🌱 14-Year-Old Robbery Suspect + Distracted Driving + Baker To Vegas

Hey, everybody! Today’s National Orchid Day; did you know this day actually honors a little girl named Orchid Faith? I'm back with your new copy of the Orange County Patch newsletter. Today you'll find news about...

• 💧 Fountain Valley’s Groundwater Replenishment System
• 🎨 Art education at the Fairhaven Elementary School
• 👟 The Baker to Vegas Challenge

💗 Please help us grow! Send a friend or neighbor this link, so they can be in the know, like you!

🌤️ But first, today's weather:

Sunny to partly cloudy. High: 70 Low: 52.

Business owners and marketers in Orange County: Do you want to build awareness with local customers? I have a limited number of sponsorships available to introduce our readers to local businesses they need to know. Click here to learn more.

⛽ Three of the Cheapest Gas Stations Across Orange County

• Gulf at 3300 E Imperial Hwy. in Brea, $4.45
• US Gas at 401 N Tustin Ave. in Santa Ana, $4.55
• 76 at 3400 E Coast Hwy. in Corona Del Mar, $4.63

💻 Social Media Poll!
Everyone uses social media – frequently multiple platforms. Or do they? If you had to eliminate all social media except one platform, which one would you keep?

📰 Here are the top stories today in Orange County:

1. The Irvine Police Department arrested a 14-year-old child on charges of “robbery, possession of stolen property and assault with a deadly weapon.” Reportedly, the boy participated in a Wednesday evening robbery at the corner of Passage and Nightshade. A woman left the Quail Hill shopping center with multiple bags, was robbed at gunpoint, and saw the suspects flee in a black sedan. However (and nogoodniks as well as impressionable youths might want to listen up), the victim’s property contained a tracking device that led the cops right to a suspect’s apartment, where they found the stolen property and a handgun. (KTLA, Patch)
2. Fountain Valley’s Groundwater Replenishment System is the world’s “biggest water recycling facility.” On Friday, officials celebrated its expansion. After a $284 million overhaul on the 15-year-old facility, it now provides “up to 130 million gallons of water per day,” which is great news for northern and central OC folks. It does so by recycling wastewater and placing it into the groundwater. Congresswoman Young Kim explained that “we all understand the importance of a stable source of drought-proof drinking water” and this facility can now serve about a million people daily. (MSN)
3. Did you notice more Orange County Sheriff’s Department deputies on the roads in San Clemente this weekend? The department was cracking down on distracted driving, particularly on drivers “talking, texting, using an app or any other action on their phone that is not hands-free and violates California’s cell phone law.” A first violation comes with a $162 fine; the second time around, it costs $285. Officers urge you to pull over to park if you need to take a call or punch your coordinates into a navigation system. If you just can’t stay off social media, put the phone where you can’t reach it. (Orange County Sheriff’s Department)
4. Students at the Fairhaven Elementary School in Santa Ana benefit from a new after-school program that focuses on arts education, such as “theater, dance, visual arts, and music.” The Think Together Arts Accelerator is a collaboration of Think Together and the Orange County School of the Arts. Fairhaven is the first Orange Unified School District facility to benefit; next up are California, Sycamore and Esplanade elementary schools. (Benzinga)
5. Late last month, we talked about the Baker to Vegas Challenge. The results are now in: The Santa Ana Police Department sent its first women’s team, which completed the 120-mile relay in 18 hours, 40 minutes, and 9 seconds. They were beaten by the Los Angeles Police Department women’s team that finished with a time of 15:56:39. For the men’s teams, the New York Police Department gave the L.A. Sheriff’s Department a run for the money; however, the overall winner was the Los Angeles Police Department, with a time of 12:51:06. The Anaheim Police Department held onto its first place in Orange County with 14:42:54, which left Santa Ana men nipping at its heels with a time of 15:16:06. (Patch, 2)

📆 Today in Orange County:

• Attend Sunday Service with the Bayside Church OC in Costa Mesa (9 AM)
• Visit the Dana Point Fine Arts Show at 34675 Golden Lantern (9:30 AM)
• Enjoy the OC Cherry Blossom Festival at 7111 Talbert Avenue in Huntington Beach (10 AM)
• Come to the Día del Niño Festival at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa (10 AM)
• Learn at a Knit Class For Adults at the Cypress Library, 5331 Orange Avenue (11 AM)

🖊️ From my notebook:

• "Impaired driving is one of the leading causes of fatal crashes in the United States. Alcohol and drugs can impair a person’s reaction time, thinking and physical ability to navigate the road." (Orange County Sheriff's Department, CA, via Facebook)
• "The Orange County Fire Authority and Orange County Professional Firefighters Local 3631 honor the life and service of Fire Apparatus Engineer Ken Caley on this anniversary of his Line of Duty Death on April 15, 2020." (Orange County Fire Authority via Facebook)
• "The Education Theatre Association honored Fullerton Union High School with the distinction of being named a Premiere Community for Theatre Education in April. Also earning a spotlight is the high school’s theatrical arts director, Michael Despars." (Orange County Department of Ed via Instagram)
• "We want to thank our friends at AdelFi Christian Credit Union for recently coming by to serve in the kitchen and warehouse. We so appreciate your time!" (Orange County Rescue Mission via Facebook)
• "OCA General Meeting - April 2023; Listen to the Monthly General Meeting of the Orange County Astronomers https://ocastronomers.org/" (Orange County Astronomers via Facebook)

🏡 What are homes selling for these days in Orange County?

• Median Listing Home Price $1M
• Median Listing Home Price/Square Foot $598
• Median Sold Home Price $975K

Check out more Orange County real estate information!

🐶 Meet adorable Orange County area Pets Available To Be Adopted!

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Featured events:

• BYLT BASICS Warehouse Sale Through April 16TH at The District in Tustin (April 16)
• 33rd Annual Southern California Spring Garden Show (April 20)
• Earth Day Shop Small Event!! Family & Pet Friendly! Reviving The Kaleidoscope Mall! (April 22)
• Add your event

You're officially in the loop for today! See you Tuesday for another update.

— Sylvia Cochran

About me: Sylvia Cochran works out of sunny Southern California and has been freelance writing full-time since 2005. She loves dogs, cats, books, plays Bee Swarm Simulator (don't judge), embraces social justice, and tries to live out Micah 6:8.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Orange County Patch newsletter? Contact me at orangecounty@patch.com