🌱 OC Feels Aguanga Earthquake + Mello-Roos Tax + James Beard Award

Hey, everybody! Today’s National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day; did you know that Julia Davis Chandler first described combining peanut butter with jelly in the U.S. in 1901? I'm back with your new copy of the Orange County Patch newsletter. Let's get this day started off right, with a quick review of everything you need to know:

• 💰 Irvine’s Great Park neighborhood
• 🍓 Organics recycling program in Irvine
• 🚌 Anaheim Transportation Network goes 90% electric

💗 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:

Areas of fog, then sun. High: 67 Low: 55.

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⛽ Three of the Cheapest Gas Stations Across Orange County

• Berri Brothers at 1234 N Main St. in Orange, $4.35
• ARCO at 501 W Whittier Blvd. in La Habra, $4.35
• Gulf at 3300 E Imperial Hwy. in Brea, $4.39

🌺 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, 57.9% opted for California Monarch Milkweed, 15.8% selected Wooly Bluecurls, and 10.5% picked Common Sage; 5.3% each chose California Poppy, Lacy Phacelia (write-in), and Dahlias & Lavender (write-in).

📰 Here are the top stories today in Orange County:

1. Did you feel it? A 4.2 magnitude earthquake shook the earth in the area of Aguanga in Riverside County. However, residents throughout San Diego and Orange County reported feeling it. The quake originated at a depth of 14 km on Friday at 6:16 p.m. Aguanga had four earthquakes in 24 hours, including a 3.1 magnitude quake on Saturday. (NBC, Earthquake Track, 2)
2. If you’re living in Irvine’s Great Park neighborhoods, you just agreed to a Mello-Roos tax levy. On Tuesday, the Irvine City Council agreed to spend a billion dollars on park developments, including “a proposed 14,000-seat amphitheater, botanical gardens, and an aquatics center.” Homeowners near Great Park will pay via a Mello-Roos tax, disclosed when moving in. However,“many residents say they had no idea they were going to be paying for many of the park’s projects.” (Voice of OC)
3. Speaking of Irvine, the organics recycling program is on! Organic waste, which includes food scraps and yard clippings, now has its own waste receptacle. The city hosted several online town hall meetings to tell residents about the change. If you need a refresher, you can listen to the recordings. (City of Irvine)
4. The Anaheim Transportation Network serves Buena Park, Orange, Anaheim and Garden Grove. We learned last week it's on the cusp of operating a 90% electric bus fleet. This move puts it in a good position to be “one of the first transit agencies in California to go all-electric” with its buses. (Smart Cities Dive)
5. Only one chef from Orange County received a nomination for the 2023 James Beard Award, which honors the "Dean of American Cookery" and is widely considered to be equivalent to the Oscars. This year's OC finalist for the best chef is Carlos Salgado of Taco María at 3313 Hyland Avenue in Costa Mesa. Salgado has been a semi-finalist for this honor each year since 2016. (Patch, Taco Maria)

📆 Today in Orange County:

• Volunteer at the Laguna Canyon Foundation's Trail Stewardship Day in Camarillo Canyon (8 AM)
• Bring the kids to the FREE Dr. Yoder Family Sunday at Casa Romantica in San Clemente (10 AM)
• The Modern Time Trio plays Jazz for Music on The Porch at The Ranch in Laguna Beach (11 AM)
• Hear a talk on Growing Bromeliads in Southern California at the Sherman Library & Gardens in Corona del Mar (11:30 AM)
• "It Runs In The Family" plays at The Camino Real Playhouse in San Juan Capistrano (2 PM)

🖊️ From my notebook:

• "Meet our two newest Chiefs of Police Services. 🎉 Captain Berryman will oversee police operation in the city of Lake Forest and Captain Burk will oversee police operations in the city of Laguna Hills. Congrats to both our new city Chiefs." (Orange County Sheriff's Department, CA, via Facebook)
• "We stand with Vans in asking the Huntington Beach City Council to reconsider their decision not to fly the Pride Flag. Thank you Vans for advocating for our community and your employees based in Orange County. Sign our petition today for the Huntington Beach City Council to collaborate with us in returning our flag if they continue to refuse to fly this symbol of our community: lgbtqcenteroc.org/giveourflagback" (LGBTQ Center Orange County via Facebook)
• "All eyes were on Marina High School sophomore student AJ Lopez as he zipped down the basketball court in his wheelchair during a power soccer game on March 28. ⚽ Held on campus during fourth period and lunch, school leaders invited classes to watch AJ and his teammates from LASC, a national championship-winning United States Power Soccer Association team, play a game with school administrator leaders." (Orange County Department of Ed via Instagram)
• "Has your child ever wanted to create their own video game? Then be sure to register for our YMCA Esports Spring Break Camp! Classes begin THIS Monday, so be sure to register today at ymcaoc.org/esports" (YMCA OF ORANGE COUNTY via Facebook)
• "We are participating in the National Mayor’s Water Conservation Challenge, competing with other cities across the nation to save water. Last year, Fullerton ranked number 14 out of 200 participating cities!" (City of Fullerton)

🏡 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:

• Taxes in Retirement Seminar at Marina Park Community and Sailing Center (April 6)
• OCBCAF CPR Workshops (April 30)
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That's it for today. I'll see you Tuesday!

— 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