Header Image of Supervisor Janet Nguyen
August 15, 2013

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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. ORANGE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (OCTA)

2. ORANGE COUNTY WASTE & RECYCLING (OCWR)

3. JOHN WAYNE AIRPORT

4. JANET AROUND THE DISTRICT

5. REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

6. CITY OF GARDEN GROVE

7. CITY OF SANTA ANA

8. CITY OF WESTMINSTER


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Volume 7 Issue 3
 
Janet's Journal


Another amazing summer is coming to an end, families are out enjoying all of the great recreation that Orange County has to offer, and I’m happy to bring you the news from around the First District!

On August 17, 2013, my office, along with the Central County Foundation, the O.C. Office on Aging and Lestonnac Free Clinic will be co-hosting the Central County Senior Resource and Health Expo at Concorde College in Garden Grove. The event, which will take place from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., will feature free educational workshops, health screenings, as well as dental services and physician examinations for participants age 55 and over. Services will be provided on a first-come, first-serve basis, while supplies last.

Thanks to a partnership with Abrazar, CalOptima, Caregiver Resource Center, Mariners Church and the Social Services Agency, the Senior Expo seeks to educate older adults and their caregivers by hosting an event that displays the many services and programs that are available to Orange County’s older adult population.

The Expo will also showcase two educational workshops covering Arthritis/Joint Pain and Diabetes, both prevalent issues among older adults. Participants will also enjoy over 25 resource booths offering related services and programs for seniors and their caregivers. Some of the health screenings will include: Carotid Artery Tests, DermaScan Screenings, Driving Assessments and Bone Density Tests. Medi-Cal, CalFresh (Food Stamp) and MSI Applications will also be taken on sight.

Events such as this make services more accessible while providing preventative healthcare measures that will ultimately save millions of dollars to the taxpayers by preventing trips to the emergency room for basic healthcare needs. This event could not happen without the generosity and time from our hundreds of volunteers.

I hope to see you there!

OCTAORANGE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (OCTA)

I -405 To Fully Close This Weekend

The San Diego Freeway (I-405) is scheduled to be fully closed in both directions from 9 p.m. on Saturday, August 17 through 5 p.m. on Sunday, August 18, between the San Gabriel River Freeway (I-605) and Valley View Street in Westminster.

Although this 20 hour full freeway closure has the potential to disrupt traffic for the hundreds of thousands of people who use the I-405, it is necessary so crews can demolish the bridge linking the southbound I-405 to eastbound Garden Grove Freeway (SR-22) as part of the West County Connectors project. For the safety of the construction workers and the traveling public, we ask motorists to plan ahead and avoid using the freeway in this area.”

For those who aren’t able to avoid the I-405 during the closure, there are several detour routes that will be clearly signed.

Drivers heading north on I-405 should use one of the following detours:
  • Exit Beach Boulevard and turn right; take the westbound SR-22 on-ramp to reconnect with northbound I-405
  • Exit Westminster Avenue (east) and turn left; turn right on Bolsa Chica Road; take the westbound SR-22 on-ramp to reconnect with the northbound I-405
  • Exit Valley View Street and turn left on Garden Grove Boulevard; turn right on Valley View Street; take the westbound SR-22 on-ramp to reconnect with northbound I-405
Drivers heading south on I-405 should use one of the following detours:
  • Exit Studebaker Road and turn right; turn left on E. 2nd Street / Westminster Avenue; continue on Westminster Avenue to access southbound I-405
  • Merge onto northbound I-605; exit Katella Avenue and turn right; turn right on Valley View Street to access southbound I-405
Drivers traveling south on I-605 should use the following detour:
  • Exit Willow Street and turn right; turn left on Studebaker Road; turn left on E. 2nd Street / Westminster Avenue; continue on Westminster Avenue to access southbound I-405
Drivers traveling on 7th Street / eastbound SR-22 should use the following detour:
  • Merge on northbound I-605; exit Katella Avenue and turn right; turn right on Valley View Street to access southbound I-405
The $277 million West County Connectors project will improve traffic flow by directly connecting carpool lanes on I-405, I-605 and SR-22. In addition, a second carpool lane will be constructed on I-405 between SR-22 and I-605. The 6-mile project traverses the cities of Garden Grove, Westminster, Seal Beach, Los Alamitos, Long Beach and the community of Rossmoor. Started in 2010, construction on the West County Connectors project is expected to be complete in late 2014 or early 2015.

For more information regarding the upcoming closure, visit www.octa.net/bridgebash

Bravo! Bus Service Provides Faster Travel Times for Commuters on Harbor Boulevard

Bravo! Route 543 – the new limited-stop bus service along Harbor Boulevard – began operating in June, giving commuters an opportunity to make it to their destination more quickly.

The Orange County Transportation Authority service will have distinct blue and orange buses with Bravo! branding. The service will run 12 miles along Harbor Boulevard stretching from the Fullerton Transportation Center, through Anaheim, Garden Grove, Santa Ana and ending at MacArthur Boulevard in Costa Mesa.

Bravo! Route 543 shares some of the same stops as current Route 43, with stops farther apart at major transfer points and major destinations. Route 543 only has 15 stops, reduced from 52 stops. Route 543 averages more than 13,000 riders each weekday. This route has the highest daily volume of riders in the County.

The Bravo! Route 543 fare remains the same as regular OCTA service: $2 per boarding or $5 for a day pass. Service runs between 5 a.m. and 6 p.m. on weekdays only.

Route 543 is designed to travel faster down Harbor Boulevard and passengers are encouraged to use pre-purchased bus passes instead of cash to help speed up the ride. OCTA offers a variety of pre-paid bus passes that can be purchased at any Orange County Ralphs, Vons, Pavilions or Northgate market, or at the newly installed bus pass vending machine located at the Fullerton Transportation Center.

The launch of Bravo! marks OCTA’s continued effort to improve bus service and create more efficient ways for passengers to travel throughout the County. After managing through the recession, OCTA has started increasing bus service by adding back approximately 60,000 service hours to address on-time performance and overcrowding on the most heavily traveled routes.

For more information, please contact (714) 636-7433 or visit www.octa.net.

OCTA introduces On the move Blog for customers, county residents and stakeholders

OCTA recently introduced its new blog, On the move, a digital hub and social media platform designed to provide its customers and stakeholders with timely and accurate news and information about OCTA programs, services and people in a user-friendly, easy-to-access format.

On the move includes a wide variety of articles ranging from community outreach activities and bus service milestones to Metrolink promotions, freeway construction project updates, the launch of the new Bravo! limited stop service and more.

OCTA is committed to government transparency through an open line of communications with its customers and stakeholders. As a result, On the move will include features designed to encourage readers to share stories and information with their friends and social networks.

I invite you to become better acquainted with On the move, and hope that you will take full advantage of everything that it has to offer.

Second Bikeways Workshop Planned for September

OCTA will host its second bikeways planning workshop in September as part of the 1st and 2nd District Bikeways Collaborative. Participants will review the District 1 and 2 bikeways strategy, which identifies regional bikeway corridors that connect employment centers, transit stations, colleges and other areas.

Since the first workshop in May, the bikeways strategy was refined as the project team worked with local jurisdictions and stakeholders to analyze and rank regional bikeway corridors.

During the next bikeways workshop, OCTA staff will give a brief presentation on the draft corridors, which will be followed by a roundtable discussion where participants will rank each corridor.

Following completion of the District 1 and 2 bikeways strategy, OCTA will develop feasibility studies for the top ranking corridors.

The 1st and 2nd District Bikeways Collaborative is a coordinated planning effort led by OCTA involving the County of Orange, Caltrans, and the cities of Buena Park, Cypress, Costa Mesa, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Newport Beach, Santa Ana, Stanton, and Westminster. One of the primary objectives of the collaborative is to build consensus on regional bikeway corridors and to help position local jurisdictions for funding opportunities.

View a map of all the bikeways in Orange County here.

ORANGE COUNTY WASTE & RECYCLING

OC Waste and Wastewater Workforce Forum

The County of Orange, OC Workforce Investment Board, and the OC Sanitation District would like to invite you to attend the OC Waste and Wastewater Workforce Forum on Thursday, October 3rd at 8am to 11:30 am. . The Forum will take place at the Rancho Santiago Community College District (2323 N. Broadway, Santa Ana). To RSVP, please call (714) 480–6500.

JOHN WAYNE AIRPORT

If You See Something, Say Something

The If You See Something, Say Something campaign is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and administered by the Santa Ana and Anaheim Police Departments. This campaign encourages the public to “Keep OC Safe” by being aware of their surroundings and reporting suspicious objects or activity to Airport Police Services. A giant 10-foot tall, red backpack has been making iconic appearances at various locations throughout Orange County to remind people to use common sense to report things that do not seem right. The backpack has been seen at the OC Fair and Angel Stadium, and is currently installed in JWA’s Terminal C. To learn more about the campaign and see photos of the red backpack, visit www.keepocsafe.org

 JANET AROUND THE DISTRICT



Supervisor Janet Nguyen attends a reception for Mexican Diputado Salvador Barajas Del Toro, hosted by California State Senate Republican leaders at the Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Pictured from left to right, State Senator Bob Huff, California Board of Equalization Vice Chair Michelle Steel, former United States Treasurer Rosario Marin, and Diputado Salvador Barajas Del Toro.



Supervisor Nguyen introduces the Boogaloo Assasins at the Summer Concert Series at Mile Square Park on August 1, 2013. This was the second year that Mile Square Park hosted the Summer Concert Series, just one of a number of events, including the annual Fishing Derby, now hosted by the park through the efforts of Supervisor Nguyen.



Supervisor Nguyen presents Mimi Lozano with a Proclamation celebrating her retirement from the Society of Hispanic Historical and Ancestral Research (SHHAR). Ms. Lozano co-founded SHHAR in Orange County in 1986 and most recently served as its President. On July 27, 2013, SHHAR honored Ms. Lozano for her 27 years of continuous leadership and service, not only to SHHAR, but also to the community, state, and country. SHHAR is a non-profit, all-volunteer organization who helps Hispanics and Latinos research their family history.



Supervisor Nguyen appears on Cox Cable’s OC Connection on July 9th with Lacy Kelly, CEO of the Association of California Cities – Orange County (ACCOC) to discuss CalOptima and the upcoming implementation Affordable Care Act.





Supervisor Nguyen appears on Time Warner Cable’s Local Edition with host Leslie Leyton on July 26th to discuss the upcoming Senior Health Expo and similar events that make services more accessible while providing preventative healthcare measures that will ultimately save millions of dollars to the taxpayers by preventing trips to the emergency room for basic healthcare needs.

 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.

 CITY OF GARDEN GROVE

City Hall Passport Services By Appointment Only
Passport services at Garden Grove City Hall are now available Monday through Thursday, by appointment only. Services are provided through the City Clerk’s Office, located on the second floor of Garden Grove City Hall, at 11222 Acacia Parkway.

Appointments can be made by either calling the City Clerk’s Office at (714) 741 - 5040, or through the City’s website at www.ci.garden-grove.ca.us.

Passport photos are also available through the City Clerk’s Office for $10.

A certified original birth certificate or an original naturalization certificate is needed for U.S. Citizens seeking passports. All passport application fees may only be paid by check or money order.

Application forms, information on required documentation, fees, and other passport and international travel information are available at the official passport information website, www.travel.state.gov.

Help Them Help You
The Garden Grove Police Department is launching a campaign to reduce pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities in the City. In 2012, nearly twice as many people were killed in traffic collisions than in previous years in Garden Grove, and these fatalities often involve pedestrians and bicyclists. Fatalities occur because of distracted, speeding, or intoxicated drivers. However, drivers aren’t always at fault. Pedestrians and bicyclists often get killed as a result of not abiding by laws that apply to them, such as using designated crosswalks. Thus the Garden Grove Police Department is working to reduce pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities in the City. For more information, or to provide sponsorships, please contact the Garden Grove Police Department Community Liaison Division at (714) 741-5760.

Adopt-A-Tree Program
The City of Garden Grove is offering residents an opportunity to preserve the environment and the memory of a loved one through the City’s Memorial Tree Program. The cost of the program is $55; this includes the planting of a tree selected by the resident and City staff, and a donor certificate. For more information, contact the Public Works Department at (714) 741-5384.

 CITY OF SANTA ANA

Santa Ana Police Department Introduces e-Police Reporting
The Santa Ana Police Department has introduced a Citizens Online Police Reporting System which allows residents to submit a police report immediately and print a copy of that police report for free. The system is made for non-emergency crimes that are committed within the City of Santa Ana and where there are no known suspects. To file a report or for additional information on this system, please click here.

Bowers Museum – Free Days for Santa Ana Residents
Courtesy of the Lockhart Family and a generous donation in the memory of Dorothy Goerl, the Bowers Museum is pleased to offer free admission to Santa Ana residents, with proof of residency (e.g., driver's license, utility bill, etc), on the first Sunday and third Tuesday of every month. Bowers Museum is located at 2002 N. Main St, Santa Ana, CA 92706.

Drop-In Family Art Inventions
Every Friday, Saturday, & Sunday from 10am-4pm, the culturally and artistically enriching Kidseum’s Art Lab provides a hands-on experience for children ages 4 and up by creating innovative and unique art projects. Discover arts and crafts from around the world, with new techniques and materials each weekend. Parents and/or grandparents welcome! Phone: 714-480-1520 Fee: Free to Museum members or with paid admission ($6 Children & Adults; children under 2 – Free)

This event is located at Bowers Kidseum, 1802 N. Main Street, Santa Ana, CA 92706.

 CITY OF WESTMINSTER

Día de la Familia
Hosted annually by the Westminster City Council, this “Day of the Family” provides an opportunity for residents and surrounding communities to participate in a cultural celebration of family and friends. The event is held at Sigler Park, 7200 Plaza Street on Sunday, September 12th at 1:00 p.m.


To contact Supervisor Janet Nguyen, please call 714-834-3110 or email Janet.Nguyen@ocgov.com.