L.A. Times - Orange County News

Irvine among fastest-growing U.S. cities

By Emily Alpert, Los Angeles Times — Wed, 22 May 2013 21:08:00 PDT

The Orange County city grew nearly five times as fast as the Southland average, with population nearing 230,000, census data show.

Irvine grew faster than all but seven other large U.S. cities between July 2011 and July 2012, with its population vaulting to nearly 230,000 last year, new census data show.

O.C. hate crimes fall; attacks based on sexual orientation rise

By Mike Anton, Los Angeles Times — Thu, 23 May 2013 00:05:00 PDT

The Orange County Human Relations Commission reported 61 hate crimes, a drop of 21% from the year before. But crimes involving sexual orientation nearly doubled.

The number of reported hate crimes in Orange County fell by 21% last year, even though such crimes based on sexual orientation almost doubled, according to a report released Thursday.

O.C. reserve deputy suffers severe head injuries

By Jill Cowan, Los Angeles Times — Wed, 22 May 2013 23:21:00 PDT

He is listed in critical condition. Authorities were questioning a 17-year-old who lives in the same home. They said the incident appeared to be a domestic issue.

An Orange County sheriff's reserve deputy was in critical condition Wednesday afternoon with severe head injuries after what appeared to be a domestic incident, authorities said.

UC hospitals cancel surgeries, divert patients amid strike

By Anna Gorman and Maria L. La Ganga, Los Angeles Times — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:50:00 PDT

The walkout by patient care workers shuts down some services at medical centers in L.A., Irvine, San Diego, San Francisco and Sacramento.

A strike by University of California patient care workers Tuesday caused the cancellation of hundreds of surgeries, the closure of laboratory stations and the diversion of emergency room patients, officials said.

O.C. seeks right to bill for rescues of people deemed reckless

By Rick Rojas, Los Angeles Times — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:19:00 PDT

The county's action is in response to the costly search for two hikers lost in the wilderness last month, one of whom was later charged with drug possession.

After spending $160,000 to rescue two hikers lost in a canyon — one of whom was later charged with drug possession — Orange County officials voted Tuesday to endorse a legislative proposal that would allow cities and counties to try to recover the costs of such operations.

Body of missing O.C. woman found; roommate held

By Rick Rojas, Los Angeles Times — Fri, 17 May 2013 22:26:00 PDT

Officials say that remains found near Modjeska Canyon are those of Maribel Ramos, who vanished May 3. Kwang Chol 'KC' Joy is being held in her death.

A body found in brush in an unincorporated canyon area of Orange County was identified Friday as that of a 36-year-old Army veteran and soon-to-be college graduate missing since earlier this month, and her roommate has been arrested in connection with her death, authorities said.

UC Irvine probes hate incident involving racist note

By Jeremiah Dobruck, Los Angeles Times — Wed, 15 May 2013 21:32:00 PDT

UC Irvine's chancellor pledges to find and discipline whoever slipped the note into a black female student's backpack. The student found the note on May 7.

UC Irvine's chancellor pledged Wednesday to find and discipline whoever slipped a racist note into a black female student's backpack last week.

A celebration of all things Turkish

By Charles Perry — Tue, 14 May 2013 19:00:00 PDT

The Anatolian Cultures & Food Festival returns to the Orange County fairgrounds with food, music, crafts and startlingly real re-creations of the wonders of Turkey.

There they'll stand — the Roman amphitheater of Aspendos, the tomb of the Sufi poet Rumi, the ruins of the Assyrian city of Nimrud, the ancient Armenian church of Akdamar and a dozen other wonders, all splendid in the Southern California sun.

Federal court rules Anaheim officers didn't use excessive force

By Maura Dolan, Los Angeles Times — Tue, 14 May 2013 00:00:00 PDT

A divided U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals rules that the two officers didn't use excessive force in a 2009 incident in which a suspect was fatally shot.

SAN FRANCISCO — Two Anaheim police officers said they pulled over a van at 2 a.m. after noticing it weaving in its own lane. The officers suspected the driver had illegal drugs.

Relatives, friends baffled by O.C. woman's disappearance

By Rick Rojas and Anh Do, Los Angeles Times — Mon, 13 May 2013 21:08:00 PDT

Army veteran Maribel Ramos, 36, failed to show up for a speaking engagement and a long-standing softball commitment. That's not like her, but police have found no signs of foul play.

Dependable and steady, Maribel Ramos was a hard-charging Army veteran just a couple of weeks away from graduating from college with a degree in criminal justice.