On September 27, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill (AB) 1595 into law. The bill allows Cal Vet to study, acquire, design, develop, construct and equip a state-owned and state-operated Southern California Veterans Cemetery at Gypsum Canyon in Anaheim Hills.

We have come a long way since 2018 when the Board unanimously voted to approve a proposal that I brought forward with then-Supervisor Todd Spitzer to transfer approximately 283 acres of County-owned space to the OC Cemetery District for a State Veteran’s Cemetery. It is both a privilege and an honor to be in a position where I can help to properly give back to those who have served us all so valiantly with a final resting place.

My Chief of Staff, Van Tran, and I had the honor of meeting with South Korea Consul General, Youngwan Kim last month. We talked about the strong economic and cultural ties between Orange County and South Korea. As Supervisor for the First District, I’m proud to have the Hyundai Headquarters in the city of Fountain Valley as well as the historical Korean Business District in the city of Garden Grove.

On September 17, we celebrated the 2nd Annual Sunset Classic Car Show & Concert at Mile Square Park in Fountain Valley with family, friends, and neighbors.

The free family-friendly event featured a variety of gourmet food trucks, a display of classic and unique cars, and live performances by:

- Family Style

- Skynyrd & Frynds tribute band

- No Duh, a No Doubt tribute band

- DJ Mike

Thank you to all our performers, car owners, Orange County Parks staff, and all our volunteers for making this an incredible event! And for those that celebrated with us, I hope you enjoyed the show!

Click here to view the video from the event.

More than 6,000 friends and neighbors came out to Mile Square Park on September 10 to celebrate the annual Moon Festival.

Also known as Mid-Autumn Festival, or Tết Trung Thu in Vietnamese, the Moon Festival is a celebration that I started eight years ago.

Every year, families across Orange County come to Mile Square Park to enjoy live performances and receive a free lantern and a mooncake for their kids. It was heartfelt to see so many families celebrate the Moon Festival together.

Thank you to all our performers, volunteers, Orange County Sheriff's Explorers, park rangers, and everyone who made this event possible. Special thanks to our sponsors: Orange County Parks and CalOptima.

Click here to view the video from the event.

Last month, I attended the 2022 NAMI California Statewide Conference and was honored to be a panelist for one of the breakout sessions. I was also proud to attend the conference along with the OC Health Care Agency, CalOptima - our county’s Medicaid health plan, and MindOC - a non-profit that was selected by the Board of Supervisors to manage Be Well OC.

Community partners like NAMI play an important role as a mental health resource for Orange County. I knew about NAMI and their work way before I became a county supervisor. And learning about their work inspired me to begin this trip of discovery into the world of mental health after I got elected to the Board.

Thank you to the countless individuals and families that make up NAMI for the tireless work that you perform day in and day out to help out those in need.

On August 16, representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mayors of Orange County’s coastline cities, and fellow OC Board of Supervisors joined Rep. Michelle Steel at the Balboa Pier to share an update on the Surfside-Sunset & Newport Beach Replenishment Project.

Back in March of this year, Congress approved and signed into law $15.5 million in funding that will go towards the project and aid the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the beach repair, which is more than a decade overdue.

The sand replenishment project is more than just preserving coastal space for recreation; it is important in preventing flooding and other infrastructure damages caused by eroded shorelines. I am proud to see local, state, and federal lawmakers working together to get the funding we need to protect our coastlines.

For more information on the project, visit: https://steel.house.gov/sand-erosion

The Historic Water Tower House on the Pacific Coast Highway, bordering Sunset Beach and Seal Beach, remains one of the oldest and most unique landmarks of Southern California. It was built in the 1800s to service steam engines that traveled the California coast.

In late August, I had the honor of presenting a Board Resolution to the newest owners of the landmark Water Tower, Dr. Gregg DeNicola, and his wife, Mary DeNicola.

Gregg, a doctor with 35 years of Family Medicine practicing experience and the co-founder of Caduceus Medical Group, and Mary, a nurse practitioner, focus their time on keeping Orange County healthy, while also running their “Pretty Darn Quick” urgent care centers countywide.

In the 1940s, the 75,000-gallon tank held more than 300 tons of water and stood at nearly 90 feet tall. In the 1980s, it was at risk of being removed until a successful “Save Our Water Tower” movement was created. Once the tower was saved, the structure was bought independently and redesigned with the vision of transforming the tower into a house.

On September 26, OCTA commemorated 50 years of public bus service in Orange County with an event attended by former board members and staff, including the first general manager of the bus system, Pete Fielding.

Parked next to the half-century-old diesel bus was a modern zero-emission OCTA bus powered by hydrogen fuel-cell electricity, with power steering and air conditioning – all technological advancements made during the last 50 years.

Bus service in Orange County began in the fall of 1972 when the then-Orange County Transit District began running five leased buses on just three routes. The price to ride the bus back then was 25 cents. Today, OCTA has more than 500 buses that serve passengers throughout the county.

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and to raise awareness of this important issue, the OC Health Care Agency hosted the “Light Up Hope OC” press conference on September 20.

If you, or someone you know, is struggling with feelings of hopelessness, contact the National Lifeline by dialing or sending a text to 9-8-8 to connect with someone who can help. That number works 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and is available in multiple languages.

Remember, you’re not alone. Your life matters. YOU matter.

Rossmoor Neighbors!

As your new Orange County Supervisor, I would like to invite you to our Rossmoor Neighborhood Coffee on Thursday, October 13, 2022. I want to hear from YOU on how Orange County can better serve YOUR neighborhood.

If you are unable to attend, please do not hesitate to contact my office if I can ever be of any assistance.

Click here to RSVP.