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Voice of OC
Where to Celebrate Independence Day Across OC
Orange County residents celebrate the Fourth of July, on Thursday through a number of parades, carnivals and firework shows. Independence Day commemorates the passage of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. There’s a host of cities in OC that actually celebrate Independence Day with events today – offering...
How Much Do Fireworks Impact Orange County’s Air Quality?
Every year, Orange County’s local air quality regulators issue a warning for residents that fireworks from the Fourth of July will leave pollution scattered throughout their air with negative impacts to their health. But there’s usually not much discussion about the issue. A Voice of OC review of...
Candidate Filing Period for the 2024 Presidential General Election begins on Monday, July 15
The following is a press release from an organization unaffiliated with Voice of OC. The views expressed here are not those of Voice of OC. Candidate Filing Period for the 2024 Presidential General Election begins on Monday, July 15. Eligible citizens interested in seeking local office can file candidacy documents...
Are Drone Shows the Future of Fourth of July Celebrations?
More cities across Southern California are turning to drone shows as a replacement for fireworks during the Fourth of July celebrations in an attempt to curb fireworks’ harmful environmental effects. This year in Laguna Beach, officials decided to scrap the city’s typical pyrotechnic show for hundreds of drones that...
Orange Asks Voters to Raise Taxes To Bail Out City Budget
Voters in the City of Orange are slated to decide whether or not to increase the city’s sales tax in an effort to keep the municipal budget afloat. On Friday, city council members narrowly voted 5-2 to put a 0.5% sales tax measure on the November ballot that – if approved by voters – would sunset in 10 years and generate $20 million annually.
OC Fair Prices Increase As Officials Try Saving Money on Equestrian Center
Parking fees at the Orange County fair are increasing as officials try to save some money on the Equestrian Center — after upping rent there. The OC Fair kick off on July 19 comes after officials approved a new $25 million administrative office on the fairgrounds. And it’s after...
Santana: Getting $9.5 Billion in County Taxes To Work on Behalf of OC Residents
Orange County’s Chief Financial Officer Michelle Aguirre is in a unique position to offer local residents a real CEO, one that focuses the $9.5 billion county government bureaucracy on improving quality of life rather than serving inside special interests and politicians. This week, the seven-months long selection process for...
Is Orange County About To Enforce Anti-Camping Laws Again?
A new U.S. Supreme Court ruling is once again letting a host of municipalities – including Orange County – begin enforcing their anti-camping laws. Now, it’s opening questions on what the future of government-funded shelters and homeless response efforts looks like. Orange County Supervisor Don Wagner, who...
Carrying on Musical Legacies, Chapman Mariachi Panteras
For some students, joining Mariachi Panteras reminds them of home. Editor’s note: This is an occasional series where Voice of OC works with local community photographers to offer residents a first-hand look at the local sites and scenes of Orange County. “Mariachi especially reminds me of my late great-grandmother....
Perez: Anaheim Young People’s Town Hall, Transforming Anaheim’s Future
Growing up in Anaheim, I experienced firsthand the deep-rooted inequalities plaguing our community. As a child, I had no access to youth centers or places of engagement, and I lived in neighborhoods that were neglected while the streets near the Disneyland Resort were continually maintained. In December of 2019, my family was displaced by a greedy landlord who evicted us to raise the rent, fueling the gentrification that has been pushing long-time residents out of their homes. The search for new housing was overwhelming, hindered by barriers set by landlords and the scarcity of affordable options.
Is A Westminster Councilwoman About to Be Censured?
Westminster Councilwoman Amy Phan West is again facing a possible censure after her colleagues directed city staff to move forward with drafting a formal condemnation of her behavior. But now, the possible penalties include more than just a slap on the wrist. At Tuesday night’s meeting, council members discussed removing...
How’s Orange Going to Patch its Multi-Million Dollar Budget Gap?
Orange officials haven’t come to a consensus on the tough choice of asking voters to consider increasing local sales tax to help bail their city out of a budget deficit that is millions of dollars deep. It could result in even more cuts to public services as the deadline...
Free Things To Do This Weekend Across OC
Consider starting your weekend this Saturday by attending the Newport Beach Art Exhibition, or by taking a scenic hike through the Gypsum Canyon Wilderness. On Sunday, consider taking the kids to play with legos at Garden Grove Main Library, or attend an afternoon movie screening at the Costa Mesa Donald Dungan Library.
OC Supervisors Consider Gun Storage Law, Spark Constitutional Questions
A majority of Orange County Supervisors want to require gun owning residents to keep their firemans in a lock box or disabled by a trigger lock when stored at home. It’s sparking questions on how such a law would be enforced and if it’s constitutional. At their Tuesday...
Santana: Who Gets The Reins At The County of Orange?
It may be mid-August before Orange County Supervisors are all able to get back together. And the county’s Chief Executive Officer, Frank Kim, is scheduled to leave July 11. That means the County of Orange is facing a leadership vacuum not seen since the 1994 bankruptcy. It’s a sprawling...
CA State Senator Introduces Bill To Ban Drones Used by Most OC Police
Most of the drones used by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and various police departments could be outlawed in the near future under a new state bill outlawing any blacklisted military equipment. In a statement announcing the bill, State Senator Tom Umberg (D-Santa Ana) highlighted recent concerns around Da...
Phelps: OCPA’s “Clean” Coal
From all appearances coal-fired power has disappeared from California — with rare exception it no longer appears on energy providers’ Power Content Labels. But a different reality is occurring off stage. Coal is propping up California’s seemingly spectacular renewable energy achievements, seeping into the portfolios of many energy retailers, including Orange County Power Authority (OCPA). Due to a loophole, nearly 60% of coal’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are not even counted, depressing energy retailers’ advertised carbon reductions, which misleads consumers.
Grand Jury: Organic Waste is Filling Up OC Landfills, Producing Methane
Most Orange County cities are failing to recycle organic waste, according to a new grand jury report that examined OC jurisdictions and local waste facilities and how they’re responding to statewide recycling goals. “The majority of Orange County jurisdictions have not yet distributed residential waste containers that meet the...
Orange Residents May Soon Vote on Effort to Raise Sales Tax to Keep City Budget Afloat
Voters living in the City of Orange could decide this November if they want to raise sales tax on themselves in order to keep the city’s budget afloat. It comes as city officials grapple with an expected $8.7 million spending deficit – down from the initial $19 million projected after city council members made a series of budget cuts and targeted new revenue streams.
Santana: Finding Orange County’s Next CEO Just Got Complicated
Orange County’s CEO Frank Kim is ready to dust off and wax up his old surfboard – with a pending retirement scheduled for the week after Fourth of July. Yet with just under three weeks left to go on his tenure, there’s no replacement. No trained chief...
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