Orange County Corruption Scandal
Irvine City Manager Interviewed by FBI in Connection With City Investigation
After Councilwoman Kathleen Treseder announced City Manager Oliver Chi was talking to the FBI, who confirmed he had spoken to federal agents about an ongoing investigation.
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OTHER NEWS
More OC City Officials Look to Crack Down on Street Vendors
Officials in Orange and Stanton are the latest elected leaders in Orange County to look at tightening regulations on street vendors in their cities.
Irvine Moves Forward With $1 Billion in New Great Park Debt for Development
The money is slated for the city’s new plan for the park, including an amphitheater, aquatics center, botanical gardens and a series of other projects.
Mission Viejo’s $12 Million Redevelopment Effort Raises Cost and Transparency Concerns
Officials are spending $12 million to get a new building for city staff and vehicles, along with plans to build some bridges and trails near city hall. But some question the transparency of the plans.
What Happens To Cities That Defy California’s Housing Mandates?
Penalties range from a small fee to losing the power to approve or deny building permits for cities that don’t want to zone for more housing as the state government increasingly cracks down on cities that push back on housing mandates.
OC Officials Want State Housing Credit for Motel-Home Conversions
OC Supervisors have been tasked with zoning for over 10,000 new homes in unincorporated areas – and along with half of OC cities have yet to get their housing plan approved.
Orange School District Hit With Two Brown Act Lawsuits Over Superintendent Firing
The two lawsuits take issue with the ousting of a superintendent, whose replacement chosen by the board majority resigned after weeks on the job.
OC’s Top Public Health Leader Dr. Clayton Chau Announces Resignation
Chau’s leadership through a turbulent early pandemic response – and as an Asian American public health figure at a time of heightened racism – was controversial and symbolic.
After Surf City Housing Lawsuit, Which California Counties Get to Be Suburban With Softer Mandates?
Critics of state-mandated housing goals point to special protections for the governor’s home of Marin County. On this, some of the fiercest of housing proponents can agree.
OC Cities Plan How to Spend Federal Homeless COVID Funding as People Die on the Streets
Fullerton and Orange officials plan to spend the money to help create or bolster homeless supportive services in their city, but none of the over $3.6 million combined in funding is going to create affordable homes.
San Clemente Holds Off on Private Security to Clear Out Homeless People, For Now
The debate on whether the council moves forward with hiring a security company is expected to continue at the April 18 meeting.
COROVONAVIRUS OC
DAILY: As of Thursday, Jan. 19: 1,515 new weekly cases, a 10.4% 7-day positivity rate, 23 new deaths (7,765 total) and 248 hospitalizations with 28 in ICU, per OC Health Care Agency data.
VACCINES: As of the most recent vaccine data through Monday, Jan. 23, 2,365,942 people are fully vaccinated and 225,350 people have at least one dose, according to the OC Health Care Agency. The agency shows 1,445,113 residents have a booster dose.
INSIDE THE NEWSROOM
Voice of OC Tracy Wood Fellow, Angelina Hicks Selected for Journalism Masters at USC
Hicks has been filing stories for Voice of OC since her Freshman year at Chapman, skills that helped her attract attention from one of the nation’s top journalism schools.
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Columnists
NORBERTO SANTANA, JR.
A pioneering leader in the nation’s rising nonprofit news movement and an award-winning journalist. Santana has established Voice of OC as the county’s civic news leader, uncovered the truths across Southern California governments for more than two decades and reported on Congress and Latin America.
ANNE MARIE PANORINGAN
Voice of OC’s food columnist — reporting on industry news, current events and trends. Panoringan has been writing about food for 8 years — interviewing more than 330 chefs and industry professionals. She has been recognized by the OC Press Club and is a recurring guest on AM 830’s SoCal Restaurant Show.
JULIE LEOPO
An award-winning photojournalist and visuals director. Leopo has captured a wide array of photographs visually documenting the news and soul of Orange County local government and community. Her work has also appeared in Vice, KCET, Ed Source, The California Endowment and OC Weekly.
PAUL HODGINS
An award-winning arts journalist, co-founder of Voice of OC’s Arts & Culture section and a USC professor. He was previously, an arts writer and critic at the OC Register and San Diego Union-Tribune. He holds degrees from USC, the University of Michigan and the Royal Conservatory of Music.
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