As a statewide bill looks to make the sale of products with the psychoactive ingredient found in kratom a misdemeanor, cities are implementing their own ordinances cracking down on the drug.
Author Archives: Hosam Elattar
Hosam Elattar is a Voice of OC/ Report For America reporter covering Anaheim & North Orange County, food insecurity, housing & homelessness, the Arab & Muslim American community and education.
Elattar started at Voice of OC as an intern in January, 2020 and has covered local food banks’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic, School board debates on how to teach history, the decades long push by Arab American business owners to recognize Little Arabia and a corruption scandal at Anaheim City Hall.
He has won several awards from the OC Press Club including Best News Story, Best Political Story and Best Religion Story.
Elattar is Egyptian American and has lived in Botswana, Nepal, Uganda, The Dominican Republic and India.
Posted inEquality & Equity
Orange County Residents Remain in the Dark on Hate this MLK Day
While the county is continuing to publicly report hate crimes, there’s no longer any centralized tracking of hate incidents in Orange County.
Posted inAnaheim
Is Anaheim’s Controversial City Manager Going to Get Fired?
Anaheim officials are expected to question City Manager Jim Vanderpool behind closed doors amid renewed calls to fire him years after a corruption scandal first rocked city hall.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
CalOptima Braces For Health Insurance Eligibility Changes For OC’s Neediest Families
CalOptima leaders are warning of a host of eligibility changes to Medi-Cal this year and the next couple years that will make it harder for OC’s neediest residents to maintain their health coverage.
Posted inSanta Ana
Pursuit Crashes and Off Duty Police Car Wrecks Cost Santa Ana Millions
In the past six years, taxpayers have spent over $5 million on police car wrecks – including $1.2 million in settlement payments involving off duty officers driving city owned vehicles.
Posted inAnaheim
Will Anaheim Finally Know if Angel Stadium is Trashed This Year?
Anaheim residents are still waiting for the results of the city’s evaluation of Angel Stadium as officials mull the future of the city taxpayers’ biggest asset years after a corruption scandal.
Posted inPolitics & Elections
More Tax Increases Could be on the Ballot This Year
More tax increases measures could be on the ballot this year along with a host of other initiatives related to housing, open space, term limits and city governance.
Posted inCountywide
Orange County’s Biggest Headlines in 2025
As the year comes to an end, Voice of OC gives readers a run down of the biggest stories of 2025 including former Supervisor Andrew Do’s conviction, the passing of Prop. 50 and the latest on OC’s Veteran Cemetery.
Posted inCountywide
More Orange County Kids Are Homeless and Hungry This Christmas
More Orange County kids are homeless and depending on free school meals and CalFresh benefits as food bank leaders warn of drastic cuts and changes that will impact those assistance programs.
Posted inCountywide
Orange County Families Confront Hunger & Financial Woes This Holiday Season
Food bank leaders warn hunger will only worsen in Orange County without legislation to reverse the expected cuts to a federal food assistance program.
