Voice of OC (https://voiceofoc.org/)
Scott Evans Dekraai, who committed the worst mass shooting in Orange County history at a Seal Beach beauty salon in 2011, was sentenced Friday to eight consecutive life terms in state prison without the possibility of parole, one term for each of his eight victims.
The Irvine City Council is rumored to have scheduled a closed session discussion of the veterans cemetery during its Sept. 26 meeting. The discussion reportedly will include using 100 acres of the veterans cemetery land for hotels, homes or other commercial purposes until the land is needed to bury veterans.
The plan could be illegal, according to two attorneys who specialize in California public records law.
Irvine City staff are asking questions about the future of idle portions of a proposed 125-acre veterans’ cemetery – possibly eyeing vacant parcels for commercial development. Veteran leaders are publicly worrying that an expected Tuesday vote to finalize a controversial land swap for the vets cemetery could be in doubt along with key aspects of the deal to bring a state veterans’ cemetery to Irvine.
All 13 cities that contract with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department for their police services have voted to conduct a study to examine and possibly help curb some of the costs.
While Los Angeles and San Diego counties have declared outbreaks of hepatitis A, local health officials say an outbreak has not come to Orange County, although they are “very concerned.”
The Santa Ana City Council is considering filing a lawsuit against the county – and inviting other cities to join – alleging mismanagement of the millions of dollars in federal homelessness money the county gets each year.
Orange County Supervisors keep wasting precious time with an anemic response to the homelessness explosion along the Santa Ana riverbed and downtown civic center. With Hep A outbreaks prompting action in both LA and San Diego Counties, how much longer will it take county supervisors to step up and protect public safety in Orange County?
New restrictions on lobbyists now are in effect in Anaheim, although enforcement of the law – known as the sunshine ordinance – will be largely self-reported.
While sex scandals have rocked the Santa Ana and Orange County governments in recent years, both continue to allow managers to date people they supervise and whose promotions they oversee. But new policies are in the works, officials say.
The Mission Viejo City Council unanimously voted to beef up its no-camping laws, despite warnings from lawyers and homeless activists who said the law could criminalize homelessness.
Orange County’s largest homeless camp, home to hundreds of people living along the Santa Ana River near Angel Stadium, has a new set of visitors: twice-a-week patrols by a contingent of two dozen sheriff’s deputies and other law enforcement officers.