Last week, representatives from across the State of California, County of Orange, City of Orange, CalOptima, and local nonprofit hospital systems came together to celebrate the groundbreaking of the first Be Well OC campus at 265 Anita Drive, Orange.

At the Be Well OC campus ground breaking ceremony.

This marked a momentous occasion in Orange County’s history, as we celebrated the public-private partnership between the County of Orange and our healthcare partners.

The new 60,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility set for completion in fall of 2020, will offer best-in-class mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) treatment programs available to all residents, regardless of payer. Service elements will include triage, psychiatric intake and referral, SUD intake and referral, withdrawal management, transitional residential, residential treatment and an integrated support center.

This first of three Be Well OC campuses marks the initial physical manifestation of the broader Be Well OC initiative. The initiative is the first of its kind in the state of California to leverage the best-in-class capabilities of public, private, academic, faith-based entities, and others, to create a coordinated system of care to solve this pervasive mental healthcare challenge. Currently, more than 100 organizations play a role in the Be Well OC ecosystem.

With my Board colleagues at the ground breaking ceremony.

The Orange County Board of Supervisors committed $16.6 million for the development of the campus, in addition to investments from CalOptima, Kaiser Permanente, Hoag and Providence St. Joseph Health (St. Jude Medical Center and St. Joseph Hospital). The projected cost for the campus is $40 million. For more information about Be Well OC, please click here.

At an event earlier this month, the Los Angeles Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) recognized a freeway project that eases congestion in South County and me, as an advocate for strong infrastructure projects.

As a member of the OCTA Board of Directors, I'm pleased to report OCTA earned the award for Construction Project of the Year for the Interstate 5 HOV Improvement Project between Avenida Pico and Avenida Vista Hermosa.

The $230 million improvement project, which added six miles of carpool lanes in each direction to the I-5 freeway, was selected among projects from seven branches in the Southern California region for its unique technical achievements, complexity and engineering features.

Completed in 2018, the project added carpool lanes in each direction between Avenida Pico in San Clemente and San Juan Creek Road in San Juan Capistrano, significantly easing traffic congestion in those areas. It also improved freeway on-ramps and off-ramps and reconstructed the Avenida Pico interchange for better access and traffic flow.

Nearly 250,000 drivers travel this section of the freeway each day to and from San Diego County.

In addition, I was was honored with an award for "Excellence in Promoting Infrastructure." As always, I'm a strong advocate for strong infrastructure projects through county agencies and public-private partnerships. For more information, please click here.

Nearly 360,000 motorists travel I-5 daily between the San Joaquin Hills Toll Road (SR-73) and El Toro Road. Transportation planners expect traffic volumes to grow 25 percent by 2045. To address this travel demand, OCTA and Caltrans are working together to implement the San Diego Freeway (I-5) Widening project from SR-73 to El Toro Road.

Located adjacent to the cities of Mission Viejo, Lake Forest, Laguna Hills and Laguna Niguel, this $580 million freeway improvement project is funded by OC Go (also known as Measure M) and includes numerous roadway, structural and operational improvements. To learn more about this project, please click here.

As part of this project, there will be multiple lane and ramp closures this weekend to complete the temporary northbound I-5 Loop on-ramp from eastbound La Paz Road. Closures will occur from 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 26 to 5 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 28.

The installation of this temporary on-ramp marks a major milestone in the construction of the La Paz Rd interchange. The new loop on-ramp will allow access to the ramp throughout peak hours of travel for the duration of the project while creating a safe working environment for crews.

Lane closures include:

• Northbound I-5 Loop on-ramp from eastbound La Paz Road
• Right lane of eastbound La Paz Road between Cabot Road and Muirlands Boulevard
• Northbound  I-5 La Paz Road off-ramp
• Northbound I-5 right two lanes between Oso Parkway and Alicia Parkway

Click the image above for more info.

The northbound I-5 on-ramp from westbound La Paz Road will be open at all times throughout the 31-hour closure. Eastbound La Paz Road traffic will be detoured to northbound Muirlands Boulevard and will then enter northbound I-5 from the Alicia Parkway on-ramp.

All detour signage, including orange placards and electronic message signs, will be in place before the closure begins. Click here for more information.

Last week, I was pleased to appear on Village Television in Laguna Woods with THIS DAY talk show host Ken Goldenberg and Lora Young of the Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District. To see the TV interview, click here or on the image below.

Click the image above to view the interview on THIS DAY.

The 25th Annual Conditions of Children in Orange County report was released this week, offering a comprehensive assessment of the health, economic well-being, education and safety of the County’s children.

A 25-year retrospective shows the changing landscape into which children are born, as well as improvement for the lives and well-being of Orange County’s youth:

• Population Size - Children make up a smaller proportion of our total population; about 10,000 fewer babies are born compared with 25 years ago.
• Financial/Economic Well-Being - Orange County unemployment is comparatively low at 2.6 percent; in 1995 it was double that rate at 5.2 percent.
• Good Health - The majority of Orange County moms are seeking early prenatal care - higher than 25 years ago, while teen births have dropped dramatically and the rate of infant mortality has been cut in half.
• Academic Improvement - A greater percentage of students are completing college preparatory classes.
• Safe Homes - The juvenile arrest rate has plummeted over 25 years and substantiated child abuse rates have been cut nearly in half.

This year’s report includes a special focus on risk and protective factors contributing to children’s mental health and a new indicator on chronic school absenteeism. To find out more about the other indicators and read the full Report, click here. 

At OC Waste & Recycling (OCWR), they are continuously looking for ways to be more eek-o-friendly; and with Halloween just around the corner, OCWR found a great article that provides alternatives to passing out candy.

To see creative ways to minimize waste this Halloween, please click here.

The Orange County Treasurer-Tax Collector (TTC) reminds us that the Fiscal Year (FY) 2019-20 Secured Property Tax Bills were mailed to taxpayers the week of September 30. THE TTC will be mailing approximately 850,000 property tax bills over a seven-day period. The property tax bills are now available to view, print or pay on the TTC website. 

The first and second installments are due on November 1, 2019 and February 1, 2020 respectively. The last day to make your timely payment for the first installment will be December 10, 2019 and for the second installment will be April 10, 2020.

Payments made or postmarked after these dates will be assessed a late penalty. If you receive a RED property tax bill, you have a prior year’s property tax bill that is unpaid. To check to see if you have any delinquent property tax bills or any property tax refunds on your property, view your online property tax statement by inputting your parcel or address.

We encourage you to use the ease and convenience of paying your property taxes by eCheck at no cost through the TTC's secure website. You can also pay online using debit/credit cards (service charges apply). 

Please note that the property tax bills for the previous ten years and payment details for the last two years are also available on our website and you can view properties on a GIS map on our new “Mello” app  or at our other GIS site. You can also sign up to receive an email or text reminder!  

The Doheny State Beach Interpretive Association has released the October edition of its e-newsletter, The Doheny UPDATE, featuring information on upcoming events and activities at Doheny State Beach.

• Participated in the 12th Annual South County Disaster Preparedness Expo in Mission Viejo. Check back next week to view the photo album!
• Participated in the 5th District Mayor's Forum in Laguna Niguel.
• Participated in the "Pre-Celebration" Time Capsule Reception hosted by the Ocean Institute in Dana Point Harbor. 
• Toured the Broadrock Power Generation Facility in Brea, which uses landfill gas to generate renewable energy to power 37,000 homes.
• Was the keynote speaker at the Independent Special Districts of Orange County (ISDOC) Quarterly Luncheon.
• Participated in the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) Board of Directors meeting.

At the 12th Annual South County Disaster Preparedness Expo in Mission
Viejo with ETWD Director Mark Monin and SCWD Director
Saundra Jacobs.

At the South County Disaster Preparedness Expo with Dana Point Mayor
Pro Tem Paul Wyatt.

At the Disaster Preparedness Expo with Mission Viejo Councilwoman Trish
Kelley and CUSD Trustee Judy Bullockus.

At the Expo with San Juan Capistrano Councilman Sergio Farias.

With MNWD Director Richard Fiore.

With Bryon Ward of Dana Point Harbor Partners at the "Pre-Celebration"
Time Capsule Reception hosted by the Ocean Institute.

Touring the Broadrock Power Generation Facility.

Speaking at the ISDOC Quarterly Luncheon.

At the ISDOC Quarterly Luncheon.

• Attended the South Orange County Economic Coalition (SOCEC) Annual Legislative Meet & Greet.
• Participated in the "Pre-Celebration" Time Capsule Reception hosted by the Ocean Institute in Dana Point Harbor. 
• Presented a certificate of recognition in honor of the ribbon cutting ceremony for Harley Restaurant in Laguna Beach.
• Presented a certificate of recognition in honor of the ribbon cutting ceremony for Gravity Medical Spa in San Juan Capistrano.
• Presented a certificate of recognition in honor of the ribbon cutting ceremony for CAllie Girl Boutique in Mission Viejo.
• Presented a certificate of recognition in honor of the ribbon cutting ceremony for Ballesteros Group Coldwell Banker Residential Brokers in Laguna Beach.

My Community Relations Advisor, Sergio Prince, with Senator John Moorlach at the South Orange County Economic Coalition Legislative meet and greet.

With Laguna Beach Fesival of Arts / Pageant of the Masters Marketing Director Sharbie Higuchi at the Pre-Celebration" Time Capsule Reception hosted by the Ocean Institute.

Presenting a certificate of recognition to Harley Restaurant in Laguna.

At the ribbon cutting for Gravity Medical Spa in San Juan Capistrano.

At the ribbon cutting ceremony for CAllie Girl Boutique in Mission Viejo.
(Photo courtesy of Takata Photo & Design)

At the ribbon cutting for Ballesteros Group Coldwell Banker Residential Brokers in Laguna Beach.