| October 24, 2014 |
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Volume 2 Issue 41 |
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| Supervisor Spitzer Provides a Third District Update to the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce Legislative Committee |
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(Portions courtesy of the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce)
Supervisor Todd Spitzer presented to the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce Legislative Committee an update on significant economic, transportation and public safety issues in Orange County and the Third District. Spitzer also spoke about the County’s efforts to deal with prison realignment as a result of AB 109 and its effect on local communities and public safety.
The Anaheim Chamber Legislative Committee meets to review key legislation that the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce and its membership support which includes policies that facilitate a business friendly environment and support the Anaheim Resort District. These policy areas generally include tourism, transportation, enterprise zones, taxation, business/regulatory reform and workforce development. |
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| Supervisor Spitzer Joins the Transportation Corridor Agency in the Field to Learn More about Mountain Lions |
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Justin Cox , Winston Vicars from Wildlife Health Center, School of Veterinary Medicine at UC Davis and TCA Consultant, Supervisor Todd Spitzer and Valerie McFall, TCA Director of Environmental Services |
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(Portions courtesy of the Transportation Corridor Agency)
Supervisor Spitzer joined the Transportation Corridor Agency and representatives from UC Davis to discuss issues surrounding the declining mountain lion population and mountain lion inbreeding. In 2011, the Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency contracted with the University of California, Davis to conduct an assessment of State Route 241, including its impact on landscape connectivity and wildlife movement, and to make recommendations for improvements if needed.
TCA requested the assessment due to concerns expressed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service regarding the efficiency of the wildlife crossings and associated fencing along a portion of the 241 Toll Road known as the Eastern Transportation Corridor (SR261-SR91).
In the study, Fractured Genetic Connectivity Threatens a Southern California Puma Population (Holly B. Ernest, T. Winston Vickers, Scott A. Morrison, Michael R. Buchalski, Walter M. Boyce, October 2014) the team found that overall connectivity for wildlife is negatively impacted by the 241 Toll Road primarily due to the wildlife-vehicle collisions and restricted movement of wildlife from one site of the 241 Toll Road to the other. One of the main conclusions in the study is that the new fencing and improved wildlife crossing areas are needed.
While in the field, Supervisor Spitzer and the group viewed a wildlife fence and jump-out ramp that is under construction. There are currently ten jump-out ramps along the toll roads, which provide wildlife an escape area that is off of the roadway.
Supervisor Spitzer also examined a wildlife undercrossing that was originally built to support the safe movement of wildlife under the toll road. The 241 Toll Road has seven wildlife bridge under crossings and there is one wildlife crossing on the 261 Toll Road. |
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| Supervisor Spitzer Broadcasts Live with Henry DiCarlo of KTLA-5 to promote the Halloween Zoo-tacular at Irvine Regional Park |
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Supervisor Spitzer, Henry DiCarlo, KTLA-5, Bernadette the porcupine and OC Parks Staff |
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(Portions courtesy of OC Parks)
Supervisor Todd Spitzer broadcasted live with Henry DiCarlo with KTLA-5 at the OC Zoo to promote the Halloween Zoo-tacular event on Saturday October 25, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
Families are invited to partake in a fun-filled spooky day of activities with the animals of the OC Zoo. At Halloween Zoo-tacular, guests ages 12 and under will trick-or-treat through the zoo and take part in a spooky scavenger hunt. Kids of all ages can create Halloween and fall-themed crafts and enjoy festive face painting. The OC Zoo animals will participate in the fun and receive treat-filled pumpkins and special Halloween treats throughout the day.
On October 25, the first 100 children ages 12 and under who visit the OC Zoo in costume will receive a special free holiday treat. Zoo admission is $2 per person (ages 2 & under are free). Irvine Regional Park also features train rides and a pumpkin patch. The park is located at 1 Irvine Park Road in Orange. |
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Click on the image above to view a PDF version. |
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| County Gives the OK for Renewable Energy Plant at Irvine Area Landfill |
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(Portions courtesy of OC Waste and Recycling)
A proposed state-of-the-art renewable energy plant to convert landfill gas to electricity has received the green light from the Orange County Board of Supervisors.
The Board, in a unanimous vote at its regular meeting on Oct. 21, gave the go-ahead for OC Waste & Recycling, the Department that manages the County’s three landfills, to revise and update a previous agreement with a private contractor to build a gas-to-energy facility at the county’s Frank R. Bowerman Landfill located in the foothills northeast of Irvine.
Under the agreement, Bowerman Power, a subsidiary of Pennsylvania-based Montauk Energy, will build a processing and power plant that captures landfill gas and converts it to energy. The gas, a natural byproduct of solid waste decomposition, contains significant amounts of methane, which is a prevalent greenhouse gas. Montauk Energy is a leading U.S. producer of renewable green energy from processed landfill methane.
“This is an environmentally friendly way to efficiently use natural resources to produce electricity for local communities," said Orange County Supervisor Todd Spitzer, who represents the 3rd District where the landfill is located. "It makes sense in so many ways. This will be a modern, state-of-the-art facility using the latest proven technologies."
The plant, which is expected to be completed and operational by early 2016, will at its peak output produce an estimated 155,000 megawatt hours of electricity per year, which is sufficient to serve about 14,000 homes. The electricity will be sold to Anaheim Public Utilities. The facility is expected to generate approximately $1.5 million in royalties for the county each year.
OC Waste & Recycling hosts three other successful landfill gas-to-energy projects. Two are at active landfills and one is located at the Coyote Canyon closed landfill. |
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| Supervisor Spitzer Attends the 43rd Annual Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast Hosted by the City of Orange |
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| Supervisor Spitzer attended Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast last week that was hosted by the City of Orange. The keynote speakers were Orange Mayor Tita Smith and former Angels pitcher David Foster who talked about faith in leadership. The opening prayer was led by Christian Business Men Connection Chairman Steve Garrison. |
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Former Angels pitcher David Foster and Orange Mayor Tita Smith |
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| Orange County Clerk-Recorder Establishes Marriage License and Passport Services at County Community Center |
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 (Portions courtesy of OC Clerk-Recorder)
The Orange County Clerk-Recorder Department now accepts and processes passport applications as well as issuing marriage licenses at the County Community Service Center, located at 15460 Magnolia Street in the City of Westminster, in conjunction with the other County services currently available at the community center.
Providing passport processing and marriage licenses are another step taken by Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen to increase accessibility to the services offered by his department. Previously, the department only offered passport processing at the Old County Courthouse in Santa Ana.
Passport services and marriage licenses at the County Community Service Center will be available between the hours of 9:00 AM and 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday. Applicants can apply for a passport book, a passport card or a marriage license at this location. |
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As an added convenience, applicants may purchase passport photos from the Clerk-Recorder Department on site. The fee is $15.00 for two photos. Applicants may also furnish their own photos that meet Department of State requirements.
Appointments are not required but are highly recommended. For more detailed information about fees for these services or to make an appointment, please click here. |
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| 18th Annual Treats in the Streets Autumn Festival Held Next Week |
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(Portions courtesy of the City of Orange)
The ghosts, witches, Jedi, and princesses will all come out to play in the historic Old Towne Orange Plaza on Thursday, October 30. The City of Orange celebrates the fall season with family trick-or-treating at the 18th Annual Treats in the Streets Autumn Festival. This free community event will be held in the Old Towne Orange Plaza, where Glassell Street meets Chapman Avenue.
Festivities will include "Trick or Treating" at participating Old Towne merchants from 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM followed by a costume parade. Fun activities, games, interactive displays, entertainment, and delicious food booths will be provided by local non-profit groups for a nominal fee. People of all ages are encouraged to dress in costume, but adults are asked to refrain from wearing masks, and everyone is advised to leave pets at home.
For information on this event and other City of Orange special events, please click here or call the special events hotline at (714) 744-7278. |
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| Congratulations to the Irvine Unified School District Board of Education on the Groundbreaking of Portola High School |
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Supervisor Spitzer’s Senior Policy Advisor Carrie O’Malley, Irvine Unified School Board President (IUSD) Sharon Wallin and IUSD Superintendent Terry Walker |
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(Portions courtesy of Irvine Unified School District)
The Irvine Unified School District broke ground at the site of the future Portola High School this week. The site for this new 2,400-student high school rests just east of the Orange County Great Park, which is being developed on the site of the former El Toro Marine Corps Air Stations that was decommissioned in 1999. Portola High School is scheduled to open in the fall of 2016.
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| Risk of Ebola Outbreak in the United States Remains Low |
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 (Portions courtesy of the OC Health Care Agency and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to receive an Ebola update next week. In addition to receiving a briefing, Supervisor Spitzer has pushed for Orange County to participate in a drill. UCI Medical Center will be staging a drill in the next seven to ten days to practice response and to demonstrate their preparedness in handling an Ebola Case and Supervisor Spitzer has requested that Orange County participate in this drill.
The Orange County Health Care Agency is working with community partners, including healthcare facilities, to assure that our community is prepared to safely care for and respond to a suspect case.
Three cases have been diagnosed in the United States. There are no cases of Ebola or known contacts to cases in Orange County or anywhere else on the West Coast of the United States. The first case of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) diagnosed in the United States was confirmed on September 30, 2014 in Dallas, Texas. The 2014 West African Ebola outbreak has been centered primarily in the countries of Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. As of October 12, nearly 9,000 Ebola cases have been identified throughout Africa and nearly half have died.
Containment is a coordinated effort at all levels of government as well as the private sector. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides guidance to local health departments, emergency medical services providers, hospitals and the public. For more information from the OC Health Care Agency regarding Ebola click here. |
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| Pet of the Week |
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Click on the image above to view a PDF version. |
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| Events Around the District |
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Click on the image above to view a PDF version. |
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Anaheim
Magic Show at East Anaheim
Saturday, October 25, 11:00 AM
East Anaheim Branch Library, 8201 Santa Ana Canyon Rd.
WALL-E and R2D2 Come to Canyon Hills Library
Saturday, October 25, 2:00 PM
Canyon Hills Branch Library, 400 Scout Trail
Irvine
Spooktacular Saturdays
Saturday, October 18, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Orange County Great Park
Certified Farmers Market
Sunday, October 26, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Orange County Great Park
Orange
Halloween Zoo-tacular
Saturday, October 25, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
OC Zoo in the Irvine Regional Park, 1 Irvine Park Rd.
Irvine Park Railroad Pumpkin Patch
Daily through Friday, October 31, 10:00 AM
Irvine Regional Park, 1 Irvine Park Rd.
Tustin
Farmers Market
Wednesday, October 29, 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
El Camino Real & 3rd St
Halloween Howl
Friday, October 31, 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Columbus Tustin Activity Center, 17522 Beneta Way
Villa Park
Halloween Fest
Thursday, October 30, 4:30 PM-7:30 PM
Villa Park Towne Centre
Yorba Linda
Trunk or Treat
Friday, October 24, 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Messiah Lutheran Church, 4861 Liverpool St.
Concert at Richard Nixon Library
Concert Pianist Ann Patrick Green featuring Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue
Sunday, October 26, 1:30 PM
Richard Nixon Library, 18001 Yorba Linda Blvd.
For questions or comments regarding Spitzer’s E-Newsletter
please contact the Supervisor's office staff at: (714) 834-3330 or Melanie.Eustice@ocgov.com
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