Header image with Photo of Supervisor Pat Bates. Followed by office information
August 19, 2011

Pat Bates's Picture

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. BOARD BULLETIN BOARD

2. TRANSPORTATION INFORMATION

3. NEWS YOU CAN USE

4. HEALTH HERALD

5. RECORDER RECORDINGS

6. NOTES FROM THE FIELD

7. ENVIRONMENTAL MEMOS

8. LIBRARY LAUREATE

9. CRITTER CHRONICLES

10. FIFTH DISTRICT SPOTLIGHT

11. SOUTH COUNTY CALENDAR

12. 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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Volume 5 Issue 32
BOARD BULLETIN BOARD

No Board Meeting This Week

There was no regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Supervisors this week. To view the Board meeting schedule for 2011, please click here.

Our next Board meeting will be held Tuesday, August 23. For Agenda & Meeting Information, please click here.

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


TRANSPORTATION INFORMATION

Update on Public Member Selection Process for OCTA

On June 13, the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) Board of Directors directed the Chief Executive Officer to follow the same process used in 2005 to publicly notice the vacancy and upcoming recruitment of a public member on the OCTA Board through press releases, notifications to cities and the County of Orange, as well as on the OCTA website.

In addition, the Board requested the Chair form an ad-hoc committee to review applicants’ letters of interest and resumes and nominate candidates to be interviewed by the Executive Committee. The application period was set from June 13 to July 8. On July 8, a total of 35 individuals had submitted letters of interest and resumes.

The ad hoc committee developed evaluation criteria and nominated five individuals to be interviewed by the Executive Committee. On August 15, the Executive Committee met and interviewed the five recommended candidates. The applicants interviewed were Frank Lopez of Huntington Beach, Michael McNally of Irvine, Fred Minager of Laguna Niguel, Roy Shahbazian of Orange, and Dennis Wootan of Santa Ana.

At the meeting, the Executive Committee also voted to add five additional applicants to the pool to be interviewed in order to ensure a broad selection of candidates. To that end, a second day of interviews for the newly nominated applicants will be conducted Monday, August 29 at OCTA Headquarters during a Special Executive Committee meeting. These applicants include Hamid Bahadori, Michael Hennessey, Justin McCusker, Eddie Northern, and Michael Ward.

After the second set of interviews are conducted, the Executive Committee will discuss all ten candidates and make a recommendation on which candidates to forward to the full Board for final selection.

The Toll Roads VIEWSLETTER

The Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA) has released the August issue of The Toll Roads VIEWSLETTER. To read the latest TCA update, please click here.


NEWS YOU CAN USE

Providing Housing and Support for Homeless Veterans

The Orange County Housing Authority (OCHA) has been awarded $927,747 to expand its ongoing Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) Program. This funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will provide permanent housing and supportive services for homeless single veterans or homeless veterans with families.

To that end, qualified veterans receiving a Housing Choice Voucher will be able to rent apartments, condominiums or homes from property owners who participate in the program. The 2011 award will expand OCHA’s ability to assist nearly 300 homeless veterans and their families while supporting the strategies of Orange County's Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness.

Veterans who are interested in the VASH Program should call the HUD-VASH Interest Line at (562) 826-8000, ext. 2336. Property owners who would like to rent to VASH veterans or other low-income households should contact the Orange County Housing Authority Owner Hotline at (714) 480-2866. For more information, please click here.


HEALTH HERALD

Be Aware of West Nile Virus

While there have been no human cases of West Nile Virus reported in Orange County this year, cases have been identified in Los Angeles County. To learn how you can prevent West Nile Virus infection, please click here.


RECORDER RECORDINGS

Clerk-Recorder Hosts Special Saturday “Passport Day”

The Orange County Clerk-Recorder department will host a special “Passport Day” on Saturday, September 17 from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM to accommodate travelers who must present passports to enter or re-enter the United States.

Due to limited space, reservations are recommended for “Passport Day.” For reservations, please call (714) 834-2588. To save time, passport applications can be completed in advance at www.ocrecorder.com. For more information, please click here.


NOTES FROM THE FIELD

Mars and Stars Returns to OC Parks

OC Parks welcomes back NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and OC Astronomers for a series of educational public programs showcasing various missions to Mars. The launch event will be held at Caspers Wilderness Park in San Juan Capistrano on Saturday, August 20 at 7:00 PM.

All events are FREE and include presentations by experts in robotic space exploration, children’s crafts, story time with OC Public Libraries, stargazing presented by OC Astronomers, and scale models of Mars rovers.

JPL Mars Exploration Rover Systems Engineer Scott Lever will present “Roaming Mars, A Personal Perspective.” The presentation will highlight getting to Mars, working a remote robot on Mars, and some of the scientific results found while exploring Mars.

For more information, please click here.

ENVIRONMENTAL MEMOS

County “EcoChallenge” Exhibit at Discovery Science Center

OC Waste and Recycling and the Discovery Science Center have partnered to bring a state-of-the-art, environmentally themed, eco-friendly exhibit to Orange County, opening September 1.

Eco Challenge is an interactive exhibit area that combines elements of OC Waste and Recycling’s mission to protect the environment and promote recycling with Discovery Science Center’s ability to merge learning with fun.

For more information, please click here.


LIBRARY LAUREATE

Bookflix: Children's Books Online

OC Public Libraries (OCPL) is pleased to present Bookflix – a great site featuring video storybooks paired with related nonfiction ebooks. Perfect for children from preschool through 3rd grade, Bookflix can be accessed either inside the library or from home using your OCPL library card number.

For more information, please click here.


CRITTER CHRONICLES

Celebrate Cats at OC Animal Care!

Join OC Animal Care in celebrating all that is wonderful about cats! Through September 10, all adopters who find their purrfect feline companion will receive a FREE goodie bag filled with cat supplies! For more information on OC Animal Care special adoption days, please click here.


FIFTH DISTRICT SPOTLIGHT

16-Year-Old South County Girl Saves Man’s Life

16-year-old Savannah Zoller of San Clemente was credited with saving a man’s life this week, after she found him face down at the bottom of the neighborhood pool. While Savannah was babysitting two neighbor children at the pool, she noticed a man not moving at the bottom. Without hesitating, she immediately dived down and, kicking hard, managed to swim him to the surface.

As Savannah struggled to keep the man's face above water, the children she had been babysitting fetched her father, who was at home across the street and helped to revive him. Orange County Fire Authority paramedics soon arrived on the scene and transported the man to the hospital for further treatment.

The man’s wife, who later met the young rescuer, gave her a big hug and said, “Oh my goodness, this little girl did a big thing. She saved a life.” When asked how she managed to lift the man from the bottom of the pool, Savannah said, " I guess I kind of like knew I had to do it."

For more information, please click here.

South County Students Honored for Perfect Attendance

For the last 13 years, two South County students epitomized the dedicated attitude embodied in the motto of our nation’s postal carriers. Tesoro High School graduate John Nichols and Dana Hills High School graduate Allyson Ward are the only two members of the Capistrano Unified School District (CUSD) Class of 2011 to never miss a day in their 13 years of school.

That’s 2,340 consecutive school days, interrupted only by the cancellation of school on October 26, 2007 due to the wildfires that affected the area. For their outstanding achievement, the two were recently honored by the CUSD Board of Trustees.

For more information, please click here.


SOUTH COUNTY CALENDAR

San Juan Summer Festival 2011

In celebration of San Juan Capistrano's 50th anniversary, the San Juan Summer Festival 2011 will be held at the Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park on Saturday, August 20 from noon to 5:00 PM. The FREE festival includes the Blenheim Summer Classic II Grand Prix, art contest, marketplace, petting zoo and roping clinic for kids. For more information, please click here.

Mission Viejo: The Jackie Robinson Story

Make plans to see “The Jackie Robinson Story” at 2:00 PM on Sunday, August 21 at Mission Viejo City Hall, starring baseball legend Jackie Robinson. After the FREE movie, former Dodgers great Jim Campanis will delight audience members with tales of his baseball career. For more information, please click here and here.


Dana Point: Emergency Preparedness Expo

The City of Dana Point will present its Emergency Preparedness Expo on Saturday, August 27 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at Dana Hills High School. Learn how to protect yourself, your family, and your business in an emergency. For more information, please click here.

Laguna Niguel: Black & White in the Moonlight

Come to Crown Valley Park in Laguna Niguel for a FREE showing of the Academy Award winning classic, “Casablanca,” on Saturday, August 27 from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM. Seating is on a grassy hill. Bring a blanket or low back chair so as not to obstruct viewing. Childcare is available. For more information, please click here.

Laguna Beach: Art Festival Season Ending Soon!

Art festival season in Laguna Beach runs daily and concludes at the end of August. For information on the Festival of Arts / Pageant of the Masters, please click here. For information on the Sawdust Art Festival, please click here. For information on Art-A-Fair, please click here. On August 27 & 28, Art-A-Fair will admit all visitors FREE of charge during their Customer Appreciation Weekend, the final weekend of the 2011 summer season!


FIFTH DISTRICT WRAP-UP

In addition to my many meetings, briefings, and other supervisorial activities, I also:
  • Chaired a Special Executive Committee of the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) to interview candidates for the Public Member position on the OCTA Board of Directors.
  • Attended the OCGOP 400 Club event with Congressman Darrell Issa.
  • Participated in the Human Resources Department Audit Ad-Hoc Subcommittee meeting to discuss employee benefit issues.
  • Met with OC Dana Point Harbor staff to discuss various harbor-related issues.
  • Participated in the annual Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) Strategic Planning Session held at the historic Old County Courthouse in Santa Ana.
  • Part in an onsite update provided by OC Parks staff on programs and activities at Irvine Regional Park that included a tour of the OC Zoo.
My office also:
  • Provided a certificate of recognition in honor of the Mission Viejo High School “Diablos” Varsity Baseball Team for their recent Division 2 CIF Championship victory.
  • Provided a certificate of recognition for the Laguna Beach Community Clinic in honor of their outstanding service to the community.
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 concerns, comments or questions at (714) 834-3550. It is an honor and a privilege to serve as your Supervisor for Orange County's Fabulous Fifth District.

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