🌱NY Eve Free Bus Rides + 9 Trapped In Elevator + Rain on Rose Parade?

Hello again, friends. It's Thursday in Orange County and I'm back in your inbox to get you caught up on the most important things happening in town, including news on...

• Orange County is offering free bus rides for New Years Eve weekend!
• Nine people were rescued from a hotel elevator on Christmas Eve.
• There's "a slight chance of showers" for the Rose Bowl and Parade.

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But first, today's weather:

Cloudy. High: 64 Low: 51.

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Here are the top three stories in Orange County today:

1. Free bus rides will be offered during New Year's Eve weekend by the Orange County Transportation Authority. People using the OC buses won't be charged a fare starting at 6pm on December 31 and that will last until 2:30am on January 1. Some of the areas the OC buses stop by are Downtown Fullerton, Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm. (On Air with Ryan Seacrest)
2. What a Christmas Eve to remember! Nine family members were trapped in an elevator on December 24. OC Firefighters received the emergency call at 9:45 a.m. Saturday from a hotel on the 7300 block of Artesia Boulevard in Buena Park, after two families found themselves stuck in an elevator after a significant hydraulic leak. No one was injured and firefighters were able to rescue all nine residents-who were so happy they asked if they could take selfies with their rescuers! (msn.com)
3. Will the Roses get a historic soaking on Tuesday? So far, forecasters say the Rose Parade's amazing run of atmospheric good fortune will likely continue, but it could be a close call on Monday, Jan. 2, according to forecasters. Keep those umbrellas handy, just in case. (ocregister.com)

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Today in Orange County:

• VAR Boys' Basketball- Estancia Tournament (TBA) (Events) (12:00 AM)
• #athletics: girls basketball Savanna Holiday Classic (7:00 AM)
• Cozy Family Winter Read: Cypress Library (10:00 AM)
• B. Var Basketball Colony Classic v. Newport Harbor (1:00 PM)
• Makerspace Open Hours In-Person - Huntington Beach Public Library (2:00 PM)
• Sew Sick for Teens and Adults at Central Library (3:30 PM)

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From my notebook

• Everybody loves street food-from food trucks to pop up hucksters but-more than 100 street vendors in Santa Ana have been shut down for selling unsafe food and operating without a proper health permit, the city announced. Officials said some of the food was unfit for human consumption and being served to unsuspecting customers.
  "We found that some of the food was raw. The way it was being maintained, the heat apparently that the stuff they were using, the stove or the Al Pastor rotisserie, wasn't hot enough to cook thoroughly," Alvaro Nuñez, Santa Ana's assistant director of planning and building said. He said the food at these locations was impounded and thrown out.
• Who? Who? For now, it's a holiday mystery -A snowy owl, certainly not native to Southern California, has made an appearance in a residential Cypress neighborhood, drawing avid ornithologists and curious bird gawkers alike. The mostly white and brownish-grey bird was perched atop a house on a palm tree-lined street Tuesday, Dec. 27, nestled next to a chimney while revelers pack the street and sidewalk with tripods, cameras and cell phones. (Daily Breeze)
• Hey, you know what will made you better looking? Adopting a pet who really needs a home. Orange County: Rabbits, Dogs, Pets Available For Adoption Nearby (Orange County Patch)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Thursday! I'll be in your inbox tomorrow with a new update.

— Patty-Pat Kozlowski

About me: Patty-Pat Kozlowski has been writing community news and Philly-cenric Op/Eds for over 20 years. A Jill of all trades she's been a stand-up comedian, chef, DJ, newspaper editor, food trucker and Parks Director for Philadelphia Parks & Rec as well as a community relations/legislative aide for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and Philadelphia City Council.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Orange County Daily? Contact me at orangecounty@patch.com