🌱 Buena Park Arsonist + Mystery Death In Mexico + High Tide Flooding

Hello and happy Thursday! I'm back in your inbox to walk you through everything that's happening in OC today. In this issue, we'll cover these stories and more...

• Family questions an Orange County lawyer's death in Mexico.
• Orange County beaches brace for high tide flooding.
• A man was shot in a Huntington Beach park.
• Help police find alleged car arsonists.

But first, today's weather:

Cool with variable cloudiness. High: 60 Low: 40.

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Here are the top stories in Orange County today:

1. Questions surround the death of an Orange County public defender in Mexico. The family of Elliot Blair, 33, is speaking out, refuting the claim by Mexican authorities that Blair "was intoxicated and fell from a fourth-floor balcony" at Las Rocas Resort and Spa in Rosarito early Saturday morning. Blair was in Mexico with his wife over the weekend celebrating their one-year wedding anniversary. (KTLA Los Angeles)
2. Orange County beaches are preparing for possible flooding. A coastal advisory is in effect for Orange County from late Thursday night through Monday morning. In an effort to prevent coastal flooding, large sand berms "have been pushed along the coastline of Sunset Beach, Seal Beach and Huntington Beach." On Tuesday, several Orange County beach homes flooded at high tide. (CBS Los Angeles)
3. A man was shot near the Murdy Park and Community Center in Huntington Beach Wednesday around 12:20 a.m., Lt. Roman Altenbach said. A victim with a gunshot wound who was found near the baseball field was taken to a hospital, and is expected to survive. Police used a drone to find and arrest a suspect hiding in the area. (KTLA)
4. Buena Park police are asking for the public's help to identify an alleged arsonist and an accomplice who torched a car outside a home last month. It only took a few seconds for Andy Escobar's prized car to go up in flames at his Buena Park home on Dec. 20, after an unknown suspect and an accomplice used flammable liquid to engulf the car in flames. Police said that a surveillance camera "captured the suspects running away." If you have information that can help solve this crime, please contact police: See the surveillance footage here: (ABC7)

Today in Orange County:

• Developing Good Bedtime Routines - The Priority Center (All Day)
• NFL Game Days at The Crack Shack - Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce (All Day)
• Kiwanis Club of Placentia Weekly meeting (7:15 AM)
• Community Affairs Committee Meeting - Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce (9:00 AM)
• Orange Public Library Ribbon Cutting (10:00 AM)

From my notebook:

• Students collect and donate food items: "Students from Mr. Philip Chow's class at Beckman High School in Irvine recently collected non-perishable food items and toiletries for Orange County Rescue Mission. They arrived with more than 1,000 items!" (Orange County Rescue Mission via Facebook)
• Meet Meadow: "Meet Meadow! This brand new mother gave birth to her puppies in a noisy, scary shelter surrounded by strangers. That's no way for these puppies to start life, right? So, GSROC took a deep breath and made room for them in our lifeboat." (German Shepherd Rescue of Orange County via Facebook)
• Remove register cash and leave drawers open: "Cash registers can be expensive to replace or fix. To prevent unnecessary damage to registers, remove the cash and leave the drawers open. This month we are focusing on commercial burglary prevention. Check back next Tuesday for a new tip!" (Orange County Sheriff's Department, CA via Facebook)
• Vendors wanted: "We are working on a very special Living Mi Vida Loca pop-up event at our new space in Old Towne Orange! 😱 We know we have a wonderfully talented group of small businesses." (Orange County Guide and OC events via Instagram)
• Magic Key passes back at Disneyland: "The theme park reopened the online sales window for Magic Key annual passes this morning." (Orange County Register via Facebook)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed! I'll see you around.

— Paula Constance

About me: Paula is a contributing writer, author, and media producer. When she's not writing, you can find her hiking or watching fireflies in the sultry moments before sunset. You can follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

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