Following the Orange County Board of Supervisors’ Dec. 20 vote to withdraw the county’s unincorporated areas from the Orange County Power Authority (OCPA)—a local energy provider embroiled in controversy and accused of lacking transparency—the county now seeks a new agency to replace it. With the county’s departure, representing unincorporated areas, the power authority now only…

The Irvine City Council voted 3–2 Dec. 29 to remain with the Orange County Power Authority (OCPA) following the Orange County Board of Supervisors’ decision to withdraw from the agency Dec. 20. The vote came in a special meeting agendized by councilmembers Mike Carroll, Larry Agran, and Kathleen Treseder. Agran and Carroll were the dissenting…

The Orange County Board of Supervisors Dec. 20 voted 3–2—with Board Vice Chairman Don Wagner and Supervisor Andrew Do dissenting—to withdraw the county’s unincorporated areas from the Orange County Power Authority (OCPA), a local energy provider embroiled in controversy and accused of lacking transparency. The agency also serves residents and businesses in the cities of…

The Orange County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Dec. 20 to authorize funds for opioid blockers, such as Narcan, for Orange County school districts. Supervisor Don Wagner initiated the plan with an allocation of $120,000. Of the lump sum, $20,000 will go to each school district within his supervisorial 3rd district—encompassing Orange, Tustin, Villa Park,…

The Orange County Animal Care shelter in Tustin, California, is waiving adoption fees for small pets through Christmas Eve, including cats, birds, bunnies, hamsters, and guinea pigs. Launching the program was Orange County Supervisor Lisa Bartlett, who allocated $30,000 to the shelter from the county’s portion of the American Rescue Plan Act, a federal program…

SANTA ANA, Calif.—The Orange County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution Dec. 6 with a 4–0 vote, declaring racism and inequity a public health crisis. Supervisor Don Wagner was absent. Chairman of the Board Doug Chaffee, who introduced the item with Supervisor Andrew Do, said during the meeting that racism has been associated with chronic…

The Orange County Health Care Agency—which monitors public health in the Southern California county—will move to a new, larger campus in Irvine at the end of 2024, after the Orange County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a $78.24 million contract for construction of the site during a recent meeting. Unlike the health agency’s current office—on…

After blocking Orange County’s plans to open a cold-weather shelter in Downtown Santa Ana earlier this month, the federal court judge presiding over the dispute allowed the county to open the shelter in a different location in the city at an Oct. 21 hearing. “It’s just inhumane to have people sit in the rain,” U.S….

After blocking Orange County’s plans to open a cold weather shelter in Downtown Santa Ana earlier this month, the federal court judge presiding over the dispute pushed local officials to find an alternative shelter solution that will allow walk-ups instead of just referrals. “It’s just inhumane to have people sit in the rain,” U.S. District…

Orange County Supervisor Doug Chaffee is running for re-election Nov. 8 for the District 4 seat, which includes Fullerton, La Habra, Brea, Placentia, and portions of Anaheim and Buena Park. Chaffee, who was elected Supervisor in 2019, is running against Sunny Park, the mayor of Buena Park. All four of Chaffee’s supervisorial colleagues have endorsed…