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On August 17, 2013, my office, along with Lestonnac Free Clinic, Central County Foundation, and the O.C. Office on Aging, co-hosted the 4th Annual Central County Senior Resource and Health Expo at Concorde College in Garden Grove. The collaborative partnership of the different public agencies, non-profits and private businesses made this possible. Over 1,000 older adults gathered there to receive free physician examinations, dental services, health screenings and educational information at no cost. The success of this year’s event belongs to the almost 400 volunteers that donated their time and expertise to the day long event.
The Expo presented a dynamic program with over 25 resource booths offering services and programs for seniors, as well as two educational workshops simultaneously transmitted in English, Spanish and Vietnamese.
This year the Senior Expo enhanced its program of educational workshops and health screenings to include dental and medical services because there are many older adults who do not have health insurance and/or are ineligible for Medicare until age 65. By providing access to these services we all seek to help and improve the health of our older adults which subsequently results in significant savings for Orange County’s taxpayers, by preventing trips to the emergency room for preventive care.
Thanks to Lestonnac Free Clinic and Mariner’s Church, over 100 seniors received dental services and over 200 seniors received physician examinations. Electrocardiograms (EKG) were also available onsite; one patient was identified as having an abnormal EKG which if left untreated would have led to a cardiac event in the coming months. Lestonnac Free Clinic has generously offered to care for the patient at no cost.
I am extremely grateful to the volunteers who woke up bright and early to donate their time and expertise. This included medical doctors, dentists, registered nurses, dental and medical assistants, as well as students and youth groups. The willingness of so many volunteers to help at the Senior Expo is a testament of the high regard that our seniors hold in our community as a whole.
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 | BOARD OF SUPERVISORS |
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Orange County Recognized Nationally with “Best of the Web” Award
Orange County was recently awarded the Center for Digital Government’s 2013 Best of the Web Award for the innovation, functionality, productivity, and performance displayed by its recently re-launched website, www.ocgov.com.
The new homepage features a fresh look, enhanced features, and streamlined navigation designed to improve visitor experience.
For the past 15 years, the Best of the Web Awards program has honored outstanding official government websites, including those at the city, county, and state levels.
For more information about the program, please visit http://www.govtech.com/cdg/digital-government-achievement/Best-of-the-Web--Digital-Government-Achievement-Awards-2013.html.
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| ORANGE COUNTY WASTE & RECYCLING |
New Director of OC Waste & Recycling Selected
On August 21, 2013, the County’s Chief Operating Officer announced the selection of Dylan G. Wright as the new Director of OC Waste and Recycling. Having served as the department’s Interim Director since May 2013 and with 17 years of combined public and private sector solid waste industry experience, Mr. Wright has demonstrated a track record of leadership and responsibility.
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 the OC Waste and Wastwater Workforce Forum on Thursday, October 3rd at 8am. The Forum will take place until 11:30am at the Rancho Santiago Community College District (2323 N. Broadway, Santa Ana). To RSVP, please call (714) 480 – 6500.
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| ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT |
Sheriff’s Department Hosts First County-Wide Citizen’s Academy
The Sheriff’s Department hosted their first ever county-wide Citizen’s Academy to provide Orange County residents with an understanding of the law enforcement profession. In past years the Academy has been limited to cities that have a contract with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department to provide public safety services, which does not include any cities in the First Supervisorial District. However, this class was open to all residents in Orange County and included citizens who live in each district.
Congratulations to First District graduates Bill Cunningham, Lizeth Ochoa, David O’Reilly, Alba Puente, Alejandro Ramirez, Jawdat Ziq!
Summer/Labor Day National Anti-DUI Crackdown
The Orange County DUI Task Force joined the “National Crackdown to Reduce Drunk Driving Fatalities” task force to crack down on drunk driving. The effort has resulted in a significant number of DUI arrests from local routine traffic enforcement. During the first week of the enforcement period officers representing 38 county law enforcement agencies arrested 316 individuals for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
The DUI Task Force has been aggressively looking for drunk drivers during the crackdown and will arrest anyone caught driving drunk. Police, Sheriff and the CHP encourage all motorists to help make your community safer - report drunk drivers by calling 9-1-1. Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
For more information, visit the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” Campaign Headquarters at www.TrafficSafetyMarketing.gov.
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 | ORANGE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (OCTA) |
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I-405 Reopens Following Successful Bridge Bash
The San Diego Freeway (I-405) reopened after being closed between the San Gabriel River Freeway (I-605) and Valley View Street in Westminster. After closing the I-405 freeway at 9 p.m. on August 17, crews worked around the clock and were able to complete the bridge demolition and reopen the freeway hours earlier than the original 5 p.m. target.
The nearly 18-hour full freeway closure was necessary so crews could demolish the bridge linking the southbound I-405 to eastbound Garden Grove Freeway (SR-22) as part of the West County Connectors project. Construction of a new connector bridge was completed late last month and is now being used by drivers.
Approximately 70 workers used more than 50 pieces of equipment, including 10 excavators, to chip away at the bridge while the freeway surface below was protected with steel plates. The concrete from the bridge demolition will be recycled and used on other parts of the project.
For more information regarding the closure, visit www.octa.net/bridgebash.
OCTA Presents to City of Santa Ana’s Environmental and Transportation Advisory Committee
City staff members and local residents participated in a meeting to hear an update on the San Diego Freeway (I-5), Costa Mesa Freeway (SR-55) to Orange Freeway (SR-57) project.
With the project in the environmental phase, the OCTA team outlined the alternatives for adding a second high-occupancy vehicle lane (HOV) or carpool lane as well as suggested alternatives for the southbound I-5 First Street on-ramp.
OCTA project representatives will present information to the Santa Ana City Council prior to a public hearing scheduled for this fall. OCTA project team members will also meet with the residents of Morrison Park Neighborhood Association on Thursday, Aug. 15 to discuss these freeway improvements. For more information, please visit http://www.octa.net/Freeways-and-Streets/Santa-Ana-Freeway-%28I-5%29/Central-County-I-5-Improvements/
OCTA Earns National Recognition
On August 1st, the National Procurement Institute announced that OCTA’s Contracts Administration and Materials Management (CAMM) Department had won the 18th Annual Achievement of Excellence in Procurement Award.
This award recognizes organizational excellence in procurement. Public and non-profit organizations are eligible to earn the award by obtaining a high application score based on standardized criteria that are designed to measure innovation, professionalism, e-procurement, productivity and leadership.
OCTA is one of only 36 government agencies in California and one of only 23 special districts in the United States to receive the award. This is the third year in a row and fourth time overall that OCTA has received this prestigious honor.
The CAMM Department of OCTA develops and issues solicitations for all goods, inventory items, consultant and professional services, and public works (construction) projects. The Contract Administrators employed in CAMM are responsible for purchasing activities and are the primary point of contact for vendors. Click here to learn more.
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| JANET AROUND THE DISTRICT |
Supervisor Janet Nguyen greets seniors at Central County Senior Resource and Health Expo on Saturday morning.
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Seniors visit over 25 resource booths offering services and programs for seniors and their caregivers
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Volunteer dentists perform extractions and fillings at no cost during Central County Resource and Health Expo.
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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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| CITY OF GARDEN GROVE |
Local News
Re-Imagine Downtown
Starting August 26th, the residents of Garden Grove are invited to help City leaders develop new ideas aimed at improving the City’s downtown district. A special six-month, online forum has been created by the City for members of the community to share their thoughts and ideas on a variety of topics. To learn more about the city’s Re-Imagine Downtown program you can visit the campaign’s website here.
Harbor Blvd Joins Anaheim Resort
On August 20th, the City of Garden Grove announced the official re-naming and re-branding of the City’s highly trafficked tourist area along Harbor Boulevard, from Chapman Avenue to Garden Grove Boulevard. The Grove District – Anaheim Resort is the product of a partnership between the cities of Garden Grove and Anaheim to market the area as a major tourist destination.
Nine brand-named hotels, including the Embassy Suites and Hyatt Regency, and five popular restaurants, currently comprise the Grove District. Several major additions to the resort area are also in the works.
Information will soon be available on the Grove District wesbsite at www.grovedistrict.com
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
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| CITY OF FOUNTAIN VALLEY |
Community Events
Free Business Workshop
On Tuesday, September 24th, the Fountain Valley Public Library and the Fountain Valley Chamber of Commerce will host a free business workshop from 6:00pm – 9:00pm. The workshop will be held at the Fountain Valley Public Library, 17635 Los Alamos, Fountain Valley.
For more information call (714)-962-3822 or email info@fvchamber.com.
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| CITY OF SANTA ANA |
Local News
The Academy in Santa Ana Opens its Doors
On Thursday, August 22, 2013 Santa Ana’s newest charter school, The Academy, welcomed its first freshman class of 127 students. Led by the Orangewood Children’s Foundation, The Academy will serve both foster children and children from the community, focusing on science, technology, engineering, art and math.
The newly opened school consists of temporary facilities, including six class rooms, a food service room, offices, a tented lunch area, a ball field and basketball court. Future expansion of the campus will be comprised of modular buildings, a permanent classroom building, and on-site housing for those students who need a stable living environment to excel academically.
For more information about The Academy and how they are serving the community, please visit their website at http://www.theacademyiscoming.org.
Public Library Now Offers Downloadable E-books
The Santa Ana Public Library is now providing residents of Santa Ana greater access to library material than ever before. Library patrons are free to download e-books and audiobooks anytime and anywhere from the library’s website at http://www.santa-ana.org/library.
Users can access the library’s digital collection using their valid Santa Ana library card and pin number. From there, patrons can download their e-books and audiobooks to their PC, Mac®, or mobile devices.
To keep up with the latest news, events, and programs at the Santa Ana Public Library, “like” the library’s official Facebook profile at: www.facebook.com/SantaAnaPRCSA.
Community Events
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.
This Bowers Museum is located at 2002 N. Main St, Santa Ana, CA 92706.
To contact Supervisor Janet Nguyen, please call 714-834-3110 or email Janet.Nguyen@ocgov.com.
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