???? Mexican Celebration In Santa Ana + New O.C. Ocean View Homes

Hello O.C. I'm back with your fresh edition of the Orange County Daily. Here's everything you need to know happening in Orange County today.

• Checkout the "El Grito" Festival in Santa Ana.
• The Irvine Co. is building 1,180 new O.C. homes with an ocean view.
• A shout out to 12-year-old Irvine student Claire Chong.

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First, today's weather:

Mostly sunny. High: 82 Low: 67.

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Here are the top 3 stories in Orange County today:

1. The "El Grito" Mexican Independence Day festival will be in Santa Ana on Saturday and Sunday. Residents of Orange County will fill the streets of Santa Ana for the annual Mexican Independence Day festival. The 42nd two-day Fiestas Patrias will feature music, dancing, and a lot of delicious food. Officials expect 40,000 people to attend. The festival starts each day at noon. (Voice of OC)
2. An undeveloped hillside in Irvine with views of the Pacific Ocean will soon have 1,066 single-family residences and 114 multifamily units. The Irvine Co. will soon start building the 1,180-homes, The Orange Heights project will be on "396 acres split by Santiago Canyon Road between Irvine Regional and Peters Canyon parks." The Irvine Co. said it will be about three years to get the land ready and have homes for sale. The hillside community will "have views of the Pacific in the distance from its peaks." (Orange County Register via Facebook)
3. A shout out to Claire Chong, the 12-year-old Irvine student who starts every morning picking up litter on her way to school. When she was just 8 years old, Claire participated in a project that taught about environmental pollution. Since then, she has been doing her part to help make the world a better place. During the pandemic, Claire and her parents began taking daily walks around their neighborhood, and they noticed large amounts of trash on the sidewalks and in the bushes. She took it upon herself to work toward maintaining a waste-free environment and started picking up litter and trash. Clair now goes on frequent jogs to pick up trash in her community — otherwise known as 'plogging.' (Orange County Department of Ed via Instagram)

Today in Orange County:

• MedSpa Event — The Real OG Beauty Bar. (10 a.m.)
• Book Sale hosted by the Friends of the Anaheim Library at Central Library. (11 a.m.)
• Stay & Play at Central Library - Anaheim Public Library — Children's Programs. (11 a.m.)

From my notebook:

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Events:

That's it for today. I'll see you back in your inbox tomorrow morning with your next update!

— Paula Constance

About me: Paula is a contributing writer, author, and award-winning media producer. She is committed to media projects that empower, engage, and help make the world a better place. When she's not writing, you can find her hiking or watching the fireflies in the sultry moments before sunset. You can follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Orange County Daily? Contact me at orangecounty@patch.com