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Forty-four elementary schools in Orange County have that Distinguished look.

The California Distinguished Schools award is considered the state’s top honor for public schools, recognizing campuses that demonstrate exceptional academic performance and efforts to close longstanding achievement gaps.

On Tuesday, State Superintendent Tony Thurmond announced that 336 elementary schools across California had earned the distinction for 2025. Of that total, about 13 percent are located here in Orange County, including 10 schools from the Garden Grove Unified School District.

“To have 44 schools in Orange County recognized at the state level is a remarkable achievement,” Orange County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Stefan Bean said. “It speaks to the strong partnerships between educators, staff, students and families in creating supportive campuses and high-performing school communities.”

Meeting high standards

Schools can earn the designation in one of two ways based on results from the California School Dashboard.

A category for exceptional student performance highlights overall academic success, while another category honors schools that have made significant progress in closing achievement gaps.

Either way, schools needed to test at least 95 percent of their students over the past two school years and meet high standards in areas such as English language arts, math, attendance and suspension rates.

“This year’s California Distinguished Schools celebration provides us with an opportunity to recognize the hard work of our elementary educators and school staff who help our students discover passions and experiences that will propel them,” Thurmond said in a statement.

Orange County’s winners

Here are this year’s honorees from across Orange County:

Title spans two years

Established in 1985, the California Distinguished Schools program alternates each year between elementary and secondary campuses, with awardees holding the title for two years.

All of the schools will be formally celebrated during a statewide ceremony on May 30 at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim.

To see the full list of 2025 honorees, visit the California Department of Education’s website.

Easter Sunday is right around the corner. Do you know where you're toasting the holiday?

Miranda Ceja, Patch Staff

ORANGE COUNTY, CA — Whether you're celebrating Easter Sunday with family, meeting friends for breakfast, or just in it for the mimosas, Orange County has several brunch options to consider.

While some restaurants will be closed for the holiday on April 20, plenty in Orange County will be open.

No matter where you land this Easter Sunday, be sure to book in advance — these eateries tend to fill up faster than a basket of chocolate eggs.

Here are the eateries serving brunch on April 20 this year:

Driftwood Kitchen — Laguna Beach.

Find out what's happening in Orange Countyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

This Easter season, the acclaimed Laguna Beach eatery is hosting an Easter Buffet Brunch. Chef Rainer Schwarz will celebrate the holiday with a made-to-order Omelet station, seafood station, hot station and carving station with Double R Ranch prime rib of beef and maple-glazed turkey breast.

The Easter Brunch special will be held on Sunday, April 20 from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Pricing for adults is $95, and pricing for children under 12 is $25 with children under 6-years-old eating for free.

Reservations can be made online at OpenTable.

The Winery Restaurant & Wine Bar — Tustin and Newport Beach.

The Winery Restaurant & Wine Bar is hosting a very special brunch to honor the holiday on Sunday, April 20 from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The brunch will feature a special spring-inspired, prix-fixe menu courtesy of Executive Chef Yvon Goetz.

Guests can enhance their brunch experience with a "Seafood Tower" or partake in endless mimosas, according to the eatery.

Prices and menu items vary by location. To learn more or to make reservations, please call Tustin at (714) 258-7600 or Newport Beach at (949) 999-6622.

Residents can view menus for each location online at the restaurant's website.

Fable & Spirit — Newport Beach.

This Easter Sunday, Fable & Spirit will be offering an elevated take on classic brunch favorites. Menu highlights include Wood-Fired Shakshuka — featuring baked eggs, poblano, Moroccan spiced tomato, crème fraiche and queso fresco — and House-Smoked Salmon on a sweet anise toast, featuring everything bagel spice, citrus-infused red onion, dill crème fraiche, hardboiled egg and crispy capers.

For the little ones, Fable & Spirit recommends its Crispy Edge Sourdough Pancakes.

The Easter Brunch takes place Sunday, April 20 from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dinner will be offered from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

For more information or to make reservations, residents may call 949-409-9913 or visit the restaurant's website.

Georgia's Restaurant — Irvine.

This soul food restaurant is offering Easter Sunday Brunch from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Adults may partake in specially-priced brunch cocktails, including Peach Sangria for $5, Mimosas for $5, Hard Lemonade for $5 and Bloody Mary for $7.

For more information, residents can visit the restaurant's website.

The Waterfront Beach Resort — Huntington Beach.

The Waterfront Beach resort will offer a brunch buffet in the hotel's Breakwater Ballroom. Guests will enjoy an ocean-to-table selection of Oysters, Snow Crab Claws and Jumbo Shrimp, as well as coastal Easter favorites, including NY Medallions and Chicken Piccata.

The brunch event includes live music, photo opportunities with the Easter Bunny, and fun for kids.

For information on reservations and pricing, visit the hotel's website.

Piccolino Ristorante — Mission Viejo.

Residents can enjoy a brunch service from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 20. A regular menu service will follow starting at 3 p.m.

For information on menu and pricing, visit the restaurant's website.

Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort & Spa — Dana Point.

Guests will enjoy a delicious Easter brunch overlooking the Pacific, including specially-curated seasonal specialties, a decadent dessert display and interactive stations with local flavors and ingredients.

Family-friendly activities will be available for children of all ages.

For information on pricing and booking a reservation, visit the hotel's website.

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JULIAN, Calif. (KABC) -- Parts of Los Angeles and Orange counties were jolted Monday morning by a strong earthquake near San Diego.

The earthquake had a preliminary magnitude of 5.2 and was near the mountain town of Julian, east of San Diego, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Multiple aftershocks in the 2 and 3 magnitude range have been reported.

Transportation officials warned motorists to watch out for rocks that tumbled down hillsides and onto roads and highways, including State Route 76 northwest of Julian. Crews were assessing roadways for potential damage, the California Department of Transportation in San Diego County said.

At the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, a herd of African elephants was caught on video running over to protect their young by encircling them during the quake. Elephants have the ability to feel sound through their feet, and the behavior is known as an "alert circle." The herd consisting of Ndlula, Umngani, Khosi, and youngsters Zuli and Mkhaya, appeared to relax after several minutes, the park said.

North County Transit District trains were delayed so crews could inspect the tracks for any potential damage, spokesperson Mary Dover said in an email to The Associated Press.

Schoolchildren were escorted outside of buildings as a precaution when the ground started moving, said Capt. Thomas Shoots of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection for San Diego County. He got a shake alert and then started feeling things rolling and banging.

"There was a lot of shaking and rattling around," he said. "But thankfully everything seems to be back to normal."

The San Diego County Sheriff's Department said it received no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

Where was the San Diego earthquake felt?

Eyewitness News received calls from viewers who felt the shaking in parts of the San Fernando Valley, Riverside, Palm Springs and more. The quake was centered about 2.5 miles south of Julian, a picturesque town best known for its apple pies and bakeries.

WATCH | Chula Vista woman describes moment San Diego earthquake hit: 'It felt more like an explosion'

"There's nothing about what we see at this point that's surprising," said Seismologist Dr. Lucy Jones. "There shouldn't be any structural damage. If there is, it's in a pretty bad building. There would be things displaced off of shelves."

WATCH | Students at community college in Yucaipa jolted by San Diego earthquake

How are California officials and agencies responding to the earthquake?

Gov. Gavin Newsom has been briefed on the earthquake, his office said in a statement on social media. The state is working with local first responders to assess any damage.

NEW: @CAGovernor Newsom has been briefed on the earthquake in San Diego County.The state is coordinating with local authorities to assess any damage and if emergency response is needed.

— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) April 14, 2025

In Orange County, Metrolink tracks are closed between Oceanside and San Clemente for precautionary track inspections. It's unclear how long they will be closed.

OC and IEOC Line Alert: Tracks are closed between Oceanside and San Clemente for precautionary track inspections due to the recent earthquake east of Oceanside. Delays are unknown, updates to follow.

— MetrolinkIEOC (@MetrolinkIEOC) April 14, 2025

In the city of Los Angeles, the fire department went into earthquake mode, where personnel surveyed the city by land, air and sea to asses damage. The process took about an hour.

"No significant infra/structure damage or injuries have been noted within the City of Los Angeles," fire officials said in a statement. "LAFD Earthquake Mode is now complete and normal operations shall resume."

Is there a tsunami warning after the San Diego earthquake?

Meanwhile, Jones said there's no concern regarding tsunami warnings.

"As long as the earthquake is on land, you're not going to be seeing a tsunami," said Jones. "You have to have the fault under the water. Changing the shape of the ocean floor is how you create a tsunami. In rare cases, you can do that with just a landslide, but you aren't going to trigger a big landslide enough to cause any sort of tsunami until you're over a magnitude 7."

3.5 foreshock reported before San Diego quake

Jones said a 3.3 magnitude foreshock hit on Sunday afternoon.

"The chance that ... this 5.2 would itself be a foreshock to something bigger is still the same," she said. "It's about 5% chance. So it means, you know, 19 out of 20 times what you're seeing is the biggest one. One out of 20 times, it's followed by something bigger."

WATCH | San Diego earthquake rattles Orange County courthouse

Which fault line is associated with the San Diego earthquake?

Jones said the earthquake was likely associated with the Elsinore fault.

The fault zone is one of the largest in Southern California and, historically, has been one of the quietest, according to the Caltech Southern California Data Center. The main part of the Elsinore fault zone has only seen one earthquake greater than 5.2 magnitude: A 6 magnitude earthquake in 1910 near the Temescal Valley, causing little damage.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Hospitals are now among the most active developers in Orange County as local stakeholders rise to meet demand for increased medical services from an aging population and residents seeking specialty care.

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Orange, CA (April 20, 2025) – An accident occurred Friday afternoon that left two individuals injured following a two-vehicle collision at a busy intersection in the city of Orange. The incident took place at approximately 12:05 p.m. at the crossroads of N Hewes St and E Bond Ave.

First responders, including paramedics, assessed and treated individuals hurt in the crash. The two injured parties received medical attention at the scene for a variety of injuries, though their current condition has not yet been released. Emergency crews from Orange Fire and Rescue arrived promptly to manage the scene, direct traffic, and ensure the safety of those involved.

The collision led to a temporary disruption of traffic in the area, as law enforcement and emergency workers worked to investigate the crash and clear the roadway. Authorities have not disclosed specific details about the vehicles involved or what may have caused the incident. However, the cause remains under active investigation by the California Highway Patrol.

Our thoughts are with the individuals affected by this crash, and we wish them a full and speedy recovery.

Intersection Collisions and Safety in Orange County

Accidents like the one at N Hewes St and E Bond Ave are unfortunately common in Orange County, where many intersections handle a high volume of daily commuter traffic. The combination of turning vehicles, changing traffic signals, and driver inattention can create dangerous conditions during peak hours.

According to recent data from the California Office of Traffic Safety, Orange County experiences thousands of intersection-related accidents each year, with a significant number resulting in injuries. Common causes include failure to yield, distracted driving, and red-light violations.

For drivers in Orange and nearby communities, maintaining situational awareness and exercising caution at intersections is critical. Additionally, if involved in a crash, individuals should seek immediate medical evaluation—even for minor symptoms—and document the scene thoroughly for legal and insurance purposes.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, contact Local Accident Reports for help navigating your recovery and exploring your options.