{"id":477043,"date":"2026-09-27T02:59:08","date_gmt":"2026-09-27T02:59:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/477043\/"},"modified":"2026-09-27T02:59:08","modified_gmt":"2026-09-27T02:59:08","slug":"ocs-civic-headlines-as-anaheim-mayor-faces-racism-allegations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/477043\/","title":{"rendered":"OC’s Civic Headlines as Anaheim Mayor Faces Racism Allegations"},"content":{"rendered":"

Anaheim Mayor Ashleigh Aitken\u2019s chief of staff is accusing her of hurling racist and homophobic comments at her<\/a> \u2013 allegations the mayor says her track record disputes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

One of Aitken\u2019s colleagues, Councilwoman Natalie Meeks, is calling for an investigation<\/a> into the allegations as the city has yet to release the letter detailing the accusations<\/a> first reported by the Los Angeles Times.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the Orange County Sheriff\u2019s Department overspent its budget by nearly $30 million<\/a> as department officials say the sheriff is purposely lowballed in an effort to keep costs down.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The debate over how to best curb growing e-bike death and injuries persists<\/a> as cities crack down on unsafe riding \u2013 while a handful offer safety classes on the increasingly popular vehicles.<\/p>\n

Buena Park officials are reconsidering the e-bike sidewalk ban<\/a> for people under 18 years old, marking another example of how each city has a different approach to e-bike regulation.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Fullerton\u2019s the latest flashpoint in the Flock camera debate<\/a> after residents raised a host of privacy and civil liberty concerns over the automated licence plate readers.\u00a0<\/p>\n

At the same time, San Juan Capistrano officials are considering car-mounted licence plate reader cameras<\/a> to enforce parking restrictions in downtown.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Truckstop, a 4-year-old pit bull, rests in his kennel at OC Animal Care in Tustin on Sept. 16, 2026. Credit: ANGELINA HICKS, Voice of OC<\/p>\n

Scores of dogs and cats<\/a> \u00a0await homes at the pound run by OC Animal Care, including Truckstop the dog and Kenny the cat.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The controversial Mind OC program continues to shrink as Garden Grove officials ditched the Be Well mental health services<\/a> for another provider \u2013 marking Mind OC\u2019s shrinking footprint after OC Supervisors cut off funding a couple years ago.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Newport Beach is sailing into an election that city officials say could be illegal<\/a> after a judge ordered the city to put three ballot measures to voters this November<\/a> \u2013 an election that\u2019s not being run by the OC Registrar of Voters.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Ahead of El Ni\u00f1o\u2019s expected high tides and heavy rain, OC Fire Authority officials are looking to bolster search and rescue teams<\/a> through a federal grant.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Anaheim officials are launching a program for tenants to report illegal rent hikes<\/a> under the state\u2019s rent control law \u2013 years after residents have been calling on the city to enforce Califrinao\u2019s rent control law.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The state-owned Fairview Development Center in Costa Mesa is on track to be redeveloped into housing<\/a> and open space after years of questions of whether it could be used to house homeless people.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Irvine officials are looking to let residents know if they live next to hazardous material<\/a> after a Garden Grove chemical tank emergency forced 50,000 residents to flee their homes earlier this year.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Editor\u2019s note: Anaheim Mayor Ashleigh Aitken\u2019s father, Wylie Aitken, chairs Voice of OC\u2019s board of directors.<\/p>\n

Spencer Custodio is the civic editor. You can reach him at scustodio@voiceofoc.org. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerCustodio<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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