Local Reporter

Annika Bahnsen

Annika Bahnsen, who was born and raised in Orange County, is a local reporter for the Orange County Register. She previously worked at the Santa Barbara News-Press as a news reporter. She studied Kinesiology at Westmont College in Santa Barbara.

Farrah Khan, left, mayor of Irvine, speaks during the kickoff launch of the SAMENA Collective, South Asian, Middle Eastern and North African, a group of 17 local non-profit organizations, at the Access California Services in Anaheim on Friday, July 19, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Nonprofits band together to serve local South Asian, Middle Eastern and North African communities

July 19, 2024 at 3:42 p.m.

SAMENA Collective includes Access California Services, Arab American Civic Council and Global Hope 365, to name a few.

Street Vendors will now have more regulations in Lake Forest. (File photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Lake Forest approves new rules for street vendors

July 19, 2024 at 8:24 a.m.

Street vendors' equipment could be impounded if it poses an "imminent environmental, health or safety hazard."

Ben Richards, center, founder of SoCal Parents Advocates uses a megaphone to lead protesters in favor of the transgender notification policy outside the Orange Unified School District where the board met to approve a transgender notification policy in Orange on Thursday, September 7, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

New California law prohibits schools from disclosing students’ gender identities without consent

July 16, 2024 at 5:27 p.m.

California becomes the first state in the nation to prohibit parental notification policies.

A preliminary rendering of the new Rancho Santa Margarita Veterans Monument. (Courtesy of Rancho Santa Margarita and Southern California Bronze Company)

Rancho Santa Margarita considers designs for a new veterans memorial

July 15, 2024 at 1:01 p.m.

The monument would be an arch with plaque castings to represent each military branch and a city dedication.

Dennis Cole has been appointed as a liaison to Orange County Superintendent Stefan Bean specifically in the realm of ACCESS, an organization through the department that serves community day schools, offers independent study options, and provides education to incarcerated students in county correctional programs. (Courtesy of Orange County Department of Education)

OC Superintendent taps ‘liaison’ for the department’s alternative education program

July 11, 2024 at 10:30 a.m.

Dennis Cole will now oversee community partnerships and outreach for ACCESS while assisting with special projects.

Mission Viejo City Hall in Mission Viejo on Wednesday, January 5, 2022. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Mission Viejo voters will decide on lodging tax increase

July 11, 2024 at 8:34 a.m.

If the measure is approved in November, it would increase the lodging tax from 8% to 12%.

This 2-year-old pit bull mix was picked up in Anaheim and is being held a the OC Animal Care is among the many pets that were picked up after the Fourth of July in Tustin on Friday, July 5, 2024. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Busy Fourth of July holiday for county animal shelter

July 6, 2024 at 8:13 a.m.

Independence Day is the shelter's busiest time of the year, receiving dozens of lost animals each year.

Mission San Juan Capistrano visitors explore the Mission on Sunday, March 19, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)

South Coast Repertory to perform final outdoor series at San Juan Capistrano Mission

July 5, 2024 at 8:43 a.m.

The last play in the series is "The Old Man and the Old Moon," directed by Kim Martin-Cotten.

After Mercy House discontinued its outreach services in south Orange County at the end of June, Mission Viejo sought out neighboring Rancho Santa Margarita and Laguna Hills to establish a new homeless outreach program. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Cities partner with Mission Viejo for homelessness outreach program

July 2, 2024 at 9:43 a.m.

Rancho Santa Margarita and Laguna Hills will share one caseworker and Mission Viejo will have its own caseworker.

Isabella De Lucia, 1, plays in the splash pad at Atlantis Play Park in Garden Grove, CA, on Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Where to find splash pads in Orange County this summer

July 1, 2024 at 2:27 p.m.

From amusement parks to neighborhood community centers, these parks will help you chill down.

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