🌱 Loan Forgiveness Fraud + New Park + Pacific Air Show Returns

Hello, everybody! Today’s National Eat What You Want Day; did you know that Thomas and Ruth Roy of wellcat.com created this day, so you can “actually enjoy yourself?” It's Thursday in Orange County, and I'm back with news about:

• 👟 A Crystal Cove update.
• 🥇 Red Cross honorees.
• ✈️ The Fab 4 of Huntington Beach.

💗 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: Clouds, then sun. High: 72 Low: 56.

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⛽ Three of the Cheapest Gas Stations Across Orange County

• VP Racing Fuels at 8971 Katella Ave. in Anaheim, $4.29
• ARCO at 10602 Westminster Ave. in Garden Grove, $4.29
• World at 8972 Adams Ave. in Huntington Beach, $4.49

🍷 Hobby Poll!
Everybody has hobbies. If time and money were no object this summer, which new hobby would you like to learn or take up? We have some preliminary results.

• 20.8 percent - traveling
• 8.4 percent - flying
• 4.2 percent - fly-fishing, crocheting, Mahjong, basket making, dog training & showing, surfing, watercolor, pickleball, line dancing, pottery, reading, ballroom dancing, horseback riding, wine collecting, car collecting, playing guitar, kickboxing

📰 Here are the top stories in Orange County today:

1. The city-owned vacant lot on Santa Ana’s Bristol Street between King Elementary School and Tolliver Street will become a park. The city agreed to spend $3.7 million to transform the space into a “public park boasting fitness equipment, a skate park, and other amenities.” Officials explain that – at this time – Santa Ana has only 1.1 acres of public park space for every 1,000 neighbors. They’re working on increasing this figure to three acres. Look for designs later this year; the plan is to begin construction in 2024. (MSN)
2. The Federal Trade Commission is taking SL Finance LLC (Garden Grove), BCO Consulting Services Inc. (Placentia), and SLA Consulting Services Inc. (Santa Ana) to court. In documents filed late last month, the agency alleges that the companies targeted students with “deceptive claims about repayment programs and loan forgiveness that didn’t exist.” Reportedly, students hoping to ease the burdens of high student loans instead lost about $12 million. (San Gabriel Valley Tribune)
3. Crystal Cove State Park update: Trail closures have frustrated avid hikers who were hoping to take in the flowers in full bloom. However, we have some good news. Three backcountry areas of the park’s 2,800 acres needed significant repair to deal with erosion and washed-out roads. If all goes as planned, officials “hope to have the trails reopened by this weekend.” (ABC)
4. The Pacific Air Show is coming back to Huntington Beach. Taking a victory lap, Mayor Tony Strickland referred to himself and councilmembers Casey McKeon, Gracey Van Der Mark, and Pat Burns as “The Fab 4 (who) saved the air show.” The show’s operator sued the city for breach of contract; the city settled the suit for around $5.4 million. However, all is not well on the City Council. Members Dan Kalmick, Rhonda Bolton, and Natalie Moser say that they haven’t seen the settlement agreement. They weren’t invited to Tuesday’s announcement, either. At this point, you can look forward to the airshow on the weekend of Sept. 29 of this year. (Voice of OC)
5. The American Red Cross is honoring nine heroes from Orange County. You can meet them on May 19 at the City National Grove of Anaheim. Categories range from the “Spirit of Hope” award (Dr. John Cheng – Aliso Viejo) to the "Gift of Life Hero Award" (Dorothy Brown – Santa Ana). Other heroes include Andrew Belden – Costa Mesa; Danielle Judd – Trabuco Canyon; Tabitha Finamore – Villa Park; Peter Pham – Huntington Beach; the Irvine 2/11 Marine Adoption Committee, Nick Sibayan, and Kia America – Irvine. (Orange County Hero Awards, Flickr)

📆 Today in Orange County:

• A Vendor Outreach Event at Fountain Valley's Freedom Hall in Mile Square Park (10 AM)
• Happy Mother's Day Crafts at the Crean Mariners Branch Library in Newport Beach (4 PM)
• Matt Mauser & The Pete Jacobs Big Band play live at Summit House in Fullerton (5:30 PM)
• Ducati Riders of Orange County meet for a Bike & Tacos Night in Costa Mesa (6:30 PM)
• Gershwin's Rhapsody at the Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa (8 PM)

🖊️ From my notebook:

• "Last Saturday, we hosted our first community derby! Different departments participated by having their 'horses' race for glory and pride. They also had names for their horses, just like the real Kentucky Derby! Residents had fun watching the friendly competition while wearing their sun hats that they decorated the day before. Congratulations to the winner, 'Extra Rice' of the Assisted Living Care Team!" (Oakmont of Huntington Beach via Facebook)
• "HAPPY ENDING! Jewel is one happy girl! She has been adopted and now has a family of her very own to love." (German Shepherd Rescue of Orange County via Facebook)
• "Don't leave anything that is, or could be perceived, as valuable visible in your car." (Orange County Sheriff's Department, CA, via Facebook)
• "In celebration of Cinco de Mayo, our kitchen team prepared a special meal for our students and staff! Led by Hector, one of our senior students, the team made Taco de Papa (Potato Tacos) and Al Bondigas (Mexican Meatball Soup)." (Orange County Rescue Mission via Facebook)
• "The latest Orange Unified newsletter is available online and includes: 🍊 Exposition of the Arts 🍊 Orange HS Time Capsule 🍊 May Employees of the Month 🍊 Parent Workshops 🍊 and more!" (Orange Unified School District via Instagram)

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Featured events:

• 2nd Thursday - Art After Hours (May 11)
• Irvine Classical Players Mother's Day Concert (May 14)
• Crawfish Festival - May 19-21, 2023 - Taste of New Orleans in SoCal! (May 20)
• Moving Day: A Walk For Parkinson's (May 21)
• Unlimited Together-Benefitting Mental Wellness for Youth (May 25)
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You're officially in the loop for today. 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