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Voice of OC • August 14 2025

Irvine Open Space Protection Ballot Measure Kicked to 2026

Irvine City Council members kicked discussions about an open space ballot measure — including whether or not the Oak Creek Golf Club might become housing — into next year after concerns that the issue was getting too complex for a special election this year.

Rumblings of a potential statewide election this year also encouraged council members to take a step back and instead bring forward the special election sometime in 2026.

The council was expected to consider four different ballot measures...

Voice of OC • August 12 2025

Irvine Grapples With Open Space Protections

Irvine has been long known for its idyllic parks spanning nearly 30% of the city’s land, but a recent housing development proposal on a golf course is raising questions over just how protected the city’s open spaces can be.

Earlier this year, officials debated a proposed development at the Oak Creek Golf Course, which saw questions over just how protected that land is under a 1988 ballot measure. 

Now, Irvine City Council members are slated to consider four different ballot measures about open...

Voice of OC • August 11 2025

Former OC Supervisor Ordered to Repay $878,000 for Role in Bribery Scheme

Before he heads to prison next week, former Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do has been ordered to repay $878,000 by a federal judge after he admitted to illegally redirecting millions of dollars in contracts for bribes. 

Do is set to begin his five-year prison sentence by Aug. 15 after he pleaded guilty to accepting over $800,000 in bribes in exchange for handing over $12 million of contracts to the Viet America Society, a nonprofit whose leaders allegedly pocketed most of the money.   

[Read...

Voice of OC • August 7 2025

Two Dogs Dead in Transport from OC Animal Care to Idaho

Two French bulldogs died while being transported across the desert in the middle of the night from Orange County’s animal shelter to a partner facility in Idaho last month, according to necropsy reports obtained by Voice of OC.

On July 12, two French bulldogs — a 2-year-old female known as Mrs. Toy and a 3-year-old male named OJ — were being transported to Idaho along with 23 other dogs in three vehicles and six total staff members, according to an incident summary provided by OC Animal Care sp...

Voice of OC • August 5 2025

OC Fair Restores Critical Social Media Comments on Prices After Questions About First Amendment Violations

Orange County Fair officials have restored social media users’ ability to comment on a controversial post about rising parking costs at the summer fair – after Voice of OC posed questions regarding potential First Amendment violations for deleting critical comments and removing the public’s opportunity to comment on the official post.

Voice of OC published a story last month detailing prices to park and enter the OC Fair, which have been trending upward over the past several years and remain hi...

Voice of OC • August 5 2025

Who Gets a Free Ticket to the Orange County Fair?

The price tag of the Orange County Fair keeps going up for just about everyone.

But there’s one group that continues to have easy, free access to the fair — local politicians and their guests. 

A Voice of OC review of the fair’s public ticket disclosures found that fair board members used nearly $20,000 worth of free tickets last year, and that over 30 OC city council members, one state assemblywoman and one congressman also got free tickets to the fair alongside exclusive dinners. 
About 300...

Voice of OC • July 28 2025

Irvine to Consider Options For Open Space Preservation Ballot Measure

Irvine voters will likely have a chance to cast their votes in a November special election to decide whether or not developers can develop 3,100 housing units at the Oak Creek Golf Course — as city leaders begin early steps to review the proposal.

It’s not yet clear what that ballot measure will exactly look like.

Irvine City Council members are expected to mull over a few different options during their next meeting on Aug. 12. Those ballot measure options will be published by the city for pub...

Voice of OC • July 23 2025

Why is Newport Beach on Track to Pay Two City Manager Salaries?

Newport Beach residents are questioning why the city signed up to pay for two city manager salaries in 2026 after the current top city employee decided to retire a year early.

Newport Beach City Manager Grace Leung previously had an employment contract that lasted until the end of 2026, but at a meeting earlier this month, the city council unanimously approved a new agreement that shortens her employment by a year.

She’s now expected to retire at the end of 2025, but when she leaves the city,...

Voice of OC • July 22 2025

Former Costa Mesa City Manager Alleges Unlawful Firing

After a narrow majority of Costa Mesa City Council members abruptly fired City Manager Lori Ann Farrell Harrison earlier this year, she brought a lawsuit against the city, claiming Brown Act violations and unlawful activity by the mayor.

She’s also claiming the city retaliated against her after she brought forward concerns of the mayor’s alleged illegal actions, like quid pro quo.

There have been few details offered to explain Farrell Harrison’s termination after a 4-2-1 closed session vote on...

Voice of OC • July 22 2025

Newport Beach City Manager to Retire a Year Early With Large Severance

Newport Beach’s manager is retiring a year earlier than laid out in her contract that was originally supposed to end in December 2026.

Now, Newport Beach City Manager Grace Leung will retire at the end of 2025, but when she leaves the city, she’ll be taking a large severance package with her — equal to a full year’s pay.

And if the council approves the employment agreement with the new city manager tonight, they’ll effectively be signed up to pay for two city managers at once in 2026.
Resident...

Voice of OC • July 22 2025

Irvine Voters Could Decide Future of Open Spaces in City

Irvine City Council members are expected to discuss an open space preservation ballot measure during their meeting Tuesday night — a potential special election that could clear the way for the Irvine Company to replace Oak Creek Golf Club with thousands of housing units.

Over the past few months, council members have been in the early stages of discussing what could become Irvine’s final residential village, known as Oak Park.

The Irvine Company’s preliminary proposal includes 3,100 housing un...

Voice of OC • July 17 2025

What’s the Best Way to Save San Clemente’s Disappearing Beaches?

Orange County and San Clemente leaders continue studying different options to widen the city’s dwindling beaches and protect the iconic rail line that runs right next to the ocean.

Over the past five years, the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner passenger train has closed five times after slope failures damaged the tracks. In total, the train was closed for about a year because of the damage.

[Read: Is Orange County’s Coastal Train Entering its Final Days?]
County transportation officials are in the pro...

Voice of OC • July 14 2025

Orange County Fair Opens This Week As Prices Remain High

The Orange County Fair is set to open on July 18 as prices for admission and parking remain high for the 1 million visitors expected this summer.

The fair is also opening on the heels of a new CEO hired from Alabama, who took up the new role effective July 1.

In the wake of ongoing federal deportation efforts, fair officials also say they’ll follow state sanctuary law that limits local and state law enforcement’s cooperation with federal authorities. 
Last year, prices to park and enter the fa...

Voice of OC • July 10 2025

Can Irvine’s Great Park Handle Large-Scale Events?

Irvine’s first-ever Fourth of July celebration was also the largest city-sponsored event ever — over 40,000 people attended the free festivities at the Great Park, including a community parade, live music, games, drone and fireworks displays and food vendors.

But that also brought with it a host of challenges like traffic jams and delayed events — raising concerns from some council members of whether or not the Great Park can handle these types of large events. 

Some people experienced delays,...

Voice of OC • July 8 2025

Is Irvine Going to Ask Voters for Approval to Develop a Golf Course into Housing?

Irvine residents could have the opportunity to vote on whether or not they approve replacing the Oak Creek Golf Club with housing – 37 years after residents voted to protect this area as open space.

City council members are contemplating constructing another residential village in the central portion of the city that would replace the golf course with 3,100 housing units, a new school, parks and other community spaces.

But residents and former city officials are raising concerns that the plan,...

Voice of OC • July 7 2025

Orange County Residents Protest Planned Residential Development in Trabuco Canyon

Residents living in and around Orange County’s canyons are protesting a 181-unit residential development planned for Trabuco Canyon — proposed and approved decades ago, but only getting its final consideration for approval now.

The site for the project, referred to as the Saddleback Meadows project, was originally zoned in 1980. In 1988, a tract map outlined a plan to construct 705 residential lots.

Over the next few decades, the project received legal challenges from several environmental gro...

Voice of OC • June 30 2025

Irvine City Council Re-Adopts Lobbying Rules to Settle Lawsuit

Irvine city leaders are settling a lawsuit with a group of residents who alleged the council violated the state’s open meeting law when it passed new lobbying regulations last year.

In a series of meetings last year, the council discussed and approved new regulations that require lobbyists to register with the city earlier and disclose their activities more often. 

The new rules were meant to provide oversight for advocates paid to influence city decision-making, especially after the Anaheim c...

Voice of OC • June 24 2025

Irvine Moves to Prioritize Affordable Housing for Locals

Irvine officials are reshaping their approach to affordable housing developments with a new emphasis on residents — at-risk of becoming homeless — who already live or work in the city.

Although Irvine is one of the county’s leaders in creating affordable housing, city staff members say that the discounted units usually go to people from outside the city.

“Irvine should be incredibly proud of the number of affordable housing units that we do have here locally,” Heather Dion, Irvine’s director o...

Voice of OC • June 23 2025

Huntington Beach Nixes Public Comment Restrictions After ACLU Warning

Huntington Beach city officials agreed to remove previous restrictions placed on public commenters after the ACLU sent a letter accusing Mayor Pat Burns of violating the state’s open meeting law, known as the Brown Act.

During a council meeting on May 6, Burns implemented several rules during the public comment portion of the meeting, including preventing residents from cursing or speaking directly to individual council members.

He told residents to address the council as a whole and interrupt...

Voice of OC • June 18 2025

Irvine’s Oak Creek Golf Club Could Become Housing, Does it Go Against a Voter Initiative?

Irvine City Council members are in the beginning stages of contemplating another residential village in the city — a development that could replace the Oak Creek Golf Club with 3,100 housing units, a new school, parks and other community spaces.

But residents are ringing alarm bells that the plan, in conjunction with the Irvine Company, would violate the golf course’s preservation as permanent open space, a designation passed by voters in 1988.

Some residents argue that since voters originally...

Voice of OC • June 17 2025

Orange County’s Public Defender to Retire in July

Orange County’s public defender is set to retire next month after a 28-year career in the department.

Martin Schwarz joined the Public Defender’s Office in 1997 and took over as public defender in 2020. He’s slated to retire on July 11 after announcing his departure late last month.

“Serving as the Public Defender has been the honor of a lifetime and leaving this position is far and away the most difficult decision of my career,” Schwarz wrote in a letter to the Orange County Board of Supervis...

Voice of OC • June 11 2025

Irvine Looks to Increase Enforcement For Sober Living Homes

Sober living homes in Irvine could be facing increased regulation as city council members look to enhance enforcement on the facilities that provide residential space for people battling alcoholism or drug addiction.

It’s a trend that’s been spreading across the county after the city of Costa Mesa won a legal battle that paved the way for jurisdictions to maintain local control over sober living and group homes.

During a special city council meeting earlier this month, the Irvine City Council...

Voice of OC • June 2 2025

Proposed Battery Storage Site in South Orange County Sparks Wildfire Concerns

South Orange County residents and elected officials representing the region are raising wildfire concerns about a proposed battery storage facility that could get built on the northern edge of San Juan Capistrano. 

Residents and elected officials railed against the proposal last week at a California Energy Commission meeting that lasted over 10 hours — while dozens of speakers emphasized concerns of wildfire risks for the facility planned near homes and schools.

The project applicant, Compass...

Voice of OC • May 19 2025

Rancho Santa Margarita Officials Resist Livestreaming City Council Meeting Video

Officials in Rancho Santa Margarita continue to resist adding a video livestreaming option for city council meetings — one of the last Orange County cities that only offers audio for the public to tune in from home.

Newly-elected Rancho Santa Margarita Councilmember Keri Lynn Baert brought forth a motion to investigate the budget costs and options for adding video livestreaming at the March 12 meeting.

However, none of her colleagues supported the motion, ending the discussion. 
“There is not...