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Todd Spitzer - Board of Supervisors, Supervisor, Third District

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November 10, 2016 Volume 4 Issue 30

 
Dear Friend:

As we approach Veteran’s Day, I am filled with pride and admiration for the great work and sacrifice that Veterans make to secure our freedom and to keep Orange County the best place to live and work.

In Orange County, there are an estimated 133,000 veterans. Veterans are heroes. They are men and women who sacrificed their personal comfort, safety and time with their families to defend the freedom based values that make the United States of America the greatest County in the world.

This Veteran’s Day, please take a moment of personal reflection with your families and if possible, consider attending a Veteran’s event in your community. It is my honor and privilege to thank the Veterans in Orange County and throughout the United States of America.

God Bless,


Todd Spitzer, Third District Supervisor
Orange County Board of Supervisors
 
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DROWNINGS IN ORANGE COUNTY
YEAR DROWNING INCIDENTS FATALITIES
2016* 75 31
2015 118 50
2014 86 43
*2016 data is for January through November 10, 2016

 
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Supervisor Todd Spitzer Helps Kick Off the Race at the 26th Annual Dino Dash

Tustin School Board Member Lynn Davis, Supervisor Todd Spitzer, Irvine Council Member Jeffrey Lalloway, Tustin Council Member Chuck Puckett, Tustin Public Schools Foundation Executive Director Carol Burby Garrett and Tustin Mayor Pro Tem Allan Bernstein
 
Supervisor Todd Spitzer helped to kick off the 5k race at the 26th Anniversary Dinosaur Dash, which is held at the Market Place in Tustin. As a former high school English teacher and a former School Board Trustee, Supervisor Spitzer was glad to help with the event. Over 6,968 people registered and participated at the event and over 700 people volunteered.
 

Runners at the Dino Dash
 
Events included the timed 5K and 10K, the non-timed 2K “Fun Run” and the non-timed 15K and 50K bike tours. The Expo featured Dino Dash sponsor booths, Tustin Unified School District school booths and activities. All proceeds benefit the Tustin Public Schools Foundation and Tustin Unified students and schools. The event has raised more than $2.5 million in its first 24 years.
 
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Supervisor Todd Spitzer Hosts the Senior Abuse Awareness Town Hall

Orange Police Department Detective Pasino, Dr. Kerry Burnight, US Postal Inspector Rocio Gonzalez, Orange Council Member Fred Whitaker, Supervisor Todd Spitzer, Orange Police Chief Tom Kisela and Orange City Manager Rick Otto
 
Supervisor Todd Spitzer, the County of Orange, the City of Orange and the Orange Police Department hosted a Senior Abuse Awareness Town Hall at the Orange Senior Center. The community was invited to learn more about the warning signs and how to prevent and report abuse that includes mail fraud, financial scams and physical abuse against seniors.
 

Attendees joined in the Pledge of Allegiance
 
If you believe you are a victim of elder abuse or know someone who is please report it by calling the numbers below. In an emergency, call 9-1-1.

Orange County Adult Protective Services (800) 451-5155

Call Orange County Adult Protective Services to report senior abuse. Help is available 24 hours day and night.

Council on Aging (714) 479-0107

Call the Council on Aging for advocacy, services, prevention, education and support.
 
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Supervisor Todd Spitzer and the Board Recognize Alzheimer’s Orange County

Supervisor Todd Spitzer, Jackie Mark, Vice President Alzheimer's Orange County, Patty Barnett Mouton, Vice Chair Michelle Steel, Chair Woman Lisa Bartlett and Supervisor Andrew Do
 
Alzheimer’s Orange County was recognized today at the Board meeting for providing hands-on support and access to resources for families in Orange County and surrounding areas when facing memory loss, Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia, while continuing to advance research for a cure. For more information, click here
 
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Supervisor Todd Spitzer and the Board Commend the Pulmonary Hypertension Association

Supervisor Todd Spitzer, Chair Woman Lisa Bartlett, Pulmonary Hypertension Association Representatives Anna Apodaca, Chris Morres and Noel Holly, Vice Chair Michelle Steel and Supervisor Andrew Do
 
The Board recognized the Pulmonary Hypertension Association for their action to raise awareness and to provide education and services to those effected by pulmonary hypertension. High blood pressure in the lungs is called pulmonary hypertension (PH) or pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). PAH is a chronic and life-changing disease that can lead to right heart failure if left untreated. For more information, click here.
 
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Villa Park Rotary Helps Orangewood Kids

Supervisor Todd Spitzer’s Policy Advisor Martin Gardner with Members of the Villa Park Rotary Club and Orangewood Children and Family Center Staff
 
(Portions courtesy of the Villa Park Rotary Club)

Members from the Villa Park Rotary Club came together with a representative from Supervisor Todd Spitzer’s office and staff at the Orangewood Children and Family Center (OCFC) to present much needed kitchen supplies and recreational equipment to benefit the kids at Orangewood.

OCFC serves as an emergency shelter and multiservice center for Orange County’s abused and neglected children and their families. The comprehensive and intensive services provided by OCFC comprise a valuable and critical component of the continuum of care for foster youth- especially for those with the most severe and challenging needs. It is a 24-hour care facility that provides refuge each year for over 1,000 children who have been removed by police officers or child protective services workers and placed into protective custody. For more information about Villa Park Rotary click here http://www.rotaryclubofvillapark.org/. For more information about the Orangewood Children and Family Center click here.
 
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Supervisors Renew Agreement for Popular Library eBooks

 
(Portions courtesy of OC Public Libraries)

Popular eBooks and digital audiobook titles will continue to be offered at Orange County Public Libraries branches, thanks to the extension of a contract approved this week by the Board of Supervisors.

The agreement with OverDrive Inc. will expand the current collection of eLibrary materials to meet the growing demand of patrons for high-quality and diverse library materials.

OC Public Libraries greatly expanded the availability of eBooks and digital audiobook titles to users in 2008 through its website, www.ocpl.org. As e-Reading gained popularity, e-Library downloads surged, increasing from 5,673 downloads of material in 2008 to 40,486 in 2015. The contract approved this week will allow the libraries to purchase more high-demand titles.

The contract with OverDrive was extended for an additional year, at $500,000 a year, with an option for two additional one-year periods. OverDrive supplies a secure lending platform for 22,000 libraries, schools and retailers worldwide with support for all major computers and mobile devices.

To search the libraries’ selection of eBooks, go to www.ocpl.org and click on “eLibrary” on the top horizontal menu bar. From the drop-down menu, select “Online Resources” and then click the “OverDrive” box. That will take you to a listing of available downloads.
 
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County Approved for Whole Person Care Pilot Project
(Portions courtesy of County Executive Office)

The County of Orange has been approved through the state Department of Health Care Services for a five-year project to implement the Whole Person Care (WPC) pilot program, which is designed to ensure a more holistic approach to targeting the impacts of homelessness, and promoting mental and physical wellness.

The Board of Supervisors approved the application for the funding in June, pledging to contribute local matching funds of $2.35 million dollars annually over five years from Mental Health Services Act dollars and tobacco-settlement funds. The County will receive a match in federal dollars, with total spending reaching $23.5 million over the course of the program.

The WPC goals are consistent with the County’s ongoing efforts to take a broader approach to meeting the needs of those without permanent housing. The HCA proposal includes WPC Connect which would alert participating entities when a patient experiencing homelessness enters an emergency room. Upon notification of a non-urgent situation, the County’s community partners would connect the individual to recuperative care or other supportive services.

“This is tremendous news for Orange County and our efforts to provide additional support for our vulnerable residents who are without permanent housing,” said Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Lisa Bartlett, Fifth District, who collaborated with the Health Care Agency and CalOptima to pursue the application.

“This pilot project will allow greater collaboration between local hospitals, community clinics, CalOptima and our community partners to improve the efficiency of the services that we provide to individuals in need of support,” said Vice Chair Michelle Steel, Second District.

“Orange County is addressing the underlying causes of homelessness," said Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do, who has led the county’s comprehensive response to homelessness. "This pilot program will work to reduce emergency room visits by identifying each person’s medical and social service need.”

In 2015, Orange County taxpayers paid the Medi-Cal bills for 5,918 homeless patients that accessed local emergency rooms. More than 1,000 of these patients visited Orange County emergency rooms more than once within a three-month period. The Whole Person Care program will work to reduce these frequent emergency room visits by coordinating medical, behavioral health and social service programs to meet the individual needs of these high-risk Medi-Cal members.

“Every person’s situation is unique. For some, it’s serious mental illness. Other people may struggle with substance abuse,” explained Supervisor Do, First District. “Our goal with this pilot program is to deliver personalized solutions that keep people off the street and out of the ER.”

“Emergency rooms are impacted and we need to increase capacity so that people have access to medical care when they really need it. Working with the homeless in a holistic way that addresses health, addiction, job reentry and mental health services will free up beds in emergency rooms in ways we haven’t seen before,” said Supervisor Todd Spitzer, Third District. “The Whole Person Care Project and the opening the new Kraemer Homeless Shelter and Service Center will help eliminate homelessness is Orange County.”

“The approval of this pilot project is a reflection of our commitment to combine resources to achieve results that are beneficial to Orange County and to the greater community,” said Supervisor Shawn Nelson, Fourth District. “We need and welcome lots of partners to address the issue of homelessness and its many components.”

Participating hospitals and community clinics have agreed to redirect a portion of their existing allocations of tobacco-settlement funds toward the pilot program and to develop homeless outreach and care-coordination positions within their emergency room departments.

Upon final approval of the WPC agreement with the state, HCA will reconvene a WPC Collaborative to begin implementation and will also work with Susan Price, the County’s Director of Care Coordination, to convene a WPC Steering Committee as directed by the Board. HCA will return to the Board of Supervisors within the next few months for approval of the necessary agreements with participating entities including: infrastructure development, navigation and outreach services, and recuperative care.
 
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OC Public Libraries Offer Career Online High School

 
(Portions courtesy of OC Public Libraries)

OC Public Libraries is now offering adults, age 19 and over, the opportunity to earn an accredited high school diploma through Career Online High School (COHS). COHS is specifically designed to reengage adults into the education system and prepare them for entry into post-secondary career education or the workforce.

Classes are supported by board-certified instructors and students have 24/7 access to the online learning platform. Students are able to graduate in as few as 4 to 6 months by transferring in previously earned high school credits. To learn more about this exciting new program, prospective students can visit the library’s website at www.ocpl.org.
 
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TCA and Caltrans Seek Public Comments for Proposed 241/91 Tolled Express Connector Project

 
(Portions courtesy of the Transportation Corridor Agencies)
 

 
The Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA) and the Department of Transportation (Caltrans) are studying the construction of a proposed median-to-median tolled Express Connector directly linking the 241 Toll Road with the 91 Express Lanes near the Orange County and Riverside County border. A Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Report / Environmental Impact Statement has been prepared and is available for public review and comment through Jan. 9, 2017.

During peak commute times, more than 40,000 daily drivers travel between Orange County and the Inland Empire and there is currently no direct connection between the 241 Toll Road and the 91 Express Lanes. The new 241/91 Tolled Express Connector would offer an alternative to the existing general purpose connector, which requires traveling across five general purpose lanes on State Route 91 (SR-91) to reach the current carpool lanes and future extension of the 91 Express Lanes scheduled to open in mid-to-late 2017 in Riverside County.

The proposed 241/91 Tolled Express Connector is expected to reduce traffic congestion on the SR-91 general purpose lanes, improve traffic flow and enhance safety by reducing weaving across multiple non-tolled lanes and by providing a direct connection between the 241 Toll Road and the 91 Express Lanes, and help achieve regional goals of reducing emissions by improving movement in congested areas along the 241 Toll Road and SR-91.

TCA and Caltrans welcome the public’s comments at this time. Members of the public can review the environmental document through Jan. 9, 2017 by visiting thetollroads.com/241-91Connector and can submit comments by:

E-mail: D12.SR241-91ELC@dot.ca.gov

Mail: Smita Desphande, Generalist Branch Chief
Caltrans Distrct 12 / “ATTN: 241-91 DSEIR/EIS Comment Period”
1750 East Fourth Street, Suite 100
Santa Ana, CA 92705 or

Phone: (657) 328-6533

The public is invited to an open house style public meeting to learn about the proposed project as well as to provide comments about improving regional mobility for drivers who travel between Orange and Riverside Counties.

The meeting will take place from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 29 at the East Anaheim Community Center located at 8201 E. Santa Ana Canyon Road, Anaheim. For those unable to attend the meeting in person, a pre-recorded virtual public meeting will be available for viewing at thetollroads.com/241-91connector.

While early in the process, the public is encouraged to become familiar with the project and provide input, which is essential to ensuring a successful outcome. The project’s environmental phase is expected to be completed in late 2017, if approved, construction would begin in mid-2018.
 
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Pet of the Week

Click on the image above to view a PDF version.
 
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Events Around the District

Click on the image above to view a PDF version.
 
Anaheim
City of Anaheim Veterans Day Celebration and Memorial
Friday, November 11, 11:00 AM
Anaheim Veterans Memorial Monument, 241 S. Anaheim Blvd.

Preschool Storytime
Friday, November 18, 10:30 AM
Canyon Hills Library – 400 S. Scout Trail

Irvine
Veterans Day Ceremony
Friday, November 11, 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM
Irvine Civic Center, One Civic Center Plaza, Irvine

Farmers Market
Sunday, November 13, 10:00 AM
Orange County Great Park, 6950 Marine Way

Orange
Veterans Day Tribute
Friday, November 11, 2:00 PM
Veterans Memorial at Depot Park, 100 North Atchison St.

Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them Celebration
Saturday, November 19, 2:00 PM
Orange Public Library & History Center, 407 E. Chapman Ave.

Silverado
Thanksgiving Potluck
Saturday, November 26, 1:00 to 4:30 PM
Silverado Community Center, 27641 Silverado Canyon Road

Tustin
Farmers Market
Wednesday, November 16, 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
El Camino Real & 3rd St.

Thanksgiving Brunch
Wednesday, November 23, 2016, 11:00 AM
Tustin Area Senior Center, 200 South “C” Street

Villa Park
Preschool Storytime
Wednesday, November 16, 9:00 AM & 9:30 AM
Orange County Public Library – Villa Park Branch, 17865 Santiago Blvd.

Yorba Linda
Veterans Ceremony
Friday, November 11, 10:00 AM
Richard Nixon Presidential Library & Museum, 18001 Yorba Linda Blvd.

Veterans Memorial at Veterans Park, 4756 Valley View Ave.
Friday, November 11, 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Yorba Linda Community Center, 4501 Casa Loma Ave.


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
 
Table of Contents
orange arrow Supervisor Todd Spitzer Helps Kick Off the Race at the 26th Annual Dino Dash
orange arrow Supervisor Todd Spitzer Hosts the Senior Abuse Awareness Town Hall
orange arrow Supervisor Todd Spitzer and the Board Recognize Alzheimer’s Orange County
orange arrow Supervisor Todd Spitzer and the Board Commend the Pulmonary Hypertension Association
orange arrow Villa Park Rotary Helps Orangewood Kids
orange arrow Supervisors Renew Agreement for Popular Library eBooks
orange arrow County Approved for Whole Person Care Pilot Project
orange arrow OC Public Libraries Offer Career Online High School
orange arrow TCA and Caltrans Seek Public Comments for Proposed 241/91 Tolled Express Connector Project
orange arrow Pet of the Week
orange arrow Events Around the District
DISTRICT STAFF
 
Jeffrey Lalloway
Chief of Staff

Melanie Eustice
Communications Director

Dennis Bauer
Policy Advisor

Martin Gardner
Policy Advisor

Al Tello
Special Policy Advisor

Kassee Moseley
Executive Secretary

Sarah Robinson
Office Assistant

 
 
District Map
third District Map
Anaheim, Irvine, Orange, Tustin, Villa Park, Yorba Linda, El Modena, North Tustin, Orange Park Acres, the Canyon Communities
 
 
Stay Updated!
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