(Santa Ana, Calif.) – Chicano history and culture intersect at The Chicano Collection/La Colección Chicana art exhibit. Now open to the public at the Old Orange County Courthouse in Santa Ana (211 W. Santa Ana Blvd.), the collection features images depicting urban life and the Chicano experience between 1969 and 2001. 

The exhibition consists of limited-edition digital reproductions, known as giclées, of original paintings from 26 prominent Chicano artists from the private collection of actor and comedian, Cheech Marin. Marin's collection now serves as the foundation of The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture of the Riverside Art Museum, which opened in June 2022.

The prints were created through a national art project led by Marin with the late Richard S. Duardo of Modern Multiples Fine Art Editions and Melissa Richardson Banks of CauseConnect. In addition to the giclées, a 25-minute documentary about Chicano art and linocut portraits of each artist created by Artemio Rodriguez are on display. The exhibit will be at the Courthouse exhibit gallery through the end of the year.

“Preserving the cultural heritage within our diverse and historic communities is so important, including depictions of the story and struggle of Mexican Americans and Latinos in the Southwest. I wanted to help bring this exhibit here, since many of our residents do not have the opportunity to visit the museum in Riverside and because Orange County has played a vital role in the Chicano movement. I am very proud to have this incredible art experience available for residents and visitors at the historic Old Orange County Courthouse,” said Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento. “We join the community in celebrating Chicano Heritage Month by hosting The Chicano Collection/La Colección Chicana exhibition.”

The Chicano Movement has been shaped by notable leaders and activists such as Cesar Chavez, Dolores Huerta and more for several decades. Marin has been captivated by artistic expressions of the Chicano culture and has amassed his own renowned private collection over the last 40 years. The Chicano Collection was produced to advance Chicano art as a recognized school of American art, increase public accessibility to this work in cities nationwide and help audiences understand and appreciate the richness of the culture. 

Admission to The Chicano Collection/La Colección Chicana exhibit is free and open to view at the Old Orange County Courthouse gallery Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. beginning August 8. Metered parking is available at the onsite lot and surrounding street parking.

For information about The Chicano Collection/La Colección Chicana art exhibit or the Old Orange County Courthouse, please visit https://www.ocparks.com/historic-sites/old-orange-county-courthouse.

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OC Parks
OC Parks manages nearly 60,000 acres of parks, historical and coastal facilities and open space for the County of Orange as part of OC Community Resources. http://www.ocparks.com

Come learn about owls, make an owl craft, and explore what's inside an owl pellet. 

Program is for ages 7-10 years old ONLY. 

Cost is $5 per child (one parent included).

Phone registration is required. To register for a class, call 714-973-6846. 

Parking fee is $5 per vehicle on weekends. 

Class includes hands-on learning, fun crafts, and meeting zoo creatures up close! 

Program is for ages 3-4 years old ONLY. 

Cost is $5 per child (one parent included). Parent must accompany child for entire program.

Phone registration is required. To register for a class, call 714-973-6846. 

Parking fee is $3 per vehicle on weekdays. 

Class includes hands-on learning, fun crafts, and meeting zoo creatures up close! 

Program is for ages 3-4 years old ONLY. 

Cost is $5 per child (one parent included). Parent must accompany child for entire program.

Phone registration is required. To register for a class, call 714-973-6846. 

Parking fee is $3 per vehicle on weekdays. 

The Mile Square Regional Park 93-acre Expansion Area will be closed to commence construction of Phase 2. New additions coming to the park to include an Amphitheater, Great Meadow, Children's Adventure Play Area, Multi-Use Field, Primary Vehicular Road, Parking and Restroom Building.

WHEN:

93-acre closure begins September 23, 2024.  Anticipated completion is Fall 2026. 
Schedule is subject to change due to weather or other factors.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Shannon Widor, OC Public Works
(714) 667-9759
Shannon.widor@ocpw.ocgov.com 

(Dana Point, Calif.) – OC Parks recently installed the first community-driven shoreline monitoring location in Orange County. Located along the Strands Beach access ramp (map included in Press Images), the CoastSnap station encourages community members to help with coastal monitoring efforts. 

The CoastSnap station includes a smartphone cradle and instructions on how to upload and submit a photo of the shoreline. Residents and visitors alike are invited to place their phones in the cradle and snap a photo. The cradle is set at a precise location and angle to ensure the public is capturing consistent images. Afterward, the public is asked to scan a QR code to then upload the photo. From there, the images are sent to OC Parks and will be used to assist with monitoring seasonal and long-term beach width. The cradle works in conjunction with surveyed control points and time stamps allowing for photos to be stitched together, accounting for tidal variations.

“I am excited to bring the first CoastSnap station to Orange County and harness the power of the community to help protect our coast,” said Supervisor Katrina Foley, Orange County Board of Supervisors. “Coastal erosion threatens our coastal communities, economy and way of life here in Orange County. This CoastSnap station serves as a valuable tool to measure how much coastal erosion impacts our beaches. By engaging residents in this important endeavor, we will gather valuable data while serving as good stewards over our beaches.”

CoastSnap, developed by researchers from the University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney), is a global citizen science project to help researchers better understand the coastlines and safeguard them for future generations. Currently, there are five other CoastSnap stations in California located in San Diego County. In addition to the CoastSnap station, a new interpretive sign has been installed complementing the CoastSnap station with narrative descriptions and images demonstrating seasonal and long-term changes of the shoreline.

The installation of the CoastSnap station marks the completion of the Niguel Shores Revetment Restoration Project. As part of the Coastal Development Permit issued by the California Coastal Commission for this project aimed at enhancing shoreline protection, OC Parks is responsible for complying with a Shore Zone Monitoring Plan. Seasonal transect surveys will be conducted to monitor any movement of the revetment and photos collected through the CoastSnap station will further aide in these efforts. 

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OC Parks

OC Parks manages nearly 60,000 acres of parks, historical and coastal facilities and open space for the County of Orange as part of OC Community Resources. http://www.ocparks.com

This project has been completed

Placement of up to 20,000 cubic yards of sand material from the Santa Ana River, from OC Public Works, at Capistrano Beach within the City of Dana Point. This is a joint project between OC Parks and OC Public Works. Public access may be limited during construction.

What:

•    Transport of 20,000 cubic yards of clean sand removed from flood control maintenance in the Santa Ana River.
•    Screening of sand and trucking to the beach area north of Palisades Drive.
•    Placement of sand along a 550 linear-foot stretch at the north reach of Capistrano Beach.

DETOURS AND SAFETY
Flaggers will direct both pedestrians and bicyclists to avoid the work area. Watch for additional traffic control measures including construction signage.

BACKGROUND
Additional sand serves to counter coastal erosion, protect coastal resources and enhance recreation areas. The California Coastal Commission (CCC) has approved placement of sand as an interim measure.

When:

Anticipated Construction Duration:
July 8 – September 2024

Working Days/Hours:
Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Working hours and schedule will vary due to tides, inclement weather, ocean conditions and other factors.

Where:

Capistrano Beach Park
35005 Beach Road, Dana Point, CA 92624

Contact Information:

(714) 973-6865

ocparks@ocparks.com

Celebrate 50 years of recreation at Santiago Oaks Regional Park by hiking through its history! Learn about the Windes family that called this park home, the flood of 1969 and the grassroots effort to preserve Barham Ranch as parkland. Stops will include the Historic and Villa Park Dams, the Historic Orange Grove, the Nature Center and more.

The walk will begin in front of the Nature Center located near the parking lot and travel approximately 3 miles with little elevation gain.

Walk-ins are welcome, but registration is recommended. Learn more and register here.

Children must be accompanied by a parent/guardian during the program and strollers are not recommended. Sun protection, sturdy footwear and plenty of water are strongly encouraged.

The program is free and parking is $5 per vehicle.

Inclement weather will cancel the program.

For questions, please contact resource specialist Shelly Marshall at (714) 973-6625 or shelly.marshall@ocparks.com.

Celebrate 50 years of recreation at Santiago Oaks Regional Park by hiking through its history! Learn about the Windes family that called this park home, the flood of 1969 and the grassroots effort to preserve Barham Ranch as parkland. Stops will include the Historic and Villa Park Dams, the Historic Orange Grove, the Nature Center and more.

The walk will begin in front of the Nature Center located near the parking lot and travel approximately 3 miles with little elevation gain.

Walk-ins are welcome, but registration is recommended. Learn more and register here.

Children must be accompanied by a parent/guardian during the program and strollers are not recommended. Sun protection, sturdy footwear and plenty of water are strongly encouraged.

The program is free and parking is $5 per vehicle.

Inclement weather will cancel the program.

For questions, please contact resource specialist Shelly Marshall at (714) 973-6625 or shelly.marshall@ocparks.com.

Come explore OC Parks’ newest trails at Red Rock Wilderness through this self-guided opportunity.

Located within OC Parks’ Irvine Ranch Open Space, Red Rock Wilderness features more than 8 miles of new trails for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding along with a scenic overlook that offers 360-degree views of the nearby iconic red rocks, Black Star Canyon Wilderness, Irvine Lake, Santiago Canyon and beyond. 3 miles of multi-use trails within Loma Ridge Nature Preserve, part of OC Parks’ Irvine Ranch Open Space, will also be accessible for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding.

Visitors will have the opportunity to provide voluntary feedback about Red Rock Wilderness through on-site participation surveys and offer naming suggestions for several unnamed trails. 

Rain or inclement weather will cancel the program. 

Advance registration required. Learn more and register here. 

Parking for Red Rock Wilderness is located at the Augustine Staging Area, 5524 Santiago Canyon Road, Silverado, CA.