VOICE OF OC
Photo by Josiah Mendoza
"How Affordable Are Orange County’s Newest Homes?"
Published 5/12/26
Co-authored with Makenna Kunimura
Orange County still lags on affordable housing despite years of local pushes and a statewide mandate to build more housing aimed at struggling working class families.
Over 25,000 housing units have been built in Orange County between 2021 to 2024 to help curb California’s housing crisis.
Nearly 17% — 4,361 homes — qualified as affordable, which in Orange County means homes aimed at a four-person household making less than roughly $136,000 a year.
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Photo by Julie Leopo
"How Much Do OC Taxpayers Spend on Local Politician’s Health Benefits?"
Published 12/9/25
Co-authored with Annie Lewis and Sarah Hart
Orange County taxpayers spent over $1 million on health, vision and dental insurance for local elected leaders, including county supervisors and a couple of elected top city executives last year, as officials in a host of cities struggled to balance their budget.
Oftentimes, these benefits are offered as “cash back,” meaning that if a council member has preexisting insurance coverage from a job or spouse, they can opt to receive their health, dental and vision benefits from the city as a cash stipend.
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Photo by Valerie Chan
"380 Apartments, New Retail and Dining Coming to Brea Mall"
Published 5/31/23
Nearly 400 housing units including affordable options, new retail and dining, and other improvements are all part of a Brea Mall mixed-use development project the City Council unanimously approved.
Several malls throughout Orange County are being revitalized amid a decline in indoor retail centers and a need for more housing. Brea Mall is the latest to be approved for an improvement project, which would bring new use to the closed Sears building and adjacent parking lot.
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Photo courtesy of Voice of OC
"Orange County Continues Grappling With Rehab Centers as Opioid Crisis Worsens"
Published 5/11/23
Cities throughout Orange County continue wrestling over how to roll out drug treatment centers as many residents raise community safety concerns when the idea of a rehab is proposed.
It comes as the national opioid crisis worsens, including increasing opioid deaths here in OC, according to the county Health Care Agency.
The crisis and wariness of rehab clinics also raises the question: Where should rehab centers go?
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THE PANTHER NEWSPAPER
Collage by Easton Clark
"SGA to hold special presidential election following disqualifications"
Published 3/9/26
Co-authored with Samantha Wong and Britney Henderson
The winners of the Student Government Association (SGA) presidential and vice presidential elections have been disqualified for violating campaign guidelines.
What does this mean for the future of SGA’s leadership? Over the past week and a half, The Panther has been investigating what happened in the election — and what comes next.
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Collage by Easton Clark
"Opinion | When the Weight Watchers start watching you"
Published 3/1/26
I am so sick of seeing weight loss drug commercials.
Picture this: you’re me, simply trying to watch my comfort show at the end of a long day. Lately, that’s been “Bridgerton,” “Modern Family” or “The Traitors.” But no matter what show I put on, I get the same commercial breaks — GLP-1 ads.
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Photo by Eden Bahatt
"41-year-old man arrested at Glass Hall after allegedly agreeing to meet with a minor"
Published 11/20/25
Co-authored with Caleb Otte
On Nov. 18, a video circulated on social media of a middle-aged man being arrested on Chapman University’s campus for allegedly attempting to meet with someone claiming to be a 16-year-old.
The post, which garnered thousands of views, showed the man entering the Glass Hall residences with a Chapman key card while being followed by an online streamer. Afterwards, he is seen on the ground outside of the dorm pool in handcuffs and surrounded by police.
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Collage by Easton Clark
"Chapman faces lawsuit over claims of antisemitism"
Published 11/19/25
Co-authored with Britney Henderson
Two Chapman University alumni, in partnership with the National Jewish Advocacy Center, are suing the university over claims that they were not supported by members of the administration in incidents of discrimination and antisemitism.
Matthew Mainen, head lawyer on the case, confirmed that he filed a complaint with the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights last year regarding the alleged discrimination his clients faced, resulting in Chapman being under federal investigation.
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Photo courtesy of Adobe Stock
"Chapman DEI has been reorganized and renamed"
Published 4/17/25
In response to the Trump Administration’s initiatives against diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), Chapman is dismantling the existing DEI office and introducing new position titles that are in compliance with federal demands.
President Daniele C. Struppa sent an email to Chapman students, faculty and staff on April 17 alerting the community of “organizational changes” made in order to meet requirements set for universities that receive federal funding.
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Collage by Emily Paris
"How Trump won over the vote of the college ‘bros’"
Published 11/22/24
In this year’s presidential election, celebrity endorsements might not have mattered as much as a surprising key voter demographic — the “bro podcast” audience.
One of the main strategies of the Harris-Walz campaign was to target younger voters with endorsements from their favorite celebrities and influencers. The Democratic party received outspoken support from big names like Taylor Swift, Beyonce and Oprah; influencers were invited to the Democratic National Convention; all the while President-elect Donald Trump’s team took a different yet evidently effective approach.
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Illustration by Yana Samoylova
"Is love actually dead at Chapman?"
Published 10/18/24
Junior Maddie McMinn doesn’t know what she’s going to tell her family this Thanksgiving.
Last year, she was hounded with questions about who she was dating and when she would bring a boyfriend home for the holidays. She didn’t have an answer for them.
“The issue is they’ve been asking me every year and I still don’t have an answer,” said McMinn.
It also doesn’t help that McMinn’s parents met in college. They were married by 22.
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Photos by Jiya Kathuria
"Chapman SJP holds weekly walkouts on campus"
Published 5/6/24
Co-authored with Jiya Kathuria and Kiana Kalahele
Some students at Chapman have been getting more politically active on campus in light of recent walkouts that have been organized by Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP).
Three walkouts have occurred so far on campus on April 18, April 24 and May 1. Students who participated had the opportunity to protest, chant, make posters and call for Chapman to divest from “all weapon manufacturers and institutions that aid in the occupation of Palestine,” according to an April 15 statement posted by SJP.
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HER CAMPUS
Photo courtesy of Pexels
"Bachelor Joey Saved the Reality TV Franchise"
Published 4/2/24
The moment that I started to fall in love with Bachelor Joey Graziadei was the moment that he stepped out of the limo to meet the most recent Bachelorette, Charity.
His warm greeting, followed by clips of him walking along the water of a Hawaiian beach and showing off his teaching chops on the tennis court, was all I needed to know that he was “The One.” And by “The One,” I mean The Perfect Bachelor Candidate.
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FEVER DREAM ZINE
Photo courtesy of Liana Flores' team
"Liana Flores On Planting The Seeds Of 'Flower of the soul'"
Published 8/6/24
British-Brazilian singer-songwriter Liana Flores says that she wishes for the rain, “because it makes the flowers grow.”
Her debut album, naturally titled “Flower of the soul,” captures Liana’s whimsical nature as she guides listeners through a dark fairytale-esque collection of graceful melodies accompanied by poetic prose.
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Photo courtesy of Claire Rosinkranz's team
"Claire Rosinkranz’s 'Just Because' Is The Perfect Teenage-Girl Anthem"
Published 11/7/23
Listening to singer-songwriter Claire Rosinkranz’s debut album feels more like being on a Facetime call with your BFF.
Claire’s playful music and soft voice provide a direct contrast to her strikingly relatable lyrics, making for the perfect portrayal of girlhood. It’s a rare phenomenon that artists are able to so accurately capture every emotion and detail about growing up, but Claire manages to give her fans the most raw screenshot of coming-of-age.
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