🌱 Ocean Covers Pacific Coast Highway + OC Airport Identity Crisis?

Hello, OC! It's Paula Constance with your fresh copy of the Orange County Daily and the most important things to know in Orange County today, including:

• Will the embattled Green Power Agency fire its top lawyer?
• Volunteer rescue teams face snow, high winds, ice to rescue hikers.
• Big changes are planned for the John Wayne Airport.
• Coastal flooding closed both sides of the Pacific Coast Highway.

But first, today's weather:

Plenty of sunshine. High: 68 Low: 43.

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Here are the top stories today in Orange County:

1. Will OC’s embattled Green Power Agency fire its "top lawyer and first-ever employee," or risk losing 40 percent of its customers? It's a big decision that has to be made by February 14, or Irvine City Councilwoman Kathleen Treseder "will make the decision for them." The agency is in turmoil after a series of audits, transparency issues, and "poorly vetted contracts." Find out more here: (Voice of OC)
2. The Orange County Sheriff's Department Volunteer Mountain Rescue Team rescued hikers on two separate occasions only days apart. Rescuers braved a 5-mile, 3,000-foot ascent on an overnight hike, facing snow and ice to rescue an injured female hiker from the south side of San Jacinto Peak on Jan. 21. A few days later, on Jan. 24, the team battled high winds and cold temperatures to rescue a lost hiker on Mt. Baldy. Several dedicated Mountain Rescue Association (MRA) teams "all work together" to find and rescue hikers in the SoCal forests. (Orange County Sheriff's Department, CA via Facebook)
3. Big changes are planned for John Wayne Airport. It all started when John Wayne Airport director Charlene Reynolds's sister-in-law asked for "a shirt that says Orange County" as a souvenir. Reynolds looked in all of the airport's shops and couldn't find one. She said, "Each airport tries to define itself... LAX is LAX, Burbank is Burbank, Long Beach, etc. What is it for Orange County?" Find out here: (Spectrum News 1)
4. The Pacific Coast Highway in Huntington Beach reopened Wednesday after both sides had to be closed due to coastal flooding. Officials said that a tide surge had submerged the highway Tuesday at 11:15 a.m. from Seapoint Street to Warner Avenue. (Orange County Patch)

Today in Orange County:

• Estate Planning-LivingTrust-Medicaid Trust-Stolen Inheritance (9:00 AM)

From my notebook:

• Thermal imaging provide clear view of Irvine: "Great visibility today! Able to see so much through our thermal imaging cameras and from the top of a 21-story office building in Irvine where our firefighters trained on building systems and search techniques." (Orange County Fire Authority via Facebook)
• Now hiring! The OC Postal Service is hiring hundreds of employees in Orange County. Find out more about the USPS opportunities near you here: (Orange County Patch)
• New In-N-Out drive thru: "In-N-Out Burger is opening a new single-lane drive-thru in Huntington Beach. Find out where:" (Orange County Register via Facebook)
• Foster, Adopt, Donate, Volunteer: "FOSTER🐶 ADOPT🐶 DONATE🐶 VOLUNTEER! A big thank you to Jim Taylor and ALL of our incredible volunteers for your efforts to support GSROC and save German Shepherd dogs! GSROC is a volunteer-driven nonprofit. We truly could not do it without our team." (German Shepherd Rescue of Orange County via Facebook)
• 37th Annual Gala: "Radiant Health Centers’ 37th Annual Gala is scheduled for Saturday, June 3, 2023, at The Turnip Rose Promenade in Costa Mesa. The night will include a cocktail hour, dinner, live entertainment, program and dancing." (Radiant Health Centers via Facebook)

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Events:

• Estate Planning-LivingTrust-Medicaid Trust-Stolen Inheritance (January 27)
• Social Security Seminar at Newport Coast Community Center (January 31)
• 2023 Youth Football and Cheerleading Registration (February 4)
• Shop Small Saturday on Saturday, Feb. 4th, 2023. (February 4)
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Announcements:

• Free self-guided, goal-setting worksheet for 2023 (Details)
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That's it for today! I'll see you around.

— Paula Constance

About me: Paula is a contributing writer, author, and media producer. When she's not writing, you can find her hiking or watching fireflies in the sultry moments before sunset. You can follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Orange County Daily? Contact me at orangecounty@patch.com