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Press release

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Youth e-bike riders could soon be required to take a safety course on the vehicles as a local Assemblywoman advances her bill through the legislature in an effort to curb the rising trend of crashes, deaths and arrests. 

At the same time, Brea City Council members doubled the city’s e-bike fines for things like riding on sidewalks and equestrian trails, while also moving to have more police drones follow unsafe juvenile riders home to inform their parents.

Meanwhile, OC Supervisors appointed a new head of the Office of Independent Review with one supervisor calling the watchdog “toothless” and stating it hasn’t really produced any meaningful oversight reports on the Sheriff’s Department or other county operations. 

After grappling with budget woes for years, Fullerton City Council members defunded a host of vacant staff positions – including some police officers – as part of spending cuts aimed at balancing the municipal budget.

Huntington Beach officials, also grappling with a budget deficit, initiated a new study on police raises as some city council members raised concerns about whether or not the city’s finances can afford the proposed 18% wage hike. 

Officials in Orange are also grappling with bleak budget projections and are asking city voters to raise the local sales tax November – a ballot measure that could trigger a proposed car purchase rebate program in an effort to offset the tax increase on city residents. 

Orange County Animal Care’s Clear the Shelter Month continues as scores of dogs like Beabadoobee and cats like Silly Sam are in need of homes.

State officials denied Westminster’s reimbursement claim for spending during the chemical tank emergency a few months ago – when city officials had to evacuate thousands of residents and find places for them to go. 

Irvine’s set to charge roughly $100 for parking during the Olivia Rodrigo music festival in the Great Park, when roughly 45,000 people are expected to attend at the end of the month – the same park where last year’s Fourth of July festival triggered massive traffic jams and strained city resources. 

Brea officials extended their city attorney’s contract after one council member and the elected treasurer raised concerns that the city’s been overbilled, specifically focusing on travel costs. 

Spencer Custodio is the civic editor. You can reach him at scustodio@voiceofoc.org. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerCustodio.