August 31, 2020
Orange County
Voice of OC: Long-dormant County police watchdog plans first set of probes into OC agencies in years
The new head of the Office of Independent Review (OIR), Sergio Perez, in an Aug. 27 report announced three investigations centered on law enforcement use-of-force policies and practices, evidence-booking issues, and employee hiring and psychological evaluation practices at the Orange County Sheriff’s Dept. and District Attorney’s office.
Voice of OC: South Santa Ana gets more voting access after city officials question OC Registrar
Orange County elections officials are planning for more ballot drop-off boxes in south Santa Ana, a crowded and public transit-dependent stretch of one of California’s densest cities, after council members last month voiced concern about a potential voter access “desert” in the area.
Voice of OC: OC barbers and malls back in business today, entertainment venues still closed
At the same time, many OC businesses, like movie theaters, restaurants, bowling alleys, convention halls and theme parks will now have to wait longer to reopen their doors for indoor operations following Gov. Gavin Newsom’s updated guidelines.
OC Register: Few LA County tenants skipping rent if they can pay, study finds
A new study into how renters are handling rent and finances during the health crisis found that 95% of households without a job loss or that hadn’t contracted COVID-19 say they paid their rent.
OC Register: Passenger traffic, flights at John Wayne Airport down again in July, just not as much
Airport officials recently said they hope to finish 2020 with at least 50% of last year’s passenger traffic, which totaled 10.6 million travelers. To help people feel safe and to lure them back, the airport stepped up its cleaning regimen, added hand sanitizer dispensers and made masks mandatory.
OC Register: How Disneyland could reopen under California’s 4-tier plan
Which raises an interesting question: Would you return to Disneyland if you couldn’t go on Rise of the Resistance, Space Mountain, Fantasyland dark rides and other indoor attractions?
OC Register: Nonprofits join forces in experimental program to help O.C. homeless
Laura Bliss is one of about 40 people in Orange County who, since March, have been helped by the new collaborative effort. Two months ago, she moved into a $1,850-a-month apartment in Irvine. Because of the voucher, Bliss’ slice of the rent is $300, roughly one-third of the $1,084 she gets each month in her disability check.
Labor
OC Register: 1-year delay in newspaper labor changes wins lawmakers’ approval
A bill granting the newspaper industry an extra year to meet new labor standards passed its final legislative hurdle, gaining Assembly approval Monday, Aug. 31.
Publication Date: August 31, 2020
