Each year, albatross pairs – mated for life unless a partner dies – typically have just one egg. The eggs incubate for 60 days and crack open in the fourth week of January. From then, the chicks spend six months on the islands of the Midway Atoll, growing and learning to fly.

The massive seabirds — some have wingspans of up to 12 feet — spend their lives on their wings, soaring up to 500 miles a day and cruising at 80 mph with barely a flap, so developing flight skills are critical to survival. They are known to travel incredible distances without rest and are rarely spotted.

So seeing the birds close up and “being part of their tribe” was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the Orange County marine biologist who usually spends her time researching marine life closer to home off the Southern California coast and educating local students. Caruso, of Garden Grove, was part of a team of 12 citizen scientists who recently spent six days a week for three weeks counting albatross nests on the Midway Atoll.

Just back from the monthlong trip, Caruso has been sharing what she learned with students at local middle schools. The lesson includes fascinating tidbits about the albatross, but also how plastic pollution and entanglements from fishing lines, hooks, and nets are a real threat to the birds. She also tries to inspire students to think about volunteering as citizen scientists – much of her research is done with the help of hundreds of volunteers.

“I was handing them pieces of grass,” Caruso said of her recent experience as one of a dozen volunteers helping United States Fish and Wildlife Department officials with their annual albatross nest count on the U.S. territory island. The atoll is home to at least 70% of the albatross population and is known for its use during World War II and the battle that secured it for the U.S.

“They’d go about their business preening and they’d talk to their egg,” Caruso said. “I’d sit and watch them do their dances. There aren’t many places in the world where you can be among them.”

Counting albatross annually

The wildlife department – along with the Friends of Midway Atoll  – have kept track of the elusive seabirds since 1991. The U.S. Department of the Interior took over monitoring the atoll’s islands from the Department of Defense in 1996 when a Navy base was shuttered and the islands became a marine sanctuary, a national historical monument and a national wildlife refuge.

The count starts in December and must be completed in 21 days by the Nesting Albatross Census Team, which tracks two species of seabirds on the island: the black-footed albatross and the Laysan albatross.

The charter plane Caruso took from Honolulu to the islands landed in the dark of night to avoid the birds. The group was picked up in golf carts and bunked in old military barracks. After breakfast early the next morning they rode bikes along gravel paths to get their gear and start counting.

The gear included snow shoes because another of the island’s birds, the Bonin petrel, burrows deep tunnels into the ground to nest.

“Every step you take, you could fall into a hole up to your waist,” Caruso said. “Then you’d have to get up and dig the bird out.”

To start the count, the volunteers, who came from different backgrounds and from across the nation, formed a line standing five feet apart and systematically moved along, passing nesting adults and counting each nest with a clicker.

“We’d get to the endpoint and then go back the other way,” Caruso said. “We covered the entire islands and I walked 196 miles.”

After 21 days – volunteers got Sundays, Christmas, and New Year’s Day off – the census group had counted 29,562 black-footed albatross and 498,448 Laysan albatross nests for a total of 528,010 nests. About 80% of the eggs typically hatch, but only about 30% of fledglings survive.

An estimated 1.5 million albatross visit the atoll, which once was three islands but two merged as geography shifted, said Dan Cullinane, a retired biology and chemistry teacher from – coincidentally – Midway City, who lead the count this time.

This was Cullinane’s third time participating in the census count.

“It’s nice to be able to walk among the albatross, and you’re counting more than 500,000 nests,” he said, adding that since the birds have no natural predators on land, they are not fearful of humans. Heat and dehydration – if chicks can’t be found when the parents return to feed them – are the biggest enemies of the chicks growing into fledglings.

“It’s hard for the people on the island to see so many birds die,” he said of the 40 or so refuge staff members, contractors, and volunteers who live on the islands year-round.

Doing the albatross dance

Caruso, Cullinane and the others were treated to a show by the albatross – the seabirds’ mating dance.

Young birds do not return to land until their third year after fledging. When they return, they don’t breed at first, but instead learn to perfect their dance moves, build nests and look for a possible mate. Birds first breed between 5 and 8 years of age.

The dance is done to identify their mate of choice; the better the dance, the more coveted they become. The dances are complex with several moves.

Once mated, they finetune the dance and use the moves to identify their partner when returning to Midway to mate again, Cullinane said.  After a chick fledges, the pairs separate for the rest of the year and return to Midway when it’s time to breed, he said.

Birds who lose a mate, either because it doesn’t return to Midway or suffers some other fate, have to go through a new courting process.

Such is the case with Midway’s oldest bird, Wisdom, said Cullinane. Famous among birders, Wisdom was first banded by scientists in 1956. She was seen dancing again, on the prowl for her third mate. But age becomes her well, Cullinane said, because she looks physically no different than younger birds.

Sharing the experience

While Caruso was wowed by the albatross’s fascinating life and how the seabird has evolved over millions of years, a sad discovery was the tremendous amount of trash and debris she and others picked up from around bird nests and beaches. Along with litter washing ashore, the seabirds often pick up plastics from the ocean.

She had bags of litter with her when she recently took her presentation to eighth-graders at Vista View Middle School in Fountain Valley. She said many were “slack-jawed” by what she shared, especially by the albatross dance moves.

“The students really loved the ones where the birds put their beaks into their armpits,” she said.”They were attentive and amused.”

But, even more thrilled was Daryth Morrisey, who teaches science and marine biology to the middle schoolers. Eliminating single-use plastic is a message she said she wants to deliver loud and clear to her students.

“I start off the year with a plastic pollution unit,” she said. “To actually have Nancy see those incredible birds is amazing. To gift me a piece of regurgitated plastic from an albatross is a priceless teaching tool.”

MORE: Read all the candidate responses in our Voter Guide

Name: Jacob Woo Ho Lee

Current Job Title: Pastor

Political Party Affiliation: No party affiliation

Incumbent: No

Other political positions held: California chairman of the National Korean American Republican Committee

City where you reside: Buena Park

Campaign website or social media: www.votejacoblee.com

Gov. Newsom has been front and center lately in global affairs, from a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping discussing climate action to a trip to Israel where he met with victims of the Hamas attack. Aside from the governor’s trips, what do you see as the role California should play when it comes to foreign affairs?

Foreign affairs should be handled more on the federal level, but California should be involved when it can help the California economy and deepen cultural exchange.

There have been recent efforts at the local level to change voting requirements — from a proposed voter ID requirement in Huntington Beach to an effort to open up voting to noncitizens in Santa Ana. What changes, if any, should be made to California’s voting laws?

I agree that voters should be required to have ID in order to vote.

The latest state budget projections show California’s deficit has swelled to a record $68 billion, leading to calls for spending cuts. Give us two specific ways California could address the deficit.

We need to reduce government size and make the government more efficient, and we need to reevaluate spending on wasteful projects.

Speaking of the budget, what are your top three budget priorities?

Education, economic development and tax reduction.

The legislature garnered national headlines when an effort to increase penalties for child sex trafficking initially stalled. How would you, in the legislature, balance criminal justice reform with public safety concerns?

Public safety must take priority. Government should invest in growing family values in order to reduce and prevent criminal activity.

Homelessness continues to be a concern for Californians. While there is no simple solution, what is one proposal you have that could reduce homelessness in our communities?

Religious organizations should come together to use their significant resources to assist and educate the homeless population so that the homeless individuals can recover from their situation.

The governor recently signed a law that set a first-in-the-nation minimum wage standard for healthcare workers. Should minimum wage standards vary by industry? Why or why not?

I don’t believe there should be a minimum wage. If people truly need help, the government can assist, but we should leave it to the market to determine wages. People who have ability should receive more than the minimum wage.

What is one environment or climate policy you’d champion if elected?

N/A

What is one capital improvement project you’d like to see financed and completed in your district?

A multicultural and international business center that will attract global business and tourism, which I have experienced in revitalizing the Miami fashion district.

The state recently began rolling out the CARE Court program in some counties, the state-funded effort that allows first responders, family and other designated people to petition a court to have someone with untreated severe psychotic disorders receive treatment and services. What other ways can the state prioritize mental health care for its residents, including those with less severe disorders?

Hire Christian counselors and help each family to have a good environment. Also, build facilities where they can receive recreation similar to senior citizen centers.

Describe your political philosophy in 10 words or less.

Respect the proclamation of the Declaration of Independence.

What is your go-to campaign trail snack or drink?

Korean ginseng tea.

MORE: Read all the candidate responses in our Voter Guide

Name: Elizabeth “Beth” Culver

Current Job Title: Retired entrepreneur

Political Party Affiliation: Republican

Incumbent: No

Other political positions held: None

City where you reside: Cypress

Campaign website or social media: N/A

Gov. Newsom has been front and center lately in global affairs, from a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping discussing climate action to a trip to Israel where he met with victims of the Hamas attack. Aside from the governor’s trips, what do you see as the role California should play when it comes to foreign affairs?

The governor’s responsibilities are simple: To support and defend both the Constitution of the U.S. and the state of California from invasions of enemies foreign and domestic as stated in the oath of office he vowed to abide by; secure safety for citizens first. California should have no role in international matters. That is the federal government’s role.

There have been recent efforts at the local level to change voting requirements — from a proposed voter ID requirement in Huntington Beach to an effort to open up voting to noncitizens in Santa Ana. What changes, if any, should be made to California’s voting laws?

Government-issued ID to vote should be required — no exceptions.

Non-citizens should never be allowed to vote. It is an insult to every lawful American citizen as well as unconstitutional. Only citizens have that right.

Return to precinct voting, no drop-off ballot boxes or mail-in voting. National holiday for voting (one day).

The latest state budget projections show California’s deficit has swelled to a record $68 billion, leading to calls for spending cuts. Give us two specific ways California could address the deficit.

Close the border. Investigate the freewheeling, “double dipping” flow of money into social services with no accountability as there is a questionable duplicate of funds to/from similar resources. Or save $10 billion a year by defunding the bullet train which hasn’t laid down any track.

Speaking of the budget, what are your top three budget priorities?

– Prioritize the mental and physical needs of our veterans.- Adequately fund and train more police officers and first responders.- Necessary infrastructure updates of electrical, water and sewage.

The legislature garnered national headlines when an effort to increase penalties for child sex trafficking initially stalled. How would you, in the legislature, balance criminal justice reform with public safety concerns?

Not only should penalties be increased for child sex trafficking but be even more severe. Sex trafficking of children should be clearly defined and treated differently than other sex crimes. Sex trafficking is simply “slave trade” by another name.

Homelessness continues to be a concern for Californians. While there is no simple solution, what is one proposal you have that could reduce homelessness in our communities?

Defend and close the border. Remember the oath our elected officials took to defend and protect the border. Deport all foreign invaders. House veterans first.

The governor recently signed a law that set a first-in-the-nation minimum wage standard for healthcare workers. Should minimum wage standards vary by industry? Why or why not?

Prioritize citizens and industry specialties. Not all jobs are alike, nor should the pay be the same for all jobs. Some are entry-level with training and part-time jobs. Others are intern, hourly or temporary employment. Salaries should be at the discretion of the business owner, agreed upon with employees according to the job description’s required skills … not government.

What is one environment or climate policy you’d champion if elected?

I suggest we make California energy independent again by accessing our abundant supply of natural gas which is environmentally friendly.

What is one capital improvement project you’d like to see financed and completed in your district?

Updating our infrastructures: power supply grids to meet increasing demands (not useless wind power) and better water resources management, including developing desalination plants like our Navy and other countries have.

The state recently began rolling out the CARE Court program in some counties, the state-funded effort that allows first responders, family and other designated people to petition a court to have someone with untreated severe psychotic disorders receive treatment and services. What other ways can the state prioritize mental health care for its residents, including those with less severe disorders?

Research what organizations already provide care for residents, thus avoiding overlapping payments.

Describe your political philosophy in 10 words or less.

Government by the people, for the people. Restore the teaching of our Constitution in schools on Constitution Day, Sept. 17.

What is your go-to campaign trail snack or drink?

Cold water and healthy food.

MORE: Read all the candidate responses in our Voter Guide

Name: Sharon Quirk-Silva

Current Job Title: State Assemblymember

Political Party Affiliation: Democrat

Incumbent: Yes

Other political positions held: Fullerton City Councilmember and mayor

City where you reside: Fullerton

Campaign website or social media: www.sharonquirksilva.com

Gov. Newsom has been front and center lately in global affairs, from a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping discussing climate action to a trip to Israel where he met with victims of the Hamas attack. Aside from the governor’s trips, what do you see as the role California should play when it comes to foreign affairs?

As the world’s fifth-largest economy, and the largest state in the world’s most influential country, California cannot ignore its global role. Within my district, whether from our vibrant Korean-American community to Little Arabia, I am regularly reminded of the impact world events can have on our communities at home. California can and should continue to promote the state globally, both to promote our economy and our shared values.

There have been recent efforts at the local level to change voting requirements — from a proposed voter ID requirement in Huntington Beach to an effort to open up voting to noncitizens in Santa Ana. What changes, if any, should be made to California’s voting laws?

Put simply, California has and should continue to be a leader in reducing barriers and making it easier to vote. In my time in the legislature, I have been proud to support many reforms, from making it easier to register at the DMV to creating opportunities to register on Election Day to mailing every voter a ballot to allowing ballots to be mailed up to Election Day to allowing voters to cast their ballot at any polling place in the county to creating a mechanism for voters to correct signature issues.

These reforms have increased the share of eligible voters who are registered, contributed to record-setting turnout in 2020 (which we hopefully will break in 2024) and steadily reduced the number of voters whose ballots are rejected, allowing for a fuller, more representative democracy.

The latest state budget projections show California’s deficit has swelled to a record $68 billion, leading to calls for spending cuts. Give us two specific ways California could address the deficit.

First, I have been proud to support efforts to expand and fund the state’s rainy-day funds during prior budget cycles. Current budget projections make it clear that clouds are in the sky and we may need to tap into some of those funds to address the current deficit.

Second, some one-time spending allocations, even for projects that I strongly support, may need to be delayed until the state is on firmer financial ground. The need to economize during difficult times is something every household is familiar with, and taxpayers should expect the same from their government.

Speaking of the budget, what are your top three budget priorities?

My current legislative priorities are:- Education: As a former teacher I am particularly focused on education issues.- Homelessness and housing: As a former mayor, I have a particular interest in issues of housing and affordability (particularly homelessness which has directly impacted my family).- Jobs and the economy: As the recent chair of the Arts and Entertainment Committee, I have focused on the unique role these play in the economy of Orange County and southern California.

The legislature garnered national headlines when an effort to increase penalties for child sex trafficking initially stalled. How would you, in the legislature, balance criminal justice reform with public safety concerns?

I voted in September for SB 14 to increase penalties for child sex trafficking. I have always viewed the importance of protecting the safety and well-being of children through the lens of a 30-year school teacher who was responsible for protecting a new classroom full of young vibrant lives every year. I believe in balanced solutions. I have opposed relaxing penalties for serious crimes while supporting investments in early intervention/prevention programs. We can both give law enforcement the tools they need while also addressing root causes. We can embrace that addressing systematic institutional racism will ultimately make all residents safer.

Homelessness continues to be a concern for Californians. While there is no simple solution, what is one proposal you have that could reduce homelessness in our communities?

As someone whose family has been personally impacted by homelessness and as the chair of the Select Committee on Orange County Homelessness and Mental Health Services, this is a top priority. We need comprehensive solutions, including expanding mental health services to those currently experiencing homelessness, ensuring all communities contribute to providing transitionary housing and lowering housing costs for all. I’ve written new laws to speed early intervention, improve state planning for homeless services and mandate better care for the most severely mentally ill people on our streets with stronger drug treatment requirements.

The governor recently signed a law that set a first-in-the-nation minimum wage standard for healthcare workers. Should minimum wage standards vary by industry? Why or why not?

I voted in favor of SB 525. If the last few years have taught us anything, it is the critical role that healthcare workers play, not only in protecting the individual lives of everyday Californians but in protecting the economic health of our state’s economy across so many other industries. We need to continue to promote economic opportunities, including for those at the bottom of the wage scale who too often do not share in the Golden State’s wealth.

What is one environment or climate policy you’d champion if elected?

The state needs to continue incentivizing the adoption of renewables, greater energy efficiency, water conservation and the expanded use of low- or no-emission vehicles. However, we often focus on global problems and forget local solutions. One of my proudest achievements in the legislature to date was securing funding to preserve open space in Coyote Hills. It is not something that will make national headlines but preserves one of the few remaining open spaces in North County for all to enjoy.

What is one capital improvement project you’d like to see financed and completed in your district?

I have been leading the fight to establish Orange County’s first veteran’s cemetery. Things in Sacramento often take too long, but after 10 years that dream is closer than ever to becoming a reality.

In late 2022, I was proud to stand with those who fought to protect our country at the flag-raising event in Gypsum Canyon. This project has been an example of how government can still cooperate across political divides. As a Democrat, I have fought to secure $24 million in funding from the state and stood at the flag-raising next to Republican Supervisor Don Wagner who helped to secure $20 million in funding from the county. It will be a solemn day when a fight I began during my first term in the legislature finally leads to the first internments for Orange County’s proud veterans.

The state recently began rolling out the CARE Court program in some counties, the state-funded effort that allows first responders, family and other designated people to petition a court to have someone with untreated severe psychotic disorders receive treatment and services. What other ways can the state prioritize mental health care for its residents, including those with less severe disorders?

We need to better recognize that problems of mental health, substance abuse and homelessness are inextricably linked. That is why I authored legislation streamlining access to services for those with co-occurring mental health and substance use problems. We need to do better in getting services to those in crisis.

We also need to embrace that it is cheaper, more effective and contributes to better outcomes if we can reach those with issues before they are in crisis. The need for those comprehensive solutions is one of the reasons why I voted to support the placement of the Behavioral Health Infrastructure Bond and Act on the March ballot and urge voters to support Proposition 1 in 2024.

Describe your political philosophy in 10 words or less.

Common sense cooperation yields the best results.

What is your go-to campaign trail snack or drink?

None. It’s one of the reasons campaigning is bad for your health.

The fire occurred around 9:20 a.m. Firefighters from the Orange County Fire Authority found heavy smoke coming from an apartment unit on the 5700 block of Playa Way, Capt. Thanh Nguyen told OC Hawk, a news organization that often works with the Southern California News Group.

Upon arrival, firefighter paramedics treated a woman rescued by a neighbor and a bystander through a broken window after the two saw the apartment unit’s front-door on fire and heard the woman yelling for help. She was hospitalized with unknown injuries, authorities said.

Firefighters knocked down the fire within 30 minutes, preventing it from spreading to the adjacent apartments on either said, Nguyen said. The cause of the fire was under investigation.

The city is moving to a by-district election system, where voters will choose only one councilmember who lives in their district every four years, starting with the November 2024 election. Races will be staggered, with two seats up for election in 2024 and three in 2026.

Five public hearings will be held through March where residents can participate in the drawing of maps that break up the city into five districts, said city attorney Fred Galante.

The City Council approved the change during a contentious special meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 10, following years of rebuffing efforts to transition to by-district elections, which ultimately resulted in a lawsuit against the city.

“The recommended agreement gives the city the ability to work with the community to establish the boundaries of the five districts rather than have a court dictate the districts,” Galante said.

The last public hearing would be on March 11, and the City Council would then adopt the ordinance officially changing its election system.

The settlement agreement the council OK’d Wednesday, which resolves the lawsuit, requires the plaintiffs to participate in the map selection process, according to a staff report, and allows the city to transition back to at-large districts should California law change to permit that. It does not change councilmembers’ term limits.

The agreement also provides the city with protections against uncontested elections, Galante said. If three of the seven races to elect councilmembers through 2028 are uncontested or five of the races through 2030 are uncontested, the city could switch back to an at-large election system.

Cypress now has an at-large election system, where voters decide on all five council seats, and has resisted legal efforts to change — even as a growing number of Orange County cities made the switch in recent years.

In 2022, Malibu-based attorney Kevin Shenkman sued on behalf of Southwest Voter Registration Education Project and residents Kathryn Shapiro and Malini Nagpal, who routinely speak at City Council meetings. The lawsuit alleged that racially polarized voting occurs in Cypress elections and the at-large system impairs the ability of Asian Americans in Cypress to elect candidates of their choice.

“District voting enables closer relationships and improved responsiveness between communities and their representatives,” Shapiro said. “That means I have a more balanced, stronger, pronounced voice.”

City leaders on Wednesday voted to settle the lawsuit with most councilmembers saying it is the best foot forward for the city, regardless of how they felt about by-district elections.

“My yes vote is not a vote in favor of districting,” said Councilmember Anne Mallari. “This law takes away four of my five votes. I’m concerned that this could result in councils being divided into an equivalent number of special interests vying for resources to complete projects in their district.”

“But the possibility of moving to ranked-choice or cumulative voting systems if we have uncontested elections a certain number of times,” she said, “would not be afforded to us if we take this all the way and lose.”

Councilmember Bonnie Peat, who also voiced disapproval of by-district elections, said her vote was the hardest one she’s taken in the last 14 months and is based on what she feels is best for the city.

“We need to figure out how to settle this and move on,” she said.

But Councilmember Frances Marquez, who has supported by-district elections in the past, pointed to the California Voting Rights Act, noting its importance in a city where demographics have evolved.

Signed by Gov. Gray Davis in 2002, the CVRA disallows at-large elections that dilute the voting power of minority populations in local government elections.

“Cypress is now a majority-minority city. Asians are over 37% of the population. Latinos are almost 21% of the population,” she said, citing census data. “The California Voting Rights Act exists to make sure underrepresented groups have a fair opportunity to elect their candidate of choice.”

“I’m no purveyor of identity politics,” said Councilmember David Burke. “I think it’s wrong to assume that you know what someone thinks or how they’re going to vote based on their race, their age, their gender.”

While Burke said he believes there are many positives to by-district elections, including a heightened opportunity for candidates to knock on every door and connect in-person with voters, ultimately, his “yes” vote came down to the legal situation.

“I think it’s the smart, fiscally responsible thing to do for our city,” he said.

During a particularly heated portion of the evening Wednesday, Mayor Scott Minikus implied that Marquez and Burke had played a role in initiating the lawsuit against the city.

Minikus also accused both councilmembers of having a close relationship with the plaintiffs and leaking the city’s legal strategy. He said Burke’s move to Cypress was “a calculated move to run for office” and did not allow Marquez or Burke to respond.

In a phone interview Thursday morning, Burke said he plans to fully respond to those allegations at an upcoming City Council meeting.

“I have never leaked any information pertaining to the city’s legal strategy in this case, and there’s no basis for anyone to believe that I have,” Burke said. “He made a number of false statements about me. … I was absolutely shocked and blindsided.”

“Ethics, accountability and transparency have been core tenets of my political, professional and personal life. Mayor Minikus’ accusations are simply false and damaging to my personal and professional reputation,” Marquez said. “It is unfair for him, as mayor, to make such defamatory accusations and then not allow me and my fellow councilmember, David Burke, the opportunity to respond.”

The city’s decision to weigh the transition to by-district elections was prompted by a ruling involving Santa Monica. The California Supreme Court in August ruled against the city’s fight to keep its at-large voting system and handed it back down to the Court of Appeals for reconsideration, saying that the appeals court misconstrued the CVRA when it ruled in favor of the city.

“The Santa Monica ruling reduces the likelihood that Cypress’ at-large elections could be found to comply with the CVRA,” Galante said.

Minikus was the lone vote against transitioning to by-district elections and settling the lawsuit, although he voted in favor of a $50,000 agreement with the National Demographics Corporation to establish City Council electoral districts.

“I’m disgusted by this lawsuit for many reasons, solely because you, the residents of the city, don’t get a choice in this matter,” Minikus said. “If we had the ability to put this issue to a vote of our residents, I would be ok with it.”

Some residents had implored the council to allow voters to decide whether to make the transition, but doing so would not make the lawsuit go away or prevent a court decision forcing Cypress to convert to by-district elections, irrespective of voters’ desires, Galante said.

Ahead of the meeting, Shenkman said a vote against the transition would cost the city millions of dollars. He said he hopes the productive dialogue he’s had with a majority of the councilmembers continues and the public feels like they have a say in what the district boundaries are.

“If the process works, the public embraces it, and at the end of it, feels like this is a system — even if they wanted to hold on to the at-large system, even if they wanted the district lines to be a little different than what they end up with — that they can live with because they were heard,” he said.

During that special meeting on Jan. 10, city leaders are set to discuss whether to change to an election system where voters would choose only one councilmember who lives in their district every four years, commencing with the November 2024 election.

The vote was originally scheduled for Monday, Jan. 8, but pushed back due to Councilmember David Burke’s absence, said Mayor Scott Minikus.

Cypress now has an at-large election system, where voters decide on all five council seats, and has resisted legal efforts to change even as a growing number of Orange County cities have made the switch in recent years.

Minikus encouraged residents to show up to Wednesday’s meeting, scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Civic Center. After reading aloud an email from a resident who expressed disapproval of by-district elections, Minikus said if the city approves the change, he fears the community is largely not going to be aware until the 2024 election occurs.

“I’m kind of glad this got delayed,” said Minikus. “Because I would really like for all of you here in the audience as well as anybody at home hearing us live to reach out to members in the community and have them show up here on Wednesday night so they can have a chance to voice their opinions on this.”

Although 37% of Cypress’ 50,000 residents are Asian American, Malibu-based attorney Kevin Shenkman said in 2021, the city has not had an Asian American on the council for more than 10 years.

Shenkman filed a lawsuit in 2022 on behalf of the voting rights group Southwest Voter Registration Education Project and residents Kathryn Shapiro and Malini Nagpal, who routinely speak at City Council meetings. The lawsuit alleged that Cypress’ election system violates the California Voting Rights Act which disallows at-large elections that dilute the voting power of minority populations in local government races; in Cypress’ case, Asian American voters.

“The imposition of at-large elections by the City of Cypress has resulted in vote dilution for Asian American residents and has denied them effective political participation in elections to the Cypress City Council,” Shenkman said in his complaint.

During Wednesday’s special meeting, the City Council will consider settling that lawsuit by requesting the court accept its plans to transition to a by-district election system for its council members, per the agenda.

“The agreement gives the city the ability to work with the community to establish the boundaries of the five districts, rather than have a court dictate the districts,” the agenda says.

The agreement requires plaintiffs to participate in the map selection process, according to the staff report, and allows the city to transition back to at-large districts should California law change to permit that. It does not change councilmembers’ term limits.

The City Council will meet at 6 p.m. at 5275 Orange Ave. to discuss the transition. Residents can attend the meeting in person or virtually.

On Monday, Jan. 8, city leaders are set to discuss whether to change to a by-district election system, where voters would choose only one councilmember who lives in their district every four years, commencing with the November 2024 election.

The proposed timeline, from the city, begins with adopting a resolution of intent to move to by-district elections on Jan. 8 and includes five public hearings from January through March. The last public hearing would be on March 11, and the City Council would then adopt the ordinance changing its election system.

Cypress now has an at-large election system, where voters decide on all five council seats, and has resisted legal efforts to change.

In September 2021, Malibu-based attorney Kevin Shenkman sent Cypress officials a letter warning of a lawsuit if the city did not voluntarily switch to by-district elections.

Although 37% of Cypress’ 50,000 residents are Asian American, Shenkman said in 2021, the city has not had an Asian American on the council for more than 10 years. After the city rejected the letter, Shenkman filed a lawsuit on behalf of the voting rights group Southwest Voter Registration Education Project and residents Kathryn Shapiro and Malini Nagpal, who routinely speak at City Council meetings.

Over the past decade, Shenkman has successfully challenged dozens of California cities, school districts and other public entities with the same allegation: Their at-large elections dilute the voices of minorities.

During Monday’s meeting, the City Council will consider settling the lawsuit with SVREP, Nagpal and Shapiro by requesting the court accept its plans to transition to a by-district election system for its council members, per the agenda.

“The agreement gives the city the ability to work with the community to establish the boundaries of the five districts, rather than have a court dictate the districts,” the agenda says.

The agreement requires plaintiffs to participate in the map selection process, according to the staff report, and allows the city to transition back to at-large districts should California law change to permit that. It does not change councilmembers’ term limits.

The city’s decision to weigh the transition to by-district elections was prompted by a ruling involving Santa Monica. The California Supreme Court in August 2023 ruled against the city’s fight to keep its at-large voting system and handed it back down to the Court of Appeals for reconsideration, saying that the appeals court misconstrued the California Voting Rights Act when it ruled in favor of the city.

Signed by Gov. Gray Davis in 2002, the CVRA disallows at-large elections that dilute the voting power of minority populations in local government elections.

According to a staff report, the Santa Monica ruling “significantly reduced the likelihood that Cypress’ at-large election could be found to comply” with the California Voting Rights Act. That ruling prompted the city to go into mediation to try to resolve its own lawsuit, said city spokesperson Diana Moreno.

“The city worked with a mediator who is a retired judge with CVRA experience. And it was his opinion that it would be highly unlikely that the city would be successful if they were to contest and go to a full lawsuit,” she said.

Cypress had, at multiple times, rebuffed efforts to transition to by-district elections after residents expressed support for the current, at-large election system. Through public forums and a survey, residents said they preferred an at-large election system, the city has said.

On Monday, city leaders will also decide whether to task the National Demographics Corporation to provide tools residents can use to draft both physical and digital maps and a website where the maps will be uploaded for public viewing as well as coordinate in-person participation at all public hearings that will be scheduled over the next three months to develop electoral maps.

The City Council will meet at 6 p.m. at 5275 Orange Ave. to discuss the transition. Residents can attend the meeting in person or virtually.

Kaitlyn Schallhorn and Susan Christian Goulding contributed to this report. 

The City Council met in March 2022 behind closed doors, amid challenges to its at-large election system. City Attorney Fred Galante said at the time that the council was permitted to meet privately to “receive advice from its legal counsel regarding pending litigation.”

And it seems an Orange County judge agrees.

Judge Erick Larsh, in an order issued last week, said there was no evidence that the City Council “did not comport themselves in conformance with the Brown Act.”

“There is a rebuttable presumption that elected officials will follow the law in discharging their official duties,” the order said. “Speculation and innuendo are not sufficient to rebut the presumption.”

The city was sued by open-government watchdog group Californians Aware, which accused the council of meeting “unlawfully” multiple times to discuss and vote on whether to transition to by-district elections. The council ultimately rejected efforts to change its election system, even as other cities adopted district voting.

“While I am pleased that Judge Larsh rejected Californians Aware’s ill-conceived lawsuit and its efforts to make Cypress taxpayers pay for their lawyers, I am deeply troubled that special interests from outside Cypress continue to use the legal system to blindly pursue an agenda that threatens our community and our democracy,” Mayor Anne Mallari said.

“As we head into 2024, I am glad the City Council can refocus on serving the community and ensuring Cypress continues to be a great place to live, work and play,” she said.

Galante, too, heralded the order, saying the city was “vindicated.”

Californians Aware’s general counsel did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.

Cypress, along with other California cities, have faced legal challenges in recent years over how councilmembers are voted into office. Proponents of district voting say the traditional at-large system — in which voters decide on all council seats as opposed to only choosing one who lives in their district — violates the California Voting Rights Act.

The Southwest Voter Registration Education Project and two residents sued Cypress over its decision to keep its at-large system.

Two of the defendants — Lu Zhang, 36, of Alhambra, and Justin Walker, 31, of Cypress — were arrested Tuesday. The other two defendants — Joseph Wong, 32, Rosemead, and Hailong Zhu, 40, Naperville, Illinois — are currently being sought by federal authorities, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

The indictment filed in Los Angeles federal court charges the defendants with conspiracy to commit money laundering, concealment money laundering and international money laundering.

Zhang, Walker, Wong and Zhu allegedly conspired to open shell companies and bank accounts to launder victim proceeds of cryptocurrency investment scams — also known as “pig butchering” — and other fraudulent schemes. They allegedly transferred the funds involved in the fraud schemes to domestic and international financial institutions.

The alleged overall fraud scheme in the related pig-butchering syndicate involved at least 284 transactions and resulted in more than $80 million in victim losses. More than $20 million in victim funds were directly deposited into bank accounts associated with the defendants, the indictment alleges.

According to court documents, pig butchering fraud schemes — a term derived from a foreign-language phrase used to describe the crimes — consist of scammers encountering victims on dating services or social media, or through unsolicited messages or calls, often masquerading as a wrong number.

Scammers initiate relationships with victims and slowly gain their trust, eventually introducing the idea of making a business investment using cryptocurrency.

Victims are then directed to other members of the scheme operating fraudulent cryptocurrency investment platforms and applications, where victims are persuaded to make financial investments. Once funds are sent to scammer-controlled accounts, the investment platform often falsely shows significant gains on the purported investment, and the victims are thus induced to make additional investments. Ultimately, the victims are unable to withdraw or recover their money, often resulting in significant losses for the victims, according to the DOJ.

After their arrests, Zhang and Walker appeared Wednesday in court, where they both entered not guilty pleas. Zhang was ordered detained, and Walker was ordered released on bond. A trial was scheduled for Feb. 6 in downtown Los Angeles.

Each of the charges for conspiracy to commit money laundering, concealment money laundering, and international money laundering carry a possible sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison, prosecutors noted.