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Voice of OC
Laguna Beach Ponders Mix of Local, Visitor Taxes For Nov. Ballot
Laguna Beach city leaders continue to grapple how best to tax visitors to match their impact on the beachside community. The council has until August 9 to submit ballot text. During a town hall meeting earlier this month, residents focused less on hotel guests but rather more on day-trippers, people who visit their beaches or restaurants and bars.
Gov. Newsom Calls on Local Leaders to Clean Up Encampments – Will They?
Local elected officials across Orange County may soon start clearing out homeless encampments under a new executive order signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom Thursday. “This executive order directs state agencies to move urgently to address dangerous encampments while supporting and assisting the individuals living in them — and provides guidance for cities and counties to do the same, ” reads a Thursday statement from Newsom.
Buena Park Leaders Put Sales Tax Hike on November Ballot
Voters in Buena Park may decide on a 1% sales tax increase in November after city leaders unanimously voted in favor of adding a ballot measure asking residents to approve of a tax hike. Buena Park officials say they need more tax dollars for the city’s police department. This...
Free Things To Do This Weekend Across OC
Consider starting your weekend this Saturday by taking the kids to a family storytime, or by learning to sew at the Placentia Library. On Sunday, consider going an early morning hike through Fremont Canyon, or attend an afternoon movie screening. This is just a handful of the many free events...
Kriz: Another 31 People Died Without Fixed Abode in OC in June 2024, and Part II of Dimensioning a Solution to our Homelessness Problem
Another 31 people without fixed abode died in OC in June, 2024. Their names are:. Ruby COLLINS who died on June 2nd in Huntington Beach. Michelle MARSTON KELLY who died on June 3rd in Fullerton. Vinny TRAN who died on June 5th in Fountain Valley. Antonio CASTRO SEGOVIA who died...
Seal Beach Voters to Decide on Sales Tax Increase to Curb $6 Million Deficit
Seal Beach voters are slated to decide on a proposed 0.5% sales tax increase this November in an effort to patch a $6 million budget deficit plaguing the city. It comes as Seal Beach City Council members grapple with where to make cuts in the budget – from police and fire departments to senior services, parks, street repairs and other essential services.
OC Veterans Cemetery Picks Up Steam Following Anaheim Approval
Orange County’s first veterans cemetery is one step closer to getting built after Anaheim City Council members signed off on needed approvals, paving the way for a final resting place in Gypsum Canyon. “What we’re doing tonight is something none of us get to do very much. And that’s...
Disneyland Workers Reach Tentative Agreement, Avert Strike For Now
Thousands of Disneyland workers will not be walking out on “The Happiest Place on Earth” – at least for now – after union officials announced early Wednesday morning that a tentative agreement has been reached for a new contract for 14,000 workers. “Cast members have fought...
Coastal Orange County Cities Grapple With Vacation Rentals
Short-term rentals, advertised on websites like Airbnb and Vrbo, are often viewed by residents as nuisances that attract rowdy crowds, loud noise and an influx in parking and partying. It’s an issue city officials struggle with along Orange County’s coastline where short term rentals invite tourists to enjoy beachfront property...
Irvine Looks to Tighten Lobbyist Rules
Irvine city officials are looking for ways to tighten and strengthen the city’s lobbyist rules after Anaheim’s corruption scandal showed how little lobbyist oversight there actually was in that city. It’s a scandal that also touched on Irvine City Hall. Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan’s former consultant and...
Irvine Looks to Bail on Orange County Library System After Yearlong Negotiation
Irvine is looking to officially ditch the countywide library system after years of arguing with county leaders over funding and setting up their own program in-house next year. Their departure takes away nearly 14% of the county’s entire library funding and over 167,000 items in their catalog under a new...
Could OC’s District Attorney Office Be Facing A Jury Trial Like Never Before?
Orange County’s District Attorney office could soon find itself facing a jury trial like never before. OC’s current top prosecutor, Todd Spitzer, finds himself in the center of an ongoing lawsuit by an investigator inside his own office – one alleging he engaged in “money laundering, terrorist threats, extortion and solicitation of bribes.”
Boyer: Kennel Staff at OC Animal Care are Stretched to the Breaking Point
The OC animal shelter keeps raising its budget but reducing frontline staff. The shelter had about 32 Animal Care Attendants (ACAs) back in 2017; it’s now down to 16. This has dire consequences for the staff and for the animals in the shelter’s care, including big dogs, small dogs, puppies, cats, kittens, and bunnies.
San Clemente Needs More Money For Sand
San Clemente’s beaches are in desperate need of sand. As trucks begin dumping up to 50,000 cubic yards of new sand on North Beach — a project that’s costing the city $2 million — council members are grappling with how they’re going to be able to fund future sand replenishment efforts.
Disneyland Workers May Soon Strike at ‘The Happiest Place on Earth’
Disneyland workers may soon hit the picket line and go on strike against the largest employer in Orange County after a coalition of unions representing 14,000 employees overwhelmingly authorized union leaders to call a strike if they can’t negotiate a new contract. Last week, hundreds of employees called for...
Can Buena Park Afford to Hire 15 Police Officers?
Buena Park officials are looking at significantly increasing the police department’s funding based on a report that hasn’t yet been made public. With scarce public information on the report’s findings, city leaders are unanimously on board with suggestions that include adding 15 police officers over the next five years, along with 10 non-sworn positions.
California Coastal Commission Could Upend Huntington Beach Air Show
The California Coastal Commission could interrupt Huntington Beach’s Pacific Airshow unless the event’s operator and city officials can guarantee the waterfront is accessible to everyone and apply for the proper state permits to run the show. Neither of those things have happened. Yet the air show is already...
These Pets at OC Animal Care Are Looking for a Home
Today marks a full year since Milo was brought into OC Animal Care as a stray. He’s been at the shelter longer than any other dog. Staff notations about Milo indicate that he can be strong when on a walk and may pull on a leash. Staff recommend a child-free home for Milo.
Mid-Century Fullerton Library Restored to Former Glory
Fullerton residents have regained a beloved library, one of Orange County’s historic mid-century modern buildings, following 11 years of closure and a four-phase restoration to revitalize the structure. Gifted to the City of Fullerton by industrialist and art collector Norton Simon in 1962, the mid-century modern library was designed...
Voice of OC Stands Out At National Investigative Reporters Gathering in Anaheim
Voice of OC newsroom journalists stood out at the nation’s most prestigious investigative reporting conference this year in Anaheim, with over 1,500 journalists from across the country gathering to improve their investigative skills and network with other journalists. The conference is sponsored by Investigative Reporters and Editors – a...
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