| Board of Supervisors |
 |
| Welcome to Nelson's E-News! |
|
Thank you for reading this edition of my newsletter. I hope you find the information below very helpful. As always, I appreciate and look forward to your feedback.
The Board of Supervisors held a meeting this week. Please see below for highlights. The next meeting will be Tuesday, November 25 at 9:30am in the Hall of Administration – 333 W. Santa Ana Blvd., Santa Ana 92701.
Please see photos and descriptions below of some of the events I was able to attend in the community this week. If you were unable to attend, there are other events listed at the end of this newsletter.
Sincerely,
Shawn Nelson |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
| In the Community |
|
| Veterans Day Celebration – OC Fair Grounds |
|
| Supervisor Nelson joined thousands of Veterans at the Veterans and Labor -Partners in Service community celebration hosted at the OC Fairgrounds. This year, the special presentations were directed to the American armed-forces and Republic of Korea military who fought side-by-side to protect the freedom of South Korea. Each of the 30 American Veterans attending the special VIP ceremony received the Ambassadors of Peace medal, the highest commendation presented by the South Korean government to American soldiers who fought in the war. In comments to the audience during presentations of the Korean War Medal of Honor stamp, Supervisor Nelson spoke of how his childhood friend, Rear Admiral Gordon Smith, was a Navy fighter pilot, and personified the courage and heroism of his generation. That lifetime of service included the Navy Meritorious Distinguished Service Award which is the highest non-combat award in the Navy for initiatives and management of several classified missions while at the Naval Intelligence and Fleet Command. Medal of Honor recipient Tibor Rubin was also honored for his incredible courage. At the risk of death if he got caught, that level of heroism earned him the nation’s highest military honor from Congress and the President of the United States. |
| |
(Top) Supervisor Nelson addresses the crowd at the OC Fair grounds
(Middle) Supervisor Nelson joins Cam Irons, Carson Irons, Connor Irons and Rear Admiral Gordon Smith
(Bottom) Supervisor Nelson with with Medal of Honor recipient Tibor Rubin |
| |
 |
| |
| Veterans Day Celebration – Fullerton |
|
| Supervisor Nelson extended his thanks and appreciation again this year to Marilyn and Jeff Harris (US Army ret) of the Fullerton VFW who planned and performed another flawless march up Harbor Blvd in the city salute to military and to honor America’s Veterans. Supervisor Nelson joined members of the State Assembly, Fullerton City Council, Chief of Police Dan Hughes and hundreds of veterans who staged at Harbor and Wilshire for the walk to Hillcrest Park. During the march, the Supervisor smiled at neighbors, friends and his own family who cheered and waved American flags from the sidewalks. One of the highlights on the march was the Supervisor running into Coach Gus Martinez and the Fullerton High School football team who came out to support the Veterans and city VIP. Congratulations again to the City of Fullerton, Chief Dan Hughes, the City Council and all the VFW team who make this such a special event in Fullerton as we honor America’s bravest on Veterans Day! |
| |
(Top) Fullerton Councilman Bruce Whitaker and Supervisor Shawn Nelson
(Bottom) Supervisor Nelson and Fullerton Union High School Football Players |
| |
|
| |
| California Baptist University Opens New Satellite Campus in Brea |
|
| Keeping up with the modern demands of educational needs of students and professionals, California Baptist University opened a new satellite campus in Downtown Brea focusing on online classes and individualized learning. Based in Riverside, Cal Baptist offers a wide variety of majors and programs geared towards preparing students for their future or current chosen vocations. The new campus will allow students to remain enrolled and receive their education with the flexibility of not having to be on campus in Riverside each day. The Brea Chamber of Commerce cut the Ribbon on the new facility last week with hundreds of faculty, staff, students and supporters in attendance. A short tour followed which featured a live look at the video conferencing classroom and office space where students and educators will work together. For more information on Cal Baptist Online visit: http://www.cbuonline.edu/ |
| |
(Left to Right) Ronald Ellis, President of the University and Policy Advisor Scott Carpenter |
| |
|
| |
| International Code Council Ribbon Cutting |
|
| On Thursday, November 13, International Code Council of Brea celebrated their grand opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony among family and friends. The International Code Council is a member-focused association. It is dedicated to developing model codes and standards used in the design, build and compliance process to construct safe, sustainable, affordable and resilient structures. Most U.S. communities and many global markets choose the International Codes. International Code Council of Brea is located at 3060 Saturn Street, Suite 100, and can be reached at (888) ICC-SAFE. The Fourth District thanks you for your investment in the City of Brea and wishes you best of luck in all future endeavors. |
| |
ICC President Guy Tomberlin and 4th District Staffer Natalie Wieckert |
| |
|
| |
| Board Updates |
|
|
|
| Bob Hope USO Opens At John Wayne Airport |
|
| Supervisor Nelson joined County of Orange officials and members of the military to celebrate Veterans Day with the Opening of the Bob Hope USO at John Wayne Airport,. For 73 years, USO centers have welcomed troops and their families at airports across the nation. That warm welcome is being extended for the very first time at Orange County's John Wayne Airport. The Grand Opening ceremony was held on Monday, November 10 at 2 p.m. in the Airport's Terminal B. The festivities included singing of the national anthem by Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Rebecca Lopez with musical accompaniment by the California Army National Guard's 40th Infantry Division Band from Joint Forces Training Base Los Alamitos. A ribbon cutting and tour of the USO Center, along with congratulatory Remarks were made by Chairman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors Shawn Nelson and Bob Hope USO Chairman Rear Admiral Steve Briggs, USN (ret). |
| |
Supervisor Nelson at the USO Center |
| |
|
| |
| Board of Supervisors Accept 2,500-Acre Gift |
|
On Tuesday, the Orange County Board of Supervisors voted to accept 2,500 acres of open space, donated by the Irvine Company to the County for preservation and public recreation. The donation provides additional connectivity to the 20,000 acres the Irvine Company donated to the County in 2010, which marked the largest single donation of land to the County in its history. The land accepted was previously slated for construction of approximately 5,000 homes. Most of the land will be governed by conservation easements held by the Orange County Parks Foundation to ensure that it is managed with an appropriate balance between habitat protection and public access. The easements establish guidelines for land management, monitoring, habitat restoration, infrastructure improvement and public programs similar to the guiding principles of the Natural Community Conservation Plan (NCCP) established to preserve nearly 37,000 acres of sensitive natural habitats managed by multiple local governments, utilities, and institutions. OC Parks was honored to participate in this collaborative effort as the steward of an amazing contiguous landscape of native wildlands, and is pleased to offer opportunities for public education, recreation, and respite in this unique space.
The 2,500-acre donation is made up of four separate parcels:
Mountain Park
Acres: 1,073.9
Located near the 91 Freeway and 241 Toll Road in the City of Anaheim, it is surrounded on three sides by land already owned by the County and managed by OC Parks. The land was previously entitled for development of approximately 2,500 homes.
Santiago Hills II
Acres: 16.2
Directly adjacent to Irvine Regional Park in Orange, this will serve as an addition to California’s first regional park.
East Orange Area I
Acres: 469.2
West of Irvine Lake along Santiago Canyon Road and the 241 Toll Road in Orange, this land was previously entitled to develop 2,200 homes.
East Orange Area II
Acres: 936.5
This parcel includes land southeast of Irvine Lake in the city of Orange and is directly adjacent to County-owned portions of Black Star Canyon.
For more information, please click here. |
| |
Mountain Park |
| |
|
| |
| Drug and Alcohol Abuse Treatment Works in Orange County |
|
A new report from the Orange County Health Care Agency found that adult clients of the County’s drug and alcohol treatment programs experienced significant reduction in drug use, improved health, and social functioning; increased employment rates; and a reduction in arrest, incarceration and reliance on medical services. The report examines the treatment outcomes for over 11,000 clients of Behavioral Health – Substance Use Disorder services between 2011 and 2013.
Drugs of choice shifted across the adult lifespan. While heroin addiction was the second most common reason for seeking treatment in young adulthood, alcohol abuse became a more common problem requiring treatment later in adulthood (after age 35). Marijuana was the primary drug of choice for most (63%) teenage clients entering treatment. For adults, the primary drugs of choice were methamphetamine (44% of admissions), heroin (20%), alcohol (18%), and marijuana (13%).
The County’s Substance Use Disorder programs work to help improve the lives of individuals and families experiencing problems related to alcohol and substance use. Most clients were men (63%), non-Hispanic white (55%) or Hispanic (36%), and were between the ages of 18 and 45 years old (76%).
In addition to a 53% reduction in drug use, adult clients also showed marked improvements in health and social functioning:
- 65% fewer arrested and 74% reduction in incarcerations
- 107% increase in employment
- 32% reduction in ER visits and 42% reduction in hospitalizations
- 52% reduction in serious family conflicts
- 59% fewer clients living with an alcohol or other drug user
- 32% increase in use of social support recovery services
Teen clients also showed notable reductions in drug use, and improvements in health and social functioning. These client outcomes show that treatment not only results in decreases in drug use and criminal involvement, but also improvements in all life domains of those served by these programs.
The Health Care Agency offers several different public education, treatment and counseling services aimed at reducing the misuse and abuse of drugs and alcohol among Orange County residents. If you or someone you know needs help please call 855-OC-Links (855-625-4657) or visit: www.ochealthinfo.com/oclinks.
The report used data from the 2011-2013 California Outcomes Measurement System for county residents. A summary of the report and fact sheet are available online at: http://ochealthinfo.com/about/admin/pubs/caloms |
| |
|
| |
| OCTA Update |
|
 |
|
| OCTA Seeks Public Feedback on Measure M Draft Conservation Plan |
|
The Orange County Transportation Authority is seeking input from the public through Feb. 6, on a conservation plan that seeks to protect natural habitat and rare animal and plant species in Orange County.
The conservation plan will be revised with public input before it heads to state and federal agencies for final approvals.
The plan, known as the Natural Community Conservation Plan/Habitat Conservation Plan/Master Streambed Alteration Agreement, is part of OCTA’s Measure M Freeway Environmental Mitigation Program.
The program allocates funds from Measure M, the county’s half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements, to acquire land and fund habitat restoration projects in exchange for streamlined approvals for 13 freeway improvement projects throughout Orange County.
So far, OCTA has acquired more than 1,100 acres of natural land – mostly in Trabuco Canyon and Brea for the purpose of preserving it.
The purpose of the state and federal environmental review process is to:
- Outline the program objectives and biological goals of the Measure M freeway program
- Describe the proposed conservation actions and alternatives
- Study and evaluate potential environmental impacts resulting from the implementation of the conservation plan
- Identify potentially impacted species and how significant impacts could be mitigated
- Ensure that all state and federal laws are being followed.
A draft environmental impact report/environmental impact statement (DEIR/EIS) has been prepared for the conservation plan in compliance with state and federal laws and regulations. Comments received during the 90-day public comment period will be incorporated in the Final EIR/EIS.
The next meeting will be held for the public to learn about the planning process and provide input:
- 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 3
- Rancho Santa Margarita City Hall
- 22112 El Paseo
- Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688
|
| |
|
| |
| New Lane Opens on 57 Freeway in Anaheim |
|
Drivers along the Orange Freeway (SR-57) can expect to experience a more efficient commute with the addition of a northbound general-purpose lane that opened this week between Katella and Lincoln avenues in Anaheim.
The addition of the three-mile lane is part a $41-million freeway improvement project led by Caltrans and the Orange County Transportation Authority. The project, which began in 2012, was funded with a mix of state dollars and Measure M, the county’s half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements.
The 57 freeway has a rich history and provides a vital link for residents and businesses, so we’re very pleased to see this additional lane open to drivers. This is another example of how we’re putting Measure M funds to good use to help drivers move more efficiently.
The project included improvements to eight freeway ramps, widening of two bridges and the restriping of carpool lanes to allow for continuous access by drivers, which studies have shown reduces accidents and air pollution.
Improvements to the 57 freeway were completed in two phases. The first segment, an additional northbound lane along five miles between Orangethorpe Avenue in Placentia and Lambert Road in Brea, opened to traffic earlier this year.
The second segment eases traffic congestion near some of the region’s top entertainment and travel destinations, including Angel Stadium, the Honda Center and the new ARTIC transportation hub for trains, buses and taxis.
About 58,000 vehicles travel the 57 freeway each day.
Improvements to the 57 are among more than a dozen freeway projects under way, totaling more than $600 million. OCTA is delivering on what voters approved in Measure M, which sets aside 43 percent for freeway improvements.
While the new three-mile lane was made available to drivers as soon as it was ready, some additional nighttime closures will be necessary to put finishing touches on the project, including irrigation and electrical work.
For updates on the project, visit octa.net/sr57. |
| |
|
| |
| Announcements |
|
Click on the image above to view a larger version. |
| |
|
| |
| Do you know any hometown heroes? |
|
 |
| |
The Fourth District is accepting submissions to recognize unsung heroes in our community.
This may include public safety, first responders, or friends and neighbors who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in everyday life to enrich our community.
To share your story, please call or email Audra Fishel at Audra.Fishel@ocgov.com or (714) 834-3440. |
| |
|
| |
| County Commissions and Committees |
|
The Fourth District has vacant appointments on the following commissions or committees:
- Oversight Board of the Successor to the City of Redevelopment Agency (Buena Park and Anaheim)
- Treasury Oversight Committee
- Assessment Appeals Board
- Bylaws
- Application
If you are interested in serving on one of these committees, please call Audra Fishel at (714) 834-3440. |
| |
|
| |
| OC Animal Care |
| |
Click on the image above to view a larger version. |
| |
|
| |
| Events |
| |
Anaheim
What: Farmers Park Market
When: Nov 23, 2014
Where: Anaheim Packing House
Time: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
What: Pre-Thanksgiving Farmers Market at Downtown Anaheim
When: Nov 26, 2014
Where: Anaheim Certified Farmers' Market & Craft Fair 205 W Center Street Promenade
Time: 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Brea
What: Planning Commission
When: Nov 25, 2014
Where: Council Chambers - Brea Civic & Cultural Center 1 Civic Center Circle, Brea
Time: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM
What: LEAD$ Lunch: Brea's ultimate networking solution!
When: Nov 26, 2014
Where: Black Gold Golf Club 1 Black Gold Drive Brea/Yorba Linda, CA 92886
Time: 11:45 AM - 1:15 PM
Buena Park
What: BPYT PRESENTS ALL SHOOK UP
When: Nov 21 – 23, 2014
Where: 8833 Academy Way (Academy Away & Magnolia Avenue)
Time: 7:30PM
Fullerton
What: Happy Hour Networking: Elks Lodge
When: Nov 21, 2014
Where: Elks Lodge, 1400 Elks View Ln., Fullerton
Time: 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM
What: Fullerton Arboretum Heritage House Tours
When: Nov 22, 2014
Where: Fullerton Arboretum, 1900 Associated Rd., Fullerton
Time: 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
La Habra
What: Kids Night Out
When: Nov 21, 2014
Where: La Habra Community Center
Time: 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Placentia
What: Bradford House Gallery presents Retrospective by Anna-Lena Perumean
When: Nov 23, 2014
Where: 136 Palm Circle, Placentia, CA 92870
Time: 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
What: Alzheimer’s Support Group
When: Nov 24, 2014
Where: Meeting Room #1 at Placentia-Linda Hospital (Enter main lobby), 1301 N. Rose Dr., Placentia 92870
Time: 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
|
| |
|
| |
For questions or comments regarding Nelson’s E-News
please contact the Supervisor's office staff:
Audra Fishel – Phone: (714) 834-3440, Email: Audra.Fishel@ocgov.com. |
|
|
|
|
 |
Denis Bilodeau
Chief of Staff
Mark Lopez
Deputy Chief of Staff
Audra Fishel
Policy Advisor /
Communications Director
Steve Spernak
Policy Advisor
Scott Carpenter
Policy Advisor
Natalie Wieckert
Staff Aide
|
| |
|
| |
| Stay Connected! |
|
|
| |
  |
|
|
 |
|
