Last year, when COVID-19 all but shut down the world, celebrating our nation’s Independence Day was unlike any 4th of July we ever experienced, as most fireworks shows, parades, and mass holiday gatherings were cancelled due to the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Happily, this year's Independence Day will truly be an occasion to celebrate, as Orange County residents have worked hard to bring our COVID-19 numbers down, allowing us to enjoy this revered holiday with family and friends in ways we're accustomed. 

While the ongoing coronavirus pandemic remains a hard reality for all of us, let us not forget the many other enormous challenges America has overcome throughout our history, which tested our resolve as a people and strengthened our resilience as a nation. By continuing to work together, we can remain healthy and return to economic prosperity sooner than later.

To that end, I wish you and yours all the best for a healthy and happy Fourth of July weekend! Please visit the "Out & About Safely in South County" section at the bottom of my newsletter for Independence Day festivities taking place throughout the fabulous 5th District!

Public health officials at the OC Health Care Agency (HCA) have announced that, as of June 27, 70% of Orange County residents ages 18 and older have now received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, reaching a huge milestone for the County.

As the Fourth of July is upon us, we want to remind the public that new strains of the virus, called variants, also pose a threat to our ability to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Anticipating community and family gatherings in celebration of Independence Day, HCA strongly advises residents to continue practicing safe measures, which include:

• Following current mask guidance from the California Department of Public Health;
• Avoiding large crowds, especially if you or someone you live with are unvaccinated or have  high health risk of contracting COVID-19; and
  Adhering to travel guidance and preventative tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

To schedule a vaccination at a County of Orange mobile vaccination clinic, visit Othena.com or call the OC COVID-19 Hotline at (714) 834-2000. To order a self-collection, at-home COVID-19 test kit, click here. For more information, click here.

Please be advised that my Arts-Related Small Business & Nonprofit Grant Relief Program is still active and accepting applications on a first come, first served basis!

Notification of awards to successful applicants began today, July 2, and disbursement of funds is set to begin on Tuesday, July 6. Notification and disbursement of awards will continue until all funds have been expended. Applications are being screened in order in which they were received, so please be patient. Congratulations to all of our 5th District arts-related grant award winners!

If you have any questions regarding the program, process or status, please visit the dedicated website. Additionally you may contact the program administrator via email or at (714) 597-6630 ext. 134. For more information, click on the image below.

Click the image above to enlarge.

County of Orange officials gathered this week to commemorate the “topping out” of Building 14, as the final beam was placed on top of the twin building to be constructed as part of the next phase of the County’s multi-phase Civic Center Facilities Master Plan for the Civic Center area in Santa Ana.  

L-R: With Chair Andrew Do, Vice Chair Doug Chaffee, Supervisors Katrina Foley and Don Wagner, and CEO Frank Kim at the Topping Out ceremony.

The Board of Supervisors and our respective staffs, as well as other representatives from the County, the building developer Griffin Structures Inc., project architect LPA Inc. and builder Swinerton Builders, all signed the final beam in preparation for it to be placed on top of the six-floor building.

L-R: With my staff - Sergio Prince, Yasie Goebel, Doug Woodyard, Rosemary Contreras, Megan Dutra, Pauline Colvin, James Dinwiddie, and Tyler Diep at the Topping Out ceremony.

Keeping with tradition in topping-out ceremonies, an American flag was attached to the beam we all signed, as well as a small evergreen tree, signifying the safe completion of the building frame and a wish for continued good luck for the future of the project.

The “Topping Out” of Building 14.

I had the great pleasure of joining my colleagues, military veterans, federal, state and local leaders for a press conference Thursday, announcing bipartisan support for a proposed Veterans Cemetery on County land at Gypsum Canyon in Anaheim Hills.

L-R: With Chair Andrew Do, Supervisor Katrina Foley, Vice Chair Doug Chaffee, and Supervisor Don Wagner at the Gypsum Canyon site press conference.

In 2018, the Board of Supervisors took action to transfer the Gypsum Canyon property to the Orange County Cemetery District, which laid the ground work for the development of a veterans cemetery at this site. I couldn’t be more proud of our 2018 Board for taking this vote, and our current Board for its continued support.

Rendering of the proposed Veterans Cemetery at Gypsum Canyon.

Orange County veterans have waited patiently for a suitable location to serve as the final resting place for the brave men and women who sacrificed so much in service to our country. I'm pleased to report they have found that hallowed ground at the Gypsum Canyon site!

In addition to the Orange County Board of Supervisors, I'm also pleased to serve you on the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) Board of Directors. As such, I'm pleased to report OCTA is studying mobility strategies that will help identify future improvements to our local streets, transit, freeways and bikeways for South County and we would like your feedback.

There are several ways to participate in the South Orange County Multimodal Transportation Study:

Telephone Townhall

On June 17, OCTA hosted a Telephone Townhall for residents to learn about study findings, provide input and ask questions. The Townhall was simulcast in Spanish. A recording of the presentation will also be available on the project website.

Virtual Meeting Room

A Virtual Meeting Room will be open through Monday, July 12 to help people learn more about the study, make comments and ask questions. Please visit here to access the Virtual Meeting Room.

Survey

Please take a short survey online or by phone at (833) 711-8070 to share your feedback on mobility strategies that will help improve transportation in South County in the future.

For more information, please click here.

The much-anticipated Ortega Highway Widening project has received the necessary funding to move forward with the design phase of the project. Ortega Highway serves as a key connection between Orange and Riverside Counties and currently has a major pinch point which will be alleviated with the 1.1 mile widening project. The project will add one lane in each direction from Calle Entradero to Reata Road in the city of San Juan Capistrano.

Both OCTA and the OC Board of Supervisors voted to commit funding to the project. On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors voted to provide $1,750,000 million in pass through funding from Rancho Mission Viejo and OCTA has committed a total of $6,050,000 in Measure M2 and federal funding. These commitments will fund the design phase and ready the project for the right-of-way construction phase.

The widening project is an important regional transportation improvement which will enhance public safety and alleviate traffic in the area. The project could be open to drivers by 2028, based upon on future funding availability.  I will continue to provide updates as the project moves forward.

Now that Orange County is opening up, people are thinking about getting out and about. Of course, concerns about safety and cleanliness remain.

At Metrolink, safety is the top priority. Enhanced cleaning procedures, onboard sanitizers, socially distanced train cars, face covering requirements—these are just a few of the steps Metrolink has taken to keep passengers safe and make them feel confident about their travel choice.

A Metrolink Weekend Daycations day trip delivers fun and joy while keeping journeys safe and affordable. Travelers can find ideas, itineraries, deals and inspiration at the Metrolink Weekend Daycations website.

Take the train to stroll or surf the beaches of San Clemente or Oceanside, enjoy a socially distance bike ride, or take the kids to Mission San Juan Capistrano.

Adults ride anywhere Saturday or Sunday for only $10, and kids 17 and under ride free on weekends!

With help from OCTA, South County cities have brought back summer shuttle services as the county reopens after the pandemic. Funded in part by OC Go, the shuttles cost little or nothing to ride and provide convenient car-free service to popular destinations including festivals, the beach and shopping. OC Go, also known as Measure M, is the county’s half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements.

Dana Point Trolley

Many summer shuttles connect to one another, as well as OC Bus and Metrolink stops, making it easier to travel to popular destinations without a car. Shuttle services allow residents to avoid driving and parking hassles while enjoying what Orange County has to offer.

The Laguna Beach Trolley also includes the "Summer Breeze!"

Shuttles operating in the 5th District include:

• Dana Point
• Laguna Beach
• San Clemente
• San Juan Capistrano

San Clemente Trolley

Shuttles are operated by local jurisdictions. Some of the safety precautions they have in place include: requiring face coverings, operating at reduced capacity to allow for social distancing, equipping vehicles with hand-sanitizer stations and installing barriers between drivers and passengers. High-touch areas will frequently be wiped down and the shuttles will be fully disinfected at the end of each shift.

San Juan Capistrano Trolley

OCTA continues to work closely with cities in monitoring ridership and evaluating costs as the services return.

As previously reported in my newsletter, the Board of Supervisors recently approved two resolutions, one from myself, titled “County of Orange Stands in Solidarity to Denounce All Hate Crimes,” and the other from Chair Andrew Do, Supervisor, First District, titled “OC Board of Supervisors Commitment to Action Against Racism.”

The action was prompted due to the alarming upsurge in COVID-related hate crimes in Orange County against the Asian American community, which increased over 10-fold in the past year, as presented to our Board by Orange County Human Relations.

In addition, our local Jewish community has also seen an uptick in anti-Semitic attacks and harassment since early May. In Orange County, 52% of reported hate crimes and 65% of hate incidents that were motivated by religion targeted Jewish people, according to the OC Human Relations 2019 hate crime report.

As elected leaders, our words clearly matter, since we've learned all to well that many individuals continue to take their cues from us. As such, we must make it abundantly clear that perpetrators of hate have no place in Orange County and will not be tolerated, as our actions ultimately speak louder than our words. The time is now for people of goodwill to lead by example and serve as role models of respect and kindness toward other communities that may be different than our own. We can and must do better!

To that end, I look forward to expeditiously and diligently working with my Board colleagues, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, Office of the Orange County District Attorney, County of Orange staff, Orange County Human Relations, community leaders of color, as well as all people of goodwill regardless of color, in addressing race-based hate together.

I also urge all Orange County residents who witness any incidents of hate or social injustice to report it to OC Human Relations at (714) 480-6580, and to local law enforcement so justice can be served. For more information on how to be part of the solution in Orange County, please visit OCHumanRelations.org.

OC Human Relations, Asian Americans in Action, Christ Our Redeemer AME Church, and WAVE (Women for American Values and Ethics) invite you to watch the feature-length documentary film "Let the People Decide" - a film about the struggle for voting rights from the 1960's to present day. This is a special screening of the film, which has not yet had a public release and will air Tuesday, July 13 from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM.

After watching the film, you'll have the opportunity to participate in a panel-discussion with the filmmaker, Gavin Guerra, and three special guests who appear in the film. For more information and to register, please click here or on the image below.

Click the image above for more info.

Today, my office had a farewell lunch to present a proclamation and bid a fond adieu to my Policy Advisor, Megan Dutra, who served on my staff with distinction since 2018. Megan will be greatly missed, as well as her sweet Shit Zsu puppy (and our office mascot), Poppy, which she adopted from OC Animal Care and would often bring to work with her. We wish them all the best, as Megan sets forth to further her goals, objectives, and professional career!

L-R: With my staff - Sergio Prince, Doug Woodyard, Megan Dutra, Yasie Goebel, Pauline Colvin, Rosemary Contreras, Tyler Diep, and James Dinwiddie at our farewell lunch for Megan.

In addition, we said goodbye to Michelle Merida this week, who served in my office since last year, beginning as an office intern before advancing to Public Policy Assistant. My staff presented a commendation to Michelle in appreciation of her outstanding service to our office. Below is parting note from Michelle:

"As you all know, today was my last day in the office. I’ll be joining a law firm in Irvine so I won’t be going to far! I am more than grateful for having had the opportunity to work with such an amazing group of people dedicated to their profession. You all make it look easy but I have seen first hand how challenging yet rewarding it can be.

I feel like I have grown a lot as a person and young professional and that is thanks to all of you! Thank you for giving me the opportunity to learn about different policy areas, work on a variety of interesting projects, assist you in your work and of course, helping me out when things got tough.

This was my first experience working in a government office and I am honored to have joined the best one to help guide me through it. I’m wishing you all the best and I will definitely stay in contact! 😊"

L-R: My staff - Sergio Prince, James Dinwiddie, Michelle Merida, Rosemary Contreras, Pauline Colvin, Doug Woodyard, Megan Dutra and Poppy. 

We all thank you, Megan and Michelle, for everything you did on behalf of the 5th District and extend our sincere best wishes for continued success in all future endeavors!

My office was pleased to present a certificate of recognition to USA Surfing in San Clemente this week, where the Chamber of Commerce conducted a ribbon cutting ceremony in honor of three large wall murals commissioned by the City that were unveiled during the special event, including the winning mural located and 102 Avenida Victoria, San Clemente.

USA Surfing is the national governing body for the sport, and two San Clemente surfers, Kolohe Andino and Caroline Marks, represent half of the inaugural U.S. Olympic Surf Team competing in Tokyo, Japan this summer! Please visit these beautiful murals and join me in cheering for our hometown heroes from the fabulous 5th District as they go for the gold!

For more information about the event, murals and artists, and our Olympic surfers, please see the San Clemente Times.

My Community Relations Advisor, Sergio Prince, participates in the ribbon cutting performed by Andrea Swayne, CEO of USA Surfing. 

My office was pleased to present a certificate of recognition to VonKeith Properties in Dana Point, where the Chamber of Commerce conducted a ribbon cutting ceremony this week. VonKeith Properties is a team of real estate professionals who provide unparalleled service focusing on the needs of their entertainment communities. Please join me in welcoming VonKeith Properties to Dana Point!

My Community Relations Advisor, Sergio Prince, presents a commendation at the ribbon cutting for VonKeith Properties in Dana Point.

My office was also pleased to present a certificate of recognition to Assisting Hands Home Care in Mission Viejo, where the Chamber of Commerce conducted a ribbon cutting ceremony this week. Assisting Hands Home Care offers their clients personalized non-medical support services in their homes, assisting the elderly, disabled and others needing assistance to maintain quality of life. Please join me in welcoming Assisting Hands Home Care to Mission Viejo!

My Community Relations Advisor, Sergio Prince, participates in the ribbon cutting for Assisting Hands Home Care in Mission Viejo.

The OC Health Care Agency continues to release daily COVID-19 case counts in Orange County. As of today, HCA is reporting 256,445 positive cumulative cases and 5,123 deaths to date, as well as 63 currently hospitalized with 12 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.

The County of Orange Health Care Agency is conducting a survey on the impact of COVID-19, which will be of great assistance in determining the highest needs in our community.

We want your opinion and are asking you to take ten minutes to fill out a survey concerning how you’re doing one year after the COVID-19 pandemic. Please share your struggles and challenges so the County can know how to help. 

Just click here to access the survey, and hit submit when you complete it. You do not need to give your name or any other identifying information if you don't want to. All responses are confidential.

The Orange County Health Care Agency (HCA) has launched a new feature on the Othena platform, which streamlines the process for any interested individuals, groups, employers and businesses to request an onsite, mobile COVID-19 vaccination service.

To begin the application process, individuals can visit the Mobile Vaccine Service section of the Othena website or smartphone app and provide the following intake details:

• Name of the organization or group 
• Primary point of contact 
• Estimated number of patients at event (at least 50 preferred)
• Ability to register patients ahead of time
• Ability to supply a climate-controlled location 
• Preferred day(s) of the week

Once the application has been submitted, HCA will assign a dedicated Community Liaison to work directly with the primary point of contact to engage in a collaborative planning process. 

Additionally, the Mobile Vaccine Service feature enables community members who are homebound and meet specific criteria (or their caretakers) to schedule at-home vaccinations. To learn more, please visit Othena.com, call the OC COVID-19 Hotline at (714) 834-2000, or see the flyer below.

Click the image above to enlarge.

Orange County parents and legal guardians of minors ages 12 to 15 can now schedule a COVID-19 vaccination appointment or walk-in to County of Orange Point-of-Dispensing (POD) sites offering Pfizer. 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration amended the Pfizer vaccine’s Emergency Use Authorization to allow administration for 12 to 15-year-olds, following clinical trials that proved it safe for this age group with only non-serious side effects like fatigue and headache.

Subsequently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s vaccine safety review panel and the Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup recommended that the vaccine is safe and highly effective in protecting this age group against COVID-19. 

Individuals who would like to receive the Pfizer vaccine for themselves or their children ages 12 and older can do so through:

• A Primary Care provider or Pediatrician with whom your children or family is already familiar
• Pharmacies
• Visiting myturn.ca.gov
• Visiting othena.com - If further assistance is needed with selecting a site, scheduling, or arranging for transportation to and from the site, community members can call HCA’s OC COVID-19 Hotline at (714) 834-2000
• Walking-in to a County POD site that is administering the Pfizer vaccine

For more information, click here.

As previously reported, everyone ages 16 and over in Orange County is now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Parental consent is required for youth under 18; however, they must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to receive the vaccine. If you have not already done so, be sure to get register with Othena ahead of time to ensure your place in the virtual waiting que.  

People within the eligible groups are strongly encouraged to register now with Othena to receive a vaccination from the County. Once registered, they will be placed in the virtual waiting room with other individuals who are already eligible within the State’s guidelines. Appointments are dependent on vaccine supply. As the County receives more vaccines, more appointments will open in Othena. 

For more information on COVID-19 vaccine resources in Orange County, including this weekend's POD schedule, click here. 

Please be aware that there are more channels of distribution other than the County where people can get a vaccine. For more information on where you can find appointments through other medical providers and local pharmacies, visit vaccinefinder.org.   

Click the image above to Vaccine News.

As previously reported in my newsletter, the County of Orange Health Care Agency (HCA) also has 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. 

Testing continues to be a main priority of our COVID-19 efforts. If you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, or if your employer is requiring testing as a part of their business reopening plan, the County offers FREE testing to all of our residents. 

There are many options for testing, including our County Super Sites, testing kiosks located at various locations throughout the County (including Laguna Woods, Laguna Niguel, and Mission Viejo in the 5th District), and even at home tests that can be delivered to you and mailed to the lab for processing.

If you or someone you know or work with is having difficulty paying their rent, financial assistance may be available. The Emergency Rental Assistance program helps renters and landlords by providing money for housing costs through organizations in your community.

Not sure where to start? The answers to common questions about Emergency Rental Assistance can help you learn:

• How to apply for emergency rental assistance?
• What emergency rental assistance covers?
• If you are eligible for emergency rental assistance?
• How to show that you are eligible?

If you’re having a hard time paying your rent during the COVID-19 pandemic, you’re not alone. Click here to find out what steps to take to get the help you need.

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

If you lost a loved one to COVID-19, you may be eligible for a government program that pays for funeral expenses. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will pay up to $9,000 for funeral expenses for loved ones who died of COVID-19. Survivors can apply for benefits by contacting FEMA, toll-free, at 844-684-6333. To find out if you qualify, read FEMA’s Funeral Assistance FAQs.

Unfortunately, FEMA reports that scammers are contacting people and pretending to offer to register them for assistance. To avoid those scams, here are some tips:

• FEMA will not contact you until you call or apply for assistance.
• The government won’t ask you to pay anything to get this benefit. 
• Don’t give your own or your deceased loved one’s personal or financial information to anyone who contacts you out of the blue.

If you think you got a scam call, hang up and report it to the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 or the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

A recorded webinar on financial protection of older adults during the COVID pandemic was recently held and is 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’

The BEST Southern California fireworks display is back with a BANG! Be in Dana Point Sunday, July 4 at 9:00 PM to view this incredible show! The fireworks are shot from a barge on the water, located off the coastline of Doheny State Beach. For more information, click here.

On Sunday, July 3, Smokey’s Fire Truck and Hot Rods Unlimited Car Club will cruise through neighborhoods on a pre-determined route in Ladera Ranch from 10 AM to 12 PM. For more information, click here.

The City of Laguna Beach is anticipating large crowds for the July 4th holiday and is requesting the public’s cooperation to ensure a safe and enjoyable environment for residents and visitors. Monument Point area will be closed all day Sunday, July 4. Additionally, at approximately 5:00 PM, the area of Heisler Park from Myrtle Street to the Rockpile Beach stairs at Jasmine Street will be closed to the public to allow for fireworks preparation. For more information, click here.

The City of Laguna Hills will have a fireworks show July 4 at 9:00 PM. They will also have a live band and food trucks starting at 6:30 PM. For more information, click here.

While the annual Street Faire has been cancelled, the Mission Viejo Activities Committee is moving forward with a July 4 Fireworks Spectacular show launched from the Marty Russo Youth Athletic Park, at 9 PM. For more information, click here.

The SAMLARC Board of Directors in RSM is excited to host this year’s July 4 Star Spangled Spectacular! After a year of anticipation, this beloved community tradition will return to the Lago Santa Margarita Beach Club in celebration of Independence Day. Admission to the Beach Club Lagoon is by advanced tickets only. For more information, click here.

Enjoy the July 4 Fireworks Display in San Clemente from 9:00 PM to 9:30 PM at the San Clemente Municipal Pier. For more information, click here.

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!