Tag: Orange County Community

Uber Driver Gets Nearly 10 Years in Prison for Sex Assault in Santa Ana

SANTA ANA, Calif.—A 32-year-old man pleaded guilty Tuesday and was immediately sentenced to nine years and eight months in prison for sexually assaulting one of his customers while driving for Uber in Santa Ana, as well as a domestic violence incident in Garden Grove. Jason Rodas of Garden Grove pleaded guilty to single counts of…


UC Irvine Receives Largest Donation of $35.5 Million

The University of California–Irvine (UCI) received its largest donation ever at $35.5 million from alumni Paul and Jo Butterworth, university officials announced Feb. 13. The gift will support the Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences, specifically for student scholarships and to finance new research initiatives, according to university officials. “We are enormously grateful…


Chapman Unveils Plan to Become ‘One of the Great Universities in the Country’

Chapman University President Daniele Struppa unveiled plans to become “one of the great universities in the country,” during his annual State of the University address Feb. 10, including a fundraising campaign to increase its endowment, further strengthening its retention rate among undergraduates, the construction of new buildings, and an array of new degrees and programs….


Laguna Beach Brings Back Music Festival

Laguna Beach is celebrating its 21st annual music festival Feb. 13 to 19, including live performances and community events featuring classical and contemporary music. Co-presented with the Philharmonic Society of Orange County, a local nonprofit, the Laguna Beach Music Festival will also feature award-winning pianist Jeremy Denk, who is the festival’s artistic director. Denk will…


Shake Shack Expected to Debut at Irvine Spectrum Center This Summer

Shake Shack is coming to Orange County, with a new restaurant expected to open this summer at the Irvine Spectrum Center. The debut of the popular eatery is just a start, with more plans for expansion into Costa Mesa and Huntington Beach, according to a company press release. The new location at the Spectrum Center…


Members of Pacific Symphony Host Concert for Locals With Special Needs

MISSION VIEJO, Calif.—Four musicians from the Pacific Symphony teamed up with the city of Mission Viejo to put on a performance for children and residents with autism and other sensory sensitivities to light and sound on Feb. 10 at the Norman P. Murray Community and Senior Center. The concert was part of the Orange County-based…


Community Mourns Loss of California Lawyer Who Died in Mexico

GARDEN GROVE, Calif.—As people walked into the Feb. 11 memorial service of Orange County Public Defender Elliot Blair, 33, they passed joyful images of a life well lived. Scuba diving, water sports, beach visits, and a graduation photo were all representative of a man confident of the life he had ahead of him. “We are…


Family, Friends Mourn Loss of California Public Defender Who Died in Mexico

GARDEN GROVE, Calif.—As people walked into the Feb. 11 memorial service of Orange County Public Defender Elliot Blair, 33, they passed joyful images of a life well lived. Scuba diving, water sports, beach visits, and a graduation photo were all representative of a man confident of the life he had ahead of him. “We are…


Soccer League Helps Thousands of Kids in Orange County

In addition to sending local players to compete on the global stage, one Irvine-based soccer league has helped over 14,000 children throughout the county develop an appreciation for the sport, free of charge. The Orange County Soccer Club—the county’s only professional soccer team, in partnership with its foundation—has dedicated thousands of hours to serving the…


Soccer League Helps Hundreds of Kids in Orange County

In addition to sending local players to compete on the global stage, one Irvine-based soccer league has helped nearly 1,000 children throughout the county develop an appreciation for the sport, free of charge. The Orange County Soccer Club—the county’s only professional soccer team, in partnership with its foundation—has dedicated thousands of hours to serving the…