Discover Downtown on Foot The many videos that spotlight downtown businesses give anyone who has not actually walked every downtown street some great insight into what they are missing. A sign posted […]
The Downtown Report: Mid-June Edition
Council Approves 2021/22 Budget
Council voted 3-1 (Zahra “no”) to approve the City’s 2021/22 budget at their June 1 meeting. During discussion of the budget, Councilmember Zahra expressed concern over the fact that the budget appropriates […]
City Seeks Input on Downtown “People Powered” Transportation
A plan to promote transportation alternatives to enable mobility and enhance the quality of life in downtown Fullerton is under way. The process has been funded by grants from Caltrans and the […]
California to Lift Many COVID-19 Restrictions June 15
Orange County has been in the Yellow “Minimal” Tier of the State’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy since late May, with an average daily case rate per 100,000 residents of just 0.8, […]
Korean War Memorial Construction to Begin in July
City council approved a final agreement with the Orange County Korean War Memorial Committee (OCKWMC) for development of the Korean War Memorial at Hillcrest Park adjacent to the Duck Pond (near Brea […]
Council Approves Annual Budget With No Funding for Museum Center
The Fullerton City Council has approved a City budget for 2021-2022 without any funding at all for the Fullerton Museum Center (FMC). The Museum has been closed since March 2020, and defunded […]
Raytheon to Install Extraction Pipes and Pumps to Remove Water Contaminants
City Council approved an agreement with the Raytheon Company that requires them to install pipes and pumps to treat groundwater contaminated by volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The Hughes Aircraft Company previously owned […]
Film Review: ‘The Dry’ Gets a Hit and a Miss
Australian director Robert Connolly sets this mystery/thriller in a small town in the middle of drought-stricken Australia, basing his movie on Jane Harper’s best-selling crime novel of the same name. The dry […]
Pride Flag Returned to Main Flagpole
After much public comment and discussion, Fullerton City Council decided to restore the Pride flag to the main flagpole outside City Hall at their June 1 meeting. The discussion was sparked by […]
Raymond Basin Designed for Water Conservation and Flood Control
Driving down Raymond Avenue, over the Riverside freeway, and continuing until it became East Street in Anaheim, I noticed a large fenced in area which reminded me of a dried-up lakebed, with […]
The Limits of Desegregation: A Story of Maple School (Part 2)
Part 1 of this series told the story of efforts to desegregate Maple Elementary School in the late 1960s and early 1970s, which was 98% Latino and Black. In 1972 the Fullerton […]
Del Crandall (1930-2021)
Our Hometown Hero was Outstanding, Yet Overshadowed & Underrated Imagine a town so rich in baseball history that a borderline Hall of Fame hometown player is often left out of the conversation […]
Council to Approve Budget on June 1
Fullerton City Council is set to approve its 2021/22 budget at their June 1 meeting. Prior to this, Council held two budget study sessions on May 12 and May 18. The proposed […]
A Spark of Action Founded in Fullerton
The murder of George Floyd in May 2020 ignited a call for racial justice all around the world. Organizers, activists, and protestors came together to show solidarity as they demanded change. Ariel […]
Young Observers: Early June Edition
After only six years into the job he held since 2015, our high school district superintendent Dr. Scott Scambray is retiring this month. One of the best decisions he made for our […]
City to Remove Unauthorized Mountain Bike Trails Cut Through Sensitive Habitat
Staff from several Fullerton departments are working together to address the issue of unauthorized trail cuts in environmentally sensitive areas near City trails or on land the City manages that have recently […]
Pride Flag Flies Belatedly and Separately
City Council passed an ordinance in 2019 declaring that the City would fly the rainbow Pride flag every year at City Hall starting on Harvey Milk Day (May 22) and continuing throughout […]
The Downtown Report: Early June Edition
Day of Music Fete de la Musique is celebrated on the Summer Solstice and our annual Day of Music began back in 2014. Many got a call from Glenn Georgieff who wanted […]
Man Dies in Fire
One person died and another was injured in a fire that is believed to have originated from an explosion at a large commercial facility in Fullerton on May 27. Fullerton firefighters responded […]
Mayor, Council, and Community Seek Answers in Police Killing of Hector Hernandez
For over a year, family and friends of Hector Hernandez, who was shot and killed by Fullerton police officer Jonathan Ferrell in front of his home in May 2020, have pressed City […]
City Council Approves Short-Term Whole-House Rental Compromise
Fullerton’s City Council has approved a compromise that will limit the number of Fullerton’s 325 allowable short-term rentals (STRs) to 100 rentals that can be rented out without an owner on site. […]
Memorial Day 2021
Although there have been great strides made in dealing with the Coronavirus, regrettably, we will not be having our traditional Memorial Day ceremony in 2021. On behalf of the American Veterans Memorial […]
The Push… and Pushback of a High School Ethnic Studies Course
Some alumni, teachers, and community members of Fullerton Joint Union High School District (FJUHSD) are advocating for all eight of its high schools to add an Ethnic Studies course as a requirement […]
Fullerton, Rail Town: Amtrak Celebrates 50 Years
On May Day 2021, Amtrak celebrated its 50th anniversary as the national passenger railroad of the United States. This article is part of an ongoing series on the past, present, and future […]
Orange County Move to Yellow Tier Allows More Openings
Effective May 19, California’s Department of Public Health has allowed Orange County to move into the Yellow Tier of the State’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy. OC secured the change in status […]
La Voz Latina: Under the Jacaranda Trees
La Voz Latina is a Spanish/English language column written by local volunteers that is meant to give voice to Fullerton’s Spanish-speaking community. Spanish translation is included below. My family and I came […]
The Limits of Desegregation: A Story of Maple School (Part 1)
In 1896, Homer Plessy, who was 1/8th black, entered a whites-only railroad car in New Orleans and was arrested. The Supreme Court ruled in Plessy v. Ferguson that the doctrine of “Separate […]
FSD FEST Showcases Student Projects
The public is invited to join a week-long virtual showcase of Fullerton School District student projects. Now in its third year, FSD FEST is an annual student conference celebrating many of the […]
Film Review: ‘The Father’ Gets Two Hits
The April Academy Awards ceremony was somewhat upended by the Oscar for Best Actor not going to the expected winner Chadwick Boseman (although he was honored with a posthumous tribute to his […]
Grand Jury Releases Report Critical of County’s Pandemic Preparedness
The Orange County Grand Jury released a much anticipated report on May 11 detailing the results of their months-long investigation of Orange County’s pandemic preparedness and plan. The report had little, if […]
Cars Rally for Voting Rights
Local residents, elected officials, and community groups participated in a car rally for voting rights in front of Fullerton City Hall on Saturday May 8. Speakers urged Congress to pass HR 1: […]
A Historic Moment of Interfaith Solidarity
A moment of interfaith solidarity took place on Thursday May 13 as St. Philip Benizi Catholic Church welcomed the Islamic Center of Fullerton to their campus to host in-person Eid-al-Fitr prayers marking […]
The Downtown Report: Mid May Edition
Discover Fullerton Our Community Center is organizing a number of events Downtown, including a SoCo District Guided Walk and a business scavenger hunt. Businesses are signing up now for the Live Local […]
City Council Votes to Settle Lawsuit Against Fullerton’s Future Blog
The city of Fullerton has authorized a settlement offer in its civil lawsuit against the Friends for Fullerton’s Future Blog (FFFF) and two of its bloggers, Joshua Ferguson and David Curlee. The […]
City Council Reverses Decision on Whole-House Short Term Rental Ban
Fullerton’s ban on so-called “whole-house” Short-Term Rentals (STRs) failed to gain enough City Council support during a required second reading that took place at their May 4 meeting. The Council once again […]
