High tides in Huntington Beach this week have led to a local emergency declaration and more Pacific Coast Highway closures, as the super El Niño season begins to ramp up.
Author Archives: Michelle King
Michelle King joined the Tracy A. Wood Fellowship at Voice of OC in January 2026. The fellowship was founded by the friends and family of Voice of OC’s legendary civic editor to honor Tracy Wood’s journalistic legacy by promoting women in journalism.
As a reporting intern and fellow, King has covered Fullerton, Fountain Valley and Mission Viejo, along with countywide stories like how Orange County residents can claim a share of $700 million in unclaimed property.
Born in New Zealand and raised in Texas, King joined the fellowship as an honors student at Cal State Fullerton, where she was associate managing editor of the Daily Titan, the student-run newspaper, and producer of the Daily Titan podcast. She previously worked as a news editor and assistant copy editor for the paper.
Posted inTop Stories
PCH and Trainlines Face Closures as High Tides Batter OC Coasts
A portion of the train line running through San Clemente and two lanes of the Pacific Coast Highway will be closed this week as high tides have contributed to erosion along the coast.
Posted inCOAST
OC Cities Continue Bracing for El Niño
Dana Point, San Clemente and Yorba Linda officials are preparing for flooding from a “Super El Niño” season after a recent tropical storm and hurricane wreaked havoc on the coast.
Posted inDana Point
Dana Point Residents Rally Against Proposed Tree Removal
Proposed development at Lantern Bay Park has led to community upset after it was suggested that shade trees be removed from the property.
Posted inEmergencies & Disasters
Laguna Beach Doubles Down On Efforts to Save City’s Only Emergency Room
Council members approved $500,000 on Tuesday to fund ongoing efforts to save Laguna Beach’s single emergency room.
Posted inEmergencies & Disasters
Evacuation Orders Lifted For Norte Fire, 25% Contained
The Norte Fire has been contained by 25% and evacuation zones have been lifted, according to public safety officials.
Posted inLaguna Beach
Coastal Erosion Partially Shuts Down PCH in Laguna Beach
Following high tides and flooding in coastal cities this weekend, a Southbound lane of the PCH has closed near Laguna Beach, with no estimated reopening date.
Posted inEmergencies & Disasters
Company Behind Garden Grove Chemical Tank Emergency To Payout $125 Million
The payout comes after a chemical tank threatened to explode in Garden Grove in May of this year pushed 50,000 OC residents to evacuate the area.
Posted inCOAST
Transportation Authority to Get Sand to OC Beaches After El Niño Passes Next Year
OC Transportation Authority board members voted to continue the emergency along the coast, allowing for resources to be sent out to coastal areas faster, but sand replacement won’t start until February.
Posted inEmergencies & Disasters
Orange County Beach Cities Flood Ahead of Weekend Storms
A tropical storm in the Pacific is bringing high tides and storms to Southern California, with some beach cities facing strong wave surges and surface flooding already.
