🌱 Watch Birds At Fairhaven + New Homes In Tustin + Bias In Santa Ana

Hey, hello! Today’s National Empanada Day; did you know that adding an egg wash to the exterior makes an empanada’s crust crispier? I'm back with your new edition of the Orange County Patch newsletter. Let's get this Saturday started off right, with a quick guide to the most important things happening:

• 🚪 Laguna Niguel Mayor Pro Tem quits
• 🤔 Santa Ana City Council questions bias
• 🍷 Disney California Adventure Park Food & Wine Festival

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🌤️ But first, today's weather:

Areas of low clouds, then sun. High: 70 Low: 52.

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⛽ Three of the Cheapest Gas Stations Across Orange County

• Gulf at 3300 E Imperial Hwy. in Brea, $4.39
• Petro Mart at 1131 S Main St. in Santa Ana, $4.39
• US Gas at 2502 Harbor Blvd. in Costa Mesa, $4.39

🌎 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, 100% say it’s a day like any other.

📰 Here are the top stories in Orange County today:

1. Laguna Niguel Mayor Pro Tem Rischi Paul Sharma called it quits on Thursday. Sharma declined to state a reason for the sudden departure. The city council must find a new mayor pro tem and figure out how to fill the sudden opening. Sharma was elected in November 2020 and appointed mayor pro tem in December 2022. This role was to last for one year. What makes the resignation even more unexpected is his comment last month about the reappointment: “I want to thank my City Council colleagues for their continued support of me in this role, and I look forward to working together to accomplish great things for our City,” Sharma said. (The Epoch Times/subscription)
2. What does it mean to be biased? On Tuesday, the Santa Ana City Council discussed this issue when looking to fill spaces of its “first-ever police oversight commission.” One candidate, identified as a “former schoolteacher and current community organizer” nominated by Council Member Johnathan Ryan Hernandez, wasn’t selected because of what he had posted on Instagram. While saying, “I can be fair, impartial, and remain unbiased,” the social media posts talked about “police abolition.” The City Council determined this “disqualified him from an advisory body that would look at officer misconduct complaints in an advisory capacity.” (Voice of OC)
3. The old office complex at Irvine Boulevard and Prospect Avenue in Tustin will become 40 new homes. The units will have up to four bedrooms, two-car garages and a rooftop deck; they’ll be for sale beginning at the end of this year. Move-ins are expected in 2024. Two residences will be “designated for lower-income buyers.” Intracorp Homes will handle the project, but has not yet disclosed its name. (The Orange County Register/paywall)
4. Call it an arboretum or Fairhaven Memorial Park in Santa Ana; birdwatchers call it “one of the best locations in Orange County to bird watch.” Some 75 tree species provide habitats for the birds. Also, the Southern California Bluebird Club put up 16 bluebird boxes, meaning that finding a western bluebird should be easy. However, if you want to see them, remember that birds are early risers. (MSN)
5. The Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim hosts a Food & Wine Festival that ends on April 25. It’s part of the Disney100 celebration. Get a “Sip and Savor Pass” to sample your way through restaurants, food carts and marketplaces. For the adults in the crowd, the organizers offer craft beers! You’ll also have a chance to attend mixology classes. “Valid Disney California Adventure Park ticket or Magic Key pass and park reservation are required.” (Patch)

📆 Today in Orange County:

• FREE Spring Eggstravaganza & Pancake Breakfast at Boisseranc Park in Buena Park (8 AM)
• Bring the kids to enjoy a Helicopter Egg Drop at La Bonita Park in La Habra (9:30 AM)
• "Egg-Citement" Egg Hunt & Petting Zoo & Games at Hurless Barton Park in Yorba Linda (10 AM)
• Check out the Project Next Generation – Music Festival at Hangar 24 Brewing in Irvine (11 AM)
• Celebrate the Festivals Of India at the Mike Ward Community Park, Woodbridge in Irvine (11 AM)

🖊️ From my notebook:

• "We had the privilege of honoring a dedicated public servant. Roz Von Harz has served the communities of Trabuco Canyon, Rancho Santa Margarita, and Coto de Caza as an Orange County Fire Authority Reserve Firefighter for 40 years!" (Orange County Fire Authority via Facebook)
• "The latest Orange Unified newsletter is available online and includes: 🔸 OUSD Employees of the Year 🔸 (ACSA) Región 17 Administrators of the Year 🔸Orange High MJROTC Cadets Visit DC 🔸 CIF-SS Academic Championships 🔸And more!" (Orange Unified School District via Instagram)
• "🐰 If you or some bunny you know are planning to visit OC Parks this weekend, make sure to plan ahead! 🚗 Increased attendance is eggs-pected Saturday and Sunday due to the Easter holiday, which means parks will close to vehicle traffic once parking capacity is reached." (OC Parks via Instagram)
• "The Seal Beach pier was closed for an interagency exercise involving firefighters from the Orange County Fire Authority, Long Beach Fire Department, Huntington Beach Fire Department, Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach, Seal Beach lifeguards, and Seal Beach Police. The training was designed to have firefighters, lifeguards, and police put interagency operability and communications to the test. The training involved a fire at the end of the pier and a simulated rescue." (Orange County Fire Authority via Facebook)
• "GSOC will be at this year's Imaginology located at the OC Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa. Imaginology is a FREE STEAM event for kids! We'll be hosting a booth all about Monarch Butterflies! Color your own monarch and see it come to life in Virtual Reality! See live caterpillars and learn about their life cycles. We can't wait to see you! April 15-16." (Girl Scouts of Orange County via Facebook)

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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)
• 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

You're officially in the loop for today. See you all tomorrow for another update!

— 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