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Chairman Shawn Nelson - 4th District Update
In This Issue
orange arrow County Updates
orange arrow OCTA
orange arrow In the Community
orange arrow County Commissions and Committees
orange arrow Pet of the Week
orange arrow Events
November 22, 2017
Volume 8 Issue 22
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 next board meeting will be Tuesday, December 5th 9:30am in the Hall of Administration – 333 W. Santa Ana Blvd., Santa Ana 92701. The agenda may be accessed here.

Please see photos and descriptions below of some of the events our office attended 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
 
 
 
County Updates
November Proclaimed Adoption Awareness Month in Orange County
The Orange County Board of Supervisors proclaimed November 2017 as Adoption Awareness Month in Orange County and presented a resolution to the Social Services Agency and Tony and Erin Kim of Irvine for their significant contributions to support and advocate for adoptive families in Orange County.

Along with her husband, Erin Kim, a resource parent from Irvine, received a proclamation on behalf of adoptive families in Orange County from the Board of Supervisors for their work as resource parents, educators and advocates. Erin began the process of becoming a resource parent in 2008, and she and her husband Tony ultimately became adoptive parents. The Kims now have two adoptive children and two biological children, all the while continuing to foster other children through the County of Orange Social Services Agency. In addition, Erin helps train new resource families in order to help them understand the challenges and rewards that come with the resource family journey.

This year’s National Adoption Awareness campaign is focused on the needs of the thousands of older youth, ages 15-18, who face the challenges of aging out of foster care and are beginning their independent, young adult lives. The theme this year is “Teens Need Families, No Matter What.” Federal, state, and local government agencies, as well as non-profit organizations around the country, plan events and activities throughout the month of November to raise awareness for children and youth in foster care who are ready and waiting for permanent families.

The number of finalized adoptions in Orange County remains steady. In 2016, there were over 275 finalized adoptions. So far in 2017, there have been 233 finalized adoptions. Orange County continues to lead the way in uniting children with their forever families.

For more information on becoming a Resource Family, please call (888) 871-KIDS, visit www.oc4kids.com.
 
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OC Waste & Recycling Holiday Tip: Plan Food for the Holiday Table, Not the Landfill
If ever there were a time to live the “reduce, reuse, recycle” mantra, ‘tis now—the holiday season. Last year over the Thanksgiving holiday, Americans tossed six million turkeys, valued roughly at $293 million, into the trash, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. Overall, during the short time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s three times as much food is wasted compared to the rest of the year. For perspective, Orange County landfills receive about 1,300 tons of food a day.

There is help for those who seek the high road. A new dinner party planning calculator is now available to help prevent dinner-party food waste. Known as the GUEST-imator, the calculator estimates how much food you need to keep your guests full & happy. Click here to use the calculator.

By the way, OC Waste & Recycling continues to celebrate America Recycles Day—November 15—throughout the month of November. That means there is still time to take the #BeRecycled Pledge to make recycling bigger and better every day.
 
 
OCTA Update
OCTA Logo
OCTA Sees Nearly 20 Percent Boost in Bus Riders in Areas of Improved Service
OC Bus ridership continues to see positive gains in areas where the Orange County Transportation Authority has focused on improving service through the OC Bus 360° program, changes that were implemented beginning just over a year ago.

According to the results of a report presented to the OCTA Board of Directors today, bus ridership was up 19.6 percent as of September 2017 compared to a year earlier on routes in core areas of the county where service was improved.

Other elements of the OC Bus 360° plan also are showing positive results, including the introduction of additional transportation options and integration of new technologies.

The OC Bus mobile-ticketing app offers riders greater convenience for purchasing fares and using electronic ticketing on their mobile device. Since its introduction in the summer of 2016, more than 67,000 riders have downloaded the mobile app, with 300 new app users on average per week.

In August, OCTA introduced a pilot program at Santa Ana College that allows all students with a valid student I.D. to ride the OC Bus system for free for the first year and for a minimal fee ($6.75 for full-time students and $5.75 for part-time students) the second and third years of the program.

The goal of the pilot program is to introduce students to the convenience and affordability of riding the bus and encourage them to utilize public transit now and in the future. In the first eight weeks, nearly 3,000 students signed up for the program.

OCTA will also launch a micro-transit pilot program next summer in two regions of the county where fixed-route bus service was reduced or eliminated. Through that program, which will operate in areas of Huntington Beach as well Laguna Niguel and Mission Viejo, smaller vehicles than the traditional 40-foot bus will provide on-demand transit services that will allow people to share the ride to their destinations.

Through Measure M, the county’s half-cent sales tax for transportation, OCTA also will solicit interest from local cities to provide shuttle services to serve specific transportation needs to special events, and popular retail and employment destinations in their area.

The uptick in ridership on the improved routes came despite national and regional trends that clearly show that fewer people overall are taking public buses to reach their destination.

In Orange County, overall bus ridership declined 3 percent in the second quarter of this year, compared to the same period a year ago. But that’s a slower decline than the nationwide average of a 4.2 percent ridership drop and similar drops among other transit agencies in the region.
 
 
In the Community
Supervisor Honors Veterans at OC Fairgrounds
Supervisor Nelson was honored to have his office and staff support the 6th annual Veterans and Labor salute to military hosted by the Orange County Employees Association at Heroes Hall in the OC Fairgrounds.

The morning started at 8 a.m, with the canopy setup and table display that featured earthquake prep info, anti-fraud tips and pens donated by OC Treasurer Shari Freidenrich and Veteran Benefits Guides through Renee Ramirez from the OC Veterans Services Offices.

During the set-up, Policy Advisor Steve Spernak was joined by Mike Robbins of Paradise Cigars who delivered donated cigars Spernak had stored in his humidor. Robbins donated cutters and lighters to add to the gesture of giving-back that Supervisor Nelson started 6 years ago with his giving free cigars to active military and Veterans on Veterans Day 2017.

Supervisor Nelson also extended his thanks to Pat Lavin of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers for his cigar donations and support of military in OC as well as Cathy Yatch, Jennifer Muir Beuthin and Nick Berardino of the OCEA planning team. Lastly, a special thanks to Kevin McCarthy of Majestic Reality for his cigar donations given out to Veterans from the Nelson team Saturday morning!

By 2 pm, Supervisor Nelson had handed out over 300 free cigars to attending Veterans and emptied the table of service guides, pens, and community news to end a perfect day of patriotism and his appreciation to the military and families who protect and defended this nation since 1775.
 

Supervisor Shawn nelson


Policy Advisor Steve Spernak and an airforce veteran


Mike Robbins and Policy Advisor Steve Spernak


Policy Advisor Steve Spernak and Supervisor Shawn Nelson
 
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Asian Business Association of Orange County
Last Friday, the Asian Business Association of Orange County (ABAOC) held its 26th Annual Awards and Recognition Gala in Anaheim. Bekele Demissie, who serves as the Senior Community & Business Relations Administrator at the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), accepted the award for Corporate Advocate of the Year. Among other public service roles, Mr. Demissie also volunteers as Supervisor Nelson’s appointee to the Human Relations Commission.

The ABAOC, a 501(c)(6) private, non-profit organization established in 1992, is one of California’s most active Asian business associations on the basis of active membership and overall outreach to its member business owners. The ABAOC is the organization that truly represents over 100,000 Asian businesses in Orange County, California.
 

Bekele Demissie, Charles Kim, Deputy Chief of Staff Mark Lopez and Three Kings Principal Alexander Kim
 
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American Tactical Defense Ribbon Cutting
On November 10, American Tactical Defense celebrated its grand opening and hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony to provide an in depth look at the training center. Also, Bryan McKenrick & Karla Rivera, the owners of the American Tactical Defense, honored and specially recognized Veterans and First Responders at the grand opening. American Tactical Defense pledges to dedicate all its time and effort to value innocent people and provide the best training available to develop a worthwhile skillset. Welcome to the Fourth District, American Tactical Defense!
 

Fourth District Staffer Jim Francis presents a certificate
 
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New Grocery Outlet in La Habra
Supervisor Nelson was honored to partner with the La Habra Chamber of Commerce at this past weekends opening and ribbon cutting for the new Grocery Outlet.

The new site is at 2001 Whittier Blvd with another venue expected in the city of Orange in June.

The very popular stores sell discontinued or overstocked national brands, at a 70% discount in many products, making it an ideal shopping center for budget minded residents or community groups doing major projects on fixed budgets.

The store now opens from 8 a.m. till 10 p.m. daily and plans to hire 30 new employees from the La Habra area.

Best wishes and continued success to Grocery Outlet!!
 

Staff Aide Markell Quinn presented congrats from Supervisor Nelson to Eric and Shannon Flick.
 
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Fourth District Rallies to Support Caterina’s Club
Supervisor Shawn Nelson begins his 5th year supporting Bruno Serrato’s incredible humanitarian mission against hunger by supporting the Pastathon project coming to Orange County on Friday Dec. 8th.

Hosted with KFI640 radio, the Fourth District is proud to partner with Michelle Kube, program director at KFI, to invite residents from throughout Orange County to join with Supervisor Nelson in delivering pasta packages, sauces and checks in support of Caterina’s Club.

Founded in honor of his mother, Caterina, Bruno has made it his life’s calling to end hunger as he can. His nightly recipes of pasta go out the some 3300 hotel or homeless children, many in the Fourth District, much to the appreciation of Supervisor Nelson.

The 2017 Pastathon is Friday Dec 8th at what was the former Crystal Cathedral and goes from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Donors can join Supervisor Nelson on-site or hear him on the air with KFI640 when the day-long effort turns to magic where pallets of food are plastic-wrapped by volunteers and stored to feed kids thru 2018.

For your convenience, donors can drive up with product or make donations at the checkout stand at many Smart and Final stores in OC.

The Christ Cathedral donation site is located at 13280 Chapman Ave, Garden Grove, 92840 or you are welcome to contact Supervisor Nelson’s office with Steve.Spernak@ocgov.com as your contact.

Congratulations and blessings, Bruno!!
 

Click on the image above to view a larger version.
 
 
County Commissions and Committees
The Fourth District has vacant appointments on the following commissions or committees:

  • Assessment Appeals Board No.1
  • Orange County Visitors Association
If you are interested in serving on one of these committees, please call Audra Fishel at (714) 834-3440.
 
 
Pet of the Week
 
OC Animal Care Pet of the Week
Click on the image above to view a larger version.
 
 
Events
 
City of Anaheim Events

What: Ribbon Cutting-Emerald Court
When: November 30
Where: Emerald Court, 1731 W Medical Center Dr, Anaheim
Time: 10:00am-11:00am, 10:10am Ribbon Cutting

What: Good Morning Anaheim Breakfast
When: December 1
Where: Grandfield Tax, 3061 E La Palma, Anaheim
Time: 7:30am-9:00am

City of Brea Events

What: CBA Holiday Mixer hosted by Brea Chamber
When: November 30
Where: Embassy Suites, 900 E Birch St, Brea
Time: 6:00pm-8:00pm

What: Grand Opening/Ribbon Cutting-3B Waxing
When: December 5
Where: 564 S Brea Blvd, Brea
Time: 4:00pm

City of Buena Park Events

What: City Council Meeting
When: November 28
Where: Buena Park City Hall, 6650 Beach Blvd, Buena Park
Time: 5:00pm

What: 47th Annual Candy Caneland & Craft Faire
When: December 2
Where: Ehlers Event Center, 8150 Knott Ave, Buena Park
Time: 10:00am-4:00pm

City of Fullerton Events

What: Community Mixer & Celebration of Giving
When: November 29
Where: Villa Del Sol, 305 N Harbor Blvd, Fullerton
Time: 5:00pm-7:00pm

What: Downtown Fullerton Artwalk
When: December 1
Where: Downtown Fullerton
Time: 6:00pm-10:00pm

City of La Habra Events

What: Tamale Festival Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony
When: November 26
Where: Portola Park, 301 s Euild St, La Habra
Time: 10:00am-6:00pm

What: Connectup at Corner Bakery-La Habra Chamber of Commerce
When: November 30
Where: Corner Bakery, 1040 W Imperial Hwy, La Habra
Time: 8:00am-9:00am

City of Placentia Events

What: American Red Cross Blood Drive
When: November 27
Where: Placentia-Linda Hospital Parking Lot, 1301 N Rose Dr, Placentia
Time: 11:00am-5:00pm

What: Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony
When: November 30
Where: Placentia Civic Center, 401 Chapman Ave, Placentia
Time: 6:00pm-8:30pm

 
 
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.
Nelson Team
Denis Bilodeau
Chief of Staff

Mark Lopez
Deputy Chief of Staff

George Cardenas
Policy Advisor

Audra Fishel
Policy Advisor /
Communications Director

Steve Spernak
Policy Advisor

Natalie Wieckert
Policy Advisor
 
 
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