🌱 Corgi Beach Day + San Clemente Beaches + Swastikas Aren’t Funny

Welcome back, Orange County! Today’s Tolkien Reading Day; did you know that on this date, the Hobbits reached Mount Doom, leading to Sauron’s fall? I'm here in your inbox today to tell you everything you need to know that's going on in the county. Because community information is power! Today's issue includes:

• 💰 Needed Dana Hills High School upgrades
• 🏗️ Roadwork at Andres Pico Road and Ysidora Street
• 🤔 Woodbridge High School students learn a lesson

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☀️ But first, today's weather:

Mostly sunny and cool. High: 66 Low: 43.

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⛽ Three of the Cheapest Gas Stations Across Orange County

• ARCO at 17502 Goldenwest St. in Huntington Beach, $4.19
• ARCO at 10975 Edinger Ave. in Fountain Valley, $4.29
• Shell at 23652 Rockfield Blvd. in Lake Forest, $4.57

🌺 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, 75% opted for California Monarch Milkweed, and 25% selected Wooly Bluecurls.

📰 Here are the top stories today in Orange County:

1. On Monday, the San Clemente City Council will meet to discuss hiring Gatekeepers Security Services. The reason? Homeless people are populating city beaches. “We can’t allow a whole group of people to defecate on our sidewalks,” said Councilman Gene James. This company already has worked with Oceanside to do something similar. Some residents agree and say they feel unsafe; others say they don’t have any issues. If the city goes ahead with this plan, it’s likely to run into legal problems: The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals held that you can only enforce “anti-camping laws if (you) offer enough shelter beds.” San Clemente has zero. (Voice of OC)
2. Dana Hills High School in Dana Point is turning 50! However, the facility is starting to show its age. “The school faces heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, electrical, and foundational issues,” Principal Brad Baker said. While the Capistrano Unified School District tries to find the money for the improvements, the principal is blunt: “A full-modernization would cost more than building a completely new school at Stonehill and Golden Lantern.” Because this is unlikely, the district is focusing on putting up a new 14-classroom building on the school’s sports field. The Dolphin Foundation stepped up to improve the school’s library. (Dana Point Times)
3. Do you frequently travel around Andres Pico Road and Ysidora Street in San Juan Capistrano? It’s time to find a detour. The Santa Margarita Water District will begin work in the area on Monday. From 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, construction crews will be at the location. The job, dubbed the Don Juan Project, “will begin upgrading buried pipelines and pressure zone infrastructure.” By the way, neighbors along those streets will also experience some challenges getting in and out of driveways. (The Capistrano Dispatch)
4. Woodbridge High School in Irvine had an incident of antisemitism earlier this month. A student shaped a swastika out of yellow Post-It notes on a fellow student’s car. The student doing the shaping is actually a friend of the student doing the driving, who’s not Jewish. The friend likely meant it as a joke but obviously didn’t think things through. School staff didn’t waste time clutching their pearls; instead, they capitalized on this situation as a teachable moment. A school district spokesperson explained that “regardless of intent,” offensive symbols and language aren’t permitted. “We remain committed to fostering a culture of inclusivity and respect for all members” of the school, she said. (The Orange County Register/paywall)
5. It’s Corgi Beach Day in Huntington Beach! See the cuteness overload on April 1 at the Huntington Dog Beach. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and attendees enjoy “themed contests and activities, photo stations, dog-centric vendor village, corgi kissing booth, gourmet food truck pavilion, and much more.” Examples of what to see are the “fluffiest Corgi” contest and even a Corgi limbo. The event is FREE to attend. (Surf City USA)
   

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📆 Today in Orange County:

• Bring the family to Strawberry-picking Tours at Tanaka Farms in Irvine (9:30 AM)
• It's time for the OC Pet & Reptile Expo at the Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa (10 AM)
• Come to the Ribbon Cutting for Lollipop Dental at 13931 Carroll Way in Tustin (11 AM)
• Venga a las Clases Básicas De Computación en Español para adultos at the Huntington Beach Library (2 PM)
• Hear Los Lobos perform at the Musco Center for the Arts in Orange (7:30 PM)

🖊️ From my notebook:

• "Fire Apparatus Engineer Chad Butts, Firefighters Imelda Cordova, Tyler Ramos and Dickson Mitchell were on hand today at the Camp Pendleton recruitment fair to talk about a career with the Orange County Fire Authority." (Orange County Fire Authority via Facebook)
• "🏞️ Are you interested in working for OC Parks? 🛠️ Consider becoming a park maintenance worker and help keep our parks beautiful, clean and safe for all to enjoy! 🧰" (OC Parks via Instagram)
• "Mark your calendar!! Our adoption event is this SATURDAY; we will also have a BAKE SALE! Centinela Pet Supply 2320 Harbor Blvd, Costa Mesa 11:30 - 2:0" (German Shepherd Rescue of Orange County via Facebook)
• "📣 Calling all 8th grade Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors! Dreams to Reality is GSOC's premier career exploration event, for Girl Scouts in grades 8-12, to gain insight and inspiration by learning about different careers, participating in hands-on adulting situational games, getting a glimpse into university life through campus chats with Girl Scout alums currently in college, and more! Click the link to register today: https://bit.ly/40gxInR." (Girl Scouts of Orange County via Facebook)
• "After reviewing more than 30 highly qualified candidates, the Westminster School District has a new superintendent. Westminster’s Board of Education voted Thursday to confirm the appointment of Dr. Gunn Marie Hansen." (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 $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 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