On track to be completed by the end of this year, the zoo is undergoing various construction projects to bring in new animals, update animal enclosures and improve the zoo’s landscaping and infrastructure.

A new enclosure — dubbed River’s Edge — will feature two to four male South American giant river otters. Additionally, various primate species, including up to 10 spider monkeys, will be able to travel above the otters and into their own enclosure, Zoo Director Ethan Fisher said.

Construction on River’s Edge broke ground in early 2022 and is on track to be completed by the end of the year.

Other exhibit updates, on track to also be finished up this year, include a new alligator enclosure and improved monkey habitats located in the zoo’s primate forest.

The zoo is also working to complete its Pathway Improvement Project, an effort to convert its dirt paths to concrete. Several paths are already completed, although there are still detours for the walkways still under construction.

The children’s zoo — in addition to getting a new alligator — recently opened its Goat Interaction Yard where guests can walk into the goat enclosure to pet the animals. Several buildings have also been repainted.

Another completed project is the butterfly exhibit, which features new butterflies each week from South America and Asia. The exhibit is open every day from May to September, although you might have to wait in an online queue before being able to enter.

While several projects are slated to be completed by the end of 2025, the zoo is continuing to fundraise for its north end expansion and additional primate enclosure space, Fisher said.

“We want to make sure we’re doing right by them,” Fisher said.

Future projects also include the zoo’s Education HIVE building, which would serve as a classroom and reception area for school field trips, and a security wall on the north side of the zoo.

In addition to construction projects, the zoo also began selling beer and wine at its onsite cafe this summer. Guests who are at least 21 years old can purchase alcohol and carry it with them as they walk around the exhibits.

So far, the zoo has spent around $9 million on construction. The city of Santa Ana and grants obtained by the Friends of the Santa Ana Zoo have helped with funding, Fisher said.

The construction projects were brought on after the Santa Ana Zoo lost its accreditation from the Association of Zoos & Aquariums in 2017. AZA accredits zoos based on their commitments to the health and safety of their animals and guest engagement and education.

In its report to the zoo, AZA cited a lack of modernization in the Santa Ana Zoo’s primate enclosures. The zoo reapplied for accreditation in 2022 and was told to continue making improvements, Fisher said.

The zoo submitted another application for AZA accreditation in March. Fisher and other zoo staff will travel to the AZA national conference in Florida in September to present before the AZA board, in hopes of securing accreditation, Fisher said.

AZA accreditation is not required for a zoo to remain open. The Santa Ana Zoo is still licensed under the federal Department of Agriculture.

The Santa Ana Zoo was first accredited by the AZA in 1985, but the zoo itself opened in 1952.

The zoo was originally home to more than 50 monkeys due to a stipulation by Joseph Prentice, who donated the land for the zoo as long as it kept at least 50 monkeys there.

The stipulation ended about two and a half years ago, Fisher said, and the zoo now has about 35 monkeys, ranging from larger white-handed gibbons to pygmy marmosets, one of the smallest monkey species.

General tickets to the Santa Ana Zoo, located at 1801 E. Chestnut Ave., are $14. Guests can purchase tickets at the zoo’s entrance or online, where more information about the zoo and its operating hours can also be found.

The zoo has extended hours during the month of July. It is open until 8 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. It is also open until 7:30p.m. on Wed, July 30, with ticket sales ending one hour before close. The zoo is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. all other days.

Edgar Verduzco, 34, of Santa Ana will serve the sentences at the same time, said Deputy District Attorney Kaveh Faturechi.

Verduzco pleaded guilty on April 11 to three counts of murder, one count of driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury, and one count of driving with a .08 percent blood alcohol content causing injury.

He was also sentenced on Friday to two years each for the DUI charges, which will be served concurrently, Faturechi said.

Verduzco apologized to the victims’ family during his sentencing held at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center.

Verduzco’s lawyer couldn’t be reached for comment on Friday.

An off-duty Verduzco was drunk and driving 150 mph when his Camaro rear-ended a Nissan and a Scion on the southbound 605 Freeway, south of Saragosa Street, in the unincorporated community of West Whittier the night of Sept. 26, 2017, according to the California Highway Patrol and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

The Nissan hit a center divider and burst into flames, killing 52-year-old Maribel Davila, 60-year-old Mario Davila, and their 19-year-old son, Oscar Davila.

The Scion was carrying a mother and baby. The woman suffered minor injuries.

Oscar Davila, a graduate of John W. North High School in Riverside, worked as a tutor at his former school.

The Davilas also have three other sons and a daughter, Faturechi said.

Verduzco, who resigned from the LAPD, was with the department from July 2015 to July 2018, the LAPD said. At the time of the crash, he worked the front desk at Central Division.

If you’re looking for a new and more creative way to enjoy the summer season, consider visiting some of the art walks in Southern California. Many of them feature open art exhibits, live entertainment and local vendors showcasing their work. The best part is that most of these events are free and open to all ages.

Here are 10 art walks to plan your visit throughout Southern California. For the most up-to-date information, be sure to visit each of their websites.

San Pedro Art Walk

The San Pedro Art Walk takes place on the first Thursday of every month, when art studios host an Open Studio Night. Art enthusiasts can visit many of the Downtown galleries, studios, and shops for an evening of receptions and special events, complemented by live music, food trucks and other local restaurant favorites. The city offers parking lots where you can park your car and opt to use the free red trolley to get the full Downtown San Pedro experience. If you’re interested in visiting all the art galleries, you can find a map of them on the art walk’s website, which provides a complete guide.

When: 6-9 p.m. Every first Thursday of the month.

Where: 300-400 W 7th St., San Pedro.

Information: 1stthursday.net.

Downtown Santa Ana Artwalk

The Downtown Santa Ana Artwalk has happened every first Saturday of the month since 1999. The monthly event is a product of The Frida Cinema, also located in the Downtown area, and is the city’s art house destination, offering special screenings and events. The Art Walk brings together the vibrant creatives of Orange County for one of the biggest nights, featuring local downtown artists, 20 galleries and museums, live music, and art performances.

When:  6-10 p.m. First Saturday of every month.

Where: 125 N Broadway, Santa Ana.

Information: dtsaartwalk.org.

Downtown Fullerton Art Walk

The Downtown Fullerton Art Walk is popular among locals and art enthusiasts who gather on the first Friday of the month to view the latest art exhibits, music acts and performance art. This art walk features over 30 venues offering free art activities within walking distance of each other. One of the latest exhibits hosted this month is the “Punk OC, From the Streets of Suburbia,” which documents the history of punk rock in Orange County. Each venue also offers maps for a self-guided tour, and some shops offer complimentary refreshments.

When: 6-10 p.m. First Friday of every month.

Where: 223 W Santa Fe Ave., Fullerton.

Information: instagram.com/fullertonartwalk.

Riverside Artswalk

The Riverside Artswalk is a monthly community event held on the first Thursday of every month. It celebrates the vast diversity of arts and culture in Riverside and the broader Inland Empire. Art lovers can visit over 22 downtown locations, including museums, galleries, and studios, which are a mix of visual and performing arts. This event also features local musicians who fill the air with live entertainment. Head to the center of Downtown Riverside, where visitors can experience some of the best dining and shopping spots in the city.

When: 6-9 p.m. First Thursday of every month

Where: 3535 University Ave., Riverside.

Information: riversideartscouncil.com.

Palm Springs Backstreet Art District

Although it’s not as large as the city’s Villagefest, which happens every first Thursday, the Palm Springs Backstreet Art District maintains a sharp focus on art. Some studios will often have artists crafting their work in real-time, providing a behind-the-scenes look at the creators’ process. Visitors are invited to stroll through a dozen artist-owned galleries and studios that feature collections of contemporary art. The Backstreet Art District showcases a diverse range of art forms, including paintings, sculptures, photography, jewelry, ceramics, and the performing arts, featuring some pieces produced by nationally and internationally recognized artists.

When: First Wednesdays of every month.

Where: 5-8 p.m., 2600 S. Cherokee Way, Palm Springs.

Information: backstreetartdistrict.com.

First Thursdays Art Walk – Laguna Beach

Laguna Beach keeps its creative spirit alive throughout the year with its First Thursdays Art Walk. Held monthly, this free event showcases the city’s vibrant art scene by featuring local galleries that open their doors for an evening of exhibitions, artist meet-and-greets, and community connections. The walk is supported by local institutions and businesses, reflecting the town’s deep-seated commitment to the arts.

When: 6–9 p.m. Every first Thursday of the month.

Where: Various locations throughout Laguna Beach.

Information: firstthursdaysartwalk.org

DTLA ArtNight

Downtown Los Angeles comes alive every first Thursday of the month during DTLA ArtNight, a monthly art walk that brings together over 30 galleries and creative spaces. The event highlights work from both local and international artists across a variety of mediums. It’s part of a larger effort to energize the neighborhood through culture, connection, and community.

When: 6–10 p.m. Every first Thursday of the month.

Where: Start at Emerging Gallery, 125 W. 4th St., Los Angeles.

Information: dtlaartnight.com.

El Segundo Art Walk

For one summer Saturday, the streets of El Segundo turn into a creative hub as more than 40 local businesses open their doors for the El Segundo Art Walk. The self-guided event gives visitors a chance to explore studio spaces and see original work from L.A.-based artists in pop-up galleries throughout Downtown El Segundo and Smoky Hollow. You’ll also find food trucks, live music, and other interactive experiences throughout the day.

When: 3–9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 23

Where: Downtown El Segundo & Smoky Hollow.

Information: esaartwalk.com.

Pomona Art Walk

Every second Saturday, Downtown Pomona turns into a lively celebration of art and culture. The Pomona Art Walk features gallery exhibitions, a night market packed with food vendors, live music, and plenty of local businesses showing off creative work. The event also includes kid-friendly activities, making it a solid pick for families looking to explore the arts together.

When: 5–10 p.m. Every second Saturday of the month.

Where: 197 W. Second St., Pomona.

Information: downtownpomona.org

Downtown Long Beach Art + Design Walk

Downtown Long Beach’s Art + Design Walk is a quarterly event that turns the neighborhood into an open-air gallery. From pop-up exhibitions and public art installations to live performances and workshops, the walk showcases creativity in all forms. It’s a chance to meet local artists, shop from makers, and experience the culture that shapes Long Beach’s diverse community.

When: 2–7 p.m. Saturday, July 26

Where: 200 Pine Ave., Long Beach

Information: downtownlongbeach.org

Instead, after much back and forth at their meeting this week, councilmembers agreed to hold a joint special meeting with the commission within the next 60 days to discuss the proposed amendments. The City Council had been scheduled to debate a rewrite of the commission’s ordinance at a meeting earlier this month, but ran out of time to do so.

Commissioner Carlos Perea welcomes the meeting, saying the commission had been excluded from the process despite previously calling on the council to bring the proposed changes to the seven-member panel.

“I appreciate that the council decided to do a joint session, and I’m looking forward to that. I think that should have been done in the first place,” Perea said.

Established by the City Council in 2022, the Police Oversight Commission aims to increase police accountability and transparency, but commissioners have said they’ve struggled to make significant progress without an oversight director. Almost three years passed before the city hired T. Jack Morse as the director earlier this month.

The city manager’s office, which submitted the proposed changes to the City Council for review, said the changes are meant to “align” the commission with state law and maintain “best practices in law enforcement accountability.”

The proposed amendments to the commission are meant to address concerns regarding compliance with state law; clarification of roles and responsibilities, including that of the oversight director; training and to make enhancements that would safeguard information about police officers that may be considered “sensitive” to avoid risk of violating the Public Safety Officers Procedural Bill of Rights Act and possible subsequent lawsuits.

Changes to the ordinance include the removal of the word “independent” throughout and in Morse’s recently landed title as police oversight director. The commission would also be limited to reviewing cases involving in-custody deaths and instances where a First Amendment right was violated. It would not be allowed to investigate cases that haven’t been reviewed and confirmed as misconduct by the Police Department.

“These amendments would gut the Police Oversight Commission, turning a hard-won community victory into a powerless, symbolic body that protects the status quo instead of the people,” Chispa Policy and Political Director Bulmaro “Boomer” Vicente said Thursday. The organization that operates as a political advocacy group for young Latinx in Orange County helped launch the oversight police commission.

Vicente called the proposed amendments “concerning,” arguing that most would weaken police oversight. “This isn’t what the community demanded and fought for,” he added.

“I did raise my eyebrows when the ability to provide input and review the contracts of the Police Officer Association was taken out of the commission’s hands. That to me raised a lot of questions, because it is the largest contract in the city,” Perea said of the proposal. “There has been serious concerns over the last 10 years of the way in which the police officers’ association has been conducting business in city hall.”

The suggested changes were worked on with an ad hoc committee involving with Mayor Valeria Amezcua and councilmembers Benjamin Vazquez and Phil Bacerra, along with staff from the city manager’s office, city attorney’s office and the Santa Ana Police Department.

Staff writer Hanna Kang contributed to this story.

Related: City of LA, county and 7 cities join lawsuit to stop federal immigration raids

“The city of Santa Ana is committed to safeguarding the rights, dignity, and safety of all its residents. By joining this lawsuit, the city stands in solidarity with neighboring jurisdictions to challenge enforcement actions that undermine public trust and violate due process,” a city news release said. “Respecting constitutional rights is not optional — it is fundamental to good governance and community safety.”

The City Council approved joining the federal class action lawsuit 6-0 during a closed session Tuesday night, July 15, with Councilmember Jessie Lopez absent. Vasquez Perdomo v. Noem was filed by various immigration and civil rights organizations, including the American Farmworkers Union and the American Civil Liberties Union.

“It was necessary, given that one of our only lines of defense against the Trump administration was lawsuits,” Councilmember Johnathan Hernandez said in a later interview. “Being the only sanctuary city in Orange County, we have a duty to protect our residents and, right now, cities across California are lining up shoulder to shoulder, to protect our First, Fourth and Tenth amendments rights.”

The lawsuit challenges the use of alleged disproportionate force during immigration enforcement actions by multiple agencies, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It also challenges what the city described as an “unlawful confinement of people held at federal buildings without access to legal representation.”

Border Protection and ICE representatives could not immediately be reached for comment.

Tricia McLaughlin, the assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, previously denied the lawsuit’s allegations of unconstitutional raids and said federal law enforcement agents do not conduct operations without proper procedure.

“ICE does not randomly arrest people or conduct operations without specific objectives. Nor does federal law enforcement execute operations without undergoing proper procedure, such as securing warrants when necessary,” she said in a statement, also adding that people “in detention have opportunities to communicate with their family members and lawyers. The appropriate process due to an illegal alien with final deportation orders is removal, plain and simple. That said, DHS has a stringent law enforcement assessment in place that abides by due process under the U.S. Constitution.”

Previously joining the lawsuit were Los Angeles, Pasadena, Santa Monica, Culver City, Pico Rivera, Montebello, Monterey Park and West Hollywood, along with Los Angeles County.

“For the past month, we’ve seen individuals picked up at car washes and Home Depot parking lots, then simply disappear without warrants, probable cause, or due process,” Supervisor Hilda Solis said in a statement when L.A. County announced it was signing on.

Earlier this month, Santa Ana’s City Council approved a resolution calling on federal elected representatives to advocate for the removal of ICE and military citywide, arguing that aggressive enforcement actions carried out have had notable economic and social effects, have spread fear in the city’s immigrant communities and have eroded trust between residents and local police.

“While immigration enforcement remains a federal responsibility, Santa Ana affirms that such enforcement must always be conducted lawfully and with full respect for the rights of every individual,” Santa Ana officials said in their announcement that the city would join the lawsuit.

Santa Ana became the first sanctuary city in the county in 2016 and approved an ordinance that limited cooperation between the city and federal immigration authorities. This includes limiting the use of city resources for immigration enforcement and protecting residents’ sensitive information.

Staff Writer Teresa Liu contributed to this report.

Barranco, of Tustin, whose detainment by immigration agents late last month in front of a Santa Ana business garnered national attention because of a video showing him being hit multiple times in the head, was originally scheduled to be released on Friday, July 11.

The official release time remained up in the air for several days, leaving the Barranco family “understandably frustrated,” said Orange Council member Arianna Barrios, who attended his bond hearing at the Adelanto Detention Facility last week in support of his release.

Barrios said Barranco’s upcoming hearings, which are scheduled for August, will be held at the Santa Ana immigration courthouse.

“Narciso is very happy to be reunited with his family,” said Barranco’s immigration attorney Lisa Ramirez. “He clearly will need time to decompress and get reacclimated. He is, with good reason, traumatized by this whole experience and will need time to heal both physically and emotionally.”

It was unclear exactly what led to the holdup in his release, only that there were significant system delays in processing and updating his case, Barrios said. According to Ramirez, it took approximately 24 hours and six phone calls to the court for the judge’s order to be uploaded on the administrative website.

“What folks don’t really understand is the government is at capacity, and its workforce is diminishing,” Ramirez added. “The increase of people who need to be processed has increased by (roughly) 800%.”

Barranco was released to his family around 2 p.m. and was taken to the hospital for a physical check-up, said Barrios, who said she was in direct contact with the family. His son, Marine veteran Alejandro Barranco, told NBC on Tuesday that his father “looked bad” when he stepped out of the detention facility and was wearing the same clothes. Details on his condition were not immediately available.

In the video posted on social media, Barranco is seen being pinned to the ground and repeatedly punched and pepper sprayed by at least one agent. He had been working a landscaping job at an IHOP in Santa Ana when he was approached by masked, armed federal agents.

U.S. Border Patrol officials accused Barranco, in a message posted on X, of wielding a weed whacker at agents and refusing to comply with authorities. An included 11-second, slowed-down video shows Barranco appearing to swing the weed whacker in the direction of approaching agents. No agent is hit.

Alejandro Barranco previously said his father was in the process of applying for parole-in-place, which is granted to undocumented family members of active-duty military members, giving them permission to stay in the U.S. for at least a year. Three of Barranco’s sons are Marines, two on active duty.

An investigation in February by the California Department of Public Health paints a troubling picture of the 282-bed hospital in Santa Ana that is a main treatment center for stroke patients and many of the county’s critically injured.

A blistering 177-page report detailed problems that occurred late last year and early this year, though the hospital has since satisfied the state that all of the issues have been substantially resolved. Among the deficiencies cited by CDPH were:

• The hospital routinely failed to pay contractors and suppliers, who then withheld services and equipment crucial to patient care. In one case, hundreds of lab samples went unprocessed for more than two weeks, including emergency tests to determine if patients had major illnesses, because the hospital had not paid its contracted laboratory. According to one lawsuit, a stroke patient did not get a needed brain catheter because the hospital was in arrears to the supplier.
• Medical staff inadvertently dislodged a patient’s tracheostomy tube during a routine test and were unable to reestablish it, causing the patient to die.
• The hospital failed for months to fix a broken heating system, leaving patients in the emergency department shivering in the winter and making it impossible to maintain the appropriate temperature and humidity ratio to prevent bacteria from growing and fires from erupting in the oxygen-rich operating rooms.
• Hospital administrators failed to repair a faulty water heater, resulting in a lack of hot water needed to sterilize instruments and for surgery staff to wash their hands.

Julie Siemers, a nationally recognized patient safety consultant who reviewed a list of the state’s findings at SCNG’s request, said the scope and breadth of the deficiencies at Orange County Global indicate a stunning patient safety crisis.

“The failures outlined at Orange County Global are not minor oversights — they represent a systemic collapse in patient safety,” said Siemers, founder of Fairfax, Virginia-based Lifebeat Solutions. “A hospital with this level of dysfunction presents an unacceptable risk. Regulatory agencies should intervene swiftly to halt admissions and demand immediate remediation, or close, as needed.”

Siemers added that when hospitals are unable to fulfill basic business functions — such as paying vendors — life-saving services can grind to a halt. “That’s not a billing issue. That’s a life-and-death issue,” she said.

On the laboratory delay alone, the state notified the hospital in mid-February that patients were in “immediate jeopardy” of injury, harm, impairment or death. The warning required immediate action by Orange County Global, which contracted with a vendor that same day to process the untested specimens.

More broadly, the state required Orange County Global to develop a plan of correction to address the other substantial violations found during the inspection. By the end of April, the state revisited the facility and deemed it to be in “substantial compliance” with Medicare and Medicaid rules.

Financial pressures

In a written statement, Peter Baronoff, managing director of hospital owner KPC Health, blamed Orange County Global’s problems on industry-wide financial pressures affecting hospitals that treat low-income, uninsured, and otherwise vulnerable patients.

“Safety net hospitals, which serve as lifelines for our most vulnerable populations, face reduced Medicaid coverage for their patient populations and declining Medicaid reimbursements,” Baronoff said, noting that other hospital chains are cutting services, laying off staff, or declaring bankruptcy because of rising costs and low reimbursements.

He cited increased labor expenses, rising supply costs and tariffs, expensive state-mandated seismic requirements, more third-party payment denials, and an increasingly difficult time getting credit due to recent hospital chain bankruptcies.

“At the end of the day, the hospitals can only absorb so much,” Baronoff said. “Despite these challenges, OCGMC remains open and committed to delivering the critical health care services needed most by Orange County’s diverse communities. … OCGMC will continue to make difficult decisions to prioritize essential services and remain operational.”

The state’s compliance designation, however, does not negate the harm that Orange County Global has already caused for patients or the previous problems with its health care delivery practices, Siemers said.

“I would definitely be concerned about current and future patient care,” she said. “Any institution that has this many egregious problems has got more; (it’s) likely the tip of the iceberg.”

Lab deficiencies

Orange County Global’s plan to resolve the deficiencies in the laboratory requires the hospital’s lab director to meet weekly with the CEO on “any issues related to supplies, reagents, broken equipment, or credit holds” and address them immediately, the plan said.

During its inspection, state regulators found that 446 lab specimens early this year were not processed for at least 15 days because Orange County Global’s contracted laboratory had stopped services to the hospital due to an unpaid bill of $13,023, according to the state report, which was obtained by the Southern California News Group.

Among the specimens were tests for tuberculosis, HIV, cancer, hepatitis B, and the highly contagious Varicella virus, which causes chickenpox and shingles. Some of the tests were marked “STAT,” meaning they were supposed to be completed in 45 minutes to an hour. Doctors and patients were not informed of the delays, which increased the risk of invalid tests, degraded specimens and late diagnoses.

According to the state report, the laboratory contractor gave the hospital a 30-day notice of termination, but Orange County Global had no contingency plan. The hospital also was in trouble with its backup laboratory, which imposed a credit hold on Orange County Global for nonpayment, the report said.

Additionally, two laboratory machines were inoperable for four days in February due to a lack of reagents, which are substances used to carry out tests, because the hospital had not paid the supplier. Specimens in that case were sent to another hospital.

“These failures resulted in the disruption of laboratory services, delay of patient diagnosis and care, and increased the risk of negative patient outcomes due to the hospital’s failure to fulfill financial and contractual obligations,” concluded the state investigation.

Other unpaid bills

Also unpaid was the company that supplied a lithotripsy machine, which uses ultrasound to break up kidney stones. A patient who came in with bilateral kidney stones in October 2024 had to be moved to another hospital because the vendor couldn’t supply the machine, the state report said.

Some vendors who have been stiffed by KPC Health, and an affiliated business, KPC Promise Healthcare, have sued for breach of contract.

A Florida federal judge in 2024 leveled a $787,482 judgment against KPC Promise for reneging on rental contracts with US Med-Equip, LLC, and Freedom Medical Inc., for hospital beds, mattresses, respiratory devices and other equipment.

In May, credit reporting agency Experian deemed KPC Health a “high risk” of becoming more than 90 days delinquent in its bills within the next 12 months, based on its payment history.

Patient lawsuits

Vendors aren’t the only ones with complaints. Patients alleging substandard care also have taken Orange County Global to court.

In a lawsuit filed May 19, attorneys for stroke patient Khusro Jhumra, 51, said he needed a brain catheter, but the supplier had cut off the hospital for not paying its bills. Jhumra also needed immediate surgery but had to wait nearly eight hours because the hospital did not have a qualified neurosurgeon on call, according to the suit. The delay caused Jhumra to sustain major brain damage, the suit alleges.

Paramedics rushed Jhumra in July 2024 to Orange County Global as one of fewer than 300 accredited comprehensive stroke centers in the United States. The hospital also is designated by Orange County’s Emergency Medical Services as one of nine “stroke receiving centers” in the county, requiring paramedics to transport stroke patients there above other non-designated medical centers.

“I didn’t have a choice” on where to go, said Jhumra’s wife, Maliha Siddiqui. “You trust the physical care providers. You trust the system.”

In another lawsuit filed in June, Sarah Martin, 56, alleged that Orange County Global negligently delayed diagnosing and treating her brain aneurysm.

Martin said she went to the hospital’s emergency department on April 29, 2024, complaining of excruciating, shooting pain in the upper part of her face and scalp. She added that an ER physician diagnosed her as having a migraine and sent her home to “sleep it off.”

Martin returned to Orange County Global the following day, still complaining of pain. Although an ER physician ordered a CT angiogram for Martin, who was admitted to the hospital, the test was never performed, according to the state report.

Martin said it wasn’t until 17 hours after her second visit to the ER that an interventional radiologist finally took her to surgery for a coil embolization procedure to stop the bleeding in her brain.

“I clearly communicated that I was experiencing the worst headache of my life, rating the pain as a 12 out of 10,” said Martin, who is undergoing physical therapy for facial paralysis and other lingering medical conditions. “I was curled in a fetal position, crying, and begging for help.”

Martin’s attorney, Daniel Hodes, added: “These events should sound an unmistakable clarion call for OC EMS to revoke OC Global’s status as a stroke receiving center. Anything short of that effectively condones continued reckless conduct.”

Patient death

In at least one instance, Orange County Global’s questionable care has been fatal, according to inspectors.

The hospital was criticized by the state for the death of a patient with a tracheostomy tube. The patient was being transferred from a hospital bed to a table for a CT scan. During the transfer,  the tube was disconnected from the patient’s airway, and staff were unable to re-establish it, the report said. The staff also did not have a spare tracheostomy tray on hand, as required, the state investigation found.

Staff tried using a defibrillator on the patient, but the machine malfunctioned, and a second defibrillator monitor had to be brought in; however, the patient ultimately died, the report said.

“The hospital did not take immediate actions for Patient 28, including re-establishing the airway after the tracheostomy tube became dislodged, resulting in Patient 28 being unable to breathe and subsequently (dying),” the state report said.

Under its correction plan, hospital staff must undergo additional training on the importance of ensuring the tracheostomy tube is secured while transporting patients and the need to have a spare trach kit.

Heating issues

The state also chided the hospital for failing to maintain its climate control and hot water system, important aspects of keeping the facility safe and germ-free.

From late December through mid-February, a water heater in the surgical and sterile processing departments was broken, resulting in instruments being washed in water that was below the required temperature of 90 to 120 degrees, the state investigation found. Staff members also were washing their hands, and patients were being bed-bathed, without hot water.

The hospital’s heating system also wasn’t working, with temperatures in the trauma bay dropping to as low as 61 degrees, according to state regulators. The ratio of temperature and humidity also did not meet safety requirements in the hospital. Static electricity in low-humidity, oxygen-rich operating rooms could trigger a fire, the report said.

Work orders for the water heater as well as the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system went ignored for months, hospital staff told state interviewers. Investigators found that 500 work orders from areas throughout the hospital went uncompleted.

Hospital officials said in their April correction plan that hot water had been restored, and the HVAC system was being repaired.

Further investigation by the state found that the perioperative director was not a licensed registered nurse, had not taken any courses on surgical nursing, and didn’t have a college degree in nursing, as required by state standards. The director, in charge of all patient care in the surgery unit, had been on the job for only six months, on an “interim” basis.

According to the correction plan, a new chief nursing officer will oversee the department until a director with the proper credentials can be hired.

Other deficiencies found by the state: the ice machine in the senior mental health unit was not kept in a sanitary condition, with slime mounting in a tray that collects excess water; multiple damaged or missing floor tiles were found in the kitchen area; and a pile of trash bags, oozing an unknown brown substance, was stacked against a wall in the kitchen.

Low ratings

The California Department of Public Health isn’t the only agency that has found fault with Orange County Global. The Medicare website gave Orange County Global one star out of a possible five for overall performance, while the same rating was given in a patient survey on the website.

“The failure to pay vendors and harm to patients are paralleled by the weak star ratings,” said Alan Sager, a professor of Health Law, Policy, and Management at the Boston University School of Public Health. “Three, four, and five stars are much more common than ones or twos. The low-quality ratings suggest serious quality problems — problems more general than failure to pay the lab its $13,000.”

In a survey by Leapfrog, a nonprofit group that monitors health care nationally, Orange County Global received a bad rating for several cases involving C. diff bacteria, which can spread from contaminated equipment or by providers who don’t wash their hands properly. The hospital scored a walloping 1.057 points, compared to the national average of 0.401. The lower the score, the better.

The hospital also had a failing score for urinary tract infections from catheters.

Orange County Global, however, received higher grades from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for such things as death from serious treatable complaints, collapsed lungs, bed sores and other gauges of quality.

Affiliated hospitals

The hospital’s difficulties seem to mirror its checkered corporate history.

In addition to Orange County Global, KPC Health, headquartered in Corona, also owns Anaheim Global, Chapman Global in Orange, South Coast Global in Santa Ana, Hemet Global, Menifee Global and Victor Valley Global medical centers.

Chapman Global and Hemet Global also were rated as one-star hospitals by CMS. Star ratings were not available for KPC Health’s remaining hospitals.

In 2024, Victor Valley Global, with just two deficiencies, was the only KPC Health hospital to record fewer violations than the state average of six for facilities of similar size.

KPC Health’s flagship hospital, Hemet Global, which has 304 beds, racked up 157 violations last year compared to the state average of 12 for that size hospital.

A review of deficiency reports at KPC Health hospitals reveals that many violations stem from record-keeping, staffing, and policy issues.

However, some of the reports again show KPC’s financial struggles. Those issues led to the delay of payments for preventative maintenance or repairs of a critical medical vacuum pump system and medical air unit at South Coast Global, the hospital’s chief executive officer told state inspectors in December 2024.

“The CEO stated this was an ongoing issue on how to manage and prioritize which vendors were going to get the COD (cash on delivery) payments when the hospital had already had a lack of liquidity related to decreased cash flow in recent years,” states a state report. “The CEO stated, however, the hospital staff were resourceful and innovative despite these challenges and made these situations work for the safety of the patients.”

KPC Health plays a crucial role in the vast empire of its wealthy founder and owner, Dr. Kali P. Chaudhuri, that includes hospitals across multiple states and the Kolkata Medical School & Hospital in India.

Chaudhuri, 79, who was born in Sylhet, Bangladesh, purportedly came to the U.S. in the 1960s with only $8 in his pocket and ambitious goals. In 1984, as a young orthopedic surgeon in Hemet, he dreamed of one day having a lasting impact on community health care, according to his online biography.

In 2010, Chaudhuri purchased the $70 million debt of Integrated Healthcare Holdings Inc., which owned Western Medical Center Anaheim, Western Medical Center Santa Ana, Coastal Communities Hospital and Chapman Medical Center. He later rebranded them under the “Global” name.

At the time of the debt purchase, former Western Medical Chief of Staff Michael Fitzgibbon described Chaudhuri’s takeover of Integrated as “a black day for health care in Orange County.”

In Buena Park, an 8-year-old girl died after an illegal firework display malfunctioned and misfired, igniting additional illegal fireworks near the child.

In Pacoima, a man died and a woman was critically injured in a house fire linked to fireworks, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

And in Laguna Beach, a 13-year-old was arrested on suspicion of setting off fireworks that sparked the Rancho Fire, which burned four acres and forced evacuations.

Many police and fire stations logged a steep rise in calls for service on the holiday, though year-over-year comparisons were mostly unavailable, and some departments said they saw less.

San Bernardino County Fire saw a dramatic spike in calls, responding to 778 incidents on July 4 — more than twice the 359 calls handled on June 4. Fire-related calls alone jumped from 23 to 207.

“We didn’t have a single area that didn’t have a serious uptick in calls for service,” said department spokesperson Eric Sherwin. “It was a very busy day countywide for us.”

To prepare for the holiday, the department began interdiction efforts in May, anticipating the influx of illegal fireworks brought in from out of state. Fire personnel were stationed at agricultural inspection sites along the 15 and 40 freeways, where they issued 105 citations and seized more than 28,000 pounds of illegal fireworks, Sherwin said.

“If you can get one person to think twice and it stops a house from burning down or a child from being injured, it’s worth it,” he said.

Additional efforts on the holiday led to 10 more citations and the seizure of another 230 pounds of fireworks. Despite the surge in calls, the department said, there were no major incidents or fatalities reported there.

Fullerton fire officials also reported an elevated call volume, with more fire-related incidents than usual for a single day. Santa Ana police said they received hundreds of fireworks complaints – but said activity was slightly lower than in previous years.

The Riverside Police Department issued more than 60 citations for illegal fireworks use on Independence Day — more than twice as many as last year, according to Officer Ryan Railsback.

For the first time, drones supported real-time enforcement, allowing officers to spot and document illegal fireworks activity as it happened — even in cases where individuals dispersed before officers could arrive on foot. Railsback said the increase in citations was largely due to the department’s ability to spot and document illegal activity as it happened.

“We’re not focused on the families having an Independence Day party doing sparklers — little stuff — on their property,” Railsback said. “We’re talking about those commercial-grade, illegal fireworks — the ones you’re not allowed to have in California.”

Fines are being mailed this week to property owners, some of whom may not yet realize they were cited.

Hemet also deployed drones for the first time as part of its Fourth of July enforcement efforts. The department received over 160 fireworks-related calls, along with dozens more tips submitted through a dedicated reporting line.

Nineteen citations were issued, and numerous illegal fireworks were confiscated — many before they could be ignited.

Long Beach received 646 fireworks-related reports on Independence Day — a 4% decrease from 2024, city officials said. The drop followed the launch of the city’s Celebrate Safely campaign, which aimed to educate residents about the dangers of fireworks, how to report violations, and tips to ensure a safe holiday.

Starting Saturday, July 12, the registrar is hosting several workshops to hear from Orange County voters on polling and ballot drop box locations, accessibility of polling stations, language access, voting outreach programs and safety procedures.

The workshops — several of which offer other languages, including Chinese, Korean, Spanish and Vietnamese — run through the rest of the month and into August.

They are an effort to solicit feedback on how the county can update and improve its Election Administration Plan, which governs how the voting process works in Orange County, said Bob Page, the registrar of voters.

Workshops, which can last between one and one and a half hours, will be split into two categories: general public workshops and accessibility language workshops.

General public workshops are opportunities for anyone to provide feedback. Accessibility language workshops — in addition to having translators for various languages — will focus on how polling centers can better accommodate those whose first language is not English.

Rooms will be divided into five sections — voting and ballot drop box locations, accessibility of voting facilities, language assistance and accessibility services, voter education and outreach programs and safety and security of the election process — where attendees can provide verbal or written feedback, said Page.

Attendees can participate in one or all of the categories. There will also be a packet for attendees who would rather write down all of their feedback instead of visiting each station separately.

“We wanted to give them an opportunity to be comfortable providing feedback in the method they want in the areas they want,” said Page.

The Voters Choice Act, a state law that lays out how counties administer an all-mail ballot election system with ballot drop-off locations and vote centers, requires the registrar to hold a public feedback forum after initial changes are made to the election plan. But Page said his office is hosting the series of workshops — before the plan is edited — to give local voters more involvement in the process.

“We don’t want to just do the minimum required,” Page said. “We want to make sure that we’re getting feedback from as many different people as we can.”

Other factors the registrar is considering for updates include federal and state law, data from previous elections, best practices determined by the registrar and the county budget, Page said.

“The community input and feedback is a very important part of any update we make, but that has to be balanced with those other four elements in terms of what is actually in the plan,” Page said.

Aside from the 15 scheduled workshops, the registrar has invited more than 250 organizations to schedule small group meetings. Many of these organizations are involved in voter outreach and the voting process by lending their facilities for polling locations and drop-off boxes, Page said.

The registrar plans to complete the initial feedback process in the first week of August, Page said. The registrar’s office will then compile summaries of the feedback to be published online and create the first draft of the new 2026-2030 EAP.

“I’ve got a deadline to meet and I’m trying to do my best to give people as much time as possible and as many different formats to provide input,” Page said.

The secretary of state has requested the final draft of the EAP by Dec. 1, although by law it is due 120 days before the June 2026 primary election, which would be in February 2026, Page said.

After the first draft of the EAP is published, there will be a 14-day public review period during which people can provide additional comments on the plan. The registrar’s office has also scheduled a public hearing for Sept. 25 at the Irvine City Hall for in-person feedback.

The registrar will make necessary changes based on feedback received online and at the hearing, Page said. The office will then post a final draft that receives the same 14-day review before final changes are made and the EAP is sent to the secretary of state.

The election plan spanning 2021-2025 is available in 10 languages on the registrar of voters’ website. More information about the workshops or how to submit a feedback form online can also be found on the registrar’s website.

Workshops are scheduled for:

• Saturday, July 12: San Juan Capistrano Community Center (25925 Camino Del Avion), 10-11:30 a.m.

• Monday, July 14: Buena Park Community Center (6688 Beach Blvd.), 6-7 p.m.; Korean language meeting

• Wednesday, July 16: Los Olivos Community Center in Irvine (101 Alfonso), 6-7 p.m.; Farsi interpretation available

• Thursday, July 17: Delhi Center in Santa Ana (505 E. Central Ave.), 6-7 p.m.; Spanish language meeting

• Saturday, July 19: Fountain Valley Recreation Center (16400 Brookhurst St.), 10-11 a.m.; Vietnamese language meeting

• Monday, July 21: South Coast Chinese Cultural Center in Irvine (9 Truman St.), 6-7 p.m.; Chinese language meeting

• Tuesday, July 22: Southwest Senior Center in Santa Ana (2201 W. McFadden Ave.), 6-7:30 p.m.

• Wednesday, July 23: Zoom meeting with ASL interpretation available, 6-7 p.m.

• Thursday, July 24: West Anaheim Youth Center (320 S. Beach Blvd.), 6-7 p.m., Tagalog interpretation available

• Saturday, July 26: Huntington Beach Central Library (7111 Talbert Ave.), 10-11:30 a.m.

• Monday, July 28: Northwood Community Center in Irvine (4531 Bryan Ave.), 6-7 p.m., Japanese interpretation available

• Tuesday, July 29: Norman P. Murray Community Center in Mission Viejo (24932 Veterans Way), 6-7:30 p.m.

• Wednesday, July 30: Buena Park Library (7150 La Palma Ave.), 6-7 p.m.; Hindi interpretation available

• Thursday, July 31: East Anaheim Community Center (8201 E. Santa Ana Canyon Rd.), 6-7 p.m.; Gujarati interpretation available

• Saturday, Aug. 2: Brea Community Center (695 Madison Way), 10-11:30 a.m.

The Santa Ana Unified School District board voted unanimously recently to rename John C. Fremont Elementary School as Virginia and William Guzman Elementary School, after one of five families behind the 1947 federal court case Mendez v. Westminster. The ruling in that case declared school segregation unconstitutional in California, a precedent later cited in the landmark Brown v. Board of Education.

The Mendez family has long been recognized for its role in the historic lawsuit, but the case included the Guzman family of Santa Ana, the Thomas Estrada family of Westminster, the Frank Palomino family of Garden Grove and the Lorenzo Ramirez family of Orange. Their collective efforts helped desegregate California schools nearly a decade before the U.S. Supreme Court did the same nationwide.

“The story of Virginia and William Guzman is a story that should be taught in every classroom in our district and across our state,” school board President Hector Bustos said. “For far too long, the Santa Ana family’s critical contribution to one of the most consequential civil rights battles in U.S. history has been overlooked and minimized.”

Virginia Guzman, a Santa Ana native, had attended Fremont Elementary herself, a school once designated for Mexican children. Remembering the punishments that faced students who spoke Spanish in class, she refused to have her son, Billy, attend the same school in 1943.

Franklin Elementary, a school for white students, was closer to their home and had newer textbooks and better resources than Fremont. But when Guzman and her husband, William, tried to enroll Billy in Franklin, they were denied by the school board.

The Guzmans became the first family to file suit challenging school segregation in Orange County in the 1940s, but their case against the Santa Ana Unified School District was ultimately unsuccessful. Undeterred, they joined other parents in Orange County to file the historic class action lawsuit, Mendez v. Westminster.

In Mendez v. Westminster, the five families successfully argued that separating Mexican-American children into “Mexican schools” violated the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment. The federal court agreed, and in 1947, the decision helped make California the first state to officially desegregate its schools.

“I think this is so timely with everything that’s going on in our community and so my hope is that our students, our families and our community can gain an even deeper sense of belonging and know that they’re appreciated, that they deserve to take up space and they belong here,” Trustee Katelyn Brazer Aceves said.

According to the district, a survey conducted earlier this year found that more than 63% of 517 respondents supported renaming the school. While the name Virginia and William Guzman Elementary School became official on June 25, the updated signage and listing in the SAUSD directory will take effect at the start of the school year on Aug. 11, district spokesperson Fermin Leal said. The district has set aside about $40,000 from its general fund to cover the cost of new signage.

A renaming ceremony with the Guzman family and community members is planned for late August or September, Leal added.

“What’s often overlooked is that the Mendez family didn’t stand alone. There were five courageous families from Orange County … who all challenged the discriminatory practice of separating children into Mexican schools and white schools. It’s important that we honor the collective effort that made this victory possible,” said Trustee Valerie Magdaleno.

The legacy of John C. Fremont, the school’s former namesake, drew criticism last year when community members voiced concerns at a school board meeting about his history and called for a name change. Fremont, a Civil War general, was known for being an outspoken critic of slavery and issuing an emancipation order in Missouri. However, as a famed explorer nicknamed “The Pathfinder,” his expeditions across the American West and Plains states involved violent encounters with Native American tribes.

Officials emphasized that the renaming was more about uplifting local figures who shaped civil rights history.

“It is our responsibility as educators, as trustees, as community members,” Bustos said, “to make sure that every child who walks through the doors of William and Virginia Guzman Elementary knows who they are, knows what they fought for, and knows that they too, have a power to stand up, speak out and change history.”