Header image with Photo of Supervisor Pat Bates. Followed by office information
September 6, 2013

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. HEALTH HERALD

4. SAFETY SENTRY

5. HARBOR HAPPENINGS

6. ENVIRONMENTAL MEMOS

7. NOTES FROM THE FIELD

8. LIBRARY LIBRETTO

9. CRITTER CHRONICLES

10. RECORDER RECORD

11. COUNTY CONNECTIONS

12. SOUTH COUNTY CALENDAR

13. FIFTH DISTRICT WRAP-UP


OUR STAFF...

Don Hughes:
Chief of Staff

Kristen Camuglia:
Deputy Chief of Staff

Sergio Prince:
Policy Advisor

Erik Weigand:
Policy Advisor

Emily Osterberg:
Policy Advisor

Veronica Yniguez:
Policy Advisor

Ruth Strachan:
Office Manager

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Volume 7 Issue 35
BOARD BULLETIN BOARD

No Board Meeting This Week

Due to the Labor Day holiday, there was not a regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Supervisors this week. To view the Board meeting schedule for 2013, please click here.

Our next Board meeting will be held Tuesday, September 10. Regular Board meetings begin at 9:30 AM in the Hall of Administration. 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

Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo Metrolink Station Parking

OCTA is expanding parking capacity at the Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo Metrolink Station with the construction of a 176-space parking lot just south of the existing station parking lot. This will bring the total number of spaces at the Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo Metrolink station to 460.

The new parking lot is being built on OCTA-owned property and will be maintained by the cities of Laguna Niguel and Mission Viejo. The project is scheduled for completion in October 2013.

In addition to the expanded parking lot, design plans have begun for adding Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant ramps that will supplement the elevators at the existing pedestrian underpass. Construction on this phase of the project is expected to begin in early 2015 and be completed in 2016. The underpass will remain open during construction.

Take Metrolink to San Juan Capistrano’s Greek Festival

Shout “Opa!” and get ready to eat and dance Saturday, September 21 at the first annual San Juan Capistrano Greek Festival. The FREE event, which is sponsored by Saint Basil Greek Orthodox Church, will feature dancing lessons, live music, Greek food, art and more.

Join OCTA for a Greek Festival kickoff event at the Irvine Transportation Center on September 21 at 9:00 AM. The first 50 event attendees will receive a FREE round-trip Metrolink ticket. Tickets are valid September 21 only and will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

The kickoff event will feature FREE food courtesy of Nothing Bundt Cakes and live music by Headshine. Attendees will also be able to bring a non-perishable donation for Second Harvest Food Bank to spin OCTA’s prize wheel. After the event, attendees can board the 9:53 AM Metrolink train to the Greek Festival.

With Caltrans’ I-5/Ortega Highway Interchange Improvement Project under way, Metrolink is the most convenient way to get to the festival. Riders can take Metrolink to San Juan Capistrano from as far away as L.A. Union Station or San Bernardino. Plus, it will cost only $10 with the Metrolink Weekend Day Pass, which is valid for system-wide travel on either Saturday or Sunday.

Upon arriving at the train station, riders will be able to catch a FREE shuttle for a short ride to the festivities. They will also get a FREE Greek pastry when they show their Metrolink ticket!

For more information, please click here.

OCTA: On The Move

The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) has released its latest edition of “Orange County: On The Move.” To view the OCTA e-newsletter, please click here.

HEALTH HERALD

High Temperatures Bring Risk of Heat-Related Illnesses

Temperatures in many inland Orange County communities are expected to reach high temperatures above 95 degrees this weekend, increasing the risk of heat related illnesses for those who are more sensitive to heat.

Prolonged exposure to high temperatures may cause serious conditions like heat exhaustion or heat stroke and can even be fatal. Symptoms of heat exhaustion may include heavy sweating, muscle cramps, weakness, headache, nausea or vomiting and dizziness.

At the first sign of heat exhaustion, move to a cool location, rest, and drink fluids. Warning signs of heat stroke may include an extremely high body temperature, unconsciousness, confusion, hot and dry skin (no sweating), a rapid, strong pulse, and a throbbing headache.

If symptoms of heat stroke occur, immediately call for medical assistance. Move the person to a shady area and begin cooling their body with water.

For more information, please click here and here.

Suicide Prevention Week

The Orange County Health Care Agency reminds us that the mental health community and partners nationwide are preparing to recognize Suicide Prevention Week, September 8–14.

For a brief overview of suicide prevention programs, links to resources, and highlights of the more than 120 Suicide Prevention Week activities planned by counties and partners, please click here.

Breast Health Education

Susan G. Komen Orange County, in collaboration with Kaiser Permanente, invites you to attend an education seminar titled “Don’t Let Fear Takeover Your Life.”

Please join Dr. Michael Hanna, Director of Mental Wellness Programs for Kaiser Permanente Orange County, for a compelling presentation on emotional coping and fear of recurrence after breast cancer treatment.

Having some concerns about recurrence is natural, but too much worrying can affect your quality of life. Learn how to manage fear of recurrence so you can feel more confident and secure about survivorship.

This session is FREE and takes place Thursday, September 12 from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM at Kaiser Permanente, Irvine Medical Center Campus, Medical Office Building 1, 4th Floor, Conference Rooms 1 and 2, 6670 Alton Parkway, Irvine, CA 92618. Parking is FREE.

To RSVP, please call (714) 796-2657 or e-mail Cheryl.A.Vargo@kp.org.

SAFETY SENTRY

New Smartphone Apps available for AlertOC

New smartphone apps are now available for AlertOC – Orange County's regional mass notification system. Available for iPhone and Android smartphones, the apps will allow users to receive push notifications, review past messages, update contact information and set device and language preferences. Smartphone users can find the app by searching "Blackboard MyConnect" in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

On September 24, nearly two million Orange County residents – including Aliso Viejo residents registered with AlertOC – will receive a call at 10:00 a.m. to test AlertOC. This is the fourth annual regional test of the system and will include 22 participating cities and the County's unincorporated areas, including Coto de Caza, Wagon Wheel, and Las Flores.

Residents are encouraged to self-register their email addresses, cell phone numbers and other numbers to be a part of the regional test.

The key feature of AlertOC is the ability for residents to register more than one contact method at a specific address. Registrations of cell phone and alternate numbers increase the potential of reaching the greatest number of community members as rapidly as possible. This enables landlines, cell phones and email addresses to be incorporated into a single notification system.

The AlertOC drill September 24 will replicate a large scale, multi-jurisdictional emergency, requiring thousands of numbers to be called simultaneously across Orange County's entire region. The phone message will urge all residents to prepare for real-life emergencies by registering their cell numbers, text numbers and email addresses at AlertOC.com for the best chance to receive vital, timely information when away from home.

Emergencies can happen at any time. A wildfire could spread or a flood could close roads to a neighborhood while residents are away from home. In these instances, AlertOC is a critical link for residents to immediately learn of any required actions.

For more information or to register alternate phone numbers or email addresses, please visit AlertOC.com. Commuters are reminded to be safe and use hands-free devices when talking on the phone and driving.

For more information, plesae click here.

National Emergency Preparedness Month

September is National Preparedness Month. It's time to stop and see how ready you are. Emergency preparedness can be the difference between helplessness and recovery.

For more information on how to prepare your family and workplace for emergencies, please click the links below:
Drowning Prevention Awareness

The Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) reminds residents that drowning is the leading cause of accidental death in Orange County for children under the age of five and is a countywide crisis, requiring the attention of us all.

Fatal and non-fatal drowning is a silent event, occurring in as little as two inches of water and can happen in bathtubs, swimming pools, spas, lakes, the ocean, and any body of water.

Although the highest percentage of drowning occurs during the summer, tragedies happen year round. OCFA, in collaboration with all other fire agencies in Orange County, is urging residents to increase their knowledge of proper water safety measures in the prevention of unnecessary drowning.

For more information, please click here and here.

Back-to-School Safety

It is important for parents to sit down with their children and discuss some simple safety measures, especially with the school year starting.

From playground safety to bullying prevention, please click here to view important tips to help kids stay safe at school.

OC Crime Lab Observes Forensic Sciences Week

Members of the local media received a behind the scenes look at the workings of the OC Crime Lab as part of an August 14 press conference and tour highlighting National Forensic Sciences Week.

The OC Crime Lab tour offered examples of how high-tech and more traditional methods of evidence analysis combine to not only identify potential suspects in crimes but can also be used to demonstrate that an individual did not commit a crime.

The Crime Lab first opened in 1948 and today features high-tech equipment and processes that have allowed the lab to gain international accreditation.

In 2012, the OC Crime Lab processed over 64,000 items of evidence and handled more than 34,000 cases. Recent areas of increased emphasis for the OC Crime Lab include testing for certain illegal and prescription drugs in cases where the driver of a motor vehicle is suspected of driving under the influence and the use of DNA analysis in the investigation of property crimes.

For more information, please click here and here.

OCSD Recruiting Deputy Sheriff Trainees

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department is recruiting for Deputy Sheriff Trainees. A written notification of this recruitment will be viewable Monday, Sept. 9 through Thursday, Sept. 12 at http://www.ocgov.com/jobs.

Beginning Friday, Sept. 13, applications and required supplemental information will be accepted online only. Please be advised that this recruitment may close at any time without notice.

The next test day is scheduled Saturday, Sept. 28. Depending on the number of applications received, some applicants may be scheduled for an alternate test date.

Please contact Recruiting at (714) 834-5811 or visit the Sheriff’s Department website at www.ocsd.org/join with any questions about becoming a Deputy Sheriff Trainee. For more information, please click here.

HARBOR HAPPENINGS

OC Dana Point Harbor: Tall Ships Festival

The Tall Ships Festival in Dana Point Harbor takes place this weekend (Sept. 6–8), beginning with the Tall Ships Sunset Parade sail Friday from 4:30 PM to 7:30 PM. The Tall Ships Sunset Cannon Battle will take place Saturday and Sunday between 4:30 PM and 7:30 PM.

Boaters should remember that Tall Ships do not maneuver easily and that ship crews may not see smaller vessels as they close in. Therefore, boaters are advised to maintain a safe distance from Tall Ships at all times.

Public parking will be available at the Selva Lot and the RH Dana Elementary School Lot, with shuttles running 8:30 AM to 9:00 PM.

For more information, please click here and here. For information about other Dana Point Harbor events, please click here and here.

ENVIRONMENTAL MEMOS

California Coastal Cleanup Day September 21

Every year, on the third Saturday in September, people join together at sites all over California to take part in the State's largest volunteer event – California Coastal Cleanup Day.

This year represents the 29th Annual Coastal Cleanup Day. OC Parks, OC Public Works and the City of Laguna Niguel are cohosting an invasive special removal project and trash clean up at Narco Channel/Laguna Niguel Regional Park. For more information, please click here.

OC Dana Point Harbor is also seeking volunteers for California Coastal Clean-Up Day. A unique aspect of the clean-up effort at OC Dana Point Harbor is an Underwater Clean-Up, and open water-certified divers are invited to volunteer and participate. For more information, please click here.

NOTES FROM THE FIELD

Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park: Moulton Peak

If you climb Moulton Peak, you will have the unique opportunity of passing through four different periods of geologic time, each with visible evidence of the physical events that existed at the time.

The rocks representing each time period are beautifully stacked on one another, much like you would see in the Grand Canyon, and vividly support the changing events that took place in Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park about 17 million years ago, with an ocean much like our own Eastern Pacific.

Climb upward through a time when huge submarine landslides occurred off a large landmass not far off of our modern coastline, which in time would be covered with a local limestone "reef" covering roughly six miles in length. This is where you’ll see the fossils of scallops, oysters and sand dollars.

Finally near the top of the 600' climb, after passing through a gap in time, you’ll arrive for a fantastic view of our coastal hills and the last of the four time periods.

To take a video tour of the Moulton Peak geology hike, please click here.

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 September newsletter, please click here.

LIBRARY LIBRETTO

San Juan Capistrano Library’s 30th Anniversary

A groundbreaking ceremony for San Juan Capistrano’s new library bookstore is scheduled Monday, September 9 at 4:00 PM.

Join City officials, San Juan Capistrano Friends of the Library, San Juan Capistrano Library staff, the San Juan Capistrano Chamber of Commerce, local businesses and dignitaries to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new library bookstore and kickoff of the City Library’s 30th Anniversary Celebration.

While there, enjoy the unique beauty of postmodernism that is the award-winning Michael Graves library. Unlike traditional libraries, it consists of rooms and intimate spaces, each with a frame, a scale and a place in a sequence all its own. The variety is the building’s strength.

The friendly, knowledgeable staff and volunteers, who are the library’s foundation, will be there to provide more history and insight into the library workings. The groundbreaking ceremony is open to all and will take place in the Bland Garden, where the new bookstore will soon reside.

For more information, please click here.

CRITTER CHRONICLES

OC Animal Care: MVP Event

Join OC Animal Care in celebrating the many varieties of pets they have Saturday, September 21 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. You’ll have a chance to interact with some of their most popular breeds in the shelter courtyard. FREE spay/neuter!

For more information, please click here.

RECORDER RECORD

Saturday Clerk Services for Busy Workers and Families

Special weekend hours for the Orange County Clerk-Recorder Department will again be available Saturday, Sept. 21 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Old County Courthouse in Santa Ana and the department’s branch offices in Laguna Hills and Fullerton.

As the special Saturday openings have surged in popularity, especially with families and those who work during the week, additional Saturday hours are being planned once a month through the end of the year. Please check www.ocrecorder.com for exact dates and times. FREE parking will be available at all three locations.

For more information, please click here and here.

COUNTY CONNECTIONS

County Recognized Nationally with “Best of the Web” Award

The County of Orange has received the Center for Digital Government’s 2013 Best of the Web Award for the innovation, functionality, productivity, and performance displayed by its recently re-launched website, www.ocgov.com.

For the past 15 years, the Best of the Web Awards program has honored outstanding official government websites, including those at the city, county, and state levels.

“This year’s winners have demonstrated the ability to adapt to the changing technology landscape, while creating first-class public and business services,” said Todd Sander, Executive Director of the Center for Digital Government.

For more information, please click here and here.

County Honored by Navy Reserve

The strong support demonstrated by the County of Orange for employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserves was recently recognized at a Navy Employer Recognition Event in Virginia. The County of Orange was one of 39 employers selected nationwide to participate in this event recognizing the County’s exceptional support.

During the event, employers were recognized at an awards ceremony and toured local bases including Naval Station Norfolk. During their tour, they got an up-close look at the USS Arleigh Burke, a guided missile destroyer, and met members of Reserve Seal Team 18.

The Chief of Navy Reserve, Vice Admiral Robin Braun was on hand to thank the employers. “Employer support is critical to the Navy Reserve mission. They enable our Navy Reserve sailors to serve America on a part-time basis, be ready for full-time duty if called, and to return to work when their military service is complete,” said Vice Admiral Braun.

SOUTH COUNTY CALENDAR

Laguna Beach: September Sunset Serenades

The City of Laguna Beach will be presenting four FREE concerts in September at the amphitheater in Heisler Park. The concerts will be held every Friday evening in September starting at 5:30 PM. For more information, please click here.

San Juan Capistrano: 9/11 Memorial Service

A Memorial Service marking the 12th anniversary of the September 11 attacks will be held at Orange County Fire Authority Station 7 in San Juan Capistrano at 8:30 AM on Wednesday, September 11. Station 7 is located at 31865 Del Obispo. For more information, please click here.

Laguna Niguel: Patriot Day Concert

Pay tribute, never forget and give back to your community September 11 during this National Day of Remembrance. This event from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Crown Valley Community Park in Laguna Niguel will feature music from Saddleback Valley Chorale. For more information, please click here.

Rancho Santa Margarita: Patriot Day Event

Join friends and neighbors at the City of Rancho Santa Margarita’s Patriot Day event Sunday, September 15 from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in Civic Plaza at Central Park. With involvement from the City’s adopted 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines (2/5), this year’s event has been expanded into a FREE all day event. For more information, please click here and here.

Dana Point: Doheny Longboard Surf Contest & Luau

Saturday, September 21 starts with a great surf contest at Doheny State Beach between the Doheny Longboarders against another California longboard club. Viewing the contest is FREE. For more information, please click here and here.

San Clemente: 13th Annual Open Skate Contest

13th Annual San Clemente Open Skate Contest will be held Saturday, September 21 at Ralph’s Skate Court, 241 Avenida La Pata, and will include the “Best Trick” contest. For more information, please call (949) 429-8797 or click here.

FIFTH DISTRICT WRAP-UP

In addition to my many meetings, briefings, and other supervisorial activities, I also:
  • Presented a certificate of recognition to Congressman Darrell Issa in honor of the grand opening of his new district office in Dana Point. To view a picture, please click here.
  • Participated in an I-15 Managed Lanes Facility Tour.
  • Chaired the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) Environmental Oversight Committee meeting, where we discussed management of OCTA’s conservation properties.

My office also:
  • Participated in a pre-game on-field ceremony at Angel Stadium to recognize the County’s Eco Challenge Poster Contest winners.

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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