In the past year, Orange County’s influence was felt in everything from politics and philanthropy to immigration and innovation.

Sure, there was a World Series hero and Mister Fantastic, but there also were people much further out of the spotlight who delivered to help the hungry, the homeless and the sick.

There were standout teachers, remarkable students and some young athletes who are schooling the competition.

Orange County has nearly 3.2 million people and too many amazing stories to fit here, but we did our best to capture the year in the nation’s sixth-largest county … with your help, of course...

Tom Umberg

State Sen. Umberg is finishing up his last term in the statehouse, but he’s not just coasting through it. He chaired the powerful Judiciary Committee, and has been a deciding voice on whether legislation was successful this year. Umberg was also the architect of two successful election-related bills, one that prohibits paying someone for voting or registering to vote, and the other will let California voters decide whether to overturn a statewide prohibition on counties and most cities setting up a public fund for campaign financing.

Read full list here: Orange County Register