The Cypress City Council is in the process of holding public hearings to create draft election maps in the city after settling an election lawsuit.
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 inCountywide
OC Animal Shelter to Allow More In-Person Visitors
Animal activists have spent years calling for the county-run animal shelter to fully reopen to the public. Now the kennel areas will open to visitors for three hours each day.
Posted inTop Stories
Dana Point Delays Handing Out New Short-Term Rental Permits Until Next Year
The city council voted 4-0 to hold off on giving out more short-term rental permits until more research is done on the existing rentals operating in the city.
Posted inTop Stories
San Clemente Adopts District Map, Boundaries Still Under Debate
The San Clemente City Council voted to adopt a district map, but some residents were so critical of the boundary lines that it will return to the council again for more changes.
Posted inTop Stories
Rancho Santa Margarita Moves Forward With District Election Map
The new four-district election system will allow voters to elect one council member in their district and at-large mayor starting in 2024.
Posted inTop Stories
Seal Beach Could Increase Parking Rates by 50%
City officials plan to raise beach parking rates to increase revenue if the California Coastal Commission approves.
Posted inTop Stories
How Transparent is Your Local OC School District?
An analysis found that while most school district board members are filing forms on time, these public records still pose a challenge to access.
Posted inTop Stories
Who’s Financing the Elected Officials Overseeing Your Local School?
While Orange County’s school districts are getting more political, parents can’t easily find out what interests are behind each school board member.
Posted inTop Stories
Dana Point Could Make Dozens of New Short-Term Rental Permits Available
The Dana Point City Council could allow 37 new permits, which would create additional short-term rentals like Airbnb.
Posted inTop Stories
Laguna Beach Debates Beachgoers Digging Out Sand Berm at Aliso Beach
Environmentalists and Laguna Beach locals point to the ecological impact of skimboarders who breach parts of the berm to create standing wave pools.
