No Board Meeting Held This Week

There was no regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Supervisors this week.

Our next Board meeting will be held Tuesday, November 18. For Agenda & Meeting Information, please click here.

Live Internet broadcasts of Board of Supervisors meetings are available and archived as video-on-demand. To view live and/or past Board meetings, please click here.

I wish to congratulate the winners of the November 4 election and commend all those who endeavored to become or remain elected public servants. I also want to acknowledge the outstanding efforts of Orange County Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley and his fine staff. And lastly, I especially want to thank the countless volunteers and Election Day workers who gave so much of their time to enable us to vote. To view updated election results from the County of Orange, please click here. For more information, please click here.

Mission Viejo to Receive Award for Murray Center Expansion

Mission Viejo's Norman P. Murray Community and Senior Center expansion project has won the coveted 2008 Project of the Year award from the Southern California Chapter of the American Public Works Association (APWA). The honor is significant from APWA, which is a professional association of Public Works leaders throughout the United States and Canada. The APWA award program was established to recognize public agencies for outstanding capital improvement projects and public works programs.

The City’s Norman P. Murray Community and Senior Center expansion project, which was completed March 29, 2008, 20 years after Mission Viejo became a City, was a community affair. City leaders sought input and feedback from community as well as sports, cultural performing arts, and other groups throughout the 5-year planning process to ensure the project met current and future community needs. The City will receive a plaque for its outstanding expansion project at the APWA Southern California Chapter’s 9th Annual Awards Luncheon in December. For more information, please click here.

OCTA's Action Plan on Budget Shortfall

The state’s budget has left the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) with an unanticipated $9 million shortfall – a significant cut to its transit operating budget. By next fiscal year, the shortfall could grow to more than $30 million because of additional state cuts and declining sales tax revenues. OCTA will conduct cost-cutting measures to balance its budget with minimal impacts to the thousands of people who rely on the transit system in our community.

OCTA also anticipates decreased sales tax revenues to support the Renewed Measure M (M2) Early Action Plan. It is premature to know with precision the overall impact to the 30-year time horizon of M2. However, OCTA will continue to monitor the financial situation and make appropriate changes when necessary. For more information, please click here. To see OCTA’s Action Plan on Budget Shortfall, please click here.

County Joining in the Great Southern California ShakeOut

On November 13 at 10 AM, millions of southern Californians will drop to the ground, take cover under a table or desk, and hold on. Is this an earthquake prediction? No, it’s The Great Southern California ShakeOut!

The Great Southern California ShakeOut is a week of special events, featuring the largest earthquake drill in United States history, organized to inspire Southern Californians to get ready for big earthquakes and prevent disasters from becoming catastrophes. What we do now, before ‘The Big One’, will determine what our lives will be like after. For more information about The Great Southern California ShakeOut, please click here.

Stay Informed: AlertOC

AlertOC is a mass notification system designed to keep Orange County residents and businesses informed of emergencies and certain community events. By registering with AlertOC, time-sensitive voice messages from the County or City in which you live or work can be sent to your home, cell or business phone. Text messages may also be sent to cell phones, e-mail accounts and hearing impaired receiving devices. For more information, please click here.

Active Living Community Expo in Rancho Santa Margarita

Local seniors, mature-adults and guests are invited to attend the 4th Annual Active Living Community Expo being held on Monday, November 10, 10 AM – 1 PM, at the Bell Tower Regional Community Center, 22232 El Paseo, Rancho Santa Margarita. FREE FLU SHOTS will be available and given by the County of Orange’s Office of Health and Human Services.

In addition to free flu shot services, over 40 vendors will be on hand to provide information promoting healthy living and providing resources for our area’s senior and mature-adult population. All attendees will receive an “Active Living Resource Guide.” There will also be live entertainment, free raffle prizes and refreshments offered during the event. For more information, please contact Karen Hume at (949) 216-9700, ext. 1254.

Semi-Annual Community Service Day

While OC Animal Care volunteers must be over 18 years of age, OC Animal Care is hosting a special event designed just for kids. Please join them Saturday, November 15 at the semi-annual Community Service Day for youth, where participants can learn about the shelter, explore new ways to help animals, and get their hands dirty with special projects. Space is limited, so please RSVP to Lindsey Sevigny, Public Education Officer at (714) 935-6301 or lsevigny@ochca.com. For more information, please click here.

Critter Chronicles Newsletter

Published quarterly by OC Animal Care staff, the Critter Chronicles Newsletter contains information about program services, employees, animal care tips and events. For more information, including holiday tips for pets, please click here.

Guided Hikes in Laguna Coast Wilderness Park

Explore the trails and learn about the flora, fauna, geology and history of Laguna Coast Wilderness Park with Laguna Canyon Foundation volunteer naturalists and OC Parks staff! For more information, please click here.

Saturday, November 8
Volunteer Training & Orientation
9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Learn about various volunteer opportunities with Laguna Canyon Foundation, from greeting park visitors to helping with wilderness restoration projects, leading hikes and other activities, working in the office and staffing the Nix Nature Center desk. No experience required. For information and reservations, call Laguna Canyon Foundation Volunteer Manager Bette Lee at 949-637-2381 or e-mail betteblee@cox.net. Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, Little Sycamore Canyon Staging Area/Nix Nature Center (west side of Laguna Canyon Road/SR-133, approximately 5 miles south of I-5/405). Free (parking fee waived).

November Events and Programs at OC Parks

To see a list of events and programs being offered in the month of November at OC Parks throughout Orange County and the Fifth District, please click here.

Veterans Day Observed

We are forever indebted to our veterans and shall remember those who gave their lives in defense of our freedom. On Veterans Day, Tuesday, November 11, we will honor these heroes as we pay tribute to the brave men and women who have served in our armed forces. To see a list of Veterans Day observances taking place throughout the County of Orange, please click here.

2008 Lake Forest Safety Expo

The 2008 Lake Forest Safety Expo will be held Saturday, November 8, from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM, at the Home Depot parking lot, located on the corner of El Toro Road and Rockfield Boulevard. Bring the family and learn about disaster preparedness, home security and personal safety. Visit with Orange County Sheriff's Department K-9 units and check-out some of the Orange County Fire Authority’s newest equipment. For more information, please click here and here.

San Juan Capistrano’s ‘Second Saturdays’

On Saturday, November 8, enjoy Mission San Juan Capistrano's Living History Day. Also known as 'Second Saturdays', this event is held the second Saturday of each month from 11 AM to 2 PM. The Living History Society makes history come alive for visitors of Mission San Juan Capistrano, creating drama and intrigue while providing historical information through stories, demonstrations and crafts. For more information, please click here.

Also on November 8, San Juan Capistrano will host their "Second Saturday Art Fair" from 11 AM to 5 PM. The Art Fair is a monthly event, showcasing over 50 artists, craftspeople, musicians and performers, who display their work in the parks and plazas along downtown Camino Capistrano, Verdugo and Los Rios Streets. The event is held in conjunction with Living History Day. For more information, please click here.

31st Annual Turkey Trot in Dana Point

The 31st Annual Dana Point Turkey Trot, one of America's most scenic coastal runs and largest Thanksgiving Day races, will take place Thursday, November 27 in beautiful Dana Point Harbor. Dubbed “America's Turkey Trot”, the event has attracted participants from more than 40 states, with over 10,000 contestants taking part in the annual 5K & 10K run/walk and the kids ‘Hot to Trot’ race. Please run so others can eat! For more information, please click here.

• Attended the Founder’s Day ceremony at Mission San Juan Capistrano to present a proclamation to the Juaneño Band of Mission Indians, Acjachemen Nation, in honor of “Native American Heritage Month.”
• Attended a San Juan Capistrano Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting ceremony to present a Certificate of Recognition in honor of the grand opening of South County Scooters in San Juan Capistrano.