2012

As county Supervisor Bill Campbell enters his last few weeks in office, some of the remnants of his county staff are quietly finding their way into the county bureaucracy, raising questions about political patronage in a county known for its conservative approach toward public payrolls.

Faced without a high-level manager to keep track of its vast land holdings, Orange County leaders are pushing forward with plans to hire an executive for the job.

In addition to Constitution Week, Cyber Security Awareness Month and Wear Red for Women Day, Harvey Milk Day will now be officially recognized by Orange County supervisors.

After two years of public snubs, the Orange County Board of Supervisors was set Tuesday to consider recognizing Harvey Milk Day as part of their yearly adoption of proclamations.

After two years of public snubs, Orange County supervisors today unanimously approved recognizing Harvey Milk Day as part of their yearly adoption of proclamations.

The Orange County Board of Supervisors will publicly take up their first labor contract next Tuesday as they consider a three-year deal with the Orange County Managers Association.

The Orange County Board of Supervisors will publicly take up their first labor contract next Tuesday as they consider a three-year deal with the Orange County Managers Association.

We can now bring you the conclusion of our multi-part tale of the $182,000 bill that the County of Orange got for a cleanup of rat droppings at two county buildings.

Reacting to an upset resident who often speaks on issues seemingly unrelated to his complaint, Orange County supervisors approved new restrictions Tuesday on public speakers.

Facing a host of vacancies for countywide elected offices, some of Orange County government's top players have found themselves in a high-stakes game of political musical chairs.

We told you last month about the $182,000 bill the County of Orange received for an “emergency” cleanup of rat droppings that was done over Labor Day weekend at two county buildings in Orange.

Did union leaders spook county managers into spending the price of a small condominium to clean up the droppings of one rat? Or was the problem a failure by those same managers to communicate?

After watching the Orange County Board of Supervisors grant interim CEO Bob Franz a raise last month because of his expanded workload, the county’s social services eligibility workers want the same kind of treatment.

The Orange County Board of Supervisors delayed approval Tuesday of a computer contract that could be worth more than $200 million, amid questions from supervisors and strenuous protests from a local labor leader, who says the process for choosing a vendor has not been sufficiently open.

The Orange County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted Tuesday to amend the county’s land use plan for Modjeska and Silverado canyons to allow a controversial 65-home development into the rural canyons just northwest of Cook’s Corner.

Less than a month after being tapped as Interim County CEO, Bob Franz is slated for a 5.5 percent raise. At this morning’s public meeting, Orange County Supervisors will consider giving Franz a 5.5 percent raise while the county’s former chief financial officer acts as CEO and oversees a national search for his replacement.

To date, only one county supervisor, Shawn Nelson, has argued publicly that the letter should be released. Nelson, himself an attorney, has said that the ...

Orange County Chief Financial Officer Bob Franz was appointed as interim CEO on a 4-1 vote with Supervisor Shawn Nelson dissenting.

The supervisors voted 4-1 to appoint county Chief Financial Officer Robert Franz as interim CEO, with Supervisor Shawn Nelson casting the dissenting vote.

SANTA ANA (CBS) — District Attorney Tony Rackauckas Tuesday described Santa Ana City Councilman Carlos Bustamante as a sexual bully, who cornered women in his office and groped them, apparently without fear of being caught.

The county's Board of Supervisors voted on Tuesday to cut $50,000 from a proposed $302,000 in funding for the Orange County Human Relations Commission, which tracks hate crimes, mediates disputes between police and citizens, and tries to cool tensions when ethnic conflicts arise.

Voters Tuesday will have a chance to keep Orange County Supervisors from picking the more generous pension options offered to county employees.

Listen to Supervisor Nelson - NBA Radio Interview

Most cities contract with the Orange County Sheriff's Department year-to-year, but the county will seek at least a five-year commitment from now on, officials say. Cities want to keep their options open.

Supervisor Shawn Nelson says supporters of the problematic California high-speed rail project would face less criticism if they would "just be honest" about the financial realities confronting the $68-billion plan.

ANAHEIM – For years, the idea of a high-speed rail system in California has been sold as a line that would whisk passengers from the San Francisco Bay Area to the resort area of Anaheim.

The route of the planned Bay Area-to-Southern California high speed train system will stop short of Anaheim, state rail officials said.

In a blow to Orange County's hopes for a boost to business and tourism, the California bullet train project has dropped a link to Anaheim from its current, $68-billion plan.

The Register's Editorial Board wonders why the Orange County Transportation Authority is pushing for a new, grandoise train station and bus depot in Anaheim, at an estimated cost of $180 million.

The Orange County Board of Supervisors, or at least three of the five, should be commended for voting to reject federal grant money available through Obamacare to the county's health care agency.

Orange County Supervisor Shawn Nelson talks to Time Warner Cable Local Edition host Leslie Leyton about pension reform and the local level.

Orange County's Board of Supervisors has blocked the county’s Health Care Agency from seeking more than $10 million in federal grants because some board members see the money as tainted by "ObamaCare."

Voters in June will get a chance to require that members of the Orange County Board of Supervisors take the lowest pension option offered to county employees.

The Southern California Water Committee announced this week the appointment of Orange County Supervisor Shawn Nelson to its diverse and well-respected Board of Trustees.

County officials have begun to look into an oil drilling company, the previous owner of a controversial Social Services Agency building in Orange that workers say is making them sick.

It's been rumored for months that John Moorlach, chairman of the Board of Supervisors, wants to seek a third term. This week he made it official.

The family of 3-year-old Miranda Palacios, who was fatally struck in a hit-and-run, pleaded at a news conference Friday morning for the driver to come forward.

The family of a toddler killed in a hit-and-run in Anaheim last week on Friday urged the driver responsible for her death to surrender to police.

Orange County Supervisor Shawn Nelson talks to Leslie Leyton, host of Time Warner Cable's "Local Edition" about the demise of redevelopment in California:

John Moorlach, incoming chairman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, in his State of the County address Tuesday, outlined a plan to "preserve the financial viability of the county" by reining in skyrocketing pension costs facing the county.

As Orange County government prepares for the Super Bowl of labor negotiations with contracts for the three major employee unions up for renewal in 2012, John Moorlach, arguably the county's highest-profile union opponent, is set to take over the chairmanship of the Orange County Board of Supervisors.