FREE
Orange County supervisors seek solutions to fed funding freeze
Newsom signs order aimed at helping fireimpacted businesses
Alhambra PRESS
PG 02
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 03- FEBRUARY 09, 2025
VISIT HEYSOCAL.COM
PG 28
NO. 209
VOL. 13,
OC officials sound off on proposed federal spending freeze By Paul Anderson, City News Service
T
hree Orange County Democratic congressmen Thursday criticized a proposed freeze on federal spending earlier this week from the White House, calling it illegal. “Let’s be clear — the funding provided was legal funding,” Rep. Derek Tran, D-Garden Grove, said in an appearance with Orange County Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento. “Any impounding of that funding is unconstitutional.” Rep. Lou Correa, D-Santa Ana, told City News Service, “I can see President (Donald) Trump wants to cut back on government spending, but he needs to follow the law. Congress has a big say so and you can’t just come in and cut. You can’t take an ax and cut services. The defense industry was rattled. A lot of groups were rattled. I think all of us can sit down and try to address these issues, but it’s not something you can figure out in a couple of
Rep. Lou Correa, D-Santa Ana. | Photo courtesy of Rep. Lou Correa/X
Rep. Dave Min, D-Irvine. | Photo courtesy of Senator Dave Min/X
hours and run with it.” Rep. Dave Min, D-Irvine, said in a news conference with Orange County Board Vice Chair Katrina Foley,
Tran told reporters he understands Trump said he was focusing on trimming spending for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs, but
“What Trump is attempting to do right now is blatantly illegal. It’s causing massive amounts of harm to real people.”
that has had side effects as well. “Yesterday, when we should be celebrating our culture” with the Lunar
New Year, Tran said, “We’re seeing nonprofits scrubbing words DEI from their websites ... That’s wrong.” Tran said his staff was working on scheduling a town hall with his constituents to explain the blizzard of executive orders from the White House, including its attempts to ramp up deportation of undocumented immigrants. “This came out of nowhere,” Tran said of the spending freeze order on Tuesday, which has been put on hold by a federal judge after nearly two dozen state attorneys general filed suit to stop it. Correa pointed out that a day after the spending freeze was issued it was withdrawn, but then Trump’s press secretary announced that while the memo was withdrawn, the order was still in effect. See OC officials Page 27
Metropolitan Water District board dismisses general manager By Joe Taglieri joet@beaconmedianews.com
T
he Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which manages water deliveries to cities and counties across the region, fired General Manager Adel Hagekhalil on Wednesday. Hagekhalil was placed on administrative leave in June following allegations of harassment and creating a hostile work environment. “We thank Mr. Hagekhalil for his contributions to Metropolitan,” board Chair Adán Ortega, Jr. said following a closed-session meeting
in which the decision was made. “With a more than 80% vote, the board took decisive steps to stabilize our organization and workforce, while doubling down on climate action and long-term water supply sustainability. We need to reinforce our focus on fulfilling our core mission and addressing the immediate challenges ahead.” Twenty-seven of the 38 board members voted to present Hagekhalil the district’s “best and final offer” of a legal settlement. The details of the offer were not
Adel Hagekhalil testifies at a U.S. Senate hearing on climate change in May 2024. | Photo courtesy of MWD of SoCal
disclosed. If the offer was not accepted, the decision was
to terminate Hagekhalil’s employment without cause.
Six board members voted “no,” and five were absent. Hagekhalil rejected the board’s final order, the Los Angeles Times reported. “Metropolitan takes all allegations of discrimination, harassment, and unfair treatment seriously,” Ortega added. “We are committed to maintaining a workplace environment that upholds the values of fairness, respect, and due process.” Deven Upadhyay, MWD assistant general manager and chief operating officer, has been the interim general
manager since June. He was officially appointed to the job Wednesday, and a board vote expected in February will decide on Upadhyay’s employment contract. Kerry Garvis Wright, Hagekhalil’s attorney, said in a statement to City News Service that his client “did not engage in any misconduct, and the investigation against him did not substantiate the alleged retaliation, harassment, or hostile work See Water district Page 27