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Yusra Farzan
What I cover
I am a geek for city council meetings — meaning I watch those long local government meetings so you don’t have to. And I keep you informed on how decisions in Orange County’s 34 cities affect your electricity bill, how your taxes are funding the next big project, the resources available at your child's school and if there is a corruption scandal brewing within your local government. Orange County’s food scene excites me too. If you ask me about the foods of my childhood, I will tell you about its Levantine shawarma, Korean bulgogi, Yemeni mandi, Sri Lankan kottu, Indian chicken 65, Pakistani biriyani and Malaysian nasi lemak. And guess what, I can find it all in O.C. I hope to help people connect with the different communities that call O.C. home.
My background
I grew up in the Middle East, but I am of Sri Lankan descent and I can count people from 27 different nationalities as friends. I got my start in entertainment reporting but soon realized local news has my heart. My work can be found in the Orange County Register, The Guardian US, L.A. Times, Teen Vogue, NPR and BuzzFeed.
My goals
I want to help people understand how if they want to see systemic change in housing, policing, education or healthcare — it all starts at the local level.
Best way to reach me
Covering 34 cities can be a lot, so I need your help in being my eyes and ears on the ground. If you have a tip, you can email me at yfarzan@laist.com or on Signal at username: @yusramf.25
Stories by Yusra Farzan
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Orange County Board of Supervisors will vote on the item at Tuesday’s meeting.
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Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without twinkling light displays.
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A new cluster of halal food trucks means Angelenos looking for halal options don’t have to drive down to O.C.
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County records obtained by LAist show officials failed to follow through on recommended precautions ahead of the costly fire, now topping $400 million in claims.
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The review was prompted by reporting from LAist that found Steel directed a $1.2 million taxpayer-funded contract to a company that she was using for her congressional election campaign mailers. At the time, Steel was a county supervisor.
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Land movement. however, has slowed to an average of 3.3 inches a week
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Santa Ana would have been the first city in California to allow non-U.S. citizens to vote in city council and mayoral races.
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The pilot insisted on taking off despite being advised against it.
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There could be similar buyout programs in the future if federal funding is available.
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The Orange County city was poised to become the first city in California to allow non-US citizens to vote if Measure DD passed.
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Three of the council’s progressive voices were up for reelection.
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Valerie Amezcua, the incumbent, and Benjamin Vazquez face off to be the next mayor of Orange County's second most populated city.
