Hikes
Surf City residents could see their first water rate hikes in over five years come on Tuesday night, where city leaders are set to discuss an increase that could double their water bills. Water rate hikes have faced multiple cities and water boards throughout the county in recent months, with...
Boyer: A Deteriorating Animal Shelter and Millions in Suspicious Contracts
Elected County Supervisors get all the attention. We praise them and we blame them. The opposite happens with the unelected managers that hold sway over the county bureaucracy and taxpayer dollars. Usually, we just ignore them. Supervisor Andrew Do got flak for the 13.5 million dollars that the county sent...
CA Attorney General Sues Huntington Beach Over Voter ID Law
Huntington Beach is facing its third lawsuit with California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who announced Monday afternoon he’d be suing the city over for moving forward with voter ID laws following the March primary election. “The right to freely cast your vote is the foundation of our democracy and...
Newport Beach Harbor Commission Recommends Spiking Boat Mooring Rents
Newport Beach Harbor Commissioners unanimously approved a rental rate spike this week on offshore moorings that could increase boaters’ monthly bills by three or four times over the next several years. Their action comes after criticism from Newport Harbor boat owners who’ve said they won’t be able to afford...
Orange County Superintendent Quietly Misses a Year on Medical Leave
Orange County Superintendent Al Mijares hasn’t been seen in a public school board meeting in over a year due to medical issues, and questions are swirling on why nothing has been publicly disclosed. His position as superintendent is a unique one, serving as the only elected school administrator overseeing...
Girand: When Is A Listening Session Not A Listening Session?
The Orange County Transportation Authority drafted a report entitled “Coastal Rail Resiliency Study Initial Assessment Technical Memorandum” (CRRSIATM) in January 2024 and only formally presented it to the OCTA Board of Directors on March 11, 2024. In the report, it is revealed that the OCTA plan to keep trains running on the beaches in San Clemente and Dana Point will mostly consist of dropping tons of riprap boulders, scientifically identified to obiterate beaches. Riprap is mentioned 54 times in the report. Solutions involving sand are mentioned only 9 times, mostly as a reference to what others are doing. Estimates of this “plan” to be executed through the upcoming summer are $200 million. Boulders are already staged in San Clemente. The CRRSIATM is explicit that it will seek to evade all environmental assessments in order to prevent shutdowns next winter. Yet, a process for public input is taking place only once each month in March, April and May.
Orange School Board Gets New President in Wake of Recall
The Orange Unified School Board has a new president following the recall of two trustees – amidst mounting concerns the former president violated people’s First Amendment rights. “I think the community spoke loudly and pretty clearly about what it wanted and what they were not happy with and...
Irvine Launches New Shuttle System as OC Bus Service Continues Shrinking
Irvine is launching a new pilot program for shuttle services in town amidst a shrinking county bus system, raising questions on whether the city will be taking a bigger role in public transit moving forward. The new shuttle system, dubbed Irvine Connect, launched this month with over 70 stops throughout...
Is Anaheim Rushing the Approval of Disneyland’s Expansion?
Anaheim officials are expected to decide next week if they will allow Disney to buy three public streets, including Magic Way, and expand their iconic theme park as a host of concerned Anaheim residents want to know why the city is in a hurry to approve the project. “We need...
Anaheim Chamber of Commerce Bleeds Leadership in Wake of Corruption Scandal
Anaheim’s Chamber of Commerce is once again searching for a new chief executive after Laura Cunningham quietly departed earlier this year, marking another departure from the c-suite that multiple investigations found held outsized control over city hall for years. Those investigations were just part of a series of reviews...
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