The terrible accident that occurred on the southbound I-5 on Friday, May 4 - taking the lives of little Kyle, Emma and Katie Coble - was a heartbreaking tragedy.

Although there is a plan to fix the recurring traffic congestion problems in the area between La Paz and Crown Valley Parkway, it currently is not scheduled to be in place in the short term.

I am committed to ensuring this traffic nightmare is corrected as soon as possible and to that end have asked Caltrans - the agency responsible for operations and safety projects on the state highway system - to provide an outline on project, permit and design implementation dates.

I have also contacted leading state transportation officials to assist me in this endeavor so that we can ensure the necessary improvements are expedited and delivered in the short term.

Caltrans is the agency that must ultimately approve and build the improvements necessary to ensure the public safety on our highways. As such, I strongly urge residents concerned about this area of traffic congestion to share their comments and suggestions with Caltrans District 12, 3347 Michelson Drive, Irvine, CA 92612 - Attn: Pam Gorniak, public information office.

I will keep you updated on our progress. To read the letter I recently sent to Caltrans on this matter, please click here.

Let us keep the Coble family and community of Ladera Ranch in our thoughts and prayers.

On Tuesday, my Board colleagues and I approved a rent-free lease agreement for ten years for the use of 1,000 square feet of office and therapy space at Esperanza Special Education School located in Mission Viejo. The renewal of this Lease will allow the County to continue to provide CCS Program services to children with special needs within the Saddleback Valley School District in a timely manner with one-on-one service to children.

The CCS Program has been assisting children in the Saddleback Valley School District with occupational and physical therapy at Esperanza Special Education School since 2000. The District and County of Orange have mutually agreed to relocate the program to a different location on the school premises. Originally, the CCS program occupied a portable at the end of an unimproved parking lot. This created parking hardships for teachers, staff and parents as well as difficulty in providing bus transportation. By relocating the portable to the end of the parking lot, it will create a safer environment, provide more efficient parking and provide better bus flow into and out of the parking lot.

The Orange County Water District and the Orange County Sanitation District have developed a cost-effective contribution to meeting future water needs with a supplemental water purification project, known as the Groundwater Replenishment (GWR) System. The GWR System will take highly treated sewer water from the Orange County Sanitation District that is currently sent to the ocean and purify it to near-distilled quality water using the state-of-the-art technologies of micro-filtration, reverse osmosis, and ultraviolet and hydrogen peroxide disinfection. Once purified by the three step process, roughly half the water from GWR System will be injected into Orange County's seawater barrier. The seawater barrier is an underground pressure ridge of water formed by injection wells along the Coast of Orange County.

The GWR System will produce a new supply of water that will expand our seawater barrier to protect our groundwater basin from ocean contamination. The GWR will also help replenish our groundwater basin, minimizing the impacts of future droughts. When completed and fully operational in 2007, the GWR System will generate enough pure water to meet the needs of 144,000 families. GWR System purified water will exceed all state and federal drinking water standards and have water quality similar to, or better than, bottled water.

On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution in support of the Groundwater Replenishment System and the efforts of the Orange County Water District and Orange County Sanitation District to identify and develop alternative sources of safe, reliable water supplies for Orange County. To read the resolution as approved by the Board, please click here.

The Operations and Maintenance Division proposes to crack seal various streets throughout Orange County through funding provided by Proposition 42. The work will take place in the unincorporated areas of the County including Ladera Ranch, Las Flores and Wagon Wheel in the Fifth District. These streets were selected from a priority list generated from the Orange County Pavement Management System database which processes unique data for each pavement section (field evaluations and maintenance costs) and aids in determining areas that are best suited for this type of project.

On Tuesday, my Board colleagues and I awarded a contract to the lowest responsible bidder for the crack sealing of various streets in Orange County. To view the street location map, please click here.

At Tuesday's Board meeting, my fellow Supervisors and I approved the County's Third Quarter Budget Report. This Quarterly Report provides the Board of Supervisors, County departments, members of the public, and other interested parties with an overview of the status of the FY 2006-07 revenues, expenditures, Net County Cost, budgeted positions, and various departmental issues requiring recommended changes to the County's budget. To view staff's presentation of the Third Quarter Budget Report, please click here.

The Orange County Legislative Bulletin provides the Board of Supervisors with analyses of measures pending in Sacramento and Washington that are of interest to the County. To view the Orange County Legislative Bulletin as approved by the Board of Supervisors on May 8, 2007, please click here.

At Tuesday's meeting, the Board of Supervisors authorized the use of two Sheriff-Coroner Department buses to transport football team members and equipment from the Chicago Police Department Football Team participating in the Orange County Cop Bowl charity event from May18 through 20, 2007.

The Orange County Cop Bowl is an annual charity football game played by teams made up of law enforcement officers from throughout Orange County, including the Sheriff-Coroner Department, and other teams from the National Public Safety Football League - a national non-profit organization of public safety agency football teams who raise funds for charity. The goal of the Orange County Cop Bowl Association is to raise money for Orange County children's charities, including the Sheriff-Coroner Department's Drug Use Is Life Abuse and Law Enforcement Explorers programs. For more information, please click here.

A deer was captured in Rancho Santa Margarita on Tuesday after being spotted by the public in and around several stores. Animal Care Services was called to the location near Santa Margarita Parkway and Avenida Empresa, where the deer had been pinned in by members of the public. Sheriff's Deputies were also on the scene when Animal Care Services arrived. The deer was impounded by Animal Care Services and a wildlife rehabilitation specialist was consulted. Based on the recommendation of the wildlife rehabilitation specialist, the deer was returned to the wild in the same general area it was impounded.

This year's Taste of Ladera is scheduled for May 19, 11am - 7pm. This is Ladera's biggest family celebration and community service support event. For more information, please click here.

Experience "Fun with Chalk" - the 9th Annual Italian Street Painting Festival. On May 19 and 20, 10am - 6pm, come see an asphalt parking lot turned into a gallery of magnificent art. This fabulous family festival will be held at the Norman P. Murray Community Center, 24932 Veterans Way (at La Paz Rd.), in Mission Viejo. For more information, please call (949) 367-1222 or visit www.FunWithChalk.com.

Don't miss a great weekend full of activities at the Saddleback Memorial Half Marathon and 5K! On Memorial Day Weekend, May 27-28, spend your time enjoying the festivities at the Two-Day Community Expo, overflowing with family-friendly activities, live bands, raffles, kids' races, a toddler trot, delicious food, and fun for all. The course features spectacular, scenic views of the Saddleback Valley, and runs through the cities of Laguna Hills, Laguna Woods, Laguna Niguel, and Aliso Viejo. Proceeds benefit Saddleback Memorial Medical Center. For more information, please click here.

Orange County Animal Care Services will host its annual Pet Fair event on Saturday, May 19, 2007, from 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., at 561 The City Drive South, Orange. This year's event invites prospective pet owners to 'Take a Walk on the Wild Side', and will showcase hundreds of beautiful animals available for adoption into loving homes. In addition to the many wonderful animals available for adoption, the Care Center event will feature rescue organizations, animal related services, dog-training presentations, wildlife exhibits, and much, much more. For further information on this event, please click here or contact Ryan Drabek at 714-935-6427.

Orange County's Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week will mark its 5th anniversary in 2007, promoting awareness of the emergency services provided by doctors, nurses, fire personnel, paramedics, emergency medical technicians, police officers and other professionals.

The Orange County Health Care Agency's Emergency Medical Services has planned a month-long celebration featuring free services, demonstrations and services, including blood pressure checks and car seat inspections throughout the County of Orange.

Most of these events are free and open to the public, and we encourage you to take part in them. Education and prevention are two important ways we can keep ourselves and our families safe from harm. For more information, please click here.

The Great Park will be a landscape of tremendous biodiversity. The restored native habitats will be complimented by many special plantings. The Bosque will be an open woodland of flowering trees, lovely in all seasons. Citrus and avocado orchards and wildflower meadows will be scattered throughout the Park, celebrating the region's agricultural and natural heritage. Among the Canyon's many attractions will be a fern grotto, rocky outcrops, and a palm oasis, each representing a unique plant community. A variety of sustainable plantings, including a butterfly garden, will grow at the Botanical Garden. People will be an integral part of these landscapes, enjoying activities from biking to quiet contemplation. The Park will serve as a model of wise land use for the 21st century, demonstrating how people and nature can live together in a mutually beneficial way. For more information, please click here.

Among my many meetings, briefings, and other supervisorial activities, I also:

• Adjourned Tuesday's Board of Supervisors meeting in loving memory of Kyle, Emma and Katie Coble who passed away last Friday after a big-rig truck collided with their family's minivan on the southbound I-5. My deepest condolences to their parents, the Coble family and the entire community of Ladera Ranch. For more information, please click here.
• Delivered a speech to welcome the participants of the 2007 Laguna Woods Senior Games. The Games enhance the quality of life for seniors and inspire everyone to live a more active lifestyle. Congratulations to everyone who participated in this year's event.
• Received training on the Ralph M. Brown Act open meeting law. This act details the open meeting requirements for local government in the State of California.
• Attended the Capistrano Unified School District's Teacher of the Year Awards Ceremony and provided Certificates of Recognition for this year's award recipients. Congratulations to all the CUSD Teachers of the Year.
• Attended the 21st Annual Peace Officers Memorial Ceremony to pay tribute to the brave men and women who lost their lives in the line of duty serving the people of Orange County. Thankfully, no new names were added to the monument at this year's event. For more information, please click here.
• Interviewed with the Orange County Register's editorial board regarding various County issues.
• Had a live on-air interview on KSBR Radio to discuss Orange County transportation issues.
• Toured the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) headquarters in Irvine. While there, I requested information relative to OCFA's response to the wildfire in Catalina. Below is information on personnel and resources OCFA has sent to Catalina:

  Catalina Fire

2 Battalion Chiefs
5 Wildland Firefighting Engines staffed with 3 personnel each (15 personnel total)
1 Wildland Firefighting Bull Dozer with 2 personnel
2 additional personnel who are assigned to the firefighting helicopter base operations


To see a photo of the OCFA fire engines as they were preparing for the launch of the hovercraft yesterday evening, please click here.

In addition to OCFA's response to the fire on Catalina, OCFA has also sent 3 personnel to Kansas as part of a FEMA management team to assist with the tornado disaster.

On behalf of my staff and the County of Orange, I'd like to wish all mothers everywhere a very happy Mothers Day!

My staff and I look forward to continually providing you updated information in our Fifth District newsletter and website.

Please feel free to contact my office with your comments or questions at (714) 834-3550.

It is an honor and a privilege to serve as your Supervisor for Orange County's beautiful Fifth District. Thank you so much for your support!

Warmest regards,

Pat