The Brief

You don't have to trudge to an Orange County government office in Santa Ana anymore to get vital records like birth certificates and marriage licenses and even passports: Orange County Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen is bringing the office to you.

The Clerk-Recorder now has an office on wheels — a tricked out van — and is pulling into spots across Orange County to make it easier for residents to get key documents. You can check the website to see when the van will be near you, and make an appointment.

Nguyen said his office is trying to help people who can't afford to take a day off work or otherwise struggle to get in the door during typical government office hours.

"The van represents a practical shift in how we deliver public services," Nguyen said.

To that end, upcoming, off-hour pop-ups include:

Saturday, Jan. 24: Dedicated to passports, at Magnolia High School in Anaheim, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Details here about how to book an appointment.

Starting Satuday, Feb. 14: Valentine's Day kicks off a series of Saturday hours throughout 2026 for marriages, passports and renewal of vow. Start the process here. (This series of pop-ups is just one example of why Nguyen has been dubbed "Orange County's Master of Love," for his new and inventive ways to help people navigate marriage licenses!)

Saturday, Feb. 21: The van will be at the Irvine Pony baseball league's opening day, to help parents who need birth certificates for their children, and other services.

Saturday, March 28: Dedicated to passports, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Book appointments here.

There's also a "Where's the Clerk-Recorder van today" button to check for updates. You can also make a request to have the van come to your events, school or neighborhood using an online form.

Why it matters

Nguyen said the mobile van has arrived just in time — the clerk-recorder's office has never been busier. The request for birth certificates skyrocketed 36% in 2025 over 2024. He said he attributes the rise in part to the county's population growth and outreach efforts. (If you don't know where your birth certificate is, or your passport has expired, why not get it all squared away now, instead of frantically getting it all done before a big trip.)

He said demand for passports is high, too. The mobile van is the state's first (and so far, only) designated passport acceptance facility, meaning it can accept new passport applications on behalf of the U.S. Department of State. (This office does not handle passport renewal applications — those go directly to the U.S. Department of State.)

The backstory

Nguyen said the office on wheels grew out of need to fill such growing demand for key documents — and the reality that many folks have trouble getting off work or making it down to the current locations in Santa Ana, Laguna Hills and Anaheim.

At one point, there was thought of opening a new office in the western part of the county, such as Garden Grove, to meet demands.

But Nguyen said he did the math and realized that a new office would cost about $1 million a year when calculating in staffing, leasing and more.

The van's price tag? About $200,000.

And he says he expects to have it for years. It only has about 250 miles on it so far after just a few months.

Why do I need the Clerk-Recorder anyway?

Here's a list of the services provided by the county's Clerk-Recorder Office. Basically, this is your go-to place for records, including birth certificates and death certificates, marriage license, fictitious business names, among other many things.

Los Angeles police officers shot and killed a man who appeared to be armed with a rifle outside the California Science Center in Exposition Park on Thursday morning, according to LAPD Deputy Chief Marc Reina.

Reina said police do not yet know the identity of man, who they estimate was about 35 years old.

No police or other community members were injured in the incident, Reina said. The science center was placed briefly on lockdown but reopened. The north side of the museum remains closed, the deputy chief said.

Reina said a motorcycle cop initially spotted the man around 9:30 a.m. carrying what appeared to be a rifle and walking west down State Drive, a small road that runs between the science center and Exposition Park Rose Garden.

Multiple cops responded to the scene and faced off with the man. The subject continued down State Drive, Reina said, before police opened fire.

Los Angeles Fire Department personnel arrived at the scene and pronounced the man dead, Reina said.

The incident will be investigated by department use-of-force investigators, the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office and the LAPD’s inspector general, the deputy chief said.

Investigators have not yet determined what prompted police to open fire, Reina said. Police do not believe the man fired his weapon.

Here's what witnesses saw

Stacey Hutchinson said he was sitting on a bench along State Drive drinking a cup of coffee when the incident unfolded.

He said the man appeared in good spirits and greeted him nonchalantly as he walked up the street before taking a seat. Hutchinson said he saw the man carrying what appeared to be a long gun.

Police initially responded with bean bag guns, Hutchinson said, but drew firearms when the man picked up the weapon.

Police opened fire after the man pointed the apparent rifle in their direction, Hutchinson said.

The man did not appear to be trying to enter the science center, Hutchinson said, and appeared to remain calm until police asked him to drop his weapon.