🌱 Chipotle Tests Autocado + King Tides + Repeat Shoplifter Caught

Hey, neighbors! Today’s National Watermelon Day; did you know that the heaviest melon ever grown weighed 350.5 pounds and was cultivated in Sevierville, Tennessee? It's Thursday in Orange County, and I'm back with news about...

• ⚠️ A fatal car-to-car shooting.
• 🌊 The warning to stay off the rock jetties during King tides.
• 🤖 The possibility that Chippy gets a companion.

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☀️ But first, today's weather: Mostly sunny. High: 84 Low: 63.

⛽ Three of the Cheapest Gas Stations Across Orange County

• Berri Brothers at 1234 N. Main St. in Orange, $4.57
• Del Mar Gas at 2201 E. Coast Highway in Corona del Mar, $4.87
• 7-Eleven at 26731 Portola Parkway in Foothill Ranch, $4.95

📰 Here are the top stories today in Orange County:

1. A victim of a Diamond Bar car-to-car shooting drove “nearly 30 miles to Costa Mesa, where (another) victim in the backseat of the car was pronounced dead.” The Highway Patrol received calls at about 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday that a shooting occurred “near the westbound Pomona (60) Freeway and the southbound Orange (57) Freeway.” Law enforcement didn’t make contact with the victims until the Costa Mesa Police Department was called to the “1900 block of Church and Walnut streets.” (Patch)
2. The Irvine Police Department arrested a 26-year-old San Diego woman as a repeat theft suspect. A video shows her stealing around “$7,500 worth of merchandise from a Lululemon store.” A 71-year-old San Diego resident is the suspected getaway driver. Reportedly, she stole “more than $22,500 in merchandise from the same store last week.” (ABC)
3. Newport Beach streets flooded over the last two nights during high tides. Affected were Balboa Island, the Peninsula, and West Newport. An unusual phenomenon during the height of summer, UC Irvine experts point to El Niño’s impact on the coast. “While there was no private property damage the city is aware of, 30 public works and utility workers were dispatched with pumps and sandbags.” (The Orange County Register/paywall)
4. Reports of flooding also came from Huntington Beach, where tides were expected “to reach 7.2 to 7.8 feet in size.” There were some closures on PCH. By the way, do not go to the rock jetties during the King tides. It “can be deadly in such conditions.” (KTLA)
5. The Chipotle Cultivate Center in Irvine is testing the “Autocado, an avocado processing cobotic prototype that cuts, cores, and peels avocados before they are hand-mashed into guacamole.” If successful, the company will use it in restaurants later in the year. There, it can take its place beside Chippy, “an autonomous kitchen assistant trained to cook tortilla chips and season them with the right amount of salt and fresh lime juice.” If you want to see Chippy in action, head to Fountain Valley’s Brookhurst Street restaurant. (Daily Pilot)

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📆 Today in Orange County:

Thursday, August 3

• Vendor Information Day for the OC online or in person in Santa Ana (9 AM)
• Sen. Josh Newman discusses Government Affairs in Irvine (9 AM)
• The Great Plein Air Art Experience at Crystal Cove State Park (9 AM)
• Alzheimer's Caregiver Conference in Garden Grove (9 AM)
• "Bones Love Milk" Skater Pop-Up event in Huntington Beach (11 AM)

🖊️ From my notebook:

• "Are you looking for a life-size teddy bear to cuddle up with? If so, look no further! Balou, and all 90 lbs. of his beefy handsomeness, is just the dog you’ve been looking for! 😍" (Orange County Pit Bull Rescue via Facebook)
• "August is NATIONAL DOG MONTH — a month to celebrate all the things dogs do for us. Here's one way to celebrate — adopt a dog from GSROC! Provide a loving home to a dog who is patiently waiting to find its forever family." (German Shepherd Rescue of Orange County via Facebook)
• "Shoutout to Firefighter Paramedic Adrian Araujo and the entire Engine 86 crew for their exceptional dedication and compassion in serving the community. It is heartwarming to hear about Adrian's selfless act of going above and beyond to care for a patient in need." (Orange County Fire Authority via Facebook)
• "Check out this awesome group! These are the new OCPS administrators who were announced at Tuesday night's school board meeting! We are so proud of these principals and assistant principals who will be leading our students to success." (Orange County Public Schools via Instagram)
• "Remember to remove all toys from the pool when children are done swimming, so they are not tempted to reach into the water to grab their favorite toy." (Orange County Fire Authority via Facebook)

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Featured events:

• ☀️ Shop Small Saturday - Family FUN in the Sun!!! (August 5)
• Summer Swing Nights 2023 (August 6)
• Yes! You Can Act! A Beginning, Fun and Creative Acting Class! (August 6)
• Markowicz Fine Art - "Art After Hours" in Laguna Niguel (August 10)
• CHOC Walk in the Park, Presented by Disneyland Resort (August 20)
• Add your event

Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Thursday. I'll see you around!

— Sylvia Cochran

About me: Christ follower. Wife. Book dragon. Proud supporter of the Oxford comma.

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