Category: Orange County

California Student’s Suspension Draws Ire for Mask Mandates

Troy Pierini, a high school sophomore in Orange County, has been locked out of his classroom, had the police called on him, received a citation for trespassing, and ultimately was suspended, all because he has refused to wear a mask. Pierini, 16, says he has a learning disability, and the cloth over his mouth—and that…


Homeless Deaths Soar in Orange County: Health Director

SANTA ANA, Calif.—Orange County witnessed an increase in homeless deaths over the past five years, according to Orange County Health Care Agency (OCHCA) Director Clayton Chau. The cause of deaths among the homeless population remains unknown, Chau said, as he debunked the myth that the homeless were dying from COVID-19. He cited the 390 homeless…


Homeless Man Charged With Attempted Murder After Territorial-Related Stabbing

WESTMINSTER, Calif.—A Westminster homeless man was charged with multiple felonies after allegedly stabbing another homeless man on Feb. 12 over what appeared to be a territorial dispute, just weeks after being arrested on suspicion of stabbing another homeless man. Sang Van Phan, 47, was charged with attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon other…


Judge to Decide Who Has Authority Over OC Education Board Voting Map

SANTA ANA, Calif.—A judge is settling an ongoing dispute between Orange County’s education officials regarding who has the authority to determine local school districts’ election boundaries for the primary election in June. The Orange County Board of Education, the Orange County Committee on School Districts, and the Orange County Registrar’s office appeared in front of…


Former Laguna Niguel Mayor Killed in Plane Crash

LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif.—Orange County officials were mourning on Feb. 14 the death of former Laguna Niguel Mayor Robert Ming in a plane crash in Kansas. Ming, a managing partner and founder of the Quadrant Law Group, crashed a single-engine plane he was piloting on Feb. 13 at Johnson County Executive Airport. The 51-year-old attorney was…


Deputies on Leave After Killing Armed Man During 3-Hour Standoff

LAKE FOREST, Calif.—Multiple Orange County Sheriff Deputies are on mandatory leave Feb. 11, after shooting and killing a man Feb. 10 after he, officials say, charged at them with a knife, after a three-hour standoff in a residential neighborhood. “[We] really worked very, very hard to bring yesterday’s incident to a peaceful resolve,” Sheriff spokesperson…


Caruso Takes Steps to Enter Race for LA Mayor

LOS ANGELES—Rick Caruso, a billionaire developer, has made an appointment for Feb. 11 to file a declaration with the city clerk’s office of his intent to run for mayor of Los Angeles, a sign that he might join the crowded field, the Office of the City Clerk said on Feb. 9. Caruso has a scheduled…


Irvine Votes to Adopt 100 Percent Renewable Energy, Raising Electricity Costs

IRVINE, Calif.—The City of Irvine voted unanimously on Feb. 8 to adopt 100 percent renewable energy for residents and commercial businesses just two months prior to the service launch of a new “community choice energy” program, though some are concerned about the entity’s financial capacity to sustain its operation and its ability to provide good…


SoCal COVID Waning; New CA Bill Introduced to Allow Schools to See Who’s Vaccinated

LOS ANGELES—As the winter Omicron surge subsides, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health updated the mask compliance requirement for the post-surge period while a new state bill was introduced on Feb. 4 to grant schools access to students’ COVID-19 vaccination records. On Feb. 4, Los Angeles County reported 15,427 new COVID-19 cases and…


OC Board of Education Accused of Illegally Appointing Trustee

COSTA MESA, Calif.—Tim Shaw rebutted allegations on Feb. 4 from a lawsuit that claimed he was illegally reappointed to his vacant Orange County Board of Education seat in December. “I was eligible in all respects,” Shaw told The Epoch Times. The legal challenge filed in Orange County Superior Court on Feb. 3 by Michael Sean…