Welcome to this edition of the Fifth District Report, an electronic newsletter keeping you updated about the events taking place in Orange County and in the Fifth District. It is my hope that you find this distribution informative and I would encourage you to contact me regarding any thoughts, comments, or concerns you may have.

PatBates@ocgov.com

IN THIS ISSUE...

1. HOLIDAY WISHES

2. BOARD BULLETIN BOARD

3. TRANSPORTATION INFORMATION

4. SOUTH COUNTY NEWS

5. COUNTY CONNECTIONS

6. SENIOR SENTINEL

7. CRITTER CHRONICLES

8. ENVIRONMENTAL MEMOS

9. NOTES FROM THE FIELD

10. SAFETY SENTRY

11. LIBRARY LESSONS & SESSIONS

12. SOUTH COUNTY CALENDAR

13. FIFTH DISTRICT WRAP-UP

OUR STAFF...

Don Hughes:
Chief of Staff

Kristen Thornton:
Deputy Chief of Staff

Ray Grangoff:
Deputy Chief of Staff

Sergio Prince:
Policy Advisor

Sabrina Ross:
Policy Advisor

Brian Probolsky:
Policy Advisor

Ruth Strachan:
Office Manager

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From our 5th District family, wishing you a very Merry Christmas, the Happiest of Holiday Seasons and bountiful blessings in the New Year!

Pat Bates

Operation Stonegarden

The Board accepted $828,799 in Operation Stonegarden grant funds from the US Department of Homeland Security to be used to enhance cooperation and coordination between Federal, State and local law enforcement agencies in a joint mission to secure our nation’s borders.

To that end, Operation Stonegarden targets human trafficking, drug smuggling, cartel and gang activity. With the Orange County Sheriff’s Department participating in the operation since 2009, the grant funds received by the County will be used for overtime and equipment for Harbor Patrol and Air Support, including helicopter flight costs. Equipment purchased will also include a specialized Harbor Patrol Boat with the latest electronic navigation and detection equipment.

Last week, a 25-foot boat believed involved in an illegal border crossing was found abandoned along the shore in San Clemente. As San Diego County has enhanced its security against cartels, smugglers and gangs, it is expected these types of illegal activities will circumvent San Diego and come to places like Orange County.

By increasing our own security efforts, we will continue to keep Orange County’s shores safe for our residents. For more information, please click here.

Redistricting 2011 Ad Hoc Committee Second Report

On Tuesday, the Board approved the 2011 Redistricting Committee. The item, introduced by Chair Nguyen and Supervisor Campbell and approved by the Board, states:

• There shall be five voting members of the Supervisorial Redistricting Committee
• Each member of the Board of Supervisors shall appoint one Executive Assistant as primary and one Executive Assistant as alternate to the Committee
• Meetings of the Committee are subject to the Brown Act
• The Committee will conduct its first meeting within 30 days
• At its first meeting, the Committee will adopt rules of order for its operation, adopt a proposed meeting schedule to implement its mission, and consider a plan for action

OCTA Welcomes New Board Members and Bids Farewell

At Monday’s Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) Board of Directors meeting, oaths of office were administered to newly-elected Directors Peter Herzog of Lake Forest, Larry Crandall of Fountain Valley, and Tom Tait of Anaheim.

A resolution was presented to outgoing Director Arthur C. Brown from Buena Park in recognition of his 15 years of service on the OCTA Board. In addition to the many committees he has served on, Art also represented OCTA on the Metrolink Board of Directors. During the presentation, Mobility 21 Executive Director Marnie Primmer also presented him with the organization’s prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award.

I extend my sincerest appreciation to Art Brown for his many years of dedicated service. I also congratulate OCTA’s newest Board members and look forward to working with them to address Orange County’s transportation needs.

February 2011 Bus Service Change

On Monday, the OCTA Board received an update on plans for the February 2011 Bus Service Change. In the past, OCTA conducted regular service changes four times a year, in which bus schedules are revised to improve passenger load distribution and schedule reliability.

As a result of the recent collective bargaining agreement between OCTA and Teamsters Local 952, the number of regularly scheduled service change programs each year was reduced from four to three. As such, service changes are now scheduled to take place in February, June, and October each year.

As part of the February 2011 Service Change Program, a total of twelve OCTA bus routes will be adjusted. Most importantly for the Fifth District, street widening at Avenida Pico near the I-5 freeway will require the relocation of the Line 91 terminal in San Clemente.

Schedule adjustments on this route will be required to reflect the revised travel times in the area. As a result, approximately 100 riders on weekdays, as well as 60 on Saturday and 30 on Sunday will need to adjust departure times while the schedule for the detour is implemented.

For more information, please click here.

Rail and Facilities Program Update

The OCTA Board received a PowerPoint presentation Monday that provided an overview of OCTA’s rail program and an update on the status of planned rail projects. To view the presentation, please click here.

State Highway Operation and Protection Program Update

A representative from the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) was present at the OCTA Board meeting to provide an update on the State Highway Operation and Protection Program (SHOPP). To view the presentation by Caltrans, please click here.

Rail Safety Kids’ Corner

The new Rail Safety Kids' Corner webpage on the Orange County Transportation Authority website is dedicated to educating kids on the importance of being rail safe. With more than 50 railroad crossings throughout Orange County, kids are bound to encounter them. As such, Kids' Corner helps children learn railroad warning signs and ways to be careful around railroad tracks and crossings.

For more information, please click here.

Holiday Bus Schedule

OCTA Buses will run on regular service Friday, December 24 & 31; and on holiday schedule Saturday, December 25 and January 1. Additionally, all Stationlink service will be temporarily suspended December 24 & 31, as there will be no Metrolink service on those days.

For more information, please click here.

Tri-Cities Water Savers Receive 2010 BEST Award

In recognition of their efforts on the Tri-Cities Water Savers Committee, the Cities of San Clemente, Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano and the South Coast Water District have won the 2010 “Building Excellence Shaping Tomorrow” (BEST) Project of the Year Award from the American Public Works Association (APWA).

The four agencies that form the Tri-City Water Savers serve the community by collaborating on consistent and unified information regarding water conservation and urban runoff prevention and developing educational materials and programs for the public.

In addition, the City of San Juan Capistrano’s Los Rios Park won the BEST Project of the Year Award in the category of Recreation and Athletic Facilities. For more information, please click here and here.

REMINDER: Grand Jury Applicants Sought

As reported in my newsletter last week, the Superior Court urges citizens to consider serving on the 2011-12 Orange County Grand Jury, as the number of applications received by the Court this year is significantly less than in previous years.

The deadline to apply is January 14, 2011, so don’t delay! For more information, please click here and here.

Eat for Better Health and Longevity

Holiday parties and celebrations are here once again, which means New Years resolutions are right around the corner. What better way to get through the stressful holiday time and start the New Year on the right foot than to eat for healthy aging.

Numerous studies have shown a link between healthy eating and preventing age-related and chronic diseases. Aging is believed to be caused by cellular inflammation, so eating a diet rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory foods is key.

However, a healthy diet is only one piece of the healthy aging puzzle. Physical activity, wearing sunscreen, not smoking, and getting enough sleep will also help you age gracefully. With the start of the New Year, older adults should try to make at least one positive change to their diet, as making small changes is easier to do and better than doing nothing at all.

The Orange County Office on Aging has nutrition packets containing additional valuable information to help you start the New Year on the right food path. Please call the Information and Assistance line at (800) 510-2020 or (714) 567-7500 to request a packet be mailed to your home.

For more information, please click here.

Holiday Cheer at OC Animal Care!

OC Animal Care invites you to attend their remaining holiday pet events of the season, including a Pawliday Adoption Event (Dec. 18) and Photo With Santa (Dec. 18 & 19). If you’re looking for a lovable pet to provide a warm home this holiday season, then the Pawliday Adoption Event is for you!

For more information, please click here.

Holiday Pet Safety Tips

There's no place like (a safe) home for the holidays. For helpful and useful tips to ensure your pets are safe and sound this holiday season, please click here.

Turning Food Waste into Fertilizer

The County of Orange and Waste Management of Orange County recently unveiled the first food dehydration recycling machine in a County building. The dehydrator is hard at work in “Bella’s Kitchen, Too”, located in the Orange County Civic Center Plaza, Building 12.

As a benefit, leftovers like spaghetti, salad, bread and fruit are no longer headed for the landfill. The machine’s 180-degree temperature decomposes food scraps, reducing the total volume by 90 percent; and the ten percent that remains is a desirable commodity – nutrient rich compost or fertilizer.

For more information, please click here.

Laguna Coast Wilderness Park: Full Moon Winter Solstice Hike

Join an OC Parks Resource Specialist and Laguna Canyon Foundation volunteer naturalists on the shortest day of the year – Tuesday, December 21 – from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM on a moderate, 3.5-mile hike through Laurel and Willow Canyons and up to Bommer Ridge for spectacular views under a winter solstice full moon.

Please bring a flashlight and water and wear long pants, a jacket and sturdy hiking shoes. Inclement weather will cancel. Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, Willow Canyon Staging Area (20101 Laguna Canyon Road, just south of El Toro Road intersection). Reservations required: (949) 923-2235. Parking: $3. Donation: $2 per person.

For more information, please click here.

Become an OC Fire Watch Volunteer!

OC Fire Watch is an arm of the OC Parks Adopt-A-Park Program. As such, OC Fire Watch Volunteers are recruited and trained to patrol OC Parks sites during Red Flag or high wind conditions.

As reported in my newsletter last week, the final OC Fire Watch Training Session of the year will be held Saturday, December 18 from 12:00 noon to 3:00 PM at the Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve. Lunch will be provided!

Please RSVP with Angeline Soto at Angeline.Soto@occr.ocgov.com or (714) 566-3035. For more information, please click here and here.

Residents Urged To Take Precautions This Holiday Season

With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, residents are urged to take extra precautions to prevent becoming a victim of crime. Unfortunately, the holiday season also brings an increase in several crimes, such as purse snatches, home and car burglaries, among others.

For important tips to enjoy a safer holiday season, please click here.

Library Holiday Hours

Due to the Christmas holiday, all OC Public Libraries will be closed Friday, December 24 and Saturday, December 25. As the Laguna Woods Branch Library is located inside Laguna Woods City Hall, it must adhere to the City Hall’s holiday schedule and, as such, will close December 24 and re-open January 3, 2011.

For more information, please click here.

Dana Point Harbor: Boat Parade of Lights

“Jingle Bell Rock” is the theme for the 36th Annual Boat Parade of Lights in beautiful Dana Point Harbor, which concludes Friday and Saturday, December 17 & 18, beginning at 7:30 PM. View the parade for FREE from anywhere in the Harbor and enjoy the sights and sounds of the season!

For more information, please click here and here.

Mission Viejo: ‘Timeless Melodies’ Holiday Program

A special holiday program Sunday, December 19, will give patrons a nostalgic look at classic holiday tunes from years past. The Timeless Melodies program, featuring music historian Larry Maurer, is at 7:00 PM in the Mission Viejo Council Chamber at City Hall, 200 Civic Center.

For more information, please call (949) 470-8440 or click here.

Lake Forest: "Holiday Hoopla" Camp

Holiday Hoopla is an annual City of Lake Forest tradition, which has a new twist this year! Kids ages 8-12 are welcome from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM to play games and make crafts, such as a yummy gingerbread house. Campers will have a holiday "blast" at this full-day camp, which takes place Monday, December 20 through Wednesday, December 22 at City Hall.

There are a limited number of spots available for this camp. For more information, please call (949) 461-3450 or click here.

In addition to my many meetings, briefings, and other supervisorial activities, I also:

• Served as a judge at the 36th Annual Dana Point Harbor Boat Parade of Lights.
• Participated in the City of Laguna Niguel Holiday Parade.
• Hosted my 4th annual Fifth District Holiday Open House.
• Attended the Laguna Niguel Chamber of Commerce Annual Membership Meeting & Awards Breakfast to present certificates of recognition to the Chamber’s honorees for 2010.
• Adjourned the Board of Supervisors meeting in memory of John B. Parker of San Juan Capistrano.