On Wednesday, July 1st, I hosted a roundtable discussion with Orange County hospital executives to hear their experiences on the frontlines of COVID-19.

The meeting included hospital executives from: Orange County Global Medical Center, Kindred Hospital- Brea, Kaiser Permanente, Encompass Rehabilitation, St. Jude Hospital, Providence St. Joseph, Foothill Regional, Orange Coast/Saddleback Medical Centers, Fountain Valley Regional Medical Center, Kindred Hospital-Westminster, UCI Medical Center, Garden Grove & Huntington Beach Hospitals, Kindred Hospital- Santa Ana, West Anaheim Med Center/La Palma Hospital, Chapman & South Coast Global Medical Centers, and included a representative from the Orange County Medical Association. The Hospital Association of Southern California was instrumental in bringing this group together.

The hospital executives shared the importance of returning to regular procedures for residents in need of medical care, about their surge preparations, as well as their need for more Personal Protective Equipment, testing supplies, and support as hospitalizations rise and they begin to prepare for flu season.

One executive mentioned the positive results they’ve seen from the experimental drug Remdesivir as a treatment, and another said they are seeing fewer intubations and less use of ventilators as they learn and improve their response.

We had a robust discussion about data and will continue to work together to release more detailed and consistent and accurate information on COVID-19 hospitalizations, such as how many positive patients are hospitalized because COVID-19 as opposed to other illnesses.

We will continue to work together with hospitals and our health care agency staff to ensure our frontline medical professionals have what they need to treat patients.

As policy makers, we need to have the most accurate data possible when making decisions and providing transparent information to the public. These ongoing discussions with hospitals will help us do that. 

It was a pleasure to honor Father Michael St. Paul of Saint Polycarp Catholic Church and School in Stanton over the weekend of June 20th.

After ten years of faithful and dedicated service to his parish and surrounding community, Father Michael is being reassigned within the Orange County Dioceses. His parishioners came out to thank and say goodbye to their beloved church leader.

Staff was on hand along with Stanton Mayor Dave Shawver to present Father Michael a well-deserved resolution commemorating his time at Saint Polycarp. I wish him Godspeed for many more years of service unto his church and new parishioners.

On the morning of June 29, 2020, I joined city, state and healthworkers, as well as Supervisor Doug Chaffee, to commemorate the opening of the Buena Park Navigation Center.

On June 29th, I had to pleasure to participate in the Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the Buena Park Navigation Center.  The Buena Park Navigation Center represents the coordination and commitment from the 12 partner cities of the North Service Planning Area to address homelessness and provide solutions that benefit the region.

It is a transitional, temporary homeless facility which will provide a stable setting with healthcare and other resources to help clients permanently transition off the streets.  Its goal is not to simply manage individuals experiencing homelessness, but rather to end homelessness. 

John Wayne supported the movement to make the US a home to Vietnamese refugees, he was an ardent supporter of our men and women in uniform, and his family foundation has been a national leader in cancer research.

As an immigrant to our country, I am extremely sensitive to the actions and statements of people who perpetuate and make racist statements. The comments by John Wayne from 50 years ago are wrong and sad from someone who so many people across America hold in high regard. 

While I have experienced racism first-hand, I do believe that a person should be judged on the totality of their actions and contributions to society which is why I support keeping the name John Wayne Airport. 

John Wayne’s contributions to families in Southern California and across America live on to this day. He personally worked to assist Vietnamese refugees resettle in America, many of whom still live here in Orange County. The John Wayne Cancer Foundation’s investments in research have resulted in groundbreaking treatments and the establishment of a cancer institute in Santa Monica. Because of his dedication to our military and country, Mr. Wayne received both the Naval Heritage Award and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the United States.

Due to Orange County’s qualification to move forward on California’s “Resilience Roadmap”, Orange County businesses that offer personal services such as nail salons, body waxing and tattoo parlors were permitted to open their doors on Friday, June 19th.

80% of nail salons in California are owned by Vietnamese-Americans, many of which are right here in Orange County. While we have continued to open more businesses, these hard-working people were excluded. I am delighted that  these nail salons were finally able to open their doors. It had been far too long and these businesses have suffered as a result. I hope that with this next step, these nails salons will be able to quickly recover from their losses.

Please take a look at the Board of Supervisors Meeting from June 23rd. 

Part 1: https://ocgov.granicus.com/player/clip/3732?view_id=8

Part 2: https://ocgov.granicus.com/player/clip/3734?view_id=8

Please Take a Look Below at a message from the County of Orange Community Divestment Division:

Effective July 1st, job seekers can now borrow laptops and
hotspots for free at the Orange County One-Stop Center in Garden Grove.

The County of Orange Community Investment Division has 25 laptops and hotspots available to increase job seekers’ access to workforce development programs and services offered during this critical period.

The laptops and hotspots are now available for checkout to all County residents, enabling dislocated workers free access to apply for jobs, unemployment insurance (UI) benefits, and access to the Virtual OC One-Stop Center for support. To borrow a laptop and hotspot, job seekers can contact the OC Economic and Business Recovery Call Center at (714) 480-6500 and complete a telephone application.

The laptops and hotspots will be available for checkout as a pair at no cost.

The County continues to look for ways to help residents whose jobs may have been impacted by COVID-
19. Job seekers can now borrow these laptops and hotspots for free to research and prepare for their next career move.

Please Take a Look at this Message from OC Public Libraries: 

OC Public Libraries has been one of two Orange County organizations chosen to receive a grant of $15,000 to host the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Big Read. Lab Girl by Hope Jahren was selected to be the focal read for Orange County, and activities will take place in Spring of 2021.

The NEA Big Read offers a range of titles reflecting many different voices and perspectives, with an aim to inspire conversation and discovery. OC Public Libraries selected Lab Girl for its focus on the sciences. Program offerings will include Science Technology Engineering Arts Math (S.T.E.A.M.) activities, guest speakers, and other engaging offerings that keep library users connected with Lab Girl.

The County is grateful to be chosen again for the NEA Big Read grant and looks forward to OC Public Libraries providing quality programs with this year’s award.

On June 25th, 70 years ago, the armed forces of North Korea staged an unprovoked invasion across the 38^th parallel into South Korea, only five years after the carnage of the Japanese occupation. Just when it was starting to rebuild, the newly formed Republic of Korea was invaded by the communist forces of the North. The carnage lasted three years, and over 162,000 Koreans, 36,000 Americans and countless others died defending the newly formed republic. 

Korea was the front line of the conflict between freedom and tyranny. After three years of carnage and changing lines of control, the people of South Korea were finally free of the destruction that had plagued their nation for so long. Over the decades we saw South Korea flourish into an advanced, first world nation who today provides the world with some of the most advanced technology ever made. South Korea’s ability to rise out of the rubble of war to the prosperity we see today in just a decade is a testament to the perseverance, strength, intellect and resolve of the Korean people. South Korea is clean, safe, developed, has low crime, low unemployment, low homelessness and a high standard of living. Its counterparts in the North suffer under tyranny. Because of the bravery of the Korean people and our valiant allies, South Korea avoided this fate.

Being Korean myself, and representing the large number of Koreans that live in Orange County, this day carries much significance to my Korean constituents and I. We look back upon this day to commemorate the dead that fought for the freedom of the Korean people, to preserve the prosperity that South Korea has and to ensure that one day the people of North Korea will be free from their bondage and join the South in that prosperity. 

On July 4th, 1776, The Second Continental Congress voted to separate itself from British rule after over a year of conflict starting with the Battles of Lexington and Concord. This culminated into the beginning of the greatest experiment that the world has ever seen. On this 244th anniversary of the decision by our founding fathers to venture forth on a new journey free from the tyrannical clutches of King George III, we must always remember the sacrifices that these men made to ensure the freedoms we hold so dearly today. God Bless America!