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March 15, 2013 |
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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. SAFETY SENTRY
4. ENVIRONMENTAL MEMOS
5. HEALTH HERALD
6. AIRPORT ARRIVALS
7. NOTES FROM THE FIELD
8. LIBRARY LAUREATE
9. CRITTER CHRONICLES
10. SOUTH COUNTY CALENDAR
11. 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
Ruth Strachan:
Office Manager
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| BOARD BULLETIN BOARD |
Clerk-Recorder Selection Update
The Board completed the second phase of the Clerk-Recorder selection process. Each Supervisor provided names of up to 10 individuals, and each candidate required a second to remain on the active list for consideration.
The remaining candidates will be invited to interview with the Board at an upcoming public meeting, the date to be determined. To view the list of remaining candidates, please click here.
Legislative Report
The County’s federal legislative advocate, Jim McConnell, presented the Washington, DC Legislative Update. To view the report, please click here.
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| TRANSPORTATION INFORMATION |
California Transportation Commission (CTC) Meeting
Last week, the California Transportation Commission (CTC) held their March meeting in San Francisco. Orange County received a total of $11.1 million in funding.
The CTC allocated $11.1 million in Proposition 1B State Local Partnership Program (SLPP) funding to 26 projects for street reconstruction, rehabilitation, and improvements in the following cities: Aliso Viejo, Brea, Buena Park, Cypress, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, La Habra, La Palma, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest, Los Alamitos, Orange, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, Stanton, Tustin, and Westminster.
The CTC also approved using $12.6 million in Proposition 1B Trade Corridor Improvement Funds (TCIF) bid savings for the Lakeview Avenue Grade Separation ($10.8 million) and the State College Boulevard Grade Separation ($1.8 million) projects.
Bus Customer Roundtable
The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) hosted a roundtable discussion to obtain feedback from customers who use bus routes that were affected by the February service change. Positive feedback was received, with most attendees stating that their travel times have decreased or stayed the same as a result of the service change.
The Swallows Day Parade Is Coming!
The 55th annual Swallows Day Parade and Mercado will be held Saturday, March 23 from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM in downtown San Juan Capistrano. The Swallows Day Parade is part of the Fiesta de las Golondrinas – the Festival of the Swallows. The festival is built around the swallows legendary return to Mission San Juan Capistrano every St. Joseph’s Day, March 19.
The Swallows Day Parade is the largest non-motorized parade in the nation and great fun for the whole family! The parade is a popular event, so be sure to arrive early to avoid street closures that start at 10:00 AM. The parade will begin at 11:00 AM.
The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) has teamed up with Metrolink to host a kick-off event at the Tustin Metrolink Station on Saturday, March 23, starting at 8:30 AM. Spin the prize wheel for a chance to win FREE Metrolink round trip tickets and other prizes! Enjoy FREE live music by Headshine and FREE food provided by Corner Bakery Cafe and Nothing Bundt Cakes. The event starts at 8:30 AM, and the train for San Juan Capistrano leaves Tustin at 9:51 AM.
For more information, click here and here.
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| SAFETY SENTRY |
St. Patrick’s Day DUI Enforcement this Weekend
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s DUI Task Force will be conducting a DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoint on Friday, March 15 in the City of San Clemente from 6:00 PM to 2:00 AM. Deputies will be stopping drivers passing through the checkpoint for signs of alcohol and/or drug impairment.
Deputies will also check drivers for proper licensing and will strive to delay motorists only momentarily. When possible, specially trained officers will be available to evaluate those suspected of drug-impaired driving. Drivers caught driving impaired can expect jail, license suspension, and insurance increases, as well as fines, fees, DUI classes, and other expenses that can exceed $10,000.
Based on collision statistics and frequency of DUI arrests, DUI Checkpoints are placed in locations that have the greatest opportunity for achieving drunk and drugged driving deterrence. Locations are chosen with safety considerations for the officers and the public.
For more information, please click here and here.
As St. Patrick’s Day takes place Sunday, March 13, the Orange County ‘Avoid the 38’ DUI Task Force is urging motorists to plan a safe ride home and never get behind the wheel drunk or drugged. During this holiday period, law enforcement agencies throughout Orange County will be on high alert, cracking down on drunk drivers as part of its Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over public safety campaign.
The Orange County DUI Task Force, which is comprised of 38 law enforcement agencies in Orange County, will be deploying special roving DUI patrols this St. Patrick’s Day weekend in several communities, looking to stop and arrest drivers who are impaired by alcohol or drugs. These DUI patrols are in addition to regularly scheduled patrol officers.
For more information, please click here.
Capistrano Unified School District Offers Safety Tips
As a result of a recent attempted attack on two boys near Ladera Ranch Elementary School, Capistrano Unified School District (CUSD) officials are reminding parents to pass along safety tips to their children.
Neighboring Saddleback Valley Unified School District also alerted parents to the incident through an email, and some schools reviewed their "Stranger Danger" program with students.
In light of the incident, CUSD officials offer the following safety tips to parents and their children:
- Children should not get into a car or go anywhere with any person unless their parents have told them specifically that it’s OK. CUSD students may ride home only with parents or people listed on the emergency card. If you have a carpool, please inform the office to update the emergency card.
- If someone follows your child on foot or in a car, the child should stay away from the person. Don’t go near the car or get inside it. Get to a crowded, well-lit place where others can help.
- Don’t go anywhere with a stranger. Don’t respond to anyone you don’t know well, even if the person asks for directions, solicits help to look for a lost puppy, or says your mother or father is in trouble.
- If someone tries to take a child somewhere, quickly get away from him or her and yell: "This man (woman) is trying to take me away" or "This person is not my father (or mother)."
- Kids should always use the buddy system. Go with a friend, never alone.
- Children are strong, and they have the right to say NO to someone who tries to take them somewhere, or makes them feel uncomfortable in any way.
For more information, please click here.
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| ENVIRONMENTAL MEMOS |
Orange County Coastal Coalition
Please join me Thursday, March 28 for the Orange County Coastal Coalition. The meeting will begin at 9:00 AM at Southern California Coastal Water Research Project, 3535 Harbor Blvd., Suite 110, Costa Mesa.
Patrick Bauer from the City of Costa Mesa will be presenting about the Fairview Park Wetlands & Riparian Habitat Restoration Project; and Sandy DeSimone from Starr Ranch Sanctuary Audubon California will be presenting about the Riparian Invasive Control, Restoration, Monitoring, and Education at Audubon Starr Ranch Sanctuary.
Their presentations will be followed by a Question & Answer session. For more information, please click here.
EPA Names County Gas to Energy Plant Project of the Year
OC Waste & Recycling is the proud recipient of the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (US EPA) Landfill Methane Outreach Project of the Year award. The 2012 award was given to the partners that collaborated on the new landfill gas energy plant at the Olinda Alpha Landfill located in Brea. The US EPA Landfill Methane Outreach Program sponsors the annual Project of the Year Award.
The Brea Power II plant is fueled with landfill gas from Orange County residents’ solid waste. The power generated at the facility is sold to Anaheim Public Utilities, where it enters the grid to be used by the very residents whose waste generated it, with enough power to serve over 22,000 Anaheim homes.
The Brea Power II plant began operation in October of 2012. Its 37.5 megawatts of capacity almost most doubles the County’s renewable energy portfolio, from 32.5 megawatts to a total production capacity of 51.8 megawatts.
The Brea Power II plant is owned and operated by Broadrock Renewables, LLC. It was built by DCO Energy, using state-of-the-art turbines fabricated in San Diego by Solar Turbines. The plant cost approximately $130 million to build (at no cost to Orange County taxpayers) and created approximately 150 Orange County construction jobs and 25 new, permanent jobs. The project was also recipient of a $10 million job-related stimulus grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.
In 1981, the original 5-megawatt landfill gas energy plant began operating at the Olinda Alpha Landfill. The project was so successful that the facility was expanded in 2012 by 32.5 megawatts. The combined cycle plant is one of the most efficient types of power plant in existence today and provides beneficial use of our landfills’ valuable renewable resource.
A new power plant currently under construction at the Frank R. Bowerman Landfill is expected to add 23 more megawatts of power, increasing OC Waste & Recycling’s renewable energy portfolio to a total of 74 megawatts of power, enough to serve more than 43,500 homes or almost all of Fullerton.
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| HEALTH HERALD |
OC Food Establishments Receive Awards of Excellence
Orange County Public Health’s Environmental Health Division has issued 3,274 Award of Excellence certificates to local Orange County food facilities, representing an increase of almost 30 additional food facilities from the previous year.
From a qualifying group of 9,839 food facilities throughout the County, these establishments were recognized by Environmental Health’s Food Protection Program for their outstanding food safety and sanitation practices during 2012.
The Food Protection Program focuses on the inspection of retail food facilities in order to promote the safe and sanitary preparation and service of foods, prevent foodborne illness, and protect consumers from adulterated food products.
To view a complete list of all recipients and award criteria, please click here. For more information, please click here and here.
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| AIRPORT ARRIVALS |
JWA Construction Alert: Lane Closures on Lower Roadway
As part of an ongoing seismic retrofitting project, a portion of the Arrival (lower) Level roadway at John Wayne Airport (JWA) will be narrowed to allow for construction, effective weekdays through Thursday, March 21 between 5:00 AM and 3:00 PM.
To view a map of the affected area or for more information, please click here.
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| NOTES FROM THE FIELD |
Doheny Update
The Doheny State Beach Interpretive Association (DSBIA) has issued their latest edition of DOHENY UPDATE to better inform the public about events and conditions in the State Park.
To view the DSBIA March newsletter, please click here.
Caspers Wilderness Park 5K/10K & 1K Kids Run
The Caspers Wilderness Park 5K/10K & 1K Kids Run takes place Sunday, March 17 at Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park. Caspers Wilderness Park offers 8,000 acres of protected preserve nestled among the river terraces and sandstone canyons of the western coastal Sana Ana Mountains.
For more information, please click here.
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| LIBRARY LAUREATE |
Laguna Hills Technology Branch Library Maintenance Closure
Library patrons should be advised that the Laguna Hills Technology Library will be closed Friday & Saturday, March 15 & 16 due to new carpet installation.
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| CRITTER CHRONICLES |
Animal Shelter Night at Honda Center
Please join OC Animal Care and the Anaheim Ducks for Animal Shelter Night at Honda Center on Sunday, March 24 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Hockey Spot!
For more information, please click here.
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| SOUTH COUNTY CALENDAR |
San Juan Capistrano: Swallows Day Parade
The 55th Annual Swallows Day Parade and Mercado Street Fair will take place in downtown San Juan Capistrano on Saturday, March 23, beginning at 11:00 AM. The Swallows Day Parade is the nation's largest non-motorized parade. For more information, please click here and here.
Dana Point: Free Community Electronic Waste Day
Monarch Bay Plaza is sponsoring a Free Community Electronic Waste Day to safely dispose of old computers, printers, monitors, cell phones, TVs and more on Saturday, March 23 from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. For more information, please click here.
Laguna Niguel: Track and Field Meet
Boys and girls ages 6-15, born 2006-1998, are invited to participate in the City of Laguna Niguel Track and Field Meet on Sunday, March 24 at 1:00 PM at Aliso Niguel High School. For more information, please click here.
Laguna Hills: Spring Registration for Classes & Activities
The City of Laguna Hills Community Services Department is offering a variety of spring classes for all ages and interests. For more information, please click here.
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| FIFTH DISTRICT WRAP-UP |
In addition to my many meetings, briefings, and other supervisorial activities, I also:
- Provided a certificate of recognition to Steven Kazarian, a Dana Hills High School student, who won the 2013 Festival of Whales logo design contest.
- Participated in the Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA) Permit Water Quality Hearing.
- Presented a certificate of recognition to St. Margaret’s Episcopal School Headmaster Marcus Hurlbut upon his receiving the Arts & Culture Award at the San Juan Capistrano State of the City Dinner hosted by Mayor John Taylor and the San Juan Capistrano Chamber of Commerce.
- Presented a certificate of recognition at the grand opening of Hamilton Oaks Winery in San Juan Capistrano.
- Adjourned the Board of Supervisors meeting in memory of Jane A. Crosby of Aliso Viejo.
My office also:
- Attended a meeting with departmental staff to discuss County Services for the Proposed Homeless Year-Round Shelter and Multiservice Center in Fullerton.
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.
For an ADA version of our newsletter, click here.
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