May 11, 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 |
Restaurant Town Hall a Success On Thursday, May 7, 2009, Supervisor Janet Nguyen, Garden Grove Mayor Bill Dalton and Garden Grove Councilman Andrew Do welcomed more than 150 business owners, restaurant managers and employees, and other interested residents, to a Town Hall on the new Restaurant Inspection Public Notification System. The town hall was co-hosted by Senator Tom Harman, Assemblyman Jim Silva and Westminster Mayor Margie Rice.
In December 2008, the Orange County Board of Supervisors approved a revision to the Restaurant 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."
"As your representative to the County of Orange, my goal is to assist owners and operators in the food service industry during this period of transition to the new notification system," said Supervisor Janet Nguyen.
These new designations will be prominently indicated on the Inspection Seal posted at each food service establishment to notify the public of the result of the most recent health inspection. This revision to the current seals will make the seals more informative and accessible to the general public.
"The Health Care Agency is working very hard to educate those in the food service industry to make sure that every business receives a "PASS" at their next inspection," said Richard Sanchez, Director of Environmental Health Services.
"The tremendous turn-out at the Town Hall shows the need for outreach and education in the community," said Garden Grove Councilman Andrew Do. "Keep in mind that better compliance, through education and outreach, ultimately saves businesses and the County money, by reducing the need for repeated inspections."
"Events like this serve an important educational function for the community," said Huntington Beach Union High School Trustee Matthew Harper. "Well informed business owners contribute to a successful community."
If you were unable to attend but would like information, you can view the material presented by Orange County Heath Care Agency's staff at the Town Hall at Supervisor Janet Nguyen's web site, here.
If you have additional questions, contact Robert Curtis of the Health Care Agency at (714) 433-6103 or via e-mail at rcurtis@ochca.com. For additional information about the new Restaurant Inspection Public Notification System, visit here.
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| Other Boards & Commissions |
OCTA
Renewed Measure M Web Portal The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) launched a new Web site to provide the public with the latest information and greater transparency on projects funded by Renewed Measure M, the half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements.
The Web site is divided into four sections: freeway, transit, streets and environmental initiatives. There is a wide range of data available to the public, including a section with multimedia downloads.
In addition, the site contains an area where the public can sign up to receive e-mail updates based solely on projects of personal interest.
Click here to visit the portal.
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| JANET AROUND THE FIRST DISTRICT |
Supervisor Janet Nguyen and John Wayne Airport Commissioner Cheri Pham celebrate the arrival of Virgin American Airlines to Orange County.
Supervisor Janet Nguyen, Virgin American CEO David Cush, Sir Richard Branson, Supervisor John Moorlach and airport director Alan Murphy join Virgin American Airlines staff in celebrating the arrival of Virgin American Airlines to John Wayne Airport.
Supervisor Janet Nguyen and Garden Grove Councilman Andrew Do welcome business owners, restaurant managers and employees to the First District's Health Care Agency Town Hall: How to Get a "PASS" in Your Food Inspection.
Supervisor Janet Nguyen encourages participants at the Working Wardrobes Annual Women's Day of Self-Esteem.
Supervisor Janet Nguyen and Garden Grove Councilman Andrew Do join OC Head Start Executive Director Lucia I. Palacios at the OC Head Start 2nd Annual Family Festival.
Supervisor Janet Nguyen joins District Attorney Tony Rackauckas and Chair Pat Bates in presenting a proclamation naming the week of April 27, 2009 Victim's Rights Week at the First Annual Victim's Rights March and Rally at the Old Courthouse in Santa Ana.
Supervisor Janet Nguyen joins Garden Grove Councilman Andrew Do to congratulate and thank the board members for the success of the Boat People of Vietnam's Memorial unveiling ceremony. (Picture courtesy of Hoan Pham)
Crowds gather at the unveiling of the Boat People of Vietnam Memorial located at Westminster Memorial Park. (Picture courtesy of Hoan Pham)
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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
Misleading Solicitations Alert for Businesses
The California Secretary of State's office has recently learned that solicitation letters are being sent to California businesses encouraging them to comply with their California Corporations Code filing obligations. These solicitations tell businesses to submit their fees and documents to a third party, rather than filing their Statement of Information forms directly with the Secretary of State's office.
Supervisor Janet Nguyen and the California Secretary of State's office want business owners and the public to know that these solicitations are NOT being made by the Secretary of State's office or any government entity.
These solicitations request that a fee and a completed form be submitted in order for the business to comply with applicable California law. The companies making these solicitations have no affiliation with the California Secretary of State's office. It is important for the public to know that NO business is required to go through another company in order to file its documents with the Secretary of State's office.
Statement of Information forms and instructions are available through the Secretary of State's Web site, here. The fee required to file the statement is $25 for California stock and foreign corporations and $20 for California nonprofit corporations and all limited liability companies. The Statement of Information can be submitted for filing via the Internet (here) and charged to a credit card. Filings can be made directly by mail and sent to:
Secretary of State
Statement of Information Unit
P.O. Box 944230
Sacramento, CA 94244-2550
If you have received a solicitation letter that appears to be misleading or confusing, please contact the California Attorney General's office at the California Department of Justice by calling (800) 952-5225 or through their Web site here.
Reminder: OC Water Summit on May 15th
Protect Orange County's water supply by taking part in the OC Water Summit hosted by the 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.
The Summit will be held at the Grand Californian Hotel at the Disneyland Resort from 7:30am-1:30pm. The registration fee of $95 includes breakfast, lunch, program materials and self-parking. For more information, click here.
Mortgage Fraud
With families risking losing their homes to foreclosure and attempting to modify their loans to avoid such foreclosure, people are vulnerable to predatory and fraudulent loan schemes. Supervisor Janet Nguyen is encouraging all homeowners to beware of loan modification frauds that are being perpetrated in the community.
The fraudulent scheme typically involves loan modification companies advising homeowners to stop making their mortgage payments or communicating with their lender because this would interfere with the loan modification process being handled by these companies. The homeowners are usually charged between $1,500 and $5,000, upfront, by these fraudulent companies.
These homeowners are promised a renegotiation of their mortgages and reduced monthly payments thereafter. Fake confirmations are then sent out notifying the homeowners that they are now placed in a "probationary" program and to submit their mortgage payments to the "Payment Processing Department." These payments are not credited, however, to the victims' home loans.
The Orange County District Attorney's Office is developing a Web site and a Citizen's Advisory Committee to help combat this type of fraud in Orange County. In addition, the Attorney General's office has issued the following tips to avoid being a victim of mortgage fraud:
- Do NOT pay money upfront to people who promise to work with your lender to modify your loan.
- Do NOT transfer title or sell your house to the foreclosure rescuer.
- Do NOT pay your mortgage payments to someone other than your lender or loan servicer, even if they promise to pass the payment on.
- Do NOT sign any documents without reading them first.
- Do NOT ignore letters from your lender.
Homeowners are encouraged to call your lender and contact your housing counselor approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) who may be able to help you for free at 1-800-569-4287 or at www.hud.gov.
If you think you have been a victim of mortgage fraud, you can file a complaint with the Attorney General's Office, here.
Tips for Orange County Homeowners with Pets Facing Foreclosure
The ongoing foreclosure crisis has many families going through big changes and family pets are becoming the silent victims as homeowners leave them behind. With this alarming rise in pet abandonment, Dr. James Gardner, a licensed animal rehabilitation specialist has put together a brochure containing tips for Orange County homeowners with pets who are facing foreclosure:
- Never vacate your home and leave your pets behind, it is illegal and inhumane.
- If you are facing foreclosure and possible eviction, PLAN AHEAD on what you can do to keep your pets in good care.
- If you can't take them with you, find a temporary and safe place.
- If you can't find a temporary home, contact rescue groups.
- If you can't find a solution, call a shelter.
As a united front, our community can responsibly face the obligations toward our pets. For the full brochure, please visit the website by clicking here.
Garden Grove
Strawberry Festival Celebrating its 51st Year!
Mark your calendar, the Garden Grove Strawberry Festival celebration begins Friday, May 22. Starting out in 1958 as small community event, the festival has raised more than $5 million for local charities since its inception and has drawn more than 250,000 visitors from throughout southern California during the Memorial Day weekend each year.
The traditional Giant Strawberry Shortcake-Cutting Welcome Ceremony will open the four-day festivities. This year's theme is Honoring Our Healthcare Heroes. Professionals nominated by the community, as well as representatives from health care charities, will be honored in the Saturday morning parade. This year's Grand Marshall is long-time Hollywood actress and recent Dancing With the Stars contestant Cloris Leachman.
This four-day event offers 44 new and exciting carnival rides, autograph signings by celebrities who will appear in this year's parade, live entertainment, more than 100 booths to explore and delicious food. Visitors should also attend the Berry, Berry Beautiful Baby, Tiny Tots King and Queen, prettiest redhead and best Karaoke singers contests. For directions and additional information, please visit the festival's website, here.
Santa Ana
Santa Ana Zoo: Calling Animal-Lovers to Volunteer Programs
The Santa Ana Zoo offers many exciting volunteer opportunities.
If you like sharing the wonders of the animal kingdom with children, the weekday docent program is for you. Docents lead school tours and assist with the zoo's traveling outreach program weekday mornings. On the weekends, the Zoo Ambassadors share the Zoo's conservation message through hands-on artifact carts, activity stations, live animal encounters, public presentations, and other guest interactions. You must be able to work independently and have good public relations skills.
Please contact Tish at (714) 647-6562 for additional information or print an application here.
The Zoo also offers a Zookeeper internship during the summer months of May-September. Zookeeper interns are involved in all aspects of animal care in both the Crean Family Farm and the Main Zoo, including exhibit care and maintenance, diet preparation, enrichment, and behavior observation and documentation. Zookeeping is a physically demanding profession, subjecting interns to a variety of physical demands and environmental factors. To learn more, please download the Intern Information and Application Packet.
The minimum age requirement for all the above is 18.
For more information contact The Santa Ana Zoo at (714) 953-8555, Ext. 3 or click here.
Westminster
Support City Officers by Becoming a Police Volunteer
Law enforcement agencies often strive to meet public safety challenges with limited resources. Volunteers can help fill critical gaps in order to free officers to focus on other priorities.
To qualify, volunteers need to have an education level of at least a high school diploma or G.E.D. Specific assignments may require particular job skills or basic computer skills. Volunteers must be able to pass a background investigation, possess a valid California driver's license and provide the department with a medical clearance letter from their attending physician stating that they are in satisfactory health to perform the duties of a volunteer.
Volunteers are asked to donate a minimum of 16 hours per month to support the services of the police department. Uniforms and training will be provided to all police volunteers.
If you are interested, please contact the volunteer coordinator, Sergeant Tom Richard, for an application. He can be reached at (714)898-3315, ext. 856 or Thomasr@ewpd.org.
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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
May 16, 2009 - Asthma Screening at CHOC Breathmobile
The American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology will conduct its annual Nationwide Asthma Screening Program this May. Orange County-area allergists will offer free screenings for people who are experiencing breathing problems, such as chronic coughing, wheezing or shortness of breath at the CHOC Breathmobile from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
City of Santa Ana
May 20, 2009 -Payroll Tax Seminar
In partnership with the State of California Employment Development Department, the Orange County Small Business Development Center will be hosting a Federal/State Basic Payroll Tax Seminar at Rancho Santiago Community College District on May 20. This seminar will teach the basics of federal and state payroll taxes every business owner should know. Learn how to report taxes and how to distinguish between an employee and independent contractor. Price: Free Phone: (714) 564-5200
City of Westminster
May 23, 2009 - Digital Scrapbooking with Patty Debowski
If you can't find your photos and supplies in your computer this is the most important class you will ever take for digital scrapbooking! Learn how to organize your supplies and photos with Photoshop Element on Saturday, May 23 from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm at Scrapbooking Heaven. For more information, click here.
To contact Supervisor Janet Nguyen, please call 714-834-3110 or email Janet.Nguyen@ocgov.com. |
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