Los Angeles Angels owner Arte Moreno is looking to sell the team to Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke four years after an Anaheim city hall corruption scandal upended the stadium sale.
While Moreno wasn’t accused of wrongdoing, former Mayor Harry Sidhu pleaded guilty to lying to federal investigators about sharing critical information with Angels’ representatives during Moreno’s bid to buy Angel Stadium – a deal that fell apart about four years ago when revelations of an FBI probe surfaced.
At the same time, Anaheim could be heading into a showdown with the California High Speed Rail Authority after city council members voted to swap a piece of parking lot at the regional transportation center with the OC Vibe developer for a lot across the street – a move state officials warned against.
Last Saturday, thousands of people were stuck for hours in traffic jams or waiting for rideshares after Olivia Rodrigo’s Daisy Chain Fields music festival at the Great Park, raising a host of questions over whether or not Irvine can handle such events – especially since city officials cancelled this year’s Independence Day celebration after a similar traffic nightmare last year.
On Wednesday evening, OC Fire Authority crews were able to stop the 250-acre Gibby Fire from spreading in unincorporated Rancho Mission Viejo.
While scientists scramble to figure out how Hurricane Marie will impact Southern California’s beaches, San Clemente and the Orange County Transportation Authority are looking to haul tons of sand onto the city’s disappearing coast in an ongoing effort to protect the beach and the nearby passenger rail line.
As OC Supervisors grapple with projected budget deficits, they signed off on 3% raises for several public employee unions for one-year contracts – raises some employees and labor leaders say are years behind while county officials instituted hiring freezes.
Questions are surfacing over whether Huntington Beach can afford 18% raises for police officers after a split city council voted for the pay boost, with some dissenting council members pointing to the growing municipal budget deficit.
At least seven Orange County cities accepted federal grants from the Department of Homeland Security to work with Border Patrol – a move some city officials say means local police will work with federal agents in drug bust operations, but some advocates are raising concerns that it could lead to immigration enforcement cooperation.
Newport Beach City Council members greenlit homeowner association cameras to monitor public streets if the associations acquire the necessary permits. The cameras are supposed to be in fixed positions and are barred from using things like facial recognition technology.
CalOptima – the county’s Medi-Cal health program for the poor – says a host of incoming federal spending cuts and eligibility changes means thousands of Orange County residents will be booted off the healthcare program, while it could be more expensive for others who stay on the plan.
A group of Brea residents are demanding more public records from the city so they can get a better picture of how city officials came to agreement on a tax-sharing agreement that’s paving the way for a Costco store and gas station to open in town.
Westminster City Council members lifted the public speaking ban on Councilwoman Amy Phan West after an OC Superior Court judge dismissed her attempted bribery case for completing her diversion program.
Through a state grant, Costa Mesa police officers are looking to offer bar patrons voluntary breathalyzer tests – a move city officials say they hope will curb drunk driving.
Dana Point officials are considering whether or not to protect hundreds of hundreds of palm trees from invasive beetle infestations that kill the trees, but some city council members first want to know just how high of a public priority the trees are.
Spencer Custodio is the civic editor. You can reach him at scustodio@voiceofoc.org. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerCustodio.
