People on both ends of California say they’re being pinched by high travel costs for flights in the Golden State, as airfare prices continue to climb after jumping more than 25 percent compared to the same time last year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The increase follows a 40 percent spike during…

USA Hockey on July 24 named four players from Orange County and one each from Los Angeles County and Northern California to its under-18 select roster for the upcoming Hlinka-Gretzky Cup in Slovakia. The tournament, named in honor of former Czech hockey star Ivan Hlinka and Canadian icon Wayne Gretzky, is set for July 31–Aug….

SANTA ANA, Calif.—A sedan driver died and his passenger was critically injured July 22 in a crash with a cement truck in Santa Ana. It happened just after 8 a.m. Saturday at 2400 E. 17th St., according to Santa Ana police. The driver, whose name was withheld, died at the scene. An investigation revealed that…

A Lake Forest city councilman charged with domestic violence said on July 21 that he was innocent of the allegations. Benjamin Yu, 40, was charged on July 7 with corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant and false imprisonment, both misdemeanors, according to court records. He is scheduled to be arraigned Aug. 23 in the…

An 87-year-old woman was struck and killed by a Jeep Wrangler in Irvine, authorities said on July 22. The motorist driving the jeep stayed at the scene and cooperated with police, according to Lt. Cathy Scherer of the Irvine Police Department. The victim was identified as Maria Servas, Ms. Scherer said. The black Wrangler was…

Limited supply is driving up housing prices in Orange County, with sales records indicating declining inventory and an uptick in price in June as compared to the same time last year. “It’s not insatiable demand,” Steven Thomas, founder of Reports on Housing—which publishes biweekly analyses of the real estate industry since its founding in 2004—told…

San Clemente residents can expect wastewater sewage rates to rise by 30 percent over the next five years after the San Clemente City Council voted 4–1 July 18 in favor of the rate hikes, with Mayor Pro Tem Steve Knoblock abstaining. Such rates will increase by 9.5 percent as soon as October. Going forward, rates…

A 36-year-old U.S. Army veteran was convicted on July 20 of fatally beating a 68-year-old neighbor during an attempted rape in Garden Grove nearly six years ago. Michael Aon Varela was convicted of murder with a special circumstance allegation of murder during an attempted rape. It was Mr. Varela’s second trial. A previous jury deadlocked…

A Lake Forest City Councilman was charged with allegations of domestic violence, according to court records obtained on July 21. Benjamin Yu, 40, was charged on July 7 with corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant and false imprisonment, both misdemeanors, according to court records. He is scheduled to be arraigned Aug. 23 in the…

Deputy Chief Rick Armendariz—who has served the Anaheim Police Department since 2019—will be sworn in on August 18 as the city’s new chief of police. The Anaheim City Council approved the contract with Mr. Armendariz—an Anaheim resident—on July 18. He will be the 37th chief in the 153-year history of the police department, according to…