Helena Ooka, 8, of Mission Viejo creates a fingerprint art magnet at one of the arts and crafts stations during Family Arts Day at the Potocki Center for the Arts in Mission Viejo on Saturday, April 13, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer) Families visit various arts and crafts stations in one of the rooms at the Potocki Center for the Arts in Mission Viejo during Family Arts Day, presented with support from the Kiwanis Club of Mission Viejo, on Saturday, April 13, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer) Jesse Hartmann, 2, of Mission Viejo pai ..read more

By Roxana Popescu | San Diego Union-Tribune Pirch, the kitchen and bath merchant based in San Diego County that halted operations last week, has been sued by several parties alleging the luxury retailer owes more than $5 million in unpaid rent and inventory. In court filings this week, two landlords said Pirch owed almost $850,000 in back rent — at its Oceanside distribution center, and its airy Westfield UTC showroom, where it failed to keep up on its rent of almost $100,000 a month. A third lawsuit, filed Monday by high-end refrigerator maker Sub-Zero, claims Pirch owes $4.22 million. In add ..read more

Mission Viejo city officials are weighing the possibility of acquiring property to establish a performing arts center, adjacent to the Los Osos Core Area project. The City Council on Tuesday, March 26, reviewed an early study from consultants TheatreDNA about the potential for a new performing arts center, which could host a variety of performing and fine arts events. Either the CVS or Big Lots located in the Village Center off of Marguerite Parkway were identified as potential locations for a performing arts center. Both spots have similar square footage and configurations and are available f ..read more

Though Mahboob Akhter’s grandchildren are not of the age of people who traditionally fast during Ramadan, they’ve decided to try it as a way to sense what other Muslim children who live in Gaza are feeling, their grandfather said. Ramadan is a monthlong holy period about to start during which Muslims around the world reflect on God’s blessings through intense prayer and dawn-to-dusk fasting. Typically, the night meal after sunset is a time for families and friends to gather, but in light of the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas and the resulting humanitarian crisis Palestinians in the besie ..read more

Second-term Republican Rep. Young Kim appears to be in a comfortable lead with Democrat Joe Kerr a distant second as early vote counts rolled in Tuesday night for the 40th congressional district race. Democrat Allyson Muñiz Damikolas is also vying for the seat. See the latest election results. The top two vote-getters in the primary, regardless of party preference, will advance to the general election in November. CA-40 is one of several Republican-held House districts that went for President Joe Biden in 2020. It includes Aliso Viejo, Anaheim, Brea, Lake Forest, Laguna Hills, Laguna Woods, M ..read more

The Above the Influence program, founded by retired Orange County Sgt. Brian Gunsolley, seeks to revolutionize conversations about substance use among students. Tailored for fifth and sixth graders, the six-week initiative taught by Orange County deputies delves deep into the complexities of substance abuse and the lasting effects it can have on youth. Thirty-seven schools in Orange County, both private and public, are enrolled in the program. “The primary philosophy of Above the Influence is to provide reliable information about the dangers of substance use to increase the perception of harm ..read more

Kyle Hansen had almost fulfilled his service contract with the Marine Corps when he was injured in a training accident at Camp Pendleton. When he left the service in 2018, he moved back home to Mission Viejo with his parents and set out to navigate the civilian world, a task he knew could be difficult given little preparation and the medical challenges he faced from being badly burned and having a brain injury. “Some people I know slept in cars, and some went to drugs,” said Hansen, now 28, of fellow Marines also leaving the service. “You realize life is hard and how important it is to become ..read more

A fire in a Mission Viejo apartment complex unit left one woman dead early Thursday morning. Firefighters responded to a fire in an upstairs unit of a two-story apartment complex around 5:43 a.m. on the 2100 block of Marguerite Parkway, where a woman was found dead at the scene following a search inside the apartment, Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Greg Barta said. The fire was confined to a single unit and no other injuries were reported. Additional details, including the identity of the victim, were not released. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Related Articles Crime and ..read more

Two weeks have passed since a fire ravaged Green Chile Cantina in Mission Viejo, leaving owner Lina Esqueda grappling with the aftermath of the tragedy while also battling her ongoing health journey. “It’s been hard for all of us,” said Esqueda. “We are just keeping our heads up and leaning on each other. Our focus is my health and leaving everything in God’s hands. Prayer is what gets us through.” The Green Chile Cantina, which offers a blend of American and Mexican cuisine, had only been open for about five months before disaster struck. On the morning of Sunday, Jan. 21, Esqueda got a call ..read more

Ahead of the March primary, The Orange County Register compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below. Questionnaires may have been edited for spelling, grammar, length and, in some instances, to remove hate speech and offensive language. MORE: Read all the candidate responses in our Voter Guide Name: Babar Khan Current Job Title: Businessman Political Party Affiliation: Peace and Freedom Incumbent: No Other political positions held: Peace and Freedom Party county chair City where you reside: Murrieta Campaign website ..read more