Questions are surfacing on whether Santa Ana’s Police Chief and City Managers told the truth about how active federal immigration agents were in OC’s only sanctuary city.
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 inSanta Ana
Santa Ana Looks to Ban Whippets
Santa Ana City Council members are looking to join Orange County Supervisors and Stanton officials in banning the sale of nitrous oxide for recreational use.
Posted inEducation
Fear of Protests: Is Chapman University Trying to Silence Student Demonstrators?
In OC and across the country, students are raising concerns that their first amendment rights on college campuses are under attack amid deportations, arrests and disciplinary action.
Posted inWater, Power & Waste
How Hard is it to Throw Away Bulky Trash in Orange County?
While some cities make it easy for residents to throw out as much as they want, other cities limit residents to a handful of items per year.
Posted inAnaheim
Anaheim Cleans Up Another Problematic Motel
Officials continue to buy and convert problematic motels into housing for some of the city’s neediest residents – most recently transforming the Tampico Motel which into studio apartments for kids exiting the foster care system.
Posted inCulture
From Exodus to Emergence: Black April 50 Years After the Fall of Saigon
Ahead of the 50th anniversary of Black April, locals reflect and remember the Fall of Saigon and finding home and hope in Orange County.
Posted inAnaheim
Anaheim on Track to Require Tourism Bureau Show Convention, Hotel Bookings
Anaheim is considering a new contract with Visit Anaheim after state auditors concluded last year city officials failed to oversee the tourism bureau’s spending, leading to improper use of tourism tax dollars.
Posted inCountywide
Orange County Opposes Proposed Regional Gas-Powered Water Heater Crackdown
Officials across four counties in Southern California say a proposal to regulate the sale of certain gas powered heaters will financially burden residents while proponents say it’s necessary to improve air quality.
Posted inSanta Ana
Santa Ana Cracks Down on First Street ‘Drug Dens’ After Years of Police Calls
City officials may take legal action against property owners of two motels and a restaurant after nearly 1,500 police calls to their properties in the past three years, mainly due to drug activity.
Posted inSanta Ana
Santa Ana Looks to Crack Down on Problematic Sober Living Homes
City council members in Santa Ana are expected to join a growing list of Orange County cities regulating drug and alcohol treatment homes – cracking down on problematic facilities.
