The Mission Viejo City Council voted against opening a DMV branch in a local shopping center after resident concerns about student drivers causing accidents and increased traffic in already busy areas.
Author Archives: Angelina Hicks
Angelina Hicks is Voice of OC’s Collegiate News Service editor, leading the newsroom’s partnership with Chapman University that gives students the chance to report on civic news across Orange County.
Hicks was named the inaugural Tracy A. Wood Fellow in 2022, but she has been filing stories and mentoring students with the newsroom since her freshman year at Chapman in 2020. She reports on south county news and civics, including issues along the coast, the county-run animal shelter in Tustin and the OC Fair & Event Center. Her “Pets of the Week” series, published each Friday, highlights dogs and cats available for adoption at local shelters.
Hicks graduated from Chapman in 2023, where she was editor-in-chief of The Panther, the university’s student-run newspaper. She earned a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Southern California in 2024, where she was managing editor of Annenberg Media. She is an assistant professor of journalism and interim director of the journalism program at Chapman’s Wilkinson College.
Since she became Collegiate News Service editor, the number of student stories published on Voice of OC each year has nearly doubled.
Posted inALL TOP STORIES
OC Equestrian Center Rent Hikes Start This Week as Tension Mounts
With boarding rates for horses set to spike starting Saturday, the OC Fair Board had to vote again to approve the change after improperly passing the increases without majority approval.
Posted inALL TOP STORIES
How Big Should Buildings Get in Laguna Beach?
The city council passed an ordinance outlining building and parking standards in 2022 to prevent large-scale developments that wouldn’t fit the city’s atmosphere. However, an ongoing lawsuit from a local development firm pushed the council members to repeal the law completely.
Posted inALL TOP STORIES
San Clemente City Officials Set to Repair Storm Drains Damaged by Landslides
The storm drain and sewer lift station near the Cyprus Shore community have been operating with temporary systems since they were damaged in 2021.
Posted inALL TOP STORIES
Anaheim Union High School District Scraps Dozens of Scheduled Teacher Layoffs
After protests, the Anaheim Union High School District board trustees reversed its decision to lay off dozens of teachers at the end of this school year.
Posted inALL TOP STORIES
New OC Animal Shelter Director Looks to Reconnect With Public
Monica Schmidt, who served as the assistant director for OC Animal Care since 2020, took over as the new permanent director earlier this month.
Posted inALL TOP STORIES
Housing Horses at the OC Equestrian Center is Getting More Expensive
While the OC Fair Board was able to cut down the spiking rental rates for horse stalls slightly, many equestrians maintain that the price tag is still too high.
Posted inALL TOP STORIES
Two New Members Appointed to Orange Unified School Board After Recall
Trustees were appointed after a recall removed Madison Miner and Rick Ledesma from office.
Posted inNewport Beach
Newport Beach Harbor Commission Recommends Spiking Boat Mooring Rents
City council members will still need to approve the rent rate increases before it can go into effect.
Posted inTop Stories
Newport Harbor Boat Owners Confront Rent Spike on Offshore Moorings
Some mooring holders could see their monthly rates increase by nearly 500% if harbor commissioners recommend the spike to the city council.
