Numerous community organizations and food banks are gearing up for toy and food drives ahead of Christmas, with a host of them being held this weekend as families brace for cuts to food stamps and other social services.
As many OC residents are struggling with putting food on the table, some cities grapple with patching budget gaps as a handful of cities institute paid parking throughout the county.
A local Congressional race is heating up as Rep. Young Kim and Rep. Ken Calvert go heads up in next year’s primary election after Prop. 50’s redistricting put them both in the same district.
Meanwhile, Irvine City Council members are split over what comes next for the Great Park after they signed off on a land swap that is expected to lead to 1,300 new homes in the area.
As part of the swap, Irvine got $15 million from the developer, but city officials aren’t in agreement on what that should be spent on in the city’s flagship park.
In nearby Santa Ana, taxpayers are on the hook for a $2.9 million lawsuit after a jury found the former police chief retaliated against a former administrator who, in her lawsuit, alleged she was being pushed to choose between two rival police factions: the former chief or the former police union boss.
Ahead of next year’s elections, Aliso Viejo City Council members hiked campaign contribution limits – raising the maximum someone can donate to a council campaign from $1,000 to $5,900.
Voters in Laguna Beach will also decide on city council term limits next year, potentially putting a limit of two consecutive terms on their council members as the city is one of the few holdouts in OC without such limits.
Legal Airbnbs and other short-term rentals could be coming to Brea under a pilot program city council members are considering, potentially paving the way for 100 rental licenses – potentially generating half a million dollars for city coffers.
Spencer Custodio is the civic editor. You can reach him at scustodio@voiceofoc.org. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerCustodio.