Dana Point Harbor Partners invites the community to attend a design workshop to review and provide feedback on various aspects of the Dana Point Harbor Commercial Core Revitalization Plan. The Community Workshop will be held Monday, August 19 from 6 PM to 8 PM at Ocean Institute's Samueli Lecture Hall & Conference Center, 24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point.

Ocean Institute in Dana Point Harbor

Individual stations will address specific design elements of the Commercial Core currently under review including materials and color palettes, patios, trellises and awnings, events and public activation areas, landscape materials, tenant mix and more.

Preliminary artist rendering

The design workshop is free to attend. Public input is encouraged and feedback will be collected anonymously. Community members are welcome to share the workshop information with others that may be interested in attending. 

Orange County is making it easier for local small businesses to do business with the County! Starting September 1, Orange County-based small businesses will be first in line as they compete for hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts issued by the county government.

To that end, OC Supervisor Andrew Do and I updated the County’s procurement process to engage local small businesses and expand opportunities for minority and women-owned businesses. The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the first-ever Local Small Business Preference Program at our August 13 meeting. For more information, please click here.
 
We are always striving to make Orange County a great place to live, work, and play. This addition to our procurement process will give our local and small businesses more opportunities to work directly with the County by providing services and products that further enhance the Orange County economy, producing local jobs and adding to our quality of life.
 
Orange County joins numerous other governments in adopting a preference policy for procurements – Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino, Sacramento, and Imperial Counties are some of the many that offer preference programs in their procurement policies.

Orange County oversees a $6 billion budget covering public safety, parks, homeless services, mental health programs, child protective services, and many more areas.
 
According to a report from the U.S. Small Business Administration released last year, 3.9 million small business in California created jobs for over 7.0 million employees. As the third largest populated county in California, and the sixth largest in the country, by 2011, Orange County had 86,473 small businesses registered.

Laguna Beach Police Department (LBPD) will be conducting a DUI/Drivers License Checkpoint Saturday, August 17 from 9 PM to 2:30 AM.   

DUI Checkpoints like this are placed in locations based on collision statistics and frequency of DUI arrests. Officers will be looking for signs of alcohol and/or drug impairment, with officers checking drivers for proper licensing. (Information courtesy of Stu News Laguna)

As reported in my newsletter last week, due to overwhelming public input, Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) staff withdrew its recommendations to the OCTA Regional Planning and Highways Committee, which would have eliminated three bus routes in South County.

The three bus routes that have been saved are:

• Route 83 (Anaheim – Laguna Hills)
• Route 86 (Costa Mesa – Mission Viejo)
• Route 206 (Santa Ana – Lake Forest Express) – This route instead will only be eliminating one morning and one afternoon service.

OCTA received hundreds of responses and concerns from our local citizens about these routes, which ultimately led staff to reconsider its original elimination recommendations.

As your representative on the OCTA Board of Directors, I am grateful to everyone who submitted public comments on these specific routes. And as an advocate for regional mobility, I applaud you for your successful efforts to save our public transportation options.

14-year-old soccer standout Francis Jacobs of Laguna Beach is the youngest male in U.S. soccer history to sign a pro contract .

Orange County Soccer Club (OCSC) has announced the signing of 14-year-old soccer standout Francis Jacobs, who becomes the youngest male to sign a professional contract in United States soccer history.

The Laguna Beach native joins amidst interest from multiple European clubs and is eligible to make his historic first appearance as early as Saturday, August 17 against Las Vegas Lights FC.

Jacobs becomes the youngest professional soccer player in U.S. history after inking his deal at 14 years, 4 months, and 29 days. 

Jacobs joins OCSC following a successful stint with the Irvine Strikers, where his performances earned him national team call-ups with both the U.S. U-14 National Team and, most recently, as a participant in the 2018 U.S. Junior National Team camp.

Jacobs had training stints with Bundesliga clubs Cologne and Bayer Leverkusen in Germany, but the option of staying close to home made joining OCSC the right step for the player and his family.

Orange County Soccer Club is Orange County’s only professional soccer team and is part of the United Soccer League (USL), the fastest growing Division II professional soccer league in the world. The USL is comprised of 34 teams across the United States. The team plays its home games at the Orange County Great Park’s Championship Soccer Stadium, located in Irvine. 

Congratulations to young Francis Jacobs of Laguna Beach!

Summer is almost over, and school is right around the corner. In honor of National Back-to-School Month, we have put together a waste reduction back-to-school guide for you and your family.

We know that you work hard to ensure your children have a great and productive year. When preparing your children for school this year, you can help them be good environmental stewards at the same time. Make sure to reuse and recycle as much as you can. Every little bit makes a difference in preserving our beautiful county and mother earth.

As reported in my newsletter last week, the California State Library named Orange County as the “County of the Month” for its California History Section. 

Without the efforts of our Orange County Public Libraries (OCPL), local residents would lack a sense of community and shared past. This distinction highlights organizations involved in local cultural preservation and outreach, as well as the varied local history resources available to researchers at the State Library. For more information, click here.

OC Public Libraries offers many ways the public can learn about the history of Orange County!

OC Stories celebrates Orange County's rich cultural diversity by documenting through photo, video, and audio local historical events, people, businesses, and institutions over the past 100+ years. More info can be found here. 

San Juan Capistrano Branch Library

OCPL's' Cal Humanities Community Stories project, "Indigenous Voices of San Juan Capistrano: The Acjachemen (Juaneño) Indian Community," documents the unique cultural continuity and communal memory of one of Orange County's indigenous people. More info can be found here.

Laguna Beach Branch Library

Beyond our digital resources, visit the Laguna Beach Library to find old newspapers on microfiche and phone books from the past.

The Old Orange County Courthouse houses OC Archives.

Along with the resources offered by OCPL, Orange County Archives serves as the main repository for historic property documents, vital records and other materials from county government. OC Archives is open daily to offer assistance to local historians, property researchers, genealogists and students. Find out more here. 

Congratulations to Orange County Public Libraries!

Mixed Media Collage artist Fernando Del Rosario brings his “Real Heroes” collection of inspiring quotes and original composed art to John Wayne Airport (JWA). Del Rosario’s artwork is now on display in the JWA Community Focus Space through September 17.

Mixed media collage art by Fernando Del Rosario, will be on display as part of JWA’s Community Focus Space Program.

Based on a childhood comic book collection 31 years in the making, Fernando Del Rosario brings together an imaginative way to express his love for comic book superheroes and inspirational quotes by extraordinary people through his art. Children and adults alike who travel through John Wayne Airport are sure to enjoy his vibrant exhibit.

Head over to Lake Forest Sports Park on Saturday, August 17 from 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM for a Classic Rock Concert and Car Show featuring The Long Run (Eagles tribute) and Creedenced (CCR tribute). 

Presented by Doheny Blues Festival and the City of Dana Point, the Sunday, August 18 concert at Sea Terrace Park features three performances, Tunnel Vision at 3 PM, Polynesian Dancers & Other Entertainment at 4 PM, and Surf City All Stars at 5 PM. Refreshments and food available for purchase. For more info, click here.

Enjoy the Music in the Park summer concerts every Sunday in Laguna Beach from 5 PM to 7 PM at Bluebird Park (Bluebird Canyon Dr./Cress St.) Free trolley service is available to the park.

8/18:  Boys of Summer (Eagles Tribute)

8/25:  LA Sound Machine (Gloria Estefan Tribute)

Mission San Juan Capistrano is pleased to offer a new program for the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) community, including adults and children on the autism spectrum, as well as their families, friends and caregivers. This program encourages individuals to explore, reflect, and learn in an environment that is comfortable for them.

ASD Accessibility Hour will take place four times throughout the 2019-2020 school year. These dates and times (listed below) were selected to provide a quiet and less-crowded experience for visitors on the spectrum to explore the Mission at their own pace. During ASD Accessibility Hours, the Mission will offer a “quiet room” from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. if visitors need a space to desensitize and decompress. The Mission is proud to be a place of inspiration, education, and preservation for all.

ASD DATES AND HOURS

• Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019: 4 p.m. – 5 p.m.
• Friday, Dec. 27. 2019: 8 a.m. – 9 a.m.*
• Tuesday, April 28, 2020: 4 p.m. – 5 p.m.
• Friday, June 19, 2020: 8 a.m. – 9 a.m.*

*opening an hour early

Call for pricing and to schedule!

General admission rates apply during ASD Accessibility Hour. Attendees are welcome to arrive before 4 p.m. on ASD Hour afternoon dates and stay after 9 a.m. on ASD Hour morning dates. To reserve your spot for ASD Accessibility Hour, contact Group Bookings at bookatour@missionsjc.com or (949) 234-1306. For more information, please click here.

• Presented to the Women in Green Forum on transformative transportation technologies and was interviewed by S.T.R.E.A.M. Kids Expo founder Niamani Knight on what our region is doing to make California a healthier place for all to thrive.
• Was sworn-in to the Orange County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO).
• Participated in Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) Board of Directors meeting.
• Chaired the Orange County Board of Supervisors meeting, presented Board Resolutions to our Orange County Social Services Agency, Health Care Agency, and OC Community Resources in honor of Eligibility Workers Recognition Month, and adjourned the meeting in memory OC Auditor-Controller Eric Woolery.
• Attended the memorial service for OC Auditor-Controller Eric Woolery.

Presenting Board Resolutions to our Orange County Social Services Agency, Health Care Agency, and OC Community Resources in honor of Eligibility Workers Recognition Month.

With Niamani Knight, Founder of S.T.R.E.A.M Kids Expo, and Jamie Nack, Founder of the Women in Green Forum.

Being interviewed by S.T.R.E.A.M Kids Expo Founder Niamani Knight at the Women in Green Forum.

Being sworn-in to LAFCO with fellow Commissioners Kathryn Freshley and James Fisler.

• Participated in the Orange County Audit Oversight Committee meeting.
• Participated in the Dana Point Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee meeting with Dana Point Councilman Jamey Federico as the keynote speaker.
• Presented a certificate of recognition in honor of the ribbon cutting ceremony for Taco Mesa in Mission Viejo.

At the Dana Point Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee.

At the ribbon cutting for Taco Mesa in Mission Viejo.
(Photo courtesy of Takata Photo & Design)