I was proud to present, in partnership with all the Chambers of Commerce in the 5th District, a Townhall Webinar this week, featuring our Orange County Registrar of Voters, Mr. Neal Kelley. The Zoom presentation was attended by hundreds of viewers and graciously hosted by the Dana Point Chamber of Commerce, with Duane Cave of SDG&E serving as moderator.

The Zoom Webinar was held as a result of my office being informed that some members of the community were concerned about the integrity of the election process here in Orange County.

Regarding our elections, it is critical the voting public know, without a shadow of a doubt, when they cast their ballot here in Orange County, be it by mail, voter drop box or in person, that their ballot is secure and counted.

When rumors, innuendo, misinformation and conspiracy theories begin to erode public confidence in the process, it is important we set the record straight, so as to ensure the public’s continued faith and trust in our system.

Neal Kelley is arguably the most respected Registrar of Voters in the State of California and highly regarded amongst his peers across the country. The measures he and his excellent staff have implemented to protect the integrity of our election process in Orange County are second to none and serve as a model for the rest of the nation.

As we enter the next election cycle, it is important we know fact from fiction, which was the purpose for the Townhall Webinar. To view the informative Zoom presentation with Orange County Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley, including extensive Q&A, click here or on the image below.

Click the image above to view the Zoom Webinar.

On Saturday, October 2, an environmental tragedy struck our County, as at least 24,696 gallons of crude oil spilled into our ocean from a pipeline off our coast.  Early impacts were within the areas of Newport and Huntington Beach but, unfortunately, the spread has progressed to coastal South County. 

Throughout this emergency, I and my Board Office staff have been closely monitoring the situation and engaged with the appropriate emergency management personnel. Saturday, upon learning about the oil spill, I engaged with the Governor’s Cabinet Secretary and have continued to receive regular updates, as I am focused on ensuring the recovery of our precious ocean and marine life.

Shoreline crews conducting cleanup. Photo Credit: US Coast Guard

A Unified Command has been established and is comprised of the US Coast Guard, CA Dept of Fish and Wildlife and Amplify Energy. The County of Orange has also sent a ‘Local Government Onsite Coordinator’ to participate in the Unified Command, as County resources and assets continue to be utilized to support recovery efforts. Additionally, our County Emergency Operations Center has been activated, and we continue our coordination with the various authorities.

I want to ensure the community that federal, state, county, and local partners are working collaboratively to take all possible steps to clean up the spill and protect our wildlife. While activities to remedy the situation and remove the oil are ongoing, so is the investigation into the cause. Unified Command has indicated that upon inspection of the pipeline by divers and a Remotely Operated Vehicle, a 4,000-foot section of the 17.7-mile-long pipeline was displaced, with a maximum lateral movement of approximately 105 feet. In addition, a 13-inch split was identified in the pipe.

Wildlife Impact: Ruddy Duck before & after cleaning. Photo Credit: US Coast Guard

The US Coast Guard is the lead agency coordinate the response to the oil spill.  Official information, including the latest developments can be found by visiting: socalspillresponse.com.

Personal & Business Impacts

A claims number has been established for any individuals or businesses that feel they may have been impacted by the oil spill incident. Please call 1-866-985-8366 and reference “Pipeline P00547”.

Wildlife Impacts

The Oiled Wildlife Care Network (OWCN) has been activated. For the safety of the public as well as wildlife, individuals are asked not to attempt to capture oiled animals. Please report oiled wildlife to 1-877-UCD-OWCN (1-877-823-6926). Wildlife impacts are being captured and reported daily, which can be viewed at the OWCN website. 

Volunteers

Oil spill cleanup requires specialized training and protective equipment.  Individuals interested in volunteering can find information at calspillwatch.wildlife.ca.gov/volunteer or call the Volunteer Hotline at 1-800-228-4544.

Donations

Community generosity is truly appreciated; however, at this time all necessary supplies and equipment to support the cleanup effort are being provided by the Unified Command and paid for by the responsible party. As such, additional items are not needed from the public.

Harbor and Beach Impacts

Dana Point Harbor and Newport Beach Harbor have been reopened. The sand (not the shoreline or water) at County-operated beaches in the City of Laguna Beach reopened at 9 a.m. today which includes Aliso Beach, Laguna Royal Beach, Table Rock Beach, Thousand Steps Beach and West Street Beach. The parking lot at Aliso Beach remains closed for staging for the cleanup efforts.  County-operated Salt Creek Beach, Strands Beach, and Baby Beach in Dana Point Harbor are open. Capistrano Beach and Poche Beach remain closed due to construction.  Recreational fishing between Sunset Beach and Dana Point from the shoreline to six miles out is prohibited.

I would be remiss if I didn’t take this opportunity to also thank the men and women who are working around the clock to protect our coast. Whether you are on the front lines on a vessel deploying booms or collecting oil from the water, working on logistics in the emergency operations center, rescuing oiled wildlife, or providing any other support necessary for our recovery, please know that every resident of Orange County thanks you for your efforts. With utmost appreciation, THANK YOU!

L-R: With OCSD personnel and my staff, James Dinwiddie and Nicole Garcia. 

This morning, my staff and I were pleased to join the Orange County Sheriff's Department (OCSD) for a helicopter tour of the coastline to assess the current oil spill situation.

In the OCSD helicopter with my Policy Advisor, Nicole Garcia. 

To view Southern California Spill Response Fact Sheets, click here.

As reported in my newsletter last week, the application portal for my Arts-Related Small Business & Nonprofit Grant Relief Program is now closed. That said, applications received prior to that time are in the queue and will be processed. 

Notification and disbursement of awards will continue until all funds have been expended. Applications currently in the queue are being screened in the order in which they were received, so please be patient.

If you have any questions regarding your application status, please visit the dedicated website. Additionally you may contact the program administrator via email or at (714) 597-6630 ext. 134. Congratulations to all of our 5th District arts-related grant award winners!

As reported in my newsletter last week, the Orange County Business Council (OCBC) recently co-authored a letter from 11 statewide business leaders, asking the State Attorney General (AG) for more clarity on protections for businesses that implement vaccine requirements.

To that end, the AG’s response offers these resources to employers considering vaccine and/or COVID-19 testing mandates:

• U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Laws FAQs
• CA Fair Employment and Housing Vaccine Guidance for Employers
• CA Labor Commission’s FAQs on Employer Obligations re: Testing and Vaccines

The U.S. Chamber, National Business Roundtable and healthcare partners also created excellent resources and a comprehensive toolkit for employers on how to effectively communicate with employees about getting vaccinated.

As previously reported, I recently relaunched the Fifth District Nutrition Gap Program. Food insecurity continues to be a major challenge for many residents, as people struggle to get back on their feet and keep food on the table. The goal is to satisfy the continued demand for nutritious food and bridge the gap between hunger and the next meal.

The $2 million dollar program is being funded by the America Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and is available to residents living in my district. Priority will be given to those experiencing food insecurity due to age/disability, economic status, lack of familial or community support, lack of access to available resources, and those who have military service.

Enrollment is now open and, to make it as easy as possible for people to enroll in the program, we have three options by which they can enroll.

• Online by visiting: https://fdngp.211oc.org/
• Call 2-1-1
• Text their Zip Code to 898211

Program Details:

• Coordinated through the Office on Aging in partnership with 2-1-1 Orange County.
• Provides twice-weekly deliveries, via DoorDash, of restaurant-quality meals directly to participant’s homes.
• Each Monday, participants receive three fresh lunches and three fresh dinners.
• Each Thursday, they receive three fresh lunches, three fresh dinners, one frozen lunch, and one frozen dinner.

Restaurants participating in the program include:

• Ruby’s Diner
• Bella Collina
• Villa Roma
• Bamboo Bistro

In addition to the Orange County Board of Supervisors, I'm also privileged to serve you on the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) Board of Directors.

As such, I'm pleased to report the South Orange County Multimodal Transportation Study addresses South County’s transportation needs, as our area continues to grow and travel patterns evolve. It looks at a wide range of transportation needs and solutions over the next 25 years, including improvements to streets, transit, highways and bikeways.

As part of our comprehensive efforts to engage the public, OCTA conducted an online survey earlier this year, asking respondents to prioritize potential future improvements to transportation in South County. More than 1,700 people responded to the survey. Respondents favored improvements to transit, walking and biking, and maintaining streets and freeways. To learn more about the study and survey results, visit here.

After evaluating potential improvements and receiving input from stakeholders, a set of recommended strategies will be considered later this year.

In early 2022, OCTA will continue to engage with the public and other stakeholders to guide the development of potential transportation improvements.

Improvements being considered include:

• Expanding the OC Flex microtransit program and community shuttles
• Investing in bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure
• Making existing streets and freeways flow better

Stay tuned, as the final study recommendations will be presented to the OCTA Board for approval in spring 2022.

I'm pleased to report the Orange County Transportation Authority is hosting a series of hikes and equestrian rides on some of the County’s most pristine landscapes and will continue through the end of the year!

The free hikes and rides are intended to showcase the open-space lands purchased and preserved by OCTA as part of the Measure M Environmental Mitigation Program. So far, more than 1,300 acres on seven properties have been purchased from willing landowners for preservation to offset the environmental impacts of OC Go freeway projects.

The OCTA preserves are only open to the public during the docent-led hikes and equestrian rides so that the land’s wildlife and important plant life can be protected for generations to come. The hikes and rides were halted as a safety precaution at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

All participants must be 12 years or older and equestrian riders must bring their own horse. Adults must sign a liability waiver and minors need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

The following hikes and rides are scheduled:

November

• Hike at Wren’s View Preserve in Trabuco Canyon, Saturday, Nov. 6 at 9 AM.
• Equestrian ride at Trabuco Rose Preserve in Trabuco Canyon Sunday, Nov. 20 at 10 AM.

December

• Equestrian ride at Trabuco Rose Preserve in Trabuco Canyon, Sunday, Dec. 19 at 10 AM.

Equestrian rides are subject to cancelation due to bad weather conditions or changes in local health regulations. For more information and to register, click here.

If you missed the Back to School in South OC program, presented by the South Orange County Economic Coalition (SOCEC), you can now watch it anytime. Click here to learn how education leaders in South County are safeguarding the wellbeing of students and staff as we continue to navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic. 

SOCEC would like to thank the following panelists for their participation in the program:

• Dr. Crystal Turner - Superintendent, Saddleback Valley Unified School District
• David Souleles - MPH COVID-19 Response Director, UCI
• Dr. Edward M. Feasel - President, Soka University
• Dr. Elliot Stern - President, Saddleback College
• Eric Stroupe - Principal, JSerra Catholic High School
• Kirsten M. Vital-Brulte - Superintendent, Capistrano Unified School District

To view the video presentation, click here or on the image below, and fast forward to the 6:40 mark.

Click the image above and fast forward to the 6:40 mark

Message from OC Human Relations CEO Alison Edwards:

The Orange County Human Relations Commission recently released the 2020 Hate Crimes Report. It documents an alarming rise in hate activity in Orange County, including a 1800% increase in hate activity motivated by anti-Asian hate.

Hate crime has a unique and devastating effect because it targets whole communities through the violence and terror against one of its members.  

Let’s push back against the fear and rhetoric that would have us believe so many of our neighbors are really our enemies. We can be an inclusive county where the people who live here feel safe and good about staying here.

At our non-profit, OC Human Relations, we believe that all people deserve to live free of hate and violence. We have endeavored to bring attention to the impact of hate and hate crime on those targeted, the communities they identify with and our broader county. 

From all of us here at OC Human Relations, I thank you for your commitment to positive human relations in our county. The people of our county need all of you to be champions for a diversity, inclusion and equity. Together we are building a world where we all feel safe, valued and included. 

To read the OC Human Relations Commission 2020 OC Hate Crime Report, click here or on the image below.

Click the image above to read the 2020 OC Hate Crimes Report.

As previously reported in my newsletter, the Board of Supervisors in March this year 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.

I was pleased to attend the Lake Forest "State of the City" last week, held at the City's beautiful award-winning Civic Center Campus. The event was a special occasion indeed, as 2021 also marks the City's 30-year anniversary of incorporation.

With my Community Relations Advisor, Sergio Prince, at the Lake Forest "State of the City."
(Photo Courtesy of Takata Photo & Design)

In addition, the State of the City was the first major event held at the new Civic Center. During the program, Lake Forest Mayor Scott Voigts spoke proudly about the City's many outstanding achievements and accomplishments during 2021.

L-R: With Lake Forest Mayor Scott Voigts and Mayor Pro Tem Robert Pequeño at the State of the City.
(Photo Courtesy of Takata Photo & Design)

The City's motto, "Remember the Past, Challenge the Future," has certainly served Lake Forest well since 1991. To view the video presentation by Mayor Scott Voigts at the Lake Forest "State of the City," please click here or on the image below.

Click the image above to view the video presentation by Mayor Scott Voigts.

Last Saturday, my office had the pleasure of presenting a certificate of recognition to Saddleback College President Elliot Stern and the South Orange County Community Collège District (SOCCCD) Board of Trustees in honor of the ribbon cutting ceremony for their new state-of-the-art Stadium and Sports Complex.

Please join me in congratulating Saddleback College and SOCCCD for creating an amazing new center for community gatherings and entertainment, as well as a home to student athletes engaged in perfecting their talents & pursuing their educational goals.

My Community Relations Advisor, Sergio Prince, presenting a commendation at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Saddleback College Stadium & Sports Complex.

My office was pleased to present a proclamation to The Susy Q Center and Laguna Beach Seniors in honor of National Senior Center Month this week. In collaboration with the City of Laguna Beach, Laguna Beach Seniors provides outstanding programs and services of interest to their Senior Community.

L-R: Stephany Skenderian and Nadia Babayi receive a proclamation from my Community Relations Advisor, Sergio Prince.

My office was also pleased to present a certificate of recognition to The Sweet Hand in Ladera Ranch, where the Chamber of Commerce conducted a ribbon cutting ceremony last Saturday. The Sweet Hand is to be highly commended for sharing its experience of being part of a wonderful creative environment with edible-art teachers from the community! Please join me in welcoming The Sweet Hand to Ladera Ranch.

My Field Representative, Dawn Kamber, at the ribbon cutting for The Sweet Hand in Ladera Ranch.

The OC Health Care Agency continues to release daily COVID-19 case counts in Orange County. As of today, HCA is reporting 299,594 positive cumulative cases and 5,475 deaths to date, as well as 223 currently hospitalized with 47 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.

My Board colleagues and I recently approved the launch of the OC Health Care Agency’s (HCA) Vaccine Equity Engagement Program in an effort to accelerate the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines, with a continued focus on the most vulnerable high-risk populations in Orange County. 

The program provides an opportunity for community members to nominate collaboratives, volunteers and other organizations (especially smaller groups in hard-to-reach communities) for an opportunity to earn a coordination fee of $20 for every individual who receives either their first or second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine (with a preferred minimum of 50 individuals registered per event). The program’s $4.5 million in funding is made available from the State of California’s Government Operations Agency.

Through the Vaccine Equity Engagement Program, HCA will oversee the criteria for organizations to host clinics, provide them with public health messaging resources to help them promote their events and communicate the importance of the vaccine to their community members, and collaborate with them on innovative ideas to increase engagement with residents such as donation and gift matching opportunities. 

Interested organizations will be able to sign up to participate in this program and host vaccine clinics in partnership with HCA through the Mobile Vaccine Service feature on the Othena platform. Additionally, the Othena platform now offers a new feature for any eligible individual who has scheduled a vaccination appointment to request free roundtrip rides to their appointment. They can now log in to Othena.com or the smartphone app to request a ride to their appointment (residents are encouraged to request rides 3 to 5 days in advance and rides are subject to availability). 

To sign up for the Vaccine Engagement Program and host a community clinic, interested organizations can click here.

Individuals looking to schedule a COVID-19 vaccination appointment or complete their second dose can do so by visiting Othena.com or calling the OC COVID-19 Hotline at (714) 834-2000. For additional information on free or discounted rides to vaccination appointments, please visit the Lyft or Uber websites. For more information and resources on the COVID-19 vaccine in Orange County, click here.

The Orange County Health Care Agency (HCA) recently 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.   

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.

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’

South OC Cars and Coffee is the world’s largest weekly car show, held every Saturday from 9 AM to 11 AM at Outlets at San Clemente, 101 W Avenida Vista Hermosa, attracting a mix of 1500-3500 plus hyper-cars, supercars, exotics, vintage, classic, muscle and sports cars, hot rods, rat rods, pickups, 4x4s and motorcycles. No registration is required. Spectators are welcome and meet every Saturday, rain or shine! For more information, click here or on the image below.

Click the image above for more information.

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!

I'm excited to announce the relaunch of the Nutrition Gap Program. Food insecurity continues to be a major challenge for many residents, as people struggle to get back on their feet and keep food on the table. The goal is to satisfy the continued demand for nutritious food and bridge the gap between hunger and the next meal.

The $2 million dollar program is being funded by the America Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and is available to residents living in my district. Priority will be given to those experiencing food insecurity due to age/disability, economic status, lack of familial or community support, lack of access to available resources, and those who have military service.

Enrollment is now open and, to make it as easy as possible for people to enroll in the program, we have three options by which they can enroll.

• Online by visiting: https://fdngp.211oc.org/
• Call 2-1-1
• Text their Zip Code to 898211

Program Details:

• Coordinated through the Office on Aging in partnership with 2-1-1 Orange County.
• Provides twice-weekly deliveries, via DoorDash, of restaurant-quality meals directly to participant’s homes.
• Each Monday, participants receive three fresh lunches and three fresh dinners.
• Each Thursday, they receive three fresh lunches, three fresh dinners, one frozen lunch, and one frozen dinner.

Restaurants participating in the program include:

• Ruby’s Diner
• Bella Collina
• Villa Roma
• Bamboo Bistro

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!