🌱 Orange County True Crime + How New OC Districts Will Change Top Candidates +Rain Totals

Happy Tuesday, Orange County! Here's everything you need to know about what's happening locally today.

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First, today's weather:

Cool with clouds, then sun. High: 61 Low: 44.

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Here are the top stories in Orange County today:

1. A Los Angeles man who admitted to terrorizing Orange County Trader Joe's workers in a series of armed robberies was sentenced Monday. At one point, he involved his son as a getaway driver. Now, he'll spend as many as 21 years behind bars. (Orange County Patch).
2. In a redistricting decision, former 48th district Rep. Harley Rouda has opted out of his battle with fellow Democrat Katie Porter for the new Orange County seat. Doing so avoids the "bruising battle" between democrats, Rouda says. "While I do believe I would represent my district best, I am also pragmatic. I have no interest in running against a Democratic incumbent who has decided to run in this district," Rouda said in a statement. See where sitting representatives will run. (Los Angeles Times)
3. Rain, rain, here to stay? Check out this mapped out view of Orange County's cities with the most Orainfall in the final weeks of 2021 (OCRegister)
4. How a UC Irvine Director Of Ethics was fired after refusing vaccine on a claim he was immune from coronavirus on the same day vaccinated students returned to campus. (Lake Forest Patch).
5. 'They Weren't Wholesome People': A missing elderly Orange County mother was found dead after taking on the wrong tenants. See the full true crime story of this Lake Forest murder. (Oxygen).

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Today in Orange County:

• Tai Chi Tuesdays - Sherman Library & Gardens (10:30 AM).
• 1st & 3rd Tuesday Leads Group - Greater Irvine Chamber of Commerce (11:45 AM).
• Ambassador Committee Meeting - Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce (12 PM).
• Soccer, Girls Varsity Valencia/Placentia@Pacifica/Garden Grove (General Events) (3 PM).
• Events Committee Meeting - Fountain Valley Chamber of Commerce (4 PM).
• Ambassador Meeting - Fountain Valley Chamber of Commerce (4:30 PM).

From my notebook:

• Orange County Sheriff's Department, CA: "Did you know our Hazardous Device Squad assisted in securing the area at the Rose Parade over the past weekend? Our Explosive Detection K9 team was busy thoroughly sweeping the streets prior to the start of the parade." (Facebook).
• Orange County Register: "As Mater Dei's higher-ups' reel from repercussions, the investigators are scheduled to begin interviewing Mater Dei students and staff on Thursday." (Facebook).
• Orange County Department of Ed: "Many districts in Orange County are welcoming students back today after a two week holiday. In our latest COVID-19 update, we're breaking down what OC schools are doing as students and staff return from winter break." (Instagram)
• Orange County Register: "Another wave of flight cancellations hit Southern California airports Monday, with more than 100 scuttled due to COVID-19 and weather issues." (Facebook).
• Orange County Register: "Temecula physician Donald Woo Lee had surrendered his license after a medical fraud conviction when Dr. Jennifer Armstrong asked him to perform a cosmetic procedure on patient Terri Litzkow." (Facebook).

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That's it for today. See you all tomorrow for another update!

— Ashley Ludwig

About me: Ashley Ludwig has been a columnist and online news editor since 2007. Prior to joining Patch, she worked as a staff writer for Southwest Riverside's Valley News Newspaper--in print and online. She was a co-founder of the southern California news conglomerate, DailySoCal.com--and prior to that, a freelance journalist for such publications as the North County Times, San Diego Union-Tribune, and Southwest Riverside News Network (SWRNN.com), and still owns the local southern California Wine Country blog: TemeculaGrapevine.com. Ashley Ludwig has worked as a writer on the web since the late 1990s. She is a graduate of the University of Arizona, with a Bachelor of Arts and Sciences. Wife, and mother of two daughters, she is the author of multiple romantic suspense novels. www.ashleyludwig.com