Today's top stories from behind the Orange Curtain:

Gang killings take young lives in Santa Ana (OCR)
More than half of last year's gang homicides were in Santa Ana, but gang activity is up elsewhere in O.C., authorities say.

Organizer nixes initiative against Disney (OCR)
A citizens group called off plans to collect signatures for a ballot measure requiring voter approval of a theme park or other development on Disney property.

Judge returns disputed voting machines to Registrar of Voters (OCR)
Blog: 172 machines were sealed pending outcome of Nguyen v. Nguyen court fight over first district supervisor seat. Decision releases them in time for Tuesday's election.

A City Hall fight in Newport Beach (LAT)
Residents will vote Tuesday on whether to put the city's new headquarters on parkland.

Hospital wants tower to expand operations (DP)
Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian has plans to build a new 300,000-square-foot tower on Newport Boulevard to house more operating rooms and other care facilities, but nearby residents say the hospital needs to first make amends for noise and air pollution they claim the hospital causes.

Santa Ana apartment fire under investigation (OCR)
VIDEO: Three-alarm fire forces the Villas at Tustin to be evacuated.

O.C. school districts stop serving beef after Chino slaughterhouse warning (OCR and DP)
UPDATE: At least three local districts received meat from a distributor that partners with accused Chino slaughterhouse.

Volunteers spread Democratic roots across Orange County (DP)
California's decisive Feb. 5 primary is just days away, and Orange County is abuzz with grassroots political activity.

Republicans practice intense outreach with energy in the air (DP)
It's a historic primary election in California, and local members of the Republican grassroots are out there ready to press for their candidates. With an election early enough to matter in the national race, many say this time the game on the ground is in whole new territory.

Santa Ana term-limits tactics decried (LAT)
The teachers union says recorded calls to voters wrongly imply that the group backs Measure D's longer City Council terms.

Regional airport network couldn't get off the ground (LAT)
Group dissolves after failing to draw members and interest from Orange and Riverside counties.

Pollutants found in a second San Juan Capistrano well (LAT)
City officials have shut down a second well in two weeks after it was discovered to contain trace amounts of the potentially cancer-causing gasoline additive MTBE.