Category: Orange County

Couple Gifts $50M for California Preserve 5 Times the Size of Manhattan

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.—Philanthropists Frank and Joan Randall recently continued their long-standing dedication to the conservation of California’s open space with a $50 million gift to The Nature Conservancy, which will allow for the acquisition and preservation of more than 72,000 acres in the Southern Sierra Nevada and Tehachapi Mountain ranges. Located 100 miles north of…


‘Potentially Fatal’ Dog Heartworm Detected in Mosquitoes in Orange County

GARDEN GROVE, Calif.—Active cases of dog heartworm, a parasite only transmitted from animal to animal through mosquito bites, have been detected in at least three cities in Orange County, the county’s vector control district confirmed in a Jan. 19 statement. “Heartworms are a preventable but serious and potentially fatal parasite,” Monica Schmidt, OC Animal Care…


Deputy-Involved Shooting Breaks out at Orange County Walmart

LAKE FOREST, Calif.—A deputy involved in a shooting inside a Walmart on Jan. 19 left a male suspect armed with a handgun and a knife wounded, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. “This is an anomaly for Lake Forest,” Carrie Braun, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s department, told The Epoch Times. Employees of the…


Congressional Bill Introduced to Fund the Police

A congressional bill was introduced on Jan. 14 to assist local law enforcement agencies by hiring more police officers and increasing their salaries. House Resolution 6375, called the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) on the Beat Grant Program Reauthorization and Parity Act of 2022, would increase the COPS grant program from $386 million in the fiscal year 2021–2022…


The Spirit of Volunteering: Orange County Officials Celebrate MLK Day

As Monday, Jan. 17, marks the federal holiday of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, many Orange County residents enjoying their day off of work and school often forget that Congress declared the holiday as a day of service in 1994. “Today, we honor the life, the courage, & the sacrifices of Dr. Martin Luther King…


Nearly All Southern California Counties Delay 2022 Homeless Count

A myriad of Southern California counties have delayed their counting of the homeless following the winter surge in COVID-19 cases. The event—known as a point-in-time count—provides an annual snapshot of both sheltered and unsheltered homeless people and is required by the U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in the last days of January of every…


Southern California Counties Delay 2022 Homeless Count

A myriad of Southern California counties have delayed their counting of the homeless following the winter surge in COVID-19 cases. The event—known as a point-in-time count—provides an annual snapshot of both sheltered and unsheltered homeless people and is required by the U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in the last days of January of every…


Defendant ‘Hums’ in Courtroom to Avoid Hearing Fentanyl Murder Advisement

SANTA ANA, Calif.—A man who had pled guilty to possession for sale of fentanyl and methamphetamine was directed by his public defender to hum inside the courtroom to avoid hearing an advisement that he could be charged with murder if someone dies from drugs he sells, according to the Orange County district attorney. In court,…


Orange County Judge Faces Inquiry in Accidental Freeway Killing of LA Deputy

SANTA ANA, Calif.—An Orange County Superior Court judge faces an inquiry from a judicial watchdog agency stemming from his handling of a murder case when he was a prosecutor, officials announced Jan. 13. Mike Murray faces an inquiry before the Commission on Judicial Performance regarding the prosecution of Cole Wilkins, who was convicted of first-degree…


Orange County School Board President Ends Meeting After Attendees Refuse to Mask Up

YORBA LINDA, Calif.—A school board president abruptly ended a Jan. 11 meeting after parents refused to mask up amid a mesh mask prohibition debate that threatened the expulsion of a sixth-grade student. Carrie Buck, president of the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School Board, urged attendees at the start of the meeting to put on a mask…