Tag: Orange County Community

Summer OC Fair Capacity Limited, Ticket Pre-Orders Required

Tickets for this summer’s Orange County Fair in Costa Mesa, California, are now on sale until they sell out and must be ordered in advance, officials have announced. The month-long event—Wednesday through Sunday beginning July 14 to mid-August—will be themed “Happy Together,” to highlight “community inclusion” according to a recent statement from organizers. This will…


Disneyland Postpones Reopening of Mickey’s Toontown

Disneyland officials in Anaheim, California, announced last Friday that Mickey’s Toontown reopening has been delayed from its original reopening date of March 8—now set for March 19—due to unexpected weather conditions, according to park officials. The cartoon-themed land will feature rides like “Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin,” “Chip n’ Dale’s Gadgetcoaster,” and other interactive attractions…


Memorial Plaque Unveiled for Fallen Huntington Beach Police Officer

City officials were joined by members of the Newport Beach and Huntington Beach police departments Feb. 19 as a memorial plaque was unveiled in tribute to fallen Huntington Beach Police Officer Nicholas Vella. The event took place at Marina Park in Newport Beach on the first anniversary of his death. “One year has passed, and…


COVID Lockdowns Dealt a Huge Blow to OC School Districts’ Financial Health

Commentary The fiscal year of July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021, dealt a blow to Orange County’s 28 school districts thanks to the COVID-19 lockdown by California Gov. Gavin Newsom. The coronavirus was unique in that very few school-aged children were impacted by the pandemic, but schools were closed all the same. The pain…


Nixon Library Brings History to Life at Presidents’ Day Celebration

The Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in Yorba Linda, California, celebrated Presidents’ Day Feb. 20 with day-long festivities with free pie, presidential re-enactments, and half-off tickets. Visitors are greeted by president lookalikes of George Washington, Ulysses S. Grant, Abraham Lincoln, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Andrew Jackson—each sharing memorabilia from the former leaders’ lives, followed by…


Laguna Niguel Mayor Publicizes Local Businesses to Spur Economy

Get a free donut, or 20 percent off a meal at a Laguna Niguel restaurant for saying the “mayor sent you.” That’s after the city began promoting two local businesses every month through its new program called “Mayor’s Mention.” Mayor Sandy Rains launched the program last month to support the local businesses, she said, and…


Orange County Family Seeks Donations for Earthquake Victims in Turkey

After one of their homes was nearly destroyed during the massive earthquake in Turkey earlier this month, a family is using restaurants it owns in Orange County, California, to gather supplies and donations for victims of the disaster. “[The earthquake] was terrible. It killed so many people. We knew we had to do whatever we…


Irvine Unified’s ‘Continuous Improvement Council’: A Social Engineering Experiment

Commentary The Irvine Unified School District (IUSD) in Orange County, Calif., has a plethora of advisory committees devoted to advising the board and administration on a wide variety of matters. Intertwined with all these committees is the “Continuous Improvement Council” charged with oversight of the district’s “Continuous Improvement Efforts.” This Council has been in place…


Hundreds Attend Memorial For Doctor Killed While Bicycling in Dana Point

LAGUNA BEACH, Calif.—Upon the entryway of the Festival of the Arts on Feb. 16 several hundred funeral attendees passed a well-used snowboard, scuba diving equipment, and photographs depicting memories of Dr. Michael John Mammone, 58, who was murdered while riding his bicycle along Pacific Coast Highway earlier this month. “They say grief can be heavy…


Tustin Restaurant Uses Robot Waiters, One of First in California

A Korean barbecue restaurant in Tustin, California, unveiled its new robot waiters earlier this month—now one of the first in the state to do so, according to its owner. The restaurant, called I Can Barbecue Korean Grill, has three such robots serving customers in a process grill, which “greatly improves” customer service, co-owner Esat Karaaslan…