🌱 Cherry Blossom Festival + Splash Mountain Closes + Fake Police Scam

Welcome back, Orange County! Today’s National Scrabble Day; did you know that unemployed architect Alfred Mosher Butts invented the game during the Great Depression and called it Lexiko? I'm here in your inbox per usual to tell you everything you need to know that's going on, including:

• 💰 Irvine buys the All American Asphalt plant.
• 🚧 Splash Mountain closes on May 31.
• 🔧 Cal State Fullerton parking structure space counter repairs

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☁️ But first, today's weather:

Cloudy and cool with a shower. High: 63 Low: 51.

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⛽ Three of the Cheapest Gas Stations Across Orange County

• E-Z Gas at 6000 Orangethorpe Ave. in Buena Park, $4.35
• ARCO at 501 W Whittier Blvd. in La Habra, $4.39
• United Oil at 795 S El Camino Real in San Clemente, $4.55

🌎 Earth Day Poll!
Earth Day is on April 22. This year marks the 53rd anniversary of the event. Plenty of organizations will host cleanup events and festivities across the county. What are your plans for the day? So far, 50% say it’s a day like any other, 21.4% adopt a bah, humbug approach, 7.1% each head for a park cleanup and beautification project; and 14.3% will attend an Earth Day celebration.

📰 Here are the top stories in Orange County today:

1. The Westminster Police Department warns residents that scammers are misrepresenting officers. The modus operandi involves a scam artist who pretends to be an officer with the Westminster PD and calls, messages or emails a target. The message is typically the same: The target is told about an unpaid citation, fine or outstanding arrest warrant. The scammer says the only way to avoid arrest is to pay immediately — with wire transfers or prepaid gift cards. The real Westminster PD reminds neighbors that a “law enforcement agency will NEVER ask you for any payment.” If you've been targeted, reach out to the PD via the non-emergency number, (714) 548-3212. (New Santa Ana)
2. It’s official: Irvine’s buying the All American Asphalt plant. The plan is to “bring a new 700-acre preserve to the city.” However, insiders have concerns that at least 11 acres will need serious environmental cleanup. How is this possible? Irvine commits to pay $285 million to buy the land, but cannot conduct an environmental site review until after handing over the $28.5 million down payment. “All American Asphalt forbade any sort of land survey and analysis before the purchase.” Willing to buy the cat in the sack, the city will make the payment in June, All American Asphalt will stop operation on November 15, and the city will pay $228 million within five days. The payments are non-refundable. Oh, and “the city was also barred from reviewing whether or not the $285 million was a fair purchase price.” (Voice of OC)
3. Huntington Beach Central Park will host the Orange County Cherry Blossom Festival this weekend. Visitors can enjoy “Japanese dance, music, cultural exhibits, arts and crafts, and iconic Japanese food from food trucks.” You may remember that this popular event was on hold for the last three years. So, head on down to 7111 Talbert Avenue in Huntington Beach starting Friday at 5 p.m. And yes, admission is free! (Orange Coast)
4. Splash Mountain fans must act fast to get a final ride in at Anaheim’s Disneyland Park. The attraction will close on May 31, meaning that Tuesday, May 30, is the last day to ride the log. Several years ago, fans petitioned Disney to put in a different attraction, citing the “stereotypical racist tropes from the 1946 film 'Song of the South'” after which the ride’s narrative is modeled. The incoming ride will be Tiana's Bayou Adventure, which premieres in 2024. (Patch, USA Today)
5. If you’ve been bemoaning the Nutwood and State College parking structure space counter malfunctions at Cal State Fullerton, hope’s on the way! This summer, the school will commit $800,000 to repair the malfunctioning space counters. “New space-counting monuments and sensor technology will be completed in the summer of 2023.” The school’s Parking and Transportation Services Department promises “an accuracy of 99.95%.” (Daily Titan)

📆 Today in Orange County:

• Enjoy Music at the NAMM Show at the Anaheim Convention Center (10 AM)
• The Woman's Club of Orange hosts its 84th Annual Flower Show at 121 South Center Street in Orange (12 PM)
• Hear Jason Feddy perform Americana/Roots music at The Ranch at Laguna Beach (4 PM)
• Attend Networking for Nonprofits at Hangar 24 in Irvine (4 PM)
• The Westminster Family Resource Center hosts a Family Game Night and Dinner (4:30 PM)

🖊️ From my notebook:

• "Any day is a good day to learn about fire safety and challenge our firefighters with all your questions. Engine 73, serving the City of Santa Ana, got to hang out with the students from Monte Vista Elementary School and talk about fire safety and what it takes to become a firefighter. Students got to see the engine up close and talk to the crew." (Orange County Fire Authority via Facebook)
• "🚨 It's National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week and the perfect time to recognize our "heroes behind the headsets" at West Cities Communications! 📲 Their hard-working dispatchers are critical in helping keep OC Parks visitors and staff safe all year long." (OC Parks via Instagram)
• "By staying informed, you help keep everyone safe on the road." (Orange County Sheriff's Department, CA, via Facebook)
• "The Seventh annual music festival returns to Doheny State Beach in Dana Point on Sept. 29-Oct. 1. Kelli Skye Fadroski has information about buying tickets. ⤵️" (Orange County Register via Facebook)
• "Westminster High School senior Ashley Nguyen was recently named winner of the national Battelle Climate Challenge contest for creating an efficient strategy to combat climate-related hazards in her community. 👏 Ashley developed a sustainable, cost-effective method to restore eel grass and prevent ground erosion along the Southern California coast using a mixture of seeds, sea mud, silt and clay." (Orange County Department of Ed via Instagram)

🏡 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:

• GardenFest 2023 with huge plant sale, flea market, kids activities, garden tool sharpening and more (April 15)
• (July 23rd show date) THE BEATLES vs THE ROLLING STONES! (April 15)
• Earth Day Shop Small Event!! Family & Pet Friendly! Reviving The Kaleidoscope Mall! (April 22)
• OCBCAF CPR Workshops (April 30)
• Add your event

Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Thursday. See you all tomorrow morning 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