Orange County News

A woman with blonde, shoulder length hair, smiles while seated in front of a black background wearing a black blazer

Education

OC Board of Education member failed to report millions in income and assets, court finds

Proposed court decision says Marilyn “Mari” Barke will have to pay nearly $82,000 in penalty fees, as well as attorneys’ costs.

A man with medium-tone skin and wearing a baseball cap that reads "DadGang" holds a newborn baby wearing a diaper and a hospital bracelet.

Early Childhood Education

New dads now make up more than 50% of paid family leave claims

More fathers than mothers are applying for paid family leave benefits to bond with a new child in California from when the program first started more than 20 years ago.

A close-up photo of an amusement park ride — a neon green car is racing along a roller coaster track. Half the people are laughing and smiling and the other half looks like they are screaming for it all to end.

Explore LA

The OC Fair has arrived! Here's the lowdown on the annual summer fest

The fair is expected to draw big crowds in Costa Mesa. More than 1.1 million visited last year's fair.

A white man with a beard stands at a covered voting area to fill out his ballot. The cover has the Orange County seal on it.

Civics & Democracy

Irvine puts ranked-choice voting on the November ballot — with a caveat

City Council members were concerned over how much it would cost for Irvine, which has a growing deficit.

A black and white photo depicts a beachfront marine lab with a central tower and tiled roof.

Explore LA

Go inside this hidden Corona del Mar marine lab – and its 100 years of ocean science

Caltech’s Kerckhoff Marine Laboratory looks like it’s been teleported in from another time and place. It’s open for public visits this summer.

A large building with a glass domed roof.

Climate & Environment

The future of air conditioning could already be in use in a SoCal train station

Anaheim's ARTIC train station uses a technology called radiant cooling. It's more energy efficient than traditional air conditioning, and it feels nice too.

The modern bandshell at the Hollywood Bowl features a fan-like shell of concentric circles.

Best Things To Do

Best things to do this weekend in LA and SoCal: July 10-12

Wes Anderson night at the Bowl, the Library turns 100, a mahjong social and more of the best things to do this weekend.

A welcome sign for Santa Ana, with palm trees in the background

Civics & Democracy

Santa Ana voters to decide whether to make sales tax increase permanent

The tax measure was approved by voters in 2018 with plans to reduce the rate to 1% by 2029, then eliminate it in 2039.

Civics & Democracy

You could get fined $63 for ‘daylighting’: Here’s what you need to know

Several county police departments in SoCal are strictly enforcing a law that prohibits parking too close to crosswalks, which took effect back in January 2025.