Do, 62, is expected to make an initial appearance in United States District Court in Santa Ana later this month.

Do admitted that in exchange for $550,000 in bribes, he voted in favor of directing millions of dollars in COVID-related funds to Viet America Society, which was supposed to feed seniors during the pandemic with the federal money, according to the federal officials.

Do’s daughter, Rhiannon, is listed as an officer with the nonprofit.

The supervisor also admitted to abusing his position of trust as a county official, the Justice Department said, while working with other county employees to approve contacts with Viet America Society.

“Essentially he functioned like Robin Hood in reverse, and his conspirators stole money from the poor to give to themselves,” U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said.

Estrada added the feds seized some $2.4 million in illicit proceeds generated through the corruption scheme, and Do has agreed to forfeit his rights to the money.

Do has agreed to immediately resign from the Orange County Board of Supervisors and forfeit any pension that he accumulated during the time period when he participated in the bribery scheme in addition to a property in Santa Ana and another in Tustin.

In response, the supervisor’s attorney, Paul S. Meyer, released a statement.

“It is appropriate to convey Andrew Do’s sincere apology and deep sadness to his family, to his constituents in District One and to his colleagues,” Meyer said.

Orange County Aug 26

OC Supervisor Andrew Do urged to resign over residence concerns, daughter's lawsuit

Orange County Jan 28, 2021

Orange County Announces COVID-19 Rental Assistance Program

Orange County is also suing Viet America Society for embezzling more than $13 million in federal funding.

After the FBI in August served search warrants at several locations linked to Viet American society as well as a Tustin home, which is owned by Do according to property records,  the Orange County Board of Supervisors censured Do, issuing a public condemnation.

Here are additional details of Do’s bribery scheme, according to the DOJ:

• Between April 2021 and February 2024, Viet America Society paid “Company #1” $100,000 or more per month. Then, Company #1 began paying Rhiannon Do, the supervisor’s daughter, $8,000 a month.
• Company #1 also transferred a total of $381,500 to an escrow company. Do’s daughter used the escrow account funds to purchase a home in Tustin for over $1 million.
• Do admitted more than $380,000 from Company #1 was a disguised bribe to him.
• Some of the bribe funds were sent to his daughters then later were spent by Do. In one incident, $14,849 was funneled to Do’s daughters then used to make property tax payments for Do’s properties.
• Do also knew Viet America Society was not providing all the meals for which the county paid.

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

After flying a helicopter to comb through the region, investigators determined that there was no fire.

What they found was windy conditions that are stirring up dust and possibly ash in the air.

Dispatchers in our emergency command center received multiple calls this morning for smoke in the area of Trabuco Canyon. Firefighters responded and found windy conditions and dust and possibly ash in the air. OCFA Helicopter 3 flew >>> pic.twitter.com/CzwRbZVMeH

— OCFA PIO (@OCFireAuthority) October 18, 2024

Fire officials urged people in the area to limit outdoor activities.

Orange County Sep 10

Airport Fire doubles in size within hours in Trabuco Canyon

Orange County Sep 9

Airport Fire in Trabuco Canyon explodes in size, forcing mandatory evacuation orders

Deputies responded to the south Orange County bank at about noon after a report of an armed robbery in progress. One shot was fired during the robbery, but it was not immediately clear whether the robber or a security guard fired the round.

No injuries were reported.

A detailed description of the robber, who left the bank, was not available. Authorities were searching a nature area near the bank with weapons drawn and at least one K-9 unit.

No arrests were reported Friday morning.

One additional person was charged with one misdemeanor count of resisting arrest and one misdemeanor count of vandalism in connection with the protest for an incident on June 6, according to a D.A. spokesperson.

Two UC Irvine faculty members, a UCI teaching assistant, and 26 UCI students are among the 50 charged defendants.

10 of the defendants who were first charged in September appeared in court Wednesday. They include Brook Haley, 51, a Humanities lecturer at the university who was interviewed by NBC4 as he was being detained on May 15.

 “I was standing and chanting and I literally turned to check on the students behind me,” said Haley. “I turned to check on them and to reassure them and at that point, heard an officer yell ‘Grab him’ and that point they took my arms, pulled me back from the line, stepped on my feet and took my property.”

Amr Shabaik, who is the legal director at CAIR-LA, was along several dozen supporters who packed the courtroom Wednesday.

“We feel that is a gross misuse of public funds and to again charge individuals who were simply there protesting, voicing their opinions,” said Shabaik.

Almost all those charged face one charge of failure to disperse. Two were also charged with resisting arrest, according to a news release from the district attorney’s office. This is the first group of protestors arrested in any of the demonstrations we saw across campuses in Southern California this year who has gone to court.

“I think it was meant to intimidate,” said Haley, who said the university has not disciplined him in any way. He called the district’s decision to charge them a political one.

“I think the D.A. and perhaps even the Chancellor himself likes to play to a particular political perception of what Irvine and Orange County may be,” Haley said.

“We encourage protestors to exercise their right to peaceful assembly on any issue,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “However, criminal activity which transcends peaceful assembly will not be tolerated.”

“I think we did have a peaceful assembly,” said Haley. “I think the police raid started violence that did not exist before then.”

Seven of the ten defendants had their arraignments scheduled for next month and December. Three people were able to enter a diversion program, which in their cases, if they complete 30 hours of community service in three months, they could avoid conviction, according to an attorney representing one of the defendants who qualified.

Wednesday afternoon, UCI sent this statement which said in part:

“UC Irvine has a longstanding commitment to upholding free speech and peaceful protest. While we encourage all members of the campus community to exercise their right to express their views, they are also expected to comply with all applicable laws, university policies, and codes of conduct while doing so. It is important to clarify that the university is not involved in the decision by the Orange County District Attorney’s office to file criminal charges against individuals arrested on campus during the May 15 incident.”

It has everything from a 24/7 lounge to a market right next door.  It’s a one stop shop for people who drive electric cars where they can charge their EVs and also get the chance to take a break as well. 

Across the lot, drivers will find a car wash and a lounge with free WiFi, restrooms, plus a 3,000 square foot “recharge” market  by Gelson’s. 

A ribbon cutting ceremony took place Tuesday morning for this first full-service EV charging center in Santa Ana, which included a band performance. 

The mayor of Santa Ana, Valerie Amezcua was present, along with representatives from the Santa Ana chamber of commerce and other state leaders.  

Rove, the company behind the EV service station, said it hopes this experience will make a difference for EV drivers.

“Southern california is really the heart of the ev revolution and one of the things we know is ev drivers like us is we’re frustrated was not finding available charges not having any amenities – nothing working – so we hope to improve on that experience so that this is the very best place to come if you want to charge your car,” Bill Reed, CEO of Rove, said.

There are 40 EV chargers here that rove says can fuel more than 1,000 EVs per day.

Rove says it plans to open 10 other centers across Southern California by 2026. Rove says the locations include Costa Mesa, Long Beach, and Torrance.

“We are thrilled to receive this grant to support our child safety seat education program,” said Anaheim police Sgt. Bryan Devor. “Proper use of child car seats can dramatically reduce the risk of injury or death in a crash. With this funding, we can provide hands-on training, resources and support so that every family has the knowledge and tools to keep their children safe”

Grant funds will be used for a variety of community outreach events, education classes, distribution of child safety seats, and training on the installation and use of child safety seats. The car seat safety program includes:

• Child safety seat inspection events and education classes;
• Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) training and recertification courses;
• Child safety seats at no-cost for families in need; and
• Partnering with local organizations on car seat safety community outreach efforts in underserved communities.

Funding for the program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety. The grant program runs through September 2025.

Christian Bedolla, who had just applied to return to work with OCFA after six years of battling T cell lymphoma, is in an induced coma following the crash Tuesday night in the southern Orange community. Bedolla was with a friend, who was not seriously injured, when they were struck by a DUI driver at an intersection.

“I’m heartbroken for him. For his family,” Beeta Safouri, his 20-year-old girlfriend, said Friday from his hospital bed. “Every time he picks himself back up, something else happens. He’s still so positive and strong about it. I’ve never even seen him complain. I would. I’d be like, ‘Why me, why me again?’ He always says God chooses his strongest soldiers.”

The crash left the Ladera Ranch resident with several bone fractures, including a broken collarbone, femur, pelvis and ribs. He also suffered a brain injury.

Safouri said Bedolla was recently declared cancer-free after undergoing a bone marrow transplant nine months ago. He was 17 and in high school when he received a diagnosis of subcutaneous panniculitis-like t-cell lymphoma.

The couple had just returned from a trip to Europe. On Tuesday, Bedolla spent most of the day at his girlfriend’s place before meeting up with a friend and going for a drive, Safouri said, adding that Bedolla loved to drive along the coast and on Orange County’s canyon roads.

After hearing about the crash, she went to the scene of the collision with family members, where she said her worst fears were confirmed by the sight of fire trucks and police cruisers. Bedolla has been unconscious ever since the crash.

“They say he can hears us, so I always tell him I love him,” Safouri said. “Always, his worries are for other people, so I always make sure to tell him, ‘We’re ok, we just want you to be ok.'”

In an Instagram post, the OCFA and OCFA Cadets called Bedolla a “true warrior.” His dream is to become a firefighter, family members said.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by OCFA (@ocfireauthority)

“He has a kind heart. I know he’s my son, but he’s full of love,” said Azucena Rubio, his mother. “He cares for everyone and everything all around him. He has the most amazing heart. His dreams will come true. I have to hold on to that.

“I feel Christian is a very special boy. He’s been through so much. I always told him I have fear in other people’s decisions. He has this eagerness to live. Because he loved life so much, I always had a fear of him going out. People make wrong decisions, and sometimes it affects the wrong person. Like, unfortunately, what happened this time.”

CicLAvia: Heart of LA: We’ve been over the moon about the “minis” in recent months, the semi-new “CicLAminis” that stretch for around a mile. But for those who love cycling and sauntering at length on car-free streets, the traditional CicLAvias still rule, and the one coming up on Oct. 13 is big, big, big. It’s 7.5 miles and will cover a lot of DTLA, Chinatown, and beyond. Sweet: It’s as free, free, free as it is big, big, big.

Dogtoberfest: It’s fairly common for Oktoberfest celebrations to extend over a few weekends, and this pup-inspired happening is following that tradition. Swing by South Coast Botanic Garden every Saturday and Sunday in October for brews and chances to stroll with your dog in a lightly Oktoberfest-y setting. Garden admission is a must and your pooch? Her admission is five bucks.

“Boo-ze, Bites & Frights”: Heritage Square Museum is real, but it is also pretty much a living movie set, a setting for the kind of film that takes place within the velvety folds of an October mystery. The real chance to watch real flicks in this spectral setting, with sips, special photos spots, grown-up trick-or-treating, and more, is extremely tempting; Street Food Cinema gets us, with frightful movies revving up this weekend and next.

Puppets in the Park: The Bob Baker Marionette Theater’s super-popular (and ticketed) “Spooktacular” is dancing through early November in Highland Park, but you can enjoy a puppet-y freebie presented by the troupe near the Hollyhock House on the morning of Oct. 12. It’s a half-hour delight, with crafts to follow, and no ticket is required.

Fall-O-Ween: Feeling the whole “free family fun in a park setting” glow? Same. Keep that happy vibe shimmering with a visit to Heritage Hill Historical Park in Lake Forest for this annual offering from OC Parks. Decorations, photo spots, a scavenger hunt, and other wholesome charms festoon this evening outing, which will pop up this weekend and from Oct. 18-20, too.

The animal was found at Bolsa Chica State Beach in Orange County on Aug. 7, prompting  the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to offer a reward of up to $20,000. 

The sea lion, which was about 2 years old, was rescued alive in between lifeguard stations 22 and 23 but died the following day from the gunshot wound to his back. 

In a press release Wednesday, NOAA officials said the award would be given to anyone with information that will lead “to a civil penalty or criminal conviction.” 

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

The crash happened sometime around 8:30 p.m. near the intersection of Rio Vista Street and Wagner Avenue. There, the speeding driver of a silver Mercedes Benz barreled into a fence and onto a walking path, where a woman was taking her stroll.

The car came to a stop after it landed in a shallow body of water.

“My wife heard a crash and it sounded like someone dropped a washing machine out their truck,” said Al Sack, who lives in Anaheim. “We heard no screeching tires and next thing I know, there were helicopters overhead.”

Sgt. Matt Sutter of the Anaheim Police Department said first responders learned the crash may have been a fatality after a man approached them letting them know his wife was unaccounted for after going for a walk. Urban search and rescue personnel, usually deployed for confined space rescues or search it steep and rough terrain, were called the scene.

The victim’s body was found in thick brush.

“During our investigation, an Anaheim resident came up to us and said that his wife had went for a walk and she had not returned,” Sgt. Sutter said. “Our officers looked in the area an, with the help of our helicopter, sadly, unfortunately, located a female that was deceased in a nearby brush.”

The victim was identified as 49-year-old Jessica Ferrino. Family members and friends said Ferrino, a special education teacher, often walked and jogged on the trail.

“It’s unimaginable,” said Sutter. “There’s no excuse, this man, their family, their whole world is turned upside down.”

The driver and passenger of the car that struck the woman were taken to a nearby hospital with minor injuries. The driver has since been detained.

Angie Hernandez turned her love of engines into empowerment with the opening of Soco Smog Check.

“I was super empowered after I did my first oil change,” Hernandez said. “I remember I was like, ‘What? I did it myself.’”

The mechanic/business owner said she hopes her career choice inspires other women to pursue their ambitions, no matter if they may be in male-dominated fields.

“We can kick a– and be feminine at the same time, so I wanted to represent that here,” she said.

In addition to repairing vehicles, the business owner hosts workshops to teach women basic car maintenance.

“I’ve always been a teacher at heart,” she said. “I’ve always liked to encourage women. I love women empowerment anything so, I would always tell girls coming in, ‘Hey you got to fix this.’”

“We’re told for so long that this is not for us,” Hernandez said. “But you can do this. It’s not as hard as you think. So that’s why I wanted to do the workshop, to let girls know how easy it can be and just having someone walk you through it can make all the difference, especially another woman.”

To learn more about Soco Smog Check, click here.

Surveillance footage captured the brazen, unprovoked assault that took place Oct. 1 near Jamboree and Portola Parkway. The video shows the 71-year-old suddenly approached by a younger male and then knocked down into the street. Following the fall, the assailant then takes off and leaves the victim on the ground.

The man’s daughter, Julie, told NBC4 they are still trying to make sense of the attack.

“He looked up and all of a sudden, this young guy was in his face pushing him,” Julie said. She declined to provide her last name out of fear for her and her family’s safety. “My dad reacted by trying to run away from him and while being hit and running away, he fell really hard. When he fell, this gentleman continued to try to hit him.”

The victim was in his driveway about to leave for work when the random assault happened.

“He has scrapes, scratches. His knee is very raw skin; it’s bandaged up,” Julie said.

The family filed a police report. So far, no arrests have been made in connection with the attack.

“My number one goal is prevention so we can identify this person,” Julie said. “So we can give him whatever help he needs to stop this behavior. He could be taking casual jogs while decking people and hurting people while he’s out, and that’s not OK.”

Anyone with information on the case or who recognizes the assailant is asked to contact the Irvine Police Department at 949-724-7000.

Atmospheric autumn-themed outings created for families do exist, even in Southern California.

True, it may stay a bit toasty through much of the tenth month, and the seasonal staples that we think of as classically “fall” aren’t easy to come by, at least around our sunny, light-on-foliage region.

But they do exist, and they exist for free, at least over two winsome weekends at Heritage Hill Historical Park.

That’s where Fall-O-Ween, a fall-centered revelry presented by the OC Parks team, takes place each year. And the 2024 dates are coming up faster than a pumpkin rolls: Oct. 11-13 and again from Oct. 18-20.

The picturesque park is decorated in its pumpkin-fun finery for the event, which includes “a scavenger hunt for ghoulish goodies” and “a bewitching straw maze.”

And, of course, spots for sweet snapshots, the kind of pictures you might use for next year’s Halloween-themed holiday cards, abound.

Sweet: Pets are welcome, if you’d like them to be in the photo with you (because of course), but do make sure that leashes are six feet or less.

“We’re looking forward to another fantastic year of Fall-O-Ween at Heritage Hill Historical Park,” said Chairman Donald P. Wagner, Orange County Board of Supervisors.

“Join us for two fun-filled weekends complete with picture-perfect photo backdrops and seasonal activities for the whole family in a charming historic setting.”

Note that this is an afternoon-into-evening treat, one that opens at 4 o’clock. That’s perfectly timed for autumn outing: It’s a little cooler during this time of day.

And, of course, an October evening possesses more than a little twilight twinkle. Find out more about this popular free event at the OC Parks site.

October-inspired activities fantastically flourish across Southern California, with haunted mazes, creepy cocktail parties, and horror screenings capturing the fancies of fright-loving adults.

But some of the sweetest expressions of the season unfurl at our region’s excellent science museums, the educational institutions that flower with nifty learning activities, activities created just for youngsters, all year long.

Those activities take on an October-y shimmer as Halloween grows closer at Discovery Cube OC and Discovery Cube LA, two spots that are now in the seasonal swing.

But you won’t find the exact same offerings at each; Discovery Cube OC is throwing a “Pumpkin Palooza” while an “Enchanted Halloween” party will (gently) haunt Discovery Cube LA Oct. 12, 19, and 26.

Discovery OC’s “Pumpkin Palooza,” which is presented by OC Waste & Recycling, features special “Pumpkin Palooza Party Nights” and all sorts of made-for-October activities.

It’s happening every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday through Oct. 27 in Santa Ana.

And at Discovery Cube LA’s “Enchanted Halloween”?

Trick-or-treat stations will pop up around the museum, while a Magical Midway will brim with nostalgic games. The “Wonders of Wizardry” stage shows and more magical sights will festoon the events, too.

For tickets, times, and more, visit the Discovery Cube site — OC or LA or both — that you are hoping to visit this spooky, sparkly, and science-tastic season.

The family of Geetaben Patel also wanted to raise awareness about mental health after the matriarch of the family disappeared from their home a month ago on Sep. 2.

That afternoon, Patel, 58, is seen on security footage running out of the house on Del Sol Circle at approximately 2:14 p.m. She was barefoot in her pajamas and suffering a mental health episode, according to her family.

“She locked herself in the bathroom, really paranoid and scared,” Sagar Patel, 30, the son of the missing woman, described his mother’s behavior Labor Day weekend. “She thought people were trying to kill her, rape her.”

Patel said isolation during the pandemic caused mental issues for his mother, who takes medication for schizophrenia, but hasn’t been officially diagnosed with the disorder. Patel said that weekend, his mother had been off her medications for about four weeks.

“I don’t know if my mom heard the front door close, my car take off, but she ran after us or at me,” he said. “She left through the front door.”

Patel was last seen on a neighbor’s security camera hovering around a neighbor’s front yard near Santa Margarita Lane.

Patel said his mom once wandered off to a friend’s house but never disappeared like this.

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Jul 14

Former Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca found hours after wandering from his home

Kern County Jul 7

Canoga Park man missing after trying to save woman from Kern River

Dr. Neel Doshi, who has not treated Patel, said wandering off is a common symptom of mental illness,  but it’s uncommon for mental health patients to disappear for this long.

“It’s an unfortunate reality that, you know, our loved ones who experience mental health issues, may need an outlet that they’re not currently able to find,” said Doshi, a psychiatrist with Kaiser Permanente Orange County. “They don’t have an outlet and for them, sometimes the only release may come from stepping away from their current situation.”

La Palma Police who have also been searching every day do not suspect foul play

“What makes it unusual is the fact that she’s been gone for about a month,” said Sgt. James Roche, a detective sergeant with La Palma Police. “She has no shoes, she didn’t bring her phone with her. Generally when people go missing voluntarily, they tend to turn up pretty quickly. That’s the part that makes it unusual. Quite frankly, we just don’t know where she is.”

Patel is pleading for everyone to help find his mother. He also wants to send a message to anyone else living with loved ones suffering from mental illness.

“In our family culturally, it’s not talked about as much. (It’s) frown upon,” said Patel. “Hopefully, this helps other families not have to go through what we’ve been through.”

“I hope you’re doing OK mom, I love you,” said Patel as he cried. “I just want you back.”

Two of the eight firefighters were released the night of the crash, two went home the following day and the last four remained hospitalized for nearly two weeks.

Orange County Sep 27

Orange County artist creates painting in honor of injured OCFA firefighters

Irvine Sep 19

8 firefighters returning from Airport Fire injured in rollover crash on Irvine freeway

Andrew Brown is one of the two firefighters transitioning to Craig Hospital in Colorado, which specializes in neurorehabilitation for patients with spinal injuries.

Cheers erupted for firefighter Brown as he was discharged from Orange County’s Providence Mission Hospital.

“Like all eight of the OCFA patients, Andrew continues to show the same strength and courage that makes him a tremendous hand crew firefighter,” said OCFA Captain Thanh Nguyen.

Firefighters lined the airport in Colorado to give Brown a warm welcome as he moved into his next phase of recovery since the accident.

The community has rallied around the injured firefighters and the OCFA family says it’s very much appreciated.

“Still have a long road to recovery, and I’m here to ask for your support for those families and those members to continue to get them through this very critical time,” said Chris Hamm with OC Professional Firefighters Local 3631.

Two OCFA firefighters remain hospitalized.

Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida Thursday, causing destruction across multiple states.

The multi-agency task force made up of 48 specialized personnel will assist with critical mitigation efforts, according to the OFCA. Operations include conducting search and rescue missions throughout the area.

“We stand ready to serve and support our communities, no matter the distance. North Carolina—we’re on our way,” wrote the OCFA.

Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region as a Category 4 hurricane late Thursday with winds of 140 mph (225 kph).

It unleashed the worst flooding in a century in North Carolina, where Gov. Roy Cooper described it as “catastrophic” as search and rescue teams from 19 states and the federal government came to help. One community, Spruce Pine, was doused with over 2 feet (0.6 meters) of rain from Tuesday through Saturday.

Evacuations began before the storm hit and continued as lakes overtopped dams, including one in North Carolina that forms a lake featured in the movie “Dirty Dancing.” Helicopters were used to rescue some people from flooded homes.

At least 58 people have died due to the destruction of Hurricane Helene.

Jeanine Brown of Aliso Viejo said she was inspired by the brave men and women who risk their lives every day on the fire lines, including her son who is a firefighter in Chula Vista.

He was deployed to the Line Fire in San Bernardino County when he called his mother with an idea.

“’Mom, they’re lining the fences into camp with thank you posters,” Brown recalled of the conversation. “Could you maybe do something and bring it to your local fire, the Airport Fire?’”

Brown did not hesitate and got to work, sitting on the floor of her home studio in Aliso Viejo, as the Airport Fire burned nearby.

“I paint from my heart,” said Brown.

Brown used pieces of a California map to create the words so that the hometowns of many of the firefighters on the Airport Fire were represented.

“These guys and girls carry that strength,” said Brown. “And you do have to have a brave heart to go out there.”

Brown, a self-taught artist who has been painting most of her life, had arranged to bring her painting to the incident command post on Sept. 20. No one could have imagined that the night before, eight firefighters would be seriously injured in a rollover crash in Irvine coming back from the airport fire.

Brown’s painting happened to depict eight firefighters on the front lines.

“I told my husband ‘Did you see on the news on the morning,’” Brown tearfully recalled. “We put the news on and saw the accident on the 241 involving 8 firefighters.”

For the next several days, family and friends of those injured firefighters, four who are still in the hospital in stable to critical condition, came by base camp to admire Brown’s painting. They signed messages of hope for their injured colleagues.

“More than the crisis you see – the firefighters getting injured, it’s the brotherhood and sisterhood of firefighters and emergency workers that surround them with love,” said Captain Larry Kurtz, with the Orange County Fire Authority. “Surround them with help… surround them with whatever they need, it’s something that is extraordinary.”

Brown said the outpouring of support and gratefulness has been overwhelming.

“I’ve heard from some of the moms and relatives of the firefighters and they are just overjoyed with this depiction, which was unintentional but came to light as this is what it was meant to do,” said Brown. “And I’m very touched.”

Brown is working with the OCFA to create prints of her painting to gift to each of the families of the injured firefighters.

“These men and women are heroes, they’re amazing,” she said. “So the painting, reaching out and touching the lives of the firefighters I think was just meant to be.”

The original painting, along with the messages of well wishes will soon be on display at the OCFA headquarters building in Irvine.

Do we detect the golden scent of corn dogs and deep-fried Oreos wafting on the autumn wind?

We just might, for September is the time when the OC Fair team turns its gaze to the coming summer and all of the midway-merry, animal-adorable, super-snacky fare that will captivate us starting in the middle of July.

For colossal county fairs like this popular extravaganza, which runs most days from mid-July to mid-August at the OC Fair & Event Center, take oodles of planning, foresight, and giddy-up-and-go spirit.

And that let’s-get-this-started spirit is in full and festive view as of Sept. 27: The OC Fair just revealed that the 2025 theme for the month-long party is “Find Your Happy,” a fitting and upbeat outlook for the outsized celebration.

Costa Mesa Aug 23

One ton of garlic: OC Fair 2024 just shared its big, big numbers

Things to do Sep 26

Things to do this weekend: ‘La Feria de los Moles' at Gloria Molina Grand Park

“There is nothing that brings us more joy than putting on the annual OC Fair and seeing the smiles and memories that this amazing event provides for the community,” said OC Fair Board Chair Nick Kovacevich.

“I know that next summer people from all over Southern California will ‘find their happy’ at the Fair.”

Ticket and pass information, details about vendor applications, and competition forms will become available at the OC Fair web site in the coming months.

In a chilling 911 call made by a neighbor on Aug. 8, the caller reports seeing a disturbance in his area.

“He’s like a 35-year-old man and he’s in the street chasing his mom with a knife,” the caller said.

That call came just before 3 p.m. from a neighbor near Green Tree Lane and Royce Road. The caller reported hearing them arguing for about 15 to 20 minutes and a good Samaritan attempting to de-escalate the situation.

“One of the neighbors tried to interfere but then he chased her with a knife,” the caller said.

Arriving minutes later, officers ordered the man to put the knife down as he attacked his mother.

“Drop the knife now. Drop the knife,” one officer can be heard saying on the body camera.

Instead, the man lunged toward one of the officers, prompting him to open fire.

The suspect, who was identified as 37-year-old Paul Montazer, died at the scene. His mother, 72-year-old Parvin Montazer, also died at the scene.

The Irvine Police Department is continuing to investigate the officer-involved shooting and the woman’s stabbing. A motive for the stabbing remains unclear.

Do, 62, is expected to make an initial appearance in United States District Court in Santa Ana later this month.

Do admitted that in exchange for $550,000 in bribes, he voted in favor of directing millions of dollars in COVID-related funds to Viet America Society, which was supposed to feed seniors during the pandemic with the federal money, according to the federal officials.

Do’s daughter, Rhiannon, is listed as an officer with the nonprofit.

The supervisor also admitted to abusing his position of trust as a county official, the Justice Department said, while working with other county employees to approve contacts with Viet America Society.

“Essentially he functioned like Robin Hood in reverse, and his conspirators stole money from the poor to give to themselves,” U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said.

Estrada added the feds seized some $2.4 million in illicit proceeds generated through the corruption scheme, and Do has agreed to forfeit his rights to the money.

Do has agreed to immediately resign from the Orange County Board of Supervisors and forfeit any pension that he accumulated during the time period when he participated in the bribery scheme in addition to a property in Santa Ana and another in Tustin.

In response, the supervisor’s attorney, Paul S. Meyer, released a statement.

“It is appropriate to convey Andrew Do’s sincere apology and deep sadness to his family, to his constituents in District One and to his colleagues,” Meyer said.

Orange County Aug 26

OC Supervisor Andrew Do urged to resign over residence concerns, daughter's lawsuit

Orange County Jan 28, 2021

Orange County Announces COVID-19 Rental Assistance Program

Orange County is also suing Viet America Society for embezzling more than $13 million in federal funding.

After the FBI in August served search warrants at several locations linked to Viet American society as well as a Tustin home, which is owned by Do according to property records,  the Orange County Board of Supervisors censured Do, issuing a public condemnation.

Here are additional details of Do’s bribery scheme, according to the DOJ:

• Between April 2021 and February 2024, Viet America Society paid “Company #1” $100,000 or more per month. Then, Company #1 began paying Rhiannon Do, the supervisor’s daughter, $8,000 a month.
• Company #1 also transferred a total of $381,500 to an escrow company. Do’s daughter used the escrow account funds to purchase a home in Tustin for over $1 million.
• Do admitted more than $380,000 from Company #1 was a disguised bribe to him.
• Some of the bribe funds were sent to his daughters then later were spent by Do. In one incident, $14,849 was funneled to Do’s daughters then used to make property tax payments for Do’s properties.
• Do also knew Viet America Society was not providing all the meals for which the county paid.

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

Arken had surgery with Mowlavi in 2018. Her experience is detailed in a recently amended medical board accusation against the plastic surgeon also known as Dr Laguna.

His strong social media presence drew her to his practice. She said she thought she would be in the best hands after reading more about his background. 

“He’s training all these doctor. He’s written books,” said Arken. “He’s got to be it. It’s Laguna Beach.”

Arken wanted a Brazilian butt lift or BBL, but she said the consultation led to Mowlavi convincing her she needed so much more.

“He grabs me. He’s like, ‘Look,’” said Arken. “He grabs me about 2 inches above my vagina while I’m naked and grabs me right underneath my breast from behind me, so he’s behind me. And he’s pulling, cinching up and cinching down and (saying) ‘We can give you abs and all of this.’”

The I-Team spoke with Arken and two other former patients of Mowlavi who said they were also upsold on other procedures and felt bullied by him. 

Mcayla Sarno said minutes before her surgery, while she was disrobed and already medicated, Mowlavi questioned what they were doing with her breasts. Sarno said she was shocked. 

“If I give the wrong answer or explain it wrong, I’m about to go into surgery,” Sarno said. “I asked, ‘Can I get my phone and show you some photos?’ And that’s when the ridicule began with this constant, ‘You’re making this very difficult. It’s not that hard.’”

Orange County Feb 29

$6 million settlement reached in lawsuit against popular Orange County plastic surgeon ‘Dr. Laguna'

Laguna Beach Sep 7, 2023

Popular plastic surgeon accused by patients of botching procedures faces new legal troubles

Former patient Chalene Johnson said she also felt bullied.

“We’re strong women. I mean, she’s a doctor,” said Johnson about Sarno. “We are professionals, and to find yourself in that situation, It’s hard. It’s hard to even explain to other people because you’re intelligent, all of your red flags are going off. But it’s a renowned doctor, it’s an author, it’s someone who’s supposedly critically acclaimed.”

Arken, Sarno and Johnson were among more than 30 plaintiffs in a civil suit Mowlavi recently settled for $6 million. So too was a patient who asked to be called Bobbi to protect her identity.

“It was the scariest experience of my life,” she said. 

She is Patient A in the amended medical board accusation. Days after her surgery with Mowlavi, she was rushed to the ER and eventually transferred to the burn unit at UCI where she stayed in a medically induced coma for more than a week.

“It turned septic,” Bobbi explained, “which then caused kidney failure, liver failure and damage to my heart.”

For months after her procedures, Arken said she could barely move.

“I couldn’t even get up and stand up long enough to make my kids dinner,” said Arken.

She said to this day, she cannot do a sit up as a result. And she said she still reflects on her traumatizing consultation with Mowlavi.

“I kept kind of arguing, and he’s like, “Listen, it’s only going to be about a 4 to 6 inch scar,” said Arken, and then questioned what he was planning. “I just don’t know,” she said. “I don’t like how that’s pulled up and he (said), ‘I know what a p***y should look like.’ It was just overwhelming.”

She said Mowlavi’s insistence on giving her a vagina lift had devastating results.

“Every day when I go the restroom I will pee out on the seat and usually pee on my leg a little bit, which is very embarrassing and not something I like talking about.”

When she obtained her medical records from Mowlavi’s office a year and a half after her surgery, she discovered her operative note listed her name, but a wrong birthdate and incorrect details of her surgery.

“His name’s on here, signed and dated that day after,” said Arken, holding up her incorrect operative note. “So it’s not me at all, 100%.”

In June 2023, Laguna Beach police raided Mowlavi’s office and investigators removed boxes of records and computers. In July of this year, the Orange County District Attorney’s office filed two felony counts of battery with serious bodily injury against Mowlavi related to two patients. He has not yet entered a plea. A civil suit filed by the DA’s office in June of last year accused Mowlavi of 19 unlawful business practices. But that suit is on hold until the criminal case is resolved.

The I-Team reached out to Dr. Mowlavi’s attorneys who are handling his civil and criminal cases, but they did not respond to the request for comment.

Former patients who have spoken to the I-Team said a primary reason they came forward is to protect others from experiencing their pain and suffering.

“At the end of the day, I don’t want this guy to hurt another person,” said Arken

There is also frustration among former patients.

The first medical board investigation noted on Mowlavi’s record involved the death of one of his patients in 2018. But that accusation wasn’t made pubic until August of 2021 and wasn’t resolved until October 2022 — more than four years later — with 10 years probation and a 90 day suspension of his license to practice.

Chalene Johnson doesn’t understand the board’s lack of transparency.

“If you’re not able to do your research by the governmental agencies that are supposedly established to protect your best interest, then who can we trust?” asked Johnson.

While Mowlavi’s medical license is currently restricted, he continues to consult with prospective patients. When we called last week to book a consultation, we were offered multiple dates to meet with Mowlavi.

Instead of Dr. Laguna, he now appears to be branding his business as SurgiSculpt, a name trademarked by an LLC registered in his wife’s name, using the address of Mowlavi’s original surgical center in Laguna Beach.

Dr. Mowlavi is expected in court September 25 for arraignment on the two felony criminal charges. A hearing is scheduled for March of next year on the latest accusation by the medical board.

The wildfire, which has burned in Orange and Riverside Counties, continued to some of the biggest challenges for fire crews in the steep, rugged terrain. 

Over half of the Airport Fire, which scorched more than 23,000 acres, was contained as of Friday, but risks for those on the fire line remained high.

“This is what we do for a living,” Cpt. Steve Concialdi with the Orange County Fire Authority said. “There are difficult days, and this is one of them.”

More than 2,000 firefighters came together from different parts of California to fight the Airport Fire. 

While there were no details about the specifics of those other injuries, Concialdi said the support from friends and family as well as the community is the fuel for every firefighter. 

“We have to pace ourselves, and we work hard. That’s why we have resources from across the country to help us out. It takes everyone,” the fire captain said. “We have a master aide system that helps firefighters when we have these wildfires.”

The master aide system, according to Concialdi, is a network for firefighters that move across the state to help fight fires and provide relief for local crews.

Irvine Sep 19

8 firefighters returning from Airport Fire injured in rollover crash on Irvine freeway

California Wildfires Sep 19

How to find Riverside County Airport Fire recovery assistance

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

The collision was reported around 6:45 p.m. on the northbound 241 Freeway just north of Portola Parkway in Irvine.

An Orange County Fire Authority truck transporting firefighters swerved attempting to dodge a ladder on the road. The truck hit the guard rail on the toll road and rolled over, according to CHP.

“For reasons still being investigated, the OCFA truck lost control and subsequently struck a metal guard rail causing the OCFA truck to overturn and coming to rest on its side,” the California Highway Patrol said in a statement.

At a Friday morning news conference, authorities said two of the injured firefighters were treated and released Thursday night at Hoag Medical Center, three were taken to Mission Hospital, two to OC Global Medical Center and one to UC Irvine Medical Center. Fennessy said the firefighter at UC Irvine was expected to be released soon. He said four of the eight firefighters in the crash were more severely injured than the others.

Dr. Humberto Sauri of OC Global Medical Center said both firefighters being treated at that hospital remained in the intensive care unit. He said one is “critical but stable,” while “the other remains quite critical still.”

The OCFA handcrew was finishing a 12-hour shift battling the Airport Fire, according got OCFA Fire Chief Brian Fenessy. The work, which requires extreme physical fitness, usually involves arduous work to help build fire lines, remove materials that can burn and other tasks essential to battling a wildfire.

“It breaks my heart,” said OCFA Fire Chief Brian Fennessy, adding that he has received messages of support from departments around the country. “We ask that you pray for our firefighters and their families. This is the beginning of a long road for our firefighters and their families.”

Fennessy said the truck they were in has individual seating for firefighters.

#IRVINEPDPIO – Our partners from CHP are investigating a collision on the 241 Toll Road near SR-133. The NB SR-133 is diverted to exit to Irvine Blvd. The NB 133 on-ramps are closed at Irvine Blvd. Helicopters are in the area assisting. #irvine

— Irvine Police Department (@IrvinePolice) September 20, 2024

“They do have all the protections that are required,” Fennessy said. “I don’t know this for sure, but I’m confident … knowing the supervisors and those that manage these crews that the crew was seat-belted, which I’m sure was very helpful.”

Fennessy praised the work of paramedics who responded to the scene and acted professionally despite caring for colleagues who were “gravely injured on the freeway.”

Several lanes were closed off prompting a SigAlert on the SR-241 near Tomato Springs Toll Plaza Ts. The 241 Toll Road is closed between Portola Parkway and the 133 Toll Road.

The Airport Fire 23,500-acre Airport Fire in Orange and Riverside counties was 39-percent contained after starting earlier this month.

Orange resident Macy Friday said her bicycle was stolen from outside her home on Sunday. Unfortunately for the thief, she placed an AirTag on her bike, which allowed her to track the bicycle’s whereabouts.

“I know a lot of people in the area who have had their bikes stolen,” Friday said. “Some of my friends never got their bikes back and that’s because they didn’t have an AirTag and I’m glad that I did.”

After learning of the thief’s location, Friday contacted police and officers were able to find that individual within 15 minutes a mere two miles away. The film student ultimately credited her father’s thinking for the safe return of her property.

“My dad suggested that I put an AirTag on it because I’m, first of all, pretty prone to losing stuff,” she said.

Friday decided against pressing charges on the thief, but police said he was arrested on drug offenses. The department did not release his name.

“He gave us a fake name and he was in possession of a methamphetamine pipe,” said Lt. Phil McMullen, City of Orange Police Department. “He went to county jail.”

Lt. McMullen applauded Friday for calling the professionals to approach the suspect rather than do it herself. He encouraged the public to follow suit if they find themselves in a similar situation.

“One thing we want the people to know if you do have any type of GPS device and any sort of property, make sure you call the police department,” the lieutenant said. “Let them go out and do it. Don’t try to track down your property by yourself.”

“I want to thank Orange PD for getting on it and for getting my bike back safely,” Friday said. “If it wasn’t for them, I probably would have just gone out there myself and maybe put myself in danger, and I’m glad I didn’t do that.”

“We welcome David Lin’s release from prison in the People’s Republic of China,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters Monday. “He has returned to the United States and now gets to see his family for the
first time in nearly 20 years.”

Miller did not provide many details about what prompted the release of Lin. He did say that Secretary of State Antony Blinken has been raising the issue consistently and that he met with Chinese officials in July.

“It’s something we’ve been working on for some time,” Miller said. “I’ll leave it at that.”

The 68-year-old Lin was detained in 2006 in China where he was reportedly convicted of contract fraud and was sentenced to a life term in prison.

The fires sparked during a week of triple-digit heat. But as temperatures start to cool down, firefighters are working with more favorable conditions.

Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom visited Southern California and declared a state of emergency for San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Riverside and Orange counties.

Thousands of fire personnel continue working to control and extinguish the flames that have left homes and other structures damaged and displaced thousands of residents.

Bridge Fire

The Bridge Fire continues to burn over 54,000 acres in Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties on Monday.

More than 2,000 fire personnel continue battling the fire which continues to be the largest active fire in California.

The Bridge Fire is burning 54,774 acres and is 25% contained as of Monday evening. The fire has destroyed at least 54 structures and damaged 13 others.

A community meeting about the fire will be streamed here.

For a full list of evacuation orders, warnings, road closures and shelter information on the Bridge Fire visit the Cal Fire website.

Line Fire

In San Bernardino County, the Line Fire continues to burn 39,026 acres and is now 49% contained.

Over 3,000 fire personnel continue battling the fire that has left thousands of residents displaced.

All schools and offices in the San Bernardino County Unified School District have reopened on Monday after they had closed down due to the fire.

“We are pleased to inform you that after careful consideration, we are ready to welcome everyone back to our schools and offices on Monday, September 16, 2024,” Superintendent Mauricio V. Arellano said. “Thank you for your patience and we look forward to seeing our scholars return to our campuses excited to learn.”

For a full list of evacuation orders, warnings, road closures and shelter information on the Line Fire visit the Cal Fire website.

Airport Fire

In Orange and Riverside Counties, the Airport Fire continues to burn over 23,000 acres.

The fire had burned 23,519 acres and was 31% contained as of Monday evening.

A team of over 2,000 fire personnel continue fighting the flames that have destroyed 160 structures and damaged 34 others. At least 14 injures have been reported due to the Airport Fire.

For a full list of evacuation orders, warnings, road closures and shelter information on the Airport Fire visit the Cal Fire website.

“The weather has been great with cooler temperatures, the marine layer and the higher, relative humidity,” Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Steve Concialdi said on Saturday.

Wildfires Sep 11

Three major wildfires burn across Southern California

Wildfires Sep 14

Cooler weather helps in the battle against the Airport Fire

Relative humidity Sunday was expected to be about 66% over most of the fire below 3,500 feet, fire officials said. Light showers or drizzle were forecast for Sunday night into Monday morning.

Officials said crews were having “notable success in increasing containment” in areas such as Lake Elsinore, Decker Canyon Road and Lakeland Village.

Crews were expected to keep working to clear lines of vegetation and use favorable weather to help put out flames.

“The work of hand crews, and the arrival of additional handcrews, are critical to success during this advantageous window,” officials said.

The Airport Fire began at about 1 p.m. Monday near Trabuco Canyon Road in the area of the remote-controlled airplane airport, OCFA Capt. Sean Doran said. Officials said the fire was sparked by a county public works crew using heavy equipment. The cause was deemed accidental.

Fire officials estimate the fire will be fully contained by lines of cleared vegetation by September 24.

Evacuation orders

• Zones: ELC01, ORT01-B; Areas include — Caspers Regional Park, San Juan Springs, Blue Jay campground.
• Zones: RVC-1521, RVC-1622, RVC-1724-B, RVC-1725, RVC-1798, RVC-1800, RVC-1802, RVC-1865, RVC-1866, RVC-1933, RVC-1934, RVC-1935, RVC-1999

Evacuation warnings

• Ortega Highway
• Robinson Ranch HOA
• Trabuco Highlands HOA
• Trabuco Highland Apartment Complex
• the East Side of Coto de Caza
• Silverado Canyon
• Modjeska Canyon
• Rose Canyon Road
• Trabuco Creek Road
• Trabuco Canyon Road
• Trabuco Oaks Drive
• Joplin Loop
• Cook’s Corner
• Dove Canyon
• El Cariso

Residents can click here to determine if their homes are impacted by evacuation orders or warnings.

Evacuation centers

• Foothill Ranch Library, 27002 Cabriole Way
• Large animals — Orange County Fairgrounds, Los Alamitos Race Course
• Large animals — Nohl Ranch Saddle Club at 6352 E. Nohl Ranch Road in Anaheim

Road closures

• Trabuco Canyon Road and Trabuco Creek Road;
• El Toro Road and Live Oak Canyon Road;
• Ortega Highway at Nichols Institute

No additional injuries were reported from the fire. Earlier in the week, officials said 10 firefighters had suffered minor injuries fighting the blaze, many of them heat-related, while two civilians were also injured, one with an unknown medical condition and the other suffering burn injuries.

Cal Fire said 107 residential, commercial and other structures were destroyed, and another 12 were damaged.

Firefighters braced for another day battling the massive Airport Fire on Saturday in Orange and Riverside counties, where 23,519 acres have been charred with containment remaining at 19-percent.

“The weather has been great with cooler temperatures, the marine layer and the higher, relative humidity,” Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Steve Concialdi said.

Wildfires Sep 11

Three major wildfires burn across Southern California

California Wildfires Sep 12

‘Everything is gone.' Airport Fire destroys cabins in OC's Holy Jim Canyon

Officials said crews were having “notable success in increasing containment” in areas such as Lake Elsinore, Decker Canyon Road and Lakeland Village.

In Orange County, people in Caspers Regional Park, San Juan Springs, Blue Jay campground were ordered to evacuate, while a larger number of neighborhoods were under evacuation orders and evacuation warnings in Riverside County.

Evacuation orders

• Zones: ELC01, ORT01-B; Areas include — Caspers Regional Park, San Juan Springs, Blue Jay campground.
• Zones: RVC-1521, RVC-1622, RVC-1724-B, RVC-1725, RVC-1798, RVC-1800, RVC-1802, RVC-1865, RVC-1866, RVC-1933, RVC-1934, RVC-1935, RVC-1999

Evacuation warnings

• Ortega Highway
• Robinson Ranch HOA
• Trabuco Highlands HOA
• Trabuco Highland Apartment Complex
• the East Side of Coto de Caza
• Silverado Canyon
• Modjeska Canyon
• Rose Canyon Road
• Trabuco Creek Road
• Trabuco Canyon Road
• Trabuco Oaks Drive
• Joplin Loop
• Cook’s Corner
• Dove Canyon
• El Cariso

Residents can click here to determine if their homes are impacted by evacuation orders or warnings.

Evacuation centers

• Foothill Ranch Library, 27002 Cabriole Way
• Large animals — Orange County Fairgrounds, Los Alamitos Race Course
• Large animals — Nohl Ranch Saddle Club at 6352 E. Nohl Ranch Road in Anaheim

Road closures

• Trabuco Canyon Road and Trabuco Creek Road;
• El Toro Road and Live Oak Canyon Road;
• Ortega Highway at Nichols Institute

No additional injuries were reported from the fire. Earlier in the week, officials said 10 firefighters had suffered minor injuries fighting the blaze, many of them heat-related, while two civilians were also injured, one with an unknown medical condition and the other suffering burn injuries.

Cal Fire said 107 residential, commercial and other structures were destroyed, and another 12 were damaged.

Juan Marcos Ruiz, the grieving father of 3-year-old Ily Elizabeth Ruiz, described the young girl as a vibrant, loving child who enjoyed singing, coloring and helping him cook.

“She was my princess,” Ruiz said. “She loved everything princess.”

Anaheim Sep 9

Mother of 3-year-old girl who died of heat stroke after being locked in car is arrested: Anaheim PD

Anaheim Sep 7

3-year-old girl dies, mom found unconscious in Anaheim: PD

Ily died on Friday after her mother locked herself and the toddler in a Ford Expedition amid a sweltering heat wave. At the time they were in the vehicle, temperatures were 104 degrees outside, according to the Anaheim Police Department.

“I’m hurt, I’m broken, I’m devasted,” Ruiz said in tears. “I’m angry, I’m very angry. That’s what I feel right now.”

After family members discovered the mother and daughter in the vehicle and called first responders, the two females were taken to a nearby hospital. Ily died of complications due to heat stroke; her mother was described as disoriented but survived.

When first responders arrived at the scene, they discovered empty alcohol containers in the vehicle. Juan revealed that the girl’s mother, 41-year-old Sandra Hernandez, had been battling alcoholism after they experienced a different tragedy more than 10 years ago.

“I already lost two boys due to a drunk driver back in July 8, 2012,” the father shared. “This is my third child to lose so I am broken, I’m devastated and I’m angry.”

The elder Ruiz said following the death of their sons, Hernandez struggled with her mental health.

“Obviously, she suffered through depression because of the death of our first two boys,” the father said. “Quite sure that after the birth of my little girl, she started post-partum depression. She was never diagnosed, but the symptoms were all there.”

Juan said he repeatedly told Hernandez’s family he was concerned for his partner’s mental wellbeing. He said his worries were often dismissed.

“I desperately tried to tell everybody that she needed help, but nobody listened to me. Nobody took it seriously,” he said.

He reiterated that Hernandez was a good mother, but her struggles led to the devastating loss of Ily.

“She’d never do this on purpose,” he said. “It doesn’t change the fact she did it. It doesn’t change the fact that because of her negligence … it happened, and now my daughter is dead due to the actions of her mother. She’s not a bad mom at all, she just needs help.”

Hernandez has since been arrested in connection with the death of her daughter. She faces charges that include involuntary manslaughter and felony child neglect.

Amid his heartbreak and grief, Ruiz said he aims to speak largely about the importance of recognizing when a loved one is unwell and to be proactive in helping them.

“If you guys have loved ones or know someone that’s suffering, get them the help they need because tragedy happens,” he said. “There’s so many consequences and repercussions that could happen due to somebody’s actions or no actions.”

The Airport Fire in Trabuco Canyon exploded in size Tuesday to scorch over 20,000 acres at 0% containment largely due a “wind phenomenon,” officials said.

The fire is currently burning 22,376 acres as of Wednesday afternoon, according to Cal Fire.

The Elsinore effect, which can cause erratic fire behavior as a result of steep mountains and precarious weather patterns, further fanned flames downhill.

“You will have up canyon winds that are normal during the day, and then around 2, 3 o’clock in the afternoon, the winds usually will become a down canyon wind in Lake Elsinore,” Cal Fire Battalion Chief Todd Hopkins explained in a news conference Tuesday.

Posing more threats to firefighters, the flames now entered the steep, hard-to-reach terrain.

“My understanding is the fire has jumped the Ortega Highway and is now working into Decker Canyon,” Brian Fennessy, Fire Chief of the Orange County Fire Authority, said. “Anybody that knows anything about Decker Canyon and Riverside County knows that that is a very difficult place to fight fire.”

Despite firefighters’ overnight efforts, more than 3,000 homes were threatened by the wildfire, prompting additional mandatory evacuations in the area.

Two firefighters were recovering after suffering heat-related injuries, officials said.

How it started

The Airport Fire was reported at around 1:15 p.m. Monday on Trabuco Creek Road near an remote-controlled airplane airport, went from scorching 7 acres to over 2,000 acres within a few hours.

The wildfire was caused unintentionally by heavy equipment that workers were using to move boulders along Trabuco Creek Road, officials said. Despite workers’ effort to stop the spread with their fire extinguishers, the fire took off amid breezy, dry conditions. 

Evacuation orders, warnings

Additional mandatory evacuations were issued Tuesday for areas along Ortega Highway near Caspers Park, officials with the Orange County Fire Authority said. 

And more neighborhoods were under evacuation warnings, including Silverado Canyon and Modjeska Canyon.

See the map of areas under evacuation orders, warnings here.

As the heavy smoke from the fire has blanketed the area, neighbors scrambled to pack up and get to safety.

“I couldn’t think in that moment. I just grabbed my dog, and that’s it, Fernando Garcia said after leaving her home.

While the fire was burning away from the homes Tuesday, there is no word when people would be allowed to return.

“I hope they get a good handle on it today. I know they’ll have a lot of resources on it today because there are more homes around this way,” Laurie Nowocinski, who evacuated her Robinson Ranch home, said.

Road closures

The following roads were closed to the public as fire crews battled the flames.

• Plano Trabuco and Joshua Drive
• Plano Trabuco and Robinson Ranch
• Antonio and Alas de Paz
• Trabuco Canyon and Trabuco Creek
• Santa Margarita and Antonio
• Santiago Canyon Road and Live Oak Canyon Road

Wildfires Sep 9

Bridge Fire burns over 3,000 acres in Angeles National Forest near Glendora

Wildfires Sep 9

Line Fire in San Bernardino County scorches over 26,000 acres

Shelters

A temporary shelter is set up at the Lake Forest Sports Park located at 28000 Vista Terrace in Lake Forest, available to provide assistance until 10 p.m. Monday.

A long-term care shelter was established at the Bell Tower Regional Community Center at 22232 El Paseo, Rancho Santa Margarita.

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

Sandra Hernandez, 41, faces charges that include involuntary manslaughter and felony child neglect in connection with the death of her 3-year-old daughter. The two were found Friday afternoon unresponsive in a Ford Expedition that was parked on the 1300 block of Fashion Lane. They were locked in the vehicle on a day when it was 104 degrees outside.

A family member pulled the child out of the vehicle and gave her emergency aid before first responders arrived. The girl and her mother were then taken to a nearby hospital, according to the Anaheim Police Department.

The young girl, whose name was not released, died shortly after arriving at the hospital. The preliminary cause of her death has been suspected to be complications from heat stroke.

Hernandez was treated at the medical facility and then booked into the Anaheim Police Department Detention Facility. Authorities said empty alcohol containers were found inside the vehicle.

A woman who identified herself as the great-aunt of Hernandez told NBC4 that the mother locked herself and her daughter in a car. According to the great-aunt, Hernandez also has a 5-year-old child and that child was in school at the time.

The woman said relatives understood that Hernandez was going to pick up the older child from school, and that they were unaware she and the toddler never left the vehicle.

“My heart is so heavy knowing that our little girl of 3 years of age died of the heat,” the great-aunt said. The girl’s cause of death is still being determined by authorities.

Anaheim police said they do not believe the incident was a murder-suicide attempt.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information on the case is encouraged to contact the Anaheim Police Department at 714-765-1900 or Orange County Crime Stoppers at 855-TIP-OCCS.

The Airport Fire that broke out in Trabuco Canyon in Orange County grew to burn about 2,000 acres Monday afternoon, prompting evacuation orders for those who live in the area.

The mandatory evacuation order affects those in Robinson Ranch and Trabuco Highlands communities.

Due to “a potential threat to life and/or property,” evacuation warnings were also issued in Robinson Ranch, Rose Canyon Road, Trabuco Creek Road, Trabuco Canyon Road, Trabuco Oaks Drive, Joplin Loop and Cook’s Corner.

More detailed evacuation information can be found here.

Firefighters responded to the brush fire after it was first reported at around 1:15 p.m. on Trabuco Creek Road near an remote-controlled airplane airport, according to the OC Fire Authority. 

More than 40 units of firefighters attacked the fire from ground and air, the OC Fire Authority said.

Engine strike teams, hand crews, dozers, helicopters and fixed wing aircraft were deployed to put out the flames.

Wildfires Sep 9

Southern California facing bad air quality, more fire danger

San Bernardino County Sep 8

State of emergency declared for 20,000-acre Line Fire

Drivers were urged to avoid the area so firefighters can respond and work safely.

First responders were called for a medical aid emergency on the 1300 block of Fashion Lane, where the child was pulled out of a car by family members who were giving her first aid for reasons unspecified. The young girl was taken to a nearby hospital, where she died shortly after her arrival, according to the Anaheim Police Department.

The toddler’s mother was also found in the vehicle unconscious. She, too, was taken to a nearby hospital and is said to be recovering. It is unclear what caused the woman to lose consciousness.

A woman who identified herself as the great-aunt of the mother told NBC4 that the woman locked herself and her daughter in a car. According to the great-aunt, the woman has two children and the second child was in school at the time.

Relatives who were going to pick up the child from school noticed the mother and toddler in the car. The mother was described as being disoriented at the time.

“My heart is so heavy knowing that our little girl of 3 years of age died of the heat,” the great-aunt said. The girl’s cause of death is still being determined by authorities.

Anaheim police said investigators are waiting for the mother to recover to provide more information.

Two horse trainers are suing the OC Fair & Event Center, accusing its board members of refusing to negotiate rental deals after recent hikes. A lawsuit filed last month also accuses the fairgrounds of restricting trainers’ access to the horses by limiting training and riding.

The OC Fair & Event Center board sent out notices last week to about a dozen horse owners who have yet to sign new leases. The notice said tenants had just over two weeks to move their horses to another property or risk losing them.

In a statement, the fairgrounds said that the restricted access should not have come as a surprise to trainers who have not signed their rental agreements.

“The equestrians have had months of warnings to pay or vacate and they are now faced with a Sept. 16 deadline to comply. The horses have been, and will continue to be, well cared for at the facility,” OC Fair & Event Center Board Chair Nick Kovacevich said in the statement.

“Project Playhouse” auctions the one-of-a-kind playhouses that are built with the craftsmanship of a regular home but on a smaller scale. The miniature homes feature running water and electricity.

The playhouses go for anywhere from $20,000 to as high as $80,000. The proceeds then go to help HomeAid Orange County, which builds the homeless shelters.

The proceeds have helped build more than 70 homeless shelters, according to HomeAid Orange County.

Owners of the playhouses take pride in their tiny homes, with themes and custom paint jobs.

“This is my darling playhouse – and the theme is Christmas Story,” said Susan Doan who owns two playhouses. “This is my house. I get such joy coming out here. Keep it up, paint it, ’cause it’s mine – I’m really proud to own it.”

Doan won her beloved playhouse at auction in 2012, the second of two playhouses she bought from “Project Playhouse.”

“I believe in what they do and their money because it touches my heart in what I do,” said Doan.

The playhouses will be on display at the Irvine Spectrum on Sept. 7 and more information on the miniature homes can be found here.

Felix Continental Café was buzzing with hungry customers on Wednesday as its fanbase indulged in their last chance to savor the restaurant’s flavors. Owner Carlos Calderon cited economic challenges and being in the business for a long time as reasons for the decision.

“Probably two weeks ago word leaked that we were going to be closing,” he said.

Calderon’s parents, Ramon and Lilia, opened the restaurant along with their cousin Tomas Llera in 1979. Carlos helped his family with the eatery as a part-time job and has since taken over as manager.

He said when his family opened up shop, they only had one Cuban item on their menu – the restaurant’s famous Cuban sandwich. It was thanks to one loyal patron that the family expanded the menu to include more traditional eats.

“One of our good customers spoke with our father and said, ‘Your background is Cuban. Why don’t you start introducing some of those items,’” Carlos said.

Now, the family is ready to close for good on Thursday.

“We want to take this moment to thank our dedicated team for their hard work, our associates, and our customers who have been part of our story,” the restaurant’s website said. “Your support and engagement have meant the world to us.”

“I will miss it,” Carlos said. “I believe tomorrow, which is our last day, when … the last time I lock that door, I’ll get emotional for sure.”

As for what’s next for the business owner? He said he’s looking forward to resting and spending time with his family.

The restaurant, however, has been sold to a seafood restaurant that will open at an unspecified date.

The FBI confirmed it served search warrants at several locations connected to Viet America Society and a home on Beverly Glen in North Tustin, which a property records search showed is owned by Do.

“You do have to live in the district you represent,” said Katrina Foley, who represents the Fifth District of Orange County. “So, if he lives in Tustin with his family, then how can he be representing District One when Tustin is not part of District One?”

Supervisor Foley called on Attorney General Rob Bonta to remove Do from office, citing the search of his home and the state election law that requires supervisors to live in the district they represent.

A property records search showed Do owns a North Tustin home and a home in Westminster, which is in his district. Neighbors at both locations told NBC4 they see Do from time to time. 

The call for Do to resign comes as federal agents comb through evidence they collected at several properties connected to Viet America Society, a nonprofit the county is suing for allegedly embezzling more than $13 million in federal funding, most of which was meant to feed seniors during the pandemic.

Do’s daughter, Rhiannon, who is listed as an officer with the nonprofit, is named in the county’s civil lawsuit, which was filed in Orange County Superior Court.

“Over the weekend, we learned that Supervisor Do would not be attending our board meeting tomorrow and that it would likely be that he would be missing many future meetings,” Foley said. ”To me, well, you need to do your job, we’re paying you to do your job, the constituents voted for you to do your job.”

Do has not responded to our several requests for comment as of Monday evening.

Vicente Sarmiento, who represents the Second District of Orange County, had recently also called for Do’s resignation. 

“We have some critical decisions that we need to make as a board,” he said. “We are selecting our next CEO. We are dealing with grants passed and how we are dealing with homelessness and Proposition One on how we deliver mental health services,” said Sarmiento. “So those are decisions when a person is compromised they can’t make thoughtful and for us to be able to even trust that opinion makes it very

David Wiechert, the attorney representing Rhiannon Do, described her as a hardworking and law-abiding citizen and said he looks forward to “showing the government the error of their ways.”

In response, the Attorney General’s office said, while Bonta does not have “unilateral authority” to remove officials like Do from office, his team is investigating whether Do has the legal right to hold an office through the quo warranto process.

“A quo warranto action may be brought to determine whether a public official satisfies a requirement that he or she resides in the district; or whether a public official is serving in two incompatible offices,” Bonta’s office said in a statement.

The fatalities were reported shortly after midnight Sunday on the northbound side of the 5 Freeway, south of Culver Drive. There, two motorcycles crashed and its drivers died, CHP said.

It is unclear what caused the crash.

CHP said the agency received calls of a group of reckless motorcyclists driving dangerously in the area. It is unclear if the individuals who died were part of that group. Law enforcement did not release the names of the people who died.

As a result of the crash, a SigAlert was issued for the 5 Freeway. All lanes were reopened by 4 a.m.

The investigation is ongoing.

The law enforcement operation continued into Thursday afternoon at several locations, including on Candeda Place in Tustin. Agents were seen leaving the house with boxes and what appeared to be laptop computers.

The homes were bought by a nonprofit group called Viet America Society, which is at the center of the federal investigation.

According to a civil lawsuit filed last week by the county, Rhiannon Do, daughter of county Supervisor Andrew Do, bought the Tustin townhouse last year. Rhiannon Do was the vice president of Viet America Society, which used federal funding for pandemic relief to buy homes, according to the lawsuit. The money was intended to be used to deliver meals to seniors and the disabled during the pandemic.

The searches also targeted the Garden Grove home of Viet America Society President Peter Pham, the Orange County Register reported. NewsChopper4 was over the home Thursday during the law enforcement activity.

In addition to the homes in Tustin and Garden Grove, the FBI confirmed a home in Fountain Valley also was searched.

In a statement to City News Service, Ciaran McEvoy, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, confirmed that agents carried out the searches, but he declined to discuss details.

“We’re executing a search warrant but we are declining to comment on (the) nature of investigation due to sealing order by the court,” McEvoy said.

Mark Rosen, an attorney for the VAS, told the Register that agents also searched a restaurant in Westminster. The VAS contracted with the restaurant during the pandemic to prepare meals that the organization was paid by the county to deliver to needy residents.

The county’s lawsuit seeks to recover millions of dollars. It accuses Viet America Society of “brazenly” using the funds for personal gain.

Rosen issued a statement last week calling the lawsuit “a disgrace” that is riddled with “many, many factual errors.” Rosen added that the Viet America Society “continues to provide food and delivery for the poor and the disabled today. You are all invited to come and see it in action. And they are keeping excellent records today.”

Rosen said the nonprofit provided the services promised in the COVID grant, but failed initially to keep good records.

“All the contracts were honored in the provision of services,” Rosen said. “This lawsuit is a smear job.”

Before the suit was filed, Rosen said the nonprofit has been struggling to document every meal delivered during the pandemic.

“They’re now trying to get records from people who don’t want to deal with the government, who are suspicious of the government because of their experience as refugees,” Rosen said of the Vietnamese community the nonprofit serves. “The county, three years after the fact, has impossible standards now as if there was no pandemic or no one was sick. It’s easy to question all of this in hindsight, but people forget what it was like back then before we had the vaccines.”

NBCLA reached out to Supervisor Do for comment.

City News Service contributed to this report.

The lawsuit alleged the Viet American Society used more than $10 million to buy several homes and make cash withdrawals.

The money was meant to help seniors during the pandemic, according to a lawsuit filed in Orange County Superior Court Thursday.

One of the defendants named in the lawsuit is Rhiannon Do, who is the daughter of Orange County supervisor Andrew Do.

The 39-page complaint detailed what county investigators uncovered about how VAS was awarded millions of dollars in pandemic relief funds, which were allocated to provide meals for seniors and the disabled in the Vietnamese community.

The lawsuit comes after two supervisors, including Katrina Foley, asked for an audit of the public funding of the group.

“The funds were being used for personal expenses including purchasing of real property instead of being used to serve the needs of the Vietnamese community,” said Foley who represents the Fifth District. “We’ve been overboard trying to help them do the right thing and prove that the funds were used for the intended purpose which was to help people.”

The lawsuit alleged VAS officers used public funds to buy at least six homes in Orange County including in Garden Grove, Buena Park, Fountain Valley and Santa Ana.

The complaint also detailed a $1 million payment to the group to build a memorial for veterans.

“According to our investigators, they cannot prove they used the funds for these purposes and we don’t have a memorial so we know that didn’t happen,” Foley said.

The lawsuit is seeking Viet American Society to pay back the county $10.4 million.

NBC4 reached out to Supervisor Do’s office and the lawyer representing VAS for comment but has not heard back.

Brackett will be competing in wheelchair rugby, a sport that wasn’t part of his original plan.

“It’s been a really long journey for me personally,” said Brackett. “I definitely had the childhood dream of making the Paralympics as a kid. I thought it was wheelchair basketball.”

The 31-year-old, who now lives in Alabama, spent his earlier years on the hardwood shooting hoops. It wasn’t until someone introduced him to rugby that Brackett never looked back.

“Here I am today playing wheelchair rugby at the highest of stages pretty neat,” said Bracket.

The Paralympian is one of more than two dozen athletes coming from California to represent Team USA in the Paralympics. A journey that has been anything but easy.

At two years old Brackett suffered a spinal cord injury that left him in a wheelchair, but his family says his disability never defined him.

“Clayton to this day – is a person that wants to complete and finish anything he starts,” said his mother, Jennifer Hilborn.

Brackett’s determination has now taken him to his first Paralympic Games, where he and his expanding family will be there cheering him on.

“My wife – who is pregnant is going to be there with her mom as well! We are very excited to bring in a baby boy in January and hopefully getting the gold medal along with it it’s just been an incredible year for me,” said Brackett.

The Paralympics kick off on Aug. 28 and “Clay” as his family calls him, competes against Canada the next day.

The Dutch will start training as early as 2026 for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

Facilities in Mission Viejo and surrounding communities will serve as their training spots for sports including athletics, swimming, and team sports such as handball and volleyball, among others.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for our community to be able to support athletes and coaches from TeamNL prior to their respective LA28 Games,” said Mayor Trish Kelley.  “Mission Viejo has a long history of supporting Olympians and Paralympians from around the world, and we believe our world-class facilities will properly prepare TeamNL for LA28.”

Many countries get to choose a place to train locally before the Olympics, and with teams currently focused on the 2024 Paris Olympics, Mission Viejo wanted to make sure to “be ahead of the game.”

“We are just outside the busy zone of LA, which adds to the appeal of Mission Viejo.  Athletes can focus on training with limited distractions,” Mark Nix, director of Recreation and Community Services for Mission Viejo, said.

 The city will not be doing construction nor making adjustments to what’s currently available to the Dutch, stating the community’s “warm welcome” is what won the team over.

Olympics Jun 11

Long Beach to host LA28 Olympics at multiple city venues

Olympics Jun 21

LA28 shares venue update for 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. See what's new

“We are extremely grateful to Mission Viejo and the City’s willingness to support our Olympic and Paralympic athletes prior to the LA Games,” said André Cats, Technical and Games Director TeamNL. “Our staff and coaches have certainly been impressed with the resources the City is able to offer in order to make it a successful training experience for our delegations prior to the 2028 Games.”

The Netherlands has won nearly 500 Olympic medals, including 25 medals so far at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Beyond Blindness’s annual summer camp hosts activities from arts to sports to nature exploration, in order to give campers the fun of summertime. All kids can participate in the activities, regardless of their ability.

The campers went out to the Newport Aquatic Center in Newport Beach for a fun day on the water on Thursday.

Boarding canoes tied together to prevent flipping, the kids were able to row out onto the waves and play in the water. They chanted “stroke!” pretending to be in an Olympic regatta and splashed each other with their paddles.

“Beyond Blindness has taught us and shown us that places like this welcome kids like Charlie and let him just be a kid,” said Kristin McKay, the mother of Charlie, who has Hunter syndrome, and a Beyond Blindness board member.

The campers take similar field trips weekly, exploring all that California has to offer. Through Beyond Blindness, their safety and abilities to participate are prioritized.

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

This unknown lottery player scratched off to a $1 million prize spot, California Lottery announced on Friday.

The winning Multiplier Craze Scratchers® ticket was sold at the CA Lottery LIVE! Booth.

There was a lot of excitement when the person played his newly purchased Multiplier Craze game, the retailer Maysa Dagher said.

Dagher’s co-worker checked the ticket that confirmed the substantial win and was excited about the sale, too.

 “We are loud and crazy in here,” Dagher said.

Powerball Apr 5

Lucky places to buy winning lottery tickets? This is what data says

Lottery Jul 27

Lottery ticket worth $415,000 sold in La Palma

The California Lottery won’t be able to officially declare a winner until the person who bought the winning Scratchers comes forward.

Any winning player can come forward to claim their prize at one of nine California Lottery offices or by mailing the ticket in.

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

The cat was discovered by the resident of the house, and owner of the car, who heard the feline’s meows. The man did not hesitate to ask for help and took him to Station 86 of the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA).

The firefighters tried to free him with soap and water, but it was unsuccessful, since he kept slipping and they could not get him out. That is when they called for backup from another team with specialized tools.

The team effort required a chainsaw, a large spoon to protect the kitten’s head from the blade, and water to cool the area as they worked to free it.

Ultimately, the kitten was freed and went home with the resident who discovered him. It was a very successful rescue, as one of the firefighters can be heard saying on video where the officers’ action was recorded.

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

But those who play it are looking to change that.

They say badminton is fiercely competitive and far from a backyard sport.

NBC4 spoke with young badminton players and one of the coaches at the Global Badminton Academy in Pomona where some members of Team USA, including Vinson Chiu, 25, of Newport Beach, trained.

“I’m as a coach very proud of him,” said Tony Gunawan, who trained Chiu and several other Olympic athletes who are making their debut in Paris.

“He showed his level can be competing with the top of the world.”

Young athletes said they had been watching the badminton competition and hope they, too, can one day become Olympians.

“I love how exciting it can be sometimes,” said Tiger Chen, 16, who started playing badminton when he was 5 years old.

Paris Olympics Photos Jul 29

Funny faces: See the best candid expressions in photos from the 2024 Olympics

2024 Paris Olympics Jul 29

See the top moments from Day 3 of the Paris Olympics

The sport is also quick, competitive and gaining steam in the U.S.

“People know badminton as a backyard sport, but it’s very intense. It requires everything” said Gunawan, who played for Team USA at the 2012 London Games. He also won a gold medal when he competed for his home country, Indonesia, where he said badminton is as popular as basketball is here in the U.S.

“It’s been a long time,” he said. “We all try. It’s always chicken and egg. We need investment to get top players, but also sponsors need results to give sponsorships,” he said.

Badminton players have high hopes that their sport will propel in popularity just in time for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, where they hope they can have a chance to compete.

“Right now, it’s daily training. Once school starts, maybe a little less training. But still keeping it up. Consistence,” said Chen. “Hopefully I can compete with them in four years.”

The tickets with five numbers, but missing the Mega number, sold in Illinois and New Jersey are both worth $1 million. While tickets with five numbers, but missing the Mega number, sold in other states are worth $1 million or a multiple of $1 million, California law requires major payoffs of lottery games to be paid on a pari-mutuel basis, meaning they are determined by sales and the number of winners.

There were no tickets sold with all six numbers, pushing the estimated jackpot for Tuesday’s drawing to $331 million.

The numbers drawn Friday were 2, 14, 33, 58, 65 and the Mega number was 3. The estimated jackpot was $306 million.

The drawing was the 14th since the last time a ticket with all six numbers was sold.

The odds of matching all five numbers and the Mega number are 1 in 302,575,350, according to the California Lottery. The overall chance of winning a prize is 1 in 24.

The Mega Millions game is played in 45 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. Virgin  Islands.

One of the players, Jenna Nighswonger, grew up in Huntington Beach and trained with her coach, who has opened his own soccer academy in hopes of inspiring other young athletes.

The Soccer iQ Institute in Los Alamitos is part athletics and part academics, replicating a very popular model in Europe, according to co-founder Trey Scharlin.

“To go from the 7-year-old blonde-haired girl who walked into the facility, scared and everything to playing on the biggest stage there is –  It’s unbelievable to watch and see and to be a part of that journey for her,” said Scharlin, who coached Nighswonger since her childhood. His training center, Deft Touch, is now part of the institute.

While, on the field, the coaches help student athletes excel, off the field, they’re focused on academics.

“My son really struggled in school, but he is a fabulous athlete, and there are a lot of other kids like him,” said Bridgette Robinson, who co-founded the school with Scharlin. “I was trying to think of a school that would be good for those types of students.”

Last year was the first year of instruction with one student, Robinson’s son, Joaquin.

“I want to be a professional soccer player,” said the-12-year-old.

Students spend the morning in a classroom with one-on-one virtual instruction, said Robinson.

They break for lunch and then head to the soccer turf where they train in soccer in the afternoon.

2024 Paris Olympics Jul 25

How Santa Clarita Olympic swimmer Abbey Weitzeil takes care of her mental health

2024 Paris Olympics Jul 24

U.S. Men's skateboarding team brings California flairs to Paris Olympics

The school is gearing up for its second year starting in August with seven students so far.  

The founders hope they can show students and parents that this hybrid model works. They hope to inspire future student athletes. 

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

The Summer Health Experience (SHE) program welcomed 35 girls between the ages of 15 to 18 to learn more about working in medical facilities at the UCI Medical Center. Participants were selected out of more than 300 applicants for the week-long training.

“I think the idea of saving others, whether it’s life or lifestyle, is just so valuable to me,” said Elyse Mills, who’s in the program.

The program is in its 10^th year and was founded by Dr. Nimisha Parekh, a gastroenterologist whose inspiration to make a change in the medical field is what pushed her to create SHE.

“For myself, I think it’s really exciting,” Dr. Parekh said of her program. “When I started here, I was the only female provider, so it was really challenging. I think as the years go by, I see our group is growing, more women; it’s really exciting.”

The doctor said she’s been happy to see the program inspire aspiring, female medical workers.

“It’s exciting to see that more women are interested and I can be a role model for them and mentor,” she said.

The program allows participants to shadow a wide range of professionals from pharmacists, researchers, social workers and more. It aims to show them professional opportunities that go beyond doctor’s offices by provided a career panel from several related professions.