Local News |

These 59 photos are our OC photographers’ favorites from February 2022

The Corona del Mar girls water polo team celebrates with their CIF-SS Division 1 championship plaque after defeating Agoura 8-7 at Woollett Aquatics Center in Irvine on Saturday, February 19, 2022. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The snow-covered San Gabriel Mountains loom over the homes in the hills in Orange after a cold winter storm moved into Orange County and Southern California bringing rain, cold temperatures and snow to the higher elevations, on Wednesday, February 23, 2022. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp, top left, and Aaron Donald, bottom left, and Matthew Stafford ride down Main Street U.S.A. during the Celebratory Cavalcade at Disneyland in Anaheim, CA, on Monday, February 14, 2022. The parade was the day after the L.A. Rams beat the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

An investigator with the NTSB photographs the wreckage of a Huntington Beach Police helicopter in Newport Beach on Sunday, February 20, 2022. The crashed killed Nicholas Vella, a 14-year veteran of the force. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Doctors, nurses and staff at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center make a heart with their hands and form a heart for National Wear Red Day at the hospital in Laguna Hills, CA on Friday, February 4, 2022. The day calls attention to heart disease, the #1 killer of women in the U.S. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Figure skater and Olympic gold medalist Nathan Chen, right, reacts to Czech Olympian figure skater Michal Brezina’s daughter Naya, 2, after a panel discussion at the Great Park Ice & Fivepoint Arena in Irvine on Sunday, February 27, 2022. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Chip and Ariel Cashion take a selfie on one of the parking lot trams at Disneyland in Anaheim, CA on Wednesday, February 23, 2022. The trams had been closed for two years during the pandemic. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Disneyland Resort President Ken Potrock announce the reopening of the parking lot trams at Disneyland in Anaheim, CA on Wednesday, February 23, 2022. The trams had been closed for two years during the pandemic. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Nicolas Deslauriers (20) of the Ducks punches it out with Jonah Gadjovich (42) of the Sharks in the first period during a game at the Honda Center in Anaheim on Tuesday, February 22, 2022. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Goaltender Anthony Stolarz (41) of the Ducks reacts after Brent Burns (88) of the Sharks scores a goal in the first period in a game at the Honda Center in Anaheim on Tuesday, February 22, 2022. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Family members of Huntington Beach police Officer Nicholas Vella embrace during a procession from the Orange County coroner’s office to Community Funeral Service in La Habra, CA on Tuesday, February 22, 2022. Vella, a 14-year veteran of the Huntington Beach Police Department, died Saturday when his helicopter plunged into Newport Harbor. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A bagpiper leads a procession as hundreds of members of area law enforcement stand along the street outside of the Orange County Coroner’s office in Santa Ana on Tuesday, February 22, 2022, as the body of Huntington Beach Officer Nicholas Vella, who was killed when a police helicopter crashed into Newport Harbor in Newport Beach, leaves enroute to an area funeral home. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Members of the Huntington Beach police carry the casket of Officer Nicholas Vella during a procession from the Orange County coroner’s office to Community Funeral Service in La Habra, CA on Tuesday, February 22, 2022. Nicholas Vella, a 14-year veteran of the Huntington Beach Police Department, died Saturday when his helicopter plunged into Newport Harbor. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

With a 9-11 mural and other paintings as a backdrop, a man shoots some baskets at Angels Community Park located on N. Flower Street in Santa Ana on Tuesday, February 22, 2022. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A man who only wanted to be identified as Damian, and his dog, Fish, are awoken at the Huntington Beach Pier Plaza Amphitheater during the early morning point in time count of homeless people on Tuesday, February 22, 2022. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Olympic Silver medalist pairs skaters Brandon Frazier center, and Alexa Knierim, left, are greeted by a cheering crowd upon their arrival at John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana on Monday, February 21, 2022 after competing in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Bryant Stephens, Chris Mumma and Drew Brahs, from left, are co-owners of Harper Pitworks in Westminster, CA on Monday, February 21, 2022. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

People react to seeing the wreckage of a Huntington Beach police helicopter lifted out of the water in Newport Beach on Sunday, February 20, 2022. The crashed killed Nicholas Vella, a 14-year veteran of the force. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

After placing flowers, Marriah Blackmore, 26, of Huntington Beach, who works in law enforcement in Riverside, pauses moment at the memorial setup for Huntington Beach police officer Nicholas Vella outside the Huntington Beach Police Department in Huntington Beach on Sunday, February 20, 2022. Officer Vella, 44, a 14-year veteran of the Huntington Beach Police Department was killed in a helicopter crash in Newport Beach. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A kitesurfer takes advantage of the wind north of the pier in Huntington Beach, CA, on Tuesday, February 15, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

JoJo the duck gives an interview in front of a panel of judges during the Kids’ Pet Parade in San Juan Capistrano on Saturday, February 19, 2022. The pet is owned byJudith Marquina.(Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Bonita High School water polo players celebrate their 8-6 victory over Woodbridge in the CIF-SS Division 3 championship game at Woollett Aquatics Center in Irvine on Saturday, February 19, 2022. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Local elected officials along with Caltrans employees pick up trash along the 91 freeway in Anaheim following a press conference announcing the local launch of Clean California on Friday, February 11, 2022 in Orange. Clean California proposes a statewide education and effort to clean up litter along the state’s roads. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Shaheen Sadeghi, developer and owner of the Anaheim Packing House, among other projects in Orange County, stands outside the front of the Anaheim Packing House on Anaheim Boulevard on Friday, February 18, 2022, in Anaheim. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Community Organizer Kavon Ward, co-founder of Where Is My Land and founder of Justice for Bruce’s Beach, is shown at Bruce’s Beach in Manhattan Beach on Thursday, February 17, 2022. Ward, spearheaded the movement to get ownership of Bruce’s Beach land back to descendants of the Black couple Willa and Charles Bruce who ran a Black-serving beach resort at the location. Nearly a century after the property was seized from the Bruce family it will be returned to their descendants. The Bruce property consists of 2 parcels located between the park and the beach. Currently, the Los Angeles Lifeguard Training Center partially sits on the 2 parcels. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Joanne Gonzalez-Forster, left, and Justine Makoff are co-founders of Wishly App, are shown with rescued Mustangs at the Huntington Central Park Equestrian Center in Huntington Beach on Wednesday, February 16, 2022. Makoff is involved with the non-profit Free Rein Foundation which is one of the charities one can donate via on the Wishly App. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Water slide are shouting to sprout out of the ground at the OC Great Park as workers construct the new Wild Rivers in Irvine, CA, on Tuesday, February 15, 2022. The water park is expected to open this year. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A couple sits on a bench at West Jetty View Park near The Wedge on the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach on Tuesday, February 15, 2022, as clouds and cooler weather moves into Orange County, a relief from the unseasonably warm temperatures over the past weekend. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Joyce Refice, left, of the family owned Lucci’s Italian American Deli receives a kiss from longtime customer De’Arna Kilekas in Huntington Beach on Monday, February 14, 2022. Kilekas, of Costa Mesa, rushed Lucci’s after she heard the business will be closing on Feb. 26 after 50 years in Huntington Beach. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Parishioners at the Vietnamese Catholic Center attend a Lunar New Year mass with The Most Rev. Thanh Thai Nguyen in Santa Ana, CA, on Tuesday, February 1, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Art Carreon of Riverside wears giant hands show what finger the Rams Super Bowl championship ring should go during the annual Players Tailgate event hosted by celebrity chef Guy Fieri in the parking lot of the Hollywood Park Casino prior to Super Bowl LVI in Inglewood on Sunday, February 13, 2022. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Jennifer Chalmers, left, and Jaclyn Bellino of Hoboken, New Jersey take a selfie with celebrity chef Guy Fieri in the background during the annual Players Tailgate event hosted by Guy Fieri in the parking lot of the Hollywood Park Casino prior to Super Bowl LVI in Inglewood on Sunday, February 13, 2022. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Rams fans talk football under a mister fan during the annual Players Tailgate event hosted by celebrity chef Guy Fieri in the parking lot of the Hollywood Park Casino prior to Super Bowl LVI in Inglewood on Sunday, February 13, 2022. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Dana Kraus dances to live music from Daddie and the Baddies during the Chili at the Beach chili cook-off in Huntington Beach on Saturday, February 12, 2022. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

ESPN hosts Laura Rutledge, Keyshawn Johnson and Mina Kimes share a laugh during an ESPN Super Bowl preview show broadcast from Disney California Adventure in Anaheim on Thursday, February 10, 2022. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A helicopter makes a water drop on an early morning fire burning near homes in the hills above Emerald Bay and Irvine Cove in Laguna Beach on Thursday, February 10, 2022. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Smoke fills the air just after sunrise along Pacific Coast Highway as an early morning fire burns in the hills above Emerald Bay and Irvine Cove in Laguna Beach on Thursday, February 10, 2022. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Peter Chadwick, a Newport Beach millionaire, wipes tears from his face as he listens to Senior Orange County Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Walker read a victim’s impact statement from the sister of Chadwick’s wife in Orange County Superior Court in Santa Ana on Wednesday, February 9, 2022. Chadwick plead guilty to the 2012 murder of his wife and received a sentence of 15 years to life in state prison. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Marines train alongside soldiers in the Japanese Self-Defense Forces during the annual Iron Fist exercises at Camp Pendleton on February 9, 2022. The Marines use an Amphibious Combat Vehicle, left, and the Japanese soldiers use their own Amphibious Assault Vehicles in the live ammo exercises. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Ricky and Chanel Fugnetti listen to speakers during the unveiling of a plaque memorializing their father, Rick “Rockin’ Fig” Fignetti, at Tower Zero in Huntington Beach, CA on Wednesday, February 9, 2022. Fignetti, who died on July16, 2021, was a well-known icon in Surf City. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A group of business owners with storefronts on or around 4th Street protest construction for the OC Streetcar in Santa Ana, CA on Wednesday, February 9, 2022. The merchants say they want the city and OCTA to help with better signage and free parking lots so that customers will keep coming. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

James Heaps’ survivors Kara Cagle, left, and Julie Wallach, right, listen as attorney John Manly, center, announces $243-million settlement in the UCLA sex abuse case of former UCLA gynecologist/oncologist James Heaps at the law offices of Manly, Stewart & Finaldi in Irvine on Tuesday, February 8, 2022. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

With temperatures in the 80’s, a shirtless cyclist rides past a woman shading herself with an umbrella as they make their way along the Hicks Canyon Trail in Irvine on Tuesday, February 8, 2022. Unseasonable temperatures will continue to climb to near 90 degrees in the coming days. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

James Young of Ontario fishes in the lake at Carbon Canyon Regional Park in Brea, CA on Tuesday, February 8, 2022. Temperatures in the 80’s on Tuesday were expected to reach near 90 by the weekend. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Students exercise during the Vincent Country Safe Zone Activity Day at John Muir Academy in Long Beach, CA on Tuesday, February 8, 2022. More than 700 students were treated to sports activities, food and games as part of the NFL’s community events leading up to the Super Bowl in Los Angeles on Sunday. The event was started by Troy Vincent, who was the 7th overall pick in the 1992 NFL draft and played for four teams. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Troy Vincent high-fives kids as they enter the Vincent Country Safe Zone Activity Day at John Muir Academy in Long Beach, CA on Tuesday, February 8, 2022. More than 700 students were treated to sports activities, food and games as part of the NFL’s community events leading up to the Super Bowl in Los Angeles on Sunday. Vincent was the 7th overall pick in the 1992 NFL draft and played for four teams. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Jonathan and Jeannie Lorenzo, front, embrace as they join other couples exchanging the sign-of-peace during the World Marriage Day Mass at Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove on Monday, February 7, 2022. The Lorenzo’s, of Norwalk, have been married for 5 years. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Dennis, 78, and Sheryl Hanrahan, 79, who have been married for 54 years, hold hands as they listen to The Most Rev. Timothy Freyer during the World Marriage Day Mass at Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove on Monday, February 7, 2022. This year’s Mass is based on the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ 2022 theme, “Called to the Joy of Love.” (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The Most Rev. Timothy Freyer swings a thurible with burning incense around the altar during the World Marriage Day Mass at Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove on Monday, February 7, 2022. This year’s Mass is based on the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ 2022 theme, “Called to the Joy of Love.” (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Three-year-old Madison Shackleford finishes her first 5k with grandma Susan Iozzo, left, and mom Nicole Shackleford, at the Surf City run in Huntington Beach on Sunday, February 6, 2022. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The Tet parade in Westminster featured colorful costumes, swirling lion dancers, and bikers with American and Vietnamese flags on Saturday, February 5, 2022. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Hikers walk through stands of oaks along Limestone Canyon Road during the wilderness access day at Limestone Canyon Nature Preserve in Silverado which Irvine Ranch Conservancy and OC Parks reopened to the public on Saturday, February 5, 2022, after two wildfires burned through the area in 2020. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The morning sun rises over a hillside as hikers leave the Augustine Staging Area at Limestone Canyon Nature Preserve in Silverado for the wilderness access day which Irvine Ranch Conservancy and OC Parks reopened to the public on Saturday, February 5, 2022, after two wildfires burned through the area in 2020. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Orange Lutheran head football coach Rod Sherman, left, embraces senior Brendan Hale during a Signing Day event at Orange Lutheran High School in Orange on Wednesday, February 2, 2022. Hale has as signed to play football for Southern Utah University. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Sisa Uiagalelei, center, takes a selfie with her son, Ta’ita’a Uiagalelei and Mater Dei Head Football Coach Bruce Rollinson after Uiagalelei signed a national letter of intent to play football at the University of Arizona during National Signing Day at Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana on Wednesday, February 2, 2022. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Jacob Kongaika, left, poses for a photo with a friend after he signed a national letter of intent to play football at the University of Arizona during National Signing Day at Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana on Wednesday, February 2, 2022.(Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Three-year-old Eisha, a refugee from Afghanistan, appears carefree as she plays at a hotel in Irvine on Tuesday, February 1, 2022. Her family and other refugee families have been living in temporary housing since they arrived in the U.S. a couple months ago. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Visitors give offerings to a lion for good luck during a Lunar New Year celebration at the Asian Garden Mall in Westminster, CA on Tuesday, February 1, 2022. The day included performances by the Thien Long Lion Dance Troupe, firecrackers and entertainment. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Parishioners at the Vietnamese Catholic Center attend a Lunar New Year mass with The Most Rev. Thanh Thai Nguyen in Santa Ana, CA, on Tuesday, February 1, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)