This week, on Monday, October 28, hundreds of South County residents were A Part of History, as we celebrated the dedication and unveiling of the monument for the 2019-2069 Dana Point Harbor 50-Year Time Capsule.

Before and after the presentations, attendees were entertained by Martin Gershwitz, a famous local musician who is also the keyboardist for legendary rock group Iron Butterfly, as he recently returned from a European tour with the band.

Many years ago, long before there even was a Dana Point Harbor, the sailing ships and traders that docked in the immediate area had a very close relationship with Mission San Juan Capistrano. So, it was highly appropriate that Monsignor J. Michael McKiernan, Pastor of the Basilica and Historic Mission San Juan Capistrano, delivered the Invocation.

In addition, Wayne Yost, Commander of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9934, helped conduct the Flag Presentation, as former Orange County Supervisor of the 5th District, The Honorable Tom Wilson, led us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Miss Ava August, a very talented 14-year-old singer songwriter, who at the age of 12 was contacted by NBC’s The Voice to audition for the show, then gave a powerful rendition of our National Anthem.

Senator Pat Bates graciously delivered the State Welcome, which was followed by the City Welcome from Dana Point Mayor Joe Muller.

Back in 1966, a Time Capsule Ceremony was held to commemorate what would eventually become the construction of Dana Point Harbor. At that time, the communities that participated in that event were almost entirely from Dana Point, Laguna Beach, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano. The reason that the 1966 attendees were primarily from these cities was that the majority of the communities currently in the 5th District didn’t exist back then, as the area was mostly rolling hills and open space.

I’m pleased to report that Time Capsule technology has come a long way since 1966. Back then, they used a steel pipe about six inches in diameter. They had to roll all the documents and other items very tightly to fit them inside the cylinder. Afterward they screwed on the top and wrapped it with duct tape. Fortunately, our new Time Capsule is a little more state-of-the-art than that!

Nevertheless, about 3,000 attended the 1966 ceremony, and they all received a ticket to return 50 years later, in 2016, for the unveiling to see the Time Capsule items… and to get a free dinner at the event!

Well, fast forward 50 years to 2016, and guess who was the 5th District Supervisor who had to make good on the promise made a half-century earlier? You guessed it… yours truly! It wasn’t easy, but we made good on that promise, thanks to the hard work and dedication of our previous Time Capsule Committee, many of whom were also involved in the new 2019-2069 Time Capsule effort.

During this year's Time Capsule Clebration, Dana Point Historical Society President Barbara Force Johannes provided additional historical perspective. In her comments, Barbara noted that while the 1966 Time Capsule Rock symbolized the 1.5 million rocks in the breakwaters that protect the Harbor, the 2019 Time Capsule Tower Clock will become a landmark, providing a time and place to meet friends at the Harbor.

The clock is topped with Sidney H. Woodruff’s tall ship logo, a salute to Dana Point’s 1920 beginnings as a maritime resort, whiuch was delayed for decades by The Great Depression and World War II.  

When the Harbor Revitalization progress allows a permanent location, the 2019-2069 Time Capsule will be enclosed beneath the Harbor’s Clock, just as the 1966 rock was moved to the base of the east jetty next to Doheny State Beach in 1968.

Well over 100 nonprofit organizations submitted items to the new Time Capsule, and we hope more will participate before the deadline on November 15. On November 18, all the Time Capsule items will be delivered to Orange County Archives in Santa Ana, where they will be organized, preserved and enclosed in the new Time Capsule.

In addition to Dana Point Historical Society and the Time Capsule Planning Committee, this week's celebration was also made possible by a number of generous sponsors, including our gracious Title Sponsor, Dana Point Harbor Partners, our esteemed P3 Partner charged with the renovation the harbor! To that end, Partner Bryon Ward kindly comments during the presentation. 

I’d also like to acknowledge our Platinum Sponsors for their generous support, beginning with Rancho Mission Viejo, including Tony Moiso and his wonderful family! Our other Platiunum Sponsors included:

• South Coast Water District
• Visit Dana Point
• Waterman’s Harbor
• Coffee Importers!
• Outlets of San Clemente
• Parking Concepts Inc.
• Blue Shield of California
• The City of Dana Point, along with Ruttan & Tucker.

Thank you to all of our generous sponsors!

For the grand finale, the audience turned their attention to the Time Capsule monument, as my dear friend, Don Hansen of Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching (the original and longest standing tenant of Dana Point Harbor) was joined by Jim Miller of Coffee Importers (who this year celebrated their 40th anniversary in the harbor) as together they unveiled the 2019-2069 Dana Point Harbor 50-Year Time Capsule Monument.

Check back next week to see the photo album for the 2019-2069 Dana Point Harbor 50-Year Time Capsule Celebration! To view the Event Program, please click on the image below. 

Click on the image above to view the Event Program.

As reported in my newsletter last week, the Los Angeles Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) recently 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.

Orange County Registrar of Voters (ROV) Neal Kelley gave a fascinating presentation this morning at the Laguna Niguel Chamber of Commerce Governmental and Community Relations meeting. The ROV's presentation featured excellent information on the new Vote Centers coming soon to Orange County. For more information, click here.

ROV Neal Kelley presenting at the Laguna Niguel Chamber Governmental &
Community Relations meeting.

My office had the great pleasure this week of presenting a proclamation to Renae Hinchey, who retired after 19 years of distinguished service as General Manager of the Laguna Beach County Water District (LBCWD).

My Community Relations Advisor, Sergio Prince, presents a proclamation
from my office to Renae Hinchey.

As we celebrated Renae Hinchey'’s illustrious career and outstanding service, it was very clear she is highly regarded as a dynamic leader, not only as the LBCWD General Manager, but throughout the water industry in Orange County and the 5th District, as she received commendations and accolades from the Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC) and Moulton Niguel Water District (MNWD), in addition to LBCWD.

Christopher Regan and Debbie Neev of LBCWD unveil the portrait of
Renae Hinchey to be permanently displayed in the District's Boardroom. 

L-R: Renae Hinchey with Rob Hunter, Megan Yoo Schneider and Karl
Seckel of MWDOC.

L-R: With Jake Vollebregt, Dick Fiore, Don Froelich and Joone Lopez of MNWD.

As the first female general manager of a water district in the history of Orange County, she was instrumental shaping water policy in Laguna Beach, professionally managing all District business and activities on behalf of the residents within the 8.5 square mile area of the City.

During her remarkable 19-year tenure, Renae also guided LBCWD through difficult times, including fires, floods, the Bluebird Canyon landslide, and the worst drought in the State’s history.

Renae at her desk at LBCWD.

Under Renae's direction, the District’s award winning Waterwise and Fire-Safe Demonstration Garden was created, District infrastructure was upgraded to provide additional water for fire protection, smart meters were installed throughout the District’s service area, total water purchases declined by approximately 25 percent, and the District’s budget-based tiered rate structure went into effect.

Renae with her portrait inside the LBCWD Boardroom.

Another highlight of Renae's career was securing the District’s 1933 Judgement to groundwater rights in the Santa Ana River Basin, ensuring that more than half of the District’s water supply be provided locally. 

Renae has certainly left her mark on the District through her commitment to her job as General Manager, her role as public servant, her commitment to transparency and the public process for the greater good of all District customers, to ensure that the public is provided with a clean, safe, well-managed, reliable, supply of potable water.

Congratulations to Renae Hinchey on her remarkable 19-year career as the General Manager of the Laguna Beach County Water District!

The 25th Annual Conditions of Children in Orange County report was released last 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. 

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!  

A bat found on the grounds of Mission San Juan Capistrano at 26801 Ortega Highway, in the City of San Juan Capistrano on Thursday, October 24 at 12:15 PM tested positive for rabies.

Rabid bats are identified routinely each year in Orange County and around the country. Contact with bats should be avoided and any potential bat bite should be discussed with a medical provider.

Anyone who may have had physical contact with this bat or saw someone else having contact with the bat is asked to call the OC Health Care Agency (HCA) Communicable Disease Control Division at (714) 834-8180 from 8 AM to 5 PM or (714) 834-7792 after hours to determine the risk for rabies. Owners of pets who may have had contact with this bat should contact their veterinarian.

The rabies virus is found in an animal’s saliva and is transmitted to people by a bite from a rabid animal. Although very rare, contamination of the eyes, mouth or an open wound by the saliva of a rabid animal can also transmit rabies. Most cases of human rabies in the United States in recent years have resulted from bat strains of rabies; bats have very small teeth, and their bites may go unnoticed.

Once a person begins showing signs and symptoms of rabies, the disease is nearly always fatal. For that reason, preventive treatment to stop the rabies virus from causing illness is given to anyone who may have been exposed to rabies. Medical assistance should be obtained promptly after an exposure so any wound can be cleaned and preventive treatment can be started. This treatment is safe and effective.

HCA and OC Animal Care recommend the following actions to minimize the risk of rabies:

• Avoid all contact with wild animals.
• Vaccinate all cats and dogs against rabies.
• Do not sleep with open, unscreened windows or doors.
• If bats are seen inside the house or other structure, close off the area and contact animal control. Once the bat(s) have been removed, close off any areas allowing entrance into the house.
• Do not leave pet food outside where it will attract wild animals.
• Immediately wash all animal bites with soap and water, being sure to flush the wound well, then contact your doctor.
• Report all animal bites or bats found in a home or workplace to your local animal control agency.

More information about rabies is available at the Centers for Disease Control website. 

The Doheny State Beach Interpretive Association has released the November 2019 edition of its e-newsletter, The Doheny UPDATE, featuring information on upcoming events and activities at Doheny State Beach.

• Participated in the Dana Point Harbor 50-Year Time Capsule Celebration. Check back next week to view the photo album.
• Was honored by the Japanese American Citizens League - Pacific Southwest District. Check back next week for more information.
• Participated in the Center for Law and Military Policy - Salute to Heroes event.
• Participated in the BIA Women In Leadership event.
• Participated in the Economic Forecast Conference.
• Participated in the OCTA Board of Directors meeting.
• Participated in the South Coast AQMD Board meeting.
• Participated in the CLA-OC annual membership meeting.

Speaking at the Dana Point Harbor 50-Year Time Capsule Celebration,
(L-R) joined by former 5th District Supervisor Tom Wilson, Bryon Ward of
Dana Point Harbor Partners,Dana Point Mayor Joe Muller, Sanator Pat
Bates, and Barbara Johannes of Dana Point Historical Society.

Unveiling the Time Capsule Monument.

With Senator Pat Bates and former 5th District Supervisor Tom Wilson at
the Time Capsule Celebration.

Speaking at the BIA Women In Leadership event.

Speaking at the BIA Women In Leadership event.

• Presented a proclamation to Renae Hinchey in honor of her retirement after 19 years as General Manager of Laguna Beach County Water District.
• Presented a proclamation to Reverend John Steward in honor of his 26+ years as Senior Pastor of Mount of Olives Church in Mission Viejo.
• Presented a certificate of recognition in honor of Sharkey’s Cuts for Kids in Lake Forest.
• Presented a certificate of recognition in honor of the ribbon cutting ceremony for Cafe Rio Mexican Grill in San Clemente.
• Presented a certificate of recognition in honor of the ribbon cutting ceremony for Fit Body Boot Camp in Laguna Niguel.
• Presented a proclamation to Officer Steve Miles in honor of his retirement from the California Highway Patrol.
• Attended the Japanese American Citizens League - Pacific Southwest District event.
• Participated in the People Trying to Solve Homelessness in Lake Forest event.
• Participated in the Laguna Niguel Chamber of Commerce Governmental and Community Relations meeting.

My Community Relations Advisor, Sergio Prince, presents a proclamation to Renae Hinchey for her retirement after 19 years as General Manager of Laguna Beach County Water District.

At the celebration for Senior Pastor John Steward in honor of his 26+ years at Mount of Olives Church in Mission Viejo.

Presenting a certificate of recognition to Sharkey’s Cuts for Kids in Lake Forest.

At the ribbon cutting for Cafe Rio Mexican Grill in San Clemente.

Presenting a certificate of recognition to Fit Body Boot Camp in Laguna Niguel.

Presenting a proclamation to CHP Officer Steve Miles.

At the People Trying to Solve Homelessness event in Lake Forest.