Last week, I had the pleasure of representing Orange County at the National Association of Counties (NACo) Legislative Conference in Washington D.C., where we discussed everything from criminal justice reform, the American Rescue Plan Act, land-use, and health policy.

L-R: With NACo President Larry Johnson and NACo 2nd Vice President Denise Winfrey at the Legislative Conference in Washington D.C.

NACo brings together nearly 2,000 elected and appointed county officials to focus on federal policy issues that impact counties and our residents. This week I had the opportunity to engage in second-to-none policy and educational sessions, interact with federal officials and participate in congressional briefings and meetings.

I have the pleasure of serving on the NACo Board of Directors, as I ensure that Orange County has a seat at the table when it comes to the shaping of Federal Policy and Legislation.

Voting at the NACo Board of Directors meeting in Washington D.C.

The goal of NACo is to achieve County priorities in National Policymaking and addressing critical policy issues that impact the lives of over 330 million Americans, including us in Orange County. It is about elevating the importance of counties in setting America’s public policy, helping attain county policy priorities at the federal level while driving favorable national and state policy initiatives and models, and to ultimately produce definitive, actionable policies for counties.

I want to take this opportunity to thank you, Orange County, and my constituents of the Fabulous Fifth District for allowing me to be your voice at the table for the National Association of Counties!

On the cover of the NACo Committee brochure at the Legislative Conference in Washington D.C.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to my staff at the Aliso Viejo Library for this year's Point-in-Time Count of the homeless. A big "THANK YOU" to all the volunteers who help with this process.

The Point in Time count provides an excellent opportunity for us to continue our assessment of individuals experiencing homelessness throughout Orange County, including those in my district.

Thanking the volunteers at the Point-in-Time Count.

Tremendous progress has been made over the past several years in the County’s efforts to develop a comprehensive system of care, which includes everything from mental, behavioral and physical health treatment, to permanent supportive housing with wraparound services.

I look forward to reviewing the results from this year’s count so we can continue to stay abreast of the issues and respond accordingly.

At Aliso Viejo Libray, participating in the Point-in-Time Count.

L-R: With Chairman Chaffee, Fourth District Ambassador Paulette Chaffee, and Social Services Chief Deputy Director An Tran, speaking with a refugee family resettling in Orange County.

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of visiting the Orange County Afghan Refugee Resettlement Health Assessment Fair, which took place in Laguna Hills. The unique event was cohosted by the County of Orange Social Services Agency and the OC Health Care Agency, and aimed to connect community health clinics with individuals and families now calling Orange County home. 

With Chairman Chaffee, OC Dept of Education Superintendent of Schools Dr. Al Mijares, and the OC Dept. of Education team.

A range of health services were offered throughout the event including physical exams, vision screenings and vaccinations/immunizations. Other community partners participated to provide information on a variety of topics, including school enrollment, public health insurance and employment services.

Since the refugees’ arrival in Orange County, many in the community have reached out seeking information on how they can help support their resettlement. Those interested in supporting the efforts can donate to Uplift Charity, an Orange County resettlement agency, assisting in providing basic needs. Donations can be made as follows:

To make an online donation through the Uplift website, click here.

Mailing gift cards and/or checks to:

Uplift Charity
P.O. Box 6197
Anaheim, CA 92816

Note:

Gift cards to stores where clothing, sundry items and a variety of necessities can be purchased in one location, like Target or Walmart, are most needed. In addition, financial support is needed to help provide transportation services to these clients.

L-R: With Owaiz Dadabhoy (President of Uplift Charity), Dr. Al Mijares (Superintendent, OC Dept of Education), OC Board of Supervisors Chairman Doug Chaffee, Fourth District Ambassador Paulette Chaffee, and Dr. Clayton Chau (Director and County Health Officer, OC Health Care Agency).

Thank you to all of the partnering organizations who helped make this event possible, including:

• OC Health Care Agency
• OC Social Services Agency
• Coalition of OC Community Health Centers
• Uplift Charity
• CalOptima
• OC Department of Education
• Equus Workforce Solutions
• Families Together of Orange County
• Share Our Selves
• Lestonnac Free Clinic
• Abrazar

Team USA Olympic figure skater Nathan Chen shares his gold medal with his mother, Hetty Wang.

I was so happy to join fans and well-wishers alike earlier this week at John Wayne Airport (JWA) to welcome home Orange County's very own Nathan Chen, U.S. Men’s Figure Skating 2022 Olympic Gold Medalist! Congratulations, Nathan, on an outstanding job and making us all so very proud!

With Olympic Gold Medalist Nathan Chen and his mother at JWA.

With Mission Hospital’s Chief Executive Seth Teigan at the Judi and Bill Leonard Institute for Cancer Prevention, Treatment and Wellness.

This week, I had the pleasure of joining Mission Hospital’s Chief Executive Seth Teigan, for a tour of the Judi and Bill Leonard Institute for Cancer Prevention, Treatment and Wellness. 

The Judi and Bill Leonard Institute for Cancer Prevention, Treatment and Wellness.

This 100,000+ square foot, four-story facility opened in November of 2019 and provides one-stop access for South County residents to the latest in innovative cancer treatments, cutting edge research and clinical trials.

Touring the Judi and Bill Leonard Institute for Cancer Prevention, Treatment and Wellness.

The facility includes the latest technology including, but not limited to, front line diagnostic imaging and a full-service rehabilitation gym and spa.  

I am pleased to report that earlier this week, Family Assistance Ministries (FAM), located in San Clemente, was awarded $20,000 as part of the Senior Meals Program to support to non-profit organizations within Orange County that suffered negative economic impacts due to COVID-19.

FAM is a faith-based charitable non-profit organization assisting those in need in Orange County with resources for food, shelter, and personalized supportive counsel and aid, helping clients bridge the gap from dependency to self-sufficiency. FAM has provided a growing continuum of services in response to the changing needs of those at-risk in our community.

In addition to the Orange County Board of Supervisors, I'm also honored to serve you on the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) Board of Directors. As such, I'm pleased to report that all three segments of the I-5 South County Improvements Project are under construction from SR-73 to El Toro Road, where transportation planners expect volumes to grow 25 percent by 2045.

To address this travel demand, OCTA and Caltrans are working together in the cities of Mission Viejo, Lake Forest, Laguna Hills and Laguna Niguel on this $580 million freeway improvement project funded by OC Go, also known as Measure M, Orange County’s half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements.

The following are some major milestones and a look at plans for 2022...

Segment 1: SR-73 to Oso Pkwy

The reconstruction of the Avery Parkway Interchange is nearly 60 percent complete. Work on the middle section of the bridge will continue through 2022. To watch a video for a look at last year’s milestones, click here or on the image below.

Click the image above to watch the video.

Segment 2: Oso Pkwy to Alicia Pkwy

Just past 50 percent completion, segment 2 includes the Oso Parkway and La Paz Road interchanges, where last year multiple retaining walls were constructed and new lane paving began for northbound and southbound I-5.

Later this spring, crews anticipate the completion of the La Paz Road bridge. Traffic will then be shifted onto the new section of the bridge and work will begin in the middle. The new northbound off-ramp and loop on-ramp will open this year. To see a video of 2021 highlights, click here or on the image below.

Click the image above to watch the video.

Segment 3: Alicia Pkwy to El Toro Road

Crews are on track to complete the first stage of widening the Los Alisos Boulevard bridge by this fall and the bridge is on track to open to traffic in late 2023.

At the Alicia Parkway interchange, eight new retaining walls are on their way up and later this year construction will begin on new lanes for the on- and off-ramps.

At the El Toro Road bridge, the redesigned northbound loop on-ramp and off-ramp are nearing completion and motorists will begin to use the new lanes this year.

Following the completion of the Alicia Creek bridge, the Alicia Creek Bikeway and Riding and Hiking Trail is due to open this summer for pedestrians and cyclists.

For more information about the project and to sign up for the construction newsletter, click here.

With 2022 in full swing and tax season upon us, I think it’s important to share ways the County of Orange is saving taxpayer dollars. To do that, look no further than south Orange County’s jewel: Dana Point Harbor.

As many of you are aware by now, the County of Orange entered into a 66-year public-private partnership (“P-3”) - a legally binding agreement between public and private-sector organizations with Dana Point Harbor Partners (DPHP) to revitalize and manage Dana Point Harbor. Under this agreement, the County of Orange retains ownership of the Harbor and leases it to DPHP.

I have long been a strong advocate for P-3 partnerships for many reasons. P-3s save taxpayer dollars because it is the private entity that invests its own dollars to design, develop and maintain the property for the full duration of the lease. Our P3 partnership with DPHP also serves as a great source of ongoing revenue for the County. Per the terms of the Dana Point Tidelands Trust, county revenue generated in the harbor stays in the harbor to help fund critical services and programs.

Additionally, these partnerships, according to a recent report by Deloitte titled “Closing America’s Infrastructure Gap: The Role of Public-Private Partnerships,” have solid track records of on-time delivery and provide incentives for public sector assets to be properly maintained.

As we move closer to being able to announce a groundbreaking date for the $400 million re-development, we have already seen the benefits of entering into this P-3. The improvements that have been made within the Harbor, at no cost to the taxpayers, include rebuilt pergola’s and picnic areas - including new barbeques, refreshed buildings, parking areas, and signage, Wi-Fi in The Marina, and many more improvements that enhance the Harbor experience for County residents. The planning and design process have been first-class and incorporated a tremendous amount of input from the community.

Dana Point Harbor is a prime example of how the County and, more importantly, Orange County taxpayers can reap the many benefits of a public-private partnership.

OC Human Relations’ annual YouthSpeak Speech Contest is a countywide search for the top human relations speech written and delivered by high school students.

The Speech contest is only open to Orange County high school students in Grades 9 – 12. Please be sure to thoroughly read and write your speech according to the theme & prompt: This year’s theme is “Resilience”. 

Please submit a completed entry form, parent consent form and speech by March 18. For more information, click here.

I'm pleased to report he Orange County Registrar of Voters will pilot a new ballot tracking feature that will be available at select ballot drop boxes throughout Orange County beginning with the June 7, 2022 Primary Election. The ballot drop boxes used for this trial program will be equipped with a secure barcode scanner, allowing voters to scan their mail ballot envelope as they drop it off.

A voter dropping off their ballot at participating drop box locations will access a barcode scanner installed on the box to scan the printed barcode located on the outside of their ballot envelope. As they deposit their ballot the voter will receive an SMS text message confirming that their ballot was dropped off at the specified ballot drop box. Their ballot will then be tracked from pick-up through the tally process (using existing technology).

The Orange County Registrar of Voters is the first, within its industry, to deploy this type of ballot drop box technology, which is typically used in the medical industry to track tissue samples.  Nine ballot drop boxes will be included in this pilot program – data gathered will be used to inform whether this technology can be expanded across other ballot drop boxes throughout the County.

During the upcoming 2022 Statewide Direct Primary, voters will see the image below on their mail ballot envelope with information about how and where to use this newly available service. For more information, click here.

Thanks to support from the JP Morgan Chase Foundation and research from Orange County Business Council (OCBC) Chief Economic Advisor Dr. Wallace Walrod, OCBC is proud to release this report on the state of Healthcare Information Technology and Cybersecurity in Orange County and where the two industries are headed. To read the report, click here or on the image below.

Click the image above to read the OCBC Report.

Sweeping brush strokes infuse landscapes with flowing colors and imbue movement to flora and fauna in the newest Community Focus Space exhibit at John Wayne Airport. Utilizing the same essential techniques as calligraphy, artist Minna Chow creates brush paintings in the traditional Chinese style, one of the oldest continuous artistic traditions in the world.

Longevity (2019) by Minna Chow.

The John Wayne Airport Arts Program will exhibit her traditional Chinese brush paintings, showcasing landscapes and birds, in the Thomas F. Riley Terminal through March 17. Selections are viewable (pre-security) on the Departure (upper) Level near security screening areas in Terminals A, B, and C and the Arrival (lower) Level adjacent to Baggage Carousels 1 and 4. For more information, click here.

Today, I had the great pleasure of attending the San Clemente Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting, Installation and Awards Luncheon, held at beautiful Bella Collina San Clemente, where I also had the honor of installing the incoming Board of Directors and presenting commendations to the 2021 Chamber Award Winners.

Installing the 2022 San Clemente Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

Check back next week for more photos and information about this wonderful event!

Today, my office staff and County CEO staff attended 2022 Economic Report Luncheon, hosted by the South Orange County Economic Coalition at the San Juan Capistrano Community Center. The Report was presented by UCI Economics Professor Christopher Schwarz. Check back next week for more photos and details about this most informative event.

L-R: Kim Engelby (CEO's office), my Deputy Chief of Staff Yasie Goebel, Policy Advisor Christian Abueg, Communications Director Pauline Colvin, Field Representative Dawn Kamber, Michelle Aguirre (CEO's office), and my Chief of Staff James Dinwiddie.

My office was pleased to present a certificate of recognition to  Coastal Concierge Primary Care in Dana Point, where the Chamber of Commerce conducted a ribbon cutting ceremony this week. Coastal Concierge Primary Care is to be highly commended for providing their patients with comprehensive and personalized care, with a special emphasis on wellness and disease prevention. Please join me in welcoming Coastal Concierge Primary Care to the Dana Point Chamber of Commerce!

My Community Relations Advisor, Sergio Prince, holds the ribbon at the ceremony for Coastal Concierge Primary Care in Dana Point.

The OC Health Care Agency continues to release daily COVID-19 case counts in Orange County. As of today, HCA is reporting 537,603 positive cumulative cases and 6,570 deaths to date, as well as 295 currently hospitalized with 56 in ICU.

The CDC has updated its guidance on COVID-19 booster shots and additional doses for people who are moderately to severely immunocompromised, including recommendations for people who received the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccine as well as updated time intervals between doses.

The OC Health Care Agency (HCA) has an updated infographic to help you understand all of the information about boosters and additional doses. Click here or on the image below to download the information.

Click the image above to enlarge.

My Board colleagues and I 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) launched a 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 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 queue.  

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’

Celebrate San Clemente Day at the Annual Youth Fishing Derby on Feb. 26 from 9 AM to 12 PM. The community is invited to celebrate the history of the San Clemente Municipal Pier and its fishing legacy. Registration is now open for ages 6-13 years. Pre-registration is required. Space is limited. For more info, click here.

Upper Newport Bay

Upper Newport Bay’s long-running and popular storytime is back! Wild Tales will be offered every Friday and include an outdoor storytime in our newly renovated amphitheater, as well as an age-appropriate hike and a craft project in our classroom. Each session will have a new story, hike theme, and craft project. For more information, click here.

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.

As previously reported, I'm pleased to have relaunched 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!