🌱 Protest At Sycamore Middle School + No Cruising + Margarita Crawl

Hello, hello! Today’s National Unicorn Day; did you know that the first depictions of one-horned creatures began to show up around 2000 BC? Sylvia here with your fresh copy of the Orange County Patch newsletter. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know that's happening, including news on...

• 🎨 The sixth annual Art Along the Coast event
• 🏖️ A 2024 sand replenishment project
• 😠 A principal assaulted by teens

💗 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: 74 Low: 53.

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⛽ Three of the Cheapest Gas Stations Across Orange County

• Chevron at 23891 Bridger Rd. in Lake Forest, $4.09
• Mohsen #3 at 5981 Westminster Blvd. in Westminster, $4.24
• ARCO at 18972 Beach Blvd. in Huntington Beach, $4.29

🌎 Earth Day Poll!
Earth Day is on April 22. This year marks the 53rd anniversary of the event. Plenty of organizations will host cleanup events and festivities across the county. What are your plans for the day? So far, 33.3% say it’s a day like any other, 50% adopt a bah, humbug approach, and 16.7% are heading for a park cleanup.

📰 Here are the top stories in Orange County today:

1. Parents protested last week at Sycamore Junior High School in Anaheim. A group of older boys entered the campus late last month to beat up a junior high school student. The principal was assaulted while trying to stop the altercation. Parents want their children better-protected. After the incident, police officers patrolled the campus. The Anaheim Police Department arrested two teens in connection with the incident. (NBC)
2. If you’re considering participating in Santa Ana’s time-honored Easter cruisers tradition today, don’t. The Santa Ana Police Department will be out in full force, “conducting a large-scale anti-cruiser enforcement operation on Easter Sunday” between 6 p.m. and 2 a.m. Citing criminal activity in prior years, officers will set up “lane restrictions and road closures.” They’ll affect “Bristol Street between Warner Avenue to 1st Street & Edinger Avenue between Bristol Street & Main Street.” You've been warned. (New Santa Ana)
3. Did you know that a lack of funding caused sand replenishment projects to cease after 2010? Huntington Beach now says we’ll have sand replenishment to the tune of 1.9 million cubic yards “up and down the coastline from Surfside Beach all the way down to Newport Beach” in fall 2024. The anticipated completion date is February 2025. With the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers leading the project and Rep. Michelle Steel of Orange County securing the funding, the goal will be to counteract beach erosion and minimize future flooding. (ABC)
4. Tequila Herradura is sponsoring a seven-day Margarita Crawl starting on April 23. Fifty OC restaurants participate, including Mama's Comfort Food & Cocktails in Los Alamitos. You don’t need tickets or passes, because the event encourages those of legal drinking age to sample different restaurants and drinks they might have never tried before. “All margaritas will be priced between $10 & $20.” (Margarita Crawl)
5. What’s better than driving along the coast in warm weather? Stopping along the way for art installations! You can participate in the sixth annual Art Along the Coast event on April 29 and 30. It is a FREE, self-guided tour running from San Clemente to Santa Ana. Local artists invite you to check out their work in galleries, studios and exhibits. Cases in point are Anne Moore at 33753 Big Sur in Dana Point and Mary Aslin at 3337 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach. You can visit seven spots. (Art Along the Coast)

📆 Today in Orange County:

• Enjoy an Easter Sunrise Service, Dove Release & Easter Bunny visit at Fairhaven Memorial Park in Santa Ana (6 AM)
• Temple Beth Sholom in Santa Ana hosts John Bradley Jackson as part of its Brotherhood Speaker’s Series (9 AM)
• Head out to the Easter Sunday Luncheon & Egg Hunt at Tanaka Farms in Irvine (10 AM)
• Hear Mark Gregory perform acoustic versions of popular songs at The Wharf in Laguna Beach (2 PM)
• See "The Rocky Horror Show" at The Maverick Theater in Fullerton (don't bring props!) (6 PM)

🖊️ From my notebook:

• "HAPPY ENDING! This little bundle of cuteness is Quinn. He has been adopted, and his new mom is over the moon about him! Quinn is off to start his life with his new family." (German Shepherd Rescue of Orange County via Facebook)
• "Spring has sprung, and we’re excited to announce the next event we’re lucky to be a part of! 🌸 🐣 Save the date for the Spring Bark Bash! Details on the flier and below ⬇️ : When: Saturday, April 29th 2023 Where: 970 Arlington Dr, Costa Mesa." (Orange County Pit Bull Rescue via Facebook)
• "Thanks to all those who attended and supported our 2023 Gala, where we raised funds to benefit the Philharmonic Society’s artistic, education, and community programs. We are especially thankful to our gala chairs Donna L. Kendall, Elizabeth Segerstrom, and Jane Fujishige Yada." (Philharmonic Society of Orange County via Facebook)
• "Please join us for our next YCP OC Executive Speaker Series on Wednesday, April 26th at Santiago Studios in Orange starting at 6:30 PM." (YCP Orange County via Facebook)
• "Major progress alert! Crews recently conducted concrete deck pours at the Springdale Street bridge. Approximately 2,000 cubic yards of concrete were used!" (405 Improvement)

🏡 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 $975K

Check out more Orange County real estate information!

🐶 Meet adorable Orange County area Pets Available To Be Adopted!

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Featured events:

• Easter Sunrise Service at the beach (April 9)
• Easter Service-Community Church of OC (April 9)
• Taxes in Retirement Seminar at Marina Park Community and Sailing Center (April 11)
• GardenFest 2023 with huge plant sale, flea market, kids activities, garden tool sharpening and more (April 15)
• (July 23rd show date) THE BEATLES vs THE ROLLING STONES! (April 15)
• OCBCAF CPR Workshops (April 30)
• Add your event

Featured announcements:

• Selling Your Home? 72SOLD A Better Way To Sell Your Home (Details)
• Add your announcement

Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Sunday. I'll see you soon!

— 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