Orange County News

Police officers wearing black uniforms, hard hats and batons stand in the middle of a street.

Civics & Democracy

Santa Ana police have been violating state military equipment law for 2 years: ‘We messed up’

Police chief attributed the noncompliance to “an administrative oversight.”

A woman with a dark skin tone wearing bright red chef coat and heart-shaped sunglasses and a checked head wrap beams next to her “Hot Grease” fish and fries stand, sunlight bouncing off crisp golden batter and palm-lined pavement at a bustling street market.

Food

‘This ain’t no damn fish and chips': OC pop-up brings Southern cuisine to SoCal

Asha Starks, owner of Hot Grease, is honoring a Black tradition on her home turf — the OC.

A street corner with a light pole on the sidewalk affixed with a license plate reader and 360-degree camera.

Civics & Democracy

Why were AI-equipped police cameras installed in this majority Latino Huntington Beach neighborhood?

The city says the cameras installed in the Oak View neighborhood are intended to fight crime. Some residents worry they could be used to aid in federal immigration enforcement.

A seal with mountains, rows of farm land, and oranges with the words "County of Orange California" surrounding the scene. The seal hangs on a wooden wall with words inscribed "In God We Trust." At the bottom right of frame there are the ends of three flags.

Civics & Democracy

Orange County supervisors revise their ethics code in wake of corruption scandal — but does it go far enough?

The Orange County Board of Supervisors voted to adopt the changes just days before one of their own — ex-Supervisor Andrew Do — is slated to start a five-year prison term on a federal bribery charge.

A small drone on a landing pad on a rooftop with palm trees in the background.

Criminal Justice

Huntington Beach becomes latest city to add drones to its police force

An increasing number of cities are using drones to respond to emergencies and "start recording immediately."

A man in a chair wearing a suit jacket, tie and glasses looks forward with a microphone in front of him. A sign in front has the official seal of the County of Orange and states "Andrew Do, Vice Chairman, District 1."

Criminal Justice

Ex-Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do is ordered to pay $878,230.80 in restitution over corruption scheme

Beyond the restitution payment, Do has been ordered to turn himself in to serve a five-year federal prison term by the end of this week.

A man in a suit jacket and tie looks off to the side, as the name "Andrew Do" appears on a name tag next to the official seal of County of Orange, California. "Vice Chairman, District 1," is written underneath the name.

Criminal Justice

Where is Andrew Do? Convicted ex-Supervisor is a no show at OC taxpayer restitution hearing for corruption scheme

Federal prosecutors have dubbed the former Orange County leader a "Robin Hood in reverse" for his misdeeds. So how much will he have to pay back?

A boy in a green t-shirt and blue gym shorts is playing a black and white keyboard in front of several metal kennels. At least three dogs can be seen behind the bars in the kennels.

Arts & Entertainment

How to perform for adoptable pets at the Mission Viejo animal shelter

The new program officially launched this week and is looking for more volunteers.

The waiting room of a car wash. A glass door fills the right side of the image, which says 'pull' near the handle. On the glass facing us are two printed 'private property' signs on top of one another. The one on top reads 'STOP: This is a private space for clients and employees only.' The one on the bottom reads 'Private property: ICE, CPB, Homeland Security, & any other federal agencies cannot enter without a signed judicial warrant or expressed permission from management. The left side of the image shows the inside of a room with a vending machine and a large cooler. There's a 'coca cola' sign on the wall. In the reflection of the glass, we see the tarp of the outdoor car wash, with the street and a line of restaurants and buildings further in the background.

Civics & Democracy

Dozens of SoCal car washes have been raided by ICE. Why aren't employers the focus?

Notably absent from those facing penalties during this era of stepped-up immigration enforcement are the employers themselves: LAist found just one instance since January in which an employer was penalized for hiring unauthorized workers.

Civics & Democracy

Orange County Supervisors revisit ethics code in wake of Andrew Do corruption scandal

The Orange County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to vote on whether to adopt the changes at its next meeting on Aug. 12.