🌱 A Community Day + Mozambique Remodels + Mickey’s Toontown Reopens

Hey, neighbors! Today’s National Cocktail Day; did you know that author Jace Shoemaker-Galloway invented it in 2013? I'm here with your Friday edition of the Orange County Patch newsletter, filled with all the things you need to know about what's happening. Today we'll cover...

• ⚠️ A teacher who allegedly filmed girls
• 🏗️ The Irvine Company’s goal to build 4,500 rental units
• 🧹 An opportunity to clean up the neighborhood

💗 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:

Partly sunny and cool. High: 65 Low: 44.

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⛽ Three of the Cheapest Gas Stations Across Orange County

• Costco at 11000 Garden Grove Blvd. in Garden Grove, $4.28
• Sinclair at 1101 W Commonwealth Ave. in Fullerton, $4.28
• Shell at 8990 Bolsa Ave. in Westminster, $4.29

🌺 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?

📰 Here are the top stories in Orange County today:

1. A teacher stands accused of “possessing child pornography” in Anaheim. The 45-year-old man was arrested Saturday at the Anaheim Convention Center when he allegedly filmed girls “at the Varsity Spirit 2023 All Stars Champions and USA Dance Nationals.” He was charged on Tuesday with a misdemeanor count of destroying evidence and a felony count of “using an underage person for an obscene matter.” He entered no plea on Tuesday, posted bail on Wednesday, and is due to come to the North Justice Center in Fullerton on April 6. Allegedly, he did something similar last year in San Clemente. (My News LA)
2. Mozambique at 1740 South Coast Highway in Laguna Beach can proceed with its remodeling plans. Laguna Beach’s Planning Commission voted unanimously on Tuesday to approve the venue’s application for moving its bar to the rooftop “so patrons can have ocean views.” Of course, it’s not just the tables and chairs that must go up to the roof. The business also noted the addition of an ADA-accessible restroom, a revamping of the “window system,” and an overhaul “of sound attenuation measures.” (MSN)
3. The Irvine Company intends to bring 4,500 new rental units to Irvine. The city approved the plans last week, which means the projects will now wind their way through the Planning Department and permitting process. The plans show that 1,459 units will go on a vacant parcel of land “near the intersection of Sand Canyon Avenue and Laguna Canyon Road next to the Santa Ana (5) Freeway,” which was previously earmarked for office space. Another 1,261 units will go in the city’s Spectrum area. The remaining units were previously approved at a third site. (Orange County Business Journal/paywall)
4. On Sunday, Mickey’s Toontown at Anaheim’s Disneyland reopened. Closed for about a year, the space was considered a “dead area” of the park. Now, the space has three playgrounds, green spaces that were previously lacking, a redo of Donald and Goofy’s homes and fresh paint across the board. While the water play feature, aka Donald’s Duck Pond, is not yet open, the overhaul was well-received by “thousands of visitors” who came out for the special event. (LA Mag)
5. You can participate in a Community Day in Lake Forest on Saturday. It’s a community cleanup opportunity put on by Caltrans “to abate litter, promote paper waste management practices, and beautify public spaces.” Volunteers meet at the Farmers and Merchants Bank at 23772 Rockfield Boulevard at 8 a.m. This is a great opportunity if you’re a high school student looking to meet a community service hours requirement! (Patch)

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📆 Today in Orange County:

• It's Stewardship Friday at the Crystal Cove Conservancy in Newport Coast (8 AM)
• Visit WonderCon 2023 at the Anaheim Convention Center (11:30 AM)
• Come to the Main Street Classic Car Show in Garden Grove (4 PM)
• Hear Duruflé's Requiem at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Anaheim (7:30 PM)
• Head over to Lady Gaga's "Bloody Mary" Release Party at the Strut Bar & Club in Costa Mesa (10 PM)

🖊️ From my notebook:

• "🦴 Phoberogale shareri, whose name means Sharer’s fearsome weasel, is a small relative of bears from the Early Miocene of Orange County. 🏗️ The fossil was found during construction of the Eastern Transportation Corridor (State Route 241) and is the holotype for the species, meaning it's the first member of its species ever described and so far only known from one Orange County fossil." (OC Parks via Instagram)
• "Ramadan Mubarak. The County of Orange is wishing you a blessed and Happy Ramadan!" (County of Orange, California, via Facebook)
• "The 10th Annual Philharmonic Invitational High School Orchestra Festival not only serves as a showcase of the incredible talent of local high school ensembles, but it also serves as a fundraiser for each school, with ticket proceeds going back to each music program. We wrap up our spotlights with the following four ensembles: Huntington Beach High School, Yorba Linda High School, Capistrano Valley High School, and Irvine High School. Learn more: https://bit.ly/2023HSOF." (Philharmonic Society of Orange County via Facebook)
• "Mark your calendar for this fun event! SATURDAY! Adoption Event and Bake Sale." (German Shepherd Rescue of Orange County via Facebook)
• "The OCTA officials said weather has not impacted most projects in progress throughout the county." (Orange County Register 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:

• Communicating to Realize Your Vision (March 25)
• First time home buyer seminar (March 25)
• OC Wine & Spirit Fest (March 26)
• Hop to It! Pet Photos with Bunny Returns to Brea Mall for Easter (March 26)
• ASK THE EXPERTS. Social Media to Substances. Anxiety to Ideation. (March 27)
• Add your event

That's it 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 Best Fiends (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