🌱 Flying Cars + Rare Eagle In OC + Gift Card When You Donate

Rise and shine, Orange County! Thanks for following along with the Orange County Daily. Your likes and suggestions are appreciated. Let's start Friday with everything you need to know going on in Orange County today.

First, today's weather:

Partly sunny and nice. High: 76 Low: 54.

Wind Advisory for Inland O.C.: From Thursday 7 p.m. until Friday 10 p.m. Northeast winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts 45 to 55 mph expected. Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects. Use extra caution when driving, especially if operating a high-profile vehicle, and secure outdoor objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result.

Here are the top stories in Orange County today:

1. The America Red Cross in Orange County is offering an Amazon gift card for anyone who donates blood over the next few weeks to combat the continuing blood shortage crisis. The Red Cross said that donors had increased for the first-ever blood shortage crisis, but winter storms and cancellations due to the pandemic have caused a drop in donors. The Red Cross supplies almost 40 percent of the country's blood supply. Anyone who donates blood over the next few weeks will receive an Amazon gift card to thank them for helping save lives. Find nearby locations of blood drives in Orange County and read more here: (Orange County Patch)
2. If you are thinking about traveling using a car that can fly in Orange County, you will need a pilot's license. An air car that turns into a small aircraft passed flight tests in Slovakia, developers say. A Klein Vision spokesperson told CNN that a pilot's license is required to fly their hybrid vehicle. They hope to have the flying car available for sale within 12 months, the company announced. Kyriakos Kourousis, chair of the Royal Aeronautical Society's Airworthiness & Maintenance Specialist Group, told CNN that similar vehicles have been certified. He said that the choice of an internal combustion engine was probably made to rely on proven technology, but the environmental impact "can be substantial," especially in urban settings. Kourousis said he would like to see a "full electric" or "hybrid" version of this and similar versions in the near future "to help us reach our environmental sustainability targets." You can read the full story here: (CNN)
3. Seeing a bald eagle soar over the skies of Orange County is "a rare and exciting sight," wrote Orange County Parks. Experts believe that only about 100 of these majestic birds are living in Southern California. In an effort to help rebuild the nation's population, eagles were released in the Channel Islands in the 1980s, OC Parks wrote on their Facebook page. When an immature eagle spent a few weeks in the Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve earlier this winter, "it caused quite a stir." At the age of only 2 or 3 years old, the eagle had not fully developed its characteristic white head and still had some dark coloration on its beak. Park officials wrote that eagles take up to five years to fully mature and develop the plumage and color they are known for. The bird was not tagged or banded. Park officials added, "we have no idea where it came from." You can see footage of the eagle and read more about this story here: (Facebook)

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Today in Orange County:

• Winter Reading Challenge Online — Huntington Beach Public Library. (All Day)
• Best Job Search Practices: On-Site — Anaheim Workforce Connection. (9 a.m.)
• Blood Drive District Office — Orange Unified School District. (10 a.m.)

From my notebook:

• Orange County Passes 6,000 COVID-19 Deaths: (Reverb MSN Music)
• 5 Orange County Area New Open Houses: (Orange County Patch)
• Orange County: Dogs, Rabbits, Pets Up for Adoption: At area shelters. (Orange County Patch)
• German Shepherd Rescue of Orange County: "Check out GSROC alumni Bandit! He is one talented fella!" (Facebook)
• Orange County Sheriff's Department, CA: "Community members have reported scammers calling from a department spoof number to try and get personal information from them. Please know that OC Sheriff will never call you and ask for payment." (Facebook)

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• Taxes in Retirement Webinar. (Feb. 8)
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• Welcome: NEW PUPPIES and NEW CLIENTS in 2022! (Details)
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You're caught up today! I'll see you soon.

— Paula Constance

About me: I am a freelance writer, author, and media producer. I am committed to media projects that empower, engage, and help make the world a better place. One of my favorite jobs? Working with Imagineering for The Walt Disney Company.