| August 23, 2018 |
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Volume 6 Issue 28 |
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| Spitzer Joins Board to Direct County Staff to Investigate County Animal Adoption System |
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Supervisor Spitzer in 2015 with Karma, a wolf-dog hybrid he fought to save from euthanization. |
The Board of Supervisors and Supervisor Todd Spitzer directed County staff to research County adoption screening procedures in response to allegations that a dog was found with traumatic injuries after being adopted from the OC Animal Care shelter during a low-cost adoption event. The dog—Valerie, also known as Cargo—passed away and her fate was shared widely across social media and in the news.
“I have always fought for animal rights like I’ve fought for victims’ rights,” Supervisor Spitzer said. “I fought to protect Karma, and today I will fight in Valerie’s memory.”
Spitzer joined many in his outrage against abuse towards animals, but encouraged the County to use the alleged incident to make significant procedural changes to prevent abusers from adopting animals.
Spitzer joined Chairman Do to make the follow recommendations:
- Direct County staff to investigate OC Animal Care’s system to implement tools to better identify abusers.
- Encourage all Southern California shelters to meet and explore options to share data about known animal abusers to “flag” their information to prevent them from adopting in other shelters.
- Cooperate with other counties to identify best practices for screening people who want to adopt animals.
- Identify how to create and implement an Animal Abuse Task Force.
Supervisor Spitzer gave the analogy of people who “shop” pharmacies with fake prescriptions to receive the same medication multiple times to caution the County during these free pet adoptions—while intended to help place animals in loving homes that otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford the adoption fees—may also reach immoral people seeking to obtain multiple dogs for illegal dog fighting.
“We want to place these animals in loving homes,” Spitzer said, “Not inadvertently attract people who take advantage of the County’s empathy to adopt animals for illegal purposes.”
Supervisor Spitzer believes sharing information with animal care shelters in other jurisdictions to track crossover adoptions during free adoption events will help to find abusers from adoption dogs from multiple locations.
The OC Animal Care team cares deeply about the animals in the shelter and takes their safety seriously. Industry research has shown there is no correlation between free adoption events and increased animal abuse.
However, Supervisor Spitzer emphasized that these additional screening measures will help ensure our animals are only being adopted into loving, caring homes. |
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| Supervisor Spitzer Praises OCFA and OCSD on Monumental Air Operations Agreement |
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Supervisor Spitzer with OCFA Fire Chief Brian Fennessy and OCSD Sheriff Sandra Hutchens |
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Supervisor Spitzer joined officials from Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) and Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) to celebrate their new joint agreement for air operations.
The new joint aviation response plan provides for interagency cooperation and support in air response missions. The ultimate goal of the cooperative agreement is public safety. Prior to the agreement, jurisdiction questions arose over which agency would respond to a call, leading to tension between the two agencies both on the ground and in the air.
“Enough is enough, this nonsense is jeopardizing public safety and this cannot continue to go on,” Supervisor Spitzer said at the joint press conference.
Supervisor Spitzer, also on the OCFA Board of Directors, praised the agreement as a significant resolution to search and rescue operations, and said the interagency cooperation was already on display during the helicopter air efforts in fighting the Holy Fire.
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| Back to School Safety and Active Shooter Preparation |
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As the school year approaches, parents are getting their children ready for academic success. But the new school year provides an excellent opportunity for parents to talk to their kids about school safety.
School shooters are every parent’s nightmare, and many parents simply don’t know what to do. On Thursday, August 9, Supervisor Todd Spitzer brought together a panel of school safety experts to answer parents’ questions and to talk about what schools are doing to be prepared for an active shooter situation on campus.
Listen to Supervisor Spitzer’s wide-ranging conversation on active shooter school safety http://www.ocgov.com/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=78422.
Several parents on the call discussed their own fears regarding school campus safety and how they’ve approached school administrators, teachers, and their own children on the issue of school safety.
Supervisor Spitzer was joined by Sergeant Brennan Leininger of the Anaheim Police Department, Orange County Department of Education Program Specialist Christine Laehle, Lieutenant Pasquale Guida of the Santa Monica Police Department and Project Manager for Knowledge Saves Lives, and Paul Llanez, CEO of Knowledge Saves Lives.
Listen in and participate in Supervisor Spitzer’s next Tele Town Hall event by calling (855)-756-7520 extension 41657# on Thursday, September 19 at 5:30 pm for a conversation on preventing voter fraud. |
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| Updates: Holy Fire Breaks Out in Third District |
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Supervisor Todd Spitzer (R) and Garden Grove Fire Department Captain Thanh Nguyen talk to Fox 11 News about the Holy Fire on Friday, August 3. |
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Supervisor Todd Spitzer (R) and Garden Grove Fire Department Captain Thanh Nguyen talk to Fox 11 News about the Holy Fire on Friday, August 3. |
Supervisor Todd Spitzer sat down with Fox 11 News on Friday, August 3 to talk about what he’s called the “Holy Hell Fire” and Forrest Clark, who is charged with setting it. Supervisor Spitzer has been fighting against Assembly Bill 1810, which gives a free pass to defendants claiming a mental illness.
“It should come as no surprise that Clark is the type of person allowed under the law to apply for a 2-year diversion program in lieu of a lifetime prison sentence,” Supervisor Spitzer said, referencing AB 1810. “Our brave firefighters are putting their lives at risk to extinguish a blaze that now burned 18,000 acres and could force evacuation of 21,000 people.”
Reports of a fire in Holy Jim Canyon/Trabuco Canyon started coming in the afternoon on Tuesday, August 6. By the end of the day, the fire had swelled to several thousand acres and was at 0% containment.
The most recent update placed the first at nearly 23,000 acres and 91% containment. Thousands of personnel have been onsite responding to the blaze, and evacuation orders are in place for Holy Jim Cabins, Blue Jay Campground, and Falcon Campground.
After the Canyon 1 and 2 fires that swept his district last fall, Supervisor Todd Spitzer was at the forefront of advocating for expanded prevention measures to be enacted to respond faster and more accurately to wildfires.
“We can send a man to the moon, we can send a satellite to Mars, but we can’t predict when a large fire breaks out. Well, now we can,” Spitzer said at an Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) press conference unveiling a system of cameras on Santiago Peak that can detect smoke miles away. The system is one of the first in the state that in shows in real time the trajectory of a fire based on weather conditions and topography. Six cameras—four stationary and two that can swivel—are already in place, and additional towers housing a total of 100 cameras will be built in the next year.
View live footage from these cameras at http://www.alertwildfire.org/orangecoca/
The threat of wildfires has become a year-round concern in California. In wake of the high number of wildfires across the state, it is a good idea to review your family’s preparedness for a disaster. Visit Orange County Fire Authority for more: https://www.ocfa.org/SafetyPrograms/DisasterPreparedness.aspx.
Take the Online Home Assessment Quiz
Visit https://www.ocfa.org/RSG/HomeAssessment and take the quick home assessment form to estimate your home’s vulnerability to wildfire. Use the tips provided to help protect your home from a wildfire. Homes have a better chance of surviving wildfires because of what homeowners do to prepare for them ahead of time.
For more information, please visit the OCFA website or call (714) 573-6774 to schedule a wildfire home assessment.
Make a Disaster Plan
Meet with your family, neighbors, coworkers, and schools to create a plan, share responsibilities and work together as a team. Pick two places to meet (outside your home, in case of a sudden emergency or outside your neighborhood, in case you can't return home). Have an "out-of-state contact" for family members to call. For a card, visit www.ocfa.org. Post emergency numbers and teach children how to call 9-1-1 for assistance. Conduct fire and emergency evacuation drills and consider food and shelter for pets. |
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| Third District Interns Introduce OC Parks’ Movies in the Park |
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Beach chairs and blankets mean every seat is the best in the house at the OC Parks Sunset Cinema events. |
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Third District interns Jeremy and Kaylin introduced the movie, The Secret Life of Pets. |
Two of Supervisor Todd Spitzer’s Third District Interns Jeremy and Kaylin welcomed the crowd to the OC Parks Sunset Cinemas on Friday, August 10, for a free screening of The Secret Life of Pets.
OC Parks is hosting free movies throughout the County from now through September 14. |
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| Renovated Villa Park Library Now Open! |
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After much anticipation, the newly renovated and expanded Villa Park Library was unveiled on Friday, August 3.
The library features group and private study areas, computers, a self-service check out, a charging station for laptops and USB ports, and two conversation areas for book club meetings or group projects. A designated children’s area was redesigned to facilitate early-readers’ imaginations in the comfort of a new lily-pad rug, a calming green and navy color scheme, and low, deep shelving to make finding a new favorite book easier for children to reach.
Thanks to the Villa Park community for their help and support in making the renovation a reality. Special thanks to the Friends of the Villa Park Library, which contributed almost $20,000 for the renovations.
Learn more about their work at http://www.friendsofthevillaparklibrary.org/. |
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| County of Orange Reports First Human West Nile Virus Infection of 2018 |
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A Tustin woman in her 70s was diagnosed last week with West Nile Virus (WNV) encephalitis. She is the first human WNV infection identified in Orange County, California this season.
In 2017, there were 38 reported human infections of WNV and 4 WNV-related deaths reported in Orange County. Most people who become infected with WNV do not experience symptoms, but about 20% will develop fever and may have headache, body aches, nausea, tiredness and sometimes a skin rash. More serious symptoms, such as severe headaches, neck stiffness, confusion, muscle weakness or paralysis, occur more rarely, but people who develop these symptoms should seek medical care immediately. People over 50 years of age and those with certain medical conditions are at increased risk of serious complications from WNV infection.
“West Nile Virus is endemic in Orange County, recurring every year during the summer months and continuing into the fall,” said Dr. Eric Handler, County Health Officer. "The best way to avoid West Nile Virus infection is to take precautionary measures to avoid mosquito bites.
Recommended WNV precautions include:
- Emptying all standing water on your property to reduce areas in which mosquitoes may breed, including flower pots and pet bowls
- Making sure your window and door screens are in good condition
- Using insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or products containing IR3535, always following label directions
- Limiting outdoor activity at dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most active
- Wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors
Information on mosquito control is available on the Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District’s website at www.ocvector.org. Other websites with helpful information about WNV include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention www.cdc.gov, State of California www.westnile.ca.gov, and OC Health Care Agency www.ochealthinfo.com/westnilevirus.
(Information courtesy of OC Health Care Agency). |
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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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Anaheim
Book Discussion for Adults
Thursday, August 23, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
East Anaheim Branch Library, 8201 East Santa Ana Canyon Road
FOCAL Summer Book Sale
Thursday, August 23, 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Anaheim Canyon Hills, 400 Scout Trail
Irvine
Splash-In Movie & Recreation Swim: The Secret Life of Pets
Saturday, August 25, 6:30 pm
William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center, 4601 Walnut Ave.
Orange County Great Park Farmers Market
Sunday, August 26, 10:00 am—2:00 pm
Orange County Great Park, 6950 Marine Way
Orange
Monday Mysteries Book Club
Monday, August 27, 2:00 pm—3:00 pm
Library Main Community Room, 407 E. Chapman Ave.
Active Parenting Classes
Tuesday, August 28, 10:00 am—12:00 pm
El Modena Branch Library, 380 S. Hewes St.
Silverado
Toddler Storytime
Thursday, August 30, 11:00 am — 11:30 am
Library of the Canyons, 7531 East Santiago Canyon Rd.
Tustin
Farmers Market
Wednesday, August 29, 9:00 am—1:00 pm
El Camino Real and West 3rd Street
Villa Park
Book Chat
Wednesday, September 19, 10:00 am – 11:00 am
Villa Park Library, 17865 Santiago Blvd.
Yorba Linda
Grow It Now: Succulents
Thursday, August 23, 7:00 pm — 8:30 pm
Yorba Linda Public Library, 18181 Imperial Highway
Sunday Concerts: Los Angeles Harpette, Mary Dropkin, Conductor
Sunday, August 23, 1:30 pm
Richard Nixon Library and Museum, 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 Montana.Sudul@ocgov.com
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