Friday, March 26 at 8:30 AM, I will be speaking at the Dana Point Civic Association's Zoom “Coffee Chat"  to provide a brief County Update on COVID-19 topics, including vaccinations, moving into the Red Tier, mental health issues and testing.

Please click here or the link below to join the meeting March 26. You shouldn't need to enter the meeting ID or passcode, but here they are in the event you do:

Join Zoom Meeting:      https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81459085799?pwd=dE1xRWR1WnBpVTMzRERSNDlVTndMQT09

Meeting ID: 814 5908 5799 | Passcode: Dana

As of March 15, people ages 16–64 who have underlying medical conditions are eligible for vaccination as announced by the State. Those individuals will need to attest they have one of the identified conditions when scheduling an appointment through Othena.

People registering for appointments can now identify applicable underlying medical conditions on the Othena smartphone app by viewing "Phase Screening" and selecting the medical condition during the registration assessment. The identified conditions can be found here.

As previously reported in my newsletter, Othena has also has a new Family Feature, which allows patients to manage vaccination scheduling and records for multiple family members.

Korean language translation is also now available on both the Othena app and web portal, along with English, Spanish and Vietnamese. Chinese translations are also in the works.

The HCA hotline at (714) 834-2000 can also answer questions about vaccinations and Othena in Vietnamese, Spanish and English. If additional support is required, hotline staff can coordinate with Othena representatives. 

Click the image above to sign up for Othena today!

In addition, Othena now features a Message Center in the top menu bar of the app and web portal to ensure essential information is readily available and won’t get caught in a spam filter or full inbox. Be sure to install the latest version of the app!

Individuals notified to schedule an appointment through Othena can select the vaccine type to receive (Moderna, Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson) depending on the quantity of each brand received and doses available by location.

Please be advised that eligible individuals who have registered may not be able to immediately receive an appointment, as there are more people than available doses of vaccine. Please be patient.

As previously reported in my newsletter, the County of Orange has a 5th District COVID-19 Vaccine Super Point-of-Dispensing (POD) site in South County, located at Soka University in Aliso Viejo.

Operational Hours at Soka are Monday through Sunday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Appointments are required through Othena. They are currently vaccinating all those eligible under Phases 1A & 1B, including all tiers and seniors 65+.

To better assist individuals with mobility issues, we also expanded services to include the Soka Drive-Thru POD. The Drive-Thru is intended for individuals with mobility issues, as they must also display a disabled placard or license plate on their vehicle.

Speaking at the opening of the Super POD at Soka.

I was very pleased to partner with Soka University to establish a Super POD site in South County, as we have a large number of seniors eligible to receive the vaccine, and having a location in the 5th District is most helpful in providing greater access to the vaccine.

Individuals notified to schedule an appointment through Othena can also select the vaccine type to receive (Moderna, Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson) depending on the quantity of each brand received and doses available by location. Eligible individuals with an appointment must present identification and proof of eligibility at any Super POD site to receive a vaccine. 

Below is the POD site schedule for this weekend. It is subject to change. If changes to the schedule occur, the information will be posted on my social media pages. 

Additionally, we have updated the County's distribution channels webpage, including links to all of the other providers administering vaccines and how to get appointments. For more information, click here.

Othena platform specialists are responding to callers at the HCA Hotline to assist with questions related to the app and vaccine appointments. Call them at 714-834-2000, Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 5 PM.

For questions specific to Othena and troubleshooting issues, email the creators of the app - Cura Patient. For a map and directions to Soka University, please click here or see the image below.

Please be advised that the County Super PODs and mobile clinics are not the only options for individuals seeking a COVID-19 vaccine. The County has supplied COVID-19 vaccines to more than 70 healthcare providers throughout the County, including community clinics.

As vaccine supply increases, we will be able to provide more vaccine to more providers. Other approved providers of the vaccine play an essential role and include:

• Large Retail Pharmacies - including CVS and Walgreens, which receive their vaccine allocation directly from the federal government.
   
• Large Multi-County Entities (MCE) - including hospitals, health systems, and local pharmacies, which receive their vaccine allocation directly from the State.
   
• Smaller Hospital Systems - including medical groups, and community clinics, which receive their vaccine allocation from the County.

For the various channels where individuals can obtain a vaccine, click here.

Click the image above to enlarge.

I'm pleased to report that the Laguna Woods COVID-19 Testing Kiosk is open Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9 AM to 3 PM.

Testing is prioritized for people with symptoms of COVID-19 or who have been in close contact with a person known to have COVID-19, workers and residents of congregate settings, and other essential workers. Appointments are needed and can be made by clicking here or on the image below.

Click the image above to make an appointment.

As previously reported in my newsletter, the OC Health Care Agency (HCA) has launched phase 2 of its at-home, saliva-based COVID-19 testing program with Ambry Genetics for all Orange County residents. We also have the nasal swab option available to accommodate individual preferences.

To that end, all those who live in Orange County may click here and register to receive a test kit shipped directly to their home at no cost. Ambry Genetics is able to process 4,000 tests each day with a 48 hour turnaround time for notification of results. 

Ambry’s CARE for COVID Program was developed with the latest guidance from federal agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and is an end-to-end screening, testing, and result-management solution, which includes:

• Ambry’s AVA™ virtual assistant supporting an online health questionnaire
• Online determination of essential worker status or medical necessity criteria (symptoms/exposure, etc.) that enables insurance billing or uninsured third-party billing for the test, ensuring there is no cost for the resident
• A HIPAA compliant software that enables users to register their test kit
• Medical provider ordered-testing and supervision (including return and review of results)
  Viral testing by Ambry’s RT-PCR test using saliva collection for a simpler and more convenient experience than nasopharyngeal swabs commonly used by other labs
• Most results reported directly through the CARE platform within 24 hours of receipt of the sample by the lab.

If an online order is placed for a kit by 1 p.m. Pacific Time Monday through Friday, the kit will arrive the next day. For orders placed after 1 p.m. Pacific Time on Friday, or any time on Saturday or Sunday, the kit will arrive the following Tuesday. The Ambry Genetics lab receives kits every Monday through Saturday, runs testing, and reports out test results 7 days a week.

In our fight against COVID-19, we continue to leverage all available resources to provide convenient and reliable testing our residents. We anticipate the convenience of online test ordering and reporting, telehealth support, and at-home sample collection will provide greater support to OC residents as case counts continue to surge across the County. For more information, please click here.

I'm pleased to report that new funding rounds have been announced for the California Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program, including four new rounds to address ongoing need funding will support small businesses and nonprofits that have struggled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

To that end, California’s Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA), recently announced four new funding rounds for the California Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program, following the Governor signing into law a comprehensive package of immediate actions that speeds much-needed relief to individuals, families, and businesses suffering the most significant economic hardship due to COVID-19.

The Program provides a crucial financial lifeline to traditionally underserved small businesses and nonprofits. In its first two funding rounds, the Program selected just over 40,000 small businesses and nonprofits to receive approximately $500 million in grant funding. More than 350,000 small businesses and nonprofits applied in a competitive process, with funding requests totaling more than $4.5 billion. For additional preliminary data click here.

The recently signed package provides $2.075 billion – a four-fold increase to that initial $500 million – for grants up to $25,000 for small businesses and nonprofits impacted by the pandemic. The new package also includes a $50 million allocation for nonprofit cultural institutions. Four competitive funding rounds will be conducted by CalOSBA’s selected intermediary, Lendistry. Additional information can be found at CAReliefGrant.com.

Applicants not selected to receive a grant in Rounds 1, 2, 3 & 5 do not need to reapply and will be automatically moved into Round 6. However, new applicants will need to apply at CAReliefGrant.com. For more information on grant requirements and eligibility, along with links to application tips and webinars, click here.

As reported in my newsletter last week, the State updated its public health guidance in the Blueprint for a Safer Economy to allow for additional safe and sustainable reopening activities in California.

As such, breweries, wineries and distilleries that do not serve meals may open outdoors only with modifications in the Purple (widespread) and Red (substantial) tiers. The modifications include ensuring that patrons have reservations and patrons observe a 90-minute time limit. Service for onsite consumption must end by 8 PM.

Recently, the Newsom Administration announced that California will lead with safety protocols and vaccine equity to end the pandemic and reopen the economy. To that end, the state has set aside 40 percent of vaccine doses for the hardest-hit communities and established a vaccine equity metric, which seeks to increase vaccinations in those communities. 

The Governor also signed an executive order, extending authorization for local governments to halt evictions for commercial renters impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic through June 30, 2021. The order also extends protections against price gouging for emergency supplies and medical supplies amid the ongoing emergency response to the pandemic. The text of the Governor’s executive order can be found here and a copy here.

Additionally, the Governor also signed a $6.6 Billion package last week to accelerate the safe return to in-person instruction across California and empower schools to immediately expand academic, mental health and social-emotional supports, including over the summer. The package was passed by the Legislature with overwhelming bipartisan support. 

As your representative on the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) Board of Directors, I'm pleased to report the results of the first phase of a study regarding South County’s transportation needs are in. 

As such, this spring OCTA is launching the second phase of public involvement for the South Orange County Multimodal Transportation Study. The study is looking at a wide range of transportation needs and solutions in south Orange County beyond 2045, including improvements to streets, bus and other transit options, highways and bikeways.

The first phase was conducted in fall 2020. Respondents said they would like:

• Reduced traffic congestion
• Increased frequency and accessibility of multimodal transportation
• Increased safety and efficiency for all modes of travel, and
• Increased alternative transportation frequency and accessibility.

During Phase 2, several alternatives will be evaluated regarding travel choices, growing demand for travel, and sustainability issues. In addition, the study will consider the implications of COVID-19 and possible emerging technologies in the study area.

Feedback opportunities will begin in spring 2021 with a public webinar, online survey, online comment form, and a community hotline in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean and Mandarin.

I'm pleased to report the I-5 South County Improvements Project continues to move forward as it widens 6.5 miles of the freeway between SR-73 and El Toro Road.

All three segments of the project are now under construction and are expected to be completed in 2025. Funding for the project comes from OC Go, also known as Measure M, Orange County’s half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements.

Night demo on I-5 South County improvements.

Improvements include:

• Adding one regular lane in both directions between Avery and Alicia parkways to ease congestion
• Extending the second carpool lane in both directions between Alicia Parkway and El Toro Road to improve the flow of traffic
• Widening sidewalks and adding regular lanes and bike lanes to the Avery Parkway and La Paz Road interchanges, and the Los Alisos Boulevard overcrossing
• Adding auxiliary lanes to help traffic smoothly enter and exit the freeway
• Improving on- and off-ramps to increase capacity
  Converting carpool lanes to continuous access, allowing drivers to enter or exit at any point along the route

For more information about the project, visit here.

The deadline to submit comments on the Metrolink Serra Siding Extension Project Notice of Preparation (NOP) has been extended to Monday, May 10. The project proposes to extend 1.2 miles of railroad siding track from Victoria Boulevard to Beach Road in the City of Dana Point and replace the existing single-track railroad bridge over Coast Highway with two single-track bridges.

The proposed project, which is in the environmental phase, would provide safer and more reliable train service. Metrolink is preparing an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and is seeking comments regarding the scope and content of the document.

You may share written comments by:

Email: SerraSiding@octa.net
Mail: Chris Haskell
SCORE Deputy Program Manager
900 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1500
Los Angeles, CA 90017

For more information about the project or to sign up for email alerts, visit here.

In addition to serving on the Orange County Board of Supervisors, I'm also proud to serve you on the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) Board of Directors. As such, OCTA is once again seeking qualified volunteers to serve on the OC Go Taxpayer Oversight Committee (TOC).

The TOC is an independent 11-member committee that monitors OCTA’s use of revenue collected through OC Go, also known as Measure M, the county’s half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements. The TOC has spent more than a decade ensuring that all OC Go funds are spent on voter-approved transportation projects.

Orange County residents in in my supervisorial district - the 5th District - are eligible to apply. Candidates must be at least 18 years of age and willing to serve for a three-year term. In their applications, potential committee members should also demonstrate a history of participating in community activities and knowledge of transportation. Elected or appointed city, district, county, state or federal officials are not eligible to serve.

Applications are due by May 2 and are available here. Interviews will be held via Zoom and conducted May 5 – 13, with final selection taking place at the OCTA Board of Directors meeting June 28.

The Grand Jurors Association of Orange County (GJAOC) is conducting the TOC recruitment and will recommend qualified candidates for membership. For additional information, please call 714-974-9699 or visit here.

OCTA has made $2.8 million available in grant funding for projects that will reduce the impacts of transportation-related street runoff and improve water quality for Orange County waterways.

The funding comes from OC Go, also known as Measure M, Orange County’s half-cent sales tax for transportation improvement.

The measure includes funding for an Environmental Cleanup Program that awards money on a competitive basis to cities and the county to reduce the impacts of water pollution related to transportation by removing litter and debris from roads before it reaches the ocean and other waterways.

As such, I'm pleased to report that more than 1 million cubic feet of trash has since been captured to date!

Applications will be accepted until May 6, as the OCTA Board is expected to award funding by late summer. Learn more here.

As part of our commitment to a balanced and sustainable transportation future for Orange County, OCTA developed a Natural Community Conservation Plan/Habitat Conservation Plan, acquired conservation properties, and funded habitat restoration projects to mitigate the impacts of Measure M2 freeway programs. Years in the making and requiring cooperation from multiple entities, the conservation plan ensures more than 1,300 acres of OCTA wilderness preserves will remain forever protected from development.

In addition, the conservation plan provides a path forward for OCTA's OC Go, formerly Measure M, Freeway Environmental Mitigation Program.

The program allocates funds to acquire land and fund habitat restoration projects in exchange for streamlined project approvals for the 13 OC Go freeway improvement projects. Acquired properties are purchased and permanently preserved as open space. Funded restoration projects restore preserved open space lands to their native habitat and include the removal of invasive plant species. For more information about the plan, visit here.

In addition to the OC Board of Supervisors, I'm also pleased to serve you on the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) Governing Board. As such, I'm pleased to announce the availability of funds for the 2021 Carl Moyer Program (including the SOON (Surplus Off-Road Opt-In for NOx) Provision).

At least $36 Million is available for eligible projects, including On-Road Heavy-Duty Vehicles, such as transit fleet vehicles, drayage trucks, solid waste vehicles, public agency/utility vehicles and emergency vehicles (fire apparatus); and Off-Road Equipment, including: 

• Marine Engine Repower
• Shore Power (if project is not subject to CARB’s At-Berth Regulation)
• Construction Equipment
• Agricultural Mobile Equipment (loaders, tractors, water pulls, etc.)
• Locomotives
• Cargo Handling Equipment
• Infrastructure to fuel or power a zero or near zero emission, heavy-duty vehicle or equipment, including but not limited to: on-road heavy-duty vehicles, cargo handling equipment, and marine vessels (shore power)  

Click the image above to apply.

Applications are currently being accepted under Carl Moyer Program Announcement #PA2021-05 and SOON Program Announcement #PA2021-04. Paper applications will no longer be accepted! Only applications submitted through the Carl Moyer Online Application System will be accepted for funding consideration.    

The application deadline is 1:00 PM Tuesday, June 1. To apply online, please visit our Carl Moyer Online Portal.

Take a trip down memory lane through a new exhibit at John Wayne Airport, featuring pastel paintings of the iconic landmarks and images of historic Route 66. The vibrant artwork of professional painter Ruth Kurisu is on display in the Thomas F. Riley Terminal as part of the JWA Community Focus Space through April 15.

Since 1926, driving down Route 66 has been an experience of a lifetime for travelers, adventurers, and dreamers alike, including Kurisu, who traversed through the “Mother Road” many times. She became inspired to create “Main Street America” to preserve its history and pay tribute to the individuals who created the iconic structures and continuously work to keep the highway’s culture alive.

Kurisu was recently juried into the Las Laguna Gallery in Laguna Beach and served as a former exhibiting member of the Brandon Gallery in Fallbrook. Her work hangs in galleries, office spaces, and private collections throughout Southern California. 

Kurisu’s exhibit may be viewed (pre-security) on the Departure (upper) Level near security screening areas in Terminals A, B, and C and on the Arrival (lower) Level adjacent to Baggage Carousels 1 and 4. For more information, click here.

I'm pleased to share that the Orange County Business Council (OCBC), OC United Way and OC Community Foundation have partnered to launch Humanity Starts Here, a new movement for good!

As we look to the health, economic, racial, social, and climate challenges confronting our community, we know Orange County can overcome them together with humanity! For more information, click here.

*From Capistrano Unified School District (CUSD):

A masked young Asian woman looks over her left shoulder at the viewer.

Under a headline that reads, “The Only Virus Here is Discrimination,” is an array of images displaying aspects of racial diversity, unity and acceptance. They depict Black and white hands making a heart symbol, a peace sign, BLM, LGBTQ+, Unidos US, international landmarks, a tree whose leaves are the flags of nations, a fractured Martin Luther King Jr. portrait.

“The Only Virus Here is Discrimination”

This is the poster, slightly larger than 8-by-11 letter size, by twins Natalia and Nadine Tong, that emerged as one of five regional district winners among 150 entries in the Orange County Human Relations Commission’s “To Know Better” anti-hate campaign.

The 17-year-old seniors from San Juan Hills High won $5,000 for their school to use toward unity and anti-hate campaigns.

Originally, the plan had been to have an Asian and Latino girl embracing, which would have had a dual meaning of not only diversity but melding. The Tong sisters are of Chinese-Cuban ancestry and thus embody and live the notion of diversity and unity.

Presenting awards to Natalia & Nadine Tong, with Pamela Braunstein (CUSD Trustee) and Dr. Manoj Mahindrakar (Principal, San Juan Hills High).

Supervisor Lisa Bartlett, representing Orange County’s Fifth District, honored the twins with a visit to San Juan Hills High School, accompanied by Pamela Braunstein, Capistrano Unified School District Trustee, and Dr. Manoj Mahindrakar, principal of San Juan Hills, to present the award.

“It was a really difficult decision,” Bartlett said. “The poster had all the right messages and all the right points. It resonated with me.”

Bartlett was impressed enough with the artwork that she had it blown up and brought it with her to display at the next meeting of the Orange County Board of Supervisors.

In unveiling the contest, the OC Human Relations Commission asked students to “create an inspiring campaign to stop hateful vibes and wrongful bias fueled by the pandemic.”

In its call for submissions, the Commission wrote, “The time is now, and the opportunity is yours to encourage your fellow Orange County citizens to do better together.”

In introducing their piece for the contest, the Tongs wrote, “Instead of dividing us further, let’s build the bridges that can connect us despite our differences; let’s fight against the racial prejudice that harms us; let us become the voice of change that encompasses the message of unity we want to see in our society, because the only unjust virus is discrimination.”

Reflecting on the contest, Bartlett said, “Life is stressful for kids and adults, so it’s appropriate to send the right messages about diversity. I think their message is on point.”

Natalia & Nadine Tong with their commendations.

Her parents needn’t worry about the art bug stealing their children, however. Nadine said she and her sister are both hoping to attend Yale University and major in medicine, with Natalie aiming at neurosurgery and Nadine, cardiac surgery.

That would be apt: twin sisters with twin ambitions that are metaphors for the contest they just won. Solving and finding unity across the divides of race, hate, opportunity and societal will require repairing hearts and minds. 

*Read the entire article here, courtesy of CUSD.

Click the image above to Vaccine News.

As previously reported in my newsletter, the County of Orange Health Care Agency (HCA) has launched a COVID-19 Vaccine Newsletter, which includes their Vaccine News Roundup, Dashboard, Facts & Tips, COVID-19 Resources and more! To subscribe to HCA's COVID-19 Vaccine Newsletter, click here. For more information, click here. 

The OC Health Care Agency continues to release daily COVID-19 case counts in Orange County. As of today, HCA is reporting 249,308 positive cumulative cases and 4,536 deaths to date, as well as 206 currently hospitalized with 44 in ICU.

Please be advised that city data is reflective of where cases live, not necessarily where transmission occurred. Additionally, city numbers should not be interpreted to reflect where transmission is geographically focused or not, as COVID-19 is present in all communities in Orange County.

Click the image above to enlarge.

Case counts are also not reflective of all disease transmission in any given community because testing is prioritized for those at greatest risk or most sick. Asymptomatic and persons with mild disease may not be reflected due to not being tested.

Because transmission occurs throughout the County, it is important for all residents to practice social-distancing as directed by our County Health Officer, regardless of the case count in their city. Doing so will help to reduce the spread of infection, ease the burden on our hospitals and healthcare system, as well as protect those most vulnerable in our county.

Many of you are at home working or self-isolating and spending more time on the internet. Unfortunately, thieves are taking advantage of this situation and coming up with new and innovative ways to separate you from your money. Now would be a good time to educate yourself on the various ploys used by scammers for COVID-19.

A recorded webinar on financial protection of older adults during the COVID pandemic was held February 23 and is now available for on-demand viewing. The webinar included a panel discussion of experts from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and Health and Human Services (HHS).

If you are behind on your mortgage, beware of mortgage relief scams. There is free foreclosure help. If anyone tries to charge you in advance for help or guarantees they can stop your foreclosure, they’re not legitimate. The CFPB has information on how you can avoid foreclosure and tips for working with your mortgage servicer. For more information on COVID housing protections and important deadlines, click here.

Challenges COVID-19 has brought include a higher risk of identity theft. In 2020, the FTC received about 1.4 million reports of identity theft, double the number from 2019. Repeatedly, identity thieves targeted government funds earmarked to help people hard hit financially by the pandemic. 

During the pandemic, we’re doing more online – working, connecting with family and friends, shopping, and banking. If something goes wrong with your device, you want to fix it right away. Scammers are preying on this, offering phony tech support services. Here’s what you should know about tech support scams.

Be on the lookout for fake calls, texts, and emails, as scammers are pretending to be Social Security Agency employees. They may threaten you and demand immediate payment to avoid arrest or other legal action. Do not be fooled!

Additionally, a large-scale coronavirus scam has erupted, as impostors are filing claims for unemployment benefits using names of people who have not filed claims. Victims learn about the fraud when they get a notice from their state unemployment benefits office or employer about their supposed application for benefits.

Sadly, people exploiting older adults are often family members or other trusted people who are handling the financial affairs of an incapacitated parent, relative or friend. As such, caregivers and assisted living and nursing facilities can also work together to help protect elderly residents from financial exploitation, both during the pandemic and after life returns to a new normal.

Lastly, if you’re having trouble paying your rent during the coronavirus pandemic, there are relief options and protections available for many renters. Additionally, through the California COVID-19 Rent Relief Program, both income-eligible renters who experienced pandemic related financial hardships, or landlords who experienced income loss due to unpaid rent, are eligible for financial assistance.

As the spread and far reaching impacts of COVID-19 continue to dominate the world news, we have all witnessed and experienced the parallel spread of worry, anxiety, and uncertainty. The way to overcome this natural tendency is to build our mental resilience, the ability to refocus, clear our minds, and discard negative thoughts.

Here's what you can do...

1) Remember that knowledge is power. Understanding the factors that affect a person’s immune response to COVID-19 will matter as much as, or more than, understanding the virus. There is great information available on the Orange County Health Care Agency's What You Feel is Real webpage. 

2) Don’t accept everything you read or hear. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides information and frequent updates on the COVID-19’s spread, severity, risk assessment, etc., on the CDC's website. 

3) Get your emotional support system in place:

• Maintain familiar routines in daily life as much as possible; take care of your basic needs and employ helpful coping strategies; rest during work or between shifts, eat healthy food and engage in physical activity.
• Stay connected with friends and family, even virtually connected, and maintain your social networks.
• Have the emails and phone numbers of close friends and family handy.

4) Take control, incorporate preventative measures:

• See the CDC’s list of preventative measures.
• The constant stream of news reports can cause anyone to feel anxious or distressed. Instead, seek updates and practical guidelines at intervals during the day.
• Be supportive to others. Assisting others in their time of need can benefit the person receiving support as well as the helper.

If you or a loved one are feeling anxiety, worry or fear related to the social disruption caused by COVID-19, you can also reach out to these resources for support:

• Call (855) OC-LINKS or visit the OC Links website Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM to talk or chat with a trained clinical navigator.
• The NAMI Warmline is also here to provide non-crisis support for anyone struggling with mental health concerns Monday through Friday from from 9 AM to 3 AM, and Saturday and Sunday 10 AM to 3 AM. Call (877) 910-WARM or visit www.namioc.org.
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
• Download the NAMI HelpLine Coronavirus Information and Resources Guide
• American Psychological Association (APA) ‘Building Your Resilience’

On March 4, the Dana Point Boaters Association co-sponsored an informative webinar on whale watching success and safety in conjunction with Captain Dave’s Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari and Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching.

What a delightful evening hosted by Gisele Anderson and Donna Kalez with whale watching and safety tips from Captain Dave Anderson and Captain Corey Hall. 

We hope you didn’t miss it, but if you did, Dana Point Boaters Association came to the rescue with a link to the webinar. The video is full of great advice to novice boat owners using their own vessels to whale watch with tips on how to do it safely. 

Ocean Institute, located in beautiful Dana Point Harbor, is thrilled to announce they will host a FREE Virtual Marine and Environmental Sciences College Fair March 27.

During the Fair, there will be live presentations, small session chats, student and alumni panels, exhibits, and much more! The interactive day will inform and encourage students about post-high school, college, and career opportunities.

SPACE IS LIMITED. To complete the form, receive updates and be among the first to register, click here or on the image below.

Click the image above to register.

Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens in San Clemente is the historic home of Ole Hansen, the founder of the city of San Clemente, Casa Romantica invites you to Live Virtually @ the Casa and enjoy world-class arts and culture in your home with highlighted Casa virtual artists and activities.

Charlie Chaplin’s The Kid (100th Anniversary!)
Tue., April 6 at 6:00 PM
FREE with Reservation!

Casa Romantica also invites you to enjoy a FREE movie night featuring the silent film The Kid, starring Charlie Chaplin, which is about a man, The Tramp, who adopts an abandoned child and they become partners in crime. This movie was Chaplin’s first full-length film as a director and was the second-highest-grossing film in 1921. BUY YOUR FREE TICKETS HERE!

Click the image for your FREE tickets to see The Kid!

Soka University in Aliso Viejo is happy to share its Signature Encore Series to help you experience some wonderful past performances held in their spectacular Performing Arts Center! For more information, click here or on the image below.

Click the image above for more info.

Visit Laguna Live! for great live music in virtual concerts! Their musical offerings include Live Music Insights, Live at the Q, Live at the Museum, and Beth's Tuesday's. For more information or to register for their FREE performances, visit Laguna Live!

Click the image above to enjoy Laguna Live!

Irvine Barclay Theatre (IBT) invites us to enjoy some of their top music events that glued us to our seats or made us want to get up and dance!

As they continue looking back over their past 30 years, some of IBT's favorite musical moments, artists and concerts include Elvis Costello, Arlo Guthrie, David Hidalgo & Louie Perez of Los Lobos, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, and Tower of Power. To relive these musical moments, click here or on the image below.

Click image above to enjoy IBT's musical moments.

The King's Singers

In another FREE offering from IBT, demonstrating their great versatility, The King's Singers prove in this recital from London's Cadogan Hall in 2005 that, although they have many imitators, they remain the masters.

In this concert, they share some of their favorite works, a mixture of songs old and new, including madrigals by Byrd and Monteverdi, a Rossini overture, and tunes from the Beatles, Freddie Mercury, Duke Ellington, and more! Billy Joel's "Goodnight My Angel" is very moving and one of the highlights!

Click the image above to enjoy The King's Singers.

All-Star Swing Festival

But wait, here's more from IBT! Recorded at Lincoln Center in 1972 for broadcast on NBC, the All-Star Swing Festival, hosted by Doc Severinsen, features Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, The Dave Brubeck Quartet, Dizzy Gillespie, Gene Krupa on drums, Lionel Hampton on vibes, Earl Hines on piano, among so many others! In addition, this full-length gala concert marks the first and only performance of the original Benny Goodman Quartet on television.

It would be nearly impossible today to arrange for so much A-list talent in a single concert. So kick back, crank up the sound, and let the legends take you on a trip of a lifetime. You won't be sorry... you'll be swingin'!

Click the image above for the All Star Swing Festival.

The Leading Ladies of Broadway

IBT also wants to share a Broadway time capsule that was recorded at Carnegie Hall in 1998, featuring all the women performing on Broadway that season. Hosted by Julie Andrews, the video contains an amazing array of talent, from stalwarts like Dorothy Loudon, Nell Carter, and Elaine Stritch, to young talents hitting their stride like Audra McDonald, Linda Eder, Marin Mazzie, and Rebecca Luker.

It also includes a number by a then 13-year-old Anna Kendrick, who was making her first appearance on Broadway and was nominated for her first Tony that year. And those names are just the beginning, as there are also performances by Liza Minnelli, Faith Prince, Jennifer Holliday, Andrea McArdle, Bebe Neuwirth, and many more!

Click the image above to see The Leading Ladies of Broadway.

From Pacific Chorale's "UnSung Heroes" concert that featured the works of lesser-known female composers, here is the stirring “To See the Sky” by Jocelyn Hagen, a setting of a text by Sara Teasdale, recorded live in concert March 2019. To watch the performance, click here or on the image below.

Pacific Chorale's “To See the Sky” by Jocelyn Hagen

The 23rd Psalm (Dedicated to My Mother) 

In their first self-produced virtual choir, Pacific Chorale sings a stirring performance of Bobby McFerrin's heartfelt setting of The 23rd Psalm, dedicated to his mother, Sara. Sara McFerrin was an accomplished singer, veteran music educator here in Orange County, and a longtime Board member of Pacific Chorale. Sara McFerrin passed away December 2019.

Sara and Bobby McFerrin

Pacific Chorale dedicates this virtual performance of The 23rd Psalm (Dedicated to My Mother) to all who have suffered illness and loss due to COVID-19. To view the video, click on the image below.

Click the image above to view the video.

Although Pacific Symphony has suspended live concerts in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall as a public health precaution, Pacific Symphony will stay in touch online, serving up culture and entertainment. Their Watch+Listen page provides you with a central overview for all of the Symphony’s offerings online! Keep checking back for new musical experiences!

Current additional performances include the Virtual Lantern Festival.

PacificSymphony+ is a new way to experience your Pacific Symphony online and on-demand, so you can enjoy the magic of music whenever and wherever you can. In addition, newly recorded footage from the Concert Hall will be premiered every Thursday! For more information, click here or on the image below. 

Click the image above for PacificSymphony+

Laguna Art Museum (LAM) hopes you are well and safe, they are working to offer art and inspiration online. We believe art has the power to connect us, and we hope that you will enjoy these new ways to stay connected with Laguna Art Museum.

The Doheny State Beach Interpretive Association (DSBIA) provides links to various websites to enjoy At Home Learning opportunities supporting the goals and mission of DSBIA and the California State Parks. These sites offer enrichment of subjects and provide information in a topic of personal interest for both children and adults. For more information, click here.

For over 130 years, National Geographic has hosted some of the leading scientists, conservationists, photographers, and storytellers to share their stories live at their headquarters in Washington, D.C. Now you can watch their inspiring and thought-provoking stories from anywhere in 2021! 

Watch on-demand stories from top National Geographic Explorers about their fascinating adventures and discoveries and spark your inner Explorer without leaving home. For more more info, click here or on the image below to Be Inspired in 2021!

Click the image above to Be Inspired in 2021!

Cirque du Soleil is proud to present CirqueConnect, offering an escape from everyday life through the delight and whimsy of their shows. Now more than ever, they want to do their little part to spread joy, even from afar, directly to your safe spaces. Let them welcome you into their world, where awe-inspiring show footage and fan favorite videos will transport you. Click the image below and enjoy the show!

Click the image above to enjoy Cirque du Soleil!

For those of you who may have missed any of my previous Fifth District Dispatch newsletters, featuring up-to-date COVID-19 facts and other information pertinent to South County, click here. 

Thank you so much for your outstanding and continuing efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Orange County, as we're all in this together!