Print North Tustin a hillside community of luxury homes dotted along narrow may soon get its own ZIP code — and a clear exit from one of the highest sales tax rates in Orange County Republican Rep. Young Kim, whose 40th congressional district encompasses the enclave, has cosponsored a bill that would designate single unique ZIP codes for North Tustin and several other communities across the nation within 270 days of its passage The largest unincorporated island in the county is designated by the Census as North Tustin Postal Service assigned it a ZIP code shared with Santa Ana “Its status as an unincorporated area can cause confusion,” Kim said of the community in a press statement “Providing North Tustin with a unique ZIP code will create certainty for residents who have called North Tustin home for decades and clarity for tax purposes a 55-year North Tustin resident and president of the Foothill Communities Assn. noted that he and his neighbors have talked with Rep Kim’s office for a year about the importance of the community having its own ZIP code North Tustin did have its own ZIP code and then the post office needed some more addresses in Santa Ana so they expanded it into the eastern part of Santa Ana,” He said and that has generated a lot of problems for people in North Tustin.” 69% of North Tustin’s roughly 25,000 residents are white and the median household income is $174,000 Its hillside homeowners in neighborhoods like Lemon Heights Cowan Heights and Red Hill include current and former politicians like Curt Pringle current chairman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors Over the years, residents have been sticklers against any annexation attempts, halted a shopping center development and even a proposed Gelson’s supermarket. They have pushed for their own ZIP code amid protests of being overtaxed, especially in the past five years. In 2018, Santa Ana voters passed Measure X, which raised its sales tax rate to 9.25% for the next decade to shore up budget woes and fund key civic services like public safety for its largely Latino, immigrant residents. The city shares the highest sales tax rate in the county alongside cash-strapped Los Alamitos and Westminster. “The people of North Tustin did not vote for that,” Wagner said. “The tax revenue goes to Santa Ana, not North Tustin.” But sharing a ZIP code with the city can mean that North Tustin residents who use their home addresses while buying a car or shopping online for big ticket purchases like furniture or appliances are sometimes assessed Santa Ana’s higher sales tax rate. “If you’re buying something for $10 on Amazon, that’s not a problem,” Nelson said. “But if you’re buying a $50,000 automobile, it can get to be a big deal.” Nelson has had to negotiate refunds on a company by company basis. Wagner called the ZIP code issue “taxation without representation” in supporting Rep. Kim’s legislative efforts. On Wednesday, the House Oversight Committee passed the bill out of markup. If it becomes law, North Tustin residents would fall under the jurisdiction of the county with the board of supervisors overseeing its tax rates. Currently, the county’s sales tax rate is 7.75%. “People just want to get back to where we were, and it can be done,” Nelson said. “The post office just has to do it.” Gabriel San Román is a feature writer for TimesOC. He previously worked at OC Weekly – as a reporter, podcast producer and columnist – until the newspaper’s closing in late 2019. In 2023, San Román was part of the breaking news reporting team that was a Pulitzer finalist for its coverage of the Lunar New Year mass shooting in Monterey Park. He may or may not be the tallest Mexican in O.C. TimesOC Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map Residents of North Tustin say sharing a zip code with Santa Ana raises their taxes so your donation is critical to KCRW's music programming Donate by midnight tomorrow and your $100 becomes $200 for KCRW thanks to a $10,000 match by music legend Moby DOuble dollars Get the latest from KCRW in your inbox 3x a week. LAist is part of Southern California Public Radio, a member-supported public media network. A spokesperson for the IRS Criminal Investigation division confirmed they were involved in the searches along with the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office. The search warrants were executed for Rhiannon Do’s Tustin home; a North Tustin family home that real estate records show is owned by Cheri Pham and Supervisor Do; a Garden Grove home that public records show is owned by Peter Pham, the founder of Viet America Society (VAS); and a Fountain Valley home that government filings show is the business address for VAS — the nonprofit Orange County officials sued earlier this month for alleged fraud. A neighbor told an LAist reporter on the scene that over a dozen black cars were parked on the street around the North Tustin house of Supervisor Do and Cheri Pham at the time of the raid. A spokesperson for the FBI confirmed they served search warrants at the homes. “The affidavit in support of the search warrant is under seal and so we’re prohibited from commenting as to the nature of the case. No arrests planned,” Laura Eimiller said. Vu’s name also appears on the grant deed for Rhiannon Do’s home purchase, as someone who should receive a copy once it’s officially recorded. Financial records obtained by LAist show that a large portion of county funds sent to VAS were routed to Perfume River Restaurant in Westminster, which is owned by Vu’s company, Aloha Financial Investment. Two VAS leaders have also held leadership roles at Aloha, according to records LAist obtained. The FBI confirmed that it was involved in the raid on the Perfume River Restaurant, located in the Asian Garden Mall in Westminster. An IRS spokesperson, however, said the agency did not join in that operation. Rhiannon Do and Peter Pham are among those accused in the county’s lawsuit of a fraud scheme to divert funds intended to feed needy seniors and build a war memorial, to instead pay for million-dollar homes and improvements to the homes. An O.C. Superior Court spokesperson said Cheri Pham is unable to comment due to California judicial ethics rules barring judges from commenting on law enforcement actions or pending court cases. On Friday, David Wiechert, an attorney who said he had been retained to represent Rhiannon Do, told LAist Rhiannon Do is a "very honest, law-abiding, hardworking young woman." "It’s our intention to demonstrate to the government the error of their ways if they think she’s done something wrong,” he said. An LAist reporter saw at least six law enforcement officers outside Rhiannon Do’s home and around the front doorway Thursday morning. Around 11:20 a.m., an LAist reporter at the scene overheard a law enforcement agent say Rhiannon Do was inside the home. Law enforcement officers were inside at the time as well. A neighbor told LAist that he saw Rhiannon Do come in with the agents when they first entered the house earlier this morning. The IRS’ criminal division was involved in the raid on Rhiannon Do’s house. Most of the agents observed by LAist wore black shirts with "POLICE IRS-CI" printed on the back. An LAist reporter also overheard an agent telling a private investigator that they were with IRS' criminal investigation division. A spokesperson for the Orange County District Attorney’s Office confirmed they were involved in the raids but declined to comment further. Rhiannon Do purchased the home last year for $1.035 million, according to Zillow and real estate records reviewed by LAist. Larry Thomas, who lives next door to the house, told LAist around 9:45 a.m. that officers were standing guard outside. He said he was hearing what he described as “slamming and quite a bit of noise” from inside the house. A photo obtained by LAist shows what appears to be an evidence marker in front of a small structure on the property. The white rectangular sign states “ROOM P.” An LAist reporter overheard an agent next to the home say, "Remember, you’re looking for documents.” An agent also noted finding a large amount of Christmas decorations. Shortly before 1:30 p.m., an agent exited the house with two large rectangular boxes and drove away. Federal agents were at the Tustin home for nearly eight hours. At one point, agents came out and put a file folder, three file boxes and a black trash bag, half full, into a car. Shortly after 5 p.m. an LAist reporter saw five agents exit the home and leave in five separate vehicles. Supervisor Do and Rhiannon Do have been in and out of the house in recent days, Thomas told LAist on Wednesday. Rhiannon in particular, he said, has been in and out of the house more in the last 48 hours than in the year-plus since buying it. Earlier this week, Thomas told LAist that there have been no signs anyone ever moved into the home, in the year or so since Rhiannon Do bought it. He said that in the first few months after the purchase, a significant amount of work appeared to be done on the house, including the sound of electric saws. “You could hear, every day, hammers and saws and heavy equipment,” Thomas said. LAist revealed last December that the nonprofit, Viet America Society, had failed to account for what happened with millions of dollars in taxpayer money Do had provided the group. In response to LAist’s questions in April about the funding her father directed to the nonprofit and the home purchase, Rhiannon Do did not answer if any county funds provided to her nonprofit were used to purchase the home. She denied that anything improper took place and said she worked hard for her home. After the county gave the nonprofit months of opportunities this year to provide required proof, it ended up filing a lawsuit last week alleging a sweeping fraud scheme to divert money that was meant to feed vulnerable seniors during the pandemic. Among the county’s allegations are that funding was illegally diverted to buying multiple homes, including Rhiannon Do’s home in Tustin. Supervisor Do has not responded to LAist’s requests for comment over the last nine months. He has denied any wrongdoing in interviews with other media. State law does not require the disclosure of his family tie to the nonprofit he funded with taxpayer money. The state Legislature is advancing a bill that would change that. Santa Ana City Councilmember Thai Viet Phan, the first Vietnamese American elected to the council, called for the “immediate resignation” of Supervisor Do. “While innocent until proven guilty, Supervisor Do has lost the trust of our community and should not retain power over a $9.3 billion budget,” Phan said. Community organizations VietRISE and Harbor Institute for Immigrant & Economic Justice also called for the resignation of Supervisor Andrew Do. “Residents continue to face skyrocketing rents, evictions, and homelessness, yet Supervisor Do used his position to divert taxpayer dollars towards million-dollar properties for his own family and friends,” the statement from both organizations said. “Supervisor Do has failed the residents of his own District, including the working-class immigrants and refugees of Little Saigon.” State Sen. Dave Min issued a statement saying he was glad federal authorities were investigating allegations of public corruption in Orange County. “For too long, Orange County has been seen as a place where corruption and abuse of the public trust are part of the political culture,” he said. Min’s Rebuilding Public Trust Act, which was inspired by LAist’s reporting, is currently awaiting Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature and would require elected officials to recuse themselves from votes that would award government contracts to their family members. He said he hoped the raids would be motivation for the governor to sign the legislation. Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley said she anticipates the raids will “uncover additional evidence that proves the brazen criminal conspiracy by these individuals who stole millions to enrich themselves instead of feeding hungry, disabled seniors.” The O.C. Board of Supervisors is scheduled to meet Tuesday for their regularly scheduled meeting. The meeting starts at 9:30 a.m. on Aug. 27. In November 2023, LAist began investigating how millions in public taxpayer dollars were spent. In total, LAist has uncovered over $13 million in public money was approved to a little-known nonprofit that records state was led on and off by Rhiannon Do, the now 23-year-old daughter of Supervisor Do. Most of that money was directed to the group by Supervisor Do outside of the public’s view and never appeared on public meeting agendas. He did not publicly disclose his family ties. Much of the known funding came from federal coronavirus relief money. The average home price in the six-county region now stands at $876,280 The increases represent another hit for prospective home buyers struggling to afford a home in an expensive region at a time when interest rates are the highest they’ve been in more than 20 years. Only 14% of L.A. County households could reasonably afford a median-priced house in the fourth quarter, according to the California Assn. of Realtors. In the Inland Empire, the situation is better, but still fewer than 30% of households in Riverside and San Bernadino counties can afford a median-priced single-family house. California While affordability is the worst it has been since the 2000s housing bubble Economists say home values are rising because of a shortage of homes for sale the third consecutive month supply has risen When mortgage interests rates surged in 2022 home prices fell as buyers pulled away and inventory swelled But prices started rising again last year as homeowners increasingly chose not to sell unwilling to give up rock-bottom mortgage rates on loans taken out before and during the COVID-19 pandemic economists and real estate agents say homeowners increasingly believe rates in the 6% to 7% range are here to stay and are deciding a new home is more important than keeping a 3% mortgage if the supply of homes for sale increases enough But many economists cite several reasons they believe that won’t happen California has long built too few homes relative to demand, the economy is growing and many homeowners will still choose to hold on to their ultra-low-rate mortgages. A more likely scenario, according to experts, is home values will rise less than they have been, providing an opportunity for incomes to catch up. June’s nearly 8% annual price increase is less than the 9% gains posted in recent months and the lowest since January. Richard Green, director of the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate, said it’s too early to tell if home price growth is really starting to slow, or if the deceleration Zillow shows is noise in the data. That said, he does expect a slowdown to come. “Prices can’t go up 8% a year forever,” Green said. Andrew Khouri covers housing and homelessness for the Los Angeles Times. Before coming to The Times, he wrote about commercial real estate for the San Fernando Valley Business Journal. He holds a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism and graduated from the University of San Diego with a degree in history. there are plenty of fantastic beaches near North Tustin The sunny state of California boasts a coastline that stretches for more than 800 miles, adorned with some of the most beautiful beaches in the United States. For residents of North Tustin this means being in proximity to the iconic Pacific coast Whether you're looking for a quiet spot to read a book a picturesque location for a romantic sunset Here are the best five beaches near North Tustin that should be on every beach-lover's list Situated approximately 20 miles south of North Tustin, Laguna Beach is arguably the crown jewel of Orange County's coastline Famed for its artistic community and stunning coves head further down to Thousand Steps Beach or Treasure Island Beach The cerulean waters here are perfect for snorkeling Known as "Surf City, USA", Huntington Beach lies about 20 miles to the west of North Tustin The beach offers a perfect combination of wide sandy stretches and great surf making it a popular destination for both sunbathers and surfers The iconic Huntington Beach Pier is perfect for a stroll or just enjoying panoramic views of the Pacific and entertainment venues for a complete day out A mere 15 miles away from North Tustin, Newport Beach provides a rich blend of luxury and laid-back vibes The beach itself is split into several sections - from the Balboa Peninsula you might even spot a playful dolphin or sea lion near the shores Don't forget to take a trip on the Balboa Ferry and explore Balboa Island Located between Newport Beach and Laguna Beach Beyond its 3.2 miles of sandy beaches and tide pools Crystal Cove offers 2,400 acres of wilderness The Historic District at the beach features charming rustic cottages from the 1930s and 40s that transport you to a bygone era It's not just a beach; it's a step back in time Seal Beach is a quieter alternative to some of the busier Orange County beaches It offers a quaint main street with an old-town feel The beach itself is expansive and less crowded The Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge is also a treat for bird watchers and nature enthusiasts North Tustin's location offers its residents and visitors a delightful array of coastal options or someone just looking to lounge by the sea there's a beach near North Tustin waiting for you and get ready to dip your toes in the waters of the Pacific Does your business rank among the best in California Learn more about our selection criteria and vetting process We’ll be your trustee Little Tokyo guide with a day’s worth of fun things to do in Little Tokyo If you're looking for something fun to do there are plenty of fun and free things to do in San Francisco Feel the knowledge flood from its elegant red-tile roofs as you wander the town’s beautiful college campus in search of hidden finds Enjoy the perfect California spring weather at these ideal spots for a spring vacation in California Check your inbox soon for the latest from California.com. Orange County always has been a block party kind of place Go back to the 19th-century ranchos with their weeklong weddings Probably back to the zenith of the Acjachemen nation Or go back a mere quarter century to a tiny burg in North Tustin celebrates its 25th year of Independence Day block parties this month I’ve attended dozens of block parties in Orange County over the years I’ve never seen a block party quite like the July Fourth one in the Zig Zag neighborhood Though I can’t really call it a Fourth party Alan Darnell says his real estate agent called him with an urgent message “You have to get over to your new neighborhood They’re having their party.” and why are they bugging me?” Then as they dressed for a party in a neighborhood they hadn’t yet moved to he added: “What’s going on; are we getting the neighborhood along with the house?” I get my first sense of team Zig Zag when I ask Maggie Hart I’m startled to find about two dozen people have pulled their lawn chairs onto Hart’s front lawn A coffee table is overflowing with drinks and appetizers There are patriotic decorations stuck into the lawn have brought their own evening libations: the babies drain their bottles the ice clinks inside the women’s “OG Housewives of Zig Zag” drink holders As the managers of Riverview Golf Course in Santa Ana have even provided a Zig Zag transportation system—spare golf carts which many residents use to scoot around to the 39 houses in the cul-de-sac that is the entire neighborhood Every new resident gets a copy of a hand-drawn map “We’re more than neighbors,” Maggie Hart says when dozens of neighbors grease and bury a pig People volunteer all night for shifts on the pig roast Other volunteers build a stage for the talent show and assemble a mousetrap-type contraption that involves hitting a wooden target with a ball and at some point in the middle of the night “I wanted a neighborhood where my kids could lay down in the middle of the street and I wouldn’t have to worry about them.” The festivities the next day begin with a pajama pancake breakfast with a resident’s secret recipe There’s a children’s bike parade There’s a snow-cone machine and ice-cream truck But there are also creative twists: passing a banana by foot covering some of the men’s heads in whipped cream (or shaving cream) and seeing who can land the most Cheetos in the cream a mom-calling contest in which the moms stand on one side of the street and the kids call them from the other I ask them if by staying in the neighborhood “Are you kidding?” says Jim Stahovich “Disneyland can see the fireworks from here.” He says residents can view about five major fireworks displays around O.C they eat the leftovers and clean up—and celebrate Stahovich’s birthday The Fourth of July party is just one example of dozens of social activities in Zig Zag One resident estimates that they get together for about 50 parties a year part of the neighborhood takes a trip out there when residents in the pizza mood bring the ingredients to a pizza grill the “Dog Whisperer,” showed up a few years ago he was greeted with signs lining the streets depicting big photos of every neighborhood dog There’s a motto in Zig Zag: “If you see someone walking down the street with a bottle of wine it’s a party.” There are movie nights on lawns parties to help a neighbor demo or remodel and the occasional unexpected get-together—like when a roof caught fire and all the neighbors ran to put out the flames before the fire department arrived “I wanted a neighborhood where my kids could lay down in the middle of the street and I wouldn’t have to worry about them,” Sharon Tesdall says Although there is the occasional sale by real estate agent most houses never make it to the listings because they’re snapped up first by family It’s not unusual for the extended family to move into a nearby house Everybody still talks about prankster Ted Habing Ted persuaded neighbors to collect their old Christmas trees and “planted” them in Chuck’s yard with a sign: “Cut Your Own Christmas Tree Farm.” and Zig Zag is seeing second- generation families move back in “We just bought my parents’ house,” says Taylor Collery She recently moved back from a newer part of Tustin where she says she never got to know her neighbors The entire neighborhood is like a family.” But you don’t have to be family to be considered family A handful of neighbors have lived into their 90s and the elders are watched over as neighbors provide transportation and meals There have been calamities they still laugh about: the broken arm on the zipline the time they accidentally lit the pig on fire the “gargoyle people” (no one tells me what this is about but I’m assuming statuary) who finally moved out ‘How long is this going to last before someone screws it up?’ ” Stahovich says “But it’s gone on now for 30 years And nobody’s ever gotten in a fight.” Zig Zag might get together 50 or more times a year “The Fourth of July is special,” Maggie Hart says “It’s a party designed by everyone The big payoff is to see the kids’ faces light up We plan things the kids will enjoy and remember their whole lives something they’ll want to come back for and bring their own families.” Fiber internet provider launches residential service in parts of Tustin and Dana Point as it plans for continued growth in the region IRVINE, Calif., Dec. 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Cityside Networks, LLC (dba Cityside Fiber) a fiber-to-the-premise ("FTTP") developer and internet service provider has announced the launch of residential services in its first neighborhoods in Tustin and Dana Point The company plans to expand its high-performance fiber network throughout Orange County in 2024 continuing with Lake Forest and North Tustin With the lighting of customers in Tustin and Dana Point and expansion into more Orange County communities Cityside Fiber is furthering its commitment to providing high-speed internet connectivity to homes and businesses throughout the region Cityside Fiber recently completed the development of its first fiber neighborhoods in Tustin and Dana Point enabling high-speed connectivity for residents in those areas In addition to further build-outs in those cities construction will begin in Lake Forest and North Tustin over the coming weeks with customer activations slated for mid-2024 "We are proud to lead the way for fiber expansion in Orange County," said Rod Hanson "Our commitment and investment in this community where we work and live empowers us to drive next-generation technology advancements that will unlock social and economic opportunities through future-proof connectivity." Cityside offers a 100% fiber-optic network that provides customers with the fastest and most reliable internet connection available With speed packages delivering up to 5 Gigabits per second Cityside's network enables lightning-fast downloads The network's fiber-optic infrastructure provides a stable connection that is less susceptible to environmental interference and signal degradation Cityside commits to delivering exceptional customer service no long-term contracts and straightforward billing with no hidden fees "With our launch of service in Tustin and Dana Point we are thrilled to be bringing a state-of-the-art network and outstanding customer service to those communities," said Jonathan Restivo "While we are excited to continue our expansion throughout Orange County and reach more of our neighbors with better connectivity our focus will continue to be on providing and maintaining an upgraded internet experience for our customers." Cityside Fiber is the ticket to the digital future for Orange County residents and businesses. If you want to learn more about their services and offerings, please visit www.citysidefiber.com About Cityside FiberFounded in 2021 and headquartered in Orange County, California, Cityside Fiber is a fiber-to-the-premise ("FTTP") developer and internet service provider Cityside provides wholesale fiber products to business customers by deploying networks with capacity and flexibility to support future smart city applications and other connectivity use cases in Southern California and expansion markets For press inquiries, contact [email protected] a fiber-to-the-premise ("FTTP") developer and internet service provider Computer & Electronics Telecommunications Industry New Products & Services Corporate Expansion Do not sell or share my personal information: Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Open Doors to More Students and Elevated Learning Experiences NORTH TUSTIN, Calif., April 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Fairmont North Tustin has long been recognized for its exceptional academic outcomes including its students achieving some of the highest test scores in Orange County as well as for the emphasis the school places on students' social and emotional well-being Its well-earned reputation of excellence has led to high demand for a Fairmont education in the surrounding community which has resulted in long "waitlists," year after year But those waitlists are about to be a thing of the past The school recently broke ground on an expansion project that will set the stage for a new era of innovation and growth "This isn't just an expansion of our physical space; it's an expansion of our potential," said Head of School "By enlarging our campus and introducing new facilities and programs we're further enhancing our dynamic and versatile learning environment This development will allow us to accommodate more students while simultaneously elevating the quality and breadth of education we offer." Plans for the preschool - 8th grade campus include developing and retrofitting a 1.5 acre parcel along with the 7,500 square feet of structures the school recently acquired and additional classrooms and playground facilities Construction is set to be completed in time for the start of the 2024-25 school year This expansion was a long time coming. Opened in 1998 as the fourth of Fairmont Schools' five Orange County campuses it didn't take long before North Tustin was bursting at the seams The small campus footprint constrained the school from keeping up with the demand for a Fairmont education When Fairmont had the opportunity to secure the adjacent property plans for expansion were able to move forward "I have four children who have attended Fairmont North Tustin – the youngest of whom is currently here," said Tanner "I'm excited about the opportunities this will provide for both her and her friends who have been waitlisted Fairmont partnered with SmartLab HQ to create an all-encompassing STEAM educational space that synergizes everything from the physical classroom setup to the teaching materials and assessment methods This cohesive system will foster an interactive project-oriented learning model that seamlessly integrates the STEAM disciplines of science The lab is being designed to offer tailored learning experiences empowering students to shape their learning in ways that align with their unique interests and capabilities A "layered" curriculum will enable age-appropriate experiences for primary (grades K-2) The lab will also feature a number of cutting-edge enhancements including a mobile solution that will allow students to film and a milling collection that will enable them to cut This is the first major expansion for the Fairmont family of schools since the purchase of its San Juan Capistrano campus in 2020 Fairmont also has two campuses in Anaheim – Historic  Anaheim (P-8) and Fairmont Preparatory Academy (9-12) It is Orange County's oldest and largest secular co-educational preschool-12th grade private school group "We're embarking on an exciting journey with this expansion," said Dr "It opens up a world of new possibilities for our students creating a future that is bright and full of promise." Fairmont is currently accepting applications for the 2024-25 school year at Fairmont North Tustin and its other four campuses. Contact 714-234-2771 or email [email protected] for more information recently completed a fully funded fellowship at the Klingenstein Center for Independent.. long known as a leader in educational innovation has extended its commitment to meeting the needs of its students to the athletic.. Education Children Print Kevin Wasserman the Offspring guitarist better known as “Noodles,” has cooked up a sale in North Tustin Records show the musician sold a Traditional-style home for $1.082 million or roughly $70,000 under the original asking price It appears the musician used the place as an income property; it was up for lease last year for $4,500 a month starting with the front porch and continuing into the great room A pair of fireplaces are both finished in brick The 2,617-square-foot interior also features vaulted ceilings a glass-encased sun room and a heavy dose of built-ins The master suite includes a fireplace and office as well as a tile-splashed bathroom with a spa tub a covered stone patio and a resort-like saltwater pool with a waterfall and slide complete the quarter-acre grounds Matthew Fletcher of Village Green Real Estate held the listing Silvia Wiebach of First Team Real Estate represented the buyer who received the nickname for his frequent guitar noodling joined the rock band in 1985 while working as a janitor the group has released nine studio albums and has hits that include “Self Esteem,” “The Kids Aren’t Alright” and “You’re Gonna Go Far jack.flemming@latimes.com | Twitter: @jflem94 Jack Flemming covers real estate for the Los Angeles Times. He was raised in St. Louis and studied journalism at the University of Missouri. Before joining The Times as an intern in 2017, he wrote for the Columbia Missourian and Politico Europe. Business Print Eleven-year-old Mason Lopes likes things most kids his age like: milkshakes “You know what my favorite song is?” he asks with a contagious giggle Mason was born with some challenges that affect his life said they realized his vision was impaired “We found out he was blind when he was 5 month old,” said Lopes it is scary to find out that your kid is going to be blind and you don’t know what the future is going to hold for them.” through the help of Santa Ana-based Beyond Blindness Mason’s optic nerve hypoplasia has not stopped him from accomplishing major milestones and immediately we felt like we were at home and so supported,” said Lopes “They made us feel so welcome and that everything was going to be OK.” Mason’s first steps and first words resulted from the support provided by the team at Beyond Blindness and when you think of kids who are developing … your ABCs and your 123s kids learn all of that from looking at books and pictures,” said Lopes “We were able to come to Beyond Blindness and have people who specialize in children who can’t see and to give them those tactile cues Beyond Blindness is a nonprofit dedicated to empowering children with visual impairments and other disabilities to achieve their fullest potential Services offered include early intervention education and enrichment as well as family support The Lopes family found their way to Beyond Blindness when the director at the time invited them to the organization’s annual Destination Independence 5k Walk Lopes and her husband attended the walk with their extended family and instantly felt a sense of relief “Just to see the kids running around and playing but they are just typical kids doing normal things and having fun,” Lopes said “It was the beacon of light in this very dark moment.” Lopes said she realized that Beyond Blindness might be able to provide the missing piece from the care they received from optometrists and doctors having a child who is blind is so low incident that pediatricians and doctors are not skilled to work with kids specifically like that,” said Lopes “And you come into Beyond Blindness and immediately you see the entire place is set up to work with kids who are blind and visually impaired Beyond Blindness formerly operated as the Blind Children’s Learning Center but recently unveiled their new name and branding which more accurately represents the organization’s evolution Blind Children’s Learning Center has prepared children with visual impairments for a life of independence,” said Angie Rowe president and executive director at Beyond Blindness “Our new name signifies our evolution and expansion to serve and positively impact a wider population of children with visual impairments and other disabilities and their families.” The organization served more than 300 Orange County children and their families last year alone of Santa Ana uses his left hand to press down buttons on a Mountbatten Brailler an electronic machine used to type braille on braille paper at Beyond Blindness in North Tustin on Thursday Lopes has cerebral palsy on the right side of his body (Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer) But as Rowe mentioned the needs of the families they serve has changed and the group is committed to meeting that change the conditions that caused single visibility blindness and visual impairment like retinopathy of prematurity and some of the other diseases they have developed gene therapies and other interventions to intervene at a younger age “We have now evolved into an agency that is serving kids who have visual impairments but also other disabilities.” Rowe points out that when 80% of early learning is from vision needs a teacher who can take a holistic approach “I think Mason is a prime example of a child that came to us with multiple disabilities,” said Rowe Beyond Blindness teachers and specialists have given him Braille instruction Their orientation and mobility specialist also taught him how to become more familiar with his environment and surroundings helping him to stay safe while still having the freedom to play and explore “Now Mason is a super engaging kid,” said Rowe Mason is in a home-schooling program that still provides teachers of students with visual impairments and orientation and mobility instruction Besides being a helpful resource for the vision impaired and their families Beyond Blindness provides another important service often overlooked by connecting the vision impaired with other young people with the same challenges “We are here to help on the journey and help with building connections,” said Rowe with awareness being raised through education and advocacy with the goal of bringing a focus to the realities of living without sight They are realities Lopes said she wishes more people would acknowledge and so depending on the day that can be really hard if I am already having a tough day,” said Lopes I just want people to love him and accept him.” of Santa Ana and his mother Charissa smile for a portrait in the playground at Beyond Blindness in North Tustin (Kevin Chang/Times OC) Lopes said it’s also important for parents to talk to their own kids “I wish more people would have conversations with their children,” said Lopes can’t talk like you do or walk like you do Teach kids to just be friendly and kind to each other regardless.” Though Lopes said unkindness is not a common experience for her family “I always say Mason’s super power is attracting angels into his life.” most people recognize he is beautiful in his way Support our coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. Sarah Mosqueda covers Orange County food, art and culture for TimesOC. She most recently worked as a staff writer in Food for the Los Angeles Times. She also has several years of experience in the restaurant industry, including as a proprietor. Mosqueda earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from Cal State Fullerton. You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed KTLA “Back in school, back in sports” was the rallying cry of dozens of students and parents outside Foothill High School in North Tustin on Saturday morning, the day after Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that most Southern California counties won’t be allowed to reopen campuses this fall unless conditions improve “There isn’t learning that’s happening,” one local mother said of online instruction not turned back with any response or feedback.” the governor declared that counties placed on a state watchlist for heightened coronavirus activity can’t hold in-person classes unless they stay off the list for two consecutive weeks Orange County, which has recently outpaced most Southern California counties with its rate of COVID-19 spread, remains one of 32 on the watchlist San Bernardino and Riverside counties are also on the list As of Friday, O.C. has reported 469 coronavirus deaths and more than 28,300 positive cases Protesters at Saturday morning’s demonstration urged Newsom to let parents make the choice on whether to send their children back to school One parent at the rally acknowledged educators’ ongoing efforts during the pandemic but argued that structure is critical for students “We’re not saying there shouldn’t be masks there shouldn’t be face shields for teachers or anything to that extent,” he said “We are saying [that] these kids should be in school They should be able to learn and educate and socialize and do all the things that children do at this point in their lives.” Teens rallied with their parents as some passing motorists honked in support Most of the demonstrators wore masks and held signs with messages such as “Mental health is important,” “Kids need sports and school,” and “Let kids play.” one student told KTLA he was not too concerned about the coronavirus and that remote learning did not present much of a challenge A student athlete highlighted the role of sports in some young people’s lives “It’s definitely hard on my life not being able to go outside and play every day Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value"