🌱 Child Area Assault + Cruel Porch Piracy + Splash Mountain Closure

Hello, everybody! Today’s National Weed Appreciation Day; but did you know that the federal government maintains a list of noxious weeds nobody should like? It's Tuesday in Orange County, and I'm back in your inbox with the latest news. Today you'll learn about these stories and more:

• 🚒 A commercial building fire
• 🫂 A monument dedication
• 🚧 A popular Disneyland attraction closes

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☁️ But first, today's weather:

Increasing cloudiness. High: 71 Low: 54.

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⛽ Three of the Cheapest Gas Stations Across Orange County

• E-Z Gas at 6000 Orangethorpe Ave. in Buena Park, $4.25
• ARCO at 13331 Euclid St. in Garden Grove, $4.27
• OSK Gas at 2800 E Lincoln Ave. in Anaheim, $4.37

🌺 Spring Poll!
Spring has sprung, and it’s time to think about adding plants to the garden. Which flowers and shrubs are you considering this year? So far, 50% opted for California Monarch Milkweed, and 12.5% each selected Wooly Bluecurls, Common Sage, Lacy Phacelia (write-in), and Dahlias & Lavender (write-in).

📰 Here are the top stories today in Orange County:

1. The library is no longer a guaranteed safe space. Last Tuesday, a 53-year-old Los Angeles man allegedly assaulted a child at the Heritage Park Regional Branch Library at 13261 Yale Avenue in Irvine. Although arrested, he posted bail on Saturday. The child was in the library’s children’s section when the man approached her, asked her to help film a video, and then “exposed himself and assaulted the 9- year-old.” Detectives believe he may have been involved in other crimes. (Patch)
2. On Sunday, the Orange County Fire Authority responded to a fire in the 2200 block of South Susan Street in Santa Ana. Responders found a commercial building on fire and prevented the flames from spreading to neighboring structures. It took 85 firefighters a little more than an hour to extinguish the blaze. Nobody reported any injuries, and investigators are now working to determine what started the fire. (Orange County Fire Authority)
3. Taking porch piracy to the next level, a man stole an African Gray parrot in its cage from a porch in Santa Ana. The theft happened two weeks ago at 1 p.m. A camera caught the man in action, and he appears to be a “Hispanic male, possibly in his forties, who was wearing a charcoal gray hoodie, gray gloves, and light gray sweatpants.” He had a getaway driver waiting in a red SUV, which might be a Ford Excursion. (KTLA)
4. Okay, what’s the deal with Splash Mountain in Anaheim’s Disneyland Park? We do know that the park will shut down the ride and turn it into an attraction taking its theme from “The Princess and the Frog.” It’ll be called Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and should open sometime in 2024. However, we’ve heard some kerfuffle about when you can take your last log ride on Splash Mountain. Initial reports claiming May 6 will be the last ride proved incorrect. In fact, we don’t have a confirmed closing date yet. (Disney Food Blog)
5. On Wednesday, the Richard Nixon Library in Yorba Linda will host a monument dedication in honor of National Vietnam War Veterans Day. Commissioned by the library, it will memorialize “all who served in the United States Military in the Vietnam War.” This is a FREE outdoor event that begins at 11 a.m. Dignitaries will recognize Vietnam veterans and Gold Star families from that war. (Patch, Eventbrite)

📆 Today in Orange County:

• The Orange Chamber of Commerce hosts Eggs & Issues with Police Chief Dan Adams at O Sea (8 AM)
• Attend Coffee with a Cop at Starbucks in Laguna Beach (8:30 AM)
• Bring the kids to a Messy Toddlers Playdate at the El Toro Library in Lake Forest (10 AM)
• Join the Mom Walk Collective for an Easter Eggstravaganza at Irvine Regional Park in Orange (10 AM)
• The Anaheim House of Blues hosts Alter Bridge on the Pawns & Kings Tour (6 PM)

🖊️ From my notebook:

• "Our hearts are with the family and friends of Traffic Investigator II Allyson Dierdorff and the entire Irvine Police Department." (Orange County Fire Authority via Facebook)
• "We’ve received questions from our community wondering why our patrol units have numbers on their roofs? These numbers are called aerial roof markings. Their purpose is to make our patrol units easily recognizable from the air (as you can see from this image). These markings also help our deputies communicate with air support." (Orange County Sheriff's Department, CA, via Facebook)
• "Like many rescues, GSROC is deluged with pleas from shelters to save more dogs. The shelters can no longer handle the sheer number of dogs that are homeless and in need of help. Pets are being abandoned in record numbers. We also are overwhelmed and our finances are strained to the breaking point. Yet the calls keep coming. Please help us spread the word - SPAY AND NEUTER YOUR PETS! It's the first step in turning this around." (German Shepherd Rescue of Orange County via Facebook)
• "Christ Lutheran Costa Mesa Church and School had a staff service day at Double R Ranch, where more than 50 staff members volunteered to work on landscaping and demolition before touring the facility. We are SO appreciative of their hard work." (Orange County Rescue Mission via Facebook)
• "We are now accepting applications for our 2023 LAVENDER SCHOLARSHIP! 💜 🎓 Brought to you by our organization and Ron Korona, the Lavender Scholarship aims to support 4 students in our community pursuing higher education." (LGBTQ Center, Orange County, 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 $955.4K

Check out more Orange County real estate information!

🐶 Meet Orange County area Pets Available To Be Adopted!

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Featured events:

• FINAL Youth Football and Cheer In-Person Registration - 2023 (April 1)
• Easter Bash Market Free to the Community! (April 1)
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Alrighty, you're all good for today. See you all tomorrow 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