The Pandemic will leave many VUCA potholes that education institutions will have to build over, around, or through. Schools and students will be on the frontline facing issues of increased poverty, rising healthcare costs, increased unemployment and underemployment, racial tensions, environmental issues, lack of access to high speed internet, mental health, declining enrollment, and other challenges that cannot be anticipated.

1. The library has reopened with Grab & Go Service. As of March 16, the main library opened up its doors to the public. That means that library patrons can browse the shelves and use self-checkout during this spring’s library hours:

• Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday: 11am to 7pm

• Friday & Saturday: 10am to 4pm

• (Sunday & Monday: Closed.)

After the recent surge in hate crimes against the Asian community, Orange County residents gathered in solidarity outside of Fullerton City Hall on Saturday.

Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva led a press conference alongside other elected officials and Asian and Pacific Islander advocates.

With nearly 100 people gathered outside of city hall to watch the press conference, Quirk-Silva began the meeting by declaring solidarity with the Asian community with one simple message, “We’re gathering to stand up together to stop Asian hate.”

Anaheim and Orange County leadership joined with local community members to showcase the world-class health and safety measures in place to reopen safely. Anaheim’s Mayor Harry Sidhu along with city and county leaders thanked Governor Newsom for authorizing theme parks and ballparks to reopen with limited capacity as of April 1, 2021.

The county of Orange announced on Friday, March 12 that effective March 14 OC would move into the Red or “Substantial” Tier of California’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy (covid19.ca.gov/safer-economy). The four-tiered Blueprint was adopted last year to determine how much of their respective economies and public activities individual counties could open, based on several health metrics.

Over the past few years, the argument has boiled down to a decision between two sites on the former El Toro Marine Corps Air Station, one set on a strip of runway and hangars and the other on land zoned to become a golf course. 

State legislators, led by Orange County Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva voted in 2019 to study those sites in Irvine to see what would be the best deal for state taxpayers.