Category: Southern California OC News

San Juan Capistrano Approves New City Seal

The city council in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., approved a new city seal designed by resident Kimberleigh Gavin—which will become official at the start of next year—during a council meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 6. For over 60 years the Mission San Juan Capistrano and its founder, Father Junipero Serra, was depicted in the city’s seal….


Two Firefighters Injured Battling Newport Beach Apartment Fire

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.—Two firefighters were injured today while battling a four-alarm fire at an apartment building in Newport Beach. The firefighters were rushed to a hospital where their conditions were not immediately known, according to a Newport Beach Fire Department dispatcher. Firefighters were dispatched at 10:30 a.m. to 200 Promontory Drive West, she said, adding…


Repeat Drunk Driver Gets 15 to Life for Crash that Killed 6-Year-Old Girl

FULLERTON, Calif.—A 55-year-old Anaheim man was sentenced Sept. 9 to 15 years to life in prison for an alcohol-fueled collision that killed a 6-year-old girl in Fullerton. Maximino Delgado Lagunas was convicted June 22 of second-degree murder. Normally, prosecutors would file voluntary manslaughter charges against a defendant in a fatal drunk driving collision, but when…


Man Gets 16 to Life for Killing Girlfriend in La Habra

SANTA ANA, Calif.—A 23-year-old man was sentenced Sept. 9 to 16 years to life in prison for fatally stabbing his girlfriend in his car in a restaurant parking lot in La Habra five years ago. Jose Antonio Bojorquez-Romero was convicted May 17 of second-degree murder with a sentencing enhancement for the personal use of a…


OC Animal Care Holds Free Adoption for 200 Pets

The Orange County Animal Shelter is holding its first annual Animal Adoption Day will be held on Sept. 10 in Tustin, kicking off a month-long where the first 200 furry friends will be taken home with the adoption fee waived. Both dogs and cats are available for adoption. Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley partnered with OC…


Oil Company Pleads Guilty to Misdemeanor Negligence in 2021 Southern California Spill

SANTA ANA—The company behind last year’s oil spill off the coast of Southern California pleaded guilty Sept. 8 to negligently discharging about 25,000 gallons of crude when its underwater pipeline ruptured, causing a temporary closure of beaches and fisheries. In a plea agreement with federal prosecutors, Amplify Energy and two of its subsidiaries—Beta Operating Co. and…


Huntington Beach to Provide Rental Assistance to Senior Mobile Home Residents

Elderly residents of mobile home parks in Huntington Beach may be eligible for temporary monthly relief soon, after the city councilors unanimously approved a rental assistance program Sept. 6. “I know this isn’t a panacea to the rental increases that our mobile home folks have been seeking, but it does potentially buy us some time…


OC Power Authority Challenges Call for External Audit, Objects to Grand Jury Report

Members of the Orange County Power Authority (OCPA) disagreed Sept. 6 with a recent grand jury report titled “Orange County Power Authority: Come Clean” and responded to a county request for a third-party financial audit. Findings from the grand jury’s June 24 report suggested the power authority lacked transparency, failed to hire qualified staff resulting…


More Than 4,000 Homes Affected by Power Outage in Laguna Beach

As temperatures in Laguna Beach, California, reached 91 degrees on Labor Day, Sept. 5, residents reported power outages affecting thousands of homes in the city during the peak heat of the day. Just the day before, the temperature soared to 106 degrees by 11 a.m. The power outage was initially reported on Monday, Sept. 5,…


More Than 4,000 Homes Affected on Labor Day by Power Outage in Laguna Beach

As temperatures in Laguna Beach, California, reached 91 degrees on Labor Day, Sept. 5, residents reported power outages affecting thousands of homes in the city during the peak heat of the day. Just the day before, the temperature soared to 106 degrees by 11 a.m. The power outage was initially reported on Monday, Sept. 5,…