April 14, 2009 |
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Welcome to this issue of Janet’s Journal, a First District Report designed to keep you updated on issues and events concerning our communities in Orange County especially in the First District.
I am proud and honored to represent over 600,000 people within the First District covering the cities of Garden Grove, Santa Ana, Westminster and the unincorporated community of Midway City.
I hope you will find this journal informative. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please do not hesitate to contact me. I look forward to hearing from you.
Respectfully,
Supervisor Janet Nguyen
Janet.Nguyen@ocgov.com
IN THIS ISSUE...
1. Board of Supervisors
2. Janet Around the First District
3. Local Issues
4. Requests for Proposals
5. Community Events
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| Board of Supervisors |
Upcoming Town Hall: How to "PASS" Your Food Inspection On Thursday, May 7, 2009, Senator Tom Harman, Assemblyman Jim Silva, Westminster Mayor Margie Rice, Garden Grove Mayor William Dalton, and Garden Grove Councilman Andrew Do and I will host a Town Hall on How to Receive a "PASS" grade in the new Restaurant Inspection Public Notification System. The event will take place from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the County Community Service Center at 15460 Magnolia St., Westminster, CA 92683.
In December, 2008, the Orange County Board of Supervisors approved a revision to the Restaurant Inspection Public Notification System. Beginning October 1, 2009, the Environmental Health Department of the Orange County Health Care Agency will implement the following designations: "PASS," "PASS-REINSPECTION DUE," or "CLOSED." The new designations will mean the followings:
- PASS: Compliance requirements are fully met at the time of inspection.
- PASS-REINSPECTION DUE: A follow-up inspection is required to ensure corrections of violations noted during the prior inspection.
- CLOSED: Facilities with uncorrected major violations, as determined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, will be closed as required by California Health and Safety Code.
These designations will be shown prominently in the Inspection Seal to notify the public of the result of the most recent health inspection at the particular food service locations. This revision to the current seals will make the Food Inspection Seals more informative and accessible to the general public.
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| Other Boards & Commissions |
Congratulations I would like to take the opportunity to offer my congratulations to the following County Department Directors who have retired after years of dedicated service to our community:
- Tim Neely, OC Public Works;
- Julie Poulson, OC Health Care Agency;
- Jan Goss, OC Waste & Recycling; and
- Ben DeMayo, County Counsel.
Their contributions have left an indelible mark on the County of Orange and its people. It has been my sincere pleasure to work with such committed individuals. I wish them all the best in their next ventures in life.
It also is my honor to announce the appointment of Katherine Anh to the Dental Health Advisory Board and the reappointment of Sandra Barry to the Children and Families Commission of Orange County. I am confident they will meet the upcoming challenges with the same level of quality and excellence we have seen thus far.
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| OCTA |
Farewell to Art Leahy, CEO of OCTA After eight years of serving as Chief Executive Officer of the Orange County Transportation Authority, Art Leahy has left OCTA to join the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority. I would like to thank Mr. Leahy for his leadership of the Authority and wish him the best in his future endeavors. Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program In compliance with federal regulation, OCTA maintains a program to increase participation in bidding by Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs). DBE Program reaches out to small for-profit enterprises interested in doing business with OCTA that are owned and controlled by socially or economically disadvantaged individuals. Visit the DBE Program website for more information. Renewed Measure M, "Freeway Mitigation Program" We approved agreements with United States Department of Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Department of Fish and Game in order to establish the Freeway Mitigation Program. Renewed Measure M, which was passed by Orange County voters on November 7, 2006, calls for a portion of freeway funds to be dedicated to comprehensive mitigation of the environmental impacts of the freeway improvements that Renewed Measure M will fund. For more information visit the Renewed Measure M website. Adding a Lane to the Westbound 91 OCTA will be releasing a Request for Proposals to design a lane addition to the westbound 91. The addition of one lane will be between the I-5 and SR-57. The project will also consider the use of two-lane exit ramps at many busy off-ramps. For more information about improvements to the 91, see the SR-91 Implementation Plan. Central County Corridor Major Investment Study Current projections of transportation needs indicate that by the year 2035 central Orange County's current traffic infrastructure will be over-capacity. OCTA is currently conducting a study to determine what long-term improvements to the streets and highways in central Orange County will best meet this rising demand. The Central County Corridor Major Investment Study (CCCMIS) has devised several strategies from simple steps, such as improving bus service and synchronizing traffic lights, to more robust strategies, such as expanding State Route 57 along the Santa Ana River Right-of-Way. For more information about this project please visit the CCCMIS website. OCTA Partners with Non-profits to Improve Service for the Disabled Two Orange County nonprofit organizations, Orange County ARC and South County Senior Services, have partnered with OCTA's ACCESS program to help provide transportation services to their clients. Through this partnership OCTA will share costs the nonprofits incur when transporting ACCESS-eligible individuals to and from their program. ACCESS is a fully ADA compliant transportation program dedicated to serving individuals who are unable to use standard OCTA bus service. Visit the ACCESS website to get more information on services and eligibility.
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| JANET AROUND THE FIRST DISTRICT |
Supervisor Janet Nguyen speaks to Orange County middle school students at the Walk in My Shoes Student Symposium on March 3, 2009 at CSU Fullerton. This conference brings together more than 500 Orange County middle school students and teachers/advisors to learn about the challenges of our changing demographics and to develop enthusiasm for working collaboratively to create and sustain a safe, equitable and inclusive school climate that is respectful of Orange County's diversity.
Supervisor Janet Nguyen congratulates American Legion Post 131 for its 90th anniversary. Post 131 is the oldest American Legion post in Orange County.
Supervisor Janet Nguyen addresses the Garden Grove Rotary Club at their April luncheon.
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| LOCAL ISSUES |
* The following articles are for informational purposes only and are not necessarily intended to imply endorsement or support.
Orange County
Save the Date for OC Water Summit
Protect Orange County's water supply by taking part in the OC Water Summit hosted by Orange County Water District and the Orange County Business Council on May 15, 2009. Awareness of the water crisis alone will not be enough to halt the further decline of our state's water infrastructure.
Learning how to preserve Orange County's water supplies will require our united effort. OC residents are all encouraged to attend. The registration fee of $95 includes breakfast, lunch, program materials and self-parking. For more information, click here.
May 19th Special Election Update
The newly approved postage rate for the U.S. Postal Service will go into effect during the return period for mail-in ballots for the May 19, 2009 Special Election.
The Postal Service has approved a 2-cent increase in the price of first-class stamps, bringing the rate to 44-cents. These new prices will go into effect Monday, May 11, 2009. However, the election is Tuesday, May 19, 2009, and vote-by-mail voters will be sending in their ballots during a time when this price increase will go into effect. Voters are encouraged to be aware of these changes and plan accordingly, either by mailing their ballots before the increase or making sure they have the updated postage stamps. While postal officials cannot refuse delivery of election ballots, having the correct postage prevents any inadvertent delays.
For more information on the postal increase, click here. For additional information about the May 19th Special Election, click here.
Gas Company Urges Enrollment in Assistance Programs
The Southern California Gas Company is urging customers to take advantage of the utility's Bill-assistance programs. Customers may be automatically eligible for the CARE program, California Alternate Rate for Energy if they currently receive benefits from the Women, Infants and Children; Healthy Families; Medi-Cal; Food Stamps; Temporary Assistance for Needy Families; or LIHEAP programs.The program provides a 20% discount on the monthly gas bill for eligible households.
Besides CARE, the Gas Company offers a variety of other financial assistance, appliance and home-improvement rebates, energy audits and energy-efficiency programs to assist its low-income, disabled and senior-citizen customers. For additional information on these assistance programs, click here.
Garden Grove
City Council Lifts Ban on Fake Grass
Residents of Garden Grove will be able to legally install artificial turf in their yards beginning next month as long as they maintain the prescribed portion of their yards reserved for live plants. This will help ensure adequate ground absorption and maintain the neighborhood's esthetics.
That was the verdict of City Council members Tuesday night after a 4-1 vote to approve the overturning of the current municipal ordinance ban on single-family homes. For interested residents, the Municipal Water District of Orange County offers a synthetic grass program, information is available here.
Santa Ana
Community Policing with eReporting
The Santa Ana Police Department encourages community participation in crime-reporting with the launch of the eReporting program. The online-tip-and-incident-reporting system aims to make it easier for residents to file basic police reports for cases that do not require investigative follow-up while freeing officers to handle more life-threatening emergencies. Approved reports are given a case number and are routed to a supervisor for review. Residents are also encouraged to send in tips on any kind of suspicious or criminal activity through the system. It is a misdemeanor to file a false report under CPC 148.5, before filing it is recommended you visit the department web site, here.
Santa Ana Receives Grant
The City of Santa Ana will receive a $400,000 grant from the state in the continued fight against gangs. The bulk of the grant will be allocated among the Police Athletic and Activities League, Parents Institute for Quality Education, Chicas for at risk girls, and Big Brothers-Big Sisters mentoring program.
Last year, the California Gang Reduction, Intervention and Prevention (CalGRIP) Program, strategically allocated approximately $31 million in state and federal funding towards anti-gang efforts. This year's $34.7 million will concentrate on providing resources to reduce gang violence, support programs for parents and at-risk youths, and intervention tactics to help protect our community.
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| REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS |
County of Orange
There are currently many new bids to contract with the County of Orange.
For more information, please click here.
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| Community Events |
City of Garden Grove
April 22, 2009 - Career Expo
The Coastline Garden Grove Center will be hosting a free career expo. More than 100 employers are expected to participate. There will be on-the-spot interviews as well as special workshops to improve your interviewing and resume writing skills. Business attire strongly suggested. For more information call (714) 241-6209 ext. 17318 or e-mail rdoncaster@coastline.edu.
City of Santa Ana
May 2 and May 3, 2009 - Cinco de Mayo Celebration
A free, family-oriented fair will be held to celebrate Cinco de Mayo on historic Fourth Street, Santa Ana from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm. The fair will include music, food, rides and games.
City of Westminster
May 9, 2009 - Mother's Day Tardeada
Coastline and the LULAC Women's Council of Orange County will host their Mother's Day Tardeada from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Coastline's Le-Jao Center. The event will include Mexican food, dancing and special children's activities. For tickets and more information please call (714) 241-6284 Ext. 17414.
To contact Supervisor Janet Nguyen, please call 714-834-3110 or email Janet.Nguyen@ocgov.com. |
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