Anyone looking to get rid of their weapons can anonymously trade them in for gift cards at a gun buyback event Saturday, May 11, in Anaheim. The exchange day is being put together by Orange County Supervisors Doug Chaffee and Vicente Sarmiento in partnership with the city of Anaheim and the Anaheim Police Department. “Every year, we’ve seen a lot of innocent lives lost due to gun accidents that could have been prevented. We are trying to provide the community an opportunity to safely dispose of unwanted guns that they may have in their possession,” Sarmiento said. “We, unfortunately see a lot ..read more

A Pixar food festival themed to the animation studio’s latest movies will draw culinary inspiration from the storylines, characters and locales in “Turning Red,” “Soul,” “Luca,” “Elemental” and “Inside Out” as well as the classic chef-centric “Ratatouille” film. Six festival marketplace booths will serve Pixar-themed food and drinks from Friday, May 10 to Aug. 4 at Disney California Adventure. Sign up for our Park Life newsletter and find out what’s new and interesting every week at Southern California’s theme parks. Subscribe here. ALSO SEE: 5 best things I ate at Disneyland’s Pixar Fest The ..read more

Anaheim Workforce Connection is presenting a Youth Job Fair on May 11. High school students and recent graduates can sign up on the website and be sure to dress for success and bring multiple copies of your resume. The job fair will be held from 9 a.m. until noon at 41 S. Anaheim Blvd. For event and resume workshop information visit anaheim.net or email WDinfo@anaheim.net. Celebrate all things Greek St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church is presenting its always popular Greek Festival from May 17 to 19. The 3-day event will feature all-things Greek, including food of all kinds, entertainme ..read more

A classic Disneyland attraction starring an audio-animatronic figure of President Abraham Lincoln will undergo an extensive refurbishment that will give the Great Emancipator a little TLC and improve the Main Street U.S.A. theater. Disneyland filed building permits valued at $5 million with the city of Anaheim to replace show elements, lighting, audio and show systems on the Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln attraction in the Main Street Opera House, according to city records. The city permit also indicates an existing platform will be replaced, a new turntable will be installed and mechanical, e ..read more

A suspected bank robber held several employees inside a BMO Bank in Anaheim captive before he was arrested by police on Wednesday, May 8, officials said. Police responded to the bank robbery on 4501 East La Palma Avenue at 4:40 p.m. The suspect allegedly kidnapped several bank employees, barricaded himself inside a room within the bank and demanded money before he stole an undisclosed amount of cash, Anaheim Police Sgt. Jon McClintock said. SWAT personnel and tactical negotiators at the scene rescued the victims and arrested the suspect on suspicion of bank robbery, kidnapping and false impris ..read more

Disneyland is about to take the first step on a 40-year journey that will forever change the face of the Anaheim theme park resort now that the city has approved an expansion plan that promises new themed lands, rides, hotels, shops and restaurants. What will Disneyland build first? An Avatar themed land? A Marvel E-ticket ride? The Arendelle Castle from the World of Frozen? The answer is likely far less fantastical and much more practical. The Anaheim City Council gave final unanimous approval to the DisneylandForward proposal on Tuesday, May 7. The newly approved plan goes into effect in ear ..read more

Mickey Mouse, Snow White, Spider-Man and other Disneyland employees who work with Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars character performers have scheduled a vote on whether to unionize, according to the union organizing workers. The National Labor Relations Board announced a union election will be held May 15-18 at Disneyland for character and parade performers. Sign up for our Park Life newsletter and find out what’s new and interesting every week at Southern California’s theme parks. Subscribe here. ALSO SEE: 7 reasons Disneyland characters want to unionize Voting will take place at Disneylan ..read more

Disney’s three-year effort to get the go-ahead to grow its theme parks in Anaheim received final approval from the City Council on Tuesday, May 7. The City Council unanimously approved the project at its April 16 meeting. The second vote Tuesday was also unanimous and passed without discussion. The second reading and vote were required to finalize the changes to the city’s zoning that the project asks for. The adopted changes will go into effect in 30 days. The vote wraps up years of efforts by the company to explain the project to residents and eventually move to get approval for future addit ..read more

Higher labor costs and other expenses dragged down income at Disneyland despite higher attendance, ticket prices and visitor spending in an otherwise rosy picture for Disney theme parks across the globe, according to the company’s latest earnings report. Disneyland saw a decrease in operating results due to inflation, lower hotel occupancy and increased labor costs, according to Disney’s second quarter earnings report released on Tuesday, May 7. Sign up for our Park Life newsletter and find out what’s new and interesting every week at Southern California’s theme parks. Subscribe here. ALSO SEE ..read more

An Orange County judge has ruled Anaheim can’t require transitional or supportive housing operators to get permission from the city to open after the City Council denied a nonprofit from opening a group home in 2021. State law governs group homes, such as when they need to be licensed and how many people per bedroom. Anaheim’s laws required transitional or supportive housing with seven or more people to get a permit from the city to open in all types of neighborhood zones. Judge Walter Schwarm issued the order April 26; it comes out of the city’s loss in the nonprofit Grandma’s House of Hope c ..read more