On Sunday night, the Jewish people will begin the two day observance of Rosh Hashana, the new year, 5780. To all who celebrate, I wish you a happy and sweet new year filled with abundant joy and blessings!

On August 13, the Board of Supervisors voted to file an Amicus Curiae brief asking the United States Supreme Court to review City of Boise v. Martin, a decision by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals that jeopardizes the ability of cities and counties to get people living on the streets into shelters and provide them with the services they need, and to move homeless people camping in hazard-prone areas to safety.

The brief was filed on September 24, by the Renne Public Law Group, on behalf of the California State Association of Counties and 33 concerned California counties and cities.

The Ninth's circuit decision in Martin V. Boise has tied the hands of local governments and made it more difficult to help homeless people off the street and into shelter, and to protect the public safety and public health of our communities.

The Supreme Court is expected to decide whether to hear the case by 2020.

You can read the brief here: https://rennepubliclawgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/19-247acCaliforniaStateAssociationOfCounties3.pdf

I have been working closely with the City of Newport Beach, Orange County Transportation Authority, Orange County Sheriffs Department, and Orange County Health Care Agency to address what had been a growing homeless encampment at the Newport Beach Transportation Center. You can read more about our efforts in the article below. 

I am grateful to the City, OCTA, the Sheriffs Department, and our County's Behavioral Health Outreach team as well as our partners at CityNet for their diligent efforts to provide support to those experiencing homelessness in the Second District, and for their work to protect our community's ability to safely access this public facility.

Homeless cleared from Newport Beach bus station

John Wayne Airport will for the first time provide long-term protection for small general aviation, and transparency for the public, with the Fixed Based Operator Request for Proposals approved by the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, September 10.

This Request for Proposals will keep the Board’s promise to the community by designating 34.6 acres of the total 60.2 acre general aviation area solely for planes under a 49-foot wingspan or not exceeding 12,500 pounds. 20.5 of those acres are located at the Northeast Fixed Based Operation, in an area that today has no size restrictions and is home to a full service FBO and many large jets.

This RFP will not open the door to larger planes. It will – for the first time – limit the size of planes in the majority of the general aviation area.

The decision to use a 49-foot wingspan or 12,500 pounds is based on FAA regulations which define these sizes of planes as “Aircraft Design Group 1” and “small aircraft,” respectively.

We’ve crafted this RFP to require all bidders to answer detailed questions about their plans. These include an operational plan for how the bidders will work with existing tenants, and a plan for managing the existing general aviation waiting list, as well as detailed layouts and plans of all structures and aircraft parking. Bidders will also be required to detail, among other things, their proposed hours of operation, any scheduled charter service, and their proposed rents for 40-foot, 50-foot, and 60-foot tie-downs, sunshades, 40-foot, 50-foot, and 60-foot individual hangars, and rent per aircraft type for shared common-use hangars.

To ensure transparency, the County will make Respondent’s questionnaire, conceptual renderings, and layouts available to the public after the evaluation panel’s scores have been completed and published and before voting to award a lease to any bidder.

These portions of the RFP will require bidders to present, in detail, the structures and rents they propose. The evaluation panel, the public, and the Board of Supervisors will be able to review all of the proposals and select those that best accomplish the goal of preserving the existing mix of planes on the airport.

John Wayne Airport will embark on a multi-year project to replace compressed natural gas (CNG) powered vehicles with electric zero emissions vehicles, funded in part by the Airport Zero Emissions Vehicle and Infrastructure Pilot Program (ZEV) administered by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The $2.1 million grant will provide 80% funding for the purchase of three zero emissions shuttle buses, charging equipment, and infrastructure modifications.

“John Wayne Airport is an industry leader in environmental policy best practices,” stated Orange County Board of Supervisors Vice Chair Michelle Steel. “The implementation of an entirely electric fleet of shuttle vehicles is one more example of our commitment to sustainable technologies.”

The Airport requested ZEV program funds as part of a four-year plan to replace CNG-powered shuttle buses with electric counterparts.  During the first phase of the project, expected to cost approximately $2.6 million, the Airport will purchase three 35-foot electric shuttle buses, and install electric charging stations and supporting electrical infrastructure. The Airport plans to replace approximately three CNG-powered vehicles per year through the remaining phases of the project.

John Wayne Airport shuttle buses provide transportation between the Airport terminal and the public and employee parking lots on Main Street. Based on the estimated timeline for procurement, installation and infrastructure improvements, the new electric shuttle vehicles should be operational in early 2021.

For more information about John Wayne Airport’s Environmental Policies and Practices, please visit  www.ocair.com/aboutjwa/environmental

We all need to do our part to recycle right. To help, OC Waste & Recycling has launched a new online tool, the OC Recycle Guide... The simple and easy-to-use site makes figuring out where to bring items you want to recycle as easy as 1-2-3!

1. Visit OCRecycleGuide.com
2. Type in the item you want to recycle
3. Click for details on where to take the item

Can’t find the item you need? CLICK HERE to contact OC Waste & Recycling.

Together we can learn to recycle right and keep unnecessary waste out of our landfills.

For more tips on waste management and recycling, follow OCWR on social media @OCWaste.

Congratulations to Edible Arrangements of Costa Mesa on their 15th year in business.

It was a pleasure to have staff on hand to present a framed certificate of recognition commemorating their milestone. I wish them continued success in providing delectable arrangements and treats to the local community!

On September 14, I co-hosted a very informative Drowning Prevention Workshop in Seal Beach with Assemblyman Tyler Diep, and The City of Seal Beach. City Manager Jill Ingram led us in the Pledge of Allegiance, and Mayor Thomas Moore welcomed everyone in his opening remarks

I want to extend a big thank you to Seal Beach Marine Safety Chief Joe Bailey for working closely with my staff to arrange the guest speakers, run the audio/visual, and having Lifeguard Staff help with set up and clean up.

It was a pleasure to recognize this year’s four Honorees at the 22nd Annual Newport Beach Fire & Lifeguard Appreciation Dinner, hosted by the Commodores Club of the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce.

Each one was selected among their peers to receive their respective ‘Of the Year’ designation. Congratulations! I’m proud of all of you.

This incredible group of of local veterans does so many wonderful things for the Huntington Beach community and I was very proud to have staff recognize them with a resolution commemorating their Centennial Celebration, earlier today.

If you know an honorably discharged veteran in the HB area who desires to continue to serve his/her country, please refer them to www.hbpost133.com.

The 1/1 Marines Foundation and Newport Beach Police Officers Charitable Foundation held their annual Golf Classic Fundraiser this week in beautiful weather at the Newport Beach Country Club.

It’s a pleasure to be supportive of these two groups as they do so much for the families of Marines at Camp Pendleton, as well as other local groups and residents in the community.

Thank you 1/1 and NBPOCF for all you do. And thank you to all of those who took time out of your busy schedules to participate in the Classic!

I was honored to be part of South Coast Plaza’s 3rd Annual Autumn Harvest Festival. The exclusive event took place outside on the Garden Terrace and was well-attended by Dignitaries, VIPs, and invited guests.

This annual South Coast Plaza celebration represents the traditions of multiple Asian countries who each have their own names for what we know here as Thanksgiving, and is one of their most important holidays.

A big thank you to the Segerstrom Family, General Manager, David Grant, and his excellent staff for hosting the Autumn Harvest Festival. Each year it gets better and better!

It was a pleasure to join Supervisor Andrew Do at his annual Moon Festival in Mile Square Park - Freedom Hall.

There were hundreds of families present to participate in the fun and festivities. Of course, there was plenty of moon cakes to go around, and I had a blast handing out lanterns to everyone.

Congratulations Supervisor Do, his staff, and OC Parks on another successful event. Thank you for inviting me to be part of it.

It was a pleasure to attend the annual Tastemakers of Orange County Fundraiser hosted by the Orange County Asian Pacific Islander Community Alliance (OCAPICA), last night at the Segerstrom Center of the Arts - Argyros Plaza.

I was pleased to recognize Executive Director Mary Anne Foo and OCAPICA for the excellent work they do, and for another successful event offering delicious food every ten feet. I was so stuffed from all the sampling that I thought I would go into a food coma!

Congratulations OCAPICA on the sell-out crowd. I can’t wait until next year’s event.

What an honor and a joy it is to have such an awesome, Christ-centered, family-friendly event like Labour of Love Music Fest taking place in my District every year!

With all of the craziness going on, it is so important to have a light on the hill like ‘Labour of Love,’ for people to turn to. What a beautiful day it was!

Pastor Joe and Calvary Chapel of the Harbour are such a blessing to so many in Huntington Beach and the surrounding communities in my District. He and his wife, Kathleen, along with his staff and congregation, are truly a year-round light on the hill.