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Angelina Hicks

I am a student at Chapman University studying journalism and communication. I am a journalist with experience at various publications looking to further my career. I currently work as a reporting fellow for Voice of Orange County, and I previously held an internship as a  news writer for The San Diego Union-Tribune. I am also currently the editor-in-chief for The Panther, my university's student newspaper, and I am expecting to graduate in the spring of 2023.

Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter

Thomas Jefferson

My Work

The Panther Newspaper •

John Eastman might be disbarred after disciplinary charges from California State Bar

The State Bar of California has released 11 disciplinary charges against former Chapman University law professor John Eastman for his involvement with the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection on Capitol Hill and attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. The charges include making false and misleading statements regarding election fraud in his speech before the insurrection. The California State Bar released a statement claiming that his speech provoked the crowd to assault and breach the Capit
Voice of OC •

Huntington Beach Leaders Consider Enforcing Anti-Camping Laws on Homeless People

A newly seated Huntington Beach City Council took a look at the city’s homeless plan last week and is pushing forward with new enforcement plans. Last Tuesday’s discussion was the first time since the new majority took office that they’ve discussed policy for the homelessness crisis after making a pledge in their campaigns to implement a 90-day homeless plan to clean up the streets. So far, that majority’s plan appears to be enforcing anti-camping laws and pushing homeless people toward the Na
Voice of OC •

Huntington Beach To Ban Anonymous Code Violation Reports Despite Warnings From ACLU

The Huntington Beach City Council members narrowly voted to ban anonymous code enforcement reports on businesses, despite pushback from the American Civil Liberties Union. The proposal — which passed with a 4-3 vote — will end any anonymous code enforcement complaints for businesses located in commercial zones. The ordinance still needs a second procedural vote, expected to happen at the council’s next meeting on Feb. 7. Mayor Tony Strickland said the proposed ordinance is meant to end false a
Voice of OC •

Years of Resident Concerns Spark Lawsuit Against OC Animal Shelter

Local activists continue to heavily criticize the county-run animal shelter in ongoing litigation currently playing out in Orange County Superior Court. It’s been a years-long battle between residents and county shelter officials. [Read: Activists Fed Up With OC Animal Shelter, Sue For Animal Abuse] Now, three nonprofit organizations are taking action against OC Animal Care, with court filings claiming the county-run shelter is failing to adequately care for the animals by providing clean liv
Voice of OC •

Newport Beach’s New $3 Million Animal Shelter Set to Open in February

Newport Beach is expected to run a city-owned animal shelter for the first time in its history after a group of residents raised $3 million. The facility is currently under construction and is slated to open in early February. A local nonprofit resident group, the Friends of Newport Beach Animal Shelter, spent five years raising funds to purchase the land and construct the facility. The resident group then donated the facility to the city of Newport Beach to function as a city-run animal shelt
The Panther Newspaper •

Jan. 6 committee recommends John Eastman face criminal charges two years after Capitol insurrection

It’s been two years since former law professor John Eastman spoke alongside Rudy Giuliani the day of the Capitol insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021. He’s now among the individuals — including former President Donald Trump — that the Jan. 6 committee is recommending face federal criminal prosecution for obstruction of an official proceeding and conspiracy to defraud the U.S. In the final report released last month from the Select Committee to Investigate the Jan. 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol, investi
Voice of OC •

Banning Ranch Officially Preserved as Open Space and Future Public Park

After decades of advocacy, Banning Ranch — Southern California’s largest privately-owned, unprotected coastal space south of Ventura — is slated to become a public park. Located near Newport Bay, Banning Ranch will be renamed the Randall Preserve and officially become the latest protected area in Orange County’s fight to maintain and preserve open space. The Trust for Public Land, partnered with the California Natural Resources Agency, the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority and th
Voice of OC •

These Dogs Are Getting Left Behind in Orange County Shelters

Some dogs in Orange County animal shelters and rescues have a more difficult time getting adopted than others. In Orange County, large dogs, mature dogs or dogs with perceived behavior problems — whether or not these perceptions are true — are most often left behind. Mike Cribbin, manager of Irvine Animal Care Center, said the combination of these factors can make or break an animal’s chances of getting adopted. “If you have an older animal and it happens to be larger and there’s at least a p
Voice of OC •

Orange County’s Election Pushes Some Big Changes to Small Cities

While much of the attention has been on Orange County’s larger elections like Congress and the Board of Supervisors, the results and turnout in the county’s smaller cities show the county is only growing more politically competitive as time goes on. Democrats won a few big seats in some of the smaller cities, touting victories like that of Stephanie Oddo, who’s poised to become the first endorsed Democrat on the Laguna Niguel council dais in the city’s history alongside four Republicans. In Se
The Panther Newspaper •

Election results: OC congress, board of supervisors

Orange County is in the midst of four major congressional races for the 40th, 45th, 46th and 47th districts. While the county used to be primarily Republican-dominated, residents have been seeing purple in recent years due to the mixture of Democrats and Republicans holding seats throughout the county’s districts. As of Nov. 22, some races are still close. Although not all ballots have been counted, the current results reflect about 97% of all ballots cast in Orange County. The Associated Press
The Panther Newspaper •

Public Safety to implement body-worn cameras by 2023

Public Safety recently announced that all officers will start wearing body cameras starting in 2023. These cameras will record all officer encounters when addressing incidents. Public Safety Chief Rick Gonzalez demonstrated the cameras at an event earlier this month. He explained that the cameras will increase transparency and accountability for their officers. “When you have video of an incident, you can release it quickly and it shows that you aren’t hiding anything,” Gonzalez said at the event.
The Panther Newspaper •

Election results: 2022 Orange City Council candidates

Twelve candidates ran for five open seats on the Orange City Council this year — the mayor and Districts 1, 3, 4 and 6. Mark Murphy was the incumbent, running against Dan Slater, a real estate broker and business owner. The mayoral race is the only seat elected at-large. The mayoral race is currently very close, but Slater was ahead with 50.5% of the votes as of Nov. 16. Murphy, who had 49.4% of the votes, has served as mayor and a city councilor for numerous terms, the first of which was in 1
The Panther Newspaper •

Chapman purchases $160 million apartment building, date of student occupancy unknown

Chapman University announced the $160 million acquisition of a new apartment building yesterday to address the lack of housing for upperclassmen students. The Anavia Apartments, which will be known as Chapman Court, is located in Anaheim, two blocks away from the Chapman Grand Apartments at 2045 S. State College Boulevard. It’s not yet known when students will be able to move into the building, but the university will begin renovations in the coming months. The purchase was meant to address t
Voice of OC •

Activists Fed Up With OC Animal Shelter, Sue For Animal Abuse

Three Southern California-based animal rescue groups have filed a lawsuit against OC Animal Care, claiming the shelter has been euthanizing adoptable dogs and the kennel closure has decreased adoption rates. Elizabeth Heug from OC Shelter Partners, Markelle Pineda from SAFE Rescue Team and Debbie Robin Friedman from Cats in Need of Human Care are named in the lawsuit against the shelter, which alleges that the shelter is on a “killing rampage.” “This case involves an ongoing pattern and practi
Voice of OC •

Mission Viejo Sees First Election With Districts: Who’s Winning So Far?

Tonight, Mission Viejo residents will decide whether to reelect city council members who’ve been on the dais for years, or vote in a slate of new candidates. Here’s where the vote is at, according to initial returns from the OC Registrar of Voters. • In the city’s first district, Robert “Bob” Ruesch led with 51.7% of the votes counted so far. Deborah Cunningham-Skurnik had 28.6% and Linda Shepard was behind with 19.69%. • In the city’s second district, Brian Goodell was ahead with 54.67% of the
Voice of OC •

Are Community Gardens Becoming Orange County’s Next Town Squares?

Community gardens throughout Orange County are part of a broader push to create more open space and a sustainable environment for people in areas where such space is dwindling due to development. Cities like Anaheim, Santa Ana, Huntington Beach and Fullerton have community gardens either run by the city, a church or a community nonprofit group – many are operated in park-poor areas. Advocates say the gardens help serve as a type of town square for residents while also teaching people how to ga
Voice of OC •

Who’s Financing Orange County’s Politicians?

Orange County cities are getting more transparent. As voters enter the final day of the election season, it’s getting easier for residents to track who exactly is helping finance their incumbent elected leaders – and their challengers – across the region. And regardless who wins on Tuesday, residents can now more easily check up on the financial interests and donors backing their new local elected officials. Over the course of several years, Chapman University students have been working with
The Panther Newspaper •

Who takes home the biggest paycheck at Chapman University?

As a private university, Chapman University is tax-exempt because of its purpose as an educational organization. As such, the university is required to file a Form 990 each year, a document that provides the public with financial information about a nonprofit organization. Chapman’s most recent filing is from the 2019-2020 fiscal year, and it includes a breakdown of which individuals had the most reportable compensation from the university. Here are the top 10 highest earners of the university:
The Panther Newspaper •

Q&A | 2022 Orange City Council candidates

Twelve candidates are running for five open seats on the Orange City Council this year — the mayor and Districts 1, 3, 4 and 6. The Panther sent a questionnaire to all 12 candidates asking for their best responses on why they should be elected, notable components of their campaign and what initiatives they want to push for if they were to be elected. The candidates’ answers have been lightly edited for length, clarity and stylistic standards. Mark Murphy is the incumbent who is running against D
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