A special election to fill the vacancy in California’s 36^th Senate District – which encompasses coastal Orange County – will be held in April, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office said Wednesday. 

The seat is vacant after Janet Nguyen was elected to the Orange County Board of Supervisors, replacing Andrew Do, who resigned from his position as 1^st District Supervisor after agreeing to plead guilty to federal corruption charges in October. 

Nguyen had previously served on the O.C. Board of Supervisors from 2007 to 2014 and had been sworn in as the 36^th District Senator in 2022.  

After winning her first race 17 years ago by a mere seven votes, Nguyen became the first female supervisor to represent the 1^st District, the first Asian American and Vietnamese American to serve on the board, and she is also the youngest person to be elected supervisor in county history. 

The special election is set for April 29, 2025, with the primaries being held on Feb. 25.

Another special election for the same day was scheduled by Newsom for California’s 32^nd Assembly District, which includes parts of Kern and Tulare counties in the Central Valley; it was redistricted from the 34^th District in 2022.  

Vince Fong, the previous assemblymember, resigned to run for the U.S. House of Representatives despite being re-elected this past November, leaving the seat vacant. 

Two people were arrested following a violent bar fight that ended in a man being struck by a car in downtown Laguna Beach.

The suspects were identified as Itay Zaiger, 25, and Nicholas Tasooji, 39, according to the Laguna Beach Police Department.

On Dec. 7, police responded to an altercation on the 200 block of Beach Street at around 2:19 a.m.

Arriving officers found two men at the scene who said they were intentionally struck by a driver following an altercation that began at a local bar on Forest Avenue.

Investigators learned two groups of men were arguing inside the bar earlier that night. The argument then escalated into “philosophical differences between the Israeli/Palestinian conflict,” police said.

The hostilities continued outside of the bar before the confrontation turned physical.

That’s when Zaiger reportedly chased a man in the opposing group and tackled him, police said. The man claimed Zaiger kicked him in the head several times after he was tackled to the ground, causing moderate head trauma.

Tasooji, a friend of the man who was tackled, then allegedly drove his vehicle onto the sidewalk and struck one of Zaiger’s friends, an unidentified 28-year-old man, police said. The impact caused significant injuries to his lower extremities. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment.

Tasooji then drove away from the scene but was eventually found by police nearby.

Tasooji was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon with further charges pending the ongoing investigation.

Zaiger was arrested for assault likely to cause great bodily injury. He was released on bond with a future date to appear in court.

The incident remains under investigation by Laguna Beach police’s Major Crimes Detail. Anyone with information is urged to contact Detective Flagstad at 949-715-0984.

Investigations are underway after a man was shot and killed by police in Buena Park Tuesday.

Buena Park police officers responded to reports of a possibly armed suspect who was seen walking on lanes of the 5 Freeway near Artesia Boulevard at around 1 p.m.

Authorities spotted the suspect on Artesia Boulevard and, following a confrontation, police opened fire on the man.

He was transported to a local hospital where he later died from his injuries.

Details are limited and the moments leading up to the deadly shooting were not released. The case remains under investigation by the California Department of Justice and the Buena Park Police Department.

“Upon completion of the investigation, it will be turned over to DOJ’s Special Prosecutions Section within the Criminal Law Division for independent review,” said the California Attorney General’s Office.

The suspect’s name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin. 

Anyone who may have witnessed the shooting or has information on the case is encouraged to contact Buena Park Police at 714-562-3978 and ask to speak with Detective Lowe.